Wilson Kelsey Design

A Gallery Style Interior

John — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 04:03:33 +0000

If a person were to ask me to offer an off the cuff phrase describing Sally’s and my style, I would say “classic traditional with an enticing European influence”. Having said that, there’s a piece of me that that will sit right up and say, “Whoa!” when I come across the right modern interior – an interior that uses form, surface, light and shadow to define and shape form, function and volume. Add an exterior that offers up not a clue as to what you are walking into, you have a formula that spells magic. Such is this project – a house with a stone exterior built in 1937 and an interior renovated to feel like a modern gallery in New York City.

Wouldn’t you expect a charming rustic interior?

The central fireplace has been reworked as part of an open floor plan.

Tucked around the corner… Antique keys.

Fantastic!!! A 1769 schrank & 18th century church pew play vs. tuxedo style furniture.
What’s a schrank you ask??? The short answer is it’s an antique wardrode.

Love the sweep of the shelves and counterpoint of modern tufting and practical period furniture.

What a compostition – modern island between antique painted chairs and rustic shelves - brilliant!

Look at the different thicknesses of the shelves. Real understanding of scale and weight!

Cantalevered shelves again. The antique windsor chair looks so alive! Context!!!

Saarinen Womb Chair, modern quilt, folded tin sand pipers, antique basket having a conversation.

A singular vision throughout. Beautiful!

Could you live here?

All images from Architectural Digest, Architecture by French & Crane and Jeanne Scandura. Interior Design by Lauren Sara.

Respite from the day…

John — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:47:23 +0000

The other evening after a full day Sally said to me, “Today it felt like several days came at me all at once!” I agreed heartily. I have set several resolutions and goals for myself and the business, all of which need to be worked on and launched in parallel. (More on that another day…) The consequence, is a very fast pace these days… Some might call it relentless.

In spite of the fact that time is one of the few things you can’t get back, I’ve made the seemingly incongruous decision to take a certain amount of time in the morning, around noon time and in the evening making it sacred, where I will not talk or think about work. I believe in the long run, it will enable me to work more efficiently and effectively.

What prompted this decision was that I found myself looking at very particular kinds of images as I was going through more old design magazines this past weekend. They were all restful and serene.

In one, I might imagine myself reading a book,

while in another; it would be sipping a morning cup of tea or hot chocolate as I backed myself into the day.

Maybe a little inspirational reading before the day begins.

A place to read at the end of the day.

I suppose a nap here and there would be most restorative…

I put this in because I love butterflies. Butterflies make me feel good.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday!

Cheers,

Note: Other than the second to last image,which is taken from John Saldino’s book Style these are from old design magazines I’ve been purging. I realized after the fact that I didn’t note which picture came from what magazine.

Cocktails, Downton Abbey and Linens

Sally — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 20:18:42 +0000

Thoughts from Sally: During last week’s Downton Abbey segment I was taken by Lady Mary Crawley’s comment to Sir Richard before dinner, “You see that having a cocktail before dinner has not reached the countryside yet.” It made me wonder when the cocktail was invented. Do you know?

Here’s Mathew with Lavinia, not Mary

I’ll bet if cocktails HAD made it to the countryside at Downton they would have been served with cloth napkins.

I was rumaging around in my linen drawer the other day and found my cocktail napkins. Real, made-out-of-cloth-ones. These have been saved from obscurity by virtue of having been passed down to me, from my mother and my aunt. My mother taught me what these were when we were downsizing my aunt’s house. I might have been confused by their size, as to their purpose. They are actually a little bit bigger than a coaster. So I asked my mother, “What are these for?” Thus my education.

One of my favorites is this little natural linen with fringed edges. They are about 5″ x 7″, including the fringe. It’s fun to get them out for small parties, because these days most people are used to paper napkins.

I think it is fun and festive to serve cocktails on a footed tray. Here are my favorite cocktail napkins on my favorite footed silver tray.

Love this Rococo style silver foot:

Another Fun set of cocktail napkins are from the 1950′s, the era when cocktail parties were so popular and chic. Look at the embroidery on these – each one with a different cocktail and its name!

They are made out of simple linen, like a handkerchief linen, and are each about 5″ x 8″ long. Notice the little hand rolled and stitched hem. So cute. Here they are on a tray, ready to serve our guests.

And last, but not least, another of my favorite color: yellow. These little napkins are big enough to put in your lap, if you are carrying an hors d’oeuvre plate, but folded they are only 6″ x 6″ including fringe. Aren’t they cute? I love them for their fringe and their engaging color!

Here they are with champagne flutes, ready to entertain with style.

Now, your task: take a look in YOUR linen drawer and see what you come up with! One of my readers was inspired by my last linen blog post to get out her linens and use them again! Way to go!

Until next time,

A side trip down memory lane: Steve Mensch, Architect, one of my college professors.

John — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:34:46 +0000

Sally and I are going through our annual “Let’s purge the office!” thing these days, which often triggers a cycle of reflection on my part. The usual where have we been, where are we going kind of thing – both as a family and as a business. I find it keeps me fresh. (And occasionally drives Sally crazy…) In spite of my best efforts, over the past year my desk area had become quite cluttered with stacks of design magazines and it was time to de-clutter. Rather than stack them neatly in another area of the office, (It’s a very clever trick – kind of like pushing a large pile of dirt from one side of the yard to the other, all the while trying to convince yourself that what you’re doing is actually constructive…) I decided it was time to go through them, cutting out the articles and pictures that I found to be of interest. I’m glad I did…

Which brings me to another thing I occasionally wonder about, that being, “What ever happened to all the professors I had in design school? Where are they now? What are they doing?” As a student at Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, I was very fotunate. The Design and Enviromental Anaylysis Department was blessed with a group of absolutely brilliant professors – “Crazy” Jane Van Alstyne (She helped design the ’63 Split Window Corvette.), Alan “If it moves, chrome it.” Bushnell, Joe Koncelick, Steve Mensch, Michael Boyd, the list goes on… Do you ever wonder about a former professor or mentor?

Well, I found Steve Mensch, published in Architectural Digest’s 2006 June issue. I couldn’t believe it! As a professor, he was always a little larger than life in what he did, how he spoke, carried and presented himself. And he was a ruthless critic in the studio classes he taught. I always wanted to prove him wrong!

His severe classic modernist approach to design and architecture seems to have softened somewhat with time. Not surprisingly, he is still thinking on a grand scale, similar to the old Adirondack Great Camps. This is his residence, located in the Catskill Mountains, north of New York City or as AD says, his family compound.

Here’s the link to the story in AD. (The entire issue is full of gorgeous projects.)

Cheers,

What a week it’s been…

John — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:28:55 +0000

Here it is, early Saturday morning. The first week of the New Year has been a very full one. Writing two proposals, upgrading computer systems, tying up of loose ends on several projects that didn’t get done before the Holidays, working with a magazine as they prepare a story for publication on one of our projects and beginning design work on a line of wrought iron decorative light fixtures and tables have kept Sally and me very busy. (in addition to all teh other activities it takes to run a design business.) I’m on the Builder Association of Greater Boston’s working committee that is putting together their Second Annual Greater Boston Homes Tour, which is hitting high gear finding homes for the Tour. (Lots of time on the phone for this…) I’m very excited about this. The contractors who are interested in participating in this year’s tour are the very best in the Boston area.

Topping it off, Sally and I are busy writing updates for the Services and The Firm sections of our website as a consequence of our guest post on on Haus Design. As we worked on the post, we realized how much our work is influenced by European and Continental style and design as opposed to the typical traditional Colonial style found in much of New England. (Sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees, can you.) Along with a few website tweeks we’re working on, we are planning to separate ourselves from the crowd by emphasizing our European based style.

Just before Christmas our blog was recognized by Acquired Objects with a Liebster Award. Debra’s blog is a wonderful place to visit, full of beautiful images and design ideas. Her website, Oreillers, where she sells pillows she makes from antique fabrics and tapestries is a true feast for the eyes. She is a very talented lady! Over the next few weeks I will be passing the award along to five other deserving bloggers.

Happy Weekend! You’ll find me up here in the office banging away…

Image from a recent Decorator’s Show House we were involved with. Photo by Sam Gray.

Cheers,

Wilson Kelsey Design Goes International on Haus Design Blog

John — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:05:45 +0000

Barbara Dettweiler, the talented blogger/creator of Haus Design in Germany, asked us to participate in her recent guest blogger series, Design in Five. She asked each participant to respond to the following premise: “You have a neutral room to work with, with good bones, but nothing outstanding. The challenge is this: You have a neutral room to work with good bones, but nothing outstanding. The challenge is this: “What five items would you add? In other words, what are the five elements in design that you can’t live without to make an amazing room?” The items could be furniture, architectural details, accessories; anything you think really makes a room.”

We turned the question around a little asking ourselves what is it that we do when we design a space, in order to take it from this (Photo by John Kelsey)

to this (Design by Wilson Kelsey Design, photo by John Kelsey)

to the final finished space. (Design by Wilson Kelsey Design, photo by Laura Moss)

Using examples drawn from our work, Sally and I illustrated Five Points we consider critical in order to successfully design a room. Those five points were,

1. Millwork and architectural detail

2. Lighting

3.Color

4. Fabric

5. Artwork

To see our guest post and read more about our Five Points, see here.

Enjoy,

Winter Hats – Part Two

wilsonkelsey — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:15:23 +0000

Ahhh, somehow we have enjoyed and gotten past Christmas and the New Year! Welcome to 2012! Can I think of another way to enjoy it more than reveling in my winter hats? Winter hats, which will become more and more useful as the snow flies? Perhaps not, and I’ll share them with you. Perhaps you will be inspired to increase your winter hat collection.

Here is another of my “can’t pass it up, must have it – berets.” With its fur pom pom and dramatic color, I couldn’t imagine doing without it. Can you? Now, red is NOT my best color, but I can’t resist the drama of red. And when you can’t resist the drama, I think you should just give in. A better moment will come along later – enjoy this one now.

I call this one my “Mad Hatter” hat. It must be the shape. Alice in Wonderland get out of the way, the crazy rabbit and I are on our way – to somewhere! Actually, you may think I don’t wear this one, it is so “individual”. But I do wear it, and I get comments on it all the time! (Are you surprised?) Mostly I hear, “I LOVE your hat.” I found this hat on Newbury Street, in Boston, and I have loved it ever since the day we met. If John and I hadn’t been married for 26 years, I would say I have a longer relationship with my hats, (but I don’t). {Actually, there is a honeymoon photo of John and me, with HIM in a hat. Very stylish indeed.}

Hearkening back to my mother’s collection of hats, which I now have a selection from, here is one of my favorites. I call this my “Myrna Loy Hat”. Have you ever seen old 1930′s films, and maybe 40′s films, where the heroine wears a hat during most of the movie? I need to get this hat out of its box and floor some people at my next event! It will be almost like the red and black hat that I featured in “winter hats part one”.

Here is a close up on the beading and the feathers.

Just in case you were in doubt – this is a Vera Whistler hat. See the original label inside the hat. Now I suspect there are some hat aficionados out there who know all of Vera Whislter’s products. Please let me know – I could use more education in this arena, and would welcome it.

This is a mink BERET version of the hat I showed in “Winter Hats Part One”. Part of my antique collection, I need to get it out more. It affords NO sun protection, however. Today, I wore my black “favorite everyday hat”, which does offer sun protection. Nothing is as fun, and individual however, as this mink beret. So I say, “Tomorrow is another day!” Like Scarlet.

So, goodbye for now, and tomorrow IS another day.

Best wishes,

We’re a Blog on Fire Award Recipient!

John — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:25:07 +0000

Several weeks ago, Maureen Bower of Eclectic Revisited recognized us with the Blog on Fire Award. Sally and I were stunned, thrilled and honored – especially considering the company we were in.

The recipient has two responsibilites. We’re supposed to tell 5 things about ourselves and pass the award along to 5 other bloggers. Sally has politely declined to speak, leaving it up to me to talk a little about myself. So here goes…

1. I love all things Italian and am a confessed motorhead. Of all the cars I have owned, my all time favorite was my 1979 Ferrari 308GTB, built as a street legal track car. (Yes, I used to race a Ferrari!) My favorite motorcycle? My old 1973 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport. Dream car? The list goes on and on, but I’d settle for a Cisitalia convertible. I know the coupe is in the Museum of Modern Arts’ collection, but I happen to like the feel of the sun on my face and wind in my hair.

2. I tie my own flies for trout and stripped bass fishing. In each fly I tie, I try to impart the illusion of life by how I tie the fly and how I blend the colors and materials I use. It took me years to learn that the secret ingredient is the water itself. A well tied fly comes to life as it moves and breathes in the water’s current. (It is on the water that I recharge my soul.) Some day, I’ll catch an Atlantic Salmon on a fly I’ve tied.

3. I’d love to learn the art of fine furniture making. To be able to use those beautiful hand tools and to bring a piece of wood to life would be heaven. (I’m sure those tools cost a fortune!!!) These days, I satisfy my yearnings by carving or turning fishing plugs on a lathe I have set up in the basement. Over the holiday break I completed my first small decorative turnings on the lathe.

4. I’m still a country boy at heart, growing up in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. If I could, I’d live on 40 acres of land with a house in the middle. Not sure where – maybe the rocky Maine coast, maybe somewhere in the Rocky Mountains.

5. Living in Europe is another dream I would love to fulfill – for a year, maybe two or three. The challenge is deciding where. I remember trying to get lost in the old town area of Verona and the breath taking beauty of Lake Como. (There’s that Italian thing again.) Believe it or not, I’ve never been to Paris, so France would be cool. (I can’t imagine being able to resist the Flea Markets…) But then, there’s the enchantment of the work of Axel Vervoordt and I could easily see myself settling in Belgium.

So there I am. I guess it turned into sort of a bucket/dream list. But you know, for me, it’s the dreams that keep us all going and I hope they never stop.

On to the second requirement of the Blog on Fire Award – passing the award along to 5 other deserving bloggers. The recipients are:

1. Belgian Pearls: Greet’s blog is an inspiration to me. It was her blog that made Sally and me rethink the format and content of our blog. Thank you, Greet!

2. Surroundings: Linda Merrill is a Boston interior designer who is one of interior design’s blogging pioneers. What she gives back to the local design community is quite remarkable. We are the better for it.

3. Jennings and Gates: I came across Nina’ blog only recently, but was immediately captivated by her class, style and at times very thought provoking posts. He recent post about entertaining and today’s culture was superb!

4. Streets of Salem: Donna is a fellow Salem resident who teaches history at Salem State College. She writes about the fascinating little things that make up the fabric of our daily lives, culture and history – things that I might otherwise never know or learn about. For that I am grateful.

5. Providence Design Ltd.: I love how Mona concludes each post, “It’s your turn. Let’s talk.” Her charm, warmth, enthusiasm and “candoitiveness” come through as clear as a bell. She helps me stay young at heart and to think anything is possible.

May everyone have a healthy, prosperous, memory and laughter filled 2012!

Cheers,

Wilson Kelsey Design’s First Annual Virtual Champagne and Food Pairing

John — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:29:48 +0000

Well, here it is the 29^th- time for our virtual tasting. (See invitation here.) Sally and I sat down Tuesday evening before dinner with our crackers, salmon, capers, onion and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot given to us by a client, determined to fight our way through this challenge. Needless to say, it was quite enjoyable and we had several good laughs as we compared notes along the way. The following are my notes and impressions as we went through the cracker, salmon, capers and onion progression. (Please add back links to your tasting blog post in the Comments section of this post.)

An impression that held true through the entire progression was of femininity and a slight sweetness. This became interesting when, after the progression, I sat down at my computer to take a look at the Veuve Clicquot website. More on that later…

Champagne: pears, ginger, citrus, sunflowers, polished, yellow, sun filled apartment

Source Unknown

October 2011 Architectural Digest

Cracker: beige, smoother, biscuits, Sally’s lemon meringue pie, soft country interior

Source: Design Sponge

Source: Unknown

2010 Dec/2011, Jan Cote Ouest

Salmon: expansive, rounder, orange, modern, jazzy, Keith Jarrett, smoke/fog filled valley in the early AM, Hudson River School painting

Keith Jarrett, jazz pianist. Source: Unknown

Source: Unknown

Frederick Edwin Church

Source: Style by Saladino

Capers: more expansive, taste smoothed out, round and feminine, Sancerre, green fields, now I can see the vineyards, rose petals, Chopin concerto, Parisian apartment

Source: August 2011 Architectural Digest

Source: Unknown

Source: Axel Vervoordt, Timeless Interiors

Onions: most expansive, more feminine, soft lavender, floral, quiet elegance, Saladino, southern plantation, Charleston, French villa

May 2011,Country Living, British Edition

Source: Style by Saladino

Source: Axel Vervoordt Timeless Interiors

After Sally and I finished our notes, I sat down at the computer to explore Veuve Cliquot. This was where things got interesting. In 2010, a ship wreck dating from the 1780′s was discovered and a quantity of intact bottles of champagne were removed. Further research established that a number of the bottles came from Veuve Clicqout and were probably part of a shipment of champagne from Loius XVI to the Russian court. This led to exploring the wines of the French Court. Their tastes were quite varied. As I was poking through all the various wbsites, I came across Château de Louveciennes, a small chateau given to Madame du Barry by Louis XV.

Madame du Barry. Source: Wikipedia

During her stay at the chateau she commissioned the design and construction of a small music pavillion in the new Neo-classical style by Claude Nicolas Ledoux.

Pavillion exterior from reflecting pond. Source: Unknown

Pavillion interior. Source: Unknown.

Image from Wikipedea

Thus, we conclude the First Annual Virtual Champagne and Food Tasting. Through it’s twists and turns, I thoroughly enjoyed putting the post together. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading it!

Cheers,

Holiday Traditions: Part 2 Yes, Son (Daughter), There IS a Santa Claus…

John — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:23:13 +0000

Each year, Sally and I savor memories of the weeks and days leading up to Christmas and Christmas morning with our son when he was very young – the excitement, the anticipation, the sitting with him explaining and discussing the larger meaning and far more important message of Christmas and the Holidays. There is one such memory that is near and dear to my heart that I’d like to share with you because it happened to me. (Thanks for the memory Mom and Dad!) Sally and I have passed the experience and memory along to our son, Drew. Some day we hope he will have the opportunity to pass the tradition along to his children.

It has to do with the day when, as a child, you begin to realize and question and you walk up to your Mom or Dad and ask/declare with fear and trepidation – masked behind false bravado, “Mom, Dad – there isn’t really a Santa Claus is there?!?!” It is a question that each generation struggles with and asks. Mom and Dad have to answer this difficult question as best they can.

And so it was… Drew was about 9 when he came to us asking about Santa Claus – declaring there was no such person. On Christmas Eve after he went to bed, I grabbed a pair of boots, sloshed them about in the ashes in the living room fireplace…

and then walked them to the Christmas tree

and back to the fireplace.

I put the boots away and Sally and I went to bed. Christmas morning (the usual 5 AM…) we were awakened by Drew loudly exclaiming Santa had really come! Get up! You’ve got to come down stairs to see his foot prints!!!! It is a morning we will never forget.

Happy Holidays,