“Why don’t you step outside and get a breath of fresh air.”
Anne Lise Coste | Art Basel Miami 2013
Design Diary: A Boston Patio Inspired by Majorelle Gardens
Another oldie but goodie from the Boston Globe Magazine archives. In October 2009, I wrote “Kind of Blue,” about a Beacon Hill patio redesigned for outdoor entertaining, inspired by the homeowner’s trip to Morocco; Majorelle Gardens to be exact. This well-traveled 50-something hired Brian Feehan to transform her 10-by-17-foot outdoor space when she returned from her trip. He wondered how he would cram a 20-foot reflecting pool in there, but with a flair for the dramatic (Feehan is actually a director and choreographer), he managed to eke out a bit of paradise in the historic neighborhood.
I N S P I R A T I O N
Jardin Majorelle • Marrakech
Majorelle Garden was designed by the painter Jacques Majorelle in 1924 and revived by fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his partner, Pierre Berge, in 1980. Feehan took cues from the distinctive cobalt blue accent color, Moorish latticework, lush greenery, and fountain.
B E A C O N H I L L P A T I O
Designed by Brian Feehan
Feehan replaced the existed rotted wood deck with a mahogany-stained ipe deck and painted the existing lattice matte black. He added a trio of of 6-inch-wide horizontal wood strips in cobalt blue around the perimeter. The slats add color, and the homeowner can hang votives and flowerpots from them.
For additional interest and color, Feehan hung a pair of antique Chinese doors found at SoWa showroom Mohr & McPherson. The scale and shape mimic the French doors on the opposite wall, and provide a focal point when one steps onto the patio from the house.
The blue mosaic tile you see in the background is a fountain. More about that below. Look closely, there are mirrors on either side of it, which extend the feel of the space.
Feehan created a mosaic glass tile wall fountain that’s eight-feet high. Water runs down the surface, which is covered with tiles in different sizes and thicknesses. It’s uplit, creating a glistening, otherworldly effect in the evening, and sounds lovely too. The water collects at the bottom in a cobalt-colored trough that runs the length of the brick wall.
Moroccan style tiles are affixed to the gate, adding more flavor.
The patio is accessed from the condo by French doors.
Don’t you wish she’d invite you to a cocktail party?
B E F O R E
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It’s time to wear your espadrilles!
Shop Soludos >
Just In: Madewell Fall 2014
As usual, seeing how I live in Boston, I was unable to attend the press preview of the Madewell Fall 2014 collection. However, my darling friend Meredith was up for the schlepp downtown, and snapped these photos for me. I know it’s barely even spring here, but who doesn’t appreciate a sneak peek? Although many of the items were scattered with French phrases, and had a bit of a French hippie grunge flavor, the official Madewell Fall 2014 theme is actually more along the lines of easy living in urban America.
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Shop Madewell for denim. (I do.) >
Swatching: Martyn Lawrence Bullard for Ann Sacks
Last May I met Martyn Lawrence Bullard at the Boston Design Center, where he was promoting his new fabric line for Schumacher (I blogged about it here.) In addition to another fabric collection for Schumacher, he has a new tile collection for Ann Sacks. Swatches from both collections, below.
Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s new tile collection for Ann Sacks
“Mousharabia” inspired by carved wood latticework screens of Morocco
“Eastern Promise” concrete tiles
“Hermitage” mirrored glass tiles
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Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s latest collection
for F. Schumacher & Co.
Theodore
Delos
Kerylos
Shambala
Baglioni
Serpetti
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Shop Burke Decor for classic modern furniture & accessories >
ARTmonday: Jenny Prinn
I noticed last week that Jenny Prinn, who describes herself as “mommy, artist, and stylist,” started following StyleCarrot on Instagram. (I’ve been trying to beef up my account, so I hope you’ll give me a follow too.) When I clicked through to Jenny Prinn’s Instagram, I was thrilled to discover that she’s a Maine artist whose work I’d admired on Serena & Lily.
Jenny Prinn’s abstracts are colorful and uplifting. Some are truly abstract; others are abstracted landscapes. Her statement says she is “intrigued by the fleeting moments and feelings in life that are often overlooked or forgotten.” She creates “the small pulsing, transient moments and sensations that strike deep within our core for just a moment and then are gone.” She works in acrylic and mixed media on canvas.
The artwork is beautiful, and the prices accessible. Most of these are still (at the moment) available for purchase. (I may need one for the Delray Beach condo.)
I’d love to visit Jenny Prinn’s studio.
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Find still life, landscape, and abstract art at Serena & Lily >
