Designer Spotlight: Samantha Faye Jewelry

Samantha Freedman, a Newton girl whose family is in the  jewelry business (Downtown Crossing Boston diamond shop Freedman Jewelers is her dad’s), actually started out as a corporate lawyer before pursuing design. And even then, she did it on her lunch hour. I profiled Samantha (“Sweetest Charms”) in the Boston Globe Magazine earlier this month.

SAMANTHA FAYE FREEDMAN JEWELRY DESIGNER BOSTON

Samantha’s first charm was a clothing hanger. After people bought them right off her neck, she designed five more fashion-inspired pieces which comprise the Closet Collection: a button, a zipper, a key, a knot, a pair of lips, and a bow. All seven are still in production, and the bow has since become one of her biggest sellers. She does all her pieces in sterling silver, gold plate, and rose gold plate.

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Boston Globe Magazine January 6, 2013
photos in the magazine by Dan Watkins

 After the closet came the Menagerie Collection, which today includes 20 different adorable animal charms, all available in large and small sizes. She started making the animals and matching mini mes when her friends started having kids, thinking they’d be cute mommy/daughter accessories. (She makes charm bracelets too.) They were a hit, but with an even broader audience. Sorority sisters, and all sorts of ladies loved them.

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Samantha-Faye-Owl-Pendants

If the large and small lobsters aren’t telltale signs, the Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket island charms, plus the anchor, making up the Islands Collection, gives Samantha away as a New England girl.

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Samantha’s newest collection Modern Classic, includes nature-inspired shapes, good luck charms, and other whimsical silhouettes. Again, all available big and small in three finishes.

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Samantha behind-the-scenes at the Globe shoot at Succara on Beacon Hill, the showroom that represents her line.

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BOSTON GLOBE MAGAZINE COVER JAN 6 2013

Design Diary: Rustic Modern in the Berkshires

I wrote about this exquisite Berkshires home designed by Ritch Holben of RhDesign in Southfield, MA for the Boston Globe Magazine earlier this year. It ran June 24, 2012 as “A Camp Conversion” and was photographed by Keller + Keller. Since then, the lead photo has been all over Pinterest, which was fun to discover, because it was not me who posted it. I hear a prominent design blog may be interested in republishing some of the photos too. It’s definitely worthy.

“We wanted something in the New England vernacular, but we also wanted modern.”

The skeleton of the house is outlined inside in reclaimed barn wood.
David Weeks Studio “Torroja Cross” chandelier.

Stone fireplace with steel mantle and  raised steel hearth for log storage.

Vintage Henning Norgaard coffee table.
Madeline Weinrib “Tulu” angora rug.

A chesterfield sofa.

Artwork is “Squares” by Peter Dunham.

Flat, black steel rails were clear-coated to show the manufacturing marks.

George Nelson pendant light.

Dining table by Johannesburg-based designer  Gregor Jenkin
McGuire “Seido” chairs in walnut.

Bamboo kitchen cabinets, limestone countertop.
“Morris Lantern” by Visual Comfort.

Window muntins have an extra-thin profile to mimic industrial steel windows.

Floating horizontal, wood slat wall in the master bedroom.

Schumacher “Chenonceau” wallpaper.

Guest bedroom.

Guest bedroom.

They redid a little cottage that was original to the property.

Lakeside entry.
Standing seam metal roof, corrugated galvanized metal siding.

From the back.

The 200-feet of lakefront includes two docks and a bait house.
A system of gabions were used to hold back the water.

Bluestone patio and cedar boardwalk.

Design Diary: Artist’s Garden and Cottage on the Westport River

Last summer I visited artist Joy Hanken’s cottage on the Westport River in Westport, MA and wrote “In an Artist’s Garden” for the Boston Globe Magazine this past April.  It’s a lovely little spot, so I thought I’d share the photos with you.

I’m on vacation and late on deadlines, so forgive me for not including captions, but if there’s anything you want to know about, just ask and click over to the story in the Globe.

Local Press: Boston Style Bloggers

On Sunday the Boston Globe Magazine included a special Spring Style edition. There’s a spread featuring seven of Boston’s best style bloggers, along with some fun facts about each, including fashion obsessions, favorite places to shop, and style philosophies. The ladies were good sports at the shoot, as we lined them up and posed them this way and that, referencing the iconic Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue covers for ideas on groupings and stances. I think the whole package came out great, and I hope they love it. (Thank you all for your participation, and sorry we had to cut off your shoes!) Below, their names and blogs, plus tidbits we didn’t have room for in the article.

Photo: Mitch Weiss

Martini SeverinBeyond Boston Chic
Marissa BerensonThe Well Appointed Catwalk
Emily GeamonSo Anthro
Courtney MirenziThose Graces
Liana KruppNew Brahmin
Zoe MalliarosFashion is Freedom
Erin GatesElements of Style

* * *

STYLE NOTES

Martini Severin: Look she’s over: Leggings. “They’re a cop out.”
Marissa: Personal style bloggers: “Good looking girls who dress well, but are usually boring.”
Emily: Covets: Burberry rain boots
Courtney: First job: Volunteer for Americorp
Liana: Look she cultivates: Japanese girl working in Paris
Zoe: Good luck charm: Alex & Ani bangles
Erin: Look she’s over: Hipsters wearing fake glasses.

STYLE ICONS
Martini Severin: Naomi Sims, Shala Monroque, her sister Jenny Severin
Marissa: Her mom, a former buyer at Bonwit Teller
Emily: Audrey Hepburn, Kate and Pippa Middleton
Courtney: Audrey Hepburn, Lauren Conrad
Liana: Loulou de la Falaise, Leith Clark, Marilyn Riseman
Zoe: Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Olivia Palermo, Diane von Furstenberg
Erin: Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Gwyneth Paltrow

BLOGS THEY FOLLOW
Martini: Blue Hour, Marian Kihogo, Bella Duafe, Garance Dore, Man Repeller
Marissa: New Brahmin, A Stylized Hysteria, Covetous Creatures
Emily: Cupcakes and Cashmere, Atlantic-Pacific, The Daybook
Courtney: Barbro Andersen, The Beheld, Rookie, Nouveau Cheap
Liana
: N’East Style, The Cut
Zoe: Style Activist, Fashion Toast, Fabulous K, Beyond Boston Chic
Erin: Garance Dore, Atlantic-Pacific, The Glamourai, Into the Gloss

Design Diary: Cabin Fever

I had been long corresponding with Gary Briggs, co-owner of Aunt Sadie’s boutique and  candle company, but it wasn’t until fall that I learned he is quite the collector of Adirondack, camp and cabin style furniture, art and accessories. I toured his South End place for “Cabin Fever“,  which ran in the Boston Globe Magazine, and followed up with “Log Cabin Chic in the City” for The Inside Source, for which Briggs shopped eBay for Adirondack-inspired pieces. It’s about time I showcased his collection here as well, especially since I promised more hunting lodge chic stories last week. (Sorry, work got in the way.) Check out the articles for details (the stories behind the collecting is interesting), since this is a photo only post.

Photo: Josh Kuchinsky

An overview of the main living space.

The details below are my snapshots.