Treasures from the Farm

Screen Shot 2014-10-29 at 9.43.47 AMThe Mellon’s Oak Spring Farm in Upperville, Virginia – 2000 acres, four residences, and over twenty cottages. Former home of philanthropist and gardening doyenne Bunny Mellon, who passed away this spring at 103. This November, in a highly anticipated sale, Sotheby’s will host three auctions of items from the Mellon’s private collection – Masterworks, Jewelry, and Interiors. Despite the fact that I appreciate art, and I love jewelry, I am most interested in the interiors auction. Even though the Mellons were incredibly wealthy, Mrs. Mellon collected things that she loved, and the collection from Oak Spring Farm includes such things as simple ceramic dishes, baskets, and walking sticks. These photos, courtesy of Sothebys, show that life at Oak Spring Farm, while charmed, was relaxed and comfortable. For more information, catalog, dates, and exhibition schedule, click here.
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Woolly Winter

WE Wool 5Good Morning Lacquered Lifers! As fall is officially upon us, and winter is quickly approaching I wanted to introduce everyone to some wool pillows, throws, and blankets that can keep you warm through those winter months … especially if the winter is anything like last year. This is a new collaboration between West Elm and the Faribault Woolen Mill Co. in Faribault, Minnesota. WE Wool 10The Faribault Woolen Mill Co. has been in operation in the town of Faribault since 1865. Through two world wars when they made blankets for the troops, a great depression, and the passage of time, this mill has continued to employ locals and to manufacture high quality wool products including blankets, scarves, pillows, and even i Pad cases. This is America’s last true vertical wool mill. The “new” mill, as the company refers to it on their website, was built in 1890 and is still in use today.
WE Wool 4Not surprisingly, this collaboration with West Elm has the Faribault Co. putting out blankets, pillows, and throws with some very modern looking patterns. These are not your traditional plaid wool blankets. Available in a range of colors and patterns there is sure to be something to keep you warm this winter. WE Wool 9Above are three of my favorites from the Faribault Woolen Mill Co.’s collection for West Elm – Large Stripe Wool Pillow Cover, the Window Plaid Wool Blanket, & the Shadow Plaid Wool Throw. For more information on the Faribault Woolen Mill Co. visit their website, and you can shop the Faribault Woolen Mill Co. collection for West Elm below.

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Losing Long Island

Ipswich

Good Morning Lacquered Lifers! Last week I was fortunate enough to attend a lecture by Architectural Digest’s Mitchell Owens, on the subject of one of the great lady decorators, Ruby Ross Wood, and today I’m going to show some photos of the home she shared with her second husband Chalmers Wood. Ipswich 2Little Ipswich, named  after Mr. Wood’s Massachusetts hometown, was built between 1927 – 1928 on forty three acres in Woodbury, Long Island. Designed by the revered classical architects Delano & Aldrich, Mrs. Wood had asked for a single story design so that she could have extremely high ceilings in every room.  According to Owens, the floor plan of the house was not ideal, as the second guest room could only be accessed by walking through the first, but it was an absolutely stunning house. Ipswich 4Like so many of Long Island’s large estates, Little Ipswich was demolished in 1995 to make way for a housing development. What a loss.

Photos via The Devoted Classicist, Old Long Island, & Emily Evans Erdmans

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