Dressing the Library in Fall Color
Fall is my favorite season, though it looks like it will be very late this year (the leaves are all still happily green). So to tide me over, I’ve gathered… Read More
Design & Décor
Boston Townhouses in their Summer Finery Part 2
Aaah, the happy memories that these posts have brought back. We lived at 61 Commonwealth Avenue, in the heart of Back Bay, and I treasured every moment. My childhood dream… Read More
Boston Townhouses in their Summer Finery Part 1
Having lived in Boston for a few years, I’m very partial to the term “Boston Proper” as describing the old in-town neighborhoods that included Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End,… Read More
Romancing our Summer Garden
The Orangerie in Parterre’s garden was a most special surprise Christmas gift in 1997, given to me by my husband, Jonathan, as we began our house building project. While originally… Read More
Seafair, a Hurricane’s Tale
There’s always a story in Newport and as we head into hurricane season, this gripping tale from my book, Private Newport, deserves to be retold. Few in Newport recognize Seafair… Read More
Private Newport’s Most Singular Oceanside Rooms
The cover of my first coffee table book, Private Newport: At Home and in the Garden, conveys in so many ways the sensibilities and design spirit of this post…shining a… Read More
B is for Boxwoods
On my recent visit to Atlanta, I had determined to finally meet the two owners (Dan Berman and Randy Korando) of one of my favorite Buckhead shops, Boxwoods, which has… Read More
Faux and Behold
Prepping is well underway for the Newport Flower Show (June 21-23), when many talented ladies (and men) of the garden world will dress the rooms of Rosecliff with luscious floral… Read More
Newport Society: The Passing of a Legend
My first post of the New Year is in honor of Marion Oates Charles, a legendary hostess and fixture of society in Newport and Washington D.C. since the 1950’s. “Oatsie,”… Read More
The Holiday Parterre Bench
For me, as for many of us, Christmas decorating is steeped in tradition. The treasured hand-me-down and collected-over-the-years ornaments that are lovingly hung on the tree just as they have… Read More