Archive for the ‘Local Vendor Love’ Category

We’re working on yet more bathrooms, seems all we do is carry around tile from meeting to meeting and back again! I am working through some ideas for a masculine bath with a clean industrial edge. We saw this great geometric tile from Ann Sacks and liked it allot – it’s a great building block for our concept. I pulled the Kallista Ver Stil vanity as I thought it was a nice modern pairing with the tile, great hardware details and a slim metal leg. The thick stone counter top too has a nice weight to work with the concrete tiles. Here’s hoping the client likes it as much as I do!

Kristina Crestin Design_Bathroom blog post

Materials studio shot: Ann Sacks Paccha by Popham Design tiles with a blue tile also from Ann Sacks. The white sink base is from Kallista, the ‘vir stil‘ that Laura Kirar designed. Sconce from Urban Electric Co, and Kohlers ‘pinstripe‘ faucet that you can get from our friends at Designer Bath.

 

Nothing like a quick road trip to sift through piles of barn board to put a girl in a good mood. We need some nice silvery barn board for our own half bath and we’re doing a clients mudroom bath ceiling in barn board – it’s just been a matter of finding the time to get up to Nor’East Architectural Antiques. We got there the other night with about 30 minutes to close; so I had to be focused, absolutely no ‘shiny object’ moments! (though there were so many drool worth salvage pieces to look at!) Many thanks to the owner John for putting up with my desire to sift through piles and piles and to Kirby, my husband for always being so patient with my need to always find just the right item. Of course he has the fun job of installing all this barn board too. We’ll check back in with you shortly to share progress!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post barnb oard buying

If you want to visit Nor’East Architectural Antiques they are just up 95, not far into New Hampshire. Be sure to check the hours before you go.  They are at 16 Exeter Road in South Hampton, NH.

 

There is nothing I love more at the beginning of spring than the idea of getting my hands in the dirt and working with plants. Since we’re not quite there yet indoor plantings are the next best thing. Though I don’t relish planting up pots myself – there’s just no space at home. This is where Berry’s comes in. Though only to the trade (sorry all you homeowners) they are a wealth of information and have loads of drool worthy options to scour through. I got up yesterday quite early armed with an empty truck (so I wouldn’t be limiting my purchasing due to space!) and a list of plantings that clients wanted and went to town picking pots and appropriate plants. Check out the stunner of a succulent planting Krista did for me, its just gorgeous! I have no idea why I didn’t get one made for myself.

Kristina Crestin Design_Succulent plantings for client

Photos: Taken by me while I was waiting for all my creations to be made!  Berry’s Greenhouses can be found right next to the Boston Flower Market @ 500 Albany Street.

- Kristina

We saw today that Yvonne over at Salem Plumbing shared our ‘Designer Favorites‘ from our Passport 2 Design Bloggers Tour. Thanks for the shout out Yvonne! I am still just as madly in love with Kallista’s ’One’ faucet as I was then

Kristina Crestin Design_ Passport 2 Design

We’re working through some initial ideas for a soft master bedroom that is clean but has a slight nod to the idea of vintage or handmade elements. We gathered this loose materials palette that feels colorful yet soft; layering in some textural pieces and a little glitter. The recycled glass bubble door knobs are a favorite of mine!

Kristina Crestin Design_Blog Post_Master BedroomSourcing and photo credit from top: Materials palette image shot in our studio, Anthropologie Woodland Slumber Bed, Ro Sham Beaux coke bottle glass pendant, Anthropologie Bubble glass door knob and Merida’s Bora Bora rug from our friends at Landry & Arcari .

 

OK, so you remember when you were a kid and playing with crayons and coloring was so much fun? All the options, so many colors (and if you were oh-so-special making sure all those colors were lined up perfectly .. .just sayin’, I might know someone like that). Well recently I have found the adult translation of that for designers – working with custom colors and local vendor Jill Rosenwald!

To start her products are eye candy. When I first found her website I couldn’t settle on which pieces and patterns I liked most – so many options – so many colors! In the real world so many functional uses too (fruit bowl; pencil cup anyone?)  Recently I’ve worked with her to create some custom colored versions of some of her pieces. Just this week a client and I had too much fun playing with her colored glazes and dreaming up a large fruit bowl with a pop of salmon on the inside and a fun chevron pencil cup to finish off her desk area. Stay tuned as they come to completion and we share those pics!

Kristina Crestin Design _Jill Rosenwald Studio visit

Check out Jill’s stuff @ http://www.jillrosenwald.com and her fun blog @ http://blog.jillrosenwald.com.

Photo’s by Sandra Kimball.

A tough part of our job is when you narrow selections down to 2 great options and then you can’t decide! We’ve gathered the right materials direction and pulled the following 2 lighting directions – yikes! Which is better! Thoughts?

Kristina Crestin Design_Lighting debateTop fixture: Oly’s Serena Drum chandelier; which you can now get with gold or silver. From our good friends @ FDO Group in the Boston Design Center

Bottom fixture: Made Goods Henry chandelier, also has options for silver or gold.

Recently I had the pleasure of joining a group of interior designers as part of the Passport to Design Bloggers Tour for the day. The delightful Yvonne from Designer Bath planned and herded us from store to store where we got to explore check out new products, which was a very different experience not under the pressure of a normal day’s time-table! Well; and there was some champagne involved. Always a lovely thing when shopping for expensive product!  To share a smidge of my day – here is my fabulous favorite item from each stop:

Blog Post 1_Passport2Design test

Circle Furniture – I fell in love with the green leather first and then the shape and form of this American Leather chair and ottoman – fun for one or 2 to cozy up in. Also a striking addition to any room. http://www.circlefurniture.com

Tile By Design – This neat shape is actually a teak tile, not quite a moroccan shape, but very interesting. I liked the scale and color. They call it ‘AnTeak’. Not sure if that is clever or campy.  http://tile-by-design.com

Salem Plumbing & Designer Bath - I have a current obsession with Kallista’s ‘One’ line. This sexy faucet is just a stunner and luckily we have one going in an upcoming project!  http://www.designerbath.com

Landry & Arcari – We got an education while there on some product, which was nice. As designers we’re always moving so fast, slowing down to take in some new knowledge from experts was great. I fell in love with this hide rug sewn together in a herringbone pattern – hello awesome! http://www.landryandarcari.com

Lucia Lighting & Design – Lucy gave us a whirlwind tour where I got distracted by a sparkly object – these yummy Studio Be Vetro hand blown glass pendant lights. Not the most practical things (but how many beautiful items are!) but check out the pattern of light spilling on the walls. Just gorgeous how as a designer we can play with the experience of a space, not just the function. http://www.lucialighting.com

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