Table of contents for Inspirations 2012 in Victoria

“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” —PABLO PICASSO Living a well-rounded life is a goal I strive for every day. I learned at an early age that balance is the key to happiness. There were occasions when I preferred to play with my dolls and a child-size set of kitchen appliances, creating a secret world where I was in charge. On other days, I was filled only with the desire to be outdoors romping in the grass, looking for four-leaf clovers and ladybugs. However, my wise mother knew that a healthy life would include such disciplines as practicing my piano lessons over and over, taking part in baking endeavors under way in the family kitchen, and learning…

Promotional pieces passed out become keepsakes passed down when fashioned with Wedgwood elegance. Charles Dickens characterized Father Time as tarrying for no one but blessing some through “the quiet calendar of a well-spent life.” Antique calendars are perfect for the resolute collector with an appreciation for time wisely kept. “I collect tiles because I like their permanence,” says Mark Tanner, who has researched these items for twenty years. Their beauty lies in their ability to make something as transient as time into a keepsake. For the Victorian collector, each tile captured the legacy of a historic event while offering a practical marker for that year. Carol Dutt, a collector in Birmingham, Alabama, loves these rarities because they connect a piece of our country’s history with her personal memories. The 1923…

After only a moment spent inside this peaceful shop, it’s easy to feel as though you’ve stepped into a dreamlike world where flowers bloom in the snow and angels flit about overhead. Tranquil music plays in the background, providing a gentle soundtrack for this otherworldly place. Although white can sometimes feel cold or austere, the opposite is true here—snowy white, creamy ivory, and antique ecru swirl together to create a welcoming palette of soothing tones. Here and there, hints of dove gray, pale green, and taupe lend to the nature-inspired décor. The idea behind this serene wonderland in Birmingham, Alabama, all started with a simple T-shirt. “I’ve always loved flowers,” says the boutique’s owner, Diana Hansen. “Twenty-seven years ago, my husband and I lived in a beautiful old home with…

Inspired and guided by owner Sandy Patterson’s passion for collecting, and benefiting from her practiced eye for spotting one-of-a-kind vintage treasures, her shop, High Cotton, Ltd., offers an intriguing journey back in time. With a business background and more than twenty years of retail management and buyer experience, Sandy launched her antiques business in 1991 in Yorktown, Virginia. Expanding eleven years ago from the original 200-square-foot space to the current location in Colonial Williamsburg, High Cotton boasts nearly 2,000 square feet stocked with fine estate linens, crystal, silver, china, glassware, and furniture. “The time frame of the merchandise is turn-of-thecentury— 1880 to 1940,” Sandy notes. “High Cotton reminds customers of their grandparents’ era and of fond memories from their early childhoods.” Although the shop also carries a selection of small…

Whimsical scrolls and classic calligraphy dance delightfully across soft cotton papyrus. The art of design and the enduring craft of letterpress are the perfect combination that enables Wiley Valentine founders Emily Owen and Rachelle Schwartz to showcase their artistry. The duo began their careers working for the same firm, where their paths first crossed. They spent their days producing myriad mainstream graphic-design projects, but grew eager to explore new avenues outside the confines of corporate work. It wasn’t until relatives and friends began requesting custom wedding invitations from the artists that they discovered their mutual adoration of all things paper. While reflecting upon their love for creating cards and invitations, Rachelle asked Emily, “Wouldn’t it be fun if we could do this all day, all the time?” Before long, the…

“Set the screen of silence at the portal of your will. Relax, and let the world go by unheard.” —ELLA WHEELER WILCOX…

Old-Fashioned Apple Butter Makes about 6 cups 8 large, firm apples (such as Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and chopped 3 cups apple cider 2½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1. In a large stockpot over medium-low heat, combine apples and cider. Cook for 4 to 6 hours, stirring often, until apples are very soft and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse cooled apple mixture until smooth. 2. Return mixture to stockpot over medium-high heat, and add brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, allspice, and cloves. Cover, and cook for 2 hours, stirring often. Remove lid, and continue cooking…

In the 1920s, few things were as fashionable and glamorous as a sterling cigarette case. Next to elbow-length gloves or an incredibly long strand of pearls, a beautiful silver case was the de rigueur accessory of an alluring woman. Cases differed slightly from one piece to the next—some were flat and square; others were oblong and rounded to fit the gentle curve of a lady’s hand. Many were made of papier-mâché or wood, but the most treasured were those crafted of sterling silver. Silver experts agree that these prized cases were often regarded as fine jewelry, with their gleaming surfaces embellished with semiprecious stones, specialty engraving and etching, and design insets or overlays featuring monograms for personalization. The hand-chased patterns reflected the heady era when these items were most popular.…

Long ago, the fork was used primarily as a serving piece. Its path to popularity as an everyday utensil was riddled with social objections, at times being labeled as either too common or too effeminate. Not until the early sixteenth century did the fork take its rightful place at the table, thanks to Italian nobility and the upper class. This acceptance spread to England in the seventeenth century. As it shed its image as a mere utensil and gained ground as a practical and curious placesetting addition, variations, including the strawberry fork, evolved. Throughout the mid-to-late 1800s and the early 1900s, many sterling-silver and silver-plate flatware patterns featured strawberry forks in their standard collections. The proliferation of such specialized utensils, as well as the availability of subsequent extensive place settings,…

Working together is a joy for Natasha and her mother, Donna. As a girl in her carefree teenage years, Natasha Lehrer was not anticipating the awakening of her entrepreneurial spirit when her family moved to the countryside from a Chicago suburb. Settling into rural life in the village of Big Rock, Illinois, she felt a deep connection to a biblical verse from the book of Esther: “And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” Inspired by the legacy of the agrarian lifestyle surrounding her new home on the Midwestern prairie, Natasha considered raising sheep. In the process of seeking her path, she received a spinning wheel from a kind soul, and fatefully the Lehrers’ new house came with a loom. An…

When customers walk through the door of designer Suzanne Perron’s elegant couture design room, just off Magazine Street in New Orleans, they find muslins and gowns draped in natural light, an orderly workshop, and a once-in-alifetime experience. Part poet, part engineer, Suzanne starts with a boned foundation tailored to a client’s proportions and works her way out to an exquisite silhouette encircled with bias bands, adorned with hand-sewn silk shantung roses, or tucked with layers of tulle and beads. Whether she begins with a dress lovingly handed down by the bride’s greatgrandmother or an idea for an intricate pattern of wrinkled satin-faced organza sunbursts, the couturiere is meticulous in realizing something both old and new. Each design is timeless and innovative, but her process harks back to another era. Although…

Influenced by her grandmother’s paintings and her mother’s teachings, Maura Fickett found creativity and natural talent deep within herself. Wearers of the soft pajamas and novelties made in the intricate but soothing prints she designs experience the ultimate state of relaxation that both comforts the body and enriches the spirit. On 12 secluded acres in the beautiful Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, Maura and her husband, Dan, established Needham Lane, named after the two Massachusetts locations where they grew up. Maura creates the designs, while Dan handles the business and sales responsibilities for their successful venture. A work studio in the couple’s dream home overlooks hand-built stone walls and gorgeous gardens. Magazine clippings and tear sheets displayed on bulletin boards on the studio’s walls serve as inspiration. Originally a wholesale…

COVER For more information on products in this photo, contact White Flowers, 2800 18th St. S., Birmingham, AL, 205-871-4640, whiteflowers.com. TIMELESS AND TREASURED Pages 12–13: Nightingale Antiques, 2661 Gravenstein Hwy., Sebastopol, CA, 661-301-1223, nightingaleantiques.com Pages 18–21: To purchase calendar tiles, contact The Calendar Tile Store, tilestore.tropikordia.com. Pages 22–23: Towle Cambridge individual berry fork, $29.99, Alvin Silver Raleigh (no monograms, 1900) strawberry fork, $45.99, Gorham Silver Marguerite strawberry fork, International Silver La Rochelle (no monograms, 1909) strawberry fork, $29.99, Gorham Silver Norfolk/Villa Norfolk strawberry fork, Watson Silver Victoria- New (no monograms, 1900) strawberry fork, Whiting Division Silver Louis XV (no monograms, 1891) gold-wash strawberry fork, $17.99, Dominick & Haff No. 10 (no monograms, 1896) strawberry fork, $37.99, and Wallace Silver Putnam strawberry fork. Various strawberry forks available for purchase through Replacements,…

Whether gossamer or guipure, lace never fails to enchant Pat Kerr, the celebrated Memphis designer of fairy-tale wedding gowns, was a collector of lace long before it became an influence on her work. “When I was 19, I went to the Orient and was quite taken by the exquisite embroidery with fine handmade lace,” she recalls. “With no forethought of building a collection, I shipped all my own clothes home in boxes and filled my suitcases with gorgeous embroideries.” As a young girl in rural Tennessee, she was often a silent observer as her mother and her aunt worked on quilts, tatting, and embroideries to grace their homes. Quietly absorbing the techniques they employed, the future designer began to understand the rhythm of the needle and the resulting lovely handiwork…

Bold or delicate, monograms are singular works of art. M onograms, once the darlings of the elite, are making a comeback and providing a lovely way to adorn everything from cushion covers to bridal sashes. By selecting favorite letter styles and an array of fabric items, you can personalize your décor in record time with a specially equipped sewing machine. Although often found on metal, wood, and stone objects, most early markings were worked with needle and thread on fabric. In recent years, the needlework skill required to create ornate padded letters on bed linens, garments, and tablecloths and napkins has been mostly replaced by the ease and speed of sewing machines, allowing quick embellishment of decorative items. A few guidelines make it simple to add charm to a variety…

A monthlong trip to Europe, a stockpile of the world’s most beautiful interiors magazines, and Sarasota’s Old-Florida charm were the key ingredients in a custom blend of influences that inspired Susie Holt to realize her dream as a shop owner and purveyor of the ageless style known as shabby chic. Add to this enchanting mix Susie’s husband, Mark, a former goldsmith with a knack for refurbishing old things, and the stage was set for the successful debut of the couple’s collaborative boutique, Posh on Palm (formerly The Cat’s Meow). In business for more than fourteen years now, the shop is a true reflection of the Holts’ personal style and embodies the pure essence of the endearingly ruffled, rumpled, and whitewashed shabby-chic aesthetic. “We are totally on the same page,” says…

A collection of luminous mercuryglass hurricane candleholders coupled with petite votives brings a warm, romantic glow to an elegant tablescape. The low-contrast palette of neutrals includes gleaming silver and sparkling crystal paired with simply patterned china set atop delicate hand-embroidered organdy place mats. Beautifully spare, the setting gains vibrancy through just a whisper of color in a nosegay that includes roses, lilies, and hydrangeas.…

Hazelnut Macaroons with Sauternes Swiss-Meringue Buttercream Makes 3 dozen macaroons 3 large egg whites, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons castor sugar 1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar 1 cup finely chopped hazelnuts 1 cup Sauternes Swiss-Meringue Buttercream (recipe follows) 1. Preheat oven to 275°. Line 2 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper; set aside. 2. In a medium bowl and using a mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and vanilla extract until frothy. Add castor sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until mixture is glossy, about 4 minutes. 3. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine confectioners’ sugar and hazelnuts; pulse until finely ground. Fold hazelnut mixture into egg mixture. Allow mixture to rest for 15 minutes. 4. Place mixture in a large…