Set in Stone

All over the countryside New England and much of the Northeast are some of the loveliest and historical stone walls.  Built by early American farm families using stones that heaved up from the subsoil.  The walls were used to pen animal pounds, delineate boundary lines and outline farmland crop sections.

image via WID

via New York Times

via CountrySolitude

via NY Folklore

My husband John and I have been cruising the back country of New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts for many years, and I can't tell you how many times I've asked him to stop the car so I can take a picture of a stone wall.  They're all so different and unique, because each one is exceptionally one-of-a-kind.

Boston Post Road via Flickr

The Jason Russel House via Arlington Historical Society

The period from 1775 - 1825 was known as the golden age of stone wall building in the American Northeast. During this era, more stone walls were built than any other period of time. The increase of stone wall construction during this period increased the demand for stones.  And, of course, this was long before stone quarries had rocks available for purchase by the ton.  Farmers had to harvest the stones from their own soil.  And if few stones were present on his land, theft of neighbors' stones was commonplace.  For this reason, I find it so intriguing that there are so many beautiful stone walls still standing today. 

via Flickr

Taking long country drives, finding backgrounds filled with stunning countryscapes is a favorite pasttime of mine.  The best sights are those lined with stone walls.  I even hop out of the car for a photo if one is just too beautiful to pass up...



me at one of our favorite walls in Catskill farm country.  It is covered in overgrown plants and lines the most charming property which faces that happy green barn & silo behind my huge head.



Not all country estates are blessed with stone fencing hundreds of years old.  So many homeowners build stone walls to create barriers between property lines or in place of old, dilapidated walls.

Joan from For the Love of a House (hands down, the best old home renovation blog in my Google Reader!) has shown such impeccably-reported progress of their barn renovation, which included re-building some stone walls as retaining support leading up to their driveway.  See the details here.

now those are some nice stones!  image via For the Love of a House

The poet Robert Frost lived on a farm in Derry, New Hampshire where he wrote "Mending Wall" in 1914, a blank verse poem about the constant rebuilding an old stone wall season after season with his neighbor. 

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.

At the end of the day, Frost's stone wall neighbor quotes "Good fences make good neighbors." 

Indeed, neighbor. Indeed. 

Cheers,

Whitney

Let's Go Glamping

For many, camping is one of the best parts of enjoying summer's weather.  For others, living outdoors is an inconvenient and upsetting activity.  But the travel industry figured out how to make camping bearable for even the most high-maintenance of divas: Glamping, baby.  Safaris and outdoor resorts have taken the 'tent' and turned it into a small showhouse of design with rugs, luxury textiles, and furniture, some even with electricity.

This is really an outdoor room than a tent, no? via Marie Claire Maison

Stunning.  Clayoquot Wilderness Resort via heirloomphilosophy

Teepee! via ShannonEileenblog

This is serious GLAMPING. Paws up in Montana!

via StyleSwoon

via Architectural Digest

 But if an exotic vacation is out of the question this summer, try glamping at home!  

Tent up an outdoor party!  via Giver's Log

Set up the tent in your backyard and bring some furniture & linens.  via Tumblr

via Victoria's Vintage

via InsatiablyCurious by flipthroughit, 

Or if the weather refuses to participate, and summer rains squash your glamping plans, bring the tent inside.  The kiddies especially love this.

from 'The Holiday' film

via Tumblr

How romantic!  via Dirty Pretty Thing

Cheers!
Whitney

Fiddle Me This....

When my House Beautiful mag arrived in my mailbox this week, I saw Ken Fulk's lovely room on the cover with a happy little fiddle leaf fig tree on a table behind the sofa.  "Another fiddle leaf fig!" I exclaimed.  These beautiful trees are very popular in the design world and have been popping up everywhere lately, including my own projects.  Way prettier than a ficus, and funkier than a palm, the fiddle leaf fig is a cheery, chic and natural addition to a room.

Ken Fulk for House Beautiful, June 2011

Chloe Warner

Burnham Design

Robert McArthur via Alice Lane blog

Brian Park

via Domino

via Elle Decor

It's alive! via Elle Decor

Whitney Interior Design

Grant K. Gibson

via Rue

Tim Clarke

unknown origin

via Style at Home

via Table Tonic

Ficus lyrata, called the fiddle-leaf fig because of its violin-shaped leaves, produces both tree and bush forms. The large, veiny emerald green leaves can grow up to 15 inches long.  These plants do well if they have good light, evenly moist growing media, and frequent feeding.  They can fill in a lonely corner or brighten an otherwise flat plane.  They bring nature into a room and serve as happy, live accessories.  Find a mature fig tree at your local nursery and liven up your room this weekend!

You dig, fig?
Whitney

Château de Fontenay

Did you see May's Architectural Digest?  Since Margaret Russel took over the mag, things have been so much better within those pages.  Just look at the artistic perspective taken on the coverage of a newly-acquired French country estate by an English businessman.  Built in the 16th century, the Château de Fontenay features a stunning neo-Gothic façade with red felt on the walls in the billiard room, hand-block wallpaper in one of the bedrooms, and encaustic tiles in the corridor.  The château is at once romantic, masculine, civilized and earthy.  Arch Digest did right by this shoot; I loved this spread.  Read the whole article here.

all images via Architectural Digest, May 2011

This image is my absolute favorite.  Those columns along the veranda are huge tree trunks set onto stone bases.  Click on the image to view full-size to see the wonderful details. 

So, in honour of Château de Fontenay's English owner, I'll bid you Cheerio, and Au Voir!
Whitney