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See what's new for 2022 from Design Edge Boston

Janet Lorusso September 25, 2021

I had the opportunity to attend Design Edge Boston this week and see what the luxury home furnishings industry is up to….here is a peek at what I saw at the show…

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Seen Around Town: Patio Plants and Planters

Janet Lorusso May 11, 2018

No outdoor room is complete without some planters! As a right of spring (and an indication that the snow has left the vicinity for at least the next few months...), I look forward to planting the pots on my deck each year with flowers and ivy and herbs. A recent visit to my favorite

Seen Around Town: sexy chair legs ...

Janet Lorusso June 9, 2017

It's almost summer, which seems like the right time of year to show a little leg...

In the world of design, I am in favor of a mix of leggy and skirted pieces in any room. Legs give pieces a lighter, less bulky feel. That said, the choice of styles available is vast! So, without further ado, here is a round up of some of the options spotted recently at the Boston Design Center.

Seen Around Town: Luscious Textured Fabrics

Janet Lorusso August 22, 2016

I can't get enough of the continuing trend toward embellished textured fabrics! A recent visit to the Boston Design Center turned up some beautiful, quirky, and creative choices...seeing them in person is ideal, but pictures are the next best thing ...

The unique fabric above features squares of appliqued velvet scattered like shimmering confetti, while the ones shown below show some embroidered geometric patterns.

And here are some colorful embroidered florals ...

This gorgeous grey toned embroidered Jacobean floral quietly embodies elegance.

Embroidery on black linen is rich and dramatic.

Fun thematic embroidered fabrics like these feathers or sea fans can enliven a whole room.

This pretty embroidered branch pattern comes in several colorways.

Soutache trim creates a stunning geometric pattern and a dramatic texture.

This soutache applique has a whimsical feel.

embroidered damask pattern on herringbone weave

And this embroidered 'damask' pattern on a herringbone base cloth is an elegant contemporary take on a traditional pattern motif.

So many choices!

Textured fabrics add so much personality and elegance to a room in any style of decorating. Need help choosing exactly the right combination for your space? We would be happy to assist!

www.jrlinteriors.com

Seen Around Town: Furniture with a Secret

Janet Lorusso June 9, 2016

A recent quick stop at the Boston Design Center yielded some interesting finds - some furniture with hidden surprises inside - kind of like the joy of a box of Cracker Jacks (only for grown ups and much less sticky!)

At Antiques on 5, we saw the gorgeous curved antique burl wood cabinet shown above. While this would be a beautiful accent piece in any room, it is also eminently practical with a stunning mirrored bar inside.

Furniture that pulls double duty can be a terrific asset anywhere, but it is especially helpful with the current trend toward downsizing into smaller spaces. The shelves in these bookcase cabinets at the Grange Furniture showroom slide to the sides to reveal a media center. What a fabulous way to have a large television without having a huge black rectangle glowering at you when it is not in use - there when you want it, gone when you don't!

And for the ultimate in couch potato living, these coffee tables have both storage and sections that lift up to dining/desk height to become a convenient place to eat or work ... a great solution where space for a separate dining room or home office is limited.

Grange furniture adjustable coffee table

These are just a few of the great options available to maximize comfort and function in the most beautiful way. We are loving this furniture with a 'surprise inside'!

Seen Around Town: Flowering Plants

Janet Lorusso May 16, 2016

Tis the season ... to plant flowers!

I am decidedly NOT a gardener, much to my mother's dismay. She has beautiful gardens and likes nothing better than turning over earth and planting all manner of wild varieties of plants. I, on the other hand, do not dig in dirt unless it is sanitized potting soil in a contained environment like a planter or windowbox where I am sure there will not be anything creeping or crawling or slithering. Nonetheless, the minute the weather turns warm, I can't wait to set up my pots of herbs and flowers on the deck just outside my kitchen door. I love having fresh herbs growing just steps from my stove, and I am delighted to be able to sip my morning mug of tea surrounded by flowers and birdsong and the antics of our many resident chipmunks.

Finally, it is mild enough here in New England to fill our outdoor plant pots and windowboxes with flowers and herbs. Join me for a trip through our favorite local wholesale greenhouse ...

There is nothing like seeing acres of flowers in one place! Even ordinary annuals like petunias and impatiens, and geraniums look enticing in such masses.

Love these bougainvillea trained into topiary 'trees'.

Speaking of tropical plants, no summer patio seems complete without constant bright color from climbing mandevilla vines or the very similar but bushier dipladenia plants. And, of course, palm trees like the ones shown below always add an air of luxury (think Tea at The Palm Court at the Plaza ... ) or at least the fleeting impression that you are somewhere more tropical and exotic than New England!

And then there are all these interesting varieties of succulents. I am possibly the only person who has successfully murdered a jade plant ... I managed to overwater it in my zeal to try to keep it alive, which is the one thing that apparently you cannot do to it. More manslaughter (or plantslaughter) than murder, I guess. Hmmm. Anyway, for MOST people, succulents are great because they don't mind a bit of neglect. They are supposed to dry out between waterings.

wholesale greenhouse with cacti and succulents

Succulents mixed into a planter or windowbox add great texture and variety.

Foliage plants in unusual colors like this Persian Shield in shimmery purple add variety to the garden.

persian shield plants have unusual color foliage

My car filled with things I *might* be able to keep alive for the summer!

annuals and some perennials ready for planting

Including these "Endless Summer" hydrangeas underplanted with some white impatiens that may or may not survive and ivy that will eventually cascade over the edges of the urns. These hydrangeas are supposed to bloom all spring and summer long so they seemed perfect for my entryway urns - once the season is over I can plant them in the garden and hope they reappear next spring ... we'll see!

urns with endless summer variety of hydrangeas

And one of my herb pots with chives that reappear every year (YAY), thyme, and a couple of varieties of sage so far. I am still on the lookout for ever elusive tarragon plants, and I think I will add some mint as well since it enhances so many nice summer beverages.

And the other contains huge quantities of basil and a fair amount of rosemary, with these adorable yellow and white striped miniature petunias mixed in for some fun color.

Happy Planting!

Seen Around Town

Janet Lorusso April 18, 2016

Another sprint through the Boston Design Center revealed some interesting trends in side and cocktail tables ...

Side Tables

Sleek and sexy side tables in a mix of metals ...

like this terrific mixed metal take on neoclassical style

and these patterned m etal drink tables.

There were a lot of nice options in metal and glass ...

and in metal and stone.

There was this fabulous pair of cantilevered nesting drink tables,

and this chrome base with a removable lacquer tray top.

This was a really fun option in a whimsical color and shape.

There is a definite trend toward acrylic tables in a variety of styles that would fit seamlessly in almost any room while maintaining a light and open look.

Cocktail Tables

There is a current trend toward pairs of square cocktail tables as a more flexible alternative to a single rectangular one. Here are some interesting ones in zinc with gilded iron bases and some glamor-meets-campaign ones with mirrored tops on classic x-frame wood bases.

There are still plenty of more classic style cocktail tables, but in newer material mixes such as this round cocktail table with a great antiqued, beveled mirrored top on a distressed, turned-leg base.

We hope you have enjoyed this quick shopping trip through the latest table options...