Living

Maison Gray

February 12, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Living

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When purchasing our first home this past November one of the investments I knew I wanted to make on the interiors was to begin our first of many art and photography purchases to adorn our walls.  Enter Maison Gray The House of Gray Malin Photography.  I had seen his work before, specifically his Prada Marfa and A La Plage, A La Piscine collection, but when I spied with my little eye his newest collection, A La Montagne (the Mr. and I are big ski bums), I knew this would be our first of likely many Gray pieces.

Known for his breathtaking ariel shots and tongue in cheek play on words in Up and Away, Gray truly hit his stride when quitting his job to the President of Paramount Pictures after being selected to display his work at the internationally famous Melrose Fairfax Flea Market.  Catching the eye of celebs, interior designers and gallery owners alike Gray turned his flea market venture in to Maison Gray, The House of Gray Malin Photography.  Gray’s work has hung in the Dallas Museum of Art, numerous galleries, and been featured in various worldwide publications.  And let me tell you, he is as nice as he is talented.  When deciding upon just which A La Montagne piece I wanted (Top of Aspen Mountain) we chitty chatted about art, vacations, and my home state of Michigan.  Such a doll!

I cannot wait to see what he comes up with next, actually if you’re following him on Instagram you’ll get constant sneak peeks of his latest adventures, Zermatt anyone?  Happy Tuesday,  xoxo!

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Ben’s Garden

January 31, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Let's Talk

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Waiting on Martha Ben's Garden

A few months ago I was scouting out new products for the Boutique (my favorite pastime), and I came across these decoupage “necessity trays” from Ben’s Garden.  I was immediately smitten with the gorgeous decoupage quotes, and then I heard Ben’s story.  I was floored, and I knew (A.) I had to have his line in Waiting On Martha and (B.) Ben’s story was something I had to share with whomever would listen.

I hope you love the trays as much as I love carrying them, and his story goes a little something like this…

{1983}     Born in Setauket, N.Y. on Long Island.

{1987}     Ben started his first garden.

{1988}     Known to always have a gardener’s trowel or paintbrush in hand.

{1989}     Ben decoupaged his mother’s cocktail table.  She was pretty impressed.

{1992}     Ben started “Ben’s Garden” selling decoupage & notecards.  (For all you non-mathmetical types Ben was 9).

{1994}     Mails Smith & Hawken and New York Botanical Garden a catalog, gets orders from both.  Orders pour in.  Ben puts his friends to work in his parent’s carriage house.

{1995}     Ben had to change the “Please call 24/7, we’re waiting,” in his catalog, because his mom was not happy answering the phone.

{2000} A.P. English High School teacher conferenced his parents. Pages were missing from his textbooks. (He was making paperweights with the quotes.)
{2000} Publishes first issue of Ben’s Garden Quarterly.
{2001} Met with C.Z. Guest, a famous socialite, to ask her to write for his magazine. While eating tiny sandwiches and watching her son practice polo, Ben talks about talking up polo as a sport. She laughs and agrees to write for his magazine.
{2002} Graduates High School.
{2002} Running Ben’s Garden at home in Setauket was driving his parent’s and neighbor’s nuts.
{2003} Has a personal meeting with head buyer at Anthropologie, get’s an order.
They end up buying all of Ben’s designs within 6 months.
{2003} Becomes a Master Gardener through Cornell University.  Wholesale clients grow to include: ABC Carpet & Home, Dean & DeLuca, Kate’s Paperie.
Ben begins regularly exhibiting at national trade shows in Atlanta, San Francisco and New York City.
{2004} Ben turns 20, and moves to Oyster Bay and opens his first store & studio.
{2006} Ben’s découpage featured in InStyle Magazine. Business booms.
{2006} Starts writing quarterly magazine column From Ben’s Garden for @Home Magazine. Ben’s A.P. English High School teacher is impressed.
{2007} Opens second Ben’s Garden store in Huntington, N.Y. on Long Island at 3850 Sq. Ft.
{2008} Ben’s Garden Studio in Oyster Bay expands into the space next door, to meet increased wholesale demand. Turns out customers like great handcrafted things made in the U.S.A.
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IKEA Vittsjo DIY Shelving Hack

January 28, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Living

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While flipping through the blog world this past weekend I came across this simple, yet brillant DIY shelving hack from Ana Antunes Home Styling.

Here’s the gist…Step 1 buy the IKEA Vittsjo shelving system for a whopping $70.00.  Step 2, spray paint gold.  Step 3, add mirrors to the bottom and top shelves (though this isn’t even a necessity).  Step 4, style your new glistening gold gorgeous shelves.  Done and done.

I know there are a million IKEA DIY’s so I’d love to see (in the comments below), if you’ve stumbled across any good ones lately.  Happy Monday Loves!  xoxo

 

DIY Shelving Hack

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