Adios 2010

As the Scouts look forward to 2011, we must take a moment to recollect what we’ve enjoyed or been thankful for in 2010.

1. Those of you who made a commitment to shop and support local, independent businesses. We thank you from the bottom of our heart. 2. Our 3rd successful French Flea Market. We have really started to look forward to our annual anniversary celebration and the special things we scout for it. 3. Customers who come in from bigger cities and say they love our shop because it reminds them of, say, Chicago, Seattle, Atlanta or Boston. It’s a complement we truly appreciate.

4. Clients who trust us wholeheartedly; with design decisions and alarm codes.

5. Contractors who show up when they’re supposed to, do a good job for a reasonable price, and remain cheerful: the ones we’re proud to associate our name with and trust to be in our clients’ homes. You are few and far between and we would like to clone you. 6. The opportunity to do what we love, with people we love. And our families who support us in doing so.

Thank you all for a wonderful 2010! We look forward to a fun and successful 2011 and dragging you all with us!

The Scouts

Revel...

in the magic that is Christmas.

Vintage Scout Interiors will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We'll see you back at the studio Monday, December 27th at 10am.

MERRY CHRISTMAS or as we Scandinavians say, GOD JUL.

Staying Inspired

It's been almost two years since I first walked in to the lobby of the Gramercy Park Hotel. We were at the NYC Gift Show and our friend, Fifi, wanted to share some of New York's finest design with us.The first thing that struck me was all the amazing art. That should come as no surprise, as Julian Schnabel designed the interiors with Ian Schrager, the master of boutique hotels. Pieces by Schnabel, Warhol, Haring and more are predominantly displayed throughout the public areas of the hotel. A super treat to see works in an environment like this.The sawtooth shark chandelier in the Rose Bar was nothing short of completely cool. The vibe was medieval, yet felt like an exclusive men's club. It was almost a little pompous, although that was probably intentional. Then toss in a Moroccan influence and you have combination that no one would think would work, but is flawlessly pulled off. The unabashed mix of rich, bold colors combined with luxurious finishes is a treat for any designer to experience. Fuse that with the storied history of the hotel and the total package is an intriguing feast to behold. While goofing around with a suit of armor in the lobby, a gentleman chuckled at us. Fifi, not one to be belittled, gave him a look that only Fifi can. He stopped to talk to us and it turned out he was the former owner of the hotel, Steven Weissberg. He talked to us about his family, so candidly that we hardly believed him until we googled it. Read all about it here- NYMagazine

Maybe the Scouts will one day be lucky enough to stay at GPH. Until then, we'll take away inspiration for it's blend of styles, colors, and over-the-top furnishings. Have you ever stayed there? If so, let us know how your experience was.

Belle Fleur is a 2010 Favorite

We were excited to read that Belle Fleur candles made Elle Decor's list of "What We Loved in 2010- under $100". We agree wholeheartedly! Belle Fleur candles are beautifully packaged and come in the most amazing unique scents. Vintage Scout is proud to carry this line of luxury candles. We can't decide on our favorite scent- Orange Blossom Pomegranate, Figue Noir, Bergamot Cedar... the list goes on.

If you are not familiar with Belle Fleur candles, stop by the Studio and check them out. They make a wonderful hostess gift. Besides the wonderful scent inside- the box they come in is so beautiful, you don't even need to wrap it.

We currently have six scents available at $48, as well as room fragrance sprays. Call or email the Studio for more information. 937-312-9461 or info@vintagescout.com

Come One, Come All

The Scouts warmly welcome you to celebrate with us at our 2010 Annual Holiday Open House and Sale, Thursday, December 2nd through Saturday, December 4th.

Our gift to you- enjoy 20% off your purchase.

Give Thanks!

The Scouts are thankful for many things on this day, none more than our wonderful friends and clients.

We hope you enjoy wonderful time with family and some delicious dishes. The Scouts will be taking this weekend off to do the same; the studio will be closed this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We'll reopen as normal Monday morning at 10am.Happy Thanksgiving!

Jean, Dana, Debbie, & Robin

Secret Smiles

We're half way through our month-long drive to collect towel sets and night lights for the very worthy organization, Secret Smiles. Two things have come to light the last couple of weeks. First: the sheer generosity of our clients and customers. We have had donations sent directly from online vendors from those who can't make it in, or just dropped off with nothing but a "Hello and thanks for what you're doing". And second: not very many of you are aware of what Secret Smiles does. Here is the link to their site SECRET SMILES. In a nutshell, Secret Smiles provides cribs, beds and bedding to families without. The history of the charity is rather sentimental, as one of the New York founders was killed in the 9/11 attacks and the Dayton chapter was founded by her sister in her memory. The group is run by non-paid volunteers and operating costs are minimal. The Scouts are honored to be acquainted with several of the trustees of Secret Smiles Dayton; they are some wonderful, selfless people.

So, during the remainder of November, Vintage Scout Interiors continues to team up with Secret Smiles to collect for their "Dream Big" pillowcases. The pillowcases will include a towel set and nightlight, among other items such as journals, toiletries, etc. and be distributed to needy children. To make it worth your while, when you donate a new towel set or nightlight at Vintage Scout, the Scouts will in turn offer you 30% off one item in the studio.

For more information on our drive or how you can donate, call the studio at 937-312-9461. Vintage Scout in located in Historic Centerville, Ohio at 60 N. Main Street. Store hours are Monday through Friday 10-6, and Saturday 10-3.

Interior Envy- SATC2

I know I am behind the curve, but I just saw Sex and the City 2 last night. I am spoiled with a comfortable home theater in my lower level, so I infrequently go to the movies; I just wait for them to come out on demand. There’s nothing like snuggling up with a nice glass of wine and some dark chocolate to watch a movie, not to mention my husband can make some good popcorn with REAL butter- sorry Rave Theaters, you can’t compete. Anyway, like I said, I just saw SATC2, and wow, I have interior envy! I just could not keep my eyes off the wonderful sets, even with all those fabulous clothes. Perhaps Carrie said it best, "I've been cheating on fashion with furniture."Before we get to the juicy stuff, let's just touch on Charlotte's kitchen. We didn't get to see much of anyone's apartments besides Carrie and Big's, but this kitchen was so amazing. I wish there would have been some more still shots of it. The gray and white floor is wonderful, more subtle than black and white checker, yet still classic- so Charlotte. I don't think you can ever go wrong with white in your kitchen and this set proves it with all white cabinets, countertops, and backsplash. Carrie and Big's apartment. Can you hear the angels singing? Love! The round entry hall library and the absolutely stunning custom light fixture (it's only like $15,000- pocket change) make me want to come home and put my mail and keys on that table.This living room is the perfect combo of structure and comfy. After all, Big puts his shoes on the sofa (it's a sofa, Carrie, not a couch. I don't like the word "couch". That implies overstuffed cheap pleather to me). I read the chairs are vintage from Bergdorfs. The tray coffee table is super cool and she's got foo dogs. The Scouts love foo dogs. The one thing I don't love in this room though is the rug- the pink seems out of place. I think I know where the designer was going with it, but it didn't quite get there for me.

Hello to-die-for blue felt ottoman by Anne Kyyro! See the details here.

The backlit built-ins in the dining room are nothing short of spectacular. I love that they're not styled for a dining room. The chair shape is not my favorite, but that fabric... how do you spell the kissing noise?

Probably the only thing I really disliked in their apartment was the kitchen tile backsplash. It felt like it was out of place, and for me that's saying a lot. I get eclecticity, trust me, but this wasn't working. I might have tried something slightly smaller scale and maybe a metallic.What can I say about this headboard? It is glorious! So cleverly paired with the Cole and Son wallpaper. Let me design a bed like this for you.I love the draperies in their bedroom. They remind me that I want to put sheers in my living room. The tassel fringe on the panels is perfect detail. And the Scouts have always been enamored with that Hickory Chair secretary. I almost cringed when Big put the TV in it.Before we get to the real eye candy, can I just say, Miranda was never my favorite of the girls, but the dress she wore to the wedding was... I'm out of adjectives, so I'll repeat some of them: to-die-for, amazing, stunning. Me want!You know I would be remiss not to mention what we all know was the real reason to see the movie: Carrie's closet. I thought it was so sweet that it was really like two closets in one and that Big's half was different from Carrie's. They're even lit differently. And I love that Carrie's stuff has spilled over to Big's side. This must be what closets are like in heaven.

Mucho credit to Lydia Marks who created these mouth watering sets for Sex and the City 2. You made my night!

What the Scouts are Wearing

The Scouts don't take fashion lightly. We believe you should dress yourself as well as your interiors. We thought we might start a new blog series where we occassionally share with you what we're wearing. Catching Jean walking out the door to meet a client, she looks chic as always. Here, she's wearing a timeless Chaiken turtleneck dress with flared sleeves. Black tights and Nine West above-the-knee nylon boots complete the look. The Anteprima bag in elephant embossed leather is a classic . One of the awesome things about owning your own business is wearing what you want to work, so you'll often catch the Scouts in jeans. Dana's sporting a pair of Chip and Pepper jeans here with Nine West cowboy boots. The cute sweater is by Ann Taylor.

We do try to dress accordingly to what we're doing for the day, we promise. So after after meeting with a client, Debbie needs to look for a fabric for the job. She's wearing a Theory dress with an exposed zipper in the back and pleated taffeta skirt. It's already cold here in Ohio so tights are a necessity as is the turtleneck underlayer.

We hope you enjoyed your peek into the Scouts' closet. What are you wearing today?

A little help from friends and then some

Getting your own house finished is probably one of the biggest challenges for a designer. Either you're so burned out from making selections for your clients or you can't decide because you think something better's out there. Or if you're like me, you're just a procrastinator. So yesterday I called fellow Scout Jean to come over and give me a kick in the butt, I mean some direction, on getting my house finished- at least for the moment (you know a designer's house is never "finished"). We began to tackle the empty wall in my dining room. The large piece in the middle is an enlarged copy of a rejection letter sent by the MOMA to Andy Warhol. The Scouts used it in a dining by design event a few years ago. My family finds it inspirational, however, it was lonely on the wall by itself. Jean suggested I hang some colorful original art around it. Just what it needed. So, to pay Jean for all her design advice, I took her to a new little place in Dayton. Yay for locally owned restaurants!Then I went to vote. How lucky are the Scouts that this is where our polling place is located- a gorgeous old church. That slate roof is to die for.So with the rest of the afternoon ahead of me and not being scheduled in the studio, I decided to go thrift shopping. I scored some awesome things! I did pass up this fur coat, but I couldn't resist showing you all the tag. The Scouts know some people like that. :)

So, besides voting, how did you spend your day? And share some of your best thrift store finds with us.

Happy Halloween from the Scouts!

picture courtesy of Olde Good Things

and don't worry, we wouldn't place this in your house!

Think Pink

Pink doesn't have to be sissy. Pink can be bold, sassy; soft and sophisticated; modern; girly if you want it to be; masculine if you try. I agree that pink walls can be intimidating- not for the weak of heart. In design school I was told that a prison study was done on wall color and the outcome was that pink invoked anger the fastest. Could that really be true? If so, maybe that's what up with all our little girls, not hormones. :) Don't let that scare you away from pink, but if you're nervous, start slowly. Why not try adding pink fabric in your home. Start with a pillow and work your way up to a chair or a headboard. Get brave and reupholster a vintage sofa. Yum! So, in honor of breast cancer awareness month and the brave, bold women and men who are fighting it, we have pulled together some of our favorite pink fabrics.

This cane print is actually an indoor/outdoor fabric from Duralee! One of my favorite fabrics of all time.

Gorgeous Kravet silk buffalo check. Can't you picture some beautiful panels flanking your window? We all love this youthful oversized floral print from Duralee.Could this be hotter? Faux croc from Fabricut. I would put this on a traditional Louis IV chair for fun.

Diamonds are a girl's best friend and this one from Duralee doesn't disappoint.

Such a beautiful fabric from Highland House. This pink geometric needlework would make stunning pillows.

Delicious silk stripe from Fabricut. Think outside the box and run it horizontally.

More needlework detail from Highland House's Marrakesh collection. Wingback chair, anyone?

Can you go wrong with a classic toile? No. This Wedgwood toile from Kravet is simply beautiful. I could see it in a completely modern room as an unexpected accent.

Can you do a list of pink fabrics without a floral? I think not. This linen from Lee Industries is sophisticated and updated.

And lastly, but not least; because when is a velvet ever least; a sumptuous pink velvet with a slight texture. Where wouldn't this go?

All of these fabrics are available through Vintage Scout Interiors. Start your project now and you could have it done by the Holidays. And once again in honor of breast cancer awareness month, mention this blog when you order fabric by the yard through the end of October, we will take 20% off your fabric and donate that to the Komen Fund for the Cure. Call us 937-312-9461 or email us info@vintagescout.com at the Studio for details.