It began with the January/February 2013 issue of the online magazine Lonny.
I came across a story featuring the New York rental apartment of one delightful Jessica Gorenson, then unknown to me, who was living in NYC on a short term basis.
Every picture was like a revelation to me. I LOVED her decorating style. This was definitely not for minimalists, but for those who espouse the more is more philosophy (like Ines' sister, Wendy), it was glorious!
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| These images courtesy of Lonny |
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| love the styling of this mantle! |
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| I actually have a similar tray with goodies already on my dresser... |
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| A shoe armoire! Damn! I need a shoe armoire! UPDATE: i do know this is a china cabinet! |
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| Love the stacks of books - I already have stacks everywhere! |
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| I may have to get Jessica to pop up to New Brunswick and help me... |
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| I am still swooning over this... |
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| and this... |
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| If my bar wares weren't under my mother (literally and figuratively), I would so do some cherry blossoms. Of course, I have spring fever and anything in blossom is like catnip to me! |
There was nothing I didn't love about how this woman decorated! And over the coming months, I would return again and again to the article and pour over the images. I wish some other magazine would do a spread on her place in Boston - I would love to see what she does there with full reign!
And then I visited the website of her charming boutique, Holiday, located in Beacon Hill, Boston:
And no surprise, the store and its wares appear to have the same sprinkling of fairy dust as her apartment:
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| all images courtesy of Holiday Facebook page |
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| Again - my obsession with pink! |
Gorenson opened the shop in 2002. I think of all of the times I've been to Boston in the last decade, missing this gem every time!
But not again. This year, if I can, I plan to make a little pilgrimage to what Gorenson herself calls "The Dollhouse".
As I spring clean, and refresh both my home and my wardrobe, I will be thinking of Jessica, especially as I am giving my dresser in the bedroom a wee refresh.
How about you - are there images from a magazine that you return to again and again, clip out, drool over? I'd love to hear about it!
Have a wonderful Thursday and stay safe out there!
xoxo wendy
is that a pink long blouse or a short wrap dress? either way very cute.
ReplyDeleteI also saw that flat and I love how homey it looks. She also is so inspirational bc new yorkers tend to be renters and they don't tend to invest to much in a rental which I also didn't when I lived there so it is amazing that she really plants herself and makes herself at home. PS YOU need to get a shoe armoire but considering how many shoes you have you might need a custom built one Wendy!!!
Interesting point Naomi!
DeleteI'm a day late, but I just love your haircut! It looks great!! That isn't a shoe armoire, that is a china cabinet used to display shoes instead of dishes, genius! I'm not sure I have any worthy of display, but that looks cool.
ReplyDeleteHa! Lest you think me a total Luddite. I did know it was an old china cabinet! :-)
DeleteI just love this idea and will steal it someday!
Wow she is a talented stylist. Her shop looks gorgeous too. That layering technique she uses is really interesting, the stacking of the Hermes boxes works because they themselves are iconic objects, she did the same on her dressing table with what I believe are Cartier boxes... actually I'd love to see her wardrobe!
ReplyDeleteWendy you must have a shoe armoire, I think cate is right, that is a china cabinet, people don't use those anymore, maybe you and Barry could find one in a thrift shop somewhere!
Thanks for sharing this with us Wendy, I'll be pinning away now.
Oh lord, I really did know it was china cabinet, I was just calling it my shoe armoire! I'd love to see her wardrobe too!
DeleteOh and ps - most of my things are thrifted - I have a very personal relationship with a couple of the local antique shops! :-). Just like the shoe shop, sigh...
DeleteI spy a few pretty things in the shop, I'll have to stop in the next time I'm in Boston but that may be a few years so I'll live vicariously through you Wendy.
ReplyDeleteI'm mostly a minimalist so just looking at this decorating style makes me break out in hives. Hard to believe it is only a short term space. She must have an army of assistants lined up to help her with the move.
xoxo - that is so funny about the hives! I always feel the same in really minimalist places - I always think "Where is the stuff?" Of course there is no stuff, per se! You do travel for work, so you might get there before me, though I am hoping to be down in that area this summer or fall!
DeleteI think she has fairies!
I hope she has fairies! The dusting is likely quite a chore--we get a lot of dirt in NYC.
DeleteI love all the art she has, and hangs. The leopard touches look warm, not over the top. Her shop is perhaps on Charles at the base of Beacon Hill? Will check this out. It's fun to take the train down to the city(although I admit, I don't love Boston the way I love NY).
ReplyDeleteI used to subscribe to lots of shelter mags and tear out pages I liked; I based my kitchen on one I found in VT in an old MetHome. I still haven't recovered my chair as the fabric I really wanted is discontinued; I found a house in a mag done in Maine with both my favorite fabrics ( so spendy, though, geez)
Fabric is so lovely and such a killer, price-wise, isn't it? But it really makes the room! I have been cursing the awful curtains in my dining room lately, but have done nothing as I am still torturing myself about what colour to paint!
DeleteI love Boston, but agree: NYC is tops! Thus far the only city that tops it for me is Paris, though I do like London....Vancouver is pretty nice, too....
I'll have that closet pretty please... how great is that!
ReplyDeleteI KNOW!
DeleteI always admire people who can decorate in this way, layer all sorts of things together for a great look - just can't do it myself. Still, I could spend a lovely time browsing through that shop!
ReplyDeletePatricia - I probably should never visit that shop - my credit cards might never recover!
DeleteThis does look like you Wendy. I would have to get a new husband since he already thinks I have too much stuff "sitting around" but it looks warm and quirky to me.
ReplyDeleteI like your warm and quirky! I would never have thought Mike had minimalist tendencies!
DeleteDidn't get a chance to mention yesterday that I love the haircut. Everytine I think of a new do I chicken out. The shoe armoire is genius but where would I put one. I just want to know what came in all those Hermes boxes?
ReplyDeleteSC - I wondered the same thing about the boxes? I wondered if she'd bought all the stuff herself or was just collecting the boxes???
DeleteNow that looks like an apartment of someone who's interesting. I like the look of her shop too.
ReplyDelete...and she's a cute blond but it's Jessika with a 'k' which usually indicates she's high maintenance.
DeleteI missed the K! You made me laugh out loud with that one!
DeleteGSL is hilarious !!
DeleteHI WMM,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your find. Her style is a little too "full" for me to live with on a daily basis, but artistic and lush, nonetheless. I love the frocks in her shop.
aren't they pretty! It's the dusting that kills you!
DeleteIt's a lovely miss mash and very similar to your style in many ways, I adore the big brass poodle, like you, I like a bit of crazy in a home.
ReplyDeleteI love that brass poodle! Actually, I love all brass animals. Oh and real ones, porcelain ones, pottery ones, I just love them all!
DeleteI do believe you would need a shoe entertainment center...not just an armoire.
ReplyDeleteexcellent point!
DeleteWendy, I'm seriously thinking about a shoe armoire now.
ReplyDeleteOMG - I am so thinking of one, too! No one mention this to Barry!
DeleteIve walked past her shop but never been inside. It did look cute, though. The next time I am in the area I will pop in and report back. Better yet, let me know when you come down again and we can go together. You may need someone to help carry your bags....
ReplyDeleteOh wouldn't that be fun? She might need a restraining order to keep me from following her home to have a look-see!
DeleteThe layered, cluttery, landed gentry vibe is my favourite look for interiors. Delicious eye candy!
ReplyDeleteMe too! I love a room that makes me look and look and look!
DeleteSuch a sharp contrast to the minimalists. Good thing there is room for different points of view and styles in the world. I, like you, think "Where is all their stuff?" whenever I enter the realms of the super organized. As CSW said when it comes to my city space I like to keep it more simplified than my home since I am just there to have fun. Then again I am probably more interested in personal accessories than home accessories. The shoe cabinet would indeed have to be a wall unit to suit me.
ReplyDeleteI hear you teacups - or else a VERY crowded shoe cupboard!
DeleteI can see why you love this apartment - there are many similarities between her style and yours. I like the touches of leopard, the cherry blossom branches and the Chinese blue & white porcelain.
ReplyDeleteI could move in there when she vacates at some point...
DeleteI love the Hermes boxes, the China cabinet used to store her shoes... This all very beautiful, very cozy... The shop looks also very nice. But while I like this, I could not use it as inspiration as I find it a bit overloaded, and I would feel overwhelm in this interior. Yet, I can only agree on her great taste.
ReplyDeleteThat is what makes it all fun, isn't it? I love seeing different styles!
DeleteIt's what we Brits call 'shabby-chic' style, a jumble of old, loved, eccentric objects in rooms with good bones. I wonder what's inside all those expensive -looking boxes above the armoire?
ReplyDeleteI love the look of the rather Japanese style pink dress on the hanger, the fabric looks beautiful.
I'd like to see inside the boxes too!
DeleteThe shoe armoire doesn't seem roomy enough for all your shoes, Wendy! :) In my previous house I transformed an entire room into a walk-in closet. It was the best closet ever...plenty of room for all the shoe boxes.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm totally envious, Rose. A whole room?!
DeleteRose - you were living the dream!
DeleteI love the look of her place, but just to visit. The thought of cleaning it gives me a scare. I love the leopard stool, but then it's a neutral for me. I once had a handbag armoire in an old china cabinet that looked almost identical to this. Why did I well it??!!You deserve one for your shoes!! My shoes would look dumb in one because they're all in boxes. Thanks for sharing your find!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jennifer and welcome back from that glorious cruise, which looked amazing!
DeleteThe cruise was make believe for By invitation Only. Mexico was real. I still owe you some links for a black jersey long dress. What stores ship to you from the US and what stores do you like in Canada
Delete