Contemporary Console goes Traditional….via Custom Painting

I am working in a dining room in which we are effecting a transition from very contemporary to a more traditional room.  We decided to paint the contemporary console to make it feel more traditional….

It is finished but there is a piece of glass that lays across the top and rests on the two higher ends of the piece.  We’re going to let this piece cure for a couple of days before we put the glass and accessories back on top!

Paint Couture at The Whistling Elk in Chester nj
Contemporary console custom painted to change the “look”

The console was an extremely high gloss black/cherry finish much like that you would find on a piano.  First we cleaned it really well with TSP, then painted a first coat of Paint Couture Baltic Black.  A couple of days later it got its 2nd coat of the black and then a couple of days after that the piece was stenciled then distressed by sanding off  all the edges and flat surface so some of the cherry color came thru in places.

You will note that every time I work on this piece I let it sit a couple of days.  This isn’t necessary as you need only wait 24 hours between coats of product….however as I am painting this piece in the client’s home (its very heavy) I had to schedule myself for this time away from my shop.  I also figured since the original finish was soooo high gloss that a little extra cure time would only be an asset.

After the 2nd coat of black the piece was stenciled and distressed.

It was glazed with Paint Couture Black Walnut and then finished with a Paint Couture Satin Topcoat.

Custom Furniture Painting at The Whistling Elk
Top of hand painted console

I plan to go visit it in a couple of days to see how it is doing and then we will finish up the details in the room!

At The Whistling Elk we offer classes so that you too can paint your furniture….we use Paint Couture products which are wonderful.  There are so many paint and glaze colors to choose from and the topcoats are fabulous.  I also used Paint Couture pale and rich gold to give my stencil dimension.  Call for class schedules and details and to register!

It’s so much fun and very rewarding!

Custom Painted Furniture – A Personal Preview for You Gerri!

Sadly I must paint out this beautiful handpainted artwork…

Paint Couture at The Whistling Elk
handpainted floral artwork

this little drop leaf table was painted by my mom for a customer about 15 years ago (i think)…

Paint Couture at the whistling elk
Custom Furniture Painting

this piece is going to be re-done in basic black with pearls….just kidding!  It’s going to be Paint Couture Baltic black with gold accents/stenciling on top…then we are going to distress and glaze it to deepen the finish…its going to be amazingi….

here is a little personal preview for you Gerri – this is the first coat of black with all the edges knocked off and sanded to smooth!

The Whistling Elk Chester NJ
Custom Furniture Painting

Getting ready for 2nd coat of Paint Couture and then gold design work….can’t wait!

Uttermost Rugs Grace the Floors of The Whistling Elk!

The Whistling Elk carries Uttermost carpets
Uttermost St. Petersburg Carpet
We are now carrying Uttermost rugs at The Whistling Elk. The one pictured above is called St. Petersburg and it is my personal favorite. It’s a pretty blue/gray with an swirled acanthus leaf pattern…very subtle and elegant. We are showing it here in the shop in the 5×8 size but it also comes in an 8×10 or 9×12.

The Whistling Elk and Uttermost
Uttermost St. Petersburg Carpet

Uttermost is only the latest addition to The Whistling Elk’s carpet offerings. For many years we have offered Nourison carpets – the one shown below is from the Heritage Hall Collection.

The Whistling Elk  and Nourison
Nourison carpet at The Whistling Elk

And, we also carry Loloi Rugs like the one pictured below which is from the Elmwood Collection.

Loloi Carpet at The Whistling Elk
Elmwood Collection from Loloi Carpet

When i find a very special One-of-a-Kind carpet I like to bring it into the shop…like the 8×10 below from Capa Imports. The colors are very unusual and i love the pattern.

one of a kind carpet
Capa Imports carpet at The Whistling Elk

Carpet should be in your design plan can really finish a room and Uttermost carpets are reasonably priced…we have samples and a full catalog!

You just never know what you will find in the garage…


Rummaging around in my garage i found this print that used to hang over my mantel about 12 years ago.
Wow, i forgot how much i loved this Icarte print…
So glad it works into my Powder Room Scheme – every time i see it it makes me smile…I cant believe it was living in the garage for so long.

Paint is part of accessorizing a bookcase


This wall mounted bookcase is in my guest bedroom. It’s from Elden Collections. I have always loved the architectual feeling it brought to the room. Since i just finished painting the room Ben Moore Adagio i decided to give the bookcase a facelift. Since the room is going in a shabby chic direction i went with Decorator’s White advance semi gloss. This is a fairly new trim paint from ben moore that is water base but it paints on like oil base…love it and the finished product!

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Taking Freight in the Pouring Rain

I have been in the new shop location now for one month and yesterday i received my first large freight order…in the pouring rain with nowhere to conveniently take delivery. I must say you can get pretty innovative when you have too. But i do miss the basement at my old location. Sigh…

The arched mirror above is one of the large mirrors that came yesterday…its very shabby chic and looks great in the Paris Boudoir.

This one i had stashed away but since we sold a piece of art…it got a chance to hang on the wall. What a crime that i didnt hang it sooner…

Here’s another one that is now unpacked and leaning on top of a beautiful habersham console. It’s one of my favorite mirrors.

Rich Damask Wallpaper transforms a little Powder Room


Just had a little powder room wallpapered in Thibaut Kenilworth…love the rich color and the damask pattern on the paper! I painted an old towel bar with Annie Sloan Primer Red and then brushed it with a little gold paint. It looks amazing. Since this powder room has a low ceiling i cannot put in crown molding so i am going to run a fabric cording around the top edge of the wall where it meets the ceiling…and i am thinking i will probably glaze the ceiling gold with sparkles. That will have to wait though until i get another day off.

Fashion is the name of the game in our new shabby chic bedroom

Our new Paris Boudoir at The Whistling Elk is showing off our new Pine Cone Hill bedding line. The bedding in the bottom left of the picture is Bella Blue which is draped over our pretty Caracole french ottoman and the queen bed is wearing a combo outfit Madeline Cafe au lait quilt and a Louisa Ivory duvet. I am in love with the Louisa ivory duvet! This room is painted in Benjamin Moore Stonington Gray and when the morning sun shines in it is beautiful!

Tea Anyone?


Our kitchen island is filled with our Teas and our serving ware collection.

Our Bar made from reclaimed french pine is next to the “tea” table and filled with lots of tabletop goodies. The custom wall shelf hangs behind the bar and looks as if it was made to go with it. Love this little corner!
In the upper right hand corner of the photo is our newest swarovski crystal chandelier…pretty all in pink crystals!

Sparkling Crystal Chandeliers and Deliciously Scented Air


Ummm the Lampe Berger fragrance fills the air and the chandeliers sparkle like diamonds…this is the new main room of the Whistling Elk.

You can just see the end of the elegant custom bookcase/cabinet on the right and on the left side of the room is our Lampe Berger and our Tea Forte.

Habersham tables line up down the center of the shop housing our collection of LoLLia, Shelley Kyle and in the far distance the La Vie Parisienne jewelry.

Sparkling overhead are those amazingly beautiful bohemian swarovski crystal chandeliers.

My custom cabinetmaker is amazing

We moved the custom cabinet that i had built into the shop several years ago from the old shop into the new Whistling Elk shop…this piece is 8′ high and 17′ long…
This was another important part of my store opening plan – i wanted this piece to move with me because i use it every day to sell custom cabinetry and furniture.
It’s a major sales tool for my interior design business.

It is a great showcase for our picture frames and all my design books! Plus since it has 17′ of cabinets under the bookcase it provides much needed storage space.

My cabinetmaker took the built in apart, he and his helper carried the components over to the new shop (20 ft) and then they reassembled it! The whole process took him 4 hours! So not only can he build beautiful pieces – but he can move them and they still look Beautiful – that’s pretty amazing if you ask me!

Clocks and Draperies create a curiously beautiful combination


We re-created our clock wall in the new shop and now it greets you as you walk in the front door.
It is surrounded by our beautiful custom draperies.
It was part of my store opening plan for the new Whistlng Elk to have this room say “we do interior design, window treatments, color consultations” – it is a very pretty room so i think we were successful!

Elegant Entrance

DSC01507

As you enter our new shop you are greeted with an elegant design vignette that showcases our sofas, art, lamps draperies and carpets…
The paint is Ben Moore Silver Mink – its one of my new favorites!
Every time i walk into this room I feel surrounded by beauty. The details please the eye and create an atmosphere of comfort and warmth. I love the soft color scheme…it makes me want to curl up with a book amongst the pillows on the sofa.

It’s a Wine Cabinet Makeover

Remember that black wine cabinet that i posted…well the makeover is almost done!

painting with annie sloan chalk paint

First coats of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint…Louis Blue and Louis Blue mixed with Pure White.

I left the inside black….liking the contrast!

Later I’ll distress it…

The seasons are changing…time for cozy details at home

It’s that time of year when having a throw blanket to curl up with is really important.

I love piling up a group of  throws in soft, natural colors with some of our custom pillows –

It’s hard to resist going by this chair without stroking the throws which do not disappoint!

They are soft & luxurious – so cozy!

kennebunk weavers throws

The iron canopy bed in our Bonne Nuit colored bedroom is virtually packed with custom made pillows…

Textillery throw blankets are piled here…they are acrylic chenille and just exquisite.

I have several at home and can’t bear to actually use them – I just love to drape them everywhere – ooh la la!

custom pillows, bedding and draperies

Below a gorgeous purple silk drapery embroidered with sprigs of leaves shimmers with a reddish tinge when you move it…

a fabulous multi-colored bullion adorns it as it hangs over the entrance doorway to this bedroom.

I love the way the ready made 100% cotton organdy embroidered floral drapes hang on the other side of the doorway

creating a multi-layered elegance and depth – very pleasing to the eye (mine anyway).

ready made drapes

Both The Whistling Elk and Little Paris are ready for season change…are you?

Gifts and Decorative Accessories Interview with The Whistling Elk

The Whistling Elk

We  just got written up in Gifts & Accessories Magazine….

Check it out!

here’s the link  http://www.giftsanddec.com/article/555546-The_Gifted_Retailer_The_Whistling_Elk.php?intref=sr

A Treeful of Mark Roberts Fairies

How fun is a treeful of fairies?

christmas fairies
Mark Roberts Fairies

Fairies and lollipops adorn this tree at The Whistling Elk!

Christmas Fairies
Mark Roberts Christmas Fairies

First Frost, All Aboard and Xylophone Fairy are from the 2011 Mark Roberts Collection.

Christmas Fairies
A treeful of fairies

It’s hard to see Bah Humbug fairy in this picture – he’s hiding in the tree but you can sure see his sign!

In front of him is Dancin with the Stars Fairy and My Lucky Stars both very cute and colorful!

and sittin pretty in the tree is our very last Father Christmas Fairy….

Mark Roberts 2011 collection
Mark Roberts Father Christmas Fairy

Art Deco Fairy is riding high at the top of the tree!

Mark Roberts 2011 Collection
Mark Roberts Art Deco Fairy

Christmas Tree Fairy has a tree on his head…

he is hanging out near the tree with Chocolate Truffle Fairy!

Christmas Tree Fairy
Mark Roberts 2012 Christmas Tree Fairy

I love the the Christmas Lights Fairy….he is adorable and i love that the 9″ fairy is holding a string of lights!

2012 Mark Roberts Collection
Mark Roberts 2012 Christmas Lights Fairy

I think he might be my favorite this year…but i dont know yet because they have a tendancy to grow on you so i could change my mind at any time!

i do still like Bling Bling with his handful of pearls…

Mark Roberts Collection
Mark Roberts Bling Bling Fairy

i guess i have the rest of the year to decide!

Mark Roberts Christmas Fairies are here yet again!

Mark Roberts Fairies have taken over the sales floor!

They always appear at The Whistling Elk this time of year adding sparkle and happiness to our home design shop!

This cute guy dancing on one foot is the Happy Halloween Fairy.

Christmas Fairy
Mark Roberts Happy Halloween Fairy

They are so cute….here’s Northwoods Fairy sporting fur for 2012!

Mark Roberts 2012 Northwoods Fairy
Mark Roberts 2012 Northwoods Fairy

The Gingerbread Fairy from the 2011 collection was so adorable that we have him again this year.

Mark Roberts 2011 Christmas Fairy Collection
Mark Roberts 2011 Gingerbread Fairy

The Ice Capades Fairy 2012 is all dressed in White with Gold accents.

Mark Roberts Ice Capades Fairy
Mark Roberts 2012 Ice Capades Fairy

The Pixie is holding an ornament and trying to climb the Fairy Showcase!

Wrapper Magic Pixie
Mark Roberts 2011 Wrapper Magic Pixie

Doestn’t he have the sweetest face?

The Holly Leaf Pixie has a devilish face…he is looking for trouble i think.

Holly Leaf Pixie Mark Roberts Collection 2011
Mark Roberts Holly Leaf Pixie

The Pastry Magicv Pixie is one of the few “girl” fairies in Mark’s Collection.  She looks guilty here like she just ate all the pastry!

Mark Roberts 2011 Collection
Mark Roberts 2011 Pastry Magic Pixie

 The Peppermint Dreams Fairy is in Mark’s “Large” size….so he is 20″ tall.  Love his expression!

Mark Roberts Peppermint Dreams Fairy
Mark Roberts 2012 Peppermint Dreams Fairy

That little guy on the bottom right of the picture is Sleighbell…

Uh oh…Group Shot!

Mark Roberts Christmas Fairies
Group Shot Christmas Fairies

So lets see starting from the top left its Chocolate Truffle, Christmas Wishes, Drummer Boy Fairy (saluting) and by the way he has the cutest ears…

then comes Christmas in Tuscany, Peppermint Dreams, and on the bottom from the left is
Violinist Fairy, Tinsel Time,  and Lollipop (2011).

There are so many more!  I am trying to decide which is my favorite this year.

They are all so colorful and detailed.  As always very Special!