There is really nothing more beautiful to me than the elegance of a room design incorporating glorious colour and the changing winds of home decor are bringing colour back!
Warm. Cozy. Timeless
I can’t imagine anything better than that.
Lovely Florida home by G.P. Schafer featured in Luxe Magazine.
Designers who create rooms incorporating traditional looks with a few clean contemporary accents or some wonderful vintage or antique pieces take my breath away and make my heart beat. Beautiful design can always do that to me.
Obviously colour is a major factor in the design of all beautiful rooms. Although I enjoyed the grey/whites and accompanying pale palette that was trending...it is cold…Brrrh! I think that everyone staying home during the covid pandemic spent a lot of time looking around and deciding to make some changes in their homes especially related to reintoducing colour…putting the colour revolution on the fast track!
What do you think? Are you ready to move on to some great color and tradition? or will you holding on to the cooler palettes?
Change on the wholesale level is already in full swing so you are going to find less of the outgoing trends and colours.
Have you ever looked for home decor and accents in colors that have recently passed out of favor? Then you know how hard it can be to find them. When the market starts to transition it is always wise to finish a room before home accents become scarce.
Personally, I am wholeheartedly embracing the return of color!
Magnificent beach house foyer by interior designer Jack Philips. Photo by Brantley Photo
I love the way Janelle of Janelle’s Designs made this vanity stand out by incorporating Gold!
A touch of gold on gray makes this vanity stand out! Photographed and Painted by Janells Designs. You can find Janell on instagram @janellsdesigns
Right now I m sitting in the sun which is streaming in through my slider…I have never done this before shockingly !!
The Corona Virus, horrible and beastly as it is, has forced me to stop working 24/7 and slow down and take a little downtime.
I have worked my whole life. Even when switching jobs I didn’t take time in between. Since opening my own shop 30 years ago I have worked the whole time between 6 and 7 days a week. Sure, I took some amazing ski vacations over the years (at Vail my favorite) but even then I fretted about being away from my business.
Now don’t get me wrong, this virus is a terrible, terrible, terrible thing and I am distressed that people are sick and dying. They are in my thoughts and prayers every day.
But this “stay at home” order is in some ways a gift that I never asked for and never would ask for. However, now that I’ve got it I am wholeheartedly enjoying it for the gift that it is and for what it is worth. I would never have taken time for myself.
For the first time in my life I have no income stream…none in the forseeable future and can’t even imagine how this will all end…but right now the sun is warm, I have nowhere to go, nothing pressing me, and I feel as though God has given me time to rejuvenate, to plan, to rest, to rethink everything, to enjoy the moment! I will trust that he has plan and meanwhile I will not allow this gift to go to waste.
I put together a list this morning of projects that need doing.
I filled an entire sheet.
I posted it and every time I walk by it I think of something else to add. There are some plusses to being stuck at home.
Some of the things on the list have been on the back burner for months and perhaps years!
I have decided to make sure that I pick something on that list to complete every day…with that in mind I literally could stay home for a quite a while.
Well, that will take care of some of the time I have on my hands…
I have already discovered this morning that my mind is still creative and fertile…teeming with ideas…mostly how to improve and take my business to the next level…new things I want to do, plans I want to put into action.
It’s almost scary. Maybe, just maybe, that is why when this is over our economy is going to go nuts….we will all have this pent up creativity and desire to go full steam ahead.
Some things with regard to my business I have already implemented in this new free time I have found myself blessed with.
Minuses, of course, we all know. We miss each other, we’re a little scared and we can’t wait for it to be behind us. And, it’s hard stop from eating! 😉
Beautiful, soft, cozy, colorful, elegant and a fashion statement for your home. You must have at least one! Ours come in almost every color imaginable. Wrap yourself up in one! And give one to all your friends and family! You will be a hero.
Maison Berger (Lampe Berger)
A big favorite. An air purifier that perfumes the air you live in! Beautiful and a real workhorse too! You will love it…no open flame…and scent all thru your home.
Made in France with that special oohlala elegant scents that only the French can do! There are also candles, reed diffusers and mist diffusers–you can have it all!!
Sorrelli Jewelry
A family owned company that is all about sparkle! An extensive collection is available at the shop and we constantly run specials…come see what the latest deal is! And a hint to all you men out there…this is a winner!
La Vie Parisenne Jewelry
Gorgeous jewelry by French Designer Catherine Popesco. Antique molds are used to create this line of 14k gold plated and swarovski studded collection! A must have or a must give!
Mark Roberts 2019 Christmas Fairies and Elves
If you don’t have one you will want one. The 2019 Collection is beautiful as usual and well appointed as ever. They will make you smile (or else). For 26 years a special Christmas offering from The Whistling Elk.
Sloane Fine Tea Merchants
Did you know there was something known as a Tea Sommelier? Well there is and this line of fine teas was created in Toronto by a Tea Sommelier who is also a trained Perfumist (is that a word?) Delicious and amazing to both your scent and taste! You need to try the Heavenly Cream…it’s divine!!! (hahaha really)
A Girl With A Pearl
These are the real thing. Need a really special Gift…this is it. Baroque Cultured Freshwater Pearls…beautiful. Different styles and price points. A must have for the woman in your life! Hint, Hint.
Club Bags
The best little bags ever. They hold your phone (quite comfortably) and have a zippered pocket for your valuable stuff….like lipstick, money $$$, etc. And did i mention that they are good looking? Well they are quite fashionable!
Michel Designworks
Going Somewhere? This company makes Great Hostess Gifts…beautiful, festive and beautifully packaged. Great price points. Foaming handsoaps are the best! But there is more…so much more.
The Whistling Elk is loaded with great gift ideas and decorations for your home. Your Go-To shopping place…Stop and See for Yourself! This little list is just the tip of the iceberg 😉 Trust Me.
I need to squeeze every bit of summer left out of August!!!
It’s been a good summer though with lots of things happening at The Whistling Elk.
Colorful Lanterns at The Whistling Elk in Chester NJ
We have brought in a lot of new products and there are more coming this Fall.
New and in stock right now…
MICHEL DESIGN WORKS
A beautifully packaged line of everyday fragranced products that are fabulous for hostessgifts! The Foaming Hand Soaps are probably my favorite but there are quite a few other items to choose from.
Michel Design Works
The bar soaps are large and the packaging tempts you want to keep them wrapped. The Soy Candles come in beautiful boxes that you will want to save for keepsakes and everything smells amazing...there are many many scents!
The Hand and Body Lotion contains, of course, Shea Butter and there is also luxurious Shower Gel.
These products are all priced from $11 to $17 so they are perfect for small token gifts or dare i say…stocking stuffers.
But that is not where Design Works stops….they also have gorgeous kitchen aprons, potholders and tea towels…pillows and scatter rugs! And, a complete line of melamine platters, plates, bowls and other serving pieces that are colorful, lightweight and,of course, unbreakable!
You will love this line and we are stocked now with more coming for the holidays!
MAISON BERGER
Maison Berger…new lampes and Diffusers!
Maison Berger is introducing about 80 new products this Fall. They are expanding the AROMA Collection and introducing new Diffusers and Soy Candles.
Maison Berger USA at The Whistling Elk in Chester NJ
I LOVE the Aroma Collection…
the scents are complex yet pure – so nice!
There are New Scents and New Lampes and Gift Sets just in time for the holidays. We are the largest retailer of Maison Berger in New Jersey so you will always find a huge selection of fragrances and lampes every day. Maison Berger makes such a great gift for everyone, the gift sets are so reasonably priced and now Maison Berger has included a new larger free sample of scent with each gift set….We love Maison Berger!
YOUNG LIVING
We are so excited to bring Young Living to you! Everyone knows Young Living for Essential Oils but they have quite a diverse line of products, all chemical free, pesticide free and pure. If you are interested in a healthy lifestyle and products that can help you toward that goal then Young Living is for you. Come in and learn more about these wonderful products.
Young Living Essential Oils and healthy living products!
On some Sunday afternoons we will have Cheryl Bock here to talk about and demonstrate Young Living Products….Cheryl is local and some of you will know her from Spin Class. She also raises money for Cancer Research. She is knowledgeable and enthusiastic – you will love her!
One of my favorite products from Young Living is Ning Xia Red which is a fabulous drink full of antioxidants and super foods…and it is YUMMY.
CBD isolate…that means nothing but the CBD…99% and 1% Young Living Essential Oils
Young Living has just introduced CBD products. Watch these take over the market…you can trust Young Living to bring you the purest CBD – it is 99% CBD and 1% Young Living Essential Oils.
Of course we still have all the beautiful, classic home furnishings and accessories that you expect from us! Come see us soon!
One of our favorite products at The Whistling Elk is Maison Berger. Did you know that we have been selling this fabulous line for almost 20 years and that we have the largest selection of Maison Berger products in New Jersey?
Lampe Berger Paris
Maison Berger is an air purifier and it works! It will eliminate bacteria in the air and perfume your home like no other product. It’s easy to use and the results will impress you!
Maison Berger has many new lampes this year and many new scents. One of my favorites is the new Pure White Tea. It’s delicious!
Maison Berger “Pure White Tea” one of the newest scents!
The new “Eclipse” lampe comes in 2 colors and both are packed as gift sets so you get a 180 ml of free scent with the lampe!
Maison Berger at The Whistling Elk in Chester NJ
Maison Berger has also introduced Car Diffusers! They are sleek and attractive, fit to the vents in your car and purify the air!
Well, last week the Mark Roberts Fairies arrived on the scene! As always they are adorable. We have a selection out now for your viewing pleasure!
Mark Roberts Collection 2018
This year Mark has introduced some new elves and they are beautiful! They have weighted feet so they can stand alone anywhere which makes them even more fun. Lots of great detail!
Mark Roberts Fairies 2018
There are a couple of girl fairies again this year…this is Joyous Christmas and she has the most amazing skirt!
As 2017 draws to a close, I would just like to say how grateful I am for all the wonderful customers who frequent my shop!
It has been another wonderful year! And I am enthusiastically awaiting the beginning of my 28th year here in beautiful Chester NJ…in another couple of weeks I will be heading to Atlanta to shop for merchandise for 2018!
I will be forever grateful that I chose Chester to be the home for my collection of casually elegant home furnishings and accessories….
Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!
I have been awaiting this particular art shipment for over two weeks. It was on the road for almost a month….which is very scary…But it is all perfect!
So very happy it’s here!
Right now it is leaning just about everywhere in the shop!
There is so much beauty here…landscapes, geometrics, bath prints, amazing fleur de lis wall sculptures, florals, still lifes and more.
florals and damask patterned prints
gorgeous chandelier print
art at the whistling elk
stilllife/landscape
fleur de lis
A Flying Pig even came along with this order….he has an amazing Swarovski crystal crown too!
He is nestled in behind the embellished candlestick below…
It’s a perfect time to try a Lampe Berger at The Whistling Elk!
We have lots of beautiful lampes to choose from and when you purchase one you can get a tripack of 3 fragrances for 50% off!
Lampe Berger Tripack – Warm Scents
There are two different tripacks to choose from … one has fresh scents: Fresh Linen, Lemonflower and the international best selling fragrance Ocean Breeze!
The other tripack includes New Orleans (one of our best sellers), Orange Cinnamon and Vanilla Gourmet!
Wow, I guess moving really did affect me! I just realized that I have not posted to the blog in over 5 months! Oh My! But life at The Whistling Elk continues…
The Fall and Christmas season has passed…I made my annual January trip to Atlanta to buy goods for 2017…and have already received several shipments from those orders placed in January…
As always it is so exciting to receive new goods. Always a fresh start and a new perspective! And this year will not disappoint. So, come and visit The Whistling Elk soon because we are already showing new pretty stuff!!
Here’s a little preview:
Leather Chairs and an ottoman! Really handsome!
Just plain pretty Mirrors…we have about 4 different styles…all beautifully finished and distressed!
Lollia for your sweetheart…some new scents too!
Beautiful spring flowers – just in case you get spring fever!
Well, I sold my home and moved to a new one. That is a pretty short sentence but it says a lot and the whole process put me in a funk….so much work! I feel like I fell asleep in March and woke up in August…sigh…
But I am done with that…The Moving Funk is over NOW!
I love my new home, it’s relatively “put together”…at least as much as I plan to do until I live there a little and see what is what. Meanwhile the shop waits for no man….and fall is coming! That means that lots of trucks are rolling in with all kinds of great merchandise and the shop is brimming with wonderful pieces.
Art arrived yesterday, lots of it! Here’s a little sneak peak…
lots of great bath pieces!
Last week my fall clothing line arrived and it is spectacular! Lots of great fabrics and styles and lots more leggings this year!
Lots of fabrics! Scarves, ponchos, sweaters, vests, tunics, and lots and lots of leggings!
Our Lampe Berger is STOCKED…and there are many new gift sets at great values and some beautiful new lampes!
…They ask this when they are standing in my shop amidst the furniture and home accessories that are displayed in The Whistling Elk.
I usually just shrug off this question because I have never really thought much about it – until recently…you see I just sold my home. A short few words but a lot of meaning!
Taking stock and packing I realized just how consistent I really am…there is a resemblance in that I really love to be surrounded by beauty. I guess if I am one thing…that is…Consistent !!
I have lived in my home for 28 years…it feels like a part of me. It always felt good just to be there. Over the years I have brought home pieces that I loved and integrated them into the mix. Some things came and went while others I cannot imagine parting with ever.
Living Room
My list of belongings reads like a list of the companies that I have done business with over the years in the shop.
I have a J.M. Paquet sofa…they are out of business now being one of the ones to go early in 2008. but the sofa lives on and when the time comes I will have it reslipcovered yet again. Its so comfortable and I still love it so it will go with me to my new home.
My Habersham buffet is another piece that I love. It makes me happy every time I just look at it. It houses my grandmothers dishes which will be going to my niece for safekeeping. The buffet though goes with me. The savonnerie carpet is from Feizy…and it was chosen because…well, I just fell in love with it.
I love this room and have spent many, many hours here! The mantel I bought when a 1890’s home in New Brunswick was demolished. It was a wreck all chipping and dirty. I took my hand sander and sanded all the dirt and loose paint off and then had it attached to the wall.
Since I have always wanted to live in an old fieldstone house I mimicked that with the faux painted fieldstone wall on which that mantel is mounted. I loved this look and am sorry to leave it behind. I guess I will have to paint a new wall!
1890’s mantel
Another favorite room is the Master Bedroom…and Master Bath off of it…
I purchased a really crummy pair of shutters and nailed them to the wall on either side of a large window and it created just the right look to go with the Dutch Caribbean bed. I cannot remember the name of the company that this bed came from but it is solid hand carved mahogany.
Another Favorite Room
The beautiful painted lingerie chest fit just perfectly in the corner of the room…it’s shape is what makes it special. It’s rounded across the front. It came from RH Home…they were a California company which is also gone. Sadly.
The walls I faux painted to resemble my take on old crumbling Italian walls…and you can’t see it in the picture but on the wall at the foot of the bed is a huge 5 foot x 4 foot picture of a hotel on Lake Como Italy which I have to say I loved waking up and seeing every morning. Perfect way to start the day!
The Linen Press next to the bed is an antique piece from England circa 1880…my niece will be picking up this piece tonight and it will go to live in her bedroom. It came from a company called ARK Antiques which is also out of business…so many great companies over the years have come and gone. Sadly our economy is not good for small business these days.
Master Bath
I really got fanciful with my master bath. The Alma Slade draperies are chenille and were perfect with the colors in the Nourison carpet. But my favorite piece is the Danish Vanity from ARK Antiques…circa 1910. So pretty! And of course I just had to have a little vintage chandelier in there…Right? Absolutely!
I have a thing about old doors and I managed to get my fix with that too in the dining room where I leaned two heavy old French doors to flank a 3 panel screen…an oil from Andrew Kolb & Sons depicting a hillside village in Italy. That’s the only non-bling (Stone County Ironworks) chandelier I own over that table!!! I always meant to hang some crystals on it…
Dining Room
So I guess this is my tribute to my pretty little home that I am leaving behind. I will miss it. A little place always filled with light from all the large windows. But I am also so excited to start over and to what I am going to create next!
Wow, another year has come and gone at The Whistling Elk.
There is so much beauty here…landscapes, geometrics, bath prints, amazing fleur de lis wall sculptures, florals, still lifes and more.
