Notes from the Field: Rising Star

By Karin Lidbeck Brent

In the current issue of New England Home’s Connecticut, we feature a beautiful seaside home designed by architect Tony Terry. As the stylist and producer on this project, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to work on a photo shoot in such a gorgeous setting.

A challenging part of my work on projects like this one is finding just the right pieces to layer and complement our shots. I try to add punch and a “wow†factor to the rooms, in a way that respects the designer’s vision.

For this shoot I knew just where to go: J. Seitz and Company, my favorite home furnishings store in New Preston, Connecticut. The homeowner and I absolutely loved adding these accessories to her spaces.

Working off an antique zebra rug in the homeowner’s sunroom, I knew that the linen zebra-print pillows were a “must have†for the living room space. These linen pillows are made even more special by the jute “eyelash†mini fringe. Joanna Seitz says she sells these all day long in the shop. The Un and Deux French Crown pillows are also natural linen, and the numbers look so much more chic written in French.

Photos by Michael Partenio; click to see the whole story.

Every little thing counts when styling a room. The natural bamboo fringed throw in a creamy shade of ivory adds natural texture and softness to the sleek sofa. For a little shimmer, I added a silver charger inspired by the texture of a sea urchin spine.

I knew when I saw these wood vases they would add the perfect warmth and scale to the space. The organic wood vases are very “Axel Vervoordt†with a notably Belgian vibe. Each is one-of-a-kind and formed from tree roots.

Joanna always finds unique and unusual pieces for her store, like these reproduction eighteenth-century zinc peacocks she found traveling on an antiquing trip in the south. I knew they would be perfect for this home’s dining space as soon as I saw them.

Wonderful and whimsical, they add a conversational element to the space. I just love how the peacock looks sitting on a console table, watching over the dining room.

J. Seitz is also mad for mercury glass, especially in lamp form. This one has a terrific reed shade, so the marriage of a glam base with a natural shade exudes “refined rusticity.†The antique dental table the homeowner found on a trip to France was screaming for this.

Whether you are a stylist or a homeowner, a trip to Joanna’s store is a fabulous adventure to a shop filled with inspiration.