Anyone who has experienced the challenge of decorating a home with 8-foot ceilings (or lower!) knows things can quickly become claustrophobic. One way to give the illusion of height is by keeping the palette light and bright, as designer Sara Hillery did for a young couple starting their life together. Located in Richmond, Virginia, their 100-year-old Cape Cod boasts a classic aesthetic, yet presented spatial challenges with its low ceilings and traditional dormer windows. The owners also wanted to create a calming environment. So Sara brought the outdoors in by focusing on hues of blue and green along with hydrangea-inspired lavender and pink accents, the wife’s favorite flower. The result is an airy and soothing sanctuary that feels spacious and inviting.
“If you can break down the physical barriers and unite the inside and the outside, that creates a more relaxing environment,” Sara said. “The lighter colors don’t compete with what’s outside, and it mitigates that barrier. It feels like it all flows.”
Let’s take a look inside with photography by Gordon Gregory.
Such a darling home, perfect for a new family!
“Design always evolves,” said Sara. “We wanted to make it very fluid and flexible for them as they started their life together. We wanted it to grow with them. The whole house was built with flexibility in mind,” she says, “with family-friendly, durable fabrics and colorful patterns.”
Built in 1862, Ashland is a historical property nestled on over 90 acres of certified wildlife landscape with views of the Blueridge Mountains. Sprinkled on the impressive landscape of the property are colorful wildflower fields and large vegetable and fruit gardens by the original schoolhouse that remains on the property.
Interior designer Ashley Hanley’s clients purchased Ashland during the pandemic, seeking a reprise from their demanding careers. They have since enjoyed long stays and hosting family and friends, all while tending to the care of the gardens and the property. Vegetables and fruit not used in their kitchen are sold to local farmers markets and vineyards. With Ashley’s expertise in collected and layered interiors, her clients tapped her in to breathe new life into this historic farm.
This Georgian style estate is a prototypical Virginia country home. Ashland Farm includes original hardwood flooring, brick fireplaces appointing each distinct living space, and a tasteful English basement with a second kitchen.
Tastefully updated under Ashley’s careful direction, Ashland Farm leverages natural materials and colors that maintain the historic character of the home, including new interior paint and wallpaper from H.J. Holtz & Son and a revamped sunroom that engages the surrounding natural landscape of colorful wildflower fields and a large vegetable and fruit garden.
A crisp and soothing palette of blue and white is used throughout the home — set against exquisite antiques in deep rich browns — to create an elegant and timeless interior. Each room flows seamlessly from one to the next, inviting the occupant to leave their cares at the door and step into an oasis that tastefully acknowledges its historic roots, yet is fully equipped with modern conveniences.
Such a beautiful and timeless home, perfect for making memories and entertaining!
Welcome to TGP Tidbits where we round up the happenings and our musings of the design industry each week. This week we take a look at The Six Bells Countryside Inn, Lilly Pulitzer x Lee Jofa, and Christopher Spitzmiller’s Designer Tag Sale. Written by Natalie Aldridge.
The Six Bells Countryside Inn
Tucked into the rolling hills of the Hudson Valley, The Six Bells Countryside Inn is the latest chapter in Audrey Gelman’s unfolding fairy tale. What began in 2022 as a tiny Brooklyn homewares boutique has grown into a fully realized world, now complete with its own inn, tavern, and shop. Located in Rosendale, New York, the inn occupies a restored 1850s boarding house set along the gentle curves of the Rondout Creek. It is every bit as charming as you’d expect, a place where history, whimsy, and design come together in perfect harmony.
The original Six Bells shop enchanted visitors with its make-believe setting, Barrow’s Green, a fictional English village steeped in folkish detail and old-world charm. That same spirit carries through at the inn, where eleven individually designed rooms transport guests to another time and place. Expect Scandinavian-style box beds, Maximalist wallpaper, and antique furnishings sourced from around the globe. Each space is its own little storybook scene, from “The Lamplight” room with its archival prints to “The Innkeeper’s Suite” where a twin bed is nestled behind a curtain like a secret.
Downstairs, The Feathers Tavern offers early American-inspired fare by Molly Levine and chef Larkin Young, while the on-site shop invites guests to bring home a piece of the magic. It is a seamless blend of retail, hospitality, and fantasy. Muralist Wally Whitehurst and designer Adam Greco lent their talents to the interiors, creating a world that feels both transported and lived in.
The Six Bells Countryside Inn is more than just a place to stay. It is a fully immersive experience, a living and breathing set piece for Gelman’s nostalgic and imaginative vision. For lovers of design, storytelling, and slow, beautiful living, rooms are now open for booking here.
Lilly Pulitzer x Lee Jofa
If your heart beats for sun-drenched glamour, the new Lilly Pulitzer III Collection for Lee Jofa has arrived to brighten every corner of your home. This third collaboration between the legendary Palm Beach label and luxury fabric house Lee Jofa launched this spring with a riot of resort-chic textiles, bold wallpapers, and playful trims.
The collection is a true celebration of Lilly’s roots: lush tropical florals, vibrant bird and fruit prints, and classic Palm Beach motifs in linen-cotton blends, space-dyed yarns, and crisp wallpapers. The range includes sunny stripe fabrics in twelve signature hues, coordinating trims, and that unmistakable hidden Lilly signature, with subtle nods to the lace details of her iconic shift dresses. Among the standout additions are oversized murals, including sweeping seaside vistas and tropical palms.
In this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Palm Beach, Amanda Reynal layered the bright Lilly Pulitzer x Lee Jofa patterns with neutral foundations to create interiors that feel polished and relaxed. It was certainly a standout room for us!
Amanda Reynal Interiors, photography by Carmel BrantleyAmanda Reynal Interiors, photography by Carmel Brantley
In a sea of beige, the Lilly Pulitzer III Collection is a welcome splash of color. For those who love pattern, charm, and a bit of island attitude, this is your invitation to play. The collection is available exclusively through the trade at Lee Jofa showrooms and can be viewed here.
Christopher Spitzmiller’s Designer Tag Sale
Get ready, treasure hunters. Christopher Spitzmiller’s much-anticipated Designer Tag Sale is back at his idyllic Clover Brook Farm in Millbrook, New York. Set against the lush backdrop of Spitzmiller’s storied country estate, the event promises a weekend of fabulous finds, impeccable taste, and serious design star power.
This year’s lineup includes an impressive roster of top-tier talent offering one-of-a-kind pieces from their personal collections. Think furniture, artwork, textiles, tabletop, and those irresistible odds and ends you didn’t know you needed. Expect contributions from Ashley Whittaker, Mary McDonald, Young Huh, and many more, including the host himself, whose signature lamps and lifestyle wares have become modern classics.
And because no country weekend is complete without a proper drink, Ten Mile Distillery will be on hand offering tastings of their exceptional spirits. The sale takes place this weekend, June 14th. Tickets are available here. Don’t miss your chance to shop from the personal collections of top designers and enjoy a sip or two in their stylish company.
For American Sarah Kirk and her family, life is charmed and idyllic in the English countryside. The beautiful 18th century Cotswolds cottage she decorated herself serves as the perfect backdrop to the family’s homesteading adventures. Sarah’s four darling children wile away their days frolicking in nature, tending to their own herb garden, listing to birdsong, and decorating freshly baked cakes. In fact, the scene is so picturesque it looks like something straight out of a storybook, and Sarah’s Instagram account — @godsavethescene — has unsurprisingly grown to over 30K followers. Reflecting the increasing trend of young families flocking to small towns and rural areas, Sarah has turned homemaking into an art form. Not only do her snapshots of daily life capture visual and poetic beauty, they represent inspiration and insight into a life off the beaten path… one that takes time to stop and smell the roses.
Today, Sarah joins The Glam Pad for an exclusive interview as we share some of our favorite images and captions from her Instagram account. Welcome, Sarah!
Q: Where in England do you live, how old is your home, and how long has your family lived there?
A: We moved to the Gloucestershire Cotswolds in 2020. We live in an 18th century unlisted cottage.
What brought you from the U.S. to England? And how did you decide to move to the countryside?
My husband is British. We met whilst living in London in 2012. After we got married, we moved together to the US where we lived for 5 years between Charleston SC and Middleburg, VA. My husband grew up in the Cotswolds, 5 miles from where we are now. His parents are still nearby. Our decision to move here was based entirely on education and we always agreed when our oldest child started primary school, we would come back for that.
Q: How would you describe your aesthetic style, and where do you find inspiration?
A: Our home is relaxed traditional. I am inspired by the American colonial style of my childhood home, and my love of vintage and thrifted interiors is inherited from my mother.
Q: Did you do any renovations to your home, and what was your process for decorating?
A: I’m a preservationist, and I highly disapprove of renovating historic homes. There is no such thing as “sympathetically updating or modernising” a period interior. The only improvements we made here were cosmetic (paint, wallpaper, lighting fixtures)
I have a layered approach to decorating, just adding things as I go along. I like the motto ‘home takes time.’ I would never, ever use a moodboard or any coordinated approach to designing rooms in advance.
Q: How did your Instagram account come about, and what blessings have come from it?
A: My instagram is just my personal account, which inexplicably keeps growing in following despite it just being a homemaker posting family and interiors photographs I take around the house.
Q: You’ve mentioned that you are a TV-free home and you encourage your children to spend time outdoors. What are the benefits of raising a family in the country?
A: Yes, it’s true we do not have a television. My parents removed the tv from my childhood home after my father came home from work one evening and my brother and I didn’t even look up from The Simpsons to say hello. Just overnight it was gone. There is a reason they call tv “programming.” When there are no screens, children inevitably find other things to do. When the weather is fine, they are outdoors.
The pace of life in the countryside is undeniably slower. Being surrounded by nature, in the words of Anne Shirley there’s “more scope for the imagination.” We live in a small village community, which echoes small town values like the one I grew up in.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you? How do you find the balance with four young children?
A: Sunday we walk to church in our village, we are the only family there with young children because England is growing more secular, we are the largest family in the village because the birthrate here has fallen below 2 children, so we are’t typical in that sense. We usually have a big family lunch, in the spring and summer when it’s warm we try to eat outside and spend most of the day outdoors. There is no balance, because we’ve prioritised family life at this point in our lives over careers. The most important aspect of motherhood is just being present.
Q: What tips do you have for other families who might be considering a similar move, either in the U.S. or abroad?
A: Small town living is wonderful. My tip would be to try and get involved your local community or village. Find out what activities and events go on and how you can help out. It’s a great way to meet people and find social in-roads. It’s great to have a sense of your neighbours and what their values are and assimilate into the culture of a place.
It’s hard to believe it has been six years since my family moved back to Dallas after living in Florida for eight years. Today we are touring a beautiful historic home located in Coconut Grove, an “Old Florida” Miami neighborhood directly adjacent to Coral Gables where we lived. One thing I miss about Miami is it’s meticulous dedication to historic preservation, and today’s tour is a lovely example of the Spanish colonial architecture prevalent in the area.
Built in the 1920s, this home was renovated through a brilliant collaboration between architectural firm Asbacher Architecture, interior designers Ashley Whittaker and Alexander D. Wilson, and landscape architect Fernando Wong. The homeowners – a young couple with children – looked to the team to restore the original charm and character of the house, which had been lost in previous renovations, while infusing a fresh vibe and practicality for modern living.
“The house had been stripped of its original 1920s charm. Our goal was to restore that Mediterranean charisma to the house, bringing it up to date,” explained Fernando Wong, who oversaw the outdoor project. Original architectural components of the patio were meticulously restored, as was the composition of plants and decorative elements that grace the entire garden area. The pool area and outdoor spaces were enlivened by covered terraces and vibrant decorations, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of that of a resort.
Inside, the living room ceiling was elevated, doors repositioned, and a tropical-inspired wallpaper by de Gournay was commissioned to adorn the lobby, capturing the essence of Coconut Grove. Contemporary art by prominent artists such as Tracey Emin, Do Ho Suh, Andy Warhol, Ellsworth Kelly, and Sheila Hicks blends harmoniously and adds pops of color throughout. Pecky cypress cabinetry and details pay homage to the distinctive Cypress trees found throughout Florida.
The result is a timelessly beautiful residence that pays homage to the elegance of Spanish architecture, Mediterranean style, and Old Florida charm.
Let’s take a peek with photography courtesy of Carmel Brantley.
Welcome to TGP Tidbits where we round up the happenings and our musings of the design industry each week. This week we take a look at Jo Malone London × Little Greene, Roses in the Garden by Ngoc Minh Ngo, and the Gracie Warehouse Sale. Written by Natalie Aldridge.
Jo Malone London × Little Greene
Two of Britain’s most beloved heritage brands have joined forces for a limited-edition collaboration that’s as refined as it is sensorial. Jo Malone London and Little Greene, names synonymous with craftsmanship, elegance, and atmosphere, have come together to create a collection of five special-edition candles, each dressed in dreamy paint shades and wallpaper prints from Little Greene’s iconic archives.
The Glam Pad adores both of these British darlings, and this collaboration is a match made in fragrant, design-forward heaven. From the fresh and energizing Lime Basil & Mandarin paired with silvery Salix and Briar Rose wallpaper, to the sensual and warming Myrrh & Tonka enveloped in dusky Light Peach-blossom and florals, each candle sets a mood and tells a story. The darling ad campaign not only showcases Little Greene products, but also taps into our renewed passion for dollhouses.
It’s a celebration of British heritage, artistry, and the little luxuries that make a house a home. Naturally, we’re smitten. Shop the full collection here!
Roses in the Garden by Ngoc Minh Ngo
A rose is never just a rose, at least not in the hands of Ngoc Minh Ngo. In her latest book, Roses in the Garden, the acclaimed photographer invites us into a world where blooms tumble over stone walls, spill across fountains, and lend their magic to some of the world’s most beautiful gardens.
From the overgrown romance of Italy’s Garden of Ninfa to the quiet refinement of Japanese courtyards, each setting is more poetic than the last. Ngo doesn’t just document gardens. She captures atmosphere, mood, and that ineffable quality that makes a place feel touched by beauty.
The images are soft and transporting, with a painterly eye for light, texture, and composition. It’s garden design through a romantic lens, where roses become architectural elements in their own right, climbing, cascading, and occasionally stealing the show. Roses in the Garden embraces old-world elegance, lush layers, and the kind of idyllic floral drama we adore.
Roses in the Garden is a must for any garden lover in your life, and would make an ideal hostess gift. Whether you’re a rose devotee, a garden fantasist, or simply looking for a beautiful escape, this exquisite book deserves pride of place on your shelf. Released this spring, Roses in the Garden is available here!
The Gracie Warehouse Sale
Mark your calendars! From Wednesday, June 11th to Saturday, June 14th, Gracie is opening the doors to its Long Island City warehouse for a rare sale. Just a quick 15-minute subway ride from the D&D Building, this is a golden opportunity to snag treasures from one of our all-time favorite design houses.
Since 1898, Gracie has been celebrated for its hand-painted wallpaper, beloved by design legends and gracing walls from the White House to the most elegant drawing rooms across the globe. Their legacy of craftsmanship and artistry is simply unparalleled.
The sale will feature antique furniture, lacquer pieces, chinoiserie panels, porcelain, and what we’re most excited about, iconic Gracie wallpaper samples. With purchases of $1,000 or more, Gracie will be gifting a copy of The Art of Gracie, a beautifully crafted book that chronicles the company’s rich history.
It’s a dreamy chance to own a piece of design history and infuse your home with the charm, grace, and sophistication that only Gracie can deliver. June 11th through 14th, 10 am to 4 pm, at 47-25 34th Street, Suite 303, Long Island City, New York. We’ll see you there!
STAIR has announced a three-day single owner sale of the property from River Ranch: The Collection of Carole Harris on June 17, 18, and 19, 2025. The Glam Pad is delighted to share highlights from the exquisite collection along with images from inside The Harrises’ Louis XIV-style chateau in the Central Valley of California. A labor of love, the magnificent home was designed in collaboration with Sister Parish and the esteemed firm Parish-Hadley.
STAIR has a long-standing relationship with the Harrises. Today we also welcome Founder and President Colin Stair for an exclusive interview about his friendship with the family. Mr. Stair met Mrs. Harris in the late 1980s, and their shared passion for fine furniture and decorative arts led to a friendship that spanned more than 30 years.
River Ranch: The Collection of Carole Harris represents over three decades of thoughtful collecting, a passion for interior design and a lifelong pursuit of beauty and self-expression. Raised on a farm in California, Carole Harris had a deep connection to nature which would later influence her style and affinity for fruit forms, animals, and organic motifs across her collection of Furniture, Fine Art and Decorative Arts. Mrs. Harris assembled an extraordinary collection of English, Italian, and French furniture, as well as Fine Art, Porcelain, Silver, and Jewelry, sourcing treasures from notable, world-class collections at auction.
Highlights from the sale include a George I Bottle Green and Gilt-Japanned Bureau Cabinet, attributed to John Belchier, a Louis XIV Ormolu-Mounted Marquetry and Verre Églomisé cabinet, fine giltwood mirrors, porcelain flowers and topiaries by Vladimir and Clare Potter, porcelain fruits and vegetables by Lady Anne Gordon, and themes of flora and fauna across decorative arts categories. Fine Art highlights include a series of dog paintings by artists such as Piet van der Hem and Philip Eustace Stretton, works by Carl Holsoe and George Oakes, a group of Louis XVI–style grisaille paintings, and more.
TGP: Please tell us about your relationship with Carole Harris and how STAIR helped her with
her treasure hunting.
CS: I met Carole Harris when I was in my twenties, working at Sotheby’s Restoration in New York. We
hit it off immediately and developed an easy rapport. It was the 1980s, so we used to spend hours
poring over glossy auction catalogues, talking about design, provenance, and the hunt for great
things. She had an insatiable appetite for beautiful things, and I always tried to keep the focus of
“hunting” on high-quality pieces. One example of this is the ‘George I Bottle Green and Gilt
Japanned Bureau Cabinet’ that was in her yellow drawing room, which she privately acquired from a
firm in DC.
TGP: How would you describe her design aesthetic, and what types of items did she particularly
enjoy collecting? CS: The house dictated her style. Some rooms had 20-foot ceilings, so the scale was everything. Growing
up on a farm in California, the natural world, was important to Carole, and it dictated much of her
taste in her favorite collecting categories. She loved porcelain flowers, Lady Anne Gordon fruits and
vegetables, silver animal forms, and, of course, dog paintings.
For Carole, provenance was everything. Many of the pieces coming to auction came from legendary
collections, like Pamela Harriman, Coco Chanel, Jayne Wrightsman, and Brooke Astor. She didn’t
just collect things—she collected stories.
TGP: Can you tell us a bit more about her beautiful home and the design process with Parish-Hadley?
CS: Carole and her husband purchased their Sanger, California home in 1984, and began renovating it right away. In many ways, Carole was self-taught, devouring books on design and history, which helped to shape her decisions on everything from rooflines to fabric swatches.
Brian McCarthy, who worked with Sister Parish as a partner at Parish-Hadley, remembered meeting her in New York in 1988 and taking on the River Ranch project. We spoke with him recently, and his words stayed with me: “Her collection is from the heart—and the passion of a true collector.” I couldn’t agree more. (Read more HERE)
TGP: What advice would you give others in terms of the benefits of working with an auction
house?
CS: Develop a relationship with someone you trust. Auction house specialists are deeply passionate and
endlessly curious people. They not only know the details and stories about the property, but they
also know what their clients love and how they live with what they collect. Train your eye. Learn
from great collectors and discover what inspires you. Focus on collecting the best things you can
afford to buy in the categories that you love. Quality never goes out of taste!
TGP: Anything else you would like to add?
CS: I spent over three decades working with Carole, and we developed a friendship that went beyond
your typical client dynamic – she was so kind to me and my family. Preparing for this sale has felt
deeply personal as it is filled with memories of buying trips, restoration projects, and visits to the
River Ranch.
She was a relatively private person, so I am honored to share her collection with the world. I think
she would be proud.
Welcome to TGP Tidbits where we round up the happenings and our musings of the design industry each week. This week we take a look at Mark D. Sikes x Pottery Barn, the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens Tennis Hut, and the Chelsea Flower Show. Written by Natalie Aldridge.
The FLOWER Magazine 2025 Showhouse
FLOWER Magazine has just announced its 2025 Showhouse, and this time, they’re bringing the floral-fueled magic to Nashville. Set in Belle Meade, one of the city’s most storied and stately neighborhoods, the showhouse will open its doors on October 9th, 2025, promising a beautiful mix of Southern charm, high design, and garden drama.
At 20,000 square feet and spread across six manicured acres, this isn’t just a house. It’s a grand estate. Expect a tour through eleven baths, six bedrooms, a wood-paneled study, and a salon with its own wet bar (because of course). There’s also a waterfall pool, a screened-in porch with a stone fireplace, a barn, riding trails, and enough sculleries and pantries to make even the most seasoned of entertainers swoon.
Leave it to FLOWER magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, the ever-stylish Margot Shaw, to gather the ultimate dream team of design talent. This year’s showhouse is shaping up to be nothing short of spectacular. Design royalty Alexa Hampton returns as Honorary Chair, with the dashing Corey Damen Jenkins taking the reins as Design Chair. Charlotte Moss and Ray Booth lend their iconic flair as ambassadors, while TGP favorite designers like Aldous Bertram, Meg Braff, and Mark D. Sikes will be transforming rooms.
The gardens and grounds are in the masterful hands of Kaiser Trabue, whose layered, elegant approach will turn the outdoors into a scene-stealing set piece. The FLOWER showhouse promises lush theatrics at every turn.
Mark your calendars. Tickets go on sale August 1st and can be purchased here and follow @flowermagazine on Instagram for ongoing updates.
Jessica McCormack’s First New York Boutique
London’s darling of diamond design, Jessica McCormack, has officially landed in New York, and she’s done so in the most stylish way imaginable. The celebrated jeweler, known for her effortlessly wearable pieces that blur the line between heirloom and everyday, has opened her first U.S. boutique in a jewel box of a Beaux-Arts townhouse at 743 Madison Avenue.
Set across two stunning floors, the 1879 building has been exquisitely restored with the help of Johnston Cave and the Society of Guilders. The result is a space that feels more like the home of a very glamorous friend than a traditional boutique. Think bespoke blue-velvet-lined vitrines, custom-upholstered furnishings, and a perfectly undone mix of antique and contemporary pieces, all infused with McCormack’s distinct love of art and interiors.
Some say diamonds are more than just a girl’s best friend. They’re a way of life…. And Jessica McCormack’s design ethos fits the bill beautifully. Her iconic Gypset earrings, subtly subversive Ball n Chain designs, and poetic “Beaches” collection make a compelling case for diamonds with denim, or really, anything at all. The Madison Avenue boutique will also debut a selection of dazzling, one-of-a-kind “Exceptional Stones” creations, exclusive to the New York location.
Consider this your official excuse to indulge. When diamonds look this good, every day is a special occasion.
The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore
Television icon, trailblazer of working-woman chic, and undisputed queen of the perfect pant suit, Mary Tyler Moore is once again capturing hearts, but this time at auction. On June 4th, Doyle New York will unveil The Collection of Mary Tyler Moore, a dazzling array of over 300 lots pulled from her impeccably appointed homes in Manhattan, Millbrook, and Greenwich, Connecticut.
Best known for redefining female roles on television through The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Dick Van Dyke Show, Moore wasn’t just a screen legend. She was a style setter, an arts patron, and a collector with a distinctly feminine and modern eye. Her estate is a treasure trove of fine art, jewelry, and personal memorabilia that reads like a love letter to a life well lived and beautifully decorated.
Among the highlights are a platinum and diamond bracelet with nearly 8 carats of sparkle, a sculptural Paloma Picasso cuff for Tiffany & Co., and not one, but two Mimmo Paladino bronzes. There are portraits by Peter Max and Everett Raymond Kinstler, and a delightful Polaroid of Moore with Dick Van Dyke by none other than Annie Leibovitz.
For television fans, there is a special treat. The original wall-mounted “M” from Mary Richards’ apartment is up for grabs, signed by Moore herself. Yes, that famous “M.”
From art to sparkle to serious Hollywood nostalgia, this sale is a rare opportunity to bring home a piece of history. The preview will begin on May 30th and the auction takes place June 4th. Mark your calendars!
Laura and Harry Slatkin, founders of NEST New York, were given an engagement party at a simple East Hampton carriage house on Lily Pond Lane over 30 years ago. They were so enchanted with the home that they purchased it immediately when it came on the market. While it may not look like much from the street – which was the couple’s intention – inside it is a magical oasis, inspired by Hubert de Givenchy’s Le Clos. Designed by Howard Slatkin, Harry’s brother, not a single detail or embellishment was overlooked. Three hundred yards of five custom-designed fabrics were hand woven in India and China for the living room, linens were hand embroidered, chandeliers and furnishing were commissioned. “Every detail down to the kitchen utensils and note pads was attended to by Howard,” said Laura. The Slatkins created the most perfect “nest” and escape from bustling NYC life.
“Laura wanted all blue and white to bring the colors of the garden and ocean into the house – then of course we get busy scenting it to smell like the garden and ocean,” said Harry.
Additional information on this exquisite home can be found in Out East: Houses and Gardens of the Hamptons. And if you are not familiar with the Slatkins’ NEST Fragrances, they are the best of the best. Laura is also a champion for Autism and is the founder of Next for Autism, a cause near and dear to our hearts.
In 2018, The Glam Pad launched the tradition of beginning each year with our favorite “Anti-Trends” as the antithesis of all the usual coverage you will see this time of year. We advocate the curation of a timeless, classic style which transcends fleeting trends.
In January 2018, we featured a series of interviews, and tips from celebrated designers and industry leaders including Leta Austin Foster, Holly Holden, and the late Mario Buatta on how to achieve timeless design… all of which remain fresh and true today. We discussed the importance of the “collected look,” the value of “brown furniture,” and even the proliferation of blue and white that exploded during the 2010s (you can read a summary of the over 1,000 responses we received here.)
Fast forward to 2025… Instagram and social media have transformed the way we consume news and process trends with the the average person spending 2 hours and 24 minutes on social media every day and checking their mobile device 159 times a day (source).
“Before the Internet, the process of forecasting trends was clearly outlined. It involved identifying consumer attitudes, needs, desires, spending patterns, and lifestyles in relation to economic factors. Trend analysis involved a close study of socioeconomic factors, historical context, and political dynamics to speculate design identities of the future,” writes Arch Daily. Today, social media allows users to create their own trends by promoting their own personal style and become a part of a siloed community of followers who appreciate a very specific aesthetic. The creation of trends now lies in the hands of the general public and their online “influencers”, dictating the way interior design trends now evolve.
“Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” – Oscar Wilde
Designer Nicola Harding compared it to the British cooking revolution in the 1970s and 1980s. “Supper at one point became a form of creative expression. Delia Smith’s iconic books were everywhere and everyone was suddenly trying to find glycerine to make a torte,” She told House & Garden. “I think the same sort of thing has been happening with interiors.”
But, House & Garden asks, are we just churning out a series of cookie-cutter interiors, keeping up with the Joneses rather than giving free rein to our personalities? Nicola advises “using Instagram to tickle your imagination rather than being slavish to it. Try and develop a good sense of what is going to be everywhere. I think it works when the bones of your house are classical and timeless, but you can have fun with some things that are in fashion like you would with a piece of jewelry, and let it be something easy to change or reinterpret down the line. Ultimately it’s a good thing that interiors are more in the public consciousness because there is more variety accessible now.”
As the daughter of a psychologist, another question I’ve been pondering is what are the psychological effects of these highly curated digital worlds that occupy so much of our time nowadays, “connecting” us with “friends” we have never met? Are we living in a real life version of The Matrix?
A study on Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S. evaluated a national sample of young adults (age 19-32) showing correlation between the time spent on social media and perceived social isolation (PSI). The authors noted that directionality can’t be determined. That is, “Do people feeling socially isolated spend more time on social media, or do more intense users develop PSI?” If it’s the latter, they noted, “Is it because the individual is spending less time on more authentic social experiences that would decrease PSI? Or is it the nature of observing highly curated social feeds that they make you feel more excluded?”
Also on the rise are overall rates of anxiety and depression, especially among young adults (source). In May 2024, a study by Johns Hopkins investigated the significant increase in the prevalence of depression in adolescents and young adults — and a simultaneous uptick in the inclusion of technology and social media in everyday life. “We found that if you tended to be a person who was depressed, you were a person also spending more time on social media,” explained author Dr. Carol Vidal. Findings showed that participants who had higher social media use tended to be more depressed, and people who were more depressed also tended to use social media more.
Personally, I find if I’m spending too much time on Instagram, I start feeling pretty rotten about myself. While social media can be a treasure-trove of inspiration, and I love the connections it allows me to make, too much of a good thing yields an immediate negative change in my mood. As clinical psychologist Jerry Bubrick, PhD, explains, “The more we use social media, the less we think about being present in the moment…. if we’re always playing catch-up to endless online updates, we’re prioritizing social interactions that aren’t as emotionally rewarding and can actually make us feel more isolated.”
Might this explain the number of “old school” outlets including magazines and even independent bookstores tenuously appearing to be making a comeback? While the old model of print is gone, according to Bloomberg, certain print magazines are experiencing a resurgence as nostalgic, luxury items. “All of this may seem counterintuitive, but it makes more sense if you remember that people never stopped enjoying magazines, even as the economics of producing them got more tenuous,” Bloomberg reports. “A similar pitch has fueled nostalgic revivals of all kinds of physical media, from film cameras to vinyl records. It has also managed to stabilize the business of books and bookstores, both of which e-books were supposed to kill years ago.”
The Rise of Independent Bookstores and Bible Sales
While big box shops like Costco are ending book sales in hundreds of stores this year, the number of independent bookstores has grown by 200 from 2022 to 2023 and the number has more than doubled between 2016 and 2023 according to the American Booksellers Association. A Harvard Business School white paper identified several key factors that contributed to the independent bookstore resurgence: (1) COMMUNITY: Independent bookstore owners promoted the idea of consumers supporting their local communities by shopping at neighborhood businesses. (2) CURATION: Independent booksellers began to focus on curating inventory that allowed them to provide a more personal and specialized customer experience. (3) CONVENING: Independent booksellers started to promote their stores as intellectual centers for convening customers with likeminded interests—offering lectures, book signings, game nights, children’s story times, young adult reading groups, even birthday parties.
Yet according to The Wall Street Journal, U.S. book sales for 2024 were up less than 1% (through the end of October). The shining light can be found in Bible sales, which were up 22% during the same time period, making for “a golden age of Bible publishing,” the WSJ reports. So why the increase?
“People are experiencing anxiety themselves, or they’re worried for their children and grandchildren,” Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, told the WSJ. “It’s related to artificial intelligence, election cycles…and all of that feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be OK.”
Another potential reason, according to The Christian Broadcasting Network, is the rise of celebrities such as Jordan Peterson and Russel Brand speaking out about faith, and influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms sharing their beliefs with new audiences.
Social media even appears to be affecting alcohol consumption in the younger generations, and not in a way you might expect! In June 2024, Newsweek published a fascinating article analyzing why “Gen Z is Abandoning Alcohol“… Among myriad reasons including increased pressures, additional information revealing health risks of consumption, and reaction against the unhealthy drinking habits of their Millennial and Gen X parents, social media also appears to play a role… “being drunk a few decades ago might embarrass you in front of a few friends for one night, but social media means now that number could be multiplied massively, and the results could linger forever.”
2024 was “The Year of Artificial Intelligence”
According to Forbes, 2024 was the year of Artificial Intelligence. “If 2023 was a year of wonder about artificial intelligence,” the Associated Press reports, “2024 was the year to try to get that wonder to do something useful without breaking the bank.” The public discourse has shifted from “is AI going to kill us?” to treating it like a normal technology, AP says. Artificial Intelligence technology has transformed the way we seek information extending well beyond ChatGPT and creeping into an increasing number of technology services whether we’re looking for it or not — for instance, through the AI-generated answers in Google search results or new AI techniques in photo editing tools, says AP.
Last year The Glam Pad explored a few ways AI is affecting the interior design community from a design aficionado who used it as an inspirational resource to transform her home in the Irish Countryside to a U.S. interior design firm using AI to play with paint colors, showcase products available in their shop, and serve as marketing tools to show clients designs they have envisioned and can create for them. Will Artificial Intelligence take over interior design? We typed this question into Google and “AI Overview” yielded the following response: “No, artificial intelligence (AI) is unlikely to replace interior designers. Instead, AI can be used as a tool to help designers work more efficiently and explore new ideas… Designers can benefit from understanding AI technologies and incorporating them into their work. In fact, some say that the popularity of AI can motivate designers to increase their expertise.” We agree and would love to hear from more designers about how they are incorporating AI into their work.
It’s hard to believe The Glam Pad is entering into its 14th year, and we are continuing — or at least attempting — to survive and thrive within this crazy and rapidly changing world… all while embracing and remaining true to the comforting timelessness of our classic roots. As we enter into the uncharted territory of a technological future and globally precarious times, there is a soothing nostalgia that comes from traditional interior design that has withstood the test of time. A warm and cozy home designed with historical reference, classical detail and most importantly, personal style, evokes a sense of nostalgia, childhood memories, and an overall feeling of permanence that no matter what happens, everything is going to be OK.
We are so grateful for your continued support throughout the years, and would love to hear what you would like to see more from us in 2025!
