Cue those candy hearts! Love ’em or leave ’em, Valentine’s Day is almost here, and we are playing cupid when it comes to finding gifts that (we hope!) you will love. Here is our gift guide at first blush — but check back for more fun finds for everyone on your list. And for festive tablescape inspiration, keep scrolling to see the most exquisite Valentine’s tablescape in the most beautiful Gracie-clad dining room!
Let’s start with decor: the cutest XOXO and I Love You balloons for under $9!
This Etsy shop has the absolute best door wreaths… the hearts are perfect for Valentine’s!
Jeepers, creepers, where’d you get those peepers? We heart these sunglasses for your minis, and the not-too-grown-up version as well.
Not a heart-shaped box, but personalized travel jewelry cases under $50 are the peak of practical chic.
Valentino heels that simply sizzle for Valentine’s Day.
True love: a mother-daughter gift or present for mama-to-be, this book by Claiborne Swanson Frank is a new classic. (Dreaming of a perfectly pink getaway? We also love this book authored by Aerin Lauder full of timeless scenes from Palm Beach.)
Or perhaps you’re waxing traditional? Give roses, but in candle form for a decidedly modern twist.
And speaking of roses, you can find the most beautiful and romantic heirloom garden roses here, ready to ship across the U.S. For the gift that keeps on giving, we recommend the 2021 seasonal bouquet subscription.
“To my forever crush-tacean” … adorable placemats from Mercedes Salazar are a unique find to charm even the crabbiest of Valentines!
It doesn’t get any more romantic than antique jewelry, and this diamond and ruby ring is calling our name!
Need more ideas? Scroll down (and check back!) for our of-the-moment finds for Valentines of all kinds, and we also recommend the following Valentine’s Day shops from a few of our favorite destinations:
For everyone:
Personalized, one-of-a-kind Valentine’s Day Guide at Mark & Graham
For littles:
Maisonette’s Love Shop is full of fun goodies, toys, pajamas, and outfits for babies, toddlers, and kids
Erin Donahue Tice is an accomplished artist who lives in Austin, Texas in a beautiful 1940s home designed by Kristen Nix. Known for clean lines and timeless interiors, Kristen worked with Erin and her husband to completely renovate and transform the home which hadn’t been updated since the 1990s. Erin’s traditional style is accentuated with bold color throughout, providing the perfect backdrop for her abstract art.
Kristen added thoughtful touches like painting the hardwood foyer into a blue and cream checkerboard, using a sage green lacquered wallpaper on the dining room ceiling, wrapping the now open concept family room/kitchen in a unifying blue-grey grasscloth, and enveloping the master bedroom in neutral Quadrille Arbre De Matisse using an old school “pattern on pattern” effect. “We have forged such a tight bond from working on this project,” said Erin. “Kristen also found a way to incorporate my artwork throughout the house – including a massive 48×72 canvas piece I painted to be hung in the formal living room, and a grouping of collages I created for the casual family room.”
Today, The Glam Pad is delighted to welcome Erin for a Style Profile Q&A along with a tour of her beautiful home and peek at her incredible artwork. Photography is by Hannah Mayson and Michael Hunter Welcome, Erin!
Q:What led you to become an artist, and how did you develop a passion for abstract art?
A: I actually spent over a decade working in the PR industry for firms in Chicago and NYC. I specialized in PR for corporate brands, mostly in the advertising/media and entertainment sectors. I loved my job but after having two sons back-to-back, I decided to take some time off to try the full-time mom thing. My second son, George, bless his heart – was a very tough, colicky baby. He really put us through the ringer. I think the first six months of his life were some of the toughest of my entire life. I decided I needed to reclaim a part of myself at that point since although I LOVED being a mom, I was missing having an outlet just for ME.
Around the same time, my husband and I were decorating our house in Austin (where we moved in 2014) and shopping for abstract pieces for certain rooms. We were coming up short, not finding any artwork we truly loved in the Austin market. I thought, why don’t I try to paint something myself? So, I went to my local art store and talked at length to the store employees and loaded up on supplies. I set up shop in our back-guest house and got to work. Not only did I create a piece for our living room, I discovered a newfound love – painting! I got lost in my paint brush, spending many nap times and late nights painting in my little studio.
After about six months of painting behind closed doors, I decided to launch my work to the public. I had a lot of encouragement from girlfriends, my parents and my husband. I taught myself how to build a website and launched an Instagram page – that was in September 2018. It feels like a million years ago, but also like a very short time ago that I had no idea I could even paint let alone sell my work!
Q:When did you become interested in interior design, and who are your favorite designers – past and present?
A: I think I first became interested when I met my husband in 2010. He was a very “evolved” man and had a beautifully decorated pre-war apartment on the Upper East Side in Manhattan when we met. It was the nicest, chicest bachelor pad I had ever seen, and he had enlisted his friend (and now very well-known designer) Lindsay Coral Harper to help trick it out. He had red Scalamandre Zebras wallpaper covering his tiny NYC kitchen an antique mirrored backsplash. He also had a super “Mad Men-esque” Ralph Lauren deep charcoal cashmere sofa and really interesting objets lining his built-ins. It was such a unique and cozy space, and I started becoming much more interested in design from that point forward.
Now that I’m an artist, one of the best perks of my job is collaborating with interior designers on projects. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with designers throughout Texas, as well as in places like Nashville, Richmond, Chicago, Seattle and beyond.
Some of my favorite designers are Caroline Gidiere, Mark Sikes, Anna Louise Wolfe, Lauren Lowe of Lauren Elaine Interiors, Hillary Taylor Interiors, Meredith Ellis and Heather Chadduck. But the list is endless. I also constantly reference Lee Radzwill – she was such a talent in so many areas, and I love how she effortlessly decorated her homes, each with a distinct yet recognizable look.
Q:How do you describe your style?
A: Traditional with a splash of contemporary. But mostly traditional.
Q:Your home is absolutely beautiful! What was your involvement with the restoration and design?
A: Thank you! In 2019, we decided we needed more space and purchased a new house in our same historic neighborhood in Austin, a 1940 colonial. We gutted the home and brought it out of its bad 1990s makeover with the help of a female dream team of Carlie Blanford (CB Crafted Homes) and our designer and friend Kristen Nix, Principal of Kristen Nix Interiors. We were very involved in the process given our love of design, but also completely trusted Kristen and Carlie to make it beautiful.
This home felt much grander in scale than our previous bungalow, so we needed to purchase new, larger furniture and rugs for most of the rooms. We also doubled down on keeping many of its historical elements in place (intricate moldings, original fireplaces, shiplap that we discovered in my son’s room, scalloped trim around a bathroom ceiling, etc.), but also modernized certain spaces with interesting contemporary art, and wallpapers. My favorite room is our dining room where we used Schumacher’s Madame de Pompadour on the walls but covered the ceiling in a sage green lacquered wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries. It’s the perfect juxtaposition. I also LOVED Kristen’s idea to have our entryway floor hand painted with a blue and white checkerboard design. It brings the whole space to life and you can see that floor from almost every angle in the house.
I also was involved with the home on a deeper level because I created custom artwork for two of the rooms – a large canvas for the formal living room, and a set of collages for the casual family room. It was fun to collaborate on this level with Kristen.
Q:Do you have any favorite pieces of furniture or collections?
A: Antiques will always be my favorite. I’m obsessed with a vintage chinoiserie chest Kristen sourced for our living room. I also love a large Hendredon dresser we had in our NYC apartment but had been sitting in storage since we moved to Austin in 2014. Luckily, we (barely) got it up our stairs and it fit perfectly in our master bedroom and brings the right amount of warmth to our very neutral room.
Q:What are five possessions you could not live without?
A: 1) Obviously my kids, although what do you define as “possessions?” 🙂 2) Lululemon Align Leggings – I wear them on repeat 3) Eos chapstick 4) My “My Pillow” – I have neck problems and I swear it helps!) 5.) My gold Chanel ballet flats
Q:What are your tips for incorporating abstract art within traditional interiors?
A: It’s all about the mix. I LOVE mixing abstract art with more traditional interiors. The key is color. Try to coordinate 1-2 colors between your interior fabrics and your artwork. I also think that a traditional art light can tie abstract artwork into a traditional space seamlessly. Most of all, invest in art you LOVE. I always say you’ll find a place for it. It’s very pleasing to the eye to go from one traditional element to a more modern one. Have fun with it!
Q:Where do you find inspiration?
A: So many places, but interior design and travel are my two go-tos. I love to look at interior design coffee table books as well as Instagram accounts to find unique color combos to use as a jumping off point. I also love to look at photos of places I’ve traveled (my favorite happiest place being The Hamptons), and draw in the colors of nature to my pieces. I always tend to gravitate to blues and greens in my work. I actually just created a commission for someone who had traveled around to many of the national parks for her honeymoon and wanted a piece to remind her of the trip. I got lost in her photos of the rivers, wildflowers, trees and blue skies in our nation’s great outdoors and it was great inspiration for the painting.
Q:When you aren’t busy painting, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?
A: I’m mostly with my husband and our two boys – William (5) and George (3), and we have a third boy coming in June, so that will definitely keep us on our toes! But other than that, I am very into entertaining and setting tablescapes. Right now, it’s mostly for the fun of it since we aren’t having dinner parties these days. I also love to exercise and have been very into virtual classes by Obe, Exhale and Physique 57.
Q:Where can we purchase your art, and do you accept commissions? I have work available in a few places:
3. And YES, I do commissions! It accounts for about 1/3 of my work and I work with clients and designers all over the United States. Commission inquiries can be directed to [email protected].
A: It’s my dream to continue collaborating with interior designers and clients to dress up their spaces. This past year has been such a tough one and I hope that I can keep creating happy artwork that speaks to my clients’ souls and makes them smile. Thank you so much for having me!
Thank you so much, Erin, for joining us today. Such a beautiful home and artwork! I am eyeing a particular piece for our home. 🙂 For additional information, please visit Erin Donahue Tice for additional information and follow @erindonahueticeart for ongoing inspiration. Erin has been featured in House Beautiful, Southern Home, and Luxe.
When a Dallas couple found themselves with an empty nest, they decided it was time for a complete renovation to their Highland Park home. “We’d done some cosmetic remodeling, but it was time to make a complete change for it to be worth the effort,” the wife told Luxe Interiors + Design. Residential designer Daniel Heath helped reconfigure the layout to optimize wasted space. Working with builder Brad Ellerman, they doubled the size of the master suite by joining it to space above the garage, and they reimagined space in the downstairs living areas.
Interior designer Josh Pickering, founder of Pickering House Interiors, worked with the clients’ best furnishings while upgrading everything else along the way. “We brought in many antiques, new items and custom pieces,” Josh told Luxe. “Instead of throwing away, I like to refurbish when things have merit. It gives me something personal to the client to build from.” Let’s take a tour with photography by Nathan Schroder. An abbreviated tour originally ran in Luxe, and additional images have been provided for The Glam Pad.
Lacelliese here! When it comes to style and design, one thing of which I do grow slightly weary (and of which I am guilty, absolument!) is redundancy. Have I mentioned being tired of seeing the same thing over and over again? 😉 But in a social media sea of same-ness, there is one face that always stands out in the scroll: Bradley Agather Means of lifestyle website Luella & June.
Bradley is an inspiration because she simply does her own thing. Her style is classic, yet contemporary; refined, yet practical. No shrinking violet shades here: bold colors do her bidding. And when it comes to paint, she’ll take your opinion, but go another direction with her Farrow & Ball (which of course, turns out to be fabulous). She is sparing when it comes to exclamation points, but her zest for life and entertaining is punctuated by punchy colors, creative ideas, and a bright sense of self. Bradley exudes an enviable, elegant self-confidence, which she applies to everything within her domain, from hostessing her celebrated “Spades Night” game night to co-founding her latest project, Bisette & Co., a bespoke gift-giving concierge service that promises to provide perfect presents to even the pickiest of recipients.
While I can barely recall the last time I played hostess, I admittedly am doing a lot of scheming and daydreaming for the future. So I caught up with Bradley (virtually, like most all of my tête-à-têtes these days) to get a few of her entertaining tips to keep in my back pocket for the future. Today we will share Bradley’s six tips for entertaining, and the one rule she follows every time!
Bradley Agather Means and her Six Tips for Entertaining
Put on a happy face! Guests take their cues from the hostess. If she’s stressed out, the guests will be, too. Even when things aren’t perfect, just go with it.
2. Un-fancy food, but make it fancy. When it comes to food, I go with comfort food: roast chicken, French fries, chocolate chip cookies. They’re sure-things. The key is in the presentation. Fancy up even the most basic dishes by serving them on beautiful silver platters and in decorative bowls.
3. Stock your bar, like really stock it. The bar should be well-stocked. I like to have. It. All. Most guests end up wanting simple cocktails, but there’s always one who wants that specialty something and I am never one to say no. (I aim to please!) Even if the food is all wrong, at least I know they won’t go away thirsty.
4. The more candles, the better. It sets the mood – plus, everyone looks better in candlelight.
5. For six or more, use place cards. This is the only rule I always follow. Guests like to be told where to sit. Without place cards, there’s this uncomfortable moment with middle-school cafeteria lunch table anxiety. By all means, avoid that.
6. Good music goes a long way. Make a playlist ahead of time. It should be diverse enough to go from Jay-Z to Sam Cooke to Vampire Weekend.
Thank you, Bradley, for sharing your entertaining tips with us! Such refreshing style! For ongoing inspiration, please follow @bagather on Instagram and visit her website, Luella & June.
CASA GUSTO is a newly launched company of antiques, objects, and artworks located in West Palm Beach Florida. They specialize in goods – old and new gathered and invented – from around the globe. Furniture from the 17th and 18th century is mixed with a dose of mid-century and hand-made Talavera from Mexico evoking Andalusia.
“There are often words in a language that is not our own that capture a meaning that is precise, a feeling or description so perfect that we must bridge over and take from the other land and claim it,” explain Cris Briger co-proprietor and her son Charles Peed. “GUSTO is one of the words capturing in Spanish and Italian a vibrant feeling of taste and pleasure. GET THE GUSTO is just that.”
Get the Gusto is an interior design and antique firm that creates, rescues, and revives the spaces where we live. Our mission is to create an atmosphere where the real comfort and joy is a reflection of the personality of its inhabitants. Let’s take a look at at their portfolio!
