SPRING CLEANING!

We have unbelievable amounts of STUFF – and it’s time for a big ass sale.  Art books, novels, globes, stone garden urns, Venetian summer andiron, alabaster ganesh, lamps, McCoy pottery, a pair of 1930′s tennis court benches, display cases…and first edition SIGNED copies of “Grace” by Grace Coddington for $500. (By the way, these are also available at Amazon from $1,250.00 to $3,000.00 each UNSIGNED if you prefer the convenience of online.)

AND SO MUCH MORE! THESE PHOTOS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE ALL THE STUFF WE ARE BRINGING OUT.

Sale starts at 12 NOON, FEBRUARY 14th.

441 East 12th Street between First and Avenue A – the double gray doors – close to Avenue A.

We will be here until a least 6.30 every evening. Call ahead if you need a little more time. (212) 614-2734.

Tell your friends!

Visa, MC and AMEX accepted for all purchases of $50 or more.

Several weeks ago we hosted a party at LMD in tandem with Barbera Brooks, owner of B Brooks Fine Flowers. (B Brooks is the nationwide network of boutique florist – a top drawer FTD if you will). This is the second year that Barbera has had this party – the weekend of the  New York Gift Fair – the idea being that many of her floral members across the nation come to New York for the show, so why not welcome them with a cocktail party?

Why not indeed! I love a party – especially after 5 consecutive snow storms – so was more than happy to play host and piggyback a few guests of my own. Huge thanks to two friends for allowing me to pull a few favors: Larry Craig for bringing in the most delicious food (lobster casseroles, tiger prawns, filet mignon bruschetta, brussel sprouts stuffed with gorgonzola, chocolate chip bread pudding, sorbet lollypops, Oreo ice cream sandwiches…) and David Chang for spinning and – to my hope and delight – turning the event into a dance party. It was a great way to end a frigid January!

Special thanks to: Laurence Craig Catering www.laurencecraigcatering.com 973.761.0190 / David Chang www.djdavidchang.com 212.501.8919 / Gordon Eriksen Photography www.waverlyhicks.com 718.965.1036 / B Brooks Fine Flowers www.bbrooks.com

I don’t know if you had a chance to see it yet, but LMD had the honor of being featured in the current issue of Martha Stewart Weddings. It was a great  experience because we got to create an environment – not just set down some pretty flowers, and I was pleased that they captured the essence of the LMD style.

I am especially fond of the canvas draping behind the champagne bar. I have always admired the style of draping that I refer to as “inside a Roman tent” or “Dorthy Draper’s Draping” and have wanted to do it for an event for some time. (Since this shoot, I have done it several times – one being the enormous Skylight Studio. Cinematic!) Just for the record, I hearby proclaim this the LMD Style of Draping. If we never have to do that pleated shower-curtain look again, fine by me.

The windlamps suspended from the ropes – j’adore – an idea I borrowed directly from Charlotte Moss and her sumpteous bedroom at the Kips Bay decorator show house several years ago. Sixty of these lamps are en route to the LMD studio as I type this, and will grace several summer wedding tents this year. Oh, I do  adore lanterns.

Other classic LMD moments: charcoal gray; linen and canvas; table linens with a wide contrasting border (this never shows up in event pics); antique garden urns – especially those with an unexpected profile; bay leaf garlands (another nod to ancient Rome, a place and time I always pull reference from), and of course French anemones and the use of unusual textures such as lichen branches next to tender blossoms.

It looks like this was shot this at high noon, and in the writer’s humble opinion the only thing that looks good at high noon is the beach, but overall, I was pleased with the story. Unassuming and attractive, just the way it should be.

Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year! It’s been a wonderful year at LMD and we are looking forward to a great 2011…and with a firm resolution to be a better blogger and post on a frequent basis. I promise.

Photograph by Don Freeman for LMD

Can you believe that we are already into the month of June? It’s going to be an amazing summer, and I want to wish you all a season full of juicy heirloom tomatoes, hot afternoons on the beach, chilled bottles of rose and armloads of summer blossoms.

It’s been a busy spring and we have a lot of irons in the fire for the next several months. I will keep you posted as time allows. In the meantime, here is a photograph for your enjoyment from a recent shoot we did here in the studio. Luscious coral peonies combined with garden fuchsia and strawberry vines – a kick off to a wonderful season!

xx Lewis

The new decade started off with a tremendous bang, and one of our first projects of  the year was a corporate dinner for  Bloomberg L.P. Collaborating with the unequivocal Elizabeth Allen, this was the second time that this particular event was being held, hosted by the CEO for the top dogs of the corporation. This year it was at the New York Public Library – I will admit – my favorite space in the city.

I wanted to create an environment that was warm and inviting, while simultaneously modern, crisp, overgrown, moody…bold! Working with my friend Richard Tatum from L&M Sound and Light, lighting was a crucial element to the design. And as with any well designed event, it was essential that there be visual layers – from strong, grand statements (which I love) to the smallest detail.  You cannot have one without the other.

Guests walked up the exterior stairs which were defined by a militant swath of glass tubes encasing candles. Dramatic and precise, this led them into Astor Hall (reverberating with a goose-bump inducing mix of Lascia Ch’io Pianga) which was entirely dark except for a giant floral display of atlas cedar, white blooming quince and a huge antique Indian cauldron with paperwhites sprouting from a nest of lichen covered branches and wild green smilax vine.

The stairs that led to cocktail hour on the second floor were lit only by candlelight. Cocktail hour in McGraw Rotunda was simply decorated with clean, modern tables used in tandem with blue velvet upholstered ottomans and large, wild-yet-structured floral arrangements. Dinner was held in the Solomon Gallery, a beautiful space with walls lined with gorgeous historical New York paintings. Two 100′ long rows of tables were dressed in deep blue with wide burnished gold runners and black crackle ballroom chairs with navy velvet cushions. Running the length of the tables, a modern assortment of vessels and candles were overgrown with wild smilax vines: white tulips and anemones in smokey oblong glass, clipped boxwood hedges, copper trays lined with narcissus shoots and lichen covered branches and troughs of white primula malacoides. It was a good blend of crisp and modern, wild and luxe.

During dinner, Astor Hall was quickly turned into a space for dancing and desserts, complete with a pair of dessert stations (all sweets were white and gold), a long bar and several lounge spaces. Keeping things moody and dramatic, the entire hall was saturated in deep blue light and guests danced to the spins of DJ David Chang. It was a great event for a “school night” – a corporate event that felt anything but – and apparently the talk of the office the next day. You can’t beat that.

Elizabeth K. Allen Event Planning (212) 289 – 4931

L&M Sound and Light www.lmsound.com (718) 720-1217

DJ David Chang (212) 509 – 8919

Several weeks ago event planner Sofia Crokos invited me to be a part of a little cocktail party she was spear-heading. Sofia is the harbinger of all things trendy, and this soiree was a cumulation of industry professionals bringing their individual talents and products under one roof for an evening of inspiration. The idea was to create an environment that would provide ideas in a relaxed, lounge-type setting without coming across as a “wedding showcase”.

The location was the Glass Houses in New York’s Chelsea art district. A modern venue overlooking the Hudson River, the Glass Houses is  a fabulous space for intimate gatherings. Let me rephrase that – it is a fabulous space for medium size events, while giving the feeling of an intimate gathering. The views are killer, the place is perennially spotless and the layout is a designer’s dream. (Do you remember that reality interior show several years ago where the decorators were given a three-sided white box with which they had to create a room? Same idea here, except you have the benefit of floor-to-ceiling windows with a panoramic view of Manhattan’s west side.)

Immediately I rang my friend Jill at Greenroom and she graciously let me have the pick of her beautiful furniture. These days it seems that weddings are more about the lounge than the altar and Greenroom has a great selection of furniture and accessories for rent. Working in a crisp pallet of whites and turquoise, I chose from a nice selection of clean, simple pieces as well as the more artful and whimsical. I had about 4 days to pull this look together (on a dime) – so I raided the LMD prop room for unusual objects, lanterns, artifacts and elements to style the space along with fresh floral accents. We built a gorgeous, oversized folding screen which was upholstered in broad horizontal stripes of turquoise linen and silk, suspended parchment Chinese lanterns, hauled in chunky minerals and rock crystals, Belgian glass “antler” hurricane lamps, and my new favorite prop – a pair of navy blue glazed Chinese terra cotta horses which anchored the bar (and aptly named Gigondas and Meursault).

With tasty nibbles by Diane Gordon catering, sounds by Julie Feldman at Orchestrations, Inc. and libations compliments of Moet Hennessy, it was a fun event for a chilly Tuesday evening in January. And a very, very special “Thank You!” to Abby Ross for these gorgeous photographs. (P.S. I encourage you to click the photographs twice so that you can view them large and really appreciate how beautiful they are.)

The Glass House / www.theglasshouses.com

Sofia Crokos Events / www.sofiacrokos.com

Greenroom  / www.yourgreenroom.com

Abby Ross Photography  /  www.abbyross.com

Diane Gordon Catering /  www.dianegordoncatering.com

Orchestrations Inc. / www.orchestrationsinc.com

One of our most enjoyable projects this past summer was a wedding that was brought to us through Ann and Nicky, the dynamic duo of the event planning firm David Reinhard Events, LLC. This was one of those projects where everything was a pleasure and fell into place with perfect ease. The bride, Romy, wins the first annual LMD Bride of the Year Award, an honor sure to be coveted by many women in years to come!

Romy came to us with a subversive theme (and I do love subversive themes) based on the whimsical and slightly dark drawings of Edward Gorey and Elephant House. The ceremony was in the middle of the lush vineyards of  Wolffer Estates in Sagaponack, Long Island and the reception at the bride’s parent’s home a short walk away.

The ceremony was pure perfection in it’s absolute simplicity. Surrounded by rows of verdant vines, the chuppah was as simple as it could possibly be without being air itself. My theory is that chuppahs are like Christmas trees – everybody thinks theirs is amazing, but sniffs at all others. I think it is simply because these are such personal things and, astethically speaking, one really puts themselves on the line. At any rate, four birch poles set in crusty Belgian terra-cotta with a friend’s beautifully embroidered Taleth accented with olive wreaths and muslin ribbons did the trick. Anchoring the structure was a pair of heavy iron urns – slightly gothic with putti and ram’s heads – and massed with airy white Queen Anne’s lace.

Cocktails on the terrace and lawn of the winery was followed by a beautiful tented reception in the back yard of Romy’s parents home. If you are not familiar with Sperry Tents, you should be – they are hand-crafted loveliness. Long dinner tables dressed in oatmeal linen were layered with estate silver candlesticks with grey, black and black and white stripe taper candles, silver vessels of baby’s tears and fernery, compotes of roses, passion flower and wild grasses with Chinese parchment and chicken-wire lanterns suspended overhead…and Olivier Cheng’s ever beautiful, delicious food (and waitstaff) didn’t hurt either.

Of couse, apropo to all weddings this summer – come nightfall the sky let loose and it rained cats and dogs. And, apropo to all great parties with a fun-loving crowd, a gracious host and proper planning…a good time was had by all!

A special thank you to Timothy Lee and Lydia Lee of Timothy Lee Photography for the beautiful photographs. www.timothylee.com (718). 482.8344

David Reinhard Events, LLC www.davidreinhard.com

Olivier Cheng Catering www. ocny.com

Sperry Tents www.sperrytents.com

Matt Murphy Event Lighting www.mattmurphyeventlighting.com

Several days before an event, I am often presented with a large bag of stuff from the neighborhood Duane Reade with the instructions to “…make pretty and display on a tray.” I see this stuff and it’s obvious that somebody has had a hay-day in the drugstore. Unless your friends are coming from a Bowery flophouse, there is no need to junk up the counter with every travel size toiletry from mouth wash to Mucinex. In the spirit of anticipating your guest’s needs and being a gracious host, there are a few essentials:

• A good candle. Not too sweet, not too pungent, and absolutely nothing that smells like baked goods. Splurge on an expensive candle – these days nice candles are as readily available as bottled water. I find that citrus or smoky floral scents are usually the best – crisp, clean and refreshing. Several of my personal favorites are Odalisque by Cire Trudon, Fleur d’Oranger by Minsenzir and Baies by Diptyque.
• A bottle of fragrance is nice for a quick spritz. Nothing perfumy or heavy – only something light that will fade away in a few minutes. Santa Maria Novella Carnation, Eau Chic by Astier de Villatte or the inexpensive and perennial favorite, 4711.
• Armenian papers. Brilliant! If somebody really has to do something unfortunate, these little bits of smoldering paper will wipe out the evidence. And of course a big box of matches.
• Good hand lotion. I don’t use hand lotion so I have no suggestions here other than to make sure it is in a beautiful pump style bottle and smells clean or not at all.
• A bottle of aspirin or better yet individual packets.
• A bowl of individually wrapped breath mints. Easy to grab, one for now another for later.
• Heavy paper hand towels and plenty of them.
• Beautiful flowers – sweet violets, jasmine, peonies, Mexican tuberose, bundles of tulips…
• Nice hand soap.  Go for some old-fashioned favorites with delicious smells like Roger & Gallet Citron or Penhaligons Quercus (latin for oak). Both lines have elegant, old-world packaging.

Now I realize there are other items that may be necessary for the women’s room however I don’t think Q-Tips or mouthwash are one of them. Sewing kits, nail polish, deodorant, nail files, dentil floss, pantyhose, lint rollers…please folks, why not teeth whitening strips and a curling iron? Give a stash of any or all of these products to the coat check attendant so if they become necessary at least they are on the premise. An amenity tray should be an elegant moment (in a usually banal bathroom) stacked with a few luxuries to personalize the space as if it were your own home. A few necessities that – like the rest of the decor – should be beautiful and special.

Today has been one of those cold, wet days where winter is trying to bully out autumn and summer is a distant memory. While I love fall and nothing satisfies me like a bale of bronze oak branches and a mound of grey heirloom pumpkins, I have been missing heat, sunshine and summer’s abundant blooms. In between the duties of the day, I scrolled through my iphoto library looking for a gentle reminder of the not-so-distant season. I came across some quick snapshots of a wedding we designed at Bedell Vineyards on the north fork of Long Island the last weekend of August.

For this project we pulled from an attractive color palate of mauve, aubergine and lilac with heavy emphasis on herbs and garden flowers – black basil, dahlias, coleus, hydrangea and peppermint. Several styles of low centerpieces allowed for interest yet maintained a sense of continuity. Crisp oyster silk cloths with wide raw linen borders were the perfect foil to the abundant floral arrangements. The ceiling was covered with dozens of handsome wooden carriage lanterns with thick pillar candles, bathing the dinner hour in warm, flattering light.

Granted, there happened to be a hurricane warning that day with torrential rainfall, the ceremony locations was moved three times and the cocktail hour twice. But the couple was fantastic and enjoying every moment, the guests were gorgeous and the champagne flowed freely, so a merry time was had by all.