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What I Love with Trudy Dujardin, FASID, LEED AP

Author Archives: Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

About Trudy Dujardin, FASID, Leed AP

Trudy Dujardin is known for her passion for eco-elegance, demonstrated in award-winning interiors that combine sophistication and luxury with sustainable design. Believing that a healthy home is the ultimate luxury, she strives to integrate respect for historical preservation, the surrounding natural landscape, and the highest level of interior design. She received both the 2007 and the 2008 Award of Excellence for Green Design from the Connecticut Chapter of ASID and the 2007 Outstanding Alumna Award from Southern Connecticut University. Trudy has been an instructor at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Conn., teaching the university’s first semester-length class on Sustainable Design. She serves on Traditional Home Magazine’s Green Advisory Panel, has written a column, Gently Green, for Nantucket-based Portfolio Magazine, and is a member of the advisory board of athome Magazine. Her breathtaking interiors have appeared in the most prestigious industry publications, including Architectural Digest, Coastal Living, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, N Magazine, Nantucket Home & Garden, Nantucket Today and Traditional Home. She has been active for many years with the Design Futures Council, the International Board of the Joslyn Castle Institute for Sustainable Communities in Omaha, Neb., and has been a presenter at environmental conferences around the nation, including EnvironDesign 7 in Washington, D.C., and EcoSpheres in Lincoln, Neb. Trudy was involved in the formation of the first Leadership Summit on Sustainable Design and Architecture for the Design Futures Council, an Atlanta-based think tank for design professionals. Trudy has worked in sustainable design since 1987. She is a LEED Accredited Professional, recognizing her thorough understanding of green building practices and principles. From their offices in Westport, Conn. and Nantucket, Mass., Dujardin Design Associates creates interiors nationwide.

For Love of a Dog

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There’s so much we gain when we choose to love a dog–barking at the delivery people, chew bones hidden under the cushions, muddy pawprints, and a disinclination to go out in the dark alone, especially when it’s cold or raining. We also gain unconditional love from a deeply generous heart that can teach us so much if we’re paying attention.

Dogs teach us how to love, with a single minded devotion and a desire for our companionship that is hard for any person to match. When you have a good dog in your life, you have many opportunities to practice being a better human.

 

 

When we meet them for the first time, we look into their eyes to see if they’re the one who will become a treasured member of our family. They know before we do, but they wait for us to catch up.

 

 

They begin teaching us right away, but they let us think we are teaching them.

 

 

As they grow older, they let us practice being patient with little accidents, taking slower walks, and washing their favorite blanket before bedtime.

 

 

And at the end of their lives, they ask us to practice being brave as they show us  how to say goodbye.

 

 

We lost our beautiful G.G. two weeks ago, She was once one of a trio of Bichons in our lives: Ellie, Tuffy and G.G. were the precious heartbeats at our feet, as Edith Wharton used to say about her little dogs. G.G., our Gingham Girl named for the gingham ribbon tied around her neck when we first met her, was the youngest of the three, and the last to leave us.

Saying goodbye does not improve with practice, unlike other lessons from our dogs.

 

 

A dear friend, Dr. Bob Goldstein from Earth Animal in Westport, Connecticut, sent me this poem when G.G. passed. I want to share it with you.

 

 

“We who choose to surround ourselves with lives

even more temporary than our own

live within a fragile circle easily and often breached.

 

 

“Unable to accept its awful gaps,

we still would live no other way.

We cherish memory as the only certain immortality

never fully understanding the necessary plan.”

(From “The Once Again Prince”/Separate Lifetimes by Irving Townsend)

 

 

Rest in Peace. G. G.

We remember what you taught us.

G.G.’s marker is in the pathway to Nantucket Animal Hospital. 

Create a Home with Island Style

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Everyone’s talking about the Netflix mini-series “The Perfect Couple,” and the beauty of its setting on Nantucket. There’s something magical about life on an island. No wonder people watch the Netflix show and dream of creating their own serene, seaside retreat–no matter where they live!

 

 

I’ve been so fortunate to live on Nantucket through the beauty of its seasons over many years. I’ve helped my clients create their own island dream homes in historical sea captains’ houses, beachfront bungalows, upside down cottages (where the living room is upstairs instead of the bedrooms–better for the views!) and gracious, windswept estates very much like the home Summerland owned by Tag and Greer in the TV show.

 

 

The good news is: you don’t have to live on the island, or even close to the coast, to incorporate the charm of a nautical, island look, and feel like you’re on vacation all year round. Here are my favorite ways to create that New England island style:

 

1. Go BREEZY with Blue and White.

 

Blue and white are the colors of waves splashing onto the sand.,

 

Blue and white keeps your rooms feeling airy and light, as if it’s possible to throw open the windows and feel an ocean breeze. I love to use “white plus one color” to keep a room feeling calm and relaxing. This is your island sanctuary!

 

 

This living room was decorated in island shades of sand, driftwood, and deep sea blue.

 

2. If your windows don’t FRAME AN OCEAN VIEW, frame some art that does.

 

 

The painting above the sofa, Summer’s Magic 2013, by marine artist David Bareford, is almost another window to the outside. The room’s color palette is crisp and clean. Most of the walls are painted white or ivory, with bright white trim and a pale blue recessed coffered ceiling, evoking a summer sky.

 

 

 

This painting is by the late American marine artist, Robert R. Newell, who was well-known for his whaling ship watercolors. His work hangs in both the Nantucket and New Bedford Whaling Museums. A lighthouse lens is on the end table behind a piece of whale art that was carved by my late uncle, the furniture designer William Stefanov.

 

3. USE A LIGHT TOUCH to tell a story of a simpler way of life.

 

 

The hanging light fixtures are contemporary versions of the 19th century Colonial “smoke bell,” designed to keep candles from blowing out and smoke from marking the ceiling. The  wall carving, Ahab and the Whale, was created by Paul McCarthy, a Nantucket master woodcarver. A harpoon hangs by its side, reflecting the rich history of Nantucket.

 

4. REWRITE HISTORY by evoking the charm of early seaside cottages.

 

 

There was a time when every home on Nantucket had these leather fire buckets, needed for fighting fires at home as well as helping out when neighbors were in trouble. Bring in a few meaningful pieces from the past to add depth and interest to your rooms, while evoking earlier island life.

 

 

The compass rose in fabric and floor designs, either painted or inlaid, is a favorite for our island clients. The first magnet compass was likely made in Italy around 1200 BCE. Designed in a fashion that looked like the petals of a flower, the points of the compass rose indicated the cardinal directions of East, West, North, and South. It helped to orient a map in the proper reading direction.

 

5. Have a WHALE OF A TIME! Whatever you do, remember to have fun! Whale art is found everywhere on Nantucket, but there are lots of seaside motifs to choose from.

 

 

Large cetaceans not your vibe? Sailboats also evoke a marine-based lifestyle!

 

 

A beautiful design incorporating three shades of blue on a custom-made carpet naturally leads the eye to the antique ship’s model in the window.

 

 

A simple starfish draws the eye to the sunny garden, and says a lot with just a little.

 

 

And starfish are a simple motif to repeat.

 

No couple is ever really “perfect,” but with a little time and attention, your partner can be perfect for you!  Frank and I wish you smooth sailing and many happy landings!

 

 

 

A Colorful Pageant with Pillows!

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Whether you want a new splash of color for a seasonal change, a touch of cozy comfort, or to elevate a room’s style by adding pattern and texture, updating your throw pillows can be a small change that packs a powerful design punch. Don’t be afraid to switch things up!

Vintage horse blankets were used to cover pillows in the Manhattan living room above. Using unusual materials in an unconventional way can give your home a unique flair.

When a longtime client on Nantucket decided it was time for a new look for her living room, she had only one problem: she loved everything we had previously designed for the room!  We knew there was a simple way she could update the room’s design without starting from scratch:

Pillows!

We replaced the original playful print on the seat cushions with a more modern geometric design.

 

We designed a couple of new pillows for the sofa as well, matching the geometric print to the chair cushions. It was important to keep the clean, crisp color palette with vibrant blue and Hermes orange for the warm and summery glow they bring to the living room.

The new pillows were carefully coordinated with blue trim for a meticulously orchestrated color palette.

Here’s that same cheerful color palette extended to the patio.

In the study, the nearby beach inspired a marine theme with touches of navy blue and white.

Need a few more ideas? Read on!

Old pillows made new again

Here’s an eye-catching pillow design without searching for new pillows: In this elegant room, we sewed decorative tape to the existing pillows for a more contemporary look.

An artful fusion combining four separate pieces of fabric created this dynamic geometric pattern for the pillows shown above.

Playing with pillows  in your design should be fun! You can mix and match stripes, geometrics, plaids and colors as long as you stay within a theme. When you have your perfect pile of pillows, arrange them in a staggered line, or layer them with a focal pillow in the center.

Pillows add comfort, color and pizzazz! Throw a pillow party in any room in your house that needs an instant lift.

Be sure to subscribe  to get all the best design advice and beautiful inspiration through photos of our projects. I want all of us to live in happy, well-designed, healthy homes!

 

 

 

Throw a Pillow Party!

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Our homes reflect the seasons of our lives. Seasons change, and a room that sparkled for you a few years ago may, in time, lose a bit of its shine.  Whether it needs a new splash of color or a touch of cozy comfort, you can easily elevate its style. There’s one room accessory that can do all that and more:

pillows!

When clients ask us to revitalize their beautifully designed rooms, without changing the form and function they love, the simplest idea can be the most elegant one. Throw pillows in new fabrics, patterns and colors can add back pizzazz–and  pack a powerful design punch. Want to learn how?

Read more…

Eight Fresh Start Ideas for the New Year!

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   Back to the Future in a Mid-Century Modern Home

Once the holiday decorations are taken down, your rooms may look less enticing than you remember them and just a little, well, boring. That’s why the quiet of the winter months is the perfect time to refresh your most lived-in spaces. Senior Designer Price Connors of Dujardin Design Associates, Inc., knows that a room can be brought to life again with some relatively minor changes.

 

 

Price makes his home most of the year in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, with his life partner, Marty. An expert in mid-century modern furnishings and an avid art and antiques collector, he has spent his life gathering vintage pieces, sometimes refinishing them to give them new life. What’s old is new again throughout his home with a very distinctive personality. And he’s happy to share his own delight in ever-changing interiors to get your year off to a beautiful beginning.

 

One: Slipcovers are Simple

For nine years, a handwoven kilim rug in rich tones and patterns made a dramatic statement and grounded the living room room in warmth. A pair of 1957 Dux white chairs, frequently found in Frank Lloyd Wright designs, are slip-covered in white for summer. “In 1957, they were extremely high style,” says Price. “Georgia O’Keefe had that exact chair in her bedroom in New Mexico.”

The chairs have clearly stood the test of time and are a modern classic today.  So when Price wants a new look, instead of changing the chairs, he simply changes the cushions. And voila! The room is subtly altered. (Keep an eye on the barrel-shaped green velvet chair to the left of the sofa, though.)

“Changing the fabric on an upholstered piece of furniture is a simple way to renew the room,” he advises.

 

Two: Change a Chair

A view from behind the chairs shows them now with a plaid wool slipcover. But that green velvet chair? It’s been replaced–twice. “I get bored with chairs,” Price admits.

 

Proving his words, the first switch was to an Arts and Crafts chair with a cushion covered in Japanese kimono fabric.  It had a short-lived residence before being exchanged for something with a bit more zest.

Don’t miss all the wonderful mid-century modern touches: the lamp to the left of the sofa is vintage 1950’s from designer Tommy Parsinger.

 

Which chair do you like better? The latest side chair is a 1950’s black lacquer zebra print. Note the unusual throw pillow with semi-precious stones. Price brought the pillow home from a trip to Agra, India, on a trip to see the Taj Mahal.

The chair is by James Mont, known as a notorious figure in American design when he achieved fame as “the designer to the mob.”

 

Three: Add Punch with Pillows

A pop of color has been added with a persimmon orange pillow. The pillow and the matching throw on the sofa were both made from Frank Lloyd Wright fabric reproduced for the Price Tower in Bartlesville, Frank Lloyd Wright’s only “fully realized” skyscraper. In addition to his design work, Price works at the Tower and Arts Center in preservation and conservation, as director of tours, as an educator, and as a longtime supporter.

The two end tables by the sofa are circa 1940’s, by John Robes-Giddings.

 

 

Four: Your Carpet is a Canvas

The biggest change in the room is the lighter, brighter floor covering. This rug represents the Southwestern part of the country where Price and Marty live. The sense of place is reinforced not only underfoot, but everywhere throughout the room. This is a deeply personal space that Price says Marty embraces as well.

Although making changes to a shared home can be a for better or worse kind of challenge, Price is careful to ensure that the home reflects both their tastes and experiences. The lamp to the right of the sofa, a favored Greek key design, once belonged to Marty’s grandmother.

Note the bronze Thai rain drum to the left of the Eames chair. Rain drums are named for the unique sound they make when struck by the monsoon rains of Southeast Asia. Price carried this drum home from the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar in Thailand.

 

Five: Embrace the Art Movement

In this instance, Price doesn’t mean a school of art or philosophy, but rather, don’t be afraid to move things around.

“Changing your art –either rotating new pieces in or just changing their location–also gives the room a new look,” Prices says. Years of collecting treasured pieces has given him ample choices throughout his home. “Marty never knows what home he’s walking into,” Price laughs.

This bee is a commissioned piece from artist Amie Jacobsen in Independence, Missouri. She created this very special sculpture for Price in hand-cast glass and stainless steel.

 

Six: Tell a Fascinating Tale

Every piece in this home has a backstory, as befits a lifetime spent collecting meaningful objects. This black walnut table with a live edge, Price explains, came from a company in Kansas City that reclaims fallen trees and makes them into furniture instead of chopping them up. Marty had a welder in Bartlesville make the legs as a birthday present for Price.

What was once a solid wall is now a 19th century Chinese window screen. Placing it in that space opened up more light in the room without giving up any privacy.

 

 

Behind the screen? The front door, designed by Price from solid redwood, and adapted from a Frank Lloyd Wright design.

 

 

The art on this wall frequently changes. Note that the bee and black walnut table has moved its location– and is now positioned beneath another commissioned piece, a horse painting by the artist Robert Peterson who served as the Artist-in-Residence at a recent Price Tower Gala.

 

 

A closer view of the horse painting. Price noted that Robert Peterson has painted portraits for the new African American postage stamps, and is now represented in several museums. Price particularly likes this artist’s backstory: “He only began painting in his 30’s. He was working in a factory, and now he’s a world famous artist.”

Directly beneath the Peterson artwork is a painting of butterflies by Hunt Slonem, purchased at the Quidley & Company Gallery on Nantucket. The antique frame was selected by the artist.

 

Seven: Cultivate a Sense of Place

Part of Price’s passion for collecting is fired by artists who interpret the history, landscape and beauty of Oklahoma, and the southwest. His deep collection of mid-century modern furnishings make it clear that he believes in timeless beauty and classic design. The regional emphasis of his art is no accident, either.

Another beloved piece: the Doel Reed print in an original hand carved mahogany frame. Doel Reed is a well-known printmaker in Oklahoma and New Mexico, continuing Price’s commitment to collecting the work of local artists and craftspeople.

 

 

Underneath the Doel Reed print is a Dale Chihuly glass piece, and a striking box circa 1970’s from Karl Springer. These pieces move from location to location, too, giving the room and the art a fresh look and perspective.

 

Eight: What’s Old is New

Everything in life, including architecture, design, and furniture, has been built on what came before. As the Bible says, “There is no new thing under the sun.” Don’t be afraid to seek out items that have had a life in another place and time. If there’s a particular time period or design style that interests you, study it so you can recognize form and function, clean lines and fine design. Or hire a designer who’s made a study of design principles his life’s work, as Price has.

This view shows the dining room looking across the open space to the living room. The mid-century modern look continues here with a dining table and chairs circa 1965, from the John Widdicomb Company.

“I found this set years ago in New Jersey. All the fabric on the chairs is original as the older couple who owned this set kept the chairs covered in plastic,” Price says. “The table has three leaves that came in their original boxes: they had never been removed.”

 

Behind the dining room table is a vertical piece of artwork by a Brazilian artist, created with tumbling blocks of wood. The two watercolors are by another local Oklahoma artist, a teacher at the University of Oklahoma and a student of Doel Reed. More local art celebrating the richness of life in Oklahoma!

On the right is a 1940s radio cabinet, also designed by the infamous James Mont.

 

Price Connors

Happy Decorating!

Did you enjoy this blog post? If so, feel free to share it with your friends!

Watch for my new blogs once every other month, and Instagram (@dujardin_design) and Facebook (@DujardinDesign) posts on Thursdays. Once a season I send a newsy email letter to you, too! Be sure to subscribe to get all the best design advice and beautiful inspiration through photos of our projects. I want all of us to live in happy, well-designed, healthy homes!

Trudy

 

Make Your Home Merry and Bright!

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Come on a house tour with me! We often see photos of decorated rooms for the holidays in our favorite magazines, but we don’t see the rooms before the twinkle was sprinkled. So I thought I’d show you just how I take a a room from every day lovely to holiday fabulous in three very different homes. Let’s go!

 

Your holiday greeting begins at the door. I love the cheeriness of red bows, but you can use any number of colors: red or green, blue or white, silver or gold. Let your own holiday spirit shine!

Let’s head inside!

 

Photo Credit: Durston Taylor

The foyer of my home in Connecticut is serenely welcoming, with soft neutral shades, and three wooden newel post lighthouses, all fiber-optically lit with softly changing colors at the base of the staircase. See the entry go from this…

 

 

…to this! For Yuletide, I’ve twined brightly lit garland and colorful ornaments around the staircase and added two more bright red bows! I believe in selecting a color theme and staying with it from the front porch throughout the home for sumptuous simplicity.

 

Photo credit: Durston Saylor

My eco-elegant home is the deepest shade of “green,” with everything selected as natural and close to toxin-free as possible.

 

 

But for the holidays, my favorite color is red!

 

 

Using red pillows behind the “Merry” pillows adds a touch of cozy warmth. The letters are embroidered with colorful threads from a local artisan.

 

Photo credit: Durston Taylor

The rattan chairs by McGuire and white skirted side chairs by Giorgetti provide comfortable seating and a tranquil setting in my everyday life. At the holidays, though, I’m going for the glow!

 

 

What I love best is preparing to host friends and neighbors–old and new– for an evening of food, music and merriment. Fa la la!

 

 

Don’t forget to decorate the dogs!

 

Photo credit: Erik Rank

Now we’re off to Greenwich, Connecticut, where this lovely estate seems ready made for Christmas decorations, with its stately fir trees and columns begging to be covered in greenery and lights.

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

Wrapping columns in evergreens is always an elegant touch, and brings life and color back when the flowers are long gone.

 

Photo credit: Erik Rank

My team and I take rooms from daily…

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

..to dashing! (Dasher, Prancer, and Vixen would be right at home here.)

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

We always want to dine in style–

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

but as the holidays arrive, we need a festive flourish! Gold stars are snug in evergreen beds on the mantle and in the wreath above, adding a golden shimmer to the evening. Brown pinecones blend naturally with gold.

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

A love of music was behind the design for this room, as you’ll see in the framed awards on the wall in the next photo.

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

Now the melody is enhanced with gold and white decor: a harmonious palette accented by the bouquet of elegant Green Parrot tulips.

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

One more example of adding boughs of greenery to bannister and stairs! The gold theme is added to the red: the two-colored bows with seasonal evergreens are an eye-catching display!

Ready to head to Nantucket Island? Let’s go!

 

Photo Credit: Terry Pommet

It’s hard to improve on a Nantucket harbor view.

 

Photo Credit: Thibaut Jeanson

But I think these evergreen swags just might do it. Slipcovers on chairs and matching shades on the light fixture add holiday warmth!

 

Photo Credit: Terry Pommet

Time to add some comfort and joy here…

 

Photo Credit: Thibaut Jeanson

with red slipcovers and floor covering, plus poinsettias festooning a corner! We’re ready for a visit from Santa and his elves.

 

Photo Credit: Erik Rank

Don’t forget to put out the cookies…whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or the beauty of the winter season!

 

 

Our three-house tour has come to an end, but when you step outside, be sure to turn and take a closer look at this beautiful wreath. More is more at the holidays!

 

 

 

And if you have a little boat, by all means, decorate that, too.

 

Wishing you the happiest of holidays!

Watch for my new blogs once a month, and Instagram (@dujardin_design) and Facebook (@DujardinDesign) posts on Thursdays. Once a season I send a newsy email letter to you, too! Be sure to subscribe to get all the best design advice and beautiful inspiration through photos of our projects. I want all of us to live in happy, well-designed, healthy homes!

Bring Autumn’s Beauty Home

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Life on Nantucket is a never-ending tapestry of natural beauty. This island is where I find joy in the simple rhythms of the day, as well as much of my design inspiration. Although many people come here for the summer, with the beautiful beaches, warm evenings and the whirl of social life, there is just as much to inspire us when the weather turns colder and the leaves have fallen.

 

My husband, Frank, with G.G. at the Farmers’ Market

 

Come along with me  as I share how I find comfort and beauty as the seasons change!

The first place I go: the island’s Farmers Market, sponsored by Sustainable Nantucket. It had been a long, quiet, and lonely road through the pandemic, so the joy I felt being with the artists, craftspeople and island farmers at the Saturday markets this summer was indescribable. (Luckily, there are a few more days this year to gather: for the Downtown Holiday Market on November 25 and 26, and then the Farmers and Artisans Market during Christmas Stroll on December 2 and 3. )

 

The colors of autumn!

 

Here’s what I love: the way original artwork and crafts combine with fresh food and locally-grown produce to bring people together! That combination also brings fresh ideas, and a new way of seeing. Fall changes the slant of morning sunlight, and breathes its frosty breath on the last of the autumn roses. I rush home from the Farmers Market with an arm full of bright red and orange tomatoes, eager to lay a fire and light candles.

 

“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don’t, they should, for their feet are dusted with the spices from a million flowers.”–Ray Bradbury

 

It’s time to say goodbye to the bees until spring, but the market offers a final glimpse of a busy hive. Nantucket is home to many island beekeepers, with Sustainable Nantucket offering a beekeeping mentoring program for novices. I love bees, birds, and butterflies, and have long forbidden the use of pesticides and fungicides on my lawn and garden. A connection with nature is vital to our health.

Watching the busy little gold and brown insects gives me other ideas for autumn-warmed rooms. Inspiration can come in the tiniest of ways!

 

 

The local artists and craftspeople find natural beauty to inspire them, too.  Nantucket’s unique whaling history and the salty ocean waves that surround the island bring internationally famous artists to our shores as well.

 

From the mid 1700s to the late 1830s, Nantucket was the whaling capital of the world.

 

In the waters surrounding Nantucket, you can find Humpback whales, Finback whales, Minke whales, Pilot whales, and the endangered Right whales.

 

Fresh Flowers!

 

I believe in  bringing the patterns and textures of nature inside. As a sustainable LEED-accredited Professional with a specialty in Interior Design and Construction (LEED AP + ID + C),  I love fresh flowers, nature-based artwork, and natural fabrics.

Each of us will look at the jewel-tones of autumn and find a unique way to bring the outdoors in. “The question is not what you look at,” said Henry David Thoreau, “but what you see.”

I agree!

 

The painting, “Finches–Right Eye,” is by the American Neo-Expressionist painter Hunt Slonem.

 

You can nestle right in to sumptuous hues such as persimmon, spice, pumpkin, sage, and olive in fall. Dujardin’s Senior Designer Price Connors and I used those rich colors in our design work at the historic Thomas Starbuck House, brought to Nantucket’s Milk Street by barge in 1790.

 

The dining room retains its original cooking fireplace with two ovens, considered one of the finest examples of its kind in New England.

 

Warmer hues were  perfect for this historic home, built when earthy colors such as stone, ocher, red, pumpkin and sage were widely in use.

Poet A.D. Posey said, ” Life is a sea of vibrant color. Jump in.”

Why not?

 

The paneled wall surrounding the fireplace is painted with a Farrow & Ball paint that reflects the traditional colors of the period.

 

You’ll want to place a soft blanket where you sip your morning coffee, with a throw pillow that brings a touch of nature indoors . Little details are not little at all.

On the contrary, as the painter N.C. Wyeth said, “To elevate the little into the great is genius.”

 

A contemporary version of a Hepplewhite sofa is a graceful addition to the parlor.

 

The last fall touch takes place in the kitchen with a pot of soup simmering on the stove,  Helen Keller told us that “scent is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.”

Do you have a favorite recipe from your grandmother? If not, I’ll share mine!

 

 

My favorite Butternut Squash Soup recipe is actually one of Ina Garten’s.

 

Old school green bean casserole

 

And since I’m originally from South Carolina,  side dishes from Southern Living really resonate with me! My favorite is the Old School Green Bean Casserole, made with canned fried onion rings. My mother made it even simpler with Campbells’ Cream of Mushroom Soup. Here’s the recipe! 

 

 

My other favorite is the Sweet Potato Casserole--we always had it with marshmallows!

 

 

And Price loves the Corn Pudding, and makes it every Thanksgiving!

 

 

Wherever you find yourself this fall, remember that your life is enriched when you attend to the small details and the little moments. I wish you all the comforts of home as you celebrate the season.

Watch for my new blogs once a month, and Instagram (@dujardin_design) and Facebook (@DujardinDesign) posts on Thursdays. Once a season I send a newsy email letter to you, too! Be sure to subscribe to get all the best design advice and beautiful inspiration through photos of our projects. I want all of us to live in happy, well-designed, healthy homes!

 

Put Your Dreams on Paper

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There’s a magic touch that can take your rooms from plain to pretty: wallpaper!

Wallpaper has gone in and out of style over the years, but it’s definitely having a new moment in 2022–and for good reason! There’s nothing that provides the impact that beautifully made wallpapers can. Wallpaper can also be invaluable in working with both the architectural beauty and challenges of a space. I’ve always loved beautiful wallpapers and have used them in many different styles of homes.

 

This penthouse in New York was done with a silk string wallpaper. Photographer: Durstan Saylor

One of my favorite spaces to use wallpaper is the foyer. Your entryway sets the tone for the rest of the house, and defines your “sense of place.” If people tell me they can only afford to design one room–which room should it be? I say, let’s start at the beginning, and make a fabulous foyer!

 

This intimate boutique inn was beautifully renovated by Dujardin Design to showcase its period details and elegant interiors. The public areas feature a beautiful Chinoiserie wallcovering and fabric.

Come with me on a visit to one of Dujardin Design Associates’ recent projects on Nantucket where I can show you some of the details of how we work. It begins with conversations with the clients, then a search for fabrics, colors, textures, and a vision for the room. A presentation book is prepared for the client by our in-house artist before work begins.

 

 

We are fortunate to frequently work with clients on Nantucket Island, where my husband and I live part of each year. Nantucket has a rich history, complete with the original indigenous people, whaling captains and widows, fishermen and farmers, cranberries and blueberries, roses and hydrangeas and everywhere you look: legacy and antiquity.

 

Main Street on Nantucket Island

Nantucket is where I first began my immersion into sustainable design, the result of building a home on the fragile shores of Nantucket Harbor. I was determined to “do it right.” Doing it right started with the understanding that since it was such a delicate site within a very fragile ecosystem, everything I did had to be mindful, done with intention.

Today, I am considered a pioneer in sustainable design, and am a LEED-accredited professional with a specialty in Interior Design and Construction (LEED-AP + ID + C). I am a Fellow with ASID (FASID), and a Senior Fellow with the Design Futures Council. (Only 1% of members are asked to be Fellows, so I’m proud of that). My passion for creating homes in harmony with the earth was the impetus for achieving my credentials–“doing it right!”

All of that knowledge is brought to bear on every design project my firm undertakes, whether it is classified as a “green” design or not.

 

 

In this home, our starting point was a voluminous space with high ceilings.  First a builder’s spec house that subsequently became an island rental property, we were hired by a family from Connecticut who wanted it to become their forever second home. As we repurposed their treasures from Connecticut and refreshed with new pieces, we knew that adding wallpaper was going to be an important element of this home’s ambiance.

 

 

My trusted work associate, G.G., agreed that wallpaper was exactly what we needed!

 

 

We also knew we wanted to replace this builder-supplied chandelier with something more appropriate to the homeowners’ taste.

 

 

For the walls, we turned to Peter Fasano handcrafted wall coverings from Westport, Connecticut. Their elegant designs are produced using a combination of hand-screened and digital printing, in the most beautiful color combinations. Their hand-screening process gives you a softer look on real paper, with real inks done by hand. Our on-island crew does meticulous work prepping the walls for the paper, then applying it.

 

 

We selected a wide stripe as it’s such a classical element. The paper had to be neutral as the foyer opens up into other rooms. This selection warmed the space and made the 25 foot high ceiling feel more manageable.

 

 

How do you like the smoke bell lantern in place of the old chandelier? Its timelessly brilliant light is another way we warmed the large space. This one of a kind, mouth-blown lantern was shipped from London–twice–as the first time it was shipped it arrived broken. When the second lantern arrived–the last one in stock!–we all held our breath as we opened the box.

In earlier days, instead of electric lights there were candles inside, and the top was to keep smoke from damaging the ceiling.

 

 

And for softness underfoot: a 100% wool rug by Stark. Both the rug and the wallpaper are made using natural materials, as opposed to a vinyl wall covering or polypropylene for the carpet. With the small pattern the rug is contemporary but also rooted in tradition, and adds to the classic elegance of the home.

 

I’m delighted to be blogging again!

Watch for my new blogs once a month, and Instagram (@dujardin_design) and Facebook (@DujardinDesign) posts on Thursdays. Once a season I’ll send a newsy email letter to you, too! Be sure to subscribe to get all the best design advice and beautiful inspiration through photos of our projects. I want all of us to live in happy, well-designed, healthy homes!

Remember, you want this:

“What you surround yourself with should bring you peace of mind and peace of spirit.”–Stacy London

Not this:

“This wallpaper is dreadful, one of us will have to go.”–Oscar Wilde

 

My New Green Consulting Services

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Spring has always been known as a time of renewal, as the earth is undergoing its annual season of regeneration. That’s why I chose spring as the time to introduce my newest client-focused service, Dujardin Design Green Consulting Services. This is a new way to work with me that focuses on the sustainable, “green” changes we can make together.

 

 

 

Improving our homes and lifestyles comes naturally in the spring, as we begin spring cleaning and look for renewal in body, mind, and spirit.  There are risks posed to our health by the more than 80,000 untested chemicals used in our society, but we have an opportunity to create a sanctuary for ourselves and our families–one where the air is pure, and our exposure to potentially dangerous products is reduced, if not completely eliminated.

 

 

 

As a LEED-accredited Professional with a specialty in Interior Design and Construction (LEED AP + ID +C), as well as an ASID Fellow (FASID), and a Design Futures Fellow,  I’ve made education a lifelong endeavor. I’m an interior designer as well as an adjunct professor, blogger, columnist, author and speaker.  I’ve dedicated my life to creating distinctive interiors for my clients, while teaching people how to make their homes a place of sanctuary.

 

 

One by-product of “green” or “sustainable” design is healthy indoor air quality. One way I help my clients create clean air is by carefully choosing natural, organic furnishings and materials that have a minimal impact on the environment, both inside and out. Dujardin Design Green Consulting Services is the next step for me in helping people live more beautiful, healthier lives.

 

 

My design projects around the globe have shown me that vibrant health is yours to choose, and it begins at home!  If you feel overwhelmed, fatigued, and stressed, your home may be contributing to your feeling of being out of balance. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) may have accumulated in the well-insulated rooms, and stagnant air may be compounding their effects.

 

 

How do I know this?  Years of exposure to highly chemical environments left me feeling less than my best. My own dip into ill health convinced me that there was SOMETHING I could do to help myself. Once I learned what it was, I wanted to help other people find the answer, too. That’s why I wrote my book, Comfort Zone: Creating the Eco-Elegant Interior. 

 

 

My new consulting services are designed to offer you the flexibility to make your home as eco-friendly as you wish, always combined with luxurious beauty and comfort. Three levels of design–light, medium, or deep green–let you choose just how sustainable you’d like your surroundings to be. Anything is possible, from choosing an organic fabric for throw pillows to a complete home design.

 

Photo credit: Jeff Allen

How we furnish our homes, what we choose to eat, what we buy to wear, and what we throw away all MATTERS!  By being as intentional in your choices for your home as you are in your life, you’ll find a new surge of energy and happiness. You’ll eat better, sleep better, live better!

After working with me, clients tell me they love the new feeling of serenity in their homes. Some say it feels like a breath of fresh air!

 

 

Come visit  my website, where Dujardin Design Green Consulting Services are explained in more detail. Or call me for a free consultation that WILL change your life! My grateful clients tell me I improve and inspire their lives.  I can’t wait to meet you and show you how I can help.

Westport CT

203-838-8100

Nantucket MA

508-228-1120

Something New Under the Sun

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The real saying is “there’s nothing new under the sun,” but that’s not been true lately.  New things are happening! In addition to the launch of my new Dujardin Design Green Consulting Service, I’ve been invited to serve my communities in new ways. Service to the community is rewarding, but especially so when it speaks to some deep love in your own heart, or supports a belief you hold. Do you agree?

 

 

Photography by Steve Turner, Courtney of David Scott Parker Architects

That’s the case for me with the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Musuem. The first of my new service commitments is that I have joined their Board of Trustees in Norwalk, Connecticut. A national historic landmark, the mansion is considered one of the earliest and most significant Second Empire style country houses in the United States. As a supporter of historic preservation, having restored my own historic Captain’s house on Nantucket Island, I am delighted to share my expertise with the Board.

 

 

Interior photo by Sarah Grote Photography

I had served on the LMMM Board once before, so in a way, this is like returning to a loved home. The Mansion was a technological marvel of its time, with hot and cold indoor plumbing, gas lighting, ventilation, and a central heating system. Unfortunately, that system burned a ton of coal a day, but that was appropriate for the Victorian era, and relied on the best technology available then.

 

 

From the best thinking of times past to the best thinking of today: I’ve also been asked to join the Connecticut Green Building Council‘s (CTGBC) Green Homes Committee, as well as their Health and Wellness Committee. My life has been dedicated to creating healthy homes for my clients, and I am passionate about protecting our health while living holistically. I am so pleased to have been invited to serve alongside some of the area’s best minds in green building and living.

 

 

I believe that we can continue to find new ways to protect our natural resources and still live in comfort and health. The CTGBC is committed to transforming the way our buildings are designed and constructed, “helping advance spaces that are better for the environment, and healthier for us to live, work and play in.” Of course, this is exactly the intersection of profession and passion for me!

 

Always advocating for planet Earth: accepting my Design Futures Senior Fellow Award!

On the Green Homes Committee, I’ll be encouraging the adoption of green building practices around the state, whether for new construction or existing homes. The Health and Wellness Committee is responsible for developing awareness of green initiatives for the healthcare industry. I know that our buildings–the “containers” we live and work in– have a definite impact on our day to day health. Of course a green environment will support healing in those struggling with illness–another great way to give back to the world!

 

 

Don’t you love this statement by the Japanese writer Ryunosuke Satoro? “Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean.” And an ocean is a powerful, transformative force. I’ll see you there!

 

 

Nantucket Island, my second home