Bulletin Board: Treasures for Home

 

HOW ENLIGHTENING: Books, jewelry, furnishings,  and great artwork fill the eclectic Talulah Belle shop in downtown Rochester. 


PATTERN

Spring Forth

In our gardens and through the woods, sprigs of ferns and fronds refresh! The revitalizing motif also is sprouting indoors on our favorite home accessories.

 Wild fern kitchen towels, $24/two

Flour sack fern pillow, $48,  all from June & December, junedecember.com.

“Ferns have been with us for more than 300 million years and, in that time, the diversification of their form has been phenomenal.” — American Fern Society

 

 

Larkhill by GP and J Baker Ferns in Original Green wallpaper, Kravet, Lee Jofa, Brunschwig and Fils, $196/roll,  Michigan Design Center, Troy, michigandesign.com.

Fern finials, $48/two, metro-area Anthropologie stores, anthropologie.com.


SAFETY

A Lively Connection

Watch allows seniors to live in their homes longer 

 

Many seniors wearing the Lively safety watch have been asked, “Is that an Apple Watch?” Although its sleek face is stylish and its interchangeable bands are comfortable, this wearable, waterproof gadget is helping seniors stay safe and active while living independently in their own homes. Even for those who don’t have Wi-Fi, life is worry-free, thanks to Lively’s simple setup —  its sensor doesn’t require an Internet connection.

“We’re not just about monitoring,” says Lively CEO Iggy Fanio. “We’re a connection company.” While the watch provides a connection to 24-hour emergency medical services, it can also monitor steps walked, medications taken, and more. It registers these types of events on an activity dashboard that can be accessed online. Lively’s plans for 2016 include more options through the same connective platform: glucose meters, asthma and COPD inhalers, bed monitors for sleep disorders — all to strengthen the connections between communication and care. mylively.com Honey Murray


BOOKS

Paging All Cottage-Lovers

Home-décor tome depicts charm, history, eclectic design

Farmhouse, cabin, writer’s retreat — they’re all inspirational in The Creative Cottage ($35, Gibbs Smith), a new hardcover book with 200 color photos showcasing architectural styles that all lead to one concept: charm. The homes belong to artists, designers, and others who cherish everything about making a home unique. The text and photographs are by Steve Gross and Susan Daley, who have specialized in this area for more than 20 years. Gardeners, vintage fans, and others will appreciate the many stories within. Available at gibbs-smith.com, amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million.  — Megan SwoyerSwoyer


House Calls

Not everyone can hear a house speak — but this author did

When award-winning journalist Amy Haimerl and her husband, Karl, came to Ann Arbor for the Knight-Wallace Fellowship, the couple — feeling the impact of the high price of Brooklyn, where they lived, and the effects of Hurricane Sandy on their neighborhood — chose Detroit as the perfect place to start a new life chapter. The house they found in their newly adopted city soon became the main character in their lives.

“My friend’s brother had renovated the house across the street, and that’s how we first came to see Matilda (a nickname she gave the house). The serendipity began.” When they learned the sturdy brick 1914 Georgian Revival house had once been owned by jazz pianist Arthur Herzog Jr. (Karl plays jazz piano), and discovered Herzog’s granddaughter was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in drama, Amy swears she could hear the home’s daring invitation. Although the house had no plumbing, no electricity, no pipes, no wires, and no fixtures, Amy and Karl could imagine their lives inside the walls they would rebuild — even as Detroit was being rebuilt. With a referral from the previous owners, Haimerl found the ideal construction crew: Calvin and Christian Garfield of Maxwell Construction. She started a blog to keep people informed of the couple’s renovation progress, and to help her process the many changes she, the city, and the house were experiencing. The blog, like the house, took on a life of its own, and Haimerl — who originally pitched her editor a nonfiction book about Detroit — was asked to instead compile her writings as a memoir. The result is Detroit Hustle (A Memoir of Love, Life & Home). Visit amyhaimerl.com for more information, including book-signing locations and dates. — Honey Murray


Q&A

Swell Belle

Shop owner Amy Fonville dishes on her Fonville dishes on her Rochester shop, home décor trends, and more

When former interior designer Amy Fonville, above, moved Talulah Belle (her 900-square-foot boutique) from Third Street in Rochester to its current 1,500-square-foot location on Main Street in November of 2012, she had room for an entire world of extraordinary, hand-picked items for the home, body, and soul — and for every life occasion. With its warm neutral and natural brick walls, gleaming wood floors, and layered lighting, the emporium truly makes shoppers feel right at home.

Recently, we followed Fonville around the shop to learn more about what makes it such a popular destination.

Q: What’s trending?

A: People are turning their family rooms into “glam”-ily rooms that are functional but also have beautiful things: a coffee table travel book topped with a piece of quartz, or the use of layered fabrics and pillows.

Q: One of your favorite home items is:

A:  We carry a line of lamps (six styles) from Gallery Designs, which inspires customers to custom-coordinate bases and shades that can match any color.

Q: Candles are always popular; what are some of your top sellers?

A: Capri and Nest home-fragrance candles — they have a cult following!

Q: What’s new and exciting at Talulah Belle?

A: A gallery wall behind our checkout area that features works from Lawrence & Crane (Art of Austin Allen James), which is exclusive to our store. His art is gorgeous, and he can create a work for homeowners using any shades of Sherwin-Williams paint as well as pigment powder, which provides saturated color. talulahbelle.com — Honey Murray

 

 

BRANCHING OUT: Shopping is a relaxing experience at Talulah Belle, where one never knows what treasures might be discovered.

 


 

FIELD NOTES

Metro Detroit’s Design World Update

Birmingham’s Forest Avenue Design Managment (FAD, forestavenuedesign.com) has moved into new office space at 735 Forest Ave., across the street from their former old-house-turned-office. “We were thrilled to start the new year in our new modern space, with space to grow,” says designer Carly Callahan Bristol (this year’s Detroit Home Design Awards’ Rising Star!).

 

In Ferndale, the candle-making Green Daffodil (greendaffodil.com) gals have added more non-candle items, including the works of 1950s artist Ms. Depler, to their home décor cache. Depler’s cat-themed motifs grace tea towels and glasses. “Her designs speak to our aesthetic of retro and cocktail-quirky,” says Green Daffodil co-owner Siouxsan Miller.

 

Landscaping firm R. Youngblood & Co. (ryoungblood.com) of Rochester has a new team member — Andrew VanHarken, who is overseeing all of the firm’s Garden Care Programs and Seasonal Garden Planter Designs. He obtained a degree in horticulture in New York.

 

Ann Arbor- and Atlanta-based CLOTH & KIND (clothandkind.com) designed a Pantone vignette at the AmericasMart in Atlanta. The firm also launched Virtual Vibe, whereby consultations are done in person or remotely. “We design one room in an intensive session using all retail sources, so clients can purchase the items as their budget/timing allows,” co-owner Krista Nye Schwartz reports.

 

Corey Damen Jenkins, of Birmingham-based Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates (coreydamenjenkins.com), has a new collection — Corey Damen Jenkins for Leathercraft. It’s a 15-piece, high-end upholstery line that’s premiering at High Point’s Spring Market.

 

Leon & Lulu (leonandlulu.com), a home-décor shop in Clawson, won an ART Award in the Home Accents Store category. ART is the creative home furnishings network representing manufacturers, retailers, and representatives. Look for the crystal trophy during your next visit. Kudos to inventive shop co-owner Mary Liz Curtin, who celebrates 10 years in Clawson this spring.

 

Linda Shears, ASID, of Troy-based Linda Shears Designs (lindashears.com) was featured on WDIV live and other stations while at the Novi Home Improvement Show. She spoke about the complimentary consultations and seminars ASID members provided to event attendees.

Have news that pertains to the design industry that you’d like to share? Send a note to MSwoyer@hour-media.com.