I Love Farrow & Ball
♥
ABOUT FARROW & BALL
Founded in Dorset, England in the 1930s by John Farrow and Richard Ball, the company that bears their name revolutionized the emerging modern paint industry. Farrow and Ball were completely committed to preserving traditional craftsmanship at a time when the industrial revolution demanded that products be made faster and cheaper, regardless of the effect on quality or the environment. The two paint pioneers formulated their recipes strictly with only the best materials: the paints have an unusually high pigment content and light refracting quality, which in turn produces deep, rich colors. Each hue has a purposeful name, chosen with historical significance or narrative emotion to draw the onlooker into a story. “Mouse’s Back", "Manor House Gray", and "Print Room Yellow” are a few favorites. The company continues to honor the legacy of the old, marrying it with newer environmentally friendly techniques. All F&B paint is water based, dries quickly with minimal odor and is safe for children’s environments. Every one of the curated palette of 132 colors is still produced with pride at the original Dorset factory. This year, Farrow & Ball unveiled nine new colors! In keeping with the practice to choose significant hues, the nine are inspired by and named after the Dorset landscape. You can see those colors here.
Here are a few color combos I’d like to try...
DINING ROOM
FARROW & BALL, A DESIGNER’S DARLING
It is no wonder that Farrow & Ball quickly became prized for its unique quality almost from the moment the company began. As important as the wonderfully soulful color range offered are the fabulous finishes available. I’m crazy for the ESTATE EMULSION flat finish. In my world, wall paint cannot be flat enough...this one is as chalky and deep a finish as I’ve seen. And I love the FULL GLOSS finish - which is incredibly versatile for indoors and out…and it is suitable for metal surfaces too. It has almost a lacquered effect…which makes me swoon – and it’s not from the fumes, as there are none! From Royal and government chambers to the houses of private citizens, F&B continues to garner an intelligently devoted following. This article from House Beautiful features designer Alexander Doherty’s revitalization of a 1911 Manhattan apartment, inspired by rooms at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He used exclusively Farrow & Ball paint!
Walls: Dix Blue; Trim: Oval Room Blue
Walls: Pavilion Gray; Trim: Lamp Room Gray
Walls: London Clay; Trim: Charleston Gray
handwritten
Does handwriting matter?
It’s slow, not as transmittable, and there is no delete button. Though I will resist launching into a protracted defense of handwriting, I can't help but reference a Wall Street Journal article that I read recently. "Virginia Berninger, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says handwriting differs from typing because it requires executing sequential strokes to form a letter, whereas keyboarding involves selecting a whole letter by touching a key. She says pictures of the brain have illustrated that sequential finger movements activated massive regions involved in thinking, language and working memory—the system for temporarily storing and managing information.” (You can read the entire article here.) But there you have it in a nut shell: handwriting exercises our brains and helps us think. I’m a firm believer in a hand-written list or brainstorming diagram for that very reason! But writing is not only for practical things; it can be decorative, too. We’ve had two fun lettering projects at the studio this past week...
Since our studio is open by appointment, the door is not always unlocked... so we jumped on the bandwagon and got a mailbox. Clearly it couldn't stay blank and plain. I used white acrylic paint, a small brush, and a slow and careful hand, because no stroke could be erased. I may go back and add more of the scrolls from my sketch another day when I am feeling brave.
Here's the final-for-now in context, a little sentry by our door.
***
If you thought that chalkboard-painted surfaces were only for children's playrooms, think again. Look at what a fun touch the chalkboard shade adds to this sophisticated Regina Andrew lamp!
Close-up of the sketch: sweet Marleigh is in for a treat! (Also, I did break the chalk in half.)
"We Can Evolve"
While sitting at my desk yesterday morning, I was struck by these simple words: "we can evolve." On the wall just beyond hang several prints of butterflies, optimally positioned as if to validate the mobile's bold statement. Like the butterfly, often the only way for us to truly keep living is to move on to something new, to expand, to reevaluate what is possible, to evolve.
We have several personal examples of our own evolution here at Mayme Baker Studio. Our biggest news is, of course, our new web shop, which enables you to browse from anywhere, any time! Another exciting development is the addition of two new employees. Debi Horton joined the team as Mayme's right hand lady... the organizational genius who makes sure all of the amazing ideas actually happen. The other is me, Tessa Pinner, content manager for the new web shop and the friendly voice you will see and hear in many email newsletters, facebook updates, and blog posts. I'm thrilled at the chance to start giving you some inside eye candy from the beauty and talent that is Mayme Baker Studio! I'll dish a more complete scoop on Debi and me later, but for now, here's a picture of us looking our darndest, just for you.
Tessa, left; Debi, right
While evolution is necessary and often wonderful, it is not without its own challenges. There is something lovely about walking into a tangible space with delightful treasures, all presented beautifully and in context. All of your senses are engaged, and maybe you are happily surprised by that special something in that obscure shelf of the corner case. You didn't expect to walk out with it, but it just spoke to you. We know that while our online shop is superbly convenient and has a much larger selection than we can hold in our studio and booth, sometimes you crave that special tangible interaction. SO! This is my reminder to you that while our studio is not open continuously, we welcome your call and subsequent drop-in! Additionally, our booth space at Antiques on Augusta (6 South Lewis Plaza) is alive and well. I popped up there a few days ago to snap some photos of the prettiness.
Hopefully these shots will tempt you to visit if you've never been or to revisit if you are a regular. We promise, we'll be placing new items there, too!
One of these fun trays displays inspiration from Audrey Hepburn on the topic of evolution: "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says 'I'm possible'!"
PARTY ON!
We are right on the doorstep of some noteworthy developments here at Mayme Baker Studio! First, our downtown Greenville design studio is now open by appointment only. Many of you have stopped by and wondered why the door was locked, only to read the sign and realize the inevitable: we are in transition!
Lest you worry that you might not have easy access to the studio treasures anymore, let us assure you that we have a plan to take your boutique shopping experience to a higher level! Maymebakerstudio.com has been completely re-designed into a user-friendly dream! We’re busy hunting down new and special things to add to our ever-growing online collections. So, with the click of your mouse, you’re virtually here in our studio! Anytime, anywhere!
Everyone is invited to our virtual soiree to celebrate! And everyone receives a party favor: 20% off everything in our fabulous new web boutique! Use code LAUNCHPARTY at checkout until August 22nd. Of course, if you need an item immediately, we would welcome your call, or you can stop by our booth at Antiques on Augusta which is full of many of the same gems that you will discover online.
Let us know what you think and how we can better serve you! Cheers!
Welcome Home!
So glad you’re back! And we couldn’t be more thrilled to announce the launch of our new website, maymebakerstudio.com. Now you never have to leave – everything maymebaker is under one roof! We’ve put a fresh face on our classic style – offering you bold images of our work and play, access to our fabulous collections and Mayme Baker original paintings, along with interior design and home décor tips and inspiration here on our new blog.
We hope our distinctive take on design and newly renovated website will provide the extra spark you need to make your imaginations come to life! We can’t wait to help you get started.