Recreating Martha's Crafts Room

On the third floor of Martha's home in Bedford, New York, there is a work room like no other. With light from both North- and South-facing dormer windows (eight in total, each with its own window seat) and outfitted with custom-built storage units and work surfaces, Martha's crafts room is a quiet refuge devoted to creative pursuits. It is accessible only by a narrow staircase that climbs up from the second floor and Martha's cats are the most frequent visitors to this very personal sanctuary.

 

But Martha loves to share and to teach. In the September, 2007, issue of Martha Stewart Living she revealed her crafts room in a feature story that demonstrated simple organizational systems for a room devoted to creative work; a space that is filled with small supplies that could easily become lost if not properly stored. Below are images of Martha's Bedford crafts room. It was designed with Shaker-style cabinetry that Martha had painted in her favourite shade of green. There are four principle work stations, plus a central work table for general projects. There is a sewing and knitting station, a printing station, a station for paper crafts and a station for scrapbooking. Each work surface is topped with a pressed-linseed material that is soft enough to absorb nicks and scratches. Each station, too, has its own vintage metal office chair, which Martha had stripped down and reupholstered with grey leather. Their wheels making moving around the low-ceiling space effortless. As you can see, each drawer and shelf holds specific items for specific projects. It is a marvelous room, and one that you can recreate!

MARTHA'S CRAFT SPACE COLLECTION AT HOME DECORATORS

 

Several years ago, Martha partnered with Home Decorators - an exclusive home-décor brand with The Home Depot - to provide several lines of furniture for living rooms, dining rooms, laundry rooms and crafts rooms. The Martha Stewart Craft-Space Collection is by far the most popular of her product lines with Home Decorators and one that is sincerely enjoyed by craft enthusiasts: most of her merchandise with this line has received top marks in customer reviews, and it's easy to see why. Last year, the line greatly expanded to include 46 pieces. New storage units designed specifically for craft-supply storage are made from durable, scratch-resistant woods that are sturdy and designed to be long-lasting. Below are some examples, shown in ''Rhododendron Leaf'' - a classic Martha shade. The pieces shown do require assembly and also come in several other hues, such as Sequoia, Cement Gray and Picket Fence making them easy to coordinate with any style of home décor.

 

WHAT I LOVE:

 

I love that the pieces were virtually modeled after Martha's own custom-built craft storage units at Bedford and that you can, to some extent, recreate that environment in your own home at a relatively affordable price. I love that the materials are sturdy and durable: made to last. I love the colour choices and how simple it is to combine and coordinate the pieces to create one functional space. I love the wooden magazine file folders, the wall-mounted magazine rack and the cork-covered cupboard. Each piece was carefully designed with thoughtful details that accommodate very specific storage needs, such as keeping spools of thread organized. Click here to see the entire line and find out all of the specific details for the items shown.

Martha Stewart Fine Furniture: Some Highlights

It has been over a year since Martha Stewart Living introduced its Martha Stewart Fine Furniture collection at High Point Market in North Carolina. The line was supposed to debut in stores last fall but it has been put on hold temporarily. I'm extremely anxious to see the full line, which was created by Martha Stewart Living, Miles Talbott Furniture and Lefa, Inc. With 25 upholstery, and 55 bedroom, dining room and occasional pieces, it is one of the most extensive furniture lines MSL has ever developed. It is certainly the largest since the Martha Stewart Signature furniture collections were created with Bernhardt. Another feature of the Fine Furniture collection is a custom (made to measure) upholstery offering that will enable consumers to create upholstered furniture pieces, including sofas, sectionals, chairs, and ottomans that meet their individual scale and style preferences. The custom category includes custom beds with headboard options and bed frame features. Case pieces will be crafted using select hardwoods and veneers including ribbon stripe mahogany, cherry, flat-cut walnut and quarter sawn oak; each finished in distinct, penetrating wood tones. Brass, nickel, marble and parchment accents will also be featured. Select items finished in soft, tone-on-tone, paint colors will create an aesthetic balance. It sounds like a very exciting collection and I'm so anxious for it to be made available! Another blog has reported that the line has been cancelled by Miles Talbott but until MSLO confirms this, I'm hopeful we'll see at least some of the pieces in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, watch this space for any updates. I've highlighted a few of the pieces from the collection. They all look beautiful!

FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Chambers Camelback Sofa, Preston and Tippet Occasional Chairs, Wingate Dresser, Elliott Nesting Tables, Prentiss Sofa, Laurent Console Table, Thompson Cocktail Table.

New From Staples and Martha Stewart Home Office

Staples and Martha Stewart Living have teamed up to design three new collections of home office furniture, available now exclusively at Staples: Blair, Chase and Tyler. Each collection boasts clean, simple lines and sturdy construction in solid wood and attractive veneers. Whether you prefer modern or classic, you're sure to find a desk set that fits your style - and budget! Each item is less than $350. Click here to find out more.

BLAIR DESK:

Sand Gray finish with solid Oak and wood veneers

Hidden power strip and USB ports for easy charging

Dimensions: 47 3/4"W x 23 3/4"D x 30"H

 Also available in Walnut Finish

BLAIR FILING CABINET:

Sand Gray finish with solid Oak and wood veneers.

One file drawer and one box drawer (both non-locking)

Dimensions: 23 7/8"H x 15 7/8"W x 17 1/2"D

 Also available in Walnut Finish

BLAIR CHAIR:

Sand Gray finish on solid wood

Fully upholstered and tailored polyester and linen seat and back

Dimensions: 38 1/4"H x 18 1/2"W x 24 1/2"D

 Also available in Walnut Finish

CHASE DESK:

Solid woods and wood veneers finished in deep Coal Black finish with contrasting top in Heath finish

Desk rolls easily on 3-inch locking casters

Drop-front drawer converts to keyboard shelf

CHASE BOOKCASE:

Solid woods and wood veneers finished in deep Coal Black finish with tempered glass doors

3 shelves (1 fixed and 2 adjustable)

Shelf Size : 34 3/8"W x 11 3/4''D

CHASE END TABLE:

Solid woods and wood veneers finished in deep Coal Black finish

Two storage drawers

Bottom shelf provides additional storage

TYLER DESK:

Solid woods and wood veneers finished in rich Molasses Brown finish

Drop-front drawer converts to keyboard shelf

Hidden power strip and USB ports for easy charging

TYLER FILING CABINET:

Solid woods and wood veneers finished in rich Molasses Brown finish

One file drawer and one box drawer (both non-locking)

File drawer, mounted on a fifth caster for stability, holds letter- or legal-size files

A Home Inspired By Martha - Part 2

This home, owned by friends of mine near Brantford, Ontario, may be the best showcase of Martha Stewart's furniture lines, paint colours, linens, dinnerware and home accessories anywhere in Canada. The longtime reader of Martha Moments invited me out to his home to see and document his collection. I had always been curious to see an actual living space designed using mainly Martha Stewart products and this place was certainly a fine example!

With pieces of furniture from the Martha Stewart Signature lines in nearly every room, Martha Stewart Living paint colours throughout and Martha Stewart textiles, dinnerware and home accents sprinkled here and there, it is truly lovely reflection of the Martha Stewart design aesthetic. He even had a replica of Martha's famous antique spice rack (prominent in her Turkey Hill television set for the Martha Stewart Living television show) commissioned for a wall in his kitchen, which you can see below!

The design is kept personal by layering in much-loved pieces of heirloom furniture, treasured photographs and paintings in each space. It is very much a home: intimate, warm, inviting and beautifully executed... with a little help from Martha Stewart!

Tomas and I had a lovely day in the country with him. He was a gracious and friendly host and his home is utterly charming. We both felt very at home there. Below is a gallery of photographs of some of his most treasured Martha Stewart items. At the end of the post you can find a glossary of the items in his collection. Most of them are shown in these images.

GLOSSARY OF MARTHA STEWART FURNITURE

ENTRANCE HALL:
Martha Stewart Signature  North River bench finished in Tea Leaf, carved wood bolsters, tapered turned legs
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Lane mirror

LIVING ROOM:
Martha Stewart Signature Tilden English Roll Arm Chairs covered in Indienne Floral fabric (one shown, two on hand)
Martha Stewart Signature Winslow English Tight-Back Sofa covered in Indienne Floral fabric
Floor lamp in ebony lacquer: Martha Stewart Lighting with Murray Feiss
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Chinoiserie Mirror (not shown)
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Chinoiserie cabinet: hand-painted, gold accents; Ox-blood red interior (not shown)
Martha Stewart Signature North River Server in Golden Campine, Sepic granite top
Martha Stewart Collection ceramic Drabware mixing bowls
Martha Stewart Collection Wedgwood Drabware with gold trim

GUEST BEDROOM:
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Lane twin bed and side table (table not shown)
Martha Stewart Signature Tilden Roll Arm Chair (not shown)
Curtain rods by Martha Stewart Living Home Depot
Martha Stewart Collection comforter Bedford Flowers from Macy's

MASTER BEDROOM:
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Lane Queen bed and side tables
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Lane mirror
Martha Stewart Signature Lily Pond Lane dresser
Mercury-glass vase by Martha's Flowers

GLOSSARY OF MARTHA STEWART LIVING PAINT COLORS

KITCHEN:
Martha Stewart Living - Parchment Paper - Home Depot

LIVING ROOM:
Walls: Martha Stewart Living - Shortbread - Home Depot
Trim (Baseboards, crown, doors) Martha Stewart Living - Base, No Color Added - Home Depot
Ceiling: Martha Stewart Living - Rice Paper - Home Depot

FRONT HALL:
Walls: Martha Stewart Living - Sisal - Home Depot
Ceiling: Martha Stewart Living - Parchment Paper - Home Depot

GUEST BEDROOM:
Walls: Martha Stewart Living - Dune - Home Depot

BATHROOM:
Walls: Martha Stewart Signature Paint - Drabware - Lowes (not shown)

HALLWAY:
Walls: Martha Stewart Living beadboard wallpaper - Home Depot
Paint: Martha Stewart Living Tobacco Leaf

MASTER BEDROOM:
Walls: Martha Stewart Living - Elderdown - Home Depot
Ceiling: Martha Stewart Living - Morning Fog - Home Depot

Martha's Craft Space Collection at Home Depot

Some exciting news for fans of Martha Stewart's furniture lines: starting this summer, her line of craft furniture will be available at select Home Depot stores and at HomeDepot.com! It is currently availalbe online through the Home Decorators Collection. It will be so nice to see these versatile storage pieces in the stores! The multifunctional tables, hutches, cabinets and consoles work together to create an inspired workroom for hobbies and crafts.

Martha uses the furniture herself in her 'homekeeping room' in one of the buildings on her property in Bedford. The pieces shown above (three-drawer flat-file cabinet, storage hutch and craft table) keep Martha's homekeeping supplies in order.

Martha Stewart Fine Furniture

Earlier this week, Martha Stewart unveiled some pieces from her new furniture collection called Martha Stewart Fine Furniture at the High Point Furniture Market . The new line will be available this fall throughout North America, South America and several international markets.

With the upholstery made by Miles Talbott and case goods imported from Colombia by Lefa, the new collection includes 25 upholstery and 55 bedroom, dining and occasional pieces. In a news release and in her remarks Saturday, Martha reiterated her desire to offer "a sensible, considered approach to scale, proportion and function that ensure the furniture will merge seamlessly into day-to-day living."

Apartment Therapy attended the presentation (photos below) and a new website is in the works to showcase the collection online. Click here to see it. Martha spoke about the furniture line. You can see it here.

The Seal Harbor Kitchen

A recent trip to the Home Depot yielded a copy of the Martha Stewart Living cabinetry, hardware and countertop catalog, featuring kitchen and utility-space design solutions for just about all of the work rooms in the home. I immediately fell in love with one particular collection: Seal Harbor. I love its New England charm, with cabinet details reminiscent of a bright and functional coach house near the shore. In the photos shown below, the fixtures were Martha's picks for this collection: the counters are Shoreline Corian, the paint is Gull and the hardware is polished nickel. They all come together to create a clean, neutral, bright and airy feeling to the space. View the entire catalog online here.

Stable rosette details under the countertops add a beautiful charm and sophistication to the space.

With sliding shelf bases in some of the cupboards, every bowl, pan and pot is easy to access.

One nice feature is this tiered cutlery divider in the drawers, which slides back and forth easily for extra storage.This is a craft room outfitted with the Seal Harbor cabinetry: love it!

Martha's New Craft Furniture

New from the Home Decorators Collection and Martha Stewart Living is a line of craft furniture designed to facilitate a home studio. The line is called the Craft Space Collection and is designed to be highly functional with maximum storage capability. The pieces are based on the custom-made furniture in Martha's own personal craft rooms. There are pieces designed specifically to hold wrapping paper and ribbon and plenty of drawer and shelf space for tools, paper, sewing supplies and more. The furniture is available in two colours, sage green and white. Examples are shown below. Available December 21.

Martha's Home Decorator's Collection

There are two new furniture collections from the Martha Stewart Living brand with Home Decorator's Collection to introduce to you. The Ingrid Collection is light and classic with an English country flare, kept sleek and clean with simple lines and beautiful cream tones. The Larsson Collection is a more modern alternative with deep ebony finishes and sturdy dimensions. Both collections feature dining and bedroom sets. All pieces require assembly and are all made of solid wood with hardwood veneer. These collections will only be available through the Home Decorator's catalog or online. Below are some examples from the collections:

The Ingrid Collection: Bed frame, side table, upholstered bench, dressers and mirror all from the Ingrid Collection. Martha Stewart Living rug ("Block Quilt") at Home Depot.

The Ingrid Collection: Dining room table, chairs, buffet and mirror. Martha Stewart Living rug ("Floating Dahlia") at Home Depot. The Larsson Collection: Bed frame, dressers and mirror. Martha Stewart Living rug ("Chrysanthemum") available at Home Depot.
The Larsson Collection: Dining room table, chairs, buffet. Martha Stewart Living rug ("Faux Bois") available at Home Depot.

View the entire collection, here.

Martha Stewart Lighting

In an effort to promote the Martha Stewart Lighting collection, designed in collaboration with Murray Feiss, there are two new catalogs available to shoppers and collectors containing the full line of the lighting fixtures designed by the MSLO team. Below are some of the highlights from the catalog.

The Veneto Collection: Named for the celebrated Italian town that produces it, this collection pays homage to the grandeur of Venetian glass. Inspired by Martha's collection of Venetian chandeliers at her home on Lily Pond Lane, each piece comes with a companion sconce in the same design.

The Mid-Century Collection: An exciting discovery by Martha at a Paris antique shop gave rise to this fine collection, which comes in several styles, including floor lamps and table lamps. Satin brass finishes and solid marble bases lend a hint of 1940s glam to any room.
The Conservatory Collection: This group offers an array of refined lighting options that serve virtually every room in the home. All pieces are available in Polished Nickel or Warm Bronze. The Glazed Ceramic Collection: A series of Chinese urns lent their curves as inspiration for this line of traditional lamps. There are five designs in this collection, each boasting a fine crackle glaze to offer texture and sophistication.
The Architectural Crystal Collection of Lamps: Beautifully handmade from genuine solid crystal, these lamps are inspired by the fine details of classical European architecture.

The Industrial Milk Glass Collection: Like Martha's sconces that inspired them, the industrial milk glass fixtures in the Martha Stewart Lighting collection create wonderful task lighting in kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and bedrooms. Canopies, backplates and cast metal fitters are finished in Warm Bronze while the milk glass shades complete each piece.

These catalogs below are availbe for download at marthastewart.com. You can also order a pre-printed catalog for $15 by writing to Murray Feiss catalog department with a money order and making a catalog request. Visit Feiss.com for catalog order information. This is the full, 80-page catalog, which can be downloaded at marthastewart.com/shop or purchased pre-printed for $15.This is the summer catalog, a shorter catalog available for $10 or to download free at marthastewart.com/shop.