Canopies and Umbrellas, Gifts That Shelter the Glowing Couple
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Long gone are the days of sunbathing with Coppertone oil and foil reflectors, unless you happen to be George Hamilton, that is. By now almost everyone has received the memo about the hole in the ozone layer and the potentially evil effects of the sun’s rays on our skin. And at the dreaded end-of-summer dermatology checkup, nobody enjoys having to confess to sitting in the sun, unprotected.
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection strongly recommend slathering on sunscreen of 15 S.P.F. or higher. And for further protection, a good umbrella, canopy or shelter is also in order.
If the newlyweds on your gift list are beachgoers, there are myriad ideas to choose from, including a lightweight and comfortable chair fitted out with all sorts of accessories, including an umbrella, coolers and speakers. For those who prefer to lounge on a blanket, there is a collapsible tent or colorful canopy to pitch overhead on the sand or a grassy lawn.
Couples with a yard or patio can use an umbrella with a stand for added décor and protection. And for those who simply cannot relax without having their digital devices humming along, there is an umbrella that has solar panels on top and U.S.B. ports on the pole to charge them all.
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Zen Natural Umbrella
This 70-inch-wide white umbrella from Bali, in natural cotton with off-white fringe, is to be used on a patio or in a garden with a stand (not included).
The Solar Powered Patio and Beach Umbrella with U.S.B. ports is nine feet wide, has an aluminum pole and comes with four solar panels on top. Two built-in U.S.B. ports can charge cellphones, digital cameras, tablets and other devices. The umbrella can be used practically anywhere — on a patio, at the beach or at campsites.
The stylish Sombrilla, a beach-tent alternative that can be configured in a variety of ways, is made of 100-percent cotton and gives 95-percent UV-ray protection, according to the manufacturer. Available in six patterned fabrics.
Hammock Style Outdoor Wooden Swing Bed With Canopy
For the couple with a yard, there is the Hammock Style Outdoor Wooden Swing Bed With Canopy, with a larch hardwood frame and weather-resistant fabric on the bed, cushions and canopy. It can hold two adults.
The Sun Sail Cabana is a sturdy shade provider that casts 60 square feet of shade. It is made of machine-washable microfiber-polyester and sets up quickly. The pole bends in the wind for stability, and the carry bag is large enough to port beach towels; available in red-and-white or blue-and-white stripes.
The Osmose Hammock, designed by Sakura Adachi and made in France, is a free-standing circular lounger for the grass or patio. It has an attached canopy and is available in various colors.
The Total Sunblock Beach Shelter can be used on the grass as well as sand. Eight and a half feet wide, it can accommodate two beach chairs and, according to the manufacturer, blocks 99.8 percent of UVA and UVB rays. A zippered window provides ventilation, and interior pockets can store small things.
The Beach Lounger Pack Chair is a beach chair with two coolers attached, a 48-inch wide umbrella, a pillow, speakers and storage, all of which fold into a backpack that also converts to a rolling cart (22 pounds).
Designer Ann West has called this Washington D.C. residence home for more than 15 years. In that time, she has collected a mix of unique antiques, wares and upholstery and gathered them in pretty vignettes: Tailored furniture in the formal living room is surrounded by collections of patina mirrors, vintage church relics, French-country shields, and delicately framed drawings.While the overall effect feels quite elegant, there’s a high/low quality to the space that gives it a nicely casual vibe. A salon grouping of artwork and other pieces doesn’t feel too calculated or measured. Family photos are grouped together in front of stacks of books, giving the family room a practicality. All in all, the space is a lesson in beautifully appointed rooms that are also livable.
A white marble lamp sets the tone for a gold-and-white tablescape featuring a pair of 18th-century drawings, silver candlesticks and a botanical print in a gold-leaf frame.
Cream, beige, and white upholstered pieces from Lee Industries create a pale palette for accessories with patina to take the stage. Highlights include a Chinese yellow and black coffee table, an antiqued gold mirror and a black iron lamp with paper shade.
The pin-tuck pleats in of the sofa allow for a tailored aesthetic so that the sofa can float nicely in the room. Two neo classical french tables from Gore Dean flank the cream mantel, creating visual continuity.
A salon grouping of prints, framed Church relics, drawings and antiqued mirrors create an eclectic moment on the main wall. The country Parisian console grounds the delicate grouping of creamware and Staffordshire china.
In the family room, a brick fireplace is surrounded by white ceramic wares. Two fern botanical prints flank the grouping, while large thistle stems create height in two glass jugs that rest on either end of the mantel.
So, for advice, Penn2Pratt turned to veteran shop owner, design consultant, and master gift-giver Deborah Gore-Dean of GORE-DEAN Home (www.GoreDeanHome.com) for some gift-giving guidelines.
Deborah, who for many years owned shops in both Georgetown and Roland Park in Baltimore – a combined total of 21,000 square feet of storied antiques, luscious linens and exquisite home wares – understands the latest trends in retail as well as gifting etiquette. Deborah was destined to advise on matters of etiquette and high-end design. Surrounded by history and esteemed elegance while growing up at the Marwood estate in Potomac and on Embassy Row at the Fairfax, a member of a socially busy, bipartisan political family (her aunt, Senator Louise Gore, served in the Maryland General Assembly in the 1960’s and she is cousin to former Vice President Al Gore) – she is an astute aesthete, wise and sensitive about giving both tasteful mementos and memorable experiences, to brighten the holiday season. Penn2Pratt sat down with Deborah who shared some of her best gifting guidance:
P2P: Do you have a No. 1 gift you enjoy giving that possesses appeal to both genders and nearly all ages?
DGD:If I am sending a gift to a family, I used to do sweets, but crab cakes for the family is what I am doing this year. I got some fun crab dishtowels to use as filler and I am having Casa Mia’s in Parkton send them out for me. A nice gift is a monogrammed Family History book that is great family project and then I tuck in a tin of something for the kids. Monogrammed family photo albums are good but you need to use lots of candy canes on the package to get that one past the kids!
P2P: Buying for men on the list can be a challenge. Thoughts?
DGD:I love to buy gifts for men. There are some wonderful leather bound books about cigars, Scotch, cars and golf that are easy favorites. Every man likes a great Dopp Kit and overnight luggage that hints at a fun year ahead. I give my husband every year theatre tickets – we make a family night of it.
A monogrammed passport holder with train tickets to New York and tickets to Jersey Boys and then a generous gift card to a great Italian dinner- a weekender bag and inside a CD of songs from the show. This will relieve the stress he feels at trying to find you the perfect gift. For the other men in your life, a gift certificate to Roseda Beef [a Maryland farm] is a wonderful gift for any occasion. You can add a wonderful set of horn Bar B Q tongs but the beef alone is awesome. They do a great job getting it delivered and it is the very best.
P2P: What suggestions do you have for hostess gifts this year?
DGD:I have five favorites:
Nest holiday candles or diffusers. They are a great fragrance and so beautifully presented.
Karen Adams desk calendars – a great price and so well-done each year.
For men, I do a bottle of something with a pewter liquor label from Vagabond House.
A local candle, Noble Fir and Juniper by Alassis.
Baltimore has such great breweries- I like to give a six-pack of seasonal beer and a pewter bottle opener from Match Pewter.
P2P: In our metropolitan areas of the district and Baltimore, many people live in condos and apartments. Are there gifts (or one gift) you think appropriate for smaller living spaces?
DGD:The trick here is not to give them something for that small space because that space is all them and they are probably meticulous about what goes in it.
The trend now is smaller and smaller living spaces as people venture out more into the public spaces that are now so well designed. The Smithsonian Lecture Series is a great gift. Allow them to pick what they might like to attend. The Washington Ballet is fabulous and the BSO[Baltimore Symphony Orchestra] has such an eclectic range. You want to also encourage your condo dweller friends to get into the sunshine when spring comes – so a great new age picnic basket, a bottle of wine and a calendar page marked with the dates of the Hunt Cups with a See You There !- scrolled on a note would be fun.
P2P: Are gift cards too impersonal? How can someone make one ‘more’ personal/thoughtful?
DGD:I only see one drawback to gift cards: presentation. I try to give either all gift cards or all presents. You can’t give four boxes and an envelope at a gathering. It looks as though you were stymied by that one person. A gift card can’t look like an after thought – that’s impersonal. One way to make it special- and a great gift- is to place it inside a monogrammed leather business card holder. They are reasonably priced and the person will use it long after the gift card is gone. Also you can do the monogram with a single initial. I have a few D’s and G’s in my desk for the occasional graduation or thank you.
P2P: When buying for others, are their gifts that are just too personal to give between colleagues and co-workers?
DGD:Oh my YES! A work relationship is not a personal one, no matter how fond you are of that person. No clothing, jewelry – and that means ties and cufflinks! – unless they have the company insignia. No perfume and I even feel funny about gifting alcohol in professional situations. Many lobbying groups in DC do very generic and unimaginative gifts- just to play it safe. Lots of chocolate is given out – no nuts…!
The best advice from Deborah this season?
“Having a home is better than having a house, and having someone to gift is the best gift of all,” she said.
Should Penn2Pratt readers shop online with GORE-DEAN Home, and sign up to be a member of the Cart Club (which is just an email), members can request free gift wrap. GORE-DEAN Home ships orders for free when the order reaches $150.
GORE DEAN Home has 11 online stores and another opening next year. You can visit GORE DEAN Furniture Store in-person, in Monkton, beginning in March 2015. Follow them on Facebook for news and special sales and if you are visiting in Connecticut, you can visit GORE-DEAN in Stamford, inside Hamptons Antique Galleries. Deborah is available for consulting services and in-home ‘finishing touches’ in both DC and Baltimore and along the P2P. She can be reached at 866.785.7860 or by writing to goredean@gmail.com
CONGRATS PENN2PRATT ON A GREAT WEBSITE. LOOK FORWARD TO READING MORE AND MORE FROM YOU!
I woke up this morning to one of my favorite bloggers asking if I had seen a GoreDean mention in New York Social Diary. It was Jeff Lincoln’s home in NYC. One of my favorite decorators and a really nice person. I was delighted to see the living space and particularly grateful that he remembered GoreDean as the place he bought something for his home. I have to say – I have sold him some lovely things over the years- guess cuz he has great taste!
( Kim Hairston, The Baltimore Sun / December 27, 2010 )
Deborah Gore Dean’s resolution for the coming year is to throw out all the new age whoopydo- the green teak and the mid-century leftovers and go back to the basic rules of design “every room should have two things: a red anything and a bottle tucked away behind the curtains.”:
Thurs., July 15
Several stops this evening: I first meet up with Celeste Corsaro of Charm City Food Tours at 13.5% Wine Bar in Hampden, where bartender Brendan takes good care of us, and I say hello to manager Peter Keck. Then it’s on to Mt. Washington Mill to Gore Dean, where they’re hosting a reception for Cameo Catering and a book-signing by DC designer Barry Dixon. A tent has been erected in the courtyard, and Freddie Stevens is providing music as a backdrop for the food and drinks. I chat with Leslie Goldsmith and her daughter Blakely, as well as illustrator Meg Page and designer David Ashton. We shared a table with friends Bruce Alderman and DJ Lamdin, and I also ran into Lisa Shenkle, who helped organize the party, Dot Fuchs, Randi Rom and Dara Bunjon. And we got a beautiful, personally signed book to take home!
Then it was on to the BMA, where Craberet was in full swing. This annual benefit garden party for the House of Ruth is a highlight of the summer season. John Shields was on hand overseeing the food and the crowd was flowing all around the magnificent sculpture gardens. I grabbed a quick bite of Asian lo mein, then plunged in to chat with Eleanor Landauer, Mary Helfrich, Kathleen Gibison, Heidi Slacum, Todd Yuhanick and lots of others. I rounded out the evening by meeting a few friends downtown at Bluegrass, then we adjourned to the Rowhouse, where Scooter Holt was bartending on the second floor.
Regal Roost birdhouses fit sweetly in that niche of home furnishings and design elements that look good in the garden or in the house and blend the boundaries between those two living spaces.
It’s a trend that includes large planters, cement fruit baskets, stone pillars and more, says Richard Pawlik, co-owner of GoreDean, a home specialty shop in Mt. Washington. “These are things clients like because they can move them indoors in the winter and completely change the look,” Pawlik says.
Here are some items and tips on how to use them to bring the outside in:
Pedestals or pillars. These can stand alone in the garden or in the home. Think about using a pillar to hold a large potted fern.
Wicker, wire, and wrought iron. Furniture made of these elements is designed for outdoor spaces. But a table, chair or art work can add a distinctive touch indoors.
Ornate or oversized planters. These hold everything vessels can carry off more than summer flowers. Consider planting several with a single small boxwood or other evergreen. They can add life to the deck or patio during fall and winter. Or bring them indoors for an unexpected green touch.
Garden stools. Chinese garden stools, made of ceramic or metal, can serve as side tables or seats.
Pots by the Pair ( Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 6, 2010 ) A pair of painted metal garden planters, perhaps planted with small boxwoods or other evergreens, could come indoors during the winter.
Pillar of Design (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 7, 2010) This fluted pedestal would be an ideal perch for a potted fern, indoors or out.
Faux Real (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 6, 2010) This Bois garden table/stool can bring the outdoors – in.
Have a Seat (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 6, 2010) Chinese garden stools can serve as seats, side tables or plant stands, indoors or out.
Design on the Half Shell (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 6, 2010) Planting this large clam shell would make an impressive garden statement. Indoors, a potted fern or colorful glass balls would make it an interesting fireplace element.
Swinging Design (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 6, 2010) A rattan swing chair is a cozy perch, indoors or out.
Half and Half (Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / July 6, 2010) These vintage wire Demi-Lune tables are ideal – together or separately, indoors or out.
Thank you, Baltimore Sun for such beautiful photographs – Deb
THE PARTY: A powerhouse cocktail soirée to celebrate the release of Gore Vidal’s memoir Point to Point Navigation. Half-sister Nina Gore Auchincloss Straight and cousin Deborah Gore Dean hosted the “welcome home” aff air for the former hometown boy, who discusses his unique Washington upbringing in the book. THE SCENE: Gore Vidal held court amid friends and admirers who included Polly Kraft, Liz Stevens, Kevin Chaff ee, Susan Eisenhower, Walter Isaacson, Chris and Kathleen Matthews and Jack and Mary Margaret Valenti. Many reminisced about stays with Vidal at his Ravello, Italy villa – John Dickerson spent part of his honeymoon there with his wife, Anne. THE GUESTS: Christopher Hitchens, Bill and Janet Langhart Cohen, Jane Hitchcock and Tandy and Wytt Dickerson.
Carol Schwartz, Judy Bachrach and Ruth Bachrach
Monika von Eichel and Pamela Aparicio
Deborah Gore Dean, Gore Vidal and Nina Gore Auchincloss Straight
Jamie Pawlik and Deborah Gore Dean
Christopher Hitchens
Gerald Rafshoon and Janet Langhart Cohen
Kathleen and Chris Matthews with Claire Shipman
Walter Isaacson, John Dickerson, Gerald Rafshoon and Jack Valenti
THE BEDROOM IS A VERY PERSONAL SPACE that is home to some of our greatest comforts. The linens we choose for our beds, therefore, will be a direct result of our sleeping habits and personal tastes, and will ultimately dictate the bedroom’s overall style. Bedding manufacturers, retailers, and designers know that it’s the one area where clients spend one third of their lives (or maybe more) and want it to be a place of respite and comfort.
Gray is the hot neutral this season—from stone and putty tones to more indulgent pewters and platinums.
Anichini’s Persia and Taj bedding lines in “camel” are topped with a quilted Shot Taffeta coverlet for a sumptuous, gilded look.
TRENDS
The most important decision one makes when planning his or her bedroom is choosing the bedding. “I notice that people’s tastes are always across the board,” says Helena Marchwicki, manager of fine French linen retailer Yves Delorme’s Georgetown location, “Some people want very crisp, modern, clean lines and others want a soft and romantic feel. It’s so personal, and everyone is different.”
Interior Designer Michelle Miller of Baltimore’s Jenkins Baer Associates agrees, noting that she tends to go with more neutrals when choosing bedding with clients, but that ultimately, their preferences fall into such a wide range that it’s hard to classify an overarching style or theme that is most popular.
Deborah Dean, owner of home store Gore Dean, with locations in Baltimore and DC, says she asks a lot of questions of customers when they come in looking for bedding. And more often than not, they realize that they’re more particular about their bed linens than they might have originally thought. “Some people need the sheets and blankets tucked in at their feet, while others can’t stand it,” she begins. “Some people need to sleep under just the duvet, but their spouse thinks they need a top sheet. We really talk to our customers about what they want and how they sleep.”
Dean, Marchwicki, and Miller all name gray as the hot neutral this season—from stone and putty tones to more indulgent pewters and platinums. Dean points to Dransfield and Ross, a manufacturer who has introduced Beauford, a bedding line that features a yellow and gray combination in a striking pattern. Miller recommends the stone gray bedding from Restoration Hardware for clients who like a clean look but don’t want a stark white.
Softness greatly depends on the quality of the cotton used which is why a 200-thread count Egyptian cotton sheet can feel softer than a 400- thread count sheet that uses an inferior grade of cotton.
A CLOTH FOR ALL SEASONS
When it comes to choosing sheets, some are more sensitive sleepers than others. For those who prefer a more crisp and clean feel, percale is the way to go, as it is a very tightly woven cotton that many people favor in the warmer months. For a softer, more luxurious feel, a sateen cotton sheet will have an almost satiny finish.
For those who are looking for more eco-friendly options, many manufacturers have organic cotton and even bamboo bedding. Amenity Home, an eco-chic company out of California, specializes in limited edition organic duvets and shams, individually printed with non-toxic, water-based dyes. Pottery Barn offers several collections of 100 percent organic bedding that is Oeko-Tex (a worldwide testing and certification system for textiles) certified. For bamboo options, Gore Dean carries a line by Home Source in a variety of colors.
Dean and Miller both recommend quality over quantity, and tell clients to invest in two pairs of linens. Marchwicki says it can’t hurt to have just one more. “It’s said that you should have three sets of linens,” she explains, “one in the bed, one in the wash, and one in the closet. Not only do different sets of linens coordinate with the seasons, but it also extends the life of your linens. If you rotate them, you’ll get years and years and years out of them.”
For the greenest sleepres, Amenity Home’s 100 precent certified organic cotton percale Birdseye Duvet Cover is 300 thread count and printed with non-toxic, water-based dyes.
COUNTING SHEETS
Although thread count is often thought to be the best way to judge quality and softness of linens, there are other factors to consider. “Thread count refers to the number of threads, both vertical and horizontal, in one square inch of fabric,” says Miller. “One cannot buy bedding based purely on thread count because the bedding is affected by additional factors including the thickness of threads being used and the ply.”
Thread count can mislead consumers, because as Marchwicki explains, “some manufacturers show very high thread counts on their products with the use of plied yarn, produced by twisting very thin threads together and counting that as two.” This will yield a higher count, but the quality of the fabric is compromised.
Retailers and designers alike will all tell you that when it comes to quality cotton, Egyptian reigns supreme. Because it has the longest staple (a staple is a measure of the length of a fabric’s fibers), it is the strongest and softest option. “Egyptian cotton has a staple of one and a half to two inches whereas Pima cotton, for example, has a staple of less than an inch,” Marchwicki continues. “Softness greatly depends on the quality of the cotton used which is why a 200-thread count Egyptian cotton sheet can feel softer than a 400-thread count sheet that uses an inferior grade of cotton.”
When it comes to choosing sheets, sensitive sleepers who prefer a more crisp and clean feel should use percale, as it is a very tightly woven cotton that many people favor in the warmer months.
COMFORT ZONES
Luxury linens like those from Anichini, DEA, Dransfield and Ross, and George Henry are made with the highest quality fabrics, and are designed to last for 30 years. So, although the beauty and longevity put fine European bedding at a higher price point, it can be worth the investment.
“I tell people they should have a luxurious bed if that’s what they want, but it doesn’t mean they have to have luxury linens for every room in the house,” says Dean. “A teenaged boy doesn’t need Italian linens in his room just because his parents have it in their master bedroom.”
Miller recommends Yves Delorme for the more traditional, fine linens, Restoration Hardware for both percale and sateen bedding with a more transitional look, and Thomas O’Brien for Target for the budget-conscious shopper. The best piece of advice she can offer consumers is to feel for themselves. “Department store brands are more limited in the color and patterns and don’t always offer the high thread count percale sheeting that custom stores do,” she admits, adding, “[but] I own Calvin Klein bedding from Macy’s. They are only 300 thread count, but after a couple of washes, they have become the softest, most luxurious sheets, and have turned out to be some of my favorite bedding.”
At the end of the day, everyone wants to end it on a restful note.
There are a multitude of bedding options available to suit every taste and décor, whether trendy or traditional; starched or soft. But at the end of the day, it’s just that: the end of the day. And everyone wants to end it on a restful note. “People are looking for a very calming, relaxing space, whatever that means to them, whether that’s very clean, modern lines or something very soft and elegant with a more traditional pattern,” says Marchwicki. “Everyone just wants a comfortable and relaxing space to come home to.”
CLICK HERE to see more of Michelle Miller’s favorites for this season.
CLICK HEREfor tips from Deborah Dean on buying linens.
Annliese Scott is Assistant Editor for ChesapeakeHome.
Contacts:
Gore Dean: goredean.com, 202-625-9199 or 410-323-7470
Jenkins Baer Associates: jenkinsbaer.com or 410-727-4100
Yves Delorme Georgetown: yvesdelorme.com or 202-965-1500 202-965-1500
Carnations get the royal treatment in a blooming topiary, which opens gradually and lasts for two weeks. The Revere bowl can be monogrammed for an extra charge ($95, Gore Dean Home, Georgetown Park, 3222 M St. NW; 202-625-9199). – THE WASHINGTON POST
The feel inside is a homegrown Anthropologie, with less mass production and more local flavor. Prices are better, too. (I spotted a trio of robin’s-egg blue nesting tables for $185.) Two jampacked floors are filled with furnishings and home accessories as well as wares from local artisans, including jewelry, wall art, paintings, T-shirts and pottery. And the icing on this tasty cake: The owners couldn’t be nicer. “We are all kind of artists ourselves and want to support local artists,” co-owner Kacey Stafford says. “We love the flavor and authenticity it adds to our store. You can find something unique and handcrafted here. Something you won’t find just anywhere.”
As you make your way along Light Street in the historic Federal Hill district, it’s easy to miss this small and unassuming shop. Seeking it out will be worth your effort.
Opened in 2001 by designer and architect Patrick Sutton, this shop is carefully curated with furnishings, accessories, artwork, lighting and small gifts. (Interior design services are also available.) Although the new offerings are certainly stylish, the standouts in this space are the antiques and one-of-a-kind pieces, such as the sculptural wooden oyster sticks that stand almost six feet tall in a metal platform ($180 each). Other finds include an antique horse saddle on a stand; rain drums; old stone cooking pots; a worn, leather Chesterfield sofa; crusty urns; and sunburst mirrors. And sitting in the front of the store, a true statement piece: a stunning 115-foot, dark wood antique carpenter’s bench ($4,895).
Alas, this particular sense of chic doesn’t come cheap. But if you’re searching for something sophisticated and definitely distinct, you’ll find it here.
Located at the newly developed Bond Street Wharf, PAD is a modern home furnishing store divided into two sections: One sells PAD furnishings; the other is an exclusive seller of the Italian brand Calligaris.
The sides differ in manufacturers, but they share the same contemporary style with sleek shapes, clean lines and bold colors. A recent stroll through the shop found graphic wall art in blue and orange ($250 each), white lacquered chairs with black and white upholstered seats ($280 each) and a smoky-blue leather accent chair ($525) and sectional ($3,160). You’ll also find your share of acrylic chairs, cafe tables, drum pendants and a mix of accessories, tabletop items and linens.
PAD offers free “white glove” delivery (They’ll bring the item in, set it up and take out the trash) in Baltimore and surrounding counties including Montgomery, Prince George‘s, Anne Arundel, Howard and Frederick. The bonus: Every purchase is returnable, even special orders. “Quality is very important to us,” says owner Nick Johnson. “We know if we sell someone a piece of junk, we’re going to get it back.”
(Johnson also owns Su Casa, a shop just down the block that sells more-traditional furniture, accessories and gifts).
Earlier this year, Deborah Gore Dean closed the doors to her 10,000-square-foot store on M Street in Georgetown to open two smaller shops: One still sits in Georgetown; the other recently opened in Baltimore’s Mount Washington neighborhood.
Her square footage might have decreased, but Dean’s discerning design eye remains in full force, as evident even in the Baltimore storefront, a charming one-story, ivy-covered brick building complete with its own outdoor water feature. The feel is instantly soothing and chic.
Another thing that hasn’t changed: the steep prices. The merchandise (old and new) is exquisite, but for most it will remain out of reach. For example, a jumbo glass jar lantern costs $4,150. An 18th-century French white-painted parcel-gilt commode, circa 1760, is $16,250. An imposing empire-style mahogany bookcase will set you back $20,800. Of course, more affordable (yet still pricey) accessories can also be found, such as bed linens, bath towels, dinnerware, candles, books, stationery and frames.
Even if it’s unlikely that you’ll be outfitting your home with the goods at Gore Dean, a lingering browse is definitely worth the trip.
In search of something a little sleeker? Just a few steps from Gore Dean sits Home on the Harbor, a mecca for modernist furniture with the familiar cast of contemporary characters all represented, including the Eero Saarinen side table (starting at $413), the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Barcelona lounge chair (starting at $4,803) and the Phillippe Starck Ghost chair ($410). You’ll also find Emma Gardner rugs, FLOR carpet tiles, Chilewich cubes and accessories from Umbra, Alessio and Middle Kingdom.
Clean lines, shiny surfaces and bold colors abound. My tastes typically lean toward the traditional, but I gave serious consideration to a steel-framed side table painted a yummy watermelon color (Strut side table from Blu Dot, $199). But what initially caught my eye was what was sitting on the tabletop: a dramatic and playful Baroque-style lamp made from polycarbonate (a.k.a. plastic) and dyed a rich black (Bourgie table lamp by Kartell, starts at $362). The contrasting colors were unexpected, fun and attention-grabbing — the perfect way to describe this shop.
Reserve extra browsing time for this shop — you’re going to want it. Second Chance Inc. is a not-for-profit group in an industrial part of town (right behind M&T Bank Stadium). The whopping 60,000-square-foot space houses architectural antiques and salvage (as well as antiques dealers, consignments and donations). Its mission, manager Lynn Fingles says, is “workforce development, repurposing and keeping things out of the dumpster.”
Second Chance inventory is spread among five warehouses, but you won’t need to search long to unearth treasures because they lie just about everywhere. From shelves of salvaged architectural elements, such as door knobs, tiles, corbels, radiators, mantels and hardwood floors to a parking lot strewn with claw foot tubs, metal grates, painted urns, brick pavers and vintage chimney pots. Prices run across the board. You can find single china plates and teacups at $1 each and an iron-and-steel bulletin board, circa 1928, rescued from the deconstruction of the Philadelphia Convention Center for $15,000. (A customer who purchased one was planning to use it as a headboard.)
On my recent trip, I spotted a 24-inch antique cast iron kettle ($250), a vintage silk suzani tapestry from central Asia ($550), a salvaged door painted peacock blue ($70) and a pair of Asian-inspired armchairs just waiting to be refurbished ($250). I also saw a five-foot-tall suit of armor ($150), just in case you’re interested.
Welcome to Gore Dean, the best place to find the perfect furniture for you.
Reviews
Jeff Akseizer
Deborah is the dame of glamour in washington, anything she touches turns to gold and orange. I’m one of her biggest Fans!
LUIS GERARDO
SIMPLY THE BEST
Stefan Hurray
exceptional quality, friendly staff, beautiful and unusual items! Always fun to go in! Best store in Georgetown!
Amy
Customer Service
Marné Dunn
A lot of unique pieces. Huge range of high end antiques and new furniture, chandeliers, gifts. Gorgeous space, the owner has a fantastic eye for finding classic, elegant and unique pieces. Very friendly salespeople. You can even shop with your dog!
luis aranibar
Great variety, huge store……really unique!!!!
Jamie Pawlik (my daughter! )
Eclectic mix and really professional, but nice people!
Originally published 11:01 p.m., May 22, 2005, updated 12:00 a.m., May 23, 2005
Deborah Gore Dean’s bash celebrating her stunning new Cady’s Alley store was must-show-and-shop adventure. Guests dressed in “SoHo chic” — everything from Chanel and Hermes to muscle shirts and Nantucket reds — consumed an ocean of Veuve Clicquot, dined on Design Cuisine nibblies and danced until midnight while admiring an unusually eclectic array of old and new merchandise as varied as $65 leather bed trays, $25 Diamond as Big as the Ritz keychains, an 18th-century German walnut bombe commode ($29,000) and a bright red toy Aston-Martin ($8,500).
“We still have wonderful antiques, but we have widened our range,” Ms. Dean observed as she greeted patrons and pals to her two-story, loftlike emporium Wednesday night. “Now we also have furniture, fabrics and trim to evoke the glamour days of the 1940s. They were personally selected to remind you of Joan Crawford’s dressing room or what Constance Bennett (an actress who was Ms. Dean’s godmother) would have had in her Fifth Avenue apartment.”
Plastic artist Dianna Cohen, who scissors and sews shopping bags into vibrant wall hangings at $5,000 a pop, was relishing her Washington debut in a side gallery as EastBanc Inc. developer/impresario Anthony Lanier surveyed his latest success in transforming the west end of Georgetown’s M Street into a hip commercial district for upscale consumers.
“Deborah is selling design,” Mr. Lanier noted, “and people will be surprised what she can do; she is one of the best retailers I know.”
Washington Life Editor in Chief Nancy Bagley, who co-hosted the party, welcomed revelers along with Ms. Dean’s husband and partner, Richard “Spider” Pawlik, and the couple’s 10-year-old daughter, Jamie, who called mummy’s store “my home outside home.”
Bolivian Ambassador Jaime Aparicio — tie nattily tucked away in his jacket pocket — was sighted with his wife, Pamela, as were interior designers Sue Alefantis and Tom Pheasant and such diverse social folk as Nina Auchincloss Straight; Pamela Peabody; Carmen Petrowitz; David and Janet Bruce; Andrew and Leslie Cockburn; Kay Kendall; Septime Webre; Nini Ferguson (looking tres Hermes chic in an orange silk pantsuit); and Tandy Dickerson (in proper Louis Feraud white pique suit), who was pleased to open her black beaded handbag to buy several giant seashells for her Watergate apartment.
“Deborah always has beautiful things. Anything you buy here will be fabulous,” lawyer David Deckelbaum pronounced while standing sockless in black suede Belgian loafers near piles of Anichini Italian linens, Richard Ginori plates and Michael Aram seafood forks.
“The juxtaposition of brick and bric-a-brac is the chic-est thing in town,” novelist Jane Stanton Hitchcock noted. “It’s one-stop shopping for grand acquisitors.”
It takes flair to mix styles and eras in an old industrial mill and make it look so right. Gore Dean in Baltimore pulls it off. A gilded mirror on rustic brick? Made for each other!
AMY CLAIRE PREISER: This feels more like someone’s chic loft than a store. It actually feels lived in.
DEBORAH GORE DEAN: Well, it doesn’t have just one look. I have antique, contemporary, formal, casual…that’s really how people live now. And when I arrange furniture, I like to imagine that I’m going to sit there and talk to somebody. I say, ‘What do I want to have around me?’ It’s such fun to put the right-size table next to the right-size sofa. When you look in a room and it’s wrong, nine times out of ten it’s about size, proportions. I think that’s what the pros do best.
Is that what you do best?
Oh, I’m not anywhere near as good as designers like Thomas Pheasant or Barry Dixon, whom I’ve worked with. I feel like a B-list actress on the Broadway stage compared to them.
You do love decorative accessories, don’t you?
Accessories are so important for creating a personal style. I’ve noticed that with antiques, people aren’t looking for the utilitarian pieces the way they used to — they want the unique object. If I have an offbeat statue or an odd chandelier, that’s going to sell first.
How do you choose pieces?
I pick things I would buy for my own home. Or I’ll think, ‘Ooh, if only I had a house in Wyoming…in the Hamptons….’
Are you attracted to a particular look?
Anything Billy Baldwin or Billy Haines. Clean, simple, timeless. I think decorating is moving in that direction again.
Did the Billys inspire your chair and sofa designs?
Actually, it was my aunt saying how she hadn’t been able to get out of a chair gracefully since she was 35. Neither can I. So I designed the Marbury chair. I could spring out of it without even putting my hands down to boost off. I thought, boy, this is a winner. But the best part is this — your stomach is flat because you’re sitting up straight.
A chair that flatters!
You can throw away those tummy-tuck jeans.
don’t miss
Vintage and new china from Hermès, Mottahedeh, and Gore Dean’s favorite, Sunset by Missoni for Richard Ginori.
Stella Marina aqua planters — stylish, earthy, perfect for indoors.
19th-century-style landscapes by itinerant artists Wiggins & Paulsen.
Dozens of monogram styles (see goredean.com) for luxurious Anichini robes, chiffon pajamas, cashmere blankets. Gore Dean likes to fill corners of napkins with monograms so big, “you can’t even read the letters.”
Mrs. John L. Strong stationery and gifts. “The best! Those notepads for each room in the house are genius. Our most popular is Media Room.”
Locally made sea salt caramels. Absurdly delicious! $8.50.
“Many of the home-decor items and furniture pieces in Gore Dean are one of a kind”. “It sounds like a Democratic presidential ticket, but Gore Dean is actually a Georgetown antiques and new home furnishings store that has just opened a branch in Mount Washington in the spot where Smith & Hawken was. The location creates a striking showroom for the high-end furniture and decorative accessories, many of which are one of a kind. As you wander through the space, don’t miss the antique jockey’s weigh-in chair from Ascot ($16,500). Co-owner Deborah Dean’s own furniture designs are also featured, like the Marbury sofa ($5,995) with matching chairs. All are made in the U.S. Not everything is so pricey.The beautiful Chelsea Bird dinnerware is $255 for a five-piece place setting. There are table and bed linens, mirrors, glassware, candles and stationery. Gore Dean also has a bridal registry” Elizabeth Large (Sun photo by Chiaki Kawajiri / April 8, 2008). 1340-D Smith Ave., Mount Washington // Open 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday // 410-323-7470 or http://www.goredean.com.
“Is May too early for Savvy to declare “Store of the Year”? While she can only hope there is more superlatively divine shopping to come, she can’t quite imagine how anything could be as genius as Gore Dean. The space itself is stunning— every expansive corner filled with things you want to put in your home immediately. Does Savvy really need to tell you about the terrific tabletop items from Hermès? Colorful chargers by Richard Ginori? Simply perfect stemware from Juliska? The Mrs. John L. Strong papers, Voluspa candles and custom-made furniture pieces designed by Deborah Gore Dean herself? She didn’t think so. Now go! Don’t miss: The mural-inspired paintings by Kevin Paulson and David Wiggins. Fabulous! ” 1340 D Smith Ave., Mount Washington, 410-323-7470
THE PARTY: A powerhouse cocktail soirée to celebrate the release of Gore Vidal’s memoir Point to Point Navigation. Half-sister Nina Gore Auchincloss Straight and cousin Deborah Gore Dean hosted the “welcome home” aff air for the former hometown boy, who discusses his unique Washington upbringing in the book. THE SCENE: Gore Vidal held court amid friends and admirers who included Polly Kraft, Liz Stevens, Kevin Chaff ee, Susan Eisenhower, Walter Isaacson, Chris and Kathleen Matthews and Jack and Mary Margaret Valenti. Many reminisced about stays with Vidal at his Ravello, Italy villa – John Dickerson spent part of his honeymoon there with his wife, Anne. THE GUESTS: Christopher Hitchens, Bill and Janet Langhart Cohen, Jane Hitchcock and Tandy and Wytt Dickerson.
Carol Schwartz, Judy Bachrach and Ruth Bachrach
Monika von Eichel and Pamela Aparicio
Deborah Gore Dean, Gore Vidal and Nina Gore Auchincloss Straight
May 18th • Gore Dean Antiques
PHOTOS BY JONAH KOCH
THE EVENT: Deborah Gore Dean celebrated the fi rst anniversary of her Georgetown store, Gore Dean Antiques, by showcasing “Life is But a Dream,” a whimsical exhibition of local painter Abigail Adams Greenway’s latest works.
THE SCENE: The eclectic crowd of artists and socialites was entertained by a troupe of elaborately garbed African stilt dancers and bongo drummers while enjoying non-stop Veuve Cliquot and Design Cuisine hors d’oeuvres
THE GUESTS: Designers Thomas Pheasant, Barry Dixon and Frank Randolph; Cady’s Alley developer Anthony Lanier, Carmen Petrowitz, Diana McLellan, Nina Straight, Gail Percy, Tim Dickinson and Sarah Tanguy.
Deborah Gore Dean and stilt walker
Gore Dean store in Cady’s Alley
Timothy Dickinson
Andre Willieme, Nicole d’Amecourt and Ed Emes
Fabiola Martens and Rudy Djabbarzadeh
Tara Eddy, Britton and Darienn Gore
Abigail Adams Greenway, Evan Everhart and Lilly Greenway
THE EVENT: An amusing and eclectic mix of artists, models, writers and very social Georgetowners turned out in “Soho Chic” attire for Deborah Gore Dean and Washington Life’s party to celebrate Gore Dean Antiques new location and Los Angeles artist Dianna Cohen’s“New Works In plastic” exhibit in June.§ THINKING OF ALTERNATIVES: The fabulous new Cady’s Alley location is filled with antiques and unique gift items ranging from $60 to $75,000, so guests got to indulge their shopaholic whims as they admired Cohen’s colorful abstract work of sewn together plastic, which the artist hopes will encourage viewers to think about the environment in alternative ways. Design Cuisine served mini Philly cheese steaks and hamburgers along with fancier fare as guests sipped champagne, people watched from the balcony and danced to 70’s disco hits.§ WHO WAS THERE: Over 300 guests, including Bolivian Ambassador Jamie Aparicio and his wife Pamela, decorator Tom Pheasant, Septime Webre, Kay Kendall, David and Janet Bruce, Pam Peabody, Carmen Petrowitz, Nina Auchincloss Straight and Andrew and Leslie Cockburn.
Mia Glickman
Susan Smith, Tom Pheasant, Deborah Gore Dean
and Barbara Hawthorn
Nini Ferguson
Dianna Cohen, Julia Cohen and Wayne DeSelle
Jamie Stewart
and Meredith Cusick
Paul Wharton
Jane and Jamie Gore
David Herchick, Deborah Gore Dean and Richard Lovuren
What: The Washington Ballet’s annual Jeté Society Dance Party. The gala is thrown by and largely for the ballet’s young-membership group, which supports the ballet’s signature education program, DanceDC.
This year’s theme: What Happens at the Embassy. . . Stays at the Embassy.
Where: Vegas . . . er, the French Embassy on Reservoir Road in Georgetown.
When: Saturday, January 26, from 9 PM to 1 AM.
Attire: “Dress to kill.”
Who: Event chairs Ashley Taylor and Winston Bao Lord were introduced by artistic director Septime Webre while the ballet’s executive-director-slash-dancer Kay Kendall hit the dance floor along with a slew of Washington’s young social set. Jeté Society president Elika Hemphill and her steering committee deserve praise for exceeding their $65,000 fundraising goal far before raffle and casino totals had come in.
The scene: Picture a gated entrance with a sleek white building glowing a hundred or so yards away on a slight rise and a hubbub of young singles, all fashionably late at the same time. The French Embassy was transformed into a Vegas-style casino for Saturday evening’s sold-out dance party, complete with blackjack tables and plentiful cocktails provided by Grey Goose. Women in heels and short dresses posed with their male attendants in front of Washington Life’s banner before trying their hand at blackjack and poker. Guests perused table after table of raffle items, including shoes from local designer Lacey K, a Wizards suite, and elegant place settings from Gore Dean. Guests were encouraged not only to dress to impress but also to leave conservative Washington rules behind; the event invitation encouraged them: “Be Wild. Be Sassy. Be Unexpected. Or Stay Home.” Winston Bao Lord and Ashley Taylor both dressed for a night worthy of the Venetian: She wore a bronze paillette sheath with opaque black stockings, bronze open-toe pumps, and a curly updo; he wore a white dinner jacket. Webre introduced the evening’s entertainment by warning, “This is not the ballet!” before a dozen or so scantily clad dancers from the Aaron Jackson Troupe performed an energetic number to Jimmy Jackson’s “Fashionista.”
Ouch: One gent left early after taking a fall on the dance floor and busting his nose.
Food: Trays of quichelike bites and mini-desserts including delish little profiteroles.
Drink: Beer, wine, Grey Goose cocktails, and oodles of bubbly.
Boldface names: 3.5 out of 5 Swankiness: 3.5 out of 5 Food and drink: 3 out of 5 Overall exclusivity: 3.5 out of 5
The area’s top designers were out in Georgetown in full force last night to celebrate the launch of coffee-table tome Spectacular Homes of Greater Washington, D.C. at Gore Dean Interiors. Guests milled around Deborah Gore Dean’s eclectic antique store while munching smoked salmon on toast triangles and drinking Terra Valentine wine, flown in from Napa Valley for the occasion.
The book is chock full of striking photographs, interesting Q&A’s, and bios of more than 40 area designers including big names such as Thomas Pheasant, Mary Douglas Drysdale, Jose Solis Betancourt, Michael Roberson, and Barry Dixon. It showcases homes in DC, Maryland and Virginia, and is available on amazon.com.
Zen Natural Umbrella
Solar Powered Patio and Beach Umbrella
Sombrilla
Hammock Style Outdoor Wooden Swing Bed With Canopy
The Sun Sail Cabana
Osmose Hammock
Total Sunblock Beach Shelter
Beach Lounger Pack Chair
g a gift to a family, I used to do sweets, but crab cakes for the family is what I am doing this year. I got some fun crab dishtowels to use as filler and I am having Casa Mia’s in Parkton send them out for me. A nice gift is a monogrammed Family History book that is great family project and then I tuck in a tin of something for the kids. Monogrammed family photo albums are good but you need to use lots of candy canes on the package to get that one past the kids!
tickets – we make a family night of it.
Adams desk calendars – a great price and so well-done each year.
Anichini’s Persia and Taj bedding lines in “camel” are topped with a quilted Shot Taffeta coverlet for a sumptuous, gilded look.
For the greenest sleepres, Amenity Home’s 100 precent certified organic cotton percale Birdseye Duvet Cover is 300 thread count and printed with non-toxic, water-based dyes.
Carnations get the royal treatment in a blooming topiary, which opens gradually and lasts for two weeks. The Revere bowl can be monogrammed for an extra charge ($95, Gore Dean Home, Georgetown Park, 3222 M St. NW; 202-625-9199). – THE WASHINGTON POST
Deborah Dean's DESIGN BLOG 
