An artist’s eye

BY MARY SHUSTACK

The cream, as they say, rises to the top.

That concept was proven once again recently when information about The Vale London arrived at WAG amid the routine flood of emails.

The introduction to the company launched by Melinda Marquardt in 2017 was intriguing from the start.

A London-based artist who, we would learn, had worked in sales for an American textile company, she decided to create a business that would pair her education in fine art with her years of experience in sales. The Vale London would be dedicated to creating and providing textiles and wallpapers for the luxury interiors market.

Once we saw the designs, we were hooked by her reinterpretation of the classics — first, the romantic patterns inspired by English gardens and then, the bolder work inspired by travel farther afield. All, we note, share her dedication to time-honored techniques that focus on fine hand drawings, lavish watercolors and what she calls the “lost art” of Asian marbling, the last being an approach shared with Venetian style.

Soon after our first look, we reached out to Marquardt who graciously took time to tell us more about The Vale London, which has made its American debut.

Please tell us a bit about your background and training.

“Growing up in England, the school system allows you to concentrate on the subjects that you love from the age of 16. I chose textiles, fine art and business and never looked back. I attended university in upstate New York at Skidmore College and majored in fine art with a business minor. After graduation, I immediately got a job at Fabricut in New York City. I fell in love with textiles and worked my way up to sales manager of Europe and Russia. After seven years at Fabricut, I had the opportunity to design a pattern for the New York Botanical (Garden) collection with Vervain. I fell in love with textile design and decided to partner my education in fine art with my experience in the textile world.

“In early 2014 I returned to London (after being promoted to the sales manager of EU/Russia) as I needed to be closer to my territory. I (now) house my design studio in my flat that I share with my pup, Milo.”

Tell us about The Vale London — when it launched, what is its focus and the meaning of the name.

“Named after the street I grew up on in London, The Vale’s first collection launched in September 2019. The majority of the collection was inspired by a trip that I took to Tanzania with my family. I am obsessed with African textiles and British colonial style. The Oakley collection is a modern twist on traditional and classic themes celebrating African textiles, plants and wildlife.”

Can you give us a glimpse into your process, walking us through one design, perhaps? Please share a bit about inspiration, development and the rewards of seeing a final product.

“Sugarbush is my personal favorite in the collection, a gorgeous embroidered textile based on the wildflowers of Africa. I brought my trusty watercolor palette with me to an island off the coast of Tanzania and spent the week painting local plant life. On my return to London, I met with some excellent technicians, who artfully translated my paintings into an embroidered textile. Seeing the finished product was so rewarding for this pattern in particular because it shows off the benefits of collaborating with the finest mills and artisans.” Artist Melinda Marquardt, founder of The Vale London, in her studio.

What are your enduring inspirations — and how does contemporary life/ culture influence your process?

“I talk a lot about inspiration from my travels, but I also pick up details in everyday life around London. I’m surrounded by beautiful architecture (and) find myself staring out the car window at the facades of gorgeous Georgian and Victorian buildings in juxtaposition to modern skyscrapers. The beauty is in the juxtaposition of aesthetics, and I think The Vale encompasses that balance of traditional with a modern twist.”

How do you think being an artist as well as a designer distinguishes your work, from your approach and perspective to your goals?

“The goal with all of my designs is to provide art for the home. I want every piece to show the hand of the artist and for the viewer to discover more details in work, the longer they look at it. Every brush stroke and ink stain of the original art is transferred unedited into the final product. As you look closely at each piece, you will discover another brushstroke you didn’t see before or the echo of a pencil mark that was erased. The story in the development of the design is there if you look closely.”

And finally, what do you think about your work, from textiles to wallpapers, “going global.” What do you hope American customers connect with most — and what can we expect in 2020?

“2020 is going to be an exciting year. Over the past three months, I’ve signed distribution deals with 15 road reps and 25 showrooms globally. I am excited for designers to get their hands on the product and see my textiles and wallpapers used in projects. I think American customers will appreciate the quality of the product. Every pattern in the collection is 100% natural and built to stand the test of time. In a world where sustainability is at the forefront of everyone’s mind, The Vale aims to provide a luxury and environmentally friendly product.”

For more, visit thevalelondon.co.uk.

Melinda Marquardt’s inspiration board in her London studio.

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The current residential real estate market in the tristate area currently favors buyers and not sellers. High prices and the reduction in SALT (state and local taxes) allowances, plus the cost to keep up homes, have caused most buyers to rethink where and how they want to live. To attract current buyers first and foremost your home needs to be in tip-top shape. Getting ready to sell your home can be overwhelming, especially if you have lived there for a long time Almost all of us have a way of collecting way too much stuff and are no longer able to see our homes through a stranger’s eyes. We let things go, ignoring chores that would otherwise force us to deal with repairs. Sometimes those small repairs become big repairs. Here are some tips to get your home in shape to attract today’s buyer.

Potential buyers want to walk into a clean, cared-for home that is stylishly up to date. They want to be able to imagine themselves living in your space. If your décor is so far from current trends, then your home will look dated. Sometimes perfectly maintained but dated homes can still be a turnoff to potential buyers. If the last time you decorated was 20 years ago and you have done nothing to update your home since then, you need to do some refreshing.

First declutter your home. Today’s thought on staging requires homeowners to eliminate virtually any sense of the homeowner. I don’t totally agree with that because if your home is updated, people are still curious about how a home could potentially look without being staged. However, keep fewer accessories out and get rid of an overflow of unwanted things. Organize your closets so it’s clear to potential buyers how much room is in your closets.

Next up, repair or replace anything that is broken, from old screens to leaky faucets to appliances. A fresh coat of paint in a neutral trending color allows homebuyers to move in without having to immediately tackle painting. If your kitchens and bathrooms are dated and worn, that will be an immediate turnoff to buyers and you will pay a price at the negotiating table. A current trend is renovating kitchens and bathrooms a couple of years prior to selling. This allows the homeowner to renovate and enjoy the new spaces prior to selling and then selling at a top price. If you decide to renovate your kitchen, don’t skimp on the appliances. Today’s buyers want commercial appliances and top-of-the-line amenities in place and in good working order. The current trend in bathrooms is to create spa-like spaces. Whether you are traditional or modern, calm, clean-lined spaces are trending. There are so many stone and porcelain materials to choose from. If you decide to renovate, neutral and timeless is the way to go, with whites, grays and navy

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Today’s buyers like everything to be done for them. First-time homebuyers are on-average older than boomers were when they first bought their homes. If they have small children, they are usually both working and commuting to jobs and they don’t have the time to work on home repairs. Often it’s costing them so much money to get the down payments together that there is not much left for repairs or even decorating. Older clients who are downsizing also want everything done for them. They have often been through years of maintaining large homes and properties and just want to pare down and enjoy life. Once a seller understands this, it makes it easier for him or her to figure out what it will take to get the home sold.

Once you have decided to put your home on the market and have chosen a Realtor, have the agent come in and assess your home and point out any repairs or updates that will enhance your home to a potential buyer. Take the time to go over the suggestions and implement the changes before hitting the market. It behooves both the realtor and you to maximize your home’s market value. Or you can take stock of the suggestions and decide which repairs you want to make and what you are willing to take off the price because that is what happens in a buyer’s market.

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A spa-like bath and up-to-date kitchen, above, enhance the resale value of a home.

BY MARY SHUSTACK

To hear — or more accurately see — what’s new with Kate D. Spain, simply walk into the Delamar Greenwich Harbor.

That’s an easy way to check out eye heart hand — what’s billed as the “field-to-fiber-to-floor” rug collection from Spain — since two custom rugs from the collection were recently installed off the luxury hotel’s harborside lobby, working with interior designer Lisa Silver of Siver Contract Interiors in Stamford.

Spain, savvy WAG readers may recall, is the designer behind the KD Spain brand, and Kate works hand-in-hand with her husband and business partner, Pete Spain.

At the time WAG visited the Spains in Bridgeport for a September 2016 feature, we were dazzled by her natureinspired designs that peppered the couple’s home in the Black Rock section. Her work was translated onto everything from pillows to table runners, rugs to curtains and framed prints to plates.

From left: Custom rugs from the eye heart hand collection were recently installed in the harborside lobby at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor; and Pete and Kate Spain at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in Manhattan. Images courtesy Kate D. Spain.

She had been creating home goods since 2008. When we visited she had recently launched her namesake collection.

Spain, who grew up in Mamaroneck and would eventually land at the Rhode Island School of Design to study graphics, took us into her home-based studio where we got a glimpse into her inspirations and methods that produced collaborations and products for retail giants from Target to Crate&Barrel and companies such as Bigelow Tea to Andrews McMeel Publishing.

With Pete still handling the business side of things and Kate the design, the Spain effort seems stronger than ever, as we were pleased to hear in an update sent by Pete (of course).

As he told us, through KD Spain, Kate continues to license her original graphic designs worldwide for an array of products.

The heart of the update though was focused on rugs — specifically, the news that Kate and Pete have developed the eye heart hand collection, which they proudly share has been well-received by shop owners, interior designers and customers since its introduction last year at the prestigious International Contemporary Furniture Fair. (Pete noted, as well, that the name can be styled

eye heart hand to emphasize the integral importance of the “earth” in what they do).

In that email update from the Spains, Kate shared how the latest effort began:

“About five years back, I was licensing a design to a rug company. It was a best-selling rug. To our surprise, customer complaints and the return rate were very high. And so, we sent a sample to be lab tested. We discovered it wasn’t actually ‘New Zealand’ wool as the manufacture had claimed. We decided to step back, to prioritize transparency and to create an ethical rug-making process with a new team of our own.”

The Spains detailed several reasons why these new rugs are connecting with customers: • No child labor. All rug making is done by GoodWeavecertified adult artisans. Celebrating 25 years in its mission to end child labor, Goodweave is an international leader in assuring against child, bonded or slave labor. Each eye heart hand rug bears the GoodWeave label. Pete participated on a panel about ethical supply chains at Grace Farms in New Canaan last spring to discuss this and how GoodWeave keeps child labor out of overseas manufacturing and improves education, health and labor conditions in manufacturing communities. • Extraordinary materials. The Spains source highland strong wool from one family farm on the South Island of New Zealand. Kate explains: “This wool is perfect for the rugs I design. Its natural whiteness and luster bring contrast to the colors and sheen to the texture. Its long staple makes the construction extremely durable, with minimal shedding, and still so comfortable. Such beautiful wool is a product of the farmer’s commitment to the highest animal welfare standards, sustainable environmental management and to supporting native biodiversity.” • Scientific testing. The Spains assure that the specially selected wool is the only wool in their rugs. Throughout the process, the wool is randomly sampled in India and sent to Oritain in New Zealand for independent scientific traceability testing and verification.

As Pete points out, “The Wools of New Zealand organization estimates that about 500 million pounds of counterfeit ‘New Zealand wool’ enter the global market each year. This has severely damaged the market price and hurt the farmers. And at the consumer level, how do we know what we’re really getting? For eye heart hand, we decided to remove all doubt. If an Oritain test comes back negative, then we don’t use that wool in our rugs. Sure it costs more, but it sets us apart.”

And the finishing touch? Each eye heart hand rug is handnumbered and finished with a label hand-signed by the designer, the shepherd in New Zealand and by the rug maker in India.

As Kate says, “It’s a real collaboration — from my drawing board, to the farm and the sheep, to the GoodWeave artisans.” As the Spains sum up their update, looking ever forward, “The eye heart hand collaboration is creating new collections of rugs and additional single-source handmade products that will continue to deliver original designs, luxury quality and proven provenance.”

For more, visit eyehearthand.earth or kdspain.com.