COTE DE TEXAS: Post Pink - 2009

Post Pink - 2009

Each year, Patricia of Mrs. Blandings fame, asks fellow bloggers to post PINK on October 1st to increase awareness about breast cancer and screening.   For more information on this important health issue for both women AND men,  go HERE and HERE.   Be sure to visit Mrs. Blandings HERE and all the other bloggers who joined her in this worthwhile endeavor.  Thanks Patricia for all you do for the cause.  You’re the best!

In choosing a PINK topic to blog about – what would be better than to revisit Martha Stewart’s beautiful guest house on her Maine estate, Skylands, which is painted and decorated entirely in – you guessed it pink!

 

Here in the living room of the four room guest house, Martha put sisal on the floor and painted everything – the walls and the trim -    this same luscious shade of pink.  Copper accessories are used as an accent throughout.   Be sure to notice how the window opens.   Charming!

 

At Skylands, Martha Stewart’s coastal Maine estate built for Edsel and Eleanor Ford, the guest house is a vision in pink.   The chosen shade of pink is warm and welcoming, closer in color to a coral than the cooler magenta.  The fact that pink was used is no mere accident: instead it is a rather obvious sentimental and romantic choice since Skyland’s main house was constructed entirely of pink granite that was quarried on the property.  Even the winding driveways are laid with a fine crushed pink granite. 

Skylands is located on Mount  Desert Island, high atop Ox Hill at 384 feet above sea level.    The property, with its 63 wooded acres and views of Seal Harbor, was built in 1925 by architect Duncan Candler.   Comprised of three stories with 12 bedrooms,  formal public rooms, expansive kitchen and laundry facilities,  it is the house that Martha calls her favorite.   There are numerous outbuildings on the estate including a greenhouse, stables, an indoor squash court, and even a large Catholic church!  Stewart purchased the house from its second owner fully furnished and once moved in, she discovered many treasures stored away, including a fully stocked wine cellar.  

Skylands spectacular  landscaping with its rocky and hilly terrain, was designed by Jens Jensen who used pine needles to create winding footpaths throughout the woods,  adding reflecting pools and moss gardens along the way.   Deep within the forest, a large circle was constructed out of rocks around a fire pit for late night gatherings. 

Martha’s restoration of Skylands, both inside and out,  has been meticulous of course.  But her annual grounds keeping rituals are truly awe inspiring.  At the end of each summer vacation season, in a routine devised by Jensen, the staff picks up from the numerous footpaths the top layer of pine needles, along with assorted fallen bark and leaves,  thereby exposing a cleaner layer of pine needles.  And even more back breaking work is left for the driveways – all the crushed pink granite is removed, where it is then cleaned and stored until the next summer season. 

 

In the dining room, a painting of a Venetian lagoon, by Stewart’s friend Kevin Burger, hangs on the wall.

 

 

Stewart poses in the dining room with its table made of gray terrazzo.  The color gray is found throughout the guest house – including on the ceilings which are all painted that soft hue to complement the pink.

 

 

Gorgeous flowers in all shades of pink are found throughout the guest house.

 

 

 

The bedroom is filled with vintage wicker furniture all painted a unifying gray.  The sconces came from Martha’s grandmother.

 

 

The view from the desk in the bedroom looks out over the water.

 

 

A chaise is placed in front of the fireplace – much needed in chilly Maine.  The large mirror reflects the harbor.

 

 

The soft pinks continue into the bathroom.  The wicker table acts as a linen closet.   Martha found the pink Venetian mirror at a consignment shop.

 

 

The bathroom is the one place in the guest house where white is used to pop all the pink.   The free standing sink has white porcelain knobs.

 

 [skylandsdriveway.jpg]The driveway into the wooded Skylands is made of pink granite – which at the end of each summer vacation season, is all picked up, professionally cleaned, then stored until the next summer.

 

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Skylands is surrounded by a series of stone terraces.  Here you can plainly see the pink granite that the house was built of.  Notice the gorgeous leaded windows found throughout and the beautiful slate roof. 

 

 

Throughout the woodlands there are a series of footpaths, mostly made of pine needles and slabs of stone steps, where needed.

 

 

The circle made of rock surrounds a fire pit – the site of many late night activities.

 

As it was in the 1920s – shortly after it was constructed out of pink granite for Edsel Ford.  Martha Stewart is only the third owner of this majestic estate.

 

 

Be sure to go HERE and HERE to read more about breast cancer awareness and screening.

51 comments :

  1. Wow. Gorgeous post Joni. I just did my post on Round Top and linked back to you - come see. Looks like you and Brooke had fun, in spite of the HEAT!

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  2. Absolutely Beautiful. The granite around my house only gets cleaned every other summer. This makes me acctually like pink. The only thing, there needs to be something beautiful showing in that mirror over the fireplace.

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  3. Joni, as always, perfect. I'm so happy to see your postings and know you're also in Houston, as I am. XXOOXX's Marsha

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  4. One of my favorite issues of that mag... though I still try to decide if I adore that pink thing or it gives me a heeadache, there is no in between for me...

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  5. I enjoyed touring Martha's pink house again, thank you!
    Have a fabulous day!
    Julie

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  6. Love the leaded windows. Mom had them on her house but sadly replaced them because they were a b**** to paint, not that she evah would have painted them herself...Even though she was 5'9" tall she wore stilleto's and a pencil skirt all most every day.

    Loved the post.

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  7. A lovely pink post!

    I posted about my personal experiences with breast cancer today in recognition of breast cancer awareness month.

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  8. Wow. You know, I love Martha. Some folks would say she's overdone, too ubiquitous for too long. I love her. Her sense of style is so perfectly spot on to my eyes. Never too much. An entirely pink house that does not seem overdone? That must take exceptional talent!

    Thanks for the gorgeous photos, Joni!

    XO,
    Jacci

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  9. You've got to be kidding about the pink granite driveway!!! Hysterical!

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  10. Like the commenter above, can't believe the drive-way! really, they clean it? anyway, great post!

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  11. It is beautiful in every aspect. I can see why Martha considers it her favorite home!

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  12. Joni,
    This Martha is someone well-known in the US , I have discovered that! And I can understand! Her work is very elegant and feminine!
    It was a good idea to post about Martha's house on the Skylands on this pink day!

    Greet

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  13. I swear, if I had this place, I would not waste my time making apple cobblers with Puff Daddy for my TV show. I'd move up there and write a great novel. Just a sublime place!

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  14. Martha Steward has pulled off a brilliant feat with her pink living room. It's the first time I ever saw pink used as a COLD colour. At any rate, the effect is cool and detached.

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  15. Lovely shades of pink. The fire pit is great too.

    Nice post!

    xo,
    cristin

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  16. A gorgeous guest cottage Joni, xv.

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  17. Yes Greet, this Martha is very famous in the US, very!!!!

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  18. I did not know about this. I will do the pink post next year. Loved yours. Years ago, my aunt was selling real estate, she got a listing where the whole inside was painted pink. She suggest that they re-paint and they did...when she visited again everything had a fresh coat of PINK!

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  19. Leave it to you to have the pinkest pink blog. That house is fabulous. I love the murano Glass candlesticks with the swans... and the mix of gray with the pink...Yum! It's like you're inside a petit fours...

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  20. What a fabulous post... and what a great way to incorporate think pink!
    Lorri

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  21. That was a lovely post Joni. Thanks for sharing. Pink may not be one of those colors we regularly use for our homes but it can definitely add style and as they say even romance when used properly. I am not updating my blog as much these days as I took a teaching job but I am definitely visiting your blog everytime I can. Your posts are really great.

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  22. Lovely beyond!I would love to do a pink and gray/charcoal room! Lets all do as much as possible to prevent Breast Cancer. I have a new post up for the cause.

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  23. Joni,
    I had never seen Martha's Skyland's. It's just beautiful. I could definitely do something like that if it were just ME, but don't think the DH would go for it!
    My "pink" is up, not as glam as yours though!
    xx

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  24. Joni- This is such a beautiful post. Thank you for the inspiration.

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  25. Joni, Loved learning about Martha's lovely pink estate. Only Martha could do all pink in such an elegant and understated way.Truly beautiful, thank you for doing this post it was great and for a great cause, Kathysue

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  26. I LOVE the exterior of this house (the inside isn't bad either) and I also LOVE Greet's comment.

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  27. Joni-

    Imagine waking up in that dreamy pink bedroom--and going out for a hike--and then returning for one of Martha's (chef's) breakfasts. I hope she would not have a photographer there to shoot it...I'd want to dine, not wait for the food to be shot.
    Wonderful idea of Mrs B.
    Cheers, www.thestylesaloniste.com

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  28. Love the post. I had no idea Martha's had such a lavish estate in Maine. Her Estate near us in Katonah is so perfect that it does not seem livable... I thought I had heard all kinds of self indulge extravagances....but the driveway story.... the old wasp society that summered in Maine would chukkle about it over Martinis....
    Mild envy aside, I love the interiors of the cottage and admire Martha for her genious marketing and branding skills. Thank you for reminding us that to day is " pink day". I will dress in pink for the cause especially after loosing someone very close to my children and our hearts this summer from breast cancer.

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  29. Stunning pink post, Joni! My favorites: the wicker desk and the fire pit. So sorry that I was out-of-the-loop for the past three weeks (apologies for not answering your e-mail promptly - promise I will this weekend) as our precious dog 'Carson' was so very ill and passed away. Posted a photo tribute on FB - would love for you to see his beautiful brown eyes. Hoping your Round Top adventure is over-the-Top! Thanks for your blog - you are heavenly sent, my dear one!

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  30. Hi Joni,

    I'm not a big fan of pink, but this is just lovely! Not even a hint of that Pepto Bismol shade and the overdone fussiness I usually see in pink rooms. I especially liked the granite table with it's scrolled legs. And the slipper chair next on the right of the fireplace is also darling.

    I do believe a man could actually live in this pink house!

    And thanks for the reminder about a pink post for October.

    Genevieve
    Jewel Box Home

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  31. I had loved Martha's pink quest house and especially the painting by Kevin Burger - I looked him and sad to say he died in January of 2008 - as a breast cancer survivor I appreciate your pink posting and always a treat to revisit Martha - she recently did a Skylands tour on her season opener TV show - the linen tablecloths left behind on special rollers - well the whole tour was amazing.
    Suzanne on St. Simons

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  32. Joni, I don't think I've ever seen some of these photos of the guest house, or else I've forgotten. Pink is not usually a color in my decor, but this is lovely. I am amazed about the cleaning of the granite on the driveway! How wonderful to be able to pay someone to do that kind of thing AND especially to store it! laurie

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  33. Martha doesn't strike me as a pink kind of girl and the copper accessories with the pink suprises me. I do love the gray with it--beautiful!

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  34. Hi Joni- Kelly again... :) I wish I could've emailed directly back to your reply on my blog... All I was trying to say is that maybe a great sofa at a clearance price would be a good alternative too. :) I did that for the lake house and managed to find a well made, down wrapped sofa in a great khaki linen for $399 (original price $2000) The overall look of the Ikea sofa wouldn't be so bad if weren't for those darn cushions... but you do have a point about wrapping them. :) I think we agree we just have a different solution... Have a great day!

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  35. Hi Joni- Kelly again... :) I wish I could've emailed directly back to your reply on my blog... All I was trying to say is that maybe a great sofa at a clearance price would be a good alternative too. :) I did that for the lake house and managed to find a well made, down wrapped sofa in a great khaki linen for $399 (original price $2000) The overall look of the Ikea sofa wouldn't be so bad if weren't for those darn cushions... but you do have a point about wrapping them. :) I think we agree we just have a different solution... Have a great day!

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  36. I can't believe I missed this post from you Joni!!! I am looking at the Martha Stewart Living May 2007 issue on top of my magazine basket as I write this!!! One of my all time favorites- mostly because of the Maine connection! I am obsessed with Skylands and I sooooo appreciated this great post!!!You are the best!! Love the 1920's pix!! I pretend my 1912 "Lucky Stars" is a mini Skylands!!!

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