Martha Stewart

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In 1991, the poster woman of American homelife Martha Stewart purchased an East Hamptons residence for $1.7 million. The Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia founder stated that, “It was the oldest house on the block and a total wreck,” yet “[she] decided [she] had to have it.” Over the years, the property would be renovated and become her longtime vacation home. However, she is now bidding farewell to the humble abode. While the transaction is an off-market deal, it is reported that the initial asking price was listed at $8.4 million but was finalized at a whopping $16.5 million. At nearly double the asking price, Stewart has made a massive profit and left her former residence to Kenneth Lerer, the former chairman of BuzzFeed and co-founder of the Huffington Post, and his wife, interior designer Katherine Sailer.

Built in 1873, the shingled cottage has been restored and renovated into a more contemporary space while maintaining its initial charm. Stewart, well known for her design skills, claims “it’s an old-fashioned house, but it has a clean, pristine vibe.” Although not much is known regarding the interior layout of the home, decorative elements include unique pieces acquired from various yard sales and consignment stores. With its original paneling and built-ins, the lovely vacation home features a glass-enclosed porch with teal-blue Mexican cement tiling which acts as dining area. Additionally, the space boasts newly leaded glass windows and plentiful wainscoting. Notable distinctive features consist of a marble vanity in the primary bathroom, a pink and yellow Venetian-glass chandelier in the formal dining room, and a collection of antique taxidermized fish throughout the residence.

The post Hamptons Happiness: Martha Stewart Sells Vacation Home For Double The Asking Price appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Blake Lively

Blake Lively has compiled inspiration books full of pictures, color swatches and fabric memos since she was a teenager. Just like a pro, she uses her mood boards as a starting point for her own designs.

I design my friends homes. For free. Of all the bad decisions I’ve made, this may be the most fun... Thank you to my daughters for unknowingly loaning me your clothes for “fabric” inspo, thank you @dmitriyco for the stencils that are way too fun it’s not normal, thank you bathroom for having a lose tile that I could steal for more “fabric” inspo, and thank you mom for the sleeping disorder that keeps me up all night. ?? ??‍???

A post shared by Blake Lively (@blakelively) on Apr 13, 2018 at 10:26pm PDT

After designing her own homes for years, Blake is now getting interior design requests from friends. She loves home decor so much that she doesn't even charge for her services–yet.

Blake used to publish a blog called Preserve that focused on helping people discover the work of local artisans. The blog is no more, but Blake is still spreading the word about the makers she admires, like Dimitriy & Co furniture.

Lauren Conrad

Lauren Conrad left life as an American television personality to become a purveyor of all things lovely and chic.

Her blog and VIP newsletter offers everything from hairstyle trends to drink recipes, but she has also launched a successful home decor line for Kohl's and performed room makeovers on behalf of Pottery Barn.

Lauren has been called "the Martha Stewart for millennials" and it all starts with her own personally-styled home in Pacific Palisades, California.

Cindy Crawford

After retiring as one of the world's most recognizable supermodels, Cindy Crawford got into furniture design in 2005. She has evolved that interest over the years into a philosophy on how to design a home the right way. "I don’t like it when people buy a midcentury house and then try to change it, or buy a Tudor and try to make it modern,” she said in an interview with Elle Decor last year.

Twitter @Silestone

In addition to making things look chic, Cindy offers tips on decorating for all the senses by imagining how someone might experience a home's smells or the feel of certain fabrics.

A mother herself, she learned to use outdoor fabrics whenever possible to ward off messes left by little ones or pets.

Proving that good design is also practical, Cindy suggests designing kitchens that not only look amazing but are also easy to clean.

She tries not to get so caught up in aesthetics that lifestyle doesn't get considered. Having a comfortable place to read or watch a favorite program is an important part of designing a home that's comfortable to live in.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton used to own a Frank Lloyd Wright home in L.A. In 2011, she launched a table-top line for Bed Bath and Beyond. Her love of design has culminated in the publishing of three home design coffee table books.

Her latest, The House That Pinterest Built, is described as "a style guide, an inspirational tome, and a how-to volume on creating one’s home."

Diane started publishing design books because she wanted to celebrate the inspiration people get from seeing the design eye of others, "billions of people discover, seize and enlarge their reference pool with the variety of beauty allocated from others," she says in the book's introduction.

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Blake continues to act in films while being a health and style icon for legions of fans. The mother of two consistently looks fabulous whether in $2 million worth of jewels at the Met Gala or strolling home in her sneakers from a Westchester gym.

When they do manage to escape the seemingly endless press junkets and paparazzi shutterfests, Ryan and Blake recoup and re-center their family on 1.8 acres of a bucolic garden estate in Pound Ridge, NY.

When Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively enjoy the country life, they're not cleaning chicken coops and milking dairy cows. Picture Martha Stewart cottage living. Seriously, Martha is actually the couple's neighbor and a homemaker mentor to Blake.

The glamorous couple purchased the 4,753-square-foot home that sits an hour's drive from Midtown Manhattan in 2012 for $2.35 million. Maybe it had something to do with the two pink dogwoods perfectly framing the home's sunny yellow sloping peak that sealed the deal.

There's plenty of luxury details built into this country house. Two private dressing rooms off the master, french doors leading out to a covered porch, a custom stone terrace overlooking the water, and a two-bedroom guest suite, are just some of the unique features that give this place its character.

The lush grounds provide amazing views of the Cross River Reservoir during the day, while Ryan and Blake can cozy up to one of the three fireplaces spread out over gleaming hardwoods on those chilly upstate nights.

Blake Lively is unashamedly domestic–her Instagram will attest to the fact that she uses every inch of her country kitchen to whip up tasty home-style family feasts.

Ryan is much more toned-down in real life than the Deadpool character he plays. After months of acting the part of a sarcastic superhero, he probably welcomes the breathing space his spacious house and sprawling yard provide. That is until neighbor Ralph Lauren pops by to borrow some curry-ketchup.

Locals describe Ryan and Blake as being "really nice" as they shop together in town for homemade goods or appear at chef Jean‑Georges' The Inn at Pound Ridge for some farm-to-table cuisine.

Three years ago, when Blake still maintained a website called Preserve, dedicated to all things handmade and local in Bedford, she explained to Vogue her reason for wanting to move to a more rural area. "People want things with meaning. I know that because I want that."

Meaningful is a great word to describe the stylish yet substantial life that Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have curated for themselves.

Photos from realtor.com

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Photo courtesy of Business Insider.

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Corkboard Leaf Trivets: Rather than relying upon overly commercial table top designs that every one of your  neighborhoods will also have, make your own designs out of corkboard. Customize your table by incorporating seasonal motifs like leaves by using one of Martha Stewart's online templates), or get creative and make your own design.

Doily Runner: While store-bought table runners can be overly intricate or border on gaudy, Martha's runner of doilies looks both timeless and chic. Using doilies of varying sizes and patterns stiffened with spray starch and the simple press of an iron, you can make a truly gorgeous table.

Turnip Votive Holder: Although we love nothing more than a set of dramatic candle holders, having flames flickering between yourself and your guests can seriously impede conversation. Incorporate a rustic feel into your Thanksgiving meal by turning a beautifully bright turnip into a tealight holder. We can't imagine a more beautiful counterpart to the bright orange leaves falling outside. 

For more information, and to see the whole list of simple Thanksgiving table tips, check out the full post on Martha Stewart's website.

Source and photos courtesy Martha Stewart. 

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