Category — Magazines

BSE's 2nd Portrait Cover for GHID - for Washington State

On occasion, magazines will print more than one cover for their magazines.  Nowadays they’ll even do Facebook page queries to see what readers think about cover ideas before they print. Covers are what sell magazines. See something intriguing and your hand reaches out… Hmmm… What’s this, you think, and suddenly your eyes are feasting on what’s inside that favorite “book.”

A similar thing happened with Portrait Magazine, which chose to feature two of Blackstone Edge Studios’ images to grace its twin covers  for its sister publications: Portrait of Portland and Portrait Magazine. The former is published in Oregon, the latter in other West Coast states, such as Washington.

So, if you’re in line at the checkout counter, or perusing the magazine section in one of the big bookstores in Washington, you’ll see the kitchen cover shot we did  for the spread on our client GHID – Garrison Hullinger Interior Design‘s award-winning house in Battle Ground, Washington. This is the canning area of the large kitchen that was fashioned in part after a film – “Something’s Gotta Give,” starring Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton – which home deisgner Mike Blondino shared with his clients as a starting point for their home’s design. Hullinger created this charming canning area to counterbalance the larger islands alongside it.

BSE's Portrait of Portland cover - #1

If you’re out and about in Oregon or Portland, you’ll see this shot from the GHID Battle Ground home as its Hampton style cover. Either way, hope you enjoy the 12-page spread inside, replete with an article by yours truly – Donna Pizzi.

Charmaine Manley Design HQ in Bend's new CUBE

Blackstone Edge Studios took a trip to Bend this past weekend to create elements for an advertising campaign and European magazine spread for Charmaine Manley Design.  Manley’s new interior design headquarters are located in the innovative CUBE – a series of shipping containers that house the offices of some of Bend’s most creative companies. Charmaine conceived the idea and worked together with other members of the Bend creative design community to see it to its fruition. The grand opening will occur on Saturday, April 28th from 6-9 pm. Located next door to the Sparrow Bakery, it’s a sight not to be missed. Watch here for more info and imagery! You’ll love Charmaine Manley‘s sense of color!

A screen capture from the 1-minute video intro for the GHID presentation at Rejuvenation 4/5/12 ©Blackstone Edge Studios

In honor of Garrison Hullinger’s presentation at Rejuvenation tonight  (4/5/12) @ 6pm, which is co-sponsored by NW Natural The Blue Home, we created a one-minute video using images we’ve shot of GHID’s work over the years, along with some technical wizardry, and original music, as a type of video elevator speech…  We’ve just uploaded it to YouTube for those who are unable to attend tonight’s presentation. It’s sure to get you excited about the team @ GHID and the quality of their work.

Here’s the link!!!

His Seahound Ranch is featured in this month’s Gray Magazine out of Seattle (3rd issue of this new magazine), featuring our images, as well as the upcoming issue of Portrait Magazine due out shortly, for which we did the images, article and cover!

At Blackstone Edge Studios we tend to put our fingers in quite a few pies – guess it’s part and parcel of keeping the coffers full, the mind active, and the heart creative.

Clafoutis aux frambroises - raspberries picked along Blackstone Edge Studios' fence © Blackstoneedgestudios.com

In the magazine business, editors often awaken like a spring robin the minute they see the first sign of crocus and daffodils emerging from the snow-covered (or in the Pacific Northwest, Rain-Soaked) ground. One glance out our storm-lashed windows today shows trees budding out in shades of lime green (yes, my favorite), deep coral (another fav), and blooming, early-bird white clematis bushes already reaching for the sky!

Blackstone Edge Studios' Italian Garden - White Clematis ©blackstoneedge.com

In the good ole days, magazines preferred to shoot a year ahead – matching weather for weather. Nowadays, we find editors shoot from the hip, hoping, in some cases, the magazine will still be there by the time the ink is dry on the next issue…

So, how about, we thought, a little preview of some articles about to emerge like those tulips that are next in line to bloom after the drenched daffodils make room for their late-blooming bulb companions…

This is a teaser from a shoot we did last fall, due out this spring in SMALL ROOMS DECORATING Magazine. I just LOVE this house and its artistic owner… Sheila Ford Richmond.

Sheila Ford Richmond's kitchen - Yummy! ©blackstoneedge.com

An Astoria home with historic roots holds many surprises within… Watch for VINTAGE & VICTORIAN magazine to see the rest…

An historic home sits atop an Astoria hilltop ©blackstoneedge.com

And a real treat – a before and after story in the about-to-be released magazine: VINTAGE STYLE about a Vancouver home that changed its shabby chic decor for modernism – thanks to the talented design team, Linda & Bob Balta – due out this spring.

The Baltas' Shabby Chic look ©blackstoneedge.com

The Baltas "After" de-cluttered Modern look - ©blackstoneedge.com

We’ve got more in the “hopper” as well… But we don’t want to spoil your appetite with too many sweet things right before the upcoming Easter Egg hunt… Chocolate eggs anyone?

BSE Scores BIG in the Summer 2012 Cottage Style with FIVE FEATURED STORIES

To quote Cottage Style Managing Editor, Janet Mowat, “Blackstone Edge Studios really rocked this issue of Cottage Style!”

Interestingly, every one of the five houses we photographed, styled and wrote about just HAPPENED to be located in Washington State.  Now, each of the homeowners is awaiting to receive their copies and for it to hit the stands with bated breath…

In the meantime, here are some TEASER images you WON’T  SEE in the issue (because this issue is SO PACKED with 15 HOMES, they couldn’t run them all).

Candy Moger’s dreamy master bedroom & upstairs guest bedroom, carved out of a storage closet are two images we love here @ BSE:

Candy Moger's Master Bedroom @ the Beach ©Blackstoneedge.com

Candy turned a storage closet into this charming Guest BR, replete with window into the adjacent loft ©Blackstoneedge.com

Being Italian, I also love this shot from the master bedroom at Pamela Brown’s Tuscan-style home. Pam is the former owner of Camas, Washington’s popular Piccolo Paradiso Caffe… which BSE helped to get on its feet in its earliest stages.

This corner of Pam's Master BR is deliciously Old World Italia - settee from Justin & Burks Antiques, PDX, Faux Finished table by Peggy del Rosario ©Blackstoneedge.com

Pam's own Tuscan inspired oil paintings are featured here. ©Blackstoneedge.com

Jill & Eric Yates, of The House of Yates, in Olympia, Washington, are mad about Hawaiian Plantation Style design. Check out two of the yummy images not seen in the magazine:

You'll see this Mermaid guest BR from a different angle. ©Blackstoneedge.com

The remodeled bath was one of the first tasks in bringing around the Yates' once dilapidated, but charming home. ©Blackstoneedge.com

Wanda Vinton of Studio West Interiors received a big 9-page spread that opens the Patriotic Style section of the popular magazine.

Hydrangeas spill from a rustic antique iron piece ©Blackstoneedge.com

A sunny corner of the Vinton beach cottage ©Blackstoneedge.com

Susan Kashas, former owner of a popular Camas gift shop, recently moved her master BR upstairs, and added a coffee bar in the kitchen/mudroom area.

An angle toward the dormer window in the Kashas Master BR ©Blackstoneedge.com

This butler's sink & coffee bar are located near the back door off the kitchen. ©Blackstoneedge.com

Kudos to everyone in this issue for the beautiful, creative work they achieved that made them magazine worthy.  THANK YOU!!!

Also, be sure to let us know if you or one of your friends has a photogenic home. We shoot & write for a number of national and local interior design magazines, who are always EAGER to have us work for them. We are especially in need of Country  style homes at the moment. But we’ll look at all styles.

Garrison Hullinger Interior Design team in their newly expanded design HQ

Blackstone Edge Studios has been the agency of record for Garrison Hullinger Interior Design (GHID) for a number of years. This past year Garrison and his talented team – Nicole Copko, Alison Van Delden and Lisa Luchaco – have gone stratospheric.  As a unique marketing approach, I suggested that we illustrate the process of creating great interior design – and in this case – pulling together additional elements for local and national magazine shoots scheduled later that same week as a way to further promote the company. What better way to catch the busy team @ work, I said, than to follow the group with three of  Blackstone Edge Studios’ best shooters…

BSE Shooters - Justin Myers, owner Philip Clayton-Thompson & Marshal Serna @ GHID - Cell Shooter - Donna Pizzi

When we began photographing homes for magazines years ago, the magazines were really the prime way for interior designers to bring credence to their work and clients to their doorstep. Today, the tables have changed. Now it’s social media that often drives the editors of magazine. While both of these entities usually focus solely on room decor, we @ BSE think it’s the people who drive the creativity and wanted to show them in action.

Lisa, Nicole & Alison put together a presentation in the new GHID conference room ©Blackstoneedge.com

Owner Garrison Hullinger at Kravet Fabrics ©Blackstoneedge.com

Nicole Copko also writes the GHID blog ©BlackstoneEdge.com

We’re always searching for unique ways to create business opportunities for our clients.  One way is encourage them to create blogs on their websites, or as standalone social media outlets.

The GHID Team exiting Ferguson's ©Blackstoneedge.com

A day after we took these photos, we began a 2-day shoot at an elegant beach house, featuring Garrison Hullinger’s interior design. Watch for more on that exciting event right here.

Street of Dreams "Near" Cover

Blackstone Edge Studios congratulates its clients – the 2011 Award-Winning Street of Dreams Team – for their beautiful spread in the November issue of Portrait of Portland, powered by BSE’s photography.  Special kudos to Rick & Candace White of The WhiteHouse Collection, Sue Amos of Paul Schatz Furniture and builder John Noffz, Jr. of Brentwood Homes for their stellar work, which we were able to publish through our connections with Portrait Magazine. You can see a small selection of the BSE photography taken of this “Best of  Show” in the latest Portrait issue, along with my interview of the team. Our photo of the Con Amore dining room was one of the runners up for the cover, as seen above. Here are a few other shots from this summer’s two-day extravaganza, which included assignments for TruStile Doors, and a major window manufacturer.

Exterior of "Best of Show" - Con Amore ©Blackstone Edge Studios 2011

Stunning Sedum planters @ Con Amore ©Blackstone Edge Studios 2011

Master Hallway @ Con Amore ©Blackstone Edge Studios 2011

BSE's TruStile Door Photography @ Con Amore ©Blackstone Edge Studios 2011

Our Homage to the Flat Iron Bldg, NYC @ Con Amore ©Blackstoneedge.com

As a regular contributor to this magazine, I cover a multitude of stories. In this issue, I enjoyed interviewing award-winning New York interior designer Matthew Patrick Smyth about his popular new book “Living Traditions: Interiors.” I also had the honor of writing the story to accompany Portrait publisher Claudia Brown’s beautiful kitchen transformation.  Check them all out!

Blackstone Edge Studios has been busy photographing a wide-range of intriguing homes this summer, for which we’re very grateful. Kudos to all the homeowners whose beautifully designed homes were magazine worthy. Here’s a little peek!

© Blackstone Edge Studios - shot @ Jill & Eric Yates Home

© Blackstone Edge Studios - Justin & Burks Studio over Shop

We were further honored to learn this week that Old-House Interiors chose to reprint three kitchens we photographed, including the Portland home of Don Hastler and Dan Bergsvik, which was featured on a recent OHI cover.

© Blackstone Edge Studios - Hastler-Bergsvik Kitchen featured in OHI's "Kitchen Classics"

Even more humbling was the kind note Lori Viator of Old-House Interiors included with the good news:

“Thank you again for sharing your great art, your images and text that help make the book beautiful.
Lori~”

© Blackstone Edge Studios - Joan & Barbee Kruse Arts & Crafts kitchen will be featured in OHI's Kitchen Classics Magazine

© Blackstone Edge Studios - Great architectural angle from award-winning Street of Dreams Home - Con Amore

So many times, we are asked, “What do you do at Blackstone Edge Studios?”

Promote! Promote! Promote Our clients!

How do we do it?

We’re not publicists. But we understand the tremendous value of publicity.

We’re not just a photographic company or simple art directors, videographers or web & blog designers.

We are so much more… at least according to our local postmasters, who love to read and comment on our countless promotional postcards as they pass through their station.

“Hey,” asked Dana, the head postmaster the other day, “You guys at Blackstone Edge seem do everything! Are you going to start giving USPS a run for their money as well?”

Well, we don’t deliver mail, but here’s what we do!

When the interior designer, architect and furniture company who collaborated on the Street of Dreams House – Con Amore – wanted some photos taken of their work, they got a bid from a local photographer. Then they heard about us.

They compared the work on each website…

Sure, our photos were decidedly better, but that’s not the end of story.

© Blackstone Edge Studios - One of Philip Clayton-Thompson's closeups of the award-winning sedum planters @ Con Amore

We saw potential beyond simple portfolio use.

We thought it could be published as well.

Yesterday, Con Amore won numerous awards, including:

BEST OF SHOW..

Today, we learned that it will get a large spread in a high-end magazine, thanks to our efforts and their combined talents.

Congratulations to:

Candace & Richard White of The White House Collection, Sue Amos of Paul Schatz Furniture, John Noffz of Brentwood Homes, Quadrant Systems, G2 Outdoor Living and Drew Tolmie of Kitchens & More

You may recall an earlier post regarding a shoot we did in Galveston, Texas, at the home of Leonard La Magna.

1886 Wehmeyer Residence - La Magna-Folzenlogen restoration © BSE Photo 2011

The day after we shot his beautiful 1886 Italianate, which was completely destroyed by Hurricane Ike’s flood waters before the paint from their first restoration had dried, we photographed his neighbor’s 1907 town house that belongs to our long-time clients and friends, Cathy Hitchcock and Steve Austin, previously of Portland, Oregon.

1907 Galveston Town House restored after Hurricane Ike © Blackstone Edge Studios 2011

Steve and Cathy left Portland in September 2008, just as Hurricane Ike was bearing down on Galveston. Unlike La Magna, their belongings would not be destroyed by the salty flood waters that would wash in and out of their homes, since theirs were locked in a moving van headed for Texas. But the horrors they would endure as a result of the aftermath of the storm recounts Steve in this month’s Old-House Interiors article – combined with the devastating stock market crash – brought a certain “restraint” to their usual Victorian decorating style. For two strict vegetarians (Steve is a retired doctor of naturopathy, who lectured round the world)  to be limited to Fema rations for months, while living without electricity or hot water and sleeping on a slab of 30″ wide foam, was nothing short of hell!

All the more reason why we were determined to record their gargantuan and extraordinary efforts – a story within itself.

The Austin-Hitchcock parlor in Galveston - © BSE Photo 2011

To think that out of all this tragedy sprang not only the exquisite beauty of their home, but also the persistence that led this couple, who had devoted their lives to researching this period, its wallpaper styles, and  one-of-a-kind antiques is completely astonishing.

When money was short, they stenciled walls and ceilings to make up for the historic wallpapers they could no longer afford. Long, arduous hours were spent on these tasks that kept them from drowning in self-pity for their plight. Here below is just one of the rooms they stenciled by hand – the results are even more stunning in person.

Austin-Hitchcock Library - references Mark Twain's Connecticut Library.© BSE Photo 2011

Perhaps the most miraculous part of this story occurred just a few weeks before their articles hit the news stands. The small condo they had purchased back in Portland as a pied-a-terre  to get away from the steamy Galveston summers was, they announced to friends, now going to be their permanent home. And their magnificent Galveston Town House is now offered for sale – along with its contents. You can see a virtual tour of the property here:    http://dht1.com/tour/9896