I think it’s exciting to hear from inspiring designers and stylists and I love doing interviews with them when I get the chance. There’s no better time than the holiday season to hear from one of my favorites, Matthew Mead. Matthew is a stylist, writer, author, and photographer who’s been in the magazine and publishing industry for years and someone I had the pleasure to work with earlier this year.
Matthew is the former style editor of Country Home magazine, and last year launched his own magazine, Holiday with Matthew Mead. Currently, Matthew is the official food photographer for the Associated Press and a regular style contributor to HGTV.com and Better Homes & Gardens publications. I asked Matthew to answer some questions for me and he graciously agreed.
CG: Tell us how you got started in the business of designing, styling, and eventually authoring your own publications?
MM: I wrote a letter to Mary Emmerling, Queen of Country Style back in the late eighties and was lucky enough to meet her at her South Hampton Long Island cottage compound overlooking the Atlantic. She offered me work on her new magazine MARY EMMERLING’S COUNTRY and that was the start of my career back in 1992. I’ve worked in the industry steadily ever since… that led to books, magazines, the creation of my own brand of publications and products.
CG: Where do you look for inspiration for all of your projects or magazine shoots?
MM: I am very drawn to vintage items, antiques, collectibles, colors… you know that about me… when we met at your home the first thing we did was go out antiquing. Its in my blood, its my soul… I feel so intimately connected to the past, the flea market, the much loved and used items.
CG: The holidays are upon is and as the song goes it’s the most wonderful time of the year, right? People often feel the stress of the season and can forget it’s more about the celebrations. What are some tips you can share for effortless entertaining?
MM: Keep it simple… have several small parties over the month with a few couples instead of one big party. Serve foods that you love, keep it comfortable and casual. Consider just desserts and specialty coffees, or appetizers and drinks. I like to pile colorful fruits on a platter and add greens for a simple centerpiece. Embellish napkin rings and create lots of votive candles by adding spices, cranberries or succulents.
I’m so excited to share some big news with you! A few days ago I received an email letting me know that Holiday Magazine is now available! Perhaps you recall that day in July I spent shooting with Matthew at my house. You can see all of our styling and the feature revealed on the pages of the new Holiday.
Holiday Magazine with Matthew Mead will be sold on newsstands later in the season, however there is an expanded keepsake issue ready right now for purchase. The keepsake edition is bigger and contains additional pages of beautiful holiday ideas, recipes, and projects.
The expanded issue can be ordered online to arrive directly in your mailbox before the newsstand edition is available. Expert stylist Matthew Mead creates a simple yet spectacular holiday for you with creative ideas for handmade crafts, unique gifts, elegant decorations, and scrumptious edibles. This special issue includes so much inspiration from the Christmas cookies to seasonal home makeovers to exquisite paper crafts. Inside you’ll find contributions from bloggers including Stephanie Nielson (The NieNie Dialogues), Tricia Foley, Living Locurto, Savour Fare, Brooklyn Limestone and me!
I was so honored to be included in this issue and to work side by side with Matthew. For the magazine, I recreated our New Year’s Eve buffet table in a fresh color palette of vivid pinks paired with lime green. You’ll read about our New Year’s Eve traditions and a party that’s incomplete without the three C’s: cheesecake, chocolate, and champagne.
G’day all, it’s almost fall! Well, we’re still experiencing high temps around here, and we’re all still in summer attire, but I saw a few leaves fall from the trees and float through the breeze at a local park yesterday, and just then I began to feel ready for autumn. *sigh*
Of course you know I’m a huge fan of Matthew Mead and recently worked with him on a holiday photo shoot in my home. Look for that issue in October. While we wait, there’s yet another source of inspiration that’s solely dedicated to the beauty of fall. Matthew has another bookazine on sale now: it’s Autumn with Matthew Mead.
Autumn is drawing near, with its warm flavors, colors and cozy traditions. September will soon bring those changing leaves and cooling temperatures. I’ll be craving pumpkin spice lattes, dressing in scarves and boots, and bringing out those chenille throws, fragrant fall candles, and roasting butternut squash in the oven, can’t wait ! The kids are already planning their Halloween costumes too.
Matthew’s Autumn bookazine is sure to inspire you and it’s available for purchase right now to have it shipped in early September to your home.
I felt a little distant, absent, disconnected from all of you last week, but for a good reason. You see, someone special had contacted me several weeks ago, requesting a holiday photo shoot at my house, and if you saw my tweets on Thursday and Friday, then you know it was Matthew Mead. When Matthew Mead calls, well, everything else gets dropped to accommodate.
I’ve been a fan of his work for so many years and seeing how he makes everything so beautiful, I was feeling the pressure to recreate the magic at his level. I didn’t sleep for a week, I might have showered once. I was running around getting everything ready, pulling out Christmas décor, ordering last minute greenery (thank you Lynch Creek Farm!) and making other nervous gestures. Sleep and basic grooming took a backseat to recreating the holidays in July. Yes, I stunk and looked like a hag for a week, and I owe my husband a huge thank you for understanding my craziness and for the wisdom to not mention my appearance.
Matthew arrived on Thursday after landing in San Francisco and texted he would be at my house shortly. I was biting my nails. Would it all be OK? The door bell rang, and there he was, on my doorstep. He entered, he saw it all, and he smiled, and eased my troubled and weary mind.
I said nervously, “Should we start prepping now?” He replied in his rather relaxed demeanor, “No, let’s work tomorrow. Let’s go antiquing instead.” So we did. Yes, it’s true, I spent an afternoon antiquing with Matthew and having dinner with him too. I can honestly say, he’s the kindest professional I’ve ever met in this business.
Matthew is one of those people that reminds me of this Mark Twain quote, the latter half of course. “Keep away from those who try to belittle your ambitions, small people always do that, but the really great make you believe that you too can become great.” I shared my visions, ideas, and dreams for the future and he was so encouraging of them all. And he taught me a trick or two while I watched him work. Thank you Matthew for being who you are, for filling our world with inspiration, and for being such a supportive and talented fellow.
Matthew and I were so pleased with the success of the shoot, and I know you’ll love it too. Look for it in October on newsstands, and follow Matthew’s Holiday Magazine blog to get the latest on its release, and also his new product line.
Now it’s back to business as usual today with a tiling project in our dining room, I can’t wait to show you! Oh, and the cabinets are finally installed at our Alma House, just a few more touch ups and some hardware and I’ll have a new laundry room to show you there too.
Weekend greetings all, what are your plans? We’ve got family coming into town so we will be cranking up the BBQ and sampling some wines, also my favorite Antique Faire is this weekend so I’ll be browsing that too.
Congratulations to the following five individuals who won the five yards of fabric from Waverly Giveaway from last weekend. #53 Elizabeth White; #155 Chelsea Beauchamp; #794 Madelene Leaphart; #1,114 Kristin Salazar; #1,706 Bonnie Langenfeld. I’ve notified the five winners via email, so check your inbox!
Have you heard about the arrival of Matthew Mead’s SUMMER ‘bookazine’ next month? It’s sure to be filled with all kinds of inspiration for decorating and entertaining with style and simplicity. I can’t wait to linger over the pages!
If you’re familiar with Matthew’s work with the most recent Holiday magazine, and also Flea Market Style, and Better Homes & Gardens, you are going to want to get your hands on a copy! To purchase an advance copy, hop on over to SUMMER magazine to purchase via PayPal. It is sold exclusively through the website and ships at the end of April.
Here’s a two minute sneak peak of what you’ll find inside:
In addition to all the inspiration you see, there’s a feature on several bloggers inside the pages, including yours truly. We were asked to reveal our favorite thing about summer, but you’ll have to grab a copy to hear my answer!
Be sure to watch Matthew on the Food Network on Saturday at 9 pm EST, he’s offering viewers ideas on Easter entertaining, sure to be fantastic!
Finally, here’s some good news ~
I’m giving away two copies of SUMMER to two lucky winners this weekend, yay!
Eligibility to win 1 of 2 copies of Matthew Mead’s SUMMER mag. Answer this question:
1) What is your favorite thing about summer? Simply leave a comment.
2) Extra entries if you link to this giveaway on Facebook and/or Twitter, but be sure to leave additional comment(s) naming where you mentioned this giveaway (FB and/or Twitter).
Two winners chosen at random. Giveaway ends Monday April 18th at 8 p.m PST.
Hi, I'm Kate from Northern California. I'm a bargain hunter, design lover, and incurable DIYer. I'm on a quest for diamond style on a dime, and I'm out to make my world fabulous, for less, one do-it-yourself project at a time. Learn more.
For full disclosure of all blog policies regarding comments, advertising, copyright, sponsored links, guest submissions, and other matters, please look here.
