Antiques by Zaar with C.R. Laine…

….for the 2011 Fall Market in IHFC, Interhall IH 404!

So excited about the invitation by C.R. Laine for Antiques by Zaar to serve as one of their “trade partners” . Look forward to seeing/feeling the merging of beautiful product lines, the synergy of impassioned sales people presenting their respective lines, the embracing of past customers/friends  and the thrill of making new connections.

Sharing some photos….

BEFORE the “magic” is done, this is some of what is being worked with… and yes, you can count on seeing how it all comes together to present next week…for “the next 6 days that matter“.

 

Peace & Tranquility/Beauty & Simplicity: Asian infusion in a Long Island Home

….and, the story of a  happy Antiques by Zaar customer/friend .

Katherine Kovins found Antiques by Zaar online in 2006, as she and her husband, Thom Janusz, were working  on furnishing their new Long Island home.  Wanting a Chinese sideboard, to serve as a bureau in their bedroom, was the initial impetus to shop my site.

...looking great in the, main floor, dining room.

She honed in on a beautiful, rich wood toned sideboard which she knew to be perfect in all ways for her boudoir, less the fact that this beauty, gloriously long at 100″, would not manage its way up the stairwell…no way, no how.  Katherine found a solution to her problem…. she would make a place for this piece on the main floor of her new home, in her dining room, and buy a 2nd sideboard to serve her purposes in her 2nd floor bedroom….which worked beautifully, per photos shown here.

...and Katherine looking perfect beside the sideboard that did make it up the stairs to their boudoir.

Katherine continued shopping for accent pieces from Antiques by Zaar, such as the mirror shown here,  to complement the many other Asian pieces of furniture and artifacts that she and her husband had already gathered over the years.

This past February I so very much enjoyed the tour of their home, see some pix here….I simply didn’t take enough photos..think I was in such a state of “awe”   graced as it was, with a delightful infusion of Asian furniture and artifacts throughout…beautifully placed to maximize vantage points. It truly was akin to walking through a museum, and I, the lucky gal that was given a personalized tour by the impassioned purveyors of fine treasure after fine treasure.

In Katherine’s words…”You can say that my husband and I have always loved the Asian decor as it lends peace and tranquillity to the home. We love the beauty and simplicity of Asian art and antiques.”

Thom, a renowned sculptor, showcases Asian sculptures, admist his own creative works...each complementing the other.

Couldn't resist having my pic taken in the elevator, which yes, is accented with Asian themed wallpaper.

Following this delightful visit of their home, which they have obviously poured themselves into, we continued our chat fest at the lovely Mill Pond House in Centerport, NY….where I learned more about the colorful and acclaimed backgrounds of my customers come friends….and left feeling fully infused with a heavy dose of ” peace and tranquility”, wending my way back to Great Neck, smiling from the inside out.

Thank you, Katherine and Thom, for coming into my world, by way of sharing a warmth and love for Asian antiques/artifacts. Thank you for sharing your home and your selves…and treating me to a sumptuous lunch, on that glorious February afternoon.  Thank you for giving me something so great to share with my world.

Ruth

 

Chinese Antique Galleria/Cheverly MD…& so much more.

Sandy Jenifer/Ruth Olbrych: Brought together through Antiques by Zaar

Believe it or not I have been stymied, and the sad result is that I have neglected this wonderful venue of communicating with “you” (yes, blogging), the very many things/people I have a burning desire to share….such as my dear friend Sandra Jenifer (featured here)…whose friendship was ignited in 2002 when she went “hunting” for Chinese antiques online and found Antiques by Zaar/me.

The crazy thing is that although I have been chomping at the bit to share “our story” with y’all, I have let my concern over the “presentation” get in the way of  putting this out there.  I  so wanted to do justice to what Sandy represents to me and to my business and yet was concerned over not enough emphasis on the product and too much on the persons. I was being conflicted about doing what I knew I wanted to do…share what has been the “icing on my cake” in putting myself out there with an online business.   It is a transaction that initially brings us together. In her case continued shopping (she has purchased no less than 16 pieces from me over the course of the years) triggers further communications, supplemented by my monthly newsletters which usually incites a personal hi back and forth.  It is in this way that we have continued on.

 An example of our friendship goes back to  when she gave  me a call asking “did you know you were in the current issue of Home In Style magazine? “…which I wasn’t aware of (was in the throes of preparing for Market)  and was so touched that she thought to bring to my attention this free publicity, which would serve me well to promote, and which I did.

Sandy truly has a way to put it all together. She should go into business as a Designer, wouldn't you say?

Yes, I have LONG been wanting to publicly acknowledge the very many customers that I have that are Antiques by Zaar collectors/friends and no better person to launch this campaign of gratitude than Sandy.  She has patiently been with me throughout this and readily contributes to my “cause”. To that end she wrote a testimonial for my Galleria of Collectors ,  a section on my site where I want to feature the many folks that have purchased multiple pieces from me…as there are many. Although still in infancy stages Sandy does indeed have a presence there, although the handful of  photos she sent me to include don’t give any indication to the scope of her home which is truly a Galleria.

So, I am pleased that it worked for  me to visit her last month on my drive back to Maine from North Carolina, and as such not only had opportunity to photograph  her  Asian “Galleria”  (please enjoy slideshow of photos here) but also sit with her to tape a video testimonial, which she had previously agreed to do for me. (Can also view photos of her home..not in slideshow format, by clicking here, if your preference.)

I hope you enjoy this window into her home and into what makes me so very grateful for this business, which has, and continues to, open up my life to so many great things and more importantly so many great people.

Ruth
P.S. Watch out. Now that I’ve gotten past the hurdle of how to present this (ie, just go with it Ruth) , there is so much more to follow. The floodgates are open!

ruth@antiquesbyzaar.com

www.antiquesbyzaar.com