Painted Furniture

The marriage of art and design has finally taken place at a little country church near Glenelg.In two buildings that were once home to a United Methodist congregation, interior designer Joan Wachtman has brought a selection of works by many regional artists and craftspeople to join the eclectic antiques already offered by Ann and Austin Robson.The Robsons bought the former Westwood Church five years ago with the idea of opening an antiques shop. The original church, was built in 1858. A second sanctuary was added in 1921.

Next weekend the Mill Centre in Hampden will be the largest art gallery in the area as more than 40 artists, craftspeople and entrepreneurs open their studios for the Holiday Arts Weekend.This, the center's fifth annual open house, will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and next Sunday at the renovated 19th century Mount Vernon/Woodberry Mills, off Falls Road.Work will include bonsai by Arschell Morrell, papier-mache and paintings by Charlene Rene Clark, paintings by Barbara Kassel, paintings and photographs by Pam Wallace, pottery by Cathy Hart and Janet Teach, paintings and hand-pulled monotypes by Charlotte Kaufman, art glass by Lucinda Shaw, sculpture by Jill Lyons, paintings by Sally Buttner, jewelry by Bruce Blackburn, watercolors by Jane Neary, pastels and paintings by Sally Sanford Ney and paintings by Wendy Roberts.

Antiques fair comes to townAntiques buffs won't want to miss the Baltimore Summer Antiques Fair next weekend. And anyone looking for unusual decorative accessories or gifts will find many small objects priced under $100.This is the 15th year for the antiques fair, to be held at the Convention Center Sept. 1-3. Dealers from 32 states as well as Canada and Europe will be showing and selling furniture, both formal and country; crystal and art glass; silver; toys; collectibles; Oriental rugs; and much more.

Have you ever fallen in love with an object seen in a museum? You wish you could own it, but you assume that if a museum displays it, you could never afford it.Usually you're right. But that is not necessarily the case with furniture made in Baltimore in the early 19th century.There is much of this furniture to salivate over at area museums. In fact, more American furniture and related decorative arts from the 1800-1845 period are now on display in Baltimore than ever before assembled in one city.

If you haven't been to Nouveau Contemporary Goods on Charles Street in the last year or so, you might not recognize the place.Well, actually, that's too much of an exaggeration. You'll still recognize things. The owners, Lee Whitehead and Steve Appel, are there. And their style -- their sharp-eyed sense of design mixed always with a relaxed sense of humor -- still shows throughout everything in the shop.But they've expanded to offer a lot more things, including more furniture and accessories; and they've added clothing and a HTC custom framing service.

Spattering, sponging and foam-stamping can be as much fun as finger painting. Decorative paint techniques are just as playful, especially on a child's furnishings.These and other do-it-yourself touches give plain furniture pizazz. By adding a splash of color and a -- of detail, they jazz up a setting for someone young.Detailed with paint, furniture acts as a canvas for myriad designs. If parent and child pool their decorative ideas, the result is bound to be meaningful.Because growing up means growing into different looks, it's wise to consider furniture for a child's room that easily changes face.

'Found' furnitureThey use "found objects that existed in another life" and "recycled industrial parts" to make their sculpture-turned-furniture. And so successful have they been at their craft that this group of Towson State University students has been selected as one of seven universities from across the country to participate in the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York."

What accounts for the staying power of certain throwback decorating trends? It may well be a collective craving for the look of longevity.What many of us are after is a decorating style that suggests permanence and rootedness. Socially footloose and financially fancy-free in the '80S, lots of us are now hunkering down, digging in and taking stock. Bombarded daily by the fallout from economic uncertainty, political and cultural turmoil, marriage, parenthood and careers, we're putting a real premium on stability, reliability and trustworthiness.

Refurnishing the White House When invading British troops set fire to the White House in 1814, many furnishings were lost, including a spectacular 42-piece "Grecian" suite for the Blue Room, dating from 1809. The painted furniture was designed by architect and designer Benjamin Latrobe, who decorated the room for the Madi-sons; it was built by Hugh and John Findlay, noted Baltimore furniture makers of the day. Some of those pieces will live again, thanks to the craftsmanship of David Wiesand, of McLain Wiesand Custom Furniture, and an exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Art called "Politics, Power & Style: Art for the Presidents."

It's beach season! Time for a week, if you are lucky, on the coast to enjoy all that the Maryland and Delaware shores have to offer — including some really great shopping. With a built-in captive audience of second-home owners, the Mid-Atlantic coastal towns offer a variety of home furnishings and accessories boutiques with merchandise that suggests a laid-back lifestyle without being overly beachy. For me, no trip to the shore is complete without stopping into my favorite shops to see what's new. Here are a few that are worth a beach detour: Boxwood Home 39 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, Del. One of my new favorites, Boxwood Home is perfect for home decorators looking to create a calm, sophisticated look.