The team of Linda Carnegie and Nancy Blair Vietor have been designing and selling items for kitchen, dining, bath, and elsewhere for almost a decade. Vietor, an artist and decorative painter and Blair, an interior designer, combined their talents in 2013, starting out with a series of placemats in colorful, often Vineyard-inspired themes. The business took off from there.
The line includes cork-backed placemats, wooden whitewashed trays, glass cutting boards, absorbent tile coasters, and a few other items (including whimsical dog and cat food mats).
Designs include floral motifs and ocean-themed images like lobsters, crabs, starfish, shells, and fish, a compass rose, and an image of the ferry “The Islander” surrounded by scenes of lighthouses from around the Island.
Ornamental designs include ones based on oriental carpets, sisal rugs, and Delft tiles. A unique design called “Jazzy Coral” features a colorful array of seaweed and coral branches, while one of the Delft tile designs incorporates scenes from around the Island (the Ocean Park bandstand, an oyster fisherman) alternating with traditional Dutch images in classic blue and white.
All of the products are made in the U.S. Carnegie did a great deal of research to find manufacturers in this country. The two partners are continually expanding the line to include new designs and products.
“The painter in me likes to experiment,” Carnegie says. “The designer in me is always seeking new ideas for attractive yet functional products.”
Available at Beach House, 30 Main Street, Vineyard Haven and Past & Presents, 37 Main Street, Edgartown.
