Chaletmomma

Recently I shared a little peek at my bedroom - really it was the wall and the collected objects on the shelf and in response to a question a friend posed I shared the most important object I own. The One Thing I’d save if I needed to…

The answer is this little print. It’s a street scene of Edinburgh, Scotland my mother Rita gifted me. It means so very much to me - the fact that it’s Art of Architecture - and that Rita understood what I loved and brought this fully framed piece back in her suitcase from her travels - it’s everything! and it tickles me to think it cost £4.99 in 1992.

So I started asking friends “Would you share a photo of the one thing you’d save” I quantified the question saying it was an object not a living being.

So here’s what they would grab above all else.

Melody Borghesani: It would be this painting of my mothers! She painted it when she was 59 she’s 85 now! She painted three of them and I was lucky enough to get one! I’ll always cherish it!!!

Aileen Grodzinsky: I’d grab Lucy’s baby doll Carolee. Not exactly a grand heirloom family passed down item answer I know. But it’s just the 1 thing that immediately came to mind. It’s Lucy’s security blanket. Her most cherished possession. And it’s a doll which feels at times like a real person in this family. So it would be a devastating loss and one that we could not get over.

Jessica N. Rhodes: This question you asked me about my most special object was really difficult to answer! To be honest, I don’t think I’d take any decorative object if my house was threatened, I’d probably take photo albums of family pictures instead, but that’s a boring answer. So if I had to choose a most precious object it would probably be this oil painting my dad found for me. I love that the bright greens are unexpected, the light looks like it’s glowing, and that my dad knew it was something I would love when he saw it.

Cynthia Schenck Shirey: I used to think if my home was threatened that I would grab my jewelry or a huge box that holds so many of our family photos. Then we lost our son in 2018. I found this unfinished stippled work in his art portfolio. It now hangs where I can see it many times throughout my day. He struggled the last three years of his life, and he started this piece in an effort to deal with one setback after another. It is my most valued possession, as it symbolizes his unfinished life, his unfulfilled hopes and dreams.

Alison Sheffield: The book Stephen altered and gave me when he proposed. It’s a beautiful art piece and I love it. Also, the rest of the proposal was a bit of a disaster so this is extra special.

Mariana Silveira: My best friend (who was trained in fine painting in Russia) made it and gifted it to me on my birthday about 5 years ago. Antonella was seven.

Michele C. Strauts: I thought long and hard about this and I would try and save as many pieces of jewelry as possible because those are the most precious and sentimental objects to me.

Thank you so much ladies - I appreciate each of you accepting the challenge!

I can’t close this piece without sharing this image from October 2012. Hurricane Sandy was bearing down on us in New Jersey and the Edinburgh street-scene was in the closed green bin you see behind my husband in our diningroom.

Til next time friends be well!

Images: Account Listed & Linked.

This month’s interview is the ever-busy multifaceted Mathew Allegretta. We met through the lovely world of Instagram.

Mathew I’m thrilled you said yes when I asked - Tell the readers a bit about yourself!

Hi I’m Mathew Allegretta I live in Madison, NJ with my pup Piper. I come from a very large and loud Italian family. We celebrate every little occasion with food and themes and laughter. My cousins are as close as siblings and Aunts like mothers. Growing up with this tight knit group makes "home" that much more important. It is a place to gather and have togetherness with the most important people. We always say how lucky we are to be so close to each other.

Mathew this is one of the loveliest description of family I’ve ever heard!

the cabinet is a favorite facebook market find

Let’s chat about your love of vintage! My love for things comes from my Grandmother. I love how she cherishes items as memories to make stories of her past come to life. The sentiment behind things doesn't have to mean clutter. That being said though...We also LOVE a good deal. Thrift shops, garage sales, and of course Marshalls, TJMaxx, and Home Goods are frequent weekend activities. When complimented on something we can't just say "Thanks" we have to include where its from and the deal we got. For Example - "I love that shirt" Reply - "$6.99 Target" HAHAHA

I find most creatives regardless if they are in the world of interiors or not designed or helped with the spaces of their youth - did you? My mother was pretty involved in my childhood bedroom which was kinda incredible looking back. 90s Sponge wall treatment in a terracotta color with a western cowboy border! I loved LOVED horses growing up so I was thrilled. Once I got into middle school/high school I would constantly rearrange and change my room. I had NO style back then. Lime Green walls were a thing for a while. Maybe we should change the subject HA!!! I feel as though I just recently found my "Style”
I was not the most popular kid growing up. I was chubby, outspoken, and beat to a very original drum. It wasn't the easiest to have a wandering creative mind so young in life but I believe those years are mostly meant to build our "now."

How long you’ve been in your home and what is your favorite space? I‘ve been in my apartment for a little over 4 years! When I first got this new place I rushed to fill it. A year later...I HATED everything. I went too fast and didn't think of the big picture. I was ready to redo and now I love this place because I found my style here. I discovered the layers that make my home mine. I met challenges for space and design head on and conquered them. I've learned more about myself in these small spaces. My favorite space in my apartment... impossible to say. All the spaces kind of flow into each other being that it's so small. If I have to say... I think it would be my landing. Its a room that all the other rooms branch off of. It feels like the heart of my apartment. And it is full of some of my favorite secondhand finds.

Can you share with the readers a bit about your design philosophy is and how it’s evolved. I think of every room like a story. I find the main idea/purpose. What am I doing in this space, what is it for. From there I find one special piece (it can be anything - a pillow, a rug, art) that will be the "narrator" for the story. From that piece I will draw color and elements that pair back. The story just evolves and evolves, most the time naturally, to become a fully bound book. Something I believe in the most is...if you love it, it will work in your room. Surround yourself with things you love. In finding those pieces...its all about time. Home takes time. A room is not bought from a catalog or a vignette at a store. Its collected. Its found. Its you.

Where did you attend school and what did you study? Please tell us about the journey to your career. I went to Rowan University for Fine Art. I studied graphic design, printmaking, and photography. I had a Minor in Advertising and spent a ton of time in the Musical Theatre/Music Department. The summer before my Senior year I had an internship with Anthropologie which completely derailed my life plans. I fell in love with working in display and design. Before graduation I was offered a full-time position creating In-Store and Window Displays for Anthro. I moved up through the company assisting in the Rockefeller Center Holiday Windows, as well as heading to their Home Office where I prototyped company wide In-Store displays. Although I loved my work...it was time to move to something different. I started working for a mom and pop Antique, vintage, and artisanal home decor store in Summit, NJ called GreatHouse (@greathousenj) where I became the visual manager of all merchandising and display. Through the store I would offer interior design services and travel to client homes giving them a full start to end experience. That was until a random Thursday morning when I got an email from the CEO and founder of Boll & Branch asking me to help them with their pop up location in the Mall at Short Hills. After some freelance work with them I was recruited to be their Visual Merchandising Manager and oversaw the visual elements of the retail stores and physical presence of the brand. After opening a few stores around the country for them I was ready for something different within the company. I am now the Sr. Prop Stylist and design, prop, and set up all of our brand photography. This new adventure encompasses all my past jobs in one fulfilling career. During this whole career journey I also started my own business of finding and selling Antique and vintage home decor.

AND on top of that during the pandemic my friend and I started our own theatre company call RoundTable Theater Co. where I am the Visual Director. Woof. That’s alot. haha!

Your shop Matt Made Market is Vintage. Antique. Unique and it’s located at The Summit Antique Center 511 Morris Ave, Summit, NJ and I’ve been there! After overbuying for my very small apartment...I needed an outlet to get rid of the wonderful things that I have fallen out of love with. BOOM! Vintage booth. I've been in the Summit Antique Center for a year and a half. Bringing people a little piece of my style in an affordable, sustainable way.

Have you seen thrifting and selling change over the last few years? I do feel that thrifting and antiquing is making a HUGE comeback. For a while you would swipe through Instagram and see the same home over and over again all brought you by the newest collection at Target. There was no originality and people lost their individual design voice.

“Home takes time. A room is not bought from a catalog or a vignette at a store. Its collected. Its found. Its you. ”

— Mathew Allegretta

The never-ending treasure hunt for unique items is becoming more and more appealing as much for setting people apart...and bringing something thumb stopping to their scrolls. For me personally...I love things...and my wallet and small apartment couldn't handle the intake. Sustainable and affordable design is so important to how I approach my style and home.

You mentioned you and a friend started a theater company. How long has singing been a passion? All the way back to Sing-A-Long-Songs I knew I loved to be in the spotlight. (On stage that is - not so much in the real world) I’m like Tinkerbell and I need applause to live. I found my biggest passion in years of theatre camps, conservatories, countless productions and musicals. Nothing brings me more joy than belting out my favorite songs. The shower and the car are my usual spots but, every once in a while I get to set foot on a stage and let it all out. I’m the Visual Director of my own theatre company RoundTable Theater Co. where I get to be involved on stage and off creating productions to share with our community.

I found this image of you with these amazing Jellyfish you created! I was blown away Mathew. These were for my sister in laws Under the Sea Theme Bridal Shower. I was trying to keep it sophisticated and whimsical. The jellyfish are made of hand dyed shear fabric that I stitched and hand coiled. The heads are paper lanterns I cut in half. The perfect shape and structure!

Jellyfish Mathew created for his sister in laws bridal shower

How has Social Media specifically IG impacted you? Let it be known..I have a love/hate relationship with Instagram. There are too many pressures that come with sharing your life. Its a choice, yes, but its vulnerable and raw too often. Too many judging eyes and harsh words. On the flip side of that... I've met and connected with so many incredible people through this app. I have friends across the world that I have more of a connection with than my neighbor down the street. And not only surface level likes and comments. I have flourishing relationships with true friends thanks to sharing a silly image of my living room - and I don't take that for granted in the slightest.

As you know Meryl I was recently hacked and had to start all over again. This was some of the most difficult and most incredible times I've had on Instagram. I worked so hard to build a community through my account and in a blink it was all gone. In starting fresh with @matt_made_home I really saw the true beautiful colors of the connections I’ve made here. Regaining more than half my followers in 3 days. The army of people in support of me and my content brought actual tears to my eyes. Making social media actually social... and that’s really special.

Any plans for 2022 you’d like to share? This year I have a bunch of projects I'm excited to finish and start a few new ones too. A home office redo, bathroom updates, TV console makeover, lots more in the que. I’ve also been house hunting. AHHHH!!! Wouldn’t that be amazing or what! But mostly I want to continue to inspire the community with secondhand and sustainable design. To share thrift trips, hauls, and tips. Building a stronger group of like minded individuals to have a safe and inspiring place to share and settle.

Thank you so much for letting me share with you and your readers. Mathew you are seriously the busiest man I know - Thank you so very much for taking the time to pop by the the Chalet!

Follow Mathew on Instagram:

Til next time friends be well!