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A SOFT LANDING: BUNNY WILLIAMS RUGS FOR DASH AND ALBERT

When it comes to creating relaxed, warm and comfortable interiors, Bunny Williams knows how its done. So its no surprise then, that when shooting her collection of new rugs for Dash and Albert, she chose her Dominican Republic home as the setting. Complete with dogs, the amazing island setting served as the perfect inspired backdrop for her easy to live with assortment of casual indoor/outdoor and jute rugs. When starting to design a room, Bunny begins with the rug. This collection is sure to inspire others to do the same.

Photos courtesy of Annie Selke Co.
Bunny Williams and Annie Selke of Dash and Albert at Bunny's home in the Dominican Republic. These ladies understand livable soft color and interesting patterns, and the rugs are made with vegetable dyes in earth-friendly and recycled materials.

The verdant entrance to the house

The Marco jute rug in Oak 

Clarence in Blue is indoor/outdoor

Lucy in Juniper is great on a loggia and can be used indoors or out

Cleo in Blue, an other outdoor/indoor, is one of my favorite patterns. I think Lucy likes it a lot too, even though her namesake rug is above. 

Elizabeth goes outdoors or in, here in Blue, with Bunny's frolicking dogs. They have a pretty sweet life, getting a vacation too.

Cleo in Moss

Blanco, a jute woven in Moss

Cooper, also of jute, in Red

Marco in Oak

An assortment of striped rugs sit in a giant clamshell

Ever the consummate hostess, Bunny on the loggia with a few of the rugs strewn about

COMING SOON: STYLEBEAT 2.0

Photo courtesy of Best Made

Change is good. Not too much change, but just enough to shake things up a bit so they stay fresh. I think this holds true in all areas of my life, from my gym routine, to the place I go for my morning coffee. A new Le Pain Quotidien opened a block away from me, so that is one change I welcome with open arms.

I started Stylebeat June 1st, 2007.  I knew I needed to change my blog design, a total makeover, and it seemed to take ages to get the wheels in motion. In the back of my mind, I rationalized, if it isn't broken, don't fix it. Readers, interior designers and friends told me they enjoyed the clean design and easy to read layout, but years have passed since I started this wonderful journey, and there were many functional aspects I yearned for. The internet and design move at such a fast pace, I knew a little freshening was in order. I decided to do a total design overhaul and focus on creating the best user experience I could. Lush, larger images was the first mandate, the second was creating focused navigation topics to feature key areas I cover.  You will find those things and more, including a few surprises in the works. Stay tuned for the complete facelift, coming LIVE this Monday, April 14th. Look out for Stylebeat 2.0, now posting daily at 10am, and be sure to subscribe and direct to my new domain, Stylebeat Blog.

The "freshening" arrives just in time for spring.

IN THE GARDEN WITH OSCAR DE LA RENTA

Spring is here, so what better time to celebrate all things garden than with a collaboration with a most famous one? Oscar de la Renta has just unveiled a new entertaining collection, created with The New York Botanical Garden,  that takes its inspiration from all things jardin, including trellis details, leaves, blooms and more.  By researching the archives of the Garden, ideas for the 15 piece collection arose from 18th and 19th Century studies and is perfect for those that appreciate the beauty that comes from growing and living with the bounty a spring garden has to offer. Available through Oscar de la Renta boutiques and Oscardelarenta.com.

Photo courtesy of Oscar de la Renta Home

New York Botanical Garden Trellis Salad Plate of stoneware with blue on cream tracery details

 A mossy green swirled earthenware Marbleized Charger, while full of pattern, works when mixed with a variety of large or small scale motifs.

Taken from a rare botanic study in the NYBG archives, the Apple Leaf Salad Plate features an oversized green leaf against an octagonal cream stoneware plate.

ON THE HUNT: HIGH POINT MARKET

Photo courtesy of Bungalow 5

I am still on the go, tracking down great new finds at High Point Market. The buzz in the air, and creativity is in overdrive this market. Just look at this sleek new mirrored piece with arched doors, The Giorgio from Bungalow 5-- it has such a refined elegance to it. I can't wait to share the finds with you, so stay tuned for more. 

MIRTH STUDIO: JOYOUS FLOORS CAN BE YOURS

 Photos courtesy of Sally Bennett

Sally Bennett surrounded by gorgeous sheltering trees in Charleston

 I first heard about artist Sally Bennett and her new line of floor tiles, Mirth Studio, when I read about her on Haskell Harris's Southern-inflected blog, Magpie. As a lucky Charleston resident, Harris is in the know down there, and has exposure to all the wonderful creative people that reside in the picturesque, storybook town. Well, timing is everything, and I caught this just in time, since Mirth floor tiles are making their big debut at the upcoming High Point Market. I emailed Bennett  and told her I can't wait to meet her and see her incredibly chic indestructible floor tiles in person, and it turns out we have friends in common. Providing the look of painted floors, these durable darling patterned floor tiles, made from engineered hardwood, are easy to install and withstand fading. Available sold by the square foot as 12x12 tiles in trend-forward patterns, all you do is glue them to the floor (with an installer), over existing hardwood or concrete. The tiles, which are also available with custom designs,  can also be ordered for temporary use installs, like weddings, events and trade shows.  I just think these are so amazing-- they add a graphic pop and their 100% resin urethane finish is UV treated, so they will always be as bright and cheery. I have a feeling these are going to do very, very well-- laundry rooms and mud rooms just got a lot more fun. Just look at these patterns!

Palm Beach, with two shades of blue and a lattice with square pattern.

This trellis is so good.

Gingham, imagine it in a pantry.

Peninsula also comes in a sharp navy choice.

Chevron

Festoon in coral and aqua for all you that love a pastel palette

Lattice is a small scale, which I like, since it reads really well from above

Macau has Regency flair

Savoy has a border similar to bedding embroidery you might see on a sham

Zippy, a reverse herringbone

Flirt, for all you that love triangles. They are having a moment right now.

Like a great palazzo floor that doesn't need to be waxed, Hex

This pattern, Tides, is a weathered pattern that can be done as a border. Shoreline homes just got more breezy

Vertigo is just eye-popping fun

HIGH POINT STATE OF MIND

 Photo courtesy of Selamat

A new Moroccan inspired bed, the Tangier, from Selamat has a simple silhouette and just enough detail. I can't wait to see it.

 

  Photo courtesy of Wesley Hall

These tailored George III inspired chairs launched at Wesley Hall last market

Photo courtesy of Chaddock

An end table from the David Easton Collection that had some new additions last season

In a few days I'm off to High Point Market. Every spring, I head South with excited anticipation, hoping it is a few degrees warmer in North Carolina. This season, there are many great launches coming, including Mary McDonald for Chaddock and additions to Charlotte Moss Icons Collection at Century Furniture. I'm also looking forward to seeing what my sponsors Wesley Hall and Chaddock have in store. Wesley Hall covers their upholstery in cheery textiles in great color palettes, and they re-paint the doors to their showroom a vivid hue every market, so I am curious to see this years hot color. The buzz is in the air, as editors, bloggers, buyers and interior designers descend on this quaint town. Be sure to follow me on Instagram at @stylebeatblog and Twitter @stylebeat to get my updates. On Monday April 7th, I will be doing an Instagram takeover with High Point Market @DesignOnHPMKT sharing what has captured my interest. Here is the participating group, so get instant forecasting in real time by following. More soon, I will be on the hunt until then.

FABRIC FORECAST: WHAT IS COMING

After hitting ITMA Showtime, the annual invitation-only textile show in High Point, I learned a thing or two about the business of fabric sourcing, and got a peek behind the curtain on what trends are coming soon to a fabric showroom near you.  Along with a great group of like-minded bloggers, I was invited to explore the textile array. I had heard the show, the largest of its kind in the US, was a complete 360 from High Point Furniture Market as far as scale, that everything was done appointment only, and that fabric houses from around the world show up to source from it. It was indeed a much more intimate and manageable scale, with the entire show occurring in one building, Market Square. If you have been to furniture market, then you know, it requires laser like focus, a thorough knowledge of what is where and what has relocated, a pre-arranged appointment schedule, comfortable shoes, and a fresh pair of eyes each day. Since this show was solely textiles, it was refreshingly focused. I went eager to see what ideas were bubbling up. Fabric companies source for their collections here. Since houses can't work with every mill, it makes sense to visit them when they are all in one place. They can fill in gaps for weaves or prints they have been searching for. The trick seems to be getting exclusives on those pieces they feel are really directional, so they can tell a specific design story.   Otherwise, they run the risk of a fabric being available in a few places, perhaps diluting its special-ness.
So, what print, pattern, texture and colors were eye-catching this market?  Some examples-- prints are taking their cue from fashion (at a much slower cadence) and old-school classics are being re-interpreted,  ethnic inspiration is very much still present, embroidery and quilting is getting even more elaborate and varied, lodge-inspired motifs that evoke a bucolic country life are ramping up in popularity especially in Southern markets, and artistic individuality is being asserted more.
Read on to find out the direction textiles will be moving in.

 Leather hides as far as the eye can see from Moore and Giles. Candy colors, including pastels and Skittles hues make leather an option in any interior-matching shade.

The lavender was beautiful

 A procession of courtly figures wearing bright old timey clothing makes for a fun historically-inspired novelty 

print.

  A playful triangular patterned woven with gradient fluorescent colors

A fruity colored mix of citrus hues in a great looking graphic geometric woven pattern

The artistic vibe is still very much at play, here the paint splatter look is interpreted in a lush silk weave.

Velvet embroidered with S-Curve squiggles has a unique take. I say, the brighter the better.

A large scale Greek Key stripe in a pale green 

Well, because its fun. What looks like a pixelated circular digital print with a reinterpreted quilt feel

Expect to see more tribal geo's in the market soon, like the version above, and even more colorful

A linear Kuba cloth pattern with oversized lattice is toned-down tribal

 A chic oversized black and white cut velvet geometric lattice from a mill in Spain

Interesting wovens include African-inspired weaves

Muted earthy hues and subtle geometric patterns are hallmarks of this new rustic "Lodge Style" stripe

The casual style of a flax colored woven stripe has French overtones

TRIMS

This is also the place where many American fabric houses go to find trims. 

Caning is a traditional preppy mainstay, so the world will be better off with this new tape trim in navy, hot pink and leaf green

I love the mix of materials and embroidery I saw. This radiating circle pattern on sophisticated colored grounds was wonderful

A two-sided fringe with delicate applique down the center ribbon has charm and endless uses