Monday, October 22, 2012

VIEUXTEMPS BOTANICAL PORCELAIN: EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES

Working in the style of 18th Century German Meissen porcelain and Chinese Export Porcelain, Georgia-based Pamela Tidwell creates ethereal botanical arrangements of tole and porcelain. Her Vieuxtemps Porcelain designs are so life-like they will leave you amazed with their delicate bug-bitten leaves and paper-thin blooms. Soaring From soaring Foxglove or tight small arrangements of Hydrangeas, there is an abundance of floral variety. The accurate representations are a joy to have, as they will never wilt and bring a touch of beauty to the everyday. You can find her one of a kind creations at BD Jefferies in Atlanta,  Boxwoods Gardens in Atlanta, the amazing Pam Beach boutique Leta Austin Foster (I always stop in when I am in Florida), Charles Faudree in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Taylor and Huie in Knoxville, Tennessee, Vail's Vintage Magnolia, Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam in London, and online at Taigan. When I met Tidwell recently, she displayed the arrangements on small white traditional brackets, a la Deeda Blair. So pretty pretty. So special.

 A custom piece created by Tidwell.  She can make a unique assortment with a vessel you provide if you have a special cachepot you want to work with.

Hollyhocks and Hydrangeas

A detail of White Potted Hydrangeas

In a woven porcelain basket aged to perfection

A single large Hyacinth

A cluster of  Blue and White Hyaciths

Peach Auricula

Cyclamen

Lily of The Valley

Geraniums

Stemmed Hydrangea

More Geraniums

A large Pink Hollyhock

White English Roses

A pair of Foxgloves

A custom creation with Lily of The Valley and English Roses

Thursday, October 18, 2012

2012 FALL HIGH POINT ROUND-UP PART I: WRAPPED AND READY TO GO

I have been off the grid so to speak for the past few days, doing a deep dive into furniture land in High Point, North Carolina. Sponsored by Bassett Furniture and the new HGTV Furniture Collection, fellow design bloggers and I hit the ground running and I have not come up for air till just now.
 I uncovered great new design finds, interesting silhouettes and reinterpreted and refreshed vintage classics. I noticed linen, faux shagreen and shell and rope-wrapped pieces in a variety of traditional shapes that bring fresh, light  perspective. Here is sampling of my design finds, with more to come on upholstery, tables, decorative accessories in gorgeously styled showrooms soon.

An HGTV Home Dresser wrapped in natural raffia with nickel inlay and classic circle pulls on a nickel foot.

A Parson-style raffia-wrapped desk with single square nickel pull also at at HGTV Home. This is a piece that's easy to love. I think my apartment would agree.

Next to a sofa, these raffia-wrapped HGTV Home nesting tables are the perfect place to rest a drink and place a lamp.

Enrobed in burgundy Penn shell, this diminutive dresser at Century Furniture has style by the mile.

Now this is a creative way to use a printed fabric! Hickory wrapped a large cabinet in Hable Construction's Marble fabric for Hickory Chair.

A sweet little round topped pull-up table by Hickory has a faux-shagreen wrapped base that compliments the rich polished mahogany.

An Art Deco inspired waterfall coffee table from Bassett wrapped in capiz shell has two handy drawers for storage of remote controls and extra stuff.

A veneer of agate makes the top of this tiny table at Century truly glamorous.

Bernhardt blew everyone away this market.  With the appointment of Ron Fiore as their creative director, he refreshed the brand in exciting new ways. He was brought over from Hickory Chair, where his styling and innovative eye ensured the showroom always looked divine. Hickory has tapped Skip Rumley as their new creative director, luring him away from Edward Ferrell Lewis Mittman. Having had Foire as a mentor, Rumley is bringing his own unique brand of chic to the hundred year-old iconic company.
The rope-wrapped arch table above is an example of Fiore's taking a classic and adapting it for today in a unique material.

Citrus hues on a stripey Oggetti drum table is zippy and great for tropical climes.

 Oggetti has done rope-wrapped pieces before, but the tri-color variation looks great on a little drum table.

Tres French, their tapered leg round topped bulls eye table in greys and browns is oh-so-chic.

A small seagrass table from Bernhardt in a wavy design looks as though it is covered in a drapey skirt yet it is actually a stiff material.

Nailhead trim and clean lines in Bernhardt's Parsons-style square coffee table with a storage shelf underneath is a boon to book lovers. Hello storage!

EJ Victor also had it wrapped with many simple silhouettes covered in raffia or linen or for a lighter look and feel.

The finish fan at EJ Victor.

A wrapped side table with inset drawer on top.

A round two table with simple leg and lower shelf.

With a removable tray top and metal x-base materials co-mingle.

They even have a Ming-style card table which I can never get enough of!

Oggetti's red shagreen-wrapped French Deco-inspired side table was a stunner.

On a raised gold base, Regina Andrews Jean Michel Frank-inspired raspberry faux-shagreen dresser left me agog.

The companion mirror with pointed geometric surround was also to beyond stylish.

Baker Furniture artisans hand finish this small drum side table to resemble marble. Glam alert.

Friday, October 12, 2012

WHAT TO LOOK FORWARD TO AT HIGH POINT: JEFFREY ALAN MARKS FOR PALACEK

As I head down to High Point Market this coming weekend, I already know of a few exciting line launches that I am anticipating. One of the collections I'm most looking forward to seeing live is the Million Dollar Decorator cast member, LA-based interior designer Jeffrey Alan Marks' Collection by Palacek. Taking advantage of Palacek's global design, sourcing and strength in natural materials, the line incorporates woven wicker, cerused oak, and bamboo, celebrating the artistic ability of the craftsmen who create woven goods with aplomb.  From lighting to wall art, with pillows, sofas, lots of chairs, side tables, coffee tables and accent pieces, the refined, light and beachy collection captures the design ethos that we have come to love from Jeffrey Alan Marks.  It is livable, in a very easy, California way. These are some of the highlights from the minimal chic line, and seeing the entire assortment styled together by JAM  is one of the reasons it is such  a treat to attend High Point Market.

Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Alan Marks
Photos courtesy of Palacek
New Wave Wall Decor 

Bandera Floor Lamp

Green Oaks Pendant

Lookout Pendant

Shores Tray 

Middlefork Log Holder

Pagemill Coffee Table 

Pagemill Console 

Gunn Square Stool in distressed finish 

Pagemill Etagere in distressed finish

Gunn Stool in distressed finish

Dunmere Stool

Madison Dining Table

Nash Chaise 

Bryant Lounge Chair in distressed finish 

Malawi Chair 

Stonebrook Sofa