It is hard to believe this is the closing weekend of the Southeastern Showhouse & Gardens presented by Atlanta Home and Lifestyles Magazine. Many thanks to all who have come to see the showhouse filled with so much amazing talent. I will be at the house tomorrow from 1-4 for the final day for anyone who wants to pop in to say hello!
I have had many inquiries about items available in our space. Showhouses provide an amazing source to get incredible high end pieces, custom furniture, art and antiques…many of which are priced well below what they would sell for on the showroom floor. So, if you see something that catches your eye, make sure to look at the price list in each room to see what is still available. You might find the perfect Mother’s Day gift!
I think original art is one of the MOST important design elements in an interior. It reveals the personality of the inhabitant, elevates the other surrounding items, and adds a magical dimension to any room. Working on the art for the Southeastern Showhouse was a dream come true. Two of my favorite artists, Brad Thomas and Alexis Walter created works specifically for my spaces and my favorite Charlotte galleries, The New Gallery of Modern Art, Hidell Brooks Gallery, and SOCO Gallery allowed me to curate my own dream installation from the artists they represent, many of whom have become friends. The majority of works are by Southern contemporary artists with a nod to my NYC days represented by Stephanie Hirsch and Scott Duce seen below. By playing with scale, unifying colors, and juxtaposing different mediums, I tried to create harmonious compositions throughout the spaces.
We are delighted to be participating in the Southeastern Designer Showhouse & Gardens which opens this week! Not only am I glad to have a reason to spend more time in my hometown, but I am also beyond excited to spend time with so many other favorite design friends that are also designing spaces in this year’s showhouse. Atlanta is at her finest during April and May. When I first began contemplating the design scheme for our rooms, I wanted to incorporate the glorious spring shades that reveal themselves each week a new flower or tree begins to bloom. For the past several weeks, we have been feverishly working to pull together our bedroom, bathroom, and hallway that all began with this spring palette…
I wanted to create a fantasy bedroom where I would look forward to waking up each morning surrounded by everything I love. I am a colorist at heart…color energizes me, comforts me, and evokes joy for me. The palette was inspired by some of my fondest travel memories of the past year. I kept coming back to certain images I had taken where the indescribable colors stayed with me. I was continually drawn to the combination of spring green with shades of lilac and orchid.
The July/August issue of Peachy Magazine is now live featuring the enchanting work of New Orleans based designer Melissa Rufty. We are thrilled to also have our first interiors cover showcasing her colorful work. Melissa is just as charismatic and original as her interior design. Click here to read the full issue with articles on so many favorite design talents including Jane Scott Hodges of Leontine Linens, and favorite artists Amanda Talley, Mallory Page, Alexis Walter, and Ashley Longshore.
For more of my design inspiration, please be sure to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and subscribe to Bespoke Banter. Thanks for reading and please come back again!
Every spring and fall, the design industry makes its bi-annual pilgrimage to High Point Furniture Market. This year marked my 25th trip to the furniture mecca and this market certainly did not disappoint! My first stop is always 214 Modern Vintage, a collection of great dealers with incredible eyes for everything from fine art and lighting to mid century furnishings and accessories. I could linger here for hours and it is always inspiring to see the authentic pieces in person before heading out into the world of furniture market interpreting these designs.
Natural Curiosities blew my mind at this market! All of their introductions looked incredible in the new exhibition space complete with its own “ArtBar” where you could watch the artists at work on site. These silkscreens from the Planetary are created by mixing colors during the screening process, resulting in abstract, blended forms. The simple shape and coloration evoke the image of distant planets and no two are alike allowing the viewer to create their own unique universe.
Natural Curiosities also introduced a gorgeous furniture line consisting of luxe shapes in stunning colors to complement their art collection. Specimen art has always been a specialty for this company. The past few collections have been exploring the power and journey of flight with various compilations of feathers. This work entitled “Daedelus” is made of 3000 hand painted feathers that are gathered into a unified form, creating maximum impact. They describe the shape as “a shield and channels the intrinsic magic and awe of nature.” According to Greek mythology, Daedelus built the labyrinth for King Minos and then was imprisoned in a tower to prevent his knowledge of the labyrinth from spreading to the public. His only way to escape was in the air so he fabricated his own set of wings. He also created a pair for his son Icarus, but warned him not to fly too high because the heat of the son would melt the wax on their wings, nor too low because the sea would soak their feathers.
This beautiful specimen circle is made of naturally colored magnificent pink shells…
Taken from French textile designs, the Pignier series is a mix of botanicals, patterns and handwritten details.
Athens based artist Carol John’s work brilliantly adorned the new Hickory Chair showroom. Her work expresses her love of color, language and pop graphics. It was a such a pleasant surprise to meet the artist in person…she is just as delightful as her paintings!
Trowbridge Gallery featured a gorgeous collection of vintage Gudri jackets using 1930s Parisian designs. Each handmade work is one of a kind and floated in a shadow box frame.
Alexis Walter’s space sang with all of her ethereal new paintings. Her pastel palette of abstract works and smaller watercolors possess her distinctive look layered, tactile, and beyond extraordinary.
A new find this market was the handmade works by Crystal Brooke McCann. Known as a “creative visonary extraordinaire,” her collection includes hand painted silks and leathers, hides, as well as hand made paper and furnishings. This paper mural is 11 feet long and the delicate detail is divine.
Hunt Slonem debuted his wallpaper and fabric collection at the new Kravet showroom. Using multiplicity as a motif, Slonem has created an iconic body of work that is sought after around the globe. The much anitcipated collection will allow everyone to have a little piece of the world of this enigmatic artist.
For the neutralists, the work of Carol Benson-Cobb was breathtaking. According to the artist, her work “reflects a feeling created within a color palette with an emphasis on the way the colors touch, layer and affect one another…My intentions are never to fully define a scene but to lead viewers in the use of their imagination and own life experiences to fill in the gaps.” In the work below, she has taken a detail from one of her original paintings and book matched and repeated the pattern.
Trowbridge Gallery used the power of scale to take a fingerprint, an everyday yet unique image, and elevated it to a work of abstract art in metallic inks.
This series from Thom Felicia’s collection for Soicher Marin perfectly illustrates his design aesthetic…”classic simplicity with an unexpected, modern flair.” 12 different abstract sketches would make a great graphic punch on any gallery wall.
Please contact the design studio if you are interested in design services or any of the works seen here…Please check back this week for more High Point Highlights on trends, lighting, accessories and furnishings.
For more of my design inspiration, please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and subscribe to Bespoke Banter….Thanks for reading!