Traditional family room design with large elegant fireplace and red velvet sofas

High Point Market & Showroom Finds

DISCOVERING HIDDEN GEMS – OUR HIGH POINT MARKET SHOWROOM FINDS

Inspiration comes in many forms. Designers and purveyors of taste have to remain vigilant for the constant search of creative materials. The visual component is very important, but the way something feels is a crucial aspect. Our clients rely on our ability to make informed choices for their space, so you have to do your due diligence with all the amazing products that are out there. Our recent trip to High Point Market in North Carolina gave us a sneak peek at what all the creative minds are doing.

Our clients rely on our ability to make informed choices for their space

  • The Shibori trend is still going strong! Multiple showrooms had various interpretations of indigo on display. Incorporating the traditional Japanese dyeing technique in upholstered pieces is a great way to add character in your space.
  • A retro-inspired silhouette of a sofa compliments the group of mirrors — a swanky 60s vibe.
  • Mauve is experiencing a renaissance as well. Dusty gold and pink tones compliment this pale purple sectional. These were one of our favorites.
  • Your hallway has paparazzi! A homage to wide-angle “fish-eye” lens makes for a great conversation piece.
  • The commanding vibrancy of orange can be employed in various moods and temperatures. It works well as supplementary graphics or as a design focal point.
  • Bernhardt’s Palma canopy bed is a masterpiece in materials. Woven abaca makes up the headboard and footboard, and the cerused white oak makes for quite the statement.
  • Bernhardt’s showroom was a must-see.  Back to back, Linwood sofas and Marcourt banquettes by the bookshelves make for an irreverent but dramatic seating solution.
  • A headboard took our breath away. The majestic chevron detail is very attractive and would add a dramatic focal point in any bedroom.
  • Alfonso Marina’s armoire leaves quite an impression. Obvious Moorish influence with star figures and bone inlay adorning the cabinet doors. This can make quite the heirloom.

Elegant media room design with a velvet sofa and unique chairs

Wonderful World of Weaves

THE WONDROUS REALM OF CUSTOM CARPETS AND RUGS

Our extensive search to source the highest quality materials and products for our clients always seem to direct us to wonderful purveyors of goods. We stopped by the Scott Group/ Hokanson showroom on our latest shopping trip to take a peek at the wonderful world of custom rugs and carpets.

Our extensive search to source the highest quality materials and products for our clients always seem to direct us to wonderful purveyors of goods. 

  • Choose yarn tufts in blush tones, deep reds, and warm neutrals. Seeing the material before they are woven is a great way to appreciate the hard work that takes place before the end product.
  • Go with a 50/50 blend of very fine worsted wool and cut silk. There is a gorgeous hand feel, but you will be impressed by how the intricate pattern comes alive with the combination weave.
  • The shaded detail of a floral motif, you may not notice at first, but once you realized how considered that particular part is, it changes your experience. Just impressive.
  • Talk about high definition! Pronounced demarcation lines are created by a loop and cut pile combination weave.
  • The understated beauty of a raised loop worsted Darmstadt wool and cut pile silk combination weave is a perfect choice. This design is exclusive to Hokanson Carpets.
  • A Muted color palette and intricate pattern make the textural quality of a rug shine bright! Raised dot border another testament to time spent on the carpet.
  • Ripples inspired a rug in a pond. A transformation of tranquility is done in worsted wool loop pile with cut pile silk.

Rustic western living room interior design

October 2017 Finds & Favorites: Part 2

MORE OF  OUR FAVORITE OCTOBER INTERIOR DÉCOR PIECES

View additional interior décor pieces that caught our eye this month! From ceramics to custom mirrors, we found some truly hidden gems that would fit marvelously with the right space. When it comes to finding pieces for our clients, our process is a custom-tailored one in which we personally explore the town for the perfect items to transform a space.

From ceramics to custom mirrors, we found some truly hidden gems that would fit marvelously with the right space. 

These shopping field trips tend to yield a wide range of ideas, moods, and varying styles. Here are our latest Finds & Favorites:

  • An interesting way of finishing ceramics. Just letting the paint diffuse into each other. Finding unusual propositions of familiar objects is a fun way to implement a sense of theatre.
  • When you take materials and techniques usually reserved for smaller objects, and you interpret it in a different scale and context, standout items like a bone inlay mirror are produced. The graphics are really pronounced and will always provoke admiration. Labor Intensive!
  • A mirror that is an ode to scrimshaw! Bone inlay and the thin intricate markings all around the frame required many hours of focus.
  • David Iatesta’s Fiore Chandelier can be done to any size. Gilded branches provide lots of look without the visual weight. The homage to nature would be beautiful in a commercial application.
  • Use statement mirrors not to compliment a space, but to provide that tension and counterpoint. Observe the unison of refined and raw elements, that good old juxtaposition!
  • Add some whimsy to your trophy room with this classic cane back silhouette upholstered in exotic hair on hide — multi-cultural references found in a single piece.
  • If you have the ceilings for it, the scale and detail of a Formations case piece can be the focal point in a space. This armoire has an attitude!

Modern rustic dining room interior design

October 2016 Finds & Favorites: Part 1

OUR FAVORITE OCTOBER INTERIOR DÉCOR FINDS

The energy of a room is greatly dictated by the gestalt sum of the objects and references being employed. The team is always on a constant search for items that elevate the experience of a space. We enjoy shopping for pieces for clients that will fit their tastes and needs for an area.

The team is always on a constant search for items that elevate the experience of a space. 

Our shopping process is a custom-tailored one in which we personally peruse the town for the ideal pieces to complete a space. These shopping field trips tend to yield a wide range of ideas, moods, and styles. Here are our latest Finds & Favorites:

  • Alison Berger Glassworks for Holly Hunt Lighting is an exceptional collaborative partnership. Alison Berger is known for her romantic sources and the use of age-old glass blowing techniques. Her usual aesthetic has been put through the Holly Hunt modernist filter, and the result is handsome glass forms transcending trend.
  • Alison Berger Glassworks offers a wide range of bespoke options. The glass is hand-blown and etched by artisans. Clients can choose favorite poems, song lyrics, love letters. Alison Berger has been known to use a Da Vinci manuscript as a reference to mimic the hand style. The Scripted Chandelier enjoyed brief internet notoriety because of Architectural Digest’s video on singer John Legend’s Los Angeles home.
  • Even delicate tapered forms are transformed with the use of hand-blown leaded crystal. The Amphora pendant does a great job encasing the incandescence.
  • Christian Astuguevieille is a highly collectible French Artisan known for his wrapped in cord furniture pieces. The Afritaco Bookcase comes in Macassar Ebony wrapped in a hand braided hemp cord. This piece is an excellent example of how to incorporate natural materials in a modern context.
  • The Wyeth Console would make for a great entryway solution. The peculiar shape of its cast bronze pulls in full display, playing against the straight edges.

Keep a lookout for more of our favorite October interior décor finds coming soon!


Bedroom interior design with a pendant lamp and large glass window

The Greatness of De Gournay Wallpaper

EXQUISITE DE GOURNAY WALLPAPER

It was the romantic idea of purveying goods that harken back to the halcyon days of Pax Brittanica. But the year was 1986, and mass production everything was commonplace. A contrarian approach to what was existing in the marketplace at the time, de GOURNAY assembled a team of artists and artisans to revive authentic hand-painted Chinoiserie wallpaper. Everyone took notice of the exceptional quality, and the business grew. By the time fabrics and porcelain were integrated into the product line, de GOURNAY had established itself as a leader in craftsmanship. In the way a Birkin cannot be compared to a handbag from a mass manufacturer, de GOURNAY has a portfolio of bespoke options that sets it apart.

The company’s philosophy speaks about the artist’s “spirit resonance” and how the human hand adds the kind of energy machine-made counterparts will never be able to replicate. 

Enjoy these notes from our last shopping trip:

  • We found a detail shot of Early Views of India, which is a part of the Panoramiques Collection, done in the scenic grey paper. The level of articulation is so impressive. It even has camel hairs! If you decide on you, want blue turbans in green background, that kind of customization is not only feasible but encouraged.
  • Butterflies in a 12-carat gilded paper. Can you imagine that in a hallway or accent wall?
  • St. Laurent is such a standout Peacock Chinoiserie. The playfully nibbled pomegranate with its exposed seeds is a nice touch. It has a wide range of colorways, depending on the mood you are looking for.
  • The details on the feathers and flowers are a testament to the artisans involved in the process. 12 carat White Gold gilded paper is such an exquisite option. Simply incredible.
  • La Chasse De Compiegne is part of the Panoramiques Collection. Teleport yourself with bucolic nostalgia with de Gournay’s take on a hunting scene. One can even request a tonal backdrop for a more contemporary look.
  • The painterly strokes of Willows find a great teammate in gilded paper. It would make a haunting install in any room. The way the luster of the background allows you to see the softer strokes makes it an exceptional experience.
  • A closeup shot of Monuments of Paris. One can imagine appreciating the detail years down the line. Every nuance is accounted for. We can see drapery lines, textures of the bark, depth of the foliage, all of these tiny details make the difference.

White and silver living room interior design idea

The Appeal of Lacquer for Interior Design

The Lacquered Room is enjoying itself a bit of a renaissance. It has been a design staple since antiquity, but the modern perspective has benefited it greatly. It triggers the most primordial fascination towards objects with luster. Its glossy magnetism has that powerful ability to harness color to do its bidding. Do you need to raise the electricity in a space? Falling short on presence? A sure-fire way is employing a high impact finish like lacquer to your walls. Humble doors, ceilings, panels, trim are elevated from their mundane existence.

“It triggers the most primordial fascination towards objects with luster.”

It is important to note that real lacquer application is no easy undertaking. It is applied by spray and the fumes aren’t exactly pleasant. Plan your local vacation accordingly. You will be pleased with the return of investment. The look is accessible to different budgets, with the advent of using enamel coating paired with a clear high gloss varnish as an alternative. And while there is absolutely no denying the inky impression left by classic black, irreverent colors can teleport you to newly discovered vistas of your personality. It’s a great way to dictate drama in the room. Tone on tone vignettes looks just as ravishing as high contrast displays. It is an excellent lesson on “surrender” for the obsessive as well. The finish has its upkeep, and you will surely develop the knack of spotting fingerprints. This is a minor tax to a MAJOR energy.