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May 2008
Retromodern.com Warehouse Sale
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Habitude reader, Melissa, hipped us to a big shopping event in Atlanta this weekend.
Retromodern.com is having a warehouse sale to celebrate its move from 14th street to a new facility.
The moving sale includes overstock, customer returns and some floor samples at 40 to 90 percent off the original prices. That means items from Knoll, Kartell, Alessi and more at deep discounts.
Come prepared (with a rental truck, yes?) to take your purchases with you. The store will hold some larger items in warehouse until June 2.
If you see us, come say hello!
When: Saturday May 31 & Sunday June 1 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 691 14th Street
Thanks Melissa!
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Sales
Leather Sofas: for bachelors only?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Once upon time I wanted a leather sofa. Then it hit me that every unmarried man I knew between the ages of 25 to 40 had one.
Sprawling espresso colored leather sectionals, most often wedged in a tiny space (along with surround sound speakers and a giant flat-screen), seemed a requisite of bachelorhood.
Now that I need to replace my own hulking ultrasuede sectional, I’ve been flirting with leather again and I’ve spotted some better options for the ladies.
One style that I love is from Elite Leather, the California based company that turns out made to order couches. Sadly, I can’t rip the image from their website so click here to see the “Louis” sofa which goes for $5,000.
I also like these refinished and re-upholstered 1960s tufted case chairs from Noho Modern (also Cali based). But the $8,300 price tag puts them well out of range.
Should I leave the leather to the fellas or has anyone spotted other styles a lady might love?
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: design trends
Floor coverings: Spend high for ground-level luxury?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My floors are naked and crying for cover.
While I’m not a huge fan of blanketing hard woods, I adore beautiful rugs. In my view, they serve three purposes: 1) to cover scuffs and scrapes, 2) prevent further damage, and 3) tie a room together.
Despite my wallet versus taste challenges, I’m a regular on abchome.com, where I soak in views of trés-expensive rugs like this 9’8” x 10’6” taupey Samarkand, now on sale for $24,999, down from $38,000.
Yes, a true Persian or Oriental may sell for more than some college tuitions, but I know a number of people who have passed these heirlooms from generation to generation. (Alas, I am not among them.)
Through this site, I came across Madeline Weinrib, the great-granddaughter of ABC carpet founder Max Weinrib. Her colorful woven works range in price from the hundreds to thousands. As a fan of all things pink, I noticed this cotton weave Emma brown and pink rug at $775 for a 6 x 9.
Feeling indulgent? What do you think of this moody Tibetan Light Honeymilk rug? This piece sells for $4,000 at 6 x 9; both Madeline Weinrib price quotes are from Bungalow Classic on Howell Mill.
How important are floor coverings in your home? What’s the most you would spend on a rug, and how long do you expect to keep it?
Permalink | Comments (10) | Post your comment | Categories: Fine floors
Is wallpaper in or out?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s a room in my home that I call the mystery room.
I’m sure it was planned as space for a small office, but the location and structure (just to the right of the front door, windowless and doorless) makes that impractical.
Since I moved in a year ago, the mystery room has remained dark and empty, except for two fantastic chairs in need of a backdrop. I knew the walls needed a special touch, but after considering every paint shade in the Pantone rainbow, I still had nothing.
“Have you thought about wallpaper?” asked KL my fellow Habitude blogger.
Well, no, I hadn’t, not in the 12 years since my parents ripped down that awful tone on tone yellow with silver stripes in the kitchen of my childhood home.
I scouted for possibilities and found modern looks (like the one to the right) at walnutwallpaper.com, a site that offers the public access to papers once available only to designers.
While plenty of in-the-know decorators espouse the return of wallpaper, wallpaper haters say the look is generally outdated and passe. So I’m…torn.
Where do you stand on the wallpaper debate: is it time for a resurgence or is wallpaper a trend best left in the past?
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: design trends
Furniture splurge or rock a knock-off?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last week, I moved into a new home. For months now, I’ve envisioned my decor, how my furniture will settle into its new space, the custom drapery I’ll design for my master bedroom windows, the parties I’ll have in my spacious new abode…
Everything is falling into place, but one thing is missing: a dining room table. Specifically, my dream Saarinen tulip table with an Arabescato marble top, similar to the oval table seen in this photo by Knoll, the table’s official dealer. I can see it now, its graceful curves against my traditional dining room, topped with a black crystal chandelier.
Only one thing stands between me and my 60” round Tulip temptress: $9,389 (plus tax). After all, I’m a first time homebuyer, a single woman, and a reporter at that. Sure, I could throw that puppy on plastic, but mama needs a new hot water heater first.
Every girl has her dream item, right? For some it’s a pair of Manolos, for others a three carat diamond, but for me? It’s this legendary table, created by Finnish-born American designer Eero Saarinen in 1957. According to Knoll’s website, Saarinen is said to have designed this elegant pedestal table as a way to “clear up the slum of legs.”
I’ve yet to find a knock-off to soothe my desire, though I appreciate IKEA’s effort in this Docksta table, a mere $149.
What would you do? Save your pennies for the real thing, or rock a knock-off? What’s your dream item?
Permalink | Comments (30) | Post your comment | Categories: Luxury furniture
Meet the bloggers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Katie Leslie and Nedra Rhone are constantly searching for the newest, coolest and most stylish home trends, objects and stores to share with you.
So make it a habit to check the ‘Habitude’ blog regularly for a taste of the luxe life.
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Nedra Rhone
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Nedra Rhone, a Chicago native, has covered shopping and style for the AJC since moving to Atlanta in 2006. After serving as a general assignment and education reporter at newspapers in Los Angeles and Long Island, New York, the girl who subscribed to W Magazine at the tender age of 14, was thrilled to write about one of her favorite topics - fashion. When she’s not hitting the stores in search of deals, she’s staring at the empty rooms of her new home and brainstorming fabulous furnishings. Read about Nedra’s fellow blogger, Katie Leslie.
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Katie Leslie
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Katie Leslie spends most days studying plants she doesn’t have time to plant and furniture she doesn’t have the flow to afford. Good thing she loves her job as a home and garden feature writer anyway. A graduate of New York University with a degree in musical theatre and journalism, Katie worked as a health reporter and webcaster for The Frederick News-Post in Maryland before joining the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in late 2007. A West Virginia native, Katie has spent many weekends since childhood in dusty antique stores, estate auctions and garden nurseries, and is proud to own nearly every “House Beautiful” and “Domino” magazine from the past three years. When not writing, she likes rearranging her furniture. Read about Katie’s fellow blogger, Nedra Rhone.
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