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June 2008
"You’re not ready to sell that yet."
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
My roommate and I are a lot alike. We both love classic furniture, swoon over design books, giggle at pretty pink things, and believe when it comes to style, you’ve got it or you don’t.
But we have one not insignificant difference; shopping patience.
While I might occasionally buy full-priced items, whether it be a sofa, picture frames or throw pillows, my roomie will lie in wait for a piece to go on clearance. She’s not cheap; she’s frugal, she explains. She’s also taught me an invaluable line, which I’ve heard her say to more than one salesperson: “You aren’t ready to sell that yet.”
I’m working on my retail perseverance, but I often fall prey to the fear that if I wait, my beloved (fill in the blank item) will be gone by my return. In fact, it happened this weekend with a certain pair of matelasse placemats at Williams-Sonoma.
What’s your shopping style? Would you pay full retail for something you love, or do you wait for a sale or clearance? What’s your best tale of risk-reward shopping; has your patience paid off in affordable, yet big ways?
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Artwork: popular or personal?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For many years, the only “artwork” on my walls was Salvador Dali’s Musical Tempest poster print (pictured below). I finally let it go when I realized that a billion other 20-somethings had the same poster. It just didn’t feel like “mine” anymore.
So I embarked on an original artwork campaign and by original I mean things that I, or people close to me, had a hand in creating. My collection has become a mishmash of items including a watercolor of a lighthouse in Montauk, NY that was a gift from a talented painter (Hi Carol!), a triptych of black and white photos featuring a single tree at the Grand Canyon which I shot during my “I want to be a photographer” phase, and a huge Marimekko fabric which I stretched over a wood frame (built by my very own hands, thank you) and promptly hung on my living room (now bedroom) wall.
I’ve researched all the ways that a newbie should dip his or her toe into buying original art (as opposed to creating it), but have yet to take the plunge. It’s not about money, it’s not that I don’t trust my judgment, it’s just that I like the things hanging on my walls to really mean something to me.
Maybe I just haven’t found that perfect piece to buy. Maybe I never will.
What kind of artwork do you seek for your space? What items do you have a personal connection to and why?
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Man’s best friend - his recliner?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a former life in a former city, I shared a home with a former boyfriend and his hideous recliner. I’m sure it was a “beautiful” green leather chair when his parents bought it from Ethan Allen in the 1980s, but by the time it came into my life (2004), it was broken in spots, torn in others, and was way past its prime. (For example, when one pulled the lever to recline the chair, the footrest would break.)
Truth be told, my former flame has an eye for style, but he refused to part with this leather chair. Even when we designed and purchased new pieces for our home, this chair remained, though banished to the basement. Take away that chair and I was taking away his college days, his independence, his, I don’t know, laundry folding station? (And for the record, I wasn’t stripping away all relics of his bachelor youth. I even purchased for him an Xbox 360 as proof.)
The chair remained, even when I didn’t. This year I learned that he finally parted with it when a sectional became a more attractive TV viewing alternative. I understand now that he had to come to the departure on his own terms, something I can’t say is true for our breakup.
Have you had experience with furniture that means more than its function? Is there a piece in your home your partner won’t part with, despite its ugliness? (Sounds like a tip for a successful marriage!)
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Vera Company enters home market
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s some great home decor news from an Atlanta based company.
The Vera Company, a lifestyle brand best known for the colorful scarves worn by Marilyn Monroe in the 60s, announced the creation of a new home division.
Vera (pictured above) died in 1993. In 2005, Susan Seid of Atlanta, purchased the rights to the brand with the desire to reintroduce Vera designs to the market.
The brand, which was launched in the 1940s by artist, Vera Neumann, once licensed the colorful prints to various producers of home decor items such as tablecloths and dinnerware. By the 80s, popularity faded and only a few clothing items were being produced by a catalog company in Georgia.
The new partnership with Creative Bath will bring four to five bath collections to market this fall including at least two outdoor dining sets with tablecloths and napkins as well as flat wear and drinking cups.
Pictured at right are two samples of the artwork that will be used for the bath collections.
Each item will feature the distinctive”Vera” signature and her trademark ladybug.
MORE: Read about the revival of the Vera Company
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My life is in chaos, just look at my furniture.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Sitting through a presentation on furniture marketing trends, I was struck by polling data in which homeowners described their worst pieces of furniture; it’s not simply that the piece wasn’t their taste, or failed to serve a great function in their homes. Their least favorite furniture reflected chaos and dysfunction they perceived in their lives.
One woman polled in the consumer study by the American Home Furnishings Alliance said that she hated a cabinet in her home because was a constant reminder that her kitchen was inadequate. Another despised her messy office and desk, explaining it made her anxious.
A man polled explained that while his sofa was quality construction, it’s outdated fabric was garish and not to his taste. Better yet, the sofa was a gift from his mother-in-law.
(This sofa, not the aforementioned man’s couch, was named the world’s ugliest last year by the World Wide Ugly Couch Contest.)
I don’t believe any of my furniture to be outrageously hideous, though I do have a media console that aggravates me. I purchased a piece from West Elm for what I thought was a whopping $400; three and a half hours of assembly later, it’s still crooked, scratched, and just plain unsatisfying. (I kept it because it weighs a ton and the thought of taking it apart made me want to cry. I’d attach a photo, but the item is no longer available online. Go figure.)
Do you have a piece of furniture that makes your skin crawl? Where did it come from and why have you held onto it?
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Living la vida Lucite
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Once upon a time, I desperately wanted a Lucite coffee table.
I searched for one to fit my tiny 450 square foot studio (that was in New York) and my even smaller budget, and turned up really bad imitations of more expensive styles.
Now that I have THREE times the space and a bit more cash, I’m considering Lucite again.
Of course, there is French designer Philippe Starck’s Louis XVI ghost chairs for Kartell at Allmodern.com ($410 for the one pictured at right).
But I didn’t realize there are quite a few less well-known designers (at least to me) such as Jordan Cappella, Aaron R. Thomas, and Karim Rashid, who also work with Lucite (the patented name for acrylic).
Even Alexandra von Furstenberg (former daughter-in-law of one of my favorite clothing designers, Diane von Furstenberg), recently launched a colorful collection of Lucite tables which hasn’t been getting the best reviews but hey, Lucite is clearly (haha) back in vogue.
Here’s an Adair acrylic coffee table from Overstock.com that I think is kind of cool, and very affordable at $259. It’s a copy of a far more pricey Karim Rashid table.
What are your thoughts on Lucite furniture? Any tips on mixing it with other items? Spotted any good deals?
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What is your favorite antique?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I may have a penchant for luxury goods, but my favorite piece of furniture is a worn, old Louis-inspired china cabinet I purchased for $350 in my early 20s. It weighs about the same as an elephant, which made my last four moves even more fun, but it’s brass detailed glass panes and pedestal legs make it worth the trouble.
I found the cabinet at Tableaux, a great vintage and antique furniture store in downtown Frederick, Md.; the owner, Jane Christofori, combs the region for overlooked, stylish, yet affordable goods. I can’t tell you when my cabinet was built, but she and I guess sometime in the 1960s or 70s. I repainted the interior for a pop of color and to hide the stale cigarette stench from the previous owner, and instead of china, I fill it with pictures and platters.
What is your favorite vintage or antique item? Where did you find it, or is it a family heirloom? (And if you can tell me anything about my china cabinet’s origin, please share!)
June 24th update: Our friend Stewart came through with pictures of his heirloom Chippendale secretary. Click on the image and see the stunning fretwork and well-preserved filigree. Say Stewart, for what price are you willing to part with this gorgeous piece?
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Bar stools built for comfort
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
When I decided to become a journalist, I swore I wouldn’t become the cliched tortured writer, hanging out at neighborhood bars, drinking beer (read: apple martinis), and recounting my journalistic conquests.
So maybe that explains my aversion to having bar stools in my home (a stretch, but work with me).
When my parents came to visit my new home, it was the absence of bar stools that caught my mother’s attention.
“You need stools,” she said.
OK. Fine. I need stools. But while streamlined styles, such as saddle stools, appeal to my minimalist sensibilities, they do not look very comfortable. Stools that anyone would want to sit in for any period of time need to have backs.
So I spotted these, by Marco Maran for Knoll, www.allbarstools.com, but they feel too big and bulky. And anyway, with the $651 price tag, I could afford, ohhh…one.
Any thoughts on where to find streamlined bar stools built for comfort?
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When it comes to closets, should women get the lioness’ share?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Before I purchased my home, I lived in a fantasy that I could afford a three-bedroom abode, which I would convert into a two-bedroom, one giant dressing room home. All four walls in this space would be lined with sleek, sexy bright-white built-ins, with glass doors for my dresses. A black crystal chandelier would hang from the ceiling, and in the middle, I’d place two gray velvet (with hot pink piping) slipper chairs.
Fast-forward to reality, I have two small, yet walk-in-able closets off my master bedroom. In one, I keep pants, shirts, skirts and shoes. In the other, I keep coats, dresses, bags and, well, more shoes. In this not yet crowded space, where is a potential future hubby to hang his hat?
Allow me to submit my belief that a glamorous closet is the holy grail for many women (and a few guys, too.) The “Sex in the City” movie confirmed my belief when Carrie opened the doors to her new closet and the theatre erupted in a synchronized gasp. One glimpse of the sparkling white marble floors and endless hang-up space and sky-high shoe racks and we knew: heaven exists, no wire hangers are allowed.
But then I thought — wonder how much space belongs to Big?
For those of you who share closet space, what was your biggest challenge and how have you solved it? Should the person with the larger wardrobe have more room, or when it comes to closet space, is it separate, but equal?
(Photo of Mariah Carey’s wondrous wardrobe.)
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Selecting your collection
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Scott Antique Market convenes this weekend, and I’m itching to explore it’s dusty, crowded aisles in search of unique art or collectibles for my home. Specifically, I’d like to expand my small collection of Gibson Girl prints (by Charles Dana Gibson), especially those that first appeared in “Life Magazine” at the turn of last century.
I plan to enlarge a copy of one of my prints to create cheap, but funky wall art for my dressing area.
I’m also always on the hunt for cool porcelain plates or collections of prints, perhaps inspired by local design legend Dan Carithers. In homes such as this year’s Southern Accents Showhouse, Carithers used this simple element to create timeless style.
What do you collect to showcase your personal style? Or do you think it’s just a magnet for dust?
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OwenLawrence Sample Sale
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Searching for deals on home decor? Take a trip to West Midtown this weekend.
OwenLawrence, gallery is having a 2-day summer sample sale with 20 to 60 percent off furniture, glassware and dinnerware including brands such as Nachtmann, Leonardo glassware, and Manuel Canovas candles (FYI: Canovas also recently launched a line of luxury perfumes).
Pictured below is a sample of the goods you may find on sale at OL, a Monos footed bowl base originally priced at $300.
All OL silk products, leather trays and cocktail and end tables will be marked down as well.
When:
10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Friday, June 13 & 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday June 14
Where: OwenLawrence gallery in Westside Urban Market 1200 Howell Mill Road, 404-869-7360
In other retail news, furniture consignment store, Savvy Snoot (also located on Howell Mill Road), has opened a new location in Alpharetta at 30 North Main Street.
The store offers a variety of styles such as modern lamps, original art from local artists and antiques from a roster of more than 500 sellers. For more information visit www.savvysnoot.com.
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A $6000 Toilet?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A toilet is hardly a high-end design consideration for most of us, but I can’t help thinking how cool it would be to have one of those high-tech versions.
Wouldn’t you feel like the master of your master bath when the throne lifts automatically as you walk in the room, heats up before you plunk your bottom down, and rinses you clean before you get up?
Wouldn’t your guests have added comfort with a toilet that emits fragrances to mask unsavory odors or one that makes tinkling noises to camouflage body functions?
These Toto Neorest toilets (Toto is a Japanese company that manages human waste) have hands free flushing, self-cleaning mechanisms and eco-friendly flushes. The top of the line versions cost almost $6000.
I thought it was a ridiculous accessory for the totally self-indulgent until I saw one of those toilets priced at $2240 on the Better Homes and Gardens shopping site.
I mean, that’s a price some people would pay for a flat screen TV, right?
So what do you say? Would you consider investing in a high-tech toilet or would it be money down the drain?
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Stylish TV display? And how big is too big?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’ve finally accepted that I need the TV sitting in my living room. Sure, I love the serenity that comes with a room devoid of the giant black abyss of my LCD screen, but in reality, my Dad needs something to watch when he visits. And in reality, I like my reality television.
I made a mistake when I purchased my TV. I went to the store planning to buy a 26”, but when I saw that the 32” was “on sale” for the same price, I went for it. I recognize that a 32” TV doesn’t seem that large to most people, but in my view, it’s consuming my room, making itself the focal point when it should merely be an accessory.
How can I store this monster in a stylish, functional way? In a pinch last fall, I purchased a piece from West Elm, but $400 and three and a half hours of assembly later, the sideboard-turned-media stand was big, crooked and disappointing. (I’d show a picture, but it’s no longer available online. Go figure.)
How do you showcase (or store) your television? Do you have something like Pottery Barn’s “Dawes TV Armoire Suite” ($1,999)?
Or maybe this more understated Garraux Media Console from Ballard Designs ($900)?
Those seeking a sleeker, more contemporary look may opt for the Giulia Media Credenza from Design Within Reach ($4,000).
How do you find form And function when it comes to TV storage?
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Balcony furniture - Hi or lo?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s getting hot. Really hot.
So of course, the A/C in my NEW condo crashed, which forced me out to the balcony for a breeze.
Fortunately, I recently invested in a lovely set of wicker tub chairs from Restoration Hardware’s Hampshire collection (pictured). But when I actually spent time hanging outside, I realized my balcony set-up is lacking.
I need a table (side? dining?), ottomans for comfortable reclining, and the list goes on. But the chairs pushed me close to my budgetary limits and space on the balcony is tight.
One day soon I hope to own a home with a backyard and create one of those very chic outdoor/ indoor room setups, which would render my current balcony furniture unusable.
Cue my latest decorating dilemma: How much is too much to spend on balcony furniture? Any suggestions for lower priced, quality pieces?
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Crate & Barrel Perimeter Mall location closing
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I just received an e-mail alert that the Crate & Barrel store at Perimeter Mall is closing this Sunday. This location sells mostly housewares, unlike the Lenox and North Point Village homestores, which sell furniture in addition to the cookware/dinner/everything offerings.
I gave Perimeter a quick call; the few furniture pieces they have (such as the Dylan barstools) are being sold as floor samples, and cookware/dinnerware is now 25 percent off.
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Fashion designer furniture
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As a follower of fashion, I’m always curious to see designers move from the world of fashion to fashioning furniture and home accessories.
It seems several of them have done so lately.
There is Oscar de la Renta Home and Gianni Versace furniture or even Marc Jacob’s collection of glassware and china for Waterford.
Here’s a look at an Oscar de la Renta red lacquer credenza (which feels a little flashy, but I kind of like it), listed at $10,785 and previously available in stores through Century Furniture.
But I always wonder if a fashion designer who ventures into home design is doing so primarily to boost his or her bottom-line and coast on his or her well-known name.
Can a fashion designer really be considered a high caliber designer of furniture or home accessories? Any examples?
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What makes a room you?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Three weeks into my new home, I’m spending a great deal of time planning my décor, i.e. which colors I want to pop where, how I want each room to feel, how each room will relate to the other spaces… Most importantly, I want my house to be beautiful yet deeply personal, and that’s not just the stuff of great furniture.
Perhaps despite my apparent taste for luxury furniture, I have a thing for pigs. (Stay with me.) Maybe it’s because my grandfather back in West Virginia has hogs on his farm, or because a childhood family friend gave me a cross-stitched pig named “Katie,” but I can’t help myself when I find pig garden ornaments or antique swine prints. Heck, I even bought a porcelain platter with a pig relief! I recognize my obsession borders on tacky, but I smile every time I see the pig pieces I’ve sprinkled throughout my home.
(Doesn’t this little stone and resin guy from Ballard Designs make you smile?)
What do you think makes a room beautiful and personal? Is it your grandmother’s quilt draped over an armchair ? Stylishly framed family photographs? Fresh flowers from your garden? What do you do in your home for an instant style lift that says “you”?
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