Worth the Wait :)

Sometimes you run into situations where you just can't control anything..... like lead times on furniture.  These clients so patiently waited for their new items that seemed to take forever,  But the outcome was wonderful!

Custom chairs in the back from Sherrill Furniture in the background and a beautifully, locally handmade walnut table in the foreground!  The U-shaped furniture arrangement creates a great conversational seating area or the perfect place for lots of people to watch TV.

With the incredibly tall ceilings, the long draperies help make the space feel cozier and warmer. Small details add color to the space, the large artwork coordinates with the trim fabric on the draperies as well as the accent pillows on the sofa. 

High Point Market Highlights: Chairs!

With Christmas just around the corner, life has been running full speed with work, parties, family in town, and a few little projects of my own.  I will try as best I can to keep up the blog during the holidays but I can't make any promises :)  

I will, however, share some of my favorite finds from High Point Market from October.  There is never any shortage of inspiration at High Point and over 1300 photos later, I think I have plenty to share!  Some blogs, I'll cover styling or how showrooms put their vignettes together including amazing color combinations, mixing of styles, and current trends.  

Other blogs, like this one, I'll highlight specific products I found to be beautiful and unique. Chairs are fairly important to interiors and we'd be hard-pressed to find a space that didn't have one.  While they are one of the most common elements in an interior space, they also have a wide variety of functions: Am I going to relax and read in this chair? am I going to be doing my makeup? paying bills? eating dinner? etc. 

So, here are some of my favorite chairs and links to where you can find them.  As always, every item can be purchased through By Design Interiors... so happy designing!

Hickory White, as always, had a beautiful showroom and two of my favorite chairs from Market. This one above is an Exposed Wood Chair with a beautiful design on the sides.  This chair was shown in several different upholstery options on the showroom floor and it completely changed looks depending on what it was upholstered in: very masculine and linear in leather, and softer in a fabric. 

This Pull-Up Chair from Hickory White was awesome! and surprisingly comfortable.  It could look more traditional upholstered in a linen-like material or more contemporary in a bright funky leather.

Palecek's use of natural materials is always breathtaking. This wood and rattan chair always catches my eye. 

I love the simplicity of this farmhouse dining chair by Furniture Classics.  Great for growing families where sticky fingers might ruin an upholstered seat.  This chair is made from recycled wood and comes in a couple different colors.

Hands-down.... the Eames Lounger is a classic and personal favorite.  My grandparents have a second edition in their living room that makes me smile every time I see it (and them :)  Dovetail has this great little knock-off in a dark cherry leather.

Regina Andrew is one of my favorite stops on my Market tour; their items are funky and unique and can add that touch of unexpected to any space. 

Please visit Bernhardt's website to see this chair upholstered in another fabulous colored leather!  This awesome little guy has so many possibilities. He can live in an entry, side by side with his counterpart, or in a cozy little library. 

I've kept a lot of the fru-fru out of this list, but I have to include at least one that will make you go, 'awww!'  This cute little Kensington Chair from Currey and Company is dainty and beautiful.

And the chair that wins most creative upholstery goes to Hickory Chair's Chippendale Dining Chair.  The upholstery workers picked up a bunch of scrap fabrics from previous projects and sewed them together to create those beautiful stripes!  

Really Big Challenges

Not every job begins with a clean slate, an empty space with nothing to it.  In fact, 90% of jobs require a designer to incorporate existing furniture, accessories, or styles.  Sometimes it can be super easy to do.... other times, not so much.

I have been working on a couple of clubhouses which are perfect examples of such a challenge.  The owners were ready to update the grand rooms in the community clubhouses; the furniture was beautiful, but it was worn from over ten years of use.  Doesn't seem like much of a problem.... however the budget, in no way, would accommodate replacing the existing window treatments.

Design challenge: update the space while coordinating with 13-year-old draperies.

Challenge accepted.

It is evident from this before picture, that these window treatments are HUGE. Like 25 feet long and all the way across the giant walls. So, we couldn't just ignore them and pretend they weren't there.  In fact, they play a key role in the design of this entire space.

Clubhouse Before

The fabric had a particular shade of red that proved more difficult to match than expected; it wasn't a true red, not an orange-red, not a burgundy either.  My assistant and I dug through hundreds of fabric books looking for just the right fabrics to coordinate. Many of the potential fabrics we found would turn out to be discontinued with no stock.

While keeping the main furniture neutral with caramel colored fabrics and leathers, the red accents came through in the throw pillows and rugs.

Detail of Clubhouse - After

When it came to the rugs, I got lucky.  Laying around BDI's office, I found a rug that has a gorgeous shade of red that was.... perfect! Check out this fresh new look to this grand, traditional room!

Clubhouse - After

 - Erika and Erin