12.28.2018

Welcome to Charlotte - La Belle Helene

Hi !

Thrilled about this restaurant hitting Charlotte.  La Belle Helene.  The decor is perfect and the food is exceptional.  The minute I walked in I felt like I was back in NY or Paris but a cleaner version !

La Belle Helene
300 South Tryon
Charlotte NC

Image from QC Magazines great coverage by San Barmlett (here).

The editor of Home Design & Decor, Ashley Cox, Mr. Brown and Julian Chichester treated myself and about 20 Charlotte designers to a beautiful lunch just before Christmas in our own little private room.  (images from my Instagram stories)





It was a fabulous pre-Christmas, shut it down, catch up kind of day.  While they had a beautiful menu for us, take a look at a few images from their instagram site to wet you appetite!





Now, not only did I want to clue you into this amazing new spot downtown, I wanted to write a bit about something I am loving for 2019.  The mural.  I have been obsessing over this idea for about 6 months now and want to bring it back.  Walking into La Belle and spotting exactly what I have been thinking solidified my thoughts... the hand painted mural needs to make a come back.


I am meeting an amazing artist this morning to discuss just this.  Adding a mural to our office to not only make me happy but to show off her talents and give a little inspiration to clients for their projects !

Stay tuned in 2019 for my mural comeback !




Modern New Build

Hi !

The second of the new projects I am working on is a new build in Foxcroft.  My new client, whose office is next door to mine walked in one day in a bit of a panic needing quick help just a few weeks ago.  I had a window of time that afternoon and did a drive by to see just what was going on.  Gorgeous new house, very modern and well underway.  They just needed it pulled together.  That was a Friday.  I had a relatively low key weekend so decided to play with these boards !  Being New Yorkers, there were quick on the draw and we put it all into motion shortly after.



The new large black metal front door opens to a wide white foyer screaming for something to catch your eye.  We are pulling in an antique floor mirror, white hide and metal chair and this killer console.  That sets the tone.




The dining room has just been painted black, trim and all.  I felt a dramatic chandelier was in order. But something unexpected to contrast the sleek table and chairs in a totally different style.


Art is a big part of their lives and they have many, many pieces they have collected over the years.  Once all the pieces come in will find homes for all these pieces !  I added images to the board to steer in the color direction what I would choose, but art is very personal and subjective.   We'll see what comes into play in that space.


I would also add a vintage rug and something totally unique in the way of a tall storage piece.


The details on this piece are amazing and again would add more interest to an all modern space.... 

Across the hall is a smaller lounge on the front of the house.  We are doing this amazing new sofa in a rich plum velvet, two leather chairs and hide ottoman.  I really want a mural (yep I said mural and stay tuned for that !!) or paper on the back wall but we are phasing that once we see how the space unfolds.   With all white walls I really think we need to depth of color and pattern to make this room not only unique but cozy.



Their kitchen is done and I used it's style to work on the large family room that overlooks the back porch, pool and pool house.  It's really a killer space.


A long breakfast space is pretty much under control with the addition of possibly two contrasting end chairs.


An art wall will add so much interest to the this long white room.


With the family room under control as well art wise, we are adding a large new rug, sofa, two swivel chairs and two modern leather chairs.



The powder room is screaming for paper.  I love this... maybe they'll cave !


And then there's the master bedroom.  New lamps, chandelier and hide dressers.  The paper may be hard hard sell as well, but we'll see !





** Update **

Took a quick site shot . . . and that was about all I could do  "Nuf said.." and that's all I can say . . .








Current Obsession - Coral & Tusk Studio

Howdy

Good things always come out of Brooklyn and this is one of them. Meet Coral & Tusk.  I first became aware when I received these gorgeous fabric samples at our studio.  The textures and detail caught my eye as well as the color palettes. 







I have always loved embroidery.  Anything with texture basically.  Back in the day I was a needle pointer and made my fair share of pillows.  I remember spending hours and hours working on them.  I am always drawn to textiles with embroidered details.   It was a John Derian's Instagram post that I discovered Coral & Tusk's embroidered cards and thought how special would those be as thank-you notes.  I love them.







So I took a little time this morning to read a bit more about founder Stephanie Housley and her amazing art.

Pillows, linens, dolls, cards, napkins all intricately detailed with whimsical designs. I can relate to the endless hours hand-embroidering and feeling like it would take forever to finish so back in 2007 and after a ton of research she found a machine to do it for her and founded her company.

Her unique process translates her hand-drawn illustrations into tactile embroidered textiles with heirloom quality.



Her extensive line of pillows, fabric, table and gift items began with a single embroidery machine in her Brooklyn apartment.  Turning a passion into a global business recognized by the best, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Martha Stewart, Vogue and The World of Interiors.






After nearly two decades in New York,  she now lives and works in Bondurant, Wyoming.  Surrounded by nature as inspiration.  With creative offices still in NY, they have opened Coral & Tusk West where their goods are housed and shipped.



A little more about Stephanie from her site . . . 


"Drawing is my passion. Embroidering these drawings makes them come to life."
Born and raised in the Ohio Valley, Stephanie comes from a long line of Appalachian women who could make something from nothing. Her great-grandmother made lace while her grandmother made dolls, each instilling Stephanie with a deep appreciation for self-expression through craft.
Stephanie’s natural creative aptitude paired with her intense drive and focus, led her to study textile design at RISD as the first in her family to attend college. After graduating, Stephanie relocated to New York City, pursuing a career as a wovens textile designer. She worked for mills both domestically and abroad, designing for top interior fabric manufacturers. With fifteen years of industry experience under her belt, Stephanie began Coral & Tusk. Her creative process is a special alchemy of storytelling, illustration, and machine embroidery.
At the outset of designing a new Coral & Tusk collection, Stephanie looks to the natural world for inspiration. Growing up, she spent most of her time exploring outdoors, in creeks and forests near her childhood home, and on family trips to the Eastern seaboard. Wyoming became a favorite destination of Stephanie’s, visiting first as a child, and then in recent years with her husband Chris Lacinak. The two felt a strong connection to the landscape and way of life found out West. In 2016 they moved from Brooklyn to Bondurant, WY with their dog Paco.
Stephanie’s genuine love for animals is apparent to anyone who spends time with her.  At her home in Wyoming, you may find her on the porch, stopping to appreciate the sight of a passing deer or on a rarer occasion, quietly observing a perched owl. On her daily hikes, she rattles off the names of wildflowers or points to the exact spot she saw a sandhill crane or small fox just days before, casually mentioning an unknown fact about the animal’s habitat and range.






I pulled a few of my favorites from her site, take a look at the detail !


all picture from their site and a great interview with One Kings Lane . . . here