Sidewalk Inspiration . . .

Hey There . . . 

Trina Turk was one of my stops in NY last weekend.  Great space located in the Meatpacking District. I found a lot of inspiration in the shop and the streets outside . . . Take a look . . I had so much fun shooting these pictures and relating the two in color, shape and texture.

Check out her fall collection

these two shots from her site at here.

and don't forget we at Lucy and Company have all her amazing fabrics for interiors !

Hey There . . .

While I was in New York this past weekend -  I went out my first night, just to grab something for dinner.  I was staying near 14th Street in the Meat Packing District (a new neighborhood for me, I tend to be a Flat Iron kind of gal) and when I rounded the corner I walked right into a stylist's buffet table.  

The streets were filled with 20-somethings in their very cute, short, flashy dresses, their 5 inch heels were getting caught in the cobble stone streets and they were all a flutter.   It was "Fashion's Night Out".  An event sponsored by QVC and Maybelline of New York to kick off fashion week.   All the local designer shops were open, pouring champagne and cranking "Call Me Maybe" over and over - It was clubbing and shopping all in one.  It was quite the party.  So I grabbed a glass and started watching all the hubbub.

 I wandered and wandered, often jumping out of the way of truly infatuated young, future hopeful designers and models - who were running alongside camera men to catch a glimpse of the likes of Nichole Richie, Anna Wintour, Isaac Mizrahi, and Project Runway designers.  I have to say I was slightly a little "star struck" - snapping my i phone like a teenager - or big tourist, you pick.

Now if you know me at all - I could use a stylist (or surprise makeover), but I love fashion.  I do read Vogue, so getting that close to Ms. Wintour was pretty cool.  I often get a ton of inspiration from the season's colors, textures and patterns.  The runway does jump start interiors, everyone knows that !

I noticed a lot of pink, gray, raspberry, black and white and silver.  Tomorrow on the way to class (which by the way is the main reason for this not-just-for-fun trip) and after my meeting with a new client . . . I plan on taking all this inspiration a little further.

Stay tuned !

Doings in Dilworth . . .

Hey There . . .

I hope everyone local knows about the Dilworth Home Tour coming on September 21st and 22nd !  With our showroom located in the heart of Dilworth, we love to take a work break and check out the great designs and unique homes on the tour.  It's a fun time to stroll around and get inspired.

Get your tickets on line or stop by T. Reid and Company on East Boulevard, Paper Skyscraper and Dilworth Drug.

My friend Taylor Presson of www.sweethomecharlotte.net has the fun job of reporting on all the homes this year on her blog.  Be sure to get your ticket.  One of my favorites, and the signature home  428 East Kingston Avenue is a must see, here's a preview from Sweet Home . . .

photo by Terry Loeb

I also want to extend a big thanks to Taylor for choosing Lucy and Company for her feature story in this issue of the Dilworth Quarterly !!!  I was most impressed by her gift of the written word.  Unlike my rambling and often use of poor grammar and spelling - she was quite eloquent !

Thanks Taylor !!

Fun, Funky & Fresh: Modern Design Reigns at Lucy & Company

By Taylor Presson

Lucy & Company, located in the heart of Dilworth, is nestled near the corner of Dilworth Road West and East Boulevard. The chocolate brown building, with its delicate cream-colored cursive lettering and black & white chevron front stoop is classic and eye- catching. Under dark skies, the showroom’s expansive windows are often softly lit to display the unique and colorful interiors designed by owner Beth Keim.

A long time resident of Plaza-Midwood, Beth followed her heart, clients and real estate investment instincts, and brought her magical showroom to Dilworth in 2006.

Named after Beth’s oldest daughter, Lucy & Company is a true family affair. Husband Keith is an accomplished artist and craftsman, and is often the talent behind Beth’s unique and customized designs. Lucy and youngest daughter Kate are a constant presence in the shop and provide daily inspiration for the light-hearted and whimsical interiors that have become Lucy & Company’s signature.
No stranger to historic homes (her own home dates back to the 1920’s), Beth knows how to make modern interior design shine within the architectural constraints of older homes. Her love of all things historic is evident just listening to her talk about “cold, hard plaster walls, high ceilings, and thick beautiful moldings.” Respecting the integrity of the home, she prefers to “add on” to existing design elements. She has a few favorite tricks (or as she refers to them), “happy surprises.” Some of these include adding molding and modern materials to ancient fireplaces to create the illusion of height by connecting dated picture molding to crown molding, as well as saving antique crystal chandeliers and hanging them in unexpected places.

Stop by the showroom, visit www.lucyandcompany.com or check out her blog at www.lucyandcompanyblog.com to see what Beth is up to now!

So get out and enjoy the hopefully cooler weather and spend some time roaming the Dilworth Homes.

Road Trip . . . Florida Bound

Hey there . . .

So I thought I was smart to plan an escape from the craziness of the upcoming DNC which is being held here in Charlotte. Trading in road closings, traffic jams and the overall frenzy for a fun out-of-town install in the tropics - sounded perfect.  I booked the trip . . . to Tampa.  Ok, I am a distracted idiot.  How did I not know the RNC was taking place in my escape city?   Because I have been work immersed, radio and TV turned out, install obsessed - That's been my focus as of late.  So let the Conventions begin and let the best man win - I will be tuned into the drama while unpacking lamps.   

I am leaving town tomorrow for an install I have been looking forward to for months !! Sunday Richardson.  Name sound familiar . . . Sunday Richardson is Dawn Richardson's sister-in-law from yesterday's post !   It has been amazing working with this family (check out where it all started  . . . with their mother-in-law, Judy's project (here) and their other sister-in-law, Rebecca's project.  I have been busy with the Richardson's !  Each project has been unique, special and simply a joy !

So bag's are packed . . . The truck is packed and I am heading south . .

Stay tuned and let's hope I don't arrive at the airport to this . . 

Crafty-Girl . . . Spotlight Erica Domesek . . .

Hey there . . .

There's nothing better than an unplanned day. . . a day without commitments . . . a day to goof off.  I decided to do that yesterday.  I have been working so much lately on new projects and new clients that I needed a day to clear my head so I can be creative again come Monday . . . (I hope anyway).  But true to self, I pulled out my lap top and just starting playing around while watching the Olympics and re-organizing my home office (multi-tasker much).

I came across a site call "P.S. I Made This . . " (www.psimadethis.com).  When I was a kid I was always making something - have two girls now that aren't much different.  We are constantly looking for little (simple) things we can do for fun.  If you have a daughter involved in  "Indian Princess" are you not always looking for a good, easy craft idea, a little more exciting than sticking stickers on things ? !  Now while a lot of these craft projects are more suited for us grown ups, you can take a lot of these ideas and cater them towards those daughters of yours.

So meet Erica Domesek.

Founder, creator and author of P.S. I Made This, distinguished DIY design and style expert living and creating in New York City.

She has been seen crafting on Martha Stewart, Nate Berkus, Rachael Ray, Fox, NBC and E!.  She has been featured in publications such as Glamour, Lucky, InStyle, and Self.

She has a book out . . . a must have for those crafty at heart.

Casasugar did a great post and special interview with Erika.  I loved taking a peek at her home and take a look at the ultimate craft closet . . .

photo by Michael Fine

The collage boards on Erica's site were what caught my eye first.  If you saw the wall in my home office you would understand why . . .  She's the best at those boards !

So spent some time checking our her archives for great ideas and clever things to do. . . I was
totally inspired !

Happy Monday . . .

Nature's Perfection . . .

Spotlight:  Christopher Marley

Hey there . . . 

Another favorite moment of mine in Atlanta was seeing Christopher Marley.  I love his work and have see it in past shows in New York.  This time I took my time and really looked and talked to Christopher.  His work is amazing.  I love that his signature line is only available for a limited time, in limited numbers with a few being one timers.

For collectors . . . insects in particular . . . a must have.  For the rest of us,  I loved the color and pattern.  The uniqueness of his work is what I really appreciated.  I found his art amazing - after reading a bit more about Christopher, I have a new appreciation . . .

An avid naturalist, he admits when he was young he was not a fan of bugs - he could not find the beauty in them . . .  But with age come wisdom and it's this quote, from Christopher himself,  that caused me to pause and take a closer look at his work and find total agreement and appreciation . .  ( to read more from Christopher visit here)

“Once I looked at them from the perspective of a designer, I was immediately affected by how clearly and precisely they fit my own artistic standards of purpose and sleek utilization. . . their latent elegance and lustrous beauty . . . ”

With the exception of this picture I took of Nature's Perfection, oops, I mean Christopher himself -  I went to his site to capture some of the images of what I saw in Atlanta, as my pictures didn't come close to doing his work of art justice . . . take a look. 

I find the patterns beautiful and the colors amazing.  Group together or standing alone - calling attention, any of these pieces would be amazing to have.

I took these two shot below . . . These were two of my favorites . . .

He  is working on his second book, but this one is available now (available here) and a great addition to the coffee table line up.  I can't wait to get one for myself . .  I must get it autographed at the next show!

"Each specimen has a story behind it.

I travel the world in search of natural artifacts that meet certain criteria.

The element must be harvested, collected, bred, mined, grown or otherwise acquired in a responsible, ethical and sustainable manner."

On your next trip to Oregon . . 

visit Christopher at

The Pheromone Gallery

255 Liberty Street NE

Salem, OR  97301

or contact us at www.lucyandcompany.com

Thanks for the time Christopher, enjoyed it - and you have an amazing photographer !

Dunes and Duchess Meet New England . . .

Hi . . .

Meet photographer Michael Parterio and stylist/editor Stacy Kunstel of Dunes and Duchess.  I met the pair in Atlanta as well.  I was immediately drawn to the unique shapes and colors of the pieces they were showing at market, and somehow, something looked familiar.  

Familiar . . . yep, I recalled seeing their red hot candelabra in the May issue of Traditional Home . . 

I loved this vendor for a few reasons . . . the colors first off, then after speaking with them for a bit, I was briefly brought back to a summer I had in Martha's Vineyard and Block Island . . .  I was about 18.  Now these beautiful pieces fit in perfectly with the look in my mind when it comes to New England style design.  I grew up in Connecticut, and while we weren't this hip and cool back then, if I were to design the ideal look now, I would absolutely filter in a piece of two by Dunes and Duchess !  But do keep in mind, with the abundance of color (and custom colors available) they offer, these modern shapes are just limited to "New England Chic."

Take a look at a few images from their site . . .

This chair is great . . . love the shade and can be used in numerous applications, painted or

natural.

Now that I am going over all my pictures from Atlanta (which I will share soon)  I like to take the time to think about all the different ways I can use what I am finding at market. 

Today, I'm in the "New England Summer" frame of mind . . .

Rustic clapboard houses, a lot of white, a lot of pine beams, Hudson Bay point blankets, lobster rolls, Newport Jazz Festival, plaid jackets and seersucker, Sperry Topsiders, worn leather, a lot more white !

Started playing around with an ideal bedroom in my ideal cottage . . .

. . . love anything? . . . be glad to source for you.
Take a closer look at the gorgeous sea fans and shells

 . . .  and Studio Bon fabric

. . . just a few more images from my files to get you in the mood . . .

photo by Mark Gaulke

Above images via (clockwise) 1. ElleDecor, 2. Malabar fabric (available at www.lucyandcompany.com), 3. Preppy, Cultivating Ivy Style 4.unknown 5. Airwalk plaid sneakers  6. www.jennabrooke.blogspot.com

Long Island retreat, designed by Calvert Wright and shop for Elle Decor

The Hudson Bay point blanket screams New England to me.  It's iconic stripes are classic and can be used in many an application.

available at www.woolrich.com

image via www.shinysquirrel.typepad.com

Here's the cottage I would live in -  in my mind, beach front of course . . .

Above images via 1. Photographer Peter Vanderwarker for Architectural Digest 2-5. Photographer Christopher Baker for House Beautiful,

Fabric and bag by Ralph Lauren.

The rope beds are what make this room . . . we do have a vendor for those as well !

But my favorite part of the "walk down the north-east memory lane" . . . 

the beach side crab boils.

Happy Monday !