Designer - Suzanne Tucker

One of the nice things about living in Atlanta is all of the wonderful opportunities to learn.  This past Thursday the Ainsworth-Noah showroom at the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center hosted Suzanne Tucker 

who is said to be one of the top 100 designers in the world,  

to talk about her design style, much of what is featured in her latest book...

She has a love of architecture and rich warm tones

along with pieces of substance

I love that screen

and beautiful textiles.

She shared her love of wallpaper and and expressed that she saw it no less difficult to update than paint!

I suppose when someone other than oneself is removing it, that is probably true!

This bathtub is carved from a solid piece of marble that was installed before the walls! 

Suzanne said she loves 'over the top' powder rooms and thinks that will be her next book.  She has a few in this book.

She has her own line of textiles

and on the horizon is dish ware.

The Ainsworth-Noah showroom is beautiful and by itself could complete a job.

This is a beautiful fireplace screen.

Florio

designed by Sidney Portier's wife Caternia 

and aisles and aisles of scrumptious textiles.

I am a geek you know?!

A-N had a most delicious lunch for us all.  

Then to my shock and horror I watched designers put their plates and glasses on all of the beautiful furniture pieces around the showroom. Where are people's manners?  I'll bet there were some circles on the furniture, but I digress.

It was a lovely afternoon and I enjoyed Suzanne so much, a delightful woman.  One could only wish for a clientele such as hers with seemingly no budgets!

Another showroom for another day...Jerry Pair.

So many lovelies, this was their window and again I was struck by the textiles!

****

I was so surprised to receive this from Suzanne this evening...

Dear Renae,

What a lovely surprise to have your blog forwarded to me and how kind of you to write about my talk at Ainsworth Noah.  It's funny that many people thought I was only showing projects from my book when in fact all but 2 have never been published - perhaps those will be in the next book!  It was lovely to see such a nice turnout and such a positive response to my textiles.  Thank you for being there and for the kind write-up.

With best regards,

Suzanne

If you would like to create something new in your home or give what you have a new look, contact MD!

You Inspire Me

I am so far behind on enjoying my favorite blogs and have finally emerged from mounds of sheets and towels after hosting 6 fabulous college students here for the 4th. 


Who inspired you to begin blogging?

Lisa, who pens the gracious,  The Lisa Porter Collection, 
muses of reading one of her favorites -
one favorite leads to another right(?) - 
and was sparked into thinking about her inspiration to start blogging.

I thought I would take her urging and tell you where my inspiration came from.


From a google search on design blogs I found....

the ever adorable Joni Webb
of Cote de Texas.

Cote de Texas

She mesmerized me by her novelette style of writing and fabulous photos and oh so witty humor.  She is one gracious southern lady and quick to share her home with her readers.

Cote de Texax

Her beautiful entry which like most designers gets restyled frequently.

Cote de Texas

Her family room is so inviting and comfy.

Michelle Morelan

She is famous I tell you! 

 She is the grand dame of blogging, one of the first and does it so well.  She has a tremendous following of people from all over the world and one very talented Canadian, Michelle Morelan of Schematic Life who rendered Joni's living room. 

As we all know, bloggers' sidebars can be dangerous.  That is how I found many of you, from Joni's and others.  So I ask you?  Where did you get your inspiration to blog come from?

Suzanne Kasler - In Her Office

I had the good fortune to meet Suzanne Kasler briefly at an event at Atlanta's Americas Mart a year or so ago. (here) I would enjoy very much sitting with her and chatting about design and soaking in a wee bit of her talent.  She and her office are being featured in the May issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine.  I urge you to get a copy and thumb the pages, you are sure to not be disappointed. 

Her office is full of light and keeps a beautiful neutral palate.  She is located at the Galleries of Peachtree Hills, right next door to Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, I wonder if she needs an errand run? 

There are oversized drum shades (by Boyd Lighting) defining each work area (with the scanned photo, the shade over the one table is not visible).  The half wall of shelves and drawers (from Ikea) provide privacy for the design team behind them.  The ottoman you see is from Suzanne's collection for Hickory Chair.  

This wall of baskets with fabrics and other design elements is just what I need!

Tables from West Elm, chairs from Pottery Barn, Circa Lighting.

Here you can also see her design team at work.  Suzanne has her hand in many 'pots'.  She and her team work on new product development including her line at Hickory Chair, as well as, lighting with Visual Comfort and rugs by Safavieh.  She has already begun styling with Ballard Designs and this fall will introduce accessories, rugs and wall art.  A year from now, Spring 2011, her fabric collection with Lee Jofa will debut as outlined in the article. 

A design project in action.  

I wonder, with all that Suzanne has going on if she gets much sleep.

Be sure and check out the full article at Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.

I would have never thought I would live in Atlanta where there is so much design talent.  I am grateful for all of the events that center around design here!  

photography by Erica George Dines

story text by Clinton Smith

Barbara Westbrook, Atlanta Designer

As a relative newcomer to Atlanta, I have enjoyed getting to know this great city through the 
monthly publication of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.  The May 2010 issue is chalk full of talent and inspiration.  

...is known for her design from West Palm Beach to Buckhead, a much desired area in Atlanta.  About four years ago she scaled down from a larger suburban home to her home in Whittier Mill Village Historic District, a small in-town neighborhood along the Chattahoochee River. The village which dates back to the 1880's - laid out in a crescent around an old cotton mill - was the first to be reestablished after the civil war and is today one of the oldest residential communities in Atlanta.

She styled her 1000 square foot home with creativity for the small space.  The high ceilings give it a spacious feel along with her great design.   

She renovated her home in 6 weeks adding a new custom kitchen and two 8-foot floating walls to separate the living, sleeping and dining areas, and of course a new coat of paint to freshen things up. 
I love how she blends the rustic with contemporary here.  The white chairs are from Donghia, the rusted lantern adds to the charm of the room and she has an identical one in her office. One would never know that hiding behind the linen panels.....

...are her shoes (which she admits to a wee fetish!) , neatly organized and stacked. It also provides storage for essential home items.  Looks like Mr. Kitty is keeping watch perched on the stool to reach high places.

I like the way Barbara mixes textures and decorative elements.  Here she has a beautiful Swedish armoire (I wonder what story it could tell?) and a lamp with a formal flair, notice the architectural design on the shade.  I would not have thought to have used a piece of petrified wood for an end table.  It works and adds to the charm of the room. 

I love her bedroom.  The iron bed with the beautiful linens flanked by the gilded Art Deco chaise in a gorgeous heather gray wool. Mmmmmm.

The paint she uses throughout her home is SW Pemetic Trail, a warm neutral that Barbara says goes with just about everything.  I am going to add it to my paint collection. 

In the article, Barbara says, "the thing about space like this where storage is limited, is that it keeps you from collecting too many things you don't need - you have to put things back where you found them - there's a spot for everything, or it's chaos.  You are tempted to accumulate things like you would in a house with a big basement, when many times you don't even know what's down there."  As a person that has moved frequently and had to make things fit in new places, I certainly appreciate this.

It's one thing to know a designer's work, but it's another to see how they live in their space.  I like her scaled down life and simple but lovely style.  I like decor that is inviting and this certainly is.   Does this appeal to you or do you like something more opulent? 

(Text is taken from the article written by Kate Abney and Erica George Dines took the fabulous pictures that I have scanned, albeit not too well).  

Alexandra Blanca

Do you like symmetry? I am not USUALLY one to decorate symmetrically (or matchy matchy) BUT I do like this room very much. Simple, clean lines. This is the living room of interior designer Alesandra Branca's Manhattan pied-a-terre which features a 1940's lacquer cocktail table, 18th century chairs which are upholstered in a Fortuny cotton and the linen-velvet sofa is by Branca, that oh so lovely screen is antique. This is a comfortable room, one that would welcome a tea party or champagne for that matter! (I DO love champagne!)

So what do you think...is this your taste or style?
How might YOU arrange the furniture?
Would love to hear!

Photographer: Joshua McHugh
Images Elle Decor

Bedded Bliss

How lucky was I to get my picture taken with Suzanne Kasler, Marcia Sherrill, and Suze Surdyk Jones? (I am second from the left!) Oh my goodness, 3 fabulous design icons who shared their time speaking at Atlanta’s Mart. They were mainly speaking to bedding retailers but I picked up a few interesting tidbits. I must say Marcia has a very witty personality. One of her suggestions was to take an old fur coat and make a throw out of it. She also said that she recycled her old wedding dress (post divorce) and made pillows for her daughter’s room. I thought it interesting too that hers and Suzanne’s daughters did not want their rooms “done”. She said she just purchased Manuel Canovas sheets for her bed, she likes color.

Suzanne showed her bed which has been featured in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles magazine.

She used ivory sheets, and ordered cashmere fabric and trimmed it with black grosgrain ribbon. She used metelasse curtains and bedding. Isn’t the mirror above the bed fabulous? I like color, but I also adore black and white. The geometrics on the bench add such a nice dimension.

Suze, who has been named Southeast Designer of the year and lives in Atlanta, added that by changing a few elements in the room such as adding a candle, bringing in some china or a new lampshade can transform the look by not spending a whole lot.

They all agreed that a good foundation (mattress) is key and that mixing and matching the other elements is definitely OK. Just as in fashion we don’t necessarily wear the same designer, our beds don’t have to be dressed by all the same manufacturer…many different lines blend with each other.

I thought it interesting too for the retailer to partner with an antique dealer to make vignettes in the store, it makes a beautiful display of the product being offered. It is good for the retailer and for the antique dealer as it will create sales on both sides. Also, put items needed to complete a bedroom in a basket tied with a beautiful ribbon. Items such as pillows, throws, candles, and perhaps some shams. Price at a slight discount of what each item would cost separately. Customers want to see value. Maximize the square footage in the store, do not just look at floor space, but walls and ceilings. Add artwork, and lighting, so the bedding store becomes much more! Hold special events in your store to bring people in...it all creates sales!

One thing I appreciated the most was the reminder of the importance of personalization. It creates a meaningful room. One way to start is by using our client’s favorite color as a starting point and remembering to add some monogramming or embroidery somewhere. The ladies all agreed that lavender and magenta pink are the colors coming into focus now!

I was honored to be in the company of such fine business women, creative, vibrant and down to earth.