The Mad Hatter

I'm home from whirlwind trip to Hickory and very productive meeting at our factory.  To put it simply, the people at the factory are A-mazing:  Quick, intelligent, fun, and seriously "with it."  And...  the Pure Style upholstery collection is on its way!!  I am so excited. 

It's a mix of very basic, classic pieces (for example, English arm sofas) that work in a variety of settings and some new pieces that I've done.  They will be sold on my online store this coming Spring  (The online store is set to open before then...  I'll be honest and tell you that the only hold up is me taking photos of the items and loading them onto the beautiful website Emily created.)  and in the Loudon Design Center, which is to-the-trade.  It's been a crazy few months with a lot of plates spinning (isn't it always though?!! ;) and I am thrilled to have an end date in sight!!!!

I thought I'd share one of my designs...  You might remember this Victorian wing chair I found a while back.  I mentioned I had plans for it:

...Well, it was a piece that I wanted to try to rework.  It's really difficult when you have trouble drawing...  I  took the photo above and played around with it on the computer to convey what I wanted to do with it, which was arc the top a bit more, remove the wood frame around the edges, straighten the legs and front, removing the carving, and recline it a bit further. 

I love classic pieces and nice proportions but there are times when I like to inject a little something else into a room.  Something a bit playful and confident.  And it would be with a chair or 2 like this.  This chair reminds me the something you'd see at the Mad Hatter's tea party:

{Alice sitting in the Mad Hatter's Chair}

Here's one of the original illustrations and you see Alice in a beautiful tufted chair...  loooooove:

I knew right away that the chair we're creating would be the "Mad Hatter" Wing Chair.  The images & memories from my childhood are so ingrained in me that I figured, why fight it? and why not just go with it?  So, every piece in the collection is named for what strikes me when I think of it.  (And not all make sense, which is why I'll be sure to explain ;)   Here's a sideview sketch I did of the Mad Hatter:

I'll be sharing sketches and pics of the pieces as the Spring nears.  All of our pieces will be available online in a selection of standard linen and velvets (in a large variety of colors) and if you are working with a designer or if you are a designer, we offer COM.  I honestly have no idea how the line will do or what the future will bring, but I'm excited to see where this goes.  In this industry, there are so many interesting off-shoots, options and ways to expand your philosophies.  I see this as hopefully one of the many ways I'll get to explore design.  Have a great rest-of-the-weekend!!

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

The Mad Hatter & a question

The Mad Hatters arrived today for my room in the DC Design House and I am in love:

{My first Mad Hatter Wing Chair with a taupe velvet in front.. remember flash makes furniture look bad but people look better ;)  }

I had recently seen pictures sent from the factory of the chairs and knew that they looked exactly as planned but didn't know until I sat in them that they'd be exactly what I wanted.  They are sooooooo comfortable...  And they're big and they surround you and make you feel seriously cozy.  (Can you see how tall the back is?? And I'm a tall person.)  You can sit in normally and really easily snuggle up with a kid or pet, or you can turn sideways & pull up your feet and it's perfect. 

Here's the side view which shows off the insanely gorgeous Michael Smith / Jasper Fabric called Grace (in Willow).  (Available through John Rosselli in DC) 

I could take a nap in this chair: 

Our curtains & pillows will come in on Monday and I cannot wait to see the Peter Dunham fabrics!!  I'm also mixing in a few of my own along with some others so it should be pretty collected-feeling. 

We hung art work today and I've been looking at the photos, wondering if what I selected is too disjointed?  I approached the room as I would have a room in my own home, so instead of choosing pieces that work perfectly together, I went from my gut with pieces that I loved.  Looking over the photos tonight, I can't tell if it looks like a totally crazy person did it or if it has that only-slightly-crazy Alice-in-Wonderland-feel that I love...   I am toying with the idea of swapping out some of the more random pieces for ones that fit a little better (it is a showhouse after all)...  or keeping it real and a bit off the way I typically do in my more personal spaces. 

Any thoughts???



If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Press Day = All Done & a Peek

Today's Press Day at the DC Design House, which means yesterday was IT.   The spaces are being unveiled today & I'm not going to lie-- I definitely have some butterflies!

I haven't had the room professionally shot yet & (scheduled for Monday) but I wanted to share a little peek of the space with you:

I'm really happy with the way the "Hideaway" turned out.  I can't thank all of my generous friends who contributed to this room enough.

The crazy-awesome floor lamp is by Rick Singleton.  He made this incredible piece out of reclaimed metal parts (the metal balls are andirons) and each tiny piece of metal is a separate cut.  I think it looks a bit alive & love him!!  Rick's work is always unique, striking and unapologetic.  Rick's pieces exude this amazing confidence that I love so much. 

The painting in the window was sent to me by my good friends Brooke & Steve Giannetti of Velvet & Linen and Giannetti Home.  Insanely talented architect Steve recently took up painting and of COURSE he's amazing.  I love his Water Series and while visiting them last month, got to see one of Steve's paintings for the first time in person & knew it would be perfect for the showhouse room.  I pretty much love everything the Giannetti's touch.  The painting is number 37 of the Water Series and you can view & purchase them all here.  The one in the showhouse is also for sale with a percentage of the proceeds dontaed to Chidlren's Hospital. 

The diamond- patterned sisal carpet is by Stark and they generously donated it.  (It's called Natura Black, and there are black threads running through the diamonds that you can't really see in this pic.)

The accessories & smaller prints & paintings hanging are all from my favorite local antique stores:

German Favorite Antiques in Leesburg, VA

Spurgeon Lewis Antiques in Old Town Alexandria (also sell online @ FirstDibs.com)

John Rosselli Antiques in Georgetown

The curtains are one of my new textile designs, Happikat in black & white

The chairs is the first in my line of upholstered furniture - The Mad Hatter Wing Chair -and the back of the chair is upholstered in one of the most beautiful fabrics I've ever seen in my life-  seriously, I love a soft green floral- by Michael Smith / Jasper also available through John Rosselli in DC.  Michael Smith generously donated the fabric to the Showhouse.  My textiles & furniture will be available soon through my online store which you'll be able to get to by clicking "SHOP" at the top right of this blog under the Pure Style Home logo.  Feel free to email me for details. 

Almost everything in the room is for sale with proceeds benefitting Children's Hospital so if anything interests you, now's a good time!  I'll be sharing photos & info on the rest of the room as soon as I can.  I can't wait to show you!!

I'm off to Press Day & am then driving down to Market in High Point, North Carolina.  I'm doing 4 photoshoots with my friend & photographer Helen Norman next week and then things should slow down a little. 

Have a great weekend!! 

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

Also...

Thanks so much to Elle Decor Magazine, who posted a photo of my room on their national Showhouse listing page.  You can check it out here.    (I'm pretty obsessed with Elle Decor so this definitely made my week!!)

DC Design House Room- Before & After- Finally!

So I know I've been going on & on & ON about the Design House and now I finally have some 'after' photos taken by my good friend Helen Norman with her assistant F.J. Hughes.

Here's a reminder of what it looked like when we first started work on it:

And here's what it looks like now:

{The Hideaway}

I envisioned this room as a place to escape to...  to read a book, relax, take a nap, hang out... Really just  get away from it all.  (I have been explaining this over & over for the past few days so I think I have that memorized! ;)  The room feels sort of tucked away from the rest of the house so I wanted to accentuate that.  We removed the existing paper and Michael DiGuiseppe hung grasscloth by Seabrooke on the walls and ceiling for a warm enveloping feel.  We used a custom Stark diamond-patterned sisal rug for more texture and a warm cream on the trim called "Dimity" by Farrow & Ball.

Artist John Matthew Moore painted this insanely gorgeous grisaille "The Secret Garden" especially for the room.  We wanted a piece that brought what was going on outside (boxwood gardens & a pool) to the inside.  The croc leather parsons table was a lucky last-minute find from Edelman to replace the planned concrete parsons table and I love it! I wish the antique desk chair was mine:

 

I didn't want the space to feel overly serious so I injected some happier elements like this glass lamp with green metal chade from Stray Dog Designs:

{I found the antique parrots at John Rosselli in DC}

The Mad Hatter Chairs from my new line are covered in a taupe velvet in front and a Michael Smith/ Jasper linen floral in back.  They flank the antique dropleaf table we found at German Favorite Antiques and make a nice little reading/ sitting area for hanging out.  (If you come to visit, this is where you'll find me;)  You probably remember the crazy awesome lamp by Rick Singleton too.  The painting in the window was sent to me by my good friends Brooke & Steve Giannetti and it's #37  of Steve's Water series.  The other pieces on the wall are from John Rosselli Antiques, Spurgeon Lewis Antiques and German Favorite Antiques:

Window seats instantly put me at ease so I really wanted to add one to the room.  The bay of windows is massive so two people can really lounge on here without getting in each others' ways.  I layered the very small window seat built by CarrMichael Construction with custom mattresses in various Peter Dunham fabrics.  (Available thorugh John Rosselli in DC.)  You might recognize samarkand as the pattern on the top mattress.  (looooove!!) 

{Pillows form left to right:  Small blockprinted floral by Peter Dunham, Magnolia by LL Texxtiles (me), stripe by Kravet, Fig leaf by Peter Dunham, Wild Chicory by LL Textiles, Black Velvet, Green Paisley by Peter Dunham...  Thank you to Peter Dunham for your generous contribution to the room!!  All Peter Dunham fabrics are available through John Rosselli.}

Here's a close-up of the window seat with a great view of Porta Romana's llama sconce:

{I love the llamas because they're slightly smiling }

And here's a little vignette of the teapot my husband gave me along with a little froggy and some books including Alice in Wonderland.  The gorgeous throw blanket is by D.Bryant Archie and it's so insanely soft. 

And here are a few last shots of the Mad hatters.  Helen took these photos so I could use them in my online store (coming soon.. I promise!!)

I loooooove this Michael Smith floral  called Grace in the color Willow, available through John Rosselli:

If you're in the area and can make it, the DC Design House is open from Saturday, April 9th- Sunday May 9th every day of the week.  Proceeds go to Children's Hospital and most items int he home are for sale with a percentage of proceeds going to Children's Hospital.  I'ce really enjoyed the Design House process and getting to know so many great new people- both committee members & designers. 

Also, head on over to the Washington Post to vote for your favorite room!  There are so many beautiful ones! { Click here to see & vote.}

If you'd like help creating a home you absolutely love, contact me about our design services.

THANK YOU TO THESE AMAZING PEOPLE & BUSINESSES WHO GENEROUSLY DONATED THEIR TIME.  I use these businesses & people on most of my projects and stand by their work & appreciate being able to do business with them.  I cannot say enough good things.  They're THE BEST so if you need any local recommendations, here are mine:

Carpet Installation & Custom Carpet fabrication:  The Carpet Customizer:  (410)299-4380 

              They can really do anything & are adept with installing/ working with natural fiber rugs & do beautiful seagrass installations.  They are on top of their jobs, are super-friendly, and keep in great contact with you.

Workroom for curtains & pillows & other soft goods:  Paul David Designs

               Paul & Nancy will take care of you and are amazing to work with.   Their work is beautiful & fast.

Builder/ Contractor/ Electrical:  CarrMichael Construction:  They do it all from building beautiful homes to managing smaller projects & electrical work.  Mike at CarrMichael Construction is friendly, dependable, organized and does exactly what he says he will do. 

Wallpaper Installation:  Michael DiGuiseppe.  Everyone says he's the best in the area and after this insane segrass install, I definitely agree!

Painters: Blue Door Painters       They're on-time, dependable and fair.  (And I went to high school with the owner! :)