Posts Tagged ‘high point’
Wednesday, June 12th, 2013
Here's the living room of a beach cottage in East Hampton, New York that John and I designed several years back. Note the soothing tones of blue and white paired with a mix of patterns. We also added some whimsical elements such as the wicker table to make sure that the space looked "layered" and never too retail. John and I used indoor/outdoor fabrics throughout this space to keep the feeling "easy-breezy." We don't ever want to create interiors that are too precious where you can't spill the odd glass of wine. Poo-poo the precious, we say!
Gang:
Morning! John and I are off to meet with a fabric company that might want to do a partnership with us… Stay tuned, we are super excited! And tomorrow we are driving down to High Point, North Carolina to take some meetings and meet a real estate agent, dogs in tow. We are on a multi-year plan to get out of New York City, and we are thinking that the Emorywood neighborhood in High Point might be the perfect next step. Stay tuned on that, too!
Turn to the image of the cozy East Hampton, New York cottage, above, that John and I designed a few years back. Why not bring some beachy-chic style into your home this summer. Think blue-and-white hues with lots of throw pillows and eclectic objects. And don’t think that a “refresh” need be expensive. Why not turn to spot-on retailers such as Restoration Hardware, World Market, and others to tweak your space. And, of course, don’t overlook flea markets and yard sales… As John always says, “Good taste need not be expensive, but it should always be expressive.”
See you in North Carolina!
Tags: Beach chic, Blue and white, East Hampton, Emorywood, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage
Posted in Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Furniture Recovering, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Sectionals, Tastemaker, Tips for Design Small Spaces, Uncategorized, Weekend warrior | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 16th, 2013
The La-Z-Boy truck arrives at Chester Court in Brooklyn. The delivery men were so lovely and nice and accommodating... They must not be from New York.
Gang:
Morning!
As I mentioned on Facebook yesterday, John and I were invited to design our own La-Z-Boy chair when we were in High Point, North Carolina in the fall for the twice-annual furniture market. And we were thrilled to create something fresh and fun, with a dash of the Madcap Cottage flair.
Frankly, John and I were surprised by the range of La-Z-Boy products… I had always thought of La-Z-Boy as being stuffy recliners that maybe my grandparents owned and that sat in front of their honker-sized stereo-cabinet television set in Sarasota, Florida. Actually, this is an exact portrait of my grandparents in Florida, ha!
Well, La-Z-Boy has come a long way. John and I chose a lovely spindle chair and selected fabrics from the La-Z-Boy range. Sadly, we couldn’t add different weltings or tweak other elements of our chair, but we are still deliciously happy with the results. We had hoped to customize the lumbar pillow on the chair to match the ottoman fabric, but that wasn’t possible… We should do a pop-up collection for La-Z-Boy, n’est-ce pas? It’s all about the details, folks.
The chair? The Caroline Stationary Occasional Chair.
The ottoman? The Caroline Ottoman.
The fabrics?
Chair upholstery: Bronze Q959148
Ottoman: Raja Q974107 Zamira
What do you think of the results? Chic, comfortable, and a great price point!
The La-Z-Boy delivery gents carry our new chair and ottoman into our basement office on Chester Court. We couldn't wait to see our creation.
The very nice delivery man from La-Z-Boy unwraps the Caroline chair and ottoman. Note the photo of me and John with design editor Tori Mellott in the background.
Here's our brand-new La-Z-Boy chair with the Madcap Cottage "tweaks." Apparently, John and I are the first people ever to create a La-Z-Boy product where the chair fabric and ottoman fabric don't match. Go figure! The black finish on the frame provides a bold, but works-anywhere neutral tone.
Tags: furniture market, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, La-Z-Boy, Madcap Cottage
Posted in Before and After, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, DIY, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, upholstery | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 16th, 2012
John explores terrific stacking bookshelves at the Baker Furniture showroom in High Point, NC. Bring these ideas home. Why not go to your local unfinished furniture store and purchase bookcases that you can paint at home and then stack. Paint the exterior of the shelf black and the interior a rich color for contrast. And note the curtain behind John that helps separate the room into two distinct sections. Genius! And simple.
Gang:
This past week has been a wonderful whirl… John and I arrived in High Point, North Carolina, and we have so enjoyed lapping up the trends and exploring the fabulous showrooms that dot the so-called furniture capital of the world.
John and I also love the styling that goes into creating amazing showrooms in High Point, and we always walk away with loads of inspiration and take-away ideas. And many of these ideas can be recreated at home without breaking the bank.
This evening John and I toured the wonderful Baker Furniture showroom–truly a High Point favorite–and we were totally inspired.
Pair books by color on your shelves. Or wrap your books in colorful paper to add some visual interest. Here, some clever ideas for storing books at Baker Furniture.
Layering is an important aspect of creating a wonderful, inviting room. Here, an eclectic mix of furniture in a Baker Furniture model room creates a unique look, especially when paired with vintage artwork, mismatched table lamps, and an oversized Chinese lantern that dangles overhead. And note the layered rugs...
A Barbara Barry twin bed at the Baker Furniture showroom sits in front of photo wallpaper of books in bold colors. What a fun way to create a high-impact wall covering that is totally bespoke and brilliant. Search online for a company like Casart that can create interesting, custom wallpapers.
Tags: Baker Furniture, high point, High Point Market, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, north carolina
Posted in Carpets, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Flooring, Hanging artwork, Interior Design, Lighting, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Painted Furniture, Road Trip, Tips for Design Small Spaces | No Comments »
Saturday, October 13th, 2012
Here I am in the beauty pageant, I mean, the Style Spotter program at this season's High Point Market that kicks-off today. John and I leave for High Point, NC and the furniture shows this morning. See you at the Cracker Barrel in Virginia, folks! Crank up the Lana del Rey and crack open a beer.
Gang:
Morning! It has been an especially busy week as John and I returned from Europe and then we went into the photo shoot for our next One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sale that hits the airwaves on November 13th. So mark those calendars!
And apologies that my blog posts have been few and far between this week, it’s been a whirl.
Today, we are road-tripping down to High Point, NC for the twice-annual furniture market. John and I love our visits to High Point as we get to see old friends and scope the latest and greatest trends that will soon be hitting showrooms, magazines, and retail stores near you. And Jasper and Weenie will be traveling with us, too, and they go ape-shit for a good road trip.
I am lucky enough to have been named as a “Style Spotter” for this High Point market, so I will be going around with a handful of other top-tier design bloggers and reporting back on my favorite finds. I am the only boy amongst a gaggle of glamorous women, so bring on the testosterone.
Here’s the official release from the High Point brass on what the Style Spotters do:
“Style Spotters are trendsetters that see ahead of the curve in home fashion trends. Watch for them at Market as they walk the show, capturing images of their favorite looks and on-trend products. The Style Spotters will pin those photos to their Pinterest board and will list the exhibitor’s name and showroom number. They will also present the exhibitor with a sign that highlights the Style Spotter’s name with a QR code and URL for the Pinterest board.”
So get ready, I am no shrinking violet when it comes to my likes and dislikes. I hear you like the bad girls, honey, is that true? Sadly, I do not get to wear a sash or a tiara as I Style Spot, but I am sure I will come up with some equally fetching get-up as I perform my official duties.
See you in High Point, folks!
Tags: furniture, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Lana del Rey, Madcap Cottage, Style Spotters
Posted in Before and After, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Pets, Road Trip | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 30th, 2012
Here's a photo that John snapped of me aboard our pal Greg Tepper's boat in the middle of Lake George, New York this morning. Lake George is simply stunning and so relaxed!
Gang:
Wishing you all an amazing Labor Day ahead… John and I are upstate New York after spending a lovely night with pals on gorgeous Lake George.
While I am taking a few days off, I am also working on my fall schedule and am booking my appointments for the Fall High Point Market in North Carolina that takes place from October 13-18. As you probably know, High Point is when editors and buyers come together to see the latest furniture creations that will soon be hitting the market. The market takes place twice each year, once in the fall and once in the spring. This is John’s 17th year of attending High Point and my 8th… We love a High Point trip: It’s a terrific opportunity to scope trends and connect with old friends.
Here’s a video I did for Editor at Large that talks about how to navigate the streets and showrooms of High Point. Enjoy!
Click on the image, above, to watch me interview all sorts of fabulous folks about why they visit High Point and how they get around. Ooh, this isn't a good screen capture... I look sort of crazy and bug eyed. Just watch the video, folks. Wink!
Tags: Editor at Large, Fall Market, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Lake George, Madcap Cottage
Posted in Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Tastemaker, Television, Uncategorized | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
The dynamic Julia Buckingham Edelmann of the Material Girls blog asked me about my upcoming adventures in Style Spotter land at the fall High Point Market in North Carolina. To read what I have to say, click on the image, above. Thank you, Julia, for the very lovely mention.
Gang:
John and I are up in Maine and having a blast bopping about the myriad antiques shops on Route 1 and stopping for fried clams along the way. J’adore Maine. But more about our divine Down East finds in a post later this week.
On another note, I was recently thrilled to find out that I had been named a Style Spotter for the fall High Point Market: Basically, I will wander around the show and, along with my fellow Style Spotters, get to select my favorite items.
Let’s go, and how, furniture manufacturers: I am ready for some BIG, BOLD TECHNICOLOR MOMENTS AND NO BEIGE, so you better give me furnishings in all sorts of acid hues and mirrors festooned with bananas and coconuts, or this Style Spotter will not be happy. And make sure to have comfortable seating in your showroom or perhaps a bed so that I can take a breather and then serve me a big glass of wine to keep me running like the Energizer Bunny. And I like that southern pimento cheese and other nibblies scattered about to keep me fortified.
One of my fellow Style Spotters, the lovely Julia Buckingham Edelmann of the Material Girls blog, asked me a few questions about how I plan to approach my Style Spotting adventures in High Point, so read my responses by clicking on the image at the top of this installment.
Meanwhile, I am off to enjoy a lobster roll and a glass of Sancerre. Giddyup!
Tags: furniture, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, Julia Buckingham Edelmann, Madcap Cottage, Style Spotters, trends
Posted in Antiques, Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Entertaining, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, News Flash, Road Trip, upholstery, Weekend warrior | 3 Comments »
Friday, April 27th, 2012
Here we are the Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago with our fellow Silestone trendspotters Kim Lewis and Mark Williams as well as Silestone's delicious Patty Dominguez and Lorenzo Marquez.
Gang:
And we are back…
John and I drove from New York to High Point, North Carolina last weekend to attend the furniture shows and then we drove to Florida to see my parents and then we hopped on a plane to attend the Kitchen and Bath Show in Chicago where we were invited by Silestone quartz surfaces to be trendspotters. Frankly, no one can sniff out a trend better than John and me, so we spotted and spotted then spotted some more. Ooh, I love figuring out what’s hot and happening, n’est-ce pas? And we are CRAZY about the folks at Silestone–what a delicious dream team!
And that was all in the space of four days, so you can see why I have not posted any new blog installments this week. It has been go, go, and go! And while I love being the ever-traveling jet-setter, I needed a little bit of a break from my life as a blog.
John and I wrapped up our Kitchen and Bath Show adventures yesterday and flew back from Chicago to Florida, and we are now happily ensconced in Tampa at my parents’ home. It’s in the mid-70s, and we are sitting on the patio with wine in hand and catching up on some work. The dogs love being in Florida: Jasper and Weenie are currently lounging about al fresco and soaking up the rays. We are off to Sarasota tomorrow for a little beach time–and, of course, we will be browsing the antiques shops in nearby Arcadia, Florida, a favorite source for bric-a-brac brilliance.
But let’s go back a few weeks to our adventures in China…
I thought I’d highlight a few design “moments” that really inspired us… As you know from reading this blog religiously, I love nothing more than a good pair of boadacious knockers. Door knockers, that is.
There’s nothing like some paint on a door and a divine knocker to make an impact. So knock, knock then knock some more… Just be sure to knock your knocker out of the park.
So here’s a look at some of the best knockers I spotted in China.
A glorious lozenge-shaped black door with knockers shaped like hands. How clever, how chic!
John knocks the silver-covered door knocker at our room at the Waldorf Astoria on the Bund hotel in Shanghai.
A devilish-looking gent makes a major impact upon a fortress-like door.
A bright red door and gilt accessories at the fabled Forbidden City in Beijing.
A delicious impact thanks to a lacquer-red door with golden detailing and bright blue punctuation marks overhead.
Tags: China, Door knocker, high point, Jason Oliver Nixon, John Loecke, KBIS, Lacquer, Madcap Cottage, Silestone, Silestone Trendspotters
Posted in China, Color, Curb appeal, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, DIY, Interior Design, Landscaping, New York Interior Designer, Paint, Paint a front door, Road Trip | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 9th, 2011
Here I am with a fabulous vintage railing from Greensboro, NC's first Chinese restaurant that I picked up in an antiques mall near High Point. I plan to turn this into a very chic dog gate to keep Weenie and Jasper tucked away in our kitchen. And the little foo dog is going to become the top to a banister on our stairs. You never know what you are going to find while antiquing, and I love that sense of discovery and wonder.
Gang:
Can you keep up with us? We are constantly moving from spot to spot so this blog might seem like a big old case of ADD. We jump from New York to Europe to North Carolina to LA and then back to North Carolina. Well, that’s part of our charm. We are constantly scampering about like grown-up Eloises and sucking up ideas like a sponge to water or, better yet, a barfly to wine.
So let’s go back a few weeks to North Carolina where we visited for the High Point furniture market. Naturally, the schedule was jam packed with showroom visits and tours, but John and I always fit in enough time to hit up the wonderful antiques shops both in High Point and nearby Greensboro. And, frankly, we drive to High Point instead of flying largely because we know we will need the car to haul back our stash.
So here’s a peak at some of our discoveries.
But what’s the take away from our adventures?
Whenever you travel, be sure to hit up local antiques shops and flea markets. You will often discover wonderful, regionally driven niches. For instance, on a recent jaunt to Annapolis we encountered loads of period British furnishings and bric-a-brac as well as Federal-style finds. In Florida, we discovered gobs of Hollywood Regency and folk art. And, of course, Palm Springs, California is a treasure trove for Mid-Century Modern. Pack some zippered L.L. Bean Boat & Tote bags in your suitcase so that you can load up on your finds. Or locate a local shipping service that can pack up your treasures and send them home.
Here's the interior of our pal Tony Sink's antiques shop on Main Street in High Point. Tony has a spot-on eye and curates a gorgeous collection of retro finds.
Use antiques shops as inspiration, too. We didn't buy this pagoda-inspired valance, but we are certainly now inspired to craft something similar.
Lunch break! A divine loaded hamburger at The Dog House in High Point. I love how The Dog House serves their food on paper right on the counter sans plate. Kind of wacky but fabulous!
Check out these amazing vintage KFC bucket pendant lights! Um, chic. I am totally into retro Kentucky Fried Chicken and Howard Johnson's anything...
A glorious shelf bracket with a delicious little Asian gentleman in native garb. Isn't this divine? We unearthed two and their names are Ho Ho and Ha Ha. They are simply swell...
Tags: antiques, Greensboro, high point, Inspiration, Madcap Cottage, Road Trip
Posted in Antiques, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, DIY, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Road Trip, Weekend warrior | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 26th, 2011
Jasper and Weenie get ready for the car ride home from High Point to Brooklyn. Jasper especially liked the use of color at market; Weenie gravitated to the ikat prints. "J'approve," says Weenie.
Gang:
Whew, John and I made it home to Brooklyn from High Point last night at 3:30am, and this afternoon we zip out to Los Angeles to work with our fabulous West Coast clients. But we certainly aren’t complaining…
Fall High Point Market was fabulous, and we saw oodles of glorious goods and connected with friends. And we met loads of wonderful new friends, too, so that was an especially fun bonus.
We will be giving a full HP trend report once I recover from my severe lack of sleep, but here are some snapshots of a few friends that we spotted out and about.
Plus, let’s take a tour of the fabulous Hickory Chair showroom… Hickory Chair is celebrating their 100th anniversary, and their product looks fresher and more fabulous than ever. Kudos, Hickory Chair!
John and I loved Hickory Chair’s wonderful use of ethnic prints and splashes of color. And how fun to see our pal Tobi Fairley‘s new fabrics gracing furniture at the showroom entrance. We especially liked Tobi’s very smart gray, white, and yellow stripe fabric: So jaunty and sunny. And we adored the Hable Construction duo’s wildly chic graphic fabrics. Divine!
Our dearest pal (and licensing genius!) Christine Phillips with our equally dear pal Barclay Butera in Butera's stunning showroom. Love these two! Such a dynamic duo, just like the John Loecke, Inc. team, n'est-ce pas?
If there's one person you should know at High Point, it's the wonderful, smart, and sassy Bethanne Matari of Currey & Co. I call her "BA." And Bethanne is a total bad ass. LOVE her!
One of the most talented folks in High Point is Jennifer McConnell, Pearson's fabulous creative director. Wow, what a force of nature: Her vision, her eye, her fabulous shoes! Joining her is our dear pal, uber-PR guru Anne Martin. Love ya, Anne! Cheers, gals.
House Beautiful's chic (and way cray!) Orli Ben-Dor and design publicist extraordinaire Elizabeth Blitzer hunker down at the House Beautiful/Elle Decor/Veranda party in HP. John and I snuck in through the back gate: The front entrance was jammed. Crash then dash, that's how we roll.
We are crazy for the super-dynamic Cheminne Taylor-Smith, the High Point Market Authority's amazing Vice President of Marketing. Cheminne has taken High Point marketing and positioning and given it new life. I hope she makes lots of money: She deserves a big-ass bonus!
John eyes a jewel-hued emerald chest of drawers at Hickory Chair. Hurrah that Hickory Chair is celebrating its 100th birthday. Their anniversary party was so much fun!
Painted furniture at Hickory Chair. The bespoke abilities of the folks at Hickory Chair bowl me over. So chic, so custom.
A glorious, color-splashed setting at Hickory Chair. Aren't those screens amazing?
Cooling ethnic prints and custom stripes at Hickory Chair. John and I are cuckoo for these sublime hues and custom modifications.
John and I lapped up this dramatic tie-dye upholstered chair at Hickory Chair. Fabulous, n'est-ce pas?
Pompeiian red dining chairs at Hickory Chair. We love Pompeiian red...
Tags: Cheminne Taylor-Smith, Hickory Chair, high point, Road Trip, Tobi Fairley
Posted in Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Lessons, Fabrics, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Pets, Road Trip, upholstery | No Comments »
Monday, October 24th, 2011
The trusty Subaru is packed and ready for our road trip and Jasper and Weenie are loaded in and it's time for the design world's Romy and Michelle (Jason and John) to hit the highway en route to High Point, North Carolina for the twice-annual furniture market.
Gang:
John and I have been zipping about the High Point Fall Market in North Carolina like nobody’s business, and it has been go, go, go!
Not only have we been touring amazing showrooms, but I have been filming segments for Editor TV. And we have made amazing new friends and had to lap up the pimento cheese and drink buckets of wine all in the name of work.
So apologies for being a tad behind on our blog postings…
Hmm, so what have we spotted in HP:
Color! Tie dye! Emerald green! Ikat!
But more on our High Point antics and adventures and trend spotting in another post.
Here are a few snaps from our road trip down to High Point from Brooklyn last Friday.
Here I am dressed like an urban farmer and beginning my endless slew of Tweets a go-go.
Jasper strikes a pose in a fetching red wool sweater from Target. The front seats of our Subaru are heated, and Jasper loves plunking down and batting his eyes.
Weenie, aka Devil Monkey Alien, scopes the scene at a rest stop in New Jersey. Weenie is not a fan of the New Jersey Turnpike: "It lacks a certain je ne sais quoi," says Weenie.
John road-tests the rocking chairs at Cracker Barrel, one of our favorite stopovers en route to High Point, NC. "Let's paint these chairs bright pink and orange and acid green with ikat stencils," commented John.
Tags: high point, Inc., Jasper, John Loecke, Madcap Cottage, Road Trip, Subaru, Weenie
Posted in Color, Demystifying Design, Design, Design Guru, Design Lessons, Interior Design, New York Interior Designer, Road Trip, Weekend warrior | 3 Comments »
