LJ Edwards

We just returned from the Spring 2013 High Point Market and are so impressed with everything we saw this season!  We visited our existing companies as well as shopped some new ones and at each place found ourselves more taken back by the beautiful displays and products introduced.  Much like the fashion industry, this market was full of inspiration with new color palettes and finishes.    

One trend we spotted in almost every showroom was Shagreen!  This is a skin from sting rays, so most companies have a faux version, like this “Sea Mist Writing Desk” from Lexington.  I love the beautiful green shagreen texture with the crisp ivory fretwork on this piece.  If that wasn’t enough, the Lucite and Chrome drawer pulls polish and freshen the look of this piece. 

Another trend we saw was the incorporation of decorative floor mirrors into almost every living space.  They aren’t just for the bedroom or closet areas!  They can really add drama to living rooms and this market they introduced really fun fabric covered ones, fun geometrics, and bold painted ones.  This beautiful neutral burl finished one from Vanguard can add such a nice organic texture to any room! 

Speaking of fabric covered pieces, this fun “Durston Sideboard” from Thom Filicia’s line also at Vanguard, is available in any fabric and Benjamin Moore paint!  Seems like more and more companies are offering this custom option with paint.  This sideboard uses BM color 2004-10 Deep Rose.  This shade of coral which is very fresh and current today is a rich pop of color!   

Turquoise, Aqua and all shades of this bright blue is back, well maybe it never went away!  At market it was everywhere in fabrics, lighting, rugs, and wall coverings.  I love this new fabric, which is a linen which is still very hot right now.  More Geometrics were also spotted in everyone’s fabric introductions.

Another print I spotted that was very much in line with a hot color palette we saw in many places is grey with a bright splash of coral and salmon.  This made up beautifully in a pair of chairs we saw.

This cotton print I saw on a very cool fabric covered console with vintage brass nail trim.

Also spotted, the use of classic navy with brights.  I saw it paired with bright pinks and oranges.  I love this chevron cotton print!  This would look amazing with gold accents.  

Also really strong this market was marble, stone, and various shells.  This cocktail table from Vanguard is scaled so great for narrow rooms. 

Lighting was a huge category highlighted this market.  More and more designers are integrating chandeliers in almost every room of the house.  So many unique styles that you can have fun with.  This stunning one from Currey and Company is a mix of hand blown glass and a warm silver metal.

Our last trend we saw a ton of at market was mirrored pieces.  This trend started last season and is stll going strong!  The latest spin on this one is the antiquing techniques used and also use of paint to change the tone of the mirror.  This “Birkhall Chest” is a mosaic of mirrored tiles in a fun geometric motif. 

So all in all it was a very exciting market and I can’t wait for everything we purchased to come into the showroom! 

This time of year everything is about Valentine’s Day. It’s nearly impossible to escape! From advertisements on TV, to decorations in store front wondows, Valentine’s Day is everywhere - at least until Tuesday! So in honor of the holiday, I decided I would get in the spirt by featuring one of Valentines Day’s signature colors: pink!

In my opinion, pink is a very misunderstood and underutilized color in interior decorating and I think there are a couple key reasons why.

1. The obvious stereotype: “Pink is a girl color”. Even among women this view of pink can work against it.
2. It make a big, bright impact and that makes some people nervous.

The trick to using a bold color like pink is to use it carefully and within your comfort zone. First off, pick a hue of pink that you like and that you’re comfortable with. HGTV made “Honeysuckle Pink” the 2011 Color of the Year and for obvious reasons. It is everything pink should be: bright, happiness-inducing and playful, but it also isn’t an overwhelming Barbie or neon pink. It is a modest yet bold pink that is perfect for any home and for the “pink beginner”.

This color pink can be great for a whole room or a feature wall but it also really pops as an accent color for individual pieces of furniture and/or decorations. For me personally, I love to use bright colors as accents to bring life to a room, but feel out your own comfort level!

Take a look at some of the images on HGTV’s site for various ways to utilize the widely underestimated pink. Use these as inspiration to give your bedroom, kitchen, office or home a pink facelift!

Christmas and the holiday season are right around the corner! To help you decorate your home, and have a little fun while doing it, I have some fun and festive crafts for you to try! Below, I’ve collected some ideas to suit almost anyone!

For the young family, painted pail stockings, a perfect activity to for the whole family to do together to get in the holiday spirit! Each child gets their own pail to decorate and personalize however they want! Check out HGTV.com for instructions to complete this project!

For the holiday host, personalized wine charms, a unique and personal touch to any party or holiday get together! You can find the materials for this craft at any local craft store. For detailed instructions and ideas, check out Holiday & Hearth’s website. There are even more great holiday craft ideas there to make your holiday party perfect!

For anyone, homemade snow globes! From Lauren Conrad’s blog, I loved the idea of making your own snow globes. Using mason jars creates a very chic, yet personal and rustic holiday decoration. You can use almost anything to fill the jars. This idea is a great way to try and re-purpose and bring new life to old knick-knacks you have collected over the years. You could also use Martha Stewart’s glitter reindeer as the inset. Whatever you choose, have fun with it!

Finally, the card display wreath. I love this idea! It’s festive, charming and utilitarian! I found this idea on Miss Lovie Creations’ blog, which I just recently came across. Her site has lots of great craft ideas, and carefully walks you through each step, including mistakes to avoid and helpful hints about which materials work best.

To see complete, step by step instructions, go to Miss Lovie’s blog!

Happy Holidays and happy crafting everyone!

Now that the first holiday of the holiday season is almost upon us, I thought it might be helpful to share some tips for pulling off a stress-free Thanksgiving and some fun ideas for decorating!

I scoured my favorite interior design and lifestyle blogs and websites and found some really brilliant ideas. I hope you find them helpful!

HGTV.com is a clear favorite of mine and a go-to for design tips and holiday hosting ideas. While looking around the site, I found an article that shows a great way to ensure that the adults have a peaceful meal, and the children stay entertained right through to dessert: a kid’s craft table! Take a look!

Another blog that I really love and is always full of fun ideas is Lauren Conrad’s. You may recognize the name from her days as a reality star on MTV’s “The Hills”, but she really has an eye for beautiful things and great design. I particularly love the 3^rd place setting image. It perfectly blends rustic and chic for a gorgeous table setting. In addition, here are some helpful tips from her blog for preparing to host a Thanksgiving feast!

• Confirm your guest list before you go shopping.
• Figure out what size turkey you need for your group. Figure 2 pounds per person. For instance, 10 people = 20 pound turkey.
• Pick your recipes and prepare your shopping lists ASAP.
• Go shopping for all non-perishable goods this weekend, as well as the turkey!
• Start defrosting the turkey three to four days ahead of time depending on the weight.
• The day before Thanksgiving: Go shopping for all perishable goods. Prepare all sauces, soups and vegetable plates too. If you have time, prep dessert as well.
• On the day of Thanksgiving: Cook the turkey, make the stuffing and finish preparing all plates. Things may (and most likely will) go wrong so be prepared for slip-ups and take it all with a grain of salt. Mistakes will happen and it’s up to you to make the best of them.

Finally, I just wanted to share some pictures I found online of place settings and Thanksgiving decorations that I just love! I’m particularly fond of the deep purple place settings. Plum is such a great fall color and, in my opinion, underused since it is often overshadowed by the more obvious choices of red and orange. I am also a big fan of the simple elegance and warmth that each of these evoke.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving everyone!

*Note: I do not own any of these photos.