Focus Group Findings: Metallic Home Decor

We hosted our first focus group this week for the new company and had some great insights and feedback from our attendees. They told us what trends that they were currently drawn to which included neutrals colors, textures, and metallics.  These are very similar to what we saw on our competitive shopping trip we went on a couple of weeks ago.

Melissa and I at our first focus group - lots of color and monograms!!

Our plan with this new company is to offer accessories in great color palettes that will update an existing neutral or tired decor.  What the focus group helped us see was that they were interested in layering neutrals on neutrals, and texture and pattern were key.  Strong color palettes can look too young if not balanced with sophisticated neutrals.  Armed with this new information, I am on a mission to determine which of these trends we can offer our customers in a reasonably priced, but still custom and special way.

The first one I'll discuss is METALLICS.  Metallic home decor has been emerging for the past few years, but with the neutral color palette being dominant, it has become a way to spice up grey and beige by adding something special.

Metallic Printed Pillow - SOLD OUT on Amazon

One of my first projects a few years back - the silver trellis wallpaper in her bookcases is from Schumacher

Yes, everyone, GOLD is making a comeback!!

This room has a great blend of grey and gold with modern and natural elements

More of that gold and grey here in a fun wallpaper!

I spoke with my Robert Allen rep today and scheduled a meeting with him to go over his best selling items and also review his well-priced offerings in this trend.  Here are two fabrics we are currently looking at adding to the line:

This metallic linen from Robert Allen is a hot seller right now

This color run of fabric is called "Glam Sheen" from Robert Allen

My girls and I are meeting tomorrow night to discuss our findings and rework our assortments.  We are headed to furniture market in High Point in a few weeks and I am excited to see all of the new trends in the showrooms!  I am guessing that there will be a ton of that gold and grey mix - it seems to be the new and next thing to pair with grey!  I look forward to sharing our findings then!

-Melissa

Competitive Shopping - Saturday Girl's Day Out

Saturday we all loaded up in my friend Melissa's Ford Escape and headed Uptown to The Southern Women's Show to check out any home decor items that may be selling there.  We made two conclusions upon arrival........

My friends Meghan and Melissa, co-conspirators on this new project, with me at the Southern Women's Show!

1) This is any husband's worst nightmare (as you can see from the amount of women milling around behind our heads in the picture above). Lucky for most, there were very few of them following around their wives as women fawned over free samples, got hair and make-up makeovers, and spent much of their hard-earned money on jewelry, purses, and other female "must-haves".
2) There were not many home decor booths set up and the few that were there did not have much interest. We can now cross the Southern Women's Show off our list for next year as a place to possibly exhibit our new line.

We did find a local candle company based out of Dilworth called Mallory's candles and talked to the owner, Michael, about carrying some of his line.  He gave us some samples of his best selling scents to get feedback from our focus groups at the end of the month.

Sample packs of three would be great hostess gifts!!

After feeling somewhat disappointed, we headed out towards Dilworth to check out Mrs. Howard / Max and Company. This place carries everything that is drool-worthy for a home. One of my seamstresses told me earlier this year that the fabric they use for their window treatments is "better than sex". If I am ever able to have a home that resembles anything like what their store looks like, I would consider myself a very lucky woman. However, none of their decor is "kid friendly", so it would need to wait about 15 years until after my children are grown and not smearing PB and J all over my house!

Meghan checking out the construction of window treatments to perfect her sewing skills!

This cabinet with the antique mirror front would make an awesome focal point in any room!

This is a ceiling in one of the showrooms. What a way to create some unexpected drama!

Pretty embroidered linen pillow at Mrs. Howard

Circa Interiors was another store that we stopped by on the way home and what we found between both high end stores was a lack of color. If there was any color, it was in a muted palette. Grays and neutrals have been the forefront of color palettes in high end homes for the past 5 years and I foresee a shift into more vibrant color stories mixed back to classic neutrals. 

In conclusion, we think our perfect spot to position ourselves is somewhere between the Southern Women's Show consumer and the high end consumer that Mrs. Howard and Max and Company appeal to. There is a lot of buzz about color finally coming back, and by being in the forefront of that will position us well to offer something that is new and exciting to our customers!

Home Decor Launching in 2015!!

It's been almost two years since I posted and the majority of it has to do with the fact that I have been too busy to write anything that I felt would be worth reading. I am beginning to find that by reading other blogs that sometimes just a daily inspirational picture is enough, so my hope is to begin doing something of the sort starting right now.

However, today I have more than just an inspirational picture to post.  I have a HUGE INSPIRATION to share, and wanted to officially do so today. It is a solemn day for most of us in the United States, a time to take a moment of reflection. I still remember sitting at my desk at my first job in the buying offices of the The Bon-Ton Department Stores in York, Pennsylvania, listening to Howard Stern on an official radio (not streaming through the Internet) with the rest of my team. On the show, they were talking through the actual events at the World Trade Center as they witnessed them from their window in the recording studio. I still remember hearing the disbelief in their voices as they said a plane had hit the tower, and then minutes later, that another plane had crashed into the second tower. Since that moment, the landscape of New York City would be forever changed, as would our Country.  So many things have changed, many for the better, some for the worst, in the past 13 years.

Since I sat at that desk 13 years ago, I have worked in the buying offices of three different department stores, merchandised back products for a small chain of stores, baked and sold special order cupcakes for parties and a dessert bar, and started my own interior design business. There are so many things I enjoyed in every single job I have held (and parts of each that I have not), but I have found over the years that my true passion falls somewhere in between decorating homes for others and merchandising and creating products to sell.

About a month ago, I off-handedly mentioned the idea of selling custom home decor items to two close friends of mine. A week later, one of them came back to me and told me that if I was serious, she would sell them for me. Since then, I have lost many hours of sleep turning over this idea in my head, looked through hundred of fabrics, competitive shopped, reached out to local business owners, and have held multiple strategy meetings with my two friends who are helping me start this new venture. Over the past few weeks, I have come to realize that all of the experience that I have gained in the past 13 years has brought me exactly to this perfect point. As of today, I think we have the concept just about right.

There are still many months of planning ahead of us - a website to build, focus groups to host, a product line to finesse, bloggers to contact, and a launch party to plan. My hope is to post the progress here as our excitement and plans for this new venture continue to grow. I am thrilled about expanding our reach and offering my vision of beautifully and affordably decorated homes outside of the Charlotte area!

MUCH more to come, so please follow me as we embark on this new journey!
Stay tuned!!

Chevron is EVERYWHERE!

I've been wanting to write a post about CHEVRON (or zig zags) for months and am just getting around to doing it.  I have been saving pictures of everything chevron that I've seen and by this point, (especially if you are on Pinterest) it's almost impossible not to know that this is a big thing right now.  Check out some great ideas below on how you can incorporate the chevron pattern into your life!

Chevron shower curtain from Urban Outfitters

2 types of Chevron pillows here - love the color combo!

Updating some traditional wingback chairs with a bold Chevron pattern

Info on how to add Chevron fabric to your tabletop HERE

Updating built-in bookcases with a Chevron back

Chevron comforter available online at aurahome.com

Chevron curtain panels and a turquoise ceiling are an awesome compliment to this decor

 I love this nursery photo above - most importantly, you can see turquoise and white chevron used in the curtain panels.  Second of all, all of the fabrics used are from the Premier Prints line (I offer these fabrics to my clients at 15% off online prices!) which is one of my favorite fabric lines to work with.  It's reasonably priced, based out of Mississippi (love supporting those Southern companies), and everything is WASHABLE, which makes it perfect for a nursery or child's room.  Orange and blue is newest hot color combo for nurseries - I have worked with 2 clients this year that have this color scheme in their nurseries.

Love this new Chevron dress from Vineyard Vines! 

A Chevron rug and chair really update this chic home office

This Chevron pendant necklace is a perfect gift for someone (or yourself!).
Available online at Michelle Smith for only $22! 

Adding Chevron accent pillows to this bed give the room some much needed pattern and color!

Incorporating Chevron into the family photo wall

Using lace to make Chevron stripes in this maxi dress

A lot of time went into painting this dresser with it's new Chevron pattern

Another antique dresser updated with Chevron

Chevron rug available at West Elm

I was able to add this Chevron throw pillow into the mix for a client earlier this year

Dressing up your dinner table with a little Chevron

STRIPES! Horizontal, that is......

Happy Labor Day everyone!  I have had a busy summer of travel and spending some quality time with my two-year old.  I am happy to report that preschool is back in session tomorrow, which gives me extra time to keep my blog updated with new ideas!

On our way home from a weekend trip to Charleston this AM, I was catching up on my some of my favorite home decor publications (Southern Living, Traditional Home, House Beautiful, and Martha Stewart Living).  I managed to earmark many pages of ideas, but the overwhelming theme that I kept coming across was horizontal striped drapery panels.  I absolutely fell in love with the drapes pictured below, and am trying to figure out a room in my house to incorporate this idea in!

From September 2012 issue of "Traditional Home"

For years, I have always preferred the idea of turning stripes "on their side" for drapery panels - vertical stripes get lost in the folds and you completely hide half of the pattern by doing this.  The image above shows wide, almost color-blocked, stripes as a bold modern statement in a neutral room.

My dining room, an ongoing project since October 2007!

I had my seamstress turn my more traditional vertical striped fabric on the horizontal for my dining room drapes (above) to bring a little more modern twist on the formal dining room.  Paired with the vertical stripes on the walls, it provides a nice contrast and also allows you to see all of the colors and patterns in the stripes on the fabric.

From Pinterest - Jane Molster Designs out of Richmond, VA

I found this picture a little over a month ago on Pinterest (follow me at pinterest.com/newsouthdesign) and I adored the orange and cream striped drapes featured here.  This designer out of Richmond, Virginia, (my birthplace!) definitely has a similar sense of style to and I love her use of pattern and stripes here.  Based on the amount of repins this picture got, it's definitely a favorite among others, too!

From July/August 2012 issue of "Traditional Home"

The home above in East Hampton, NY, featured a beautiful palette of watery blues and neutrals, and this was the first time that I had seen thin stripes "on the horizontal".  It is definitely has a casual appeal, and again, gives you the opportunity to see all of the colored stripes in the pattern.  The stripes create a nice compliment to the diamond textured rug and medallion pillows without overpowering the room.

Striped candles from www.fivestripes.com, as featured in "House Beautiful"

The other fun striped items that I came across in my magazine reading today were these cool striped candles.  Adding the big wide stripes to the classic taper candles gives them a little attitude, but would work with any decor.  You can find a wide selection of them at www.fivestripes.com, along with striped totes, pillows, and other home decor items.  Happy stripe hunting! 

High Point Furniture Market - Spring 2012

I made my first trip as an interior designer to the High Point Furniture Market this past weekend and was blown away by the amount of people and furniture I saw in just 2 days.  My most pleasant surprise, however, was how many designer-friendly resources are out there.  My vendor list has grown significantly since my return!

I was fortunate enough to travel with a friend and fellow interior designer, Jenny Van Stone, who was a great help to me.  We started the trip with our Charlotte chapter of the Interior Design Society at a tour of the Hickory Chair showroom where we met Alexa Hampton, Thomas O'Brien, and Suzanne Kasler in person.  I now have a personalized and autographed copy of one of Alexa's design books for bragging rights in my office!

Meeting designer Suzanne Kasler with my friend Jenny at Hickory Chair

We also made the rounds at Hickory White, Lillian August, Drexel Heritage, Stanley Furniture, and many other furniture, lighting, and accessory resources that had great new collections and items to show off the latest trends.  Here is a quick rundown of trends that I saw throughout the market from higher priced showrooms to less expensive lines.

NAILHEAD DETAILS
Adding a nailhead trim to upholstered furniture has been a prevalent detail for a few years, but it now seems to have creeped onto casegoods and accessories, too.  The feeling out there is the more nailheads, the better.  An interesting fact that I learned this trip was that nailhead trim was used in the 18th and 19th centuries to reflect candlelight so that it was easier to see lines of furniture across a room before there was electricity.  It just goes to show that most timeless details like these all had more function when they were developed than just looking pretty.



Linen upholstered cabinets with nailhead trim at Hickory Chair



Nailhead trimmed mirrors at Hickory Chair



Leather upholstered sideboard with nailhead trim at Hickory White

 

Velvet upholstered bookcases from Thomas O'Brien's collection at Hickory Chair

Nailhead trim on wood at much less expensive Stein World


VIBRANT COLOR
Based on what I saw at Market, my 2012 Color Forecast was right on the money for what colors were going to be showing up in home decor this year.  Turquoise, kelly green, lime green, yellow, and grey were all throughout the showrooms in very unapologetic statements.  As much as I loved the yellow velvet with grey welted sofa that I saw in Drexel Heritage, I envy their ability to change it out next season with the latest color trend that awaits.  The best and least expensive ways to bring these colors into your home is through accessories and paint.  It's easy to freshen up a room by adding new pillows, curtains, brightly colored ceramic jars, or even a boldly painted accent wall that brings in the latest colors for you to enjoy.


A great way to update the color taupe is by adding grey and a pop of color as show here at Hickory Chair

 

More yellow and turquoise at Lillian August



Yellow and teal done farmhouse style at Bramble



It doesn't get much bolder than that bright yellow latern at Hickory Chair



Grey silk drapes on grey walls with chartreuse greek key trim at Hickory Chair



Lime green and turqoise go "cottage chic" at Bramble

THE COLOR INDIGO

I am writing a separate section on this one color alone based on what I feel is going to be the most prevalent and relavent color going forward.  It made it's appearance paired with gold, cobalt blue, and red in the Hickory Chair showroom and is the one and only color featured in Restoration Hardware Spring 2012's catalog.  For those of you that were resisting the grey washed furniture and lack of color that Restoration Hardware has been touting for the past couple of years (I was!), the entire marketplace was filled with that look.  Indigo is a fresh way to compliment this neutral and "washed-out" trend that will be flooding all home furnishing stores very soon, if not already.

Hickory Chair combining indigo, cobalt, gold, and red for a fresh color statement



Ikat in indigo on a custom bench at Hickory Chair



An indigo sofa in a tie-dye, almost python, print at Hickory Chair



Restoration Hardware using indigo as an accent to their very neutral look



THAT NEUTRAL LOOK

If you haven't gotten on the mailing list for Restoration Hardware's catalog or checked it out online, I suggest doing so.  They were the first of the chain retail stores to jump on this neutral, "Parisian flea market" look a few years ago and it has definitely caught on.  Every showroom had a collection with white-washed or grey-washed furniture, linen upholstery, and wine barrel or "birdcage" lighting.  I will definitely be following their newest additions closely, and am very curious to see if this "Deconstructed Collection" that they just introduced will be showing up in other furniture showrooms in the next year or two.

As much as I disliked this neutral trend when it first came out, I have actually grown to like it and am trying to figure out how to incorporate it without completely changing the look of my entire house.  Hence why I am such a fan of incorporating the color indigo (and possibly gold or red as Hickory chair did) with this - it allows you to bring in pieces of this neutral look, versus replacing everything and eliminating color completely from your home.

I didn't take any pictures of this look since it has been around for a few years, but I feel that you can get the best sense of it by perusing Restoration Hardware's website or catalog.  The good news is that you will be finding it at a more affordable retailer near you very soon!