What's a girl to do when there are two sales on the same day?   I'm the one who needs a twin!  My early AM dance card is already full with the Baker sale ... but I just got word of a factory closeout sale featuring furniture from Randall Allan, Councill, Hancock & Moore, Robert & Robert, and jessica charles.  It's being held on Friday, November 6th from 9 am to 5 pm and Saturday, November 7th from 9 am to 2 pm.  Location is the Councill Distribution Center, 1161 N. Main Street, Denton NC 27239.  The Hancock & Moore piece that I am currently dying over is living at Brock Moran (of course).  What's super unbelievable about it is its amazing fabric.  I think it's this Shadow Bisque leather that has been embossed to give it both texture and sheen.  Absolutely fabulous!!!  When I first saw that chair, I thought, "how can I justify this chair?" and "I don't think I could let my twin boys even breathe on it!"  Needless to say, I don't have the chair, but boy do I love it!  

Is that not enough for you?  Well, the Hickory Furniture Mart is holding its semi-annual after market sale from November 6th to November 8th.  The Mart is open on Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm (extended hours) and on Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm.  For those of you who haven't been, the Mart is a mix of over 100 factory outlets, stores and galleries.  My favorite stores here include Baker Odds and Ends, Henredon Factory Outlet, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Factory Outlet, Drexel Heritage Factory Outlet, and Century Furniture Outlet.  There is also a regular retail outlet for Boyles Furniture.   

The Catawba Furniture Mall is also advertising its after-market sale, which runs from November 5th to November 14th.  Hours are 10 am to 6 pm except Sundays, which are 1 pm to 6 pm.  Stores in the Catawba Furniture Mall carry a wide variety of manufacturers/vendors (click here for the list); my favorite manufacturers here would be Bernhardt and Lexington Home Brands. 

Have a great weekend ... and enjoy that extra "fall back" hour from Daylight Savings Time! 

Happy shopping, and let me know if you find anything fabulous!

Photos from Hancock & Moore

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It's a philosophical face-off.   

"More is more. Less is never more - less is obviously less. Who wants less??"

- Michelle Nussbaumer (Elle Decor, November 2009)

vs.

"Less is more, but 'less' better be totally decadent." 

- Raji Radhakrishnan (Metropolitan Home, November 2009)

Which do you agree with?  Personally, I'm in Raji's camp.  I want fabulous stuff.  But too much stuff gives me hives. 

As a girl who grew up in southwest Georgia (and you wonder why I like country music?), meeting Suzanne was a little like meeting a hometown hero.  Suzanne has been creating stunning interiors in Atlanta, Georgia – and around the country – for over twenty years.   To me, Suzanne’s interiors are much like Suzanne herself – quietly elegant, gently traditional, and always with a graceful sophistication.  Suzanne has a manner that puts you immediately at ease … even if you are consciously trying to make a good impression!  (Oh, no, I’m not talking about myself.)  When I asked her to take a picture with me for my blog, she immediately agreed and – of all things –  began to thank me for the kindness that fellow bloggers and I have shown to her.  Suzanne truly deserves it, however, and you can see her great talent in every interior she creates and every product she designs.  

Suzanne currently designs collections for luxury manufacturers Hickory Chair, Safavieh, and Visual Comfort lighting … and I love every single piece.  Suzanne’s collection for Hickory Chair is amazing, and it was awesome to see it showcased so elegantly in the Hickory Chair showroom.  As Heather with Habitually Chic mentioned, I also love how Hickory Chair uses products from designers' other collections in their showroom as it really lends itself to a cohesive,curated space.  Did you notice the Safavieh rug in the first photo?  Love, love, love it!  Here, you see Suzanne's Loring cocktail table, used as a pair (as she and Mariette Himes Gomez both spoke about). 

My beloved Brock Moran has one of Suzanne's Alexandra side chairs in its showroom, and I want to run away with it every time I visit!  

Of course, we know that I am currently infatuated with all things quatrefoil.  I'm working on a post about the use of the quatrefoil in design, and you can be sure the Alexandra chair will be part of it.  Surely some of my obsession stems from the fact that I – like Suzanne – am in love with all things French.  I studied French in college (no grade below an A-, thank you very much, but please don't ask me to conjugate any verbs!) and lived in La Rochelle, France for a summer.  (Carol, remember our nightly trips for pain au chocolat? YUM!)  But I digress ...  

Here are a few more amazing spaces, courtesy of the Hickory Chair website. 

I love how the upholstery of the Candler twin beds is tone-on-tone with the walls.  If I had twin girls, these beds might be mine! 

Isn't this setting so simple, yet elegant?  I love the striped silk on those Anastasia benches ... and the contrast created with the casual slipcover on the chair.   

Budget a little tight these days?  (Whose budget isn't?!)  I also have great news for those of us who aren’t able to afford a whole house full of the high-end items that Suzanne has created for Hickory Chair and other luxury manufacturers.  One of my favorite catalog retailers, Ballard Designs, just signed Suzanne to produce four collections of home décor products.  This marks the first time that Ballard Designs has teamed with an independent designer to design exclusive product.  Suzanne will style six to eight spreads in the March/April 2010 catalog using “regular” Ballard products.   Her line for Ballard Designs will then debut in August 2010.  I’m already looking forward to it.  Thanks to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (the newspaper I grew up reading) for bringing us this exciting news!     

Finally, thanks so very much to those of you who have clicked to "Follow this blog" ... and a special congratulations to Liz Richardson for winning Suzanne’s new book, Inspired Interiors!  Liz, please email me (traci@tracizeller.com) your address so I can get the book in the mail to you.  I'll be having another contest very soon, so stay tuned for details. 

Oh, and a little birdie (ok, fine, it was Suzanne) told me that she’ll be coming to Charlotte – Mrs. Howard (the new high-end furniture and interior design store on East Morehead Street), in particular – for a book signing.  She’s not sure exactly when, however, so keep watching my blog and I’ll let you know as soon as I hear something.

Photos not taken by Traci are from Hickory Chair

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We now interrupt our regularly scheduled programming of the High Point Market to bring you these breaking news stories. 

Baker is having another sale.  Seriously.  I find this extraordinarily strange that they are having three sales so close in time to each other.  Nonetheless, mark your calendars for Friday, November 6, 2009 from 8:30 am to 6 pm.  To preregister, send an email with your name, complete address and phone number before November 3 to BakerFactorySales@kohler.com.  According to the postcard, there will be a variety of casegoods, upholstery, accessories and lighting, and "[m]any additional items have been added since the last NC Sale."  There will not, however, be any fabric at this sale.  As before, the sale takes place at the lower level of the Baker Factory, 3487 Tex's Fishcamp Road, Connelly Springs NC 28612.  It makes me laugh just to type the words "Tex's Fishcamp Road."  So what do you think I should put on my wish list this time??? 

Wondering what happened to Homearama, the Charlotte area's annual tour of extremely expensive, elaborately furnished and complete with every bell-and-whistle new homes?  Well, it should come as no surprise that the economy tanked that event, which had occurred yearly since 1984.  The last Homearama, which took place in the fall of 2008 in The Palisades, featured only three homes - half the usual number.  The next Homearama is now set for 2010, probably in the Bromley development in Weddington, North Carolina.  But never fear, sports fans - the Home Builders Association of Charlotte is holding the first annual Luxury Lifestyle Home Tour, a self-guided tour of luxury homes each priced over a million dollars, to whet our appetite until Homearama returns.  Tickets are available for $10 at participating Harris Teeter stores or online for $15.  We've already missed the first weekend, but you stil have this weekend (October 31 to November 1) and the following weekend (November 7 to November 8) to hit the tour.  Hours are 10 am to 6 pm on Saturdays and 1 pm to 6 pm on Sundays.  I'm really very interested to see how these homes compare to the Homearama homes of the past few years.  I'm assuming that they are all unfurnished, and my prediction is that the interior finishes won't be quite as posh ... although I feel certain they will be more than acceptable!  I'm probably going to go on Sunday.  Anyone interested in coming with? 

I promised to give you all the scoop from the luncheon at which Mariette Himes Gomez spoke, and I hope this won't disappoint!  Mariette was absolutely fascinating.  She was warm, very funny, and even self-deprecating at times.  Everyone had a good laugh when she spoke about finding four chairs for a particular client who was in the entertainment industry and hosted large events frequently.  As such, she then needed to have twenty-six chairs made to match the ones she had already purchased.  The funny part is that she said, "I was quite impressed that I managed to figure that out so early in my career!"  I think we have all experienced things - design or otherwise - that we just need to figure out somehow. 

Her speech itself was different than I expected; instead of opining on a particular topic, she went through numerous slides of her work and explained a little bit about the interior and why she made the decisions that she did.  That by itself was quite a learning experience!  The one thing I really took away from her lecture was how she really respected the personalities and lifestyles of her clients - incorporating their artwork and other pieces that were special to them - yet still preserved her look and vision in each of the interiors.    

Mariette also spoke about the hard work that goes into preparing a book.  She would know, as she authored both Rooms (in 2003) and Houses (in 2007).  Mariette said that it took two years to photograph the homes featured in Houses.  One of the reasons it takes so long is that all of the houses located in the country need to be photographed when the leaves are on.  I hadn't thought about making sure the season was right!  Anyway, we can all look forward to the arrival of the book she is currently working on, Apartments.  

Mariette shared some wonderful design tips while going through her slides.  Here are a few that I found especially compelling - and equally applicable to houses small or large, modest or grand.   

"Let's not forget the lamp table."  Mariette firmly believes that we need more lamps and less recessed light.  That is especially important to remember in new construction.  We all get spoiled by the ability to add recessed lighting, and we need to remember that the warmth of a lamp just cannot be replaced! 

"Don't heavy it up when you have views and architecture."  Here, here, Mariette!  When you are fortunate to have a home with great views or fantastic bones, less really is more.    

"I'm liking more and more two coffee tables instead of a huge thing in the middle of the room."  I love this idea ... and interestingly, it is one that Suzanne Kasler echoed when giving a tour through her pieces for Hickory Chair.  Basically, you just put two (usually rectangular) coffee tables together to form a more square coffee table.  Are you wondering, why not just buy a square coffee table?  Well, using the two tables gives the room a bit more of a curated, collected look.  It's just not as heavy in the middle of the room.  It's also very versatile, and - for those in city apartments - easier to get up through the stairs or elevator!      

Unfortunately, Mariette had to return to New York and was unable to walk us through her latest Hickory Chair pieces personally.  I can, however, leave you with some photographs of the inspiring spaces created using her pieces in the Hickory Chair showroom.  Enjoy!   

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Meeting Thomas O’Brien – renowned interior designer and founder of Aero Studios – at Hickory Chair in High Point was one of the absolute highlights of my trip!  In fact, the piece of furniture that I’ve been lusting over the longest – oh, going on eight years now – is his Darlington desk, based on an O’Brien family heirloom.  Isn't it awesome?  

Photo of Darlington Oval Desk from Hickory Chair

So, when I learned that Thomas was going to take us through his latest pieces for Hickory Chair, I was ecstatic at the opportunity to meet him and learn not only about his collection, but also about what inspires him. 

To state the obvious, Thomas O’Brien has truly become a household name.  Anyone who shops at Target – and who doesn’t? – has seen the Vintage Modern collection designed by Thomas for Target.  It encompasses bedding, towels, lamps, furniture, dinnerware and décor … in other words, everything you could want for the home.  But Thomas also brings his same refined style to textiles for Groundworks, lighting for Visual Comfort, rugs for Safavieh and – of course – his renowned furniture collection for Hickory Chair.  Indeed, it’s his skillfulness with “the mix” – here, the interweaving of both high and low price points, but also his ability to mix the masculine and the feminine, the vintage and the modern, and other qualities generally thought of as contradictory – that makes Thomas so interesting. 

For instance, check out this amazing bed.  The furniture is part of Thomas’ line for Hickory Chair, but the bedding is Vintage Modern from Target.  Isn’t it so chic, all put together like that?  If possible, I always recommend that you invest in quality furniture that you’ll have forever … but hey, if you have pets or children crawling all over your bed (licking, drooling, puking – all that fun stuff that comes with small creatures), you can use this fabulously inexpensive bedding from Target and still have a great look.  As Thomas pointed out, it’s also a bed that is appealing to both men and women.  In his words, "she drives the Boxster, too.  Style doesn't have to be turned into something that is overly feminized.  Mostly for a lot of women I think it's very important to have a new kind of feminine idea."   As a woman, I think this look is so sharp, and you don’t have to worry about your partner shrieking over florals or pastels.  According to Thomas, this particular bedding is one of the newest introductions at Target, so head there now if you are interested!        

And check out this amazing shelving wall. The shelves themselves are so very attractive - I love how they used alternate woods for each row - and extremely functional.  You can't beat that combo!  Perhaps the most interesting part of the wall, however, is that the shelving wall consists of individual Studio Bookcases that can also be used to surround a Studio Sofa (thus serving as both end tables and a console table, all in one).  Thomas shared that the Studio Sofa and Bookcases were originally designed for Giorgio Armani … unfortunately just as Mr. Armani (as Thomas referred to him) was inking the deal for Armani Casa.  So the Studio Sofa and Bookcases were not used in Mr. Armani’s apartment but instead became part of Thomas’ first introductions for Hickory Chair.  Fascinating!     

There are so many more amazing things that Thomas has done, and I couldn't possibly cover them all.  The New York Times has - as you might expect - written extensively about Thomas, so to read more from the Times, just click here.  And be sure to explore his collections ... everywhere you may find them!  

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It was so delightful to hear Alexa Hampton talk about her collection for Hickory Chair!  To start, Alexa is one of the most approachable, down to earth, fun individuals that you could ever hope to meet.  Never mind that she has been named one of the AD 100 (top 100 designers according to Architectural Digest), designs collections for Visual Comfort, Kravet and Stark in addition to Hickory Chair, and learned at the knee of her famous father, the late Mark Hampton.  Indeed, when she pitched the idea of designing a furniture collection to Jay Reardon, the president of Hickory Chair, Alexa explained to him that she was, in fact, just like you and me.  In her words, "I'm the one who's most like the consumer.  I'm a young woman who's interested in design.  I'm the one who's buying this stuff."  Jay was persuaded, and the work began.  Alexa shared that it took two years from the time she signed on until her first collection launched.  During that time, "there are beautiful things you make, there are hideous things you make, and there are beautiful things you make that are atrocious to sit in."  Of course, as everyone who has ever visited a Hickory Chair showroom can attest, the end result of all that hard work is a collection of beautiful pieces that are wonderful to sit in!   

In this stunning grouping, the sofa is updated Danish Modern ... without the mothballs!  (Yes, those are Alexa's words.)  The chair is a new introduction, and the workmanship is stunning.  Check out the exquisite veneer on the back of the chair.  Alexa talked about the importance of "back interest" because many pieces - especially chairs - are seen primarily from the back.  As she said, you'd never buy a wedding dress without any back interest; why would you buy a chair without any back interest?  It was also very interesting to hear Alexa talk about how she likes pieces that appeal to both men and women, which she believes this chair will.  I love the ottoman, which is part of Hickory Chair's custom program (and can thus be made in any size).  As Alexa pointed out, the unique design (note the flat center, covered here by a tray, and rounded perimeter) makes it possible for you to put your feet up without knocking over everything on the ottoman.  The console table shown in the back is also a new introduction, and my favorite piece in her collection.  I wish I had better pictures to share, but that table is a workhorse!  Drawer/file cabinet units are available to slide underneath the table, turning it into an extremely functional desk.  I also love the leather drawer handles.  Alexa explained that - despite her strong affinity for classicism - the desk is one area in which she never minds going a little more sleek and modern, because it is already the location for so much modern technology.     

This beautiful bed is upholstered and dressed in a fabric that Alexa designed for Kravet.  Kravet was kind enough to let Hickory Chair use these fabrics exclusively before they are introduced into Kravet's main collection.  The bedside table has a pullout shelf, so that you have somewhere to put your glass of water without disrupting your tablescape.  See how thoughtfully Alexa designed all of these pieces? 

Note, too, that all of Alexa's furniture is appropriately scaled.  Her discussion of the "chofa" (basically, an oversized chair that is more like a sofa) was hilarious!  As she so adeptly explained, when you invest in a home with large rooms and high ceilings and then fill it with oversized furniture, you have just lost everything you gained by having tall ceilings in a big space.  Now, it just looks like you have a normal chair in a room with short ceilings.  The beauty of having tall ceilings is to enhance them by having appropriately scaled furniture.  Also, furniture should be sized to the body ... and unless you play in the NFL or the NBA, no one should need a chofa!     

As I mentioned in my last post, I was also delighted to learn that Alexa is the mother of soon-to-be three year-old twin boys, as well as a younger daughter.  I just love all twinnies and their moms!  Anyway, I loved hearing her explain that the antique which had inspired a particular chest was currently in storage because she was living in a "Fisher-Price hell."  As a mom who used to have a living room filled with two bouncy seats, two swings, two exersaucers and two Jumperoos, I understand ... and appreciate a famous mom who is willing to admit the same!  You can just plain relate to Alexa as a person. Her collection really reflects who she is, and that's one of the things that makes the collection - and Alexa - so enjoyable.  Thanks, Alexa, and I can't wait to see what you'll be up to next!     

I just got an email from my perennial fave Brock Moran Home that they are changing out the bedding on their display beds and selling their existing bedding at great prices.  More than that, however, they are also selling this Thomas O'Brien by Hickory Chair "Chelsea" bed at half its original price.  Isn't it gorgeous????  I so wish I could put that in my guest room.  Obviously, there's only one for the taking ... so if you are interested, call fast!  Of course, Brock Moran is also a great place to purchase other Hickory Chair pieces, as well as Baker, Lee and Hancock & Moore.  Tell Brock that I sent you!       

Photo from Brock Moran Home 

I am on a serious design high after my visit to the High Point Furniture Market … but especially after the breakfast hosted by Hickory Chair yesterday.  To back up for a minute, Hickory Chair is a truly fantastic company and has been for years.  My first real furniture purchase – made at 21 years old, fresh out of college – was a chair by Hickory Chair from Leo Burke Furniture in Richmond, Virginia.  The chair was obscenely expensive by the standards of a student (thank you, Dad!!!!), but I knew that the chair would last forever.   So I took my modest budget, splurged on that chair and a Michael Thomas junior-sized sofa, and found everything else as inexpensively as possible.  Investing in quality is always the least expensive thing in the long run, and indeed my Hickory Chair chair looked as perfect when it was ten years old - yes, we are past that now and I’m unwilling to admit exactly how far past - as it did when it was first delivered.   In recent years, however, Hickory Chair has become as well-known for its fantastic designer collections – by Alexa Hampton, Suzanne Kasler, Thomas O’Brien and Mariette Himes Gomez – as it already was for its excellent quality products.  It’s really impressive.  What I find equally amazing, however, is the fact that 85% of Hickory Chair’s products are made in the United States.  What a refreshing change from what has become the norm these days! 

Given this, I was already delighted to visit the Hickory Chair showroom … but listening to Alexa, Suzanne and Thomas (oh, check me out – on a first name basis with them now!  HA!) talk about their individual collections for Hickory Chair was an experience more fabulous than I could have imagined!  Each collection is amazing in its own right, and I’m going to highlight them individually in posts later this week … so stay tuned!  I will leave you with this one absolutely fantastic snippet from Alexa.  Alexa is also a mom of almost three year-old twin boys (can I hear a woo hoo from my other twin mom friends?) as well as a fourteen month-old daughter.  Anyway, Alexa was joking about her love of neoclassicism and shared that, when she was pregnant with her boys, Thomas O’Brien asked if Alexa was going to name them Neo and Classical.  Alexa retorted that no, she was planning to name them Vintage and Modern (which is, of course, the name of Thomas’ collection for Target).  Hilarious!  It was also an absolute delight to meet Heather from Habitually Chic (photo above), Franki from Life in a Venti Cup, and Shay from Designer Detective, among others.  Heather, especially, has been inspiring me since she began her blog and I was thrilled to be able to tell her that in person.

Many, many, many thanks to Jay Reardon, president of Hickory Chair, and Laura Holland for their hospitality!!  Laura kindly invited me to Hickory Chair University – basically, an in-depth tour of their factory – so I’ll have to check with her on a date so that I can fill you in on even more of the behind-the-scenes details at Hickory Chair.  I can’t wait for that, and I can’t wait to bring you more details from Market! 

I so 3008, you so 2000 and late.  I got that boom, boom, boom.  

Hahaha!  Aren't you impressed with my Black Eyed Peas reference?  Not bad for a country fan!  Anyway, I am soooo moving into the 21st century.  Check out the brand new NetworkedBlogs box on the righthand side of the page.  Now you can follow my blog in your Facebook just by clicking "Follow this blog."  Isn't that cool?  I've never really gotten into RSS feeds (although you can get my blog that way, too!) - I'd rather just check my faves directly - but who isn't on Facebook a gazillion times per day? 

So here's the deal.  Because I just added the NetworkedBlogs box, I am currently my only follower.  Can you say lame???  So click "Follow this blog" and I'll enter you to win my very first contest - for a copy of the brand new book by Suzanne Kasler, entitled "Inspired Interiors."  It is absolutely fabulous, and I wish I could share it with every single one of you!  As it is, I am totally dying to share the details of my amazing time at market.  That will have to wait for a longer post, but suffice it to say that I am in love, love, love with Hickory Chair and all of their designers (including Suzanne Kasler, of course).  Mad, mad love!!  Over the moon love!    

The contest will end Sunday at midnight, and I'll pick a winner at random.  If you - for some reason - don't have a Facebook account or aren't interested in following my blog through Facebook (but you are still a reader!), just email me directly at traci@tracizeller.com and I'll enter you in the contest.  Or you can also follow me on Twitter to enter;  just search for @tracizeller.  Good luck!  And until then ... Boom boom boom, gotta get-get!!!