Alice Lane

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Many people have inquired about the location of the store, "What used to be here?" and "How did you get your name?" So I thought I'd take you all for a little trip down memory lane to where it all began...

Adam and I lived on this little enchanted street called Alice Lane in Farmington, Utah for about 7 years. We built, what we thought was our dream home, surrounded by all the best neighbors and memories my heart could hold.

When I set out to build the dream of opening a furniture store/design firm, I couldn't leave our home and friends that we had fallen in love with. So, I brought it with me and named the store after the greatest address that could ever be: "Alice Lane".

And can you believe I left it all for this? This building gave me the warm fuzzies when we first pulled up to it in the Fall of 2007! It sits on what I've been told is one of the busiest intersections in the state of Utah. Who can argue with location when it comes to real estate? My husband was not so sure that we should invest our savings into this dive.... so I doodled my way through the process, until we signed the lease!

You'll love these before and after shots!

photo by Alyssa Dodini Vincent

photo by Nicole Hill Gerulat

photo by Reed Rowe

Burlap & Linens

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Check out these fantastic new arrivals: Burlap grain sack with authentic markings made into table runners or rugs. Striped Runner - $42 Wagner Burlap Runner - $42

Canvas pillows work in just about every room. Easy to clean and durable yet extremely comfortable with down/feather inserts. $40 - $140

Linen Pillows and Bolster with down/feather inserts. $53 - $100

The metal grommets add great style to these pillows. $69-$76

Vintage Tote - $103 Vintage Canvas and Leather Purse - $103

Utah Style and Design Magazine Photo Shoot

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We were thrilled to have Utah Style and Design stop by for a photo shoot at our store a few weeks ago. They were so delightful! And a captive audience... we love to talk shop - as do they. We are excited to see how the pictures all lay out in the upcoming fall issue and maybe winter! This back area of the store was being shot for the magazine cover! (Soo exciting!) This may be the cover shot of either the fall or winter issue of Utah Style!

Shooting with them was instant gratification, after they'd shoot a scene, we would huddle around their laptop to see how the pictures came out. They'd go back and make a few adjustments and shoot again, until perfection!

We shot a beautiful vignette around the Margarette bed by Oly Studio. They wanted to showcase the color turquoise!

One vignette two different coffee tables -

We talked about how to style a coffee table and still make it look usable and effortless. We shot this scene in front of the French daybed a few different ways. We'll see what they end up using?

French daybed with a high directoire table. It's a nice usable height to eat, study or write a note on.  Fresh flowers cut from my garden earlier that morning. Ahhh, what a luxury!

It will be fun to see how these all develop for the magazine. If you haven't already got your summer issue of Utah Style, run out and grab one! It's a great issue! We are featured toward the front of the magazine in the Style File section.

Special thanks to Brad, Tessa and Adam at Utah Style and Design for making us look so good and spending their whole day with us!

What's in Store...

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Here are a few more new items we have in the store: Alhambra Chair $1,069

Continental Four-Drawer Chest $1,787

Cockatoo Table Lamp $235

Thom Filicia - Copake Eagle Console in Seneca Falls White Wash $2,499

Vintage Furniture Cart - These are originals and very limited. We picked up two at Market because we knew we wouldn't be able to find them again! $565

Opal Leather Chair $1,495

Thom Filicia - Carrier Circle Coffee Table in French Gray $805

Giselle Chair in Linen $1,178

Montaigne Armless Chair $1,174 each Quantity: 2

Private Residence - Master Bedroom

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This is the Master Bedroom in the mid-century home our client is restoring for her father. You can find her Family Room here. These are our plans for the Master Bedroom:

It is interesting to see how they lived in the 50's. There are built-ins in every room. A place for everything and everything in it's place. No fluff. Simple lines. Don't overstate it. In this room we kept it simple and elegant - The aesthetic is mid-century modern. So it's clean lines. Minimal details - but enough style to satisfy this small Master Bedroom

The upholstery on the headboard visually softens things up a bit - and the bedding will add another layer interest and loft. The Gilbert bedside table from Julian Chichester has a bronzed and guilded frame with one drawer and a storage area underneath. The Felix chest has simple and clean lines with a metal base.

The celadon lamps will sit atop the Gilbert nightstands. The color of these lamps add to the room's vintage look and the alabaster lamp will adorn the dresser.

We are excited to see everything installed and look forward to sharing with you!

Private Residence

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We have  a client who was knee deep in a restoration project for her sentimental father. Her dad had recently purchased the home he was raised in, and asked his daughter to help him restore it back to its mid-century state. She hired us to do the space planning and furniture for the main floor. What a fun challenge to go back and study that era and get to use some of the iconic design pieces we have admired. This is how the Family Room will layout:

We always start from the ground up. So we began with this Thomas O'Brien Corsaro Rug. Avocado and teal seemed like a nice vintage color combination to kick things off with.

Retro sofa style with blind tufting has a simple silhouette with track arms and a groovy base.

A pair of Luna chairs with exaggerated angles is a definite throw back.

The George console by Oly Studio will act as a sofa table.

At the center of the room, the classic Noguchi cocktail table.

Stylized lamps play into the rooms Vintage Modern flair.

And check out that entertainment unit... Oly Studio's Jean buffet with brass door panels.

No mid-century room would be complete without the iconic Eames lounge chair - We did it in ivory and a stripy walnut base.

I can hardly wait to install this project next month. The last few pieces are still trickling in. Will be sure to show and tell!

My Parent's Home

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Ahhh home! This is a space that we installed about a year and a half ago for my parents. It's their living room, located right off the entry and kitchen of their home. It's not one of the rooms that you walk by and look at and think how lovely it is, but never enter or sit in it. This room gets used and everything must be comfortable! We couldn't use a cocktail table in the center because that's where all the grandchildren wrestle and spread out the train tracks and toys. It's the greatest gathering spot in the house not only because of it's central location, comfortable furniture, and proximity to the kitchen, but not having a television in the room really allows us to sit down and talk to whomever is in the space playing with a baby, or already engaged in another conversation.

I could go on and on about how I feel about useful living rooms... But I know you just want to get to the pictures, so here they are:

One of the great things in this room is the paint! We used a Ralph Lauren color called Cottage Hill. It's actually the brown color in all the built-ins in our store. It looks olive during certain times of the day in this room. They did the suede texture, which means they stirred sand into the paint to give it this soft velvety look! It's RICH!

Trophy Lamp by Arteriors - My Mom's got a thing for trophies!

Spool chairs in black on black with an off-white herringbone back cushion. These are classic! They float in the room so you can enjoy their back side from the kitchen. I just love these chairs from every angle!

My mom has been collecting old trophies since forever... We used to tease her for it, but look how stunning the line up is on her mantle! You were right Mom! They are gorgeous.

I had to sneak this one in, though it's not the living room. This is the master bedroom. We recently had this bolster custom made and monogrammed with my parent's initals for their king size bed. It turned out great!

Darling wire bird cage hangs in the bedroom. Available still at Alice Lane! It adds such whimsy to any space.

Private Residence - Merida, Mexico

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This room is the bedroom of our client's twin sons in Merida, Mexico. Although their room and the younger boys' room are identical in layout, we wanted to flex a different muscle and add a sense of maturity to the space. At 16 years old, the boys are busy with school and soccer but when they get home would love a place to hang out with their friends. Our client wanted the twins' space to be interesting but much more neutral than the younger boys' room featured here.

Voila! This is the sketch of what the room would look like when completed!

The geometric pattern of this Candice Olsen rug will anchor the space while dictating our palette with its warm grays.

It's important to add variety of interesting textures and surfaces when you're keeping things neutral. This metal chair is fun and adds some industry to the room! This room also has an existing desk between the beds that needed a side chair for studying.

Our client mentioned how much he loved the Jonathan Bench from Oly Studio and I was more than happy to incorporate it into the plan! These guys will sit at the foot of each bed. The tufted cushion adds dimension to the space and pairs great with its hammered metal base.

The heavens opened when we came across this mirror from Oly Studio! It's sculptural and finished in a high lacquered white varnish plus its a great size and gives the teenage boys a chance to check themselves out before the leave the house. What's not to love!

This artwork from Natural Curiosities will hang over each bed creating a visual headboard and I loved that they were similar but still very different, (just like the twins)!

With three metal shelves, this nightstand provides enough surface space for a lamp on top and any other items that the boys might have.

Private Residence - Merida, Mexico

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I was beyond thrilled when we received a call from a fellow in Merida, Mexico who needed some of his home redecorated! I've always been fascinated with this country's rich cultural heritage and how that has influenced its design and architecture over hundreds of years! Our client had recently built a modern home but wanted to add a warmth and history to its interiors. He sent over plans and several photos of the rooms he wanted to address and we got to work! The first room we'll highlight is his two youngest sons. They are like most 9 and 10 year olds, spending their days playing soccer, collecting cars and discovering the world around them. Their room was so fun to design and reintroduced me to being a kid again! Enjoy!

This sketch illustrates how the room will feel when completed.

Next to the entrance of the bedroom we wanted to give the boys a spot to hang their hats and a spot to drop their treasures. The eagle console from Thom Filica is such a fun statement and the Christopher Marley  bug art was a natural fit! All boys love bugs!

The croc inspired rug from Safavieh will anchor each bed and add a level of playfulness to the space.

The existing desk between the beds needed a side chair. I love this Klismos inspired piece from Thom Filicia's new collection. A youthful version of a classic frame!

Ottomans at the foot of the bed provide additional seating when the boys are hanging out with friends and the legs on this particular Oly Studio ottoman are show-stoppers!

The spot table from Vanguard Furniture reminded me of a giant Slinky! Another ode to childhood.

Whether a sports fanatic or a young inventor, I thought that this table lamp, reminiscent of jacks, was a smart choice to light their bedsides.

93 inches by 43 inches!!! Large scaled art is a great way to set the tone of a room. I loved this split alligator and how it is related to the rugs.

This suspended solar system will inspire and ignite young minds and add dimension in the room.

Alice Lane Features Architect Hyrum Bates

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We are big fans of Hyrum Bates. We happened upon his work back when we were living in Farmington and asked if he would help us make our dream come true of designing a charming little shop in Orem. I had the ugly building and a sketchbook full of ideas - I just needed his know-how to make it charming. We asked Hyrum to be a guest blogger to showcase some of his work:

The first is "Residence on Flint" -

"The Stair Hall is the circulation center of the home, giving place for art, a grand clock and playful stair-railing giving nod to the owner's Scandinavian Heritage."

"A kitchen is the heart of any home and this one is no exception. I love the way the strength of the green walls and ceiling is not too overpowering because the white cabinets have a power of their own. This kitchen is designed to be fully utilized and experienced - from its functionality for cooking, to sitting and watching, working at the desk and displaying art."

"The simplistic and detailed Powder Bath was designed to be an art 'gallery' allowing the color to be displayed through the art. Yet the modern 'hatbox' commode and 'farmhouse' sink become the stars of this show."

"This room was inspired by the beaches of Southern California. The warm sandy color of the ceiling and upper walls lend coziness to the creamy white lower walls. Blues and bright whites remind of the sky and clouds, water and waves. The perfect Master's Bedchamber."

"Formality gives way to warm invitation in the Sitting Room. Soothing blue reigns supreme, but is calmed by white and the natural light of the dormer from above. The double 'farmhouse' X gives life, texture and scale to the taller wall of this retreat."

Clarkston Manor - "I love the stateliness of the French Formal/Chateau style... it is timeless and classic in its very essence."

Parley's Way - "This was a remodel, taking the existing, 1950's one-level brick home down to the foundation and creating a completely fresh look was exciting. The porte cochere (drive-thru) was an innovative way to get the upper level the desired size and still maintain access to the garage at the rear."

Bountiful Home - "I love the eyebrow arch window and how it is the star of the show for this particular elevation of the house. Craftsman details nod to the Arts & Crafts style."

Kentucky Downs - "This too is a remodel/addition project designed in collaboration with Judith Clawson. The desire to give the home an 'Arts & Crafts' architectural style allowed the home to command a stronger street presence and give it a 'face' that only rarely will forget."

Private Residence

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This is a client's home in Provo that we are working on. We recently completed the Family Room and Eat-In Kitchen area and wanted to share a few photos. (I must not have loaded the before photos onto the computer, so you'll just have to enjoy the after shots...)

This is the eat-in kitchen with the entry in the background. You can see the new wall sconce next to the closet door. It is from Jonathan Adler's collection through Robert Abbey. The new light fixture over the dining table is a soft brass ring with botanical-like candles.

Close-up of sconce

I love working with this client, she's not afraid to take a risk and do something unexpected. She is very fashion forward. Although she jokes about buying this Ivory Home, there is almost nothing left of it that feels like the rest of the neighborhood.

I love the lines of this Coco Sofa! It is from a group out of L.A. that builds furniture for us domestically. You'd never accuse this sofa of wearing 100% polyester... but she is! This is one way to do it and make it look and feel high-end.

The family room entertainment wall was originally only finished in sheetrock with rounded corners going into the cubbies. We had a finish-worker put a face-frame and adjustable shelves in paint-grade materials. We had the interior of the cubbies painted a dark shade of gray; the face is painted a crisp shade of white to relate to the wall of white shuttered windows adjacent to it. We filled the room with a collection of furnishings to make it feel like it wasn't bought all at the same time out of one box.

A reclaimed coffee table is at the center of the room - this piece is family friendly with a worn-in look already. You don't have to be too cautious about having a young family and entertaining around it. The two sofas are in hard-wearing fabrics, one in a Bella-Microfiber, the other in leather. The pillows marry the colors from the rug and add some pattern and interest.

All in all, the client is happy, the room is successful and suits their needs, and the space is fun to be in because it has such interesting things to say!

photos by Nicole Hill