Feast for the Eyes

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It's your year to host Thanksgiving. You've been planning, researching, and figuring out all of the details ("Do I make the cranberry sauce or buy it in a can?!") You've got a beautiful feast in the works, but we all know that no matter how good it tastes, the presentation is everything - if it looks good, it will taste even better! Let us show you how to nail your presentation (and really impress your Mother-in-Law!)

You want your place settings and dishes to be the star of your table, so choose a runner that has a more natural, organic quality to it. Avoid anything too shiny or precious. In our setting, we chose a burlap runner. It's rustic quality plays well against the crisp dinnerware and really brings an understated elegance to the whole setting.

To prevent burns while reaching across the table for the butter, place a few white or off-white unscented candles in hurricanes. To visually weigh them down, fill the bottom of each hurricane with several inches of quinoa before placing the candles inside.

If your table isn't big enough for hurricanes, use votives. This year we are using mercury glass votives. They are mysterious, sparkly, and will get along with all of your dishes.

Another space-saving technique is to use tall candlesticks. They take up hardly any space but will definitely give your table some drama. Using candles will make your dining experience feel extra special!

An appetizer is a delightful way to warm up the party. We are big fans of Costco's assortment of cheeses and love sharing our spread on these beautiful cheese platters and plates. Even if you aren't hosting the party, a full stocked cheese platter makes a wonderful hostess gift and is always a welcome addition to the festivities.

You've worked so hard on creating a culinary masterpiece, you should let it take center stage. We recommend keeping the color to the food itself and using white serving dishes. Pair your white dishware with silver, glass, and/or crystal glassware and utensils. After all, nothing should compete with the turkey!

- Jessica

[photos by Nicole Hill Gerulat]

Inspiration in Unusual Places: Winter Fashion

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Winter is upon us - in full swing this past weekend here in Utah. It's time to break out the layers and put together a winter appropriate outfit. It's a good time to add the winter layers to your home as well. A dark room setting is the perfect place to cuddle up by the fire on a cold winter day. Add a fur throw to your sofa to cozy it up even more.

Get your party pants on! Pair a comfy sweater with a geometric silk dress pant for your holiday party this year. Repeat this idea with pillows and accessories to add this detail to a room.

Pretty in pink. Go monochromatic with different shades of pink. Add a deeper pink to spice things up a bit!

Black and white with a hint of cognac. Add a fur throw at the end of the bed to soften the look.

Add a touch of tartan plaid with a throw pillow. Beautiful for the holidays.

Add a patterned throw to the back of the sofa for the colder months.

 

What's in Store - Sconces and Mirror

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We loved this image from this year's San Francisco Decorator Showhouse. And we happen to have this mirror in the store now!

 

20"W x 36"H $872.50

And this pretty gold sconce can be ordered in! Take advantage of our Lighting Sale going on now.

6"W x 7"Ext. x 22.5"H $300 Lighting Sale 20% off- $240

Stop by and see this stunning mirror in person and place your lighting order today!

 

Private Residence - Master Bedroom

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It seems like the Master Bedroom is always the last room in the home to be finished. Most often this is because this room is tucked away where guests can’t sneak a peek. At Alice Lane, however, we believe this should be the first room you dive into! Your room is the first place you see when you wake up, and the last place you see before you close your eyes at night- it’s your shelter from the rest of your crazy, chaotic life, and should be as serene and comfortable as possible—and gorgeous, of course!

When we visited with our adorable young clients, we were inspired by the sounds of music, giggles of young children, and the pattering of little feet that echoed through their house. We felt the love that filled their home and wanted to carry that warm feeling in our design.

 

Our rug – oh, our rug! This is what began our beautiful story. Its luxurious texture and calming circular shapes were just the ticket to start our scenic tale. Its warm hues and peaceful palette really embodied the warm-hearted feeling we were after.

Instead of placing a typical bench at the foot of the bed, we decided to place a cozy, tufted settee. Not only does this look beautiful, but it’s also a cozy little spot for a sick child who’s having a rough night (or a great launching spot for the wee ones to dive into Mom and Dad’s bed on Saturday mornings!).

 Across from the settee sits the fireplace and a set of His-and-Her chairs. We did His chair in a cozy gray and white ticking stripe, and Hers – well, where do I begin? The custom gray and white toile upholstery just melts into the hand-carved frame with delicate gold detailing- it’s a truly feminine chair! This is surely a spot where our young family will enjoy cuddling and reading bedtime fairytales by the fire.

 Above the fireplace, we nestled a silver leaf Portuguese starburst mirror. The mixture of the soft metallic frame and antique mirror has a celestial quality. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to this every morning?!

Every room needs a little something to loosen it up. For this space we decided to sprinkle pearly white Carnation platters in the corner. Their organic shapes break up all of the linear lines in the room and give a sculptural, relaxed quality to a bare corner. The platters almost look as though they could float away!

My advice to you is this: don’t save your Master Bedroom for last- just dive into it! You need a refuge where you can escape your crazy and chaotic day, where you can breathe deep and relax. Most importantly, you need a space that inspires you, where you can’t wait to wake up and start your day!

 

- Christy

 [photos by Meikel Reece]

What's in Store - Thomas O'Brien Studio Floor Lamp

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We love Thomas O'Brien's Studio Floor Lamp. The oversized shade and adjustable height make it the most versatile statement piece.

34.5"Dia. x 53.5" - 122.75"H Choose from 3 finishes - Bronze, Hand Rubbed Antique Brass, or Polished Nickel $1,125

Take advantage of our Lighting Sale going on now to order yours in today!

[photo from Lonny Magazine]

Show n' Tell - Nemrow Theatre

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You all remember the Nemrow’s right?  The amazing kitchen transformation we featured on our blog a couple years ago?  Well, you can imagine my excitement when Anjerie called and said they were finishing their basement and needed help with the plans, specifically the long anticipated theatre!  It is so gratifying to design for a completely trusting client and that is exactly what Anjerie and Scott are.  As a designer, having this freedom allows you to flex a different muscle and the spaces always end up spot on.  It’s Magic!!!

When scheming on the look and feel of the space, I wanted it to be clean, style-forward, and sophisticated; I pictured large art, strong contrasts, and plenty of seating for the Nemrow’s and their posse. We treated the walls with an applied board rhythm and painted it a deep ink color.  We had a great opportunity to create a soffit and highlight the center of the room with an absolutely insane wallpaper!  It looks like a silver-leafed lunar surface with dollops of gold and patina thrown in the mix- completely hypnotic!

When it came to the kitchenette, Scott had a lot of appliance requests. It’s was a slim space, but we managed to pull off a small miracle and got it all to fit perfectly. Why? Because that’s what we do!

Dr Pitt!  It’s like the largest party barge you’ve ever seen!  It’s perfect for a theatre or any space where you need a whole lot of comfort (and even more cuddling!).  We wrapped it in a charcoal velvet and upholstered the ottomans in a vinyl that looks like shark skin!

The theatre recliners were upholstered in a bone colored leather and my favorite Michael Weiss barstools were done in funky teal leather.

The art was and lighting is always my favorite layer. Until this is up, your room will never feel complete.  In this space, I didn’t want to propose knick knacks and small prints; instead, I chose large art that made an impact. We started with Albert Einstein’s “Moon Study” which is just sooo brilliant, and added two vertical stripe prints (which reminded me of TV static) and the most beautiful mirror in the whole world!

This mirror has massive Swarovski crystals embedded into the frame….its bonkers and deserves an award.

What makes the project is the people you get to work with and we loved combining forces with Scott Dent at RC Dent Construction.  And to Anjerie and Scott, we adore you and are so grateful to know you and your darling family.  Thank you!  Mwaw!

- Suzanne

[photos by Meikel Reece]

What's in Store - Thom Filicia's Warm Memories

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Have you seen the latest issue of House Beautiful? Thom Filicia's lake house was featured. A gathering place for friends and family with rustic, yet sophisticated decor. We love that he has used some of his own furniture and artwork in the home. One of our favorite pieces, Warm Memories, from a photograph that Thom took on the beach. The colors are bright and happy.

We happen to have this piece in the store right now measuring at 55.5"w x 55.5"h, this piece is a substantial showstopper. $2,041.50

 

Private Residence: Formal Living Room & Entry

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We have worked with this local family before on their front porch, and now it was time to bring things inside. For years they used their front room as an office before finally deciding to turn it in to a formal living room.

We started by lightening the room up with a silver-leafed cork wallpaper applied above their decorative paneling, along with a light fixture that was more to scale with the room size.

The room was very small and we wanted to maximize the seating, so we positioned a full sofa under their tall, shuttered windows as an anchor to the room; we then used a sofette along the other wall and placed a sculptural chair in the corner to not only create a great conversation area, but also provide additional seating as needed. We grounded the space with a fantastic rug that brought both color and movement to the room, and above the sofette we hung a series of blue screen printed ferns in silver leafed frames that play well against the cork wallpaper.

In addition to the living room, we wanted to make the entry a functional zone for the family as well.

We selected a new light fixture and a large woven rug to fill the space as you walk in, and placed a 78” long console and  large starburst mirror along the wall next to the front door. It was very important to keep the scale of the pieces appropriate with the size of the space so that nothing felt dwarfed or undone. Along the stairs we placed a bench with a large print hung above, bringing some of the color from the living room into the entry. At the end of the entry we repurposed a smaller console, tuckedd it into her niche, and filled it with a splash of green Pellegrino bottles. We topped off the space by placing some faux aspen branches atop the console. I love to use flowers or greenery in a space- they can really  bring life into a room!

We will be finishing up the install of the formal living room at the end of the year, but here is a sneak peak. Stay tuned for images of the final install.

- Natalie

This Just In - New Pillows

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Several shipments of new pillows just came in! Everything from casual to sophisticated, preppy to glam in beautiful linens, sequins, and embroidery. If you are looking to give your sofa a facelift before the holidays or want to replace the pillows on your bed to get it ready with velvets and tweed for the cooler, winter months - bring a photo by of your space and have one of our designers pick the perfect pillows for you!

 

From left to right:

Top Row                                                             Bottom Row 1. 25" x 25" | $237.50                                    1. 24" x 24" | $337 2. 12" x 18" | $275                                           2. 24" x 14" | $350 3. 21" x 21" | $300                                         3. 12" x 18" | $250 4. 25" x 25" | $387.50                                   4. 21" x 21" | $225

Fall Market Review

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We just returned from Market, excited to share what we found with all of you. We saw so many beautiful things, and met the style makers behind the designs. I like to ask questions about where they get their inspiration for their new introductions. What's the store? The answers almost always come from something in their past.

History is a great inspiration for the future. I heard everything from an airplane, like this club chair from Thom Filicia to a Mississippi train station, where Barry Dixon got his inspiration for this screen.

We are seeing a lot of looks that were hot in the 50's and 60's, thanks to today's television hits, Mad Men and The Good Wife. There are whole furniture collections based on what you are seeing their set decorators use. Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams has created a collection that is based on pieces actually used on the sets of The Good Wife. These silhouettes are available now.

Vanguard was giving a nod to the past, also. Check out this sofa and entertainment unit! They're better built, cleaned-up versions of your parents or grandparents furniture. So those of you that can't remember this time and place, can discover it for yourselves - the new classics.

Jewel tones were all the rage this Market - just like what you're seeing in your favorite catalogs and clothing stores.

You have to admit, all this saturated color makes you feel something! Everyone is using it in the accents. Occasional chairs, pillows, art - the sofas are almost always still a neutral.

Another not to the past came in the art. The Conde Nast images have been made available to one of our vendors. They narrowed their search for this Market to Vogue magazines from 1920-1940. I can hardly wait to share them with you!

This business is all about living and expressing yourself in a way we believe should seem effortless as opposed to uptight and formal. That is what my search is always for when I shop the marketplace. Comfortable, inspiring looks that will shape your lifestyle. That's right! Lifestyle - you have one! You determine how you live and what it looks like. Live well!

- Jessica

Take Advantage!

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This is the final week for our MGBW Special Order Plus Event! 20% off all MGBW upholstery and casegoods! For upholstery, pick the fabric and finish! These are just a few pieces we've used in our clients' homes or around the showroom to get you inspired.

Blakely Lounge Chairs

Tobi Leather Arm Chair & Rocco Tufted Ottoman

Marlena Lounge Chair

London Chaise in a luxurious steel blue velvet

Graham Dining Chairs in a charming green ticking

Dr. Pitt

Celina Bed in a gray linen

[photos by Meikel Reece]

Movie Night!

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An adorable young couple came to us with the request to design their theater room.  They love to entertain, play games, watch movies, and spend time together as a family.  They loved the idea of creating a warm, cozy environment with a modern turn, and so did we; we knew the push-pull dynamic between the cozy and modern aesthetic was destined to create an interesting design.

 

Thom Filicia’s Niagara rug was the perfect beginning to our story.  The lines are clean and modern, but its wool content keeps it cozy for the kids to snuggle when playing games or watching their favorite movie.  We needed to seat loads of family and friends comfortably - we immediately thought of the simply tailored Keaton sectional.  Once their guests sink into this little piece of down-filled heaven - they just may never want to leave! We hugged the sectional with a modern low console that doubles as a bookshelf - functional and so chic! We then generously sprinkled the room with lamps – the soft, moody lighting gives the room a warm and welcoming feeling.

 

What’s more fun and modern than a barrel swivel chair?!  We knew it would surely become a favorite spot for the kids and just had to sneak one in the room! In order to keep the room from feeling too stiff, we loosened it up with art.  We loved the simple, natural, grounded feeling of the black and white horses. It’s this dynamic, the pairing of modern and ease, that adds depth and dimension to the design - making it both interesting and fresh.

This style setting theater is bound inspire countless evenings at home, filled with family and friends, playing games, watching movies, and just enjoying one another.  We hope it inspires you, too, so start popping the popcorn!

- Christy