Show n' Tell - Augusta Parade Home

The 2014 St. George Parade of Homes has come and gone, but we are still brimming with excitement about this year’s show! We were thrilled to have the opportunity to design another home at the Escapes in Entrada this year. If you weren’t able to make the trip down to St. George to see it, we will bring the home to you. Presenting…the Augusta!

In a sea of traditional southwestern and heavy décor, we wanted to incorporate the character of St. George but do it the Alice Lane way. From tortoise shell art to diamond tile motifs, this home has all of the southwestern details that we love paired with the lightness and refinement that we crave. See additional photos here. Thanks for stopping by to take a look at our own little desert oasis! We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

[photos by Nick Adams]

A Place for Chatting

I want you to stop for a moment and think about someone who gets you! Completely understands your history, your quirks and all the good with all the bad…..

Now that you have that person in your head, create an ideal space where you and your emotional guardian could sit for hours and chat to the moon and back!

Is it in your living room? Perhaps your kitchen (and close to the pantry?) Is it a cozy corner in your bedroom? Wherever it is and whomever you’re with, the ideal places for chatting all have one thing in common. They are all comfortable, (while facilitating uninterrupted eye contact!)

I hope wherever you imagined was in the comfort of your own home because that’s where my best chats happen. I feel safe in my home and when I feel safe, I feel real, vulnerable and honestly, a little silly. All key components of a good chat!

If you didn’t imagine your own home, I need you to carve out a corner and allow me to assist in making it a space where you can have memorable moments with your dearest friends!

FIND YOUR COZY CORNER(S)! If you live in a large home with large spaces, you’ll need to get creative with your seating arrangements.  Most people don’t want to enter a space and feel lost so it’s our job to break it up and create intimate, comfortable moments for people to sit and chat. If you live in a small space, your corners are easier to find (as there are fewer of them.) I tend to gravitate to corners with natural light. It brings out the pensive in me when alone but the chatty in me when I’m looking for a good therapy session!

FILL YOUR CORNERS WITH THE MOST COMFORTABLE FURNITURE! I’m a daybed kind of girl and whenever I think of the ideal setting for a good chat, a daybed always seems to pop up! (Perhaps it’s the therapy session in me.) Across from the daybed is a comfy chair with an ottoman to kick your feet up onto and enough hard surfaces for everyone to set their drink of choice, (and a plate of cookies.) Above are a few of the most “chattable” chairs, sofas and yes….daybeds I could dream of. And now is the perfect time to choose your favorite and get it on SALE!

ADD THE THINGS THAT ARE WORTH CHATTING ABOUT! 

• Great lamp(s) to illuminate the beautiful faces of your guests
• Fabulous down filled pillows to sink into and/or hold. (I’m always more comfortable in a space if I have a pillow to cuddle)
• Good art always equals a good conversation.
• Something green and living!  People feel at ease when they know there is an oxygen tank in the room!
• YOU!  The best thing you can add to a chatting corner is a host/friend/sister/brother/wife/husband/mother/father that is willing to listen to the one lying on the daybed.

Happy chatting my dear friends!

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It's On! The Very Best Sale Going on Now

If you've been thinking about freshening up your home for spring, now is the perfect time to buy! All upholstery and casegoods are on sale now. This includes sofas, chairs, beds, cocktail tables, dining tables, side tables, and more. If you don't see what you are looking for in the store, let us help you find the perfect piece you've been looking for. Stop in and have one of our design experts help you find exactly what you are after!

Here are some of our favorite groupings in-store now.

The Very Best Sale Starts Today!

Lindsey's Tips and Picks

We all have that go-to little black dress in our closets. It's that effortless piece that never fails. With new accessories and jewelry, it becomes a whole new outfit. This same idea can be applied to our homes. Take that neutral sofa in the living room. We buy pieces like this because they go with everything and are timeless. What do we do when we want a new look for our sofa and room? The answer is new pillows! Changing up the pillows is like adding new jewelry to your LBD. It's a quick change and is only a fraction of the cost of a new sofa. Mix up the textures, colors, and size to create interest. Always go bigger! We usually like to start with a 26"x26" pillow. Have fun with it!

Hurry In!

Tomorrow (Monday) is the last day to save 20% on EVERYTHING! Hurry in to either location!

Show n' Tell - Davis Residence

I am so excited to post recent pictures we took of the Davis’ Living room. We started working on their front entry and living room of their Provo home about a year ago. What once used to be an office is now a little gem of a room, used to sit with friends and family.

While designing the space I got to learn of the Davis’ unique heritage and when the final layer of accessories was placed, one of my favorite pieces in this room is their grandfather's clock and the story behind it. It is one of my greatest privileges to get to know this family, and be invited into their home to help create favorite spaces.

Only 4 more days!

Branches, Blossoms, and Blooms

Spring is finally here and we couldn’t be more ecstatic!  No offense winter, but after several months of everything seeming dead and gray there is nothing better than this time of year when new life starts blooming and there are pretty colors everywhere. One of the loveliest perks of spring is how simple it is to take that beauty and showcase it indoors.  If you have visited either of our store locations lately, you probably saw that we have spring branches out in full force.

Whether you clip them from your backyard, buy them from your local florist, or purchase some of our life-like faux branches, here are some of our favorite places to display blooms in the home:

IN AN ENTRY  An entry is the perfect place to make a statement and a stunning arrangement creates a seamless transition from outdoors to in.  Welcome your guests as you welcome spring!

IN THE KITCHEN/DINING ROOM Generally the dining table or kitchen island is the place in our home that has the largest available surface area- take advantage of it!  Go big with full and dramatic arrangements.  Don’t hesitate to clip substantial branches from the tree in the backyard and be generous when filling your vase.  If you don’t have room for a sizeable arrangement, though, don’t fret!  A few delicate blossoms thrown into a simple vase will look effortless and make just as big of an impact.

ON A MANTLE Do you ever get tired of having the same old candlesticks on your mantle?  Well now’s your opportunity to mix it up!  Whether you prefer oversized symmetrical arrangements, asymmetrical and eclectic combos, or small collections of blooms lining the mantle, you can’t go wrong.

Although these are some favorite places to easily display spring branches, don’t hesitate to incorporate them throughout your home.  Place them in a big vase on the floor, next to the tub in the bathroom, or on a nightstand in a bedroom for that airy addition- you can’t go overboard with blossoms!

Lastly when it comes to vases, don’t limit yourself!  Use the vintage glass vase that your grandmother gave you, buy a one-of-a-kind ginger jar (learn more about ginger jars from our very own Michelle Jensen HERE!), or grab that simple white pitcher from your kitchen.

Happy arranging!

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Spring Cleaning with a Twist

When we hear the words “spring cleaning” many of us associate that with pulling out an old toothbrush and scrubbing grout and crevices for weeks. While it’s nice to get a good deep clean, spring is a great time to evaluate your spaces and re-organize the clutter that has gathered over the holidays. Here are areas I like to focus on.

Clean off your kitchen counters. That’s right – everything. It might surprise you how many things have found their way onto them. Stand back and look at the kitchen overall. As you start to put things in place again think, "Less is more." Keep the items useful to a kitchen, and don’t forget to add a bit of life. I love seeing a stack of white dishes, a little Meyer lemon tree by the kitchen window, or a beautiful bowl filled with fruit in the center of the island.

Style your bookshelves. This can be a very daunting task, but not to fear; it is very achievable. Start by pulling everything away and layering in books. I like to pull the jackets off of my books, and let their colorful bindings show-off. Stack some books vertically; stack some horizontally. Place some framed art, and tuck in a few pieces from collections or travels. Don’t be afraid to leave some breathing room.

One of my favorite areas to freshen up is my dressing table. If you often find that your jewelry has found its way into little piles, may I suggest a jewelry tree and a few little glass display boxes. It’s great to hang a necklace or separate watches, rings, and earrings into cute little viewable compartments. A leftover hobnail candle jar is perfect for your pens, and my favorite indulgence is fresh flowers. When you can see all of your favorite pieces it’s a dream to get ready in the morning.

My number one tip for freshening up for spring is to start with one area. This is something that I tell my clients all of the time. Don’t spread your time and resources too thin. Pick a space and make a big impact.

 [photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Jenna's Tips and Picks

After visiting a factory in North Carolina last spring where a line of beautiful Barbara Barry furniture is lovingly crafted, I curled up in the sunshine and read her book Around Beauty cover to cover.  With spring upon us, I recently reread it, and what I’m absolutely taken with is her approach to life and design.

A few quotes from the book to get us all thinking about the way that nature influences us.

I return daily to these natural connections to fill up my well again and again.  In a way, this is really what my work is all about - the experience of being human, intimately connected to the beauty of nature.

In looking outward to the natural world, the lessons I’ve learned have been many, but one of the greatest has been discovering the intersection between natural beauty and the observation of that beauty.  For me, living in that intersection is terrifically fulfilling.

Original and never out of fashion, natural beauty guides me. I look for connection between what I see in nature and what I’m designing in my studio. …Seeing the undeniable {and elegant} style of a fresh-cut flowers, I attempt to re-create that natural style in the mood for a home.  In a snail’s shell, the edge of a leaf, the shadows on the ground, I find detail and pattern that may inform a fabric, a rug, the piping on a pillow.

…underneath all the pretty stuff in the homes and products I design, there is a solid and a grounded belief that beauty is a positive force.

Around Beauty by Barbara Barry - $65

Drop by either Alice Lane location and grab a copy. {Remember everything is 20% off right now!}

[photos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 by Alice Lane Home Collection]

Spring Scents

I don’t know about you, but I am very ready to shake off the doldrums of winter and run headlong into sunny weather. If I had my way I’d spruce up my place with new art, pillows, and rugs at the change of each season. I’d also have to get a side job robbing banks to feed that habit. *ahem*.  Instead, I freshen up my home for spring with candles!

Candles are quick, easy, always affordable, and will instantly give your room a little spring in its step.

The new line of candles, exclusive to our Trolley Square store, has every scent you could possibly want for this upcoming season. (Albeit very slowly, thanks a lot March!) If you’re like me, picking a scent is hard. There are just too many choices. Thankfully the guess work has been taken out of it with these candles! Each scent comes labeled with a room suggestion. Here are two of my favorites:

Come see us at Trolley Square and let us help you get started sprucing up your home for spring!

Opening Alice Lane at Trolley Square

Here is a little peek and the process of putting it all together! We're so excited to be here! We couldn't have done it without all of you. Thanks so much for all of your support!

And don't forget about our sale going on now!

 

VOTE! The Best of Utah Valley

It's that time of year! The Daily Herald is now accepting nominations for it's annual Best of Utah Valley Readers' Choice Awards. Please take a moment and vote for Alice Lane Home Collection in a few of the categories:

- Interior Designer (page 3) - Furniture Store (page 4) - Home Decor (page 4)

Voting ends March 24th. We appreciate all of your support!

VOTE NOW!

STYLIST TIPS AND PICKS

It is no secret that we have severe spring fever at Alice Lane. We are finally putting away our fur throws and coming out of hibernation. And as it begins to get warmer outdoors, we can’t help but want to echo that indoors.We are filling our stores with flowers, blossoms, and succulents. We are trading out our moody dark accents with flirty pastels. And we are overdosing on our favorite spring candles. 

Since the season is changing, so to is the time to spruce up your bedroom. You no longer need to use your cozy, heated room as refuge from the cold, but with just a few simple steps you can make your bedroom just as enticing as a spring getaway. Okay, not really, but pretty close. Here are a few simple ideas and a few of my favorite pieces in the store to kick-start your bedroom into springtime.

CHANGE OUT YOUR BEDDING & ARTWORK Crisp white linens are a spring must! Nothing will freshen up your room like white bedding. Experiment with your favorite pastels when choosing shams or a duvet to add some interest.

Since I can remember, my mom has changed out the photos and artwork in our home depending on the time of year.  It can be as easy as switching out photos or adding a little more color to your walls.

ADD SOME FLOWERS & MAKE IT SMELL PRETTY I know, I know, we won’t shut up about flowers.  But what screams spring more than flowers! Flowers undeniably heighten everything in the room.  We don’t know how--they are magic I guess.  Whether they are real or fake, you can’t go wrong adding a floral arrangement to your room … or 2 or 3.

Don’t under estimate the power of a great smelling candle. Spring wouldn’t feel like spring with out the smell of fresh flowers and clean laundry. My favorite candles this spring are Sajio Persimmon and Goji Tarocco Orange. They are terrific. Stop by the store and we'll introduce you to some of our favorites!

4 drawer chest - $3,250 || 1 drawer chest - $3,187.50 || Bench - $1,625 || King duvet - $425 || Blue euro shams - $87.50 || Crystal lamp - $625 || Pillows - $182 - $312.50 || Forever flowers - $548 || Candles - $17.25 - $26.50

Weekend Plans

Stop by either of our locations this weekend and shop our sale!

Lighten up for Spring

It’s time to awake from our winter hibernation! Throw off the furs and velvet quilts. Put away your dark linens and tie back the heavy drapery. I’m here to tell you how to bring spring into your bedrooms.

Start with a white bed. No matter your headboard, white bedding is always beautiful. Allow me to paint a picture for you – crisp white euros stuffed with the softest down fills, a fluffy duvet folded at the end of your bed, a summer weight quilt layered over airy linen sheets. Close your eyes for a minute and imagine waking up in this bed.  Okay, open your eyes again. It’s a dreamy picture, right? With all the time we spend in our beds, shouldn’t it be the coziest place in your house?

Let me suggest a game changer for your spring-infused bedroom. Linen sheets. Have you ever slept in linen sheets? If not, let me describe them for you. Because linen is a natural material that breathes, it’s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The more you use linen sheets, the softer they get. it’s like being cradled by a cloud. It’s THAT good.

Treat yo’ self to a couple new decorative pillows for your bed. This is where you bring your personality into the room. The best part is that your new white bedding will make any deco pillows you select look so gooooood. Ask yourself, “If I were a pillow, what would I look like?” and then buy that pillow.

If you’re feeling a bit more colorful, now is the perfect time to dust your spaces with pretty pastel hues. It’s easy to bring in patterned throws and blankets and euros trimmed in your favorite colors.

Nothing says spring like flowers, so add some pretty blooms to your bedside table. You’ll find it’s the best way to add life back into your bedroom and put a smile on your face.

[photo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Freshen Up with Neutrals for Spring

Spring is just around the corner, folks. It's as if the weight of winter has been lifted off our shoulders and has brought the urge to clean, organize, and freshen things up. Neutrals are a great way to freshen up a space.

ADD TEXTURE AT EVERY TURN - Sometimes neutrals can seem daunting and may seem flat. Incorporating different textures will keep the room interesting. Add a hide, wood, linens, leather, a nubby fabric, etc.

PLAY WITH NEUTRAL PATTERNS - Mixing neutral patterns is easier than mixing colorful patterns. The possibilities are endless. Add a few neutral patterned pillows to a bed to keep things looking light and airy but still giving the bed depth.

COMBINE MONOCHROMATIC NEUTRALS - Play with different shades of neutrals to make your space feel sophisticated and clean.

USE BOLDER NEUTRALS FOR DETAILS - Neutrals aren't necessarily white and tan... they can be navy, black, metallic, basically any color that goes with everything. You can still get that "pop" by using one of these neutrals that aren't typically thought of as neutrals.

[photo 1, 2, 3, 4]

Stylist Tips and Tricks

I have a confession to make, and after much deliberation, I'm ready to spill it. I reeeeally don't love cleaning. An area that often gets neglected in our homes is the linen closet. To keep things underwhelming, let's focus on just that for right now.

Elizabeth Cabinet - $7,700

DEDICATE THE SPACE - Many homes have a built-in linen closet near the bedrooms, but if yours doesn't? Consider yourself lucky. The solution can be a boastful armoire which is lovelier than a lowly closet at the end of a hallway. This Oly Studio beauty can wear many functional hats, but for today it's posing as a perfect linen closet.

BEAUTY COMES FROM WITHIN - Want a pretty home? Focus on her insides. Now's the time to put away the winter throws and down comforters. Fold them up neatly, or store them in a basket to keep them in place. Rid yourself of the sheet sets and towels you no longer need, and store only the items that you use regularly.

Gym Basket - $45 | Cape Cod Pillow Shams - $62.50

THINK INSIDE THE BOX - Store pillow shams and smaller items in baskets or handsome boxes to keep things uncluttered and easy to maintain. Rolling your shams isn't necessary, but c'mon, look how cute that is! Don't deny yourself the joy of rolled shams.

Jewelry - $10 - $30 | Reed Diffuser - $31.25

IT AIN'T JUST FOR LINENS - Use this valuable space to store any overflow of toiletries and jewelry. Arrange it on a tray for easy access and maneuverability. Free your soaps, cotton balls, and swabs from the drugstore packaging - store them in collected jars to keep things classy. Oh, and see that reed diffuser tucked in there? It makes the closet smell like heaven resides amongst your thread count.

MAKE IT WORK - Are you limited on square feet? Fret not. With careful planning, any small space can be as functional as a large one. (Unless it's the mother-in-law you're making room for. No space is large enough for that.)

Voluspa Candles - $11 - $26.50 | Barr and Co. Vegetable Hand Soap - $33.75 | Iron Basket - $20

DIVORCE YOUR STUFF - Cabinets and drawers can all too easily become stuff magnets. Your space is valuable so only keep your favorite products. Go through these vulnerable spots and toss the creams, cleansers, and goops that have failed to live up to their expectations. It's okay. We all have them. Don't feel guilty, just avoid that channel in the future.

Best wishes on your spring cleaning!

Now Open at Trolley Square

We could not be more excited to finally have our store at Trolley Square open. It was such a treat to see old friends and to make new ones on our first day! We hope to continue to see new faces in our new store and can't wait to share this new chapter with you all. If you haven't had the chance to stop by yet, we wanted to share a bit of the store with you!