Out and about in Charlotte

I have a great friend who lives in Greensboro and she loves to come to Charlotte to shop for interesting and unique furniture and home decor.  Everytime she has a trip planned, she asks for my advice on the 'must-see's' during her visit.   So in this post, i thought I would mention some of my favorites.

First the 'Marketplaces' - these are shops that are comprised of multiple vendor booths, many of whom are interior designers, wanna-be boutique owners, and/or artists.  The pieces are usually unique, one-of-a-kind 'finds' but sometimes there are stock pieces that can be re-ordered.  It can vary from one marketplace to the next.  These are my absolute favorite places to shop since the styles can vary so greatly from one vendor to the next.  Plus, the prices are usually very reasonable.

Here are some fantastic embroidered ottomans I found for a client at Interiors Marketplace:

And this Hickory Chair ottoman, that I purchased for another client:

Cotswold Marketplace is literally around the corner from my house, so I am constantly stopping by.  The inventory rotates pretty frequently, so I am always seeing new things.  Like these drop-dead gorgeous lamps that I bought to go with those cool ottomans:

This was one of the pricier pieces, a Turkish Tulu rug.  So interesting, and it would work in any decor:

These stools by Worlds Away are also so eye-catching:

Many of the vendors at Slate Interiors are treasure hunters who are on the lookout for one-of-a-kind, antique pieces.  But it was this fun, yellow painted console table that caught my eye:

Many of these marketplaces also sell remant fabrics, which can be perfect for throw pillows or re-upholstering small pieces.  I found 15 yards of this honeycomb fabric at Post & Gray, that I plan to use as draperies on one of my projects:

Another one of the stops on my rotation is at The Villa, on Providence Road.  There you can check out Decade, whose owners also own Darnell & Company, a to-the-trade showroom with amazing pieces.  I found that the artwork at Decade was the most striking.  My photo doesn't do this amazing painting justice:

While I'm at the Villa, I'll also stop in Isabella, which sells luxurious linens, some furniture, and accessories.  I am instantly relaxed when I walk in.  It has the most wonderful scents, and the owner Erin is always so welcoming.

Acquisitions, which also has stores in Atlanta and Charleston is another great stop.  When I was there recently, I found this blue linen chair.  I can't believe I am telling you about it, because I want to take it home!

This is the same store we found the butterscotch leather chairs for another client:

And this Hancock & Moore barstool, with it's wonderful 'Coastal' finish.  

Mrs. Howard & Max & Company is a relative newcomer to Charlotte, but what a great addition.  If you've never been, you've got to go.  They have completely transformed the old Charlotte Women's Club into a showroom that is utterly amazing.  Every room is full of inspiration and the staff there is very willing to help.

While you're over on that side of town, check out Boulevard Bazaar too.  It is a warehouse of market samples and discontinued pieces from high end manufacturers.  You will never know what you will find there, but if you aren't picky you may find a great sofa for a fraction of the retail price.

Over at Park Road Shopping Center, I love to stop into Traditions.  They have a showroom packed full of interesting furniture and accessories.  I recently bought this great velvet tuxedo sofa for a client:

Recycle Boutique is also worth a visit.  They have consignment furniture as well as new-pieces that can be re-ordered.  I thought this would make a great wall-hanging above a fireplace:

I feel like i could go on and on.  But I'll end with The Depot at Gibson Mill, an antique mall in downtown Concord, NC.  Plan to spend an whole day here.  You never know what you will find.  I loved this display of old beakers beside these red metal barstools were so charming:

And I could kick myself for not bringing this interesting white-washed chest home:

I didn't even make it through the whole place, so I will be back soon!

As an interior designer, you have got to love to shop.  I am lucky that there are so many great boutiques, furniture stores, galleries, antique stores, and marketplaces in Charlotte.   Let me know the next time you are looking for the perfect piece for your home and I'd love to help you shop for it!

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn

All photos property of BRONWYN Designs

2011 Kitchen and Bath Trends - Part II

Image from House Beautiful

This week I'll continue with my commentary on the 2011 National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) Kitchen and Bath Trends, as featured in the May/June 2011 issue of Urban Home Charlotte:

Walls planked with pure white CeasarStone
(Image from MyHomeIdeas.com)

1) Quartz Countertops

Unlike marble or granite countertops, 'Quartz countertops' are actually a composite material made from quartz and resin.  There are great advantages to quartz which include low maintenance, durability, and uniformity of material.  Basically you get the look and feel of stone, without the worry about the red wine stains.

Image from House Beautiful

But authenticity of materials rates pretty high in my book.  If you really want marble, then use it.  There's a common misconception that an engineered countertop (e.g. Quartz) will be more economical than a natural stone (like marble or granite).  This isn't necessarily the case.  My advice is to consider the look you are trying to achieve and keep an open mind when it comes to countertops.

Image from House Beautiful

2) Green Bathrooms

What isn't going 'green' these days?  But in this case, they really mean the color green. Though "off-whites, beiges, and browns are still the most commonly used color palettes", green has increased as the preferred paint color used in the bathroom.  I would guess it has something to do with our increased environmental awareness, the universal appeal of green (i.e. men and women can agree on it), and the calming nature of green.   I will agree that blue-greens and taupey-greens are great choices for bathrooms, mainly because they look great with bright white sinks, tubs, and toilets.

Image via Southern Accents

However, it is possible to get too seafoamy-green in your quest to achieve the perfect 'bathroom-green'.  When we renovated our master bathroom a few years ago, my unfortunate first attempt ended up looking more 'medical scrubs' than 'soothing spa'.  You can never go wrong with Silver Sage by Restoration Hardware.  Now almost every paint manufacturer has their own version of it.  We ended up using Behr's 'Pewter Tray', which was perfect.

Bobby McAlpine designed bathroom, Image by House Beautiful

3) Vessel Sinks

Vessel sinks have become a very popular option in the bathroom.  Their roots are based upon the old washbasin / washstands that become popular in the early 19th century, which would sit on a stand and would be filled with a large pitcher of water nearby.

Image from House Beautiful

There's a number of great options available, in a wide range of prices.  I prefer those with a shallower bowl, with simple materials and profiles.  

Image from MyHomeIdeas.com

The main thing to remember if you want to use a vessel sink in your bathroom, is that the vessel sink sits above the countertop and therefore your cabinet base must be shorter so that the top of the sink doesn't get too tall.

Bathroom by BRONWYN Designs

4)  Satin Nickel Faucets

The survey noted that " . . .oil-rubbed bronze, polished chrome, and polished nickel are all popular finishes for faucets.  But satin nickel is the most preferred finish for faucets, rising from 41% last year to 63% in th ekitchen and from 45% to 57% in the bathroom".

This statistic really shocked me.  I agree that the popularity of oil-rubbed bronze has started to decline, but I would have guessed the same for satin nickel.  In my experience, polished nickel has been the most popular finish that I've specified in the past year.  Nickel is much warmer than chrome, and it has that same timeless appeal and works well in both contemporary and more traditional kitchens and baths.

Kitchen by BRONWYN Designs

Similar to the resurgence of gold in fashion, I've noticed that brass finishes, especially antiqued brass, is becoming extremely popular in home decor.  You'll notice it not only in faucets and cabinet hardware, but also as lamps, occasional tables, framing, etc.

Powder room by BRONWYN Designs

That wraps up my commentary on the NKBA 2011 Kitchen and Bath trends.  I'll be interested to see if I continue to notice these trends in the designs of the kitchens and baths in the year to come.

Thanks for reading,
Bronwyn