Finally! Restyle Reveal

It's been on my list of urgent things to do, honestly! Having returned from High Point Market a bit over a week ago, I've been playing catchup in my design studio with long hours of sorting, labeling, categorizing, and reviewing, all while greeting customers and re-merchandising the sales floor.

Oh, and I've baked two cakes and 6 GIANT loaves of my favorite Sheepherder's bread for a fund raising dinner at my church. (Still two cakes to go tomorrow night). Thus, the delay in my final reveal of the Charlotte, N.C. Restyle project. We were thrilled with the result. I'll post several photos tonight, but will follow up with additional ones in the next night or two. It's a pretty dramatic change! Go back and review the "before" shots, then weigh in with a comment or two about your thoughts-better or not?!


A long shot of the room looking towards the oh-s0 stylish new draperies! I'll send you some links to order fabric and/or draperies in the final post with more photos. Can't get enough of my favorite chandelier. Both the look and the price are perfect! All the details are just a bit more urban and hip. It's a nice change for sure. I love the way our stripes turned out, and of course that SW Warm Stone is the perfect base color. Both dramatic and neutral.



I'm falling asleep between every description! Oh, dear. Take a look at the rest of these photos. I've had so many requests to complete the documentation of the Restyle project. I'll go back and edit with my descriptions tomorrow...or when ever I can! Enjoy the view! Let me know what you do and don't like!

High Point Trend Report!

High Point Market is a stressful one, indeed! Hundreds of off site vendors...hundreds of mini shuttles to catch (if you can!)...thousands of shoppers, mostly stylish ones from the design trade. Elevator lines. Lunch lines. Lunch, what's that?! Tired feet, of course. Thousands of options. Some great! Some horrid.

There is always a new color trend that emerges (sometimes an old one for us!) Many years, the newest trend is one that we have embraced several years prior. This year, we are seeing loads of bold graphic color! Deeper color, less muted. Modernism everywhere. About half way through the day, I realized that I had not taken any photos to share of likes and dislikes. Oh, dear! So, I took advantage of several showrooms to give you a taste of what new color trends are out there . Hm mmmm, might be time to repaint the retail store! Where's my magic wand?

Darling graphic pattern with my favorite, orange!

Cutest ever gray and citron urban print! I have this in mind for one of my clients!

...Not so sure about this one! I think it's a bit too cartoon-y?

This one didn't photograph too well, but it's chartreuse. And, by the way, chartreuse is ALL over the market!

Yet another cool graphic,hip print. So happy!

Again, this one didn't photograph well. But it is also a yellow-y chartreuse! Darling fabric and oh, so comfy! I have this in mind for a four square of chairs for one of my projects as well. So cool.

This coral-y orange chair was a show stopper too. Like I said, a lot of color.

Cutest office chair ever! (It could make the late night blogging down right attractive!)

This teal blue, intense color is the biggest trend of the color projections that we have seen so far. There was not a showroom that we went in that didn't have something to offer in this color. Rugs, accessories, fabrics, chairs, sofas, pillows, you name it. Oh yes, and walls!

A few fabric selections of the teal persuasion.

...chair in said fabric. Way cute!

Stripes incorporating teal, soft chartreuse and grays...so pleasing.

Another stripe fabric focusing on teal and gray.

Yes, a fabulously rich leather chair...teal, of course!

A more subtle stripe in teal, chocolate/vicuna and gray. Check out the pillow!

And here we are, an entire wall of the teal trend. I might feel a painting project coming on...

After a long day on our feet, there's my report. Tomorrow, maybe...I said maybe, some finished shots of the Restyle project in Charlotte! I'll try, really.

Remembering Charlotte Jane Hunter Petersen

One year ago today , April 1 2010, my sweetest mother passed away. (I see that I have now missed the magic hour of midnight in getting my post ready...).

She was my hero of style.

She was stylish to the end in her fashion sense. She was stylishly filled with integrity. She was as stylish an entertainer and hostess as I ever knew. She was stylish in her baking and cooking and the presentation of her fine meals. She presented style in performing arts, particularly jazz singing. Her home was always filled with personal and cutting edge style. Indeed, she was my real introduction to all things stylish and fine. I cannot recall a time I ever saw her do an unrefined thing. She was the style maven of refinement.

My mother Charlotte, father Mervin, and wonderful sister, Denise.

This was her table set for my last birthday dinner, 2 years ago. How I remember the perfectly placed details and happy colors. (Not to mention the delicious gourmet dinner she served.)

My favorite home made cake, German Chocolate-made for my birthday just two years ago by storied cake baker, Charlotte Jane. Yum!

Me, listening to my mother tell the family how wonderful she thinks I am at my family birthday dinner. Good memories. No one can love you and support you like your mother. She's the one who taught me, "Every mother crow thinks her baby's blackest"! No wonder I have a love affair with crows!

I can only hope to become more like her in all ways and follow her teachings with style.

My sister, Denise, came up with a tribute to her. She suggested that we all bake bread and give it to friends and neighbors. My mother spent days each week baking breads of all varieties to deliver to friends and friends of our friends! It was one of her greatest hobbies and skills the last few years of her life. We spent the day baking and preparing to remember her collectively and it was of great comfort.

My mother, Charlotte Jane Hunter Petersen, was my hero indeed. My style hero in all ways.