Lisa Mende Design

Grove Hill House Renovation Series Is About To Begin!

2018-10-02T18:34:00.004-04:00

My Renovation Series is About to Begin on

My New Blog!!!

This is a reminder to pop over to the new blog and sign up NOW so you don't miss any posts!!

What are you waiting for?

You can sign up by Clicking Here!!!

Lisa Mende Design Blog Becomes The Design Connector

2018-05-31T08:05:00.001-04:00

Thank You for Reading Lisa Mende Design for the past 7 years. I have made the decision to rename my blog,

"The Design Connector" and keep it separate from my interior design name. Please join me at

"The Design Connector"

by clicking on the name above and sign up to

receiving emails when a new blog post is up!

The Design Connector will spotlight the products, people and places you need to know in the Interior Design world!

Join me while I renovate my own home, Grove Hill and share

the process of renovation as well as the products

I am using in my own home!

I look forward to seeing you at The Design Connector!!

Click Here to go to The Design Connector!

I invite you to sign up there to join my email list on the right side of the blog! Simply enter your email to join and receive regular updates when a new blog posts!

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What Was Trending in Kitchen and Bath 2018: KBIS Report

2018-01-26T17:28:00.002-05:00

image credit

If you think going to your local kitchen and bath showroom is overwhelming imagine walking the halls of two convention show halls totaling over 400,000 square feet and over 600 vendors and try to figure out which products are the best for your clients! It can be mind-boggling but I love every minute of working the KBIS show.

If you are a designer in the kitchen and bath industry, I cannot stress enough how much you need to go to KBIS annually. KBIS is where all the new products, technology, and trends are introduced not to mention the amazing educational opportunities with great speakers and industry icons, like Cindy Smith, Editor in Chief of Interiors Magazine, who gave the most amazing keynote ever!

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING & FIND OUT WHAT THE TRENDS WERE!

The trends I saw at KBIS this year, were just beginning to emerge last year so it was really interesting to see them in full force at the 2018 show and to see how advanced things had gotten since last year. I will only discuss what I consider the top five trends, but there were many others, which I may share at a later date. This post will highlight five trends I thought were most prevalent at KBIS 2018: Smart Home Technology, Matte Finishes, At Home Spa Bathrooms and Black Cabinetry. Let's look at the individual trends and discuss I saw at the show in Orlando. But first a little joke!.

Don't we all kinda feel like this if we are over the age of 45? Every day there is a new gadget. Sometimes it feels like we need a specialist to keep us up on what we need!

Some people embrace new technology while others fight it. Which do you do?

If you fight it, you may want to reconsider that argument because things are changing rapidly folks and if you don't get on the bandwagon, you are going to be left behind!

The top trend at KBIS, in my opinion,

was Smart Technology!!!

1) Smart Technology I would say Smart Home Technology was the most talked about trend KBIS 2018. Why? Smart Home technology can be a major time saver in many ways. Of course, like any product, you must decide what works for you and what doesn't. Not all smart technology is needed for the way you live, but certain key types of technology which support your lifestyle can make amazing changes that can put more time into your schedule. Do you enjoy smart technology or are you bothered by it? Let's take a look at some smart technology products that debuted at KBIS.

The Thermador /Tesla Kitchen Home Connect System!

photo via

Thermador is always a leader in their industry. Did you know that Thermador was the first appliance company to introduce stainless steel and the others followed? It's true! Also, did you know that Julia Child cooked on Thermador in her own kitchen? She did! I mean come on, if it is good enough for Julia, we certainly need to stop and take notice, right? Wonder what Julia would say if she could save the time it normally takes to heat up the oven while she was driving home from work?

When Thermador talks, I listen! Why? Because they are the "Stander Setter" in the appliance industry in my book. So, let's take a look at Thermador's Smart Technology.

In the Thermador showroom, we were introduced to the Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect, an industry-exclusive app. Home Connect amazingly provides culinary assistance to consumers with Kitchen Stories, a unique app that can provide recipes, as well as video tutorials and even wine pairings for your favorite recipes. Home Connect will also allow you to remotely control your Thermador appliances through other brand partners like Amazon Alexa. What does this app connection do you ask? It will allow you to check the contents of your frig when you are in the grocery store so you know whether you need more milk or eggs which can cut down on trips to the store. You can allow connecting to Amazon dash inventory and have groceries delivered as needed if you are like me and hate going to the grocery store.

The coolest connected app everyone was oohing and ahhing over was Eve, which is Tesla's connected vehicle software. What does this do? It allows you to brew yourself a coffee on your way home from the gym in the morning so when you arrive your coffee is waiting for you! It also allows you to turn on your oven from your car on your way home from work so there is no waiting for an oven temp to heat up once you are home. Is this something you can live without? Why yes! But then we all use to live without Netflix. Can you imagine life now without Netflix?

Thermador launched way more than smart technology at KBIS 2018. They launched over 300 amazing new products, which I will save for a separate post! If you are like me you will want to yank out all your old products to replace with their new ones asap! Cannot wait to share my favorite new Thermador products with you in another post! As well as share the amazing "One Republic" party Thermador threw at KBIS. Look for that to come soon!

DXV's Lyndon Faucet in Matte Black

Grohe's Essence single handle kitchen faucet is a combo

of their SuperSteel Infinity finish with black accent.

WilsonArt's Matte black "Traceless" Laminate

WilsonArt's Traceless Laminate in Matte Black

2) Matte Finishes - From Appliances and countertops to plumbing fixtures matte black was the color story of KBIS 2018. Shown here is the hansome Lyndon matte black faucet from DXV. and the Grohe Essence Faucet in their supersteel finish with black accent. Every plumbing fixture company had matte black or black accents in their product line. I think black comes as "the great equalizer" when consumers are confused about which metal finish is in and which is out. Black is handsome, sleek and allows any metal finish desired to be used in tandem. I know I'll get emails asking if brass or nickel are out and the answer is no! All finishes are still viable. I'm just talking the stand out KBIS trends right now. Brass is softer finishes like satin brass or unlacquered brass and nickel as well as chrome are still around.

As far as matte appliances, LG invited us to "Embrace the dark side of our kitchens" with their entire suite of matte black appliances. So now you are going to ask me if stainless is passe', right? No! Stainless has been around forever and won't go anywhere. Stainless is classic but it is trending to offer other options in appliances. some companies are offering colors like LaCornue, Viking and Smeg to name a few. The matt finishes seem to be another option in the middle market that consumers can choose from to have an updated option without committing to a bright color or stainless.

WilsonArt's Traceless Laminate in matte black offers a velvety smooth surface that will not leave smears, smudges or fingerprints on its surface. This product is great for countertops or for making furniture like shown above.

Talking about matte black finishes leads me to another trend I saw at KBIS which is:

photo by Dustin Peck Photography

3) Black Cabinetry: This is actually kinda interesting to me as I did the kitchen above in 2015 and someone who used basically the same elements as I used in this kitchen won best of Houzz last year in 2017 for their design, but we won't get off on that topic. Black has finally edged out grey and white as a kitchen cabinet color. I predict by next year it won't be as big, but it certainly was trending at KBIS 2018. Almost every cabinet line had bad somewhere. Black is definitely having its hay day. Black cabinetry, as well as white cabinetry, are classic so I don't foresee them going anywhere so don't freak out if you just painted your kitchen white or black. Color in cabinetry is on the horizon but that doesn't mean the classic are passe' just not trending.

The next trend which has been around for the past couple of years is "At Home Spa Retreat" and why not? I mean seriously, it is so easy to do now with the new products on the market. Doesn't every one want to live well and take care of themselves everyday?

photo courtesy of Mr. Steam

4) At Home Spa Experiences: It is no secret that the "at home" spa experiences are bigger than ever. One of my favorite products I saw at KBIS was Mr. Steam. I have written about Mr. Steam before but since I am in the process of redesigning my own master bathroom, I was convinced Mr. Steam will be making an appearance in my new shower. The benefits of having a steam shower are simply too amazing to ignore. Why go to the spa when you can have a residential steam shower in your own home for under $2K? It is simple to install and can be retrofitted into an existing shower fairly easily. Did you know there is a place on Mr. Steam's website(click here) where you can input the dimensions of your shower and it will tell you what is needed to convert your shower into a steam shower?
Of course, if you need a little design help, I know a willing designer you can call (me!). Here are eight benefits of taking a steam shower, but you can read all forty by clicking here. Please take time to read these, you will be amazed! Who doesn't want to burn off 150 calories by standing under a steam shower for 15 minutes? Duh! Beats climbing the elliptical for 30 minutes for the same outcome!

As you can see from the photo above, the keypad for a steam shower is very minimal so no worries about having some ugly commerical controls. The keypad is sleek and simple.

Make sure you pop over to Mr. Steam and find out all about this amazing product. Not only do you get steam, but you can also have aromatherapy as well as chromotherapy and music! Heck, once I get my installed I think I'm going to use it as my "adult time-out".

The last trend I'm going to discuss is Architectural Elements.

Remember the beautiful Metrie Doors I used in this project?

5. Architectural Elements - Everywhere I looked at KBIS there were offerings of decorative moldings, laser cut screens for window or walls, as well as moldings, doors and trims which can transform a boring room to a room with architectural interest. We are outfitting our homes in unique ways with woodwork. Whether you want to add molding on the ceiling, wainscotting on your walls or add interesting doors, there are companies with products to accommodate your needs. Those products can be applied quickly to create a custom looking room.

One company who offered beautiful solid wood and composite wood trims, moldings and doors is a 92-year-old company named Metrie. I have used Metrie in my projects for a couple of years, so I was excited to see they were offering more products.

At KBIS, Metrie introduced Option M which is a curated collection of molding and interior door combinations which help to make achieving popular home trends much easier. Choose from this streamlined process to attain combinations that will create an interesting room. Crown molding, doors, baseboards and casings work together to create the following looks in the collection: Bohemian, Modern Farmhouse, Country, Industrial styles. Below are a few of the vignette at KBIS showcasing Metrie OptionM collections:

Bohemian

Modern Farmhouse

New Traditional

Make sure to pop over to Metrie's website and check out their five collections: Fashion Forward Collection, French Curves, Very Square, Pretty Simple, True Craft. If you are a designer or trade professional sign up for their pro-access here. If you are a consumer, use the Metrie website to tell your design professional what types of moldings you would like to use in your projects. Either way, there is a ton of information on the Metrie website.

If you are looking for more inspiration make sure to check out Metrie's Then and Now Collection below as well as their inspiring blog The Finished Space, !

To find out where to purchase Metrie products in your city click here Please do visit their website to learn more about this amazing company!

I hope my KBIS Trend Recap has given you something to think about and made you feel as though you were at KBIS? It was a great show and I have so much more to share, so this is just the beginning of other KBIS post coming soon!

Want to Know What Companies and Products that Won Best Of KBIS 2018?

2018 WINNERS

Best of ShowKallista | Grid by Kallista

Kitchen GoldTresco Lighting by Rev-A-Shelf | Snap Panel Lighting

Kitchen SilverSamsung Electronics | FlexWash + FlexDry

Bath GoldKallista | Grid by Kallista

Bath SilverCosentino | D-KAURI designed by Daniel Germani

Smart Home Technology

Samsung Electronics | Front Load Washer with QuickDrive

"A HUGE THANK YOU TO MODENUS FOR ALLOWING LISA MENDE DESIGN TO BE A PARTICIPATE IN BLOGTOURKBIS 2018. "

All photos are the property of Lisa Mende Design unless otherwise noted. Please do not use my photos without my consent.

This is a sponsored blog post. Lisa Mende was a member of Blogtour KBIS 2018. All ideas are my own. I always work with companies I believe in and feel will be of interest to my readers. You will never read a post about a product or company I do not believe in on my blog. All the companies mentioned in this blog post were sponsors of BlogtourKbis.

Modenus BlogTourKBIS 2018 - National Kitchen and Bath Show - Orlando

2018-01-07T10:47:00.001-05:00

I am thrilled to share that I leave tomorrow for the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Orlando as a member of Modenus BlogTourKBIS 2018! This year's show is sure to provide much inspiration for the upcoming year in kitchen and bath design. KBIS is where all the kitchen and bath product manufacturers debut their new products. You can imagine the excitement of seeing what brands like Thermador, Mr. Steam, DXV, WilsonArt, Metrie, American Standard, Grohe, and others will have in store for us. I'm excited to meet new design friends as a member of Modenus's Blogtour Team as well. Please follow long for the fun and to see the exciting new products found on the show floor.

Click Here to Continue Reading about BlogTourKBIS2018....

In its sixth year, Modenus Blogtour has provided opportunities for designers like myself who also write design blogs to visit trade shows and events across the country and internationally. We share our experiences and products we love on our blogs once we return home. It is always fun to see what each designer discovers during the shows. We also uncover trends and cutting edge technology in the kitchen and bath market.

Led by owner and founder, Veronika Eagleson, Modenus has been a key player in the interior design industry by connecting manufacturers with the design community and consumers via blogging, social media, and special projects.

This will be my 6th time as a member of a Modenus Blogtour team. I feel so honored to have been chosen for this tour. Lucky me! I have traveled both internationally and domestically with Modenus Blogtour, and each time, being part of the Modenus team has proven to be a great learning experience. When a group of creatives, especially designers gather to learn about products, it is always so interesting to see things from your peer's point of view. I always come away feeling as though I have been on a continuing education retreat for interior design which is pretty awesome. We also have a ton of fun along the way with dinners, parties and fun interactive learning events about the brands we cover.

If you want to know what is the latest in kitchen and bath products, as well as see what the Blogtour team is seeing while at KBIS, you may follow along at #BlogTourKBIS for up to the minute reporting from the show floor. Plus, Modenus has announced a way you can participate too with #BlogTourKBISfaves. Here are the details:

How to Participate in #BlogTourKBISFAVES:

1) Follow the hashtag #BlogTourKBIS from Jan 9-11 on instagram

2) Repost your favorite finds using the hashtag #BlogTourKBISfaves

3) Post as often as you like and everyday

4) Modenus will draw a random winner daily from all the reposts and announce on instagram a link to the winner's instagram account.

5) Daily winner receives a $100 Amex Gift Card

6) The Modenus team of editors will select the Top 10 Submissions for publication on Modenus.com with credit to the original post and reposts.

Rules: Not valid where prohibited. Random selection of daily winners via Modenus Media agency. winners announced daily at 7pm ET on January 9,10, and 11, 2018.

Want to Meet the Modenus BlogTourKBIS 2018 Team?

Click Here!!!

photo courtesy of Modenus

Once again, Modenus will be co-hosting with Jaime Derringer of DesignMilk in the Modenus Talks Lounge at KBIS2018 (#DMMTalks) which is presented by Liebherr. The Lounge will be open to all attendees, but with special VIP privileges for approved social media influencers, bloggers, and Design VIP's. To Learn more about this and to see the schedule of events Click Here!

This is an exciting week so make sure you are following @lisamendedesign on all my social channels to see the show from my perspective. click here to follow along with me on instagram

After KBIS, I will be writing blog posts about all the exciting products I discovered while at KBIS2018 so make sure to check back after the show! I am excited to find new products, meet new people and find out what the trends are in Kitchen and Bath!

I would Like to Say Thank You to Our

BlogTourKBIS Sponsors:

Click Here to Visit their websites and see their amazing products!!!!

DXV

Visit the Modenus website to learn more! also if you are a design professional you must join the community at Designhounds!! Visit to learn more about becoming a Designhound!

Don't forget to follow me during the show lisamendedesign

What's In and What's Out In Home Decor in 2018

2018-01-05T11:56:00.002-05:00

Lisa Mende's Predictions

"What Is On Trend For Home Decor in 2018

Click Here to Read my list......

Manners
This is something I am adding because honestly, I think Manners have been out of style for the past few years and I want to see Manners on the 'In" list and I want them to say there!
Practice having good manners at home for your kids, in traffic and in the workplace! In my opinion, good manners should be at the top of every list!

Color is back in every room in the house!

Not just pastels but bold, intense color! Yay! I know so many of you love white and grey, but seriously color is back in the game! Hooray for those of us who love color! We are seeing color in kitchens too which is exciting. Rumor has it that sage green is going to be huge in 2018!

Crittall Windows

Metal Grid Windows in custom sizes are adding interest to homes across the nation.

Painted Brick

I have always loved a painted brick home but it seems to be a big trend now especially in the South. Homeowners are painting brick Sherwin Williams Alabaster, Benjamin Moore Ballet White and Behr Ultra Pure White and Farrow and Ball All White with Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze, Benjamin Moore Chelsea Grey, or Farrow and Ball Hardwick White Trim and others but these are very popular

Colorful Front Doors

Homeowners are painting their front doors a bright cheery color to add personality to their homes. Orange, aqua, yellow, green, red, the sky is the limit on colorful front doors.

Mixed Metals

Mixed metals have been popular for the past couple of years but now bigger than ever. We are mixing metals all over the place. Unlacquered brass, copper, oil-rubbed bronze, and stainless just made a debut in a kitchen I designed in Savannah. Everyone says rose gold is waning, but honestly it never got a chance in my book. Rose gold success was fleeting.

Return to Traditional

However, it won't be our grandmother's dining table or perhaps it might just minus the chairs. Traditional furniture mixed with more modern elements is growing in popularity. Look for more homeowners to embrace antiques in their decors. The furniture will be sleeker but still, have traditional vibes. There will be a return to stained furniture.

The Dining Room

The dining room is back! People are enjoying the return to the act of graceful dining with pretty china and place cards.

Stained Wood in Kitchens

White kitchens will always be classic but they won't be on trend in 2018. I'm seeing a return to stain cabinetry. However, the woods are a little more exotic. Pecky cypress, Knotty Alder and other interesting woods.

Globally Inspired Furnishings

From baskets and tiles to rugs, items from India, Turkey, Marrakesh and basically anywhere traveled is big.

Designer Brands

Bigger than ever, we all like designer brands whether it is shoes, pocketbooks or home decor. Bring it on in 2018.

Being Unique is Cool!

From furniture, art, and fabrics to lighting, everyone is gravitating to one of a kind furnishings for their homes rather than running off to buy what everyone else has at Restoration Hardware. Homeowners are appreciating the value of not looking like their neighbors.

Fabric and Wallpaper from Art

Artists are creating fabrics and wallpapers from their art so your entire room can be a canvas now. Check out Windy O'Connor, Jill Seale, Lindsey Cowles

Tile with Pattern and Dimension

Subway tiles are great and in my opinion classic, but there are some beautiful new patterned tiles on the market and people are loving them. From custom patterns to concrete and undulating tiles, there are so many interesting tiles on the market today. Speaking of tile, tile is no longer designated just for the backsplash in a kitchen or the tub area of a bathroom. Entire rooms are being tiled as are complete walls in kitchens.

Colors that are In

Blue and green have had a heyday for the past couple of years but yellow and green are on the horizon! Look for more to come! Shades of bright yellow, neon as well as yellow gold in amber shades. Green will range from sage to neon and anything in between with a yellow cast. Also, red has made a big hit as of late. Reds range from bright lipstick red to warm persimmon tones, as well as clay, will be players in the market. Plan to see warmer hues in home decor green, red, amber are all big as well as gold and yellow. We are still seeing peach, pink and salmon too but those are being upstaged by the warmer tones.

Art

Abstract art continues to be huge. Abstract faces, abstract designs, cubist landscapes and interesting abstract paintings are huge. Photography in large scale is also very in vogue.

Smart Technology

From the Apple Smart Home to Alexis connection to coffee makers who can make your favorite coffee on demand, the home continues to get smarter than ever! New Construction is including smart home applications.

I really Don't want to Say What is Out in 2018 because I don't want to offend anyone so I'll Just Say this List is What is Waning or In My Personal Opinion Was Never In

Granite

Granite has had it limelight but it is now waning in popularity. More homeowners will use manmade products that look like real stone such as quartz. The love affair homeowners had in the 90's and early 2000's of busily patterned granite and golden hues of New Venetian gold are so yesterday!

Macrame

Was it really ever in? Not at my house.

Nailheads

Ok, don't scream. Of course, well-executed Nailheads will always be around and have a place but the excessive use of cheaply done spaced chrome looking nailheads on everything in a room is just plain over. Not sure if it is out but possibly was like macrame and never in as far as I'm concerned.

Overscale Geometric Patterns

While geometric patterns will never go out of style they are not having the focus they have had in the past few years.

Celebrity Endorsed Home Decor Products

Yes, these people have a major following but when we see product lines by celebrities we instantly know the companies are desperate to sell. Get designers designing your products if you want to really grow sells that will continue. Sure We show up at the launch to see the celebrity but do we buy these products for clients? Sometimes but rarely.

Lighting That is Hanging by a Cord

Please, People, buy proper lighting. There are plenty of great lighting companies out there like Currey and Co, Circa, Louise Gaskill and more. That wimpy cord dangling over a table with a bulb looks unfinished in every application.

Rude People

I'm ending my list with the opposite of what I started the what's "In" list with, so rude people are not in style and never will be. This year try to think before you act and respond with kindness. As my Grandmother would say "You Get More Flies with Honey than Vinegar"

Happy New Year!

What Say Ye? Do you Agree? Would love to hear your thoughts!

David Hicks: Scrapbooks - Review and Giveaway!!

2017-12-20T12:09:00.001-05:00

When I think about David Hicks, I cannot help but also think about James Bond, maybe it is because they were both British, but I think also because both had an air of mystery and intrigue, not to mention extremely handsome and debonnaire.

Click here to continue reading...

I know everyone knows who James Bond was, and I'm quite sure most of my readers know who David Hicks was, but in case you have been hiding under a collard leaf, here is a quick intro to remind you..

English Interior Designer, David Hicks, known for his geometric designs and bold use of color as well as his British royal clientele, has always been a favorite of mine. His work is as relevant today as it was when he originally designed in a five-decade period which spanned from the 1950's into the 1990's. I was especially excited when I learned David Hick's son had compiled the book David Hicks: Scrapbooks.

Hicks was known for chronicling his work and life in scrapbooks. The designer also claims fame inventing the word "tablescapes" which is a much-used word today in interior design. Hicks found immense pleasure in life's details, so much so, that he kept ticket stubs, personal letters from his clients and newspaper articles and anything that meant something to him and compiled his treasures in scrapbooks. Actually, there were twenty-five volumes of scrapbooks, his son, Ashley Hicks, culled through to create this condensed version of Hick's mementos. These precious scrapbooks have become David Hick's legacy. Reading this book and devouring page after page of Hick's life and work makes me want to go buy scrapbooks and start pasting. This is an act I have never considered in my life. Of course, my life isn't as glamorous or interesting as Hick's life which included celebrity clients as well as royalty.

Ashley Hicks has done a remarkable job of including items we all find most interesting. He gives just enough of a glimmer of Hicks personal life to make us wish we had been raised in such an interesting and glamorous home.

I have always loved this picture of Hick's children in the playroom with the stage he custom built for them. I mean honestly wouldn't we all have loved that? The children's toys looked like museum pieces. No legos or tinker toys in this household to jumble up the place. Don't' misunderstand, I'm not making fun of Hicks, but quite the contrary as a designer, I would love to have chronicled my children's lives so picturesque. I think that is what gives me so much pleasure while reading this book. The book allows me to fantasize about how wonderful life was in the Hick's home.

I also enjoyed reading the many press cutting about Hick's work and learned so much more about the varied things he achieved in his life and work.

This book is a biography in scrapbook form lovingly compiled by someone who lived the dream by Hick's side which makes it all the more interesting and quaint. It is the greatest compliment and tribute a child could pay to a parent!

Kudos Ashley Hicks for a job well done! I would suggest you all go buy this book if you are a David Hick's fan like myself. If you aren't, then I still suggest you buy the book because you will fall madly in love with the man and his life.

Giveaway!!!!!

So now dear readers...Here is your chance! Want to win this book for yourself?

All you must do is pop over to my instagram here! Follow the steps 1,2, and 3 and be entered to win! Or simply enter once by leaving a comment below!

Don't want to wait for the Giveaway? Want to buy the book yourself or a gift click here!

*all images used with permission // Vendome

**This post contains affiliate links

Southern Style Now 2017 Kitchen Before & After - Lisa Mende Design

2017-12-11T19:01:00.001-05:00

So you have seen the after of this kitchen I designed for the Southern Style Now ShowHouse in Savannah but wondering what it looked like when I took on the project?

Feast your eyes on the before.....

Click Here to see the before and learn more....

This is how the kitchen looked on my initial visit to Savannah. As you can see we removed a window to create the final sink/dishwasher/refrigerator wall above to make this room functional in this historical home. The window did not serve a purpose so I decided to close it. It did not shed light on the space due to the home next door being so close in proximity. The window also compromised privacy as you could see into the neighboring resident and them into this one. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box when renovating an older home. People live differently now than in year past.

In this case, we also had to pay close attention to historical guidelines in order to receive tax credits needed for the renovation.

I will share more of the before and after photos next year after it is published next in Traditional Home magazine but for now this is all I can share. This is one issue you will not want to miss. All the designers in this house created beautiful rooms in this lovely historical residence that need love and attention. Until the publication comes out you may find sneak peeps on instagram if you click on the hastag #southernstylenow or go to Traditional Home Magazine or Southern Style Nows instagram accts.

Would you like to see another before and after of a historical renovation project? I'll be posting about some other projects soon. Until then, here is where my inspiration for the Savannah kitchen color came from....

Can you see the blue paint underneath all the layers? I'm guessing at one point this room which is rumored to have been a bedroom was blue. Yes that's right, the blue inspiration came from this wall and it happens to be one of my favorite colors. When you don't have a client you have to search for inspiration but in this case there was a homeowner but he liked the idea of blue as well so I was lucky! Cannot wait to share more next year! This was a really fun project. I fell in love with Savannah in the process so there will be more visits to the "City of Hospitality" in my future!

Our firm has completed a number of historical renovations. If you have a project and would like to inquire about our process please contact us at [email protected]

We love historical renovation projects and will be taking a limited number in 2018. We are currently accepting project for Feb 2018.

Create The Perfect Market Plan At High Point Market!

2017-10-11T12:05:00.002-04:00

Today, I'm sharing a not so secret weapon for tackling High Point Market. However, if you are not using this app you must download it and start using it NOW! It is called the "My Market" app and was designed by High Point Market to help attendees organize their market trip. Down the app from the app store and create an account to sync your list across iPhone, ipad, and highpointmarket.org. Save your favorite events & exhibitors in your MyMarket schedule to keep your visit organized.

Click here to keep reading and find out why this app is so great!

What is so great about using the app you ask?

1)You can find exhibitors you already buy from as well as discover new ones by using filters to discover who has the products you are looking for at market.

2) You can open links on the web or directly in the app to add to your MyMarket Schedule

3) You can send events and exhibitors to your friends from the app

4) By clicking on MyMarket at the top right of the program you can find market locations and exhibitors near you or you can choose to show only your MyMarket stops to focus on only the showrooms you have chosen to visit. It also allows you to locate elevators and escalators as well as any other showrooms you want to visit indoors.

5) Think of the MyMarket as your own personal market GPS. Let's face it, the footprint of High Point market can be daunting especially if you new to the market. The MyMarket app will help you get around by showing you the fastest route to where you want to go. It will also show you where you are and don't laugh...sometimes you can get so turned around you might wonder. The map is awesome and shows exactly where everything is in the palm of your hand!

6) No papers to keep up with! It is all in the palm of your hand! I cannot tell you how many times I have left my market schedule in a showroom and had to backtrack to retrieve it. With this app, you will always have it right there unless you leave your phone!

7) It is green! Save paper and your backs folks! No printing required, No carrying around the heavy market guide!

8) The app list all the events by times then you can click on the events and click on the star and it will add that event to your schedule! How simple is that? The same applies to showrooms. Simply star the ones you want select a day, and time and it goes on your schedule! Voila'

9) The about page gives showroom hours, market dates, tips & insights and frequently asked questions.

10) Confused as to how to use the app? Click tutorial at the top right and it will walk you through the steps.

So, go to the app store and download MyMarket app right now!!! Make sure to sign up and put all your info in so you can access what you need to do at market. Remember, a well-planned market means each minute is planned and you get all the to do's on your list accomplished!!!!

What to Do At High Point Market October 2017 ~ Lisa Mende Design

2017-10-09T13:29:00.002-04:00

Welcome to High Point Market Week! Bi-Annually, High Point opens its doors to the Interior Design Industry and introduces us to the latest and greatest in Home Decor! If you work in the interior design or home decor industry, this is an event you don't want to miss! Since 2013, I have written a pre-market guide to what to do and see at High Point. I continue to write my guide because new attendee's come each market. I have been attending High Point Market for many years, so many so in fact, that I had to say how long because it would date me. Let's just say I have been coming for a long time and have seen the growth and transitions the market has gone through for several decades. High Point Market is bigger and better than ever! Here are my recommendations for how to best prepare for High Point Market!

Click here to keep reading.....

1) NO Heels required for daytime!!!! Don't show up to High Point thinking you can walk around all day in heels unless you have a new collection launching and need to look your best but even then, most people have a comfy pair of shoes in their bag and wear the heels only for the cocktail party or the 2 hr meet and greet. Of course if you are going out to dinner or a party then don your heels.

There are so many great looking flats, sneakers and slides available now, you can come looking very stylish and be comfortable. There are miles between the buildings should you choose to get your exercise in and not take the shuttle. That being said, don't bother bringing exercise clothes if you decide to walk all day for exercise. I would wear sneakers, or flats or slides for daytime walking. Of course some people like platforms and don't want to look short so you could wear those and be perfectly fine, but watch out for the uneven sidewalks or pot holes. The last thing you want to do is turn your ankle over and end up injured. Flats = Smart!!!

2) Dress Comfortably!!! Dressing comfortably can mean many things to many people. Some people are comfortable in jeans, others are comfortable with a dress or skirt. Nowadays you can be equally fashionable in either. Save your dress outfit for the night. I'm planning to pack comfy stylish outfits. It is always fun to see what people are wearing. This is a pretty fashionable crowd!

3) What to do at Market? Ok, since we have the fashions covered, let's talk about what you are really going to market to accomplish. Have you made your list? The first thing I do is plan what and for whom do I need to shop? I keep all my notes on my iPhone so I don't lose the list. Depending on what I'm looking for, I may or may not go a on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Yes, the market opens officially on Saturday morning, Oct 14th but since I am local to High Point, I often go early to grab the best merchandise especially at the Antiques and Design Center or 214 Modern.

Once I arrive at High Point Market, I typically choose which buildings or districts I am visiting by days. These are the buildings you want to visit:

Downtown:
Interhall in IHFC, IHFC showrooms, The Hamilton Wrenn Design District, C&D Building, Showplace, Suites at Market Square, Market Square and 210 Elm. There are other great showrooms you may want to visit but the ones I listed are all downtown and on the bus system.

Speaking of the bus, let's talk transportation a minute. The buses will take you all over High Point. Just make sure you get on the Red line to go to any of the areas I mentioned above.

Downtown Showroom Shuttle Routes

FREE shuttles operating in a continuous loop in the downtown showroom district take you to and from every Market building, showroom, and event.

Hours of Operation

Friday, October 13 — Tuesday, October 17, 7:30am – 8pm
Wednesday, October 18, 7:30am - 6pm

Be sure to pick up a free Market Field Guide at any of the five High Point Market Information Booths

Commerce Avenue at Main Street
Transportation Terminal on Commerce Ave.
200 North Hamilton Street
PTI Airport – Lower Level
Commerce Avenue at Elm Street

FREE Go-Anywhere Shuttles

Most Market showrooms, seminars, and events are served by our scheduled shuttle routes. To reach any destination within a 3-mile radius of the High Point city limits that is not served by a scheduled shuttle, including outlying showrooms, use our FREE Go-Anywhere service.

Go to the downtown Transportation Terminal or simply flag one down from any location in the Market area. You may also call 336.887.RIDE (7433) to have a shuttle dispatched to you. Go-Anywhere Shuttles will be operating from Friday, October 13 through Wednesday, October 18.

Hours of Operation

Friday, October 13 — Tuesday, October 17, 7:30am – 8:30pm
Wednesday, October 18, 7:30am – 6pm

4) What Events to Attend During Market: High Point Market Events are the best! There are educational events as well as cocktail parties and book signings. Click Here to access the entire list of events! So what do I recommend as "Don't Miss" events? All the events are great but if you can get to the Designer Viewpoints Series, Keynotes, or Interior Design Summit series, those are the best for designers.

If you want to see what the Style Spotters are spotting at market make sure to follow them their instagram names are here or look for the hashtag #highpointmarket2017 If you are still around on Tuesday morning, don't miss their panel. The Style Spotters work hard to uncover the trends and hot items which they share during this panel. It is always so much fun!

The Designer Viewpoint Series and Interior Design Summit series are both a great way to get CEU's while at market and if you are ASID like me, that is a bonus. Click here to access Designer Viewpoint Series schedule! Click Here to Access Interior Design Summit schedule. Make sure you bring your ASID number with you to get our CEU registered!

Here is my list for October 2017!

Designer Viewpoint Series: (All are good but these are my top picks not to miss)

Margaret Russell - Saturday 12-1 High Point Theatre IHFC - Everytime I hear her speak I am so motivated to be a better designer.

Getting Your Stories Published with Madcap Gents, Stacy Kunstel and others - Monday 12-1 High Point Theatre.

How to Deliver Luxury Products in Under 90 Days - Denise McGaha Monday 2-3 Surya showroom. Denise is a pro on delivery and his built her business on this!

All Keynote speakers are fabulous! Go to all if you can! Click Here to see schedule

Dont Miss Keynote Series:

****Ashley & India Hicks - Sunday 2-3:30 High Point Theatre doors open at 1:30! Don't miss this!

Ok, So Now That We Have The Educational Aspect of Our Market Trip Planned what do we do for fun???? All work and no play makes Lisa a very boring girl!

You might catch me at the following if I don't talk too long at the prior event....

Friday Oct 13th:

Veranda by Fine Furniture Design Launch Party
5:30 305 S. Hamilton Strett Fine Furniture Showroom (Green Line Stop 13)

Style Spotters Reunion and Networking 6-8pm Pandora's Manor 407 W High Ave (Bustop 14 red/green line)

Saturday Oct 14th:

Libby Langdon for KAS - 4-6pm Sat. IHFC Green G270

Theodore Alexander celebrats Jamie Drake with a discussion with Tori Melliott 5-7 229 W Russel Avenue (bus stop 8 green) RSVP please email [email protected]" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #cc3d32; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.008px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">[email protected]

Sunday Oct 15th:

9am - 1 pm India Hicks at Dunes and Duchess - Dynamic Women in Design Suites at Market Square, Ground Salon G-7010 (Bus stop 14 (red/green line)

11-2pm Brunch with Barry Dixon

2pm - Book Signing with Meg Braff Bunny Williams Home IHFC Commerce, Floor 1 IHFC IH104

2-3 Stories Behind The Designs Suites at Market Square SAMS 1-1014 bustop 14 (red/green)

2:30-5pm Louise Gaskill Lighting - Sip n' See Louise's new introduction of custom lighting 60 new pieces of hand gilt chandeliers and lamps with vintage murano glass. M4001 Suites at Market Square! Bus Stop 14 (red/green line)

3- 4:30pm Trending Interior Design with Jill Waage with Barry Dixon and Lynn Lawsom and trend forecaster Jaye Anna Universal 101 S Hamilton St 15 (red line)

7:30 - 11pm S.I.A. Karaoke at French Heritage 1638 English Rd.(Main) Ron Woodson & Jamie Rummerfield are singing their way to the French Heritage showroom for the Save Iconic Architecture Karaoke Party. $65 ticket price will include dinner and drinks. Proceeds to to S.I.A. to help the mission of championing to fight to preserve significant architecture.
Busstop 0 (Go anywhere shuttle or uber):

Monday, Oct 16th:

1pm- 3pm Trellis Home and Pyar & Co Tassels & Trims Collections Suites at Market Sq Mezzanine Salon M-7049 Bus stop 14 (red/green line)

2pm - 3pm Mimosas with southern Home Magazine Universal Furniture 101 S Hamilton St (Formerly Hamilton Sq) Bustop: 15 (redline)RSVP:www.UniversalToTheTrade.com/MarketEvents

2pm - 4 Madcap Cottage Book "Prince Charming" signing at Currey & Co IHFC, Main Floor 1 M110

3-5pm Currey & Co Celebration of the new Phyllis Morris Collection

Of course, there are many more great events but these are some of my favorites I hope to attend. Some overlap so it might be a juggling act but I'm going to try.

Tomorrow I'll post some other things that I think are important if you are attending market for specific educational tracks or particular kinds of events. So come back tomorrow to read about those. I'll also be sharing places to eat day and night as well as where to go to see and be seen and more!

Have questions? Please feel free to email my team at [email protected]

Ok, If you enjoyed reading this guide will you do a little favor for me? Pretty please!!!

I would appreciate your vote for Modenus Top 100 Influencers for Lisa Mende Design. Also, vote for your friends you see there when you click over. Lots of great designers!
Here is the link: Click Here

Here are the quick steps:

1) Click here to go to voting page: https://list.ly/~1Dnew
2) Scroll to Lisa Mende Design
3) To vote click "Like"
4) If you have voted before, make sure it doesn't take a vote away or if it does re-like and change browsers
5) Can vote on iPad, phone, a computer anywhere you want.
6) Ask a friend(s) to vote!
7) Thank you so much!!!! Contest ends tomorrow at 5pm!

Katy Skelton for Charleston Forge

2017-10-05T16:29:00.000-04:00

High Point Market is upon us folks! I always get so excited to see new collections from my favorite resources. One resource that I have enjoyed over the years is Charleston Forge.

Charleston Forge is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina where true artisans live and create beautiful furniture with great pride. Every piece of Charleston Forge "has a sense of hand". They take pride in making each piece "one piece at a time". There is no high-speed production line at Charleston Forge. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean they are slow or take forever to deliver. I have been quite pleased with their production time for custom pieces for clients. If you don't know this company and are heading to High Point, put it on your calendar! If you are a consumer and see something on their website you like, let me know and I can order it for you. Better yet, if you are having trouble finding something for your home or client, why not let them create a custom piece for you?

Click Here to Keep Reading

This High Point Market, I am especially excited to preview their new collection by Savannah Designer, Katy Skelton. I wanted to share a sneak peek of a few of the pieces from the collection with you!

How sexy is the Emmett Lounge Chair? It is available in a ton of 13 finishes as well as fabric or leather seat options. It also has a great ottoman to match. These chairs would be great in a family room, library, or a bedroom. There are endless possibilities for using the Emmett. Where would you put it?

The Belvedere bench is another one of my favorite new items from the Charleston Forge Collection. This bench is so sleek and updated. With minimal decoration, this bench will transition into traditional or contemporary rooms with equal ease.

Hopefully, I whet your appetite to stop by Charleston Forge and see the entire collection. While you are there, why don't you discuss their custom options with you. This company can make anything you can imagine. I know I'm partial because I'm from North Carolina and they are located in North Carolina, but this company has the nicest people working for them.

I'm going to post some of my favorites must-see showrooms in the next week, so stay tuned for more! I'll also be posting my "don't miss" market events and lectures so stay tuned for that as well.

Until then, will you please pop over to Modenus and log in a vote for Lisa Mende Design as a top 100 Modenus Influencer for 2018? I am hoping to win a trip to KBIS but to do so I need your vote daily until Tuesday, Oct 10th!! Here is the quick link: Click Here

Thank you in advance for voting daily til Tuesday! I'll try to remind you! Please help a girl out!!

In the meanwhile, pop over to Charleston Forge and check out more of their beautiful line!

To visit Charleston Forge Click Here

Please Vote for Lisa Mende Design in Modenus DesignHounds Top 100 Influencers

2017-10-04T15:09:00.002-04:00

If you would be so kind, I would appreciate your vote!!! Only take a couple of minutes to pop over to the voting page and vote for me by clicking "like" under my name!

Here's the quick link for voting: Click Here

You can Vote Daily Til Oct 10th!!!

Great Items Available From Hampton Showhouse!

2017-09-06T18:31:00.002-04:00

It is always so sad when a showhouse closes and I have to dismantle the room but as the saying goes, "All Good things must come to an end". And so it goes, it is time to uninstall my Hampton Designer Showhouse project. If anyone is in need of great items for your porch, sunroom or basically any room in the house, I have some great buys on these items! See below for prices! Email me at [email protected] if you would like more info or would like to purchase. The first person who says they want to purchase and pays within 24 hrs will win the item. If you are local and can pick up the items will be available for pick up this Thursday. What doesn't sell will be coming back to Charlotte on Friday. So "Speak Now or forever, hold your peace".

photos by Marco Ricca Studios

Show house Items for Sale on Linden Outdoor Porch

If you are in the Hamptons and want to go by let me know! If you aren't in the Hamptons and need the items shipped we can check shipping quotes but this has to be done asap as these items need to be gone by this coming Friday, Sept 8th

1 Palm Beach Regency White Gampel Stoll Palm mirror - 38" w x 60"H - $ 1995.00

1 Palm Beach Regency Gampel Stoll Elephant Console - 30.5 in.Hx60.25 in.Wx15.75 in.D $3500

2 Wooden white pedestals 15"L x 15"W x 48"H $900 pair

2 Blue Alabaster Louise Gaskill Lamps 48"H - $3800 pair

1 Bunny Williams white Diana Bust - 20"H X 9 3/8"W X 7"D $75

4 18 x 18 Perrenials Happy Plaid Pillows in Coral with Down Inserts -

4 18 x 18 Schumacher "Citrus Garden" Pattern Pillows with down inserts -

4 Perrenial Outdoor Drapery Panels - 120" long -

1 Chic Stays Book - $60

1 The Finer Things Book - $40

1 Slim Aarons Book - $55

1 Palm book 32.00

1 Natural Curosities Book $200

1 Beaches Book by Gary Malin - $25

1 Brass Elephant bottle opener - $20

1 piece of red coral $30

1 piece of white coral $40

Let me know if you see anything in the photos that you would like to purchase! The items will be available for pick up until Friday morning, Sept 8th. If you need an items shipped we can get you a quote. Email [email protected] for details

Editor At Large "Southampton Designer Showhouse 2017"

2017-08-17T14:57:00.000-04:00

Thank You Editor at Large for including Lisa Mende Design in your coverage of the Southampton Designer Showhouse sponsored by Traditional Home Magazine! The house built by Paramount Builders is open until Sept 4th. If you haven't been make sure you go before the house closes!

Click the link above to watch the coverage by Editor at Large's own, Fabulous Tori Mellott!

Tori Mellott interviews Jill Waage, Alexa Hampton, Lisa Mende, Rajni Alex, Rayman Boozer, Jennifer Mabley, Austin Handler, Matthew Frederick, Michael Del Piero, Eddie Ross, Jean Liu, Catherine Davin, Richard Cerrone and Beth McDonough.

Click Here for information on the showhouse!

A Special Thank You to Woodard Furniture for Sponsoring Lisa Mende Design! Woodard Furniture is top quality outdoor furniture. I love their custom options they offer designers. Their team is a dream to work with too!

Click here and visit the Woodard Website to see this amazing line!

Thank You To Room Partners who provided products for my room at the Southampton Designer Showhouse 2017:

Ballard Designs
Bunny Williams Home
Dash and Albert by Annie Selke
Louise Gaskill Lighting
NDI
Perennials Fabrics
Replacements, INC

A special Thank You also to Traditional Home Magazine for sponsoring the house and allowing me to participate!

Shhhhh....Listen Up! I Have Insider Info About High Point Market Insider's Tour! Never Been? Want To Go?

2017-08-10T11:50:00.000-04:00

Have You Ever Wanted to Attend High Point Market or Haven't Been to High Point in the Past four or more years due to Circumstances? Listen Up...

If you have never been to High Point Market and want to come and experience a Design Bloggers Insider's Tour, concierge level reservations, and treatment while there I might be able to hook you up as an insider! Don't register on the High Point Website but instead click the link below!

As a 20+ year veteran of High Point Market, I'm here to tell you this is the way to come to market! Experienced market attendees like myself will be there to guide you around market!
Click Here to Keep Reading and Find Out How & Why You Should Come to High Point!

What can you do to get in on this VIP Tour, you ask?

Here are the qualifications:

1) If you have NEVER attended High Point Market, this is perfect for You! Or if you have attended market that's ok, but you must not have attended a High Point Market in four or more markets.

2) Must be a qualified buyer! (must have a tax id and actually be legit buyer)

3) Must register through a certain process which isn't on the High Point Market Website so click the link below. Or Just Click Here

4) Feel Free to Email me at [email protected] if you have questions!

Why Should you come to High Point Market?

1) To see the latest and greatest in Home Decor, Gifts, lighting and more!

2) To Network with other designers

3) Hear great educational panels

4) Well, of course, to go to the parties, Did I need to really say that?

5) Connect with some of the most influential designers in our industry

6) Build relationships with the companies you wish to buy from and meet your sales reps.

7) Get samples for your showroom such as catalogs, memos, etc

8) See the scale of the furniture. Sometimes things look so differently online.

9) See the quality of the furniture, again sometimes things aren't as they seem online

10) Sit on furniture so you can honestly tell your clients you know how a chair or sofa sits.

11) Learn selling points which will make you a better sales man for your clients.

12) Feel prepared for your work like you have never felt prepared before. Tools in hand and all your questions answered.

Are You Asking Yourself Right Now If You can Afford to be Away from Your Clients to Attend High Point Market? The answer is you cannot afford not to come!

First Time Buyers, We will walk you through the process and help you navigate the market. You will leave feeling like you know what you are doing. It isn't that hard but when you arrive for the first time in High Point, it can be daunting. Let us make the process smooth and comfortable. Complete concierge service. We will even teach you how to use the Red Line, Shuttles around the market and to your hotel so there is no room for error!

Contact me at [email protected] for more details If you wish, but click the button below to see if you qualify!

Click Here To See If You Qualify & To Register!

Space is Limited So Make Sure You Sign Up Now! I want you to experience the best that

High Point Market Has to Offer!!! It is a must do for all designers!

Miles Redd For Ballard Designs

2017-07-28T13:55:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite designers and AD100 constant, Miles Redd, has collaborated with Ballard Designs, to create a new line of furniture, accessories, and lighting which will launch in August! If you are like me and can't wait til the official launch then pop over to the pre-launch sneak peek and take a gander here!

I honestly like every piece in the line, but this post includes my favorites which I predict will be best sellers. Miles Redd and Ballard Designs hit a major " home run" with this collection! Make sure to tee up your purchases prior to the sale opening because I predict a quick sell out of the first inventory released. You don't want to be on the back order list while watching others posting their Miles Redd/Ballard items in situ on instagram.

The line includes 28 fabulous pieces click here to continue reading and see my favs...

The diamond coffee table is dynamite! Perfect scale and a pop of color!

The top is reverse painted to avoid scratches. Offered in emerald green with

a gold finish frame or navy blue with nickel finish.

This is a whole lot of style at a great price.

Probably my favorite piece in the entire line is this....

Shell Console

Hollywood Glam grotto inspired console. Ok, so I can think of

a thousand and one uses for this console. Wouldn't it look fab used

in pairs on either side of a door or in a hallway with the Queen Anne

Mirror also in the collection hanging above it?

The Tuxedo Chest is as handsome as a black tie ensemble with its ebony lacquer finish and Carrera marble top. The concave shape allows this chest to work in tight places beautifully. This piece isn't due until Sept 18th so you will have to wait a little longer for this one but I think it will be worth the wait!

Ok, so the Waterfall Bench is the perfect bench for so many applications. I can see it in as a stylish option in a mudroom for putting your shoes on or at the foot of a bed.

I would even consider using a pair as a fun option for a coffee table. Available also in a taller version console which can be used in tight hallways or in the dining room for a buffet or behind a sofa.

Darling "Mitford" bedside table which is a great table for small spaces.

How seriously fabulous is this Column Table lamp in brown with green/gold shade? Also, available in black with red shade.

Love the simple lines and sleek look of the Art Deco Firescreen. I also love the fire tools which I think are the perfect compliment to the screen.

There are so many other great items to discover but I'll let you pop over and see for yourself. Let me know which are your favorites. There are a couple of fab headboards that can be customized in many great fabrics. That is what I love about Ballard Designs! They can truly customize your pieces and once you figure out the customization feature, the sky is the limit! You can use the custom items to create things not on the website so make sure you have fun with that and create your own custom furniture that can be delivered to your door!

Great chairs and table from Miles Redd and Ballard Designs

Pop over to Ballard Designs and see the rest of the collection here.

Lisa Mende Design is Proud to Present The 'Linden House Outdoor Dining Porch" at The Hampton Designer Showhouse 2017

2017-07-26T19:40:00.000-04:00

Hamptons Designer Showhouse

78 and 82 Rosko Lane Southampton, New York

July 23, 2017 - Sept 4, 2017

Open Monday - Sunday 11am - 5pm

Benefits Southampton Hospital

I am so honored to have been asked by Woodard Furniture and Traditional Home Magazine to design an outdoor porch at the Hampton Designer Showhouse in Southampton, NY. When I was asked to create a porch, I decided I wanted it to be a dining porch which would combine the casualness of the North Carolina coast with the chic high style of the Hamptons. As with all my projects, the initial design consideration was function and flow. Once I had my beautiful Woodard furniture chosen, the next step was to address the aesthetic design of the porch. That is where I really have fun but before I talk about that, let's address the items I chose from Woodard Furniture. Are you familiar with Woodard?

Woodard is so great because they offer custom options that we designers love. I chose the Bay shore wicker dining chairs with cushions in sea salt and the Glade Isle dining table but I chose to use a custom hammered top in Aztec Bronze. To finish the space I added a pair of Van Dyke side chairs but opted to remove the large back cushion and replaced with a lumbar pillow from Woodard so the handsome mid-century back is revealed. Last but certainly not least, I chose to include a Woodard tea cart in a white lacquer which I set up as a bar cart.

The only hard surface in the space to consider was the fireplace which is a peach colored brick, so the jumping off point of the color scheme began with choosing colors that would work back with the brick. Everything else was white which I chose to keep, so the porch felt light and fresh. I honestly wanted to paint the ceiling aqua but then it would need to be repainted after the showhouse closed so I decided to keep it white but if I had been designing a porch that would remain I would definitely have painted the porch ceiling aqua or haint blue. It is the southern thing to do, right? Old wives tales maintain the porch ceilings in the south were painted blue for two conflicting reasons. One tale is they were painted blue to ward off evil spirits but honestly people are as superstitious today so that doesn't hold credit. The other tale was the blue paint was done to ward off mosquitos, which could be more likely since paint back then was made from lye and once lick resulted in death. Today, it is more likely we paint our ceilings blue as homage to our southern past and also because blue feels like the sky and expands the ceiling to feel more expansive. I paint ceilings blue because I like adding accent colors.

Click here to continue reading....

My friend and lighting designer, Louise Gaskill sent me a picture of a pair of blue alabaster vintage lamps she was considering purchasing and I immediately said buy them! I want them for the Hamptons! Louise buys vintage parts and uses them as the base to create amazing lighting with new components and adds hand gilded objects and lucite to design updated chic lighting. Check out her website here. Next Louise and I brain stormed on a custom chandelier of vintage Murano glass and sea shells. The result was one of my favorite chandeliers ever! Both the lamps and the chandelier are for sale, so if interested in purchasing, let Louise or me know!

Perennials fabrics was also a porch partner and collaborated to provide the coral buffalo check fabric for the drapery called Playful Plaid in Tutti Frutti which framed the porch. Other fabrics on the porch include the Jake stripe by Perennials in Mango and Schumacher "Citrus Garden" as well as Woodard's Bandeau in mint green and neutral stripe. I also adore the "Waves" Dash and Albert woven sisal rug in sand I used on the floor of the porch. It is the perfect foundation for my room and adds just the right amount of texture.

Pashminas were folded over each chair to provide guests an option to warm up

on chilly nights.

The most trying obstacle in designing and installing the porch was the wind. I wanted

drapery that was flowing and wanted the pattern to show from both sides. There were

two options 1) double the drapery fabric which would be costly, 2) weight the panels from

the bottom. My workroom added the typical chain weight and it didn't phase the wind in

the Hamptons! My panels were blowing like tissue paper when we installed them.

See how the drapery is blowing in this photo? This photo was taken after I went to the local hardware store and bought a heavy link chain and sewed to the hem of the drapery with

fishing line and rolled the chain into the hem of drapery to hide it. This worked fine till the wind blew the chain out of the hem and ripped through my fine sewing job. After the wind blew the chain out of the hem, I added a gallon jug of water to the inside of the drapery.

(Classy, right?) That worked for awhile but continues to be an ongoing issue.

My workroom ordered a tagging gun which I used that to attach the throws

and pillows, but even still things were blowing away.

NOTE: If you are working an outdoor space, remember to weight things as best you can!

Bunny Williams Home provided the amazing bas relief plaster Garden art over

the mantle. The art work was inspired by Bunny's Dominican Republic home.

It would be equally pretty inside the home but I think it is pretty perfect on my porch.

I also love the Piper baskets from Ballard beside the fireplace.

The Gampell Stoll elephant console and palm mirror I purchased from C'est la Vintage was the perfect piece to give the porch a beachy vibe and collected look.

I realized I couldn't have fresh flowers for six weeks either so I reached out to my friends at NDI to provide artificial florals for the porch. I absolutely adore the staghorn ferns on the walls on either side of the mirror. The rest of the florals on my porch are also from NDI. Their florals look so real you have to touch them to tell that that are artificial. I also chose the following orchids, ferns for the pedestals, roses, hydrangea, for the table and ferns for the mantle

I also realized there would be no storage on the porch so I chose this great wicker traveler's trunk from Ballard Designs to provide extra storage for pillows and other items needed on the porch. I love the look of wicker under the white lacquer console. The trunk can also double as sitting if extra seating is needed. Ballard Designs also provided baskets by the fireplace, as well as the fabulous wicker tray on the main table which held China. Speaking of China, I was so lucky to have kind friends at Replacements in Greensboro, NC who provided the lovely china, crystal, and accents for the porch. This wasn't your average melamine dinnerware typically found on an outdoor porch, I had to have Versace, as well as Cristobal, Waterford and French Blue Opaline for the Hamptons, right?

Let's give this gorgeous Replacements China a close-up! Shown here is the Reynaud Cristobal in beautiful coral design and with French Blue Opaline coupes. I adore the demitasse cups. Doesn't the red coral seem like the perfect choice for a coastal outdoor porch?

We then mixed in the Versace Marco Polo and Russian Dream by Rosenthal along with Tiffany bamboo flatware. The flatware was silver but I wanted gold so guess what... They plated it gold for me! I was sad that I had to remove the Versace China for the run of the showhouse tour, but it wasn't worth taking the chance of getting broken or taken. (Dirty secret, unfortunately, people do take things from showhouses.) My favorite additions to the table were the Versace Les Tresors de la Mer Large vases. Good thing we have surveillance on the property.

On the Woodard white lacquered bar cart, there were cobalt "Mixology" highball glasses and "Lismore" Champagnes(which were actually bud vases we repurposed for champagne, clever, right?) in turquoise from Waterford. Holding court over the cart is the "Diana bust" from the Bunny Williams collection from Ballard Designs. To add a little pattern and softness to the cart, I chose linen hand towels from Jill Seale in a snazzy blue and green marbleized pattern. On the bottom of the cart is a Versace plate from the Les Tresor de la Mer collection, some of my favorite books and all the fixing for a perfect cocktail.

I also had this amazing clam shell from Ballard Designs which I chose to use as a fruit bowl. Isn't that a fun accessory for a summer table? It would be fun to use as a container for orchids, succulents or to hold shells from the beach.

I would like to send out a special thank you to Woodard Furniture and Traditional Home Magazine for asking me to design the Linden House Porch. I am so honored to be a

participate in the 2017 Hampton Designer Showhouse.

Please visit Woodard Furniture Website Here!

And please click here to visit Traditional Home online!

I would like to thank all my porch partners!

Ballard Designs

Bunny Williams Home

Dash and Albert Rugs by Annie Selke

Louise Gaskill Lighting

Jill Seale

NDI Florals

Perennials Fabrics

Replacements Inc.

Schumacher

Special thank you to my workroom Sherri Bowman for the great job she did

fabricating my drapery, pillows and ottoman covers and to Jill Seale for making

my informational cards for the porch.

Here is a link to a great recap of the Showhouse Gala on my friend Tamara's blog

Nest by Tamara

Also on New York Social Diary below:

New York Social Diary

If you get a chance to visit the showhouse it is well worth the trip!

Visit the Hampton Designer Showhouse website here for more info and to buy tickets.

Windsor Smith for Century Furniture at High Point April Market 2017

2017-05-25T16:35:00.002-04:00

Design icon, Windsor Smith introduced her new collection at Century Furniture during High Point Market April 2017.

The "Alchemy" Collection by Windsor Smith was well received and celebrated during April High Point MarketHigh Point Market in April! The collection includes 70 easy-to-mix classics which are versatile enough to use in every room in the home. The collection includes everything from upholstery, case goods to wall decor.

The collection was named "Alchemy" - which she defined as "Seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination"

Windsor explained her approach as the following in her own words, “My goal is to provide effortless combinations of shapes and materials culled from sources far and wide to forge a new, tightly edited whole. Every detail feels bespoke, precisely chosen for modern living, and engaging over time for generations to come.”

Let's take a look at some of my favorites from the collection:

Point in case. The lady is a pro. She pays as much detail to the front of the chair as she does the back of the chair so I'm showing this chic chair from the back. Take note of the "jewelry" for the back of the chair with a nod to the equestrian world.

The "Daybreak sofa" was equally stunning and dramatic at 110" in length.

The perfect sofa to add drama and great seating to your room. It reminded me

of something you would see in an old Hollywood movie.

Again, details are part of what sets Windsor's design sensibilities apart from the part. Notice the cuff detail on the leg of this side table.

This gorgeous bed was so inviting. By the time I saw the collection, my initial response was to climb in bed and pull the covers over my head but honestly, the collection was so stunning it captivated my interest and intrigued me to move forward and see what was around the corner.

Across from the bed was this Hollywood worthy viewing corner complete with the most comfy and plush swivel chairs, bar stools and table for the ultimate media room experience.

My friend, Robert Leleux of Southern Style Now and I enjoyed a break in these comfy chairs and dreamed about having a room like this in our own homes.

Yes, you are seeing correctly! this is the most stunning mirrored top dining table

I have ever seen! The floor is also from a collection Windsor Smith designed featuring weathered wood and various finished woods in a geometric pattern.

The Meridian settee is a four-sided sofa which answers the designer's question to what to do when you need a pair of sofas in a room but wants something more unique and interesting than just a pair of sofas! It can be used in a foyer, large dressing room or larger living space. Modern yet classic in design, this is the perfect neoclassical piece with carved wood and gold left detailing.

The "Twilight sofa" is another piece with " Old Hollywood" appeal. It perfectly sums up what I would describe as a "fainting couch". It's flirty and fun with its curvaceous seat and button back. Great to use in an angled corner of a bedroom, dressing room or flanking a fireplace to soften the geometry of a square room.

Bam! Another winner! I don't know which I like more, the Shield, framless mirror or the handsome desk. One is feminine the other is masculine which adds the perfect tension to

a master bedroom in mybook.

A new dining table and chairs were another wonderful part of the collection. I also loved how Windsor styled the rooms. The simplicity of the grass in the round trays was the perfect centerpiece for the table. Proof that sometimes there are things better as centerpieces than flowers.

Other people have done cloverleaf ottomans but never have I seen them with cute little brass legs and grouped in a pair.

Doesn't this vignette feel like the set of a great movie? The oversized shield mirror is the pefect focal point in this room.

Cool, chic and simple. Three words to describe the feel of this ever so sophisticated guy's room! I won't say boy's room because I think my 19 year old would love it as much as anyone.

How chic is this barstool? I'll take a pair and while you are at it please throw in the table for good measure, right?

The Clara tete a tete from her original collection with Century is a Windsor iconic piece in my book. It is what I remember loving from one of the foyers that first caught my attention and took me down a rabbit hole admiring Windsor's portfolio years ago.

Windsor's kept to her signature grey color throughout the collection but kept things interesting with textures such as fur and leather.

I'll admit I had to lie down and experience the chaise which I found to be very comfortable. When I first saw it, I didn't think that it would be but I was proven wrong.

What a sexy, strong and artful silhouette this chair adds to a room. Again, this chair was as comfortable as it was great looking.

Don't we all want a corner sofa? Dont' we all want to put Windsor Smith's new collection for Century in our projects? I know I am dying too!

"So many pieces, so little time" is the cry from most designers! Windsor Smith hit a homerun in my opinion with this collection! I cannot wait to see these pieces in upcoming features in magazines by designers. Her collection is worthy of the best!

Make sure you visit the Century Website to see more here!

This post was sponsored by Esteem Media Design Blog Tour for High Point Market.

Make sure to check out more of the Design Blog Tours participate's post here

The bloggers selected for this tour include:

– Courtney Allison, www.frenchcountrycottage.net
– Margot Austin, www.thedesigneditblog.com–
– Nina Magon, www.livestylishdaily.com
– Lisa Mende, www.lisamendedesign.blogspot.com- Nora Murphy, www.noramurphycountryhouse.com
– Michiel Perry, www.blacksouthernbelle.com
– Jana Platina Phipps, www.trimqueen.com
– Ruthie Staalsen, www.decrenew.com
– Laura Umansky, www.laurauinteriordesign.com/connect/blog
– Rhoda Vickers, www.southernhospitalityblog.com

Thank you to Our Sponsors participating in the tour include:

– Artefama Furniture, www.artefamafurniture.com
– Bernhardt Furniture, www.bernhardt.com
– Century Furniture, www.centuryfurniture.com
– Crypton Home Fabric, www.cryptonhome.com
– Eastern Accents/Pandora’s Manor, www.easternaccents.com, www.pandorasmanor.com
– IMC – Interhall, www.imchighpointmarket.com/interhall
– Nathan Anthony Furniture, www.nafurniture.com
– Rachel Ashwell, www.shabbychic.com
– The MT Company, www.themtcompany.com
– Theodore Alexander, www.theodorealexander.com
– Universal Furniture, www.universalfurniture.com

- Emporuim Home www.emporiumhome.com
-Bunny Williams Home www.bunnywilliamshome.com
-Huntington House www.huntingtonhouse.com
-JoyBird www.joybird.com

Interhall Shopping - Bunny Williams Home New Collection at Spring High Point Market 2017

2017-05-25T12:32:00.001-04:00

I love to peruse the aisles of Interhall when I hit High Point Market. It seems there are always so many exciting vendors down the halls of this venue in High Point. This year did not disappoint! So many to see and many new ones to add to my offerings to clients. I was so excited to see new people and reacquaint with old friends who I have bought from for years. Bunny Williams Home was showing in Interhall this market and was one of the first showrooms I visited.

Bunny Williams Home did not disappoint this High Point Market. I was so happy to see her collection being shown again after a hiatus from High Point Market for a few years.

Bunny is one of my favorite designers because her projects are always so beautiful yet livable so it is nice to have the option of incorporating some of the furniture she has designed into my own projects. My favorite piece in the collection was this plaster bas relief garden art. It will be showing up in a project of mine very soon! This piece was inspired by a bas relief mural originally hand-carved in a little village outside of Semarang which Bunny owned. This piece is available in interior grade plaster or exterior grade plaster that can be used outdoors. I also love the large scale coffee table with built-in tray which would be perfect for serving drinks, or as a resting place for interesting objects or books. The tray is removable which allows for multi-functional use. The ottoman shown here is in signature Bunny blue and features details like button tufted upholstery, hand-carved turned wooden feet and French nailhead trim.

This bed was another favorite from the new collection. Bunny's beautiful craftsmanship is evident in this beautifully designed bed with Greek key ironwork. I love the high quality of the materials and beautifully executed finishes she chooses for her products. Bunny uses some of her own furniture as inspiration for her collection and rounds out the collection with original designs that she feels are needed in today's home but she can't find in the marketplace for her own clients. Her designs are classic and timeless yet creative.

There were so many beautiful new pieces that don't look new like the Arabella mirror shown above. Hand carved wood with a flowing whimsical feel which mimics draped fabric on a wall would be beautiful in a foyer, dining room, bedroom or basically any room in the house. The gold gilt finish adds glamour. I think it would be lovely in a powder room or above a vanity in a dressing room.

The Parker Sofa shown here in deep blue velvet makes you feel like royalty when you sit on it and it should since it was originally designed for British Royalty! It was inspired by an antique Knole-style sofa Bunny had in her apartment for many years. Bunny updated the design with exposed wood finials at the top corners with a matching tie-back connecting the drop-down side arms and back. My favorite detail about this sofa is the decorative nailhead trim which is designed in a geometric pattern around the base of the sofa.

So those are a few of my favorites from the latest collection of Bunny Williams Home.

Make sure to visit her website here to see more!

Exquisite designs and unparalleled high quality are what define Bunny Williams Home.

I will be posting more about what I found in Interhall this market so stay tuned for me!

This post was sponsored by Esteem Media. I was a participate for the Esteem Media Design Bloggers Tour for High Point April 2017 market!

Make sure you check out the post from my fellow Design Bloggers Tour participates!

The bloggers selected for this tour include:

– Courtney Allison, www.frenchcountrycottage.net

– Margot Austin, www.thedesigneditblog.com–

– Nina Magon, www.livestylishdaily.com

– Lisa Mende, www.lisamendedesign.blogspot.com-
--Nora Murphy, www.noramurphycountryhouse.com

– Michiel Perry, www.blacksouthernbelle.com

– Jana Platina Phipps, www.trimqueen.com

– Ruthie Staalsen, www.decrenew.com

– Laura Umansky, www.laurauinteriordesign.com/connect/blog

– Rhoda Vickers, www.southernhospitalityblog.com

Here is a Hug Shout out to the Sponsors participating in the tour:

– Artefama Furniture, www.artefamafurniture.com

– Bernhardt Furniture, www.bernhardt.com

– Century Furniture, www.centuryfurniture.com

– Crypton Home Fabric, www.cryptonhome.com

– Eastern Accents/Pandora’s Manor, www.easternaccents.com, www.pandorasmanor.com

– IMC – Interhall, www.imchighpointmarket.com/interhall

– Nathan Anthony Furniture, www.nafurniture.com

– Rachel Ashwell, www.shabbychic.com

– The MT Company, www.themtcompany.com

– Theodore Alexander, www.theodorealexander.com

– Universal Furniture, www.universalfurniture.com

--Bunny Williams Home www.bunnywilliamshome.com

--JoyBird www.joybird.com

--Huntington House www.huntingtonhouse.com

Thank you to Luba and Adam from Esteem Media who allowed me to participate this market. It was a blast as always! oxo lisa

High Point Market Recap 2017

2017-05-25T11:16:00.000-04:00

Bunny Williams Home

Life has been crazy since I returned from High Point. I had to laugh the other day because one of my readers wrote to me and ask what happened to me! I have not been blogging very much because my project load has been so heavy, but I have lots to share. Let's begin with a recap of High Point Market!

I was excited my dear friend, Ann Maine joined me at High Point. We had a great time on the day of her arrival visiting showrooms. Ann knows everyone in the industry so to walk around the market with Ann is like walking around with a celebrity. Her years as Editor-In-Chief of Traditional Home Magazine introduced forged bonds with many companies so she has tons of friends at High Point.

When I wasn't walking around with Ann I was walking the beat as a Design Blogger.

I was also chosen to participate in Design Blogger's Tour which is sponsored by Esteem Media which was quite fun. What I love the most about being on the Design Bloggers Tour is how each designer hones in on different details. When you visit a showroom with a group of people who love details and we point out things we like, so collectively no detail is left unmentioned. This year group was especially fun! We visited some of my favorite showrooms and saw many beautiful new collections from Emporium Home, Bernhardt, Universal, Bunny Williams, Rachel Ashwell of Shabby Chic, Theodore Alexander, The MT Company, Century, Crypton Home Fabric, Eastern Accents, Nathan Anthony, Bagley Mischka and Artefama. I plan to share a blog post on each because I took too many pictures for one post! I am so excited to share everything we saw!

Here are some of the highlights of our blog tour visits:

We visited The MT Company and enjoy tea time and saw so many things I liked in the

every collection. I especially love the Dana Gibson line. Dana loves color like I do and isn't afraid to use it. The ottoman above is covered in a Chanel inspired fabric which added texture and panache to this seating area. So many of their pieces were covered in high-performance Crypton fabrics which make this line great for families. Do you love knowing you can finally have a white sofa and not worry about spills? Thank you, Crypton!

Fashion Designers Badgley Mischa introduced their new home line called " The Monterey Collection" which includes lighting, upholstery, and accent furniture with hand-gilded metal structures. Check out their collection here.

Rachel Ashwell, the founder, of Shabby Chic, returned to High Point Market and introduced a new collection, after a long sabbatical. Her collection looked fresher than ever! Cannot wait to share! Check out her new collection here!

Bernhardt Furniture new "Faux Bois" collection was clean, crisp, and perfect for so many applications. Every market, Bernhardt offers several new collections but this one happened to be my favorite. I cannot wait to show you more from Bernhardt! Visit their website to see more from Bernhardt!

One of my absolute favorite venues to visit while shopping the High Point Market is Interhall! There are always amazing discoveries to be made in Interhall. This year was no exception! I was excited to see The Bunny Williams Home Collection had made a return to High Point and was in Interhall along with so many other of my favorites! I was thrilled to see Bunny back! The collection looks amazing! I especially loved this ottoman but there are so many great pieces, I will definitely be sharing more! Visit Bunny Williams Home to see the complete collection!

I always love everything Ashley Childers, owner of Emporium Home, introduces at High Point market. Ashley is a little ball of fire with an incredible talent for design. This market I fell hard for her amazing faux bois pieces. This little side table would work so many places and adds just the right amount of style. Visit Emporium Home's website to see more! Warning, it's all so good you may hang out there for hours!

Universal Furniture has become one of my "go to" companies for my beach house projects as well as kids rooms, and basically any room of the home. Their new intros at High Point Spring Market were exciting. I especially loved the Alexander Jullian collection and will be sharing more about this collection from one of my favorite North Carolina born and bred designers! Always nice when one of our own does so well in the industry. I was so excited to finally meet Alexander Julian in the Universal showroom. He as nice as he is talented which says a lot. Visit Universal Furniture to see more Universal Furniture here!

Another favorite showroom visit was to Nathan Anthony! This company is incredible. Look at the detail on this chair! We had so much fun in this showroom. We played a little game and learned about the amazing designs created by Tina Nicole and Khai Mai
Founded in 2005, Nathan Anthony creates award-winning contemporary furnishings in its own design studio and furniture factory in Los Angeles, CA. Co-owner and principal designer Tina Nicole has been recognized for design excellence by The Design Society UK with two International Product Design Awards, several Best of Year Award nominations, and two Pinnacle Award nominations. Visit their website to see more here!!! I was amazed at the creativity and craftsmanship of Nathan Anthony. They can make anything! I loved that they even upholster the underside of their furniture when necessary. You ask why someone would do that? Because they have glass floors or floors that can reflect the pattern under the furniture! Yes, it is true! I would have never thought of that but Tina and Khai do! They think of every detail! Make sure you check them out!

Eastern Accents continued the excitement with new collections of beautiful bedding from Celerie Kemble. I mean seriously, is there anything this designer can't do? I love everything she designs. This collection was designed to work for adults as well as kids. I loved the soft pinks offered as well as the crisp whites in bedding and pillows. There is too much to single one item out. I cannot pick a favorite here because it was all so fab. Visit their website to see more new introductions here.

Eastern Accents also owns Pandora's Manor, which is a beautiful home in High Point which offers lodging. The home has recently been redecorated by top designers and this market, Eastern Accents hosted a gala there and the Blog Tour was lucky to be included. Shown here is the bedroom in Pandora's Manor that was designed by The Madcap Cottage guys using Eastern accent bedding! Isn't it fabulous! I hope to share more from the talented designers who revamped this Manor into a showplace. Tobi Fairley, Barclay Butera, Celerie Kemble, Thom Felicia and Madcap did an amazing job!

Crypton Home was another sponsor of our Blog Tour so we visit the JoyBird showroom to see furniture in my personal favorite fabric, Crypton! If you are not using Crypton in your home or if you are a designer and not using them in your projects you are missing the train! Now Crypton is available in so many wonderful fabrics. It is soft, lux and so smart! Spill your wine? No problem! Get lipstick on your sofa? No problem. Did your 5 yr old just draw on your favorite chair? If it is covered in crypton, you are good! Simply take a damp cloth and wipe it off. I think crypton has saved many children and some adults from punishment!
When I introduce this product to my clients I call it "THE ah-mazing Crypton" and add that I feel like Superman did with his cryptonite when I use Crypton. Wanna learn more about crypton? visit their website here! JoyBird was a new intro for me as well. Learn more about this wonderful resource here! Their showroom looked amazing.

Windsor Smith new collection "Alchemy" designed for Century Furniture was introduced this High Point Market and boy oh boy was it ah-mazing! Here is one of the rooms she designed in her signature gray. The designs as well as the textures, soothing palette and artfully curated grouping we a treat to the eye as well as comfy and cozy. Check out all the pieces in the line here! While you are there peruse the entire Century site to see the quality of furniture this company has been making for centuries. This company is still a family-owned and run furniture company which is rare in our industry. The younger generation works hard to maintain the quality, customer service, and craftsmanship which is what this company was founded upon.

We enjoyed our visit to Huntington House Furniture. Always so nice to visit their showroom and see what is new. My absolute favorite sofa in their showroom is one called "the Heavenly sofa". It is named that because it feels so heavenly! Shown above is one of their more tailored sofas but this sofa also sits very comfortably! Huntington House is finely, handcrafted furniture made right here in North Carolina! Visit their website to learn more!

Artefama was a new resource for me although this company isn't new. It was founded 45 years ago! Recognized worldwide for accountability, quality design and also for respecting the FSC standards, this company's commitment to social and ecological concerns is well respected throughout the industry. Look for more from this company! Shown here are the Medallion Dining chairs made of solid oak and upholstered in a gray fabric. The chair is offered in two different colors, natural and cinnamon. See more from Artefama here!

Last but not least, we visited Theodore Alexander which is an absolute beautiful showroom and a treasure trove for designers! We were introduced to their new "TA Custom finishes line" which is the answer to many designer's prayers ! Pick your silhouette and then choose the paint color to custom create til your heart's desire! How fun is that? We also had the pleasure of viewing Michael Berman's newest introductions in his collection with Theodore Alexander which were just gorgeous! Visit their website to see more!

Here are the members of our blogtour!

Blog Tour Members for Market 2017

A Big Shout Out to Our Design Blog Tour Sponsors!

- Emporium Home www.emporiumhome.com

- Bagley Mischka www.bagleymischka.com
- Huntington House Furniture - www.huntingtonhousefurniture.com
- Bunny Williams Home www.bunnywilliamshome.com
- JoyBird www.joybird.com

Thank you Esteem Media for allowing me to be on your fabulous tour! I had a blast and cannot wait to share more about our adventures with my readers!

DJF Builders Presents "Raleigh Designer Show House" Benefitting The Boys and Girls Club of North Carolina

2017-03-27T11:09:00.000-04:00

Please Make plans to attend the DJF Builder's Designer Showhouse which opened March 25th and runs through April 9th! NOTE: House is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The House is really beautiful. You don't miss seeing this spectacular project! The group of designers who participated in this house includes some of the best designers in North Carolina! Come see what the Madcap Gents created for the living room and see their new collection of fabrics for Robert Allen! There are so many great designers in this house, I'm not going to name them all! Trust me, you need to put this on your calendar and plan to attend!

Beautiful fabrics, wallpapers and on trend ideas and products makes this house a showplace for sure! Whether you are building a home yourself or want to see what's hot in the interior design world, this house is a don't miss! Get your tickets now!

Our wonderful sponsors! Thank you so much for making this happen!

Lisa Mende Design was nominated by Jackson Design & Remodel for "Best Micro Blog" Will you please vote for us! If you click here it will take you to the voting page! Look for us under the "Micro Blog" Category and log your vote! You only have to vote once!

High Point Market Announces "Design Blogger's Tour" sponsored by Esteem Media April Market 2017

2017-03-18T13:46:00.001-04:00

I'm happy to announce that I'm going to be participating as a member of the Design Blogger's Tour for April 2017 at High Point Market sponsored by Esteem Media. We will take you behind the scenes of High Point Market and show you what we find! This is a stellar line-up of design blogging talent. Make sure you follow all of them on instagram and all their channels for that matter to stay up on what's hot and trending at High Point in April as well as new resources and some other fun surprises! Here's the lineup for the Spring Tour!

Click Here to Continue Reading and See who's on the tour....

We are excited to visit the showrooms of our sponsors below! These sponsors are some of my favorite destinations at High Point. They always bring it with the latest colors, trends and quality. Hop on board the Design Blogger Tour by following the hashtag #DesignBloggerTour and #HPMKT on instagram or following the design bloggers on their individual instagram accounts listed above.

The bloggers selected for this tour include:

– Courtney Allison, www.frenchcountrycottage.net
– Margot Austin, www.thedesigneditblog.com
– Elle Cole, www.ellecoleblog.com
– Nina Magon, www.livestylishdaily.com
– Lisa Mende, www.lisamendedesign.blogspot.com
– Michiel Perry, www.blacksouthernbelle.com
– Jana Platina Phipps, www.trimqueen.com
– Ruthie Staalsen, www.decrenew.com
– Laura Umansky, www.laurauinteriordesign.com/connect/blog
– Rhoda Vickers, www.southernhospitalityblog.com

Sponsors participating in the tour include:

– Artefama Furniture, www.artefamafurniture.com
– Bernhardt Furniture, www.bernhardt.com
– Century Furniture, www.centuryfurniture.com
– Crypton Home Fabric, www.cryptonhome.com
– Eastern Accents/Pandora’s Manor, www.easternaccents.com, -- Pandora's Manor www.pandorasmanor.com
– IMC – Interhall, www.imchighpointmarket.com/interhall
– Nathan Anthony Furniture, www.nafurniture.com
– Rachel Ashwell, www.shabbychic.com
– The MT Company, www.themtcompany.com
– Theodore Alexander, www.theodorealexander.com
– Universal Furniture, www.universalfurniture.com

Why I Believe Eckhart Tolle's Guide To Transforming Your Life is Worthy of Our Thoughts

2017-03-11T12:56:00.000-05:00

Hello LMD readers! I hope this post finds you enjoying a relaxing Saturday with your family and friends or whatever brings you joy on your precious weekend. As you know if you have been following me on instagram, we recently moved into a new home. The boxes are everywhere, waiting for my attention. Client projects are piling up as I'm behind with work from taking time away to pack the years of family memories in a moving truck and setting up a new homestead. Also, during the move, my body chose the unfortunate opportunity to get sick. Needless to say, life has been pretty hectic the past couple of weeks. I sat myself down this morning and gave myself a huge talking to. Do you ever do that? I frequently have to remind myself that Rome was not built in a day and those boxes will wait til I feel better. I'm sure part of my anxiety is due to my profession. It's an occupational hazard to be the one who makes life so pleasant for others when your own life feels like a booby trap when entering your own home. I have struggled with this greatly since the move. On the days I was sick, I dragged myself down to the sofa so that I could sit with my family. Out of the corner of my eye, the mountain of boxes was calling to me, so I retreated upstairs to the lonely quarters of my bedroom just to avoid the guilt.

Today, I continue to fight this nasty crud, but am determined to tackle some of the boxes.

By the way, we are in love with the new house. Every morning, my husband and I begin our day in our "morning room" aka the living room. We like this room because sunlight floods in and there is a gas fire which happens with the flip of a switch. It's toasty and warm. We have decided this room will be furnished with comfy furniture, not "living room" furniture since this is where we start our day and have our morning devotionals.

Click Here to continuing reading to discover Why I love Eckhart Tolle's Guide to Transforming Your Life is worthy of our thoughts....

There are so many things yet to be determined about this house. I always tell clients it is important to live in a home before you commit to how you want to live in the home. This is often not possible when building a new home. Therefore, you must think through your daily functions and work from there. If you build a new home, the home is designed to meet your needs, but if buying an existing home, you must transform your lifestyle to fit the floorplan in place, until you figure out how to reconfigure things to suit your lifestyle. Unless you are working with a designer who can ascertain your lifestyle and adapt that to home, it is prudent to live in a home for a couple of months and decide if you need to make floor plan changes before investing in furnishings.

We are renovating the kitchen in our new home and have chosen to live in the space for a month or two to decide if the initial plans for the kitchen will suit our needs and the way we like to live in the house.

There is so much to be done, but I keep reminding myself, that I know that I will never "be done" our homes are a continual process aren't they? As our lives evolve, our homes must also adapt to keep up with our lifestyle. We have one child left at home, and he will fly the coop in a couple of years, but hopefully, he and the other two will return on frequent occasions. Therefore, we need to have a home that welcomes them with each visit. I have always wanted an open door policy for family and friends to visit, and now I have space to invite them. It is exciting to think of filling my home with creative friends and loving family.

I dream about having intimate dinner parties in the courtyard and spur of the moment cocktail parties which consist of wine, cheese, and laughter of good friends. There are so many memories to be made in this new house, but for now, I'm enjoying the very moment. The house is quiet, the kids are home, and there is a fire in the fireplace. We are enjoying solitude together making new memories together. The weathermen are calling for snow tonight. We will sit in anticipation of the first snow in the new house. The house has big windows which will allow for perfect snow sightings. Part of me wants it to snow, and part of me doesn't. The home we are selling has beautiful tulips, azaleas, and daffodils blooming in the yard and looks picture perfect. I hate to think of those flowers being damaged by the cold weather. Isn't that always the way? Something exciting for one situation, can at the same time be something not so exciting for another. We will see what tonight brings.

I sat this morning and studied my devotion, and many things ran through my mind. I kept coming back to one thought. This moment is my life. It isn't what happened yesterday or what I'll do next but this very moment that matters most. To enjoy this moment is the ultimate of living well.

This morning, I recieved an email for Oprah and it included a link to Eckhart Tolle's guide To Transformings Your Life. This list is worthy of sharing. I hope you enjoy reading these thoughts and apply them to your life.

I give you Eckhart Tolle's Guide to Transforming Your Life:

I believe Eckhart Tolle has hit on things we all need to ponder. His thoughts are deep thoughts not for the faint of heart. He doesn't buy into the pretense of the world's attempt at making us believe we have to be this or that to be whole. That is the beauty of his thoughts, he releases us to be the person we were meant to be. A person true to ourselves only and not a person created to please others. It is my belief that the authentic self is all we are meant to be. Why would anyone want to be anything other than who they were put on this Earth to be?

Join Me at The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show This Weekend! Giveaway!!!!

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Join me at the Southern Spring Home and Garden Show this weekend at

The Park Expo and Conference Center! There is a full slate of fun planned and lots to see.The showcase garden theme this year is America The Beautiful! It's like your favorite home and garden magazine is coming to life! Frank Fritz from American Pickers will be on hand tomorrow! Come out and see cooking shows by the Queen City's top chefs like Clark Barlow from Heirloom, Heidi Billotto, Food Writer & Restaurant Critic, Jamie Lynch of 5 Church/ Top Chef contestant, Blake Hartwick of Bonterra and many more! It is going to be an action-packed event this weekend and next weekend!

The stage event topics will range from wallpaper and window treatments to flower arrangements, beautiful lawns and garden vegetables. The Cooking stage will feature several local restaurants and shops, covering donuts, Japanese cuisine, little plates, eating-local tips, wine, cheese and more!

Want to Win Free Tickets? I have some to giveaway!!!

I have 6 Tickets to The first Readers who email me at

[email protected] and tell me why you want to go!!!!

Who Knows Maybe I'll Give Away More!!!

Visit "Villa GoLightly" Modernism Week Show House in Palm Springs!

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Good Morning Readers, I have a treat for you today! I've been following along on instagram watching all the beauty unfold at this year's Modernism Week Show House in Palm Springs, California. I have to say I'm a little jealous I had to cancel my plans to attend this year. This may be my favorite Modernism show house to date! The home is quintennial Palm Spring architecture and this year's designers have celebrated the spirit of the architecture with the perfect, colors, patterns, furniture, art and design in every room. It is a feast for the eyes!

I want to take you on a little virtual tour of the home and share some of the details I'm digging.

Fair Warning: You need to grab a cup of tea or your fav beverage cause this is a long post but worth the time spent gandering!

Click Here to Continue On To See This Fabulous House.....

Kudos to designer and producer, Christopher Kennedy for his vision for this year's show house and to Brendan Von Eck who has worked along with Christopher to make this show house happen. The showhouse proceeds benefit Modernism week and other the preservation efforts.

The project is sponsored by Traditional Home Magazine, Thermador Home, Chairish, Ferguson, DuPont, Eggarsman USA cabinetry and more than three dozen other local and national design resources.

This year's Modernism Week show house is the 6,500 square foot home of the social media star, Kelly Golightly and her photographer husband, Fred Moser in the Andreas Hills area of Palm Springs. Kelly pins a lifestyle blog for modern day Audrey Hepburn's. Fred's amazing eye captures the daily adventures of Kelly who truly is a modern day Hepburn. They have christened their home so appropriately "Villa Golightly."

The iconic "Palm Springs" brightly colored doors are evident at Villa Go Lightly. The doors in the home were crafted from Able and Baker. There was a contest on instagram to help choose the Dunn and Edwards paint color! The winner was Amy Urban Architect! I say the marigold-colored door is perfect!

Kate Spade New York was designed the foyer which has soft pale striped walls and colorful abstract art which is the perfect entrance into this colorful home.

Another shot of the foyer by Kate Spade NYC.

repost from Clara Haneberg instagram

The dining room designed by Christopher Kennedy borrows a page out of the "plays well with others" color guide. This room has so much visual interest one would never get bored. I especially love the mix of fabrics for the dining chairs with the side chairs representing the ever so popular green of the year. A Wendover Art abstract is the perfect piece to add punch to the palette. Of course, my personal favorite in the room is the vintage brass ibex dining table. Swoon!

photo reposted from Wendover Art Group instagram

Designer, Barclay Butera designed a living room in a neutral palette which gives the eye a chance to rest before entering the rest of the color and pattern filled rooms. Adding visual interest through texture, Butera created a lush, living room which is perfect for formal entertaining.

photo reposted from Barclay Butera on instagram

Grace Home Furnishings chose to channel Audrey with this iconic art wall featuring a pair of Audrey's facing one another.

reposted from Grace Home Furnishing's instagram

It's def a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" inspired iconic lounge Grace Home Furnishings created. I can picture Kelly and Fred having cocktails here can't you?

reposted from Grace Home Furnishings on instagram

Here's a broader view of the lounge. Isn't it fabulous?

One more glimpse of this fab space!

reposted from Grace Home Furnishings on instagram

Celebrity designer, Kelli Ellis designed a kitchen that made everyone want to cook! This glam kitchen has accents of the perfect amount of brass to warm up this cool, chic space. Those sexy counter stools from ATG Home, wow! The Thermador range is gorgeous and the right amount of stainless to give this mixed metal affect the perfect balance. J'adore the tile backsplash from Tile Bar! Kudos Kell for a sassy yet sophisticated space which I think takes a skilled designer to pull off!

reposted from ATG Home on instagram

Rachel Cannon Lewis nailed this laundry room! I mean really? Who wants to do laundry here? I do, I do!!!

repost from AJ Weddle instagram

From the trio of styles and colors on the doors by Able and Baker to the killer Philip Jeffries Wallpaper, Rachel make this an incredible space worthy of high praise! Good job Rach! You made us southerners proud with this one!

repost from Joyce Kiehl on instagram

Every detail so perfectly planned in the laundry room.

repost from Rachel Cannon Lew on instagram

This space designed by Sarah Sherman Samuel of Los Angeles is sublime! I adore the pink agate wallpaper by Limitless Walls. Isn't it yummy? Her sponsors were Room and Board, Chairish, cb2, Lampsplus Ferguson, Lulu and Georgia, Simply Framed, West Elm and The Cartorialist.

repost by Sarah Sherman Samuel instagram acct.

Here is a closeup of that yummy wallpaper by Limitless Walls! Reminds me of strawberry gelato and that Kelly Wearstler sconce is fabulous!

repost by Sarah Sherman Samuel instagram acct.

The bath in Villa Golightly is another room channeling Audrey.

Dawn McCoy designed a playful bath complete with a tub full of Moet

Champagne which gives "pretty in pink" a good name!

repost from Dawn McCoy instagram

These are the things dreams are made of, right friends? Photo by Gray Malin. Don't miss the Alys Edwards Tile. Isn't it fabulous?

repost from Dawn McCoy instagram

While we are talking bathrooms, let's take a peek at the "Flamingtotastic" powder bath by Dee Murphy with Cole and Son wallpaper. Love everything about this powder bath including the designer who designed it.

repost from Dee Murphy Design

Another shot of Dee's bathroom with Victoria and Albert Tub!

repost from Dee Murphy Design

Super blogger Joy Cho founder and writer of OhJoy blog created this darling room and also those darling kids! How cute is this? She is an amazing blogger and so fun to follow and also happens to be pretty fab with interior design!

I'm not going to share all the rooms because you need to go see this for yourself. But let's talk a minute about the outdoor spaces which are key to entertaining in Palm Springs.

Trellis Homes designed the killer master bedroom with the modern Audrey in mind. I am digging the pattern play and colors in this chic room.

Close up of the custom designed bed canopy using Thibaut cryptonfabric "Bailey" fabric lined with Florence Broadhurst "Cockatoo" fabric pulled back with Pyar and co tassel tie backs, Selamat Designs Shanghai headboard and accent pillows, Matouk linens sheets make this master fit for a king and a queen.

A few glam pieces from Phillips Collection, Moss Studios and Selamat, round out the seating area in the Master by Trellis Home Design.

all master photos reposted from Trellis Home Design instagram

I have three walk-in closets, but not one is big enough to be a cloffice ( closet/office). I envy Kelly this fab space designed by Michelle Harrison Design, complete with fashionable, personal assistant!

reposted by Michelle Harrison design instagram

More from the other side of the cloffice! Designed by Natasha Minasian. It's not secret that I have a personal love affair with Dorothy Draper, Brazilliance. So fab!

reposted from Natasha Minasian instagram

Love this space by Maya Williams with Osborne and Little Wallpaper

reposted pic from Maya Williams on instagram

Jean Liu created one of the most fun spaces at the house which he politely stated on this picture from his instagram wall, "no monkeys allowed"!

reposted pic from Jean Lui Design on instagram

Check out the finished space. This isn't the entire space, but I wanted to whet your appetite for more. I would go "Bananas" for this space!

reposted pics from Jean Liu Design on instagram.

StoriModern outdoor furniture went all out with their photos and included a live monkey. Meet "Kate"!

reposted pic by StoridModern on instagram

Gorgeous photo by StoriModern, maker of this fab outdoor furniture.

reposted pic from StoriModern on instagram

Go Bananas for Palm Springs by Jean Liu Designs

Dunn Edwards Vibrant Honey DE5314 and Black DEA187 was the paint used for the mural.

Reposted pic from StoriModern on instagram

Christopher Kennedy also designed this amazing outdoor space!

photo repost from Christopher Kennedy instagram

The Flamingo's Nest by Sammy Castro Design is a spot I would live in if this were my home. Love the modern flamingo sculpture in the nest.

Madly in love with the outdoor space, Gray Malin designed with custom Santa Barbara umbrella. Wait, there's more. You will have to wait to see it, though!

photo by Gray Malin

And that's a wrap!

How Freakin' Fabulous is this House????

I'm so Palm springs Yellow with Envy!!!!!

Congrats to Kelly and Fred who so graciously allowed the use of their beautiful home for this year's project!

Job Well Done By All!!!

I'm sure I have photos that need crediting changes and am happy to do so! Just let me know if I didn't credit properly.

Want to see more....

Follow instagram accounts @kellygolightly and @fredbaby13 @christopherkennedyinc to see more. #villagolightly

I Recommend Maria Killam's Specifying Color With Confidence Workshop!

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If you don't already know Maria Killam, you may be living under a rock. Maria is a color specialist and hails from Canada, but honestly, I think she is in the US more than Canada given the popularity and demand for her color workshop, "Specifying Color with Confidence."

This past April, I had the opportunity to take Maria's Class here in Charlotte before High Point Market. As a designer for 20 years I honestly wasn't sure there was anything about color that I didn't already know, but since Maria was my friend, I wanted to take the class. I was surprised at how much I took away. I pride myself on having an expert color eye that has been honed through many years of practice as well as the age old trial and error, unfortunately. I can identify many colors from most designer paint lines because I know the colors so well from specifying them over the last two decades. I cannot say enough about Maria's class. The class is perfect for the novice designer who needs more confidence on how to work with clients on choosing colors as well as the seasoned designer who desires to learn Maria's system which cuts time out of the process of specifying colors. I'll give you a little tip...buy her color boards. I would suggest buying her boards and taking the class but if you aren't going to take the class buy the dang boards. If you are a designer and don't have them in your bag of tricks, you are missing out. More on that later but for now, let's chat about her class!

Click Here to Continue & Find Out Why I Love Maria's Class....

This is a photo taken of our class in Charlotte, last April. See me in the back standing up? Yeah, I was the girl who arrived late because I had to check on client projects before class each day, but hey, I got there!
Our class consists of young designers, seasoned designers, home enthusiasts, color specifiers, shop owners, furniture painters and more.

Maria loaded us up with many valuable color tools. This beautiful color wheel was one of them. I look like an average color wheel, but it isn't. I'm not going to tell you why and give away Maria's secrets you will have to take her class to discover how this can help your business.

While in the class we engaged in several hands-on exercises that helped Maria teach her method to us. The exercises were much fun and taught us how to explain color to clients in new ways. I felt like I was in art camp for adults. The workshop was a legitimate time away from the office to hone my skills about color. I also benefitted from networking with other creatives. I made several new contacts whom I have had the opportunity of connecting with since the class.
There were so many takeaways I have an entire notebook of information I wrote down while in the class which has been referenced several times since I took Maria's class.

Why should you take Maria's class?

WHEN YOU HAVE Maria's SYSTEM, YOU CAN:

Diagnose exactly what is going on, and what should be going on, when you walk into a home.
Know exactly where to begin, every time
Create a colour scheme that pulls the look of a home together
Distinguish undertones in complex neutrals and whites
Create a niche, specializing in colour
Become known as a True Colour Expert™!

Get the most critical and important tool

in your design kit

Maria's LARGE PAINTED COLOUR BOARDS

Buy Maria's Color Boards even if you cannot take the class. Every designer should have these boards in their possession! These boards save you time and money, as well as make life so easier for you and your clients! So now you are asking why we should limit ourselves to a certain number of boards. I'll let Maria explain that in a minute. First, let's discuss which boards you should purchase. The Core Collection or the VIP Collection?

I highly recommend you invest in the full collection which includes the Core collection and the VIP Collection of 100 most popular neutrals, darks, and colors of paints used on the market. The samples are large full poster board size but fit nicely in a travel tote for convenience and ease of transporting. They are portable, lightweight and provide tons of options for safe color options you can specify for your clients.

Why buy the boards? Why Not!

But Don't Take My Word for It, Here is Maria's professional explanation of why to buy the boards:

"The reason you will only need a limited number of colours is that it’s a System. After years of using large colour samples when choosing colour for clients, I noticed that there was a core collection that I used over and over again. This collection features the most useful colours for each of the nine undertone categories, so you’re covered. What this means is if you are trying to coordinate a neutral with tiles or stone or fabrics, 95% of the time, you’ll find it here.

So if you want to look and feel confident when specifying colour for your clients and/or for yourself, I have a limited number of sets of 50 samples that I’m selling for $299 (including delivery) anywhere in Canada or the US (Tax applicable for Canadian Residents).

They are all Benjamin Moore colours. That works out to $6.00 each. Last time I checked, buying a paint sample cost at least $6.99 – $10.00 never mind the time and cost of poster boards, rollers, etc. to make up your own. It took me 2 hours to paint 8 sample on my own a few months ago."

Has this been your experience? Have you been back and forth to the paint store and spent too much effort choosing the right shade of paint for yourself or a client? We have all done it. Even with the years of design experience I have I also was guilty of doing this before I got Maria's boards. Now I pull out the boards and can easily see the perfect color in minutes.

Do Yourself a favor and invest in the color boards today!!!

If you are interested in ordering the color boards, click here for more info.

If you order the color boards or take Maria's Specifying Color with Confidence Class, please come back and tell me how much you liked it! I want to hear from you! Have you taken her class? Leave your own personal testimonial on how much you liked the class!

P.Sl Don't you love how Maria spells "colour"? It seems so much fancier than how Americans spell color! She is def fancy like that! So take Maria's class and find out more about color from the true color expert, who happens to be one of the nicest people in the industry!

Transform The Way You See Color With Maria's Workshop! Click Here to Sign Up or Get More Info!

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Join Me at The Southern Spring Home & Garden Show This Weekend! Giveaway!!!!

Visit "Villa GoLightly" Modernism Week Show House in Palm Springs!

I Recommend Maria Killam's Specifying Color With Confidence Workshop!

WHEN YOU HAVE Maria's SYSTEM, YOU CAN:

Get the most critical and important tool in your design kit

Maria's LARGE PAINTED COLOUR BOARDS

Get the most critical and important tool

in your design kit