Saturday, October 15, 2011

Annie Selkie Fresh American Design Booksigning at Belle Maison

Winston Salem is so excited by Annie Selke's visit to Belle Maison next week. I remember the first time the girls and I saw her Pine Cone Hill textile line in the early 1990's at High Point. We loved the clean, vibrant colors and patterns. The comforters are truly the coziest I've ever snuggled under. They are as beautiful in our house today, as they were 10 years ago. When the weather gets cold, I'm wrapped in Pine Cone Hill.


Images ranging through Annie's design categories, help readers define their personal vision: "In Fresh American, there’s no “right” way to create your ideal living space—design ideas become flexible, fluid, and, most of all, fun. You might find that you lean mostly toward one style, but still want to incorporate elements of another. That’s what Fresh American is all about—composing spaces that are entirely you." Are you "Romantic," "Nunaced," "Happy," "Cultured," or "Exuberant?" You might be a combination. Here is how you identify the zodiac of your taste preferences, and execute your look. 

A simple way to evoke the "Happy Preppy" look, Annie explains,  is to loose the pink and green cliches associated with the era. A two tone color palette, in a mixture of graphic plaids, florals and stripes creates an harmonious, pulled together room that is fresh and...well, happy. 


First time apartment owners and renters purchasing one piece at a time, frequently choose a neutral palette, as they select functional pieces on a budget. It makes sense, as neutral goes with everything. A calm design scheme is desirable in urban settings, as a refuge from the bright lights and big city chaos. Beach houses in these hues merge seamlessly, bringing the outdoors in. Done incorrectly, neutral can telegraph indecision, or lack of effort--read rental. Done correctly with textures, shades layers and sculptural forms, it spells c-h-i-c. Annie deciphers the code for lovers of this aesthetic. 


"Cultured Eclectics" love collections, curiosities, art, one of a kind and quirky pieces. It takes confidence to pull the trigger on a great flea market find or e-bay treasure. The big question is: " How do I pull all these disparate interests together. You've got the fever, Annie's got the cure. 


Every day exuberance takes me back. I can vividly remember the first time I walked into a house and saw a shocking pink sofa. It was my boyfriend's house, and his Mother was remarkably pleased. Incorporating graphic wall papers, and florals while celebrating modern design is how this style is achieved. 


If you are a Refined Romantic, you may be a Taurus, lover of home and hearth. Refined Romantics treasure craftsmanship and provenance. Lose the lace and the frills, and look for objects with history, and shine. Bring in fresh flowers from the garden and add floral accents with pillows, wall papers and fabrics. 
Come See Annie Selke at 
Belle Maison in
Historic Reynolda Village
Visit Her Website
And....
Don't forget to make 
Your Shopping List For Market!


10 comments:

  1. Liz I adore her style!! Annie realy knows how to pull it all together!!

    Oh and I have a Designer Pillows Giveaway, I hope you will join!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

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  2. So original and pretty, Liz.
    Thank you for sharing this book.
    Have a wonderful weekend. Btw, I love Pine Cone Hill too!
    Teresa
    xoxo

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  3. Love her flexible style - really something for everyone. The book is on my holiday list!! Hope all is well with you. Looking forward to your market recaps!!

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  4. Q said it right, she does have a flexible design and I also like that.

    Great post, Liz!

    Have a great day!

    xo

    Luciane at HomeBunch.com

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  5. Liz, I love that quote about "Fresh American"! I'm afraid I can't make it up to Winston for the book signing, but I will be sure to pick up a copy. Great post! xoxo Viive

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  6. Very pretty, and fresh looking.
    Will have to look out for the book.

    yvonne

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  7. I absolutely love her vibrant and spirited style--have fun at her signing!

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  8. Luke’s Army
    http://www.lukesarmy.com/

    Almost three years after the death of my son, Luke Borusiewicz, who died at the age of two years old in foster care (the average age of children who die in foster care is four and under), the inquest into his death has still not begun.
    A pre-inquest conference was held last week where I attended by phone, but hung up minutes into the conference after hearing blatant and misleading lies from the Queensland Department of Community Services representative. It disgusts me that anyone can tell lies about a deceased baby, but a senior representative of an agency existing in the interests of protecting children, telling lies to protect its own evil interests is incorrigible.
    The judge at the conference has ruled that Luke’s death has still not been investigated properly, another abomination.

    I promised Luke the last time I looked at him laying there in his coffin I would do something about what the department of community services had done to him, and that I would do something to fix the child protection and foster care system, which had mistreated him from the time they had come into our lives.
    People need to realize, this is not a one off case. Atrocities like this are a daily occurrence in the department of community services, world wide.
    These child protection officers are answerable to no one, they are unaccountable for their actions and operate behind a media ban which helps to conceal their mistakes and malpractice.
    The department of community services complaints hotline is a smoke screen for the department, acting as an early warning system alerting the department when their dishonest and unethical behavior has been discovered, allowing time for false statements to be concocted, evidence to be destroyed, and threats against distraught parents to be made.

    Whilst the media are gagged when it comes to exposing the corruption rife within the department of community services, and politicians turn their back on the problems, I have devoted my life to this issue. Parental rights are a thing of the past once a child protection worker enters a family home. The onus is on discrediting a parent, no matter how much love the child and parents have for each other. Luke was everything I ever lived for, still is and always will be. I am quite prepared to go to jail for speaking out about the abuse of power and families by the department of community services staff, especially management, which is where the root of this child stealing machine is routed.
    This last month, first time visitors to the site have increased by 650%. The website Crimes Against Fathers (http://www.crimesagainstfathers.com) has contributed toward a facelift and maintenance for the site.

    I am in the process of picking myself up, and dusting myself off. I still can’t talk about what was done to Luke, I wake up screaming and crying from nightmares, but my faith in God, and my solicitor, eases my anguish.
    The next step for me is to establish a commercial vegetable growing enterprise entitled “Luke’s Army Vegetables”, which will be sold with labels containing links to the website, and the desperate pleas of parents who have been mistreated by the department of community services, their children wrongly removed.
    This plan is already underway. Through this venture I intend to fund legal support for parents who have no hope in this corrupt and cruel system of gaining true legal support.

    I would like to sincerely thank the many people who have given their support and encouragement through this sad time in my life. Thankyou so much for those who post on the site, and all who have joined Luke’s Army, which is now reaching 5000 members strong. Most of all I would like to thank my Lukey Pookey, who showed me what love is, and has given me everything I have in my life, I owe you my life Luke, I love you more than anything in the world son, for ever and ever, RIP.

    Luke’s Dad,
    Michael Borusiewicz

    Life's misfortunes fall disproportionately upon the young

    http://www.lukesarmy.com/

    ReplyDelete

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