Design Headquarters, is firmly anchored in Charlotte, North Carolina. Phoebe, aka Mrs. Howard, and Max and Company, have taken over the palatial former Charlotte Women's club.  Collaborating with her talented husband, Jim, the couple create breath taking architectural rooms in multiple styles that are timeless.  Downstairs, Max and Company has a more modern, youthful take on decor. Upstairs, Mrs. Howard dazzles us with elegant, colorful, layered rooms. Take a lesson from the Howards! I have literally sifted through all their design projects on their websites, and there isn't a: "Ho-Hum" in the bunch. The look, within any genre, is perfectly balanced. Beach houses, mid century modern, eclectic, mountain and urban rooms are executed with equal skill. If there is a more beautiful store in the world, it is probably theirs.

The first three rooms at the street entrance to the store, were kept original to maintain the historic character of the house. Jim's architectural additions to the building are seamless, and look entirely original.

This Geometric tile floor in this hall is so chic with the opulent paneling and retro chairs.

This sophisticated focal point in the hall has a stunning floor with a three dimensional effect. The symmetry is restful and interesting. As we wander from one splendid space to another, the versatility and originality knocked our socks off.

We loved how the monochromatic oriental panel creates flow between these two spaces. The relating walls in the bedroom beyond, are perfectly hand painted. 

Nail head trim is all the rage in upholstery. The designers crafted a hefty pattern on the velvet fabric walls, instantly lightening the formality with the small scale chintz fabric on the chairs, and a country table. The Yin-Yang design concept speaks to me. 

This detail, taken from Mrs. Howard's website, highlights her signature sunburst mirrors,  repeated in the nail head motif. If anybody can beat this English country dining room, send me a picture!

Here is one of the max and company rooms. Dovecote loves the egg prints!

Mirrors are like bracelets for Mrs. Howard. She stacks them! This room positively glows with elegance. The detail of the drapery fabric repeating the molding on the horizontal plane enhances the geometric pattern of the mill work, reflected in the mirror.

Clean and serene. This mountain house from the website is fresh and light. Grey really is a pastel color, blending evenly with soft blue.  A Gustavian desk doubling as a bedside table is practical and pretty.  Of course the coterie loves the egg prints. 

I couldn't resist this picture. I don't think I have ever seen a fabric I love more! The lantern on the ceiling is a trademark touch.  Browse through the Howards' design projects and let us know which rooms you love the most.

Back to the Future

About 15 minutes north of Winston-Salem,  lies the sleepy little town of Bethania, the only remaining independent, continuously active Moravian village in the southern United States.  Founded in 1759, it is the only known existing Germanic-type Linear Agricultural village in the South.  Houses are organized along The Old Plank Road, now Main Street closely situated to one another, with long deep gardens in the rear, enough for an orchard, vegetables and livestock.

Our friend, I will affectionately call Gypsy, has highly eclectic interests. A spectacular collection of antique furniture and textiles, flows seamlessly with Art Deco,  women's World War II recruitment posters, Haitian primitive landscapes and various pop art objects.  The house is a study in Pop Art: "Pop removes the material from its context and isolates the object, or combines it with other objects, for contemplation.^[1][2]"  

Warm, primary colors dominate this house, as mid century upholstery,  emphasized with a bright yellow fabric trim, socialize comfortably with an early American Antique day bed and contemporary modern prints. 

Old homes still need modern kitchens and bathrooms! This kitchen was converted from an enclosed porch. The former exterior log walls support Gypsy's extensive collection of family portraits. The juxtaposition of a shiny modern steel refrigerator, with antiques, and photography makes the wonderful Haitian primitive landscape pop. 

A laundry/mud room convenient to the kitchen and downstairs master bedroom, is a luxury for an 1840's house.  It holds excess china and vases as well and triples up as a flower room.  Placing prints over the washing machine and dryer transform the space from simple utility into a pleasant room. 

The second floor houses our friend's extensive collection of books, two guest rooms and a wonderful modern bath. A keyword internet search landed this cool mid-century, Art Deco grouping. The bright red, new shelving creates continuity with the downstairs, with a fresh dimension. 

A contemporary soaking tub, surrounded by fresh modern mosaic tiles animates the simple lines of the chair and old fashioned charm of the tole tray. 

What could make a guest happier than a comfortable bed, an extensive library and a long hot bath?  

Up in the rafters,  our hostess has created a well organized home office and a comfortable television viewing area.  A lover of  pop culture literally, Gypsy displays her soda bottle collection, which is rivaled only by my daughter's soda cap collection.  They are a couple of quirky kindred souls. 

Stepping into the deep, characteristic garden to the rear, we'll take you on a quick stroll through Bethania. 

Stunning Moravian stonework and a lovingly tended garden

Shady front porches create a sidewalk social life for residents

A weathered urn sits decoratively at the edge of a lawn

Last but not least....A Dovecote!!

High Point, North Carolina

High Point, North Carolina is an elusive, and surreal locale. It is loaded with trash and treasure, and has endured some thorny transitions. The recent painful shift of furniture manufacturing to Asia, was cataclysmic. Yes, prices declined, but scale, finish, and style, were “lost in translation” for many years. Some of the savvier boutique companies, started exporting containers from the antique fairs in Europe, along with renowned restoration experts, guiding production processes.  To our complete elation, new collections emerged completely indistinguishable from their antique inspirations.

Elm, marble and brass bistro serving cabinet, re-produced from a cafe in Paris

Wonderful, quirky pieces from the Paris Flea Market were identical, down to the paint drips, and without the terrible excesses of “over distressing” that ironically made furniture appear artificial.

CFC Reclaimed Lumber Spanish Console

Today, a good reproduction looks old because smart designers have started using old wood, water based finishes, and traditional scaling.

Barclay Butera Bel Air Bench

The giant “McMansion,” baronial pieces that are simply offensive, are auspiciously fading.  We have observed, over the years, that upholstery trends mimic footwear design. Sofas and chairs have morphed from clunky Steve Madden’s to sleek Manolo Blahnik’s.

Alex Papachristidis and Milly de Cabrol with screens by Hudson Furniture and Arteriors Home, from April 2010 Elle DECOR

Mid-century modern aesthetic is everywhere, and makes wonderful eclectic accents. The most important paradigm shift traces its origins from the conventional downside-up model. Boutique designers became almost curatorial in their devotion to authenticity, with double-digit sales increases in the face of drastic losses experienced by the big, brand name manufacturers.

From Carlton Varney’s Houses in my Heart, Joan Crawford’s New York living room

The old guard’s motto of: “Never underestimate the bad taste of the American public,” has been trumped by the value that:  good-taste is not subjective. It exists as one end of the spectrum within every genre, and the public is voting with their wallets!