Navigating High Point 2012 Update

High Point is logistically difficult to navigate.  Having shopped "The Market" for at least 20 days per year, for the past 25 years, I know my way around, and oddly find the experience energizing. The heart of HP is the IHFC (International Home Furnishings Center).  Go there first, (shown below in red).  I've drawn orange lines around the perimeter of your hunting grounds. The Hamilton Wrenn district and Market Square are areas you should explore. Receiving a Resource Guide in advance is key. Ask the market authority to send you a copy. It is easier for me than the website, which is surprising.  For parking, I'm one to pay the piper. Many hotels have shuttle service to the transportation terminal at the IHFC.

 

Your first stop is InterHall in the IHFC. Walk through the main street entrance (Commerce) and walk down the hall to the right. InterHall is the must-see, juried space at market. This is where the market authority separates the "Wheat from the chafe." Thank goodness!

Even if you have regular access to large design centers, many of these vendors are unique to HP, so take the time.  As you walk up and down the aisles, you will see an escalator. When you finish shopping InterHall, return to the central escalator and shop floors 2-4 of the adjacent Design and Green sections.  Chelsea textiles has spectacular Gustavian and mid-century pieces. 

Don't miss our top vendor, World's Away: IHFC BUILDING, IH301239. 

 Our clients love their product and particularly their Brentwood Desk. 

Global Views (IHFC D220 ) has showroom after showroom of fabulously merchandized product. 

 Their Faux Bois Dining table is a best seller for us. Give me a call to receive a market special price!

As far as I'm concerned, in the IHFC,  InterHall and floors of 2-4 of "Design"  are tops.  If other vendors are on your list for that building, ask a guide. I strongly recommend the Phillips Collection(IHFC C202 Commerce Wing).

Embrace your inner farmer with our Phillips Collection little resin Lamb. Our country clients love it, but this little one is also favorite for nurseries. Also, outside of Design, but nearby, Emissary U.S.A. has stunning ceramics with the best glazes.  They aren't far off, so ask. They are located at: IHFC Hamilton 404.

 Zebra patterns add graphic punch to any room. The TODAY Show credited us this morning with this versatile accessory! We are ecstatic to be included in Chassie Post's, round-up featuring reasonably priced items to spice up your decor. Click Here to see her take on Hottest Spring Trends for the Home.

When you are done,  with the upper floors of the IHFC, take the escalator back to Interhall. Your next stop is mapped below. Here is the sneaky way. Walk towards the front of Interhall, towards the cafe section. Pass through the tables and head down the hall. Make a quick stop at Summer Classics, then exit through the side door of the big building and cross the street. You are heading to the annex and the outdoor furniture section--Janus et Cie, Currey and Company, Barlow Tyrie, and do not miss the Veneman Collection tucked into the corner.

Visiting Currey and Company is like old home week for me. Robert and Suzy Currey are always so hospitable and entertaining. I've been buying their products for clients for years. Known for their fabulous lighting and terrific price points, the furniture gets better by the market. Here is one of my fav's.

This magical bench is a fun surprise to find tucked away in the garden. The Elwyn concrete bench is a durable all weather, all season heavy weight. Color is so hot right now, and I never wavered from it. I long for these amazing Veneman pieces.

Here is the link on our website.

More Tomorrow!
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Easy Casual Entertaining, Our Easter Party

We all have busy lives and careful budgets, but we still want to have glorious parties. My Mother always said: "You want your cake and eat it too." Being very young, if I knew how to say: "Duhh," I would have. Here is how we've done it. Our closest friends know the drill and are well trained for the Morten girl party. They keep coming back, so I think its working. My friend Meg and I usually choose the menu and take on the invitations,  meat course, the antipasto platters, the flowers and the clean-up staff. Our stake in the game is around $250.00 each, which for almost 20 people is quite reasonable. The other guests bring their specialties and a couple of bottles of wine, providing a killer dinner party. We are all a part of it and it is the best meal in town.

Daughter number two wanted to do the flowers, and for her first attempt, I'd say she definitely has a knack for it. Amy Merrick Flowers out of Brooklyn, New York is her muse (pictured above.) I think you will agree, she is cultivating new territory in floral design.


























After the party I massed all of the bouquets on the kitchen Island, and am quite enjoying the view from my desk.

I must admit, my guests work like dogs, but that's part of the fun.

This year we decided not to spend the hours setting the table for everyone, so we just ate on our laps. I have to say I have the greatest friends in the world. They are undemanding, generous and best of all--super fun. That is what entertaining is all about; our friends and family. Nothing else matters. I'm glad my bloggy pals could join. What are your Holiday traditions?

More La Cienega Design District stops

Yes, we are still covering the California trip. It was so beautiful and there was so much to see. The girls and I decided to tuck into Harbinger, brain child of by Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat. The design bloggers were arriving at a reception later, but we wanted to photograph the experience before the room filled up. Below is Bunny's Williams' BeeLine Homes display. 

Bunny gives us a lesson in getting plenty of design bang out of a small space. Floating a pair of neutral well scaled sofas around a focal point creates a functional and welcoming conversation area. You really can pack it in. The ethnic print on the walls will never go out of style for me, and a large scale print actually can make a small area feel larger.  Try painting an old coffee table in a bright high gloss color and adding some hardware. Space expanding large mirrors opposite windows or doorways, cleverly bring the outside in. 

A narrow console along the back of each sofa provides light and height balancing this small space. Note that the wood finishes do not have to match. Client's call me all the time about this and I have trouble persuading them that it is desirable. If Bunny can do it, you can do it! 

The traffic moves along the perimeter. Chic, eclectic little drinks tables add interest and sophistication to a scheme, and I am a big fan of hanging lanterns over the center of a seating area. If you have worn tired upholstery, it can easily be repaired and altered for a new look. Tuck a diminutive bench under your sofa table, and it does double duty as a desk. 

Okay, this is possibly the most glorious bed of all time, decked out in sumptuous Holland and Sherry fabrics and richly embroidered trims. Let the pinning begin. Attention to detail is paramount in this studio.  We lingered over this framed image of the House Beautiful American Design Heritage, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal. Its great fun.  I used a better online image, and you can download it and frame it for yourself and hang it in your office.

We had to slip into Peter Dunham's Hollywood at Home. He had some wonderful vignettes to inspire even the thriftiest shopper.

The blown up geometric floor makes the room. I have always encouraged young girls to use outdoor furniture in their first apartments, because they move all the time and they are light. We often use outdoor dining chairs in the kitchen, because they can be taken outdoors and hosed off.

These teak chairs and casual upholstery pieces give this living room an outdoorsy, porch feel. I love the idea. Using maps over the sofa is an inexpensive way to cover a large space. They can be cut up into smaller pieces and framed as a collection, as well. I favor the antique reproductions of urban cities over the school room maps, but they're fun. We sauntered over to Mecox Gardens, who have always done a terrific job showing us how to use garden elements in the home.

My hands down favorite lamp du jour is this Mary McDonald lamp for Robert Abbey.

We are all remembering and honoring the great Gentleman of decorating Albert Hadley. 

Bruce Weber gave a perfect account of Hadley's life 

in the New York Times.

May your heaven be as beautiful as the world you created and

shared with so many people. 

"Life is all about manners. Nothing else matters."

Albert Hadley, House Beautiful

Don't forget to visit our store

Dovecote Decor

  

House Beautiful's April 2012 "Making it in L.A.

House Beautiful did an in-depth round-up titled "Making it in L.A. " by David A. Keeps, describing Los Angeles's  thriving home furnishings industry. Hutton Wilkinson's adorable intern, Berry, toured us through the La Cienega Design Quarter. Who knew that California ranks #1 in the U.S. for the number of cabinetmakers, bench carpenters and furniture finishers? As a North Carolina furniture manufacturing, High Point black belt, this article was an amazing eye-opener. Here is our take away, but you must get this issue and keep it on file.

After a delightful lunch at the Ivy, we strolled the three block district of vine covered shops. Touring design districts to see how top talent combine fabrics, textures, colors, lighting and accessories is a sure path to your own interior inspiration. Even if the feast of deliciousness is over your head financially, there is much absorb and apply to your own projects.

OHWOW:  "OHWOW was established in 2008 by Al Moran and Aaron Bondaroff to encourage artistic innovation and provide a platform for progressive art of all media, featuring both emerging and established artists’ work." The piece below by Terry Richardson recreates the red carpet experience.

As you walk past this super sized interactive photograph, the cameras start noisily flashing and clicking as the paparazzi call out and the crowd roars. Quite the ego boost to say the least. We took a few gracious turns in front of it, then we popped our glamorous selves over to Hollyhock.

Suzanne Rheinstein's, Hollyhock, carries la creme de la creme in accessories, antiques, as well as her eponymous upholstery and fabric lines. We shop all the time, but these accessories and vignettes are breathtaking.

This container garden of Vladimere Kanefsky porcelain flowers would be a stunning perennial accent to any room. Suzanne's insistence on quality hand made goods is what makes all the difference in her well curated store and client's homes. Shop for accessories that are artisanal and pleasing to your eye, and it will all go together in the end. I will mix high and low, as I am trying to gather a collection. If a piece has a chip I just turn it, so that it will be invisible. Slowly, I will find good pieces over the years and nudge the illusions out of the room.  Crossing the street we spent a good amount of time digesting the vintage furniture, art and lighting at Paul Marra design.

Paul Marra is a lively raconteur and shared his connoisseur's eye. Here is a classic blackamoor, the quintessential Hollywood Regency accessory. Originally from New Orleans, it held a torch in the raised hand. He pulled out Albert Hadley's "The Story of America's Preeminent Interior Designer" and illustrated how the maestro used them in one of his famous installations.

Do not dismiss expensive shops as out of the realm. Training your eye prepares you for great finds at consignment shops, estate sales, salvage yards and even flea markets. Carry your camera and keep files. I am filing this tole chandelier and smart sconce that are in Marra's lighting line.

This handsome stitched red leather sconce has made it into my staple file. 

Original Fornasetti floor lamps circa 1950, in painted malachite have a price tag of $10,500.00 so, keep your eyes open. Treasures like these can turn up anywhere. The La Cienega district is beautiful, and full of gorgeous little alley ways. At the end of February, the jasmine and wisteria are blooming and their spring flowers are abundant. It is the perfect respite from dreary winter!

In our next post we are heading over to Harbinger to take a lesson from designers Joe Lucas, Parrish Chilcoat and Bunny Williams

Visit Dovecote Decor's online shop to see more beautiful selections

L.A. "A List" The Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino

I want to say in Meyrl Streep's lilting, halting voice as Karen Blixen: " I had a farm in Africa." It is a voice haunted by the past and fraught with emotion. So: "I was a garden guide at the Huntington." Not quite Meryl, but it was a happy and magical place in my life. I did my training, heavily at the end of my first pregnancy, so much so, that I had to carry a little portable stool to rest. I loved my course, staggering through the estate and learning the magical Latin and common names of plants, like Monstera Deliciosa.  I patted my enormous bump with satisfaction. I was anticipating my Monstera Deliciosa. Henry Huntington's estate is singular with its mansion, scholarly library, art galleries and garden collections. I always began my tours with the succulent collection, which is the largest in the world.

Succulents bloom in the rainy season of Mediterranean climates, so this is when the garden is at its apex. Humming birds hover around madly in this exotic and peaceful escape.

Barrel head cacti, with their accordion shapes, expand and contract in accordance with the rain. Like us, they are pudgy when they're full and puny when they aren't. Cactus flowers are tiny and brilliantly colored.

Basking in the afternoon light, crowned with their annual flowers, the cacti literally glow. I have done nothing to this picture. There are also Aloe and Agave with their wild inflorescence.

There is a bit of Dr. Seuss to the place. 

Moving through the gardens, you must remember that the property is a connoisseur's collection, much like the paintings, silver, furniture, library etc...  Actually, back in the day, transporting Camellias, Cycads, Succulents, Species Roses, Palms--and on and on, was a highly delicate business. These plants were transported by ship from every continent.

There is a Conifer collection that includes mighty trees, that were thought to be extinct 30 years ago.

We did get to see a bit of California spring in the English Gardens. 

 Pacific Giant Delphiniums

Fragrant English stock greets us 

The famous Japanese garden was closed but I will share a few photos from the  web.

The estate is developed on the remaining 130 acres left from the original 600. It is both a research institution and an educational center. Spend an entire day and eat a healthy lunch in the charming tea room.

Oh, and before I leave, here is the hot seller of the week!

This little hottie is in the February issue of House Beautiful

 Market is coming so send us your wish lists, or schedule a visit!
More Later!
Liz