Handmade News - The Grange Furniture Inc. Blog

A Little French Gourmet for Inspiration

2012-02-24T11:41:00.001-08:00

BY GUEST BLOGGER: CHERYL SCARLET of DESIGN TRANSFORMATIONS, INC.

Design inspiration can happen anywhere—in my case, bakeries.

I was recently influenced by a gourmet trend. In many magazines and boutique bakeries today you may notice tiny colorful cookie cakes to entice a sweet tooth. These popular Parisian macaroons come in many flavors and gorgeous saturated colors. For me, these little desserts sparked a new design concept. An assortment of flavors tucked into a narrow box inspired a whimsical custom finish design for my interpretation of a Grange chest of drawers.

A visit to the famous Laduree patisserie on Paris’ Champs-Élysées displays a stunning rainbow collection of these tiny round cakes and is candy to a designer’s eye. The brilliant hue variety includes Pistachio, Coffee, Black Currant, Violet, Lemon, Vanilla and Raspberry! Unfortunately, sweet euphoria was short lived as each cake was quickly devoured after purchase. Although the memorable trip and sugary delight can now be enjoyed indefinitely buy applying Grange’s dramatic finishes to an inheritance worthy furniture piece.

What gourmet treats will inspire you?

GUEST BLOGGER

Cheryl Scarlet

Cheryl Scarlet studied interior design in Texas and has been in the interior design field for 11 years. Upon relocating to Denver, Colorado she began Design Transformations, Inc. in 2005.

Cheryl’s design style is best described as “at home”. Focusing on residential interiors, every detail of a home is evaluated. She believes every home should be a place of comfort and you should be surrounded by items you love. Her concept of transforming your space is approached by classic design fundamentals with an innovative twist.

“I enjoy giving my clients a comfortable haven fit for their lifestyles, while also creating an invigorating and modern atmosphere. My ultimate goal is to have happy and fulfilled clients that love the spaces they live in.”

Design Transformations, Inc.

Cheryl Scarlet, Allied ASID

720.560.7480

cheryltransforms@gmail.com

GRANGE Announces Contest Winner!

2012-02-20T11:12:00.000-08:00

Endless Possibilities with the GRANGE 1904 Counter Cabinet

2012-02-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

Guest Bloggers:

Melissa Moore & Christine Schurr

1904 GRANGE Counter Cabinet

The GRANGE 1904 Counter Cabinet is versatile and functional while combining solid oak and aged metal and aluminum to merge creative design with beautiful materials. It is catching the eye of some hot designers, for its attractive, hip, and uber functional design. This piece is solid oak, and offered in a heavily or lightly distressed limed oak finish. The cabinet can fit a traditional, rustic, or modern aesthetic.

A wealth of storage is this beauty’s claim to fame. With eight drawers, and open shelving on the bottom, the 1904 counter cabinet could house the wares of several rooms in your abode.

In efforts to expand on the 1904 Counter Cabinet, guest bloggers and GRANGE showroom managers, Christine Schurr (Troy, MI) and Melissa Moore (San Francisco, CA), highlight its many uses and capabilities. The dynamic design of the 1904 Counter Cabinet is fully utilitarian with its solid construction of washed and distressed oak.

In A Kitchen… Can you imagine this piece as a kitchen island? Its durability would lend itself well to the wear and tear of a busy kitchen. The lower shelves would be perfect for pans, cookie sheets, or platters, while the drawers could house all of your utensils, linens, and kitchen tools. The extra work surface and multitude of drawers will fit the bill for all of your cooking and baking prep station needs.

BarockSchloss

In A Children’s Room… This piece could be an excellent addition to a child’s room based on its durability and the fact that it is already pre-distressed. No need to worry about those nicks and scratches that will inevitable occur. There is plenty of drawer space for games, toys, art materials, and great stash areas below for anything else.

LozFlowers

In An Office or Workspace… An office or craft room would benefit from the storage and surface space this piece affords. A couple of designers have commented on the fact that the cabinet would be an amazing work space for their studios, once again utilizing the drawers for fabric samples, and all other “tools of the trade”. Floating in the center of an office area, partners could easily access the contents from both sides, and the top could serve as a useful area to review layouts, projects, and plans. Pop a stool at either end to pull up and go to work!

Shino

In A Closet… Wouldn’t this be an ideal organizational piece for the closet of your dreams? Your belts, scarves, accessories, and personal garments would have rightful homes. These shallow drawers mean no more digging. Your favorite fashion accompaniments are a drawer pull away, while the bottom shelf is just the right height for pumps, and the shelf above it would be well-suited for flats.

Mark&AndreaBusse

In A Gardening Shed… If you had the luxury of having your very own potting shed, wouldn’t this be a wonderful piece? Imagine Martha Stewart gingerly tending her orchid plant atop this useful surface. All your spades, hand rakes, gloves, and small tools would be at your fingertips, but cleanly out of sight. Apply a coat of tung oil, for water resistance.

HeatherClemons

Guest Bloggers:

Melissa Moore

Melissa has been in showroom management since for almost 30 years and has specifically worked for several furniture and fabric showrooms at the San Francisco Design Center. She loves working with the designers and their clients, and watching projects come together with the use of colors, textures, fabrics, and certain pieces of furniture. For San Francisco-based and surrounding area inquiries, call Melissa at 415.863.6406.

Christine Schurr

Christine is the Grange Showroom Manager at the Michigan Design Center in Troy. She studied Studio Art at Michigan State University, and has always held a passion for art and design. Christine enjoys cooking, snowboarding, reading, and antiquing in her spare time. She is working on her own house project, and has included several Grange pieces in the design. For Michigan-based and surrounding area inquiries, call Christine at 248.649.9372.

VOTE NOW FOR YOUR FAVORITE DESIGN!

2012-01-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

Finding Balance...

2012-01-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

By Susan J. Slotkis, Allied ASID, IFDA, IDEC

Interior Design Services and Education

Profiles – Personalized Interiors

Author of Foundations of Interior Design, Fairchild Books

http://www.susanslotkis.com/

Is it the elusive hide and seek, catch as catch can, or merely an idealized notion? Perhaps we know balance best when it’s missing! We juggle priorities; we juggle trivialities. More accurately they juggle us. Multitasking, no longer relegated to just simultaneous computer processing, it defines our communications and our social interactions.

Balance, the state of equilibrium may also be thought of as homeostasis. It may be physical or emotional steadiness, or both. We all know how it feels when something is out of sync, when we have a headache (or a belly ache or a backache) nothing feels right! Interior design manipulates balance through different approaches. Balance in design may be achieved in a few ways:

Symmetrical balance relies on “mirror image” when the elements of a space are arranged identically on either side of a vertical axis. Traditional architecture and interiors are based on the Classic Greek principles such as those venerated and used later by Robert Adam of the Neoclassic Period. It’s a static and formal approach to design. Why static? Well, if you were to remove one element on either side of the axis, you have that state of “no balance” which may be disconcerting, unstable, and even stressful.

GRANGE 1904 Collection vignette illustrates symmetry

Asymmetrical balance relies on the concept of achieving equal “visual weight” of elements that are not identical. This is perhaps more difficult to achieve than symmetrical balance, but often results in a more fluid and satisfying approach to design. Elements that are not identical may appear or be perceived as being equal in weight due to many factors. Among these factors is the degree of light transmitted through them from none (opacity), to some (translucency) to all (transparency). A large rice paper light globe which transmits much of the lightness outward from its boundaries will appear to be heavier than a small light source shielded with an opaque black shade.

Certain colors are denser and appear heavier, such as black and violet vs. white and yellow. Saturated or intense colors have more visual weight. Another way is alter the perception of visual weight is through spacing. As spaces become narrower, the weight of those objects will intensify.

Most often we think about the vertical axis, from left to right (right to left for some). But, another dimension is to explore the horizontal axis or even the diagonal axes for a more enhance experience of harmony.

Radial balance also used in classical architecture and design relies on the arrangement of equal elements radiating out from a central point, like the spokes of a bicycle wheel.

Photographers and graphic designers often use the Rule of Thirds. This technique aligns the subject along or at the intersection of two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, creating a much more interesting composition. The image below demonstrates this rule:

The degree to which we require or appreciate balance is subjective, contextual, let’s say even temporal. For example, after a long day exposed to a lot of sensory stimulation, balance becomes more important to me. However, if the intention (after all, design is intent) is to awaken, excite, perhaps even disturb the senses, a lack of balance may be the best design for that scenario. So, either way, it helps to know it when you find it.

I hope this helps you find some balance in 2012!

A French Holiday Treat

2011-12-22T13:29:00.000-08:00

At the Grange office, we particularly enjoy eating goodies like Buche De Noel. This traditional dessert is typically served around the holidays in countries like France, Canada and Belgium. Shaped, garnished and presented to look like an actual yule log, the chocolately, spongey, frosted cake remains a decadent holiday tradition.

We'd love to hear about your favorite holiday treats so drop us a line below! Enjoy :)

BUCHE DE NOEL

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• confectioners' sugar for dusting

(photo: dirtykitchensecrets.com)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until thick and pale. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners' sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes. Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 276 Total Fat: 17.7g Cholesterol: 157mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Holiday House 2011: A Recap

2011-12-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

Now a holiday tradition in New York City, the Holiday House is an exhibit of unique tabletop vignettes and rooms with a touch of season cheer. Founded four years ago by Doris Dunkner in an effort to benefit the Greater New York City affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the cure®, Holiday House continues to gain support. A notable list of talented designers are invited to showcase their flair for décor, using festive pieces to accent the vignettes.

This year was no different—elaborate and beautiful, each vignette tells a story. Sponsored by Traditional Home Magazine, there were over 30 participants and designers who contributed to the cause. Holiday House kicked off on November 16th and ended on December 11th bringing in throngs of guests, volunteers, designers and supporters.

The venue, a historic mansion in the Upper East Side, was open to party guests who were able to check out each room and partake in the many scheduled events.

Did you have a favorite vignette? We hope to attend next year’s Holiday House and remain apart of the fight against breast cancer. Hope to see you there!

(photo: tabletop by Diane Durocher Interiors)

DESIGN SATURDAY @ NYDC: Meet & Greet and Book Signing with Deborah Needleman

2011-12-13T13:04:00.000-08:00

Interior design enthusiasts, friends and hopeful buyers trickled through the New York Design Center this past weekend to help celebrate the new Design Saturday @ NYDC. Throughout the year, the NYDC hosts special events where people within the furniture and design industry have the opportunity to come together and peruse the showrooms, enjoy a beverage and take part in the scheduled event for that day. Last Saturday brought in design expert Deborah Needleman for a book signing featuring her latest project, The Perfectly Imperfect Home, a book that embraces imperfect and lived-in homes.

“Aiming for beauty that is tempered by reality,” Needleman says is the basis for her new book. To explain, she says decorating should most definitely account for all the messy, accidental and incidental events that shape our everyday lives. The Perfectly Imperfect Home delves into lighting, comfy-cozy areas, quirky elements, bedroom décor, smells & scents and much more. Needleman’s detailed and neatly organized chapters have tons of useful tidbits, how-to’s and colorful illustrations for every type of decorator.

At the book-signing, Needleman was not only gracious but eager to meet her readers and hear their perspective on the book, asking questions and noting the feedback. The lovely 10th floor 1st Dibs space and cool, laid-back Saturday morning appeal provided an enjoyable time for all those who visited the NYDC. It’s likely that many of the guests hurried home to reorganize and redecorate their nests with some renewed optimism and fresh ideas!

“Any house or room remembered with pleasure has the look of being loved by those who live in it.”
-BILLY BALDWIN

Virtual Vignette Victor!

2011-09-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all who voted this past week on our Virtual Vignette Design Contest. We tallied all your votes and are pleased to announce Elements of Style as the winner! Congrats, Erin! We loved how you used the functionality of our Tray Chic Coffee Table for an eclectic studio city apartment.

All of the designs were truly inspired, we couldn't even pick a favorite here in the GRANGE office. Thanks voters for doing the hard work for us. Here are the rooms by Material Girls NY, Savvy Home and Style Beat in case something caught your eye.

2011-09-20T07:32:00.000-07:00

Virtual Vignette voting is now closed. See the results above!

Out in Août

2011-08-17T08:52:00.001-07:00

While our French counterparts enjoy their national August vacation, I'm sitting in our air conditioned office organizing photos of our new outdoor line Georgia Garden. I can't help but imagine I'm relaxing alongside them on a chaise longue in the South of France. What can I say, it's easy to daydream when you can call it work!

New York, New Look

2011-08-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

GRANGE's New York showroom is getting a major face-lift. We are currently renovating our space in the New York Design Center, complete with a brand new layout. Here's a sneak peek... as you can see right now we're going for "Shabby Chic":

Stayed tuned for pictures of our revamped New York showroom in the coming weeks!

Saturated Stripes

2011-02-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

Last year's nautical trend may have just been a warm up. The now neutral navy makes way for the bold and bright stripes of Spring 2011.

We were happy to see Hailee Steinfeld acting her age at the SAG Awards, looking fun and fresh in this Prada number.

Warm contrasting colors can also be found on GRANGE's Jacob Bar.

Marc by Marc Jacobs offers brilliant vacation wear that rivals the sun itself.

The ultimate statement piece, GRANGE's Medallion Chair showcases an ultraviolet rainbow.

Style All Their Own

2011-01-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

If there is anything I love more than TED conferences, it has to be New York Times Home & Garden slideshows. You can imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this article touring the home of Richard Saul Wurman. Wurman, founder of TED, showed the Times around the 19th century French manor he shares with his wife in Newport, Rhode Island.

Wurman is no stranger to design, he was once an architect friendly with greats such as Louis Kahn and Frank Gehry. Feeling limited as a in the traditional trade, Wurman dubbed himself "Information Architect" so he might connect and build upon the numerous ideas sifting through his head. As his Wife Gloria Nagy ellaborates:

“What Richard does is allow his brain to operate like a great big cellular Cuisinart, mixing all his knowledge, thoughts, frustrations, observations, visual, conceptual and gathered information and feelings about everything together, hitting the high switch and pouring it all out in the form of ideas baked in one mold or another".

The couple made a surprising move from SOHO loft to the grandiose mansion 17 years ago. Nagy admits: "We are down-to-earth, not fancy people, who happen to live in a fancy house. And nobody knows what to do with that." Despite the obvious divide in their personal taste and architectural confines, the pair ignored naysayers and made it work.

It's rare that one can take a property so highly stylized and use it as a blank canvas. The French foundation has become nothing but a frame for their own aesthetic; plopping down submarine buoys in the formal garden and hanging contemporary art in the grand foyer. Just as Wurman stacks one abstract idea on top of another, so does he layer contrasting aesthetics.

This design approach is reminiscent of the Exceptions de Grange collection. Each piece consist of traditional style overlaid with unexpected design. Bold colors and patterns adorn the pieces, taking the furniture far from their historical French context.

The unique finishes found in Exceptions de Grange might even inspire clients to play with wood and colored finishes more freely in other Grange collections. Mixing and matching finishes can set apart a piece until it is one of a kind. We could all learn a lesson from Wurman and Nagy's unrestrained yet confident taste. Who knows what might come of a classic armoire or dining set if Wurman let his ideas run wild.

(See more pictures of the interior in the New York Times slideshow.)

2011 Color of the Year

2010-12-17T08:01:00.000-08:00

Pantone brightened everyone's week when they announced their new color of the year: Honeysuckle. This vivacious red pink was chosen for its stimulating aesthetic, used to energize and revitalize any look. This pink pick me up can be incorporated into the home by customizing any piece of Grange furniture in the Decos Brique or Rose finishes, two shades that easily pump up any piece.

One could subtly incorporate the color though home accessories or small pieces like Grange's Ermitage Nesting Tables:

or choose a bold statement piece like Grange's Lady Chair in pink velvet, currently on the New York showroom's floor:

Honeysuckle has already made its way into several Spring 2011 Look Books, including H&M were it acts as a neutral accent:

During these dreary winter months it's nice to have a light at the end of tunnel, especially one that's a glow of honeysuckle pink.

Breakfast at the Manor

2010-12-02T06:08:00.000-08:00

Mill Neck Manor plays host to the 2010 Designer Showcase this year, inviting 25 interior designers to revamp this architectural giant of the Gilded Age. Built in 1923, Mill Neck Manor is a Tudor revival. Noteworthy features include stained glass windows depicting five Shakespeare plays and the impressive formal gardens that surround the house. Originally home to a cosmetic heiress it is no wonder Mill Neck Manor pays such detail to beauty.

Karen Arpino, one of the featured designers, carved out her own unique space on the property in her room "Breakfast at the Manor". Using several key Grange pieces, Karen was able to create an intimate gathering space that comfortably contrasts the grand scale of the manor. The Ermitage table serves as a unifying piece, around which one's inner circle of family and friends can congregate.

Karen chose to customize the Ermitage table, Cane chairs, and Directoire Tuileries console in muted color finishes. The soft grays and creams set a gentle tone, an easy way to ease oneself into the morning.

In addition to the hand picked furniture, Karen also took to refinishing the floors. The hardwood floors were painted to mimic marble tile creating a successful tromp l'oeil. Here Karen kept with the spirit of the home's architectural revival, using modern innovation to recreate classic decor.

The Showhouse is on view thru December 12th.

Oh Canada!

2010-10-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

As I walked around the From Quebec showcase, I couldn't help but imagine myself at the Montreal Expo of 1967. I've conjured up a faux nostalgia for the World's Fair of yore. I can only imagine the collective ooh and ahs as nation's peddled their finest wares. Luckily for me, From Quebec was able to recreate the kind of futuristic wonder one might have felt under Buckminster Fuller's Geodesic Dome.

This World's Fair feel was enhanced by the hands-on nature of product display. The Quebecois designers were in house for a show and tell, encouraging guests to test their products and ask questions. Like moths to a flame, many attendees lined up to touch Olonia's interactive light panel. This luminescent wall piece responds to your touch changing color and mood. Hands-on, indeed!

Other products were equally as colorful and eye catching, including plastic zip ties used for light shades and Brut's animal cutting board (the Rat design, a nod to New York), pictured below.

Many of the featured designs emphasized their mode of production. Although these designers are aesthetically driven, they also insist on supplying method and material specifics. They are re-imagining design as a total process. It's no wonder then that you could have found me poring over the À Hauteur d'homme display. I was interested to see a relatively new company embrace the same craftsmanship mentality toward wood as Grange. À Hauteur d'homme draws inspiration from the material itself, believing if you start with quality material, you will create a lasting and durable piece of furniture. Sounds familiar, no?

From Quebec is open through October 22nd. Drop by their pop-up store and be transported, if not light-years, at least a few hundred miles to Canada's innovative capital.

An Interview with Designer Harry Daniell

2010-07-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Harry Daniell is a working designer in NYC. He recently participated in Grange’s Runway to Room event. We decided to find out more about him!

www.harrydaniell.com

How did you choose your design after learning about Runway to Room?

HD: In being intimately tied to designing my own organic clothing line, I have a clear understanding of how I see the clothes in concept and reality. I thought it would be an interesting learning lesson for me, to help further my thoughts on my clothing line, by creating the surroundings that best map to my inspiration: Horse Country by Harry Daniell.

What creative/brainstorming process did you use in creating your room?

HD: I love Grange furniture and have a catalog in my head of many of the items at Grange. Having purchased items for clients and leveraged Grange desks and chairs at a recent event I stylized for Architectural Digest, I knew exactly what pieces I wanted to start with. Those pieces, including the floor lamp, game table and leather chairs were the starting point for my creative process. In picking the area of the showroom I wanted to stylize, I thought that there was no better place than the existing modular library system that was already installed; those brilliant pieces of furniture became our canvas. After that, the rest was easy....

What do you typically use as inspiration for your designs (i.e. art, fashion, etc.)

HD: My inspirations for my designs vary by the client, project and requirements. Being that my style is ever changing based on the aforementioned requirements, I don't like to limit myself to just one type of inspiration. The world of design is endless -- the inspirations and possibilities should be as well.

How did you decide to get into interior design?

HD: It was an extremely organic process for me. I started in the world of finance, wound up in front of the camera as a model and eventually landed in the field of design.

How long have you been working in the industry?

HD: I have been in the industry for seven years.

What is the most important lesson you have learned through your experiences?

HD: Be it a residential or commercial project, it is most important for me to listen carefully to my clients. Listen first, design second.

What trends are you currently seeing in interior design?

HD: One of the biggest trends I've noticed is the increased use of the color grey -- be it in a kitchen, bathroom, living room or bedroom, there are so many hues of grey that it works aesthetically anywhere.

House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year

2010-07-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

Amidst the hoards of tourists and business people in Rockefeller Center, is an oasis of California Cool. Well, that is until tomorrow, when the third annual House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year comes to a close. Jeff Lewis of Bravo’s Flipping Out series designed a gorgeous kitchen that is cool and sleek, yet livable and warm. Dark espresso-colored cabinets (Kraftmaid) were placed in juxtaposition with striking white Quartz countertops (Caesarstone) and sleek Jenn-Air stainless appliances. The kitchen really has become the new American living room and not just a place to cook and eat. Kitchens have now become the multi-functional focal point of the home. I got a chance to visit the display kitchen as well as watch several cooking demos. Check out the photos of the event!

Bastille Day!

2010-07-14T07:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Bastille Day!

In honor of the heritage of Grange Furniture and the great influence that France has had on design, I thought I would write a little bit about Bastille Day.

Bastille Day is the French national holiday celebrated on July 14th each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale (National Celebration) and commonly le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July). It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, a feast and celebration that was held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on July 14,1789. The Bastille was a prison in Paris, which the people stormed and seized in 1789, starting the French Revolution that toppled King Louis XVI and the aristocracy. Bastille Day is a historical symbol of revolt against injustice and festivities are held on the morning of July 14th on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris

If you want to get your French fill on Bastille Day, New York City has a large Bastille Day celebration each year on 60th Street on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and the Empire State Building is illuminated in blue, white and red.

Take a look at some of these inspiring photos…How have the French influenced your design?

It's HOT!

2010-07-09T11:21:00.001-07:00

As the temperatures soared near the century mark along the East Coast this week, all I could think about was laying by a pool with a cold fruity drink in hand. Apparently, I am not the only one! As I spent time with our showroom managers this week, they were hectic busy with placing orders for summer homes in fun, bright, custom colors. This inspired me to learn a bit more about a few of the popular “summer home” lines.

I am absolutely in love with our St. Tropez outdoor collection. It reminds me of refined and sophisticated wicker, perfect for feeling at home, outdoors and in!

The light weight and weather resistant aluminum frames are wrapped with Hularo ® - an especially durable synthetic fiber with variations in texture and color similar to natural wicker. The result is a stylish piece that is impervious to heat. But outdoor use isn’t the only way to use the St. Tropez collection. Check out the way that Daher Design (http://daherinteriordesign.com) included the collection in an indoor setting – calm, cool and serene.

Check out these chic photos. Makes me want to relax in the sun!

Maison France Event

2010-06-29T07:02:00.000-07:00

On Thursday afternoon, I headed uptown to check out the first annual Maison France event in midtown Manhattan. Maison France was hosted by the French Trade Commission and included vignettes of inspiring French decorative arts. I was able to interact with many of vendors and speak with them about their products. I captured some photos of some of the beautiful work.

As a design student, I am always looking to find something new and chic that I could possibly use in the future. At the Maison France event, I fell in love with the gilded and painted Cordovan leatherwork of Atelier Meriguet-Carrere. The striking Cordovan leatherwork (which can be used for wall coverings, furniture covering and folding screens) give a true regal sentiment to the room. The gilt leather comes in a variety of pleasing patterns and can be completely color customized to your liking. Look at some of these stunning examples!

As I uncovered more about this craft, I discovered that this type of leatherwork has a very long history dating back to the 17th century. It is then that this craft was developed and flourished throughout Europe. The leatherwork follows the great French decorative tradition of illusionism – think trompe-l’oeil. These artisans could skillfully create eye-tricking illusions of wood, stone, cloth and much more. During the reign of Louis XV many of these manufacturers set up their businesses in Paris as this became a popular interior design element for the wealthy. Today, Atelier Meriguet-Carrerre still relies on that experience of the past, using time tested methods passed down from generation to generation. Using old methods to produce skillfully crafted materials is something that is rare in today’s technologically advanced world.

Runway To Room!

2010-06-23T12:42:00.001-07:00

On the evening of June 14th we at GRANGE hosted an upscale event bringing together the worlds of fashion and interior design. Runway to Room was an immense success! Three top New York interior designers were chosen for the challenge. The Runway to Room challenge consisted of creating a room vignette (using GRANGE Furniture of course!) inspired completely by a fashion trends. The stunning vignettes can be seen in our showroom through the summer.

Armando Lugo created a hot and sultry vignette inspired by Oscar de la Renta. “Luxe de Caribe” brought the feeling of old Havana Nights into the showroom mixing glamour with a cool Caribbean feel. You can almost feel the tropical breeze graze your skin when you see his designs. And those gorgeous gowns? They are thanks to fashion designer Jose Luis Victoria.

Lisa Frantz and Lydia Marks’ (www.marksandfrantz.com) room creates a harmonious juxtaposition of rocker chic and demure glamour. Basing the design from the recent designs of the late Alexander McQueen, Lisa and Lydia tastefully created a soothing and soft, yet interesting area of rest. And check out that dress! It is completely made from paper, how chic!

Designer Harry Daniell (http://www.harrydaniell.com/) brought together his expertise in fashion AND interior design to create a sophisticated space for work and play. Yes, that is right, Harry is not only an interior designer, but also has a line of clothing (Horse Country) that was featured in NY Fashion Week! He even did a photo shoot for his line on site! Harry created a masculine space featuring rich textures and colors that would make anyone want to kick up their heels and pour an expensive glass of scotch. The space truly melded his country club chic fashion designs into an interior space.

Throughout the evening, our guests, an eclectic mixture of interior designers, fashion designers, clients and friends mingled through the vignettes nibbling on French Cheese and crudite (provided by “The Works” (www.housingworks.org/social-enterprise/the-works-catering), red velvet cupcakes provided by “Baked by Melissa” (www.bakedbymelissa.com) and rum for cocktails provided by “Cabana” (http://cabanacachaca.com)). All of guests had the opportunity to wander, network and even shop (“Derek Loves Shopping (www.dereklovesshopping.com) and Julie Jewelry Designs were there to provide a shopping fix). A silent auction was held with the proceeds going to benefit Housing Works – a charity created to help those afflicted with AIDS, and $6000 was raised that night!
A an intern and aspiring interior design student, it was a privileged opportunity to be part of such a high profile event that still went to benefit an altruistic cause. I was fortunate enough to witness the event take shape and to see how each designer put a diverse and unique spin on their vignette. If you want to see these stunning vignettes for yourself, come check it out at the Grange Furniture showroom in the New York Design Center.

2009-08-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

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