Tiff's Charlotte Discoveries: Max and Company

Since our last week was spent mostly indoors avoiding the ice and snow, I was unable to find anything worthy to print. So....I'd love to share a place that I discovered early on that is so noteworthy, I should have called it "find of the year".  The showroom is called Max and Company, located in the Dilworth area of Charlotte at 1001 East Morehead Street. The store is owned and the interior was designed by renowned Jacksonville designer, Phoebe Howard and her husband Jim.

The building itself is a historical landmark of sorts, an old "ladies club" with beautiful bones to work with. Mrs. Howard and her design team really out did themselves with the interior design of this building. Separated by two floors, they created a more casual living space on the first floor, called Max and Co. and a touch more formal living on the second, named Mrs. Howard. The attention to detail could be found on every surface, and masterfully executed, from the space planning and architectural materials to the furniture and fabric selections. Even all of the accessories and artwork have been carefully selected and placed just right.

The flooring detail in this entry is amazing.

I love this dining room. The picture molding has insets of a texturized wallpaper,  very subtle, very elegant.

This hallway has an application of stone on the wall.

The color scheme is really soft and liveable.

The contemporary art work, the high ceilings and the parquet flooring work really well here.
Look at those gorgeous skylights.

I am not one who would use this saturated color blue on the walls, it would seem too sweet for me....but this room is so elegant and bright. It works well here with her mix of transitional and traditional style furnishings.

I love how the bed has been placed in the center of the room. It is floating unexpectedly like a cloud, yet it feels grounded. Most people would never think to put a bed in the middle. (The room is also enormous, most people don't have enough room for this to be possible.)

This bedroom has the most spectacular hand painted wallpaper, and the bedding is equally stunning.

In entering the building, one could be intimidated by its size and feeling, but the staff are extremely down to earth and the pricing is not out of line for the quality of the merchandise. There are plenty of other stores and showrooms in the area that have much more expensive merchandise. The most surprising thing I have found is that not that many people know about it. Maybe because it's not located on one of the main streets in the neighborhood, but don't let that deter you from coming to see this lovely and enchanting place. Even if you are not in the market to buy a single thing, please go and take a look. You will come out inspired and ready to take on at least one project in your home and make it a little better.

You can also visit their website and blog at www.phoebehoward.net or www.mrshowardpersonalshopper.com

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall....

I've had a mirror in my closet, just collecting dust, that is about circa 1989?? I have had many thoughts about trashing it but there was something telling me to hold onto it. With the new year upon us, I have been moving things around, and have decided to change my entryway design by cleaning up the clutter and moving a cabinet to another spot in the house. I need that mirror. Now the time has come to take it out, clean it off, and try to make something better out of it.

Putting your ideas on paper is a great way to help yourself visualize the finished product and to solidify a "plan of attack."

In its original state, it had a gold/silver finish. The finish itself has come back in style, but with the design of the mirror, it definitely said "dated".

With our gallery white walls the light finish also washes out. I feel like it needs to pop a little more. Since our house is predominately asian inspired with modern and danish accents, I was inspired to finish it in a chinese red....maybe not that bright. I have a carved fish that has a beautiful rich finish of rusty red with black and gold rubbing. I think this will be my 'muse'.

First I will set out to find the color paint. I usually take one of my many fan-decks (which most paint companies carry, and are easy to bring with you in your purse, very handy)  over to Lowes and just match a paint up. I've mentioned before that Lowe's sells a small container, custom color for only three dollars. You can't beat that price, and usually, for most small projects, that's all you need.

Next, I bought a sanding block, for two dollars, with a fine texture. I sanded the whole mirror until most of the finish was rubbed off, but some was still remaining. I painted a base coat in the red.

After two coats, I rubbed my old friend, the bronzer, on top. First I used a small cloth and dabbed texture, and then continued applying the bronze with a stencil brush adding more depth into the creases.

The mirror has been transformed. I thought about adding some gold to it eventually, but for now, it's just what I needed. The perfect backdrop for any fair maiden to have a quick look.

Tiff's Charlotte Discoveries: Post and Gray

As I start off the year with good intentions to "do what I say I'm going to do", I spent a few days scouring the city. This week's pick is a straight forward, no frills place. Post and Gray, located in the historic South End and the sister company to Interiors Marketplace which is in Meyers Park, is actually a warehouse of sorts, filled with some antiques and one of a kind pieces, interesting accessories, and in my case, hope that I will find the next amazing purchase, and maybe get a deal on it.

I'll just tell you flat out, I did not get a deal, or find the next latest and greatest thing for the house. But I did see a lot of really nice pieces, and if I was in the market for buying a special piece of furniture, like a coffee table or a chest, I could have easily purchased a number of things. I loved their selection of unique case goods, and some of their lighting was also great.

This piece had a lot of charm with the hand painted element

I've been looking for a small media cabinet, this one was really cool but inside was an actual TV built-in. I tried to take a picture to show, but I couldn't open the cabinet back up...oops.

Please don't let the disturbing collection of porcelain dogs distract you from this  wonderfully painted screen. I had a thought of using this for a headboard but decided that I have overdosed on Asian art work in my house. This would have been over the top.

I could see this piece in a hacienda style house. Really nice scale.

OK......if anyone read the post about the "basket' light fixture idea that I was trying to do, look no further. I saw this and had to take a picture. I had the right idea, just couldn't execute this look. Darn, this one is soooo cool (also $500). I still think one day I can do this.

Another aspect of their store that I thought could be useful to anyone, is there vast array of pre-made draperies. There were also a lot of fabric remnants at very reasonable prices.

A big reason, for me personally, to put this store on my "cruise by to see what's new" circuit is the small Asian section in the middle of the store. This booth had an array of really nice things from baskets to foo dogs to jade and stone carvings and tassels. I've actually been in the market to find an Asian carved tassel to help keep a cabinet closed that has lost it's magnetic closure.I guess I could try to just replace the magnet....but that's not as fun! And a new magnet does not promise to bring me prosperity and abundance either.

Happy New Year

As I embark on a new year, I can't help reflecting on the past one. I think about how much my family had to change and adjust to our new surroundings and how remarkably resilient we all are to new environments. In March we moved from one coast to another. With that came a culture change as well. Being native Los Angelenos, moving to a city with all the Southern "charms" took some time to adjust to. But really it was the simple things that changed the most for us.  My son got on the school bus for the first time. My daughter experienced her first rainbow. Brett and I sat and watched our first major electrical storm of our lives. I could go on and on.

I have to say, though, for me, one of the most exciting experiences was discovering all that the design industry in this city has to offer. I still have tons to learn, many more people to meet, and I hope in return, to share some ideas right here. Most of us each year make a list of resolutions we hope to accomplish....I usually don't get through half the year before I forget them all. I will say this...I'd like to try and blog more this year. I am working on a few ideas for the next few months.

A Thankful Table

                                                                                    
I started writing this post, with all the negative, funny, cynical things that families and friends go through during the holiday season...you know....the family dynamics come out in full force. There's the over-served, the under-served, the under-the-table, the competitive grandparents or deep rivalry between siblings.....But, this year I'd like to focus on the true meaning of thankfulness. Let's have a Happy Days Thanksgiving! Let's let the Cunninghams take over and have some good old fashioned "family fun". (My husband always teases me about always wanting family fun, like an old re-run on TV). Well, I'm certainly going to give it a shot, and at the very least, my table will be thankful (and our bellies).

There were a lot of beautiful ideas for Thanksgiving this year, (not like Halloween, yuck).  The merchandisers had great table settings this year and nice ideas for flowers, napkins, place cards and other decorations. I decided to take a mono-chromatic color scheme.

When we moved to Charlotte, I told myself I wasn't going to unpack all of my dishes, which is really killing me. I miss my china, and some of my special plates. But I did NOT cave. I am using my everyday, Heath plates, handed down from my mom. I love them and they are the perfect color for an earthy Thanksgiving setting.

To glam it up, I am using some bronze touches here and there. I have bronze/mercury votives that I will intersperse throughout the table.

I love using lots of votives.

I also love the idea of the huge hurricanes, brimming with lots of beautiful fillers, pomegranates, nuts, cranberries, kumquats, you name it.

"Is that you over there Aunt Louise???? I can't see you over the huge mound of fruit!!"

But who can see each other over these mountains???? Inevitably, someone ends up moving the hurricane, and then my heart starts palpitating. Uh...do you know how long it took me to figure out which nut went in what place and where exactly to place the glass??? Just use the hurricanes for other areas. I usually keep it low on the table.

Botox For Your Bedside Table

Plain and simple, some of our oldie-but-goodies need a little shine, a new coat of paint, a little refinishing. Now more than ever, we are refurbishing all of our old furnishings and giving them a lift. Why should our faces be the only things that get a pick me up.

 

As I look around the house and see what needs to be done, I see a lot that can be professionally updated...like the living room sofa with lumpy cushions, leather chairs that my kids have carved their names in, (ouch!) my nightstands that we inherited from a grandmother who had very good taste in antiques (unfortunately they need some love, they are extremely warn in spots). But there are some simple things you can do yourself that can make a huge difference. I am sure each and every one of you are thinking of a few items that need a makeover, or at least a microdermabrasion.

I'll start with a lamp in my kitchen that I HATE!!! It's the standard  pendant light you get in a new home. Alabaster, with a brass chain. Not my favorite, doesn't go with my decor.

I'd like to replace it, but we are renting and I'm torn between waiting for something really special that costs a fortune, or buying a cheaper alternative and probably having to live with it forever......what if I spent little to nothing and "doctor" it up.

This is the original lamp. Pretty ain't it?

My first idea was to buy a paper lantern sort of reminiscent of a Nelson Bubble lamp. I had one in my old house, and it's a classic look that works well in contemporary/Asian influenced homes.

This would be a dream kitchen for me with multiple bubble lamps. Love it!

This is the Nelson Bubble lamp

This is the Cost Plus paper lantern.

I found one for 7 bucks, can't beat that. My strategy was to cut the paper lantern up the side slip it around the glass shade and then re-seal the paper "some-how". I didn't really think things through, and in the course of shoving it over the glass, ripped the thing....whoops. Well, there goes that idea. An acid peel gone awry.

My next idea came from the latest trend in lighting. The drum pendant is really hot right now, and textural pendants are even hotter.

 I have been seeing inspiration from other designers as well.

I thought I could easily achieve this look by purchasing a large enough basket to slip over the glass.....done. Well, I have found that finding a basket that has a big enough diameter around, but short enough in height to look like a drum is harder to come by. I had found a few, thinking I could manipulate the basket once I cut out the bottom, but it also wasn't so easy. Even these weren't big enough. The ones I did find that could work cost as much as an actual lamp.

I bought this basket for 7 bucks on clearance. It actually is a laundry basket, but turned upside down, it could make a nice looking drum pendant.

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I successfully cut the bottom of the basket out, but couldn't fit it over the glass shade. When I measured it at the store, it was 1/2 inch shy of the diameter it needed to clear, but I thought once I cut out the bottom it would be easy to manipulate. NOT!

 Then about a week ago, I was in Pier One looking for a basket (not giving up my pipe dream of achieving my "brilliant idea on a dime") when I ran across a really cool pendant, for $99.00. It's a plug in, but when you have a handy family member (in my case, my bro) that can convert it to a direct wire, then it's done deal.

My brother is super handy, and a total sweetheart for doing stuff like this for me!

Love the light fixture, just wish I could repaint!!!

Instant makeover. The kitchen nook area completely changed it's look by changing out one element.

Although I wasn't able to achieve the look by being a crafting genius, (I'm still disappointed in that fact, but I've never boasted about being handy), I was able find a cost effective alternative, that I can see using even in a secondary area in a different house. One word of advice, never sacrifice look with cheap and ugly. It's only a success when you save some money and it looks like a billion dollars!!! (Have you seen Meg Ryan's lips lately!!!)

The next piece that I've been wanting to refresh is a table in my daughter Sydney's room. Think back to my first blog entry, princess room, lots of floral and pink. Well, she's had the table passed on to her from her brother, and it's seen some better days.

This picture actually makes the table look good, I should have taken a close u of all the scratches, chips, and rings.

I just wanted to update it a bit, and put a girly touch to it. So, we simply repainted it a brighter white, accented the turned legs with a little pink, picking up the darker raspberry color of her room.  Then I took it just a bit further. I purchased two unfinished trays from Michaels, 3 bucks a piece, finished them in the same white.

I ordered an extra pillowcase in the floral from her bedding and cut out two insets for the bottoms of the trays. Spray mounting the fabric to the bottom helps it flatten out nicely and also ensures that the fabric doesn't move. I had 11x14 picture glass cut to fit (Michaels did it for me for free) and placed them over the fabric. I think I spent about $20.00 on materials. That was it, but it brought the room together, and rejuvenated a piece of furniture that need a little facial.

Tiff's Tip: Even in a children's bedroom, a plant or fresh flowers can make a room feel more sophisticated. My daughter is not yet four, but has learned to appreciate fresh flowers once in a while. It also helps children take care of a living thing, and learn to be careful and kind to our homes.

The last thing on my list for now are the two night tables I mentioned earlier. They were inherited from my husband's grandmother and have a beautiful simple design. Unfortunately they are heavily worn and are in need of a new finish. Especially at the top.

 My grand scheme was to strip them completely and really give them a major "face lift" but I was weary of doing it myself and ruining it. Aside from that, there are mixed feelings in the "antique world" about refinishing pieces that could be more valuable with all of it's worn spots. Before I go ahead and refinish the tables, I am going to consult with an antique dealer and find out what they are worth.

So.....I decided to give my tables a little....."enzyme treatment". After a little further research, I purchased a restoration oil, which strips the wax, not the finish, and cleans off all the dust and dirt that your piece may have accumulated.

I then added new hardware I had found from Anthropologie, which I felt modernized the tables without losing their classic style.

Arthurian oval knob, Anthropologie, $7.95 each

This shows the profile

(Make sure to keep the original hardware in a safe place. If you ever want to sell an antique, you will get the most value with the original finish and hardware.)

The tables are much shinier now. And I am embracing the imperfections.Think of these scratches as laugh lines. Sometimes a nice set of crows feet just reveals that you've had a lot to smile about.