More High Point Highlights

This Fall market was one of my best high point trips to date. I did some serious business in a serious short amount of time. I visited loads of showrooms, oogled and tested tons of beautiful furniture and met some really amazing people. I came back with hundreds of photos, here are some highlights!

Bold use of color at the Lillian August for Hickory White showroom.

Loved these lamps

-at Lillian August

Obsessed with this mirror and lamp by Bunny Williams.

-at the Beeline Home showroom

Cool modern table by Dwell Studio

LOVE this side table, so chic!

-Dwell Studio

Dramatic all white setting at the Oly showroom

Those etageres and console are new and to die for!

Oh, that chandelier!!

-at the Oly Showroom

At the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom

All new items I loved: the chair, table, lamp and screen!

Same chairs as above, different fabric. These will be in the store come February!

Fun leather/fabric combo chair

-at the Cisco showroom

Loungy, comfy sofa and fabric ottoman with a global feel

-at Cisco showroom

I ordered these pillows for the shop.

-at Tourmaline Home

Gorgeous marbleized prints

-at Natural Curiosities showroom

Gold leaf prints by Natural Curiosities

-Jaclyn

What happens in High Point...part 2

As hinted in my previous post, I wanted to write about the fascinating people I was able to meet in High Point this time around. The highlight of my trip would be the very first night. My new partner in crime during market, Amy Jo Cosgrove (of Barbara Cosgrove Lamps), had graciously added me as her plus one to the House Beautiful party! I was beyond excited to attend and witness the happenings of a party where the guest list would include Stephen Drucker, Thomas O'Brien, Thom Felicia, Christopher Wilcox, Julian Chichester and many more design icons.

Among those I was lucky enough to meet and have a conversation with was Rob Jones. Rob started his own high end, to the trade, upholstered furniture line, R. Jones & Associates, at the early age of 19! Recently he has partnered with American Leather on some pieces, and I am eagerly awaiting the launch of his website to see more of his designs.

Another youngster getting into the furniture design biz is John Reeves. I briefly meet him at the House Beautiful party, and then again a few nights later at the Oly party. After talking to him more in depth the second night I learned of his furniture line, REEVESdesign, that has been extremely well received in the UK (his homeland) where Heal's-- London's premier home design store for modern and contemporary furniture, picked up his line with great success.


The next day I promptly went over to the Four Hands showroom where John was showcasing his line and fell in love with the pieces. This is definitely something I am keeping my eye on and hope to be able to introduce the line to Kansas Citians soon!

I loved the combo of the raw wood with the lacquered top on these Victoria side tables below.


John Reeves and I below, sitting on his gorgeous Louis four poster bed.

Below: Court and I in our costume hats at the Oly party.


On a more personal note, I was lucky enough to spend some much needed time with my dear friend Court Krippendorf. Court helped me open Urban Dwellings Design one year ago and it was always my hope that he would move to KC and we would run the store together--we make an incredibly fierce team! But alas, he won't leave his home state of Florida, where he works at Being, a furniture and design store with a similar aesthetic to ours.

For me, High Point is all about finding innovative designs that are unique enough to stand out but classic enough to stand the test of time. And of course, having a good time while on my mission is a must.

What happens in High Point...part 1

One of my favorite responsibilities of being a furniture store owner is traveling to the markets to see what fabulous new items I can bring back to the store. I especially love the High Point, NC market because of the intimacy created by it being held in such a small and secluded town. Most vendors host parties after market hours with food and drinks for buyers. As a buyer, you get to rub elbows with the creative master minds behind the product lines--which is a serious thrill for me! More on who I bumped in to this time around in part 2. For now I am going to share some of the highlights of the products I saw.

The Natural Curiosities team always puts together an amazing display in their booth. New framed pieces from their "macro collection" will be arriving in the store Dec-Jan.





The Barbara Cosgrove Lamps booth had a stunning display also. There were new pieces I had not yet seen that I am really thrilled about!

The new Hollywood Style Studio lights are so urban chic.

These new drum pendants are the perfect combination of sleek & rustic with the hammered polished nickle.

Oly introduced the new black cabinet you see here with birds on top. I loved this for a few reasons-the birds on top add an interesting and almost creepy element to an otherwise ordinary display cabinet. And if you have ever been to the store, you know that nature and birds are a big inspiration for us. The fact that the cabinet is called "Simone" (the name of my Brussels Griffon) is just a nice coincidence.

Oly was also glitzing things up with a new mirrored collection, including this chair with a mosaic mirror trim.

I ordered this sweet little loveseat from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams in a beautiful natural linen. I just couldn't resist the sloping arm and camel back--so graceful!

More High Point Happenings to follow...

Exclusively Yours

In two prominent national design publications, the October issues featured a handful of the lines we carry here at Urban Dwellings Design. First to arrive in the mail: House Beautiful. Flip to page 48 and there is Mitchell Gold himself, lying on his Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams bed, divulging his bedside manner.


Next to arrive was Elle Decor, chalk full of featured stories and product mentions of our lines. In the article Organic Chemistry, Christopher Wilcox of Natural Curiosities speaks passionately about the lines beautiful nature study reproductions that have been hand tea stained, deckeled and then floated on linen mats and framed in California by master artisans.


A few more pages in reveals the write up of Oly's new Manhattan flagship store. This line produces striking pieces that have undeniable style and beauty, and are consistently seen in photo shoots featured in the national design publications every month.



So there you have it: if you are looking for high style and current designs in KC--you know where to come.

Urban Dwellings Design High Point trip: Furniture Market!

Having just returned from the Spring 2009 furniture market in North Carolina I wanted to share with everyone the great new designs that are in store for Urban Dwellings! I picked up a new bedding line that is absolutely exquisite-Ankasa. Think luxurious linens, embellished embroidery, silk, and color palettes that mirror the runway each season.


(www.ankasa.com)

But wait, it gets better! Tired of the same old looks in furniture? Well have we got a treat for you! A new and innovative company appeared at market and took many of us by storm: Halo. Headed by a pair of British brothers who have surrounded themselves with the most sought after industry experts, they have brought us European luxury. Fine artisan leather chairs, sofas and tables, wood and steel mixed with crystal. And you are going to have to come in to see the fabulous velvet patchwork chair (I unfortunately did not get a picture of it, but it should be in store shortly).

Looking for some glam to punch up your interiors? Look no further-Oly has got us covered. Check out the gorgeous new dining chair introduced...
And the sexy new accent chair... (both can be special ordered at Urban Dwellings)


And of course, the best for last: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (www.mgbwhome.com) never lets me down! It was their 20 year anniversary and they made it memorable! A few great new frame and fabric introductions that you will be seeing in the store come this fall, as well as a very classic line of bedding. One of my favorites-4 colors of a 75% recycled cotton fabric that is soft, durable, machine washable and pretty! Pictures are not allowed in the MG+BW showroom-so you will have to take my word and be patient until you can see them first hand at Urban Dwellings Design this September!

Cheers,
Jaclyn