Atlanta Finds

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In Honor of The Skirted Roundtable

A skirted table from my own living room

I love to listen to The Skirted Roundtable discussions every week. Joni, Megan, and Linda are real-life designers like many of us with many of the same challenges and rewards that come with this crazy business. They put real faces and voices out there. I think that is what draws us to this format so much; real world design as opposed to the almost deity-like authority that comes across when we read the design magazines. Don't get me wrong. I truly treasure many of the better magazines and horde my back-issues like prized antiques, but hearing our blog mentors and friends verbalize what we all struggle with is often just what the doctor ordered.

Design Stars at the Atlanta Market

I just got back from a weekend at the summer market in Atlanta. It was the usual dizzying aray of new and exciting products, as well as lots of walking and very tired feet. But something new this year was a feature called b inspired : home design showcase. It was essentially an exhibition of interior rooms created by six of America's most celebrated designers featuring product from the showrooms of AmericasMart Atlanta and the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center. The featured designers were Robert Brown of Robert Brown Interior Design, Suzanne Kasler of Suzanne Kasler Interiors, William Peace of Peace Design, Matthew Quinn of Matthew Quinn Collection, Stan Topol of Stan Topol & Associates, Inc, and last but not least, Carole Weaks of C. Weaks Interiors, Inc.

A shot of Suzanne Kasler's space. Many of the furniture pieces are from her collection for Hickory Chair.

Another shot of Kasler's design.

Carole Weaks' design

I'm sorry that I wasn't able to bring you photos of all the spaces, but we weren't able to get shots of them all.

I was also fortunate enough to attend a panel discussion moderated by Traditional Home magazine with Suzanne Kasler, Eileen Boyd, and Barclay Butera. I will report on this ASAP.

To Market, To Market

I'm off today to the market in Atlanta to treasure hunt for a project I am working on. I get excited at the prospect of seeking out new and beautiful things. I will report back in a couple of days on my finds.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Working Girl

I really haven't fallen off the face of the earth, guys. I've just been super busy trying to pay the bills! I promise I will have a new post soon!

Down Time on the River

Have a wonderful weekend!

It's been a hectic and stressful week.

This is my backyard.

If you want to know where I'll be...

A little down time with my family.

I hope you'll do the same.

Designer/Decorator (Potato/Potatoe)

Titles are for royalty. What matters is your work and what you stand for.

I was recently at a gathering in my city attended by many area decorators and designers, a little wine and cheese affair. (You know what I'm talking about, where your competition is there pretending to be your friend!) Anyway, the topic of title acts came up, and suddenly the fake smiles faded. Two distinct camps suddenly emerged among us; the decorators and the designers. Those who support title legislation and those who don't. You could even go so far as to say there are several sub-groups; decorators who call themselves designers anyway, designers who wish they made as much money as some decorators, designers who look down on the decorators, decorators who are intimidated by the designers, etc. I am actually in the group called "I don't care what you call me as long as you call me". One designer had a name for the decorators; "people who work out of their cars". (Actually, I joke all the time that even though I have a studio, my Chevy Tahoe is my REAL office. I didn't know there was an actual put-down out there!) Another designer looked at me during the conversation and said, "If this passes, you'll probably be out of business."

WOW. My first thought was, "the host better shut down the wine tray", then I answered, "I will never be out of business because you will never be able to legislate art". She glared. I left. (Nothing good was going to come of this.)

Can't we all just be friends? There really is enough work for everybody. There are as many facets to this business as there are stars in the night sky. Everybody chill. Figure out your niche and fill it. Planning how many cubicles fit into an office is not my thing; if it is yours, go for it. Live and let live; design and let design.