Our snowshoes have been hung up to dry and we're here!
We're excited to be at Market in Atlanta and stay tuned as we'll be sharing photos of the great pieces we're here to see!
Friday
Allegra Hicks has An Eye for Design!
We are just loving Allegra Hicks' book, An Eye for Design! Using the seasons Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer as a framework, she and photographer Emanuele Mascioni, and creative director Antonio Monfreda present her original textile and pattern designs alongside beautiful photos of interiors, landscapes, and unusual points of nature. The coffee table book is filled with big, colorful images of fabrics, interiors, rocks, and plants. There are far more photographs than writings, but speckled throughout the 224 page book, Allegra Hicks very carefully and poetically explains (and shows) her design philosophies and inspirations. Great book - we love it!
London-based Allegra Hicks and her Italian Fiat (She is from Turin, Italy)
"an Italianate garden about to become colorful and ripe . . . a perfect palette for an interior"
an embroidered dress and its inspiration, an earthquake damaged road
as a small child, her parents taught her to look at things . . . "not just the world around me, but to be conscious understanding it."
more Allegra Hicks designs
Eye for Design was also the first book listed in a recent HGTV Design Happens blog post:
And more suggestions for home design coffee table books can be found in the SFGate.com post:
You'll really enjoy her insight and all of the beautiful images of designs and inspirations found in this great book!
Sunburst Mirror hits Wall Street!
Very interesting article in last week's Wall Street Journal regarding the history of the starburst mirror. Some suggest that the style was first popularized by King Louis XIV of France.
Louis XIV of France. The Henry Ford of Mirrors?
Others say that the mirrors are the result of antique dealers and collectors repurposing the many religious icons that flooded the market after the 1789-1799 French Revolution. The merchants and decorators purged the round portraits and images of the Holy Family and saints from their metal frames and replaced them with mirror. Now, over 200 years later, these mirrors can still add an unexpected pop to almost any room. Among our collection of mirrors, we've offered several varieties of sunburst or starburst mirrors and at times, we've even had trouble keeping them in stock!
Add sparkle to your space with a piece of beauty . . . and history!
The Barbara Cosgrove Story
This week, Clayton Gray Home introduced a handful of new items from Barbara Cosgrove Lamps. But the story behind the artist and designer Barbara Cosgrove is as compelling as her pieces.
At age 47, Barbara found herself in a mid-career crisis. A sculptor by trade, when Barbara wasn’t working alone in an artist’s studio, she was at home raising a family. With her children grown though, the thrill was gone of heading into the studio and working alone all day. “I’ve been an artist all my life and I don’t think people realize that being an artist is really lonely. You go into the studio, work by yourself and go home in the evening. I had my family, but being a studio artist I didn’t have a lot of people around me at work. In addition, she felt that at almost 50, she was more marketable than an employer would perceive her to be.
A trip to the Atlanta International Gift and Home Furnishings Market changed everything. Barbara saw first-hand where the artist and designer connects with the buyer and her creative energy started flowing. With her background in ceramics, Barbara designed and built a small collection of clay lamps, among a few other pieces. Well, none of the clay lamps sold, but the other pieces did! You say, ‘Well, that didn’t work. I have to have another idea.’ Or, ‘That did work. Let’s build on that.’ You back up and you move forward. You back up and you move forward. You just keep trying.” Working out of her garage (do all success stories start in a garage?) Barbara began with 3 to 5 local accounts. Today, her company has about 5000 accounts.
“I was 47 when I started my business. Though I hadn’t started a business before, I had sat at the dinner table with other people who had. had all these great professionals that came with my age, not my experience… the experience of all the people around me – friends, neighbors, dinner partners. You learn a lot of stuff just by listening.
Check out Clayton Gray Home’s newest items to see some of our great new pieces from Barbara Cosgrove Lamps.
Our article was based on an interview with Barbara Cosgrove that was featured on the women’s entrepreneurial website, www.ladieswholaunch.com.
Barbara Cosgrove Photo Credits: Brook Slezak for Country Living Magazine
Saturday
"Be Wise" in Boho Magazine
See our "Be Wise" pillow in Boho Magazine's Fall issue out on stands now. The two-year old quarterly publication scouts the globe for products and companies that are "going green" and making a difference.
Handprinted cotton with burlap and grosgrain trim, the wise owl pillow features repurposed materials creating a proud woodsy image. Each eco-friendly pillow is made to order.
Friday
Top picks from Design Savvy of New Jersey
Thank you to Design Savvy of New Jersey blog for the recent mention! Author Denise Briant's blog takes readers through the careful restoration of her 1800's colonial home in New Jersey. Like many of us with older homes, she's paying special attention to the homes original footprint, while adding a modern twist to personalize the home. See her favorite picks from Clayton Gray Home shown below.
(top to bottom, left to right)
4. Pasha Tuffet & Coffee Table from Roost
Check out Denise's blog for design advice and tips!
Thursday
Top picks from Beauty by Veda: Morning Cravings
Thank you to Beauty by Veda blog for the recent mention!
See their top picks for "fabulous accessories" from Clayton Gray Home.
2. Daymon Table Lamp by Arteriors Home
6. Gold Davis Side Table by Worlds Away
Check out Beauty by Veda blog to see 'more beautiful things'.
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