Category: Wine & Design

A Tropical Transformation: McKenzie Design’s 2017 Historic Macon Showhouse Dining Room

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Our space in this year’s Design, Wine & Dine Showhouse, supporting the Historic Macon Foundation is finally complete! While we’re delighted with the way the dining room by McKenzie Design turned out, we’re even more thrilled to have been in the company of such talented designers from throughout Middle-Georgia, including Lisa Bellwin, Tracy Benton, Sally Draughon, Valerie Garrett, Judy Hodgens, Terry Holland, Carolyn Reichert, Carrie Robinson and Katherine Walden.

Most recently, our design team has been inspired by the all the lush, tropical motifs, which seem to be popping up everywhere! While we wanted to ensure we respected the history of the fantastic Porter House – moved to Weslyan University‘s campus – we also wanted to present our take with an updated sense of tradition. We’re so pleased with the results of our design plan, and are lucky to have had the opportunity to partner with some truly terrific manufacturers and artisans to help us realize our space…

We fell in love with Sherwin Williams’ “Iverness” and opted to use this luxurious hue throughout the dining room. The brass Pagoda light fixture by Currey & Company was a true jewel in the space! The cerused oak dining table, from Grange Furniture, was an ideal backdrop for our tablescape.

We had a ball with all of the fabulous Thibaut Design textiles used in the dining room – the “Tropical Fantasy” design from their Biscayne collection was the jumping off point and we went from there. Drape 98 provided all drapery fabrication for our space. As evidenced by the McKenzie Design showhouse dining space, we fell in love with the tropical, yet classic, design of our primary textile, featuring large leaves, colorful ginger jars and exotic animals.

The lush texture of the Moss colored velvet, paired with Selamat’s Sheridan wingback chair offered a smart juxtaposition of textures, and offers a natural element. These dramatic chairs, act as the “head” of our dining table, while the Sika Rossini chairs, act as the side chairs. Our showhouse dining space is anchored with a stunning, hand-knotted rug by Laura Walker for Verde Home.

This beautiful settee is by Bjork Studio, who provided all our upholstery. The settee, in bold animal print (Amur from the Menagerie Collection by Thibaut) is a highlight in the space and was the most talked about piece opening night – by far.

The hand finished mirror situated above the fireplace cannot go unnoticed. It’s by artist Stacy Milburn, and added needed contemporary element, which offers an exciting energy.

To set the table, we paired pieces from the new Jardins Extraordinaire collection by Gien with the classic handmade Chartreuse dinner plate by R Wood Studios. The exciting and fresh “Pebble in Blush” napkin, hand printed in India, by Collier Rose Ink, completes a memorable place setting.

Recently, we acquired six vintage pieces of glass from an old Midwest factory that still had the papers attached. Framed in these stunning steel frames, they make for an interesting, contemporary addition to the space, yet share a storied past. We love using pieces with a bit of history in our designs!

This glimpse of our showhouse tabletop is one of our favorite moments. We dubbed this little guy “Otis,” after Otis Redding, who was from Macon. He is by Avala International. In the background is the beautiful oyster vase, by Vine Garden Market, and a crystal votive from Harmonious Living by Tish Mills.

We hope you have enjoyed this little tour of our showhouse dining room! If you’d like to learn more about any of the products used, please plan a visit to our showroom or reach out via e-mail or phone.

We urge you to plan a trip to Macon to visit the showroom – the house, as well as all related Design, Wine & Dine events are absolutely worth the short drive! Please reach out to us for restaurant recommendations and be prepared to be inspired by this historic city. Visit the Macon, GA website for other fun excursions to enjoy while there. But, keep in mind, the showhouse will only be open through the 25th – you can see more details here.

Thanks again for joining us on this tour – please let us know your thoughts!

All photos in this post are courtesy of Marc Mauldin Photography except the photo of the Porter House from Historic Macon Foundation

En Vogue with The Vine

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Please meet our latest obsession – The Vine. A combination landscape design, event design and garden market located on St. Simons Island, The Vine offers a distinct approach to curating some of life’s most special events.

 

We’re so pleased to have the opportunity to partner with the team behind The Vine, Bryce Vann Brock and Kelly Revels, on a couple very special events at the steve mckenzie’s showroom this week. An evening of Wine with The Vine Thursday and a terrarium making class Friday morning.

Learn a bit about Bryce and Kelly and how The Vine came to fruition:

The Vine was created in 2008 by Bryce Vann Brock and Kelly Revels. This marked an exciting new chapter in a wonderful story that was already being written by their work together at The Sea Island Resort. Bryce served as the resort’s Landscape Director for several years while Kelly specialized there in landscape container design. Together they designed and created spectacular events both small and large at the resort while dreaming of one day combining their talents and energy to form their own business. Today, that talent, energy and vision is embodied in The Vine. So as wonderful as our history is, we are convinced that the chapters yet to be written together will be even more compelling!

Spaces in the terrarium making class are filling up quickly, so reserve your spot now! And how timely is this class with Mother’s Day coming up this Sunday?!? Or, choose to keep your terrarium – they’re a stunning way to add a bit of life and a pop of green to your home or office!

At each of the events with The Vine, you’ll have an chance to preview the new Oyster Containers (available in three sizes), designed by the duo behind The Vine. Inspired by the abundance of natural beauty of the marsh, sea and sky that surrounds St. Simons, owners Kelly and Bryce worked with a local artist to create this organic container that reflects beauty of the area. A limited number of each size is arriving in mid-May.

Contact us today to reserve your Oyster Container or with any questions. Looking forward to enjoying Wine with The Vine Thursday evening and creating some spectacular terrariums in Friday morning’s class!

A Delicious Jaunt in Jackson – A Visit to Cathead Distillery!

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On our trip to Jackson, Mississippi to visit Kristen Ley and Thimbelpress to learn how to letterpress, we also had the opportunity to learn about Cathead Vodka. Steve loves a nice vodka, and to learn about a small maker was exciting; we couldn’t pass it up!

As you’re well aware by now, we love all things southern, and a southern-made vodka is no exception. Located on the edge of downtown Jackson, near the Mississippi Museum of Art, Cathead distillery was fantastic!

Mississippi ushered in prohibition in 1907 and it was not repealed until 1966. Fast forward to 2011, when Austin Evans and Richard Patrick first opened as Cathead. These boys not only love their vodka, but they love the delta blues of the region. In fact, the distillery is named after the legend, Son Thomas, known for his cathead sculptures he sold at his blues performances.

Because of their love of Delta Blues, Cathead’s founders incorporated a fantastic philanthropic element to their business, which makes the story even stronger. They support many foundations by giving a portion of their sales to different organizations, which support preservation of the blues heritage. In fact, on the Cathead website, you can view some of the amazing blues videos and see great commercials featuring legends of the Delta region.

Some of the southern flavors being produced by Cathead are Pecan and Honeysuckle. They’re absolutely delicious, and over the next few weeks Steve will be sharing some new recipes he developed using their vodkas. In the meantime if you are in a hurry, you can check out other recipes here.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in Jackson, take a tour of Cathead and try a tasting Thursday – Saturday. Until you can visit,  here is a photo-tour of the distillery…

We’ve also sampled their Gin and it makes the perfect Summertime Gin and Tonic! Next up is the Hoodoo Chickory Liqueur (barrel pictured above). We are excited to see where this spirit will take us.

Please enjoy responsibly.

Distillary photos by Richard Patrick

Eight Sushi Lounge

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Tired of turkey? Feeling humbug about ham? You can only eat so much holiday food before a change is in order. Enter Eight Sushi Lounge – our newest neighbors in Atlanta’s Westside neighborhood – and our newest craving… After all, Sushi is the perfect post-holiday meal!

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While you’re looking for something for your family to do together after your holiday celebrating has commenced, shall we suggest a fabulous sushi dinner at Atlanta’s newest and most impressive sushi locale, Eight Sushi Lounge.

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Steve and Jill were recently treated to a tasting menu, where they experienced Eight’s outstanding service, presentation and some extremely inventive dishes.

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From the team behind Rice Restaurant in Cumming, Eight Sushi Lounge puts a modern, new spin on classic Japanese cooking. The combination of flavors experienced at Eight suggests a bit of a new fusion of modern flavors, while still respecting Japanese heritage and the art that is Japanese cuisine.

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And, of course, we must note Eight Sushi Lounge’s impressive interior. It’s by Plexus R&D, who were also the architects behind the steve mckenzie’s showroom. It’s sleek and modern, while still being warm and welcoming.

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The restaurant’s unique juxtaposition of wood and metal creates a contemporary atmosphere, but one where you can still hold an intimate conversation with your tablemates, something that is becoming scarce in the Atlanta restaurant scene.

Take a note from us and make a reservation at Eight Sushi Lounge and support our newest neighbor – we promise you’ll soon experience a meal unlike any other! And don’t forget, when you’re in the neighborhood, stop by steve mckenzie’s and see what’s new in store!

 

Wine & Design: The Blackberry Fence Hopper – A Transitional Cocktail

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We’re kicking off our latest blog series, “Wine & Design,” with a fantastic cocktail, that perfectly pairs with our idea of Transitional design, The Blackberry Fence Hopper.

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The Blackberry Fence Hopper

We thought Eric Prum of The Mason Shaker, would be THE ideal person to ask about a cocktail that would work well in a Transitional space. Sure enough, he came to us with The Blackberry Fence Hopper.

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“It’s a perfect seasonal transition drink – transitioning from one side of the fence to the other,” shares Eric.

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Give The Blackberry Fence Hopper a try this weekend, as we continue to enjoy our warm transition into spring. And, let us know if it gets you in the mood to go Transitional with your design…
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If you think this looks delicious, check out The Mason Shaker on Instagram for a new cocktail recipe, shared every Thursday – yum!
A big thank you to Eric and The Mason Shaker team for a very inspiring Transitional cocktail (along with some beautiful imagery!) for our very first Wine & Design post. Check out the original Mason Shaker, and fantastic cocktail muddler and jigger, also by The Mason Shaker, available at steve mckenzie’s today!