Follow the Action at High Point Market with Interior Designer, Steve McKenzie

Spring means daffodils, tulips and the High Point Furniture Market! If you’re heading to High Point, we hope our paths cross at one of these exciting events. If not, follow along on Instagram to meet some talented friends and see the latest with Steve.

Learn tips from expert floral designer, Steve McKenzie

Here’s a quick run down of the action, a Saturday floral arranging demonstration at 2pm with none other than Mottahedeh and New Growth Designs. Stop in and say hi!

fabric indigo loop
Belle by Cheryl Luckett + Steve McKenzie

It’s a Friday 4 – 5:30pm kick off of our tour of High Point Market with Belle by Cheryl Luckett Furniture Collection with Sylvester Alexander. We’re honored to be included in Cheryl’s fabric homage to Southern beaus, Steve Mckenzie, Madcap Cottage and Scot Meacham Wood Home. Love our Indigo Loop fabric on her settee!

interior design panel
Curating Trend-Proof Interior with Timeless Design Elements – Panel moderated by Steve McKenzie

Take lots of notes on Saturday, April 6th at 11am with this talented panel – Denise McGaha, Shayla Copas, Lance Jackson & David Ecton, moderated by Steve McKenzie. Isn’t that what most of us want to know? How to update without being trendy…

table action
Delighted to be part of the ‘Dining by Design’ Designers!

Join us on Saturday afternoon 4 – 6pm for the ‘Designer Celebration’ at Alden Parkes with partner, Replacements, Ltd. for some dazzling and divine table settings, floral arrangements, and more.

Of course, please, DM us or text us or even call us. Let’s meet up, in person and share our ideas and inspiration. #hpmkt #inspiredtailoredauthentic

NYC + Friday Favorites

It’s been a busy few weeks in NYC, baby-duty for our precious granddaughter, as our daughter is back to work.  The days are full of kisses, bottles, diapers, cooking, walking, reading books aloud, singing songs, and all around family fun!

Here’s a peek into what we’ve done, seen, eaten or discussed this week on the Upper East side –

Art – The Met and Heavenly Bodies:  Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.  Granddaughter has seen the exhibit three times now : )

The Met, fashion, NYC
Versace jacket in the Heavenly Bodies exhibit at The Met

 Food  – Hooray for neighborhood newcomer, Van Leeuwan Artisan Ice Cream – *bonus tip*  Get the sundae with three scoops and all the trimmings.  It costs less than getting three scoops on a cone.  Oh, and the strawberry tastes just like freshly picked strawberries!

NYC, Van Leeuwen
Artisan ice cream

New parents have got to keep up their energy, so we’ve been cooking lots – new favorites like no-cook Energy Balls and old favorites like Jamie Oliver’s Salmon Packets.

And can you guess what’s in this photo?

NYC, Amazon, NYTimes
Any guesses?

If you guessed homemade chicken stock, then you’re correct!  Our s.i.l. (son-in-law) has perfected Instapot chicken stock and found these fun blue silicone freezer molds so you can freeze the stock, then stack the frozen blocks in a zip lock baggie.  Pull out a delicious, homemade one cup serving at a time.  Check out the NYTimes recipe from Melissa Clark, Instapot cooking guru.

Baby girl clothes and bows – All the favorites like Gap, Carters, Little English, Baby Bling hair bows, Starry Knight shoes, onesies painted by artist Papa Steve!

baby, Steve McKenzie, art, NYC
Precious sleeping baby

Best board books –  (Go straight to Saturn Booksellers and they’ll ship all the latest to you or a loved one).  My new favorite is The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli.  Chomp, chomp, chomp! What’s your favorite read-aloud child’s book?

Not only have we (hopefully) helped our adult kids ease into family-work-life balance, but we’ve gotten to dote on them and this precious baby girl.  For that, we are very thankful for the time, love and support from our friends and family.

 

 

Part 2: A New York State of Mind

Last week, we shared “Part 1” of a post on Steve and Jill’s recent trip to New York, which focused on their time at the What’s New, What’s Next event. For part two, we’re talking ART and inspiration… One of our very favorite subjects!

First things first, Steve and Jill’s daughter, Molly, met up with the duo to become a trio on this art expedition… and they set off to MoMA – specifically to see the Robert Rauschenberg: Among Friends exhibit. It is “the first 21st-century retrospective of the artist, presents over 250 works across mediums from his six-decade career.” And it was excellent!

 

While there, the trio caught a glimpse of the upcoming Louise Bourgeois exhibit and spotted this amazing spider – anyone up for another visit to MoMA?!?

Next up was the Donald Judd Home tour in the city, which offered an incomparable experience with his art and vision. The group was able to visit is formerly private living and working spaces, as well as enjoy Judd’s concept of permanent installation in downtown New York. Talk about inspiring – this is a not to miss portion of any minimalist appreciator’s visit to the city!

Together, Steve, Jill and Molly ventured to Bergdorfs, where even more inspiration was discovered, thanks to the Gucci home decor on view!

Can we please help to work this gorgeous pillow or this spectacular chair into someone’s home?!?

There was no lack of enthusiasm for color, texture or pattern matching here. Although you may know a Gucci piece when you see it, it’s truly the details which make these items so special.

Now, for a little Gucci motivation in interior design…

The new Jayson Home store in SOHO was practically calling out to Steve, who could just about move right in and feel at home. The art, natural elements and color palettes were awe inducing.

As a showroom retailer, it’s so much fun to visit other, inspirational showrooms and enjoy what they have to offer!

Finally, our traveling trio were ready to hop in their rental car for the drive out to Beacon, NY…
But – leave it to these three to hop into a sporty yellow convertible for the journey. It was the ideal mode of transportation to enjoy a bit of autumn in the Northeast!

Beacon is home to the Storm King Art Center, which is “widely celebrated as one of the world’s leading sculpture parks… Located only one hour north of New York City, in the lower Hudson Valley, its 500 acres of rolling hills, woodlands, and fields of native grasses and wildflowers provide the setting for a collection of more than 100 carefully sited sculptures created by some of the most acclaimed artists of our time.” Storm King was simply spectacular. The way the sculpture plays into the landscape and the Hudson River Valley setting is truly unmatched.

While in the Hudson Valley, the group couldn’t pass up a visit to the brand new Magazzino Italian Art museum. Founded in June of 2017, this museum is a private warehouse which hosts select works from the Olnick Spanu Collection, most of which have never been exhibited stateside.  Its mission is “to widen public appreciation and education of Post-war and Contemporary Italian Art in the United States.”
As you can imagine, the trio has returned to their respective homes after this art adventure feeling more inspired than ever! For Steve, who enjoys travels such of these from both an artist’s perspective, as well as that of an interior designer, making the time to experience art in all its forms is imperative. And being able to do it with family makes it all the more special!