We’re throwing it back a bit on this Friday, featuring some recent happenings here at steve mckenzie’s. As always, we’re beyond grateful when McKenzie Designs is featured or when the happenings here at the steve mckenzie’s showroom are brought into the limelight!
steve mckenzie’s appears TWICE in the April 2017 issue of House Beautiful!
That’s the Le Cadeaux “Havana” plate right in the center!
We are pinching ourselves here to have been featured two times in the most recent issue of one of our very favorite shelter publications, House Beautiful– especially to see Steve’s name in “The Experts” section!
Click here to check out the full feature of our recent Candler Park renovation and let us know which part is your favorite in the comments below. You won’t be surprised to learn that French Blue range from La Cornue was the top feature for us!
It’s a “Garden Party” in the April 2017 issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles
We’re delighted to see our Jardin Extraordinaires collection by Gien in this absolutely gorgeous spread in the latest issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. This feature is putting us in the spirit of springtime!
You’re invited to our Spring Tea & Open House!
Last, but certainly not least, is our Spring Tea & Open House event at the steve mckenzie’s showroom this Wednesday. As you can see from the details above, it’s going to provide an extraordinary time! We hope you can join us – please share your RSVP with us by clicking here or on either of the event images.
Thank you for joining us on this little #FlashbackFriday of recent press and look ahead at what’s sure to be a pretty fantastic event! We hope to see you in the steve mckenzie’s showroom soon.
If you follow steve mckenzie’s on other social media sites, you may have seen us mention Michelle Workman, a phenomenal interior designer, based out of Los Angeles and Chattanooga. Steve was recently commissioned to custom paint the walls in her space for the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles 2016 Holiday House and we’ve been fortunate enough to get to know Michelle and her work over the last year and she’s an absolute talent! We hope you enjoy getting to know Michelle in this latest installment of our Tastemaker series…
Born in Los Angeles, California, Michelle’s penchant for the craft was almost immediately apparent. Some of her fondest childhood memories were of her mother chauffeuring her about the neighborhoods to take in the endless array of visually arresting homes. As a budding young designer, Michelle frequently took pleasure in envisioning and fashioning her very own custom designed forts.
Described by those who know her as an “easygoing perfectionist,” Michelle’s philosophy is that interior design should embody the spirit and architectural style of the individual whose home is being transformed – literally, a physical manifestation of the client’s most inherent attributes. Michelle’s signature style is a mingling of the modern and vintage. And her engaging personality, calming demeanor and exquisite attention-to-detail continually instill confidence in her clients as she brings into being for them their one-of-a-kind dream home.
1. Three words that describe your aesthetic?
Elegant, Glamorous, Exuberant
2. Would you please share a little about your favorite space/project to date?
Hmmmm. Not sure I have a favorite, each project is so unique and a new adventure, they all have aspects to them that are favored!
3. What’s the source(s) of your inspiration?
Usually the client is the inspiration, but when I do a showhouse or exhibition I make up a person that I want as a client and I design for them.
4. Name three people (alive or dead) you’d invite to your dream dinner party…
Marie Antoinette, I have so many questions for her, politically, but also she was a revolutionary when it came to style. Ginger Rogers, she seems like not only talented but down to earth and bubbly and wise.. I bet she would have great stories about old Hollywood. Alexa Hampton, she’s a great designer but is also very well read and knows everything about design and design history, and she’s one of the funniest people in our industry. I think that would be a lively dinner party!
5. A piece of/type of furniture you couldn’t live without?
A chair. and another chair, and two more chairs, and then one more chair. I like chairs… oh and lamps too.
6. Do you follow a particular set of rules when mixing textures, finishes, etc. – how do they work for you?
I work very hard to bring disparate elements into harmony, the overriding rule is balance.
7. Trending… What is something you are currently “into” and something you are “over?”
Into… ART DECO. Over… gray and beige and taupe, drab, drab, drab.
8. How does artwork fit into your designs?
I try to use local and emerging artists. I love to get original pieces for clients even if they are not investment grade – I like to support young new artists this way.
9. What would be the one thing you would have if you were stranded on a deserted island?
A kindle with wifi.
10. Please share a piece of advice you’d offer to someone looking to break into the interior design industry.
Avail yourself of museums, and historic tours, and anything that will show you the finer things in life. Try to find things for your clients that are unique and one of a kind… not from big box stores.
Thank you Michelle! It’s been such a pleasure working with you and being a part of your outstanding designs!!
Right before Thanksgiving, we were fortunate enough to be treated to a media preview tour of the 2016 Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holidays Designer Showhouse and it was a stunner. Truly. Every detail at every corner of every space was just impeccable and totally inspirational!
Photo by David Christensen
We urge you to plan a visit if you haven’t done so already – it will instantly put you in the holiday spirit, and if you’re already feeling festive, then you’ll just be envisioning even more sugarplums this season.
But – we cannot keep you in total suspense. See some of our favorite highlights below…
Photo by David Christensen
Michelle Workman’s amazing space was an obvious favorite for us. After all, our own Steve McKenzie created her walls, which we happen to think are pretty spectacular.
Photo by David Christensen
Truly though, her bedroom design is absolutely transportive and welcoming all at the same time. Her mixing of patterns, colors and textiles is sensational.
Photo by David Christensen
The holiday house kitchen by Shaylyn Woodbery was glamorous, but absolutely welcoming. Her touches of gold and brass throughout are perfect for the holidays and beyond.
Photo by David Christensen
And you know we can’t pass up a fabulous table setting!
Photo by David Christensen
Musso Design Group created a master bedroom space we immediately felt right at home in. Its streamlined and modern, but fits right in with this classic home.
Finally, the home’s office by Heather Roberts, for Ivy and Vine, was an absolute show stopper. That chair caught our attention first, but what kept us coming back for more of this space was her use of color. The same blue hue on the walls, mouldings – even the ceiling.
There’s just a sampling of what you can expect with this spectacular holiday home for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, and as you can imagine, there’s so much more seasonal eye candy for you. We hope you enjoy the home as much as we did… Happy holidays!!
Tis’ the season, we suppose… And we’re only busier from here! See steve mckenzie’s allover Atlanta this month. We’re out and about sharing our fabulous home accessories, art, holiday decor and more – make plans to see us soon!
Sneak Peek at the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Home for the Holiday Show House, opens Nov. 18th!
But, the first stop is one you can make right now to a recent post, where you can learn our top tips for creating and sending holiday cards, effortlessly. Be sure to enter the giveaway, which ends at midnight tonight!!
Next stop, Decatur, for the Decatur Art Walk:
Find Steve and his art at Trinity Mercantile onFriday, Nov. 4th from 5-9pm.
116 East Trinity Place / Decatur, GA
Another successful and exciting High Point Market has wrapped up, with colorful new launches and additions. Our hearts and eyes were dancing with this collaboration of Cotton + quill fabric on a Dunes and Duchess glossy bench, against the backdrop of the dramatic Copacabana Cotton + quill textile.
Cotton + quill Pendant/Capri color way on a Chappy Bench in New England Oyster Roast from Dunes and DuchessNew Libeco Bedding – All the colors play well together, and Belgian linens are a delight for restful sleeping.The Old Wood Co. does it again. Our Asheville maker knocks it out of the park with this Iron Buff finish.Kannoa outdoor furniture is well-designed and functional, plus offers a full range of fabric colors and patterns so you can customize your space. This aquamarine Congo Side Table can be used for seating too.This is outdoor? You bet it is, from Laurie Bell and Kannoa.
We spent more time in the Antique & Design Center of High Point, scoring some terrific finds! The dealers ranged from classic art to art deco to textiles to eclectic vendors like Box Road.
Box Road Antiques – everything from delicate Flow Blue plates to a fascinating flashlight collection and face jug. Made me very happy…
Now it’s time to get our Halloween costumes pulled together, and then start the countdown to Christmas! To ease the stress, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite holiday tips on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Periscope. Enjoy the warm fall colors!
She’s an absolutely delightful person and award-winning designer… We first met Patricia McLean when she selected some fabulous Grange Napoleon chairs for her space in the ASO Showhouse earlier this year and were immediately smitten.
After learning more about her, and her work, we knew she’d be a wonderful “Tastemaker” to share with you all here! Luckily, she was agreeable, and her “Tastemaker Tuesday” feature is below – enjoy…
Patricia McLean
Patricia McLean founded Patricia McLean Interiors, Inc. in 1985. Considered a true, traditional designer, Patricia specializes in the customization of paint colors, finishes and fabrics and layering of antiques and accessories. Guiding clients architecturally through construction to ensure the “bones” are correct for furniture placement and flow is paramount to her design philosophy. A graduate of the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in furnishings and interiors, Patricia was selected to restore the Georgia governor’s mansion ballroom. In addition, she has been featured in the Cashiers, North Carolina Designer Showhouse and the Atlanta Symphony Associates’ Decorators’ Show House for many years. In 2013, The University of Georgia honored Patricia McLean Interiors with the Bulldog 100 Award for business, ranking 21st. She studied abroad and travels for inspiration but considers herself a true American designer. She takes an organic approach to the design process bringing her refined taste, fresh approach, vast resources and joie de vivre to each project.
1. Three words that describe your aesthetic?
Elevated, Enchanting, Enduring
2009 Atlanta Symphony Show House Master Bedroom at The St. Regis Atlanta. Photo by Lauren Rubinstein
2. Would you please share a little about your favorite space/project to date?
One of my favorite projects to date is the Spring 2009 Atlanta Symphony Show House Master Bedroom at The St. Regis Atlanta. I rarely enter design contests. This one did receive an ASID Design
Excellence Award. The palette was a pale green. I mixed the paint color myself and called it Tricia’s Show House green. I had to keep trying it in the high rise because things change when you decorate in the sky light. The cream silk window treatments and gold wooden pelmets were my custom design. I added moldings to the walls and a marble fireplace to the space. The room was large so I was able to designate a bed room, breakfast and living room area. Some visitors said they could live in that one room! The nice thing about that Show House is it lead to a very happy collaboration later with St. Regis Residences on two model home projects for them in 2011 and 2013.
I have been designing Show House spaces since 1995. I can honestly say that no two are alike. I love doing them..
3. What’s the source(s) of your inspiration?
Inspiration is all around us. I believe God designed the world with designers in mind. Nature holds the key to pattern, color, texture, composition. Whether you can travel to far exotic lands or only around your own zip code, there are keys to good design in every part of our surroundings. I am often quoted as saying there are no bad colors, just bad combinations. Working through the palette is the job of the designer. My way of bringing the pieces together for a harmonious whole is enhanced by travel and experiencing new and historic settings.
4. Name three people (alive or dead) you’d invite to your dream dinner party…
Thomas Jefferson – I think we would all enjoy discussing architecture, furniture, houses and History with him! And then I’d invite Steve and Jill McKenzie – I know they are very fun at dinner!
Bleu Azur Grange Napoleon chairs featured in Patricia’s ASO Showhouse guest suite. Photo by Erica George Dines
5. A piece of/type of furniture you couldn’t live without?
I love chairs. I think of them as the holder of the people and their placement can often determine how the conversation flows. It is also the occasional chair that can add the most spice to the room because it gets used when the conversation really gets going and you need more seats! But standing alone it can be a show stopper with stand out fabric, color or both as was the case with the pair of bleu azur Napoleon chairs by Grange Furniture I borrowed from steve mckenzie’s for the 2015 Atlanta Decorator Show House.
6. Do you follow a particular set of rules when mixing textures, finishes, etc. – how do they work for you?
My rule is to stay true to my eye. Over the years I have realized that not everyone sees things the way I do. I remember telling a group in a talk that I could see the colors in my head and remember them forever once I saw them. I had one friend that never forgot that and would quote me on it. People would offer me fabric samples or paint chips to take with me and I would just say I didn’t need them. I thought that was how everyone saw color. I always do paint samples on boards with clients. Fabrics are my favorite and getting the mix right requires use of various textures and pattern. It’s all experimentation with each job. I guess my one rule would be don’t force anything.
St. Regis Atlanta Private Residence
7. Trending… What is something you are currently “into” and something you are “over?”
I love antique tortoise boxes (not trendy, just a favorite of mine) and de Gournay hand painted wall panels.
I am over bad furniture compositions. Everything does not work. It is sad what passes for good design these days.
Patricia’s ASO Showhouse Guest Bath. Photo by Erica George Dines
8. How does artwork fit into your designs?
It is often the starting point. It helps establish the mood and/or color palette. It can also be the finishing touches that bring the room to life. I actually have the artwork commissioned for some of my projects. I work with artists that understand what I need and are able to paint, draw or watercolor render what I want in certain spaces. The 2015 Decorators Show House had a collection of paintings and water colors on one wall. I commissioned the art and the hand finished custom frames for that room. The effect was charming. It seemed as if the owners had collected the art over time. And the frames complimented the fabric palette beautifully.
9. What would be the one thing you would have if you were stranded on a deserted island?
No brainer- iphone. I could call for help, be tracked by GPS and keep myself entertained and stay in touch with family/friends while waiting!
2013 ASO Show House Living Room featured in “Scalamandre’ Haute Decor.” Photo by Emily Followill
10. Please share a piece of advice you’d offer to someone looking to break into the interior design industry.
What my father taught me in business – which is just good manners. Treat everyone with respect no matter their station. Many days I interact with a myiad of people in the trade. I have been dealing with some them for over 30 years. Every job is a collaboration and I so appreciate those that help me get there. Also, encourage new business but always appreciate your existing clients.
If that interview and those images aren’t enough to inspire you, we don’t know what will! Patricia’s spaces are all so graceful, but offer unexpected touches that truly make a statement. Each time we’re in one of her rooms, we see something we haven’t seen the time before. Magic.
Thanks so much to Patricia for agreeing to let us feature her as a Tastemaker, here on the blog for steve mckenzie’s! To learn more about her, and her interior designs, visit Patricia McLean Interiors here.
This month, we’ve selected friend, and fellow Atlanta-based designer, Margaret Kirkland as our March Tastemaker – and we’re so pleased she agreed to participate with us in this fun blog post series! Margaret has an impeccable southern style, and people are drawn to her warm personality. We’re thrilled to have this wonderful opportunity to introduce our readers to Margaret and share what makes her tick as a designer! Enjoy learning all about her on this Tastemaker Tuesday:
Margaret Kirkland
Prior to founding her namesake firm, Margaret Kirkland worked in New York and later in her native Atlanta with Dan Carithers Design Consultants. Over the course of fifteen years in the design industry, Margaret has completed projects including residences, high rises, showrooms, a yacht, a spa, a country club, and even an interior design pop-up shop in Northeast Harbor, Maine. She has worked for clients throughout the United States—including New York, Chicago, the low country of South Carolina and Atlanta—and also on several international projects. Margaret Kirkland Interiors has had projects published in multiple shelter magazines including Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles, Southern Living and House Beautiful magazines. Margaret Kirkland Interiors has been named top design firm to watch by several publications & blogs and most recently, Kirkland was named “15 under 40” by Atlanta Home’s and Lifestyles Magazine.
1. Three words that describe your aesthetic?
Timeless, Southern, Elegant
2. Would you please share a little about your favorite space/project to date?
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have some really special jobs here in Atlanta, in New York, in the low country of South Carolina, even a few houses in France. Any project where the clients are enthusiastic and happy about their homes are my favorite projects to work on!
3. What’s the source(s) of your inspiration?
I feel like I get design inspiration from everything I am exposed to on a daily basis. Travel and exposing yourself to classic design and architecture of the past is great inspiration, but so is taking a walk outside, and get inspired by the palettes and combinations you see in the natural world. I also love staying current with all the best shelter magazines.
4. Name three people (alive or dead) you’d invite to your dream dinner party…
Bunny Williams, Diana Vreeland, Albert Hadley for their wit, humor, and their style. Plus they all seem (ed) to know how to have a good time!
Photo Credit – Mali Azima
5. A piece of/type of furniture you couldn’t live without?
There is nothing more inviting than a beautiful and comfortable bed to start and end your days in.
Photo Credit – Mali Azima
6. Do you follow a particular set of rules when mixing textures, finishes, etc. – how do they work for you?
I don’t follow any strict rules in decorating, but I think it is all about a great mix of cotton and linen print and solid fabrics, good lighting, lovely accessories and art working together to make a statement.
7. Trending… What is something you are currently “into” and something you are “over?”
I have always been into chintzy prints, and I am glad they are in vogue again. I am over gloomy gray and beige that does not say anything.
8. How does artwork fit into your designs?
Art plays a huge a part of our inspiration for a room scheme, and can really set the entire mood of a room. I love both traditional and modern art, and I love to involve clients in art purchases so their personalities shine in the spaces in which they live.
Photo Credit – Mali Azima
9. What would be the one thing you would have if you were stranded on a deserted island?
I would want a notebook to write down my thoughts and all the projects I want to work on!
10. Please share a piece of advice you’d offer to someone looking to break into the interior design industry.
Go work for the designer you are most admire. No amount of reading and school projects can prepare you quite the way on the job training can!
On the job training – right on! We agree with Margaret, experience is everything! What a fantastic set of responses. Thank you again to Margaret Kirkland for letting us feature her as a Tastemaker here on the blog for steve mckenzie’s – we look forward to seeing more of your work!
As Steve shares, “The Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Decorator Showhome at Serenbe is unique to most showhouses, as it’s design’s cohesiveness is so obvious. The home flows seamlessly through each space; it’s as if a family really lives there.”
The team here at steve mckenzie’s was thrilled to either loan or provide products, which are highlighted throughout this spectacular home, not the least of which, a fabulous custom charcoal pinstripe textile, used as the drapery fabric in Yvonne McFadden’s, of Y. McFadden LLC Interiors, master bedroom space.
Y. McFadden LLC Interiors’ Master Bedroom at the AH&L Serenbe Designer Showhouse
It was actually these paintings, on showcase in the home’s master bedroom closet, also designed by Yvonne, that inspired this unique fabric.
Paintings by Steve McKenzie, which inspired the charcoal pinstripe fabric featured in the AH&L Serenbe Showhouse master bedroom.
This stunning vignette in Yvonne’s master bedroom space offers a more detailed look at this custom fabric…
Moving to the other side of the bedroom, a reading nook welcomes weary visitors with just about anything they’d require for a peaceful moment. Steve’s ready to move in right now!
On another wall in the master bedroom space hangs a collection of antique frames Yvonne discovered throughout her trips to Europe. Collections like these, found over time and with a passion, are what make a space something truly special!
Although we hate to tear ourselves away from this enveloping master bedroom space – thank you Yvonne – we had to give you a glimpse at some of our other favorite spaces in the home.
We are truly in awe of the home’s chic, modern office space, designed by Julie Witzel of J. Witzel Interior Design.
Yes, you spy a steve mckenzie’s exclusive thick leather satchel, gracing the side of the desk in the showhome’s stunning gentleman’s office.
In addition to the leather satchel accessory, other key elements in this space include the overall art selection and custom light fixture by Sarah Atkinson of Grey Furniture – wowzas!
Oh, and we cannot forget about the handbags on show in the office bookcase – they’re handmade in Bali and just fantastic – visit the steve mckenzie’s showroom today and see them for yourself!
Oh, and on the way to our next space, why don’t we take a glimpse into the powder room…
Wow – the wallpaper in James Wheeler’s, of J. Wheeler Designs, is seriously such a showstopper! We love it so much, we had to ask James about it, so we could share the details with you. It’s de Gournay ‘Fishes’ Blue Pearl design colors on realsilver gilded paper with De’sargenter Pearlescent antique finish and hand painted fish motif. Now, who wouldn’t want to powder their nose with these fishes???
If you visit the showhouse, one area you’re sure not to miss is Kerry Howard’s, of KMH Interiors, stairwell, where you’ll see this funky grouping of art pieces by Rebecca Wood, who’s currently on show in the steve mckenzie’s showroom.
The view from the top of Kerry’s beautifully designed stairwell…
And these Mitchell Black pieces, also available at steve mckenzie’s, are on display in the Serenbe showhome’s stairwell:
The last space we’ll share with you is the terrace level artist retreat designed by Niki Papadopoulos of Mark Williams Design Associates. This is where it got especially real for Steve. It was almost as if this room was designed around him…. If only we needed to be closer to Serenbe.
This would make a phenomenal artist’s escape – take it from Steve. From the small accent pieces, to the gallery wall grouping, this room is perfection. Niki even utilized art books and brushes from her father’s collection to emphasize the room’s unique personality.
Doesn’t it look as if some great artist just stepped away from their workspace for a moment?!?
Phew! If you’ve made it all the way to the end of the post with us – thank you. Now, get to that showhouse and see it for yourself!
If you require even more convincing, you’ll be happy to know that proceeds from the showhouse go to support Serenbe’s Art Farm, which is a collaborative project between Serenbe and Auburn University’s Rural Studio, whose goal is to raise the funds to create affordable artists’ housing on-site at Serenbe. Now your visit will not only provide you with unlimited visual inspiration, you’ll also be giving back to the Serenbe community.
