High Point Market Highlights

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 on a Chappy Bench from Dunes and Duchess
Cotton + quill Pendant/Capri color way on a Chappy Bench in New England Oyster Roast from Dunes and Duchess
New Libeco Bedding
New Libeco Bedding – All the colors play well together, and Belgian linens are a delight for restful sleeping.
The Old Wood Co. does it again.
The Old Wood Co. does it again.  Our Asheville maker knocks it out of the park with this Iron Buff finish.
Kannoa
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.
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
Box Road Antiques – everything from delicate Flow Blue plates to a fascinating flashlight collection and face jug.  Made me very happy…

Box Road Antiques

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!

Tablescape Thursday: Love is in the Air

We had so much fun pulling together these Valentine’s table settings, and we think you’ll have even more fun pulling them off for yourself and surprising your loved one with a special dinner at home this holiday!

Sure, there’s something about a night on the town, but does it have to be on Valentine’s day? The crowds, prix fixe menus… We suggest saving the big night out for another evening and celebrating at home. After all, it’s more cozy and comfortable and with the right tablescape, you can set the mood however you like!

We’ve created three designs here – one more casual, another a bit fancier and a third setting that sets the stage for a true holiday celebration:

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First up, a casual supper setting.  Perhaps you’ve just started dating, so you don’t want to go overboard just yet. This place setting featuring Libeco linens, a Match Pewter Dinner Plate, R. Wood Studio Dessert/Salad Plate all topped off with a silver heart ornament (could double as a sweet gift!) by Eric Cortina, offers a sentimental feel where a classic french bistro meal such as croque monsieur and a simple salad would be perfectly suited.

Also featured in this setting is an R. Wood Studio Small Scallop Bowl, Two-Piece Salad Set, in red glitter, a Tart/Pie Server, also in red glitter, a simple red spreader, an Acrylic Dolce Vita Water Goblet and Tumbler and Vintage-Style Flatware.

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With this setting, things are getting a bit more serious… Although they’re kept casual with the Acrylic Lente Tumbler and Highball glasses and white Vintage-Style flatware. The le Jacquard Francais tea towel, turned place mat and Libeco Linen napkin, both in tones of strawberry and red give a nod to the holiday celebrated. But it’s really the Match Pewter Convivio dinner and salad/dessert plates that elevate this setting. The three heart ornaments by Eric Cortina offer a little something special, while also doubling as a gift.

A creamy lemon shrimp risotto would be an ideal compliment to this setting, and would certainly impress your loved one! Take a bit of the stress off your plate by turning to a local bakery for dessert…

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Finally, with our third setting, we’re looking at a proposal-ready tablescape, so beware! This is your classic Valentine’s surf and turf place setting… It’s grounded by a tea towel place mat by Le Jacquard Francais and an April Cornell Essential Napkin in pink. The dinnerware is a combination of Match Pewter Viviana Dinner and salad/dessert plates and a bread a butter plate in Royal Crown Derby‘s Mikado pattern. This tablescape’s crowning glory is the Royal Crown Derby, Mikado coffee/tea service – it’s even more stunning in person!

Also featured in this table setting are the Acrylic Dolce Vita Water Goblet and Wine Goblets, and Vintage-Style Flatware in Black. Add a few flowers and some candles, and this tablescape will be over the top!

And there you have it – three table settings that are sure to knock your loved one off their feet! Plus, those recipes = a guaranteed success of a Valentine’s dinner! Pop into the steve mckenzie’s showroom today to pick up a few of these items to help create your perfect holiday tablescape, and maybe even the perfect card for your special someone…

Special Pieces… Just for your holiday table.

Have you begun breaking out your traditional holiday linens and tableware and realize you may need to spruce things up a bit this year? You know, nothing a new set of glasses or napkins couldn’t fix. And they could be just the refresh your celebration tablescape needs… Take it from us – after all, steve mckenzie’s was recently awarded the “Best of Atlanta – Tabletop” by Atlanta Magazine!

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Enter these beautiful, hand embroidered Libeco holiday napkins, $32. If these won’t be the star of your place setting, we don’t know what will be! Create a set with the stag and snowflakes for a winter look that will last all season long, or keep it classic for Christmas with the Noel, Joy and Christmas embroidered napkins.

Do all the same, or create a table full of fun by mixing and matching – these are so pretty, your guests won’t want to dab their fingertips on them. What’s even better, is a portion of the sales of these napkins goes back to the African women who do the embroidery. A win-win!

 

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Next up, these sculptural red acrylic (yes, acrylic!) Milly Tumblers, $25. These will do double duty for you, as the glistening jewels on your table, and even on the kid’s table, since they’re not crystal or glass… These unbreakable, acrylic glasses will go far for you this holiday season, but can also make a reappearance this summer season when you’re celebrating the 4th of July!

Grab a few more than you’ll think you’ll need and use them as mini vases, vessels for your buffet’s utensils, so many options! Everyone will want to know where you found these unique tumblers, as they’ll add a perfect punch to your tablescape.

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Finally, these Blackfriars Check napkins by Libeco, $23, will add a touch of drama with their deep hues. Although the pattern allows these to blend with traditional holiday decor. The Blackfriars Check napkins will make an especially lovely addition to a holiday brunch table and would line bread baskets equally as well.

There are so many ways little touches such as these can blend seamlessly with the decor you already have, adding the ideal fresh touch needed to dress up any holiday table. Add a few sprigs of rosemary to the napkin rings, and you’re ready for a celebration!

Come into the steve mckenzie’s showroom today to select a few items from our selection, voted “Best of Atlanta,” to adorn your holiday table and see what an impact a few new accessories can add… And don’t forget, these would all make fabulous gifts for the entertainer or hostess in your life, and with complimentary gift wrapping by our team, what’s not to love?!?

Place Settings for Every Thanksgiving Table

No matter how you celebrate Thanksgiving, there’s a good chance there’s a great meal involved… And a great meal deserves a great place setting. After all, they do say, you eat with your eyes first!

Now, we’re not necessarily talking about a super-formal setting, with eight pieces of flatware that you have to be an etiquette expert to know how to use, we’re suggesting you simply think about your meal and the style gathering you’re hosting, and create a place setting you and your loved ones will be comfortable with.

To help with this, we’ve created three different place settings to share as examples – one for a casual buffet style Thanksgiving dinner, another for a nicer, family style feast, and the final one, which lends itself to a more formal meal:

Buffet Style Thanksgiving Place Setting

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This place setting is ideal for a casual, buffet-style meal and features acrylic Mario Luca Guisti drink-ware – perfect for those more clumsy relatives; 🙂 no broken crystal here! A Match pewter charger and R Wood plate, in our exclusive Red Clay colorway, adds a festive touch. And that fabulous Road salad plate is only $10! To mix it up, and bring in a fun, seasonal element, we’ve added a pair of vintage turkey salt and pepper shakers from Steve and Jill’s personal turkey collection (pretty cute, right?!?). The TAG place mat and napkin will transition beautifully to Christmas – we love double duty items like these!

Family Style Thanksgiving Feast Table Setting

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If you’re planning a meal that’s more family style in nature, you can get a bit more detail-oriented with this place setting, as everything’s done at the table, i.e. your family and friends won’t be milling around filling their plates and glasses. This setting features a Match Pewter charger, salad, bread plate, and glasses, which all add a bit of sparkle to your table. The plate and coffee cup are by Royal Crown Derby Mikado, in their cantaloupe colorway, which brings in some needed warmth to the overall look. The placemat is a round shagreen acrylic placemat, which makes for easy care – something we can all use more of around the holidays! Finally, the napkin is Libeco linen. Here, we’ve added a special touch of whimsy with another Vintage turkey item from the McKenzie’s collection, and “planted” a faux orchid in it to bring some life and greenery to the table.

A Fabulously Formal Thanksgiving Table Setting

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Here, we’re really setting the stage for a spectacular meal with a place setting that will be equally as fantastic. We’re using Julie Wear China, inspired by their home state of Kentucky; the salad plate is from their Bluegrass line and the dinner plate and charger are part of the Cheval collection. Agate coasters from Rab Lab make the perfect perch for some special glassware. Even with our most formal setting, we’ve taken the opportunity to introduce one of those vintage turkeys Jill and Steve love so much, this one bringing out the deep tones in this beautiful china. To help set off the darker brown of the linen napkin and place setting, we opted to go with a tan, round acrylic place mat (who says fancy dinner cleanup can’t be made easier?!?).

And there you have it, a place setting for each type of Thanksgiving meal!

If you’re looking for more inspiration for your Thanksgiving table, the folks at Veranda magazine published an article a while back all about setting the perfect table. You can find it here. It offers an organized way to consider the overall tablescape, and which elements make the most impact.

Finally, we’re in the midst of finalizing our own holiday menu, but wanted to share a delicious sounding recipe for a stuffed mushroom appetizer, from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa’s Thanksgiving 2.0 episode – click here for the goods.

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YUM – we can’t wait to taste those! Let us know which new recipes you’ll be trying this year.

We hope these place setting ideas inspire you to create something beautiful for your loved ones this year – and help to make your meal even more special… And from our steve mckenzie’s family to yours, happy Thanksgiving everyone!

10 Minute Makeover: The Guest Bedroom

With just 10 minutes, and a bit of creativity you can transform an entire space!

Today, we’re tackling the guest bedroom. With wedding and graduation season upon us, soon house guests will be too. An often overlooked space, the guest bedroom can be a hodgepodge of reclaimed furniture, bedding and accessories. Even if you don’t have the time or budget to create a totally made-over space, 10 minutes will provide the perfect opportunity to freshen your space.

Bring in a colorful quilt – it’s amazing what a new (even if it’s just new to the space) textile will do for your guest bedroom. Keep the rest of your bedding neutral and add a colorful quilt or throw at the foot of your bed. Remember that hodgepodge we mentioned earlier? A colorful piece like this may be the perfect cohesive element your guest bedroom is calling for!

Check linen throw from steve mckenzie's
Libeco check linen throw from steve mckenzie’s

Switch up a lampshade and let there be NEW light! Select a lampshade from another space in your home (or if you’re a design hoarder – select one from your stash) and switch it with one in your guest bedroom. A new texture and tone surrounding the light source will truly create a new feel for your space.

Relocate a plant and breathe fresh life into your guest bedroom. No matter the size of your space, even the tiniest of succulents will liven up your space and add some much needed greenery – especially if you get creative with the potting (think antique milk glass, or a bright metallic pencil holder).

Pewter cup from steve mckenzie's? The perfect succulent planter!
Pewter cup from steve mckenzie’s? The perfect succulent planter!

And, voila, there you have it – a 10 minute makeover of your guest bedroom, courtesy of the team here at steve mckenzie’s! Now, what are you doing with your next 10 minutes?!?