Goods from the Alpha Workshops

I really love the charitable concept of giving people the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills so they can be responsible for their own success and self-worth. As it's said, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." I also love a charitable cause that sells beautiful, handmade items created by artisans that will benefit from sales. With those two tenants in action, it's no surprise that I think the Alpha Workshops is a wonderful organization.

The Alpha Workshops is a New York-based non-profit organization that provides HIV-positive individuals with industry-specific training and employment in the decorative arts.  Its mission is “to provide a new model of economic development for people living with HIV/AIDS or other disabilities.”

The org is comprised of a vocational school, the Alpha Workshops Studio School (AWSS), and Alpha Workshops Studios, an AWSS-grad-staffed professional art and design atelier. Interior designers and architects can count the Alpha Workshops’ Studios as a resource for decorative arts services like gilding, special finishes and art installations in addition to design goods like hand-painted wallpapers, custom casegoods, lighting, and accessories. You can purchase items through a designer or at Alpha Workshops' Dering Hall storefront.

I'm especially excited by their wallpapers and the possibilities of creating custom designs! I just adore these two patterns, Caper and Oh So Faux...

These little stools are awesome...the finishes are the jam.

Faux Tortoise Side Table/Stool

Chairs in Faux Ivory Finish 

And last but not least, behold Alpha Workshops' gorgeous lamps!

The Surface Lamp in the faux Malachite finish is my favorite.

Almost as much as I love their creations, I love the Alpha Workshops ethos and how the org brings education, art, and business together. I haven't purchased anything from them yet, but I definitely plan to!

New Colors from Dunes and Duchess

Dunes and Duchess, one of my favorite purveyors of handmade lighting and furniture, added two AMAZING, bold new colors to their lineup - Cap Ferrat Bleu and No Scurvy Lemon. Both hues were custom mixed and are so fresh and unique...which is not surprising because the entire D&D collection is the epitome of fresh and unique. Here's a sampling of their wondrous creations...

I'm quite inspired by the new super saturated colors and my wheels have been turning about how I can incorporate some Dunes and Duchess pieces into current projects. Their product line is diverse and the overall style is super versatile, so I'm sure a plan will come to fruition. And aside from real projects, it's always fun to play make believe and design mood boards that completely revolve around knock-out pieces like the D&D Single Spindle Candelabra Lamp in Cap Ferrat Bleu and the Solid Top Champagne Table in No Scurvy Lemon...

Piece VIII, Original Artwork by Keila Marino - Furbish

Bliss Living Argo Throw - Nordstrom

Jeremy Desk - Jayson Home

Alexandra Von Furstenberg Acrylic Chiclet Bowl - Jonathan Adler

Single Spindle Candelabra Lamp in Cap Ferrat Bleu - Dunes and Duchess

Blue and White Garden Stool - Furbish

Geode Bookends - Etsy seller Ashley McCall

Lydia's Fainting Chaise - Etsy seller Susan Baker

Color Greek Key Bolster Pillow - Furbish

Life in Lemon Yellow, metallic limited edition print by Jen Zahigan - Etsy seller Jen Zahigan

No Scurvy Lemon Solid Top Champagne Table - Dunes and Duchess

Pair of Reupholstered Vintage Chairs - Chairloom

Silk Ikat Pillows - Etsy seller MaterialRecovery

Turquoise Candy Dish - Etsy seller Cheryl Byrne

Vintage Footed Glass Vase - Etsy seller Victoria Lynn

Chinoiserie Coffee Table - V&M

Porcelain Pineapple - Furbish

Yellow Greek Key Pillow - Shop Ten 25

Tailor Sofa - Crate & Barrel

Long live Cap Ferrat Bleu and No Scurvy Lemon! The colors are so fun and they perfectly complement the classical, hand-turned Dunes and Duchess aesthetic. What are your thoughts?

If you got to pick any D&D piece in any color, what would you choose? I'm crazy about the entire collection so it's tough to narrow it down, but I would die for the Chappy Dining Table in the Cap Ferrat Bleu! Here is the shapely beauty in black...

And if you don't already know, Dunes and Duchess is a wonderful American company that produces all of its products in the US. It is owned by stylist Stacy Kunstel and photographer Michael Partenio, two of the nicest, most talented, fun, and stylish people that I know. The dynamic duo combined their broad skill set and let creativity and craftsmanship lead the way...and now we have Dunes and Duchess! Because I adore the owners, their business ethos, and their gorgeous creations, I'm a MAJOR fan of D&D (and surely you've caught onto that by now).

If you're gaga over Dunes and Duchess too and are looking to buy, you can find their merch at selected retailers including Hudson and Barney's, online via All the Best on Dering Hall, or you can contact D&D directly. And be sure to keep up with their latest on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest too! 

Galbraith & Paul's Tantalizing Textiles

There are lots of things that I get excited about and fabric most certainly falls on that list, which is why I'm talking about it two posts in a row! Today, I wanted to share another outstanding American textile source, Galbraith & Paul. They create hand block-printed textiles, handmade rugs, studio printed wallpaper, and lighting (which is sold at Room & Board along with their pillows).  Founders Liz Galbraith and Ephraim Paul have built a business based on craftsmanship, quality, and creativity and I love that they've seen 26 years of success as a result of that culture.

G&P has recently released new sets of fabric and wallpaper patterns and they are insanely beautiful. I'll be stopping by David Sutherland (the Dallas showroom that reps the line) ASAP to check out the new goodies in person. Until then, I was happy to plow through images on the Galbraith & Paul site. Here is a sampling of what you'll find there:

Midnight Pomegranate on White Linen, Midnight Ribbon on White Linen, Denim Monarch on White Linen, Denim Lotus on White Linen

Lotus fabric - Light Flax on Cream Linen, Light Cadet on Upholstery Linen, Rhubarb on Cream Linen, Sprout on White Linen, Denim on White Linen, Mineral on Cream Linen

Light Cadet Lotus, Light Indigo Pomegranate, Cadet Ribbon on Upholstery Linen

Sprout Monarch on White Linen, Icicle Ribbon on White Linen, Sprout Lotus on White Linen, Willow Pomegranate on White Linen, Mineral Monarch on Cream Linen

Pomegranate in Currant

Monarch

And now onto the glorious wallpaper offering...

Aqua Lotus wallpaper

Smokebush wallpaper in Stone

Tile wallpaper in Kiwi. Also shown: Midnight Diamonds on Upholstery Linen

Tulip wallpaper in Frost

And to show off at least one of the G&P prints that aren't in the new collection, here is Small Star which looks fantastic on these vintage chairs. These were done by Stella Dallas, one of the best shops in Big D...

Navy Small Star

As a small-scale print, Small Star complements lots of patterns with larger repeats as shown here...

Finally, I wanted to offer a glimpse of the printing process. Lots of people balk at the high cost of quality fabric and hopefully this will help explain the price point. Here is a shot of the gorgeous Lotus fabric in production...

What are your thoughts on Galbraith & Paul's creations? To me, their style is really versatile and could be used in a casual or formal setting. Besides loving their patterns and colors, I also appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship behind all of their products. That's pretty hard to come by these days!

Cisco Home

Another one of my shopping stops in LA was the Cisco Home store in Brentwood. The place has a really comfortable, laid-back vibe...as you can see here, it's easy to picture yourself kicking back on the sofa with a book. I loved the cluster of Jug Lamps...

The store is right by the Hillary Thomas Designs' Chic Shop. It was great to pop in because I've long been a fan of their furniture, but only get to see bits and pieces of their inventory in Dallas. Besides sitting on and seeing/touching the furniture, they have wonderful fabric options and it's nice to be able to look at all of those in person. I was checking out some of their linen options in ivory and black for a chaise lounge I'm looking to order for myself.

I fell in love with this Crescent Chair too. It was so comfy and the scale was perfect for so many places...

Cisco is known for their high-quality handmade, eco-friendly furniture. The company was started by Cisco Pinedo, who designs the furniture and runs the business with a focus on craftsmanship and sustainability. Cisco's goods are made in the US and they sell through Cisco Home stores, HD Buttercup, and ABC Home. Other retailers, like Mecox, used to carry the line too and I assume that still goes on but Cisco doesn't provide any kind of a list to share.

If you're in the market for well-made case goods or upholstered pieces, be sure to take a look at Cisco. They have beautifully designed pieces and since they make everything in LA, lots of things can be customized to fit your needs. The line is very diverse and you'll find things that evoke a casual, relaxed aesthetic as well pieces that are more tailored and buttoned up. Here are some of my favorites...

Vista Mini Chair - Gallant Loveseat

Cruz Bench - Rowan Bed

Ninna Rocker -Cosmo Relax 84" Sofa

Barrel Side Table - Elton Ottoman

Bruno Wing Chair - Jug Table Lamp - Orleans Console

And last but not least, the Field Bench. This is my Jake Ryan in Furnitureland...I have coveted the Field Bench for years and now they are making an iteration with a back, which totally throws me over the edge. I'm deperately trying to figure out a way to fit one of these into my world...

This is a good photo of my beloved benches that was featured in Apartment Therapy's post on Cisco from last year...

Photo via Apartment Therapy, taken by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan

What do you think of Cisco Home's furniture? Do you own any? I don't have any in my house (yet) so I haven't personally field-tested the quality yet and would love to hear any feedback.

DwellStudio + Precedent Furniture

DwellStudio and North Carolina's Precent Furniture have teamed up on a new line and let me tell you, it's pretty awesome. The DwellStudio for Precedent collection consists of upholstery, case goods, and mirrors. The overall style is a bit retro and has a sophisticated hipster vibe to it. Mid-century modern influences definitely come through in most pieces, however, I think everything is transitional enough to work in a variety of settings.

The online catalog is really fun to look through because you get a sense of the personality of the collection and of the lifestyle that it was designed for. The rooms and vignettes are perfectly styled with DwellStudio's other decor (I love their new rugs) which is great to see in action. Here's a sampling...

Are you coveting any of the above items? I'm pretty infatuated with the Belgian grey Gate Armoire, the Hans Leather Chair, and the Crosby Library Table. And I really wish that those amazing charcoal bookcases shown in the first two images were part of the line...those are bananas. I'm also drooling over  the lighting in the photos too. I'm sure it's all vintage.

If you're in the buying mode, most of the items shown in the photos can be found at DwellStudio or at DwellStudio for Precedent.

Newest Addition to my Throw Collection

I am thrilled to report that I am now a proud owner of a COCOCOZY Logo Throw! It is SO soft and thick...the quality is outstanding and the warm grey color couldn't be more perfect. Also, I was happy to discover that like all of the COCOCOZY product line, it is made in the US.

As you'll see from the photos below, I'm very excited about this gorgeous new accessory and am having a hard time deciding on the perfect place to use it. Per the usual, I've taken it all around the house and tried it in a variety of scenarios.

Here is the box in which my throw arrived. I am a sucker for pretty packaging and I LOVE the black and white striped grosgrain ribbon! After seeing how beautifully it was wrapped, I immediately thought about how a COCOCOZY throw would make a wonderful wedding or housewarming gift.

The throw is the prettiest shade of grey and it looks fantastic with the ivory background. 

I tried it on both of the sofas in the living room. I like it here, but it covers up the tufting which is the only redeeming quality of this budget sofa.

I like it on the linen sofa too...

The throw is reversible so here I flipped it so the logo is grey and the background is ivory.

Finally, I tried it on the bench in our master bedroom.

I think I like it here best, hanging long over the seat cushions. What do you think?