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!

Upholstered Bed Styles

Upholstered beds are everywhere and have been en vogue for a while. Although I typically grow tired of any trend that becomes ubiquitous, I still love a good upholstered bed/headboard. I prefer that beds look comfortable and cushy and a padded headboard wrapped in fabric contributes to that effect far more effectively than a hard wood or metal one. And being a person who sleeps in a bed with a soft, tufted headboard (and footboard), I can vouch for the fact that upholstered beds are more comfortable especially when you're propped up reading or watching TV.

I've been planning to get an upholstered bed made for the guest room since we moved in and it just never rose to the top of the priority list. I'm ready to finish that room up though, so it really needs to be ordered so that I can select fabric for the chair and the curtains in the room. Besides choosing fabric, I need to decide on what shape I want to use. I want something unique but also simple and timeless because it's not going to change for a long time! Here are some styles that I like:

 Channel tufted

Designed by Lynn Morgan

Nailhead border trim, Tower 20 - Bolsa Chica Bed by Tim Clarke via Dering Hall

Grid tufted, Rossmore Headboard by Empiric

Tufted with brass button detail and curved edges, Nickey Kehoe - Tufted Headboard via Dering Hall

Designed by Nickey Kehoe

Here's another tufted one with curved edges, but it has more modern lines. Plus it's from Z Gallerie and is thus a bit cheaper (considering you get a whole bed and not just the headboard).

Simple lacquered wood frame with unholstered inset cushion with cording, designed by David Kleinberg

Designed by David Kleinberg, via Architectural Digest

Moorish cut-out design accented with nailhead trim, Azure Headboard via Horchow

And finally, this one that I put together, uses a classic curved corner shape, Schumacher's Nanjing, a fun Chinoiserie print fabric, and a navy contrasting tape border.

With my budget, I'll probably go with the final option that I designed. Since I'm not the world's biggest fan of bedskirts, I'd either have an upholstered base with wood legs made or go with a ready-made (i.e. cheaper) frame from West Elm. If I use Nanjing for the headboard I'll probably upholster the wing chair with Alan Campbell's Kells II in French blue and navy (below). The curtains would be ivory bordered with the same navy tape that was used on the headboard.

Which bed/headboard from above do you like best? Are you a fan of upholstered beds/headboards?

Dering Hall

Dering Hall is a recently launched site that is sort of like a combination of 1stDibs, One Kings Lane Tastemaker Tag Sales, and Etsy (albeit a high-end version Etsy). It's like 1stDibs in that the merchandise is all super premium, high-end items for the home. It's like OKL's Tastemaker Tag Sales in that they have top designers, architects, and dealers "curate" the offering of buyables. And finally, it's like Etsy in that the marketplace is comprised of individuals that are selling their bespoke creations and unique finds. Each designer has an individual storefront that you can follow along with a profile page that includes portfolio images like these:

Designed by Steven Gambrel

Designed by Tamara Magel

I like Dering Hall's crisp, clean interface and am really excited about the concept. I've already compiled a list of Product Selections and I've chosen a few designers to follow. I was really excited to see Steven Gambrel, Michelle Nussbaumer, and All the Best (Ronda Carman) on there! Ronda has some of the gorgeous Dunes and Duchess line in her product lineup.

The only downside to me is the average price point. Everything is pretty darned expensive, however, I'm sure the quality of craftsmanship is impeccable. So despite the fact that it's not likely that I'll be buying things for myself or for most of my clients, I still really like Dering Hall for the eye candy and inspiration. Here are some of the items I've tagged as favorites...

Have you checked out Dering Hall yet? When you visit be sure to browse the DH Guide and look through the designer directory, which is where you'll find all of the portfolios.

The site is still in its infancy so I'm sure it'll only get better! Hopefully they'll incorporate more lower-priced items, but that may not possible given the caliber of goods they seem to be specializing in.