Tim Gunn at The Aronoff!

Did you know that Tim Gunn, the host of "Project Runway" is going to speak at The Aronoff Center this Saturday? It's true! Check this out:

The local Ethan Allen Design Team of Heidi Thorn, Brenda Dowling and Angela Costello have designed the set for the January 14th Smart Talk event at The Aronoff Center.

Tim Gunn, host of Project Runway and Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne, Inc. will be the first of several speakers at the Smart Talk “Connected Conversations” Series.

This is the second year the Ethan Allen designers have been chosen to create the sets for this speaker series. The January 14th on-stage vignettes by the Ethan Allen team include several new pieces from the Ethan Allen collections as well as a few "surprises" which personalize the set specifically for Tim Gunn who serves as a style icon for loyal fans of fashion and design both locally and internationally.

The design brainstorm came while the design team was standing in front of the local men’s shop, “Salem’s”. Instead of displaying the usual books, magazines and china in the new Ethan Allen “Oskar” cabinet, we will fill the glass shelves in this piece with colorful mens’ top hats, bowling hats and wingtip shoes. Because this piece is lit internally, the audience at this Aronoff event will be able to appreciate the humor and out of the box quirkiness of this set.

Besides, this new piece- made of elm and oak, is quite heavy as it is when empty. They don’t call it “the widowmaker” for nothing;)! For tickets call 513-621-2787.

January Decor

As I take down my Christmas decorations, its amazing how bear my home feels. From the mantel to the front door. Thats how I got the wild idea to create a 'winter' wreath for my front door. There's nothing like a wreath to say WELCOME. I came across some beautiful ones online, but in the end decided to create my own and share the process with you.

To get started you will need the following supplies:   

-Newspaper

-Foam 12" ring

-Scissors

-Scotch Tape

-Ribbon

-Beads/Crystals

-Hot Glue Gun 

At times I had a clear vision and at others I was just letting my creativity take over. So when making this for your own front door, remember each is unique so let your inner creativity take charge and it will be more beautiful than you could have enivisioned.

Mixing it Up

For the immediate future, high end furniture manufacturers will follow a shift in American culture by moving away from complete room “collections.” Extensive lifestyle research supports the fact that we don’t live within the “matched set” theory any longer. Unlike my parents’ generation which did purchase entire rooms of matching collections (bed/nightstands/chests/lamps/mirrors), we now travel the globe or watch programs which bring the most remote corners of our world right into our “great rooms”. This means we are very aware of our global society and want exotic or different pieces which may include exotic woods, eclectic conversation items and personality pieces.

In this quick sketch I made of a room interior, my clients were interested in an eclectic mix of comfortable. I recommended non-matching end tables, as well as a combination of tapestry, leather, chenille and nailhead trims to reflect their global tastes and lifestyle.

HOLIDAY FUN

HAPPY CHANUKAH, MERRY XMAS and A VERY PEACEFUL NEW YEAR!

Make a resolution, even if it's a repeat. Enjoy your family tradition or start a new one. Count your blessings! Here's a quick sketch I made last week in anticipation of the holidays. If you could only invite 3 people to join you at this table, who would they be? Enjoy!

PLEASE PASS THE BREAD!

"ANTIQUES: EDUCATED EYE"

Forget the French sticks we call baguettes! One of these things could be a circus wagon, a baby crib or something you might see an organ grinder stuff a monkey into. But, it's none of those things: this is an 18th century example of a distinctive box known as a "panetiere" from Arles, France. It originally sat on the table or workspace, but was eventually hung on the wall, away from little creatures. These old boxes are very hard to find because the French themselves love them. Wendell Patterson of The Whimsey Shoppe in Dallas says that if you find one this old, expect to see a repair or two. "You just want to ensure that whatever was done to it was done with care and is in keeping with the character and quality of the piece."

The other item is the 1950's version of the breadbox, from my husband's family kitchen when he was a boy. It's made of metal, and has small ventilation holes on the back. I guess if your bread is wrapped in plastic it's already protected, but it's a nice way to neaten up the counter. What a dramatic difference!

The third item is what I call the best compromise because I love natural materials: The wicker basket! There is no end to the uses of the wicker basket- dirty clothes, clean bread, whatever you need!

My holiday wish for you is a basket of whatever you most enjoy! P.S. Ironically, I'm gluten and bread free! ;

Xmas tree decor

Now that we are all stuffed with turkey and mashed potatoes, its time to get some exercise and what better way than breaking out the Xmas decorations. I find there are two personality types when it comes to tree decorating. Those that favor the Homemade Ornament type:                                                                              

Versus the Color coordinated/matching ornament type:

For those that know me, I am definitely the second type. The biggest compliment someone can give me is to say "Wow! It looks like it came out of a magazine!"

Here are a few trees that I personally designed and decorated. Enjoy!

How to Have a Happy Holiday Table

1. Don't take yourself too seriously. Seriously.

2. Remember that there's no such thing as "perfection."

3. Relax. Don't be afraid to try something new and use unusual items as centerpieces- keep it clean and make sure it doesn't crawl.

4. For my "tablescape" and dining room design, the most important theme of this holiday is....LOVE! Christmas in particular is all about the gift of love. Share it with your family and friends. Keep it simple and Lighten up!