We were definitely in for a treat with Faith McMillen, local South Lyon Designer with over 30 years in the Design industry. Faith began her career teaching Design and then held numerous jobs, including working for Ethan Allen and several other design firms before venturing off on her own as an independent Design Consultant. The fabulous thing about Faith is she is not in it to sell items, she loves designing and wants to help clients turn their house into a home they absolutely love to come home to. And, no doubt from all the discussion last night she did just that. Between us both we were able to pull together numerous mantel and island displays, as you can see from the pictures below.
It was a wonderful treat, and based on the overwhelming response a second date is scheduled for November 20 for those unable to secure a reservation for our first night. If interested please contact http://sue@grandetrunkehome.com or call Grande Trunke Home at 248 446-6040.
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I had the privilege of attending the Las Vegas World Market last week with approximately 12,000 other buyers to see first hand all the latest products, specifically furniture and home accessories.
Not only did I find some great pieces and accessories, but I also watched Rod Stewart perform live at the Las Vegas World Market Pavilion - very cool!
He sounded like the same old Rod Stewart that I listened to as a kid and looked fantastic for 65! Check out the picture below and I'm sure you'll agree.
This was a real treat.
Our first day at the LV World Market, my mom and me weaved through buildings A, B & C like banshies! There was so much to see.
Each building has approximately 14 floors, and we were on the move in search of Antique Furniture reproductions and unique accessories for your homes.
"Reclaimed" Wood seemed to be everywhere - it's the latest new trend in furniture. It can be a very modern looking or transitional.
It's appearance is like an old worn piece of wood that has been left outside to fade and dry - maybe that's why they call it "Reclaimed".
They are using this wood as top surface pieces on consoles, tables and more. I've included a couple pictures below for you to view. They are even making bedroom and kitchen sets with this wood.
After seeing it all day long for three days straight, I have to admit it really grows on you and you don't have to worry about it being scratched or damaged. It's very durable!
We also, by accident, found a very unique showroom that sold hand carved and painted leather wrapped furniture or leather inserted into the wood pieces.
It was absolutely beautiful. One piece, a teal console with hand painted brown accents was incredible. I am still very tempted to order this piece in red.
I have attached pictures of the teal one.
So, you're probably asking what did I purchase? A large black console with a crackle finish in brown/tan accents. Again, no worries about it being scratched.
Mr. Wade Wooten, the man who hand paints and finishes all the pieces he sells was in the showroom and he walked me from piece to piece explaining the process.
I was impressed with the quality and am considering other pieces as well, but will wait for the reaction from all of you.
The black console should be arriving within the next four weeks.
Another manufacturer, AFD also had beautiful pieces with the antique look we all love, available in Linen and Black.
The manufacturer of the furniture was also in the showroom, and he explained the 23 step process from carving, priming, painting, staining, etc.
The company has been in business over 20 years and I was very comfortable purchasing a couple pieces, one in Linen with the dark stained Cherry Top and another in Black with a Cherry Top.
This company also had a couple different Media Center Consoles that were gorgeous. We know how hard they are to find, at least attractive ones.
I have a catalog if anyone is interested.
Guildmaster is also on my top 10 list in terms of awesome furniture pieces.
I found a beautiful buffet with a Toile pattern.
It's tall enough, but not too wide so it won't take up a lot of space yet it will hold, plates, glassware, or whatever else your heart desires.
This is a build to order piece and will arrive in the store sometime in October.
Art Work and Accessories- we hit it big! The new Art we found is from a company out of Canada. The pictures are unique in that they are not your typical framed pictures.
Instead they are shadow boxes, stretched canvas with metallic hints, decorative glass overlays and more. Just wait until you see them - you will fall in love with them like we did.
Again, they are made to order so I expect I will have them in the store in mid September. I have included a few pictures, but they just don't do the art justice.
This company is recognized globally for their fashion-forward art dιcor products. Their collections are diverse to provide you with many choices,
from timeless classics and traditional styling to more contemporary, updated modern looks.
I can't wait to get these!
Accessories - many, many accessories! When we first stepped into this showroom we were about to turn around based on their cheesy Easter decorated showroom window,
but as we wandered further into the showroom we soon discovered a lot of really cool and different home decor accessories.
Our favorites were the frames, canister sets, wall clocks, faux leather trunks and decorative glass bottles. All of these items were so different from anything I've seen in the past.
Through conversation with Robert Wang, one of the Company's reps we found out that this company is out of Tennessee and has been in business since 2001; a relatively newer comer to the industry.
They prides themselves on their designs. Each item and collection are carefully conceived from a combination of current and forecasted trends,
functionality, and price. From what I can see from visiting their showroom, they are ahead of the curve.
Most of the items I purchased I have not seen anywhere else before - a great thing!
I absolutely love being on the cutting edge.
Our last day at market we did manage to get into one of the major rug manufacturers, Feizy. They had so many different designs and types of rugs.
This is something I want to look into for the future. I personally have a very difficult time finding an attractive rug for the foyer, backdoor, etc.
This company had a wonderful program where they actually have small samples of the rugs for their retailers vs. having to carry racks of rugs.
We also browsed other furniture showrooms seeing more "reclaimed wood" and still lots of metal accessories in bronzes and browns.
By Thursday, I must say we were ready to head back home. Our legs and feet were tired and the Vegas heat was hot - 115 degrees the day we left! Until next market.......
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What are Baggallini's?
Baggallini's are awesome bags available in unique colors, fun fabrics, various styles, and lightweight durability. The bags are known for their incredibly organized and well thought out compartments that women truly use. These bags were designed and invented by two veteran flight attendants in 1995, Dixie Powers and Ann Simmons who recognized a need for more functional and fashionable tote bags, handbags and travel accessories.
Baggallini, Inc. was founded on the belief that baggs can be functional and fun to carry, and to this day they continue to build bags that deliver on this promise.
I am the first to say that I truly love these bags - my favorite is the Uptown Bag, which is the number one seller for Baggallini, Inc. See the picture below. Also available are the Bon Voyage, Uptown Bagg, Teenee Hampton Bagg, and Jewelry Square (this is fantastic for those of us that travel with a lot of jewelry), and it's priced right at $15 and makes a great gift too!
For additional information, click on the Baggallini website which shows all their products. I can order any of these for you if you see one you like that I am not currently carrying in the store.
www.baggallini.com
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