The Beauty of Arizona

I'm fresh back from a blissful week with the family in Scottsdale, AZ. Can I just tell you how much it was needed?! I feel like a new woman, all rested & relaxed. And who wouldn't be with views like this...

But of course, I wouldn't be me if I didn't stop to drool at some of the fabulous design elements along the way. Vacation or not, it's impossible for me to turn off the textile-addicted side of my personality. In particular, the vintage textiles they used to make these stunning pillows from at our resort blew. me. away.

As wonderful as the break was, I'm happy to be back in the swing of things. Does that sound crazy? This vacation has accomplished all it was supposed to - uninterrupted days with the kids and hubby, decompression time for all of us, a break from the chill temps in Ann Arbor - but I'm not one for sitting still for too long (as you may have guessed).

This week in particular is going to be a great one on the blog, with two new columns from guest editors debuting - Curated, by Tami Ramsay (who you already know from her stunningly beautiful Anatomy of Flora column here on CLOTH & KIND) and Deconstructed Kitchen, by my incredibly talented photographer and passionate home chef friend, Bonnie Berry. Art and Food. I mean, really, what could be better? I'm also quite excited to share some new Show & Tell with you. The accomplished interior design duo, Andy & Cara from Ore Studios, will be here to show us their favorite textile-based design items in their homes. So check back frequently this week... Lots going on and I want to hear what you think about it all!

PHOTO CREDITS | All photos taken by moi, via Instagram. Follow along, why don't cha?

Winter II

Guest edited by Tami Ramsay

During the first few months that my husband Robert and I were dating, we courted, wrote love letters and pined for each other at a distance while he worked in Argentina as a professional fly fishing guide. Upon his return home, when I picked him up at the airport in his bombachas de campo (culotte-like pants he should have left in South America), one of the first things he pulled out of his bag for me was a heart shaped rock and a rock ring. He had found them amongst thousands of other rocks in the bed of the Collon Cura, a river that snakes through one of the estancias nestled within the Patagonia region. Young and passionately in love, it thrilled me that he had brought me momentos from his travels but I was more taken by the coincidence of the shapes rather than their inherent symbolism. You see, he was then and remains now a hopeless romantic and I have been reluctantly shuffling behind ever since.

The truth is, love is difficult for me, for reasons both legitimate and pathologic but best left for the couch. It requires a willing submission to vulnerability that often eludes me. As life would have it, my marriage and children have taught me a thing or two about myself. Although some might still describe me as a recalcitrant romantic, I have been fundamentally changed and undressed by love and am most definitely a softer soul as a result.

In preparing for this post, and sticking to the spirit of the column, I went out to gather what was blooming that could read Valentine’s Day without screaming “Be Mine.” Fortuitously, and almost on cue, I found an abundance of winter blooms that symbolize my juxtaposed experience of love: beautiful but imperfect, strong but soft, enduring but ephemeral.

I love the showy blooms of camellias but they are short lived off the vine and bruise easily. Much like the experience of falling in love. The stiff nature of the Japanese flowering quince can seem inhospitable but then, in a moment of vulnerability, bears the most tender and lovely petals. I can relate. Historically, the Sakura, or the Japanese cherry tree, is a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, of the transience and impermanence of things. Alas, love is wispy, always growing and ever changing. The lunaria annua, or money plant, with its heart shaped leaf, is commonly called honesty, and as you know, there is no love without that. And lastly, the red bud quietly abides most of the time and then, just when you don’t expect it, has a singular moment of passion. You can read into that what you will.

Not just on this day, but often, I remind myself that it is the journey of love--after cresting its peaks and wading through its deep and wide valley - that is the real teacher. Fortunately, I am a work in progress because the lessons of love are never ending.

IMAGES | Floral styling, arrangements and photography by Tami Ramsay

Role Models: Manolo + Madeline

FASHION Manolo Blahnik | FABRIC Madeline Weinrib

Now this is a fashion + interiors match made in design heaven. Manolo Blahnik has collaborated with Madeline Weinrib to use her fabrics on four new shoe styles, available this spring at select Neiman Marcus, Barney's New York and Saks Fifth Avenue stores. Brilliant.

SOURCE | WWD

Hue: Mountbatten

When my friend Zak Profera, of ZAK+FOX, recently sent me this romantic new image of some of his textiles in the  beautifully subtle pink colorway named Mountbatten, I have to admit that I was transported to an amorous place. Isn't it funny how a single image, done just right, can evoke such emotion?

Just to be clear, I wouldn't classify myself as a hopeless romantic. Like so many people I know, I tend to shun holidays like Valentines Day which seem to be wholly commercial at this point. But there is definitely a side of me that is easily stirred by beautiful, thoughtful gestures, soft-spoken words and yes, most definitely by candlelight. Maybe that explains why when I look Zak's photograph I hear the whisperings of a long ago love story and imagine the passionate adventures of the woman who is politely folding her hands in her lap. I'll leave the rest to your imagination, but wanted to share a visual interpretation of mine that was born out of the Mountbatten colorway and of that stunning photograph.

FABRIC ZAK+FOX's Katagami in Mountbatten | SKETCH Adara Sánchez Anguiano | CANDLESTICKS Wyeth | RUG  Roubini | WALLPAPER Custom via de Gournay

Limelight: AphroChic

My company is… AphroChic

I’m the… Creative Director & Founder

I make/design/create…. Eco-friendly textiles and wallpaper.  At AphroChic we create pillows, placemats, table runners, organic shower curtains, and wallpaper all featuring culturally-inspired prints in a modern context.  Our company focuses on sustainability, with all items printed digitally including our wallpaper that’s printed with water-based inks.

IMAGE | AphroChic's Brooklyn Life Table Setting shot by Melanie Acevedo

Something you need to know about me is…. I’m a design junkie.  I write about it on our blog, instagram it, pin it, tweet about it, and it never feels like work - I just love finding new and incredible work that continues to inspire me.

Here’s how this company came to be… In 2007 AphroChic started as an after work hobby for me.  I wanted to fill a gap in the blogosphere, and write about culturally-inspired interior design, home decor products and art.  It was my outlet to write about the works of a diverse group of designers that I love.  Two years later my husband and I started a new adventure, designing our first collection of textiles that featured bright and bold designs including an over-sized ikat print, our silhouette pillows with Black women rocking afros, and our Reflection print with cool cameos.  The journey has continued since that time, as we’ve expanded our work to include wallpaper, and we’re now on the road to completing our first home decor book that will help readers bring their own cultural style home.

My absolute favorite thing we sell right now is… We just launched our spring wallpaper collection, and I am in love with our Juju Black & Gold print.  It’s so glamorous, and the light golden eco-canvas that it’s printed on has just the right amount of shine to make a room sparkle.

IMAGE | AphroChic's Juju wallpaper in Black & Gold. New for Spring 2013 at Graham & Brown.

What I'm working on now is… At night I stay up working on new prints.  There is one I’ve been playing with for some new designs we will release this summer.  Stay tuned for how we will apply it!

I’m most proud of… All that I have accomplished working with my husband.  Every day we get to wake up together and make our dreams come true.  It feels like a gift I’ve been given - to work with someone I love on what I love.  We keep each other motivated, and inspire one another to create beautiful design.

IMAGE | Smilebooth + Martha Stewart Weddings

I really detest… Emails!  There’s just so many of them.  It seems like no matter what time it is - first thing in the morning, or the middle of the night, I’m always swimming through my never-ending inbox. At the same time, I’m glad that it’s full of such interesting things.

I could never have done it without this person... My husband and business partner, Bryan Mason.

I consistently read these for inspiration… What inspires me most these days is Pinterest.  There is always so much beautiful content to explore.  I find that curated boards offer even more inspiration than what I see in magazines or on blogs these days.

I would like to share the limelight with… Malene Barnett of Malene B.  Her custom carpets are globally-inspired and absolutely incredible.  She thinks outside of the box when it comes to rug design, creating absolute works of art.  Her Wolof carpet leaves me in awe.

IMAGES | Top: Malene Barnett | Bottom: An assortment of Malene B's gorgeous carpets as seen in The Selby

#sharethelimelight

Anne-Marie Midy & Jorge Almada

Today's Show & Tell guests are Anne-Marie Midy & Jorge Almada of Casamidy. Their incredibly unique furniture company combines contemporary design with traditional artisan methods of manufacturing and the results are astonishingly beautiful. You may recall that Laura Aviva of L'Aviva Home mentioned Casamidy in her recent Limelight post here on the blog, and I've also been a long time Casamidy admirer so you'll find them listed in CLOTH & KIND's Little Black Book as well as an abundance of their pieces on my furniture board on Pinterest. I quite simply can not rave enough about the design and craftsmanship that is coming out of this beautiful company and so I'm thrilled to welcome Anne-Marie and Jorge to the blog today to tell us about a favorite textile that is in their home.

"We have a wonder fabric that we almost found by pure chance. In Mexico City there is an area that specializes in "lonas" (duck canvas). They no longer sell canvas, but plastic tarps. In a hidden shop and after much looking we found a waxed cotton fabric, which has proven to be an inspiration to many of our new designs.”

IMAGE | A fond memory from Jorge's childhood inspires his love for this fabric that he and Anne-Marie now use on many of their furniture pieces.

“The fabric is waxed and backed in vinyl. It is completely waterproof yet does not feel synthetic to the touch. We also love the grey-green hue, which is combines with everything whether it is set against iron, oak or bright colors. The fabric is very unique in that it is rigid without being thick. This makes it perfect for paneling over metal frames as the fabric doesn't give.”

IMAGES | Top: The fabric is used on the sofa in Anne-Marie & Jorge's living room at their home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Bottom: Their dog, Toka, resting on the virtually indestructible fabric.

“Because it is so perfect for weekend, summer or kids it enables us to design furniture that is really intended to be used in a rough manner.”

Winter I

So remember when I said that after my experience at Alt Summit you were going to start noticing some changes around here? I wasn't kidding! Today, I'm thrilled to announce that one of my dearest design + blogger friends, Tami Ramsay of Tami Ramsay Design, will be guest editing a few new columns here at CLOTH & KIND. The first of which is called Anatomy of Flora.

You may already know Tami for her completely unique design aesthetic (and by the way, I truly think she is one of the greatest and most original interior design talents out there) but did you also know that she has major floral skills as well? Check this out! Just like her interiors, Tami's floral creations defy the norm, are original, raw, simple and, well, just plain pretty as all get out.

In Anatomy of Flora, Tami will share her approach to developing gorgeous floral creations first by breaking them down piece by piece for us, then by showing us the finished arrangement... or in the case of today's post, two beautiful options. Please join me in welcoming Tami! We both hope you enjoy this new series as much as we already do. KRISTA

As much as I embrace Spring and the floral bounty that awakens after a long season’s nap, I cannot get enough of Winter’s bone. Finding blooms that insist on rising in spite of the cold hard ground and frigid air is a thrill I anxiously await. I have never met a berry that did not turn my head, and give me a nodding bloom in February and I am totally hooked.

The flowers and berries featured in today’s post are common in my garden here in Athens, GA and thrive in such conditions. In the first arrangement, a simple gathering of hellebores and narcissus huddle in a mercury glass vase and nestle perfectly on a table sprinkled with coarse confetti.

In the second arrangement, a single white hellebore mingles with a cluster of nubby spined spirea, dotted with tiny white blooms, finished with a spire of mahonia berries.

For me, the beauty lies in a gathered approach to arranging flowers; no real plan, just an inspired handful after a wander through the yard or the woods. The vase is usually what I have on hand, but what is on hand is usually a special little something picked up in my travels. I am especially fond of this old Ammonium Hydroxide glass bottle, one of six picked up at a local estate sale. Once used to contain the NH4 + OH solution in a University of Georgia chemistry lab in days long gone, it now serves as a vessel for flowers and always piques the interest of the passerby.

So, what’s blooming in your garden or along the path you commonly walk? Open your eyes, Winter beauty abounds. TAMI

PHOTO + PROP CREDITS | All floral arrangements, styling and photographic images courtesy of Tami Ramsay | Indigo dipped hand towel via Rinne Allen & Lucy Allen Gillis' Our Field Trip

Amy Beth Cupp Dragoo

Amy Beth of ABCD Design is here today to share a glimpse into her home and a look at her favorite textile-based design piece with us. I'm confident that the vast majority of you already know Amy from her beautiful (and blissfully original) blog, ABCD Design Sketch Book, but if you aren't yet familiar with her allow me to introduce you. Amy is an artist, designer and stylist who splits her time between New York City and Litchfield County. In her free time she makes collages, knits, loves homemaking, and adores spending her time with her husband, Mr. D. Believe it or not, Amy’s initials really are ABCD!I've had the pleasure of meeting Amy in person while she was recently home visiting her mother in Michigan and feel so fortunate to now count her among the treasured few that I first met online but now count as offline friends as well. Amy is a confident and creative soul whose voice is as authentic as they come. Here's Amy's show & tell...

"This is my vintage Fortuny 'Dandolo' upholstered fireside chair. I would guess it's from the 1950's, but it could be older! The fabric is named after a prominent Venetian family, and is inspired by a 17th century design."

"I was convalescing after a major car accident in my early 20's and traveled to Northern Michigan with my mom. As I started to get more mobile, we spent the morning in Harbor Springs. I found the fireside chair at one of my favorite lifestyle stores, Huzza."

"The chair has been with me for all of my adult life. It's found a home in the bedroom of my single girl apartment on West 12th Street, our Loft in Soho, and now in our home in Northwestern Connecticut. The burnt orange and silvery-gold looks great with so many colors. In the lifetime that I have owned it, I have paired it with caramel, white, whisky brown, grey, green and now with bluish-black. Sadly, since I've had it, it's never functioned as a fireside chair. Who knows, maybe it will be situated next to the fireplace in our next home?"

Before posting this, I reached out to Amy to clarify a question that I had about this lovely fabric. After seeing pictures of it in a few settings I wondered if she had reupholstered it twice in different color ways of the same fabric because of how vastly different the colors looked to me. If you notice, the fabric looks very different here & here (in her single girl apartment) vs. the images above. When Amy clarified that it was, in fact, the same fabric (and in the same color way) it made me fall even more in love with it... it's almost chameleon-like! It looks dramatically different depending upon the lighting and the surrounding colors... and it's this very essence that makes it so versatile and beautiful. OK, so I have officially digressed into total textile-addict mode, but how cool is that? Did anyone else notice the same thing?

Role Models: Monique Péan

Bracelets | Fabric

Michelle Nussbaumer

what is your idea of perfect design happiness? TO HAVE A CLIENT WHO HAS GREAT TASTE, AND A GREAT BUDGET!

what is your greatest fear in design? I FEEL PRETTY FEARLESS

which historical design figure do you most identify with? DIANA VREELAND AND AUNTIE MAME

ABOVE | diana vreeland | bronze chinese crane

what profession other than design would you like to attempt? PAINTING, BECAUSE I LOVE COLOR

what is your greatest design extravagance? TRAVEL

when and where were you happiest with your design? WHEN I LIVED IN ROME, INSPIRATION WAS AROUND EVERY CORNER

what do you consider your greatest achievement in design? THAT I’M STILL IN DESIGN

if you died and came back as another designer or design object, who or what do you think it would be? I WANT TO COME BACK AS MALMAISON, EMPEROR NAPOLEAN AND EMPRESS JOSEPHINE’S LOVE SHACK OUTSIDE OF PARIS

ABOVE | blue sultana | chateu malmaison

which living designer do you most admire? AS ALBERTO PINTO JUST DIED, I’LL HAVE TO GO WITH A TIE BETWEEN JACQUES GARCIA AND AXEL VERVOORDT

what specific design related talent are you lacking that you would you most like to have? A PSYCHIATRY DEGREE

what is your most treasured design related possession? MY STAFF

what do you regard as the lowest depths of misery in design? MATCHY-MATCHY TRITE DECORATING

what curse word do you most frequently use? ALL OF THE ONES THAT START WITH AN F

what is your favorite design related word? DIVINO

what is your least favorite design related word? GLAMOROUS AND FABULOUS, OR FABULOUSLY GLAMOROUS

what turns you on in design? BEAUTY

ABOVE | michelle nussbaumer design | chinese cylindrical jar

what turns you off in design? MEANNESS

what is your motto in design? MORE IS MORE

PROUST ON DESIGN | Answered by my design icons, these must-ask questions come from a 19th century parlor game made popular by Marcel Proust, the French novelist, essayist & critic. This interview technique has been used by many journalists throughout the years but my column was primarily inspired by The Proust Questionnaire, which appears monthly on the back page of Vanity Fair(my alma mater). The twist here on CLOTH & KIND is that I've repurposed each question to relate to interior design. To read all of my Proust on Design interviews, please click here. Enjoy!