Color, Color Everywhere!

As I drive down highway 85, finding nothing on the radio, I look to my surroundings to excite the mundane drive recognizing beautiful colors all around me. The blue February skies of North Carolina can be initially flat, however when the sky silhouettes the green trees in front of them the blue backdrop becomes piercingly bright.

Color can be found in nature we see outside as well as the nature we see in our kitchens.
One of my most favorite ingredients to cook with is the red onion. Not only does this crisp flavorful ingredient add an extra zing to any dish but the vibrant colors can be an inspirational palette to almost any space.

We are surrounded by beautiful and inspirational colors every day. These inspirational colors can be a great way to uplift our spirits in a down economy through the exploration of new paint selection, fabrics or both!

-Martha

Winter High by Sarah

As previously mentioned, we all headed down the road to High Point for the Unity in Design Winter Conference. It was great to take a break from our desks, see new product, and get some great advice from speakers. The pricipal designers from Bradley Thiergartner in Manhattan treated us to some light-hearted marketing tips. They were so sharp and personable! Check out their "notable interiors and tailored design" here. And here:

Our second lecture was hosted by New River Artisans, a custom rug company. Tobi Fairley, an Arkansas based designer and the key speaker, shared some great ways to rise above the economy. As if Tobi's sparkling personality were not enough, she has a facinating educational background. She has an undergraduate degree in Interior Design, another undergraduate degree in Accounting, and a Masters in Business Administration. It is so rare to find a designer that has formal business and financial training. This made for a very realistic and helpful lecture that gave us several tangiable ideas. Check out Tobi's website and blog here. Also, here is a picture of our team with Tobi:

Marlene and Caroline in lovely complimentary colors:

One of Tobi's rooms with a New River Artisan custom designed rug:

Many thanks to Benjamin, David, and Tobi for traveling to visit with us in High Point!

Design Today!

OK, we have all read the papers, listened to CNN and if we need more dome and gloom just listen to the back and forth barking our members of Congress are doing on the Stimulus Bill.
STOP the madness!!!

Now more than ever is the time to engage a designer's talent to create a place of calm and comfort for your home. Designers are trained to listen to your needs, analyze your thoughts and lead you into discovering a new incredible interior for your home and family. Even if you are on a budget, and yes many designers will work to your budget, we can help you transform your home into the calm during the storm! Here are some different looks to get you thinking.
ENJOY and remember the "Power of Positive Thinking"!

Unity In Design!

Last Thursday Tim, Marlene, Caroline and Sarah headed to High Point, North Carolina to attend the High Point Design Center's "Unity in Design". This event is the second annual Winter Design Conference held in High Point which features over 60 design showrooms and manufacturers. The design staff at S&A enjoyed a full day of visiting various showrooms and attending two incredible seminars presented by visiting designers.

More Parallels by Sarah

Can you tell I got excited about this concept?

DAY FOUR: OCHRE & BLACK

Ochre (an earthy yellow) was all over Fall Furniture Market this year, chic in it's pairings with black, brown, or grey. Looks like Marc Jacobs thought it was a good idea too.

Parallels by Sarah

DAY THREE: SPICE STREET!

Sidenote, this Anna Sui collection is my favorite of the Spring '09 offerings. Enjoy!

PS- Did you know that Trina Turk did an outdoor collection for Schumacher?! It's so fun, a little psychedelic, and quite bold. I happen to love all three of those elements. Check it out under "Designer Collections" at www.fschumacher.com Please contact me if you're interested in any samples.

Parallels by Sarah

DAY TWO: RUFFLE CITY!

Parallels by Sarah

DAY ONE: Fish Scales!

Because there are so many new media forms, we are all more aware of trends than ever. The trends also seem to be moving faster than ever. I am proud to say that our interiors world is definitely running parallel with fashion. The following is a glimpse of this dynamic, juxtaposing Spring 2009 runway shows with the latest in home fashions. Thanks to our vendor websites and http://www.style.com/ and http://www.shopbop.com/ for the fashion images. Please let me know if you're interested in any clothes or home goods, and I can help you out!