What a day! Just came back from AmericasMart in Atlanta and have so many ideas and inspirations to share with you and my clients. I love AmericasMart because it includes not only furniture, lighting and rugs but also accessories, bedding, tableware and pretty much anything you can possible think of that you can use in your home! Sometimes that last layer of design is the most challenging! I love to visit my favorite showrooms and see their new collections but I also love to find a few new favorites to add to the list!
This year I decided to do 1 long marathon shopping day, arriving on the first flight into Atlanta on Friday and leaving on the last flight out where I headed on to Pensacola to see my daughter, Jillian. I grabbed a taxi from the airport and got to AmericasMart only to learn I could have gotten there quicker using the MARTA (transit system) since there are stops at the airport and directly at AmericasMart Oh well, maybe the way back!
Finally arrived, checked luggage and off I went to start my day. I ran over to try to catch some of the presentation by Lisa Newsom, founder of Veranda Magazine, one of the best shelter magazines for Interior Design available! So excited to hear her and have an opportunity to meet her. She was so gracious and giving of her time stopping to chat with so many of us during the signing for her new book, Veranda, the Art of Outdoor Living. Such a gracious, Southern lady!
Off to do some work! I headed over to Global Views/Studio A. They have the most beautifully designed showroom. So many new items to see! I had the pleasure of meeting my account rep, James Bertelsen. Always there to answer a product question or assist with an order, it was a great opportunity to have some”face time” with a voice on the phone.
From there I had a little shopping to do at Surya. I love their rugs, great selection at great prices and just a great company to deal with – always stand behind (or in front!) their product! I saw this one and thought it would be great in a “cozy cabin! They have some beautiful new all weather pillows and poufs in a great choice of fabrics, something for my Cape clients! Kerry Connelly, my rep for the day is from North Attleboro, MA and her parents grew up in Milton, MA!! Head to Atlanta and find a native from Massachusetts.!
There are so many showrooms at AmericasMart it’s easy to get off track (3 buildings, 13 floors each!) but I was determined to get through my list of favs. Off to Currey and Company for a look at their amazing lighting selections and to see some unique new furniture pieces, a stop at Uttermost to see their latest mirrors and Arteriors for more gorgeous lights and mirrors.
I took a break from the showrooms to go to the “temporaries” and found the coolest feather pendants as well as ones that flatten and pack flat – look for more of these from Vita in our upcoming small spaces blog.
I found some interesting lighting at Continental Lighting out of Nashua, NH. They have a great selection of reasonably priced lighting made from driftwood and natural elements.
And more unique lighting made from oyster shells from Lowcountry Originals.
Dransfield and Ross had the most beautiful Vintage textile – I know the picture does not do it justice but this beautiful “kente” cloth made from the Ewe people of Ghana and Togo was just a work of art. Their new Sunbrella collection was one of the best I’ve seen!
Heading back to the Showrooms as I got off the escalator I ran into these gentlemen on break from performing in one of the Showrooms – never know what you’ll see here!
Checked out the bedding floor – Halcyon, Matouk, Sferra, SDH, a visit to Luna Bella to see some unique chandeliers!
Stopped at Gabby, Light and Living, Kate Spade.
The day was coming to end and so was my stamina. Gathered my luggage, hopped on the MARTA (got it right this time) and off to the airport for a weekend in Pensacola to see Jillian, Rocco, and a Blue Angels air show!!!