We’re not sure you’ve noticed, but LSI has been out of pocket for the last week or so, blog-world wise. We had a client install that went amazingly, and a show room design for our dear friends at Red Egg for Market week which went so well that we were awarded best showroom design by none other than Margaret Russel & David Easton, who judged this year’s competition- talk about something to smile about! Here’s the photo that got us “the cup”:

Shopping market, meeting up with friends new and old… we’ve been distracted. We’ll be back in full force next week with all of our pics from High Point Market.

Italian & French antiques mingle with Mid-century pottery, burled wood, marble, chrome & glass. It’s a curated shop of one-of-a-kinds with a taste level that rivals any New York or Los Angeles boutique. Ladies & Gents, make a visit to Decade in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 We had been looking for a great piece of art for the show house, and owner Kristin Darnell graciously to loaned us this painting for the duration of the show. It will be hard to give this one back, and may have to come home with one of the team or a client…

Back in the gallery, new artworks and objects appear every time we visit. If you are looking for that rare “something” that makes a room stand out or feel unique & luxe, we recommend you visit their collection.

The pic below does not show just how large this quartz specimen is. We wanted to snap this up, too…

Decade is a place to seek out the unusual object…

and a beautiful array of inlay boxes, marble trays and collectible pottery.

 Stay up on their finds here.

 This is not a sponsored post, all opinions are our own.

 While the March of Dimes Designer Show House is now a blast from the very recent past (we de-installed on Monday), we’re still very impressed with the study/den/chill room that was just down the hall from our bedroom. And, wouldn’t you know, it was designed by equally impressive Beth Keim, of Charlotte’s Lucy & Company. We asked Beth to tell us a little about the space and her thought process behind the design.

First and foremost- the fabu papered ceiling, which Beth said was the starting place for the entire room.

“I always wanted to do a black and white room. It was nice to have the chance to actually do it and filter in all of the things that some of my clients are too nervous  about…especially the black ceiling. I wanted to show that you can, if it’s not too dark it can be amazing. We began with that paper. I also wanted a punch and I just love kelly green.

“We really didn’t want to do another bedroom. The two closets were screaming “put a desk in me” when I walked in the room, so we went with that. It’s totally a room for a “fun loving” adult, but perfect for a teen with style!”

 The killer bookcase is a design by Jaren Goh from Singapore that Beth had her carpenter make.

Goh’s original had too long of a lead time for the show house, but Keim is quick to give him full credit for the design & concept.

 The Lucy and Company showroom, located on East Blvd in Charlotte, NC is in the midst of it’s own little facelift.

Be sure and stop by and check out their updated digs, and when you do, be sure to say hello to Beth for us!

It’s apple season and we’re sitting here trying to figure out how to justify eating pie for breakfast. Because we’re going to be baking- as soon as furniture market wraps up, it’s pumpkin & apple time.

And then the Smitten Kitchen comes up with this: Apple. Pie. Cookies.

A couple of these with coffee in the morning feels a little safer then digging into a pie tin at 6:30am.

for the full recipe, click here. They are cute, too, aren’t they?

 As part-time bloggers we sometimes struggle to find the right phrase to express our minds.

Maybe it’s not that we’re unpracticed or undisciplined writers? Maybe it’s just that the words don’t exist for us?

Via Avanza Press, a little lesson in what we’re missing here in the USA, we thought we’d share some of these lovely notions:

 And because we’re all about the visual, too, a pretty little picture for your weekend-

vintage Kate, looking like a school girl herself:

Have a great one!

We’re pretty sure we weren’t the only ones to go gaga over the stickers-as-wallpaper installations of artist Payton Cosell Turner in Elle Decor’s Sept. issue. One of our design-savvy clients referenced it for her living room, so we know it’s resonating.

We love the whimsy of it but in the end it’s the uniqueness of this idea, part art installation, part decoration, that has us considering our options for wall coverings.

Our friend Joel, a fantastic showroom stylist, has applied all manner of paper to walls for his work, from photocopied textiles to old book pages. Wallpaper paste & a few hours & this is the effect:

Sure it’s a showroom but we see no reason this idea couldn’t be used in a home with whatever imagery you like…

 And taking a different tack, Michel recently wallpapered her mudroom in this Lagom Design “Pixel” wrapping paper.

We love how bold it is in this smaller space. Here’s a close-up:

Have you seen any original images for wall treatments you want to share? We love new ideas!

And just because we love to jump around, while researching modern chinoiserie wallpapers we found these paintings by  Kathe Fraga. Drawing from hand painted walls in French mansions, Kathe modernizes old motifs in such a beautiful and saturated way. Love:

 images via Elle Decor, Lisa Sherry Interieurs, & Suska

 This project by Sweden’s Elding Oscarson Architecture was brought to our attention through our Facebook friend Dorottya.

When we saw it, we thought- YES. That’s how it’s done. The perfect melding of old & new in a way that shows off the best of the new construction and enhances the original street architecture.

It’s striking enough to be a standout, yet completely respectful of the location in it’s scale, bringing out the beauty of the old in a way that only contrast can. Contrast. Think happy opposition!

 The interior is modest, and all white. The homeowners are in the art business and needed a space that could pull double duty as a home & art gallery. The open air rooftop courtyard is incorporated into the living space.

 For more photos, go here.

Juxtapostion at it’s finest- shiny & scraggly,  refined & rough. Move over, Martha, this is our kind of Thanksgiving table.

Here’s to the chill in the air & a the new color story the change of seasons brings.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

This is our fall proclamation. We plan to do this autumn in style & substance.

 Stay in bed 30 minutes longer than we should. We have an excuse- wait until the sun comes up!

Take more time to sit down for dinner with friends & family. Summer was about being everywhere all at once, but never home.

More (hot) coffee! This is an easy one…

 We’re refocusing on our own spaces, it’s time to change things up … half of our team bought new homes this August, and we’re raring to get together and share ideas. It’s the interior designers version of the buddy system!

Speaking of…Pile it on, in your interiors as well as your closet.

You can tidy up next spring, fall is all about hibernating with the things & people you love.

Last but not least: More wraps!

images via fave Crush Cul de Sac, save for 3rd from top, from Anna Noguera, Architect, and 5th from top is Betsy Burnham.

Thanks to Yellowtrace & Pitch Design, we’re now hip to a different kind of fashion blog. Advanced Style features women over 40 with that extra something in the style department. We’re totally in love with the notion, nay the manifesto, that personal style is available at any age and shouldn’t be abandoned just because you’re, *gasp*, getting older.

Class, carriage, and joie de vivre come with age and experience, and these women are living proof.

We’ll be looking for the Advanced Style book, due out soon!