Drexel Heritage

What a Lovely Accent

Hoping to make a small change that will have a big impact?  We’ve got the perfect idea for you – create an accent wall!

We love the bold blue accent wall pictured in this Drexel room featuring pieces from our Dalliance, Drexel Heritage Upholstery and d emporium collections. It really brings out the blue in the accessories and other accent pieces in the room, such as the chair, throw pillows and welting detail on the sofas, and creates a beautiful contrast with the room’s neutral tones.

How can you create this effect in your home? First, pick a color that will bring new life to your existing palette (if you are having trouble, we recommend using a bright and bold color for rooms that have mostly neutral shades or a darker, richer color for rooms already full of bright patterns and prints). Next, grab a can of paint and get to work!

Wanting to take it a step further? You’re in luck! While browsing some of our favorite interior design blogs, we came across a few other inspirational ideas. Consider going for a more unique and creative way to accent your room like a popping blue accent floor or bright yellow double doors. 

We’re open to your ideas, too – tell us ways that you accent your favorite rooms!

Fashion Forward

What fashionista doesn’t enjoy staying on top of next season’s trends? When it comes to this autumn’s breakout hues, we’ve got the scoop. Look out for bold greens and mustard yellows!

Our friends at Traditional Home agree. They fell in love with two brightly-clad pieces in our High Point Market showroom – the Darien Chair in mustard yellow with contrasting brown piping, as well as one of our brand new upholstered desks in green with nail-head trim. In fact, they loved them so much, they featured the pieces in the New + Next section of the July/August issue!

And the eye-popping colors aren’t the only thing we like about these two pieces. We love that they’re in leather! Stylish and durable, this tried and true fabric is making a rather sophisticated comeback. Wouldn’t you agree?

Bastille My Heart

Love red, white and blue? Don't fret that July 4th has come and gone...it’s Bastille Day, a celebration of French independence.  Drexel Heritage trend-watchers confirm that this wonderful combo of hues is en vogue year-round. And, our favorite Drexel designer, Denise Alala, agrees.

Denise believes that great design is all about attention to detail. Here’s a great example. Denise outfitted the Drexel Heritage Bree Sofa with Bastille Day in mind. Of course, a red, white and blue palette is natural choice -- de rigueur. But, Denise takes Bree to new heights with perfect finishing touches.

First, notice the throw pillows. Denise went to her very own closet for the fabric, repurposing a favorite dress as a pillow fabric. Caution: don’t try this yourself! The really good news is that there’s no need. There are thousands of fabrics and trims in the Drexel lineup to get an on-trend, but timeless look that’s all your own.

Secondly, oh-la-la, we love the added twist of the sisal rope closures on the skirt. Bravo Denise! It adds an extra je ne sais crois to the Bree silhouette.

Let’s recap. Denise started with a classic silhouette – the beautiful Bree. Color and texture followed with a red, white and blue (or should we say rouge, blanc et bleu?) palette. Dressmaker (literally) pillows were added. And, a great look was wrapped up with perfect sisal details.

Don’t you love it!? Happy Bastille Day from our maison to yours!

Design Dictionary: Knee & Loveseat

During the 18^th century, the time period most recognized as the “Golden Age” of furniture making, there were five great English styles of furniture including the romantic Queen Anne style. Named after the famous queen who ruled England in the early 1700s, this style of furniture was most popular in the first half of the century and still influences designs today. Our next two Design Dictionary terms are reflections of this very elegant and luxurious style.

Knee

In a previous blog, we have talked about this period’s distinctive cabriole leg, an S-shaped curve resembling the leg of an animal. This design component is considered extremely practical and was quite common during the time period. More specifically, the “knee” of the chair is an element that is known to be the upper convex of a cabriole leg.

We love the beautifully rounded knee of our Royal Arm Chair, which mimics all of the delicate characteristics of the Queen Anne style. With its upholstered seat, combination of a cuffed and a trifad foot, richly finished and carved wood and the centrally carved shell motif, this chair looks majestic next to the Round Table from our At Home in Belle Maison collection.

Loveseat

A wide chair originally associated with Queen Anne style, the loveseat was created to accommodate women of the time period and their ample dresses.  It was after crinoline and petticoats began to disappear from women’s’ wardrobes that extra seat space was discovered and lovers united! Here is our fresh and modern take on this timeless piece of furniture. Lovebirds, make yourselves at home. Get cozy on the Mackenzine Loveseat!

Fun for the Fourth

This Fourth of July weekend, get your family and friends together and celebrate America’s birthday.  We were inspired by a recent article in Country Living to enjoy the staples and simplicities of “Made in America” backyard games. That’s why we put together this list of our favorite, inexpensive American pastimes (and no, we don’t just mean baseball).

• Three legged race: Tie those two bickering cousins together and watch them stumble (or just plain tumble) to a chalk drawn finish line.
• Potato sack racing: Ransack the house for some pillowcases and have your own make-shift “potato sack” race.
•  Tug-of-war: Grab an old rope from dad’s shed, draw a line that can’t be crossed and let the games begin.
• Dizzy bat races: Borrow a neighbor’s baseball bat and start spinning. The first to spin around the bat 10 times and cross the finish line is the winner – it’s way easier said than done.
• Grill-off: On your mark, get set, grill! Who can cook the tastiest hotdog on the block the fastest? Only time will tell….Don’t have a grill? We prefer our hotdogs over a backyard campfire any day.

We think these DIY field games are sure to make this year’s Fourth of July festivities fun for the whole family! What kinds of games do your family and friends play during summer holidays?

Surf's Up!

The sun is hot, but this summer’s trends? Even hotter! Beat the heat by surrounding yourself with cool nautical colors that pop against calm, neutral-toned furniture.

Mixing things up in the same color family, the surf blue drapes in this Drexel room stand out next to the sea and crystal blue stripes on the walls.  The charcoal grey and yellow painting on the wall creates a striking contrast against the blue hues and ties in the ikat-patterned throw pillows on the sofa. We even mixed and matched custom finishes – we love the look of the armoire and end tables (from our Postobello Home Collection) in a Sepia finish paired with the Westwood Ottoman in a Dark Walnut finish.

A final touch? We placed a colorful arrangement consisting of a bowl of lemons and refreshing bottle of San Pellegrino on the ottoman to invite company to sit down and have a drink (or two or three).

 So, no time to pack up that picnic basket or beach bag? No problem! Just bring the spirit of summertime into yourhome! Does this look like a place you might want to relax this season?

Design Dictionary: Jacobean

Summer’s here, and one thing is clear – great things begin with the letter J like June, July and  our next Design Dictionary term, Jacobean. Named for the style of English furniture that emerged during the reign of King James I, these ornate yet pragmatic designs are still seen in homes today.

The Ornate

Jacobean-style furniture lent itself to the creation of beautifully carved pieces. Some of our favorites? The intricately detailed mirrors fashioned during this era. With Early Renaissance and Baroque influences, mirrors like our Carved Mirror from the At Home in Belle Maison collection feature carefully crafted ornamentation. We especially love the detail that favors an acanthus leaf at the top of the mirror – very much a popular feature of the Jacobean style. One great way we gave this historically-inspired mirror an update – one of our custom paint finishes. The Vintage Endive finish we chose for this particular mirror will really pop against a gray or neutral-toned wall!

 The Pragmatic

An important (and very pragmatic) feature to emerge during the reign of King James I was the gate leg. Still used today, these functional swinging legs allow you to fold out or fold in table leaves so that you’re always maximizing the use of your space. We can’t help but showcase the St. Helena Gate Leg Table from one of our newest collections, At Home in the Wine Country. This transitional table can be used in a breakfast nook, for a dinner party or tucked away behind your sofa when not in use. Not to mention, we love the piece’s rustic oak finishes.

 What pieces in the Jacobean style are you using in your home?

It's Showtime!

It’s showtime for our  Drexel design team – no, really, Showtime , High Point’s semi-annual fabric market hosted by the International Textile Market Association, is here!  Drexel designers, including Denise Alala, vice president of upholstery design, are on site snapping photos and taking notes as we speak! Here are some of our favorite trends so far:

The Gray Evolution

There’s been a lot of talk about the gray/charcoal presence the past few Showtime and High Point Market seasons. This time around, we’re seeing this wonderful, neutral base paired up with much warmer colors – gold tones all the way to mustard yellows.

Zest – A Yellow and Green Citron Infusion

We’ve seen a lot of movement in yellows, but not they’re not your average mellow yellows. These are more greenish-yellow tones translating into vibrant citron shades.

Green Immersion

There’s a lot green this year at Showtime, including a color direction Denise has been developing – tonal teals.  With this trend, we’re seeing a lot of deep jade teals all the way to mints, but it’s the mix that’s important. Each color is unique but is in the same family.

Floral Flurry

We’re seeing plenty of large, oversized floral patterns paying homage to Impressionistic masters like Monet. The palette is typically softer and sometimes monochromatic with big “brush” strokes.

Modern Master

In addition to Monet-like patterns, we’re also seeing Picasso-inspired Cubist patterns. Bold geometric shapes in strong reds, yellows and greens define this modish trend.

Fabric Origami

A trend straight from Italy,  this look might pop up on a pillow or accent piece. Made by possible by laser-cut technology, we love these fabric origami pieces!  

Touch-me Texture

We’re a big fan of the broken-in, comfortable feel of the stonewashed linens we’ve spotted. We also love the effect of overdying fabric to the point that the ground comes through – a unique way to ensure that your upholstered piece is truly a one-of-a-kind.

Well, that’s it for now from all of us here at Showtime. How will you use these trends to decorate your own home? We’d love to hear from you!

Blossoming with Color

It’s the perfect time of year to fill your home with the aroma of fresh flowers. We love the idea of incorporating bright bouquets that match your room and furniture décor, and that’s just what our design team did at High Point Market this spring.

Notice how the hyacinths stood out in this Drexel showroom. The purple blooms perfectly complemented the light pink tea light holders and lavender drapes. The reflection of the glass table also heightened the effect by creating a dramatic illusion of flowing color.
Have you ever seen such stunning tulips? This water-filled display was the perfect way to catch the eye and pull color from the pieces surrounding it.  The bursts of red and green in the floating bulbs complemented the coral cover of the book and upholstery of the sofa. 
Perfect harmony – this was what our Drexel design team had in mind for this side table. That’s why they chose a simple arrangement of calla lilies to complement the purple-toned books underneath the very serene and meditative sculpture.
In a recent blog, we mentioned finishing a look with a fresh vase of flowers. In this Drexel showroom, designers did just that by using orange and white stock to play off of the existing color scheme of the upholstered side table and neutral-toned lamp.

So whether it’s just stepping outside into your garden or visiting a nearby florist, we encourage you to color coordinate with flowers in your home….If anything, it’s a giant breath of fresh air!

Lighten Up

Spring is in full swing so pull up the blinds, push the drapes aside and open your windows! It’s amazing what a little natural lighting can do.

In this Drexel Heritage room, our goal was to make this small corner a (seemingly) big one by playing off the natural light streaming in from the house’s very modern-style windows. We decided to use our Glissade Buffet as the centerpiece to create this effect.

The piece, from our new Dalliance collection, immediately gave new life to the room by reflecting sunlight on its mirrored doors and giving it a more spacious feel. The effect was enhanced by the buffet’s custom finish in a lighter, neutral-toned Oyster, layered against the room’s neutral walls.

We also used a lamp with complementary gray and white shades, artwork featuring a plain canvas background and a few metallic (and very shiny) accent pieces – all ways to play off of the natural light coming into the room.

 How do you use natural lighting in your home to create the illusion of more space?