Fall HPMkt 2012: Part V
Posted on November 19, 2012 by mhorgan in Blogger Spotlight, Color Forecasting, Fashion and Design, Furniture Market, Trendy Tips
At Fall Market 2012, we continued to showcase what Drexel Heritage is known for: customization, high-end upholstery and finishes and the ability to take a personal and specialized spin on traditional and classic designs. Below, are some of examples of Drexel’s custom designs that our friends at Apartment Therapy recently shared on their blog. We hope these pieces featured will show you how a classic design can look completely new and will inspire you to be your own designer with Drexel Heritage!
Drexel Heritage’s Tweed Upholstered Wingback Chair
A handsome cut of menswear-inspired tweed upholstery, tailored for a wingback chair from Drexel Heritage.
Drexel Heritage’s Tie Dyed Wingback Chair
They’ve been designing and selling furniture since 1903, but that hasn’t stopped Drexel Heritage Furniture from taking playful risks, like this colorful tie dyed upholstery wingback chair.
Maxwell spots a color trend (fuschia!), and in the process snapped several of our editorial staff (Janel, Jason, and Chris) taking the tour at the Drexel Heritage showroom.
Fall #HPMkt 2012: Part IV
Posted on November 9, 2012 by mhorgan in Blogger Spotlight, Fashion and Design, Furniture Market, Trendy Tips
In part four of our Fall Market blogger coverage, we share the insights of the fabulous Fanki Durbin, designer and author of the blog Life in a Venti Cup. Below, we have shared her thoughts and reactions from her visit to the Drexel Heritage showroom. Enjoy!
High Point Market: Design by Drexel Heritage
Trending at Market: hair on hide. It was everywhere. This chair was one of the best examples I’ve seen of the trend. Love the placement of such organic elements around such a finely crafted French style chair.
Another element seen repeatedly at Market: the quatrefoil. Rarely, however, is an entire piece of furniture formed in this classic shape. I loved this versatile occasional piece. Bedside chest, end table, accent table… you name it, this piece could fill that role. A really beautiful element in any room.
A stunning sofa rests in the bqckground with fabulous cream frame and blue trellis bench seat. Of course the styling in the showroom, as seen on the cocktail table in the foreground, is so good you simply have to stop and admire the grouping.
Always the best part of any showroom visit: the resource room! Drexel realy turns it out when it comes to fabric samples. I’d love to have my own fabric swatch inventory arranged this way in my home office. Isn’t this delicious?
And of course, a French sofa with an incredible silhouette and a Gustavian Gray finish. I do have a weakness for these linen covered pieces with European stylng. A truly beautiful upholstered piece. And isn’t that rug yummy?
Zebra, anyone? This particular fabric has an ombre effect to it, with the stripes having more intensity of color in the center and fading out slightly at the edges. Note how it was placed on this classic chair finished in silver leaf. Serious pop of drama.
One of the showroom tours I was most looking forward to at Market was Drexel Heritage. I’ve had a soft spot for in my designer heart for years for this brand. I love the sheer variety of the showroom and it’s artisan appeal. But much of this stems from my appreciation of the talent of their creative director Denise Alala. She is one half of the creative team behind this luxurious furniture brand and never ceases to amaze me with her ability to evolve and surprise when it comes to new introductions for High Point Market.
Drexel Heritage doesn’t have a “look” or a style. Their collections run the gamut between classic European pieces (like bergeres and French settees) and on-trend designs that clearly derive influences from runway fashion and modern culture (as is the case with the zebra & silver leaf chair above). It’s this delicious visual melange that keeps your eyes from ever tiring during a showroom tour. Beyond every corner is a vignette in a completely different look that the one you just passed through.
The unifying quality, of course, is the “collected” look that Drexel does so well. Each piece is offered in a seemingly endless array of finishes. Have that iron bed painted chippy antique white or do it up in rich red. The choice is yours and the showroom reflects this attention to personalization. Their upholstery selection knows no bounds either. From shimmering wovens to vibrant prints, the beauty of their textiles is always a treat for the eyes.
Beyond what they offer, the mood at Drexel is always quite sexy. Lights are dimmed just so. Vignettes are styled so richly that you want to move right in. It’s such a lush space that you want to occupy not just the space but the lifestyle that the styling implies. Design books are scattered about, fresh flowers are scattered about in vases, art supplies are gathered here and there. This is what good showroom styling is all about. Drexel is selling an artisan lifestyle and I love it.
While I was there I was able to spend time with longtime online (and now real) friend Stacey Bewkes of Quintessence Blog, Ronda Rice Carman of All the Best Blog(a VERY longtime online friend whom I’ve finally had the pleasure to meet & spend time with) as well as the always lovely Meg BIram of Mimi and Meg. This was a fantastic group of girls to be on tour with and it was so nice to finaly get that offline time with “my girls” – especially in a stylish environment like the Drexel space.
Thank you, Denise for the tour and for your time. And thank you, Lisa Hanly ofFurniture Brands for inviting me to come play at Drexel!
If you have a Drexel Heritage showroom in your city, please go visit. The variety of styles and personalization choices will astonish you. Each piece truly is crafted to your specificiations. Stay tuned in the next few weeks to my twitter & facebook feeds, as I’ll be posting even more snaps from my tour. Many lovely photos to share with you.
Fall #HPMkt 2012: Part III
Posted on November 2, 2012 by mhorgan in Blogger Spotlight, Fashion and Design, Furniture Market, Trendy Tips
As we have discussed in our past couple of posts, meeting with the fabulous design bloggers is one of our favorite parts about High Point Market! We have shared market coverage from our friends at All the Best and Apartment Therapy, and this week, we wanted to share a recent post from the blog Quintessence. Enjoy!
High Point Picks | Drexel Heritage Delivers
Drexel Heritage wants you to tell your story at home your way. And to help, they focus on offering customization options at every level. As my sponsor at High Point, Drexel hosted me and several other bloggers for a morning at their showroom. We were delighted to have the very knowledgeable Denise Alala, Vice President of Upholstery lead part of our tour. She explained how this season Drexel introduced many new fabrics to their stable of over 800 selections. From graphic blues
to animal patterns, bold prints, textured smalls
and colorful leathers,
there is a wide variety to choose from. They also added more smaller scaled, apartment friendly frames to their Options program, where customers can mix and match arm style, seat and back options, skirt and trim styles as well as wood finishes. And the woods, all executed here in the states, are now available in more finishes and paint colors. I liked the new vintage alpine, for example, on this casual occasional chair
And see how different the same Indulgence Display cabinet looks in two custom colors. And because all the work is done right here in the States, even custom items take merely weeks to complete.
Denise’s talents also extend to styling, which lent a lived-in look throughout the enormous space
The Viage collection, “inspired by the idea of what you might find in a European artist’s studio,” was the new introduction at market. It features “layered moldings, intricate joinery, hand-accented veneer patterns, metal star details and simple turnings on posts, mixing elements from European antiques with modern components, like glass and metal,” such as one of my favorite pieces from the line, the Postcards Desk.
The Expedition Console and Mirror of Discovery are both updated classic and versatile pieces from the collection that could migrate from room to room.
Drexel’s case goods feature thoughtful details as can be seen in their Vintage Originals collection. I always appreciate handsome hardware and the drawer pulls on the Haberdashery Chest
and the Sazerac bar/secretary
are details that definitely make a difference. In wandering through the showroom, I thought I would share a few other picks that I think show the versatile and flexible nature of what Drexel Heritage offers. The Voussoir Pedestal Dining Table is a modern classic that could work not only as a dining table but also as an entry table in a larger home. The clean lines and metal du jour would mix with any number of complementary styles
From the Celladora collection, this case hall chest and Larkspur mirror are pieces perfectly suited for locations from the mountains to beach. And the new case goods options finishes extend to this collection so they could be reimagined in any number of collectible colors.
And lastly, several designer friends mentioned the upholstered console as a favorite and it is easy to see why. In a totally chic shape, this infinitely useful and stylish piece is available in a plethora of prints or solids to accent any decor.
With pretty piping and a fitted glass top, this console could work in literally any room of the house or apartment.
A huge thanks to Lisa Hanley, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Relations of parent company Furniture Brands for the generous sponsorship and welcoming hospitality. Drexel does deliver on so many levels!
Fall #HPMkt 2012: Part II
Posted on October 26, 2012 by mhorgan in Blogger Spotlight, Fashion and Design, Furniture Market, Trendy Tips
One of the reasons we love High Point Market so much is because we get to meet with all of our favorite design bloggers! Our friends at Apartment Therapy were kind enough to stop by our showroom and share some of their favorite new Drexel Heritage trends. From pops of pink to menswear inspired pieces to creative leather detailing, Apartment Therapy covered all of the new Drexel style stories on their blog, which we have shared with you below. Enjoy!
High Point Highlights: 5 Amped up Style Directions at Drexel Heritage
The Drexel showroom was one of our first stops at High Point and the whole team wanted in on the tour! In addition to our guide, Lisa, being absolutely 100% entertaining, there are plenty of good design ideas getting served up by the creative team behind this brand. Here are a few of the style stories that were apparent in their collections for this season:
Classic Menswear
Hot Pink Details
Global Patterns in Blue and White
Creative Leather Detailing
Vintage Inspired Plaids and Florals
Best Foot Forward
Posted on October 11, 2012 by mhorgan in Design Dictionary
When it comes to choosing furniture, you always want to put your best foot forward. The feet of a piece of furniture are a specific detail that can be overlooked. But, as you’ll see, with so many different styles of feet, this little detail can bring you one step closer to falling head over heels in love with your furniture!
For this week’s Design Dictionary, let’s look at a few different styles of feet – all beginning with the letter B.
Bracket Foot
This is a decorative right-angled foot shaped like a bracket and placed at each corner of the piece of furniture. Typically seen on wooden furniture (also known as case goods), bracket feet have a timeless and classic feel, as seen here on our Madison Cherry II Entertainment Center.
Our Madison Cherry II Entertainment Center
Bun Foot
Originating from the William and Mary time period, the bun foot is shaped like a slightly flattened ball and typically used on the bottom of chests of drawers, seating pieces and upholstered chairs. Here, bun feet are used on this Colusa Credenza Buffet Table from our Celladora Collection to give the piece a sophisticated touch.
Our Celladora Colusa Credenza Buffet Table
Block Foot
The block foot is a square foot at the base of a straight untapered leg. The Wilson Console Hall Chest from the Adaptations Collection is a great example of a piece with block feet. With so many intricate details, the block feet balance the elements of this piece and give it a polished finish.
Our Adaptations Wilson Console Hall Chest
Ball & Claw Foot
True to its name, this is literally a type of carving used at the foot of a chair, table or small chest that looks like a sphere grasped by a claw. This kind of foot has Oriental origin and is said to be a Chinese symbol of evil with a dragon clutching a pearl. The Wilshire Recliner from our LP Leather Collection has ball & claw carvings on the front two legs of the chair, giving the recliner a refined and almost regal feel.
Our LP Leather Wilshire Recliner
Vintage Originals Hardware
Posted on October 4, 2012 by mhorgan in Fashion and Design
We’ve featured the Vintage Originals collection in our blogs previously, but we haven’t focused on one of this collection’s most interesting details yet – the hardware! Here’s a sneak peak at Vintage Originals and its fashionable hardware, which will be available later this fall.
Inspired by vintage costume jewelry, these pieces of hardware create a custom look and always make a statement. Just like the perfect accessory can enhance any outfit, hardware can do the same for classic cabinets, dressers and drawers. Add a big, chunky statement piece of jewelry like this vintage necklace from Rogue Vintage to make a regular blouse or shirt go from blah to wow.
Vintage pendant necklace from Rouge Vintage
The same applies to hardware! The Haberdashery Chest’s key-in-a-lock knobs give a modern twist to a classic piece and add a polished contrast to the leather-finished drawers.
Our Vintage Originals Haberdashery Chest with key-in-lock hardware
With a costume jewelry vibe, the star-shaped knobs on the Vintage Originals Secretary strike the perfect note between trendy and traditional.
Our Vintage Originals Secretary with star-inspired hardware
Be on the lookout for the Vintage Originals collection coming to Drexel Heritage stores later this fall!
Menswear Revival
Posted on August 23, 2012 by jbutler in Fashion and Design
As we’ve seen in previous blogs like Peplum Prediction, Tribal Time and Color Blocking, Again, design often gathers influence from fashion trends. But inspiration doesn’t strictly come from women’s fashion. Menswear has a commanding influence on designs at Drexel Heritage, including our new Vintage Originals collection.
Details like embossed leather drawer fronts bring a masculine polished look to traditional pieces like our Haberdashery Chest. The lighter scale drawer nightstand can double as an end table and offers a classic functional element to any room with a refined genteel style.
Our Haberdashery Chest
Custom upholstery options in rich colors and timeless patterns and textures offer the tailored look of menswear fashion in your home. Designed to mix and meld, Vintage Originals allows you to blend the tough and manly with the flirty and feminine. Our Wilhelm Sofa features a masculine silhouette, rounded out by its feminine button-tufted sides.
Our Wilhelm Sofa
Similarly, the Cartwright Sofa has a curvaceous, feminine shape perfectly complemented with leather embellishments.
Our Cartwright Sofa
And of course, we can’t forget our Pate Chair with rough, wire-brushed leather juxtaposed by a softer blue tweed. It is the ideal showpiece of melding elements that make up the New South – traditional but modern, masculine yet refined.
Our Pate Chair
Finishes are the final touch that makes our menswear-inspired pieces so stirring. Our glazed cordovan finish features a rich warm brown with dynamic texture. Layer upon layer of hand-rubbed stain creates a multi-faceted look that is completely one-of-a-kind.
Vintage Originals Nightstand in our glazed cordovan finish
Have you already incorporated menswear influence into your design? How are you using tweed and leather to create a refined look?
What’s New This Season: Part II
Posted on August 9, 2012 by jbutler in Fashion and Design
If you read our last blog, then you know we’ve been unveiling several new customizable collections for your home. We’ve already told you about new ways to get creative with kitchen designs, so next we’re going to share our new options collections for the living room.
Without further ado, we’d like to introduce new custom ottoman options. Select from varying shapes and fabrics to design a functional and stylish footstool for your living room, like the Stautner Ottoman in this beautiful python-inspired upholstery.
Our Stautner Ottoman
The beauty of our custom ottoman options is that you have the ability to create an ottoman that is uniquely you! Here our Keeshan Ottoman is the perfect match between classic and trendy with simple tufting and modern metallic upholstery.
Our Keeshan Ottoman
Or, try that same Keeshan Ottoman in a slate gray velvet upholstery with clean piping and feet for a completely different look!
Our Keeshan Ottoman
We’d also like to introduce our new upholstered bistro tables. Design and function marry to create a fresh take on a piece of classic furniture. An added bonus is that upholstery options are also available in our super versatile, multi-functional Sunbrella fabrics, which makes cleaning a breeze!
What’s your favorite new look this season?
What’s New this Season
Posted on August 2, 2012 by jbutler in Fashion and Design
From new colors to trends to styles, we’ve seen a lot of great ideas and designs in the furniture world of late. One of our favorite features this season? Drexel Heritage’s stylish new dining options with custom features that allow you to create rooms perfectly suited to your family’s needs.
Our new Gourmet Dining collection is all about customization. Choose between different bases, tabletops, chairs and finishes to create a table setting where countless family memories and traditions can be made. Select a stone tabletop for a more modern look or choose a glass tabletop and intricate pedestal to create a comfortable room for entertaining.
Our Violetta Pedestal Table Base
Next up: the finish. Our new glazed cordovan stain exudes elegance and strikes the right balance between rich masculine color and sophisticated feminine appeal. Going for a more casual dining experience? Our Aged Dove Grey finish lends rustic country manner charm.
After selecting the perfect table, mix and meld fabrics, trims and finishes to create chairs that perfectly complement. Channel your inner designer and craft custom dining seating for your home. Make your table even more unique by mixing up seating options like picking two different, but coordinating, upholstery options to use for your chairs.
Our Provence Arm Chair
Food brings the whole family together, don’t you think? We’d love to hear your favorite family memory or tradition from around the kitchen table!
Monogram It!
Posted on July 11, 2012 by jbutler in Fashion and Design, Trendy Tips
It’s time to get personal – with monograms, that is! A little individualization can go a long way to create a signature style that is completely yours in both fashion and design. We love the Max & Chloe monogrammed earrings as the finishing touch to a preppy, classic ensemble, and the J.Crew linen shirt with an added monogram is the perfect summer cover-up or casual weekend outfit.
Monograms are also being used by our talented upholstery designers for fun, but classic home décor. The custom-embroidered Clair Chair is a timeless piece that will enhance your dining or living room with an upscale, traditional look.
Our Clair Chair
Or, if you’re looking for a modern twist, try the Elaine Chair. The clean lines and bold stitching exude confidence and sophistication, and are the perfect balance to the bright upholstery of our Console Table.
Our Elaine Chair
For accent pieces, monogram decorative accessories like throw pillows, duvet covers, blankets or candles. This is a trend that will never go out of style!
We can’t get enough of the monogram craze here at Drexel Heritage. Won’t you join us? How do you plan to personalize your home?