Get Hooked: May Forecast

 

The month of May will be a big hit!  Have you got entertaining on your mind or better yet wanna eat out? Leave it to us, as we share our favorite area restaurant reviews. We will tell you what dishes are worth getting and give you are secrets on why we recommend this eatery.

Warmer weather also means lots of travel. We’ll be journeying to Philadelphia for the Light Fair  and New York City for what I believe to be the most anticipated conference of the year – Blogfest2011, which is hosted by Kravet.

Somewhere in there we’ll even sprinkle some lifestyle posts and update you on a couple of our current projects, including the Chancellor’s House at NC State.

So Stay Tuned!

image: Waterworks Blog  

Raleigh Restaurant Reviews: Flights is Ashley’s Fave

Flights would have to be one of my favorite restaurants in Raleigh,” says Ashley.  Of course I am a little bias because the Executive Sous Chef just happens to be my husband, Dean Thompson. But with the amazing talents of Executive Chef, Dean Wendel, and Sous Chef, Devin Duncan, what else would you expect.

And before you even think about passing on desert, think again. The hot cheesecake is a family secret that the Executive Chef keeps to himself and for good reason, it it amazing.

Flights at Renaissance Raleigh Hotel, in North Hills, offers an eclectic menu in a whimsical setting. Their fresh and contemporary menu are inspired by regional flavors.  A couple of their signature dishes that you just have to try for yourself are pictured below. Yummy!

images: 1. Flights Website 2. Personal

A Closer Look: Your Art Collection

Deciding on the right art for your home can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be.  Here are 6 tips to get you started.

1. Buy art because you like it, not because it goes with your curtains.  Art is an investment, so make sure you will enjoy looking at it for a long time to come.  I would never get tired of looking at the excellent painting below by Joan Mitchell.

2. You can never have enough art.  If the walls fill up, put some pieces in storage.  Rotate the work you show on your walls, changing it out as little as twice a year or with the changing seasons.

3.  Don’t worry about making all of your artwork “match” in style, size, or media.  Often, the best displays of artwork are made from interesting and varied collections.

 

 4. Develop your eye!  Visit museums, spend time in galleries, and read about art.  Seeing the best art possible will help you develop an eye for what you like.  Eventually, you can build a personal style that will shape your collection.   An excellent source for learning about current art is the Oxford History of Art Series.

5. Decide how much you like a piece before you see the price tag.  Good art is not always expensive.  Expensive art is not always good.  Often, work by a street artist or child can hold its own next to a painting by a modern master.  The picture below was made by Chicago street artist Lee Godie

6. And finally – keep an open mind!  You might be surprised by what you like if you look closely.

Good luck!

-Robert

credits: image 1; image 2; image 3; image 4; image 5.

Raleigh Restaurant Reviews: Poole’s Diner is Hilaire’s Fave

The warmer weather has arrived so let’s pour a glass of wine and celebrate outdoors with friends and family. Over the summer months each team member will share their favorite restaurants in town with you as a part of the 1st ever Design Lines Restaurant Reviews, kickin cool right?!

First stop on our list is Hilaire’s all-time favorite –  Poole’s Diner. Oh my gosh, AMAZING! If your looking for an intimate night with someone special grab a seat at the double horsehoe bar or pop some bubbly with some girlfriends to celebrate being you! This is the perfect place. 

“I love Poole’s Diner not only for the mouth-watering deliciously good food but for the atmosphere.  You even order off the chalkboard menus that are hanging on the wall. There is definitely an old-time flare to the place, which is just great,” says Hilaire.   

(Before)

Originally, in 1945 the restaurant opened up as a pie shop, then luncheonette in the 1950’s, and now a diner today. It was important for Chef Ashley Christensen to keep the framework of the building just like it was back in 1945 which is why I personally feel people love the atmosphere so much at Poole’s Diner.

 Chef Christensen, has been featured in Bon Appetit, Southern Living, The New York Times Gourmet Magazine and has been named “Best Local Chef” by Independent Weekly  for four years running.

 

(After)

Hilaire recommends, their side dish of Macaroni & Cheese – it beats any grandma’s version – you’ve got to trust me on this one! While the menu changes daily there is nothing at Poole’s Diner that isn’t good. Let us know why Poole’s Diner is your fave too. We love to hear great dining experiences!

Check the website for hours of operation.

images: Poole’s Diner Facebook Page

Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week: Thank You Laurie!

The Design Lines team would like to take the opportunity to thank Laurie during Administrative Professionals Appreciation Week. May 6th marks 23 years she has been with Design Lines and we only hope there are many more years to come!  

 

“Laurie Webster – wow – how to describe all that she does for me? We have worked together since 1993 and have certainly shared a lot. Not only does she support me in my role as designer with the many details that are involved in every stage of working with a client- but – the most important thing Laurie does for me – is make me laugh. Life is too short to not enjoy what you do and enjoy the people you work with every day. Design Lines is a wonderful place to walk into every day and Laurie ensures that.” – Molly

“I know I can always depend on Laurie’s energy and positive attitude to greet me when I come into work.  Her sunny demeanor helps make Design Lines a great place to work, and her skills and efficiency keep it running smoothly.” – Rob

“Laurie is the engine that makes everything work!” Judy

“I truly appreciate her attention to detail and the way she follows so many projects! Despite interacting with 6 designers and numerous clients and vendors daily, she stays on top of it all! She has such personal relationships with many of our vendors which allows us to provide a better service. She always pushes to get projects completed as quickly as possible which I know my clients really appreciate!” – Lauren

“I appreciate everything Laurie does around the office. She keeps the office moving forward on a day to day basis! She is an amazing business administrator and works well with our clients. She is so personable with them and really creates a warm feeling over the phone. Thank you for all that you do!”– Ashley

“I am grateful for her solution-minded thinking.  Many of my client’s dinner party deadlines have been realized because of her efforts.” – Brittany

“You ROCK!” – Hilaire

image: A Creative Mint

A Closer Look: Living In Fashion

 

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka interior view court

Yves Saint Laurent, one of the greatest names in fashion, was known for his sophisticated and beautiful clothing.  But he brought style into every aspect of his life – including the places where he lived.  I stumbled across these images of his home in Morocco, a 92,000 square foot villa which sits on a cliff overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. 

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka on cliff exterior view 

Designed by the master of French interiors, Jacques Grange, the villa offers a blend of African and European influences. Laurent considered Morocco his home away from home, and often included Moroccan flourishes in his clothing collections.   Now, here’s a lesson on how to live in style!

  Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Viall interior view 4

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Villa Morocco  Interior View 3

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka interior view 2

Design Lines Blog Yves Saint Laurent Moroccan Villa Mabrouka interior view sitting

 

-Robert

photos: interiordesign.net

High Point Furniture Market Trend #5 & #6: Warm Grays to Mixed Media Composition

2011 Spring High Point Furniture Market Warm Grays

Our Market blog series is coming to an end – we’ve had a blast sharing our thoughts and we hope you have enjoyed all the wonderful eye candy. For these final trends we focused on the warm grays and the mixed compositions -we just couldn’t leave them out.

Isn’t this bed to die for?! I love it.

2011 Spring High Point Furniture Market Warm Grays 2

The Bolier & Co. showroom was so lush – the repetition with the draperies and lights made an incredible statement.

2011 Spring High Point Furniture Market Warm Grays 3

2011 Spring High Point Furniture Market Mixed Finishes

Leave it to Swaim to show us some stunning and unique furniture pieces. The table (above) is so cool with the metal base and wood top.

Didn’t get enough? Head over to our Facebook page and we’ll post all the Market pictures for you to look though at your leisure. We hope you enjoyed the recap!

Showroom images: 1. Hickory Chair 2. Bolier & Co. 3. Swaim

A Closer Look: Design and Process

Here at Design Lines, all of us are involved in the creative process every day.  From sketching by hand to setting-up material boards, we are always working hard to envision how our projects will come together.  A big part of our job is being able to understand how something will look before it actually materializes.  But this ability isn’t unique to interior design.   I thought it would be interesting to see how people in other professions follow their own unique strategies to design anything from clothing to skyscrapers.

Design Lines Ltd. Yves Saint Laurent Sketch with Material Samples Fashion Design

Here’s a board created by the great fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent, in which he has selected fabrics for each dress in a collection.  It doesn’t look all that different from some of the fabric and material board we set up at Design Lines.

Design Lines Ltd. Blog Alvin Lustig Preliminary Sketch for Fabric 1940s Fashion Design

This drawing is a concept for a patterned fabric by Alvin Lustig (1940s).

Design Lines Ltd. Blog Eva Hesse Sketch for Repetition Nineteen Moma Drawing Graphite Watercolor

Here’s a drawing by Evan Hesse showing the a famous sculpture she would make called Repetition Nineteen.  In the sketch, the sculpture could be made of almost anything, and in any scale.  After a few iterations, the final product was completed out of translucent fiberglass. 

Design Lines Ltd. Blog Dallas Shaw Fashion Sketch drawing

Here’s a fashion sketch by Dallas Shaw, showing the basic elements of an ensemble.  Again, it’s just a concept, and the possibilities are almost endless.

Design Lines Ltd. Mies Van Der Rohe perspective sketch of a room

And here’s a beautiful collage by Mies Van Der Rohe to envision an interior space in a tall building, along with the view of the landscape beyond.  I love how it is so simple that it can be interpreted in a number of different materials.  This indistinct approach is actually very helpful – allowing the designer to see what is there, but also what could be.   Can you envision the completed project?

 -Robert

image 1: The Lux Chronicles, image 2: Birds of Oh, image 3: Moma, image 4: Dallas Shaw, image 5: Posterious