Things That Inspire emailed that I should go to meet Suzanne Kasler signing her book, Suzanne Kasler: Inspired Interiors, at Bungalow Classic in Atlanta's west side. TTI said there'd be food!
Now it just so happened - a coincidence? I think not - that Ms. Kasler did an interview with the Skirted Round Table last week. Have you listened? You should. Ms. Kasler not only has a rare design talent, she has an even rarer talent: She can explain what she's doing.
Only one of my pictures worked, it shows the big crowd and a great room. Ms. Kasler spent the entire evening at the signing desk. There was a line all night. This picture looks pretty good if you click and make it bigger. (You can see a bit of her face under the leftmost lampshade.)
Meeting Atlanta Bloggers
I went by myself. The crowd was a bit above my pay grade. Well dressed and coiffed designer ladys, well dressed designer guys, well dressed clients and design fans, me in my cleanest Lands End khakis.
So I was wandering around trying to look as if I belonged when designer Claire Watkins, author of the High Gloss Blue blog introduced herself. And right beside Claire was blogger Brilliant Asylum. Both had their book ready to be signed. After a bit of chat blogger Things That Inspire walked up. What a pleasure. They were so nice to me. Clair has already blogged about it.
Meeting Jay Reardon, president of Hickory Chair
TTI introduced me to Jay Reardon. I grew up in High Point where nearly everybody had a tie to the furniture industry. I'm sure I knew of Hickory Chair before I was weaned. Talking with Mr. Rardon was an honor for a High Pointer. I was delighted to learn that 85% of Hickory Chair's products were made in the USA. Mr. Reardon's enthusiasm for the industry was contagious. Hickory Chair has a blog, "Made by Hickory Chair" Laura Holland from Hickory Chair is on Twitter.
A store room full of designers
TTI introduced me to a few designers. I met Atlanta designer Gretchen Gilstrap Edwards. I wish I had time to meet the all.
Tête-à-têtes everwhere
Bungalow Classic has many cozy corners where you could have a quiet conversation in spite of the crowd. Designers were doing doing business throughout the store, many with fabric books at hand in serious conversation.
Thanks to the Atlanta design community and my fellow Atlanta bloggers for an unexpectedly great time.
P.S.
Here are the 3 whites if I heard correctly:from the Skirted Round Table interview.
Benjamin Moore
OC-17 White Dove: (F0EFE6)
912 Linen White (F3ECDB)
OC-29 Floral White (EEECDE)
A Transitional House in St. Louis
1 hour ago
Oh I think you fit in just fine. They were probably all wondering who this understated gentleman was. Someone so important and at ease that he didn't need to over dress for the occasion. Lol.
ReplyDeleteOh no bother, its just the sense of being a new place. You go in feeling anxious and quickly find out (yet again) that folks are really nice. Most of us are in awe of talented folks. The room was full of talent and good cheer as well. As I tell my kids and their friends: We want to keep the talent right here in Atlanta.
ReplyDeleteThe minute you walked in the door I knew it was you! I was pleasantly reassured that you matched your blog persona to a 't', and the Lands End khakis fit right in with the all over the board range of looks in the room.
ReplyDeleteGretchen is very talented; she is very busy through word of mouth, and she apologized that she has not updated her website much over the past few years. She was the one who created the beautiful family room in the Christmas showhouse last year, and the Yong Pak designed pool house featured in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles last year.
Interesting seeing the picture - I had not noticed all of the orange touches throughout the room.
It was a fun night! I could have stayed until the very end, but my neighbor dragged me out, saying that I could not be the last one in the room. We went out for burgers at 'Flip' afterwards. It was a big night for TTI!
I was almost there Terry, a client invited me yesterday after I mentioned Keith Summerour's work. Alas, appointments all day. If I had come I would have been in my denim skirt & work boots.
ReplyDeleteMore, more, more. How were the lectures?
Garden & Be Well, XO Tara
ok - seriously.. what a fun night! I would have loved to be there. Meeting Designers and Bloggers. I love it when I show up somewhere by myself, and end up having a great time..:-)
ReplyDeleteOooh - all those punches of orange..
Thanks for sharing
vitania
BTW-I am having a really great giveaway - so please stop by and check it out!
I think you could fit in anywhere! :) How cool that you got to go out and meet not only some wonderful designers, but some great bloggers too! Thank you so much for stopping by and offering some suggestions for my dilemma. :)
ReplyDeleteIt was a great collection of Atlanta's design enthusiasts--designers and bloggers alike! I wish I could have stayed longer.
ReplyDeleteBungalow is such a pretty store and the perfect backdrop for Suzanne Kasler's book. I am sure she was proud of the hometown turnout.