Charlotte & Ivy The Blog

Fall Market Crush

We just returned from the biannual High Point market. Our team meets gets to see the new pieces manufacturers have created and we also meet with manufacturers to design some of our own new pieces too. It is a whirlwind of activity and fun. Here are some things that were new and caught our eye.

Gorgeous custom plank farm table

Dining with Chinese Chippendale Chairs

As many of our customers know our team designed the fabulous Charlotte Chinese Chippendale dining chairs. We wanted to find customers the perfect bamboo chair (elegant enough lines for a very formal dining room and playful enough for any room in the house. The available market options all suffered from some Goldilocks problem (too short, too, modern, too casual or not high enough quality) So we got started drawing, buying vintage chairs and revising. After many revisions we produced the Charlotte chair. Each little piece of bamboo is hand carved out of solid mahogany and stained in a gorgeous walnut brown stain or in two paint styles: a semi-gloss white and a black. The shipments have been selling out faster than we can carve them! I couldn't help but buy 8 of the Charlottes from Charlotte & Ivy for my own dining room in my new house. I am going to get a few more too so we pull them out for bigger gatherings.

Charlotte Chinese Chippendale Chair in Black Side

Charlotte Chinese Chippendale Black and White

The upshot: I just love my dining chairs and it was fun to be an eager customer for once! My new house has a much larger more formal dining room and it's about time to upgrade to a bigger banquet dining table and pull it all together from an idea to the perfect room. The planned dining room style will be decidedly Chinoiserie Chic but with a lot of classic elements. I thought it would be fun to share my project. The room will need a new chandelier for over the table (or possibly two), some layers of accessories, a rug, and another piece of art. Chinoiserie is an old classic style, but it requires a bit of boldness. One of my decorating heroes is Roger Banks Pye who took the ultra British classic look of Colefax and Fowler and explained how to take that style to a normal scale room and home. He says:

Whatever you do in your decorating philosophy, be brave....never wish you hadn't taken your vision right to the end. Make a bold statement.

Roger Banks-Pye

In addition to my room ideas here are some photos from Liz and my little chair photo-shoot from Pippin Hill Farm Vineyard in North Garden VA. If you're in the area,stop here for an excellent glass of their rose wine and a lovely lunch on the veranda!

View from our Lunch at Pippin Hill Farm Vineyard

A beginning for of a the new dining room with my black Charlotte chairs

Elements in the Mix:

Thibaut Oriental Toile Fabric

Fabulous bamboo credenza I bought from Charlotte & Ivy. A bit casual but loving the storage!

Antique horse statue on my credenza. Mine are terra cotta

I bought these cconces from Charlotte & Ivy and I love the Greek Key. They flank the credenza

Here's Some Design Inspiration:

Always loved this space, great table, great cockpen Chinese Chippendale and fun color

I Like the Double Lantern, from NE Home Mag

Some color! From the Chinoiserie Chic Blog

Kate Rosenfed on Chinoiserie Chic Blog

Some Dining Table Ideas:

First and foremost I need a bigger and better dining table. I would prefer a table that is expandable and has pretty legs and lines. All of these are tables we sell or have sold to customers that I just love for myself. Some of them we have up on the site but always email us if you need help with one.

One Dining Table I Love is Our Regents Park Table, The legs are divine!

The Double Pedestal Table but in the dark brown POLO finish

A Regency style dining table from a high end supplier we love

An Expanding Table up to 102 from A Charlotte & Ivy Supplier, Call us if you want more information

An Expanding Table up to 102 from A Charlotte & Ivy Supplier

Love this Table from hickory Chair, great legs, very expensive though

More Casual

Crazy about this Fabulous and really Giant Extension Table. Very expensive but amazing quality and design!

Same Table from our supplier with different legs

Some Lighting Ideas

Golden Twig Chandelier

Faux Bamboo Chandelier, Would want 2 of these

Fabulous Pagoda Lantern or two

Accessories, Will Add more Soon

I love adding an abstract piece if I can find the right colors Kerry Steel from Pink Pagoda

May Stay Simple on Rug for Now, This is my favorite rug we sell often overlooked
The beauty of natural the softness and luxury of wool. We call it the Spa Rug

Crazy for Tortoise Shell

Not just for eye-wear anymore! We just love tortoise shell looks everywhere in your life at Charlotte & Ivy.

Here are some new favorites for fashion and home. We love the new pieces we found for Charlotte and Ivy collection and we think tortoise is here to stay. Enjoy!

The cutest clutches! Coming to Charlotte & Ivy soon!

Home Again Home Again, Market is done.

Charlotte & Ivy loved market this year and we can't wait to share some of our exclusive finds and custom products we are working on with our artisans. Here are some assorted pictures. These include just a tip of the iceberg including some new favorites, some stunning designs and shapes.

Look for our new finds in Charlotte & Ivy's online catalog or email us if you need something sooner. We still have a few more secret introductions coming in the next few months as well. Enjoy!