Guest Post | Things That Sparkle

Pictured above is just a little taste of what you'll see for my guest post over at Things That Sparkle today.  Inspired by the trompe l'oeil wallcoverings seen at the Chanel Haute Couture show and at the hotel La Maison Champs Elysees in Paris I created lovely little Parisian dining room. Go check it out and let me know what you think!

Smitten | Galraith and Paul

 Monarch

 Lotus

Trellis

Lotus Wallpaper, Amber Interiors

Small Star and Tulip

There are a lot of things that I get excited about: shoes, furniture, and fabric most certainly falls on that list, which is why I'm talking about it two posts in a row! Yesterday I mentioned my love of John Robshaw textiles and today I wanted to share another outstanding American textile source, Galbraith & Paul. Founders Liz Galbraith and Ephraim Paul's Philadelphia studio create hand block-printed textiles, handmade rugs, studio printed wallpaper, and lighting.  They have built a business based on craftsmanship, quality, and creativity. G&P recently released new sets of fabric and wallpaper patterns so I made sure to stop by Holland and Sherry (the Chicago showroom that reps the line) to check the insanely beautiful creations during my visit last Friday.

In talking to the showroom rep I learned that all of the fabrics and wallpapers are made to order.  Like the Robshaw prints, the pictures do not go these textiles justice.  Many of the patterns have almost a 3D effect because the artisans use multiple colors and shades to give the prints depth and character.  Having just learned the basics of block printing (using only one color and trying to keep the edges clean) I'm in complete awe of the artisans that work at G&P.

So what are your thoughts on Galbraith & Paul's creations? To me, their style is really versatile and could be used in a casual or formal setting. Besides loving their patterns and colors, I also appreciate the artistry and craftsmanship behind all of their products. That's pretty hard to come by these days!

I'm planning on placing an order soon so if you want a few yards or a pillow feel free to email me at kkerrdesign@gmail.com!

My Weekend in Pictures

Well I finished off September with a bang!  This past weekend was the perfect balance of work and play.  Here are some of the highlights: 

. I received a bunch of questions about my leather coat when I posted this picture on Instagram so I thought I'd share the details on the blog.  The jacket, made by June, has been a part of my fall uniform for a few years now, the buttery tan leather really goes with everything.  As you can see from the pictures above, I wore the jacket numerous times this weekend. On Friday I threw it on over my favorite basic black tee , these midrise dark skinny jeans and J.Crew leopard heels--perfect for a quick jaunt to the mart--then on Saturday I broke it out again with a striped skirt and blue button up shirt from Club Monaco. I'm having trouble finding my exact coat online but I did find a similar style in burgundy and brown. If neither one of those will do then try calling Tangerine in Wicker Park...that's where I purchased the coat a few years ago!

. Like I said above, I spent a few hours at the Merchandise Mart on Friday sourcing fabric for a project.  I found a bunch of great options but for some reason I continue to gravitate to the fabulous selection of John Robshaw block prints available at John Rosselli.  Pictures do not do these textiles justice, the colors and patterns are jaw dropping in person. I also fell hard for the block prints by Galbraith and Paul.  Clearly I'm having a moment with hand printed textiles (see last week's post).

. On Saturday I partied like it was 1999.  Seriously, my friends and I had a 12PM brunch reservation at Pump Room and ended up staying out until 2AM.  I honestly did not start to feel normal until Monday morning (hence no blog post yesterday).  It was fun but I now need a major detox.

. Despite feeling like complete hell on Sunday I did manage to make a few design decisions. I'm having this vintage credenza refinished and I about died when I received this picture of the stripped down piece...so long 1970s finish, hello ebony stain.  It's going to look so good, just you wait!  I also received a snapshot of this chair I had refinished and reupholstered for a client.  Isn't that the happiest blue velvet you've ever seen?

Now on to October, my favorite month of the year!

(images via my instagram)