I have made a career based on details. Perfect placement has always been a trademark and specialty that I cherish. Every Wednesday night, barring travel of grave illness (!), I work with a great team to rework the retail floor, add fresh merchandise that has just arrived, and turn all the surfaces into new inspirations. #purestyle
I’ll try to give you an update each week and give you a glimpse at the newest and favorites that have hit the floor! There’s a lot of magic that happens each Wednesday night. It’s a lot of effort, but keeping the Black-eyed Susan home store new and inspiring is at the top of my list! You will always find new offerings, ideas to take home for your own creations, and the pick of the newest selections. Thursdays should be your day! I hope you’ll be a regular Thursday visitor to see the #wednesdaynightmagic.
spring happiness
Even
with the snow and ice last week, there is cheer and happiness abounding inside
the door of Black-eyed Susan! After the bling and beauty of Christmas is taken
down, we always look forward to new shipments
arriving and the stylish offerings that begin to fill the stockroom.
It’s time for spring!
Each Wednesday evening, we review the newest deliveries and set out to fill in holes, create entirely new vignettes, redesign room settings, and in general, create new inspirations. This time of year it’s all about bringing in a breath of spring! In other words, happiness! So while your front yard may speak differently, I invite you to step inside my retail store and share the happiness that is abundant. Lots of new inventory, loads of inspiration, and capable staff to help you create something for your own happiness–even while you’re still bundled in a winter coat!
These beautiful peonies bunched with cherry blossoms just make my heart sing! You will find a myriad of tall glass vessels, stylish stone fillers and assorted blooms in various colors to cheer up your own space!
Peonies please! Yes, spring
fever has arrived! Come in to infuse your soul with these beauties, and watch
for more each week. I’ll keep you posted on my “Wednesday Night Magic” with the
latest introductions and my personal favorite picks.
take me home! gift giving ideas
These darling trinket plates have stolen my heart. That’s all. I really want one of each. Mother’s Day…Father’s Day…a friend who is sick or down in the dumps. Yep, I’ll take one of each.
Anyone have a boss or a co-worker who needs this?! Oh. My.
These tiny ceramic vases are the perfect thing for so many places…powder room, side table or sick tray. Add my real touch tiny tulips available in several colors, and wow!
I’ve had lots of requests of late to refill my AJ
Morgan readers, and this collection will not disappoint! Oh, and please take a
look at these fabulously stylish sunglasses! Great prices starting at $13.00.
Oh. Such. Style! #ohsosusan
I’m afraid I took one of each…I have a problem with sunglasses!
These little bunnies below are going fast…I always
hate it when my favorite displays start to fade from purchases. I guess that’s
the life of a retailer. Hurry in before they are all gone. *sigh*
take a breath of spring
The most adorable, happy accents have been hiding in my stockroom for weeks…but as of last Wednesday, they have come out from the stockroom shelves and are ready to make every heart sing with spring!
Colorful
blooms, miniature bouquets, love-themed trinkets…they’re all here for you to
bask in and find that hidden smile that comes alive in the spring. The whole
showroom just makes me happy!
Pop a handful of cheerful daffodils and narcissus in a cheerful container and find the perfect spot to bring cheer and glee. This cold, cold weather can be a real spirit breaker. These will bring a smile to your heart!
A row of bunnies, small and smaller, is just the thing to find a home for on a prime windowsill or small mantle ledge like this. Popular tiny collectibles won’t stay around long. (Note to self: save some for Susan!)
What is it about polka dots?! Add a vintage-inspired chick and this beautiful French tea service…and, perhaps a framed phrase of vintage flash cards for instant personality on a kitchen shelf or sill.
Tiny
orange blooms spring forth to bring the bold contrast of color in all sorts of
places throughout the store. See how many different uses you can spot and get
inspired to take a happy bunch home. I seated these pale alliums in an almost
ombre-looking pairing of colored glass. Available in several colors and hues.
Oh so Susan!
The
store is filled with inspirations and the pure joy of spring! Come in and take
in the view, and find your own look for a happy home.
Think spring!
color me bright: High Point Market 2015
Our second day of market proved inspiring and overwhelming at the same time!
With the thousands of vendors to see, we managed to mark a good number off our list … some, a few hours for an appointment, others a quick drop in. With client memos and a few personal needs as well, we made copious notes and photographs for review and filing. All in all, a long day of walking, “ooooing” and “aaaahing” and being creatively inspired!
Lots of color, from art to pillows to bedding and wall color. I. Love. Color.
Velvet pillows with contrast welt…pink! Oh. My.
Again…pink! It’s on my
radar.
animal prints: High Point Market 2015
Animal
prints will be seen market after market…they remain classic and work with
transitional to modern designs.
Zebra, cheetah, antelope, leopard … it’s all good!
Hair on hide benches, chairs, and rugs are stylish options for any room…count me in on this classic trend.
I
spotted these zebra and chrome twin benches in the Vanguard showroom and fell
in love. Backed up to a sofa, placed in a foyer, or dressing your hallway,
these darlings will steal your heart too. *Sigh*
Animal print…it’s here to
stay.
It’s all new again! Stunning showroom arrivals
With
fall in the air, it seemed like the perfect time to dig in and make a complete
floor change. Every sofa is flipped, tables find new homes and mantels are new
with the perfect story to complete each new vignette. Many hours of manpower
are supplied to pull this off and in the end, it all looks like magic! And,
it’s no surprise this time…we pulled it off with the help of our whole team!
Here’s just a few teasers to entice you to come in…
This iron and linen bed sets the stage for a cozy guest retreat, so perfect for Bucks County. Add a narrow mirrored side chest and coarse linen shaded lamps, a wool blanket folded at the bottom of the bed, and settle in for a fall overnight stay.
…pretty cool and stylish! This hair on hide miniature ottoman is the perfect touch!
The stage is set in the next vignette for more fall accessories…one of my personal favorite magnifiers and an oblong metal basket tray filled with gilded pears. Ahhhhh!
In the same theme, I love this birch cutting, protected by an extra tall cloche. Sooooooo stylishly organic.
I love my books….not so much the blurry photo! As you can see, the whole menswear look dominates this area of the store. You’ll always find volumes of beautiful books to complete your look. I. Love. Books.
An entire table of organic inspired accents always draws attention and steals hearts who love all things vintage and natural. Count me in.
For
those of you who know my love of succulents, and their use in all room settings
(!) this new beauty with air roots will be a keeper. Better run in, I don’t
have too many!
There are many more areas
to the showroom floor (all 10,000 square feet) that have inspiring new designs
and colors. Stay tuned for more inspiration or just pop in for your own private
tour! Hope to see you soon.
outdoor entertaining: Atlanta Market Report
Summer market in Atlanta is the perfect place to resource new vendors for additional summer and fourth quarter merchandise. This week we walked several floors of The Gardens in search of hip outdoor furniture and cool resources for summer entertaining with style. We weren’t disappointed!
On the top of our favorite color list for sure…coral! This powder coated small bistro set, imported from France, really stole the show. Many colors, many styles and affordable as well! There are larger, more substantial chairs as well and many table options. #ohsosusan for sure!
… who doesn’t need a pillow that indicates the weather and your mood?! “Rain” on one side and solid on the other for sunny days and outside play. Color options, all in Sunbrella performance fabrics. I. Want.
Cute furniture, outdoor rugs that pop, baking papers to match and custom phrasing on your pillows. What more could a girl ask for? (Well, maybe a cooking buddy and a someone to hang the paper lanterns.) Stop by for more inspiration and centerpiece ideas for all your summer entertaining. Black-eyed Susan is always your destination for the cutest and most stylish ideas. Come see the magic.
I like cake: Atlanta Market Report
Kitchen Papers is a favorite retail partner that always provides an inspiring display with plenty of creative ideas that translate into fabulous reasons to check out our newest arrivals! When we entered the showroom, we made a beeline for a new introduction that was fashion inspired! Another motif was cake/pastry related … in other words, “ohsosusan”!
We ordered a fun assortment of this theme and can’t wait to see them at the home store!
Pastries, cake domes, saucepans and all manner of tea party items present on place mats and runners. The one on the right; historic chairs, filled another new design category. In the foreground, our very popular flat wear table runner! Love.
Those of you who know me well know I. Like. Cake. I love baking them, whether it’s my mother’s famous passed-down recipes or a new pin from Pinterest, I’m happy when I’m baking a cake. Naturally, this one stole my heart. This collection definitely made the cut.
These place cards allow you to write each guest’s name on the vintage meat cover, fold and place in a cool holder for your table design. Cuter than cute. Your guests will know that you put real effort and creative energy into your event.
These new designs should be coming soon…if you are a
fan of Kitchen Papers already, great! If you want to become one…stop by for
some inspiration from my recent selections from my summer Market!
coral color palettes: Atlanta Market Report
Fresh color did not did not disappoint today! While I and my design staff have been designing with stunning coral color palettes for months, it is always great to see the trend we have proposed and used at the forefront of market trends.
This fabulously bright combination of fabrics designed by Dana Gibson for Stroheim Fabrics drew us into the first showroom of the day. Florals, graphics and the contrast of clean white is both classic and striking. A guest bedroom would be a delightful retreat when dressed in this trending color. A personal favorite accent wall could be considered in Sherwin Williams Ardent Coral.
Custom monograms in several font selections personalize this matelasse coverlet…a single letter or a trio, perfect!
Consider
navy, perhaps high gloss (!) as an accent wall. Coral + navy + white—Love! Pair
this color combination together with crisp banding against white and you are heading
for pure style.
Lastly, this graphic and bold coral rug on a dark and rich stained random plank floor will draw any guest in, or perhaps you, the homeowner, for a quiet cozy place to read.
Go for it. Black-eyed Susan
has your design vision at our fingertips.
