Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Wednesday's What If's Post…"What If I Showed You My Most Sought After Design Element?"

Would you guess that it would be "pairs" of anything and everything? 
Well, it is!
Pairs of candlesticks, pairs of mirrors, pairs of chests, you name it…it's hot right now! In fact, it's always been a very sought after design element because…It's good design!

picture via Linen and Velvet blog!

Finding "pairs" and keeping up with the demand for pairs has been increasingly difficult for us. I have had many pairs of chairs, chests, lamps, sconces, etc…and they FLY out the door of the shop!
 Now, if I find a pair of ANYTHING the prices have sky rocketed so it's hard to know what to buy and what will sell! 

Mirrored vanities via House Beautiful

As I began my "intensive" research…via Pinterest, different blogs, favorite pictures that I've saved over the years I was reminded once more just how treasured a "pair" of anything is! Whether it be mirrored vanities in a beautiful bathroom or mirrors flanking a gorgeous fireplace, a pair sure does make a statement! I was also pleased to find that when I researched this picture…it lead me back to my very own blog! Almost made feel famous! ( sort of! )

picture via At Home Arkansas...

Maybe "infamous" would describe it better! But leave it to At Home In Arkansas magazine to give us some real beauties to treasure!


And these pairs of mirrored windows/doors leave me drooling every time! I found these on Pinterest as well as Bryan Appleton Designs.


They are truly stunning!


As are these fabulous windows flanking the built in wardrobe as well as the beautiful pair of built ins on either side of the window seat!


Pretty wonderful isn't it? Holly has a window seat like this in her room here in my house…but her twin beds reside on either side of it. I think I built it that way because growing up I always wished my room was on the front side of my house so I could secretly watch all of my "dates" walk up to the door! Horrible of me, I know..but it is so very true! 


Getting right back on track about beautiful pairs of anything that make a statement in a home…Gorgeous pairs of twin beds rank right on top of my list! How about you? Aren't they special? And…these were found right back at my post about the fabulous Pamela Pierce! Check it out if you can!


I love all of these great examples! But for some reason it reminds me that I cannot convince my married daughter and her sweet husband to sleep in her gorgeous twin beds in her old room! Oh no, they prefer the teeny, tiny antique "double" bed that we put in our oldest son's room at home…won't they ever learn that sometimes it's ok…it does a soul a world of good to get a good nights rest! 

La Dolce Vita blog

The Simply Fabulous Blog

No matter…this is about "pairs" and how beautiful they are in a home! I can truthfully say that Holly and Brad make a beautiful pair! As do Mitch and Britney…but we are simply talking about furniture here!


Which is why I wanted to show you this great pair of chairs….


as well as this beautiful pair above!


And this wonderful pair of chests shown in this foyer from House Beautiful truly makes my heart stop! I long for a big foyer one day!


And just look at how Suzanne Kasler used this pair of sofas in a client's home! It's truly spectacular! As is anything she does!
Check out her website HERE!


And this pair of sofas in the pictures above and below from Houzz.com just made my heart glad!
 I just wish I had a room with enough space to do this in!


Once I started seeing pairs of chairs, sofas, etc… it lead me to my search for pairs of lamps...


Those were easily found on Pinterest and I found a lot of them on a blog done by Brabourne Farm…one of my favorite blogs out there! You really should check it out!


Every lamp…be it pairs or not I found incredibly beautiful! In fact, we have sold so many lamps and chandeliers lately that we are about to be in the dark! Maybe I should call up the great people at Brabourne Farm and tell them to send some our way! In the past few weeks we have sold about 4-5 lamps and 2-3 chandeliers…that's a lot when you depend on that for light! And when you don't have time to find anything new and wonderful!


This pair above reminds me so much of the beautiful pair we have in our window right now! And the pair below is a phenomenal pair of corbels that we had made into lamps…love them! And I also love the pairs of antlers and Majolica plates. The antlers left yesterday on approval for a pair of wonderful designers. 


And the more I searched for pairs….pairs of anything….


I found fabulous antique finials….




And gorgeous antique majolica plates….


And the most beautiful pairs of antique abusson pillows…and then it hit me…I had been lead full circle! I started out searching for any "pairs" I could find out there…and in the end… I was lead right back home! To my own blog posts over the years and my own website. That was a really good feeling!


 Sure hope you will think of us when you are looking for a gorgeous pair of anything!
 We strive very hard to have it for you! We truly believe in giving you wonderful pieces to create your best design desires and dreams!



From the front door in until you leave, the first and last impression are important! You want to see something wonderful and you want to leave with something even better…but if you stop and think about it…it's the stuff that happened in the middle that will truly stand out! Did you see or hear something special? Something you won't forget? Was there a pair of chairs that you just had to have? Perhaps, there was a pair of hosts that loved you from the minute you walked in until the moment you left! That's what I want you to remember! The stuff in the middle…the people that made a difference. And yes, if  you remember a great pair of sconces, mirrors, tables, etc…that is just icing on the cake!
Until next time…enjoy the stuff in the middle!






11 comments:

  1. Haha I've been doing some "intensive" Pinterest research too :) That made me LOL!
    STacy

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love pairs of anything too but right now I would love to know what that feather thing is in the first picture...it's fabulous!

    XXX
    Debra~

    ReplyDelete
  3. These pairs are all so beautiful, Carolyn, it's hard to pick a favorite. After your extensive 'research' I would say that first inspiration photo really catches my eye today. It's golden!
    Cheers, Heather

    ReplyDelete
  4. Gorgeous post...I am a pair girl myself, in fact have been accused of being a little too OCD when it comes to pairs, and my motto is whats better than one beautiful thing....TWO of them! LOL.....Love all these examples of why pairs always work.

    I will respond to your email a bit later tonight........hope alls well!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carolyn....I loved this post! So many wonderful things..I adore pairs...those two dressers are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow! what a beautiful post! Especially after the morning I've had!
    Thanks for the uplifting inspiration!
    XOXO
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Carolyn!!

    I love things in pairs. 2 by 2 and all that!! I think it's partly because I really love symmetry!

    Gorgeous photos and great examples of pairs done right!!
    Hope you are well.
    xx Elizabeth

    ReplyDelete
  8. Carolyn

    This was such a great post! You are so right...we as designers are constantly searching for pairs of anything...anything vintage or antique makes it particularly difficult! Grab them when you find them!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi, Carolyn ~
    You are so right: clients, designers and collectors all want pairs!! Love that pair of corbel lamps. Just terrific form and scale! The shop looks fabulous. Thanks for sharing your pieces. And, for sharing your great collage photos on Instagram. I need to learn how to make the collages. Do you use an app?
    Enjoy the weekend ~
    xo
    Loi

    ReplyDelete
  10. when you come across something so good you often need two of them...except not Jim..he's a one of a kind kind a thing!

    ReplyDelete
  11. GREAT post, Carolyn! I am a pair girl too! I am into candlesticks right now.
    Beautiful images that you have shared here.
    Happy Sunday.
    Teresa
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete