Design Lines Communications

Get Hooked: April Forecast

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April is a month full of wonderful opitmisim and happiness. There is so much going on at Design Lines, Ltd. and we are excited to tell you all about it!

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Two of the biggest events that we will be blogging about this month, are our trips to High Point Furniture Market to see all of the new spring furniture collections, and the Showcase of Kitchens Tour right here in Raleigh which is hosted by the Junior League of Raleigh.

Junior League. Showcase of Kitchens Logo 

Our Lake Boone Trail house will be on the tour, so it is a must that you check it out! Plus see all the latest pictures from the event and the pre-parties on our blog.

Grab all your girlfriends on April 29 & May 1st to experience this annual event. The tour runs from 10am-4pm both days and you can drive to all the houses on tour. This is a great event if you have been thinking about remodeling your kitchen or if you really just want to look at some pretty houses. It is all worth it!  Click here for ticket information.  

We will also have updates for you on current projects, two of which are the Farmhouse and the Univesrity Club at NC State University.

There will be another East – 2 – West Series this month. Which city will be pick next?!

 Ashley, one of our five interior designers will be highlighted in our monthly Designer Profiles this April.   

2008 Ramblewood Showhouse Raleigh Design LinesSALE SALE SALE!! This month we will be selling some of our 2008 Designer Showhouse pieces that have never been used before!!!!!! That’s right, it is your chance to own some of the very best at a wallet friendly price. To the right is a preview of some of the pieces. The pink checkered chair and white sofa with nail-heads could be yours. 

We will give you all the detailed information, dimensions, and of course what room they were in and the sale price.

 So check back throughout the month of April to see what the team at Design Lines is doing and how you too can be inspired within the world of design.

Oh and lets pass the Design Lines blog on to other friends! Comment on this blog post of how many people you got to subscribe to the blog and we will enter you in the drawling to win a FREE tour ticket to the Showcase of Kitchens coming up in April!

Guest Blogger Series

Guest Blogger Series: Hardware & Plumbing with Taps & Latches

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In every guest blogger series we strive to educate our readers on other Raleigh area businesses that have a strong working relationship with Design Lines and bring that same level of knowledge and expertise to the luxury housing market within Raleigh.

You may not have thought about it this way, but the hardware within a house can change the look of a bathroom, front door or even kitchen.  Do you ever think about those details within your house?

Today, we have focused on Rick Jacobs who has teamed up with David Fitchett and Mike Wilkins to form Taps & Latches. Currently, their showroom is located inside the Carolina Glass & Mirror Showroom in Garner, right off of Interstate 40.

What are some hardware details that clients sometimes overlook?

Clients tend to over look flush leavers (the leavers you hit when you flush) and supply lines (which are the plumbing lines behind a toilet. ) Who knew?

What is your favorite type of hinge?

Square-quarter hinge (below is a picture of one from Baldwin, which is a line Rick carries.)

Baldwin square corner hinge

If you could have any doorknob/door what would it look like?

If I could have any doorknob, it would be a contemporary steight lever with a polished chrome finish.

(Here are a few pictures from the showroom.)

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What are some trends specific to Raleigh?

Clients in and around the Raleigh area are using more deco contemporary looks that are clean and easy to wipe down. More polish chrome than anything!! People today are thinking outside the box. They are not so matchy matchy anymore.

When did you first meet Judy?

Rick met Judy back in 1994 when Judy was looking for hardware for a specific project. At the time Rick was at Raleigh Contractor and down the road they ended up meeting again on several other new construction projects. Now today, they look back and cannot believe it has been over 14 years since their business partnership started.

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Rick & Judy at the Design Lines 3oth Anniversary Party

Designer Inspiration/Trends, Holidays

Happy Spring Weekend

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Hey Design Lines Readers,

We bring you these flowers from A Creative Mint blog in Los Angeles. Leslie is the photographer and writer behind this beautiful blog. I recently found her work on the design inspired decor 8 blog and immediately fell in love with her shots. Enjoy these lovely bouquets and we will see you next week.

Be on the look out for the April forecast and also a post on another current project.

Enjoy the amazing spring weather!

-The Design Lines Team

 

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Designer Inspiration/Trends

Spring Inspiration: Kiawah Island

 

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 These past several weeks every design blog you turn to is talking about the spring time. When I think of spring I am reminded immediately of Kiawah.  I seem to always be taken back by the authentic architecture and landscape.

Kiawah, Island is often called a hidden treasure. For those who don’t know about it, this little island in South Carolina, is filled with wildlife and breathtaking landscapes. There is no other place that is so surreal and yet the nature seems to be untouched. As a child I grew up vacationing on Kiawah. I even remember my first trip down to this island thirty minutes east from historic Charleston. Many years ago a current client of Design Lines at the time, had a place on the river and my family went down during the sumer to visit.

I remember the dolphins jumping and swimming in the river as we sat on the screen porch eating the freshly peeled shrimp for dinner, a glass of ice cold sweet tea and feeling the warm sun bake our tired bicycle worn bodies.

If you ever need a trip for some exterior inspiration head south on I- 95 and get off on I-26 E then to 17 and turn onto Bohicket Road. Your last stop will be – Kiawah. You can’t miss it.

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One of several golf club houses – this one is Cassique. Don’t you love that circle window in the front?

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An aerial view of The Sanctuary, a five star hotel on Kiawah. It is the top luxurious hotel near Charleston and #1 Ranked Family Hotel in U.S. and Canada by Travel + Leisure Family. It is work it just to walk around the hotel and grab an ice cream cone in the candy shop. So delicious!

This hotel is so big in person.

Below are some pictures of some garden shots, Judy has taken in the past while vacationing at Kiawah.

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 The lush shades of green. Its spring time!

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 A natural landscape wouldn’t be the same without the palmetto tree.

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 A place to sit and watch some birds in the garden.

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 Bring some fresh lemonade and nice book to this bench.

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In the mood for some chicken salad? Come on in. What do you think of the blue on the garage door?

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 What puts you in the mood for spring? What is  your inspiration?

 

Images: Google, Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Judy

Current Projects, My Carolina Today TV Show

Current Projects: Before & After Photos of NBC 17 “My Carolina Today” Set Design

 

This project started with a huge amount of research to understand set designs.

We had never done one before!!

During this time everyone on the Design Lines team observed and took notes of television shows, talk shows and even news shows to gain knowledge and expertise in the set designs. What we found was really neat!

If you focus tonight on a couple of news shows, more often then not the anchors will be in front of a shade of blue. This is because no matter the skin tone, everyone looks good in front of  blue. However, traditionally this blue is not any ordinary blue, it is a bright cobalt blue.  Common themes we saw throughout our research on talk show sets is that they vary from living room scenes to high bar stool set-ups and even have a combination of both. A couple of examples we looked at were  Hoda & Kathy Lee, The View and Oprah.

So in the end, this is what we came up with. See the previous post or click on “My Carolina Today” category on the right to see Judy being interviewed by Sharon Delaney. There  you will hear the vision and our inspiration from Judy in her own words.

 

 Below are a few photographs of the My Carolina Today set under construction.

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The doors are in!

 

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Below is the installation of the the plexi glass. Later the doors would be lit with down lights and a tree picture added from behind to give the viewer the illusion that we were actually sitting inside someone’s living room.

 

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Below is one angle of the finished set.

 

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The whole set.

(The furniture was provided by Nowells Furniture.)

My Carolina Today Set (3) Design Lines

My Carolina Today TV Show

Judy Talks About the Set Design on My Carolina Today

Judy’s first television debut on My Carolina Today! We are all so proud. The video below talks about the inspiration and the vision we had for the set.

Judy talks about the Australian Wormy Chestnut floors which was installed by Bill with Select Forest Products.

Mike & Ann from Eidolon Designs, we couldn’t have done the set without them. Thank you Mike & Ann!

Rick of Taps & Latches talks about the special details-the hardware.

Of course can not forget the lighting too”House of Lights of Cary.” Greg with Judy & Sharon.

We will keep you posted on what we will be filming for our next segment!

Guest Blogger Series

Guest Blogger Series: “Eidolon Designs”

For Mike and Ann of Eidolon Designs in Raleigh, custom craftsmanship is the way to a successful business. Ann is known by trade as a sculpture artist and Mike is an expert engineer craftsmen of custom built furniture, millwork and cabinets for over 26 years.

 

The heart of this business is creativity.

 

Raleigh custom-made furniture

 

While interior designers work with various textures and fabrics, Mike and Ann work various species of woods to create their pieces. Just like the color wheel there are a hundred different types and species of woods. From pine to Mahogany to Zebra wood Eidolon Designs works with it all.

 

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For people who are unversed in customization, the process could be compared to telling a kid to stay within the perimeters of the sandbox but he can create anything he wants with the sand. To Eidolon Designs the options are limitless with a custom built furniture piece and each job is singular and unique with different qualities.

Ann says, when you buy a piece of furniture already made you are sacrificing something which is often compromising the functionality of the piece. 

 

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 (What a great idea with the drawers that disapear at the bottom!)

Judy, the principal designer and owner of Design Lines, is always willing to take a step into this realm of creativity with Mike and Ann. She understands the importance of having a piece that does exactly what the client envisions.

If you could have a piece that does everything you want it to, what would that include? Mike calls it the client’s “wish list” and from there Mike works with the interior designer to make the piece, millwork or cabinetry a reality. 

 

Eidolon Designs Custom Doors Raleigh

(Custom-made doors)

 

Eidolon Design Custom Entertainment Raleigh

(Custom-Made Entertainment Center from Solid Cherry & Cherry Veneers for one of our clients)

 

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What is on your wish list if you could create your own custom piece of furniture?

What is the one thing you have to have in your next entertainment center?

 

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Next post we will bring you a more in-depth look at the process. From step one of buying the wood and materials to what it takes to produce the final product. In the meantime check out Eidolons site or see there work on our most recent project together, the NBC 17 set of My Carolina Today, which airs weekdays at 11am on channel 6.

The set design/construction segment airs tomorrow at 11am!

You can see Ann & Mike on TV!

Community Involvement

Re-Opening Celebration of Opulence of Southern Pines in Cary

Brittany, Lauren, Judy and Hilaire joined others from the local Cary area to celebrate the re-opening of Opulence of Southern Pines at  Saltbox Village last night. This re-opening happened after a horrible fire left the first store completely damaged from all the flames and smoke.

The move couldn’t come at a better time. This new location is perfect, right next to the fabulous  Write Image, and a couple doors down from Cary’s hottest new neighborhood butcher “The Meat House” .

 Howard Johnson & Opulence in Cary Ribbon Cutting

 

Owners Neal and Tanda of Opulence of Southern Pines with Cary Chamber of Commerce President Howard Johnson for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

 

Opulence in Cary Towel Wall

This is an amazing rainbow of color made from towels!

Raleigh Interior Design Firm at Opulence in Cary

Brittany, Lauren & Hilaire

It was raining outside!

 

Red pillows in Opulence in Cary

A beautiful display of red and coral pillows, right in front of the luxury linen line – Sferra.

Brittany's Favorite Pillow in Opulence

As we browsed at all the new items, these two floral pillows wowed Brittany.

Judy was winner at Opulence in Cary

And what would be a party without a raffle! Above Judy with her poppy hand towels that she won.

 

Community Involvement, Current Projects, Design Lines Communications, My Carolina Today TV Show

March 16th Design Lines Will Premiere on “My Carolina Today”

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Get the DVRs ready! Design Lines will be on “My Carolina Today” a local television show March 16th at 11:00am on channel 6 (NBC 17). This premiere will showcase the work we did along with Eidolon Designs, Taps & Latches, Gonzalez Painting, Select Forest Products Flooring, ICI Paints in Cary and Sun Protection to build the set design for the show.

The show will grow through the construction process and even showcase a time lapse. There are interviews with Judy and the rest of the team. It is really neat, you must check it out and let us know what you think!

We will also have the show on up on our YouTube Channel so you can view it later if the ever infamous DVR doesn’t work and you are stuck at work!