Natural Curiosities | Design Lines Signature

Each season we gather trends from High Point Furniture Market- this year we were uplifted by a trend with staying power- one that we don’t see going anywhere anytime soon: bold geometric patterns. There is something energizing about the rhythm of these patterns. We saw this trend from walls, to floors to pillows, to upholstered furniture covered entirely in it Below, some images for you to drool over….

While our coolest market find this trip was the Lucy Smith Collection, here are 5 other Market favorites from our trip to High Point!

1- Mid Century Modern Recliner from Thayer Coggin

We love how this chair is an undercover recliner, rather than screaming aloud “Watch Football here!” With it’s hidden reclining mechanism and foot rest, it provides sleek comfort. Something Don Draper might come home and have a cocktail in. It’s Mid Century Modern aesthetic is something available from Thayer Coggin.

2- Serge Ottoman from Hickory Chair

With it’s angular hourglass figure, the Serge is a made to measure ottoman whose presence in a room is sure to make you smile.

3- Chin Hua Collection from Century Furniture– the whole thing. From the gorgeous Zircote veneers, to the malachite and Sapphire finishes, to the bold shapes of the bar cabinet, we loved Century’s re-imagined Asian collection.

4- Walnut Counter Stools from Nuevo

Simple & Beautiful. We see these in a modern kitchen, paired with stainless steel…

5- Golden Feathers piece from Natural Curiosities–

I fell in love with how unique these pieces and love that gold as a metallic was a theme throughout Natural Curiosities collection.

Brittany

The Chancellor’s house at NC State is coming along nicely, and we’re starting to think about the decorative touches that will make this house feel like a home. In such a large house, with both public and private areas, we had to get creative about where to find the right pieces.

We’ve mined the University Archives, Gregg Musuem, and the work of local artists to find the perfect collection worthy of such a grand building. Below are some pieces that have inspired us….

Mining the Musuem

One of the best sources of art for the Chancellor’s house is the Gregg Museum at NC State. We will adorn the walls with several loans from their permanent collection.

Some of my favorite pieces are the photographs of esteemed North Carolina Photographer Elizabeth Matheson (above). Her work is currently in a show at the North Carolina Museum of Art, and we hope to place similar work on the main floor of the Chancellor’s House.

Another great artist in the Gregg Collection is George Bireline, whose abstract expressionist painting (above) will look amazing in the Chancellor’s study.

Mining the Archives

Another great source of art will be reproductions made from the University Archives. This vast collection includes all sorts of wonderful images.

An illustrated Entomology book by E.A. Seguy (above) is one of our favorite finds. These large prints of insects and butterflies are striking.

We also discovered the archive’s collection of printed sports memorabilia. We’d love to incorporate some of this fun and colorful artwork.

The university also has an impressive collection of glass slides from botanist B.W. Wells. He used these hand-colored slides to instruct his students on the biodiversity of natural ecosystems. These slides can add a touch of beauty to the house, while also bringing to mind NC State’s role in the sciences.

Finding Local Talent

One of our main goals was to incorporate the work of local artists. Below are two examples of the artists who have inspired us, and who we hope to work with.

Ashlynn Browning (above) is a talented painter based in Raleigh. Her bold, colorful paintings are masterfully produced, and can add a punch of color to any wall.

Steve Staresina (above) is a local artist who creates large-scale frescoes. He is creating a large-scale work commissioned specifically for the Chancellor’s Parlour.

Decorative Touches

To round out the collection, we’re looking to additional sources to add diversity to the collection.

We love the (above) wall piece from Ironies. Cast resin painted with a metallic pigment make this wall-sculpture look like formed metal.

Another great source for decorative pieces is Natural Curiosities. They offer many interesting works in a variety of formats, and can add a sophisticated touch to any home. The abstract paper collection (above) is one of our favorites.

The Jean Baptiste Collection (also from Natural Curiosities) is another collection we’d like to use in the home (above). The same set of prints was featured in this month’s issue of House Beautiful magazine (below).