The 2010 Spring Collection from 18 Karat

Canadian designer Maureen Whelton really hit the mark with this fresh white spring collection.

The white textured ceramic pieces mixed with opalescent glass in pale blues are crisp and beautiful.

The showroom was accented with white roses everywhere.



For the first time this season they are adding offerings of Mirrors and table/floor lamps from another Canadian company.



The lamps mix well with existing product and they are not acrylic.
They are glass and crystal at remarkably affordable price points.



One of the marble and steel coffee tables with the frosted vases surrounded with a 1/2 " mini ruffle out of the glass....How cool is that?

Some of the new mercury glass table lamps

These are gorgeous. The one on the left is the "River Rock" lamp and it looks just like crystal river rocks stacked up. Stunning! We carry this line at Beadboard.

Even though our shop is more Euro Country, people appreciate the artistry and texture of 18 Karat, and the collection changes every six months so there is always something new.


A blog note: I just discovered "The Provence Post" Julie Mautner is an experienced free lance magazine writer who lives in the South of France she is refreshingly entertaining. Check it out!!!

http://www.theprovencepost.blogspot.com/

Another note: There's been a lot posted about Haiti. Please donate to the aid agency of your choice, Red Cross, Unicef, any of them......

Reflections on Maison et Objet " Tabletop"

Last January we attended market in Paris. Not realizing I was to begin blogging I had some great pictures to share and thought it might be interesting to see what you saw in your shops this summer. How many things do you recognize??? In retrospect, which ones were looks you saw in blogs later and which were the ones that weren't quite as popular????

This is a very specific table. The chairs are graduated and upholstered in a fabric that looks like a mural. Note the graduated height of the chairs. I wonder what the did to the backs?????

Here is a rather spare contemporary setting. Look at the massiveness of the table. We're seeing a lot of that look now. The big rough hewn tables are being shown with all kinds of chairs.

This is a look that definitely was successful. The rustic gray finish of the wood softens the room and the chandelier makes it dressy. Look at the square dishes and the very contemporary chair on the back right.



Ditto on this one. Looks like a lot we are seeing now.



Blanc D'Ivoire, always over the top gorgeous but competition is heating up as others are jumping on the softened color palatte bandwagon.




This is a more contemporary table but great in it's simplicity. You can dress it up or down and if you are getting it for a family it is pretty indestructable. The benches keep the focus on the table top and the underneath doesn't have lots of chair legs showing keeping it less cluttered. I also love the clear glass oversized vases.

This was a look you saw a lot this summer. The simple Teak table for outdoors with the ties in the back. I love the color of the chair legs. Go ahead, mix it up!

Sorry this is a little fuzzy..This is a Belgian Company Puyaert Home Basics they do great mixing of textures. With the Belgian design heating up they could be a company to watch. Notice the large clear cylinders I love them, Not just for candles anymore!!!!!

I thought this was sweet and simple. I love these Bistro Bentwood chairs, (you see them in brown everywhere) but look at them in the grey. I apologize for NOT getting the light fixture here. DUH.

I love the lowness of the upholstered armchairs and the color in the contemporary wall art.

It softens the room and makes it look bigger.....

So.... more reflections to come. Since I wasn't blogging at the time when we go next in January, I will cover my Who, What, When, Where, and Why's better... All this talk of dining tables is making me hungry.....OOOOOH that's an idea for the next Paris Reflection....!