chic color

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of not only viewing a sampling of Betty Thalheimer's most recent works (while sipping on champagne at Oak, I might add), but of meeting the artist herself. I first read about this talented woman on Charlie and quickly decided that we are destined to be the best of friends! Full of spunk with a knack for color, Betty doesn't disappoint. I particularly like her combination of pink and citrus orange, one I've been trying to use myself. If you're in Charleston, stop by and see her at her new King Street studio! For more information, click here. Have a great weekend!

write on

Who could have guessed, after the introduction of marker boards and smart boards, that the chalkboard would make such a unique and original comeback? I've eyed chalkboard paint for quite some time now and used it on several small craft projects and am officially ready to experiment with using it as a finish for an allora.signature chair. I have a very appropriate one in mind but am already looking past that and thinking there will have to be a collection! Be on the lookout for the first chair in a week or two...

before & after:

allora.custom.GIRARDEAU

allora.signature.GIRARDEAU is the perfect example of an adequate-but-wallflower before turned into an interesting-accent after with a few minor changes. The "bones" of this chair are remarkable; it is well-designed, but the shrimp and taupe colors of the fabric were only dated more by the linear pattern of the cushion and highlighted by the dark finish of the chair. Sara's choice of bright red enamel gives this chair a personality, while the jungle print's non-directional pattern is bold without being distracting.

before & after:

allora.signature.CANDIA

Today's before and after images of allora.signature.CANDIA show the transition of a pair of rusted lawn chairs into mod accent chairs on my very own screen porch. By scraping and treating the rust and finishing the metal chairs with a rustoleum enamel in cobalt, this pair was given a new life. Add white vinyl upholstered seat cushions, and you've got an instantly updated look!

before & after:

allora.custom.KIAWAH

There aren't many things more gratifying (or motivating!) than a good before and after, and I certainly love how the juxtaposition of the images makes the change all the more clear. I have been admittedly negligent in documenting the transformation of some of the allora chairs, but luckily for you (and for me!) I did manage to get some before shots of a few of the most recent chairs, which I'll be sharing with you this week. To kick it all off, here is allora.custom.KIAWAH!