AH&L Notebook: What our editors are crushing on this month

By Claire Ruhlin and Elizabeth Ralls

Photo: David Christensen

Boutique de Noel at Westside Provisions District’s Le Jardin Francais
We’re reveling in the fact that this Parisian-style floral, garden and event design firm now has a permanent home in the Westside Provisions District (WSPD). Even better, owner and floral designer extraordinaire Marie-Laure Coste Dujols  has transformed the space into Boutique de Noel for the season, through December 24. Known for embracing the beauty of unexpected elements in nature, look for magnolia bud, seeded eucalyptus and lichen and sweet gumball wreaths; preserved boxwood ornaments in varying sizes; birch-bark topiaries; preserved moss letters; and, in keeping with her firm’s sustainable philosophy, terrariums in recycled glass containers.

Photo: AMN Photography

Chateau Soleil
Did you know? Atlanta is home to one of the longest-running show houses in the nation. Celebrating its 45th year in 2015 is the Decorators’ Show House & Gardens, located on Northside Drive and known as Chateau Soleil. The Atlanta Symphony Associates (ASA) has announced that celebrity designer Vern Yip will serve as the honorary chair of this year’s event. Yip is known for his career as a design television host on networks including TLC, HGTV and NBC, and most recently has developed a fabric collection with Fabricut. Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles is a proud media sponsor. decoratorsshowhouse.org 

Mitchell + Bob Wiliams at Avalon
This week, AH&L  also stopped by the Grand Opening and 25th Anniversary Party at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams’ newest Signature Store in Avalon, where Gold and Williams themselves were present to mingle with guests and celebrate their brand’s silver anniversary. “One of the great things about the parties for Bob and me is that it gives us a lot of energy,” said Gold. “Customers come up and tell us that they’ve had the Jean Luc sofa or the Gloria chair for twelve years—all these different pieces they’ve had and how much they like it. We love the idea that these pieces are lasting them a long time.”  

Design-lovers OTP are sure to be impressed by the new store, which—designed by Plexus R+D in collaboration with Bob Williams— serves as a clean, modern setting for the brand’s tailored products. It’s this aestheric that Gold and Williams admire in Atlanta’s design community. “We’re always looking to have stores in really great areas,” Gold notes. “There’s a myth that Atlanta is 18^th-century traditional. And it’s really not so; especially in the last decade it’s become much more modern.”  Read a previous AH&L interview with Gold and WIliams here.

Clear Winners
Next week, we’re excited to meet Plexi-Craft CEO Allen Frechter at Smith Grubbs, the showroom which represents the line at ADAC. Plexi-Craft, based in New York, custom creates beautifully constructed acrylic pieces, from sleek and stylish Z chairs (which are also available in fun colors like ruby and sapphire) to nesting tables, consoles, storage trunks and more. smithgrubbs.com

Recipes for Success
AH&L had the pleasure of getting up close and personal with leading Atlanta restaurateur Ford Fry in his own home. Fry—who recently completed a kitchen renovation with the help of designer Elizabeth Ingram—unveiled design details such as a wood-burning stove, ample counter space, a professional-grade BlueStar range and a custom Prizer hood (so much for separating work and play). Fry, along with Chef Drew Belline and his team, put the space to use, whipping up a selection of hors d’oeuvres and even performing a cooking demo for a South Carolina quail dish. Guests enjoyed a selection of wine and beer, while Eduardo Guzman, beverage manager for JCT Kitchen and The Optimist, prepared a specialty cocktail that—of course—can be found on The Optimist’s holiday menu.

P.S. While we’re on the subject of kitchens, don’t miss the reveal of our 2015 Kitchen of the Year contest winners, which will be featured in our January 2015 issue. Here’s a sneak peak at a detail of one of the award-winning kitchens below:

Photo: Lauren Rubinstein

RH Atlanta
Looking more like an estate than a store, the new six-story RH Atlanta, located directly across from the new Buckhead Atlantadistrict, debuted to much fanfare just before Thanksgiving, with nearly 2,000 guests ushering in a renewed sense of optimism for the city’s furniture market. Indeed, the goal of the full-line store—which features a reflecting pool, rooftop conservatory, and floors devoted to Small Spaces and RH Baby & Child—was to blur lines between residential and retail, online and offline, according to CEO Gary Friedman. It is an experience you won’t want to miss. restorationhardware.com

Photo: Andrew Thomas Lee

To Market, To Market
We recently visited Inman Park and Old Fourth Ward’s newly opened Krog Street Market, which, built into a 1920s warehouse, exudes in-town finesse and authentic charm. The market offers a diverse selection of retail and dining options, including French Market Flowers, The Collective, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creamsand French-American brasserie The Luminary. Shops and restaurants are currently still rolling out, so be on the lookout more exciting additions, such as a new dining concept from Greg Best and Regan Smith, as well as Superica, a Tex-Mex inspired eatery from Ford Fry.