interior design atlanta Archives | Page 2 of 2 | McKenzie Interior Design

Dessert Soiree with Paige Minear Whipping up a simple icing with Jackson Morgan Southern Cream Steve adding the final touch to his cake Paige making ice cream with Jackson Morgan Whipped Orange Cream Refreshing dessert Ice cream all dressed up Easy entertaining with a twist, and aren’t those candles perfect with the flowers? Paige lighting the candles, such a lovely touch~ Sour Cream Cake with Jackson Morgan Salted Caramel icing, served on Mottahadeh plates Summer Dessert table

Keep cool in the kitchen and enjoy a summer dessert with your family and friends. We’re happy to share our recipes and tips with you. Just send us a message!

Yvonne McFadden is a master with natural materials. Tish Mills Kirk creates an outdoor oasis. Robert Brown Interior Design masterfully mixes patterns, textures and art.

Here are some glimpses into the masterful bedrooms, beginning with the master bedroom designed by Huff-Dewberry.

Huff-Dewberry updates the classic wall of blue and white china. Off the master bedroom, Huff Harrington creates a restful outdoor retreat.

Now we’ll move upstairs for sunsets, canopies, and more…

Holly Phillips and her ode to a Moroccan sunset. Honey Collins Interiors came home to Atlanta to design this special bedroom. Ashley Gilbreath showed up with all the textures, metal details and more.

There’s no better way to ignite your creative spirit than by visiting special hubs of design, like this one. Where does your eye go first? What does your eye linger upon? Whether you incorporate these details now or later, remember how they make you feel.

So you did it, you invited some friends or work pals over to your place for some nibbles, beverages, and relaxed conversation. Bravo! Now, read on for some easy entertaining tips from Steve and Jill McKenzie and the team at Mottahedeh China. Your goal? A memorable and care-free evening for all.

Photo credit: Gustav Wilde

Let’s start with a gorgeous Atlanta sunset. Then add an array of colorful Mottahedeh china, and really use it for food, flowers, holding cutlery, and more. Let’s use the good stuff!

Use your low dishes for nuts and olives Tobacco Leaf on the bar Pop a grocery store orchid in a cachepot for instant room refresh.

Add some height and soothing candlelight on the buffet table. Steve swears by a variety of candle heights for visual interest and light.

Steve lighting candles just before the guests arrive

Keep the food simple – finger foods and here’s a tip, many larger groceries, like Whole Foods offer catering menus. Don’t forget another of our favorite’s, Aldi’s, for cheeses and charcuterie meats, nuts, and sweets.

Add some dear friends like Lauren Finney of Modern Luxury magazine and designer, Clary Bosbyshell, and mix! Steve McKenzie and Lance Jackson of Parker Kennedy Living

That’s it, easy and simple entertaining with friends, flowers, and simple food. Whether it’s celebrating the end of the week or something more like a baby shower, it’s about connecting with friends and loved ones.

Now, who will you invite over this weekend?

Atlanta’s food scene has a new player, Annie Mae’s Pantry just off Northside Drive and Interstate 75 in Atlanta, and put it at the top of your list. Guided by her own culinary philosophy, Andra Hall (she also owns CamiCakes, a well-known bakery with 5 Atlanta and 2 Jacksonville, FL locations) presents a menu based on “The Four S”es: “Simple. Soulful. Savory. Sweet.” Here she pays homage to her late paternal grandmother, Annie Mae Norton and is reflective of Hall’s rural upbringing in Monticello, FL, a lazy town situated 30 miles northeast of Tallahassee.

Andra Hall

Think regional food, like fresh seafood, garden vegetables and “sweets”, as Andra’s family called dessert.

At our table, it’s a toss up between the Yard Bird (chicken), Fishing Pole Finds (top contender here is Annie Mae’s signature Fried Fish and Grits), Brown Bag Sandwiches and Sweets. These cakes and pies are definitely worth the splurge!

Whether you carry out or enjoy the comfy bistro setting, linger longer as you enjoy these homemade meals with your friends and family.

Annie Mae’s Pantry is located at 1700 Northside Drive, Atlanta, GA, just north of our showroom. See you soon!

Happy Saturday! Your honey-do list may be a mile long, but if you can, treat your senses to a stop at The 2018 Cathedral Antiques Show and Flower Festival. Get ready for breathtaking art, antiques, and florals featuring over 25 highly-regarded dealers from around the country. Take a peek at some favorite bright spots gathered from my Thursday tour.

Stunning roses, eucalyptus, ferns and more And Jewelry Gustave Klimt artwork Antique cork screws

Today is the last day! The address is Cathedral of St. Philip, 2744 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30305.

Did I mention FLOWERS?! Breath in this breath of fresh, spring air. Happy Weekend!

Maypole Floral

Last week, Steve and Jill visited the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film for their “Refined Irreverence” exhibition, celebrating fashion industry icon Carolina Herrera and the 35th anniversary of the House of Herrera.

As we’ve shared before, Steve and Jill are both high fashion appreciators, and in the business of interior design, many times what’s currently working in the fashion world will translate into what will be trending in the world of interior design.

Needless to say, this exhibition was inspirational on so many levels!

From SCAF FASH:

Presented by the SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film and the SCAD Museum of Art, this exhibition marks the first museum showing of Herrera’s work. Featuring new and vintage designs from Herrera’s 1981 inaugural collection to the present, “Refined Irreverence” includes more than 75 garments showcasing the designer’s modern, dynamic classics.

Since launching her first collection in 1981 at the behest of legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, Venezuelan-born Herrera has become synonymous with effortless elegance and modern refinement. “I have a responsibility to the woman of today — to make her feel confident, modern and above all else beautiful,” Herrera said. Curated by Rafael Gomes, SCAD director of fashion exhibitions, “Refined Irreverence” includes runway looks, day wear, and bridal and red-carpet gowns worn by Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Tina Fey, Renée Zellweger and Lucy Liu, as well as ensembles from Herrera’s personal collection.

“Refined Irreverence” is curated by Rafael Gomes, SCAD director of fashion exhibitions.

While enjoying the exhibit, Steve and Jill noted a few standout items…

Herrera’s designs are classy, comfortable and certainly functional – her use of pockets is brilliant and it’s obvious that to her (and we agree) – white blouses rule!
She experiments with new materials – digitally printed fabrics, printing on squares of foam, connecting them to build an amazing, large floral bridal skirt. Her appreciation for unique materials and how they work to create new fashion is evident and makes us want to be even more forward thinking with our own textile and interior designs.

“I have a responsibility to the woman of today – to make her feel confident, modern and above all else beautiful.”

~ Carolina Herrera

Isn’t this a lovely sentiment? And it’s obvious, based on this exhibit and her work over the years, she is achieving her goal.

“Refined Irreverence” is running through September 25, 2016 and we urge you to make a trip to SCAD FASH and experience Herrera’s work for yourself in this outstanding exhibition.

C’mon on kids – let’s go to a museum!

The Rodin Museum, an ideal place to visit when looking into family-friendly Paris attractions…

Yes, believe it or not, this classical museum was a wonderful stop for the whole McKenzie clan during previous visits to France.

It’s located in a neighborhood, in a beautiful mansion, that was actually a home, which was lived in and donated for the purpose of being a museum. This allows you to really picture how one lived back when the home was first built.

The Rodin Museum also features some lovely gardens, which provide a perfect place for kids to skip around and let off some steam, in the midst of what may be a busy, whirlwind vacation.

Carter McKenzie enjoying the Rodin Museum on a family vacation to Paris.

It’s also not as fussy as a traditional museum, and the featured artwork is really easy to discuss with family and will encourage the kids to expand their cultural horizons and will hopefully work to inspire them to become even greater art appreciators!

Here’s a bit on the history of the Rodin Museum in the 18th century:

The mansion that now houses the Musée Rodin was built in the Rue de Varenne, Paris, between 1727 and 1737, for the wealthy financier Abraham Peyrenc de Moras (1686-1732). The project, eventually overseen by Jean Aubert, Architect to the King, is a shining example of the rocaille architecture that was fashionable at this time. Constructed on the outer limits of Paris, it was both a town house and a country residence. Abraham Peyrenc de Moras died in 1732, before his new home, notably the interior decoration on the first floor, was completed.

In 1736, his widow rented out the mansion to the Duchess of Maine. While the new tenant did little to modify the exterior of the building, rather more alterations were made to the interior layout. When the duchess died in 1753, Peyrenc de Moras’s widow sold the estate to Louis-Antoine de Gontaut-Biron (1700-88), the future Marshal Biron. The changes he made mainly involved the grounds, which had been since then one of the most beautiful and best-known gardens in Paris. While respecting the typical layout of a French classical garden and the species planted by the original owner Abraham Peyrenc de Moras, Biron had added new features. He doubled the size of the ornamental garden, had a circular pool dug and made part of the grounds into an English-style garden. Peyrenc de Moras’s kitchen garden survived, but was moved to a different part of the estate. The appearance of the gardens during this period is well known, notably thanks to the descriptions and engravings of them published between 1776 and 1778. Marshal Biron leaved the mansion the name by which it is still known today, the Hôtel Biron.

For an expanded history, please visit this page on the Rodin Museum website.

For some other tips on making the most of your family-friendly Paris vacation, check out this “Paris for Kids” Travel Guide from the New York Times.

And if you find yourself in Paris soon, or are planning a visit in the future, be sure to add the Rodin Museum to your list of must-see places; and check out their future exhibitions – we promise you won’t be disappointed!

After a very icy few months, it seems as if Atlanta has finally turned a corner, and spring will be here in no time! And we are ready for the warmer weather! For us, warm weather means outdoor living, dining al fresco, container gardening, and long walks with the dogs around the duck pond. It’s heaven, and we can’t wait! In preparation, we’re working with many of our customers and clients to create fabulous outdoor spaces that will make the most of the outdoors this season. We’re seeing so many people looking to extend their living space and create spaces for really living in the out of doors. In fact, this post is part of a whole series on outdoor living on the blog for steve mckenzie’s!

An outdoor dining room we designed for the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Show House- featuring Grange furniture and Laurie Bell outdoor fabrics.

Luckily, steve mckenzie’s offers some amazing outdoor furniture options for folks looking to make the most of just about any outdoor space. Here are the few things to consider as you ready yourself and your space for outdoor living:

Ask yourself how you’ll use the space?
Do you host large groups or intimate gatherings?

Are there full meals being enjoyed in your outdoor space or just lite bites and cocktails?

Is your home located in a high rise, or is the space at a cabin in the mountains?
Should you be concerned with weather conditions, i.e. wind blowing furniture off the patio, etc.?

Depending on your responses to the above questions/scenarios, you can find the perfect pieces to create your outdoor sanctuary at steve mckenzie’s. With amazing outdoor furniture collections from Grange and Kannoa, the options are practically endless… From intimate conversation groups, to dining sets appropriate for multi-course meals for a big group, we have the perfect pieces for you!

If you’d like some help bringing your outdoor room up to snuff for this season, please don’t hesitate to call the team here at steve mckenzie’s – we’ll be thrilled to make your outdoor living dreams a reality!

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