Design Dossier: Atlanta Designer Alison Womack Jowers Works Her Magic

We were delighted when we recently got a chance to sit down with one of our favorite Atlanta designers, Alison Womack Jowers.  We’ve known Alison and her design partner (and mom), Cheryl Womack, for years and adore them as savvy design professionals and all around lovely and charming gals.  In fact, Alison and Cheryl came on our inaugaral trip to Provence back in 2009 and what a great time we had.

Alison Womack Jowers, one of Atlanta’s top designers.

Back here in Atlanta, Alison’s been a busy little bee and we’ve loved feasting our eyes on her collaborations.

HH: We had so much fun researching  your work in preparation for this piece and one thing really stood out: you seem to love to incorporate an element of surprise in your rooms – like strong shots of color or one really clean modern piece in a room of quiet antiques.  What’s your thinking behind this?

Alison goes all out with chartreuse. Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles. 

AWJ: I’m constantly analyzing the scale and style of furniture, fabric color and pattern placement and then refining these elements again and again until I’m at peace with a room (but trying to make it all look easy breezy!)

HH:  You know we adore art and it’s part of our DNA.  We see lots of abstract art in your work. Is that a hard sell with some of your clients or do may embrace and love it? Do you pick the art for them?

A jewel of a  Melissa Payne Baker  painting sits perfectly in this charming vignette. (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.)

Alison loves abstract art and we adore the way she lets it play off traditional pieces.

AWJ: I am very drawn to abstract art.  I don’t feel it’s a hard sell but a natural complement to our designs.  We are in awe and thankful to so many artists.  It’s so exciting when we find the perfect painting that our clients love – and we love too!

HH:  Even though your rooms seem so pretty and polished, they also feel very comfortable and welcoming.  So, are you more a “live-in” person than a “look-at” person?

 Warm, welcoming and inviting spaces are one of Alison’s trademarks.  A little Lyliane Coiffard landscape hangs on the wall.

AWJ: Being from the South, I strongly feel a room should “welcome” you in.  Creating a room where comfort, elegance and livability blend together seamlessly is paramount.

Come on in:  we love the play of pattern here – and of course the punchy red rainboots. (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles)

HH: What’s it like working with your mother?  Do you squabble or work beautifully as a team?  What do each one of you bring to the table?

AWJ: I adore this question!  Working with Mom has been the most rewarding work experience I could ever imagine.  I look up to and respect her as a mother, person and interior designer.  The knowledge and resources she continues to provide is invaluable.  I’ve always felt free to ask her any question, big or small.  Of course there are times when things get tense but this usually passes quickly. We work across the room from one another, have dinner together and travel together (for education, work and pleasure.)

The designing duo were featured in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles a while ago.

Mom has allowed me to take design risks that I may not have done working for or with someone else.  It’s a luxury to spend time working and playing with your best friend.

HH: We notice you like to participate in designer show houses that benefit a good cause.   Tell us about some of your favorite show house rooms.

AWJ: Mom and I are always proud and honored to participate in a show house benefiting a good cause.  We have great admiration for the hard working committee members who tirelessly spend all year making each and every last detail come together.

One of our very favorite shots of Alison’s work. This one is from the Atlanta Symphony Show house at the St. Regis. (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles)

I have to say my very favorite was the Atlanta Symphony Decorators Show house held at the St. Regis here in Buckhead.  We had the master bedroom and we wanted sophistication with an edge.

The most gorgeous master bedroom.

The inspiration was based on the beautiful light coming into the room.  We began with a soft, restful color palette of silvery grays and white and accents of vibrant yellows with hints of blue.  The end result was bold and muted, modern and classic.

To die for.

HH: Sounds like a perfect harmony of opposites attracting – and we think you nailed it!  And here’s another question: what design elements can’t you live without?

AWJ: Transitional style has taken the spotlight – and I think it’s fabulous!  Incorporating a mix of traditional and contemporary pieces, finishes, materials and fabric into a clean, minimalist color palette creates a smart and sophisticated room.

 

We love this pretty space that’s all about being light and gracious.  (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles) 

I love making a bold statement on the walls with few carefully chosen modern paintings and then pulling a color from the art to repeat with fresh cut flowers in a glass vase or throw pillows.  I also like to carefully plan and place accessories to pull a room together – and I try never to forget that less is more when it comes to accents.

Pure Alison Womack Jowers in an Atlanta Symphony Decorators Show House:  a glorious mix texture, punches of color and abstract art. Love this. (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles)

HH: What trends are you keeping an eye on?

AWJ: I’m always on the lookout for one-of-a-kind-pieces that put a unique, refreshing twist to my design.  It’s the curiosities that make a house a home and engage your guests.

 Delicate wallpaper makes a major statement in this dining room. (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles)

I’m also keeping an eye on softer tones of black and white that take the edge of the contrast; gorgeous electric blues like azure, beryl, teal, cobalt and sapphire and light, fresh and honey-toned woods.

Alison likes Bonnie Beauchamp Cooke‘s Femme en Teal. So do we.

(HH: oh we totally agree…loving peacock blue right now.)

HH: Your client has a tight budget.  Do you advise them to purchase art, furniture or flooring?

AWJ:  That’s a tough question because everyone begins a project from a different place.  99 percent of budgets don’t allow you to buy everything at once so I like to begin with an overall design plan for each room.  This can be broken down into phases 1,2 or 3 based on budget or priority.  One benefit is that you can “live and learn” what you ultimately want out of a room.  And you’re going to end up with a richly layered, well-traveled room versus a store-bought, all-at-one-time look.

It’s all about the details that make up the rich and layered look that Alison loves. (Atlanta Homes and  Lifestyles)

HH: And we can’t resist asking what’s your favorite paint color these days?

AWJ:  Sherwin Williams Alabaster SW7008.  White walls give a clean, bright contemporary appearance to a room.  To avoid a look that is too sterile, steer towards a soft shade of white with a hint of rose or magnolia.

 Sherwin Williams Alabaster White. The perfect white.

HH: Name three things you like to work into a room.  

AWJ: A touch of black and at least one fine antique or an unusual accessory.

A fine antique married to modern. A match made in heaven. (Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles)

HH:  Alison, we’re just in awe of your lovely, elegant and light touch.  Thanks so much for your time and sharing your clever and sophisticated insights with us.

And, as we say around here:  ta ta…

p.s. If you’re in town, don’t miss the 2014 Atlanta Symphony Decorators Show House.  We were lucky enough to have a sneak peek and it’s wonderful.

French inspired interiors: Designer Pamela Pierce

For years, I’ve been hooked on the evolution of Pamela Pierce’s wonderful French inspired interior designs.  And yesterday, I received my first issue of Milieu magazine and was so excited! After writing a blog about Milieu a few weeks ago, I decided to subscribe personally and now I know that a new friend will arrive periodically in my mail box and put a smile on my face every time.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Milieu and the fabulous designer at its helm, because as I was researching the Milieu blog, I discovered that so many of the  ideas in my idea book (we all have idea books, right?) were Pamela Pierce designs.   I’ve been a fan of Pamela Pierce’s since I first spotted that iconic Houston house, decorated so beautifully for Christmas, in a 2003 issue of Southern Accents Magazine. Do you remember it?  I devoured every page and those little sheep have been imbedded in my memory forever!

The Houston house that got me hooked on Pamela Pierce designs.

I loved the Anduze jar at the top of the stairs, which started a whole other passion.

And the Biot jar in this alcove was the beginning of a long love affair.

I remember thinking how gorgeous it was that they photographed this veranda when it was wet. And more Anduzes to whet the appetite.

This is still one of my favorite shots and one that I would happily replicate on any table today.

And what could be nicer than two biot jars greeting you at the front door?

I’ve since learned, of course, that this was Pamela Pierce’s beautiful home in Houston that she has been meticulously updating over the years. Unknowingly, I have watched the evolution of her style and realized that at every turn, I love it even more than the last one. And although she has evolved the look of her house, I would still happily use some of her signature older pieces today, because her style is classic, universal and always appealing.

Pam Pierce’s signature iconic checks that sent the design world spinning for checks. I still love them!

The oversized linen slipcovers that I copied for every club chair in my house (and still use!).

Pamela Pierce’s old living room was featured in Veranda magazine many years ago.

My idea book was brimming with pictures from Pamela Pierce’s next Veranda feature (with gorgeous photos by Peter Vitale), when the designer gave up the over-sized slip covers for a more tailored look.

The next update, featured in Veranda Magazine a few years ago, showed that her signature white has never changed, as well as her passion for the Biot jars.

Possibly my all time favorite shot, from wonderful photographer Peter Vitale, that captures what we at Huff Harrington love best: the marriage of old and new, in a stylishly elegant vignette.

And another favorite Biot jar, carrying roses.

We can see the evolution from lush to simplicity in this beautiful bedroom. My idea book had these silk taffeta curtains earmarked in this beautiful pinkish lavender color.

But I also just love the crispness of the tailored look, without the curtains.

Fast forward a few more years to Veranda’s most recent coverage of Pam Pierce’s home (photographed by Laura Resen) and what do we have? A whole new chapter in my idea book, about paring everything down to its simplest element, and mixing gorgeous textures, shapes and eclectic “objets” to bring together a cleaner, crisper, leaner look without all the layering that we previously saw.

Love the Frank Gehry chair mixed in with some of the classic pieces. Always white!

And love the Eames chair, a stylish and comfy nod to mid century modern.

Tailored slip covered chairs and a scoop neck floor lamp to replace what might have been a chandelier (hmm … not sure how I feel about that!).

Possibly the most interesting evolution, I think, has been to watch Pam Pierce’s subtle changes in her kitchen.  And I kid you not, each one of these made it into my idea book!  I finally looked at them all one day and realized that they were the same kitchen!

The older version, such a classy marriage between West Texas and Southern France!

I’m so glad the bull’s head got to stay, but bye bye to the lantern and a new French style baker’s rack table replaced the butcher block.

And now the latest: A sleek modern Parsons table has replaced the  ornate versions of the past.

I’m so excited that by discovering Milieu magazine, I managed to uncover all the links in my idea book to one very talented and inspiration designer out of Texas, Pamela Pierce. What do we owe her for the most? Possibly our love of Biot and Anduze jars, that she so beautifully uses in all of her interiors, to this day. Last week, we had a fabulous shoot at Huff Harrington Home. I don’t want to spoil the surprises from our talented photographer, Mali Azima. But here’s a little sneak preview of what she shot in a corner of our store.

 

Pamela Pierce, I think you would approve!

Ta ta …

HH

PS We read every bit of mail we get:  Tell us about your idea books! We’d love to hear from you!

New Art at Huff Harrington

We’re busy gearing up for a new art show that we debut at Huff Harrington Fine Art on Friday, April 25th.  This one’s called Resinate and it plays nicely to our ongoing obsession with abstract paintings created from epoxy resin and mixed media.

Definition, Please:  So what exactly is epoxy resin?  It’s a manipulable adhesive that creates a shiny, glass-like surface to a painting.  We’re seeing it used more and more now and we love the way its glossy nature plays with the textural aspect of the paint beneath.

Did You Say Blowtorch? It’s definitely not for the faint of heart.  It’s difficult to manipulate, toxic when wet (but not when it’s dry) and completely temperamental.  It doesn’t like cold weather, hot weather or humidity.  It takes its time drying and if you look at it wrong, it will form a nasty little bubble or two just where it shouldn’t be.  (Oh and to remove the bubble, you need a blowtorch. We’re not kidding.)

Let’s Continue Over Coffee, mixed media and resin, 30 x 40.

Artists Love It:  Huff Harrington Fine Art artist Judy Cox has been using epoxy resin for years and has this to say about it: “For several years, I’ve been drawn to epoxy resin especially its beautiful thick shiny coat and the way it can enhance color. It is extremely seductive while wet and is a wonderful complement to my style of expression.”

We love it when our artists show a wide range of work and inspiration and Judy’s a great example of that.  She’s really mastered her manipulation of resin and she’s nailed the tender and sweet tone of these new paintings.  We’re proudly showing off these new works in the show:

Summer Rain is Delightful, mixed media and resin on board, 30 x 40.

Oblivious to Everyone, mixed media and resin on board, 24 x 24.

Resin Resonates: Another Huff Harrington artist whose work “resinates” with us is Aaron Whitehouse.  Here’s what endeared  him to us: one day he simply broke all the rules and showed up at the gallery with a trunkful of resined paintings.   We were hooked – and it’s been wonderful to watch Aaron progress with his resin infatuation. (By the way, Aaron’s also a gifted up-and-coming musician and we love the whole creative vibe he gives off.)

Teenage Rebellion, sold long ago.

A piece from Aaron’s Gold Phosphorous series. Mixed media and resin on board, 36 x 24.

One of the Gold Phosphorous pieces hanging at The Saltyard in Atlanta. We love the painting’s movement and warmth on that gray wall.

You’ll be able to see Aaron’s work up close and personal at the show…and you really do need to see them in person. We’ve found the photography is really tricky and doesn’t capture the intricate nuances that make these pieces so special:

Birthing New Horizons, 40 x 48, mixed media and resin on board.

It’s All About the Texture:  Also painting for this show is Andrea Costa, a delightful and vivacious artist whose paintings seem to find new homes on a daily basis.  Andrea’s always used a mixed bag of media and she loves painting on burlap for the exquisite texture it offers.  But she has also dived into the resin frenzy and told us this: “I love to use resin when I feel like a painting needs more depth or I want to make a contemporary or abstract piece.  I love to create paintings with texture – and when I use resin,  you can see the texture but can’t feel it.”

 

Andrea just completed this mixed media piece on burlap: Guilty Pleasures, 60 x 60.

 A dpitych from Andrea Costa. This one is oil on gesso-ed canvas. Beautiful Day, 60 x 36.

 Andrea painted Sun Up with resin on board. 24 x 36.

Brag Book: We’ll also be bragging Mel Rea about next Friday. Mel’s a relatively new member of the Huff Harrington family but we’re crazy about her paintings and her earnest, dedicated work ethic. Mel paints big, open abstracts that are welcoming and warm:

Rounding Yellow (mixed media, 48 x 48) is one of our faves from Mel.

Blocked In by Mel Rea is a 16 x 16 resin piece.

 

You need to see this in person: Somewhere In Between, oil with resin on panel, 40 x 40. Swoon.

If you’re in town on Friday, April 25th come by Huff Harrington Fine Art for a sip and a nibble and feast your eyes on this thoroughly original and to-die-for new art.  We want to know: does resin resonates with you?

Ta ta.

p.s.: still confused about abstract art? Pick up a few tips here.