This week's favorite floor item is a classic beauty from one of our lesser-known suppliers, Sarreid Furniture.   Sarreid specializes in highly customized, hand-built reproduction antique furniture pieces.   Each item has a unique provenance, whether inspired by classical turn-of-the-century design, or reproduced from old European estates.   In some cases, the owners of Sarreid have traveled the world themselves and found these pieces on remote antique shops all the way from France to the Levant.

Rhapsodizing aside, I really love the Five Drawer Chest we have here on the floor at Carolina Rustica.   Its got such a vintage appeal, with stately columns, detailed corner carvings and vintage brass hardware.   The chest, which seems to be one-of-a-kind piece, is crafted from Solid Walnut Cerejera Crotch Veneer in an Old World Walnut Finish.   

One of the things I like most about it is that it can go anywhere in your home...its the perfect piece for a hallway, foyer, bedroom or even as a side table.  I would suggest it go in a spot with plenty of indirect light....the better to appreciate the intriguing patterns of the crotch veneer front and sides, which is unique to each chest.   If you are a designer, I would imagine you could use this as a unique statement piece in a living area or adjoining hallway or foyer.    We only have one of these in stock at $699, regularly $2,000, so it will sell quickly.   Call us at 800-205-7819 for details or just visit the product page to order online!  It will ship immediately via our white glove delivery service.

This Week's Favorite Floor Item - Paula Deen, Of Course - SOLD!

Let me just say, the more time I spend around Paula Deen furniture, the more of a fan I become.  Her designs are so all-purpose, with a design sensibility that works with the vast majority of American homes...whether they are rustic, traditional, coastal, lodge, or eclectic.   Take for instance, this weeks Favorite Floor Item...Paula's Down Home Kitchen Organizer, now on clearance at Carolina Rustica.  

First of all, its a cool vintage design, with aged brass pulls and little organizing tabs in front.  For compulsive organizers like myself, its a wonderful feature to have, especially as you can change out the tabs in the middle of the night when you realize that you've organized your photos by date and THEN region, when really, who travels by date?  So you get up at 3 am and resort your favorite travel photos by region and THEN date, front to back.  Anyway, I digress. 



Besides the organizing drawers, the cabinet space itself has more functionality than you can imagine, with a small bulletin board, a shelf for all of your pens, pencils, crayons (in our home), and most importantly, a key rack.   A key rack!  Finally, you can have one place where you and your spouse agree that the keys belong, rather than floating around on a counter somewhere.   There are also shelves which have metal trays for all of those loose things as well.  Again, in our family, that means "My Little Pony" accessories.

On the other door you've got two shelves for all of those priority bills or important letters.

I think the best thing about this cabinet, besides the accessible design, is the finish.  The Oatmeal finish is a very warm, slightly distressed wood finish that could blend with Pine, Maple, Oak, and light Cherry.   It also has a wonderful feel to it, like an old family piece that has had lots of hands, big and small, touching it over the generations.   

As with most floor items, we are selling this at a great price of $870 plus shipping.   Click here for more details on this Paula Deen furniture piece and then give us a call at 800-205-7819 to place your order...as with all of my favorites, we only have one in stock!

Hickory White Tuscan Bed - My Item Of The Week : SOLD!

Hickory White is one of our industry's true gems - they manufacture almost everything in their facility in Hickory, NC and they approach each piece as a work of art for your home.  As they say in their own words: "Our desire at Hickory White has never been stronger to create the most sought after home furnishings. Our commitment to this desire is the driving force that leads us into the future. We look forward to exceeding the demands of our consumers for many, many years. Today's style statements are hand-tailored and hand-crafted by skilled artisans here in Hickory, NC. Each piece has been curated and selected for inclusion with the goal of empowering your creative spirit through customization finish options that are second to none".   

Whew!  Thats a lot of wording to tell us that they make really high quality furniture that is truly (truly!) an heirloom piece.   We love the fact that they are so close to us geographically, and we can call upon their expertise to answer customer questions at any time.

That brings us to my Item of the Day, the Hickory White Tuscan King Bed in Old World Finish.   This is a stunning floor item we have in Gallery II that has been generating lots of interest, especially with a floor sample price that is 50% off of retail (we can't put it in print, but call us at 800-205-7819 and we can share the price with you).  You can also get more details on the Tuscan Bed by visiting our website through this link.  Remember, we guarantee our showroom floor items to be in perfect condition..since we are so over-protective of them!

This bed is defined by arches and curves and a deeply carved wood molding the lend the piece a true artisan craftsman quality. The bed measures 86 in. W x 88 1/2 in. D x 75 3/4 in. L. The Old World finish is a layered, antique cream color and it is just breathtaking. The Tuscan Home Collection is inspired by the timeless beauty of the Tuscan countryside. Design and styling elements include natural distressing, beautiful carvings and hardware designed and crafted specifically for this collection. These pieces offer you the traditional look of ageless antiques with a more distressed and time worn feel along with casual European attributes.   They are truly carved works of art....just look at the headpiece to the left.   That is the kind of craftsmanship that is rare today, which is why the Hickory White Tuscan King Bed is my Item of the Day

My Favorite Pub Table Right Now! - SOLD

I'm going to occasionally post products that really catch my fancy on our showroom floor.  Today its the ART Furniture West Bay Counter Height Dining Table.   I love this piece because it is so clean in design, but the wood has a lot of depth and richness to it. Simple and clearly defined lines, complemented by the mixed media feel of crushed bamboo and rich exotic veneers gives West Bay a sense of natural beauty, while the inset design suggests warm climates, rich foliage and a casual, relaxed lifestyle. How can you go wrong?  This is a counter-height table for stools with a seat height of 24" to 26".    The table height is 36".

The table is crafted from hardwood solids and Mozambique veneers finished in a warm dark rum finish that has been carefully hand-rubbed to add a rich depth and luster. This is a floor sample marked down over 60%. Some slight imperfections in table surface are present, but at just $450, you cannot go wrong with this table.   How do I know?  I have the very same one, dining height instead of counter height, at home.   With 2 kids banging on it, its held up remarkably well.   The table has one insert, and measures 40" x 60" without the insert, and 60" square with the insert.   The insert has this great mango wood center that really gives this counter-height table an element of cool!   Remember we only have one of these, so click here to purchase this great piece on Carolina Rustica right now!

Return to Henry Link Trading

When Lexington Home Brands rolled out Henry Link Furniture last year, there was much fanfare from both the industry press and the design community.   Henry Link was one of the most far-reaching and innovative design concepts introduced by Lexington up to that point, which is really saying something.   With an homage to the founding company that became Lexington, Henry Link introduced a plethora of exotic and creative pieces that could be used as individual statement items or collectively as an extravagant design mode.   It really worked, catapulting sales and encouraging boutique retailers such as Carolina Rustica to set up mini-galleries within the confines of their own spaces. 

We want to return you to Henry Link just for a moment, as we do have some favorite pieces here on the floor and they are worth seeing.    Our favorite chair is, by far, the Sanctuary Wing Chair, pictured at right.   This is not only an incredibly comfortable chair (which is still the most important thing) but its got this great funky vibe with the leather cover on the wings, the tightly woven body and of course, the most excellent animal print.   It is really a cheerful piece...and for some reason, children who come into the store are instantly attracted to this chair.    They love the "Noah's Ark" meets "Lion King" motif of the fabric.

Another favorite can be seen peeking in the corner of that same photo, and is shown in another room scene at left.  The Henry Link Steamer Trunk is a perfect example of how an actual everyday item (well, not SO everyday) can be incorporated into functional and fun furniture.   It is, of course, designed upon the lines of the old-fashioned luggage that accompanied intrepid travelers on tramp steamers, propeller planes and open air buses packed with locals.    Now, its a creative vintage take on how travel used to be, while gracing your living room.   It has two drawers and is lined, to make sure your storage is safe and protected.  The exterior is leather and the hardware is solid brass.   This is a true heirloom piece.

Lastly we want to mention the Colton's Point Bed, which we have on our floor in a king size.  This magnificent bed has louvered panels in the headboard and footboard, with carved corbel supports on the corners and rails.   The finish is unique to Henry Link, a sort of weathered textured surface that could blend with coastal decor, country French or any lighter-themed design motif.   Its very substantial, and because of its straight lines, has appeal to both sides of the family.

Come by and visit our gallery sometime to enjoy exploring the world with Henry Link..or give us a call for some great pricing on items we have on the floor (800-205-7819)