design crush: bar cabinets

"You can’t buy happiness but you can prepare a cocktail. And that’s kind of the same thing.”

With the holidays right around the corner everyone will be gathering around to share special moments with family and friends. We couldn’t help but think it to be the perfect time to talk about great furniture in entertaining. Whether in the living room or dining room a stylish Bar Cabinet can certainly up your cocktail game.

Arteriors

Vanguard

Lillian August

Bar Cabinets are an elegant way to serve your guests. They also free up kitchen space and help provide added storage.

You will find there are quite an array of designs, shapes and finishes available in the marketplace. While shopping for your Bar Cabinet furniture keep in mind what your particular needs are. Whether it’s added glass storage, bottle storage or utensil space — there are cabinets with all the bells and whistles including pull out shelves and lighting to suit your fancy.

With all the excitement around the cocktail hour we’re sharing a few go-to aperitifs for your holiday entertaining!

holiday cocktail recipes

cranberry smash

**Ingredients**
1 bottle of Gin, 750ML
2 C of fresh cranberries, a few extra for garnish
4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
ice
**Instructions**
1. Soak Cranberries in gin 1 week.
Put in a large mason jar, and cover tightly.
2. Drain gin into a new bottle and toss
the cranberries.
3. In a shaker, muddle a pinch of chopped
rosemary and lemon.
4. Add 3-4 oz of gin to the shaker with ice.
5. Shake until chilled, strain into a
cocktail glass.
6. Garnish with cranberries on a sprig
of rosemary.
Source: Thyme of Taste; Photo: Aubrie LeGault

bourbon apple toddy

**Ingredients**
6 cups filtered apple cider
1 cup spiced simple syrup (recipe below)
1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 1/2 cups bourbon
**Spice Simple Syrup**
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar; 2 cups water
Add water and dissolve sugar in the saucepan
Bring to simmer over medium heat
Add to saucepan 2 oranges Peels
1 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
4 cinnamon sticks 10 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries; 1/2 tablespoon sea salt
2 sprigs rosemary; 2 bay leaves
Simmer for 8-10 minutes; Let steep for 2 hours
Remove rosemary, steep overnight
Strain into container
Source: Jamie Coffey Creative Director
at Williams and Sherrill Interiors

Enjoy these sweet sips while having a holiday filled with warm memories of love and laughter…and a few pop. fizz. clinks.

Cheers!

Melissa Mathe

Contact @mathedesign.com for specialty pricing and inquiries regarding your Interior Design needs.

High Point Market Highlights

"It's a new season, a perfect opportunity to do something new, something bold, something beautiful"

In April thousands of designers descend upon High Point, NC for the bi-annual Market. Commonly referred to as “Disney for Designers”, High Point Market is the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world. It is comprised of 180 buildings, more than 2,000 exhibitors, and 11.5 million square feet of show space. There is so much to see and only four days to see it in. So, Melissa Mathe Interior Design put on our sneakers and hit the streets to check out this year’s hottest trends.

Trend: Color

The first trend we saw is color and the bold use of it. We’re not talking pops of color here and there, we’re talking flooding a room with lively fresh color. Setting the tone for this trend is Pantone’s Color of the Year: Ultraviolet. This bright purple can be paired with lots of vibrant jewel tones: greens as rich as grass, pinks bright as a raspberry, blues that look like the Mediterranean. All of these colors filling a space creating a sense of happiness and life.

Simple Saturday Makeover: Add lots of bright pillows and accessories to liven up your space. Some new table lamps, you can even throw a fun color on your ceiling in high gloss to really make a statement.

Another way to make a bold use of color, is the absence of color with the classic combination of Black and White. Kate Spade and Audrey Hepburn have proven this color combination to be a thing of natural beauty. While being a classic combination, we are seeing black and white being used in strong patterns such as wide stripes, polka dots, and even zebra.

Simple Saturday Makeover: Paint your walls white and your trim black and throw a faux zebra rug on top of a sisal rug for layers of texture.

Trend: Greige is the new Grey

While we are seeing a shift to more colorful spaces, the neutral room is still en vogue. However, grey is out and greige is in. Greige is the word used to describe “grey-beige” – or warm greys. This is moving back towards the browns, ever so slightly. Greige is the new contemporary sophistication palate for those that may not want to go all in on bold colors. In 2018, we are seeing neutrals in warm tones with subtle uses of complimentary tonal colors paired with pickled wood tones.

Simple Saturday Makeover: Use Benjamin Moore’s Manchester Tan or Collingwood on your walls to set the warm tone for your room. Keep things simple with greige, brown, and white. If you want a pop of color, pick only one color and use it sparingly.

Trend: Fabric on Furniture

One of the hottest trends that I just adore is fabric-wrapped furniture. We saw this some last year, but in 2018, fabric covered furniture has really made its appearance. We are seeing this trend appear in Chests that are wrapped in linen, Bar cabinets with velvet doors, Shagreen-topped game tables. This added texture speaks to your senses. Furniture that you can not only see, but also truly feel.

Simple Saturday Makeover: Update your bedroom with a grass-cloth covered dresser or night stands. It is sure to compliment your existing pieces.

Interior Design trends are always evolving. Find classic pieces that you can update with the latest trends to always keep your home looking fresh.

Cheers!

Melissa Mathe

*Contact mathedesign.com for specialty pricing, non-priced items and other Interior Design needs.