So, my post is a bit belated, but last Saturday the 11th, I attended my first Junior League of Cincinnati’s Fashion Show and had a fabulous time! Hosted at the the historic Cincinnati Club, downtown:), the event started with a delicious sit down lunch, followed by a silent auction, shopping with top Cincinnati vendors, and finally, a very fun and well done fashion show. As a pretty discerning Cincinnista, I was impressed by the quality of the fashions in the show as well as the merchandise for sale. The fashion show was also emceed by Kara Sewell, an accomplished Fox 19 anchor and member or the Junior League herself. Another part that was unique to this event was that it included men as well as kids in the show. One of my favorite acts, was my good friend Dave Sanders modeling a tuxedo by Ramuldo’s with a glass of champagne in his hand! Cheers!
Ok fellow Cincinnista’s, a bit of a break from fashion talk. Many of you know I moved my design firm, Amy Youngblood Interiors, to Main Street in OTR last October. What you may not know is all of the great existing and new spots to visit on Main Street.
First of all, Amy Youngblood Interior’s home office is a beautifully transformed space, with tons of hip character, and yes furnishings and artwork to sell! Check out our front corner window if you are in doubt. We also have great restaurants and bars such as Liberty’s Bar and Bottle (one block south of Liberty), Goodfella’s Pizza and soon to come Buzzed Bull Creamery. Yes, Buzzed Bull Creamery will be Cincinnati’s first ice cream store with adult style ice cream. Get the picture?
In addition to food and drink, two great art galleries are a stone’s throw away from AYI. The Brush Factory, a niche furniture and accessory store just opened across the street from us in December as well. In to special events? The Woodward Theatre is an beautifully restored venue to varies fundraisers and parties.
Besides these spaces, there are countless buildings currently being renovated for up and coming businesses. While Main street is not yet as developed as Vine, I love being off the path of complete weekend chaos…not that we won’t be there soon! Not to mention, our proximity to new hot bars and restaurants off of Main is excellent. So, come and visit Main Street and see why we love it!
So, I’m a bit torn over this issue. While on my latest airline flight, I perused the latest fashion magazines, and all the haute couture looks are a crazy mix of patterns and textures. From striped shirts, to ruffled skirts mixed with studded heels, it feels a bit like the “Clash of the Titans” to me. I suppose this Cincinnista was always schooled in the the theory that if your top is complex, go with a more simplified baseline, or visa versa. So what do we choose? It seems to me that going with one or two focal points on your outfit should suffice and let the rest follow. Kind of like deciding between bold earrings or a bold necklace. Can’t do both. Check out these looks…hmmmm….might be fun on the runway, but to work? Really?
While this Cincinnista doesn’t talk much interior design on this blog, when it comes to the holiday decorating your home correctly is important. ‘Tis the season!
Amy Youngblood Interiors graciously appeared on the Channel 19 Fox Morning Show last week to discuss tips and trends in holiday decorating. In case you missed it, here is the scoop!
Embrace a color scheme. Red and green? White and gold? Blue and silver? Pick a palette and stick with it to create a unfied look. Accent with a pop of red if need be.
Wrap gifts early and get them under the tree….even if they are empty boxes! A decorated tree with a variety of fun wrapping paper adds to the already festive scene.
Make the holiday table a special one. For your big holiday dinner, besides a great centerpiece, add decorative items such as round metallic balls or holday glitter. Layer different patterned tablecloths for a more customized look. Another tip: for buffet style dining, secretly elevate areas of the table for serving and display with paint cans!
Engage your senses with light and the scent of fun candles…..always adds to the ambiance of the room.
Accent items in your home that are unique and special. Fill a decorative bowl with metallic balls or add festive bows and garland to a stylish pair of sconces.
Modernize your decorations. I’m not saying throw our Grandma’s Christmas village set, but like everyday decor in our lives, the trend is towards more clean-lined modern pieces.
Bring in the Great Outdoors! Now this decoration can last not only through the holidays but throughout the entire season. Fill a glass or metallic vase with corkscrew willow branches of something similar to give interest and height to your table.
Finally, “Less is More.” While we want to be festive, we highly recommend decorating with class. Lighting up your home like a Christmas tree is overkill, not to mention dangerous!
Well I’m embarrassed to say it’s been almost a month now since my last post….High Point Market travel and buried with moving! Along with a good size client load and renovating the new space, life has been more than busy. We moved however without a hitch last Friday and are working away in our new digs.
The process of completely upgrading the space, however, is still in the works. While we have all of our new office furniture installed, most new showroom furniture in, flooring and most painting done, we ran in some plumbing hurdles. Our lovely local building inspector stopped in one day and after much hassle…we were forced to post pone our bathroom renovation. So beware… our bathroom is much cleaner but still uglier than you know what! Our landlord has been very helpful with this issue and we finally have our plumbing and kitchenette cabinetry ordered. Given that…we are in a waiting stage on many items at this point. As an interior designer, I know how many of my clients feel! But stay tuned. The world class artwork from Malton Gallery is to be hung tomorrow, a few stunning furniture pieces and amazing entry way floor tile on way , more cool light fixtures, and a fabulous kitchen/bathroom area coming.
Check out our latest pics….and yes I decided to skip the moving pics just to forget about that part of it!
So off the subject of fall fashion and on to bigger news! After looking for over a year at various locations in the Hyde Park/Mount Lookout/Oakley area, I finally turned my gaze to downtown OTR. My love for the area really kicked in earlier this year when I began a remodeling project for a great client on Vine Street. I found myself downtown several times a week and was fascinated by the vibe and indigenous beauty of the architecture there. Our new space is on the corner of Main and Orchard, boasts 12″ ceilings and hardwood floors. However, the place is old and needs a lot of work to come up to Amy Youngblood Interiors’ standards! Besides just refinishing the floor, we are upgrading other areas with new tile and vinyl floor planks, fresh paint and wallpaper, new chandeliers and lighting… not to mention hip, modern furniture!
Stay tuned for our journey from a basic mess right now to the final product. You may have also noticed my Cincinnista Facebook posts regarding all the good and close bars and restaurants. It’s going to a great home for us.
In the meanwhile, check out some of our before pics just for the record!
I can’t believe it’s been over a week since the big night September 1st, but the Get Fab for Fall was not just fun, it’s was successful! The weather was prime and the turnout heavy. hosted at one of my favorite wine bars, Unwind in Hyde Park, the staff welcomed us on to their beautiful patio for the Co-Op, Black and Brindle and Erin Wachs Jewelry to display their beautiful products. In addition, Kenzie’s Closet was on hand to accept clothing donations. Such a worthwhile cause!
To backtrack, this Cincinnista, had the honor of modeling some of these beautiful wares. My evening started out Blown salon in Kenwood for both a complimentary make-up and hair styling. The salon is beautiful (yes…I am a picky interior designer, too!) and the ladies that work there are as talented as they are nice. Once done there I trotted back to Hyde Park to a packed patio of fellow Cincinnista’s ready to get their Fall Style on! After busy shopping and complimentary wine, the fashion show began with 6 of us ladies strutting our stuff down the hip outdoor runway! (Kind of kidding here). I of course ended up buying at least two of the items I wore during the show…great stuff!
I look forward to this becoming an annual event and for a good cause! Check out my photos from the night and Cheers!
Yes, the temps are high again, but at least the kids are finally back in school! Phew! Regardless, it is still time for fall fashion. Sooooo, please join me at the The Get Fab for FALL Fashion Show next Thursday, September 1st, from 6-9 at Unwind in Hyde Park. Sponsored by The Co-Op on Camargo, Erin Wachs Jewelry and BLOWN Studio, the fashion show will highlight what’s in from these top Cincinnati Boutiques. Beautiful apparel, shoes, accessories and jewelry will be for sale, and with a donation to Kenzie’s Closet, you will receive 20% off your purchase! This Cincinnista has the honor of modeling in the show as well, so if you want to witness my rusty catwalk skills, the more the merrier! And for those of you unfamiliar with Unwind, the upscale wine bar boasts a hip atmosphere with great wine and lite bites. See you there!