On January 20, we entered a new era in American history and were blown away by Amanda Gorman’s poem The Hill We Climb that she wrote for the inauguration. “We seek harm to none and harmony for all.” Gorman spoke. At the same time, we’re facing what we hope to be the last uphill climb during the pandemic. We can make it through another five or six months before more of us get access to the vaccine, right? We’re resilient. Will it be a more normal summer? We certainly hope so.

Raise Your Spirit — Cheers!

A trend that is not at all surprising over the last year has been the increase in alcohol consumption. However, with bars generally closed, individual purchasing had to increase substantially in order to markedly affect the overall industry, and did it ever! Nielsen looked at the performance of spirits sales in 2020 and some key data points are truly astounding.  Total spirits sales were up 25.1% (in dollars) and volumes were up nearly 20% (in quantity) for the 52 weeks ending Dec 26, 2020. Tequila seems to be the winner with sales up 54% and volumes up 38%. Gin sales grew 25.1%, and volumes grew 16.3%. Lastly of note, vermouth sales were up nearly 34%, and volumes were up by 25%. That’s a lot of quarantinis.

Don’t Yank My Supply Chain

You may need a cocktail or a mocktail and a lot of patience to begin an interior design project during the pandemic. Our supply chain has been disrupted in a big way. At the same time, our industry has never been busier! The New York Times summarized what to expect in their article from Jan 1, 2021.

Spirits in the Material World

There are a few ways to deal with a disrupted interior design supply chain. Looking for vintage, antique, and locally made furniture and furnishings can fill the gaps in the supply chain. Plus you may end up with an aesthetic that is more appealing than if you purchased everything new. It will feel more collected with a greater history, warmer, and perhaps more like home.  

On the Boards:

#IMTownhomeFitForAPrince

Brought in halfway through an ongoing renovation, we were faced with several challenges when presented with this design opportunity: the historic nature and footprint of the home, existing space planning and finish decisions from the design build firm, and a desire to incorporate a large and colorful collection of art and rugs curated from travels around the world. Our approach was to blend the beautiful and historic nature of the row home and the rich art pieces and rugs the clients have curated over the years with modern and contemporary furniture to make the space not only beautiful but comfortable and livable. A neutral color palette, textural finishes, and clean lines in the living room and dining rooms will be met with sculptural, modern light fixtures and accent pieces while the library will wow with its monochromatic and heavily saturated walls and striking furniture pieces. All together the space will feel perfectly eclectic, curated, and most importantly both beautiful and comfortable.