New Introductions at the High Point Home Furnishings Market - Spring 2009

WILLIAMSBURG will introduce a variety of lamps and furniture pieces at the High Point Market, April 25-30, 2009. New products from Sedgefield by Adams, Oriental Accent, and Nichols & Stone will showcase the many ways that WILLIAMSBURG’s timeless design can be infused with contemporary styles and colors.

Sedgefield by Adams is expanding their WILLIAMSBURG lighting options with handsomely painted and pierced porcelains, lacquer-finished, and crystal candlestick lamps. The new WILLIAMSBURG collection offers a variety of different looks, ranging from 18th-century design classics to a fusion of East and West inspiration.

“We have been so inspired by Colonial Williamsburg’s vast collections available for designing our expanded WILLIAMSBURG collection of lighting,” says Terri Thomas, vice president at Sedgefield by Adams. “Our customers like the direction of the expanded selection we’re offering, and the WILLIAMSBURG brand strengthens Sedgefield’s style of Classic Tradition.”



Oriental Accent will debut a collection of moderately-priced lamps that feature a variety of familiar WILLIAMSBURG themes. From pineapples and florals to tea canisters and blue and white color schemes, the Oriental Accent lamps blend fresh colors in traditional shapes and patterns.



At Nichols & Stone, the most iconic hand-crafted WILLIAMSBURG bedroom products are being brought back to the Market. Nichols & Stone returned to the industry last November with an array of dining room pieces, and extends their presence this year with a variety of beds and case pieces. Reintroducing popular favorites with the Virginia Collection and Carlton Collection.





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Two Fresh Looks for a WILLIAMSBURG Wedding

This morning we hosted an event for local and regional media to experience the vast array of products and services offered by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for a soon-to-be bride and groom. The morning session was all about explaining our 70-year old museum-licensing program, which is the oldest and largest in the world, and highlighting how this eclectic mix of products,inspired by our place, our history, and our story, can be incorporated to make the dream wedding come true.



We featured two different "looks" to show that a WILLIAMSBURG-inspired tablescape is versatile and can suit both the formal and informal palettes. Our formal setting consisted of our 'Virginia Blue' china pattern, one of our newest by Mottahedah, and the classic 'Airtwist' stemware.



As lifestyles have trended more towards the informal WILLIAMSBURG has innovated. While the timeless look of the formal table is always appealing, the more casual table can be more cost-effective and comfortable for an outdoor wedding or a bridal shower.



Our informal look was somewhat "garden-inspired" and featured three different patterns of creamware on wicker chargers with 'Gazebo' glassware and accented with a colorful fruit-filled 'Jefferson Cup'. To keep the feeling casual and to encourage conversation we kept the centerpiece a low arrangement of white hydrangeas and evergreens. The accent of green, a color of vitality and life, is reinforced in the fruit cup and the green napkins.

Both tables offer a look that represents a fresh fusion of rich 18th century American history with colors and styles that are on trend for today's lifestyles.

For more info: http://www.williamsburgmarketplace.com/

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Decorating with Iron Forms

One of the easiest tools for creating a Williamsburg-inspired centerpiece, iron forms are versatile and easy for anybody to decorate with. Here's a clip from the "WILLIAMSBURG Christmas Style" dvd describing the process and handy tips to follow.




Think in triangles…
When creating centerpieces and mantle forms always work towards the middle with your largest, most prominent piece in the center. This buildup makes for a dramatic look and also creates a focal point for your guests. There are very few “rules” when creating decorative forms but this is one that there is rarely an exception to.

Be unpredictable…
Add interest to a classic look by choosing items for your forms that are fun and different. Lanterns, candles, garden statuaries or a large unusual piece of fruit… let your creativity guide you when choosing the large center pieces for your forms. Or if you opt for a more classic overall look then accent your piece with something more out of the ordinary.

Fuller is better…
Once you have your large pieces on your iron form don’t forget to fill in the holes with lots of little pieces. Nuts, berries, boxwood sprigs, the list of filler items is endless. The fuller you can make your arrangement the more rich and festive it will seem.

Color is paramount…
Whether you choose a more monochromatic look or one bursting with color make sure you choose your color wisely and keep it balanced and dispersed evenly. If you choose a more monochromatic look for your form find a way to add in a little bit of color to offset your primary color scheme. If you choose to use a lot of color try to decide on 4 or 5 main colors that will make up your “theme” and then keep your arrangement focused around that “theme”. When you are about finished stand back a bit and take a look. This will allow you get a different perspective and will make spots that are too concentrated or out of balance pop out.

Don’t “color” within the lines…
Let your arrangement flow out onto the table or mantle. Add leaves and greenery under the form to fill in the space between the form and the surface it is sitting on. Then add a little excitement to the arrangement by scattering a few nuts or berries around on the table. Make your arrangement fun for your guests to look at!

for more information or to purchase the iron decorating forms - http://www.williamsburgmarketplace.com




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