
Something powerful happened when I combined a matte black glass and metal table with leather seating on silver metal chairs against the backdrop of rough cut shiplap. The addition of wrought iron candlesticks, black tapered candles and layered nubby rugs brought a sense of both warmth and confidence to the room. Individually, the choices were forged, woven, crafted and reflective, and collectively, opened the door to real conversation.
Perhaps due to my nontraditional path to launching Char and Batten, I tend to look at materials and textures long before color. My aesthetic is tactile -- I love to combine the unexpected like wood with leather and new with repurposed. I love to let the choices tell their own stories. And just like my best dinner parties (pre pandemic, of course), I enjoy filling the room with unlikely pairings whose purpose is to provide a unique perspective, make connections, and add to the richness of the experience.

Did you ever notice how different a room looks when you sit on the floor or look over a railing? When I am contemplating a space, as when I am engaging with a new idea, I am often pleasantly surprised by the importance of a broadened perspective.

My perspective evolved as I became open to new ideas and unexpected choices and benefitted from the textural contrast that added interest. Perhaps this approach is key not only to good design, but to a purposeful life...

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