Why we travel all over the world to find the pieces that end up in your homes. Plus, one of our Nashville team members celebrates a big milestone!
Create The Perfect Picnic ... At Home!
Saint Joe’s is bringing its beloved pique-nique to your home this year!
Merridian is a proud sponsor of this year’s Saint Joe’s Picnic For The Kids. This Louisville tradition has gone virtual this year… it’s a #PicnicAtHome! With live-streamed comedy, music, karaoke, and more, it’s sure to be a fabulous time for the whole family.
Submit a photo to the #PicnicAtHome contest sponsored by Kentucky Select and you could win $500 to Merridian or $500 to Work The Metal! Winners announced August 8 at 8 pm via live stream on St. Joe’s Facebook page! Find all the details and contest details HERE.
Now for the elements of a fabulous picnic — inside or out!
A vintage reclaimed-wood coffee table makes the perfect stage for your picnic. A low table is sturdier and a much more comfortable height than a blanket! We have them in all shapes and sizes. Call us to inquire.
Use natural elements like fresh flowers, this wine cooler and wood slices to bring nature into your scene.
Invite everyone at the table to enjoy delicious snacks, fruits and cheeses by creating an easy-to-grab tiered charcuterie spread. (Did you notice the little mice want some, too!?)
Our small vintage wooden stools and these comfy, colorful floor pillows are an unexpected way to enjoy a meal together.
Grounding ourselves close to the earth is part of the magic of the picnic! Get creative, use a lot of color and texture, and have fun with it!
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Spring Training - Now in Session!
Ok, it’s that time – Let’s get your house in shape in time for spring. We’ve got everything you need to make it happen! Team up with one of our top designers and let them whip your house into shape with these easy tips.
Eat clean. Design Clean. Just as one feels better after eating a clean meal, the same can be said for entering a clean and ordered space. “I believe the state of one’s home has a direct impact on one’s state of mind, and with our busy lives, it is nice to come home to a serene space. When chaos and clutter abound, they block our natural creativity and our internal desire for clarity and order. This spring might be just the time to clean out the clutter and focus on optimizing your surroundings for total joy.”
Merry Dougherty
Make the space fit….your needs! “Create a gathering space that’s comfortable and multi-functional. Use swivel chairs so that you can talk to anyone, watch tv or read a good book. Use a fabric like the one shown below (crypton fabric by Fairfield) that is forgiving and easy to clean! Then liven up the room with pillows, throws and area rugs!”
Sharron Reynolds
Pump up the color… “Pops of color add interest and dimension. They help to draw your eye around the room.” A little exercise for your eyes! 😉
Elizabeth Campbell.
Find balance: Namaste. “Completing a room almost always requires an expression of zenophilia, an affection and respect of one for the other. It may manifest itself in a sculpture of Buddha, a Navajo blanket, or a work by a revered artisan.”
Jack Kennedy
Buy fresh and reward yourself! "Spring is all about renewal and a perfect time to add something fresh to your decor. It can be as simple as adding new art, pillows with a pop of unexpected color, or a complete upgrade of your space. You and your home are worth the investment, and we can help you make it fresh and fabulous!"
Zephyr
The Future Looks Bright!
“The Pantone Color of the Year has come to mean so much more than ‘what’s trending’ in the world of design; it’s truly a reflection of what’s needed in our world today.” – Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Color Institute.
This couldn’t ring more true in the present day! And the winner is, drumroll please… PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet. - “A dramatically provocative and thoughtful purple shade, it communicates originality, ingenuity, and visionary thinking that points us toward the future...” A future I am confident has good things in store. Last year was full of ups and downs, but I think we have a lot to look forward to in 2018!
A color often associated with royalty, ultra violet pairs well with upcoming royal weddings, royal babies and the Winter Olympics! There’s a reason purple is associated with royalty: In ancient times, the dye was extracted from mollusks and therefore extremely expensive. Now deep versions of the color still signify luxury and imply grandeur and formality.
"This shade is bold and vibrant—and much easier to decorate with than you think. A pop of purple in any setting creates a warm yet unexpected feeling of comfort,” advises Elizabeth Campbell, Merridian Designer, Louisville, KY.
"And as individuals around the world become more fascinated with color and realize its ability to convey deep messages and meanings, designers and brands should feel empowered to use color to inspire and influence. The Color of the Year is one moment in time that provides strategic direction for the world of trend and design, reflecting the Pantone Color Institute’s year-round work doing the same for designers and brands.”
Needless to say, you’ll be seeing a lot of purple everywhere this year. Here are some of our favorite Merridian home decor pieces sporting variations of the "It" color.
Wall color below – Porter Paints Love Potion – and we certainly love the way it looks!
Works Cited
Celebrating 21 Years!
What better way to celebrate our Anniversary, than to reminisce on how it all began…
When newlyweds, Patrick and Merry Dougherty, began searching for interesting and eclectic furniture, reminiscent of their days living in Santa Fe, NM, they kept coming up empty-handed. So much so that they eventually determined the Louisville furniture market lacked what they were searching for and in 1996 Merridian Home Furnishings was born.
After creating an innovative plan to provide semi -antique furniture, upholstery, art and accessories, the couple went to work and opened the now iconic home furnishings mecca (store?) featuring interesting finds from all over the world. Initially, it required a significant amount of travel to exotic destinations in Eastern Europe, India, Asia and Mexico. Patrick notes, "To really control the quality, we had to touch and feel the product." But as he quickly points out, "It was grueling work in some pretty dirty places. It wasn't glamorous at all."
Striving to offer unique pieces that represented a variety of styles and vowing to keep overhead low was no easy task. Establishing strong relationships with vendors in each locale was critical in getting the business started. Patrick equipped each vendor with a digital camera, new technology at the time, to capture and send images of their current inventory, usually pieces ranging from 30 to over 100 years old. This method of buying provided Merry the opportunity to hand select individual pieces from warehouses in central China and India while sitting at her desk in St. Matthews. Two decades later, seeing images and having the dimensions of each piece still allows Merridian to keep fresh inventory flowing on a regular basis. Merridian still has great working relationships with two of the original vendors they met over 20 years ago. Currently they receive new photos from vendors about every three days. "Sometimes we'll take 75% of what we see, sometimes we don't take anything," Merry explains. "We only select pieces that have great lines and an overall appeal or those that can serve a useful purpose in someone's home or business. Sometimes, however, we choose a piece based entirely on it's extraordinary craftsmanship, beauty, or rarity. Certain items have become much more difficult to find even in the short time we've been doing this. Old things are definitely a limited resource!" With shipments arriving about every two weeks, the ever-changing inventory and one of a kind pieces set Merridian apart from other furniture stores, not to mention that most items are available for immediate delivery...an important feature to remember if you have unexpected family members arriving for the holidays!
Cheers to 21 years, and many more to come!
Go big and Go home! Let Merridian bring color to your life.
Adding bold color to your home will make such a big impact! Even if you have a neutral home, it’s still fun to add splashes of color here and there to liven things up, add warmth and give personality to your spaces. A neutral palette is a wonderful place to start. I find one of the easiest ways to introduce color into your home is through small decorative items like pillows, vases and various objets d'art.
One of our favorite quotes at Merridian is “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris. At Merridian, we aim for both!
Because color has the power to transform any room, using it in curated steps, allows one to add color and still stay within their comfort zone. However, remember life begins where your comfort zone ends, so don’t forget going big with a small amount of color in an unexpected way, may add just the right amount of drama!
That’s why we love color at Merridan- we don’t have to use a lot to make an impact and mixing and matching with neutrals means all color can happily co-exist!
Discover a world of color and let us help you find yours today!
-Merridian Home Furnishings
