Gold Leaf at HD Expo Las Vegas 2016

We can officially mark another successful HD Expo off the books, phew! This year we showcased our newest planters, wall hangings and artful decor. Using a palette of beachy neutrals and mixing in luxury textures, we added visual excitement with our bold patterns, flowing grasses and our metallic wall hangings. It was definitely one of our favorite booth designs to date and if you know us at Gold Leaf, that's saying a lot! Scroll down now to check out the fan favorites.

Above: Wall Play and three new custom wall hanging designs. Left: Detail of our Mocha Ware vase with vibrant orchids set on our graphic Inlaid Stone Cube. Right: Inlaid Stone Spheres in stripe and check patterns. 

 Hanging Sponge Planters with our permanent Tillandsia. 

Linea planters and Wood Chain.

Coral Wall Play (TM) design with yellow cord. Inlaid Stone tables and sphere in background. 

Our permanent Weeping Willow in our Linea planter.

Arrangement of Orb Wall Play (TM) with Hanging Orb Planters and 

Polished Half Stainless Steel Balls.

Naoshima and Trapezoid planters with our permanent Bear Grass.

Bell Urbano planter with permanent Sansevieria with 

Gold Seed Wall Play (TM) wall accents.

Hanging Sponge Wall Sculpture and custom permanent green wall (succulents and echiveria). Custom wood planter with Talking Stick arrangement. 

Liriope Grass with custom walnut planter with stainless steel legs with 

Cactus Wall Play (TM) accenting the wall.  

Top Design: Kalanchoe stem with flowers in shadow box, custom painted with Pollen Wall Play (TM). Bottom Design: Custom wall hanging planter with Burro Tail. 

Thank you for checking out our 2016 HD Show Booth. We hope you were inspired! For quotes on any of the designs shown above, please contact us today: quotes@goldleafdesigngroup.com.

Congratulations Beth Krupa Interiors

We keep close connections to our customers. We build relationships that span the years and many of them become friends as well. That's one of the reasons we love going to trade shows like the recent High point Market, it is a chance to reconnect and catch up. All of that goes into how excited we were to hear that Beth Krupa Interiors had won an award from the Interior Design Society. Beth is based in Connecticut, but has local connections...having gone to school at Loyola University Chicago...making us doubly excited.

We had a small part to play in this success, as she used our Cladded Brass Chest as one of the pieces but as you all know it isn't just having great stuff...it is how you use it! And Beth is fabulous. Congratulations!

Other Interhall exhibitors join us...

Darren has gotten fired up. Ever since our decision to donate 1% of our High Point sales to Equality NC, he has made it a mission to spread the word and encourage others to participate. We're pleased that many of our fellow Interhall exhibitors have agreed. Among those who have made the commitment are:

• Bungalow 5

• Aviva Standoff,

• Natural Curiosities

• Seasonal Living

• Luna Bella

• Nima Oberoi Lunares 

And more are joining every day. Just yesterday the movement spread out of Interhall with the addition of Made Goods. 

We couldn't be happier to have all of these great companies standing together and working to make a positive change. We'd also like to give an extra THANKS! to Bungalow 5 for taking such an active role and helping us stay organized and ever growing. 

Hope everyone has a great market.

Read more about the issue here.

High Point and North Carolina HB2

When the North Carolina state legislature rushed through HB2 (a one day special session??) and Governor McCrory signed it that evening(!?), we started a conversation internally to determine how we wanted to respond. High Point Market was coming up and it is an important event for us and our customers....and yet this law had a direct deliterious effect to many of our friends, customers, colleagues, family, and neighbors.

What does HB2 do? Among other things, it prohibits local anti-discrimination protections for gay, bisexual and transgender people and restricts transgender bathroom use.  So a city like Charlotte, who wants to make all their citizens feel welcome and accepted, could no longer pass ordinances to effect those goals. We were deeply concerned by this law and its implications We felt it was (and is) an unfair attack on employment, education, and local governance. It encouraged discrimination and is particularly demeaning towards transgender men and women.

So...what to do? Some businesses chose to respond to stop doing business with or in the state. The reasoning is that by applying economic pressure, the state government would change course. This worked on Mike Pence in Indiana, for instance. It is can be a powerful tool, to be sure. We didn't think it was the tool for us.

One of our core values is to support and contribute to our community. We show this in many ways, such as locating our Chicago facility in an underserved neighborhood and participating in political and business committees and action groups to revitalize the area. When given the choice between a positive or a negative action, we try to always choose the positive. More engagement. Louder voices. Taking action. Therefore, we decided to stay involved in the market, be visible, and speak out. We'd find an organization to support.

After reading on the actions taken by the ACLU and Lambda Legal, we started reaching out to our customers and partners in North Carolina to see what they thought and who they would recommend. The organization that came up again and again was Equality NC. After seeing the work they accomplished on The School Violence Protection Act, their advocacy for domestic partnerships, hospital visitation rights, parental rights, and a myriad of other issues, we knew they were the organization for us. As a small organization ourselves, we appreciate the big effects dedicated and enthusiastic people can accomplish.

We reached out to them and have come up with our plan. We are proud to announce that we will be donating 1% of all our High Point Market sales to them directly. We will also have literature supporting their organization in our booth and will support their efforts going forward. If you'd like to join us in our support, contact Darren.

You can read our press release about this issue at Home Accents Today, Furniture Today, and the Greensboro News and Record.

State Dinners and Accolades

It started with a registration request on our website. The company name was unknown to us, the email address arcane. We tried to find them on the internet, but didn't find anything. So...we dropped the applicant an email to get more info.

We received a phone call...."This is Hedieh Ghaffarian. I'm the Chief Floral Designer for the White House and I'm putting together the designs for a State Dinner. I saw your Stainless Steel orbs in Atlanta and loved them."

Kevin, our webmaster, almost dropped the phone. "When do you need them?"

The answer, of course, was right away. The state dinner in question was for Prime Minister Trudeau and it was quickly approaching. We got Ms. Ghaffarian her orbs and she worked magic with them. You can see them in THIS PHOTO on the right side of Michelle Obama and Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau.

Not quite as exciting, but still very gratifying, our Gabriel Pendant Lights have been getting a lot of attention. First in the High Point Market TWITTER CHAT (which also included our INLAY STONE collection). Then in Hospitality Design and enLIGHTenment magazines.

We're very excited. You can check these out and more when we get to High Point in just a few weeks!

I am Gold Leaf: Cathy

Cathy in her own words...

Art & Nature have always been a large part of my life. It began with my parents…my dad filling our home with paintings and wood carvings and my mom sewing and knitting everything we wore.  Great art programs in grade & high school helped nurture my talents, as well as working on school stage designs. We built trees and rocks with chicken wire and papier mache (so much easier to order redwood and rocks from Gold Leaf).

My love for nature grew when my family traveled all over the country visiting national parks and camping along the way.  I truly believe that Green Space, outside and inside, improves our overall well-being.

Working for Gold Leaf Design Group embodies many of my passions in life…art, nature, sustainability. Everything we do is with the highest of quality and integrity. We create visual spaces, custom art & botanical designs that inspire and enrich the lives of many people…..what a great thing!

THE OFFICIAL GOLD LEAF QUIZ

Name: Cathy Collins

Title: Hospitality Production Manager
My typical day starts at: 7:30 a.m.
My typical day involves:  Hospitality team meetings, coordinating our design staff and the production of custom design projects

FAVORITES
Favorite season: Fall
Favorite Band/Singers: Genesis, Chicago, Frank Sinatra
Favorite quote: Life is a journey, not a destination
Favorite Books: City of the Century, Orphan Train
I would have liked to have met: My grandfather

TRIVIA
When no one is looking, I... leave dishes piled in the sink
How many tattoos do you have? 0

Favorite TV shows: Castle, historical documentaries

My top three hobbies / interests...Gardening, Running, Antiques

I wish I had more... time to travel

My ideal day starts with: Early morning run, coffee outside with the daily paper or good book

My ideal day ends with: Listening to music albums on my vintage console

What inspires me: Nature, children, art

How many scars do you have?  3

EITHER/OR

Peanut Butter....Crunchy or Smooth​? Smooth
Talker or Listener? Listener
Pencil or Pen? Pencil
Beatles or Elvis? Elvis
Chocolate or Vanilla?​ Chocolate

#gldgLove - Ball Sway & Agateware

We're always on the lookout for how our creative clients use product. 

Check out this pin from our friends at Gardener's Supply Company. Striking, elegant, and resistant to rusting, these sculptural pieces are perfect for indoors and out.

Stainless Steel Ball Sway is gorgeous when installed in a flowerbed or in a poolside planter or indoors in a floor vase. It looks great in a large organic cluster or spaced linearly apart...you get the idea. The design possibilities are nearly endless with this playful accent piece, inspired by nature. 

We love to see what our friends and customers are drawn to...but of course we also have our favorites. Today our staff pick features Agateware Collection. With its three sets of three, this Farmhouse Modern series is both attractive and economical.

The unique marbling comes from the technique of mixing light and dark clays when the piece is first formed. This traditional form of pottery creates a unique pattern every time. 

This collection works in any setting, from contemporary to classic.