Rain or Shine, Charleston's Community Finds Strength in Creativity

The sun just came out in Charleston YAY!!  We hope it will dry up all the water we have experienced from the terrible flooding all across South Carolina. It seems Charleston has been in the news a lot lately, sadly for negative reasons. Our hearts go out to all that have been affected by the recent events and we hope that the sun will keep shining and lives will be repaired quickly. As seen in the tragedies and hardships of the past, we banded together to help one another make it through this last natural disaster.

We thought it would be uplifting to share some positive news about the city we call home. We are so proud to be a part of the Charleston community, especially one that is home to so many other talented creatives. It is such an honor to be a finalist in the 2015 Martha Stewart American Made awards, and we're thrilled to be included with several other makers from the Holy City. In this blog, we're highlighting our fellow American Made Charlestonian finalists and introducing you to the impressive businesses they've built along with the positive effect they have on our community.

First is Capers Cauthen, the Charleston born-and-raised carpenter behind Landrum Tables. These are not just your run of the mill kitchen tables. All of Cauthen's pieces are custom made with wood discarded during the demolition of old, historic buildings. By using this material, he not only creates a unique table with the nuances of aged wood, but also keeps alive a memory once belonging to that particular home. His tables can be seen in several establishments around Charleston, including Two Burroughs Larder, The Fat Hen and Bull Street Gourmet.

Images source: http://landrumtables.com/

Next on the list is Kaminer Haislip, a designer putting her own contemporary take on the art of silversmithing. She moved to Charleston in 2005, and currently has a studio at Redux Contemporary Art Center downtown. Kaminer has been honored by Garden and Gun as a winner of the Made in the South award for the home category, and her work is exhibited in galleries around the world. All of her pieces are original, and range from delicate jewelry, sculptural decor and functional accessories your kitchen.

Image Source: http://www.kaminerhaislip.com/

As a city famous for it's selection of top notch restaurants, it comes as no surprise that Charleston has a finalist nominated for her delectable treats. Callie's Charleston Biscuits was created in 2005 by Carrie Morey and now sells seven different varieties in stores all over the U.S. The company's namesake and inspiration came from Carrie's mother, Callie Morey, who for many years provided biscuits to countless events in Charleston. To the delight of all Charleston residents, Carrie opened a brick and mortar location "Callie's Hot Little Biscuits," found in the heart of downtown on King Street. Whether you're ordering them online from afar, enjoying them locally or attempting to make some of your own with the help of her cookbook, its clear why these biscuits earned a top spot.

Image Source: http://www.calliesbiscuits.com/

Another Charleston food finalist is King Bean Coffee Roasters, owned by Kurt and Katie Weinberger. As a low country native stationed in Seattle during the time of the huge coffee boom, Kurt decided that South Carolina needed to experience top quality coffee beans as well. His company began in 1994, and twenty years later is a thriving roasting company in North Charleston that operates at a level very few independent roasters achieve. King Bean's blends are sold all over the state, and served in many local restaurants around town. If you've enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee with your Charleston brunch, there's a good chance you're drinking King Bean Coffee Roasters.

Image Source: http://kingbean.com/

Last but certainly not least, is OILLE, a company founded by Kristen King in 2012 that creates organic, clinical-grade skincare. After becoming pregnant with her first child, King sought out to create a line of skincare that was free of the toxic chemicals found in so many commercial products on the market today. Her philosophy is "What you put on your skin, goes into your body," so she naturally wanted to use the safest and healthiest options in order to provide the best possible home for her growing baby. OILLE is professionally formulated by a Clinical Aromatherapist to give her customers the highest quality products, now ranging from skincare to haircare to additional treatments for the entire body. Keeping the wellbeing of both humans and animals in mind, her company is 100% cruelty free with all of their testing. Treat yourself by purchasing some of her products online.

Image source: http://www.oillenatural.com/

Mirth Studio + Semihandmade

Its no secret that here at Mirth Studio we love to collaborate with fellow artists and designers. One project that is particularly near and dear to us is our partnership with the innovative team at Semihandmade. Founded in 2010 by John McDonald, they transform standard IKEA cabinets into one-of-a-kind kitchens, bathrooms and furniture pieces. 

Originating in sunny southern California, Semihandmade has showrooms in Los Angeles, Burbank and Palm Springs, and caters to clients online in both the U.S. and Canada. Combining their vision with our Mirth Studio tiles, the possibilities are limitless. From back splashes to bedside tables, you can feature your favorite tile as a statement piece anywhere in your home. Below are some behind the scene photos of their process, along with a few of our favorite finished products. Photography provided by Semihandmade.

Above: Two stunning examples of taking a simple bathroom vanity and creating an eye-catching piece that is unique to your home. Shown with our tiles Hollywood and Zippy in White/Light Honey.

Above: Our design Flirt is consistently a best seller, and transitions effortlessly from floor tile to furniture to, as shown here, a striking kitchen backsplash.

Above: A look into the process of creating the Semihandmade doors, as well as the product stylishly put to use as wall storage. This particular example using our design Mirthful Chevron.

Above: From the Mirth Studio designer collaboration with Elizabeth Olwen, Flower Folk is used to update a basic bathroom sink. A detailed shot of the drawers and hardware provided below.

European Vacation, continued: Rome!

Here are some more travel photos from my family's trip to Europe this August. After beginning our vacation in Florence and Tuscany, we then headed to Italy's capital city of Rome. This experience was a wonderful way to wind down an especially hectic summer, and gather some new ideas for Mirth Studio's new upcoming collection this autumn.

Above: Inspiration overload! So many breathtaking tiles at Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano, as posted to my Instagram account.

Above: Just a few of the floors that caught my eye at the Vatican.

Image source: Instagram.

Above: From floor to ceiling, Rome did not disappoint. 

Image source: Instagram.

Above: On my trip I encountered several classic floors that inspire some of our favorite tiles at Mirth Studio, such as Tumbling Blocks.

Above: Intricate mosaics forming bold graphic patterns.

Above: Stunning gold inlay and marble, inscribed to honor Pope Leo XIII;

Major floor envy for these bands of tile in hues of rich blues and turquoise.

Above: A detailed shot of ceramic tiles displaying intricate motifs.

Above: A seamlessly laid herringbone hardwood floor.

European Vacation: Tuscany and Florence

We here at Mirth Studio are very sad to see summer come to an end, but hope that everyone is enjoying their Labor Day Weekend. During the month of August, I took a much needed vacation in Italy and France with my family. Here are some travel photos taken during the first two major stops on my trip: Tuscany and Florence!

Above: A Tuscan castle filled with vibrant jewel tones and metallics, 

complimented by the light cast through intricate stained glass.

Above: Floor tiles embodying both a regal and masculine motif.

Above: Floors seen in Florence, featuring the types of classic patterns I adore

incorporating into our collections at Mirth Studio.

Above: It isn't uncommon to see two contrasting tiles placed directly against 

one another. Ancient Italian design was fearless when mixing patterns.

Above: Gold leaf, marble and mosaics: all staples in traditional Italian design.

Designer of the Week: COCOCOZY

For Mirth Studio's fourth Designer of the Week installment, we're shining the spotlight on none other than blogger turned interior design taste-maker Coco from COCOCOZY. Hollywood executive by day and blogger/interior designer in her off hours, she posted under the nickname Coco instead of using her real identity. The idea for an interior design blog came about when she realized she loved the process of renovating her LA home. Less than three years after launching COCOCOZY, she found herself with a massive following and embarked on creating home textiles of her own. Today Coco's designs are found in retailers nationwide as well as celebrity homes.

Photo courtesy of shop.cococozy.com

Coco made the leap from blogger into the world of hands-on design when it dawned on her just how picky she'd become with what decor filled her home. Not knowing where to begin, she attended the New York International Gift Fair where she was recognized by renowned designer Jonathan Adler. With his praise and words of encouragement, Coco took the plunge into business and never looked back. She has a signature style of crisp colors and graphic but accessible prints, and her work fit perfectly with the aesthetic at Mirth Studio. We've chosen to feature five of her designs, all of which instantly add a playful sophistication to whatever space they're installed in.

The COCOCOZY Collection contains some of our most popular, top selling tiles, and we're constantly customizing the designs to meet clients' specific needs in order to bring her patterns into their homes. She has been a huge supporter of Mirth Studio from the very beginning, and we are extremely grateful for the recognition she brought us by being featured on her blog. It was such an honor to work with her as our first artist when launching our designer series, and I am thrilled to be a part of her booming success! To learn more about COCOCOZY, explore her website at cococozy.com

Photos courtesy of mirthstudio.com 

An installation of the COCOCOZY Ring tile at Eatman's Interiors,
as posted on Eatman's Instagram.

Designer of the Week: Elizabeth Olwen

Nostalgic,  playful and romantic are a few descriptive thoughts that come to mind when I think about Elizabeth Olwen's print designs. Based in Toronto, Elizabeth has managed to hold the ability to create beautiful prints inspired by everything from her mother's vintage fabrics and old wall paper, to bold, organic shapes and her love of travel.

(picture taken from Elizabeth Olwen Bio )

When we first saw Olwen's designs, we were very excited to begin collaborating! Her color palette and design technique create the perfect balance of similarity and style difference between Mirth Studio. As you know, at Mirth Studio our tiles start as a hand painted piece and are given a very unique distressed texture before being taken into the computer. Olwen's prints usually start as a sketch and are created digitally. (which made things easier on our end when time for printing came around!)

"Tip Top"

Elizabeth has not only licensed her prints with Mirth Studio, but with other big name brands, such as Target. Her prints can be found in all shapes and forms, from wooden floor tiles (of course!), to clothing and stationary. Her style is easily recognizable with soft, delicate color palettes and a beautifully blended organic and geometric design layout. 

"Golden Rays"

We are so thankful to have been able to work with Elizabeth and to work with this new design approach. We loved every option so much we had a difficult time deciding which ones to move forward with! Her designs are mutable and look beautiful in any size or form! From pillows to Iphone covers, her styles are sure to add a bit of happiness in your daily life.

"Silver Lining"

  

Be sure to get your Elizabeth Olwen Tiles asap! They make for fun beautiful floors and/or wall art!

"Flower Folk"

Designer of the Week: Barclay Butera

From the aura of old Hollywood glamour to the ever present atmosphere of West Coast elegance, California has a distinct design aesthetic all its own. No one embodies this truth more than one of Mirth Studio’s most recent collaborative designers, Barclay Butera. We’ve teamed up with him to create four new tiles, each with their own unique style, which debuted this spring at High Point Market.

Just as in his brand’s personal design style, a broad range of inspiration influences his tiles. With the twisting filigree of his Sahara print to the demure tones found in Newport, you can add richness to your space without becoming overly feminine. The tile Link is reminiscent of a few Mirth Studio classics while demonstrating his knack for using colors that are both inviting and refined. Reminiscent of classic Hollywood Regency, the Lux tile fills floors with intricate labyrinths of linework.

Clockwise from Left: Sahara, Newport, Lux and Link

The tile Link is reminiscent of a few Mirth Studio classics while demonstrating his knack for using colors that are both inviting and refined. Reminiscent of classic Hollywood Regency, the Lux tile fills floors with intricate labyrinths of linework.

View of Lux in Repeat.

Since beginning his design firm in Newport Beach in 1994, Barclay Butera has accomplished a staggering amount. Stemming from his success in Newport, he has since opened showrooms in Hollywood and Park City, UT as well as partnered with several of the industry’s biggest producers of luxury home goods. 

Photo Courtesy of: Barclay Butera

His enterprises span from lighting to carpets, decorative accents to bedding, and even signature fragrances. The passion in his work lies not only in designing a space, but creating a lifestyle that is both timelessly classic yet full of modern twists. He’s even the author of four coffee table books, filled with guidance and stunning photos.

Barclay Butera's Four Books. Available Online.

To learn more about Barclay Butera, visit his website at barclaybutera.com. Discouraged that you’re not residing on the West Coast? Don’t be! Contact Mirth Studio about our collection together, and we can bring the Californian style to you.