BALLARD DESIGN

I was so honored to be invited with a group of Bloggers from all over to attend a day with Ballard Designs called "Ballard Loves Bloggers".

It started with a great dinner Tuesday night at Ecco and continued on Wednesday  for a day at their headquarters.

The company that Helen Ballard Weeks started in 1983 with a 6 page black and white catalog has grown into a company with over 100 million in sales.  More than 37 million catalogs are mailed out annually.

Whoa Nellie.

We were graciously hosted by James Pope [Director of Business Development], Mollie Kitchens [Market Manager] and Karen Mooney [VP-Creative Service].  

We also met the present Ryan McKelvey.  

I was so impressed with how they run their company.....that as a designer I will be sourcing items from Ballard Designs more often.

Here are a few images of our day.

This bag was filled swag...among them a gift certificate....which I promptly spent.  Whoop.

They fed us....very well I might add!

Showed us new products...prepare for some big color in the future!

New additions......love these chairs.

A great rope mirror.

A leather headboard....

A gorgeous tray.

Reproduction of an antique mirror.

New furniture pieces.

 Putting the catalog together...

Beautiful new velvet fabrics you can order by the yard.

Then.....We went to the location for the march/April 2013 [catalog] photo shoot. 

 

WOWZA....

Here is a picture of a beautiful home that they lease to style it all up "Ballard" style.

An empty house....turned into this in a day....painted walls and all.

Unfortunately I only had my iPhone...:(
But this room was breathtaking.  As we saw it there might have been some pushing and shoving to get in....:)

The talented and adorable Jill Sharp Brinson worked her magic.  There is like a halo of talent around her....

 A HUGE staging area with at least 15 crates of books in every color.

New chair, and rug.......

 This was an office set up and I don't know if you remember but I used this same picture last summer in a bedroom.

Love these rattan bookshelves.

Some other times I have used Ballard Design products in the last year...

My inspiration from the catalog...

And how I used the same mirror.

These are the Suzanne Kasler vases I used in my last bedroom install.

I love these lamps from the Suzanne Kasler collection.

I only changed the shade to give them more texture.

Again....thanks to all who were involved.

Now to the winner of my giveaway....Charmaine from My Best Friend Craig.

You have got to read her blog....she is very resourceful and her home is gorgeous!

I will get links to all of the other bloggers so you can see their pictures......

Off to Scott's!

Shabooty