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




35 comments

Unknown said...

Looks like a great time Sherry, from the amazing product to the blogger camaraderie, so fun!

Bethany [at] Powell Brower Home said...

daaaaang, everything looks fantastic! i always wished i could visit a ballard store. ive ordered many times, but we all know how ordering without seeing can go. i still love their stuff though.

ps - when you said ballard style - i kept singing Gangum Style with Ballard adlibbed in

Woodside Park said...

Lucky you! Looks like a fun day! I love that arched metal mirror and so many of Ballard's pieces.

charmaine said...

Looks like fun! Thank you for the great giveaway!!! So excited!

Julie said...

I love Ballard and the fact they are in Atlanta :)

Stacey {steward of design} said...

You are a lucky duck! So jealous.

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Wow, lucky you. And they said they love my blog. Guess my invite got lost. Just kidding!!

Karen at Home Sweet Hollywood said...

omg omg omg! Of course they chose you because you are a rock star Blogger Sherry...duh. :)

Love those new cane chairs and so much more. Their stuff is so good.

How fun to see all of that stuff they have for staging...you must have been drooling! So fun! Congrats!

Have a good one!

Vidya said...

lucky! looks like you had a wonderful time! the products look great! I get their catalog regularly.. and even collect them!

Mary Ann Pickett said...

I REMEMBER when the "catalog" was just black and white and more like a flyer. What a fun time for you. They were smart to invite you!

Anonymous said...

Yes! I have been waiting for Ballard to make a chair version of their woven barstools. Finally!

Raina Cox said...

Ballard is stepping it up!

I love the velvet colors - so rich.

Thanks for sharing the sneak peek.

Happy weekend, Shazzam!

Bliss said...

shabooty. love it. And love the new ballard sneak peeks. still waiting for you to sign off as shawesome. because you are.

Emily A. Clark said...

Dang, lucky girl!! I loved following along with you and the others on Instagram. So interesting they use that house. Looks beautiful and love those bookshelves, too.

A Perfect Gray said...

all that goodness and scotts too? NOT fair.

Elizabeth @ The Little Black Door said...

First a day with Ballard and now off to Scott's - you have my dream life missy!! :) Can't wait for their next catalog as I see sooo much I want!

Pura Vida said...

Ballards should take a few lessons from YOU!

Linda {Calling it Home} said...

Note to Self....remember my camera when I get invited to an event that my readers will want to savor and drool over all day long. They might even want to see all the food. Congratulations Charmaine!

The enchanted home said...

What a fun day!! I have to say I am impressed with Ballard, they have come a long way....and looking great and now that I know they take good care of bloggers, I am even more impressed! Thanks for sharing the fun highlights!

Victoria said...

What a fun experience, Sherry. I love their new products, especially the leather headboards.
Best...Victoria

Lisa Gabrielson said...

How fun!! That Greek key chair was amazing! Thanks for featuring all of the fantastic new products. I'm off to a new client today with all of those lovely things on the brain. How inspiring!

Homestyling101 said...

Great to hear that the company is so great behind the scenes, too! (And love that they appreciate bloggers!) I just used one of their Florentina pieces in an install- took a while to get since it comes from Italy but absolutely stunning!! Thanks for sharing!
Joanne @ Homestyling101

Unknown said...

What fun! But I like your picture with the arched mirror better than Ballard's. Have a great weekend.

Patty Day @Pattys Epiphanies said...

What a fun, great afternoon!! I am a huge fan of Ballards....lots of items in the Bucket List House are from there....especially chandeliers!
I do remember you're using the mirror! It's a great piece.

Taylor Greenwalt said...

OH Sherry...what a great opportunity......I would of love to do something like this... Looks like fun!

Bravehearted Beauty {formerly LLH Designs} said...

What a fun event! Cute bag, too! I've bought a number of things from Ballard and have picked out plenty more things for others there. Glad to know you're impressed with how they run the company. Still wanting to meet you at Scott's someday! Card season is about over, so I'll be more free to travel in the spring! xo!

michele said...

shabooty? really now?
loved the tour and behind the scenes peeks of ballard's.

bet you are selling lots of those yummy mirrors for them!

michele

Carolyn@Sweet Chaos Home said...

How fun! I'm totally digging that tufted velvet headboard :)

The Pink Pagoda said...

I remember graduating from college and getting my first apartment. I wanted to furnish it with everything from my Ballard Designs catalog!

Unknown said...

Looks like so much fun!! Thanks for sharing!

Www.lifeofamodernhousewife.com

pam {simple details} said...

What fun! Thanks for giving us a sneak peek, the new merchandise looks fab!

Carla Aston said...

How fun! Lucky girl. Ballard really has some great pieces.

Wild Oak Designs said...

What fun you had!! Lucky, lucky you....thanks for sharing your special day.
Nancy
http://wildoakdesigns.blogspot.com

René said...

Ballard loves bloggers, but not as much as we love Ballard! What a treat this must have been! I was stalking you & Lori on instagram. Looks amazing!

Chet and Mindy said...

Would you mind sharing where you purchased the two white chairs you used with the beautiful Ballard Mirror. Love you style!

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