The Lynhall

Our fourth dinner was deliciously simple. The Lynhall is warm and inviting, which is especially surprising for such a large and open space. Each staff member was more welcoming than the next. It’s a fun new concept that definitely impressed.

The Lynhall has mastered the art of the community table as well as family-style cuisine. Rotisserie chicken at its finest, braised short ribs that melt in your mouth. The side red potatoes are what dreams are made of. Every crispy bite had me craving more. Every flavor – from the chicken and potatoes to the collard greens – perfectly complemented one another. The rolls were served warm with melted butter and minced garlic on top. To say they were divine would be an understatement.

The atmosphere was jovial and lively. Families gathering, friends catching up, business meetings running late into the evening. Each table was filled with a mixture of activities. The diverse use of the space was refreshing and different.

In short, we cannot wait to go back!

 

The Lynhall

P.S. You should also follow The Lynhall on Instagram, @thelynhall! They’ll make you hungry even when you just ate!

We love heading to Market, but love returning even more! After we spend days surrounded by the new offerings, we anxiously await the arrival of our purchases, and even more so, sharing them with you! We’ll be sharing pieces as they arrive through our social media, but would love for you to come in and test them out yourself!

At the recent Fall Market, we took note of the fun vintage vibe. Many of the showrooms brought us back to our childhoods—the 70s are definitely making a comeback! The 70s style leads way for the bohemian era, highlighting the beautiful wicker, baskets, rugs and so much more! We were so thrilled to see the comeback of color—bright colors, pairings and unique uses! We also noted the mix of textures, fresh placement of trims and funky new patterns!

The flange treatment on this darling settee totally won our hearts. Combined with the frame and fabric selection, this settee screams updated traditional—which we love!

Texture, texture, texture! We couldn’t get enough of the textural play in this vignette, and will be welcoming it to our stores very soon!

In another nod to the 70s, we liked the preppy color palette in this vignette! We’re always on the symmetry bandwagon and think this look was a real winner.

We fell in love with this pink ottoman! Velvet is in vogue and we love how you can marry a pop of color with the trend.

Bohemian is here to stay! The moody blues, the layering, the textures—sheer eclectic sophistication.

We found so many great pieces at the recent Market and can’t wait to share them with you! Pieces will be arriving on a rolling basis starting very soon so we encourage you to pop in to the showrooms often!

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See the list below of our favorite Fall must-haves!

 

 

1. Late Summer Lobster Corn Chowder

2. Eileen Fisher Peruvian High-Low Sweater

3. Gucci Provincetown Loafer

4. Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

5. McManis Petite Sirah

6. Kork Ease Niseda Oxford

7. White Bean Chicken Chili

 

Ever wonder what goes into one of our interior design projects? Curious about what goes on behind the scenes to pull off and put together a whole home before the photographer comes in to capture those picture-perfect vignettes?

While most projects begin the same way, each new installation provides unique challenges and opportunities that keep our designers well engaged and coming back for more! Typically, our talented Design Consultants meet with the client, going over project details and parameters and pull together a storyboard of ideas. Depending on the scope of the project, this process can take a few days, weeks or even months. Once our Design Consultants have picked out the perfect pieces for a project, they generate a Sales Order—utilizing the same process for accessories and case goods alike—and itemize each unique piece to be ordered. Once the Sales Order is generated, we hand it off to our Logistics Coordinators, Sharon and Nancy. These ladies submit orders to each manufacturer individually and track the purchases through to delivery to our local warehouses. Meanwhile, our Design Consultants are busy on-the-ground, coordinating delivery to the project and often times, helping to make other design decisions along the way.

We caught up with David and Kriss from our Naples Team, who shed some light on their recent installs and how they transform paper plans into spectacular spaces. Without further ado, our quick Project Install Q&A!

1. What is the first step to an entire home install?
D– Double checking the orders prior to initial install, making sure we have the correct pieces, and that all the dates are organized with everyone involved—this includes the movers, the warehouse, designers and owners of the property.
K– The first step for my recent install was to meet with the builder to get his vision, and walk the house to get the feel and flow.

2. How many months of planning are typically required before the installation?
D– It depends on the size of the home, but typically four to five months of planning.
K– For the 10,000sq ft home I just installed, I began planning about six to eight months prior to the install date.

3. Do you start with the big picture and progress to the smaller details, or pick the elements out all at once?
D– The answer depends on whether or not it is a builder or a walk-in customer and what the project entails. For any project, you have to take in to account the ‘look’ the buyer wants, their budget, the layout, and how quickly they want everything. A large install requires a lot of communication and double checking…measurements, dates, style numbers.
K– For my recent install, I started with the over all look and then planned the detail down to bars of soap for the powder room and bath sheets for the pool area. Everything that is in the house and in the outside living space—beds, bedding, tables, rugs, art, dishes, pool towels—was picked for the space! I also learned to measure multiple times. Eye-balling does not always work!

4. How many people involved?
D– Depending on the size of the project, it varies.
K– There are many people involved with the process – I did the product picking with input from everyone that was working on the project and had help pulling together the product quotes and look-book. I met with the builder often to show and get approval, met with his designer that picked counter tops, flooring, paint, lighting, wallpaper – to make sure we were on the same page. There was help from the MN stores in sending fabric cuttings, and from the business office to fine tune the Sales Order and submit to the manufacturers. The install—the final step—really was an all-hands-on-deck effort. It’s helpful to have another set of  eyes (and hands) to help when finally staging things up and moving product around the house. Movers, electricians, picture hangers…the numbers really add up!

5. Creative process?
D– Determining the look, the style, the layout and the colors. There are quite a few different details not to be overlooked.
K– The creative process is the best part – especially when the install is for a ‘spec home.’ The builder has the initial idea or look that he or she is going for and after that, my job is to pull together a couple of options for approval, and then go for it. I present to both the builder and designer the proposed plan, and take in to account their input. The actual install the most creative time for me, as I get to accessorize and stage the whole home before pictures are taken and the house goes on the market for sale. The smallest details make the biggest impact, and I think that those details transform a staging project to a home that buyers can picture themselves living in.

6. How to achieve end result for photographs?
D– The lighting and accessories are key to helping achieve the polished end result for photographs.
K– The days before photographing, I like to find as many fresh pieces as I can—from flowers to plants and fruit— I love what they can add to the freshness of a space. I love to set the table, leave books open, and games unfinished so it looks like they may have been called it dinner in the middle of what they were doing. My goal with my recent install was to make it feel “homey,”  and at 10,000 square feet, it was challenging but very rewarding to see it all come together. I could envision a family living there, and that’s what sells a property to potential buyers.

 

Each install is as unique as the home itself and that’s what makes it so fun! No project scope is the same which gives our Design Consultants the opportunity to really listen to the client and hone in on what works for the individual space. The challenge of bringing a home to life through furnishings keeps David and Kriss, and our Traditions team, going back for more! To view some of the after install pictures—the beautiful vignettes captured by photographers—head over to our portfolio page.

Sides, Mains & Dessert As we mentioned in part 1 of this post, nothing says summer more to us than a little Backyard BBQ with our friends and family. We love a good game of cornhole or horseshoes, a cold beverage and some yummy food to go along with it. Our least favorite part of […]

Drinks + Starters

Nothing says summer to us like a good ‘ole fashioned Backyard BBQ. We jump at the chance to have friends and family gather together, enjoy a game of cornhole, a cold libation and some tasty dishes (Okay…maybe the only thing better than that is not having to cook all the food)! Luckily, all of us at Traditions aren’t shy when it comes to food and have a couple recipes up our sleeves for a potluck style partaaayyyy! We hope you can enjoy some of our favorites just as much as we do!

Kathy’s Favorite Drink :
Moscow Mule

Kathy loves a good drink and has recently discovered the joy that is a Moscow Mule. Refreshing with a little bite, this drink will cool you down on any hot summers day!

1/2 of a fresh lime
2 ounces vodka
4 to 6 ounces ginger beer (Kathy recommends Crabby’s Orange Ginger Beer for a fun twist!)

Squeeze the lime over the ice, add vodka and ginger beer. Stir and garnish with lime wedge.
Note: The traditional way to serve the drink is in a copper mug, but if you don’t have one handy, it tastes just as good in a glass 😜 We promise!

David’s Favorite Drink:
Whole Citrus Party Margaritas

4 navel oranges, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 lemons, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 limes, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau
1/4 cup Triple Sec
1 1/2 cups Silver Tequila (David recommends Partida Tequila)

Juice the oranges , lemons and limes. Pour the juice into a large pitcher. Add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Then stir in the Cointreau, Triple Sec and Tequila. To serve: Pour salt onto a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the top of each glass and dip the glass in the salt. Fill each glass halfway with ice and pour in the Tequila mix. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!

Lauren’s Favorite Snack:
Pimento Cheese

As made by Nancy, our bookkeeper extraordinaire, who used to run a blog and has been gracious enough to share her coveted pimento cheese recipe. This spread has quickly become a store favorite!

3/4 cup mayo
8 oz. roasted red peppers in a jar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound sharp cheddar, shredded
8 oz. whipped cream cheese

In a food processor combine mayo, red peppers, cayenne and garlic powder. Pulse the cheese into the mayo mixture, approximately 10 pulses. Fold in cream cheese. Refrigerate and serve with crackers or baguette slices.


Jalapeno image from: I Breathe I’m Hungry

Kriss’s Favorite Bite:
Grilled Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

1 pkg bacon
1 jar jalapeno slices
1 container cream cheese

To make: Lay bacon out in strips. Spread cream cheese on entire strip, lay jalapeno slice on bacon and roll. You can use a toothpick to hold, but sometimes they char on the grill. Place on top rack of grill to get insides more done- some cream cheese will be lost- so put a lot in to begin with. At the end place on lower rack to get the bacon nice and crispy.

These can also be done in the oven on an aluminum lined jelly roll pan, but spray aluminum foil with non stick spray first. Pre-heat oven to 375oF. When Kriss does them in the oven, she cuts the bacon in half so the jalapenos are done all the way through. Bake for 15 minutes or until bacon is crispy. Sidenote: The smoke detector WILL inevitably go off, so be prepared with proper fanning device 😆

Stay tuned for Part 2: Sides, Mains and Dessert…COMING SOON!

 

The Lynhall

“Wisdom not silver; knowledge rather than gold”

Aside from furniture and turning houses into beautiful homes, something we are fond of is testing out the new food spots in town! Now, we aren’t trained critics here, but we like good food and praising it! Last week we had the pleasure of trying The Lynhall. Located on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis, we were excited to visit the new locale after reading the fantastic articles and wanted to show support to our fellow Design District member, Ciel Loft & Home, who furnished the interior. Our reviews are in……drumroll……we loved it!

  Upon entering the newly opened restaurant, you are immediately greeted by the friendly staff. What seemed to be a team mentality for success allowed for prompt service and inclusion in the fun, new concept.

 

Referred to as the Culinary Community, The Lynhall offers a vast assortment ranging from exceptional coffee and perfected cocktails to delectable delights. We enjoyed sweet and savory pastries and had dreams about the brioche French toast that night. The array of offerings is as fun as the decor, and all together, it made for a charming experience!

“We are a collective of passionate educators, chefs, bakers, craftspeople, storytellers and entrepreneurs. We believe in the importance of food and its power of strengthening families, friends and communities. At The Lynhall, we entertain, engage and invite people in as we celebrate taste, teaching and togetherness.”

“At The Lynhall, we continuously strive to create a space which inspires our employees, customers, and makers to gather around great food experiences.”

We are excited to have this new concept in our neighborhood and foresee more visits in the near future. Until then, a lesson to keep in mind a la The Lynhall:

Eat
Drink
Gather
Grow

P.S. You should also follow The Lynhall on Instagram, @thelynhall!

 

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This time of year can be chaotic for many. It’s nice to be reminded about our favorite things during the most stressful times.

Suzanne is loving her newlywed son and daughter in law. Spending the holidays with them has been so much fun!!

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Kersten loves enjoying sunsets on the beach with her family. Though she and her husband live in Naples, they don’t make it down to the beach nearly as much as they would like. When family comes to town this time of year, it provides the perfect reason to catch the final moments of light in the day.

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Mary enjoys the tradition of making her mom’s wild rice soup on Christmas Eve. It’s a quiet, cozy evening spent with family and a night she looks forward to each year.

Carolynn loves spending time with her friends, family and Durham, the newest four-legged addition to her family.

Lauren’s new favorite thing this year is the restaurant ie Italian Eatery. The food is spectacular and the atmosphere convivial.

Kathy’s favorite thing is ordering a complete lasagna dinner from Broder’s Cucina Italiana, on Christmas Eve, so she doesn’t have to cook (which she never does) and having all that extra time to just enjoy her family.

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Mary DJ loves going home after a long day and enjoying her decorations and the falling snow outside while sitting by the fire with a glass of wine and reading Christmas cards.

Rhonda loves her four young grandchildren at Christmas time. The joy on their faces when they open a present from grandma is enough to keep a smile on Rhonda’s face for months to come.

Nancy enjoys the thought of Christmas in Colorado with loved ones. Snow and family are all she needs during the holidays.

Lucy’s favorite thing is the Christmas lights all around town. Houses, trees, store fronts, you name it, Lucy loves it.

Glowing lights in the dark.

Happy Holidays from our family, to yours!

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Italian Eatery, ie

Our second dinner was a huge success. Italian Eatery, ie, is truly one of a kind. They have thought of everything and even offer an assortment of blankets for those who may be chilly while sitting outside on the patio. The decor was trendy, industrial and conducive to long conversation and intimate dining. While the restaurant was packed with diners, we were all able to hear one another and never felt as if the background noise was too overwhelming.

We each ordered something different and passed forks around the table, savoring every single bite. All pastas are made in house and each dish is served al dente.

To start, we shared the Pan Fried Yam Ravioli. The crispy exterior, perfectly whipped yams, saffron threads and white truffle oil were an unexpected, yet delicious, combination of ingredients.

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The Rustic Gemelli was divine. The pesto, crispy pancetta and toasted pine nuts perfectly complemented the whey & goat milk ricotta.

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The Mushroom Cappelletti was a table favorite. The mushrooms, thyme, crème fraiche and whiskey barrel-aged shoyu (soy sauce) offered a sense of umami and a unique blend of flavors.

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If you are wanting true comfort food, order the Baked Garganelli. The wild boar meatballs pair perfectly with both the fontina and taleggio cheeses.

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For all the non-pasta eaters, the Dry Rubbed Beef Short Rib is the way to go. The meat was so tender a knife was not needed. Each bite was better than the last.

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The bucatini offered a traditional Italian pasta that with more than meets the eye. The noodles were hollow in the middle like a straw. The house made fennel sausage was a pleasant surprise.

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To end our spectacular meal, we all ordered a shot of limoncello as the perfect palate cleanser. Another month of culinary exploration in the books, and already looking forward to the next.

Stay tuned to see where we go!!

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Were we right in our predictions? Fall High Point Market 2016 was a smashing hit! We definitely noticed quite a few anticipated trends, but also saw an equal number of unexpected!

Texture:
Texture was everywhere—and we mean everywhere: Rugs, pillows, throw blankets, ottomans, sofas and even  new, fun fabrics. Magnolia Home, a brand made popular via Joanna Gaines on HGTV’s Fixer Upper, expanded their line to include rugs and pillows with different knots, plushness and textures.

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Pantone Color:
The Pantone color of the year, blush, made a soft appearance. The more feminine touch provided a stark contrast to the other, more industrial trends.

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Creative Lighting:
The lighting was spectacular and made an impressive statement. The unique fixtures added a touch of elegance, while others added the perfect touch of whimsy.

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Classic Traditional:
We noticed a new use of the classic-traditional style in some of the showrooms. Rich, chocolatey leather paired perfectly with accessorized bookshelves this market. The warm colors and traditional fixtures provided a sense of comfort, yet in a more clean and tailored way.

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High Performance Fabrics (or lack thereof):
One trend we were hoping to see was use of high performance and outdoor fabrics in different applications, but we did not. In fact, these fabrics were noticeably absent in each showroom. The standard Cryptons and Sunbrellas were shown, but there weren’t nearly as many new introductions as we expected.

One of our absolute favorite parts of Market is soaking in the gorgeous florals that the vendors bring in to perfectly stage their showrooms. We are suckers for fresh blooms and we certainly got our fill this time around.

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We are so excited to share all of our market buys with you as they arrive at our showrooms. Stay up to date with us by stopping in and from home via our social media!

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