Are you ready as we are?

With only a couple of hours before Sandy meets the mean streets of NYC, we thought we’d give you a peak as to what we’ve pulled together for DOPE Home headquarters:

The essentials

No kit would be without a stocked first aide kit equipped with rope and jumper cables perfect for on the go.  In case of loss of power, a flashlight, candles, lighter, and fully charged entertainment essentials such as iPad and iPhone are a must!  We’ve also included several magazines for anything to keep your interest in case you need a back-up plan.  This is a perfect opportunity to peruse our Stephen Sprouse book, an easy time killer flipping through this great coffee table find!

Although bottles of water are very important, we believe a good bottle of vodka couldn’t hurt.  Don’t worry, our fridge always has OJ on hand, so this was a no-brainer.  This also helps heal any case of cabin fever, so now its even more important!

With the must haves taken care of, we thought we would also include some of our favorites to complete our DOPE kit for any potential cabin fever issues that may arise.   Who wouldn’t want to be as comfortable as possible with their favorite hoody and a couple of their favorite DVD’s.  We thought it couldn’t hurt to have a little True Blood viewing party and our favorite Joan Crawford flick.  The goldfish are a great snack and can be substituted with your own favorite, but who doesn’t love them?

Hope everyone out there is being safe and given some thought to staying DOPE and being prepared! We look forward to hearing what you’ve included in your own kit.  Leave your comments or posts!!

New York Tabletop Show

Fall is here!  With that comes every industry’s biannual presentation of their collection’s for the season.  The same holds true in tabletop as it is in fashion.  It has been super crazy!  One half of us has gone south of the border for a quick inspiration trip, while the other has stayed to take part at this season’s New York Tabletop show.  We love to be on the cusp of the most DOPE tabletop trends to keep our readers on top of what to be looking out for and also believe in the mantra “sharing is caring.”

This is an exciting time because it comes at the tail end of Fashion Week which keeps the city abuzz for weeks!  We were making our way around to different showrooms then landed at Mikasa in the iconic New York Life Building.  Here you can view their latest trends in home tabletop and get a sneak peak as to what you might see at your next dinner party.

As your first walk in, you immediately are greeted by towers of shiny new product, and surrounded by a slew of props taking me to a very 1920’s old New York feel.  Everything was clean white china with the most intricate platinum and silver details.  From filigree scroll to simple clean bands, the dinnerware was simply elegant.  Gandering over to my right there was the dinnerware classic, Italian Countryside, which reached its 20th anniversary.  This pattern has become a staple in the American home and is often seen on any wedding registry today.  The collection is a traditional bone china pattern with a simple decorative scroll that shows up in the coolest places throughout the collection.   This pattern comes in several different accent choices that you can mix-and-match and is also available in stemware and crystal giftware.

Driving down the main aisle is formal dinnerware.  This showcases mostly porcelain and bone china with simple yet elegant details of platinum, embossed black, and gold . . . enough to make any bride jump up and down.  The showroom is beautifully done.  There are mannequins dressed to the nines standing on pedestals covered in images of old New York.

Another aspect of the show is the “flower market.”  Floral prints and patterns were a huge trend this season.  Over 50 different flower patterns are featured here.  From modern flower monochromatic prints to the classic “english tea”  version, one could easily find a pattern to fit their taste level.

Visiting the showroom really left us thinking. . . Dressing your table is very similar to styling your own wearable look.  There are tons of accessory options, patterns, and materials that go into creating the desired layout.  While not only eye-catching, this space really showcases all the pieces that can really make your table speak to your own personal style.  Whether your more of the Italian Countryside traditional type, or have a flair for bold patterns of florals or color, one is sure to find it here.  You may not be the head stemware buyer for Macy’s, or the dinnerware pattern selector for Crate and Barrel, visiting the Mikasa showroom sure makes you feel like you are.  Stay Dope!

The Modern Dining Room: Reveal!

Ok ok!  It is finally here.  I know you all have anxiously been awaiting the finished space.  After removing the tape and beginning to work on other elements of the space, we ran into some electrical issues.  So, after diligently harassing our building’s electrician, our issues were resolved and we could continue.

Now that the space has been painted, we returned the dining table and the beautiful calf haired rug.  Adding a wine tower helped to create our space’s entertaining needs and also a space saver!  Drawing your eye up, we added some wall art which we felt really complimented the other pattern.  Our lighting was a custom installation.  We used silver branches and a vintage clear bulb, attached to the existing pendant light.

I am sure you all love the space as much as we do.  The space really feels “defined” and elevated to the level we hoped for.   We look forward to your comments, keep them coming!!!

Finished!!