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Styling Your Space with Alexander Merchant

Friday, April 9th, 2010


If you want to make your house a home, or an office space more comfortable check out Alexander Merchant. This Austin-based architectural products and service company focuses on residential hardware and decorative lighting. With their expertise and knowledge owners Laurie Merchant and Susan Alexander can help you transform your space.  If you are remodeling or building a home their business and staff can help with selections, technical information, and execution.

How would you describe your business in 3 adjectives or less?
Knowledgeable, Creative, Currant

What are your most popular products or services?
Sun Valley Bronze, FSB Hardware, Vibia Lighting, Hardware Renaissance, Visual Comfort Lighting

People may be surprised to know…
Business owners, Laure Merchant and Susan Alexander, met at McCallum High School here in Austin when they were both 14 years old.

What was the inspiration or motivation behind starting your business?
Susan and Laurie owned a furniture refinishing business in 1997 and during that time they sold reproduction furniture hardware.  As a supplement to the furniture hardware, they started selling more antique door hardware, which segued into new hardware.  Since there are so many wonderful hardware and lighting manufacturers they decided to focus on representing manufacturers of new hardware.  Their business now focused exclusively on new hardware manufacturers and designers.

Who is your role model or mentor?
Susan:  My mom. She taught me to not back down from obstacles and to not be afraid to try.

What mistake have you made in your business that you will not repeat?
Laurie: Working to hard at the expense of a personal life, letting my business consume my life.
Susan: Ignoring my intuition regarding decisions.

How do you spend your free time?
Laurie: I spend time with my two children and my husband
Susan: I practice Tai Chi and always seem to find home improvement projects that keep me busy.

What is your indulgence?
No question there-chocolate

Where is your favorite place to go with your girlfriends?
Laurie: Vino Vino
Susan: Any good restaurant

Where is the best place to get a pedicure?
Laurie: G31 Nails on Guadalupe-no fuss
Susan: Polish on South 1st- nice atmosphere

Where is the best place to get a manicure?
Susan: Again- Polish

Where is the best place to find gifts?
Laurie: Toy Joy-since I mostly buy kids toys!
Susan: Love- unique and local.

What is your favorite salon?
Laurie: INNU, great trained staff with a focus on community
Susan: The whole works: a glass of wine and a hand massage, not to mention a great hair cut.

Where is the best place to buy shoes?
Laurie: Nordstroms

Where is the best place to buy clothes?
Laurie: Last Call

Who is the best local designer or artist?
Laurie: Steve Brudniak is a local artist I have always admired

What is the best gym or fitness club?
Laurie: YMCA
Susan: Austin Fitness Martial Arts- Allows for great cross training from Tai Chi to Kickboxing

Peek into the CRAVE Closet

Thursday, February 25th, 2010

Our very own Melody Biringer had her closet raided! MyCloset.com, a website dedicated to airing people’s dirty laundry (literally), recently featured the CRAVEcompany founder in its scintillating Celebrity Closets installment. Among the hangers and hampers, a myriad of wardrobe gems were unearthed from all over the world. Woolen leg-warmers from Amsterdam, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots from Seattle, a bold purple dress from Vancouver, BC… how can that much cuteness exist in one closet? Lucky for us, Melody divulged a few of her shopping secrets and we can all check out her fashion favorites for ourselves. Below check out some of her most-cherished boutiques.

Moscow (moscowdesign.nl)
Runstraat 8, 1111 AA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Horseshoe (horseshoeseattle.com)
5344 Ballard Avenue Northwest Seattle, WA 98107

Lambs Ear (lambsearshoes.com)
3516 Fremont Place No.inesgloves.com Seattle, WA 98103

Ines Gloves (inesgloves.com)
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 132 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands

JC Studio (jcstudio.ca)
46 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K1

sonja | clothes to live in (sonjatacoma.com)
2701 N 21st St, Tacoma, WA 98406

Switch Shoes (switch-shoes.com)
7871 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219

For a truly in depth look into the world of women-owned boutiques, check out the CRAVEguide for a city near you. These books are brimming with local women you need to know, whether you want to satisfy a craving for your closet, appetite, business, or piece of mind.

Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors

Monday, February 22nd, 2010


When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passé and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.

Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.

Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.

Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!

The Paris Haute Couture Shows

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

The Paris Haute Couture fashion shows are unlike any other fashion experience you have ever had, seen or heard of. True to what couture is, this kind of fashion is definitely one-of-a-kind. Showcasing their spring and summer couture collections, the French designers filled the runways with whimsical, wonderful and weird creations this season. There was bizarre head-wear at Jean Paul Gaultier (shocking, right?), Lady-Gaga-inspired hairdo’s at Chanel, and clothes with a strong space-age feel at Armani Prive.

Like Hilary Alexander, fashion director of The Daily Telegraph in London, says, the couture shows are a “laboratory of dreams”. Made to fit exactly to the wearers specifications, these one-off creations aren’t something you will see another girl at the club wearing – they are far from anything worn in everyday life. True haute couture is art. Its the kind of clothing that makes for a lush, other-worldly Vogue fashion spread. Its usually impractical and at prices that rival a small house or car, its the best kind of fashion fantasy.

This season, Chanel seemed to be channeling the great Lady Gaga with hairdo’s resembling giant bows or ears, but their colorful collection had us drooling from start to finish. Actually, it seemed like everyone was feeling the Lady Gaga vibe on the catwalks this season. The Jean Paul Gaultier headpieces looked like something we might see Ms. Gaga sporting at the next awards show, and a balloon bubble dress from Armani Prive looked like something she might rock down a red carpet any day now. If not Lady Gaga, then the architectural, space-agey dresses from Armani would definitely look fabulous on any future astronaut/fashionista. Finally, the pieces at Stephane Rolland were escapism and futuristic fashion-as-artwork at its best with laser cut Plexiglass forming coils and crenelations on shoulders and pockets.

Across the board, this year’s couture shows were all about pastel colors and Lady Gaga-inspired style. Haute couture may not be made for a trip to the grocery store, or even your next birthday party, but the shows are spectacular and the pieces are a work of art in themselves. Vive la Haute Couture!

* Written by Ashley Breckel

Austin’s Best of Resort Wear

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

If the glum January weather is dragging you down a little too much, maybe it’s time to get away and bring a little more summer into your life. Did you know that winter is actually the best time of year to go on a cruise because you are more likely to get incredible deals and save loads of money while still escaping to somewhere with plenty of warm weather and sunshine? Now’s the time. If you need some summer clothes and accessories to go with that lovely cruise, check out these stores.

Adelante – 1206 West 38th St – adelanteaustin.com – 512.452.5322

The store’s look is inspired by the owner’s love of anything vintage. She loves to scour the country from coast to coast, handpicking the many varied, colorful styles that hang on their racks. She draws not only from different regional influences, but finds inspiration from across the decades. They carry hundreds of fashions, often vintage-inspired but always with a distinctly modern twist.

Although they offer a lot of wonderful art, furniture and home décor, the things that caught my eye were the bright and colorful hobo bags and summer clogs. Theses items look perfect for a cruise getaway, and you’re sure to enjoy what the rest of the store has to offer as well.

Girl Next Door - 250 West 2nd St – Girlnd.com – 512.322.0501

The same store we featured last week for evening wear is also a great place to find cute summer tops and sundresses. They have the clothes you crave from the hottest designers on the market. They seek out the best of New York and Los Angeles’ fashion scenes and bring it to you. Their store also carries some locally-designed products like the casual and active wear by Erebelle.

If you scroll through their vast list of designers you’ll see a few that stand out for cruise wear. Ella Moss and Geren Ford both have a lot of cute tops that are light and bright and Mara Hoffman has some adorable beach dresses, a sleeveless jumper and even a kimono dress. These three designers are just the tip of the iceberg. Come check out all that Girl Next Door has to offer.

Maya Star – 1508 South Congress – mayastar.com – 512.912.1475

Maya Star showcases a diverse collection of clothing options with a focus on dresses for every occasion. The owner, Maya Krauss’ taste relates to a number of different styles from classic to trendy and the clothing represents this with options for every age, shape, and budget. Today, Maya Star has gained a reputation as one of the top boutiques in Austin and the go-to destination for distinctive clothing, gifts, and jewelry.

There are plenty of perfect dresses at Maya Star to wear either on a casual morning on deck or a glammed up night on the town when the ship is docked on a tropical island. Combining chic style with casual comfort seems to be what Maya Star does best as far as dresses are concerned.

Now you know where to go to prepare yourself, book that ticket already!

We CRAVE Couture

Friday, January 22nd, 2010

Do you have post-Golden Globe depression because your closet is missing that incredible dress your favorite star walked down the red carpet in? Or do you just wish you could show up to a party with the kind of couture that will undoubtedly turn heads? We’ve gathered a couple of suggestions for where you can shop in Austin to find that perfect unstoppable outfit and the right accessories to compliment it.

Estilo – 234 West 2nd St – (estiloaustin.com) – 512.653.4438

Estilo is Austin’s newest concept for women’s and men’s contemporary clothing. Here, fashion meets art. A clothing gallery, Estilo showcases everything from denim to cocktail dresses for women. The store also features artwork from local artists. With friendly and energetic style consultants, Estilo always has your style solution. Estilo has a three compliment guarantee on anything you purchase.

Girl Next Door – 250 West 2nd St – (Girlnd.com) – 512.322.0501

They have the clothes you crave from the hottest designers on the market. They seek out the best of New York and Los Angeles’ fashion scenes and bring it to you. Their store also carries some locally-designed products like the casual and active wear by Erebelle. Each item is something special, whether it’s wardrobe staples like tops from Vince Clothing and Ya-Ya, the designer denim you just have to have, ingwa; melero’s sultry tops and dresses for evening, or a uniquely-dyed silk dress from Lotta Stensson for a more elegant occasion. The richest colors, best fit and most luxurious fabrics are what you’ll find in their clothing. Austin shopping hasn’t been the same since their store opened in 2004, and now you can have the hottest designer women’s clothing no matter where you live!

Shiki – 225 West 2nd St – (Shopshiki.com) – 512.391.0123

Shiki (Japanese for four seasons) has distinguished itself as the source for distinctively unique fashion from rising names in the industry. Since its opening in 1998, Shiki has become an Austin destination for current and contemporary, yet still laid-back, fashion… echoing the style of the city itself. The beautiful jewelry and accessories, plus an incredibly friendly sales staff, complete the warm, welcoming shopping experience. Owner Jane Vanisko McCan works hard to make sure the selection is well-edited and reasonably priced, while still maintaining a high quality level and design aesthetic. The mix of designers is always evolving, as is the website selection. Whether its a brand carried for 10 years, or an up and coming emerging talent, they always strive to bring you a hand-picked selection of the lines we love to wear.

Sikara & Company – 706 Rio Grande – (sikarajewelry.com) – 512.565.9504

Sikara & Co is modern fusion jewelry that reflects owner Mousumi Shaw’s life as an Indian-American and her global travels to more than 30 countries. With an international design team, Sikara &Co has latin, Asian, European and Middle Eastern-inspired collections. The hand-crafted line of sterling silver with semi-precious stones, is sold in more than 200 stores across the United States.

Touch of Sass – 500 North Lamar, Suite 170 – (touchofsass.net)- 512.478.7277

Touch of Sass is a fabulous spot to find unique accessories that are sure to turn heads. Creator Currie Bucher has this to say about it: “Accessories are truly my passion. And I believe every lady should follow her passion because where passion is, success will be also. So in October 2004, Touch of Sass was born. A lot of people ask me where I got the name. Although there were several inspirations, I just feel that the name is what this company is all about. . . adding a ‘Touch of Sass’ to your already fabulous look. It’s about helping you find accessories that highlight your own unique style, beauty and individuality. I believe every woman has her own ‘sass appeal’ and we have something for everyone. After all, we are equal parts chic, grace, cool, glam, whimsy, fun, sophistication, and elegance. And above all, we are sassy.”

I hope this helps you find your long lost personality statement. After all, you don’t need an occasion to be the best (and certainly most shiny) version of yourself.