The Friday 5

The weather has been gorgeous in Baltimore this week and the weekend forecast doesn't appear to disappoint.  I made a quick trip over to Sherwood Gardens to peek at the tulips, picnic goers, and photographers alike.  For ten minutes I really felt like I was in some gorgeous European garden.  

This storyboard was put together for one of our current master bedroom projects.  Earlier this week the bedroom was painted (we used Benjamin Moore's Edgecomb Gray coupled with Gray Cashmere in the adjoining bath), the carpet installed, and this stunning (metallic) peacock print wallpaper (on a vaulted accent wall) is drying as we speak.  Their bed is being delivered on Monday,
and we can't wait to see the room finally all come together!

I spent the morning with three teenage girls (they were over-the-moon excited), prepping their wardrobe for Monday's photo shoot (a surprise birthday gift from their mother).  It is going to be so.much.fun! 

Still pondering an order of these for my outdoor patio... 

the perfect palette for today's Opening Day - Go Orioles!. 

And, I think I may make a few more of these beauties as well (idea found here)...
I am just loving the gold!

Happy EASTER and we'll see you again on Monday!

xSB

Charm City Cakes - All Grown Up!

Stephanie and Mary Alice surrounded by a few cakes
from the bakery's "Summer Collection"

Post cameras and a reality TV whirlwind, Baltimore's own Charm City Cakes has a brand new website in the works (so exciting!), a fresh coat of the most gorgeous pale blue paint (covering the walls of their Remington Avenue location), and a decidedly more sophisticated take on cakes for 2012.  We had the pleasure of sitting down with Mary Alice Yeskey (the companies marketing director) last week to discuss the direction of the business, as well as their recently unveiled "Summer Collection."  Check out our one-on-one interview and peek at a few of our favorite cakes from their beautiful new line. Brides especially, you are in for a
delicious treat!

SB:  Who do you think your target market is today?

Mary Alice:  I would say we are targeting brides, but I'm not dismissing anything else.  A lot of people were saying to us, "We didn't realize you guys were still doing cakes in Baltimore..." so Facebook, Twitter, all that stuff happened in the last two years.  During the show (Ace of Cakes) all of that stuff kind of got pushed to the side.

SB:  How does it work when a client calls in?

Mary Alice:  The nice thing is for the first time when you call you get a human being.  I think that's a basic thing that not every company knows is so important.  We then do a meeting here on a Tuesday or Wednesday.  This is because our chef bakes samples on Mondays and Tuesdays, so it helps our natural kitchen flow.  At our staff meetings on Monday mornings, we decide who's appropriate to meet with each person.  There is a $50 tasting fee which will go towards your cake if you choose to work with us.  This mostly helps us weed out no-shows.  The decorators and myself spend a good deal of time prepping and printing out inspiration photos so when we sit down you know we've been thinking of you.  It's so nice when the client can feel you really want to be there.  That way when they come in the client is excited!

SB:  We love the new paint color in the bakery... Tell us about the change.

Mary Alice:  It used to be green and blue, which it actually wound up being again, but it's so much softer now.  The old colors made the show look awesome, but we've been done with that for a year and a half.

SB:  Many of your decorators don't have baking backgrounds.  How does this affect the process?

Mary Alice:  I think the big difference with us is that our decorators aren't trained pastry chefs, they're trained artists.  I think this means they take the skills they already have and just apply them to a different medium.  For example Mary Smith is incredible at line work, so you take that and translate it into the frosting.  Obviously structure is also very important.

SB:  What do you think are some upcoming trends in wedding cakes?

Mary Alice:  In terms of color palettes, corals and grays are big and gold is coming way back for the first time in awhile.  In terms of overall design, people are really moving towards cake as a canvas and using it as a way to extend the overall theme of the event.  People also want something much more pared down, clean and simple.  Big for the sake of big is totally out.  Most people don't live that way and they want their cakes to reflect that.

SB:  What's next for Charm City Cakes?

Mary Alice:  Our designs are growing up, our style is growing up, yes we can still do Star Wars cakes, but we want people to know that we can be trendsetting.  I don't want to go looking for cake designs anymore, I want people to be looking to us.  We should be making the fashion.

SB:  You're very loyal to Baltimore, what do you think makes it such a great place to create?

Mary Alice:  I think we're all incredibly loyal to our city because it doesn't take itself too seriously.  For me personally, it's a manageable sized city.  You go out to get groceries and you're pretty much guaranteed to see someone you know.  You can really nurture relationships here over time.  We're all kind of moving and growing together, especially in the events industry...We all have each others back.

This stunner, created by designer Mary Smith, took inspiration from a cake she previously created for the
Baltimore Bride Magazine Spring/Summer 2012 photo shoot earlier this year.
Peek here and here for more on our creative collaboration!

SB:  What is Duff's role now that you have a Charm City Cakes West location in L.A.?

Mary Alice:  His job is sort of to be the face of the company and he's got so many products.  He just kind of runs around like crazy.

SB:  With the success of Charm City Cakes West, do you have any plans for future expansions?

Mary Alice:  With Duff I've learned to just never say never!

And there you have it!  A BIG thank you to Mary Alice for taking the time to chat with me (and our intern Katie from Loyola College), Duff Goldman and the entire team at Charm City Cakes for hosting such an amazing preview party last week.  We love the new line, the refreshed bakery workspace, and are already looking forward to what comes next...

Cheers your continued success here in Baltimore and beyond!

xSB and Team

Pattern, Peeps & Pedicures

Inspiration is everywhere and this week we found it in Essie's latest resort collection.  The line is filled with pretty pinks and purples (and with interiors always on our mind), we coupled these shades with fabrics that pair just perfectly!

Fabrics: Fabricadabra, Madeline Weinrib, Duralee, Madeline Weinrib

Which hue might you like to see in your Easter basket?  I'll take one of each, please!

Seeking Interns - Join Our Team!

It is that time of year again and we are pleased to put out a call for 2012 internship candidates! We are currently looking for two candidates to join our team starting in June as part-time interns. 

Suitable candidates have the following qualifications:

1) Must be currently enrolled at an accredited college or university

2) Must be a rising Junior or Senior

3) Should have a drivers license and access to a car

4) Availability for 10-15 hours per week

5) Availability on weekends

6) Access to their own computer and printer at home or school

7) Proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign a huge plus

 
The internship opportunity will be available to two candidates, who will assist Stephanie with various client events and files which include weddings, events, and interior-related projects.

Most hands on experience will come through on-site management assisting Stephanie from May to August or beyond. Those who are available to stay on for the fall semester will get first preference.  In the past we have found that students get the most out of the experience this way.  Hours are flexible, and the internships are unpaid.

Here is what some of our former interns had to say about the experience:

"Working with Stephanie Bradshaw was truly a wonderful and life changing experience.  I learned more than I ever could have in a classroom environment with the best teacher I have ever had.  Stephanie has such a keen eye for design and the ability to translate personal style into just about anything and her passion is reflected in everything she does.  She has continued to be an incredible mentor and taught me so much about not only the design world, but life itself that will continue to guide me in my future endeavors.  I couldn't be more thankful to have had the opportunity to work for Stephanie Bradshaw." 

~ Ashley Santana, Towson University

"Working for Stephanie was an invaluable experience that I wouldn't trade for anything."

~ Kelsey Reck, University of Maryland, College Park

"Working for Stephanie Bradshaw has been one of the best learning experiences I've ever had.  Anyone who's interested in events or interiors will get a crash course in both of these creative fields.  Stephanie really puts in the time to make sure you are getting what you want out of the internship.  This has allowed me to explore new areas and guided me in my future career choices." 

~ Katie Navarro, Loyola College

If interested in the opportunity, please ensure you meet ALL the requirements listed above, and send a resume and cover letter to SB@stephanie-bradshaw.com by April 15, 2012.

Only those candidates being considered will be contacted for an interview.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Stephanie & Team

Nature Inspired Modern Spaces

Happy Monday and a warm welcome to Joanna, a writer for Design Shuffle, a premier online portal for interior designers to share their work and for design enthusiasts to enjoy. Take it away, Joanna...

Luckily, I spend my days writing about and collecting images of the most beautiful interiors to share with blog readers like you. Thanks to Stephanie Bradshaw for letting me share a few of my favorite "nature inspired modern spaces". I hope they inspire some interior design ideas of your own!

With a reputation for being cold and severe, modern decor has gotten a bad rap. The following rooms show how bringing natural elements indoors can make any space welcoming and warm. With earthy colors, layered textures and warm surfaces, these rooms invite you to have a seat and stay awhile.

Talk about bringing the outdoors inside; this living room features an enormous forest mural. The solid mossy green sofa and Flokati rug add to the nature inspired feel.

Love, love, love the tree print on the bedding! The black and white contrast plays nicely off the natural wood tones. The three little birdies are too cute.

The living room design ideas are abundant in this inspiration. The pink tree art creates an unexpected focal point in this natural hued living room. Layers of texture (grass cloth on walls, linen covered sofas, wicker accents, smooth wood floors) add interest to the room's subdued colors.

A beach house opens its windows wide to the beauty of the outdoors. No matter whether it is cold and wintery or warm and summery, the owners are sure to enjoy the view.

Crisp white and chocolate brown create a natural color palette for this room's star attraction; the outdoor view. The room is so open above the work areas that I wouldn't even mind doing the dishes in this space.

I've run across this dining room light fixture before, but really like it in this space.

Looking for nature-inspired bathroom designs? Warm honey wood floors give this spa-like space a nice foundation for all of its natural surfaces from the stone soaking tub to the vessel sink.

This stunning lodge style is an updated modern version of rustic woodsy dÈcor. The dining chairs with their curvy backs are a particular favorite.  Earth tones give this modern living space a relaxed feel. The color palette reminds me of a crisp fall day walking through fallen leaves. Does it give you any nature inspired decorating ideas?

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