An eclectic design style incorporates many different styles, eras, regions – think of it as the “kitchen sink” of design styles. What’s beautiful about an eclectic style is that when it’s done right, it can be either incredibly elegant or playful. It’s all about balance, color, texture and mixing the correct proportion of all of these in the same room. We were approached by a client who wanted to create a truly eclectic style in her...

My wife, Julie (for those of you who don’t know her), recently made a trip to Timberline Lodge. I just happened to be at Highpoint International Furniture Market at the time – so how very fitting. Timberline is a national monument built in the 1930s as part of the effort to put Americans back to work after the Great Depression. The lodge is located about 60 miles from Portland, Oregon on the picturesque Mt. Hood. This blog entry is...

The team at JBi is constantly on the lookout for inspiration all around us. We might find it in fashion, graphic design, commercial spaces, from other interior designers (which I bet few designers would actually admit to), nature, the city scape around us, etc. During my recent trip to Highpoint, NC, I had the pleasure of walking the Biltmore Estate home and grounds. When I travel, I love to do a study of some type. I try to look at a place or...

During my recent trip to Highpoint, NC for the International Furniture Market, it was recommended that I also visit the Phoebe Howard (aka Mrs. Howard or Max & Co.) showroom in Charlotte. Furniture stores and showrooms from all over the country send their merchandisers to see a Phoebe Howard creation to learn how it should really be done. However, there is nothing like seeing the beautiful interior design of the original. A designer friend...