WEDDING BELLS

I’ve been a bit absent from this column lately, but I think I have a pretty good excuse: I got married! It’s already been three weeks since my September 19 wedding, but I’m still reflecting on the magic of the day. My fiancé, well husband now (I can’t get used to saying it!), and I were joined by our close friends and family on the most beautiful sunny September afternoon at the Admiral’s House on Magnolia.

Photo by Carina Skrobecki

After we said, ‘I do,’ we treated guests to an oyster bar, dinner from John Howie (a favorite family dinner spot), two tiramisu towers, and a photobooth from local favorite, Hello There You. We know it was a good party because the dance floor was packed until the very last song. It was the best day of my life, and you may hear more from me about it in the future, but for now, even though we had the most amazing planner, Alyssa Estrada, I’m very glad to be done making wedding-related decisions. 

Photo by Anton Benedikt

HAVE A SEAT

Last month, Whitney Emiko Maehara and James Kin-Ling Fung, the designers behind legacy interiors firm NB Design Group, launched their Emiko James furniture line. On a beautiful downtown rooftop, they debuted a meticulously crafted capsule collection that has seven made-to-order, customizable pieces, including sleek stools, tables, consoles with geometric details and a mixed-materiality appeal that taps into Northwest design sensibilities. Two of the pieces—the Parker daybed and Theo coffee table—debuted last spring, and the entire collection is now available. Emiko James manufactures its furniture in the United States, in a shop just outside of Seattle.

Photo by James Holt / The Seattle Symphony

STRIKING THE RIGHT NOTE

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a Seattle Symphony show and attend an event to celebrate the reopening of Benaroya Hall, which recently underwent a $20 million renovation. The project was the venue’s first revamp since its opening in 1998, and it was completed in just six weeks during the summer. Led by architecture firm Mithun, the renovation of public spaces includes a welcome desk, an expanded seating area and café in the street-level gallery (meant for Benaroya Hall patrons and the public), a new community room, new finishes and updated bars at the Grand Lobby and Recital Hall Lobby, as well as a new Overlook Lounge and West Bar on the promenade level. The refresh feels elevated and inviting, with jewel tones, velvet finishes, and brass touches. I can picture wanting to grab a post-show drink at the venue rather than rushing out after the show. 

Courtesy of Pulp Design Studios

EYE CANDY

I’ve known Beth Dotolo and Carolina V. Gentry—the interior designers and co-founders behind Dallas- and Seattle-based firm Pulp Design Studios—for a long time. I’ve written about their work over the years, mostly for GRAY magazine, the design publication I worked at for a decade after graduating from college. I’ve always loved the firm’s work: it felt bold, elevated, and fun. A little feminine—they embrace florals, wallpaper, fringe, pink ceilings(!)—but in a balanced, considered way. Recently, the studio released its first monograph, Fearless Design: Interiors from Pulp Design Studios (Gibbs Smith), a portfolio of work that spans years, styles, and regions. “Design should feel personal and fearless,” says Beth Dotolo, co-founder and principal of Pulp Design Studios. “The homes in this book represent clients who trusted us to push beyond the expected and create spaces that truly reflect their personalities.” Trust me, it’s a page-turner.