Two Warehouses FULL of Asian Treasures in High Point AND…

….easily accessible by the Go Anywhere bus during Market, AND available ALL YEAR, by appointment,  for To The Trade Customers!

There’s alot of buzz going on about the revitalization of High Point and how it can, and should, be so much more than home to the twice annual Furniture Market.  I have been a believer of  this for years, in particular at the level of being a destination point for designers to shop between markets in addition to during markets. High Point Design Center, a group I joined in 2008, has this at the core of it’s mission, and I deeply respect all that they have done and continue to do to support this.  Yes, it is by working together that we can make  this a reality, and I love the collaborative Spirit amongst the showroom members that emulate this.  However, there are many businesses in High Point, available to do business year round, that you might not know about.  Some “secrets” in High Point that shouldn’t be a secret if you will.

With this in mind I am excited to introduce to you, a neighbor of mine, that I have  only recently been made of aware of, that , like me, has turned their warehouse into their showroom.  If I didn’t know about them, and they are only 1 mile from me, I am guessing you don’t know about them either, and thus this introduction is my Gift to you, because you’re going to love what they have.

C & S Acosta, in business since 1985, like Antiques by Zaar, in business since 1999, is a family business, and have been showing in High Point for over a decade.  And like Antiques by Zaar, their focus is on Asian product.

In their words…

“We are probably best known for our beautiful selection of blue and white hand-painted porcelain and antique reproductions of bronze sculptures imported from Thailand. However, over the years, our collection has expanded to include accent furniture, wooden handicrafts and magnificent mirrors that are made in other regions and exotic islands of Southeast Asia.”

Get a sneak peak of their fabulous warehouse/showroom here. Product is not only exquisite but well priced.

If you have a need for beautiful Asian furniture or porcelain, you do need to check out the both of us.

Antiques by Zaar, is at ZAAR Design Center, at 741 West Ward (A on map).

NOTE: Although address is West Ward, the entrance is on Green. Look for the bright yellow flags. C& S Acosta (B on map)  is but a mile from us. Continue down West Green (left  hand turn), turn right onto West Market Drive  and turn right when you see Trucking company  sign. They are located in building behind that business.

Know that ZAAR will have a smattering of C & S Acosta’s merchandise displayed at ZAAR , just to give you a taste of the fine craftsmanship of their product.

ZAAR is open 9;00- 5:00 from Saturday April 18th, through to Thursday April 23th, hosting a lunch n learn with Deb Barrett on Sunday April 19th, starting at 12:00 CEU Credit course….and although not required, RSVP appreciated.

Look forward to seeing you.

Ruth

 

I “Heart” the Happy Color Red

15 years ago, when setting up the template for the Antiques by Zaar website, it was a no brainer that red, such an important color in the Chinese culture, would be integral in the presentation of my company.

And as I am integral to this company, it became natural for me to bring red into my wardrobe/accessories more than I might have otherwise….and even going to the point of  buying a red car! It just seemed to make sense.

 

As years have gone by red has definitely evolved to be not only a color I identified with because of my business, but has become one of my favorite colors, as I feel it quite simply, as I’ve stated in the subject line….that it is a Happy Color.

I feel good wearing red.  I love red accents in my home…be it on my Libby Langdon sectional sofa, shown here with my family over Christmas Holiday, or the red painted on my bedroom walls.

 

And now I’ve determined it to be the signature color for all my mailings. Whether it is a catalogue, leather samples, or thank you card, it will come to you in a red envelope. I know a red envelope would stand out in my mailbox from all other incoming mail and I like the idea of the attention I anticipate it drawing when the recipient of my mailings opens their box.  No, never any bad news in a red envelope from yours truly.

 

I am not alone in my love of the color red, as is evident by the customers that have purchased  red pieces and used in a myriad of decorating schemes….

….as Anthony Michael Interior Design did with a Chinese Antique daybed…

 

….or Designer Cynthia Mason accented an entryway in a clients home…

 

…or how my customers, who worked independent of a designer, found a home for a spot of red themselves….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…and even used a red velvet chesterfield sofa stage center.

No, I am far from alone in my love of the color red and enjoy seeing the bold, and even the subtle, ways red is being incorporated into the homes of my customers, infuses me and just makes me feel…well, happy.

 

 And on that note, I sign off…until next time/hoping you had a good Valentine’s Day weekend.

Ruth

P.S. Should you want to share how you use red in your decorating, I would love to see and share.

 

 

A Touch of Chinese @ the Hampton Designer Show House….

…and in yours?

No surprise that my own home, as written in a recent blog, Chinese Country Antiques in my Maine Country Home, Chinese Antiques are prevalent…due in part to our near decade living in Asia and further encouraged by my love for the genre of furniture I’ve been selling for the last 12 years….and, per the prevalence of Chinese Antiques in Show Houses, shelter magazines, and the portfolios of more than just a handful of designers,  many who I proudly can call my customers, Meg Braff’s work shown on left here. I feel secure in the future of my business…ie, it is not a passing trend. A touch of Chinese works just as well with modern as it does with traditional, or, of course, stands well enough on it’s own.

And below a few examples of that “touch” as seen in the rooms at the Hampton show house.

It was Kat Burki‘s usage of two non matching consoles, purchased from yours truly, that admittedly first drew me to visit the Hampton Designer Showhouse in 2009. So elegantly presented in this powder room, wouldn’t you agree?

That same year Carole Reed used a red lacquer console/desk in the library.

Last year Tilton Fenwick added an accent by way of over sized Chinese porcelain stools.

And this year would be no different with the sitting room as appointed by Old Town Crossing, who used a black lacquer console table and complementary kang coffee table.

I would LOVE to see how you have put a touch of Asian , or more, in YOUR home….and would love to share such. And if inclined to include a quip about what you love about your Chinese infusion, or how you came to love Chinese antiques, please include.

Ruth

P.S. See how some of my Antiques by Zaar customers have  placed thier Asian infusion in their homes, as they have shared and allowed me to post in my Home Gallery.

ALSO, the Hampton Show House is still open until September 2, if you are inclined to take a visit.

 

Antiques by Zaar with C.R. Laine…

….for the 2011 Fall Market in IHFC, Interhall IH 404!

So excited about the invitation by C.R. Laine for Antiques by Zaar to serve as one of their “trade partners” . Look forward to seeing/feeling the merging of beautiful product lines, the synergy of impassioned sales people presenting their respective lines, the embracing of past customers/friends  and the thrill of making new connections.

Sharing some photos….

BEFORE the “magic” is done, this is some of what is being worked with… and yes, you can count on seeing how it all comes together to present next week…for “the next 6 days that matter“.

 

Shane’s Collection Showcases Chinese Antiques….

….from none other than Antiques by Zaar!

So thrilled for the collaboration with Shane Phillips, in his retail store so aptly named “Shane’s Collection”, which is just that…. a great collection of  furniture and accessories  as selected and displayed so eloquently by Shane himself. Truly, the man is passionate about what he does and you can feel it from the way he creates his window displays, which simply draw you in….such as the black and white themed vignette he did for his grand opening earlier this summer…and which I just have to share here.

Conveniently located on the corner of Main and Kivett in High Point, NC,  he is open 6 days a week, servicing both retail and designer customers.

Yes,  he would specifically would like the Designer community to know that he is there to welcome you each and every Designer Wednesday, and will also be open throughout the duration of Market, welcoming your business.

NOTE: Antiques by Zaar Showroom at 1500 West Green Drive will unfortunately NOT be open for Designer Appreciation Day, Wed Sept 14th….

Please visit our retail venue @ the corner of Main and Kivett, at Shane’s Collection…..where you will be sure to find  something to suit your tasteful palette and your pocket book….and enjoy meeting Shane while you’re at it. He’s not only a talented designer with a discerning eye, he is just a really nice guy!

The store truly is a must see, and I hope these couple of photos serve as a teaser to have you stop by, for I promise you, you will be delighted.

For more information on Shane’s Collection, contact the man himself at 336 991 0867.

Ruth

 

Chinese Antiques: Shopping Online/Viewing High Point, NC/a customer testimonial

The business model for Antiques by Zaar was built around the notion that people were drawn to do their shopping  online…yes, even for Chinese Antique Furniture. That was in 2000 and happy to say we called it right.  For the  past 11 years we have continued on in this vein, using our website to serve as our only storefront, building  relationships/our business, creating a niche market for our competitively  priced line of quality Chinese Antiques.  Thank you to ALL of you that have taken the plunge and shopped with us online!!!!

Ruth & Jeff after a day of sorting out the warehouse in readiness for Market.

However, even when we had our warehouse in Maine, we always welcomed the customer that desired to come and see for themselves, what was represented online. And the same remains true with our warehouse now located in High Point NC. Yes, with the assistance of my sales associate Jeff Moore, who is based in Greensboro, we are able to entertain appointments for those that still like to “touch and feel” before they purchase.

Babette Glauner of Pinehurst NC, was just one of those that fell in this category. She writes…

“I  found Antiques by Zaar on the internet while searching for Chinese antiques.  Former expat experience, Golden Retriever puppies and obviously family-oriented people...looks like she read our story…. all drew me to the website as well as the wonderful assortment of furniture and Asian accents.  When my husband gave the go-ahead to look for a few new pieces to furnish our retirement home I remembered Ruth in High Point, 1 1/2 hours away.

The piece Babette spotted online was indeed perfect for her, as shown here in her home.

The antiquesbyzaar website is well-organized and depicts the offerings very well, but as long as I was close by, I contacted Ruth to see if I could see my possible choices in person.  She was warm from the start, very accommodating and arranged a time to meet at the warehouse, now the Design Center.  What a treasure trove it is!  It was hard not to want to toss out everything I had and start anew right there!  But sense prevailed and in no time Ruth and I were chatting like old friends and I had selected the piece I had come for plus another whose possibilities jumped out at me once I saw it.  Jeff Moore, Ruth’s cohort, also was very helpful, never pressuring but guiding me to all of the variations of whatever I expressed an interest in.  It’s easy to see that both women really know and enjoy their merchandise.”

Thank you Babette, for this wonderful testimonial. It was a delight to meet you as well, and enjoy staying in touch with you by way of email/newsletters, and the such.

For those that may be interested in visiting our warehouse, please just let me know and we’ll make the arrangements.

ANNOUNCEMENT: We are moving next month, even closer to the heart of High Point…for those of you familiar with High Point, it is in the old Drexel Heritage Factory, which is at 741 West Ward. So very excited!

P.S. I also wrote a blog on Babette’s decorating mantra Eclectic= Interesting: Chinese, American and French Antiques….

 

Peace & Tranquility/Beauty & Simplicity: Asian infusion in a Long Island Home

….and, the story of a  happy Antiques by Zaar customer/friend .

Katherine Kovins found Antiques by Zaar online in 2006, as she and her husband, Thom Janusz, were working  on furnishing their new Long Island home.  Wanting a Chinese sideboard, to serve as a bureau in their bedroom, was the initial impetus to shop my site.

...looking great in the, main floor, dining room.

She honed in on a beautiful, rich wood toned sideboard which she knew to be perfect in all ways for her boudoir, less the fact that this beauty, gloriously long at 100″, would not manage its way up the stairwell…no way, no how.  Katherine found a solution to her problem…. she would make a place for this piece on the main floor of her new home, in her dining room, and buy a 2nd sideboard to serve her purposes in her 2nd floor bedroom….which worked beautifully, per photos shown here.

...and Katherine looking perfect beside the sideboard that did make it up the stairs to their boudoir.

Katherine continued shopping for accent pieces from Antiques by Zaar, such as the mirror shown here,  to complement the many other Asian pieces of furniture and artifacts that she and her husband had already gathered over the years.

This past February I so very much enjoyed the tour of their home, see some pix here….I simply didn’t take enough photos..think I was in such a state of “awe”   graced as it was, with a delightful infusion of Asian furniture and artifacts throughout…beautifully placed to maximize vantage points. It truly was akin to walking through a museum, and I, the lucky gal that was given a personalized tour by the impassioned purveyors of fine treasure after fine treasure.

In Katherine’s words…”You can say that my husband and I have always loved the Asian decor as it lends peace and tranquillity to the home. We love the beauty and simplicity of Asian art and antiques.”

Thom, a renowned sculptor, showcases Asian sculptures, admist his own creative works...each complementing the other.

Couldn't resist having my pic taken in the elevator, which yes, is accented with Asian themed wallpaper.

Following this delightful visit of their home, which they have obviously poured themselves into, we continued our chat fest at the lovely Mill Pond House in Centerport, NY….where I learned more about the colorful and acclaimed backgrounds of my customers come friends….and left feeling fully infused with a heavy dose of ” peace and tranquility”, wending my way back to Great Neck, smiling from the inside out.

Thank you, Katherine and Thom, for coming into my world, by way of sharing a warmth and love for Asian antiques/artifacts. Thank you for sharing your home and your selves…and treating me to a sumptuous lunch, on that glorious February afternoon.  Thank you for giving me something so great to share with my world.

Ruth

 

The World’s Largest Chest of Drawers: Housing Chinese Antiques for Market!

….of course this would be  in the epicenter of High Point North Carolina, the furniture capital of the world, and Antiques by Zaar is excited to be showcasing product from this infamous landmark during the upcoming Spring High Point Market…..with balance of collection available to view at the ZAAR Design Center @ 220 Feld Ave.

Talk about a drawing card eh? Gotta say I love it. Centrally located at 508 Hamilton, this 38′ tall historical structure was built in the 1920’s and served as the towns bureau of information. …and has been listed on the map for NC attractions for decades…per below vintage postcard.

Currently owned by my friend Pamela Stern, she and I mutually felt that placing and selling the Chinese antiques in the Worlds Largest Chest of Drawers was just what needed to be done for this Spring’s Market….breathing new life into this iconic structure.

Pamela, well familiar with Chinese Antiques, and is just about as passionate about them as I am, will be serving as the Antiques by Zaar sales rep during Market….and also serve to answer all your questions about her historical piece of real estate.

So, if you’re going to be in High Point next month, be sure to check out how great American history and Chinese history complement each other in this setting….yes, possibly representative of the changing face of High Point?

I.E. Have you heard about not one, but two Antique Centers, opening up for Market? One in Suites at Market Square and the 2nd on Russell Ave????

 Will be open 9:00-5:00 from April 1-7, as will ZAAR Design Center.

Ruth