Sewickley Home Store Hosts Spring Fling
Pick up something fabulous for your home this Friday.
PHOTO BY RENEE ROSENSTEEL
spring fling
Celebrate the warmer (or, at least, warmish) weather by picking up something fabulous for your home. Sewickley-based home décor and gift boutique House15143 is holding a Spring Fling party from 6-9 p.m. Friday, April 10.
The event, which will include drinks and discounts on items, is part of the annual Sewickley Gallery and Art Walk, which features open houses and exhibits at Sewickley businesses and galleries. The Art Walk takes place from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.
The celebration also is one of the last hurrahs at House15143’s current location. The business is relocating across the street to a new building this spring.
(439 Beaver St., Sewickley; 412/259-8953, house15143.com)
meet the designer
Alisha Gwen made a national splash in 2012 as a featured designer on the HGTV reality series "Showhouse Showdown," where she decorated a model home in her signature sophisticated yet playful style. Today, the West Virginia native — who earned a bachelor’s degree in interior design with a minor in entrepreneurship from West Virginia University — is the principal (and “professional schlepper”) at Alisha Gwen Interior Design.
What's your design aesthetic?
Everyone always asks me this, and I do my best to avoid a direct answer. While I have a very clear design aesthetic for my own home, every client is different and each project takes on a life of its own as we venture along the design process.
I look for inspiration from my clients while conceptualizing color schemes and curating key pieces. However, I will say my signature look combines sophisticated color, clean lines, mixing patterns and classic furniture styles.
I favor mixing the old with the new to create spaces that are both modern and timeless. I strive to integrate high-end and cost-effective to achieve a balance between comfort, function and style.
What’s the best way to update a room?
If you are looking to update a room and you already have the main furniture pieces in place, my top three go-to updates are fragrance, layers and color.
The least expensive way to update is with fragrance. I know it sounds too good to be true, but the smell of fresh-cut flowers or a burning candle can drastically change the way you and your guests feel in a space. Lose the fake flowers and make it a habit to stop in Trader Joe’s weekly for fresh blooms or Anthropologie for a candle.
Another quick update for a room is to layer contrasting textures into your space. Pick up a cashmere throw or a few velvet pillows to add a touch of comfort and luxury. And don’t forget your floors; a sheepskin fur or sisal rug can be layered in any space!
Last, but not certainly not least, the easiest way to update your space — color! You will be surprised by the impact you can have by switching out your otherwise bland lamps, accessories and pillows with bold and bright alternatives. When choosing pillows, mix, don’t match! Choose patterns that differ in scale, have opposing movement and are similar in hue.
What’s your favorite design element or piece?
It is impossible for me to choose favorites. I like everything (that is pretty!).
My favorite piece changes from space to space but it always remains the element of the unexpected; modern artwork in a traditional space, an oversized chandelier over a dining table or an accessory that serves as a conversation starter — to name a few. If you were to ask my clients, they most often praise me for my ability to mix unexpected patterns and colors to create a surprising, yet successful combination.
home stories
Whew! Not much beats coming home after a long, hard day at work, particularly if that home is filled with beloved people — and items. Your home is your oasis, and it should say something about you. In “Let Your Home Tell Your Story,” we explore ways to make your home your own, including using old family photos to create an eclectic wall display, repurposing hand-me-down pieces of furniture and more. Discover additional tips here.
news + events
Get your garden questions answered at the annual western Pennsylvania Garden & Landscape Symposium. Now in its 20th year, the horticultural event — sponsored by The Penn State Extension Master Gardeners, the Penn State Center Pittsburgh and Shady Side Academy — features presentations from experts from throughout the country in their fields of expertise. The symposium, which includes breakfast and lunch, takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at the Shady Side Academy Hillman Center for the Performing Arts. The registration fee is $120.
(423 Fox Chapel Road, Fox Chapel; 412/473-2602, extension.psu.edu/allegheny/news)
Because you’re never too young to start gardening, grab the kids and bring them to Staghorn Home and Garden Café for a seed-planting workshop. Two sessions will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9 and Thursday, April 16. The $5 fee includes everything your child will need to start planting. Can you dig it?
(517 Greenfield Ave., Greenfield; 412/315-7298, staghorngardencafe.com)
Artistry will celebrate 24 years in the Strip District with its annual spring sale Thursday, April 9 through Sunday, April 12. Held during Artistry’s normal store hours, the event—which offers customers a chance to save on garden furniture -— will feature seasonal food and drinks. Specific discounts include 40 percent off clay planters, 30 percent off trellises, 25 percent off lamps and 25 percent off wall art.
(2613 Smallman Street, Strip District; 412/765-2522, artistryathome.com)
