Colleen’s Picks

from Simply Saratoga Winter 2021

Preserving Saratoga

A carefully curated selection of HOME DÉCOR ITEMS

Colleen Coleman is the Principal of CMC Design Studio LLC located in Saratoga Springs. With certifications in Kitchen & Bath Design, Aging in Place and True Color Expert, her curated design extends into all areas of her field including new construction, historical and major renovations. Her passion is in designing & customizing hand-crafted cabinets for all areas of the residential market.

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY COLLEEN COLEMAN OF CMC DESIGN STUDIO LLC Warm Thoughts, New Beginnings and a Bright Future Oh, it was so marvelous to see the ball drop into 2021! I think just for a moment, we all felt a sense of relief and sincere joy! We most definitely have better days ahead. In retrospect, there were many lessons learned, resilience in patience and humility, and countless acts of neighbor helping neighbor that will keep our memories of the past year guarded from many other experiences we would rather forget. I want to thank each and every reader for all your local shopping, confidence in ordering out or dining in with our community restaurants and being the Saratoga Community to each other that we all cherished throughout 2020! Each and everyone of you, yes YOU, have made Saratoga Springs a better place to live! As we move into 2021, I thought keeping our eyes on the things that brings warmth, offer new beginnings and center on a bright future would be a great way to start off the new year! So, let’s get to it!

At GRANITE AND MARBLE WORKS, you will find an absolutely spectacular Agate Gemstone slab. Made of large agate pieces arranged together, these individual stones form a joint new beginning! Look carefully, the color magnifies the narrative around trending colors of balance and natural harmony, the stability of the agate pieces secured in one another…just as we have done for each other. I love that this stone is so reflective of who we are as a community. What a magnificent statement for your kitchen island or a bar backsplash…I can even see it as a focal point behind a freestanding tub! Talk about drawing you into nature, soothing away all your worries of the day! Another great offering is the Leathered Blue Mare or sometimes called “Blue Sea” Quartzite with dramatic veining and coloring! The leathered finish is more of a matte finish with a slight sense of texture as you run your hand across the face of the slab. It allows you to feel, really feel, the stone and all its veining. This adds a sense of warmth to what we normally would think of as a cold stone. For a kitchen, I pair a leathered top on the island or in the Butler’s pantry with a more polished option on the main countertop surfaces. The subtle variances add so much character along with the different tactile experiences in the same space!

GRANITE & MARBLE WORKS, INC 8 Commerce Park Drive, Wilton GraniteAndMarbleWorks.com 518-584-2800

Let’s get cozy! Warm thoughts about the fireplace needs a cozy chair to snuggle in! At THE FURNITURE HOUSE, you’ll find this Wesley Hall Vance Chair with it’s soft, curving lines cascading down to beautifully outstretched rear legs. Wood accents just under the arm rests, quietly parallel the front and side rails below. Available in hundreds of fabrics and leather, this chair measures a generous 29” wide by 36” deep. So, snuggle up with a book and let the evening take you away! For accessories, I love the items I find at ACCENTS AT ALLERDICE. Take for instance the 18” square Cotton Embroidered Pouf. One of my favs to add to a casual sitting space for a spare seat, side table or even a foot rest. The applique and fringe play into the same colors I spoke about before…natural and soothing…something we could all use to start our new year off right! Pair this with one of their 60” L x 50” W Cotton Embroidered Throws. The tassels add a playful nod to the stitching while the colors evoke every element of the earth from sea, sand, and stars! Both are a great way to bring a bright beginning into any space!

THE FURNITURE HOUSE 11254 Route 9P Saratoga Springs TheFurnitureHouseNY.com (518) 587-9865

ACCENTS GIFTS, DECOR & MORE Inside Allerdice Ace Hardware 2570 Route 9 Malta facebook.com/AccentsAtAllerdice 518.899.6222

And what would I do without EARL B. FEIDEN APPLIANCES? I personally rely on their expertise to ensure my clients get the best service and appliances for all their needs. Take for instance the Bosch Pocket Handle Dishwasher. It’s a perfect match (no handle) to any kitchen regardless of brand. To ensure a smooth flow visually of appliances, you want to match the handles as much as possible. Some appliance will boast a professional handle, while others may have a graceful curve. Keeping these lines all the same allow the eye to move about the kitchen without constant distraction from the overall beauty of the space. And who knew the dishwasher could make that so much easier! And if you are looking to brighten your future with a new kitchen this year, you are in for a treat. Take time to look over the true cooking of a French engineered La Cornue Range. One of the first gas ranges that has ignited culinary experiences since 1908. You see, most ovens are flat topped on the interior, but Albert Dupuy, the genius behind cooking rather than just heating food, developed the vaulted ceiling to usher heat around the food, avoiding the heat from being trapped from beneath! Now La Cornue has many, I mean, many different configurations, styles, colors and accents to choose from. Its precision in cooking is legendary. If you are in the market for a luxury range, take a moment to look over this culinary phenomenon, it just might be the new beginning of a beautiful relationship with cooking! I’m excited about 2021, how about you? I know we will have a brighter year, full of friends, gatherings, and just spending time with the ones we love. In reflection, I am so honored to be invited to write to you in each issue of Simply Saratoga Magazine and bring the best of our local shops to your doorsteps! I thank all my readers who look forward to hearing about the finds I seek, the interior design articles I love writing and reporting on the trends as they change and mold the world we call home. May all of you have a blessed year…filled with warm laughter, a fresh start and a bright future! SS

Until next time my friends,

Colleen Coleman of CMC Design Studio LLC AKBD, CAPS & True Color Expert colleen@cmcdesignstudio.net “Creating Environments for Life” TM