Author: Kerry Ann Dame

Kerry Ann grew up in the chic beach town of Newport Beach, California. She has nearly 20 years’ experience designing interiors, furnishings and accessories. After completing a degree in Art History at U.C.L.A., she was recruited to work at a prominent Los Angeles Design firm, Indigo Seas.One look at the beautiful antiques, one-of-a-kind furnishings, and glamorous tropical style surroundings, and she was hooked. She spent the next three years learning the design business from the ground up, loving every minute of it. First came the opportunity to design store displays for the 5,000 square foot showroom, filled with 18th and 19th century antiques as well as vintage slipcovered pieces. Years before Shabby Chic and Martha Stewart, the British Colonial style of Indigo Seas was the inspiration for a dramatic change in the world of design, a movement to the eclectic, intellectual, personal mix of furnishings now popular today. Indigo Seas’ clientele included celebrities and studio executives, and decorating their palatial, sophisticated homes was the best training a young designer could wish for. Kerry Ann’s design work while at Indigo Seas has been seen in House and Garden, House Beautiful, and Country Living, as well as the books “The Floral Home” and “Country Kitchens”. As time went on, Kerry Ann had the opportunity to design a wide variety of furnishings, lamps, window treatments and accessories, supervising a large sewing and decorative painting staff. Fluent in French, she traveled frequently to Europe to buy antiques, enjoying the chance to further her education with visits to historic houses in England and France. In 2001, she and her husband Keith opened Bungalow Heaven in Surfside Beach. The name Bungalow Heaven originated in a charming California neighborhood of historic American bungalow homes. Evoking the casual spirit of life at the beach, the name Bungalow Heaven perfectly described the shop’s comfortable mix of slipcovered furnishings, one-of-a-kind finds, antiques and fine reproductions, and beautiful fabrics for curtains, slipcovers and bedding. After seven successful years, they decided to expand into flooring, lighting and area rugs, and Kerry Ann welcomed friend and longtime business associate Layla Altman as a partner. The new merchandise mix is reflected in the firm's new name, Posh Living, LLC.

Sofa and Chair Shopping – The Quality Is Under The Cover

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When you shop for upholstered furniture, what are you really getting? If we listen to manufacturers and sales clerks, all of the sofas are wonderful and they’ll last forever. So many of us have had the experience of buying a new sofa only to be disappointed a few years later by flattened cushions, sagging springs and a torn cover. It’s difficult to tell how well a piece of furniture is made by inspecting it from the outside. To find a good sofa or chair, you need an interior designer, and [...]

What Kind of Rug Is It?

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Most Americans refer to any wool area rug with geometric designs and flowers, as an “Oriental Rug” or “Persian Rug”.  At one time the ancient Persian Empire extended from North Africa to India, and included Turkey and Armenia. The world of rugs and carpets includes over 10,000 different types, identified by the patterns of the villages in which they were woven.  There are thousands of unique peoples and languages in this part of the world, with a history of weaving dating back at least 7,000 years.  Most of the rugs [...]

High Point Market Report Fall 2011

High Point Furniture Market this fall was the most positive in energy and attitude that we’ve seen in a few seasons; the slight uptick we had in the economy this year gave vendors the confidence to plan for growth. Of course there were the usual parties, lectures and events, including a concert by the B52's!  They really rocked the plaza.  And of course, we shopped till we dropped, especially for area rugs as we are greatly expanding our selection at Posh Living. We had a chance to mingle with successful [...]