There is a vast expanse of grassy land near where I live. Last year as quarantine unfolded, the grass did too, stretching tall and unkempt, natural and uninhibited. Little yellow flowers popped up all over, their sunny heads dancing in the breeze. Soon my favorite morning activity became walking, cup of coffee in hand, along the dewy, shimmering grasses. When they were cut again, tamed and leveled, I mourned, missing the beautiful wildness that brought so much joy to my day.
Wildness delights and surprises us, and makes us feel something. Even weeds bear flowers. It’s the contrast that sparks energy and excitement, keeping us on the edge of our seat rather than asleep at the wheel.
As it is in nature, contrast is important in style and design. We explore the mix of rugged and refined in this issue. Interior designer and owner of In Site Designs Katie Skoloff is renovating the Flatiron Building in the Village of West Greenville. In an interview this issue, she says, “It’s about the mix of hard and soft for bold contrast that really makes an impact.” Bridging old and new, vintage and modern—this historic building, once a hub of textile manufacturing in the Brandon Mill neighborhood, will reopen this fall as Skoloff’s new work headquarters, along with other art-centric tenants.
The Skyline Lodge in Highlands, North Carolina, received a complete overhaul recently. First opened in the mid-1930s, the boutique hotel’s design reflects the Prairie-style architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright’s student Arthur J. Kelsey mirrored the famed architect’s penchant for setting the building into the environment rather than altering the natural area. The result is an elevated, wooded retreat, replete with mid-century flair and modern enhancements.
For our fashion feature this issue, we photographed our model on location in Paris Mountain State Park. Bold patterns, billowy sleeves, and a western sensibility are leading the trends this fall. Our local retailers and jewelers take center stage in our ode to refined wildness.
This month, let loose your inner renegade, and discover what blossoms when you let go.
