I've moved!

I've moved blogs! You can now find me at rosemaryhallgarten.tumblr.com
  

Be sure to head on over to read up on all of the things I've been up to while in Europe!

Charlotte Tilbury

While in London, in between meetings, it was a high priority to restock on my current favorite beauty products. British makeup artist, Charlotte Tilbury, has been all the rage in the UK recently. So far, I've tried her Magic Cream, Light Wonder Foundation, and Filmstar Bronze and Glow palette and LOVE them all.


I really like the way the moisturizer feels going on. It feels smooth, but not greasy and it leaves a subtle glow on my face.

Charlotte Tilbury's Magic Cream

Her bronzer is just a great color that a makeup amateur like me can't mess up and it's fun to play with the highlighter which gives a soft sheen without overdoing it.

Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstar Bronze and Glow

I also love her approach—there are step-by-step instructions for makeup idiots like me, not only on her products, but on her website too. You can also watch video tutorials. She makes it fool proof!

Welcome, 2015!

What a year! We rounded out our 2014 with great press from Architectural Digest and Milieu. Thanks to two of our favorite designers for using our products.

Alpaca Boucle Throw shown in Architectural Digest, January 2015

Lee Mindel uses one of my custom sized alpaca boucle throws in an Upper East Side home featured in Architectural Digest's January issue.

Cambuquira Rug shown in Milieu, Winter 2015

Joe Nahem loves cozy texture as much as I do and used one of our Cambuquira rugs in the living room of this Southampton home featured in Milieu.

We are thrilled about this year and have a ton of exciting things planned. I'm kicking the year off with a trip to Hannover for a rug show as well as a trip to Maison et Objet in Paris. I'll also be visiting my artisans in Peru in the Spring. I'm looking forward to traveling and sharing my trips with you!

We're also working on revamping our website and looking to make it as inspirational and informational as possible. Fast forwarding to Fall, we have a big launch of new rugs, fabrics, and throws. Keep an eye out for a sneak peek in Spring!

We had an amazing 2014 and would like to give a huge thank you to all of our clients. We can't wait to see what 2015 has in store for us!

Cozying up for Winter

When sitting down to develop fabrics for my Fall 2014 line, I wanted to harness the unique softness and long fiber of the suri alpaca in slightly playful, but deeply luxurious fabrics. I'm happy to introduce you to my Striped Suri Alpaca and Feather fabrics.

Striped Suri in White, Silver, and Deep Charcoal

What makes the Striped Suri Alpaca exceptionally unique is the super soft silken 'fur' effect     made from fiber, not fur. The fabric is machine woven, combining the long-haired suri alpaca fiber with lower pile wool (this is how the stripe is achieved).

Striped Suri Throws in Deep Charcoal, White, and Silver

I love to see it used for throws and bedcovers. It is so, so soft. I lie under it reading or watching TV and stroke it like a pet! (I think it makes my dog jealous) And I love how the reverse side is striped so you don't need to back it. It is a perfect weight.

                                                                                                                                                                  

I developed my Feather fabric to resemble the double boucle but be even softer and suitable for upholstery. Like the Striped Suri, it's made from the long-haired suri alpacas which is how it achieves that fluffy, feathered look.

Feather Sample in Silver

It's a beautiful and plush upholstery weight fabric with a wide range of applications.

Feather Pillow in White

I love to see the white Feather used for pillows and accent piece upholstery.

Add some shine to your holiday!

When I was developing the Fall 2014 line earlier in the year, I was having a "shine" moment. I wanted to include it in my bestselling fabric to bring new dimension to it and have a little fun.

Glam 'Moondust' Pillow, Bottom

I've updated my alpaca boucle fabric with just the right amount of glamour. Our artisans have woven a fine metallic thread into the alpaca boucle to add a subtle, yet beautiful, shine while maintaining the soft and luxurious feel.

Glam Boucle in Single Weave 'Opal' and Double Weave in 'Moondust'

I have a long Opal bolster pillow on my bed and I love to see the tiny specks of sparkle in such a soft and cuddly fabric and the Moonbeam is gorgeous as a throw. What I love most about this fabric is the combination of the subtle sparkle and the softness of my signature fabric.

Glam Boucle Pillow in 'Opal'

                                                                                                                                           

Our new Metallic Linen adds an ultra-chic look to the known durability and versatility of linen. To create this gorgeous fabric, we started with the finest quality washed linen and accentuated it with a sophisticated metallic sheen, printed on the washed linen in Belgium.


Metallic Linens in 'Pale Gold,' 'Platinum,' 'Pewter,' and 'Titanium'

I love this as upholstery on chairs or a headboard best, but it's so versatile it looks great everywhere.

Metallic Linen in 'Titanium'

My favorite color is Titanium because it shows the effect best and it's so rich and sexy. But my second favorite is Pale gold which I have on my headboard at home.

Metallic Linen in 'Pale Gold' as headboard

What I love about the collection is that the effect is overall very subtle     developed for people like me who don't usually use shine in their homes!

Metallic Linen in 'Petwer'



The Oliver Wolcott Library Festival of Trees

This year my friend Kyra, from Twenty2 Wallpaper, asked me to participate in the Oliver Wolcott Library's Festival of Trees and I eagerly took up the task to create a centerpiece for auction. The annual festival gives its guests the opportunity to bid on small Christmas trees, wreaths, and decorative centerpieces to raise money for the library's operating budget.

For my second entry (you can find last year's centerpiece here), I thought it would be a fun challenge to continue with my white theme and tie in the tree theme of the fundraiser. For my base, I used an upside-down white bark basket. Inside a vase on top, I placed a white candle with white flower balls among some grey Spanish moss I found at Terrain, one of my favorite local haunts.

 

I loved how this year's centerpiece turned out and with all of the fundraising and donating, the library was able to raise $6,500 to put towards its operating budget!


The Oliver Wolcott Library is a beautiful and historic library, one of the oldest in the country. Next time you find yourself in Litchfield, Connecticut, be sure to stop by and check it out.

Great Minds Think Alike

Two of our go-to style sources are showing Rosemary Hallgarten designs in their Fall/Winter issues.

Interior Design October issue. Our Metallic Linen in Precious Metals Get Their Shine On.

Elle Decor December issue. Our Teal Hand Painted Alpaca Boucle in Trend Alert! Chunky Knits.