March 25, 2025 • 35 mins
Lance Jackson, co-founder and creative director, developed the Parker Kennedy Living interior design group and brand with business partner and co-founder David Ecton in 2011. Lance started his career in 1997 in the interior design business after graduating from SCAD Savannah with a BFA in interior design. While working and developing highly successful interior design groups for Atlanta-based architecture firms (ranging from high-end residential to hospitality to student and multi-family housing), Lance decided it was time to make his own stamp in the interior design industry with his own brand. Three years spent working in furniture product development sparked Lance’s desire to continually have his hand in the product design industry.
Parker Kennedy Living focuses on high-end residential interior design, vintage furniture restoration and product development. Their look is “Preppy on the Edge” – Southern Regency is what Lance calls it – taking a traditional interior and elevating it to an updated look using lacquer finishes and mixing textures and vintage details with young colors and patterns. The interiors are fresh while maintaining a deep-rooted interest in the traditional and exhibit Palm Beach overtones.
Lance is a founding member of the SCAD Atlanta Advisory Council and has a large interest in supporting SCAD Atlanta.
David Ecton, co-founder of Parker Kennedy, has spent the last 20 years preparing for the Parker Kennedy explosion. David’s fascination with architecture stems from his study abroad in Venice, which involved his study and excavation of an ancient Etruscan ruin that was discovered in early 1990s. It was there that David learned the importance of how one’s space affects the way we live.
While attending the University of South Alabama and studying international trade, David interned with the Governors of the Gulf Coast on the NAFTA agreement. This internship was a stepping-stone into the world of trade. Upon graduation, David headed Mexico City to work for the State Department. When David returned to the States he continued his studies, receiving an MBA in International Trade. During graduate school, working as a graphic artist offered David a creative outlet while he was crunching numbers. And it was this experience that was the key to getting his first job. David landed at an IT firm looking for a Marketing Director – a position that enabled him to have full creative autonomy while learning about the evolving technology market. David likens that industry to design: “Staying abreast of technology is very similar to staying up with the trends in design – one minute you are current, the next, dated.”
Longing to get back into exporting and importing, with a mix of design, David and Lance teamed up to found Parker Kennedy.
Connect with Parker Kennedy:
IG: @parkerkennedyliving @thegovernorsmansion
Website: https://parker-kennedy.myshopify.com/collections/
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15! Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
Connect with House of Blum .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}
Parker Kennedy Living focuses on high-end residential interior design, vintage furniture restoration and product development. Their look is “Preppy on the Edge” – Southern Regency is what Lance calls it – taking a traditional interior and elevating it to an updated look using lacquer finishes and mixing textures and vintage details with young colors and patterns. The interiors are fresh while maintaining a deep-rooted interest in the traditional and exhibit Palm Beach overtones.
Lance is a founding member of the SCAD Atlanta Advisory Council and has a large interest in supporting SCAD Atlanta.
David Ecton, co-founder of Parker Kennedy, has spent the last 20 years preparing for the Parker Kennedy explosion. David’s fascination with architecture stems from his study abroad in Venice, which involved his study and excavation of an ancient Etruscan ruin that was discovered in early 1990s. It was there that David learned the importance of how one’s space affects the way we live.
While attending the University of South Alabama and studying international trade, David interned with the Governors of the Gulf Coast on the NAFTA agreement. This internship was a stepping-stone into the world of trade. Upon graduation, David headed Mexico City to work for the State Department. When David returned to the States he continued his studies, receiving an MBA in International Trade. During graduate school, working as a graphic artist offered David a creative outlet while he was crunching numbers. And it was this experience that was the key to getting his first job. David landed at an IT firm looking for a Marketing Director – a position that enabled him to have full creative autonomy while learning about the evolving technology market. David likens that industry to design: “Staying abreast of technology is very similar to staying up with the trends in design – one minute you are current, the next, dated.”
Longing to get back into exporting and importing, with a mix of design, David and Lance teamed up to found Parker Kennedy.
Connect with Parker Kennedy:
IG: @parkerkennedyliving @thegovernorsmansion
Website: https://parker-kennedy.myshopify.com/collections/
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15! Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
Connect with House of Blum .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Boulevard Beat, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor
Chris the Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast
focuses on the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews
with taste makers, and personal conversations on how to highlight
achievable style. You constrol one street at a time, Boulevard
(00:28):
Beat proves the one you should take. This week, we
are joined by the duo behind Parker Kennedy, Lance Jackson
and David Ecton. Parker Kennedy Living focuses on high end
residential interior design, vintage furniture restoration, and product development. Their
look is peppy on the edge. Southern Regency is what
(00:50):
Lance calls it, taking a traditional interior and elevating it
to an updated look using lacquer finishes and mixing textures
and vintage details with young colors and patterns. They've evolved
into making one of a kind briefs for all occasions.
It's a lively conversation and we are excited to welcome them.
Lance and David Welcome. We're excited to start chatting with
you today.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Thank you. We're excited to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Let's start by having each of you telling us a
little bit about the streets that you grew up on.
It's the basis of our podcast, and we like to
start with a little bit of nostalgic fun.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
I always tell people in our lectures that I'm a
child of the eighties, but really I was born in
the seventies, and so it was just a different time.
I grew up in a time and on a street
where neighbors came over and helped one another. So the
neighbors would come over and they would help my dad
put up the paneling in the basement and so forth,
all for a price of a case of beer.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I mean, that was just what we kind of grew
up with. I had a very similar experience. I grew
up in the seventies, and I had a very all
American middle class, lower middle class kind of neighborhood that
all my neighbors knew each other, and you know, we
lived in just a simple house. Nothing banned see. But
I do remember one of my fondest memories on my street.
(02:03):
When I was growing up, I had a neighbor two
doors up, and she was in her seventies and every
Christmas she would make a sprout apple piees and bring
them to us, And I love the memory. Her name
was Aunt Jane.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Isn't that great? I mean, simpler times, for sure, one
could argue better times. And I feel like every kid
had an Aunt Jean on their street. Probably, yeah, I
think so, really different time. So let's talk about Parker Kennedy.
Tell us about the name of Parker Kennedy. I know
a little bit about it, but tell us what the
(02:40):
business is and how it's evolved and what you guys
are doing now.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I always tell people there is no Parker, there is
no Kennedy.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
It's very Remington Steel. And the reason why I say
that was because in the television show Remington Steel, it
was a made up name. And what we wanted to
do is to create a character, or create a persona
that reflect our style in our image, and we didn't
want it to be just Lance and David Interiors, because
(03:09):
I think we were so much more than that. So
when it came to discussing the name, Lance came home
one day and said, what do you think about David
and Lance Interiors? And we both kind of looked at
each other and thought to myself, well, we're not selling
hot dogs and cheeses and sausages, so what about Parker
Kennedy And he.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Said, that's brilliant. It really is a good name. I
hate to say this, but it's a combination of our
two bar names that we both came up with when
we were on a trip early in our relationship in
Palm Springs. So that's where he kind of pulled that from, like,
I don't know, four years later, it.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Was four years afterwards. So it just it clicked and
it was just perfect. And the concept is we're kind
of preppy on the edge. It's just a modern take
to that preppy vibe. And that's where we were at
at the time we were starting our company, and it
was as if Jonathan Adler and Lily Publzer had a baby,
what would the interiors look like?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
And that's what we were trying to achieve. Yeah, but
we've evolved so much more from that over the past
ten years.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Well, we started with the idea, the concept of just
doing antique booths and it just kind of blew up
in our face where we started going from one booth
up to seven booths, and it was at a time
when the economy was coming back with our developers. And
so Lance's life prior to Parker Kennedy, he worked for
(04:39):
a very large architectural firm and part of that casualty
in nine was that the firm went from one hundred
and fifty to ten employees, and so Lance was won
of the casualties. And then when the economy rebounded, all
those developers came back to Lance and say we need
your help, and so we were able to pivot from
(04:59):
doing antique stuff to.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Really starting our interiors group.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Yeah, and then there's a point in time when we
also have to do something with our creativity. Lance has
evolved in this machine of making these amazing Christmas wreaths.
He did it all based upon a client calling us
and saying, can you help us? I have a charity event.
(05:25):
We're getting together all these designers and they were renowned
designers from ken Falk who did the Win hotel, to
Scott Meacham who which you know, chrisa very well, all
these really nice strong names in the San Francisco area
and US and we shipped that wreath out. It had
(05:46):
to be something different. Lance racked his brain of what
he could do, and he made this beautiful, beautiful wreath
and it got so much conversation that it actually created
a little small group with a company to make these reefs,
and then it morphed into these toperaries and then people
asking how do you do it? Can I do it
(06:07):
with you? And things like that, and so we started
doing classes. And the reason why we did classes is
because God is out of the studio and it became
a great marketing tool. So we get out there to
meet people, introduce them, show more interiors, and then have
a great day of making a correct project.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, it's a really beautiful balance just between the creative
and just continuing to evolve your business, which is wonderful.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I think you kind of have to and you know,
always are consistently because the markets are changing. You know,
when we started the business and we started going online
with vintage, it the only place people sold vintage was
One King's Lane and then we had One King's Lane
and Cherish and where else did you go. We've been
able to do it in house, and we've been able
to do it off our own website and build our
(06:52):
own database ourselves. But as time goes on, you constantly
have to change and make yourself interest.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Anyone who follows you, and that's a lot of people
know that you're in the middle of a very special
renovation project. We want to hear the background of the
house and how you live in that now and how
it came to be.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Oh, that's a great question. We had been looking for
a pre Civil War historic home, kind of big house
out in the middle of nowhere with a lot of
property that we wanted to restore and get published and
be a weekend house. And we get and find what
we were looking for, so we gave up after a
few offers. I decided to expand our reach to go
into the nineteen twenties and we found this house on
(07:32):
Zillo and it was about an hour and twenty minutes
from our old house in Atlanta, and we drove up,
called the realtor. He's like, I'll be there in five minutes.
He gave us the keys and said take your time.
He left, and we knew when we walked in we're
going to get it. It's a Mediterranean revival nineteen seventeen,
nineteen through nineteen twenties, brick house, blonde brick and big
(07:55):
verandas and green Spanish tile clavery, and we just we
fell in love with it. Again. It wasn't what we
were looking for, but I think that all that happened
for us to get this house because we love it
now more than any other house I ever looked at.
It's a former Governor of Georgie's house, and the local
people referred to it as the Governor's mansion, and it's
(08:19):
registered on the Historic Register of Places in Georgia, and
so we were reading it. We didn't even know that
the prominence of the house when we saw it on Zilo.
We just knew that we wanted something that hadn't been
really butchered up over time, and really it was in
such almost amazing original condition. I think that's what we
fell in love with the most.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Ye At Lance always referred to as a home depoizing
a house, Like every time we would go into a home,
we would see this mismatch stuff of home depot.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
So we didn't want to have to like tear all
that out, but we did tear a lot of stuff
out here. We totally replumbed, rewired, kind of like rebuilt
the house in some areas. I mean, there were points
in time when we walked in. I mean, first of all,
it was the architecture that sold us on the house,
and it's just absolutely stunning, and we walk around just
(09:08):
amazed with the fact that we get to be a
caretaker for this home for this brief moment in time,
because it is as extraordinary. And when we put our plan.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Together for the renovation, it was very important to us
that it wasn't just a plan to make everything look
pretty and slap.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Pain up on the walls.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
It was really about preserving it for the next hundred years.
So it was just an amazing journey that we're on
in this restoration of the house and what.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
It's been like living because I know you guys are
about an hour outside of Atlanta. How has that changed
from living so far removed from a major metropolitan even
though it's not really that far. And I know you
guys go in.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
We love it here and I would never move back
to Atlanta. You paid me because of the traffic, and
we originally were going to keep our house in Atlanta
and use this as like a weekend getaway, and we
still in love with it, and we sold house in Atlanta,
moved your full time like two years into it. There's
just the quality of life here. Even though it's a
small town, you can't beat it.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I also loved as you were talking about the architecture,
and I got it and renovated a nineteen fourteen Tutor
home five years ago, so I can relate a little
bit to the stresses and all the things, and you know,
really truly just honoring the architecture. And I think that's
required when we're decorating an older home, specifically one with
historic significance as yours. Is what sort of formula or
(10:32):
guides do you apply as you determine the specification, so
that the design was mindful of the architecture but also
had a fresh and updated vibe.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
We kept it very in keeping what you'd expect when
you'd walk in the door. It's very traditional, a fresh,
traditional look. And Bob, we do have antiques and we
have vintage mixed and it's not so heavy brown, but
we do have a lot of brown pieces. We have
a few painted pieces. We have a Gracie wallpaper that's
amazing in our dining room.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Basically, the footprint of the house is still the same,
but we didn't modernize a lot of it. We didn't
really move any walls around, but we closed up some
walls so if you go upstairs to our second floor.
The only thing we really changed around we moved a
wall just in a little bit so we can put
a laundry room up there, because if not, we would
have to go down to the basement to do laundry
(11:23):
and that's just not fun. So that was one of
the things that we did that's really different. And a
change to the overall look of the space of the house.
And then in the foyer that had a complete makeover,
and one of the challenges was they had cast iron
pipes that were leaking and.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Over time it just corroded the supports.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
So when the engineer came out to re look at it,
he wanted to put a beam down the center of
the room, and we were like, you can't do that
because it.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Would look odd.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
So what we ended up doing before when you walked
into the house you walked straight into the ballroom.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Today we created a foyer.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
And had a opening on the left hand side that
nears the opening on the right hand.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Side, so it looks natural.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
We added a lot more molding, a lot of the
moldings weren't there, and so we came in and we
beefed up the molding and then replicated the molding. So
downstairs we had beautiful dental work molding, and when we
added the foyer into it, we had to replicate it.
Then when we replicated that, we put it in the
rooms in the lower level that did not exist. So
(12:34):
the library got the molding, the bathrooms got the molding,
and then in the back foyer in the back hallway section,
we took out thirty five thousand pounds of plaster and
we put in this beautiful judges paneling that Lance said, this.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Is what we need. So it's just stunning.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
It sounds like you really maintained the integrity of the house,
which I just love to hear. Just in historic homes
as well. You've shared about quite a few challenges. I
know in working in older homes it adds another layer
of history, but also the obstacles. What's the biggest challenge
of all of them that you've had in this house.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
People ask us a lot of time, like when we
be finished, or how come you're not done sooner? And
I always tell people we're right where we need to be.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
In the part of the restoration that we are in.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
I think at Lance and I talk about this all
the time. God slowed us down on the renovation process
because he wants us to be right where we are
and where we're supposed to be with the process, because
if we had it done completely, all at once, we'd
be completely different people. This renovation has taught us patients.
It has created an appreciation. It has taught us that
(13:44):
not everything has to be perfect all at once, or
even at all.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
David, you mentioned the word patience and how living in
this house has taught you to be patient as you
guys have taken a while to complete the renovation, and
I think that's so important. Could you talk a little
bit about not living in perfection because I think today,
I mean, we see things on Instagram and everything is
(14:09):
polished and perfect.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Now we call it interior design. It used to have
a decorator, not a designer, and not everything matched and
not everything was perfect because frankly, you couldn't get everything
exactly how you wanted until relatively recently. I mean that's
a thing of the last twenty maybe thirty years, where
(14:31):
you could have custom this and custom that, and so
can you talk a little bit sort of about maybe
the virtue of imperfection, because I think that that is
something that is lost on our society today and we
miss opportunities to enjoy beauty by thinking it needs to
(14:52):
achieve something that it doesn't.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Yeah, I agree. I like personally not having any of
my rooms in that I'll look like a showroom from
you know, Aidak or ye Point or whatever. I want
it to be mismatched. I wanted to be worn. And
I like the fact that you know, I've got matching sofas,
(15:15):
but we have these two matching frames and one of
them was in one fabric and one of them was
in the other fabric, and people come over and I'm
just like, it is what it is. It'll it'll be
in this fabric one day. But I like having that
kind of lived in. I don't want anybody to ever
come in and think that they can't put their feet
up on the sofa or you know, put their glass
(15:36):
on a surface. We're not like that, even though when
you come in the front door now it feels like
that and we make sure well, it didn't really feel
that way. I think a lot of people that don't
know design just get overwhelmed by the entrance of the house,
so I'm always there telling them, please put your feet
on the sofa, bring your dog, don't worry about spilling
(15:58):
a glass of wine. You know, it's not the other world,
and we just lived that way now more than ever.
I don't know. I guess that's why I'm drawing then
to genantique so much.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Lance loves anything that has a good patina on it,
it has a.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Scratch, or if it's broken, he doesn't care. He still
loves it for what it is and the beauty for
what it is.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
So we're going to pivot now. And you guys both
alluded earlier to the reads, and I really want to
take some more time to talk about this because this
has become such a thing for you guys, and you know,
anybody who has the joy of following you on Instagram,
and we suggest that anybody who's listening to us go
follow you if they don't already. It is so much
(16:42):
fun to ay watch you guys evolve. But take on
this whole other category that I mean, nobody else is
really doing it. You know, it's very specific, So talk
to us a little more about the excitement behind it
and just how it's grown and then I know that
last Christmas you did workshop, so we want to hear
(17:05):
all about all about Christmas.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Well, the reefs really just took off. When I first
made the very first one for the San Francisco Auction
Cherity Auction. It was way before reels or any kind
of video on Instagram, and I had basically just took
a few photos and posted me making that wreath. And
I think I got like maybe ten orders off the bat,
(17:29):
and I think I was charging like two hundred bucks
for them, which I thought was, you know, a gold mine.
That's when it really blew up, and we figured out,
you know, maybe we can do a few more, and
I started making some and they would sell right away,
and then we you know, I didn't have Tom, and
Tom became the issue and we would do a made
to order, so I don't really have any in stocked,
(17:51):
make them to order, and I get kind of like
a theme that they want, and I, you know, I
figure out like what they like to do, if they
played tennis, or they ride horses or you know whatever.
I'll try to incorporate a little piece of something like
a tennis racket or a horse brooch or an equestrian
vibe to that wreath. But really, when Patricia Allschult, she
(18:15):
reached out to me on Instagram and I didn't even
know she was following me, and she was like, hey,
can you make me a barbie ereath? And I was like,
I can make whatever you want. And the barbie wreath
kind of took off from there. It went from just
you know, benched ornaments with jewelry on it to now
I'm doing barbieres. And she posted on Instagram and was like,
(18:37):
look at my wreath and I left this from Parker
Kennedy and I think I had like two hundred barbieres.
The orders that year you did? You had a lot
that year. It was it. I didn't keep up like
I was like desperately looking for vintage parties.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
And so if your viewers or your listeners know Patricia
Allschultz on this little TV show called Southern Charm, and
she's kind of like the matriarch and she has a
beautifulest were at home in Charleston and so when Lance
made it, he put it all together and he looks
over at me and he goes, We're going to go
ship it. And I said, We're not gonna ship it
we're going to bring it to her. So we took
(19:12):
a four and a half hour drive to go drop
it off because she has this amazing home in Charleston.
Mario Wada had designed it, who is one of Lance's
historical idol figures that he adores.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And when we got there, she wasn't home. So we
drove four and a half hours just to drop this off.
Her housekeeper to give us a quick little tour around
the front of the house on the main level, and
then then we went back maybe a year later.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
It was short of it was like three months later.
We went back and she sent us them. She heard
you were in town, and she sent you a message
to say, come by the house. And then we came
by the house and became friends, and it was just
an amazing experience.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
But along that journey, everything with the Reeves have been
quite fun. And then from there a few housewives on
different franchises ordered them. Margaret Joseph's who Else.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Margaret made us go on to page six because Margaret
did her new office and she keeps hers up all
year round. We got published on page six for that.
Usually it's for something naughty. We got she got something
page six to the house tour of her house or
her for innovation, and she basically just focused in on
that wreath and gave us a lot of credit, which
(20:28):
I was very thankful.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
And we've become because of the industry that we're in.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Carson Kresley is always running around high Point and that's
how we became friends with him. And the Lance did
one for him and that was really quite interesting because
he incorporated a Kendall and that polo equestrian feel that
he loves so much, and he just did a.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Shout out for Lance to say thank you. That all
came about because last year I wanted to try to
figure out how to get them into Burgdorf's, so I
put it out there. I was like, is U pit
a post and with a wreath? And I'm like, I
really think these are becoming more art pieces versus, you know,
just kitchy Christmas. And I wanted to figure out who
(21:13):
I need to talk to in Birckdorps to show one
get in front of Burgdorps and he reached out and said,
we need to send it to this lady. I don't
know if it's the right one, but she I'm sure
runs the show there and she can get it in
the right hand, So that's I actually made him a
wreath as a gift for that info. But it is
it's very it's it's fun. It's a creative outlet for me.
(21:37):
I'd love to do it when I'm not pressured to
do it. I had a designer NDC order fourteen rees
over the course of last fall.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
He started ordering them in May and the last one
got shipped out in August. But it was it was
fun for you because there wasn't that much pressure because
the season hadn't started and our schedule was a little
bit more flexible. But it was really interesting to see
his creativity. And when they get ordered off season, they
(22:06):
are stunning because there isn't that pressure. Well they're stunning
when they're during the season, too.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
But I enjoy it more off season. The topiaries really
evolved out of the wreaths for a photo shoot we
were doing for Entertain and Celebrate and we were working
on a Christmas shoot with my friend Lydia Menzies, and
she basically was like, well, just make one of your
wafs and we'll do it as a centerpiece and lay
it flat. And I was like, I don't want to
do that. They've been published at this point so many times.
(22:34):
So I said, give me a couple of weeks. So
I had these amazing brass antique cash POWs that I
was keeping for the dining room, and I decided to
kind of take the wreath concept and turn it into
a little Christmas tree topiary. Well, I've hosted about that,
and I think that went viral. We got orders all
(22:55):
the way from Lord Battle from London calls me and
we have to go ship them out to him. And
that was an interesting day to pick up that.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Phone call and you didn't hand deliver that one.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yeah, I would love to do that. That's a little
other story, but it just blew up, like the whole
Tipperary thing. Just I had no idea people were wanting that.
You know. It's kind of after COVID and then Lydia
was like, well we do one for my supper club.
Well you do a class, and it was our very
first class. I was like, I don't know, I'm not
(23:26):
really good in front of people, you know, I'm a
little shy. David could do all the talking, but you know,
I'm gonna have to teach them how to do it
because I'm the one that picks them. We ended up
having it at the swine Coach House in Atlanta, and
I think there were forty women there and it I
posted photos and videos of that and that really went viral.
And then the classes really evolved from that because we
(23:47):
had people from California, Beverly Hills calling saying, you know,
can you come out here and teach classes? And we
want to do a class like this with my social club,
And then tons of people in Dallas, Texas, Houston, New York.
I know we had such a following in New York,
New Jersey. It's always calling one in classes. So if
(24:11):
we can make it work logistically and we have the
right number of people, then we do the class. But
we were doing them just whenever we get at the beginning,
and then we were like, Okay, we really have to
like pair this down and really make each class count.
So we started doing a limited number of people. I've
developed quite a few really get the friendships out of
(24:32):
these classes.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Well, I think that what's so special about what you
guys are doing is you've really become a conduit to people,
mostly women I assume, who are who are coming out
to learn how to make the topiaries and such. You know,
we talk about a lot on this podcast about the
broad scope of the word creativity and how most people
(24:57):
really when they think of the word creativity, they think
about somebody who's an artist, and a lot of designers
can create beautiful rooms and they're artists like that, but
they're not necessarily fine artists. So it must be really
special for you guys to help people create these little
treasures that will be passed down and part of a
(25:18):
you know, whether it's whether it's a rate that hangs
all year round or it's pulled out at Christmas. I mean,
you're part of somebody's memory.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Now.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
We talk about this too, one of the things and
we talk about this about in home design too. It's
about a lot of times it's about the experience of
acquiring an object. So if there's something in your house
that's very unique and somebody says, oh, I love that
dresser over there, you know, a lot of our clients
are like, oh, my wife and our designers David and Lance,
(25:49):
they were at Scott's or they talk about the providence
of it because they were excited.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
About the history of that item.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
When we do these classes, it's the same thing. It
gives a history in the decor these tapparies. Those ladies
are going to put that piece of Christmas out every
year and they're going to smile because they'll remember what
that experience was.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
They'll remember the.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
First time they came out and hung out with Lance
and I and put that together and all the ladies
they met along the way.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
And I think that in itself is something very special. Yeah,
and we really we've been fortunate enough that me and
David together is streamlined the process of the Christmas tree
tipiary class. Because if you're trying to get you know,
thirty eight women wrangled down to focus and get you know,
make something actually pretty. That's my goal. Like I was
really worried people are going to do it wrong and
(26:41):
you're not going to figure it out. But it's really easy.
And we figured that out, and we figured it out
with the materials and how to travel with the materials
and how much materials each get needs, and so we
really streamlined it. But in essence, and every single class,
each single one is different, and it's amazing to see
the difference between thirty eight different topiaries. And I think
(27:04):
that's what kind of the beauty is and I try
to photograph as many as I can, like all of
them and post like, look how different these are, and
hers is, you know, a pastel, and hers is all
Christmas colors. And then we had a lady do all
blue and white which was really pretty, and various other
ones I can't think of, but thankfully we hit streamlined
(27:24):
it so we can make that process easy and comfortable
for the women that attend as well, because I want
them to have a good time and I don't want
them to be stressed out. And while we're making them,
you know, me and David are constantly walking around, I
guess it takes about three hours for the process, you know,
from the beginning to the end.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
I think it's so great too that you are doing
these classes because oftentimes I think all of us who
are sort of artistic dreamers spend a lot of time
painting things on Pinterest with this idea of I'm going
to do this someday, and someday is never. It never
happens because there's too much going on in life. So
when there's a structured class, it forces you to sit
(28:06):
down with whether it's a group of friends or individuals
who come and make new friends. It's giving you the
structure and forcing you to bring out your inner creativity.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
And most of these people come. I wouldn't say most,
but about thirty percent of them come. We've never used
a blue gun before, Yeah, and some just come for
the experience or an activity to do. The last one
we did in Roano, Virginia. I'm sitting there next to
Katie Lou and Katie Lou and I were gluing away
and she's eighty seven years old, and I was worried
(28:38):
to death that she burned.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Herself, but we had the best they ever. It's just
something to get together.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
And do you sounds like you've just made really wonderful
memories for these people, and the experiences that they walk
away with just sounds incredible. It's fun that you've had
so many outlets into your business. And then it's fans
far beyond these reefs and picking furniture and pillows. What
category of design of living do you enjoy the most?
And why? Is it cooking, gardening, design, table scaping, or
(29:06):
the crafting.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I know David likes cooking, that's his thing. Now I'm
learning he's actually becoming an excellent cook. I think for me,
I like the thrill of the hunt, Like I like
to go and shop and try to find some special
treasure in a drunk store that no one else can find.
That's really one of my favorite things to do. As
(29:28):
far as design relate, I know it's not really design related.
Bit of kunt is for me, and I really enjoy
table scaping and I love china, and you know, I
can't I can't have enough china.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
That's fun too because you can kind of use those
two skills together with your creativity on the table and
the cooking together too. So it's been so fun hearing
all about this. What's next on the horizon for Parker Kennedy.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
It's interesting because we talk a lot about this too,
Lance Nay. Behind Closed Doors, God puts us on a
journey and he introduces us to these easing people along
the way, and one of the people that he introduced
us to was Margaret Joseph. And Margaret Joseph is on
another little TV show called Housewives of New Jersey and
(30:12):
she has become a great friend, one of our biggest
cheerleaders in life and is just cheering us on. So
we got to meet with her and spend some time
with her and talk to her about what her business was.
And one of the things that she was doing at
that particular time was she was designing jewelry, and through COVID,
(30:34):
the factories that she was using no longer exist because
at that time women weren't dressing up to go to
work anymore. So that project kind of fell through. But
I had called her up to say, hey, look, I
have found this earring that would love to make it
to a cocktail ring for our clients.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Can you help me?
Speaker 4 (30:54):
And she said no and told me the story about
her factories not working anymore.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
But then she turned me on to another woman, and.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
This other person helped Joan Rivers kick off her journey
with the QVC.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
And so we have.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
Been getting our sampling in from those factories and next
year we'll be launching our own jewelry line of costume
jewelry to the marketplace.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Oh that's so exciting, it is exciting.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Congratulations, Thank you, Chris. I don't know if you knew
that or not.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
CHRISA has been a long admirer of our vintage jewelry
and she was probably one of our first buyers of
some of the earrings that we used to get at
our estate sales or our auction houses as we.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Would go to.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Because part of the things about Lance's reason why it
was so natural was because his Christmas frethes aren't just
with Barbie in them. They are vintage ornaments and vintage jewelry,
and if it's a broken watch, it just makes that
story even more exciting within his rees. And so this
little journey was kind of natural for us.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Well.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I have to say when I had the pleasure of
visiting you both, it was eye candy on your dining
room table with all of that vintage funness. Thank you
both so much for joining us today to wrap up
what is the beat that keeps you both going? Because
the name of our podcast is full of ard beat?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
What keeps us going?
Speaker 3 (32:19):
That keeps you going?
Speaker 2 (32:20):
A lot? I again, I'm going to get back for
me personally, I really just love like if I could
get up every morning and go hunting and thrifting and
shopping and antiquing and wherever I could, I would. I
love that. That's like one of my biggest passions and
I love to actually do it by myself because I
don't I'm not on anybody's timeline. If I could get
up every morning and go look for something amazing that
(32:42):
I'm going to pay ten dollars for, that just keeps
me going. Honestly, I love it.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
Even when we travel for vacations or something, he is
still looking for that wonderful fine at one little story.
And so when you come back from a vacation, most
of you were back a T shirt or mouth or something.
Lance brings back a cash po painting, a cake, dessert plate,
(33:06):
or whatever it may be.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
But it's always a fondness that those.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Mouse ears are so cute when they embroider your name
on the back.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
And Lance, I will say, you said something that is interesting.
How you like to go by yourself? Yes, I connect
with that with you because I think there's something about
when you're antiquing or enjoying design and you're by yourself.
It's great to share experiences with people, but I think
that you can enjoy architecture museums by yourself because you're
(33:39):
not on any buddy's timeline. I'm all about you. Do
you during the day, Let's meet for dinner. And so
our final question is what does your perfect boulevard look? Like,
we're so passionate about the word boulevard because everybody is
somewhere all the time. You're always on a street, a
lane of boulevard. What does that look like for you?
Speaker 4 (33:57):
We talk about this a lot perfectly imperfect, a road
with a lot of bumps and a lot of hills,
because it allows us to appreciate all the wonderful things
that we see along the way and learn.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
I mean, that's one of the things that I look
at is.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
If the journey is easy, we're not going to remember it,
but the hard one, we're going to remember it a
great deal and appreciate it, and then we can laugh
about it later, as.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Long as you can laugh about it later, exactly. Well,
thank you again to both of you. We really appreciate
your time, and this has been a conversation that's full
of as many treasures as the treasures that you put
on your wreaths that people have coveted so much.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
So thanks again, thank thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, and of course, follow
your host on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at Chris
a Rob Spunt, and at Liz Legit. We'll be back
next week as we take a stroll down another boulevard
Welcome to Boulevard Beat, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor
Chris the Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast
focuses on the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews
with taste makers, and personal conversations on how to highlight
achievable style. You constrol one street at a time, Boulevard
(00:28):
Beat proves the one you should take. This week, we
are joined by the duo behind Parker Kennedy, Lance Jackson
and David Ecton. Parker Kennedy Living focuses on high end
residential interior design, vintage furniture restoration, and product development. Their
look is peppy on the edge. Southern Regency is what
(00:50):
Lance calls it, taking a traditional interior and elevating it
to an updated look using lacquer finishes and mixing textures
and vintage details with young colors and patterns. They've evolved
into making one of a kind briefs for all occasions.
It's a lively conversation and we are excited to welcome them.
Lance and David Welcome. We're excited to start chatting with
you today.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Thank you. We're excited to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Let's start by having each of you telling us a
little bit about the streets that you grew up on.
It's the basis of our podcast, and we like to
start with a little bit of nostalgic fun.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
I always tell people in our lectures that I'm a
child of the eighties, but really I was born in
the seventies, and so it was just a different time.
I grew up in a time and on a street
where neighbors came over and helped one another. So the
neighbors would come over and they would help my dad
put up the paneling in the basement and so forth,
all for a price of a case of beer.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I mean, that was just what we kind of grew
up with. I had a very similar experience. I grew
up in the seventies, and I had a very all
American middle class, lower middle class kind of neighborhood that
all my neighbors knew each other, and you know, we
lived in just a simple house. Nothing banned see. But
I do remember one of my fondest memories on my street.
(02:03):
When I was growing up, I had a neighbor two
doors up, and she was in her seventies and every
Christmas she would make a sprout apple piees and bring
them to us, And I love the memory. Her name
was Aunt Jane.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Isn't that great? I mean, simpler times, for sure, one
could argue better times. And I feel like every kid
had an Aunt Jean on their street. Probably, yeah, I
think so, really different time. So let's talk about Parker Kennedy.
Tell us about the name of Parker Kennedy. I know
a little bit about it, but tell us what the
(02:40):
business is and how it's evolved and what you guys
are doing now.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I always tell people there is no Parker, there is
no Kennedy.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
It's very Remington Steel. And the reason why I say
that was because in the television show Remington Steel, it
was a made up name. And what we wanted to
do is to create a character, or create a persona
that reflect our style in our image, and we didn't
want it to be just Lance and David Interiors, because
(03:09):
I think we were so much more than that. So
when it came to discussing the name, Lance came home
one day and said, what do you think about David
and Lance Interiors? And we both kind of looked at
each other and thought to myself, well, we're not selling
hot dogs and cheeses and sausages, so what about Parker
Kennedy And he.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Said, that's brilliant. It really is a good name. I
hate to say this, but it's a combination of our
two bar names that we both came up with when
we were on a trip early in our relationship in
Palm Springs. So that's where he kind of pulled that from, like,
I don't know, four years later, it.
Speaker 4 (03:46):
Was four years afterwards. So it just it clicked and
it was just perfect. And the concept is we're kind
of preppy on the edge. It's just a modern take
to that preppy vibe. And that's where we were at
at the time we were starting our company, and it
was as if Jonathan Adler and Lily Publzer had a baby,
what would the interiors look like?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
And that's what we were trying to achieve. Yeah, but
we've evolved so much more from that over the past
ten years.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And tell us about that.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Well, we started with the idea, the concept of just
doing antique booths and it just kind of blew up
in our face where we started going from one booth
up to seven booths, and it was at a time
when the economy was coming back with our developers. And
so Lance's life prior to Parker Kennedy, he worked for
(04:39):
a very large architectural firm and part of that casualty
in nine was that the firm went from one hundred
and fifty to ten employees, and so Lance was won
of the casualties. And then when the economy rebounded, all
those developers came back to Lance and say we need
your help, and so we were able to pivot from
(04:59):
doing antique stuff to.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Really starting our interiors group.
Speaker 4 (05:04):
Yeah, and then there's a point in time when we
also have to do something with our creativity. Lance has
evolved in this machine of making these amazing Christmas wreaths.
He did it all based upon a client calling us
and saying, can you help us? I have a charity event.
(05:25):
We're getting together all these designers and they were renowned
designers from ken Falk who did the Win hotel, to
Scott Meacham who which you know, chrisa very well, all
these really nice strong names in the San Francisco area
and US and we shipped that wreath out. It had
(05:46):
to be something different. Lance racked his brain of what
he could do, and he made this beautiful, beautiful wreath
and it got so much conversation that it actually created
a little small group with a company to make these reefs,
and then it morphed into these toperaries and then people
asking how do you do it? Can I do it
(06:07):
with you? And things like that, and so we started
doing classes. And the reason why we did classes is
because God is out of the studio and it became
a great marketing tool. So we get out there to
meet people, introduce them, show more interiors, and then have
a great day of making a correct project.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, it's a really beautiful balance just between the creative
and just continuing to evolve your business, which is wonderful.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
I think you kind of have to and you know,
always are consistently because the markets are changing. You know,
when we started the business and we started going online
with vintage, it the only place people sold vintage was
One King's Lane and then we had One King's Lane
and Cherish and where else did you go. We've been
able to do it in house, and we've been able
to do it off our own website and build our
(06:52):
own database ourselves. But as time goes on, you constantly
have to change and make yourself interest.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Anyone who follows you, and that's a lot of people
know that you're in the middle of a very special
renovation project. We want to hear the background of the
house and how you live in that now and how
it came to be.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Oh, that's a great question. We had been looking for
a pre Civil War historic home, kind of big house
out in the middle of nowhere with a lot of
property that we wanted to restore and get published and
be a weekend house. And we get and find what
we were looking for, so we gave up after a
few offers. I decided to expand our reach to go
into the nineteen twenties and we found this house on
(07:32):
Zillo and it was about an hour and twenty minutes
from our old house in Atlanta, and we drove up,
called the realtor. He's like, I'll be there in five minutes.
He gave us the keys and said take your time.
He left, and we knew when we walked in we're
going to get it. It's a Mediterranean revival nineteen seventeen,
nineteen through nineteen twenties, brick house, blonde brick and big
(07:55):
verandas and green Spanish tile clavery, and we just we
fell in love with it. Again. It wasn't what we
were looking for, but I think that all that happened
for us to get this house because we love it
now more than any other house I ever looked at.
It's a former Governor of Georgie's house, and the local
people referred to it as the Governor's mansion, and it's
(08:19):
registered on the Historic Register of Places in Georgia, and
so we were reading it. We didn't even know that
the prominence of the house when we saw it on Zilo.
We just knew that we wanted something that hadn't been
really butchered up over time, and really it was in
such almost amazing original condition. I think that's what we
fell in love with the most.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Ye At Lance always referred to as a home depoizing
a house, Like every time we would go into a home,
we would see this mismatch stuff of home depot.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
So we didn't want to have to like tear all
that out, but we did tear a lot of stuff
out here. We totally replumbed, rewired, kind of like rebuilt
the house in some areas. I mean, there were points
in time when we walked in. I mean, first of all,
it was the architecture that sold us on the house,
and it's just absolutely stunning, and we walk around just
(09:08):
amazed with the fact that we get to be a
caretaker for this home for this brief moment in time,
because it is as extraordinary. And when we put our plan.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Together for the renovation, it was very important to us
that it wasn't just a plan to make everything look
pretty and slap.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Pain up on the walls.
Speaker 4 (09:26):
It was really about preserving it for the next hundred years.
So it was just an amazing journey that we're on
in this restoration of the house and what.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
It's been like living because I know you guys are
about an hour outside of Atlanta. How has that changed
from living so far removed from a major metropolitan even
though it's not really that far. And I know you
guys go in.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
We love it here and I would never move back
to Atlanta. You paid me because of the traffic, and
we originally were going to keep our house in Atlanta
and use this as like a weekend getaway, and we
still in love with it, and we sold house in Atlanta,
moved your full time like two years into it. There's
just the quality of life here. Even though it's a
small town, you can't beat it.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
I also loved as you were talking about the architecture,
and I got it and renovated a nineteen fourteen Tutor
home five years ago, so I can relate a little
bit to the stresses and all the things, and you know,
really truly just honoring the architecture. And I think that's
required when we're decorating an older home, specifically one with
historic significance as yours. Is what sort of formula or
(10:32):
guides do you apply as you determine the specification, so
that the design was mindful of the architecture but also
had a fresh and updated vibe.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
We kept it very in keeping what you'd expect when
you'd walk in the door. It's very traditional, a fresh,
traditional look. And Bob, we do have antiques and we
have vintage mixed and it's not so heavy brown, but
we do have a lot of brown pieces. We have
a few painted pieces. We have a Gracie wallpaper that's
amazing in our dining room.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
Basically, the footprint of the house is still the same,
but we didn't modernize a lot of it. We didn't
really move any walls around, but we closed up some
walls so if you go upstairs to our second floor.
The only thing we really changed around we moved a
wall just in a little bit so we can put
a laundry room up there, because if not, we would
have to go down to the basement to do laundry
(11:23):
and that's just not fun. So that was one of
the things that we did that's really different. And a
change to the overall look of the space of the house.
And then in the foyer that had a complete makeover,
and one of the challenges was they had cast iron
pipes that were leaking and.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Over time it just corroded the supports.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
So when the engineer came out to re look at it,
he wanted to put a beam down the center of
the room, and we were like, you can't do that
because it.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
Would look odd.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
So what we ended up doing before when you walked
into the house you walked straight into the ballroom.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Today we created a foyer.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
And had a opening on the left hand side that
nears the opening on the right hand.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Side, so it looks natural.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
We added a lot more molding, a lot of the
moldings weren't there, and so we came in and we
beefed up the molding and then replicated the molding. So
downstairs we had beautiful dental work molding, and when we
added the foyer into it, we had to replicate it.
Then when we replicated that, we put it in the
rooms in the lower level that did not exist. So
(12:34):
the library got the molding, the bathrooms got the molding,
and then in the back foyer in the back hallway section,
we took out thirty five thousand pounds of plaster and
we put in this beautiful judges paneling that Lance said, this.
Speaker 2 (12:50):
Is what we need. So it's just stunning.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
It sounds like you really maintained the integrity of the house,
which I just love to hear. Just in historic homes
as well. You've shared about quite a few challenges. I
know in working in older homes it adds another layer
of history, but also the obstacles. What's the biggest challenge
of all of them that you've had in this house.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
People ask us a lot of time, like when we
be finished, or how come you're not done sooner? And
I always tell people we're right where we need to be.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
In the part of the restoration that we are in.
Speaker 4 (13:21):
I think at Lance and I talk about this all
the time. God slowed us down on the renovation process
because he wants us to be right where we are
and where we're supposed to be with the process, because
if we had it done completely, all at once, we'd
be completely different people. This renovation has taught us patients.
It has created an appreciation. It has taught us that
(13:44):
not everything has to be perfect all at once, or
even at all.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
David, you mentioned the word patience and how living in
this house has taught you to be patient as you
guys have taken a while to complete the renovation, and
I think that's so important. Could you talk a little
bit about not living in perfection because I think today,
I mean, we see things on Instagram and everything is
(14:09):
polished and perfect.
Speaker 2 (14:10):
You know.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
Now we call it interior design. It used to have
a decorator, not a designer, and not everything matched and
not everything was perfect because frankly, you couldn't get everything
exactly how you wanted until relatively recently. I mean that's
a thing of the last twenty maybe thirty years, where
(14:31):
you could have custom this and custom that, and so
can you talk a little bit sort of about maybe
the virtue of imperfection, because I think that that is
something that is lost on our society today and we
miss opportunities to enjoy beauty by thinking it needs to
(14:52):
achieve something that it doesn't.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Yeah, I agree. I like personally not having any of
my rooms in that I'll look like a showroom from
you know, Aidak or ye Point or whatever. I want
it to be mismatched. I wanted to be worn. And
I like the fact that you know, I've got matching sofas,
(15:15):
but we have these two matching frames and one of
them was in one fabric and one of them was
in the other fabric, and people come over and I'm
just like, it is what it is. It'll it'll be
in this fabric one day. But I like having that
kind of lived in. I don't want anybody to ever
come in and think that they can't put their feet
up on the sofa or you know, put their glass
(15:36):
on a surface. We're not like that, even though when
you come in the front door now it feels like
that and we make sure well, it didn't really feel
that way. I think a lot of people that don't
know design just get overwhelmed by the entrance of the house,
so I'm always there telling them, please put your feet
on the sofa, bring your dog, don't worry about spilling
(15:58):
a glass of wine. You know, it's not the other world,
and we just lived that way now more than ever.
I don't know. I guess that's why I'm drawing then
to genantique so much.
Speaker 4 (16:08):
Lance loves anything that has a good patina on it,
it has a.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Scratch, or if it's broken, he doesn't care. He still
loves it for what it is and the beauty for
what it is.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
So we're going to pivot now. And you guys both
alluded earlier to the reads, and I really want to
take some more time to talk about this because this
has become such a thing for you guys, and you know,
anybody who has the joy of following you on Instagram,
and we suggest that anybody who's listening to us go
follow you if they don't already. It is so much
(16:42):
fun to ay watch you guys evolve. But take on
this whole other category that I mean, nobody else is
really doing it. You know, it's very specific, So talk
to us a little more about the excitement behind it
and just how it's grown and then I know that
last Christmas you did workshop, so we want to hear
(17:05):
all about all about Christmas.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
Well, the reefs really just took off. When I first
made the very first one for the San Francisco Auction
Cherity Auction. It was way before reels or any kind
of video on Instagram, and I had basically just took
a few photos and posted me making that wreath. And
I think I got like maybe ten orders off the bat,
(17:29):
and I think I was charging like two hundred bucks
for them, which I thought was, you know, a gold mine.
That's when it really blew up, and we figured out,
you know, maybe we can do a few more, and
I started making some and they would sell right away,
and then we you know, I didn't have Tom, and
Tom became the issue and we would do a made
to order, so I don't really have any in stocked,
(17:51):
make them to order, and I get kind of like
a theme that they want, and I, you know, I
figure out like what they like to do, if they
played tennis, or they ride horses or you know whatever.
I'll try to incorporate a little piece of something like
a tennis racket or a horse brooch or an equestrian
vibe to that wreath. But really, when Patricia Allschult, she
(18:15):
reached out to me on Instagram and I didn't even
know she was following me, and she was like, hey,
can you make me a barbie ereath? And I was like,
I can make whatever you want. And the barbie wreath
kind of took off from there. It went from just
you know, benched ornaments with jewelry on it to now
I'm doing barbieres. And she posted on Instagram and was like,
(18:37):
look at my wreath and I left this from Parker
Kennedy and I think I had like two hundred barbieres.
The orders that year you did? You had a lot
that year. It was it. I didn't keep up like
I was like desperately looking for vintage parties.
Speaker 4 (18:50):
And so if your viewers or your listeners know Patricia
Allschultz on this little TV show called Southern Charm, and
she's kind of like the matriarch and she has a
beautifulest were at home in Charleston and so when Lance
made it, he put it all together and he looks
over at me and he goes, We're going to go
ship it. And I said, We're not gonna ship it
we're going to bring it to her. So we took
(19:12):
a four and a half hour drive to go drop
it off because she has this amazing home in Charleston.
Mario Wada had designed it, who is one of Lance's
historical idol figures that he adores.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And when we got there, she wasn't home. So we
drove four and a half hours just to drop this off.
Her housekeeper to give us a quick little tour around
the front of the house on the main level, and
then then we went back maybe a year later.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
It was short of it was like three months later.
We went back and she sent us them. She heard
you were in town, and she sent you a message
to say, come by the house. And then we came
by the house and became friends, and it was just
an amazing experience.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
But along that journey, everything with the Reeves have been
quite fun. And then from there a few housewives on
different franchises ordered them. Margaret Joseph's who Else.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
Margaret made us go on to page six because Margaret
did her new office and she keeps hers up all
year round. We got published on page six for that.
Usually it's for something naughty. We got she got something
page six to the house tour of her house or
her for innovation, and she basically just focused in on
that wreath and gave us a lot of credit, which
(20:28):
I was very thankful.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
And we've become because of the industry that we're in.
Speaker 4 (20:32):
Carson Kresley is always running around high Point and that's
how we became friends with him. And the Lance did
one for him and that was really quite interesting because
he incorporated a Kendall and that polo equestrian feel that
he loves so much, and he just did a.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
Shout out for Lance to say thank you. That all
came about because last year I wanted to try to
figure out how to get them into Burgdorf's, so I
put it out there. I was like, is U pit
a post and with a wreath? And I'm like, I
really think these are becoming more art pieces versus, you know,
just kitchy Christmas. And I wanted to figure out who
(21:13):
I need to talk to in Birckdorps to show one
get in front of Burgdorps and he reached out and said,
we need to send it to this lady. I don't
know if it's the right one, but she I'm sure
runs the show there and she can get it in
the right hand, So that's I actually made him a
wreath as a gift for that info. But it is
it's very it's it's fun. It's a creative outlet for me.
(21:37):
I'd love to do it when I'm not pressured to
do it. I had a designer NDC order fourteen rees
over the course of last fall.
Speaker 4 (21:46):
He started ordering them in May and the last one
got shipped out in August. But it was it was
fun for you because there wasn't that much pressure because
the season hadn't started and our schedule was a little
bit more flexible. But it was really interesting to see
his creativity. And when they get ordered off season, they
(22:06):
are stunning because there isn't that pressure. Well they're stunning
when they're during the season, too.
Speaker 2 (22:11):
But I enjoy it more off season. The topiaries really
evolved out of the wreaths for a photo shoot we
were doing for Entertain and Celebrate and we were working
on a Christmas shoot with my friend Lydia Menzies, and
she basically was like, well, just make one of your
wafs and we'll do it as a centerpiece and lay
it flat. And I was like, I don't want to
do that. They've been published at this point so many times.
(22:34):
So I said, give me a couple of weeks. So
I had these amazing brass antique cash POWs that I
was keeping for the dining room, and I decided to
kind of take the wreath concept and turn it into
a little Christmas tree topiary. Well, I've hosted about that,
and I think that went viral. We got orders all
(22:55):
the way from Lord Battle from London calls me and
we have to go ship them out to him. And
that was an interesting day to pick up that.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Phone call and you didn't hand deliver that one.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
Yeah, I would love to do that. That's a little
other story, but it just blew up, like the whole
Tipperary thing. Just I had no idea people were wanting that.
You know. It's kind of after COVID and then Lydia
was like, well we do one for my supper club.
Well you do a class, and it was our very
first class. I was like, I don't know, I'm not
(23:26):
really good in front of people, you know, I'm a
little shy. David could do all the talking, but you know,
I'm gonna have to teach them how to do it
because I'm the one that picks them. We ended up
having it at the swine Coach House in Atlanta, and
I think there were forty women there and it I
posted photos and videos of that and that really went viral.
And then the classes really evolved from that because we
(23:47):
had people from California, Beverly Hills calling saying, you know,
can you come out here and teach classes? And we
want to do a class like this with my social club,
And then tons of people in Dallas, Texas, Houston, New York.
I know we had such a following in New York,
New Jersey. It's always calling one in classes. So if
(24:11):
we can make it work logistically and we have the
right number of people, then we do the class. But
we were doing them just whenever we get at the beginning,
and then we were like, Okay, we really have to
like pair this down and really make each class count.
So we started doing a limited number of people. I've
developed quite a few really get the friendships out of
(24:32):
these classes.
Speaker 3 (24:33):
Well, I think that what's so special about what you
guys are doing is you've really become a conduit to people,
mostly women I assume, who are who are coming out
to learn how to make the topiaries and such. You know,
we talk about a lot on this podcast about the
broad scope of the word creativity and how most people
(24:57):
really when they think of the word creativity, they think
about somebody who's an artist, and a lot of designers
can create beautiful rooms and they're artists like that, but
they're not necessarily fine artists. So it must be really
special for you guys to help people create these little
treasures that will be passed down and part of a
(25:18):
you know, whether it's whether it's a rate that hangs
all year round or it's pulled out at Christmas. I mean,
you're part of somebody's memory.
Speaker 2 (25:25):
Now.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
We talk about this too, one of the things and
we talk about this about in home design too. It's
about a lot of times it's about the experience of
acquiring an object. So if there's something in your house
that's very unique and somebody says, oh, I love that
dresser over there, you know, a lot of our clients
are like, oh, my wife and our designers David and Lance,
(25:49):
they were at Scott's or they talk about the providence
of it because they were excited.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
About the history of that item.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
When we do these classes, it's the same thing. It
gives a history in the decor these tapparies. Those ladies
are going to put that piece of Christmas out every
year and they're going to smile because they'll remember what
that experience was.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
They'll remember the.
Speaker 4 (26:12):
First time they came out and hung out with Lance
and I and put that together and all the ladies
they met along the way.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
And I think that in itself is something very special. Yeah,
and we really we've been fortunate enough that me and
David together is streamlined the process of the Christmas tree
tipiary class. Because if you're trying to get you know,
thirty eight women wrangled down to focus and get you know,
make something actually pretty. That's my goal. Like I was
really worried people are going to do it wrong and
(26:41):
you're not going to figure it out. But it's really easy.
And we figured that out, and we figured it out
with the materials and how to travel with the materials
and how much materials each get needs, and so we
really streamlined it. But in essence, and every single class,
each single one is different, and it's amazing to see
the difference between thirty eight different topiaries. And I think
(27:04):
that's what kind of the beauty is and I try
to photograph as many as I can, like all of
them and post like, look how different these are, and
hers is, you know, a pastel, and hers is all
Christmas colors. And then we had a lady do all
blue and white which was really pretty, and various other
ones I can't think of, but thankfully we hit streamlined
(27:24):
it so we can make that process easy and comfortable
for the women that attend as well, because I want
them to have a good time and I don't want
them to be stressed out. And while we're making them,
you know, me and David are constantly walking around, I
guess it takes about three hours for the process, you know,
from the beginning to the end.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
I think it's so great too that you are doing
these classes because oftentimes I think all of us who
are sort of artistic dreamers spend a lot of time
painting things on Pinterest with this idea of I'm going
to do this someday, and someday is never. It never
happens because there's too much going on in life. So
when there's a structured class, it forces you to sit
(28:06):
down with whether it's a group of friends or individuals
who come and make new friends. It's giving you the
structure and forcing you to bring out your inner creativity.
Speaker 4 (28:16):
And most of these people come. I wouldn't say most,
but about thirty percent of them come. We've never used
a blue gun before, Yeah, and some just come for
the experience or an activity to do. The last one
we did in Roano, Virginia. I'm sitting there next to
Katie Lou and Katie Lou and I were gluing away
and she's eighty seven years old, and I was worried
(28:38):
to death that she burned.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Herself, but we had the best they ever. It's just
something to get together.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
And do you sounds like you've just made really wonderful
memories for these people, and the experiences that they walk
away with just sounds incredible. It's fun that you've had
so many outlets into your business. And then it's fans
far beyond these reefs and picking furniture and pillows. What
category of design of living do you enjoy the most?
And why? Is it cooking, gardening, design, table scaping, or
(29:06):
the crafting.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I know David likes cooking, that's his thing. Now I'm
learning he's actually becoming an excellent cook. I think for me,
I like the thrill of the hunt, Like I like
to go and shop and try to find some special
treasure in a drunk store that no one else can find.
That's really one of my favorite things to do. As
(29:28):
far as design relate, I know it's not really design related.
Bit of kunt is for me, and I really enjoy
table scaping and I love china, and you know, I
can't I can't have enough china.
Speaker 1 (29:39):
That's fun too because you can kind of use those
two skills together with your creativity on the table and
the cooking together too. So it's been so fun hearing
all about this. What's next on the horizon for Parker Kennedy.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
It's interesting because we talk a lot about this too,
Lance Nay. Behind Closed Doors, God puts us on a
journey and he introduces us to these easing people along
the way, and one of the people that he introduced
us to was Margaret Joseph. And Margaret Joseph is on
another little TV show called Housewives of New Jersey and
(30:12):
she has become a great friend, one of our biggest
cheerleaders in life and is just cheering us on. So
we got to meet with her and spend some time
with her and talk to her about what her business was.
And one of the things that she was doing at
that particular time was she was designing jewelry, and through COVID,
(30:34):
the factories that she was using no longer exist because
at that time women weren't dressing up to go to
work anymore. So that project kind of fell through. But
I had called her up to say, hey, look, I
have found this earring that would love to make it
to a cocktail ring for our clients.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
Can you help me?
Speaker 4 (30:54):
And she said no and told me the story about
her factories not working anymore.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
But then she turned me on to another woman, and.
Speaker 4 (31:02):
This other person helped Joan Rivers kick off her journey
with the QVC.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
And so we have.
Speaker 4 (31:09):
Been getting our sampling in from those factories and next
year we'll be launching our own jewelry line of costume
jewelry to the marketplace.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
Oh that's so exciting, it is exciting.
Speaker 2 (31:22):
Congratulations, Thank you, Chris. I don't know if you knew
that or not.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
CHRISA has been a long admirer of our vintage jewelry
and she was probably one of our first buyers of
some of the earrings that we used to get at
our estate sales or our auction houses as we.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Would go to.
Speaker 4 (31:39):
Because part of the things about Lance's reason why it
was so natural was because his Christmas frethes aren't just
with Barbie in them. They are vintage ornaments and vintage jewelry,
and if it's a broken watch, it just makes that
story even more exciting within his rees. And so this
little journey was kind of natural for us.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Well.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I have to say when I had the pleasure of
visiting you both, it was eye candy on your dining
room table with all of that vintage funness. Thank you
both so much for joining us today to wrap up
what is the beat that keeps you both going? Because
the name of our podcast is full of ard beat?
Speaker 2 (32:18):
What keeps us going?
Speaker 3 (32:19):
That keeps you going?
Speaker 2 (32:20):
A lot? I again, I'm going to get back for
me personally, I really just love like if I could
get up every morning and go hunting and thrifting and
shopping and antiquing and wherever I could, I would. I
love that. That's like one of my biggest passions and
I love to actually do it by myself because I
don't I'm not on anybody's timeline. If I could get
up every morning and go look for something amazing that
(32:42):
I'm going to pay ten dollars for, that just keeps
me going. Honestly, I love it.
Speaker 4 (32:46):
Even when we travel for vacations or something, he is
still looking for that wonderful fine at one little story.
And so when you come back from a vacation, most
of you were back a T shirt or mouth or something.
Lance brings back a cash po painting, a cake, dessert plate,
(33:06):
or whatever it may be.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
But it's always a fondness that those.
Speaker 3 (33:10):
Mouse ears are so cute when they embroider your name
on the back.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (33:15):
And Lance, I will say, you said something that is interesting.
How you like to go by yourself? Yes, I connect
with that with you because I think there's something about
when you're antiquing or enjoying design and you're by yourself.
It's great to share experiences with people, but I think
that you can enjoy architecture museums by yourself because you're
(33:39):
not on any buddy's timeline. I'm all about you. Do
you during the day, Let's meet for dinner. And so
our final question is what does your perfect boulevard look? Like,
we're so passionate about the word boulevard because everybody is
somewhere all the time. You're always on a street, a
lane of boulevard. What does that look like for you?
Speaker 4 (33:57):
We talk about this a lot perfectly imperfect, a road
with a lot of bumps and a lot of hills,
because it allows us to appreciate all the wonderful things
that we see along the way and learn.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
I mean, that's one of the things that I look
at is.
Speaker 4 (34:15):
If the journey is easy, we're not going to remember it,
but the hard one, we're going to remember it a
great deal and appreciate it, and then we can laugh
about it later, as.
Speaker 3 (34:24):
Long as you can laugh about it later, exactly. Well,
thank you again to both of you. We really appreciate
your time, and this has been a conversation that's full
of as many treasures as the treasures that you put
on your wreaths that people have coveted so much.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
So thanks again, thank thank you.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, and of course, follow
your host on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at Chris
a Rob Spunt, and at Liz Legit. We'll be back
next week as we take a stroll down another boulevard
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