HOTEL BELLA GRACE
This spring I had the pleasure of touring Charleston’s Hotel Bella Grace, a 50-room luxury boutique hotel, which opened in August 2018.
The hotel is the latest project of visionary hotelier Donald Semmler, who has enjoyed a 34-year career with Marriott International, during which time he helped that company develop its first boutique hotels. Today, Semmler owns and manages the Hotel Bella Grace as well as the acclaimed Andell Inn on Kiawah Island. To each, he brings an educated eye and a passion for hotel design.
The Bella Grace faces Mother Emanuel Church, where a white supremacist murdered nine people in 2015. Semmler wanted his hotel to invoke the spirit of faith and forgiveness exhibited by the families of those slain. Hence the name “Bella Grace.”
The hotel comprises two structures—a new L-shaped building of white brick and the 1830s-era Delaney House, a restored single house. In the morning guests stroll from the former to the latter for a full Southern breakfast. In the evening they return for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
The lobby establishes a theme you’ll find throughout the hotel—a neutral palette enlivened by warm colors and by textures that reference the natural world. Two portraits of redheads, painted in a surreal, neo-Renaissance style, hang on the west wall—a nod to generations of Irish American women who lived in the Delaney House. Also on display are historical artifacts found on the site: slave tags, shoe buckles and apothecary jars.
Guest rooms are unusually functional as well as beautiful. The wallpaper looks just like marble, and beaded chandeliers cast romantic shadows on the walls and ceiling. Compact, well-equipped kitchens make you feel right at home.
Other reasons to stay here: on-site valet parking, a fitness club, excellent concierge service and proximity to the Gaillard Center and Charleston’s best restaurants. For more information, call 843.990.7500 or visit hotelbellagrace.com.
THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
HAVE SOME FUN IN CHARLESTON!
SUMMERTIME. It’s all about family, fun and relaxation. And what better place to do that than in Charleston? Forget the heat. With so much going on this summer, we pulled together a list of highlights for you to consider.
FARMERS MARKETS: You know it’s summer when the farmers come out to showcase the best of their crops! And in Charleston, we do farmers markets right! Enjoy fresh local produce, packaged food products, artisans and crafters, live music and more. On Saturdays, be sure to stop by the Charleston Farmers Market at Marion Square and the Summerville Farmers Market behind Town Hall in historic downtown Summerville. On Wednesdays, stop by Ackerman Park for the West Ashley Farmers Market.
JUNE 13: The Landing 5K Race series, hosted by the Friends of Charles Towne Landing, will be winding down on June 13 with a Kids Fun Run at 6:15 p.m. and a Race/Walk at 7:15 p.m. There will be food, beer and awards, so bring the family and come on out! For more information, visit racethelanding.com.
JUNE 19: 2019 Art of Jazz Series kicks off with Charleston pianist/composer Richard White, who will be joined by Brett Belanger on bass and David Patterson on drums, two of Charleston’s finest jazz musicians. For more information, visit charlestonjazz.com.
JUNE 20–23: Celebrate Charleston Carifest, in honor of Caribbean American Heritage Month. The parade kicks off on June 22 at 4 p.m. on John Street, followed by festivities at Carnival Village at Brittle Bank Park from 5 to 11 p.m. Come hear the sweet sounds of Caribbean music, reggae and soca, and eat authentic Caribbean food. For more information, visit charlestoncarifest.com.
JUNE 25: theSkimm Night Out: The founders of theSkimm will be in town for a night full of empowering conversation, networking, cheersing and more to celebrate their new book, How to Skimm Your Life. It might seem like everyone you know took a secret class on how to navigate life—and you were out sick that day. Enter theSkimm. You’ll walk away feeling empowered to do the things you’ve been putting off—whether that’s negotiating a salary, saving your money or finally learning how to pick out the right bottle of wine. For tickets visit gaillardcenter.org.
JUNE 29: Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons is coming to the Charleston Gaillard Center. With 71 chart hits (including 40 in the Top 40, 19 in the Top 10 and eight No. 1 hits), The Four Seasons is one of the best-selling musical groups of all time. Don’t miss an evening of these classic hits that will bring new and longtime fans alike to their feet at this unforgettable show. To purchase tickets, go to gaillardcenter.org.
JULY 4: Patriots Point 4th of July Blast. The U.S.S. Yorktown, home of the Congressional Medal of Honor Museum, is a fitting host for this patriotic celebration. Come on board and enjoy live music and a fireworks show. For more information, visit patriotspoint.org.
SEPT. 4–15: Enjoy world-renowned cuisine of the Lowcountry as participating restaurants offer prix fixe lunch and dinner menus during the annual Charleston Restaurant Week. For a complete list of participating restaurants, visit charlestonrestaurantassociation.com.
SEPT. 26–OCT. 6: MOJA Arts Festival celebrates African American and Caribbean art. Events include visual arts, classical music, dance, gospel, jazz, poetry, R&B music, storytelling, theater, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food and more. Most of the events are free. For more information, visit mojafestival.com.
PATTERNED TO PERFECTION
In interior design, wallpaper has long been a staple used to liven up a room or space. Like all other industries, the interior design world continues to evolve, as evidenced by a new trend in removable wallpaper. Also known as “temporary wallpaper,” removable wallpaper uses special adhesives to stick to the walls securely yet peels off effortlessly when it’s time to move or remodel.
If you are looking to remodel and are not sure just what you want to commit to for the next few years, or if you like change every few months, you should consider removable wallpaper. With so many patterns and prints to choose from, you can transform your home in unique and vibrant ways without the hassle of permanent alternatives—or the expense that comes with them.
Tempaper has just launched the Zoe Bios Collection, 
a series of removable wall murals inspired by hand-painted artwork. The collection was designed in collaboration with Zoe Bios Creative, a Los Angeles-based art collective founded by Minh Nguyen and Caitlin Dinkins. The partners are known for changing the look and feel of art in home furnishings with the cross-pollination of the art and design worlds.
The Zoe Bios Collection is comprised of seven prints— Arabella, Dark Vines, Figueres, Isabel, Joy, Ombre and Smokey Abstract—each inspired by the expressive works of legendary American painters and characterized by stunning, abstract brushstrokes.
When imagining the collection, Nguyen and Dinkins were drawn to the American painters Julian Schnabel, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Robert Motherwell and Jean-Michel Basquiat. They hand-painted motifs that were printed on Tempaper’s proprietary wallpaper. The result: a removable wallpaper collection that looks as if a mural was painted directly onto the wall.
Mitchell Black recently launched its Organics Collection, an homage to the art found in nature. With nine patterns— Slithered, Chiseled, Murals, Falls, Chevron, Betty Palms, Diamonds, Fog and Vineyard—the collection introduces two new natural substrates: self-adhesive natural fiber paper and grasscloth, a woven sisal, providing rich texture and depth to the new patterns. The self-adhesive natural fiber paper is PVC-free and uses environmentally responsible construction that supports two LEED credits.
Ready to cover your walls with these gorgeous prints? You can find a list of stockists on the Tempaper website, tempaperdesigns.com; you can order directly on Mitchell Black’s site, mitchellblack.com.
