I’ve had many clients who have beautiful ‘stuff,’” says Stephen Trevino, “but they have no idea how to put it all together. So I wanted to build a vignette to show how you can turn a bunch of objects and furniture into a cohesive whole.” Trevino, who owns the 526 Gallery in St. Paul, has helped countless clients pull together their homes over the past 20 years. Happy to help with a single room or an entire house, Trevino loves the process. “Playing with color and form, adding art, finding great local bargains … it’s great fun if you know where to shop and what to look for.”

1. The Painting.
St. Paul artist Beth Stoneberg uses tinted varnish on birch plywood, following the grain of the wood to create free-flowing, sensual patterns. “I love Beth’s work. It has a wonderful organic feel and the colors are so earthy. I built this entire vignette around that painting.”

2. The Bronze Sculptures.
By Roger Arvid Anderson, a St. Paul native who now lives in San Francisco. “I like the tall sculpture because it plays off the organic shapes in the painting so well. And the round piece works because it adds a kind of ‘circle of life’ element to this scene.”

3.The Lamp.
By local furniture/lighting designer Thomas Oliphant. “This is a simple, clean-lined floor lamp made of stainless steel with a linen barrel shade. But then it’s got this organic wooden tree branch, which helps make so many other things in this vignette work. This ‘Rustic Lamp’ is my favorite piece in his collection.”

4. The Chair (And Table Carried by Trevino).
By local furniture designer Katie Wittenberg. “This chair has a ’50s style to it, which works with the mid-century credenza. I actually just sold a pair that were upholstered in a crazy ’50s-pattern fabric, which was great, but wouldn’t have worked in this vignette at all. This chair would work well in a bedroom or as an accent chair in the living room. I’d love to pair them in a living room.”

5. The Decorative Glass Candleholder.
By local glass designer Gary Brown. “This is designed to hold either a pillar candle or a wine bottle—also makes a great gift because they’re so affordable.”

6. The Plant.
From Orchid Garden. “I wanted a green, not pink, orchid because orchids are so sensual. Adding a plant or flowers immediately gives any vignette in your home energy—keeps it from being stagnant. It says that someone lives here and nurtures this place.”

7. The Credenza.
Though he originally wanted to show a locally designed piece, Trevino switched gears in mid-stream when he discovered that it wouldn’t be finished in time for this photo shoot. “This is a perfect example of how there’s never just one solution,” says Trevino, who instead chose this Danish Modern credenza from Danish Teak Classics. “I chose it for its simplicity: no drawers, no hardware. And I think Danish Teak Classics has the best selections of classic Danish furniture. It’s also priced very reasonably.”

8. The Rug.
“I went to Designer Marketplace because I’ve done business with them in the past and I knew they have a great selection. This is a modern 5x8 Tibetan wool rug. I love the juxtaposition of the rigid pattern in the rug with the more organic shapes in the art. And it’s crazy how the colors in the rug work with the art!”

GETCONNECTED
Stephen Trevino
651.222.3839
526salon.com

Designer Marketplace Furniture
612.381.8508
Katie Wittenberg
KdKd Design
763.438.4080

Thomas Oliphant
thomasoliphant.com

Orchid Garden
612.327.9677

Danish Teak Classics
612.362.7870
danishteakclassics.com

Beth Stoneberg
bethstoneberg.com

Gary Brown
Roger Arvid Anderson
Artwork available through 526 Gallery