A Charles Luck Perspective

VCU’s Fashion Design Student interpret Tranquility: Elegance in Motion

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Ah, our final moment or our wonderful partnership with VCU’s Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising.  It’s been an amazing semester, culminating in the Annual Juried Fashion Show,  unanimously celebrated as Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Fashion Design and Merchandising longest running and most anticipated event of the academic year. This year, the concept of RAW underpins the show’s theme.  “RAW goes back to the basics of fashion: construction and pattern making,” and provokingly answers the question, “What is the DNA of fashion?”

We were excited to participate in this event and the ongoing partnership with VCU.  We fundamentally believe in the connection between fashion, interior design, architecture, and ultimately stone and we are thrilled to have this creative opportunity to showcase the continuum of design.  Moreover, we are honored to support emerging talent in their quest to discover their own point of view, challenge their creative limits, and bring their ideas to life.

The senior Evening Wear class was given the assignment to bring the forecasted trend of Tranquility to life in their own perspective, using delicious fabrics from Mood.  The show was also featured in the Richmond Times Dispatch. Here are their creations!



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The New Thomas Jefferson Statue Unveiled at the Virginia Capitol Features a Limestone Pedestal Donated by the Charles S. Luck Family

Categories: Happenings & Events, Inspiration, Stone Fanatics, Things We Love

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Nearly 230 years after Thomas Jefferson designed the Virginia Capitol, a statue of him is finally on permanent display in the landmark. The $300,000 bronze sculpture was unveiled this past week  in the 5-year-old subterranean Capitol Extension beneath the south lawn of Capitol Square.  The sculpture, titled “Thomas Jefferson: Architect of Liberty,” weighs 800 pounds and sits atop a 3-ton limestone pedestal in the circular Capitol Extension Plaza, commanding a majestic view down a hallway that connects a museum area, meeting spaces that can double as theaters and stairs that lead visitors into the historic Capitol overhead. The statue is nearly one-fifth larger than Jefferson was in real life, and depicts the Declaration of Independence author at age 42, around 1785, holding his blueprints for the Capitol, which was completed in 1788.The stone pedestal was provided by former foundation Trustee Charles S. Luck III and his family.

“As a former Board Member of the Virginia Capitol Foundation and someone who values the Capitol’s revitalization initiatives, my family and I are very humbled to be given an opportunity to donate the EW Gold limestone base from Missouri for the Thomas Jefferson statue.” Charles S. Luck III said. “It is very gratifying to be in a position to support the Virginia Capital Foundation again, and also to be part of a momentous initiative that honors and celebrates one of our Founding Fathers. I hope the statue of Thomas Jefferson will propel spectators’ to learn more and ask more about our Commonwealth’s and Country’s history.” Luck added.

Background on EW Gold

EW Gold is a dolomitic limestone quarried in St. Genevieve Missouri. The quarry is just over ten years old. That said, the formation it is quarried from has yielded limestone and sandstone for the area’s building stone needs for over two hundred years. St. Genevieve County is approximately 60 miles south of St. Louis and butts to the Mississippi river/ Missouri and Illinois border. EW Gold is just one of several stones quarried in the area. It is specifically unique within North America due to its high PSI averaging over 20,000, it’s low absorption averaging less than 1%, and its gold, buff, and grey colors. With the introduction of the EW Gold Quarry in 2005, the EW Gold stone rapidly became one of Earthworks best sellers. This dolomitic limestone offers a color scheme and texture like no other. The EW Gold consists of grays, buffs, and of course, gold.

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The Exquisite Line of Hand Made Lighting by Laura Lee Designs – A Deeper Look At High Point

Categories: Craft, Happenings & Events, Inspiration, Things We Love, Trend Watch

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Last week, we had the pleasure of exploring High Point Market. It was, without doubt, the largest home furnishing show you could ever imagine! With so much to see in so little time, we were on the move.

A few places really struck us. One of which was Laura Lee Designs. You could feel the brand from the moment you glanced into the showroom. The dim, dramatic lighting, gentle music, the scent of the vanilla candles burning throughout the showroom and the elegant layout of products drew every one of us in. It kept up there; fully integrated and intrigued with its brand presence. There is no question that Laura Lee Design, Inc. is one of value, luxury and timelessness. In her words, “The home is the essence of one’s true self. I believe that creating one’s sense of style is very much told by the manner in which one lives.”

Eager to learn more about Laura and her exquisite line of hand made lighting? check out http://lauraleedesign.com/about-laura-lee

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Capitol Architecture: The Jefferson Memorial

Categories: Craft, Inspiration, Things We Love, Travels

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If you happen to be driving into Washington, D.C. from the south, it’s quite hard to miss the stunning, Pantheon-like Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Resting alongside the Potomac River Tidal Basin, the neoclassical structure was built from 1939-1943 at Franklin Roosevelt’s request, a strong admirer of Jefferson. Designed by John Russell Pope, the building sits directly south of the White House, but is a good distance from other monuments along the National Mall. The nineteen foot tall statue of Jefferson inside wasn’t added until 1947, due to metal shortages during World War II. Inside the open-air structure, numerous quotes from Jefferson are carved into the marble walls.

Though the building initially – and even during construction – had many critics, its final presentation is grand and very handsome. Many at the time thought the neoclassical style was a dead movement and they wished for a more pronounced modernist aesthetic. But again, the blend of these different styles is one of the aspects that make D.C. so charming and eclectic! Should you have time, be sure to visit this magnificent memorial to one of our Founding Fathers and the third President of the United States.

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Charles Luck Craftsmen Add to Legacy at Belnemus Plantation

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The Richmond Team at Charles Luck recently completed an impressive custom 3 tiered marble and stainless steel vanity.  Our client visited to the Studio last year to see if we could replicate a vanity she saw in Veranda Magazine, and while we were unable to locate the original designer, we were inspired to collaborate with other local craftsmen to help our client receive the piece she wanted.  As the current owner of the historic Belnemus Plantation in Powhatan, VA which is currently undergoing extensive renovations, her intention was to create a “legacy” piece that would compliment the grandeur of the house and withstand time for generations to come. With a few design tweaks and some improvisations we were able to create something she was really excited about. This piece was a true creative collaboration by many – from design inception to fabrication to final installation. Our thanks go to Todd Tooley and Kyle Lucia of Phoenix Handcrafts, everyone in the Richmond Workshop and Clarke Gough and his team at Custom Stone Works for delivering a truly unique piece that we can all be proud of.

Original Vanity from Veranda Magazine

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