Michael DeMay is the Michelangelo of furniture. His furniture designs are in keeping with the natural earth elements: wood, cement and metal are works of art in the truest sense. After 20 years of contracting he decided to focus his skill and passionate craftsmanship on building furniture from unpolished materials. He has frequently worked with raw and reclaimed woods, cements and metals while creating pieces that have a timeless, elegant beauty. In addition, he is master carpenter who has built us beautiful desks, chairs, vanities, kitchen islands, beds and cabinetry for our clients and own homes. As if that was not enough, he happens to be a prolific songwriter. We pretty much adore him.

This is Music City USA after all, and Jim McGuire (aka Señor McGuire) has been photographing Nashville’s singers and songwriters for the past 40 years. McGuire’s work can be seen on the album covers of Carole King, Doc Watson, Townes Van Vandt, Emmylou Haris, Vince Gill and so many more. Being a Nashville native and a baby in the 1970′s music scene, Hannah was photographed by McGuire on several occasions in childhood, an honor she does not shy from boasting about ad naseum! His lifetime project “Nashville Portraits” toured galleries and museums across the country with a Nashville exhibition at the Frist in 2007. This body of work was also published in a book also titled, “Nashville Portraits”; a coffee table staple in our homes. Señor McGuire, with his love of music and musicians, wry writ and his beloved automobile, a 1947 Woody, has become as renowned as the musicians he photographs.

While this shop specializes in all your caning needs…. seldom do we have any real caning needs. But what they do have is an abundance of great antique finds which we do have a real need for. On an 8th Avenue cast about to find twin beds for a little girl’s room, we fell in love with so many amazing pieces at the Cane-ery. They have children’s church pews that were so precious we are quite certain our children would long for Sunday mornings just to have these little perches of their own. They had a huge typesetters cabinet that would be incredible in an office, studio or workshop. Perhaps the most intriguing part of this Nashville gem is their vast salt and pepper shaker collection. We are talking hundreds of them! The little French mice in full beatnik regalia were a sight to behold. For those not in search of church pews and beatnik mice s & p shakers, they also have a wonderful selection of vintage hardware and reproductions, old telephone booths and a Rosebud-esque sled. Should you be having a touch of Citizen Kane nostalgia.

Viking Landscape Design is the Rolls Royce of landscapers in the Nashville area. They handle mega clients (Publix being one) as well as residential homes. All clients receive the white glove treatment. While Daniel’s landscape design is impeccable, his stone work is nothing short of art. We had the chance to visit the Moore family at their home in Leiper’s Fork last week and were in awe of the work they have done to their own home. They transformed a modern farmhouse into a Gothic Castle in the hills of Middle Tennessee. Daniel and his disarmingly talented and beautiful wife, Lenka, do all the stonework with most rocks and stones having been pulled from their family farm nearby. Inside, Lenka has faux finished the walls to create an authentic castle vibe and has designed and built much of the wood furniture in the home. If they weren’t such lovely and charming people, you might hate them for being so sickeningly talented.