Every year since 1991, antique dealer David Lindquist has packed a truck to haul hundreds of items from his shop, Whitehall Antiques, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, to the Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville (January 31–February 2). The huge gathering combines botanical fantasy and classic design, he says. “It’s my absolute favorite show of all time.” This year’s highlights include a keynote lecture by actress and author Brooke Shields, along with her longtime collaborator, the British decorator David Flint Wood. Interior designer April Tomlin will also appear with two of her celebrity clients: musician Sheryl Crow and Lauren Akins, the wife of country star Thomas Rhett. The charity event has grown to include more than 150 dealers and 16,000 annual attendees. Designer Elizabeth Lawrence, who serves as honorary cohost with her business partner, Bunny Williams, says she always takes time to wander the show and drink it all in: “It’s an eclectic mix. There are great garden things. There’s beautiful furniture. There’s modern art. There’s always something gorgeous.”
Southern Agenda