Today in The Lounge, Nick speaks with Toma Clark Haines, The Antiques Diva, and Randall Weeks from Aidan Gray, at High Point Market. The three discuss their upcoming collection, “The Antiques Diva, by Aidan Gray.” Toma and Randal dive into how they came to work together and the lessons they learned along the way.

What’s Behind the Names?

Randall says that Aidan Gray was born from interest in interior design magazines and his curiosity of the origins of the pieces in the photos. Over time, his love for zinc finials grew, and he decided to bring pieces back to life. Toma being “The Antiques Diva” began as a joke after she consistently found discounts on antiques for her friends. Eventually, it became the title of her blog, and is now the name of her business.

Teaming Up: Toma and Randall

Toma knew that when she was approached to do her first collection, she didn’t want to work with anyone but Randall. The pair went on a buying trip through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands to find inspiration pieces for the collection. The collaboration focuses on details and exhibiting their styles. Toma and Randall’s design styles are so similar, they feed off of one another and strengthen each other’s ideas.

A Sneak Peek Into the Collection

The process of the collection began 24 months ago, and now consists of a total of about 20 pieces. Inspiration came come from pieces of Louis XV and Louis XVI, amongst others. Every piece in the collection makes a bold statement and speaks volumes on its own, so the designers were cautious not to have the distraction of too much color.

Lessons Learned

Though they’ve both had offers to make collections before, Toma and Randall felt right making this collection as both of their firsts, since they work harmoniously together. Randall learned that executing tasks typically takes much longer than anticipated. Toma says shedding her ego and learning to share the creative space was vital when working with another designer. The two have enjoyed the process and are ecstatic to share it!