This past weekend, the pages of The Current came to life through a series of events held in Charleston, SC, with some of our closest friends and design colleagues who came in just for the occasion. Between the launch of the newest edition, now in its fifth volume and the marking of the milestone of our 20th anniversary, there was no shortage of things to celebrate.

The festivities kicked off with a tour of our factory in the historic old Navy Yard, followed by lunch at one of our favorite haunts, Leon's, for a bevy of Lowcountry staples from platters of oysters to piles of hushpuppies. Later that evening, Dave and Jen Dawson, founders of Urban Electric, welcomed guests to their home for drinks and dinner enlivened by details inspired by a far-flung feature on the lauded fabric house, Jim Thompson.  

The following morning, even the rain that had rolled in couldn't dampen the steely resolve of Louise Albinus, the current chatelaine of the 17th-century castle, Valdemars Slot, who, together with writer Heather MacIsaac, gave an impassioned presentation on the restoration plans for her family's 300-year-old ancestral home which she fought to regain and protect after overcoming significant family strife. One of Charleston's enduring landmarks, the 1800's era Aiken Rhett House, played host, providing the quintessential backdrop for the preservation-minded discussion.

After a private viewing of one of the city's newest design icons, the International African American Museum, on the hallowed grounds of Gadsden's Wharf to tour its thought–provoking gardens envisioned by landscape designer Walter Hood, the week's festivities culminated with cocktails at another architectural heirloom on lower King Street widely considered to be the finest intact Georgian townhouse in the country. Its ballroom and piazza, glowing with twinkling candles, were filled with music and revelry, just as it has been for centuries.