COOK + PARTY: Set the Stage for Style with Art in Daily Life

Having art woven through the daily activities of your world is stimulating, satisfying and inspirational. It stimulates the imagination, satisfies with the knowledge that is was created by an individual artist and inspires to spur the creativity we each have to express – whether we know it or not. It encourages appreciation.

Functional art is a cornerstone of the work we offer at PATRICIAN DESIGN. As a novel promotion of the various artists who create and produce exciting food-safe serving pieces on display and for sale in our shop and affirmation, of the belief we have that art should set the stage for style in daily life, we began our series – Patti’s COOK + PARTY. We like to party and we love art – so we party with art at the center of the festivities!!!! Let’s get this party started!!!!!

Six months ago, we began our series and followed the seasons as we progressed. By Fourth of July we featured festive party parfaits in expected red, white and blue! Our martini glasses were placed upon colorful cocktail coasters hand dyed and pieced into pretty patchwork squares by fiber artist, Rebecca Speakes!

Micheladas were given a twist with plump yellow heirloom tomatoes! Alongside was a fresh guacamole featured in a rippled-edged undulating little piece of pottery by artist Anne Marie Werner Smith.

Her collection is wonderful and we continue to feature key pieces in our weekly recipe pairings.

The pairing of recipes, with handmade art pieces on which to present and serve is inspiring. Here is a New York Strip steak bathed in a crazy fresh, from the garden, combination of pesto/chimichurri (yes, we created some crazy combinations of the two) sauce presented on a fanciful leaf platter by artist Robin Chlad!

Seeing examples of fun recipe ideas displayed on functional art creations is an unbeatable combination. Just tell Guy Fieri that for his Next Big Project!!! Rooting out artist’s studios in every pocket of the country and discovering great work and pairing it with great food – fantastic!

The colorful drawings and painterly style of Mariana Gasteyer’s pottery is whimsical and festive! Here a couple of examples and a fabulous featured recipe of a paired pear salad – half roasted and half freshly sliced – the combination was divine and the presentation on the platter was perfection!

A summer road trip took us too Tucson where we featured a huge lotus platter by artist Penne Roberts. Here we featured a vintage Shrimp Louis Salad.

As fall progressed, we hiked Tent Rocks to photo this amazing platform piece by Jenn Dipaolo.

Upon the platform we placed a pair of sweet and savory mini pumpkin pots de creme.

This past week we featured a dazzling, luminous glass sunflower bowl Margaret Hidalgo Vanderheyden.

This spectacular fused glass assemblage frames our pecan crusted cheese ball perfectly. Fall colors with holiday flair, this bowl makes a statement!!!

Supporting local artists, showcasing their pieces by pairing with food is the bomb!

Start family traditions with signature art pieces, build collections and shop small supporting local artists in your community!!!

If you would like to receive our weekly Patti’s COOK + PARTY recipes and pairings with our functional art finds, let us know what you think and sign-up with your email address!!

Posted On November 25, 2017 By pattisays In art and food, art and interior design, artistic expression, creativity, decorative arts, design tips, design trends, dining and design, entertaining, Food and art, food and interior design, glass art, Guy Fieri, Guy Fieri's Next Big Project, Guy's Big Project, handmade tableware, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, party themes, pottery, sunflowers, tableware, unique serving pieces /

Custom Designed Art for Branding in Commercial Interiors

Designing artwork for commercial interiors offers an opportunity to connect to the brand. It means that we take into consideration the artwork as relates to the business and its identity. You might remember a blog from last year about the can wall. It was designed for a taproom. The theme was beer. The name was “Silver” and we considered that a natural off-shoot of that was the silver color of aluminum beer cans – as a wall treatment!

Designing with Balance and the Creation of the Can Wall!

For that same project (in two locations) we further emphasized the brand with photos we took of their own products transferred to and stretched on canvas stretchers to be the “art” on the surrounding walls.

Fast forward to a conference room for an energy company home-based in Albuquerque – the iconic Sandia mountain being the earth’s monument – the familiar, perfect image to represent the company and the connection to the earth and its resources. For this project, we were asked to build 27′ of custom , cabinetry and dress the wall above it.

The tall ceilings required a vertical element, but the length of the wall also begged for horizontal space-filling. As a cost-effective solution to such a large space, we decided to take a photo of the majestic mountain, separate it into 5 sections and have it enlarged and transferred onto aluminum panels for light weight and rigidity. The reviews were sensational as everyone loves and relates to the familiar scene – seen in such a colorfully explosive and expansive installation.

In response to the success of that solution, the client asked for a complimentary treatment for the opposing wall. Again, the wall was 27′ long and had the same ceiling height so we used multiple fragments in 3 groupings to center across the entire expanse. “Elemental Fragments” was born of the concept to have just that – fragments of elements in an orderly fashion – uniform yet random, to contrast against its formal geometry in response to the amorphous photographic landscape. Colors were derived from the blue, green and yellow in the scenic panorama interspersed in a field of silver.

Last week, on the day of the installation, colorful creative chaos – resulting from unwrapping the individually hand-crafted compositions and scattering them across the conference table – was part of the fun, of the scene.

The tedious work of aligning all just right, with perfect spacing and level mounting, added to the anticipation of realizing the finished product.

The luminous glass against the rich, stained wood punctuated with the brushed stainless fasteners made a striking assembly.

Modern engineering and production, worldwide energy collaborations and shared technology coming together in a grounded environment of people and their place on the planet. A daunting system of assembling fragments of many elements that make things work to bring gas to the end users. The artwork makes the concept look easy. The result of the many facets, of the actual work and the artwork representing it, is not only effective, it is triumphal.

It’s creative fun to custom design pieces to relate to the brand, the business and the culture of a project. Bringing joy, pride and a sense of confidence in the focus of the work, to the employees and guests, is a successful finale.

Bring us your design challenge and we will design a solution specifically and especially for YOU!!!

Posted On November 19, 2017 By pattisays In Abstract Art, Albuquerque, New Mexico, aluminum, art and interior design, artistic expression, artists, bars and restaurants, branding in interior design, breweries, commercial interior design, conference rooms, Contemporary Art, context of interior design, contrasts for balance in design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design process, Design Team, design trends, Gas Company of New Mexico, graphic arts, handcraft, handmade, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, Modern Art, Nexus Brewery, organization, patterns, photography, wall sculpture, workplace design /

Loved Loving Vincent!!!!

Last night was a crystal clear starry starry night as we strolled down the quiet urban sidewalk, between the building facades, on our way to what we soon came to realize was an event we would never forget. Once settled in our seats and after way too many previews, the magic began and we were instantly mesmerized by the millions of brushstrokes of over 100 artists recreating the world immediately before and for a year after the death of Vincent Van Gogh.

There, in a cozy theater downtown, we experienced a wondrous film, Loving Vincent. We embarked on a extraordinary journey and were lost in this fanciful world of brilliant color and bold movement as the movie unfolded with an animation unlike we had ever experienced. It was a though we were watching Van Gogh paint this film. The rough deliberate strokes were actually moving as the scenes unfolded – the scenes were alive with the movement of the animation.

http://lovingvincent.com/

This remarkable delivery vehicle to convey a portion of Van Gogh’s world brought colors dancing – even screaming – across the screen in familiar swirls, and deliberate marks that were so identifiably his. What the artists were able to accomplish was astonishing. The focal surface of the theater was busy with the seemingly live brushstrokes of Vincent Van Gogh. Borrowing from his actual paintings, the viewer is transported into the world of his interpretation from street scenes where he experienced the corner with the yellow house to capturing individual’s who appeared throughout the film such as The Zouave in his red hat distinctive of his French military service, to the bearded postman, Joseph Roulin, who was so key in the intimate, mysterious and different story line, the expansive scenery of Provence and the intimate details of daily life.

As a true Van Gogh fan, it was love at first sight – do you remember where you were when first introduced to his magic? Having grown-up in Washington, D.C. I was fortunate to have had family visits and school field trips to the magnificent National Gallery of Art where, upon each visit starting at a very young age, I would scour the gift shop for postcards of my favorite images – taking home with me memories of the beautiful influences that have continued to shape my appreciation for color and composition, balance and light, contrast and context, subject matter and the power of observation. I must credit my mother and grandmother for instilling in me this awareness of things of beauty and their importance in our lives.

Fast-forward a bit…way back when…dare I admit…when first studying art history in college, the bible was HW Janson’s HISTORY OF ART. A daunting tome filled with the overview of all that is art as we knew it at the time. Van Gogh and his impressionist colleagues were sprinkled throughout latter portion of the book.

There his genius was once again presented to me stirring a wild appreciation for his rebellious disregard for conventional painting styles. He possessed and fed his own passionate, if not desperate, need to apply paint to surfaces, capturing life and telling stories from his unique and insightfully perceptive vantage point. The Impressionists have always stirred a passion for the boldly colorful, adventuresome, romantic and sensitively sensual expressions of life for me.

Years later my husband and I were fortunate to attend the National Gallery’s exhibit Masterpieces from the Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam.

It was the fall of 1998 and we were thrilled to be walking toward the oh so familiar edifice with great eagerness for what awaited.

The line wrapped the building, but moved along with efficient, orderly procession as the anticipation grew with each forward step.

Inside we purchased the audio tour tapes and, with headsets on, immersed ourselves for the next few hours in the dazzling world of this remarkable artist.

His unique undaunted expression of the scenes, people and details around him, through his own unschooled techniques, was awe-inspiring.

Tormented and tested he discovered his passion and for a very few years carving out an indelible place that will live, breathe and be enjoyed forever.

The people in their joys and sorrows, fashion of the time, landscapes of bountiful beauty, interiors of keenly observed detail all expressed through his sensitive eye and brought to generations of viewers – a priceless gift to the world.

The take-away…embrace bold expression, fear not color in your world, appreciate the details, and go see this film, Loving Vincent, before it leaves a theater near YOU!!!!

Posted On November 12, 2017 By pattisays In art and interior design, artistic expression, artists, beauty behold it, creativity, design, Discovering Art, drama of color, fanciful design, Impressionism, Impressionist painters, inspiration, interior design, joy, movies, multi-media design, Museums, National Gallery of Art, painters, personal expression, Provence, Vincent Van Gogh, Washington, D.C. /

The Importance of Color in Design – How to Begin

This last week I was inspired by a rainbow that appeared over our great Sandia Mountain and within 3 minutes I nearly tripped over a bed of flowers presenting the same rainbow of colors. With this pairing of color coincidence, I felt compelled to write this week’s blog about color.

Color can be difficult. It is so critical to effective design decisions whether graphic design, fashion design, interior design or architecture. It might be used for a logo to brand a business , a room scheme or the exterior of a monumental building…how do you begin to select a color or a color scheme?

Well first you have to consider your client. What are their needs and desires? Once narrowed, the search for the perfect colors to convey their project’s personality begins.

Computers aid designers in finding fine nuances between colors. Exploring the range of values in a hue – the range of light to dark of a specific color and the adjacent colors that meld from one to the next has become easier.

It all comes down to the color wheel. It’s a circle illustrating the colors of the spectrum. The relationship of these colors are the building blocks of all the colors. Sir Isaac Newton – the same of the apple and gravity fame – devised this understanding of the rainbow of colors back in the 1600s using a prism to identify the components.

As children we are taught about the rainbow of colors comprising ROY G BIV – the easy to remember name that represents the colors RED ORANGE YELLLOW GREEN BLUE INDIGO VIOLET

Decisions regarding the selection of colors and the resulting schemes are identified by the following relationships:

Complimentary – two opposite colors on the color wheel

Monochromatic – three different values of the same color

Analogous – three adjacent colors on the color wheel

Split Complements – one color and the two adjacent tertiary colors of its complement

Triadic – three evenly spaced colors on the color wheel

Tetradic – two complimentary pairs of colors

As I pursued this topic today, I encountered an interesting site by a guy Jason Cohen. If you are curious to know more on the subject, check out https://blog.asmartbear.com/color-wheels.html

This last week, over the course of 2 days, I encountered several examples of these colors all around me. From the rainbow to the flowers and myriad balloons. It didn’t hurt that it was during the International Balloon Fiesta http://www.balloonfiesta.com/ which is one of the most colorful events in the world.

Unless we have a limitless budget affording custom design materials, it is best to begin with the materials that offer the fewest colors. I have mentioned this in the past, there are more paint colors than there are carpet colors, fabric colors, or solid surface materials. Therefore, selecting your color scheme based upon the selection of a material with fewer color options is the best start…you build from there…paint being the easiest component to finish the scheme.

Color affects mood, perceived temperature, individual’s reaction to seasonal cues, and all manner of context. Pastels in springtime and warm tones in the fall – color makes powerful suggestions and should be used as a tool with that power in mind. The power of suggestion. What are you suggesting? What are you trying to convey?

With your best intentions, colors will change with light sources, time of day, adjacent colors and people’s own perceptions. It is not a perfect science when you consider all those variables. Take caution to select colors based upon the conditions that will occur in the final location/presentation. Without fear, pick your color schemes and beware, but don’t be afraid!

Posted On October 15, 2017 By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, architecture, artistic expression, color and temperature re: interior design, Color schemes, color wheel, colors, Contrasting colors, design, design process, design tips, designs in nature, drama of color, hiring an interior designer, inspiration from nature, interior design, International Balloon Fiesta, Jason Cohen, red, seasonal interior design, selecting colors, timeless colors /

Getting Smashed with Good Design!

Here I was walking along, on this sun-washed Sunday morning, when I came upon what appeared to be giant frog’s eggs in the middle of a field – like ET had laid enormous translucent eggs on earth – I looked up, I looked around and there they sat – tumbled on the grass…the scene was surreal and beautiful in the early morning’s light.

Upon closer inspection, guys were hauling many more of them from a remote truck, onto the field.

I started taking photos and was approached by a man who asked if I had ever seen them before. No, I certainly had not. And inasmuch as this is NOT intended to be an endorsement or advertisement – the bold name, on the side of each, stated KNOCKERBALL!

I was so excited to come upon this other-worldly landscape that I began to fantasize about the many effects of good design. I shot inside the transparent globes, along the edges, down the rows and with great mountain backdrops.

The shape, color and structural detail was fascinating and fun! The taught cords inside created another layer of interest.

The kind man who was coordinating this event explained that they set-up soccer-like goals and wear these globes crashing and smashing, running and rolling across the field – unfortunately, I had to leave before the action began. It must be a blast!

I have since learned that “bubble ball” and “bubble soccer” are other names for this new fangled game and related equipment. They are not always rented for game days, but are also purchased as singletons and used to roll down hills and other antics. So fun! Check out this site: https://knockerball.com/what-is-knockerball/

Play with good design. Get smashed with good design. Discover good design. Get excited about good design – wherever you find it!!

Posted On October 7, 2017 By pattisays In Abstract Art, Albuquerque, New Mexico, artistic expression, Contemporary Art, creativity, design, element of surprise in design, exterior - outdoor design, fanciful design, inspiration, lifestyle, multi-media design, party themes, photography, public design, sculpture, site sculpture /

Regional Design Fun!

So many regions, so little time!!!! All the design directions available based upon where you are and what you love – just think!! Regional design provides a strong connection to the surrounding environs. From selecting artwork to color schemes, decorative accessories and even room scents, creating regionally specific interiors is a fun way to go. Often reserved for second homes, the novelty of focusing on the design theme specific to the region does not always reflect real life.

Real life is usually comprised of a variety of experiences, tastes, acquired objects, interests etc…designing around a specific regional theme is more deliberately focused and therefore not as eclectic as a person’s true life experiences and resulting accumulation of possessions and reflection of varied interests.

Seaside design would incorporate decorative accessories, fabrics and colors to represent the surroundings such as nautical themes and the elements of the natural scene incorporating seashells, seascapes, etc…

Therefore, the primary place of residence in such a locale would reflect that context but not necessarily be completely designed around it. The second home would have the novelty of centering the design exclusively on that seaside theme.

Here is a stunning example of the Americana By the Sea Bungalow! A spritz or burning of Votivo’s White Ocean Sands in this scene – oh heck – why? Just open the windows and breathe in the salty sea air!!!

While in the metropolitan Washington area, one can’t help but notice the architectural influence of colonial times and the interiors which reflect the same.

Steeped in the history of our relatively young country and the pre-colonial decorative arts that came across the water to the New World, the antiques, reproductions and embellishments are telling.

This whimsical casita in Santa Fe illustrates the colorful folk-art of both old and New Mexico, bold paint colors, graphic transitions, and the enchanting architecture of adobe charm. As a second home, the extravagance of collecting and displaying in a fanciful setting is a fun, on-going project!

A corner cabinet by acclaimed folk-art painter Barbara Peabody makes a bold statement housing additional collectibles from Old and New Mexico. A giclee print of a fabulous watercolor by Susan Weeks – the art of decoratively detailed cowboy boots.

Where do YOU live? What themes from your area do you incorporate in your interior design? Get out there are soak it in, gather ideas, start collections, buy local and have fun!!!!!!

Posted On August 6, 2017 By pattisays In art and interior design, artistic expression, beach, context of interior design, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design tips, design trends, drama of color, fanciful design, folkart, historical interior design, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, painted furniture, Regional design, Santa Fe, New Mexico, travel and design, trends /

Design Inspirations in the City Different

Do YOU know the way to Santa Fe, to play off of a song by another title? Up the hill and beneath a brilliant blue sky, the thunder clouds scatter with dramatic splendor. Past the cedar dotted landscape with punctuation of piñon the seasonal monsoonal green is blanketing the desert. A thrilling view passing swiftly, outside the window, like a series of paintings capturing surreal scenes – always picturesque.

It’s July in The Land of Enchantment and a weekend getaway, in Santa Fe, promises stimulating design treats and artistic inspiration! Every visit is familiar – yet new. Around every corner, there is detail and color, decoration and un-selfconscious art.

Just when you think the Santa Fe market is saturated with myriad fabulous dining options, Paloma hits the ground running, on Guadalupe Street, to shake things up a bit!

The joy of experiencing the very new restaurant of an amazing friend was exhilarating! Marja Martin, la propietaria of this great new venue Paloma, brings limitless talent, outstanding vision and distinctive creativity to everything she touches.

The quite well-seeded Santa Fe dining scene is recipient of her newest endeavor. Already a well-established and well loved caterer, her artistic sensitivity and smart culinary concepts – that have been her signature – now result in a presentation of stunning unpretentious decor and exceptional flavors. She’s giving patrons bold flavors and creative combinations inspired by true dining experiences, with our many-faceted Mexican neighbor’s to the south. The result is fun and transporting, in its authenticity.

Walking home, to the lovely casita of dear friends, the gates and doorways, patterns and particulars – uniquely New Mexican in their expression of design offer photographic treats. It’s magic. It’s exciting. It should be on everyone’s list to take the time to explore.

It’s as though history and current trends collide to create a patchwork of texture and color all to stimulate the senses. Exotic flavors and international everything all presented in the confines and context of this extraordinary place.

Interior design and exterior design bombarding from every pocket including this provocative little prose to ponder at Sonder. Get out there are feed your senses!

Posted On July 31, 2017 By pattisays In architecture, art and interior design, artistic expression, bar, bars and restaurants, commercial interior design, context of interior design, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design competition, dining and design, exterior - outdoor design, floral designs, food and interior design, handcraft, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, Mexico, mosaic tile, nostalgia and design, restaurant restrooms, Santa Fe, New Mexico, summer, travel and design, trends, window dressings /

Everyone Needs a Little Country Sometime

I would like to share a treat of a house in a magical setting along a quiet waterway in the lush rural lake community of Edgerton, Wisconsin. A most talented friend has created a riverside home from a modest rambler. What was a dated structure with limited interior appointments, low ceilings, tiny high windows, and ordinary fixtures is now a soft, sophisticated, space outfitted with treasures gathered in the countryside, filled with history, character and antique charm.

Hands on and knowing exactly what she wanted to achieve, she began collecting interesting fixtures and hardware, furniture pieces and finishes. She hired a remodeling contractor, but worked closely with him and his architect to detail every facet of this home. Unwilling to compromise certain features, she enlarged all window openings, reconfigured the entry, gutted the kitchen, redesigned the bathrooms, ripped out the ceiling exposing structure – increasing volume exponentially – and added a garage.

Exposed beams, new white-washed tongue and groove boards applied to raised ceiling, a found wooden column used for structural support, new crown molding, bead-board wainscoting, re-designed fireplace surround, and creatively concealed storage closets, have re-shaped the entire character of this interior so dramatically that all who entered, not having yet seen this incredible transformation, were awed.

Hearing their comments as they passed through the spaces was amusing in their commonality. Everyone was amazed at the amount of work done, creative elements incorporated, fun finds she had collected to transform this modest house into this cozy cottage. Her two cats have wonderful vantage points to watch the activities in the rooms below as guests gathered to celebrate the weekend’s family wedding festivities.

Daylight streams through windows and floribunda gardens around the house are now communing beautifully with the interior.

Ever-so-soft blues, with whites of every shade, create a soft backdrop to collections of fine china to vintage scales and myriad eclectic antiques.

Outside a recently completed multi-tiered pond emits soft trickling background sound which wafts inside through the many open windows. Not to be reticent about being hands-on, this tenacious designer personally packed 23 loads of boulders and large stones into her truck, off-loaded and placed around the periphery of the pond. She planted tiny creeping vegetation among the stones, water plants, multiple trees and perennials to establish instant-gratification landscaping in her expansive backyard, which is a lush verdant botanical expression that grows abundantly right down to meet the river.

A great get-acquainted bonding of disparate family and friends occurred when we collected buckets of roadside flowers to make arrangements for the reception venue.

Wild bouquets punctuated with spectacular domestic flowers from the gardens surrounding the cottage provided fun activity and contributed to the charm of the scene.

Everyone needs a little country sometime.

Posted On July 8, 2017 By pattisays In architecture, artistic expression, beauty behold it, color trends, context of interior design, country living, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design tips, design trends, DIY design, exterior - outdoor design, fireplaces, floral arrangements, floral designs, furniture finds, Garden, handcraft, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, landscape design, lifestyle, natural designs, nostalgia and design, party themes, personal expression, re-purpose, Refresh, remodeling, rural design, stone, summer, timeless colors, window dressings /

DIY – Inspiration is All Around!

DIY is so in vogue. Where it used to be chic to hire someone to do everything in your world, now practicality rules! The savings and fun of doing things yourself is huge. There are so many inspirations on-line. Ideas overflow-ith and the possibilities are endless.

Where do you get YOUR inspiration? It’s all around us. I had been contemplating a shower/wedding gift. I always prefer to find something unique rather than picking from a registry at Nordstrom’s or William Sonoma…but this one was a challenge.

Recently, my inspiration came from taking a morning walk through the desert.

The decorative graphic on the invitation was a floral arrangement of soft pastels and antlers. Yes, antlers. This bride-to-be is a hunter. A long, lanky, beautiful, feminine, crack shot! I’ve known her since she was a toddler. I had been picturing that graphic in my mind in an effort to divine some special gift that related to that theme…something uniquely memorable and lasting.

As I walked through the rough desert grasses and around piles of dead tumbleweeds I regarded them with a new-found appreciation. They had such an interesting structural framework that I realized that they clearly resembled antlers.

They became the springboard for a floral arrangement that would replicate the theme of the invitation and, with that, I began selecting them and carefully carrying their rotund prickly selves back to the car.

Next step – what else will make this a successful rendition of the theme I was trying to emulate? Off to the craft stores! I selected delicate, creamy-white wooden roses, soft pink mini silk roses and some fill from both Michael’s and Hobby Lobby. The PERFECT ceramic vessel presented itself in an soft, oval shape glazed in a powder blue, but with edges and character that offered attractive, desirable, intentional imperfection.

As I have mentioned in past stories, a successful designer has a good team. Building a team to realize your dreams is the key to that success and I called on my very special and exquisitely talented floral designer to assemble my gatherings into the image of my intent. Melba has made my dreams come true for years. She gets into my head and interprets my words and elements to create a finished product that has hit the nail on the head over and over again.

I pulled out the many materials that I had purchased. She evaluated each, talked to me about my concept, and studied the combinations that were laid out on the table.

This piece exceeded my expectations. The fine branches of the tumbleweeds were the delicate punctuation amidst the flowers.

When she actually ordered real, bleached deer antlers that became the statuary of the piece, I was thrilled! Not only was the finished arrangement perfection, I didn’t think it was realistic to expect to get real antlers and incorporate them into this design in such short notice. She had less than 2 weeks! It was spectacular.

DIY inspiration is all around – even in dead, dried tumbleweeds. Creativity begins with a concept and progresses with the fun of making it uniquely yours. Team DIY!

Posted On June 24, 2017 By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and interior design, art as gift ideas, artistic expression, beauty behold it, Centerpieces, creative process, creativity, decorative arts, design process, Design Team, design tips, design trends, designs in nature, DIY design, dried flowers, fanciful design, floral arrangement, floral arrangements, floral designs, handcraft, inspiration from nature, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, natural integrity of the materials, naturalist, nature, personal expression, re-purpose, silk flowers, table dressings, table top, tumbleweeds /

Touch IT – Feel IT – Tangible Textures!

I am so all appreciative of texture and color and sheen and lack thereof…that I KNOW that it is impossible to make any decision about fabrics or any other textile for that matter, rugs, weavings…via a monitor or screen. We are all becoming so dependent upon the instantaneous access of information through the internet – finding sources on-line and virtually ALL of our purchases – that we are forgetting the tactile necessity of determining value, applicability, and certainly true visual appeal with tangible samples.

Yes, we can order memo samples and those of us in practice for the past few decades KNOW that we have to order samples every now and again – that is IF we have our own source library or a number of showrooms close at hand to do the instant gratification portion of the search.

Most clients LOVE to come to the library and see the many options, play with the samples and participate in the design of their project. It is a one-stop experience that sets the stage. We then have all the many distributors and showrooms, mills and factories from which we can order additional materials. But the resource library of tactile samples of fabrics, flooring, wall-coverings, flooring, rugs is exciting.

There are those who prefer fewer choices – just show me a couple of options and I’ll be fine. Quite the opposite of the one who wants you to prepare a dozen scenarios for their consideration. Yes, they pay for that luxury, but the ones who appreciate the hunt -who appreciate the searching through samples to compile their favorites – THEY are the ones who really get into the Creative Process ( see recent post on this very subject).

Living on an island – as we often feel we are – we HAVE to compile a significant source library in order to have the samples available for on-sight instant compilation for a project. Yet having all the resources close at hand, as in the showrooms of larger cities, we still have to drive there to do the work. I must say, I am spoiled with such a comprehensive source library at my studio where I go any time of day and do research to gather myriad samples to satisfy a project’s needs.

It’s taken decades to evolve. It takes a lot of concentration to keep it in order and up-to-date. That is invaluable. This isn’t to say that after spending several hours searching, culling, sorting and weighing possibilities against for-sure options, that I don’t have to occasionally call the many mills and distributors and ask for special pieces that have eluded me on my search. I might have gathered several coordinating/contrasting and fabulous samples, but lack that one blue and white striped pattern that I have visualized since the inception. It is then that I reach out and say – “I can’t find the right blue and white stripe – please send me what you have for upholstery weight.” And the samples begin to arrive and usually the missing link in the design puzzle will be found – sooner or later. IT is out there.

But the value of the well-organized and well stocked library is an invaluable tool. Yes, it is a tool – THE primary tool for a designer after their own imagination’s creativity. It fills the blanks of that creativity with actual materials that complete the design. And having a resource library on-site in our own studio saves much time and offers a plethora of options, materials, finishes, inspiration and those priceless tangible sample at our fingertips that MAKE an interior design.

Posted On June 10, 2017 By pattisays In artistic expression, creative process, creativity, decorative arts, design, design process, design tips, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, interior design, organization, re-upholstery, upholstery, wall texture, weavings, window dressings /

artistic expression