Nov 26

Kicking Off Glitz and Blitzen Merchandising

By pattisays In artistic expression, blue and white, Centerpieces, Christmas, Color schemes, color trends, context of interior design, Crate and Barrel, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative accessories, decorative arts, design, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, dining and design, dining rooms, drama of color, dried flowers, embroidery, entertaining, fabrics, family rooms, floral designs, good design, good taste, hammered metal, hiring an interior designer, holiday decor, holiday trends, home, home improvements, houses, inspiration, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, lifestyle, metal and wood furniture design, nostalgia and design, personal expression, personal taste, red, Refresh, retail storefronts, seasonal interior design, silk flowers, Subscribers, table dressings, table top, tableware, textiles, timeless colors, trends, update design, winter, winter design trends /

Some retailers put Christmas merchandise out with Halloween and squeeze Thanksgiving autumnal themes in between. But for sure, by Black Friday its all about Christmas merchandising and SHOPPING! The season is in full swing! After salivating over the finely “curated” collections at Sundance, peeking through the dazzling embroidery at Johnny Was, had a taste of Margaritaville at Tommy Bahama’s and elbowed through the throngs at Anthropolgie…among the myriad stores I visited – well, raced through – this weekend, Crate and Barrel is the one where I focused my camera and paused to ponder as they are one of the most prominent trend setters in world of home decor.

Upon arrival, front and center in the very first display, I was particularly drawn to this embroidered pillow announcing South for the Winter!

It caught my eye as it stated my very thoughts on the subject – although I prefer to stick around for a wintry Christmas and then head south as January sets in…it nevertheless spoke to me. But the combined selection of plaid fabric tree skirt and the cotton pillow had me puzzled. I picture the pillow being in that southerly destination expressing the sentiment but paired with the plaid, like a fish out of water. Plaid in a warm winter getaway didn’t seem to fit. Perhaps it is a pillow that you leave in your chilly, empty, abandoned house with your woolen plaid blankets and afghans as you snow-bird it south? In which case the woolly plaid works, albeit nobody is there to get the drift – snow drift! Or a third scenario that I imagined is when you dream of going south, but are stuck in the northern climes and the pillow states your thoughts in a “wouldn’t it be nice” wishful thinking scenario??!! Three stories for this little pillow…which do you think is the best story?

There on the Christmas display is an intriguing statement of home decor. There it sits, this smart little pillow, all dressed up with the coordinating holiday plaid and exclaiming a statement that might have many connotations…

It’s nice to establish traditions for Christmas and other major holidays throughout the year. Yet like home decor in general, some people are more sentimental than others. While some treasure each year’s addition to a collection or contribution to the spirit of the season, others trade the look with each new trend.

This year an all gold tree…next year it might be jewel tones of amethyst purple, aquamarine teal and ruby accents…and of course the ever popular white on white on white!

Like personal interior design, some switch it out often, with changing fashions, while others nestle in and call it home for the duration. The compromise here is that there might be a family room tree that displays all the traditional ornaments while a more focal tree in an entry or living room makes the trending design statement.

As interior designers we wouldn’t be very busy if everyone nestled in without change for decades, however, even in this staid scenario there is the need for sprucing up the tired, updating certain elements, replacing damaged or broken items…Therefore, reupholstering, replacing of worn flooring, introducing fresh paint colors, improving lighting, opening spaces, face-lifting kitchens and bathrooms…there are many things that we as designers can do to update while not changing the essence of the place called home. Just in time for the holidays and the refresh-during-winter design blitz!!

Back to Crate and Barrel’s merchandising…

The bling that sparkles in the long dark nights of winter is a recurring and uplifting theme.

Red and green are inescapable for traditional Christmas color schemes.

Holly leaves and berries, evergreen needles, brilliant red bows and ribbony garlands.

Having previously stated my love of the traditional blue and white color schemes in so many applications and blogs I have written, Hanukah’s blue and white colors are perfect to crisply punctuate the doldrums of defoliated trees and dormant, bare bones deciduous landscapes of winter. The cool yet refreshing theme is a perfect winter color scheme.

With their modern/retro style melding with a bit of industrial, Crate and Barrel’s stylized wing chairs with their updated lines sport a fresh take on a paisley motif cotton print.

Naughty or nice, reindeer, fir trees, twinkling lights, scented candles, silver and gold, movies and music all stir the senses rejoicing in a healthy economy of vibrant shops, eager shoppers, anxious bargain-hunters, BOGOs and door busters, full of fresh new ideas, products, design trends, toys, gadgets and nearly anything you can imagine!

So get out there and strengthen the fiber of your community, support local artists and fabricators when you can, shop where your neighbors work and where your local entrepreneurs invest their dollars and dreams. Try not to overdose on all the glitz and blitzen of the merchandizing madness!!

Nov 18

Rejuvenate and Expand Your Interior Spaces by Opening Walls

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, before and after, blue and white, breakfast rooms, color and temperature re: interior design, Color schemes, color trends, colors, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design details, design process, design solutions, Design Team, design tips, design trends, drama of color, element of surprise in design, expanding spaces, Federico Leon de la Vega, Food and art, food and interior design, good design, good taste, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, houses, illusion of space, illusions of space, Impressionist painters, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, kitchen, kitchen cabinets, kitchen design, kitchen remodel, kitchen remodeling, lifestyle, mosaic, mosaic tile, murals, paint colors, painters, patio, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, practical design, proportion in design, re-purpose, remodeling, room arrangement, selecting colors, slate floors, southwestern design, stone countertops, Subscribers, Talavera Tile, tile, timeless colors, update design, updating, value of art, value of good design, wall treatments, white kitchens /

In past blogs Patti Says a lot about selecting paint colors. Pondering paint colors and the elusive nature of selecting just the right color. https://patriciandesign.com/5677-2/

Walls surround your world. Walls encapsulate and enclose your personal spaces. They can also frame your world and dramatize a focal point. They add effective dimension when punctured.

A current study we have in front of us is about those specific things. Walls – opening them, their color and the context of the color decision. Months ago we examined a wall in a kitchen soon to be remodeled. Re-painting it was the most obvious and least complicated of the options. We also looked at creating a dimensional recess to house art or an accent color or something to take the curse off of its up-close, massive, solidness. It was like the 10,000 pound elephant in the room!

The wall encapsulated close quarters. It divided the space between the kitchen and the parallel hallway.

What we were looking to change was atmosphere. This involved improving the dated and worn cabinets and counter-tops, updating the lighting, enhancing the back-splash and addressing the closed, isolated feeling of the room.

Smoke and mirrors might be the answer. Like a magician appearing and disappearing behind a veil/dimension of smoke – or when the physical space is not negotiable, mirrors will give the illusion of added space. They are VERY effective tools, but neither was the right solution for this room’s current condition. Yet, we knew we needed dimension, depth and something to help expand the space.

Hmmm…the window over the sink offered an exciting option to open out to the patio. We did that – save that for another story. However, this large elephant of a wall was still so confining.

Sometimes small spaces can be cozy. Some people prefer tight spaces while others find them to be claustrophobic. This was not exactly claustrophobia instilling, yet it certainly spoke to all of us as an imposing, confining factor that needed attention.

After discussing all the colors and recessed options someone has the brilliant idea to ask – “What about removing the wall?” That seemed a bit radical considering that it only opened to the hallway and it served a purpose of defining the access to the kitchen and opposite bedroom quarters. To open it entirely might have given an orientation to the kitchen that suggested that the island seats be positioned facing that point-of-arrival. Hence looking directly into the far hallway wall. That was not the desire. Rather, we decided to cut a large opening in the wall exposing the far hallway wall while maintaining the orientation of the kitchen toward the outdoors and island seats facing into the kitchen not out into the hall. It worked!

The space was instantly enlarged. Opening the space onto the patio and this opposing generous puncture of the Great Wall of Kitchen changed everything! The light borrowed from the skylights in the hallway was significant and the sensation of enlarging the space was undeniable. Except the footprint had not changed.

The physical feeling of a space is what counts. It was proven here that it wasn’t about enlarging the space but feeling like it was enlarged. Like mirrors, the illusion of space is so important. But, unlike mirrors this space was physically opened creating the sensation of enlarging the space by adding actual dimensional reality . The benefits were immediate. It actually conveyed a palpable feeling of relaxation. It was freeing and created an entirely new experience of enjoyment.

A passing idea for a stenciled surround was entertained…

Tight spaces give some people comfort. Contrarily, open spaces give comfort to others. Personal reactions to space, color, texture, temperature all enter into the equation of good design. What tasks are being performed also play a part in determining what solutions are best.

This dark, isolated kitchen benefited from changing the cabinets to a white traditional raised panel style detailed with crown molding which added a refreshingly light element. The house was a decades old vintage bungalow and had been dealt a disservice to have had the kitchen remodeled years ago in a not-so-sensitive, style-of-the-day fashion. But, in addition to the more traditional timeless approach to the design, opening the space resulted in additional natural light borrowed from the hall’s skylight and an enlarged interior over-the-sink window brought more coming in from the patio. Now colors…

So we know that picking colors is contextual.. .what’s in and around the room are all part of the equation. Any walls that are seen beyond (through doorways, around corners) contribute to the layering of colors and therefore, participate as well. The floors are multi-colored mottled slate. The tile chosen to enhance the backsplash and also serve as wall-covering was a blue and white Talavera accented with a soft aqua mosaic. The ceiling mimicked the floor as the beams were a smoky grey with caramel-color stained knotty pine boards between – we embraced these existing design features as their unselfconscious non-trendy nature suggested a more grounded, permanent place – one with organic finishes that might have resulted from local availability sourcing and craft – and probably did all those decades ago. See what Patti Says in another blog about this very project: https://patriciandesign.com/trust-and-custom-designs/

The fact that all of these elements contribute to the equation, for deciding a color, is key to our study today. After discussing the options for treating this newly opened wall, we found ourselves doing the paint sample potpourri on the walls!

Taking cues from the aqua accent mosaic which was derived from those tones found in the slate floor, we directed the color choices toward smoky aquas and grey blue tones.

Sometimes white is actually a color, rather than the absence of color. The wall was currently frosted with smooth crisp drywall mud as an aftermath to the demolition and framing of the new opening. The stark white was clean and fresh. Like matting around a painting – this might just be the way to go.

And at this point, we must introduce the idea that was also in the works and that was to have a painting commissioned that would POP through the opening providing a spectacular backdrop to the kitchen and dress the dimensional contribution that the opening into the far wall of the hall presented.

We knew that yellow was a great color POP for this cool kitchen pallet. A recurring bowl of lemons kept proving that to be true. Lemons became the fresh, culinary subject that seemed to be the perfect fit. So we enlisted our master muralist Federico Leon de la Vega to meet the challenge. Armed with the blue and white scheme and the accents of aqua he created a miniature to test the concept.

Isolating the image and framing it is always an important component in the formatting of scene. Whether to spotlight a sculpture on a pedestal, or properly and effectively matting a painting in a frame, this aura is important to highlight art. The same became true as we considered the painting being “framed” by this opening. The wall itself became the mat. So to get an idea of what this might look like, a quick digital manipulation did the trick.

The final decision seems to be that we will keep the wall with the opening white, as though a matting around a painting, while painting the perpendicular wall a smoky aqua. Another opportunity for layering these two colors occurs when the smoky aqua wall is layered over a receding laundry room wall soon to also be painted white.

Watch for the completion of this wonderfully unique little kitchen to be unveiled with all the dramatic before and afters! Meanwhile, look around your interior and see if opening a wall might be an option to expanding your sense of space. The transformation can be rejuvenating!

Nov 13

What’s YOUR Favorite Color? A Little Project for Fun!

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, autumnal design, beauty behold it, breakfast rooms, breweries, ceramic, color and temperature re: interior design, color forecasting, Color schemes, color trends, color wheel, colors, Contemporary Art, context of interior design, contrasts for balance in design, creative process, creativity, decorative accessories, decorative arts, design, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, DIY design, drama of color, expressionism, fanciful design, flowers in design, functional art, graphic designs in interiors, handcraft, handmade, handmade tableware, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, Impressionist painters, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, kachina, lifestyle, Lilly Pulitzer, mosaic tile, natural designs, painters, Peggy Zuris, personal expression, personal taste, Santa Fe, New Mexico, seasonal interior design, selecting colors, southwestern design, Subscribers, tableware, timeless colors, Trees, trends, value of good design / 1

Pick a color. What’s your fav? Do you HAVE a favorite color? I was asked the other day that very question and I was really at a loss…I looked at her, furrowed my brow and cocked my head. I wanted to have an answer – a simple answer that stated a definitive preference for a color – my most favorite. Rather than producing a quick sure pick, I faltered as she stepped in and said – I’ll bet it’s purple!

Well, actually I can definitively say that purple is NOT my favorite color, but the funny thing is I can love purple, in certain context. The real answer is that I love nearly any color in a certain context.

When I ponder the question a bit more, I can assertively say bright pinks, cornflower blues, golden yellows, chartreuse and brilliant orange. But the truth is, I love so many colors that I am hard-pressed to select just one! It sounds like a Lilly Pulitzer color board.

So I thought of a little exercise. I decided to pick a color at random. Then overwhelmed with the myriad colors that might produce one random pick, I fine-tuned random and said to myself, perhaps a color of the season. To me that was currently and boldly orange. So the idea was that I would walk in and around my house today and capture things that were orange.

This screaming orange hibiscus just came in from the patio to escape the chilling temperatures that have swept down in the last couple of days…happy to transition indoors for the winter!

Try it. Pick a color – not necessarily your favorite – but certainly one you like and walk inside and outside of your house and see how many examples you can find, of that color, in your immediate world. Photograph things that have that color – all or in part, even little details – anyplace that color occurs. It’s fun and very interesting to see what you discover!!

Autumn is loaded with vibrant colors, but orange is one of the most fiery.

So I selected orange as my color today. I dashed around the house and collected a variety of things that were orange. I was actually astonished at how many I discovered.

This dramatic Hopi – influenced kachina by Gregory Lomayesva sports stylized antlers in a flat but brilliant orange.

Festive ceramics by Ann Marie Werner Smith – here a graceful orange bowl that sits on the counter…it pops against the contrasting granite.

It is interesting because I know my world is not heavily orange, but I found so many wonderful splashes of it throughout my interior and even startling exterior, in the way of the leaves on the Bradford Pear tree.

From fresh mini pumpkins and flowers…

A succulent orange flowering Kalanchoe is our seasonal centerpiece on the kitchen table.

A variegated Croton plant has lacy veining of bright orange, pink and yellow contrasted against it dark green background.

to artwork with swaths of orange streaking through them.

A lovely little oil painting by Jeff Otis depicts a very autumnal New Mexico river scene.

At the last minute, while waiting in the Bejing airport, I found this precious little painting of birds and berries. The background is a vibrant orange. Notice the fresh blues adjacent to the orange. This is a detail of the much larger piece.

Peggy Zuris really knew color. Her bold and confident brush strokes applied in luscious swaths placed adjacent colors perfectly juxtaposed creating uplifting renditions of daily life. This little chicken is a detail of a fanciful rural scene.

The balance of color was so interesting. Where I found orange, I nearly always found blue – unless it was a stand-alone like the glass bowl of oranges – or my coral necklace with its nuggets of bright orange coral.

Fresh oranges with their intricately textured rinds fill a glass bowl on the kitchen counter.

Nuggets of coral look like candy corn tightly beaded on this delicious necklace I wore too Santa Fe today!!

Colors balance and contrast.

Even the coasters that attracted my attention last weekend at a bar. I was so taken by them that I brought them home and had them sitting on the kitchen counter. They were intriguing and offered interest and visual stimulation to my graphic art sensibilities.

I began this story earlier today, then took a break and tootled up to Santa Fe where I came across a couple more bright orange pieces…

And on the way home, I was even blinded by an orange fireball glowing beneath the stormy sky silhouetting the dark mesas and glistening off the wet pavement. It’s intense heat contrasting with the cold, damp asphalt that was a result of our first seasonal snow seen here spitting at the windshield.

Gather your collection of photos of your color today. Ponder how they and the color make you feel. Do you get joy from the color and the things you have discovered? Was this not your thought-to-be favorite color and if not, might it be one of them? How do YOU answer the question, what is your favorite color and having determined that, ask yourself: Do I wear it a lot? Would I paint my walls that color? Do I have upholstery that color? When is a favorite color an accent? Is the joy in the little spots of punctuation? Are they intense, but small, elements of joy without over-doing it? I see a collection of abstract images, details of things – some of which can be cropped more – to create an abstract collage of wall art. Voila!

Color – an amazing facet of design and it’s most versatile component. It’s been a fun test and a compelling story. So what’s YOUR favorite color?

Oct 28

Adopt a Pet…Adopt a Piece of Home Decor

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, artistic expression, artistic talent, before and after, blue and white, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, decorative accessories, decorative arts, design, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designer fabrics, eclectic design, eclecticism, element of surprise in design, fabrics, furniture finds, good design, good taste, green design, hiring an interior designer, historical interior design, inspiration, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, lifestyle, nostalgia and design, patterns, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, re-purpose, re-upholstery, recycle, recycle design, Refresh, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Subscribers, textiles, textures, Thrift Shops, Thrifting, trends, up-cycle, update design, updating, upholstery, value of good design /

Are you drawn to pet adoption events? Do you wander over when you find the dog adoption people parked, out in the open, along the side of the road, in the corner of a parking lot or even at the pet stores themselves? I don’t. I avoid them like the plague. I know that given just one sweet look or mournful expression or happy eager wag, I would have a problem.

I rescued my Rockford about 30 years ago. He had been kept chained to a tree in a backyard with a choke collar that he had very much outgrown.

I absolutely cannot allow myself to be tempted knowing that my resistance would be weak and my resolve would be challenged. I don’t need a dog at this time in my busy, crazy life. However, I would certainly go that route, if I were in the market.

Little Mini was passed from house to house until the fit was just right!

We all know that adopting a pet – dog or cat…or other…is such a wonderful gift – to them and to the lucky new owner! And I feel the same way about furniture and home decor. Yes, I see a direct correlation between “thrifting” and pet adoption. Funny?

Whether it is a early start on the garage sale circuit (not my bag, but very worthwhile) or estate sales (also not my thing as I get too emotional, about the family not wanting the treasures) or scouting consignment shops and thrift stores (less emotional because the context of the pieces are not so personal) it’s all about treasure hunting. It’s a growing trend for sure!

But like pet adoption, I see salvaging a previously owned piece, over buying new, just like giving a fresh start to a neglected, even forgotten, treasure. And, as you know, they say “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” and I so believe that statement! That same phrase could be said about your newly adopted pooch! Your new “treasure.” As well as that fabulous hand carved chair – your new treasure!

Bring it home, get it cleaned up, play with it around the house and get it some new clothes – oh – am I talking about the new four legged family member or that awesome new chair??!! Interesting similarities are shared by the adopted pet and the adopted furniture find!

All dressed up and ready for a party!!!!

From Victorian through mid-century modern, reupholstering gives a fresh new outfit to that fabulous piece that has been left sporting a shabby suit.

Threadbare but still fabulous – what a great save!

See beyond the existing condition – “You can’t tell a book by its cover.” And you will see beyond the surface focusing on the lines, bones and details.

This Winged Victory of a sofa was ripe for re-purposing!

New suit and shoes and this was a great save!!!!!

Discovering great pieces is soulful. Eclecticism is interesting. Balance is better achieved when you have a mix of interesting things. Buying all new is not as creative and can result in a monotonous look that is immediately dated. You’ll know what year THAT room ensemble was created!!!!! Furthermore, re-purposing, recycling, up-cycling trends provides an opportunity to employ the talents of the local upholsterers and refinishers – support local talent!

To a void that pitfall – be brave and seek your pieces. Assemble them with care and embrace unique things. If you love them – make them part of your world. Find potential and then enhance it. Context enhances. Mix new with old and give new life to old pieces. It will be a satisfying and rewarding experience.

What you see in a thrift shop is one thing – seeing beyond it to a new context that celebrates it and features it with other things you love is the personal magic that makes YOUR interior uniquely yours.

This tired but handsome piece came to us in need of a face lift!

Multiple fabrics add pizzazz! Find just the right fabrics and you have a custom masterpiece! And the lumbar pillow for this one is still on it’s way, for a third pattern providing even more interest!!!!!

Give new life to old pieces and it will be a rewarding experience. Then go out an adopt a dog!

Oct 23

Finishing Touches FINISH the Job!

By pattisays In before and after, Color schemes, color trends, colors, Company C, Concealed lighting, context of interior design, creative process, cursive, custom design interior design, custom furniture, custom lighting, decorative accessories, decorative arts, decorative mirrors, design, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designer fabrics, DIY design, drama of color, fabrics, good design, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, indirect lighting, inspiration, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, LED, lifestyle, lighting, mirrored walls, mirrors, paint colors, patterns, personal expression, personal taste, Refresh, remodeling, room arrangement, Subscribers, update design, upholstery, value of good design, wall treatments, window dressings /

Finishing touches are always the beast to tame at the end of the hunt. Yes, you’ve hunted, you’ve searched, you’ve gathered, you’ve assembled and stood back and observed your work. What’s needed? What’s missing? When is it finished?

Just the word finish sets up a mental block for many. It’s like decisions period. Once you make a decision, you’ve lost your choices. Losing choices can be a dilemma in itself! So, from Pinterest to HGTV and the internet at your fingertips the choices and options are endless, but what do YOU want to do, to call it “done? It’s all in the details…

Schumacher offers details right down to the trim on the draperies! This bold key design makes all the difference!

And inasmuch as you can’t seem to GET it done, you WANT it done – just can’t seem to get there from here. How do you decide what you need to add for those incomplete finishing touches – to be FINISHED? Know though, that to have the feeling that it is finished is a good thing. Yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t change it – sooner or later!

We interior designers have jobs because our clients need to do things, change things, finish things. It seems that with all the options presented on TV and the internet, people are jumping in with inspired ideas, making decisions, buying things and doing things – then coming to a screeching halt! “HELP!” is the cry when everything seems to be too much – or not enough – or too uncertain and overwhelming – or not just right.

As if your own self-imposed frustrations and pressures are not enough, your partner rants…”Just finish it – will you? Be DONE with it!!!” Not everyone loves a DIY project. Most people don’t even like the disruption of a professional team coming in and tackling the job. Alas, “you have to break an egg to make an omelet,” some wise person once said.

Whether you’re changing paint colors for the third time in a month or tossing throw pillows around the room, to no satisfactory avail, there’s something missing…something is not quite right…it’s not there yet.

Have you removed everything from the walls and lined them up waiting for inspiration as to how and where they should be placed and grouped – maybe re-framed?

What about a mirror to add depth? Is it an installed mirror – the illusion of space without calling attention to the mirror itself or should I hang a framed mirror that makes the statement in its entirety? Do I lean it against the wall or is that a trendy affectation?

Uttermost is one of our favorite sources!

Studied nonchalance is an art form. How to achieve that intentionally unpretentiously naturally relaxed look is a challenge. Just writing about it here is an effort in describing that which is supposed to be effortless!!!!

Perhaps it is a monotony of height. Do you need a tall piece among other lower elements in the room? Maybe a tree in the corner is the answer or a statue of some vertical art statement, to add interest and height. Perhaps you might consider hanging something, from the ceiling – a mobile or origami bird or even a light fixture, to draw the eye up from the otherwise low furniture pieces.

Robert Allen presents perfect fabrics for colorful pillow accents…and there’s that tall plant for height!

Speaking of light fixtures…how does your almost finished, but not quite there yet, room look at night? Are there dark pockets and corners that would benefit from some concealed up-lights – indirect lighting can be quite effective and enhance a spooky, dismal space.

LOVE this before & after! Check out John Cullen Lighting for some great ideas and inspiration!! https://www.johncullenlighting.com/

Spooky is the season and, with the holidays approaching, the need to get things finished before guests arrive or you leave to visit… or just the hectic nature of the baking, gift-buying and wrapping, shipping and other communications aspects of the season are upon you – pressure you to want to get things finished!

Brunschwig and Fils by Kravet offers an amazing collection of prints – mix and match!!!

Have you consulted with a friend? Do they rise to the invitation of critiquing your present state of affairs and offer design ideas that further serve to confuse you? Better yet, ask two friends and get two different options for finishing your space and then what? Pick one and the other’s feelings are hurt that you didn’t take their advice – even if they are not aware that your decisions moving forward were offered by another friend.

From the rug (thank you Company C for your “Colorful Living!” to the table accessories and all the things, pieces, fabrics, details in-between – finishing touches FINISH the job!!!

A designer is a problem solver, a tie-breaker, a marriage counselor, a creative who extracts your needs and – evaluating all options – offers the best solutions to get your job finished!

Oct 07

Urban “Pieced Work” – an artistic narrative

By pattisays In Abstract Art, Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and food, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, bars and restaurants, branding in interior design, brew pubs, breweries, commercial interior design, commercial remodel, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design and marketing, design process, design solutions, Design Team, design tips, dining and design, drama of color, eclectic design, element of surprise in design, fabrics, folkart, Food and art, food and interior design, glass art, good design, Graphic art, graphic arts, graphic designs in interiors, Greek mosaic, handcraft, handmade, Helen Atkins, hiring an interior designer, history, inspiration, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, Modern Art, mosaic, mosaic tile, murals, nostalgia and design, patchwork, pieced work, quilting, quilts, re-purpose, recycle, recycle design, Regional design, remodeling, restaurant design, Santa Fe, New Mexico, southwestern design, Subscribers, textiles, textures, tile, Uncategorized, United States history, urban art, urban design, value of good design, wall texture, wall treatments, wallcovering / 1

We are excited to have the opportunity to bring a design installation(s) into a new project that will serve to support the brand with a twist. A nearly completed new smokehouse is coming to Albuquerque. This home-grown eatery blends family history and southern roots with southwestern barbecue flavors including indigenous wood and iconic chile blends. But this is not about their cooking profile. It is about how we have arrived at a design theme that will define and further the identity in this new, specialized smokehouse department of this larger local brand.

To accomplish this task, we examined the concept the owner had to remodel an existing facility that had been a popular gathering post serving this community for decades. The fringe barrio location was of a demographic primarily comprised of Mexican/Americans. Decades past it was home to a heavily black community. The fabric of these cultural combinations suggested a mosaic of color and vibrant heritages.

The spark of cultural references lead to discussion of the popular artistic expression of urban mural painting.

When we began the dialogue, the decision to have a mural painted by local neighborhood kids, with a mentor to design and supervise the work, seemed to be the direction we were headed. After subject matter debate and development, I veered off on another tangent that might take a less subjective approach, be weather-proof and more durable for a patio location – mosaic.

This new more impervious and durable medium still offered the opportunity to engage the community, but with less focus on a specific subject and more about geometric color and texture. We discussed the details of installation so as to keep it simple for kids to participate using whole tiles – minimize cutting, if any, for starters.

Inspiration came from several other installations such as the Albuquerque Convention Center’s on-going mosaic mural project wrapping many sections of the buildings with intricate scenes of New Mexican lifestyle and cultural diversity. The colorful mosaic is an elegant and sophisticated contribution to our city’s cultural aesthetic.

Helen Atkins, manager of consignment art at PATRICIAN DESIGN’s downtown boutique gallery and the lead on their current restaurant mural project, has worked on several phases of the Convention Center’s mural project.

We have incorporated mosaic into several of our own design projects such as last week’s blog https://patriciandesign.com/trust-and-custom-designs/about a residential kitchen installation.

Here, in another installation, a fireplace surround of mosaic adds movement, color and textural interest to the room.

Ultimately, one of Helen Atkin’s personal photographs cemented the approach. It was decided that a geometry of different sizes and disparate glazes and designs of tiles pieced together in a colorful, textural panel would be our design theme.

Helen Atkins, a recognized artist in many media, captured this in passing while visiting New Zealand. It’s crisp, yet irregular composition was intriguing and pleasing. It became the springboard for the concept for a geometric mosaic panel to anchor the theme of this new New Mexico eating establishment.

The idea became more exciting as we began gathering material from local tile distributors and our own personal inventories of favorite treasures saved for a special project. Here it was. It seemed such a strong design element and therefore offered a new direction for the actual brand of this establishment. We embraced the idea and brought it into the interior and distributed murals throughout the space.

Still under construction, we will not divulge the identity or locations of this project just yet. But suffice it to say, the murals are an exciting part of this interior design scheme.

As we further discussed the plans to implement this project, school started and the ease of coordinating the assistance of neighborhood kids became more difficult. Helen lead the project as primary installer, coordinator and supervisor. She enlisted the assistance of a couple of people – one experienced and the other not at all.

We have named this series, Urban Pieced Work – an artistic narrative. Here we are interpreting generations old sewing patchwork using ceramic, glass and pottery pieces rather than the traditional fabric patches. The original folk art needlework has been in the American vernacular for ages. In these installations, this up-cycled use of discarded or discontinued tiles is similar to patchwork fabrics, re-purposed to make clothing, wall decor, window treatments and bed dressing when times were tough – often referred to as “pieced work.”

My paternal grandmother in New Mexico made this twin quilt for my bed when I was a child in Virginia.

My same grandmother made this and was given to me by my cousin, her only other granddaughter.

Mosaic is often, like fabric patchwork, a practical art form that puts scrap, shards and fragments to good use in an artistic fashion. Note though that more sophisticated mosaics have been designed more intentionally for centuries not merely as salvaged material. These masterpieces both in contemporary work and antiquities represent many periods in history and movements in artistic expression.

This mosaic version connects with the history of the restaurant’s roots and southern heritage. The panels’ mural nature speaks to the urban murals found throughout the community.

Located strategically throughout the interior, these murals have become a strong design element and anchor for this facet of the brand.

Another shot of the spectacular cultural story murals at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

We have woven a meaningful artistic statement throughout the interior and also on the exterior of the building. In addition, we will be inserting a graphic version into the signage and logo design.

Urban Pieced Work – an artistic narrative, of a New Mexican Smokehouse, will provide pleasing design visuals throughout this new interior, provoke conversation and interaction, weave an element of history and context with the southern roots of this exciting new eatery!

Join the conversation and watch for the first succulent flavors to come out of the smokers later this year.

Oct 01

Trust and Custom Designs

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, artistic expression, before and after, blue and white, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, design, design process, design solutions, design tips, discovering artistic talent, element of surprise in design, engineered concrete counter tops, fireplaces, good design, handcraft, handmade, hiring an interior designer, home improvements, inspiration, interior design, interior design preferences, interior enhancements, joy, kitchen, kitchen design, kitchen remodeling, Mexico, mosaic, mosaic tile, natural stone, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, practical design, remodeling, Santa Fe, New Mexico, slate floors, southwestern design, Spanish Colonial, Subscribers, Talavera Tile, tile, value of good design, wall treatments, wallcovering, white kitchens / 1 Comment

Trust. When asking any kind of advice, you generally ask those you trust. That’s not to say that you might not question the advice. There is never only one way to accomplish something, therefore, advice can be as different as the number of advisers you ask!

From a design standpoint, to offer and create custom elements, it’s often the case that the client will say, “Can you show me an example of that?” If something is new and different, created specifically in context and for this project, there IS no example. There might be similar things, or close approximations of the design – or not – but not the actual design. Trusting your designer to extract your wishes, taste, preferences and applicability to the space is key to creating something very special.

So, I can show examples of mixed pattern Talavera on a wall. I first did this in Tucson about 13 years ago to create a wallpaper-like full wall installation.

As I referenced this casita installation for my clients, while planning their kitchen remodel, I also came upon a restaurant in St. Louis this last spring that used a similar approach in an Italian theme…Talavera? Mexican? Italian? Oh well…another example I brought to the conversation.

For this new kitchen remodel project, we were working with existing conditions, the layout and the mottled green, rust, aqua, charcoal slate floor. All else was up for grabs. However, because I really feel strongly about context, I mentally gathered elements from other parts of the home and intentionally embraced the floor.

This fireplace was given a face lift last year to add the stone hearth and mantle with the decorative Talavera tile detailing.

I believe to abandon existing design themes reads like a designer show home – each room done by a different designer, without any cohesive design continuity. Pair the idea to make an effort to lace the rooms together, with the effort to adopt certain fixed materials and you have compelling diagram of creative remodeling guidelines.

When it is either not practical to replace an existing design element or when the existence of the that design element makes for an un-self conscious part of the composition, it can be priceless. The slate floor was of smaller 12″ format tiles than might be more popular today, but it’s unusual color and very organic feel was worth the challenge. Turning a questionable design element into an asset is success!

Once the flooring was determined to be key in the new design, extracting features (specifically colors) from it became the next task. We had already discussed bringing the blue and white Talavera in from the living room, but my client was not feeling the joy of pairing it with this wildly mottled slate floor.

To meld the design elements together, I selected a concrete-like engineered countertop (which came in two colors both of which were seen in the mottled slate – and provides fodder for a future story). This provided a solid anchor for the design between the mottled floor and the multi-patterned Talavera.

But what might be the one more thing to make this design be even more unique and more cohesive? I set forth to find the impossible, an aqua, handmade tile that would complement the Talavera in the light irregularity and “hecho a mano” feel.

The perfect handmade aqua tile from Spain (photo reads more blue) from DAL tile was the perfect accent.

The absolutely ideal accent appeared unexpectedly as I thought I would be searching farther and wider for this perfect piece. By cutting it into 1″ pieces we would have the artistic accent woven through the patchwork of Talavera, thereby inserting the aqua and adding interest and unexpected detail.

By not planning a symmetrical grid of the accent mosaics, but by creating random lines the unexpected quality of the installation continues.

At this stage, the grout could be grey or white – specifically off white (of which there are many). Opting for the white, to allow the tile to read in its patchwork pattern, without added confusion with a grid of grout competing for attention. We then made a last minute switch on the white grout to a creamier one after seeing the many colors of off-white Talavera up on the wall – leaning more creamy than merely off-white. Could I have shown an example of this design scheme? No, this was created specifically for this project, this client and the space that deserves such attention to detail.

We’re not finished yet. Watch for this transformation to be unveiled in coming weeks complete with before and afters!

Sep 14

Paper Airplanes – Happy Joy

By pattisays In airports, art and interior design, artistic talent, artists, calligraphy, commercial interior design, Contemporary Art, context of interior design, decorative arts, Denver International Airport Art, design, design competition, design solutions, DIY design, education, fanciful design, Gershwin, handcraft, handmade, handwriting, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, interior design, interior enhancements, Japanese design, joy, kids' art, Leon de la Vega, love, Modern Art, music scores, nostalgia and design, origami, paper airplanes, Patty Ortiz, public design, public spaces, sculpture, site sculpture, Subscribers, travel and design, urban art / 1

This week, upon arrival at the Denver airport, as I navigate this architecturally dramatic facility, I’m funneled with the masses making our way, from the gate area, to the trains, to the terminal. When suddenly, gracefully overhead as we ascend the escalator, large versions of paper airplanes hover above. Probably steel, but with the familiar fold and form of the simple paper origami originals, they were a whimsical attention divergence.

When I arrived at the top of the escalator, I realized that they were also above the escalator across the way so I walked over there (to the surprise of the masses with whom I had been funneling along). A couple in the crowd even called out “hey” or “ma’am” …I turned to see some were concerned that I had lost my way and expressed concern that I follow the pack. I waved to these helpful strangers indicating with my phone in hand that I was stopping to take a photo of these wonderful suspended planes.

This ignited a curiosity that led me to investigate a bit more. I have since learned that they are part of the Denver International Airport’s Arts & Venues Denver: Public Art Program 1994. There are 140 of these suspended would-be-paper (steel alloy) planes and they are the work of artist Patty Ortiz titled Experimental Aviation. A well-recognized artist and curator of contemporary art with decades of art management experience she “believes that art intrinsically is a social object and when placed as an action in relationship with the viewer ad participant that art carries a profound interconnectedness within real experience.” And there I was experiencing the simple loveliness and joy that these airplane sculptures conveyed, in context with the often monotonous air travel experience.

Kids who love paper airplanes never seem to grow up. I’ve written about this before, in the blog about Federico Leon de la Vega’s TEDx Talks a couple of years ago. Watch his Talk and see the final scene as the planes fly through the audience. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9j_pLgCr1U

Paper airplanes are timeless tools of communication set flying from one person to another often with a secret note inside. Unfold and discover the message. Like passenger pigeons of days gone by…but unlike their obsolete and ultimately extinct message-delivering cousins, paper airplanes are timeless.

Would A Love Letter Be The Same Without Handwriting?

Never taking up the art, it has fascinated me forever. Origami seems to be originated from the Japanese word for folding – ori – and paper – kami = Orikami. Japanese art is so fine in all of its forms. And back to the paper airplanes, San Francisco hosted a competition Origami-Palooza complete with education and presentation of many facets of origami work including the Paper Airplane Challenge. Last month “The Paper Airplane Guy,” John Collins, the world record holder for paper airplane distance was there to assist in honing your paper airplane folding skills to insure greater success with your paper airplane flying! https://japancentersf.com/events/origami-palooza-great-paper-airplane-contest/

My happy observation of this past week and my advice with it – grab a piece of paper and try your hand at folding and flying a paper airplane!!!!!

Aug 27

Da Vinci, The Genius

By pattisays In architect, architecture, art and interior design, artistic talent, artists, civilization, context of interior design, design, designs in nature, education, fabrics, fashion and design, Fiber art, Golden Mean, Graphic art, graphic designs in interiors, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior design, Leonardo da Vinci, mirrors, multi-media design, Museums, natural designs, naturalist, nature, nostalgia and design, organic design, painters, patterns, proportion in design, Subscribers, teaching, textiles / 1

When you hear the name da Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci, its undeniably familiar. You might instantly call-up a synonym – genius. But what do you really, other than the Mona Lisa, recognize? And what do you even know about her and the painting itself? For the past several months now nearing the end of its run, the exhibition Da Vinci, The Genius, at the Albuquerque Natural History Museum, presented by Grande Exhibitions of Victoria, Australia in collaboration with the Museo Leonardo da Vinci , Rome and the French Scientific engineer Pascal Cotte is an amazing consolidation of information on this singularly remarkable man.

An artist or even designer are such understated titles for this man of extraordinary inventions, concepts, engineering, art and science, because he was the true Renaissance Man! He touched so many things to advance countless trades and disciplines many of which are the basis of machinery and equipment in use today. But as brilliant as the universal exploits of this amazing polymath are, this would be a tedious blog if I focused on the many pulley systems, gadgets, mirrors, SCUBA suits and even flying machines that he created in his lifetime.

Rather, I would like to use this fascinating field trip that I just experienced to examine how I as a designer have been influenced by da Vinci – specifically, the spectacular rendition of the Golden Mean – nature’s perfect ratio that occurs in nearly everything around us. This common mathematical ratio is used to create subliminal perfection and pleasing compositions that mimic the perfect ratio found in nature and specifically, for my purposes, in design.

If you remove this square from the rectangle, you’ll be left with another, smaller Golden Rectangle. This could continue infinitely.

I have written about this previously in greater depth. It is a subject that has no limits as the application of this ratio helps assure good compositions whether you realize it or not. For graphic designers it is a must. For interior designers and architects it the formula for so many aspects of their work. People in art and design have employed the use of this perfect ratio for thousands of years. If you apply it – it is foolproof.

But back to the exhibit…there he was – the iconic man rendered in gold on black. You’ve seen it. But to know him is to see the perfection in the proportions that da Vinci used to create this perfect figure.

Right there in a commanding focal point was da Vinci’s drawing of Vitruvian Man. The accompanying video explained the relationship of all the dimensions as they related to the perfection of the Golden Ratio. Time and time again it is evident in the sections of this perfect anatomy.

Da Vinci correlated that the perfection of the proportions should be applied to represent the perfect human anatomical body and that it was an analogy for the entire workings of the universe.

His magnificent study of knots became sought-after for luxury fabrics used in 15th century fashion – many of which costumes and finery he designed. Interpretations as lover’s knots – the bond between them was a popular notion of his time and afterward.

It is an exhibition worth seeing. Even if you have stood in front of the real Mona Lisa and have visited sites exhibiting his vast creations and noted observations, this exhibition is worth a visit!

Aug 13

Southwest Style – What is it?

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, architecture, art and food, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, bathroom remodel, beauty behold it, blue and white, civilization, color forecasting, Color schemes, color trends, colors, context of interior design, cowhides, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, decorative mirrors, design, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designs in nature, dining and design, drama of color, eclectic design, eclecticism, functional art, hammered metal, handcraft, handmade tableware, hiring an interior designer, historic properties, historical interior design, home improvements, houses, inspiration, inspiration from nature, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, kitchen, kitchen design, Leon de la Vega, lifestyle, Mexico, natural designs, nature, nostalgia and design, organic design, paint colors, personal expression, personal taste, powder rooms, Pueblo pottery, quilting, Regional design, residential restrooms, Santa Fe, New Mexico, selecting colors, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Spanish Colonial, stone countertops, Subscribers, table dressings, table top, tableware, Talavera Tile, terracotta, textiles, tile, timeless colors, travel and design, trends, value of good design, weavings / 1 2 Comments

Arriving for the first time in our American Southwest, one might feel like they have entered a different country, if not a different world!! To fly from anywhere else where there are rolling green hills, or green fields or dense green wooded landscapes, not to mention tropical environs and cruise over America’s Southwest, it looks like the moon – or some barren planet. Everyone remembers their first impression. Whether exotic or scary, lonely or seemingly uninhabitable, once you get on the ground and explore the beauty and variety of what’s here, you’re bitten – even smitten.

In all fairness, this is a completely defoliated winter shot!! Many now know how lush this magnificent Sandia Mountain can be at the top, in the summer. Yes, I said lush.

No other region has the distinct architecture and tri-cultural identity of what has become the elemental design style and flavor of this magical place. From “sea to shining sea” New England to Southern California you will find nuances of regional distinction – but not to the degree that the American southwest is set apart. Architectural influences from colonization have been the standard guiding style nationwide. Yet the ancient, practical elements, of civilization that long preceded the Europeans discovering the New World, is at the roots of this enchanting design style.

Tri-cultural architecture and interior design results from the remarkable history combining Native Americans carving out of stone walls, building with mud (adobe) bricks, devising simple, practical designs to capture heat and insulate in cold while minimizing solar gain in the warm weather months, with the conquering Spaniards and their colonial influences, and finally the pioneers from the east with their colonial English influences. Now more often replicated, with frame construction and stucco facades, this unique melding is the core of Southwestern architectural design.

When one hears the term “earth tones” setting a design trend in the 70s, it suggests the brown, tan, orange palette that was terribly limiting. Certainly to label it earth tones, it became a curse of a color scheme. Sadly to link it to a representation of southwestern design was misplaced and unfortunate. And how sad to think that it was so broadly accepted – like lemmings following blindly – everyone adopted this as a truism. So often the case with trends. The 70’s also spawned a diametrically opposite color scheme of blues and greens to refresh that which had been so mired in the “earth-tone” movement.

However, real earth tones are limitless. Earth tones are all colors…look down…look around. Even if you confine your interpretation to the dirt beneath your feet – the colors are vastly more than the brown, tan, rust, orange that became the rage. Soft pinks and grays, pale blue and whites…look at dirt. It might be more clay, might be more peat – from soft terracotta to dark espresso – dirt is earth and the colors and tones are limitless.

Tom Glover captured the beauty of the natural landscape through his artistic photographic medium that Georgia O’Keeffe and others have depicted through their artistic media.

Georgia O’Keeffe saw it and captured it in her own enduring style.

Nature offers color. Natural dyes have riddled that art world through time. Synthetic dyes took it a level further. But nature is at the core of all we have in this world.

http://www.quilthistory.com/dye.htm

Turquoise being a natural mineral in the American Southwest became a signature accent color punctuating the soft earthen tones of the adobe design palette.

Artist Victoria Martinez Rodgers paints a valley apple orchard and the turquoise wall is the perfect backdrop.

Color was always there for those who cared to notice. The great painters of this region presented it well. Their recordings of everything from the many colors of the rugged windswept landscapes to lush green mountain forests with shimmering golden aspen groves – and bosque cottonwoods screaming with yellow brilliance capture and convey so much more.

In autumn, bosque cottonwoods explode with color sending a streak of brilliant yellow all along the Rio Grande. Federico Leon de la Vega create this commissioned oil painting from a photo provided by his clients.

There are the natural and also synthetic dyes that were woven through the magnificent textiles of the Native Americans – blankets and articles of clothing were not limited to buckskin animal hides.

Ernest Blumenschein was the founder of the Taos Society of Artists capturing the color and textures of the realities that he encountered in this Land of Enchantment.

Sunsets everywhere play a part in the imagery of the landscape – here we see vast landscapes with brilliant fiery skies and those exciting corals and lavenders, soft pink and blue wisps provide inspiration for wall colors and backdrops to our richly embellished interior designs.

Yet spare, understated neutral interpretations also offer elegant representations of southwestern style.

So what do you visualize when you think of Southwestern Design? Please don’t say a turquoise wooden cutout of a howling coyote! Death by Southwestern Style – the overdose resulting from overdone clichés and trends that have spoiled the real art and beauty.

It doesn’t have to be all about cow skulls and pelts…but these cow hide butterfly chairs are pretty cool!!!

Perhaps you see a Mexican influence which is also part of the melding of the regional style – like food, we have a fine line sometimes with certain traditional dishes that when adopted and adapted by American Southwest kitchens took on a unique identity all its own – differing between Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. We all enjoy bringing art and craft from our southern neighbors into our designs.

Borrowing, sharing, combining so many design elements such as adobe architecture, colonial wood trim detailing, fired brick technology, Mexican Talavera tile and pottery,

Native American textiles and so many other handcrafts

The owners of this interior have an intimate relationship with each of the artists that they have collected down to this magnificent mount of a buffalo. They knew him and his name and why he was put down.

from punched and tooled tin, paintings and pottery – southwestern interior design is rich with color, texture, artistic detailing and true soul. The connection to the earth is undeniable and nature always plays a key role.

So how might you introduce southwestern influences into YOUR design scheme? You could tile the wall(s) of a powder room in Talavera Tile. Maybe just a mirror surround?

You might paint an accent wall – or all walls in a room or some other bold color inspired by a regional image

Mango watercolor by Susan Weeks splashes coral against the golden yellow wall with a lime green lighted cabinet showcasing old, traditional, low-fire Talavera tableware. classic Talavera blue and white tile frame the bar opening and on through out the kitchen.

and collect art pieces such a punched tin crosses, wood and straw,

landscape or still life painting, hang a blanket or drape a bed with a beautiful woven textile…introducing different styles speaks to last week’s story about eclecticism. Don’t be afraid to mix things that you like. What brings you joy?