With all the New Year buzz about the new color forecasts…I started taking notice of the seeming non-color, white. It is often considered the absence of color when in fact it is a very complex color of many shades and values. Just try to select a white and you will know what I mean.
When you look at white paint samples, you will notice the nuances. There are pink whites and blue white, grey whites and yellow whites. Each white is off-set and contrasting to another. You see the differences by comparison and by context. You think you have just the right white until you place it against another sample and see that it is grey or cream and then second guess yourself again…and again…How do you know which white is right?
Dunn Edwards groups their whites and pastels in a separate section of their fan deck as do other paint companies. What is interesting here is that the background is a sheet of white copy paper. Notice how is reads against the colors in the samples…it seems to be a purple blue color. This shot was taken under a full-spectrum LED lamp. The colors should be true. The range of “white” is amazing.
To intentionally design with white is bold. To have the confidence, to decide that white IS the color and that white IS the scheme, is challenging. To effectively design with white, you not only have to select the right white(s), but you have to know just how much of anything else might be effective yet not detract.
Le Leche in Puerto Vallarta is a fabulous example of designing exclusively with white. Only with minimal punctuation with black lettering on the wall of containers and also by allowing shadows is the white interrupted. But the blacks’ minor interruptions gives depth and fine detail.
White design can be cold or warm. Depending upon the desired effect, mood or function of the space, the whites need to be carefully selected. This is true with lighting as well. Warm whites or cool whites…what gives you the desired result?
Popular white string lights add festivity and a warm glow to an evening scene.See how many lighting colors you can identify in this scene…Starting on the left, a cool pocket glows through the underbrush. The walkway has a warm pink-ish light. The very cool blues of the pool area give a dramatic read. A bold yellow accent peeks from the far left and also over on the right. The palm trees are wrapped in a warm white tube lights while the far right side illuminates the entry to the dining palapa with a cool white light source. The foam of the surf on the beach is captured with a cool white spotlight that maintains its naturally expected white color.
Knowing when to add color to a white scene to achieve an intentional POP is an art. The color itself, the amount and placement is all part of the success of a good design result. From the fine black detailing in the previous shot of La Leche to this still-life composition of a tropical cocktail that I propped the other day, the minimal punctuation of color is key.
White mosaic shards of tile in the background of this composition featuring a peeled coconut and the POP of a pretty pink party umbrella result in a white-on white scene. Yes, this shot says PARTY with a perky smile!
The bench which served as the backdrop for the coconut cocktail is a dramatic serpentine sculpture of site furniture that plays with the white-on-white of the tile and grout.
Contrasting against the organic wood decking, this white monolithic bench snakes around the periphery of this outdoor lounge area. The sunset is casting a soft pink wash over the all white glazed tile.
Beach settings using white materials compliment the white sand and greenery of the tropical plants. From wood frame platform cabanas to the sprinkling of umbrellas, white is a wonderful, fresh color for a crisp clean scene.
Whites on whites…creamy sand colors to crisp white terrycloth, the white-on-white scheme is soft, inviting and clean.Greenery compliments the white umbrellas and sunning beds on the lawn by the beach.Palm trunks and other fruit trees are often painted white to protect against insects and what insects insist on climbing the surface are easily spotted by birds who appreciate the help to capture a snack! In this case, they contribute to the white design theme.
The soft creamy off-white folds of fabric offer a soft, inviting scene.
Shadows in the creases and depths of the folds add the dimension to the luxurious feel of the cotton damask fabric.White stucco is dappled by shadows and greenery while given a warm, strong base by the brick pavers. White as an architectural finish is only successful if the context compliments it. This is true in all design.
Architectural color and texture of surfaces is a moving target. A recent discussion about a white building with black detailing would not have proved right for this particular use of white. The hard, commercial read would have been too severe for the intended effect. Yet that same project, with a warm white and an ochre accent, will be just the right combination to achieve the desired result. Watch for this project to be featured in a few months.
Architectural surfaces incorporating tones and textures of white provide interesting opportunities
Block and crumbled edge accent bands on the facade of an exterior wall.
White in design is an exciting selection. Knowing how, when and why to use it is a test of your creativity. Picking the right white is the challenge.
The limitless colors of white found in a pile of gravel…..
So the next time you think white, think a lot about it. Study the context and what you are trying to accomplish. Feel freed by the fact that white is a color to express and enjoy.
After
last week’s Color of the Year observations, I furthered the subject regarding
the importance, influence and value of colors.
I
don’t know the science behind how individual’s eyes perceive and translate
color… rods and cones and the anatomy of the eye as it speaks to the
brain…but what I do know is that
COLOR and the context of COLOR MATTERS even if it is not perceived exactly the
same by everyone.
My
parents were coincidentally both apt to notice, remark about and describe color
specifically. To them, and ultimately to me, colors were something to
regard and absorb, for better or for worse, and all colors deserved acknowledgement
and specification.
I distinctly remember their descriptions, “Parrot Green, Sapphire Blue, Lemon Yellow, Fire Engine Red and Brown as a berry” – a compliment which indicated that you had tanned sufficiently! I think it was a result of our island home-away-from-home that prompted many of these titles. We, for sure, had no parrots making their presence known in Virginia! But for some reason, colors in the islands prompted unusual appreciation and scrutiny. This parrot green was like grass green but a bit more intense – saturated – not a dark green and certainly not a spring green – just a brilliant, clear, secondary green! The result of true, primary blue and yellow mated to make GREEN!
Color is a communication tool to convey – color. But what color? What type of color? What specific color? Is your version of a color the same as mine? Do we “read” color the same way? Do we express the description of color the same way? How might you explain a color to a person who is blind?
I’m writing this today from the tropics and it seems worthy to note that colors are abundant here in brilliant evidence through all seasons. Whereas in a decidedly changing seasonal and climate, colors come alive in spring, progress through changes and pretty much crash for the dormant winter months. Contrarily, the topics meld their rainbow of blooming floribunda, bounty of fruits and palette of these brilliant colors year round.
Maybe
it is because we straddled both worlds. The lush, verdant, colorfully blooming
and always reliable tropics countered by the decidedly and distinctly changing
seasons through dormancy in the northern climes. There must be an appreciation
for the change. The lovely, yet possibly monotonous climates that produce
blooming color all year round might dull the senses to the seasonal reemergence
and staggering beauty of new growth and blooming abundance and mute the verbal
expression and appreciation thereof.
For example, my color antenna is always up and running. As I struggled with my pair of carry-on luggage monstrosities clearly in excess of 75 pounds (good thing there is only a size and not a weight limit!!), I came upon 2 art pieces in the Houston Hobby airport. The colors beckoned me. Although I had noticed them in swift passing, I couldn’t help wanting to see more. So I stopped and dashed back, disassembled my cumbersome haul and quickly took photos of these two paintings on exhibit, in the concourse, in order that I could enjoy them a bit later. Initially attracted by the color, they arrested me allowing and inviting an opportunity for further examination of their subject matter and detail later, when I had the luxury of time.
The wildly organic plant life, featuring an animated orchid that tangled and writhed on the painting’s surface in a variety of verdant green’s set against a perfectly selected fiery orange table surface, was brilliantly alluring and seemed to set the stage as a precursor to my soon-to-be-destination in tropical Mexico. ARTIST: Lucas Johnson Still Life with Schomburgkia
A bit further down the corridor of the concourse another piece caught my attention. Similarly with its colorful invitation, but with entirely different subject matter which upon closer inspection was quite intriguing, a patchwork quilt of batik fabrics and collage with applied letters beckoning the viewer to wonder what might be beneath was magic. The woman or child and beloved pet in the center of the action nestled under a cozy and colorful quilt, wrapped in a cloak of starry darkness which might suggest clinging to each other against the foreboding imaginings of the night.
The intense collection of the brilliant colors contrasting against black was dramatic, mystic and inescapable in this powerful piece, It Helps to Think We’re Sleeping Underneath the Same Big Sky by artist Joo Young Choi.
Watercolor
artist extraordinaire, Susan Weeks, captured this crate of mangos at
an exotic market somewhere very south of here. Peru? Ecuador? I don’t remember.
Susan gets around. And, Susan sees color and detail and renders it with
remarkably exacting precision.
As I greet the day, I’m taking my stash of mangoes out onto the balcony to be seen and photographed in context. Reminded of how Susan rendered this succulent sweet fruit, with the delightfully “hairy pit” (nods to Tricia), I celebrate this colorful collection of nature in a sensational setting! These gorgeous tones of warm golden yellow, baby iguana green and yes, 2019’s rosy warm coral (Pantone’s “Living Coral”) are nature’s color scheme. The orbs are sensuous and the colors are excitingly bright and luscious.
Mango colors of rosy coral and warm, golden yellow are paired in this arched interior entry.
Here a similar scheme featuring one of our favorite Company C rugs illustrates the bold, effective power of color selection.
Try this exercise with color. I have no idea what your eyes see and your brain translates, but walk around and look at things in your world. Notice color. Notice individual items…book bindings to fresh fruit. Evaluate each color’s effect. Does it evoke any emotion…good or bad? If you wanted a painter to paint a wall that color and you didn’t have the paint selected, how would you describe that color in an attempt to get it on the wall as you desired?
In a more thorough test, you might be prepared with actual paint – like tubes of acrylic from the craft store. Get a print-out of a color wheel to illustrate the primary, secondary and tertiary colors. https://bit.ly/2SVKUMg Buy red, blue, yellow and white and use them to attempt to create the color being described. This could be a party game – but you would need to also have paint chips from the home improvement store or paint store to use as the prompts that would have to be described and used to match the success or failure of the person attempting to create the color.
Noticing color brings appreciation to the details and nuances of our color-filled world. The little exercise/game, to try to convey a color to another person based upon similar life experiences and references, is interesting. Please share your thoughts and experiences, dilemmas and frustrations with this project through the blog’s email.
I hope this encourages you to go forth with a new-found appreciation of color and how it adds layers of depth and interest to all that you see. Examine the natural world, or man-made creations in film, set-design, architecture, graphic advertisements, fashion design or interior design. See why color matters!
Color. Fashion and trends. Pantone’s annual pick and announcement – this year, based upon observation of the field of design scenes namely Airbnb and Apple, really? I find that amusing. Described by Pantone as “an animated life-affirming shade of orange, with golden undertones.” If orange had golden undertones, it would be more yellow-orange – a golden orange – NOT the pinky-orange suggested by their swatch of Living Coral and myriad examples that are being set forth. However, a few months ago I noticed and saved (because I liked the colors), a Smith’s Food Store envelope featuring peaches that illustrated the cozy combination of the rosy-orange coral tones with the golden yellows – a perfect pairing.
This pinky coral – a hot, but smooth, orange-ish color – has been one of my favorites for years! In 2004 I referenced it as “lipstick” that wonderful color between red, orange and pink! A hard-to-find lipstick shade sought by many!!! It melds fabulously with citrus colors and is cooled and contrasted by blues. A wall of colors depicts this perfectly.
We painted the wall, took a photo of it and emailed it to Federico Leon de la Vega in Mexico to commission him to do this grapefruit painting with its luscious, pink center and coral shades, wrapped in a yellow peel and surrounded by cool, bold, brushstrokes of whites and brilliant blues.
A few years later we devoted an entire project to the fresh, citrus, color tangerine – which because of my personal preference leaned toward the coral shade of orange rather than the pure, natural tangerine. But art is about taking liberties and when developing an orange accented color scheme, all versions are allowed. Right?
This project was punctuated with orange tones from tangerine (for which it was named), and deep warm coral-pink shades. The hue and its many vibrant values!
However, to photo these nuances of color is tough. I walked around the Tangerine project a couple of days ago. It has stood the test of time by beating trends by a few years and not adopting any particular design elements that would have given it away today.
Look at how much nature played a part in the staging of these coral infused scenes!
My advice is to pick the colors that you like – the colors that make you feel
good. Once determined, develop design based upon when to use that/those colors
and when to contrast them or perhaps neutralize them.
Coral is bold and warm. It can read hot and energized –
although is softer than red and less harsh than orange.
Nature is abundant with coral – not just the living sea
coral – but flowers and the rare fabulous accent fur of Vietnamese monkey the
red-shanked douc!
Vietnam’s red-shanked douc- brilliant coral accents in his coat!
The thought of warm saltwater and fresh sea air at this time
of year is tantalizing. Living coral
doesn’t just say – coral, (of which there are many colors) it evokes that shade that we snap to when
mentioned. Hot, soft pinky coral – a color of seduction. It is featured in
jewelry and art renderings, architecture and interiors.
My advice is to pick the colors that you like – the colors that make you feel good. Once determined, develop design based upon when, where and how to use that/those colors and when to contrast them or perhaps neutralize them.
A little whimsy to celebrate this bold exciting color of the year!!!
Have fun with color – any color- all colors! Welcome Pantone’s Living Coral, into the conversation and design elements, for this New Year!!!
Designing with a purpose is always the way to begin a
project. But it is particularly valuable as a tool to start the New Year off
fresh! What I mean by purpose is that your interiors should reflect the purpose
that they serve for you and your family. By establishing a purpose for your
spaces, you will achieve happiness.
Sounds simple, but happiness is proved by what brings you
joy, peace and a smile to your face. To achieve this, you will need to evaluate
your lifestyle, routines and the rooms in which you perform certain functions.
Upon entering your home, do you feel satisfied? Does arriving home make you feel happy? Is it your safe and comfy retreat from the outside world? Do you like the smell? Yes it matters. Like a realtor telling a home seller to boil some cinnamon sticks on the stove to create the scent of spices in the chilly months or fragrant floral bouquets in the spring and summer…all of the senses come into play when you are staging an interior. And to enhance the design of your own home – you are staging for yourself! If your home smells musty or stale, consider the sources and do a little fabric refreshing, open windows, check for grease in the kitchen…purge the unpleasant odors.
So how do you start your day? Is your room light or dark and how adjustable is it to modify as needed? Is the floor upon which you first set your feet in the morning warm or cool, rough or soft? How do these elements make you feel? How do you want to feel? Consider all of your senses. Consider the purpose of the space and what you want it to do for you. As you evaluate these small details, ask yourself “Do I want to make changes in any of these existing conditions? It’s usually fairly easy to do and if you just take one piece at a time, you will find that the improvements are very effective.
Is your bedroom restful? Are your feel happy when they hit the floor? Examine the sensory details to get started designing with a purpose.
If you enjoy cooking, see how your kitchen functions and how it looks to you as a workplace. Do you have things handy? Is what you use most often easily accessible? Evaluate and rearrange if needed. Re-organize your kitchen.
Some cooks like everything concealed, while some like having certain of their equipment out and ready. Make it suit your purpose.
When you entertain, how do you like to do it? Is your style casual or more formal? Where do people gather and how many at a given time? You can “zone” your entertaining so that some are gathered in established seating areas while others might pull up a stool and watch you cook. Consider the flow of your gatherings. Consider the purpose. I find that I am up and down a lot and therefore I opt for a little upholstered ottoman that I can scoot under the glass top coffee table when not in use. Benches, ottomans, even floor pillows can be great supplemental seating for overflow and these pieces are lower and visually less crowded than pulling chairs in from adjacent rooms.
With regard to seating, do you have pets, kids? Are you hard on your upholstery? This might determine what fabrics you select, if you are considering new pieces or re-upholstery of existing pieces, in your home.
I write often about color. There are so many paint choices that is impossible not to find the right color combinations for your spaces. Consider the purpose. Remember that different rooms can have different color schemes, if that serves your purpose. If you want a space to be restful, select soothing colors and if your want to express a more vibrant spirited feeling, choose colors that are more bright, bold and intense. Consider the purpose of the space and its color scheme regarding how you want it to make you feel.
It all boils down to observing your rooms and their details, letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose. If they do not function well or make you smile – let go. Rearrange your things. This is a neat trick to re-purposing your possessions and giving rooms a new look. Move things from one room to another or just within the same room. You will feel refreshed merely by making these simple changes.
As is true with all good New Year’s resolutions…don’t put
off tomorrow, what you can do today! So get started and see how you can make
your home the place where you gain strength and rejuvenation, achieve happiness
and surround yourself with the things that bring you joy.
The return of the pods with a twist! Those gorgeously twisted mahogany colored Locust pods that fall every autumn and beg to be re-purposed, if not for their procreating seeds, as table dressings!!! Yes, I have embraced their raw, organic beauty for quite some time. Look back to my introduction to these handsome hulls and the first fabulous table-scape that resulted. https://patriciandesign.com/resourceful-creative-festive-fun/
The original autumnal centerpiece using the Locust pods a couple of years ago…
There have been many bouquets since. Then yesterday, as I walked my 10,000 step trek around a nearby park, I pondered the theme for this Christmas blog and another pod piece came to mind. One lone Locust tree there in the park had produced a blanket of pods that have been weathering these last couple of months – fortunately, not weathered too badly. I gathered 2 dozen of them and marched home with a purpose! Fists full and looking a bit curious, I passed several strollers wondering about my two unusual bouquets.
My idea was to tweak them from their natural autumnal brown
to a gilded glory!
Spray painting on brown craft paper – both sides – instant transformation!
Yes, gilding the lily of lovely rich, natural pods to become wildly twisted golden spires flanking the traditional poinsettia of our Christmas table.
Building the scene as I go…
Last minute gold glass balls ringing the red poinsettia centerpiece,
Spruce sprigs from the yard.
a pair of silver reindeer, silver snowflake napkin rings, blue spruce cuttings from the backyard, scattered votive holders, crystal and china for the touch of formality and we’re ready for our silver and gold, red and green, festive feast!
Mexican pewter chargers, with fine gold trimmed Limoge china, Grand Baroque sterling and aluminum snowflake napkin rings – mixes metals to the max!
There are presents to wrap as Christmas approaches, but here is another kind of wrapping up – from completing projects to taking inventory – the end of the year is busy and everyone is anxious to get things wrapped up!!
Parties are scheduled and scenes are set.
Lovely party last night! Thank you Anne and Ken!!!
Company is coming and the final kitchen drawer was just finished, walls are painted, custom iron rods were just installed, the tree is up and all is decked for Christmas. The draperies are being finished and should be installed before the big day! Will they be finished before the guests arrive?
The new store is open! (Watch for more on this soon!) The front window is in festive mode with a Christmas tree and mannequins sporting the newest fashions. The last minute details are installed on the magnificent wrap desk, the POS (Point of Sale – not to be confused with what they might be calling it during the glitch) computer cash register system is on the fritz and hours of remote consultation puts everyone on edge.
The custom designed and crafted tables are finished – although we missed the Thanksgiving deadline – a ski trip that weekend made that a forgivable situation. Delivery to Boulder dodging snow storms was a success and the tables exceeded expectations!
Two entirely different tables custom designed and fabricated, delivered and installed!
Other projects proceed as chair cushions are being finished, cabinet pulls are on order, the rug pad is due any day, the construction drawings for the commercial kitchen are underway, the solar shades are in and working nicely on the designated remotes, the walls need to be patched and painted – hopefully this week, the landscape plans are being priced, the sign package for the exterior of the building are also being priced and the plumbing fixtures aren’t here and might not be in time, the counter tops are still to be fabricated, the plumbing needs to arrive and be installed…and those last few items are for my own house!
If anyone thinks that the designers’ projects go more smoothly or finish on time and go off without a hitch – think again. Murphy’s Law isn’t prejudiced. My own indecision, delivery of the wrong sinks, budget modifications and time delays related to design details being painstakingly executed all contributed to my project not being cleared up before Christmas. Through no fault of my wonderful contractors, so many other things are in play. Designing projects is like conducting orchestras – well, to the extent that there are many players who must perform when expected without flaws – and that is not the nature of most projects. Unlike an orchestra performing a piece, having practiced for hours, days, months, years…projects are never identical and practice cannot make perfect. The variables are many and the permutations and possibilities for glitches seem endless! Perhaps it’s more like juggling rather than conducting!!!
So as we wrap-up the year and hope that everyone’s projects are providing comfort, enhanced function, fun and even profitability, we thank all of our clients and contractors who participate in the process. We are thankful for each of you – our clients and we are equally thankful for all those artists and craftspeople on our team who make our dreams come true.
Designing is like cooking – I guess cooking is a form of design. Yes, it certainly is. Whether it is graphic design, fashion design, architecture, musical composition, poetry, landscape or interior design – artists of all media – the art of creating, designing, composing, it is all about the right ingredients in the right amount to balance the scene. Proportion.
Even though I will be focusing on interior design, the”scene” could be the sheet music, the canvas, the poet’s screen or paper…the “scene” is the window that frames/encompasses the finished product. To compare these artistic endeavors, to the art of cooking, is so obvious to me.
Everyone must cook something. Whether it is merely heating up beanie weenies, with a sliced dill pickle tossed in, chased with a gin on the rocks, it is a composition that must result in a tasty scene – for someone. Having said that, we must also note that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” The more successful compositions appeal to a greater number of aficionados.
To cook, one must combine the right ingredients, in the right proportions, to combine to result in the best finished product. When I design, as with cooking, it is often “create as you go”…it is important to add an element and taste…re-think…evaluate…
Assembling ingredients and considering the balance of them in the finished product.
At a glance, the significant distinctions between cooking and interior design is that in cooking, the finished product might be gorgeous, but taste terrible. Interior design is all visual – on the surface…or so you might think…until you evaluate function. A beautiful cake needs to taste as good as it looks. An interior must function as well as it looks. Both are dependent on the subliminal factors that result in a truly successful finish product.
Successful is also in the eye of the beholder…25+ years ago my mother and I went shopping for a leather sofa. She, at 5′ 3″, was a bit on the “vertically challenged” side of the ergonomic spectrum. Therefore, actually sitting in the contenders was important so that her feet comfortably rested on the floor and her back against the back – no propping up with throw pillows to make the fit. So we searched and sat and searched and sat until one day, like Goldilocks, we found one that was “just right.”
A few weeks later, having waited anxiously for this perfect sofa to arrive, Mom excitedly called me and said “they’re delivering my sofa today!” I told her I would be by after work to see it. But before I could finish my day and see this long-awaited focal piece, she called again exclaiming “It’s the wrong sofa!” To which I replied “hang on – I’ll be right there.”
Sure enough, I watched her as she sat on her beautiful new leather sofa and looked like Lily Tomlin doing Edith Ann! Her legs shot straight out and even with a scoot forward, her feet dangled in mid-air. We knew something was wrong. It looked like the right sofa, but we didn’t have the intended dimensions of what we ordered. So all we could do was go back to the showroom and hope the sofa that we thought we had ordered was still on the floor and go from there…
With great relief, we found the showroom model…Mom crossed the room and took a seat. A very comfortable seat. Everything fit just right. So what was with the sofa that was delivered earlier today? As it turned out, it was the right sofa, only hers was brand new. The one on the floor had been sat upon for months and by a thousand fannies…the answer was simple prompted by a simple question. Would they exchange the brand new cushion filling for the broken down stuffing that was in the floor model? And with that – voila! Her new sofa was modified to be the perfect fit – old, broken-down cushions and all!!!!! She still sits comfortably on that sofa today. Function. The outside looked great – the ingredients were a bit off. Ingredients make the difference.
I used this example with a client recently when she had a chair reupholstered. Per her request, the stuffing was not changed – but the upholsterer thought that the collapsed appearance was not good and would reflect a lack of attention on his part. So he plumped and made more firm the stuffing inside his new, tighter envelopes. She was not pleased and thought all was lost. I assured her that it was an easy fix and asked that it be redone. He is in the process of modifying the fill to accomplish the comfort she remembers. The chair looks great – but the ingredients/details are not creating the function that would make it a truly successful design.
As a designer, we often (especially in bidding environments) are faced with “or equal” substitutions to our design selections. The specifications have to be within a certain tolerance, but the results can radically change the complexion, success, look and effectiveness of the design. Imagine how this could affect a recipe? Well,sometimes great new recipes come from unintentional substitutions….take these cookies I baked last weekend.
Barbara Bush’s popular Cowboy Cookies – unplanned, I had a wild hair to bake cookies. I can count on one hand how often that has happened in the last 20 years!! So having had these fabulous cookies recently (thanks Feath), I rummaged through the pantry for the ingredients. Well, I had wholewheat flour, not all purpose, I had a few butterscotch morsels and a few more white chocolate chips. I had no chocolate chips nor coconut. I had steel cut oats not rolled oats. Too lazy to run to the store, I thought that the worst that could happen was that my cookies would be terrible and I would have wasted the ingredients and a couple hours of time…However, I am pleased to report that they are wonderful and resulted in a new oatmeal cookie worth sharing. Substitutions can work, but the harmony of ingredients is the key.
Another issue that can challenge a good design is when there are too many chefs in the kitchen. The ingredients can become imbalanced and substitutions can be made that alter if not spoil the intended results. In some projects, the”lead” shifts. The contractor, subs, and owner can all insert changes that alter the design. This usually occurs without regard for the design as a whole. Each person has their field of vision, their focus of expertise or special interest. Sweet, salty, acidic…each has its place – balance. A disregard for any of the ingredients, poor substitutions or imbalanced quantities – will alter the results.
Yin and Yang – the balance of our known universe – is all at the root of the balance of good design. Balance and the relationships of scale (which are also forms of balance). Rough/Smooth, Shiny/Dull, Dark/Light, Soft/Hard are all ingredients of good design. The balance of these are the equation of successful solutions. And this doesn’t even include the magic of color its balance and compliments.
Many people are good cooks. They have an innate sense of what works. Many people have an innate sense of good design. They often take it for granted. They might not be able to articulate it – but they can create it, they know it when they see it and they employ the rules of balance whether they realize it or not. In both of these cases, theses innately talented people often need reinforcement or encouragement – validation – affirmation.
From dinner guests to friends coming over to see the new furniture arrangement, talented cooks and decorators can get the job done – as with all professional chefs and designers – with the support and contribution of the talents around them.
The world is full of detail. From the wonders of nature and the perfection of a flower, to the man-made creations that come from inspiration of all sorts. The combined influences that result, in interesting and good design, are limitless and we now have layers of platforms upon which ideas are presented. The access to creativity is staggering.
Take Etsy and Pinterest. There the ideas abound. Everyone has access to creative ideas unlike ever before in our world. In the past, a keen eye observed and discerned. The clever managed to find inspiration in the most obscure places, analyze observations and interpret them for their own purposes. Creativity was spawned from observation paired with original thought. Yet, that observation was generally first-hand. Therefore, those that got about more, saw more and had greater exposure to more (and there you have it) were creatively stimulated more!
We (perhaps I should say I since it is from my own vantage point and experiences, from whence I speak/write), often are so busy observing that we don’t take the time to dissect and catalog the information we discover. I am so very guilty of that as I am so captivated by design and creativity that I forget to remember!!! Ha – yes – forget to remember or record!!!!
I constantly find myself regretting to have taken a photo of something (some who know how many photos I take might want to take exception with this point), but it’s true. I regret not taking a photo or studying something which, retrospectively, I recognize as something quite special. In the rush to experience the entire scene, I fail to notice or retain the details. Have you ever felt that you were so caught-up in a new experience that afterward you feel you should have paid closer attention? I forget to remember to store the observations or I forget to take a photo – regretting it afterward.
The breakfast room aat Hillwood Mansion where Marjorie Post rarely entertained, but was always set to do so. Pink poinsettias are the seasonal choice.
This can be from a class lecture to a theatrical production. I wish I had focused more closely rather than getting distracted by my own imagination which often runs rampant with the encounter. However, the stimulation can be so great that the imagination kicks in and causes diversions, in the attention, resulting in a deficit of detail gathering. Hence a clear case of un-diagnosed ADD!!!
With all of this having been the prelude to my thoughts for the day, I have elected to pick out a few details from a recent tour of the Hillwood Estate and Gardens nestled on magnificent wooded grounds in the heart of northeast Washington, DC. And how wonderful to have had the opportunity this week to stroll through the mansion, now museum, of the late Marjorie Merriweather Post during the Christmas season.
As previously mentioned, I would have, could have, should have taken more photos, but was so enchanted at every turn by the beauty and gracious luxury that unfolded, I was too busy darting from one magnificent scene to the next to capture more than I share here. I apologize.
Her favorite color was pink and this tree greeting visitors upon arrival is a precious jewel among many beautiful Christmas trees and decorations displayed in the mansion.
From the reflection on the polished floors of the little white lights to the shimmering crystal punctuated with pink blossoms bedecking the tree was undeniably elegant.
The railings ascending the staircase at the reception desk were draped with garland and strung with simple gold painted discs which were repeated in the coordinating tree which also featured a collection of blue reproduction Faberge eggs.
Marjorie Post was a discerning collector of all manner of artistic beauty including exceptional Russian decorative art. The actual exhibit of Faberge currently available for view on the property is nearing its end. Many dazzlingly detailed pieces from her own collection and others on loan for the exhibit are being shown.
If you are in Washington this month, please treat yourself. This exhibit of Faberge pieces is outstanding.
The gold leaves on this magnificent tree in the dining room would be fun to replicate. Could have easily been dipped in gold leaf. Like lime leaves – or from your garden perhaps photinia or laurel even rhododendron – maybe go faux with silk from the craft store – spray ’em gold!!! Paint magic!
And if you have ever installed a dangle of mistletoe…check this out! This elegant bundle suspended, from the towering heights of the entry hall, puts all other sprigs to shame!!! In the opulent foyer, this grand ball of gilded ribbon-clad mistletoe invites those to tempt the fates of love and superstition, with but a kiss!
Whether it is a theme of gold or a snowy season of white, find details and enjoy the creative opportunities that present themselves to you in passing or from the depths of your imagination and create your own holiday magic!!!
Creating fantasy, festivity or seasonal celebration, gather the details every day from observing all the particulars around you. It is amazing from where you can collect ideas and be inspired to create your own festive fantasy!!!!!! Then be sure to take some photos!!!!!!!
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!
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?
