Jun 19

WONDER at the Renwick

By pattisays In architecture, art and interior design, artistic expression, artists, beauty behold it, Corcoran, decorative arts, design, design trends, Fiber art, Gabriel Dawe, interior design, Janet Echelman, Leo Villareal, lighting, Mexico, Organic art, Patrick Dougherty, public design, Renwick Gallery, scupture, Tara Donovan, travel and design, Washington, D.C., Wonder / 1 Comment

At 4 years old my teeny cousin, Katherine whom I nicknamed Katie-belle, took my hand as we ventured forth with great discovery stepping down into the carport of our beach house. With commiserating whispers, like the two adventurers that we were that night, we exchanged queries about where we were headed and what we might find and she said ” I Wonder…”

“So what?” you might say. What’s such a big deal about that? Well the concept of wondering, being able to ponder with amazement at what might result, was astonishing to me coming from the mouth of such a young child.

When we returned upstairs to join the group, I was eager to share my amazement about her simple phrase, “I wonder.” I exclaimed “She wonders!” Repeating it incredulously about 5 times!

Today she is a dedicated grown-up pursuing exciting adventures in education as she navigates the University system and teaches students with a creative approach that captivates and engages beyond their expectations.

What is wonder? What is wonderful? Yesterday I visited the Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C. . The current exhibit is called WONDER. P1150084 It truly is a wonderment for all ages. This architecturally magnificent building designed in 1859 by James Renwick, in the then chic Parisian Second Empire Style, is the elegant backdrop for a most progressive and creative collection of present day modern artists’ works. Diverse examples, of spectacular displays using simple materials, brought to life in forms unexpected – of grand proportion and thrilling magnitude. Although my learned and previewer cousin had introduced me to the exhibit in advance, it captivated and engaged beyond my expectations.

This grand yet intimate edifice welcomes and encourages close observation of both itself and its contents. The spectacular main staircase, centered upon entry, presents a brilliant coral red carpet installed with a curvy, serpentine migration up to the second level. Ooh – if copying is cool and emulating is the greatest form of compliment – I will be looking for an opportunity to specify a similarly whimsical installation. P1150052

Glittering overhead, spanning the entire length of the staircase, is a rectangular chandelier of mirror-like stainless steel punctuated with little LED lights blinking in random patterns. P1150066 The glitz and bling make such a striking, formal, contemporary statement in this expansive volume that it startles with joyful contrast. The artist, Leo Villareal of whom I had heard in advance, was originally from Albuquerque – where we now call home. A remote desert origination transplanted into the fast pace of the urban centers of the east coast resulting in this shiny experimentation with light, form and wonderfully reflective surfaces. Villareal melds basic high-tech coding to use his own algorithm of the binary system 1s and 0s communicating to the lights when to turn off and turn on – yet sequences that are never exactly repeated . P1150064 It’s not just your linear code of characters that is read on a screen – here it is an artistic experience shared by all who look up in this gallery’s exciting exhibit.

Straight ahead, through the massive opening to the next exhibit hall, was the wispy fishnet-like rainbow of woven warm-colored fiber representing both wonder and danger. Artist Janet Echelman’s inspiration is from a map of the energy released across the Pacific Ocean during the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. A natural disaster so devastating that it shifted the earth on its axis and cost us a fraction of a second in time. Surreal? Sci-fi? No, it really happened. Beauty and grace depicting a horrific event. P1150063 Large scaffolding at the end of the room suggests the manual installation that was required to suspend this wondrous drape catching light and glowing with golden aura. P1150068

The lower level still had wonders to explore starting with the magical woven willow saplings – creations of artist Patrick Dougherty. He has wound these great lengths of supple branches to form Hobbit – like holes of imaginary forest habitats. P1150056 We were at once drawn into these cozy nurturing cubbies of what appeared to be nature – not forms created by man. Nature. Organic and raw, elegant and graceful winding toward the far reaches of the very high ceilings. Like a sculptor who says that the stone dictates what it wants to be and how he carves it – Dougherty knows that the long willow branches have a true will and bend their own way challenging him to work with them toward that goal of partnership with nature. The beauty is in the end result. People of all ages wandered in and out, peeking through window-like openings pretending to be exploring an enchanted forest of wonder.

Next – stacked index cards- really? P1150061 Have you ever experienced Tent Rocks? 8-24-12 Placitas lunch, Tent Rocks Heather, Tricia, Zeke 044 Have you ever looked upward and around and through the magnificent forms created by nature eroding the earth’s strata revealing layers of color and creating spires of rocky towers? It is a magic land just south of Cochiti in a very unexpected pocket of nature’s magnificence in our Land of Enchantment. And the spires that artist Tara Donovan created with stacks of index cards – an overwhelming accumulation of millions of index cards suggest grey spires replicating nature’s wonders in the canyons among the spires of the Tent Rocks. P1150062 It’s as though a photographer captured this natural formation in black and white. Donovan’s interpretations are tones of grey as a result of the stacked white index cards with slivers of shadow sucking away light in between each of them. Clustered and staggering in height, the “Untitled” towers are inviting to walk amidst and pass between, winding around them like a tourist or explorer or perhaps inhabitant in ages past and present as they have stood for ages.

Snap out of it and see what is glowing like a fine fiber sail in the sunset in the next room. Stretching upward and crossing midway are thousands of incredibly fine threads woven from small hooks on the base. P1150059 How could a human working only by hand – without computer generated machines digitally fabricating such perfection create this finished piece that we are studying with such wonder? How can this fine tedious seemingly impossible count of thousands of threads be executed with such grandeur and grace by one mere mortal? gabriel-dawe-plexusa1-wonder-renwick-gallery-washington-designboom-03 The artist Gabriel Dawe transcends our ability to comprehend the exactness of his beautiful accomplishment with extraordinary patience, precision and creative foresight to imagine the end result and bring it to fruition. It is a wondrous, luminous sculpture of rainbow colored threads inspired by the skies of his native Mexico and current home in East Texas. The fine weavings also inspired by his Mexican heritage are interpreted, stretched and exaggerated here reflecting the light and spectrum of color from its base to ceiling. P1150060

We missed a couple of early installations of WONDER but were thrilled by today’s adventure. We had many opportunities to wonder…wonder how the artists conceive of their fantastic ideas and actually build their dreams to share with the world. We wondered what it takes to spark that creativity and passion that requires commitment and demands such unfailing determination. We wondered about those who collect these talents and curate these exhibits for the joy of so many. We wondered about the practical side of marketing these concepts to support the artists and this amazing accommodation started so many years ago by a true visionary William W. Corcoran.

My next blog will trace the history of this wonderful architectural treasure, the Renwick, and share more of the day’s discoveries that you might visit and experience as you tour my birthplace – our Nation’s Capital.

Apr 30

Effective Staging & Improvments Clinch the Deal

By pattisays In before and after, clutter, colors, design, design trends, exterior - outdoor design, interior design, interior design trends, kitchen, landscape design, modern cabinets, mosaic tile, outdoor pools, remodeling, swimming pools, tile /

We staged a house this week. We TRANSFORMED IT! Wonderful clients for several years, who I regard as friends too, called to say they were moving out-of-state and they needed to quickly get their house ready for sale. So many things that we had planned to do and more, deferred due to life getting in the way, all of a sudden got put on the fast-track to get finished in less than a month!

When you think of staging a house for sale, you might think of a fall scene scented with stove-top cinnamon sticks warming in a pan. In the spring, as it is now, fresh flowers with floral fragrances wafting on breezes through open windows and doorways. We had the floral bouquets – just a couple – as centerpieces in the dining room and another game table in the family room.

But in order to really make this house attractive to the prospective buyers – millennials and their families – experience tells me that we needed to install profound punctuations of exciting new trendy finishes and colors.

I critiqued the kitchen for its old but good-as-new solid surface countertops with a dated, tell-tale sandwich of speckled forest green in between the bull-nosed edge of solid white. The cabinets were plain slab birch yellowed by time, with hand-crafted wooden handles. To place the emphasis where we would get the most “bang for the buck,” we kept the countertops, refinished the cabinets and added new mosaic tile and paint accents. 20160424_162546

A few years earlier, we had stripped adjacent identical cabinets in the dining area and re-finished them with multiple clear-coats of conversion varnish. In place of the two-screwed wooden handles, we installed three small conical-shaped brushed stainless pulls. By adding the third holes at each, between the existing two of the wooden pulls, the detail looked intentional and contributed to a modernized interpretation of the cabinet design. We now finished the kitchen cabinets to match which had been slated for the same improvements, but put on the back-burned until now. P1140111

The end wall of the kitchen, with a large pass-through opening into the dining room, leaving no significant wall space for art or other accessorizing, was the perfect element for a dramatic, eye-catching full-wall treatment. A mosaic of horizontal glass tiles in earthen blacks and beiges balanced the warm cabinets and maple flooring with a strength, pattern, interest and glossy bling. The same mosaic tile wrapped the room filling the back-splash between countertops and upper cabinets. 20160424_162701

Outside we painted the garage doors, wall sconce and patio trim with a new organic neutral mushroom green shade. The landscaping was enhanced with new river rock and a couple of large ceramic planters were placed by the front entry with mature plants creating a sense of establishment. The plain concrete entry porch was tiled with a dark earthy porcelain continuing up the step and into the entry foyer replacing the burnt orange tile that had been neglected from the decades old original finishes. 20160424_164027

Additional planters were purchased to scatter about – but a more effective idea to have a strong showing of them at the end of the pool anchored that setting with a stunning blue ceramic colonnade bursting forth with brilliant contrasting yellow Celtic Broom. Massing things can often create more powerful statements rather than sparse, weak distributions of the same.

The master bedroom suite had been remodeled a couple of years prior. Pre-fabricated white melamine closet components were replaced with custom fabricated birch closets and cabinetry to continue the theme of the original cabinets in the main level of the home. Updated granite countertops, new lighting and mosaic tiles jazzed the dressing scene and brought order for the young parents running this busy family.

Staging a home requires thinking about clearing the clutter and dressing the scene. But beyond that, looking at more powerful elements to repair and update can make an enormous difference in the appeal to potential buyers. This was evidenced by the comments that we overheard specifically about the more dramatic installations like the new mosaic wall, welcoming entry tile and effective row of blue patio planters that we decided to employ really clinched the deal.

Apr 16

E-design…Is It for YOU?

By pattisays In computer-aided drafting, context of interior design, DIY design, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, Millenial, practical design, trends /

An article from the Washington Post came across my desk a couple of weeks ago by Bonnie McCarthy “E-decorators” draw cost-conscious clients. In this article she identifies what she calls the “modern trappings of online interior designers – designers who by her estimation are “renovating the process of how style comes home.” 20160416_103139_resized

In this writing she interviews interior designers about their various methods of providing services to their clients and certainly the newer way is more virtual than hands-on in-person. But think about it – designers have always had to deal with virtual conditions. Working from plans is just that!

With the new generation of consumers – millennials and those to follow – computers are an appendage. Everything is referenced or accessed via a computer, tablet or smart phone. So it’s natural for them to utilize these tools for design inspiration or consultation. The article however is noting this new approach for everyone who expects a designer to be an expensive on-site investment.

Throughout the article it references the “new” e-design approach as a now more cost-effective, affordable exchange with interior designers. I think that sounds like a gimmick. The time spent is the time spent – the ideas provided are just that and the fees are the fees. Now, if these e-designers or unlicensed decorators are lowering their fees – well then that’s part of the story. However, I do not get the feeling that they are. Rather, I get the feeling that they are merely marketing to a broader audience than those found in their immediate physical locations. Smart. There’s another part of the story. Selling the idea that this is cost-effective over having to meet live with a designer and thereby getting those customers and also broadening the reach to those potential clients is a gimmick that seems to be working.

The fact that the article suggests that this new “e-design” consultation is more cost-effective than live and in-person versions of the same is interesting. Maybe it is – maybe not. It would save transportation time for the designer and they might pass that savings on to their clients – or they might just have higher fees and more profit for their time involved. Difficult to know – hourly consultation rates vary according to location and market price.

For the designers or firms that have established a formula and template for their clients, this seems fairly efficient. On-line information forms quiz clients on their likes and dislikes, personality and requirements. However,this can also be can occur on a local level at the outset of an in-person consultation. The combination of digital communication and in-person, on-site design consults might just be the best process. A client’s form might even be filled out in advance of the first meeting via email to give the designer an intro to the project. Digital images of the space in question can be uploaded for the designer to review, evaluate, and critique. What once was the method of clients snipping magazine articles and photos for review and discussion, sites like Pinterest allow for a place where designer and client can “pin” their ideas for visual communication and discussion.

So is it the cost? Is it the seeming efficiency? Is it the working at your own convenience after hours? What makes the e-design attractive? Why is it better than having a designer come to your residence and discuss on-site with images and tangible samples what you want and the designer recommends?

Tangible samples…I don’t even like or trust what I see on-line regarding fabrics and carpets – anything textile for sure is impossible on a monitor. Tangible samples that you can touch and feel, press and fold, rub and caress are invaluable features of the selection process. Therefore, the sensory deprivation of e-design is one negative. Yes, samples can be mailed – but there is a lag-time there too.

The myriad choices made available online now for home decor shopping has opened up the entire world of possibilities for the consumer. But that same client exposed to these limitless wonders of the world cannot cull their finds with confidence to bring together a cohesive design. In this design process, some things have to be forfeited and others embraced and incorporated. It’s all about making the right decisions. The designer aids in and facilitates making those right decisions and bringing in even more ideas to the project with their expertise and experience.

With thorough websites, designers can present their work and potential clients can research until they find one that they think meets their expectations. Once that has been established, the client can even interview a few designers to make sure that the in-person chemistry is there between them. Or…there’s face-time!!

So back to the e-design. It’s not new – the methods are – but design across the miles has been going on for decades. Plans mailed, faxed and now digitally shot over the globe. Prior to a building being built – it is a virtual place designed diagrammatically, built in models, illustrated, and sketched – by hand or CAD it only exists in the mind’s eye of the designers and those to whom they are conveying these concepts. ILLUSTRATION RESI CROP P1030518 Selecting the interior furnishings and finishes for these edifices has always been similarly virtual. Until something is built and furnishing installed, the designs are all “virtual.”

So “e-design” is on another plane of communication with the client with new tools to facilitate and communicate. But the advantages or lack thereof are many and seem to be more applicable to a client in a remote location without benefit of good local designers.

I knew an incredibly creative and adventurous couple who, back in the 60s and 70s, established a private resort on an island where everything was selected and obtained via mail-order catalogs, shipped across the water, received in docks, transported to local delivery vessels and dropped on a beach weeks later. Not so different today for those located far from the modern conveniences but connected now to the world via the internet, fast jets of Federal Express, DHL, UPS and all the trucks, sea trains and land rails that move goods around the world. That’s when this instantaneous assistance for decision-making with a designer over the miles can be extremely advantageous – you have no other means of getting together and the framework is in place to do it all remotely.

So if you fancy the idea of having an LA designer consult for your condo in Dupont Circle or a Denver designer make their recommendations for you in Boston, so be it. Yet, I say investigate your local interior designers, visit their websites, contact their references, and see how their fees and talents compare between each other, and then compare to them to the e-offerings on-line and go with what works best for you!

Apr 09

Public Restrooms – Design Matters

By pattisays In interior design, public design, public restrooms, restaurant restrooms /

A conversation between stalls, in the women’s room in the lower level of a fabulous church building, centered around the unattractive condition of the bathroom itself. These commiserating women agreed then and there that this restroom needed improvement.

This lovely little campus in Virginia has a magnificent combination of historic and new architecture. Modest yet appreciated improvements have been done recently to perk-up the tired corridors of the administrative areas and restrooms on that level. Here below, where classes are held and the social gatherings take place, these other two restrooms have been sadly neglected.

The thing is, design matters – even on such a simple, basic level. This doesn’t mean ground-breaking design or startlingly award-winning design – but basic selections for attractive finishes and colors in the context in which they occur. It’s also about maintenance – what once was attractive wall-covering, now peeling and worn in places, dated light fixtures, dusty faded silk flowers in a plastic container – someone’s attempt at “decorating,” – an odd, green vinyl chair at the dressing counter, worn faucets and surfaces…all contribute to an uncomfortable sense of neglect and even lack of cleanliness that these women were observing. 20140929_132712 20140929_132655

Funny though that these photos do not begin to convey the real feel and appearance of this restroom!! Doesn’t look so bad here! So much for my illustration! (Hopefully soon we will see improvements that will effectively contrast.)

So just for grins, I’ll insert this shot of a anonymous, barren, anemic restroom that could easily be improved – starting with picking up the towels! public-restroom

While on the subject of restrooms, a talented chef in a chic eatery in Santa Fe dished delicious presentations of sensational food but failed to recognize the importance of the appearance and maintenance of his restrooms. It’s funny that you can attend a popular place and enjoy fine cuisine and dine in a beautiful, creative atmosphere and never visit the restrooms. When once you do, especially after having enjoyed the dining experience more than once, the unpleasant realization that this does not matter to the establishment and in this case the chef/owner, is disappointing if not astonishing.

We initially thought, surely he must have a restroom in the back of the house and may not even venture into these two reserved for his guests ,relying on staff to do their jobs. But when we brought this to his attention, he said in an off-hand fashion, “guys don’t care” (really?) and he directed a waitress to wipe the basin in the women’s room – which was the tip of the iceberg – he had no clue.

It is a reflection on the business on many levels…conscientiousness, concern for the comfort of the patrons, respect for the patrons…the list of “why” goes on…The design should continue with the same thread of the theme. here are some fabulous examples:

Perhaps the budget is limited and it is the wall color that flows into the restrooms but a touch of design and cleanliness is paramount. Odors and horrible masking room scents are equally as offensive as neglected design.

We took that otherwise delightful dining venue off of our list as there were many other choices that we felt made us more comfortable in that department.

Clean, well-maintained design matters. These aforementioned establishments don’t realize the negative impression and unpleasant sensation that such conditions evoke and serve to remind. It can be bad for business.

Apr 02

The Drama of Dark

By pattisays In colors, context of interior design, dark colors, design, design trends, drama of color, illusions of space, interior design, interior design trends / 1 Comment

It seems counter intuitive – and that is why so many people ask me about the effect of dark wall colors – “won’t it make it look small?” and I assure them – “no,” and they are still not so sure. The most recent example of this was in an expansive home where we were talking about accent walls – not willy nilly mind you, but in an architectural recess behind the stately china cabinet in the dining room and a doorway recess in another room. In this case, using neutral, warm grey tones – shades of same hue – value shifts for depth and architectural enhancement. Not yet painted, check out our website in a few weeks for befores paired with afters to see this example. Here though is another example Corine-Maggio_La-Jolla-Shores_1.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.1280.1280

The above photograph for CM Natural Designs by Chipper Hatter.

If a dark color was to make anything look small – why would one want to paint it in a tiny space? There is the more specific, counterintuitive question. The answers is that there are illusions of space. A dark color in a small space can actually read as though there is more depth to the space. Where it can be close and cozy, it is also a subtle enhancer of depth and therefore size. dark-room-collage3_large_jpg

So in another example currently in a state of remodel, a petite powder room previously papered in a dark green patterned wall-covering, now was being refreshed. There are no rules – it could have been bright, light, bold or dark…flat, glossy, organic or metallic – the possibilities are endless. But the previous rendition of this space was pleasing for its dark tones and therefore a decision was made to select a deep-toned paint for the re-do.

Dark colors, contrasts and lighting all can have dramatic effects on the perception of a space. Dark colors actually recede. Therefore, in many situations, if the application of a dark color will convey a sense of depth and additional space it’s an intriguing experiment. Black-Feature-Wall-for-Bedroom Like reaching into a hole or looking into space, and not seeing the boundaries well. It s a brain thing. If the brain reads dark, it suggests a depth of space and therefore more than is really apparent. This is often used in ceiling treatments. Having a low ceiling appear higher, when painted dark, due to the illusion of depth.

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It is also effective to make something go away. An exposed mechanical or white lay-in acoustical ceiling can be institutional looking and not desirable in certain settings. Painting it black or another dark value of color, while sacrificing a bit of acoustical rating, the ceiling will seem higher, less distinguishable and not as imposing upon the decor of the space.

So the petite powder room currently being re-floored with dark tile, re-painted with Benjamin Moore HC-166 Kendall Charcoal, new dark matrix granite vanity top and cabinet, new lighting and mirror…will soon be finished and we will post the drama of dark in before and after shots!

Mar 05

Millenials Setting & Drivng Market & Trends

By pattisays In apartments, context of interior design, design, design trends, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, lofts, Millenial, Uncategorized, urban living /

The conversation about the lifestyles or preferred lifestyles of today’s millennials is leading trends from real estate and development to interior design. The vocalization of the desires and needs is an enormous help to the market on all fronts. Rather than the market trends guessing about and driving the consumers – the consumers are speaking out and driving the trends.

I guess I’m not hearing anything new though. It seems that 30 years ago the wishes were similar- but there was no conduit to express the collective ideas and preferences. Upon graduation the want to stay connected to your peers, be close to bars and restaurants and fun shops was certainly a desire…but there was no platform to express those would-be market-driving desirable features. But what is happening is that the voice is more audible and the markets are responding . It’s an obvious result attributable to social media – fast, accessible voices sharing and communing about their lives and their dreams. Generation Y is telling everyone what will work for them and if you want their business – provide the products. After all, they ARE the Net Generation – living, eating and breathing and influencing all that bombards the screens from wrist watches to full mega monitors. The power of the internet.

Small Living Room Zen Design

They search and pin, collecting ideas and forming concepts about their interiors. Whether these interiors are in tiny urban condos or trendy lofts, suburban apartments or affordable houses, the trends are voiced. They prefer open plans, creative space-utilization, LED lighting, and all things tied to flat screen technology. But remember, there are practical things to consider in these millennial maisons. black trim modern-rustic-3

When in a multi-unit building, rules apply – like certain percentages of flooring must be covered. Sound transmittance of hard surfaces must be minimized. This is true of other noise restrictions. Some places will not allow storage in parking spaces – which makes space-utilization all the more critical. Nor will they allow pets.

But the communal nature of this density housing is also great common areas to work and play. Office-like rooms for those who work from home but don’t want to be isolated in their unit. Swimming pools and workout rooms…lots of amenities – lots of style. open plan cucina-Orange-Evolution-32

This subject of interior design style for the millennials will continue next week…ideas and examples!

Feb 28

TRENDS – How Does One Decide?

By pattisays In Anthropologie, beauty behold it, color and temperature re: interior design, color forecasting, colors, design, design trends, Dunn-Edwards Paints, fashion and design, interior design, interior design trends, nostalgia and design, Pantone, patterns, retro, seasonal interior design, table dressings, trends /

TRENDS…we HAVE to have them…it makes us think, makes us shift…not to mention keeping viscosity in the economy. The shift is the element that moves the economy forward. Without that shift, we would be stagnantly content. And who wants to be stagnantly content – except the “Settlers” from the Direct TV ads? DIRECTV_Commercial_2015_The_Settlers-520x245

Yet if you Google design trends they are all over the place. The intrigue is when they land on an actual theme that becomes THE TREND.

So as we advance into the new year and winter fades to spring – what lies ahead? I’m finding lots of nostalgia – features on milk glass and floral patterns and fancy geometric patterns, a recall to wallcoverings in floral prints and botanicals… Rose-wallpaper-Bari-J-WallAppeal-pattern-pink-yellow-zoom

The trick is how to invest in these elements and not have them become passé by next year. It’s all about balance – unless you have the desire and pocketbook to change out your interior annually! The desire to add something new to your personal spaces, or as my mother has always said “punch it up” is an art unto itself. How does one decide?

Information is so accessible. Access to ideas is endless. But HOW does one decide? How to make the decisions, the right combinations, what to keep and what to change…? The internet and TV…Anthropologie to Pottery Barn, Pinterest and beyond…You pin a gazillion things – but how do YOU decide?

But it gets kind of funny – because for as many sites as you visit – there are oh so many professed “trends.” Therefore, sifting through is the challenge and distilling what seems to take the lead. Pastels, patterns and florals is my finding…but is this just spring? Will this fade with the next season? Or is this a “look” that will last for a while? And do I embrace it all or pick and chose? How does one decide? Elle Decor 2016 design trends table

Pantone the color experts are even all over the place. Their designers were “inspired by the contrast of urban design and lush vegetation.” Whoa, really? That sure is a wide swath of possibilities! And to say that these colors are unisex is as though attempting to blurr the lines. A guy might wear a pastel pink, Rose Quartz, shirt – but would he upholster his sofa with it? Fashion and Home Decor often parallel their trends – and then they must veer off that same course for practical if not socially directed reasons. Redford-3-Seater-Sofa-Peony-Pink

But the rationale is so amusing…for example, Pantone writes: “Colors this season transport us to a happier, sunnier place where we feel free to express a wittier version of our real selves.” Yes, we all long to escape the doldrums of the short, dark, cold days of winter – hence the positive effect of transporting us to a happier, sunnier place is obvious – every year for that matter. That’s why tropical destinations are the prime vacations for winter getaways. Even most avid snow skiers manage to sneak in a run to the white sand beaches for some sun and fun alongside their plans to hit the slopes, get frost-bitten and nestle by the big fires.

I guess I’m looking for a more cerebral explanation for the color movements. And yet, maybe there aren’t any – so let’s not pretend then. What does it mean a “place where we feel free to express a wittier version of our real selves.” Wittier like a guy upholstering or painting his man cave with Rose Quartz or Peach Echo? That’s witty all right!!!!! That’s not the cerebral that I meant. But it is an interesting rationale. Color is giving us permission to express our REAL selves. I guess that’s one way.

Yet, here are 5 different color series for the upcoming year…and as you can see – it’s all there – it’s all covered. Pantone color-trends-2016

So as you climb out of the dark, cold recesses of winter and squint your eyes at the bright, colorful luminosity of spring in bloom, where will trends take you on your journey to “punch-up” your interiors?

Jan 23

The Colors of an Exceptional Cooking Class Cocina

By pattisays In architecture, colors, decorative arts, design, dining and design, folkart, Garden, interior design, kitchen, Mexico, practical design, primitive design, seasonal interior design, table dressings, terracotta, tile, travel and design, tropical /

To experience this glorious morning, on the open patio of a tiny commercial kitchen, in an otherwise residential neighborhood paralleling the river Cuale, in the very foodie coastal city of Puerto Vallarta, is a treat beyond measure—but I will try to share. I will attempt to take you to this special place full of unselfconscious art and function.

The cobblestone streets are dusty and send fine particulates of powder into the atmosphere causing a fairy-dust-like twinkle in the bright morning light. We bump along in a taxi turning and curving along the circuitous route that surely would lead most to believe what they say—that “this place is so hard to find, it has to be good!!!”

The front is shut and obviously closed for business. The taxi driver brings this to our attention, “is closed” he says simply— assuming that he will be continuing along the bumpy calle along the rio back to the bustling scene of the awakening city and return us to our point of earlier departure. PA15821103517

“No,” we tell him “we’re taking a cooking class” “leciones en la cocina” we attempt to convey and with that he beams a broad smile and says “really?” and stops the cab along the wrong side against the opposing traffic on the little street in front of the café.

We notice Lola peeking through the door at us as she unlatches the locks motioning us through and welcoming us as we enter the quiet little checkerboard floored dining room. 20140125_204143 At night this place buzzes with animated conversations and is alive with color and funky memorabilia, art and posters, collages of collectibles all on brilliantly painted walls creating an eclectic artistic interior of fun and festivity. But on this morning, the room is dormant save the three other guests waiting to participate in the morning’s class.

After brief introductions we are escorted through a doorway to a narrow concrete staircase. PVR 2011 after girls 1 050 Red Cabbage stairs Daylight streams from above and we ascend past more brilliantly painted walls to a second floor open to the sky onto a patio rimmed with potted herbs and flowering plants. P1120475 To the right we realize that the rest of the space is undercover, yet always exposed to the elements from that one open east-facing orientation.

Inasmuch as I love cooking and eating and all things related to culinary pleasures, this is not the focus of this story, but rather, it is to describe this artfully inspired space and all the raw style and primitive grace we encounter in this wonderfully entertaining class of good and indigenous fresh foods and their fabulous flavors.

The space is charming and intimate and spotless. The colors are screaming from every direction including a whimsical pink door surround seen over the wall of the patio. P1120522 The surrounding area is quite run-down and depressed, yet this jewel of a creative kitchen space shines boldly amidst the impoverished surrounds. P1120524

The sky is perfect blue and sharply contrasts against the wavy pink paints dividing between pale and happy bubble gum of the stucco wall. A functioning drain-pipe of clean white PVC bisects the wall beneath which is a profusely blooming rose-colored azalea in a clay pot. P1120523

Panning into the covered portion of the space, the radiant coral color wall wraps to the back and transitions with gracefully wavy detail to a paint remarkably resembling the sky blue—of the actual sky—that we encountered out front which slams into a dazzling yellow-gold wall half painted and half tiled with the same luminous yellow color. And I have only described the backdrop!

Against these boldly painted and tiled walls are layers of other things that add even more dimension and interest to the kitchen. Blue and white tableware, glazed clay vessels, and a mysteriously faded poster of Frida Kahlo. More of the sky-like blue is hanging in the form of various sized and shaped enamel cooking pots on the coral wall.

The crisp white aprons of the two chefs pop against the background of multi-colors branded with the embroidered red and black logo of Frida with a red cabbage balanced atop her head. P1120487

It seems from the murmurs coming from the eager students that this enchanting environment represents the promise of a flavorful feast of color and texture. The food matches the interior. The stuffing for the dark rich green roasted poblano peppers is a colorful collection of shredded carrots, red cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes, raisins and pine nuts creating a seemingly woven fabric of colors and texture. P1120491

The finished product, Chiles en Nogada, represents the Mexican flag of red green and white. Plated here on red glass for an artful presentation. P1120518

Myriad handmade condiment dishes and traditional serving pieces contribute to the collection of color we are experiencing in this spectacular sensory bombardment. And I mean that in a really good way. The intensity of the colors and layering, the structure and accessories right down to the food and its presentation results in an artistic expression that goes way beyond the sterile experience often connected with the laboratory of a commercial cooking experience.

So we say—why be status quo when you can be individually fabulous, cooking and creating in an unconventional environment that reflects the animation and joy of the flavors that comprise the artful meals?! Thank you Lola for imagining and realizing the Red Cabbage and bringing so many artful, entertaining years and delicious meals to the community of fortunate residents and happy visitors—happy that they were able to find the place! P1120530

Jan 16

Table Dressings From Nature – Inspirational Fun!

By pattisays In art and interior design, beach, beauty behold it, context of interior design, decorative arts, design, designs in nature, dining and design, DIY design, environmental, exterior - outdoor design, green design, handmade, inspiration from nature, interior design, kitchen, Mexico, naturalist, nature, nostalgia and design, practical design, recycle, recycle design, seasonal interior design, stone, summer, table dressings, travel and design, tropical /

It could have been a sculptural piece of drift wood or a gnarly tree branch from the woods or a twisted piece of metal from a salvage yard…but the idea is to see things in a different way and once again—as I have done this before— to make something from nothing. And in this case, with no effort or manipulation—just the natural beauty of the found object.

The tide was out making the beach so wide it was like a great runway of wet sand. Scattered on the surface were the leavings of the waves – pieces of shell and polished stones. There amidst the beautiful debris was what looked like the suggestion of an abandoned boat hull—a dried, darkened palm sheath. I instantly knew, this would be another beginning of the tropical table-scape that I am so fond of creating when we are at the beach. P1110860

“Creating something from nothing,” my father would often say. He was a great believer in that idea that one man’s trash was another man’s treasure. We loved to beach comb together whenever we found ourselves at the tide’s edge. Sometimes it was tropical and the coral was bleached white and pocked with texture. Fine mesh pieces of purple sea fan and perfect little green “hat” shells would be nestled among the dense collections of heavier piles of white coral.

Then other scenes would find us on northern beaches of the Maryland coast where there was no coral but the ocean would wash multi-colored surf-polished stones onto the shore blanketing the sand particularly at the very edge where the water would curl between the beach and the ocean’s depths. Tiny purple and pink clam shells would peek, being abruptly exposed and quickly bury themselves back into the wet sand moistened with each incoming wave.

On this day, the warm breeze is tropical and the beach is expansive offering rare treasures scattered broadly but sparingly on the pristine surface of sand. It is here that I encountered my centerpiece.

Don of course is saying—”what are you going to do with that? It’s too big. Leave it here.” And I assure him that it is in fact a treasure and that it will be magnificent in the center of our dinner table where we are entertaining 11 for festivities this coming weekend. He, as always, acquiesces knowing that it is futile to stand in the way of my wildly enthusiastic creativity. P1110861 P1110871

Over the next couple of days, he and I both collect white stones and shells on our daily beach walks. At my instruction, we only collect white unless it is a particularly interesting shell. The idea is to have the stark contrast with the dark hull of the palm sheath. P1120142

Our dining table is a handsome slab of travertine marble. Laminated to a double thickness and finely finished with a smooth full bull-nose edge, it is the perfect organic surface to build this also very organic centerpiece.

It needs something…the neutral tones are lovely. Yet, the dark espresso brown of the palm sheath with the white of the stones, against the creamy surface of the travertine invites something more. I realize that it can only be enhanced with another layer of organic material – here in the form of the fresh verdant green palm fronds – the perfect punctuation! P1120102

Oh would that I had collected more flat oyster shell halves…they work so well for votive candle bases…but alas, parrot green cocktail napkins will have to do for this last minute detail.

Our woven palm place mats, in their natural dried flaxen color, compliment the rest of the organics on our table. And as night falls, the sun drops beneath the sea’s horizon and twinkle of scattered candles finish our scene. Salud!

Jan 02

Resolutions and Getting Tidy in the New Year

By pattisays In cleaning, clutter, design trends, DIY design, interior design, Marie Kondo, Oprah, organization, practical design, resolutions, Uncategorized /

With a New Year comes the best intentions for making resolutions that promise to make positive changes to improve the quality of the upcoming chapters of one’s life. We all have them. Some are repeat performers – have been tried in the past, but perhaps not so successfully accomplished.

Take Oprah – that gal with the Midas touch – she looks at something and smiles and it is an instant hit – she endorses it and WOW – gotta have it- good as gold! Right now Oprah is blitzing the TV with her ads for Weight Watchers. She has a major investment with that brand that has only increased in value with her endorsement and fractional ownership. Yet the angle is that she plainly and unabashedly states along with photos and videos that she too has known failure and difficulty accomplishing certain goals. She is right there in front of the camera speaking frankly to the viewers about the trials of her ongoing, struggling, journey to master her own weight control and the invitation for viewers to join her and start now. What an honest and effective approach to starting a new resolution or an old one failed and revisited.

Another popular resolution, and one the pertains directly to interior design, is cleaning house – figuratively as well as literally. In fact much of these resolutions seem to be about eliminating excesses. Excess weight, excess obligations, excessive habits…but let’s just address the literal act of culling clutter and eliminating excesses of things as pertains to your interior spaces.

Surrounding yourself with items that bring happiness, memories and stimulate in a positive manner is the root of pleasing interior design for your personal spaces. Decorating with favorite color combinations and decorative accessories is a very personal statement for each individual. Sharing your space brings compromise and creativity to this process melding different life experiences and the items that represent them. But as life stages come and go so might the true attachment to these things acquired and collected over time. But the root of it all is to surround yourself with things that make you happy – that please you.

That’s when the resolution to de-clutter becomes desirable, if not necessary. Which brings this blog to the focus of paring away until you are only living with things that bring you joy. As stated in the best-selling book the life-changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo as she continually reminds her reader that they should “be surrounded by things that spark joy ” and that the result will make them “happy.” It’s a Japanese art as is so true of so many simple, spare, precious things Japanese. It is restraint that we all should perhaps strive to emulate. The result being freeing, refreshing and simple. 20160101_181135_resized

Who doesn’t want to achieve happiness? If tidying up can have so many benefits, then doing so would be the magic that Kondo promises will result. If we follow her cleansing steps – changing our lives for the better, we will find happiness.

I love this intriguing little book. It touches on so many realities and oh so truisms. I love the promise and the helpful manner in which it outlines the order to proceed. It seems so simple and yet it appears to be a better process for those with small spaces, few things and a fairly manageable inventory to attack. It became obvious to me that inasmuch as I wanted to dive into this new program right away and reap the results – it was going to be a bigger, longer process than promised. This is a primer to begin to think about commencing to get started with this daunting albeit needed task.

Yet, I do love the book and will embrace many of its instructions and principles in a month or so after a long anticipated vacay to the southern climes of warmth and inspiration and another opportunity to collect and bring home a little more cool stuff!!!

Thank you Tricia!!!!!!!!!!!!!