A Most Illuminating Lighting Course Proves – It Exists!

As is often the case, after attending an engaging and informative continuing education class, I am compelled to share at least a fraction of the energy that I experienced today. When a class is good, it is energizing. This was a most illuminating lighting course!

We know that as interior designers that light plays a significant role in creating a scene. Whether task lighting, ambient lighting, spot lighting or washes of color – light plays an important role. What’s so exciting and compelling is the technology that is so rapidly changing the possibilities!

The profound change is a result of the perfected application of Light Emitting Diodes – LED lighting. Lynne Wilkinson takes the complexity of physics and speaks in plain language with a humorous and entertaining delivery distilling that which is incredibly complex into digestible information.

Here’s a link to Philips for more information:

https://www.usa.philips.com/c-m-li/led-light-bulbs

So today I want to impart a tiny bit of the exciting content of this day. If a child asked you – “what is light?” How might you answer that?  Um…well…it’s uh…Electromagnetic radiation. Duh! After clearing that hurdle, we settled into distinguishing the technology between incandescent and fluorescent and a number of other lighting sources.  We discussed temperature Kelvin, luminescence, illumination and the atomic composition of protons, neutrons and electrons that are involved. So how is this interesting to YOU?

Well…inasmuch as we in the field have kept step with much  of this terminology throughout our careers, and the sci-fi interpretations of the possibilities – the future is HERE! If you just look at I-Phones being only 10 years old, yes, 2007 – we’ve come a long way baby!! Nearly anything you can imagine already exists! And if it doesn’t yet, the brains in the incubators are racing to discover and invent the next iteration of these amazing possibilities!! Look at these cool dots and dashes dramatically streaking across a living room ceiling!

 

You probably know that LEDs are energy efficient. Have you noticed how dramatically their price has come down in the last, say, three years? They used to be $50 and now they are under $10..  They burn for 50,000 hours…but as they diminish, the quality of their light changes – they will burn long after the accuracy of their illumination has changed. Do you care?

So many health issues are still being discovered with regard to the effectiveness of lighting. Circadian rhythms – how your body is biologically on a timer. How it needs rest and waking hours. What interferes with the natural melatonin in your system that can affect your health. Dark is for sleep. Blue light versus red light can interfere with your good sleep? Here’s a hint – don’t leave computer screens or cell phones on in your bedroom – get rid  of the clocks and other light-emitting devices when you are trying to sleep. AVOID the cool colors – blue especially.

To take this to a higher level of interaction, artificial lighting can be “tuned.” We know it can be dimmed and change color – but tuning is the technology of changing the temperature and related color to compliment the activity in the space. Your living room can be tuned to track the time of day to compliment warm early morning, bright cool mid day, dimming down to the warmth of an evening glow. Do you care? Maybe not today – but to better organize and track a busy day, this can be soothing to compliment your morning coffee…energize you into a more productive mode as the day progresses and calm you as the day closes. It might be handy if you lived in Scandinavia where the days are shorter and the desire to create a sense of daylight’s progression is real.

In an operating room – do you want your surgeon to see well into your body parts? By tuning the room in zones, you can place certain colors of light over the surgery to better illuminate and contrast the focal point or dim the light to read monitors better (as in many endoscopic procedures where they go in with a camera and don’t even see the action except on the monitors which are better read with a darkened surrounding quality of light or lack thereof), or brighten other areas where medical implements, keyboards, etc need brighter light to do the job. The understanding and ability to control these various light levels, colors and luminescence is becoming very apparent. Might ultimately be invaluable.

Back to interior design applications and concerns – the idea is to create effective, appropriate light and not see the source. I have always said this especially in the realm of landscape lighting – yes outside. I never use the “runway lights,” rather I chose to conceal the light source and have it spill, wash, spot and filter without giving away the source of the light.  It is more subtle, effective, natural, soft, and pleasing. So in a kitchen, don’t let the under-counter lights be spotty, reflected on any adjacent dark or shiny surface, use smaller aperture ceiling fixtures (cans), hockey pucks in cabinets create shadows…with all the new LED tapes, fixtures and diffusers these faux pas are very avoidable.

Lightology has an exciting site full of great images, ideas and information

http://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=how_to&sub=new-recessed-lighting

As recently as 18 months ago we were remodeling a bar and wanted to use LED tape the full-length beneath the long countertop  – but the cost was significant. Today, that cost is a fraction of what it was. So I might be re-visiting that bar detail!!!

So many lights can be field modified cut and shaped. With the perfection of Organic LEDs, seemingly limitless possibilities exist. Imagine your laptop being so pliable that you can roll it into a tight tube and pack it effortlessly without fear of cracking or breaking. Light-weight and completely flexible. They exist.

Imagine an entire wall in your home that is a touch screen that can be installed as easily as wallpaper. Yes, pliable and paper thin, glued onto the wall and operate as a computer – all your news and information at your fingertips at a scale that commands the room. Smart surfaces – they exist.

Learn more from Planar

http://www.planar.com/products/led-video-walls/led-calculator/#!/welcome

Learn more from Corning:

https://www.corning.com/au/en/about-us/news-events/features/willow-samples.html

Back to now – smart homes can do so much from an app on your phone and lighting is a huge part of that control. You already know that you can turn you lights on and off from your phone on a beach in Tahiti. But did you know that your phone can be as small as a lipstick tube or small flashlight and have a retractable screen of flexible OLED – easy to hold, pack, carry and with a simple tug, click or push of a button reveal a thin full screen? It exists.

Learn more about OLED:

https://www.oled-info.com/introduction

Architecture and interior design benefit greatly from this technology, but are probably the last to be jumping on the bandwagon. This technology is introduced in so many other aspects of our world before it gets to mere offices and residences. Fabric panel walls that have lights IN the fabric and can be controlled for color and movement, resin furniture glowing from inside that can be used outside in all-weather, stair treads that sparkle with glass embedded into them and coffee tables that have pressure sensitivity that when you touch them they respond. So many of these creative applications are already very cost-effective and remarkably accessible.

Here is more about glowing furniture from Marceladick:

A German company, Cerion, making exciting glass pieces embedded with LEDs

http://glassprocessing.eu/dg-glass-furniture-glass-processing-3d-laser.htm

Glowing ceiling layers that once were inconvenient to replace lamps (bulbs) often were left dark rather than scale the heights to maintain. Now the long lasting light sources produce their glow for many years.

Fashion is also enhanced with the advent of these light sources in the actual fabrics. Models sporting luminous layers, glowing translucence, sparkling luminescence adding elements to clothing imagined. Think about draperies!

Here is a fashion-forward blog to share:

These exciting applications will be sure to get you thinking about the many possibilities. Love light? Use light!!

Fireplace Facelifts

The warmth of summer is still here…but it’s time to plan for fireplace season!! Officially fall begins on September 22 – just a few more days. It will be too late once the chill is in the air – so, be ready! If your fireplace needs a facelift – start thinking now!! The materials available, the accents and pizzazz, dimensional modifications and trim carpentry all contribute to the array of options to make your fireplace a fabulous focal point.

Whether a traditional-ish style, a southwestern kiva or a contemporary statement, there are certain steps that will transform instantly…or reasonably soon!!

Here are some examples of finished products AND works in progress…perhaps some ideas for your lifestyle!!! First we have a fairly contemporary home that was recently acquired and needed an update. The fireplace wall was flat and had no dimension or personality. Usually viewed as a focal point, a fireplace should command some respect.

 

 

 

This flat, non-dimensional, facade was weak at best. Under the guise of upscale, the granite surround provided little impact – if any. It was a non-commitment, to making a statement.  In order to give it some presence, we brought it forward – just a touch – only a couple of inches, to provide dimension and mass.

 

 

 

 

By encapsulating it in black porcelain tile, it added strength and emphasis. The blank wall above it – with the outlet – probably housed a TV. Naked – it was surrounded by white painted sheet-rock walls above the weak granite surround.

To have added the dimension and contrast of materials and to have COMMITTED to the entire wall – it now commands respect. It has structure. Not to mention, the black TV melds into the facade and is not naked in the room.

In a completely different scenario, this quiet corner kiva was simple, yet lacked detail. The original 40+ year-old broken red quarry hearth was a bit dingy in its newly refreshed interior.

The new color scheme is blue and white and therefore, with the New Mexico context, we added Mexican Talavera tile to the face of the hearth (could have been Portuguese or Greek – classic navy and white is worldwide in its history of classic style). In addition, for depth and detail, we placed a creamy, broken edged sandstone on the top of the hearth and also on the upper mantle ledge.

The result is fresh and classic – a simple, timeless update that will stand nicely for decades to come.

This next example is still in the process of transformation.  An attempt at a traditional statement of wood molding –  the golden oak, insipid tile and flanking brick were in dire contrast – not the good kind of contrast. The entire statement was weak, yet screaming in its ability, to call attention as the focal point that it was, to command the space – albeit, ineffectively.

To begin – as a band-aid for a temporary fix, we painted the wooden mantle and surround and even the inset tile. Knowing this was temporary, it was an inexpensive, non-structurally modified, place-holder.

 

This project is currently taking another step to modify the fireplace. As time and budget allowed, the hearth was squared – eliminating the angels and some of the over-generous depth. Flanking brick walls were painted a contrasting gray.

Soon to be completed….watch for this finished product.

The idea of this missive is that there are subtle changes that can take the “curse” off of a design dilemma. And there are certainly many transformative changes that will take things up a notch.

The next challenge in this department of fireplace facelifts will transform this dated design element. Currently in the design phase, this flat-faced and dated surround has great promise. The modifications will be remarkably easy and dramatically effective.

How does your fireplace speak about your interior design and living area’s focal point? Stay tuned!!!!

 

 

 

Drama, Discretion and the Element of Surprise – Concealing & Revealing

Have you ever had someone ask you to cover your eyes and then there is an anticipatory pause as you stand there anxiously or they guide you – no peeking – in your temporary darkness, to a point where they say “you can look now!” and you do so with great anticipation? The elements of surprise and discovery are put into play to create drama. Hopefully, the unveiling is met with the positive reaction that the presenter had in mind.

Recently I was called to the home of a wife and mother with a dog. Only she was in evidence and present for this meeting.

Her initial contacting our office and brief correspondence prior to meeting was done via email regarding her introduction and retaining me to assist her with her newly acquired home. Her first concern, conveyed even before we met in person, was one of achieving a “cozy” interior.

The home’s contents were partially dismantled as the original owners were in the process of boxing up and moving out. In all fairness, despite the unfurnished state, it was devoid of mystery or interest. It did offer a commanding view of the mountains seen very closely through an expansive north facing wall of glass. But as magnificent as the unrestrained scene was, the drama might better have been revealed by invitation rather than seen in its entirety, from outside the un-obscured glass front door and large flanking sidelights straight through the house and without interruption. This presented an exciting opportunity.

By invitation, I mean selecting who sees into your home and how far. Who sees the intimacy of the interior and the would-be personal vantage-point of the dramatic scene. The opportunity was to control this drama and give it even greater impact by concealing and revealing.  The opportunity to create a design which offered privacy,  bit of mystery and discretion – with the ultimate revelation of the startling glass wall and jaw-dropping view.

This sketch by architect Matthew Frederick illustrates the effective use of “denial and reward” to enrich the approach to the ultimate unveiling of the destination.

 

This home I’m describing offered little or none of these characteristics to entice the guest/viewer and, with that, certainly defied the word cozy.

The objective, as originally stated by my client, was to achieve a cozy interior. Presented with all hard surfaces of stone, tile, steel and glass, the problem seemed obvious, offering possible solutions was my task.

When I suggested a partial-height point-of-arrival wall be constructed inside the entry to stop the view and allowing one to assess and receive the guest and/or conduct a transaction, I was instantly met with “Oh, but it’s that view that my husband loves! He wouldn’t go for that.” And I’m thinking…but seeing all from outside the front of the house straight through and out the other side?

First roadblock. He who has strong opinion and, in his absence, is inserted into the conversation, without benefit of thoughtful exchange, strongly suggested that further evaluation of this option seemed moot. This through-space seen in its entirety, without interruption from outside the front door to the back of the house, was totally transparent and the representative (she) of the team was referencing his seemingly over-riding preference, in contrast to her stated concerns…cozy. Not to mention private.

To create a successful design, it is important to consider contrasting elements. All hard surfaces begged for softening counter-balance.  Transparency suggested the need for partial obscurity – at least at the point-of-arrival.

Wouldn’t it be interesting to obscure some of that magnificent view from anyone who approached the door and rather invite those so chosen to discover the mystery and drama once they’re brought into the space?  This addresses both privacy and drama with greater sensitivity while beginning to address cozy, by concealing the living space from public view.

Un-obscured glass on the back of the house is the private drama.  Seeing the view from inside and connecting the outside to inside, for personal enjoyment is unique. By allowing only family and guests be given that vantage point, from the interior and private backyard exterior to the inside, is the privacy bonus. Drama and privacy achieved.

As with most things in life, you get more punch from the element of surprise. To have guests arrive, be received and then invited to proceed, to experience the drama, is far more effective than seeing it all without the heightened expectation or even unexpected surprise.

 

 

 

Regional Design Fun!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Exterior Design – Celebrating Summer

As summer blazes on and we continue to enjoy the freedom offered by expanding our living spaces into the out-of-doors, I’m contemplating the variety of versions of outdoor living that are made possible by different climates. While friends in the tropics of coastal Mexico are complaining about the inescapable sweltering heat and humidity these summer months, the rest of the upper regions are rejoicing in the mere fact that the bitter cold is replaced by warm air and things are growing and green and flowering and alive!

Various water features come to life springing forth suggesting the refreshing sight and sound of a trickling brook,

bumble bees light on flowers that would be disintegrating clumps of dead growth in winter,

comfortable enjoyment of TVs on patios that become desolate, barren, outdoor rooms in winter.

The reverse is trending too however, where organic materials, (stone, woven reed rugs, plants, wood, bamboo) are used bringing nature inside the home.

This connecting nature indoors the home is a refreshing, rejuvenating  approach to design – in stark contrast to the crisp geometric inorganic feeling of other design trends. Taking it a step further is the seamless transition of the two.

Interior stone flooring flows out onto the patio…telescoping patio doors open allowing seamless transition between indoors and out.

“Transteriors” was coined by landscape designer Jamie Durie and his team who have enjoyed the broadening of his brand to link his exterior designs to the adjacent interior spaces with a celebration of sustainability and organic appeal. The brief mention in last month’s June 2017  edition of vmsd (Visual Merchandising + Store Design) was a validating article reinforcing my appreciation for the different climates and the design options and limitations we experience from zone to zone.

I’m returning this weekend to a project that I designed a few years ago in the Sonora Desert – it seems to have stood the test of time and is still referenced as a “Tangerine Dream” of indoor/outdoor living.

We didn’t have the luxury of telescoping doors opening glass walls to connect the inside with out, but we maximized the colors, materials, plants and design scheme to allow the transitional lifestyle flow. Stone and tropical plants inside speak to the same materials outside. Colors correlate and, in this case, the climate allows enjoyment outdoors all year around…with some minor limitations and yes, decided temperature changes.

But nothing like what occurs in the snowy climes where outdoor living – except some frigid winter sports – is all but closed for the season.

Advancements in technology and ideology have made transterior design much more viable –  allowing for amazing options for furniture, fabrics,

kitchens, fireplaces, flooring (take that same material from inside right out onto the patios – if its frost-proof), lighting and more from which designers can create exterior living spaces. These outdoor rooms so emulate the interiors that the transition is often difficult to see.  Not being able to discern the line between indoors and out is often the optimal effect – but not always…

Seasonal changes with interior/exterior design, like a change of clothes with the seasons, can also offer the expansion and exploration to entirely different spaces when the warm weather arrives that emphasize the design distinctions rather than trying to meld the two.

So venture out of your cozy bear’s lair the next time the crocuses begin to peek through the soil and the birds start to sing, whip out your rattan or faux wicker, teak lounges, hammocks, fabulous fabrics and potted palms and design your tropical summer retreat in your own backyard!

 

 

 

Everyone Needs a Little Country Sometime

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everyone needs a little country sometime.

It’s Not Quite Right. How Do I Fix It?

You know things are not quite right…at a glance, it all looks good – but something is not quite right… too loud, too quiet, bland, boring, just not interesting, not working, not quite right – but you can’t put your finger on what is bothering you or why. I  could be talking about  blind dates – or the significant other that everyone thinks is terrific, but you know that it’s not what you want or need right now. Can you fix this?  The similarities are astonishingly comparable to observations you might make, or discomfort you might feel, in your interior environment. Replay that list of disappointing observations you might find, in a would-be he or she, and apply it to you interior. See how  funny/similar it can be!!

Fixing people is not quite as easy as making changes in your property. But the similarities, in evaluating, being uncomfortable and not being able to put your finger on the exact problem and making  the decision(s) necessary to rectify things, are.  Identifying the problem is often the roadblock.

Maybe you’re just tired of it and you want it refreshed. Do you want something new? Do you want to change it around – rearrange? Can you do that?  Do you need to start over or can you salvage the best parts and improve others?

Having scrambled all of these people-personality traits and interior features, let’s focus on the subject at hand – interiors. This conversation occurs  often. Someone will bring to my attention something that either bothers them, or an idea that they think will improve their space. More times than not, I realize that the objective view will notice that the items identified or ideas offered are not at all what is wrong or, by changing, will improve the space.

Case in point, an appointment scheduled to discuss large windows in a great room. The client thought that the room needed draperies. It would have been an expensive installation regardless of the cost of the fabric – just due to the area to cover. I have used this example before, because it is so prime. My first questions were:  Is this for sun-control? To which she answered that no, she faced east and had a generous overhang on her patio. Is it for privacy? No, she assured me that nobody lived east of her and that was not a concern. Is it as a decorative element? Her answer was cautiously enthusiastic that yes, she thought that a decorative drapery treatment was just what she needed to improve the look and feel of the space.

I scanned the room seeing the tired, stained carpet, poorly arranged furniture, toys strewn about and piles of papers on every surface…and I knew that draperies were not going to improve this scene. Because it was their primary living space and they were obviously hard on it, I suggested that she trade her carpet for tile and a large area rug, I helped her rearrange her furniture, suggested toy bins, and advised against the draperies.  She had the good fortune of a relative in the flooring business and so I helped her select the tile and carpet to be cut into a rug and her installation was quickly completed, at far less cost to her than window treatments would have been.  With paint to refresh, the end result was so successful that she could not stop talking about how the transformation made her feel so good and that she just couldn’t see it – hadn’t bee able to decide what needed to be done.

Feeling good about your interior spaces. Your private space needs to make you feel good for so many reasons…security, comfort, relaxation, motivation, joy, inspiration, identification…Times change and styles change, some things are classic and some are fleeting and trendy. Your interior responds to your place in time. Refreshing it is a natural response to changing times and life stages.

Recently I was asked to look at the walls in a kitchen. They were a medium sage against a natural blond wood ceiling. We had just lightened the walls of an adjacent room. She said “I think I want to change my wall color – don’t you think it’s too dark?” So I looked around and pondered…it’s a cozy room, the color is neutral and contrasts well with the wood ceiling…I wondered, is it too dark? How will it change if we select a new color – specifically a lighter color? I knew that they enjoyed spending time in this space, more-so in the winter as they had many wonderful outdoor areas to spend time in the warmer months.

So I thought about the room in winter…the dark walls gave it a close, soft, comfortable, cozy feel. But upon gazing around the room, I noticed that the cabinets had a modern, flat, radius  design, worn in several places, were blond wood (when the rest of the doors and trim throughout the house were raised panel and all white), and in no way seemed to reflect the interior design theme of the rest of the home.

I offered that maybe the cabinet doors and drawers should be replaced with new raised panel versions. The boxes and hardware were in fine condition, the replacing of the doors and drawers would be less costly and intrusive than replacing all of the cabinetry. She expressed shock at this observation. I was suggesting keeping the wall color, refreshing the cabinets, painting them white and voila – a new, brighter kitchen without lightening the walls. It would retain the cozy feel, but with a fresh look! And I have since considered that the island might be another color – yet to be determined.

We have recently done a similar fix to existing cabinets – and the result was amazing.

Salvage what makes sense and spruce up/replace what needs it. Need help deciding how to know what to do and what not to do? Call your favorite interior designer!

 

DIY – Inspiration is All Around!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 

What is Custom and Why Do You Care?

A client and I had a discussion the other day about “custom” design. What is custom and why do you care?  As we regarded her newly reupholstered furniture that had been delivered and placed in the living room, we began remarking about the “custom” nature of it all. A specifically designed audio/visual cabinet is currently being “custom” fabricated to add to this scene. Unique pieces of furniture with specifically selected fabrics to create an exclusive, personal scene. This “custom” collection/combination of existing pieces, recent “finds,” new pieces and designer fabrics doesn’t occur anywhere else on the planet. How personal can you get?

Here’s a peek…the beginning of the assembly of this “custom” scene. Crisp Scalamandre stripe on a fabulous find, paired with a rich navy and cream hounds tooth woven…rugs, lamps, pillows all still to come…

Creating a custom scene is like composing music or a painting. It is an art-form of balance. Balancing scale, color, texture, form…the many nuances…details….is the art of it all.

With all of the options on-line and in furniture stores, how do you begin to compose your scene? Where do you start? What do you keep and what do you replace? Why might you want to engage an interior designer?

Perhaps you need assistance getting started. A professional interior designer can help. So can several talented friends – but there is never only one way to do anything (too many chefs) and the right guidance can simplify the process and make the decisions much easier.

Too many chefs?

You need someone you trust, with whom to consult on the many design decisions. From floor finishes to ceiling treatments, window coverings to upholstery, furniture pieces and placement to decorative and functional accessories, lighting to audio/visual – a professional designer has the tools, colleagues and experience to assist you to realize your “custom” scene.

However, if you don’t have the desire or the patience with the creative process, you need not participate – you can go on an extended vacay while all is designed and completed. Voila! Or, you can expeditiously go on-line and buy what you like and hope it works well together and that it fits, that it wears well and results in the scene you want and need to bring you comfort and joy. Or not.

The same is true for commercial interiors. The scene should be an exclusive, custom design that reflects the unique culture, qualities, values, mission and brand, enhances productivity and satisfies the needs of the owner/occupants.

An accounting firm merged two existing, well-established firms. Old and new, grounded and progressive – the remodeled “custom” interior represents their newly defined culture.

A designer interviews the client in order to extract their desires. These many impressions of the desired design are often tough to identify and articulate by the client perhaps, but those illusive concepts, ideas, and desires are exactly what the designer gathers to cull the options, offer ideas and compose the “custom” scene.

For more on this, please visit a previous blog on the Creative Process https://patriciandesign.com/the-creative-process-of-interior-design/  and Custom Design Details https://patriciandesign.com/4680-2/and Custom Collection  https://patriciandesign.com/2017/02/

 

 

Patio Primavera- Fabrics and Finishes for Outdoor Living

Finally spring is settling in with more consistent warm weather, garden shops are abundant with flowers, leaves are maturing and all is getting green!! The out-of-doors is beckoning us to expand our living spaces and set-up patios and outdoor kitchens, gardens and play areas for the coming months! YAY – Patio Primavera!!!

Every season introduces more and more fabulous products and paraphernalia for making moving outside more and more inviting and comfortable. Leafing through catalogs that jam our mailboxes, cruising the home decor sites, strolling through the big box home improvement stores and the local nurseries, the multitude of possibilities get our summer juices going – chomping at the bit to plan this and buy that, plant this and arrange that…it’s  rejuvenating and freeing from the interior spaces that we love to be cozy in all winter, but long to escape the confines of, as the warm weather progresses.

Advanced methods and materials for outside area rugs and fabrics, of polyester and better yet – acrylic fabrics that will tolerate the exposure to the elements, allow freedom to leave things set-up without running out into the rain, or worrying about too much sun which might require we bring things safely inside and then back out again.

Some of these fabrics defy being so durable and practical. Here are some amazing examples of bold colors, exciting patterns, plush textures and complex weaves that are all 100% acrylic – the most UV tolerant and mildew resistant of all!! But be prepared, they come with a handsome price tag. It is an investment to know that you are creating a scene that will last – that does not have to be replaced every year or two.

Incredible colors – brilliant and fade-proof.

Lovely rich neutrals are stunning enough to be considered for indoor use too.

When shopping for outdoor materials – watch for that fiber content…it makes a difference. But know that there are thousands of incredible fabrics that you won’t find in the seasonal departments of local stores. We search the world to find these exceptional fabrics in order to present exclusive offerings to make outdoor spaces defy outdoor “exterior” design. IF only  for pillow accents (due to the precious prices), that can be THE show-stopper for your outdoor rooms. Find some that you LOVE and take the plunge.

Another investment for outdoor furnishings is powder-coating. Give new life to old pieces, salvage vintage pieces for new use! My grandmother’s white, bouncy metal chair was well used and rusty. Shown here, I powder-coated it 20 years ago this month and it has been sitting out in full high-desert sun and all the seasonal elements ever since – a testimonial to the durability of a good powder coat finish.

Discover garden elements that would surely rust if left out in the rain – these are perfect for powder-coating! Once treated, these fabulous “finds” will be durable exterior design features without a care – retaining their appearance and supporting your climbers for years in your garden!!!

More durable than paint, this process for metal furniture (and more) usually starts with sandblasting the existing finish – rust and all – clean as a whistle – and provide a finish that will protect and preserve the appearance  for years of exposure to the elements – sun, wind, rain – no problem! Powder coatings are just that – a complex combination of materials that are combined and manipulated and ground into a soft powder. The application is done with electrostatic charge delivered via a spray gun. The powder-coated pieces are baked where the heat cures the coating. Powder-coatings come in so many colors! The resulting finish is extremely durable and will last for decades.

Other than furniture, it is also applicable for architectural detailing around your home and is certainly used in large-scale commercial applications. Powder-coating can be applied to other than metal pieces – but the technique differs slightly.

If you have pieces that you treasure or merely want to have around outside for a while without extra concern or maintenance, this is something worth investigating.

The take-away here is in recognizing the quality of life that is gained by utilizing and  celebrating your outdoor spaces. Whether a tiny balcony, intimate courtyard or an expansive patio area, decorate it! Explore the many design tricks, great materials, fabulous finishes and all the possibilities add a  TV,  fireplace,

or chimenea, that will transform your exterior pockets into worry-free and priceless outdoor room additions for many months to come!!! You’ll want to LIVE out there!