TRENDS DIE – What’s New for 2018?

I was surfing for fodder about the new color trends to kick-off this first mindful missive for the New Year and the color trends were all over the place – no consistency at all. From Ben Moore selecting Caliente AF290,

“Caliente is the signature color of a modern architectural masterpiece; a lush carpet rolled out for a grand arrival; the assured backdrop for a book-lined library; a powerful first impression on a glossy front door. The eye can’t help but follow its bold strokes. Harness the vitality.”

—Ellen O’Neill, Benjamin Moore & Co.

to Sherwin Williams in a totally opposite direction proclaiming Oceanside SW 6496 their color of the year.

“A collision of rich blue with jewel-toned green, a color that is both accessible and elusive… A complex, deep color that offers a sense of the familiar with a hint of the unknown, Oceanside, bridges together a harmonious balance of blues and greens that can be found in what’s old and new.”

What? Are we straddling now? Do we have one foot in one color trend while the other stretches across the color wheel and causes us to nearly do the splits trying desperately to hang on?

The walls of my east gallery space were a spicy version of Caliente for nearly 20 years! Bold at the time and unheard-of for gallery walls – it was not to be changed for nearly 2 decades!!!

Whew – that was a run. I even named the retail space “Caliente.” And the color-band between the crown and picture molding at the back was a version of Oceanside – a lighter value of the blue-green hue.

The Grand Re-Opening July 2016 presented a dramatic transformation to a pale aqua resulting in a diametrically opposed feeling – a cleansing from what was crowded and hot to spare and cool.

But I digress…

Annoyed by the seeming authority, but weak contrasting rationale that I encountered with the wide range of picks and opinions, I left the paint companies and clicked over to the Pantone site. There I encountered their authoritative, ethereal color forecast of the year – Ultra Violet!!!!!

Yikes – they were coming at me from every conceivable direction!!! How on earth is any eager apartment dwelling or home-owning individual supposed to know how to go forward in sprucing up their space without fear?

Then I came upon a piece by Mehgan Nesmith Ugh, What’s With These Generational Color “Trends”? From observing the broad reaching trend surrounding millennial pink to snippets from other sources, I scanned the paragraphs amused, but still not satisfied. Until I arrived at paragraph 6 and there it was – the true fact that keeps the world moving forward – for better or worse – TRENDS DIE.

Yes they do and for good reason. I’ve said it before, take care in making costly selections that will stay with you past their prime. Trends are there for a reason. Designers dabble in creativity every day of the year to come up with things to tantalize, inspire, evoke, and entertain – and most importantly, SELL. Some of these trends stick. Then they are no longer trends, they transition and become classics. But to transcend the fleeting status of trend, “it” must have something very solid about its being.

And when it comes to interior design, with all the style trends for furniture, fabrics, architectural elements, finishes and decorative accessories – colors race through history like no other design element has or will. Colors rule and when they are good, they are very very good, but when they are bad, they are horrid!!!!! Thank you Mr. Longfellow!!

Take the massively graceful modern art piece suspended from the ceiling of the East Wing of the National Art Gallery in Washington, D.C. – classic – both in form and color. Red and black. Strong and simple. Bold and brilliant. Imagine if it were this year’s Pantone pick Ultra Violet Aghhhh!!!!!!!

Actually, methinks I protest too much. The shade of purple picked, by Pantone, is heavy on the blue rather than the red. The blue cast gives it a calm. Not whacky like Barney screaming purple – but, rather a royal shade. Nonetheless, it is better served as an accent – don’t buy wallpaper in it. Go ahead and paint the walls and have your fun – but know that you can change it without peeling off hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of wall-covering or re-upholstering your sofa like Meghan was tempted to do!!

It’s a color that stands alone – plays better by itself than with friends – like the child’s report card where the box that says “plays well with others” is not checked. In my estimation, it will read well with clean, crisp white. However, like Ms. Nesmith aptly says in her piece “if you are still curious about that Gen Z yellow, buy a vase!”

That’s how we play with colors and create a bit of collision, unexpected off-key harmony, intrigue and suspense. But it is not for the faint of heart and the chance of tiring of it is paramount. Trends die and colors are tricky.

So Happy New Year and Happy New Colors in your world to refresh and renew!! Thank you Meghan, for your lively contribution to today’s story.

Posted On December 31, 2017 By pattisays In Abstract Art, apartments, architecture, art and interior design, artistic expression, Benjamin Moore Paint, color and temperature re: interior design, color forecasting, Color schemes, color trends, color wheel, colors, context of interior design, Contrasting colors, contrasts for balance in design, dark colors, design solutions, design tips, design trends, drama of color, element of surprise in design, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, mobiles, Modern Art, Museums, National Gallery of Art, Pantone, personal expression, practical design, red, Refresh, selecting colors, Sherwin Williams, timeless colors, trends, value of good design, Washington, D.C. / 2 Comments

COMFORT & JOY with ART

A few years ago I gave a talk. The title was something like “I Need a Piece of Art to Go with My Red Sofa.” It was a defensive argument giving liberty to those who sought artwork for decorative purposes rather than an esoteric rationale. As an interior designer surrounded by artistic influences and drawn to the limitless styles, pieces, concepts and movements of the art world, I see and appreciate both sides of this controversial coin.

Federico Leon de la Vega’s Pomogranates

In my opinion art should bring joy. And that is not to discount art as a social commentary, honest statement of artistic philosophy, opinion, or personal expression. As an interior designer, my simple philosophy is that joy is a goal of interior habitats – function and joy simultaneously. For me, there is a synonym for beauty in there. Oh – and how apropos – it’s Christmas time and the carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen specifically identifies bringing “tidings of comfort and joy.”

In this month’s December 2017 issue of AD “Architectural Digest” Living with Art, architect Luis Laplace offers that he doesn’t really know about beauty in art. He sounds modest and self-effacing. “I say I don’t know beauty. When I see that something works, then I see beauty.” I say that is saying a lot about context. But inasmuch as I can see context being so perfect to showcase a piece that it validates it somehow, it seems lacking in the department of honest personal appreciation or criticism. Surely he must find beauty in art before it is placed.

I can see admitting that something having potential is a valid “wait and see” position to take when allowing a piece to be placed to its best advantage, prior to judging it too harshly – but that seems reserved for pieces about which one is trying to give them the benefit of the doubt! It sounds a bit like tap-dancing…making excuses. Excuses for not having an initial opinion or spontaneous reaction – much less appreciation – much less, joy.

Festive boat bringing JOY at the San Diego harbor parade last week.

Another comment that Laplace makes in this article “High Art” is that “We never use art as a decoration,” he declares. “We design for installation and rotation.” And I am sure in his world, that is exactly what he does. But let’s get down to earth and acknowledge that it’s a chicken and egg thing – the luxury to design expressly for the presentation of magnificent rotating works of art versus finding joy in a piece to decorate your world – with or without rotation. He makes decoration sound like a bad word. And perhaps he thinks it is – but why? Adornment, decoration, enhancement, emphasis – all superlatives, in my estimation.

Federico Leon de la Vega’s Script on Blue

In a completely opposite place on the planet both figuratively and physically, Robert Downey Jr, in this same issue of AD, expresses an explanation for their selections and design direction. “We didn’t set out to do something conspicuously whacky.” He obviously gets great joy and a kick in the pants out of his approach which he cements, with the following comment: “We just enjoy a bit of whimsy and fun.” And then a negative nod to separate him from the more cerebral art enthusiasts – “We definitely don’t like boring.”

But that is a direct comment on the joy thing and one of my oft borrowed quotes “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Here, a tangible example that I created for my grandson, Liam a few years ago. Debris he and I collected while on a walk one day, I assembled into a collage and had it framed for him with the plaque to remind him to look at things and regard things from all angles.

From what one person derives joy, another might find boring and uninteresting. And that oddly seems to return to the Luis Laplace comment about not seeing beauty until it is placed and then can be recognized. Hmmmm…Yet, I am saying that it might be of value to study things and think about things differently than face value at a quick glance…spontaneity is valid and so is “love at first sight,” but often things are missed because their context s not serving them well. That space above your red sofa might be just the context and proper setting to showcase the “whatever it is” piece which might be far less interesting otherwise.

Which is why, in this time of international commerce delivering things from all over the planet with an almost instant gratification speed, we still have difficulty making decisions about what to chose to have in our world. Which fabric, which furniture, which art…the choices are at our fingertips and delivered to our doorsteps without leaving our living rooms, but fear of costly mistakes, second guessing trends and how to make good investments still remain the dilemma shared by most. Fear of trusting your own joy. Or, better yet, discovering and defining your personal joy.

Which brings me to the last quote I extracted from the December 2017 issue of AD by an artist, Brian Donnelly, speaking about his own residence and art collection, and that is “I don’t buy art to put in specific places. I just collect what I love and hope to find a place for it.” Sounds like spontaneous joy to me!!

Closing with best wishes for a Merry Christmas and “tidings of comfort and joy.”

Posted On December 24, 2017 By pattisays In Abstract Art, architecture, art and interior design, artistic expression, artists, beauty behold it, Christmas, Contemporary Art, context of interior design, design, design process, design solutions, Discovering Art, fanciful design, hiring an interior designer, interior design, interior design trends, joy, lifestyle, Mind Your Handwriting by Leon de la Vega, Modern Art, personal expression, recycle design, value of art /

When is Too Much, Not Quite Enough?

Perhaps – when you are an avid collector, limitless treasure-hunter and lover of basic Americana (comprised of the appreciation of indelible graphic design and branding mixed with a healthy dose of green chile cheeseburgers, bodacious bbq and good fun) – it’s never enough! We’re in Hatch, New Mexico at Sparky’s once again!!!! The sensational roadside attraction – Sparky’s burger bastion MUST know when too much is not enough!

Nine and a half years ago Teako made a statement and the word has been spreading ever since!

The opening of this fun and funky establishment started out with a few outrageous signs and vintage mascots like the Colonel Saunders on a bench, Ronald McDonald as the un-official greeter

and a dedication to signature green chile cheeseburgers and mouthwatering bbq. Now both sides of the street (and scattered around town) are towering, larger-than-life icons of days gone by and travelers from all over the world stop to experience this unique site.

But inside, the treasures also abound! With each visit we discover new surprises and exciting additions. Because its Christmas, we were enticed by the “Say Queso” photo scene. We donned funky antlers and cozied up to the decked-out tree, with a backdrop of sparkle and ornament, beneath dangling snowflakes,

flanked by a towering toy soldier and Jolly Old Saint Nick himself!

The stockings were hung in clustered abundance over the entryway to the dining room. No such thing as too many or too much here!!!

The walls are plastered with iconic paraphernalia.

Patina etched tin painted and pitted, with pocks of rust and tarnish – weathered through many storms adding further character to the familiar and not-so familiar pieces, until finding safe haven here in this magical collection.

Camp art un-selfconsciously curated on every square inch of interior space. A nostalgic presentation and preservation of graphic design and branding.

If you’re a “picker,” a graphic designer, a nostalgia buff, burger and bbq connoisseur or just a kid looking for a memorable bite on the side of the road,

Sparky’s unintentional museum, of the colorfully entertaining and eclectic, will not disappoint! It is a must-see landmark in this our Land of Enchantment.

Be enchanted at Sparky’s! Thanks for the memories!!!!! Keep ’em coming!!!

Posted On December 17, 2017 By pattisays In art and food, art and interior design, artistic expression, bars and restaurants, branding in interior design, camp - retro design, Christmas, clutter, commercial interior design, corporate branding, creativity, decorative arts, design, dining and design, element of surprise in design, exterior - outdoor design, fanciful design, Food and art, Graphic art, interior design, interior design trends, logos, multi-media design, nostalgia and design, personal expression, public design, recycle, recycle design, travel and design /

Value. What is an “Investment Piece” and Why?

In the design vernacular we keep hearing the term “investment piece.” What makes an investment piece? Is it that you spent more on it than most other purchases? You splurged? You made an unusual purchase that generally costs more than your norm. Sure, makes sense, I get this. Considered to be a focal piece, this seems to be the nod. However, I often feel entirely differently.

Investment. An investment in time, emotion, thoughts and beliefs…what type of unusual investment? An “investment piece” is usually a focal point or a piece placed in a position of prominence. It makes sense to identify an “investment piece” as something that is monetarily outside your usual comfort zone – but must it?

Consider that there is also the fact that a piece that hits a chord and is not easily replaced – if at all – is an investment. Seeing an objet d’art, on a folding table at a garage sale or amidst the throngs of a flea market, that catches your eye and is yours for a song – the bargain of the decade, or at least that day, is an emotional investment. It’s not about the money.

This “find” might actually have “cred” in a broad evaluation of appraisal. It might be a tiny Waterford crystal bud vase, like I found at a flea market for two dollars, about 35 years ago. I was just starting out, decorating my world, and it’s cut glistened and caught my eye from a cluttered table of garden tools, electric curlers and all manner of debris. There was and still is a true value for this type of piece. It is replaceable – not one-of-a-kind, but a lovely piece. Similarly, at garage sale many years later, I spied a sparkle across many tables to discover a large Waterford ship’s decanter clustered with a few other unmarked pieces. Neighbors selling for a friend, they were cautiously asking twenty five dollars – the bargain of the day.

Once, in a consignment store, I came upon an ARS Italian ceramic box for five dollars that, although marked on the bottom, is not so published as to be easily priced. And I don’t care. Too me it is a one-of-a-kind find. It is old. I can’t replace it. I love the colors of the glazes and little pear top, it’s imperfections speak to it’s vintage and made-by-hand quality. It makes me smile.

When I hear people reference things by their monetary value, it strikes a sensitivity in me that is quite emotional. It annoys me. It frustrates me. Perhaps I am too sentimental, too attached to the enjoyment of “things,” but it’s what these things evoke, what they trigger in the form of memories or just spontaneous pleasure. What brings a smile, a tangible joy, is more to the point. It is a treasure.

Pieces with genuine sentimental value, because they have been inherited, reminding the current custodians of who preceded them and cared enough to preserve and pass down…and contrarily the ease with which some can unemotionally and easily part with something that has passed to them. It can be distilled to what one might find beautiful or not, and what speaks to the point – does this bring you joy or is it an onus?

It makes perfect sense that I am in this field. I see what clients have, ask them about what means what, and sometimes even argue in favor of keeping something that was destined for replacement or complete removal. I want to know what brings my clients joy. I want to make sure they don’t miss something they already have. It might just be the context that makes the difference.

Sometimes my clients have a piece – usually large – that they just don’t know how to use. They would like to, but just can’t find the right place. This is when we might consider other uses than the obvious. A bedroom dresser, might become a dining buffet. We change the context and save the piece. It gives new life and appreciation. It is a combination, in some cases, of function and joy. Thinking outside the box.

To have a careless non-attachment to things, that have not cost a relatively unusual amount, frustrates me. Yes, it can be a good thing, freeing actually. Whereas I am burdened by my sentimentality. The fact that something is disposable merely because it was a “find” or a “bargain” should not make it less valuable – in my estimation. It’s not always about an expense.

It is a similar, yet reverse, process as selecting an item because of its cost or brand as thought that validates it. As though it is the primary reason to make the decision. I prefer to encourage people to find confidence in what they like – not merely a perceived or recognizable value. The result is the uniqueness that makes their world more personal, more individual, more uniquely theirs. It’s a treasure hunt. What is the value?

An “investment piece” should be almost, if not, irreplaceable – not by its cost – but by its unique ability to bring you joy. Have confidence to know it when you see it. It will be the right decision.

Posted On December 10, 2017 By pattisays In artistic expression, beauty behold it, context of interior design, creative process, design, design solutions, design tips, design trends, Discovering Art, element of surprise in design, furniture finds, hiring an interior designer, inspiration, interior design, interior design trends, investment pieces, joy, lifestyle, nostalgia and design, personal expression, re-purpose, trends /

Loved Loving Vincent!!!!

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

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

http://lovingvincent.com/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Adding Personality & Panache – Before & Afters

Everyone loves befores and afters. Last week we featured a project that received a dramatic transformation. The trick is, you have to think thoroughly about taking “befores” before you tear into it!!! Hindsight is so often 20/20 when delving into a remodel.

I dashed over to Phoenix last month to celebrate the Grand Opening of an exciting new clinic that we have recently completed. While there I visited great friends and re-visited a wonderful residential project that has stood the test of time.

Here we have two restrooms in that same project. Rich colors of warm coral, brick and golden tones with natural materials from stone floors to counter-tops and wall treatments. It is a Spanish theme – albeit eclectic with art and decorative accessories, of this well-traveled couple.

What was plain 80s’ vanilla receives a new-found richness and warmth, depth and interest. Do not be afraid of dark colors in small rooms – I’ve said that many times in the past. I’ll bet that you have seen spaces exactly like these “before” shots. Clean slates, but so uninteresting it is remarkable to think owners are content to live without personality in their anemic interior spaces. We added powerful personality and panache throughout this residence.

The master bath had dated surfaces and uninteresting configuration. We transformed the area by connecting, with a glass panel, the tub and shower areas. However, we elected to use a shower curtain instead of glass door. I often suggest this alternative. It is softening, less expensive, easy, minimal maintenance – less wiping!!! Watch for another new master bath with a shower curtain and glass combo.

Full wall treatments of stone or ceramic are wonderful, substantive ways to suggest architecture over mere decorative appliqué. The material suggests structural forms. It never should stop on an outside corner, lest it defeat the purpose. It is to be a mass.

So take those “befores” and enjoy the “afters.” Don’t be afraid of dark colors in small rooms, and use stone and ceramics generously without fear.

P.S. Last week and this today are of a fabulously enjoyable and successful remodel transformation done 12 years ago!!! Yes, revisiting a couple of weeks ago, I took these afters of exactly the interior that we designed that long ago. It has been a virtually timeless project. The owners have enjoyed the spaces so well that they have maintained them without any modification. So we thought that you as readers would get a kick out of the long-term success of these design decisions.

Posted On November 5, 2017 By pattisays In bathroom remodel, before and after, color and temperature re: interior design, Color schemes, custom design interior design, dark colors, design, design tips, drama of color, hiring an interior designer, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, master bathrooms, mosaic tile, natural integrity of the materials, natural stone, personal expression, powder rooms, remodeling, residential restrooms, selecting colors, stone, tile, timeless colors, trends, updating /

SPANISH STYLE BRINGS INTERIOR SPICE

Fabulous clients – turned great friends – bought a good-sized townhome in Phoenix. It was plain vanilla inside with wall-to-wall broadloom and everything painted the same creamy neutral. They stood in the center of this bland slate and called me saying we think we want to clean this up and go with a mission-style simplicity.

They saw the ornate cream-painted wrought iron ascending the curved staircase and wanted it gone!

I flew over and saw for myself this dated interior with very good bones. Layout had great flow, nice lines, handsome coffered ceiling and other interesting features. I pondered the elements and the context of the exterior architecture. It was stucco with red clay tile roof, and iron railing details. Sure, we could slick it up, remove the embellishments…but should we?

The desert heat can be oppressive. Some choose to embrace the glories of the sunshine and design bright airy interiors with plenty of refrigerated air to compensate for nature’s blistering temperatures. This approach we were about to take was to be quite different, in that it offered a shady reprieve from the elements.

Therefore, despite the initial suggestion, for the style of the remodel, by my clients I offered another design direction . Why not spice it up with Spanish? Here we are in Phoenix, with architecture suggesting this genre. Knowing their bent for traditional interiors, from two past residences that we had designed together, and with a detailed discussion of the possibilities and evaluation of the elements, we agreed on the Spanish theme and began the transformation.

This is a perfect example of isolating the existing features and determining what to salvage and what to remove. Of the things to be salvaged, how can they be revitalized? So, with that in mind, the staircase was stripped of its carpeting and solid wood treads were added with custom-designed glazed ceramic tile, for the risers. A Moorish influence was the basis for the geometric motif. The staircase’s semi-ornate railing was painted a dark, nearly black, charcoal. The result was startling.

Throughout the home, colors changed, stone columns and fireplace details were added, a wet bar was abandoned in favor of opening into the kitchen. Travertine stone floors were installed throughout the lower level with hardwood upstairs.

An open loft area was compartmentalized into a narrow gallery-bookcase with isolated and fully closed office beyond. Bold colors over-lap and contrast on layers of interior planes.

The result is a cozy retreat from the desert heat incorporating design elements suggestive of Spanish Colonial, transitioning to other modern elements complementing the overall design. To begin a remodel, look at the existing elements, the style of the architecture, the context of the structure and see if you can find a story.

This house now tells a story of intentional decisions, cohesive finishes, a directional theme and a finished product that represents the owners’ giving personal identity to their home.

Posted On October 30, 2017 By pattisays In architecture, before and after, Color schemes, context of interior design, creative process, custom design interior design, design, design process, design tips, design trends, drama of color, hiring an interior designer, interior design, interior design trends, lifestyle, personal expression, remodeling, Spanish Colonial, Staircases, stone, tile /

Everyone Needs a Little Country Sometime

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Everyone needs a little country sometime.

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

DIY – Inspiration is All Around!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Disruption Reaps Results

Merriam Webster defines to disrupt: to interrupt the normal course or unity…So think about it when you take on your DIY projects…like reupholstering a chair. Pick or find the chair, take a course, cut away at the fabric, pull out the staples, rip it down to the bones, (poor chair – you’ve really interfered with its unity), then put it back together. Voila!

To do something as seemingly simple as repaint, you will need to remove things from the walls and move things away from the walls, drape furniture, mask elements like molding, ceilings or other adjacent surfaces that will not be painted – or at least not with the same color. All of that is quite a disruption.

Expand that disruption when you remodel – open a wall, replace cabinets, change flooring – each on their own sounds simple, but be prepared for disruption. Your normal course of unity will be in disarray, displacement – maybe even chaos.

However, I often reference the phrase “You have to break an egg to make an omelet” right? That sums it up. To make something wonderful, you are going to have to interrupt the normal course of unity – hence break the unity of that beautifully in-tact orb of an egg.

So do not fear disruption – go ahead – disrupt your life a bit, to effect change, that will achieve refreshing results! It is THE hardest part of the Creative Process (see pattisays April 29, 2017). https://patriciandesign.com/the-creative-process-of-interior-design/

Posted On May 29, 2017 By pattisays In before and after, chairs, construction, creative process, creativity, custom furniture, design, design process, design tips, design trends, Disruption in design, DIY design, fireplaces, furniture finds, hiring an interior designer, interior design, interior design trends, personal expression, re-purpose, re-upholstery, Refresh, remodeling, stone, updating, upholstery, wall texture /

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