Dec 17

When is Too Much, Not Quite Enough?

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 /  

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!!!

 

 

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Aug 20

Color Schemes and the Complex Simplicity of It All

By pattisays In blue and white, color and temperature re: interior design, color forecasting, color of light, Color schemes, color trends, colors, Contrasting colors, creative process, design, design process, design tips, design trends, drama of color, hiring an interior designer, interior design, interior design trends, lighting, patterns, re-purpose, re-upholstery, recycle, recycle design, Refresh, remodeling, Sherwin Williams, temperature of light, tile, timeless colors, upholstery /  1

Color schemes are many. Color schemes evoke a mood or convey an atmosphere. They certainly can and often are responsible for imagined temperatures and/or seasonal sensations. What constitutes a pleasing color scheme? What constitutes pleasing? It all comes down to balance, layering and subsequent interest. It takes a enlightened eye and usually cannot be achieved by accident.

We are nearing completion of a living room that incorporates many design elements. Family heirloom antiques add a vintage touch along with the architectural style of the bungalow home.  Contrasting these pieces is a sleek-lined, modern, sofa that we found and reupholstered. And while not driven or influenced by current color trends, we selected a scheme derived from the existing Persian rugs. By extracting the blue and white from the patterns to refresh the interior – a classic, timeless color combination – we blended a wonderful scheme. Finding the common denominator(s) blue and white, we sought to anchor all with this consistent theme. Differing patterns provided additional layering and interest.

Then, just last week while dashing through the DCA terminal for SWA, my eye caught the attention of several magazine covers all featuring blue and white schemes!  Always in vogue, but not always featured as the cover story, this coincidental (or not) collection of blue and white photo images was a riot! I was forced to snap a few shots to send to my happy blue and white client.

If I described a new master bath remodel project as all white, I wonder what might come to mind. All whites are not created equal and the variation is startling when you see them in context, adjacent to one another. So here is the easiest example. A fan-deck from Sherwin Williams shows a collection of whites. They “read” very differently from one to the next. Yet taken one at a time – isolated from the rest – each would seem to be just plain white. Notice too how they differ from the white paper upon which they are printed – it is the spacing between the color chips – and even the white fabric upon which they were placed for the photo!

But there is really no such thing as “just plain white.” Once seen next to another, their unique qualities of hue come into play. A yellow white is creamy, while a cool white reads blue. It’s the context that makes the  color more legible. Without that they could be assumed and accepted to be merely “white.”

So, in this recent color scheme nearing completion, whites in context show their many colors. At first glance and if asked, one would say “the room is all white.”

Upon closer inspection (photos taken from a different angle seconds apart), that simplicity is replaced by a more complex, heightened level of awareness. This complexity is what adds interest and results in a better finished product than a true monochrome. What was a collection of white materials, in this master bath, is truly revealed as shades of white varying from ever so soft celadon to cream and grey to what might be read as actual “white” white.

 

Don’t trust your eye when it comes to color. Discover how paint on walls changes all through the day. Artificial light-sources alter the way a color appears.  Context with other colors alters the way one perceives color. Color is fun! Colors are fun! When designing interiors, enjoy the process of layering and the varying effects colors have on each other. Simplicity is usually not really simple. That term can be deceptive. Making it look that way is an art. Encourage the enjoyment of discovery.

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Jun 18

What is Custom and Why Do You Care?

By pattisays In commercial interior design, commercial remodel, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, design, design process, design tips, furniture finds, hiring an interior designer, interior design, joy, lifestyle, re-upholstery, recycle design, Refresh, remodeling, updating, upholstery /  

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/

 

 

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Nov 22

Resourceful Creative Festive Fun

By pattisays In beauty behold it, Centerpieces, design, design tips, design trends, designs in nature, dining and design, DIY design, exterior - outdoor design, Garden, inspiration from nature, interior design, interior design trends, landscape design, natural designs, naturalist, nature, Organic art, personal expression, re-purpose, recycle design, seasonal interior design, table dressings, table top, Thanksgiving, yard maintenance /  

When it’s time sensitive and just can’t wait – what do you get? A BONUS BLOG!!!  Yes! A mid-week blog for the holidays! It began beneath a brilliant blue sky yesterday as the air, with a teeny bit of a  chill, was contrasted by the then warm sunshine glistening through a deciduous denuded Honey Locust making it’s lonely leftover pods look like birds silhouetted against the sky.

Scattered all over the ground were the same fallen wonderfully twisted mahogany-colored pods writhing amidst the dried leaves.

The color was so rich and warm it was irresistible. As I bent over to inspect one, I was captured by the unique quality of each pod and the amazing contours of their graceful, elongated shapes.

Almost as though they were varnished, they had a semi-gloss that was naturally beautiful. This is art in nature. This is inspiration. I can see this as a magnificent drapery fabric – a grand wall of these intertwined ribbons of organic seed pods.

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However, on a more current and immediate note – I saw a centerpiece or multiple centerpieces as it turned out. I gathered the pods in my fist as though a wonderfully wild bouquet. I then needed a bag (thank you Becky) as I kept dropping them, in an effort to force the ever growing collection.

Here is the quickie result of the awesome autumnal centerpiece. I had a faux wreath of berries and leaves, tossed in a few recently harvested local apples, (thank you Vigils), some leaves gathered from the driveway as the Bradford Pear – which, a little late this year due to our unseasonably warm Indian Summer this fall, has only started to drop its gloriously radiant leaves. And Voila!

I stood back and looked over my shoulder and saw the collapsed plastic bag still spilling pods out over the counter-top.

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I was about to call all my friends and ask “Do you want a piece of this fabulous, festive, fall, focus of attention? And I quickly realized I could expand the joy for those of you with grand tables  needing a longer statement down the center.

So flanking glass vases provided the extension I needed. Now this was quick – adding gravel, sand or moss in the vases would add interest and depth, maybe pheasant feathers, other dried flower pods and grasses – this was just a start based upon an irresistible inspiration scattered before me.

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So keep your eyes peeled for opportunities when you least expect them and make something out of nothing. Save unnecessary expense when you find your design accessories for free!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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Nov 12

Buying the Bones…Re-upholstering

By pattisays In before and after, colors, Craig's List, design, design tips, design trends, furniture finds, inspiration, interior design trends, personal expression, practical design, re-purpose, re-upholstery, recycle, recycle design, sectional sofas, Thrift Shops, upholstery /   2 Comments

Re-upholstery is good. If you like a piece of existing furniture and it has “good bones” it is fun to give it an instant face-lift with new upholstery. I find myself salvaging clients’ pieces often when they had every  intention of complete replacement. The satisfaction of transforming a tired or dated piece is quite gratifying.

The next best thing is finding a piece that is value-priced for the aforementioned reasons of looking tired or dated and recognizing that is has “good bones.” This is like a treasure hunt. Whether on Craig’s List or in a Thrift Shop, searching for a piece is exciting. You have to see beyond it – you can’t tell a book by its cover – right?

Many of my clients are believers in this practice, but often did not start out that way. In fact for this blog’s example, I have the perfect scenario. It began as I remodeled and designed a spectacular renovation for a  single man who wanted a sleek, modern interior. We started from scratch with all new finishes throughout, custom cabinets, enhanced lighting, and then the search for a piece of furniture that had eluded us. It was the primary focal point that I envisioned – a large orange ultra-suede sectional. I stood beside my illustrator render the room based upon photos of the space and a very loose sketch that I prepared. A picture truly does speak a thousand words and is a fantastic aid in communicating design ideas that might otherwise be misconstrued or just plain missed by the client.

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We began pricing custom fabric on a number of options, but everything was over budget. So I asked if he minded if I looked locally for a used piece that we could transform. Luckily, he was busy and trusting and told me to have at it – so I did. It looked like it was made from marshmallows, but the key detail was the curved corner piece. I did not want an “L” with right angles – I wanted that rounded, welcoming, beckoning corner piece.  This crazy, puffy, formal, dated piece was in perfect condition and the woman, original owner, was moving and could not take it with her. In step I and paid this grateful woman her requested few hundred dollars, called my upholsterer and scheduled the pick-up for the next day.

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When I saw it for the second time in the back of the upholstery shop, I was psyched. It’s always fun- but this transformation was going to be amazing! Inasmuch as my wonderful client trusted me, I didn’t dare let him see it in its original form. I didn’t want to risk the probable fear and foreboding. I didn’t want to give him a permanent unsettling visual, of this puffy, white, marshmallow sectional, every time he saw his gorgeous, sleek, modern, orange masterpiece.

Therefore, the process began as I had already found the perfect orange ultra-suede and the guys at the shop stripped the layers of white damask, foam and fuzzy dacron from the solid wood bones of this beautiful frame. They slicked it clean as a whistle.

With a bit of work to lengthen on side to an imposing 10′ and shortening the other side by a few inches, the new sectional began taking shape. The arms were modified and the cushions squared and the lines simplified. In this case, the concealed feet were fine. Although we often replace feet, or replace skirts with feet, or feet for skirts – those options were not necessary in this case.

The finished product was the perfect piece. Our client was blown away with seeing it delivered and looking like the original illustration that we used to convey the design concept. The biggest response was that of the cost which was a fraction of the cost of buying this over-sized piece new. Because of the unusual size, it would have had to be custom all the way or we would have had to settle for a size less than perfect. Not to mention this was accomplished in less than 2 weeks rather than waiting a couple of months or more for a custom order.

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Ready-made, down-filled,  Ralph Lauren throw pillows were a great find to add a splash of color. The rug is temporary as a larger, lighter one is intended along with the custom cocktail table. Once again my team makes my dreams come true and the client has a unique piece perfect for his needs.

 

 

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May 07

A Joyful Fireplace for All Seasons

By pattisays In before and after, colors, decorative arts, design trends, DIY design, fireplaces, mosaic, mosaic tile, recycle, recycle design, seasonal interior design, tile /  

Where were YOU last Sunday morning? As the day dawned, the clouds over the mountain yawned – breaking open to expose various shades of sky beyond their shroud blanketing the morning. Soft grey waves curled over the crest and wrapped around the peaks on violent wind gusts thrashing the new green growth below.P1140149

Imagine…birds are chirping over the roar of Mariah in protest or defiance of this late blast of Mother Nature interrupting what had been spring’s warm welcome. Hooray hooray it’s the firsts of May and the forecast is a high of 50 degrees after overnight lows of a chilly 37 degree rain. This now after having seen record-breaking 70s in February and 80 degrees several days since.

Ah…the fluctuations of spring. With this awakening comes the want, on this Sunday morning, to climb back under the covers and hunker down.  P1140158 However, while the wind wildly whips our towering 30 foot plus blue spruce tree and all the other new green growth from tentacles of wisteria vines to our precious peach tree and fragile red buds, we ascend to the kitchen and talk about building a fire.

Yes, building a fire. With only one fireplace, I have not succumbed to the instant gratification of igniting fake logs or worse a digital image of a burning fire. Albeit I am not the one venturing out into the elements to retrieve the wood from the stack of fragrant local pinon on the side of the house. Nor am I the one shoveling the ashes to make way for a well-ventilated new pile perfectly placed to assure a good burn.

But I did painstakingly sit cross-legged in front of the fireplace for hours that turned into days breaking tiles in sturdy zip-lock freezer bags with a hammer and fit myriad shards into place creating this wild art-piece that is the focal point of our family room.

We didn’t have a mantle nor did we have a surround. We had found a tin mantle to affix to the wall at one point and later three resin plaques to mount beneath it on the painted sheetrock face creating an attempt at dressing that end of the room. But it never was quite right, never brought joy and every changing season resulted in compounded frustration for this unsatisfactory situation. The shoemaker who has not shoes was I, the designer with a sadly neglected fireplace with no design. P1080268

After more than 15 years, the day came when I enlisted Enrique Jimenez to finally make yet another of my dreams come true. With barely a breath of space on the window side of the fireplace protrusion available for a mantle return, he took the measurements and delivered a few days later a nearly fully assembled mantel and trim.20130731_181349

Once painted glossy white by dear John, the space surrounding the firebox opening begged for a finish material. I considered the usual suspects –  granite slab, harlequin glazed ceramic and glass mosaic when the whacky thought hit me – go nuts with fragments of color using treasured pieces I had collected over the years. From a shard I picked up off the street on Peace Valley Lane P1070814 the weekend of Matthew’s graduation from Stuart to little flowers and birds leftover from samples we commissioned for a donor wall at the Albuquerque Community Foundation by artist Meg Butler to chucks of Mexican Talavera and brilliant colors from other pieces and places the palette and random pattern began to take shape.

So the hours and days sitting cross-legged on the floor paid off as this multi-seasonal mosaic of color makes me happy and brings as much great joy in May as it does in December. It is a fireplace for all seasons and a happy finished product and satisfying solution to years’ old dilemma. 20160507_092036_resized

So here’s to the first day of May (last week) that came in with a chilly blast belying spring’s arrival giving us the opportunity to have a cozy Sunday by the  flames of a real fire flashing from the happy mosaic of our a bit frantic, but friendly, family room fireplace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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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!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nov 28

Holiday Tablescapes KISS Theory!

By pattisays In Christmas, colors, context of interior design, design, design trends, designs in nature, dining and design, DIY design, environment, food and interior design, Garden, green design, inspiration from nature, interior design, nature, practical design, recycle design, seasonal interior design, table dressings, Thanksgiving, Trees /  

For the fast switch , KISS is the name of the game – keep it simple and sensational! The Thanksgiving weekend creates a great opportunity to get a jump on Christmas. Yesterday neighbors were out precariously placing lights along their rooflines, lining walkways and blanketing shrubs. We noticed this as we were out walking, observing, not quite ready to dive in to the next holiday ourselves.

But I did think that this was a great opportunity to illustrate a continuation of my favorite seasonal design practices and that is going outside to nature to get inspiration and actual elements for my creations. And the most remarkable aspect of this exercise is that it is all in our own yard. Look around and you will be amazed at what is out there!

For Thanksgiving I had been inspired by the blazing colors of the Bradford Pear that was – is still – screaming with color at the front of our house. 20151126_093537The rich maroons transitioning to corals and rosy tones into brilliant golds and even bright yellows  were irresistible. It’s similar to a maple tree with its magnificent range of fall colors but with precious little round heart-shaped leaves. 20151126_093558

20151126_095436 - CopyI created a tablescape using short-cut branches in a pair of squatty square glass vessels flanking a large square hand-blown glass platter. In the center on the platter, I gathered acorn squash which we will be enjoying baked with brown sugar and butter later this week, and added some ornamental gourds for their interesting shapes and colors. 20151126_093945 After scattering some of the leaves around the arrangement on the neutral linen table runner, the result was boldly colorful, organic and spicy scene bursting with autumnal warmth.P1110503So as I pondered this setting this morning, two days later…the leaves on the table were getting crunchy, the branches were dropping leaves and the water in the containers was a bit cloudy…time to clean it up! Since it seems that everyone is already transitioning to Christmas themes, I thought why not do the same?! The alternative of merely cleaning it up and leaving it barren was a bit anticlimactic after enjoying the spectacular beauty of this recent  holiday table. So here again nature was calling to venture forth and scour the yard for the next seasonal statement.

Now remember, this is just a quick transition…I can take it leagues and layers further as the weeks progress by adding holiday runners, ornaments, some bling and other accoutrements. But for today, the switch is quick. I ventured out into the yard and cut some bushy mugo pine and smoky blue spruce branches,  P1110558 a few holly sprigs from the bushes in front and jammed them into the same freshly refilled square glass vases. In the center, the neutral linen runner remained and on the glass platter I kept the acorn squash, traded the gourds for electric green granny smith apples and a couple of pomegranates ( I had bought three last week and had already picked my way through the many juicy morsels of one – leaving two to do the red thing in my centerpiece today).P1110556

I scattered a few pine cones and Voila – my instantly transitioned tablescape said “Christmas is on its way!”

 

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Jun 11

Small Water Features for DIY Projects

By pattisays In art and interior design, art as gift ideas, design, design trends, DIY design, exterior - outdoor design, interior design, landscape design, recycle design /  
Vintage celadon vessel makes perfect table-top water feature!

Vintage celadon vessel makes perfect table-top water feature!

Small Water Features for DIY Projects

Large vessels make focal points for fountain features. Large containers or bored stone boulders are perfect sculptural elements for the glistening appearance of running water, the gentle sounds and refreshing effects. While we have had great fun creating dramatic site installations for outdoor living scenes, we realize that there is great merit in the smaller versions that DIY buffs can create for their interiors or patios.
First, find an interesting container. I found a pair that are footed and are dolphin figures to boot – what luck!! This celadon glazed ceramic has a nice diameter of about 12” and is raised up by its three dolphin figurine feet. It’s a perfect aquamarine theme for this table-top water feature.
Select your container and then gather things that you enjoy. You might already have pieces of glass, tokens, stones, shells, coral, miniature figurines…use what you have or collect more for this specific use.
Get a small pump at the local home-improvement store or hardware store. This should be relative to the size of your container. This one is a little smaller than my fist. The cord will drape out of the container, up over the rim and behind the fountain to plug into your electrical source. This will conceal adequately if you place your fountain on a surface that backs up to a wall where the electrical outlet is located.
Arrange your collectibles on and around the pump to conceal it from view placing the more interesting pieces at the surface.
I use distilled water to insure no residue from harsh mineral that might be present in your tap water. Fill the container to the appropriate level. It will cover much of your collectibles in the bowl. Here I have used a couple of vertical slices of local travertine to add height, texture, color and interest. Once your first turn on the pump – or plug it in as this one does (no switch), you will be pleased at the calming, refreshing results.
Send photos of your finished products!!!!!

Shown here…Nestled into the landscape, this brilliant blue glazed fountain with interesting textured exterior is tall and splendid amidst the greenery as its water recirculates and flows into a bed of stones.

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