Spring’s Bevy of Bountiful Floribunda – Prune It and Bring It Inside!

What’s the first sign? We had purple leaf plum trees at the entrance of the parking lot across the street from our shop for years. They always “popped” on a chosen, surprise day in late February/early March with an explosion of pink flowers. Then the trees died due to a change in the irrigation system – it was cut off! We missed our cheerful “first sign” of Spring.
But thankfully, a couple of years ago, the Mayor answered our request to re-plant the areas with new trees and Voila! Yes, it’s that time again – Spring is springing and it’s time to go out and prune those flowering trees and bring them inside for spectacular sprays!
Now, we don’t prune these City trees – and they’re still too small to prune anyway – but look around…in all regions of the country when the time comes that those early buds can be cut away from mature trees without harm to the tree and brought inside for incredibly brilliant displays – do it!
So Purple Leaf Plums are early as are Bradford Pears…apples, peaches – forsythia come along…there are so many wonderful colors and blossoms that at urban floral shops they are sought-after treasures of the season! The idea is to cut them early so that they are not yet opened and bring them inside where the warmth and natural progress of the water wicking will force the buds to bloom and bring Spring inside a bit early – connecting your interior design with nature’s renewing seasonal change.
So Edward Scissorhands – get out there with your pruning shears and have at it – in a good way – go attack those trees and bring in a bounty of bouquets! Share with friends and take an armful for a hostess gift (making sure that you bring a bucket so as NOT to impose upon your hosts at their moment of receiving guests to tackle this beastly beautiful bevy of floribunda!).
The photo here is from one of my favorite furniture companies – Pearson – celebrating their 70th anniversary!!! They brought these incredible pink flowering branches inside for their celebratory photograph!
So we’ve sprung forward…the days are getting longer…Happy Almost Spring!!

Posted On March 15, 2011 By pattisays In design, design trends, DIY design, exterior - outdoor design, interior design, seasonal interior design /

Refresh Your Interiors – Eco-style

The Color, GREEN – we associate it with nature’s renewal, growth, promise…it’s fresh, clean and a signature of the environmentally conscientious. In the design world the Eco-style is connecting the inside with the out-of-doors…bringing the green inside with fabulous decorative accessories to refresh your interiors. As we leave January and move through February looking toward March and the promise of springtime’s rejuvenation we long for the sight of green. So to incorporate it into your interior environment here are some ideas.
These delicate hand-blown glass vessels come in a variety of shapes and sizes and make wonderful clusters of color empty or with the added boost using flower stems – only one per each for the lighter, simpler look or bunches of baby’s breath perhaps – delicately drooping tulips or little sticks of near-budding branches from your yard. You decide – they are pocked with bubbles that signify the blown glass method and are translucent with shades of dark to chartreuse green shades – simply wonderful!
As bulbs begin to sprout and trees hint of buds…inside our homes we have the opportunity to push it along a bit. Bring home a pot of tulips or daffodils. Fresh is best – like bowls of artichokes as a centerpiece or feature on your countertop, maybe green apples or pears in a bowl made from renewable bamboo, but if that is not practical we have remarkably real-looking faux fruit to use for the suggested effect – that have an indefinite shelf life! Our faux branches are a hit too as a bouquet for your entryway or table dressing.

Posted On February 22, 2011 By pattisays In color and temperature re: interior design, context of interior design, design, design trends, DIY design, environmental, environmental design, exterior - outdoor design, green design, interior design, seasonal interior design /

Latin Flavors Influence Macho Football Parties – by Design?

I write about things that catch my attention. Generally centered on the world of design- which is actually everything around us – therefore, I have a broad reach of subjects that are constantly popping up and seem pertinent. Today, Super Bowl Sunday having just returned last night from south of our border, I am still in my Latin mode – perfect for this day’s celebrations. And also on this the 100th anniversary of President Ronald Regan’s birth we are reminded that he campaigned on the North American Common Market and that was the impetus for NAFTA back in the mid eighties. He had the vision that we are so closely connected and should celebrate that connectivity with more open and shared economic and cultural exchange. Foodies unite with the flow of firey foods that seep up from the chile fields into our markets, kitchens and ultimately party platters!
From Bill Geist teaching his grandson this morning on CBS Sunday Morning the fine art of being a man honoring the game with the party fare on the cocktail table to my husband making his favorite Firehouse chili recipe, the culinary influences from our own southwest and points even farther south are abundantly apparent.
Not everyone is want to incorporate Mexican textiles, Talavera tiles, brilliantly bright pottery or the like into their home decor…but come football season and you’ll find colonial homes on the historic registrar all over the east coast armed with their obligatory bags of Tostitos and Doritos! I heard yesterday that the avocado sales in the United States goes off the charts this week in preparation for the bazillion pounds of guacamole dip being prepared for the Super Bowl parties!
So all the recent cooking shows and guest spots have been featuring basic to outrageously creative versions of salsas, quesadillas, queso and chips, tacos of every variety and even Mexico’s royal crowned cerveza, Corona challenging the King of Beers…how did this happen? When and how did this particular sports scene morph into an unconscious celebration of Latin American culinary interpretations? Was this by design?
It does beg that question, the answer to which is undeniably true – it began with the macho image – no silly, not nacho, macho – that somehow translated into spicy (look what habaneros in Tabasco have done for our very own Buffalo wings), which means the hotter you can take it, the more manly you are…and thus the tradition was born. Starting back with bowls of that “Texas” chile, tomato based stew of red kidney beans and hamburger meat which by personal preference (remember the manly man likes it hot) is identified by how much red chile powder one adds to the brew to Velvetta becoming synonymous with queso dip it became a theme of hot punctuations of flavor. Chile con queso to be exact – with a can of Rotelle or your own version from scratch with melted cheese and cream and roasted and peeled chiles, onions and tomotoes all chopped into the blend it’s all about flavor and HEAT! Do you use jalapenos or serranos? Do you stuff jalapenos with gooey queso and deep fry for tantalizing poppers? Do you buy salsa in a jar or make your own from the freshest ingredients diced into a fresco pico de gallo? Simple recipe to follow:
5 ripe Roma tomatoes diced 1 med. onion diced (white is traditional – but go crazy with a red one – porque no?) 5 serrano chiles seeded and diced (keep your hands away from your nose and eyes for the next several hours – or use gloves when you chop – like a wimp) 1 large lime or 3 small ones juiced (also nice to have a bowl cut-up for the beer – in which case you will need MANY more) 1/3 c. fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped
Mix it all together and dive into it with fresh tortilla chips – or bagged from the store if you must!
Whether a purist or packaged party planner, let’s pull out our sombrero chip and dip platters, and celebrate our adopted Latin flavors, colors and heat that raise the temperatures on these chilly football afternoons – Ole!

Posted On February 6, 2011 By pattisays In design, design trends, DIY design, food and interior design, seasonal interior design, table dressings, travel and design, Uncategorized /

Dormant Months Provide Planning Time For Garden Designs

They’re not dead, they’re just sleeping!! Dormant yet quite alive, gardens are begging for attention with plans for the next season’s excitement!! We know all the recommendations about planting bulbs in the fall and pruning roses in late February, but now is the time to begin your master plan for the outdoor living spaces that will be so important and exciting in the warmer months! Plan NOW!
I have just completed three studies for a “Fantasy Garden.” The distillation of these plans into one more consolidated design will be a master plan for many years to come…it is the story of a garden comprised of an intimate series of zones and spaces ever growing, changing with the seasons and coming years. It is not static. It is a living, breathing work in progress.
This particular garden was requested by the owner to include many features such as a soaking tub, pomegranate tree, storage for bikes, cactus garden, vegetable garden, breakfast patio, party patio, meditation garden…and more…their love of art invites plans for placement of various pieces currently owned and to be acquired. Does this conjure up a picture of an enchanted maze of discovery and wonderment? It should.
Creating outdoor spaces for expanded living enjoyment can be done on a postage stamp sized piece of property (a rooftop maybe) or sections of a larger whole. Don’t hesitate to explore the possibilities for creating the pleasurable environments of an intensely manicured Japanese garden, wild xeric scene or a multi-faceted collective like the one described here. In any case, it is YOUR space and should be so very inviting that you are drawn to be out there – irresistibly drawn to the magic that is provides.
Use your imagination and envision breakfasts outside, water features providing subtly refreshing sounds, nature in the air of bird songs and soft fragrances, evenings under the stars, parties with festive lighting, outdoor kitchens, fresh air and the ever changing blooms and growth of seasonal plantings. And there’s more! Just imagine!
So, start thinking now! Gather you ideas, make a wish list and begin planning your landscape design in these quiet months, preparing aspects that are not dependent upon warmer days, so that when the time arrives, you are ready to plant, critique, sit back and enjoy!

Posted On January 5, 2011 By pattisays In design, design trends, DIY design, environmental, environmental design, exterior - outdoor design, landscape design, seasonal interior design /

The Cleansing White of Winter

The window at our shop has just been transformed from the Christmas scene of ornamented tree and colorful gift ideas emphasizing lots of reds and greens to our winter scene of startling white and silver. It seems that after the bright colors of summer transform into the warm oranges and golds of autumn’s leaves falling leaving the enduring evergreens and contrasting rich reds of the Christmas season, we’re ready to cleanse our color palette and start the New Year with the “clean crisp white” as Votivo has aptly named one of its more popular candle scents.
Our feature statement, for the kid in all of us, is a fanciful prancing white carousel horse on a white blanket of snowy fabric surrounded with sparkling reflective cast pewter serving pieces, picture frames, candles and a spectacular bouquet of pearly and bejeweled white branches all contributing to a stunning display of white and silver brilliance.
As we settle into the next few weeks of winter, the crisp white and brilliant metallic of silver suggest snowy nights entertaining friends for cozy evening gatherings with sparkling serving pieces of pewter, sterling, crystal and firelight. Food enters my field of vision with delectable hors d’ oeuvres on those silver serving pieces, warming drinks in crystal glassware, lively conversation, smiles and good cheer.
In the design world, the conversations surrounding “white” are always interesting. Not only are there endless colors of white – put one next to another to test this fact – one will tint pink and the other lean yellow…some have a blue cast and others grey…it’s all about contrast and context. What one identifies as white changes dramatically when placed next to another version of the same – or supposedly the same. Yet, they are distinctly NOT the same.
When an interior – a tract home, for example – offers “white” walls, more often than not, they are an off-white, warmer yet still perceived as “white.” To that scene, in that context, the walls probably seem un-done – a non-color. They appear to not have been addressed and beg for color attention. However, white can also BE a color. If it is an intentional color in the Interior Design scheme, white can be as powerful as the most brilliant red or the most complex black. Save this in-depth discussion for another time.
Now, just nestle in for the cold winter days ahead with an eye on a fresh start for colors to come…light some candles, burn a fire and set out some silver trays of tasty treats, and sip from a crystal vessel finding warmth, contentment and promise in the start of this coming New Year.

Posted On December 29, 2010 By pattisays In color and temperature re: interior design, design, design trends, seasonal interior design /

Let There Be Light

Ho Ho Ho one week until Christmas – are you decked for the holidays? Light up your life!! The bonus of shorter days this time of years is the dazzle and pop of twinkly lights! Everyone customarily puts some version in their front yard – whether you choose the white lights or the multi-colored the festive illumination is magical – but have you ever considered putting them in the back of your home too? Often our evenings are spent oriented to the back of the house – adding lights out there brings dimension and delight to your evenings! Leave them up all winter – who wrote these rules?
Think green! Did you know that LED lights are now available at most major retail and warehouse stores? They use 90 percent less energy than conventional holiday lights, and can save you up to $50 on your energy bills during the holiday season!
My dear friend Beth gave me fabulous branches of twinkly lights that are definitely being added to my repertoire. Not just limited to the holidays, these delicate branches have tiny low-voltage lights that will add a twinkle to any scene. They can be embellished with additional greenery, foil, balls – whatever to fill the vessel if clear or equally handsome springing forth from a rustic pottery urn or slick ceramic piece. Come summer, I will mix them with deciduous greenery for a different seasonal sparkle!! We will be carrying these in the shop so watch for them on our website under “new products.”
Adding large format white lights deep inside your Christmas tree brings detail and depth to your tree. Whether you use small white lights or large colored lights by adding large white lights in by the trunk, the tree has greater presence and form.
Let there be light!!!

Posted On December 18, 2010 By pattisays In design, design trends, DIY design, interior design, seasonal interior design /

Personal Design Expression for the Holidays

Maybe it’s just me…because I know many in the design field who go whole hog for the holidays and any seasonal change for that matter. I however seem to do minimal personal modifications for these landmark opportunities of design statements in the home.
We’re in the fast lane and that might be part of it. Not having time to devote to such luxuries as removing a layer of life to make room for the seasonal layer of ornamentation – might be part of it -only to replace and re-do a month later…Or is it the busman’s holiday? Not so for some in my profession, but for me, I don’t focus on modifying my personal environment with the enthusiasm and objectivity – if not subjectivity that I do for my clients when it comes to holiday décor.
Retain my services to define your personal holiday statement and I can conjure up magnificent expressions for anything from starry nights of theatrical lighting, glitz and bling, pyrotechnics for New Years and /or the 4th of July all the way to pastel eggs and draping bouquets of French tulips as Easter approaches and Spring subtly announces itself. Don’t invite the idea of livestock into your request, as full manger scenes and pens of bunnies being corralled (try that) by a man-sized person in a costume assuming the Easter bunny role – is not out of the question – it can be over the top and very much fun!
Perhaps it’s because I am “on” so much of the time. And as much as I LOVE the challenges of design, coming home is a quiet time – a place to renew and not to be so “on” that I need to go over the top. My canvas is all over the place in other people’s environments whereas yours might be exclusively your home – so paint it festive – decorate it dazzling for the holidays and the seasonal shifts that offer so much opportunity in the way of personal expression.
In recent years, I hate to admit, I have even given myself a bi on the exercise of putting up a tree when I know that we will be away for the actual Christmas day festivities or that we are not indulging the kids as they might be out-of-town…on those years a big poinsettia from Costo fits the bill. Seriously…that sounds terrible – but a big red poinsettia can make quite a statement – that with the wreaths on the front doors, white lights on the shrubbery and a token bouquet of red flowers in the vases…put on the Christmas music the entire month of December – Voila!
“Bah Humbug” you say. Yet, the satisfaction – the genuine pleasure derived can vary among people. Ok, this year I wrapped garland around the banister with bows and lights – that’s when I pull out the stops…but this year is different. We are here from the “almost” front of the month through Christmas without interruption – often we find ourselves leaving for two weeks and arriving back in time to screech into Christmas with no holds barred, frantically getting Christmas cards out (no doubt with a photos having been taken elsewhere on the 15th or 18th or 22nd of the month), wrapping packages and throwing them at the post office counter, paying a premium for expedited delivery, or not, in the nick of time – or maybe after Christmas – why not milk the fun for longer if possible? Sometimes I have actually been in the position of questioning a dual purpose Christmas card and Valentine greeting in one fell swoop!
“When do you bake cookies?” you say. Well, my grandmother, Dee Dee was the queen of cookie baking and as I said in this very blog as we approached Thanksgiving, my cousin has taken the lead in that department – I enjoy eating others’ confections – but time to bake cookies? Hello?
The Renaissance woman, the Anjolie (Did I spell that correctly? Well, you the reader either know the reference or you don’t.) model who can do it all…Really? I consider myself busy most days. I know we all pick our priorities and we often saddle ourselves with onerous projects that further impede our ability to function evenly at a comfortable pace – but do what you like and do what you can and splash some red and green about with the accents of your personal choice – shimmers of silver and gold – rich brilliance of jewel toned amethyst, topaz, garnet, emerald and sapphire – boil some cinnamon sticks or evergreen cuttings on the stove in lieu of baking or erecting a live tree for hours…define your holiday environment – enjoy – mix a Manhattan – Cheers!

Posted On December 13, 2010 By pattisays In design, design trends, DIY design, food and interior design, nostalgia and design, seasonal interior design /

When is it Clutter?

I read an interesting article about clutter in the current 2010 December issue of the Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine. The gist of it was that the author was not a collector of things and she had even purged nearly every personal possession prior to getting married for the express purpose of starting fresh. She prided herself that she was not attached to things and found a few differences of opinion with the surprising sentimentality that she discovered with her new husband and his family.
As this young couple started their own family she promised herself and her new baby that he would not be encumbered by material things. But as the article progressed, she took a different tack and began to find greater understanding of the memories attached to things and the emotions that were fondly stirred by them.
Yet, clutter can be defined differently by different people from anyone who wants to keep family furniture and decorative accessories to a true hoarder. Like the T.V. shows that feature this compulsive disorder to accumulate just for the sake of accumulation to the extent that one cannot weed through a space piled high with stuff is frightening.
But don’t be afraid to collect things that give you joy, or save things that evoke sentimentality or fond memories. Savor the thoughts that come from handling familiar things, reminiscing about people, places and the things left behind…
Be a care-taker for future generations – a thoughtful custodian of things with special attachments – of monetary value or not – value is in the eye of the beholder – and often, sentimentality out-weighs it all!
Designing with the collector’s eye or with the love of family and history, the pleasure derived from the things that surround you, and maybe even help ground you are not to be dismissed. Things do NOT take the place of people yet are often the things that people cared for and therefore are a means of establishing their immortality – a tangible memory. It can be a form of respect to care for something that someone previously cared for and passed on…
Step back and see your “clutter” or lack thereof…rearrange, organize and prepare for the holidays with the comfort of the people and things that bring you joy.

Posted On December 8, 2010 By pattisays In design, interior design, nostalgia and design, seasonal interior design /

For the LOVE of Life – Bring the Plants Inside!

It’s here…perhaps a week ago- but soon, if not right now –if you haven’t done so already – it’s time to Bring the Plants Inside!!! There is a fine line between being a slave to your geraniums which seem to rejuvenate and thrive with bountiful clusters of flowers just when the air is the coolest, right before the first frost and the person who can ignore the pending doom. HOW can you possibly let them just die in the cold after such a profuse growth spurt and promise of beautiful blooms to come? That’s the irony of seasonal plants – yet, you can successfully bring them inside to weather out the winter months and return to your patio in the spring!
The problem is – where to put them??? It messes with our Interior Design to impose this wild collection of plants into the interior setting that is so precisely organized. You might even consider bringing an étagère from the patio to the inside of your home for the express purpose of placing/saving these many plants in a consolidated vertical footprint. You might place them on the floor if they are large enough to do so – that means occupying a space probably big enough for a lounge chair!!
But it is a season dilemma –very real and continuously challenging. Then there are those brave souls who make that ultimate decision – to “heck” with them – this year I am vindicated – let the frost take them – I’ll watch them shrivel into little clumps of what looks like cooked spinach!! I’ll just buy more next year! Hmmm, an economical decision – maybe…
Versus those who nurture these babies year after year and watch them change, evolve, and grow who could no more leave them to the sure death in the cruel cold of the seasonal change than stay out there themselves to freeze to death in that quiet way that “they say” that particular type of death overcomes one. No – that would NOT be an option!!
So plan ahead and eek out the space needed to house your precious plants for the cold winter months so as to enjoy releasing them to the warmth of spring on your patios bringing their new growth and joy to your outdoor living spaces!

Posted On November 19, 2010 By pattisays In exterior - outdoor design, interior design, practical design, seasonal interior design, summer /

seasonal interior design