Nov 05

DOWNSIZING: Part One of Three

It’s a popular word in the recent vernacular. Increasingly pertinent whether it is your grandparents, parents or YOU, the trend to leave your large home, consolidate and either move to a smaller home or apartment/condo or to enter the realm of the organized social scene of a retirement community – downsizing is an increasingly popular move.

It might be a financial decision to better manage the money or a social move to connect with friends, cultivate new friends and activities, or make a physical move to facilitate independent or even assisted living. Whatever the reason, interior designers are finding this to be a very important niche.

Problem solving, creative lifestyle design, updating, or as my mother said “punching up” to refresh, designers find their challenges and satisfaction in helping make environments more accommodating, attractive, and appealing. Function in tandem with form – not necessarily preceding.

Helping to organize, make decisions, prioritizing, placing items on a floorplan to better understand size and scale – what to take with and what to leave behind. It can be exciting, but it can be emotionally stressful. Parting with things that have been collected over a lifetime is a huge chapter to turn.

Connecting with a interior design professional who can assist with the process of planning the move, placing the furnishings, selecting the finishes and colors of the new space, finding things to better fit the new rooms, while curating the things that mean the most or work the best is an invaluable decision-making process.

This bright senior – about to enter her nonagenarian years and still working on courtroom Zoom sessions 3 states away as an expert witness – found herself through a series of circumstances, physically challenged and displaced to New Mexico to be closer to family. Her multi-level home of 50 years was so familiar and unique that the move, while being practical for many reasons, became onerous and depressing. The despair with which she found herself was painful. Once the move was made, house sold along with all of it’s contents (yes, she was persuaded by family to leave everything behind) the clock could not be turned back. Her family had retained a decorator to bring in and arrange some rental furniture – sadly, it deepened her depression.

She, being a tenacious, previously independent individual, got on her computer and Googled interior designers and found us. Without any reference other than our on-line presence – she retained our services and I went to work.

Her 5-decade home was professionally designed in the 70s and was a testimonial to the talents of that person or team. Although dated in some ways, the interior was classic and of excellent quality. It stood the test of time, but now it was time for a change. This feisty gal declared that she wanted this new space to be purple. Not lavender – purple. She wanted it done fairly quickly as every day she spent in this confined space (two bedrooms – one was her office and two baths with a small kitchen and adjacent living room), with the undesirable rental furniture, her despondency worsened.

Quite a task, but up to the challenge, I probed her interests and tastes, likes and dislikes, preferences and wishes. She had recently acquired a framed print of Monet’s Giverny bridge over the lily pad pond. It became the inspiration that drove her desired design direction.

Having heard the reference about being old and wearing purple: “When I am an old woman I shall wear purple,” evidently from the opening line of the poem “Warning” by Jenny Joseph, suggests a desire to celebrate one’s individuality and defy society’s expectations about old age by wearing intensely bright colors like purple, at the expense of them being seen as inappropriately loud, I embraced the concept and ran with her purple palette.

In order to customize this special color scheme and transform this interior as soon as possible, I scouted thrift stores, antique shops, local retailers, Facebook Marketplace and Craig’s List. Exaggerating slightly regarding her not having brought any furnishings with her – she had a print of an 1890s dining/party scene in an ornate gold wood frame, a few music boxes that were irreparably damaged in shipment, and her little dog.

The existing flooring was a combination of new vinyl plank and a grey commercial grade direct-glue carpet. She elected and succeeded in having the management change the flooring to eliminate the carpet and continue the LVT. We found an area rug online that was thin and washable and worked well to anchor the living area.

She wanted a sleeper sofa for her visiting grandson, I found one on Facebook in near-new condition, albeit the fabric was all wrong. We reupholstered it in her choice from about 20 fabric samples I had gathered for her consideration. It was a bold, high performance purple textile that could have been garish had the other elements of the room not come together as they did. We piped it in a lighter more pink/purple detail for contrast and interest. The sleeper was a little too wide, so we reduced the dimension by modifying the arms. We also eliminated the center seam in the back and made the seat three cushions instead of two.

We also replaced the original mattress with a new memory foam in a bamboo envelope.

Another second-hand find was a handsome recliner with carved cabriole legs and wingchair style. It was in a badly worn leather, yet the mechanism was in perfect condition, and it was our next reupholstered piece using one of the 20 coordinating fabrics I had initially presented.

As there was no specific, much less a formal dining area, I found a small square table – like a card table also with cabriole legs. It had been painted with a black finish and gold accents.

With it, a coordinated, but mismatched pair of French chairs were also being sold. The chairs were provincial in white with light blue trim. I had them painted black and then placed them on top of my conference table and detailed them with gold accents. Both chairs had arms and upholstered seats.

One had a cane back and the other upholstered. One chair was short and the other tall. Yet they were a good quality, sturdy, Drexel duo from the 60s or 70s. Another fabric from our collected samples was selected for the two chairs. The three pieces made a clever, attractive and inviting little bistro dining setting. Her gold-framed print of the Victorian dining /party scene was hung above the vignette.

A purple runner adds a splash of color, and a sweet little white vintage ceramic lamp (another antique shop discovery) finishes the scene. It is at this table that she spends most of her time – sorting paperwork, reading, holding court with visitors. From this perch, she can look out to her patio and large grassy communal courtyard beyond, with a fireplace in the near corner for cozy winter nights.

A simple reproduction cabriole coffee table from a thrift store, a vintage drop leaf table from an antique shop, a couple of lamps and filler wall-art pieces to support the theme and color scheme – with a leafy live palm in the corner, resulted in an inviting space. The vertical blinds are building standard.

Her bedroom was mostly bed. But a Monet print to hang above in lieu of a headboard, piled with pillows that she had used on her rental sofa, with a couple of eclectic nightstand finds and a new lamp created a room for repose.

The result is a very happy client very pleased with her new interior. Neighbors on her floor and members of the staff have stopped by to compliment her on her transformation – which has gone a long way in getting her settled, comfortable and happier about her move. As soon as I presented her with this vintage find of a lovely hand-cut leaded crystal bowl, she promptly ordered purple candies to offer her guests.

Apr 30

Designing, Styling and Why – Finding Personal Style

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic imagery, branding in interior design, Color schemes, color trends, colors, commercial design, commercial interior design, commercial remodel, Contemporary Art, contemporary fabrics, contemporary interiors, context of interior design, Contrasting colors, contrasts for balance in design, creative process, creativity, custom art in interior design, decorative arts, design, design and marketing, design challenges, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, Design Team, design theme, design tips, design trends, designing a new home, designing with a purpose, DIY design, eclectic design, element of surprise in design, expressionism, family rooms, functional art, good design, good taste, home, home decor, inspiration, interior accents, interior atmosphere, interior design, Interior design pro tips, interior design pro-tips, interior design trends, lifestyle, new home design, paint colors, practical design, sofas, style, styling, Subscribers, tips for new home design, trending design, trends, Uncategorized, value of good design /

Styling is a vague term used popularly now for many facets of artful design that come together to create a presentation (in this case) for interiors. Interior designers practice the artful tricks of “styling” while calling on their expertise with many other important professional elements regarding practical and functional design decisions, structural considerations, mechanical and electrical aspects, client collaboration, budgeting parameters, and more. Terminology can confuse the conversation because often the illusive thing that clients are seeking is finding their “style.” This goes deeper than embracing a new trend or changing a style of furniture from Scandinavian to French. It goes deeper into the very personal places that are uniquely individual. It’s about lifestyle and personality, temperament, and taste.

Assembling elements in your home or workplace is about lifestyle and personality, temperament, and taste. This living room is taking shape for a single man wishing to update his furnishings and fixtures throughout his home.

I was told in school that there is no such thing as bad taste – just bad design. I love that. It takes an enormous percentage of the judgement out of it and leaves the important characteristics to be critiqued such as function, form, balance, color, texture, volume, lighting…

Styling and designing both require balance – designing being the more comprehensive of the two. Each consider many of the same elements, but designing digs deeper. I often converse with clients about the opposites in their spaces. Hard/soft, smooth/rough, light/dark, warm/cool, simple/complex…finding the effective, pleasing, balance in all the elements in a space is critical to the comfortable success of the design. I seek the positive, buoyant, uplifting effect that elicits good vibes.

The result should be more than satisfying, it should be joyful and personal. This chair and ottoman were vintage pieces handed down in this family and here we reupholstered them to give them new life in a new context.

As an interior designer my job is to extract and decipher the wishes of my clients – commercially or residentially. Not only what they want and need, but how to achieve it. It has to do with the art of design and the practicality or reality of executing the work. The result should be more than satisfying, it should be joyful and personal – designed for the specific needs and goals of the individual(s) with whom I am working.

Discovering your personal style might be like a lightbulb turning on – it’s been there all along but wasn’t recognizable. You have it but don’t realize it. Which begs the question, what is style? It is very representative.

From my experience, there is no such thing as no style. Not having style. The very concept of that is like a reverse condition of being without style (un-styled ) – like messing up a hairdo. Yet that disheveled do is a style unto itself – albeit not in the contrived sense of order and intent. That same hairdo in a fierce wind might become similarly disheveled – but without the intent – it might be considered an organic style.

Tidy to disheveled, style is limitless. The occupant of the space is surrounded by books that never quite get put away.
Fascinating to some – unnerving to others.

Interior design can be contrived with much intent, formalized with attention to detail or a more unselfconscious approach that always appears more casual, organic and lived-in. Of course, there are happy mediums too. However, the risk of the “unselfconscious” approach is that by the very nature of the approach to create that which does not LOOK contrived – can be very contrived!!! Hence the unfortunate, if not unintended, result!!

Tidy to disheveled, style is limitless – the permutations and opportunities are endless. But when styling a “scene”, do we keep books in the bookshelves with perhaps one on an end table or nightstand for practicality and interest or do we present piles of books as though the occupant of the space is surrounded by books that never quite get put away? Fascinating to some – unnerving to others.

Some categories of interior design allow a “stylist” to express themselves – rather than focusing on the specific design needs, desires, requirements, and ultimate joy of a client. Style for the sake of imagery. These categories include product representation and promotion/branding – ads and TV commercials, and vignettes that are not intended for real life but for effect. To create appeal and promote trending marketing efforts, assembling for model homes or staging for individual homes for sale and theatrical set design are also examples of the applicability of styling. This “styling” is a very marketable talent – different from designing for and about a client’s personal wants and needs – in a residential or commercial setting.

Commercial interiors combine the branding of the business as well as the personality of the occupants and the culture of the workplace. We completely redirected the focus of this insurance office by emphasizing their brand in color, imagery and graphics. Corporate marketing material was enlarged and used for artwork to further reinforce the brand and emphasize the mission for both employees and clients.

Style evolves. Styling can be an ongoing process – even daily. But that becomes a preoccupation that is not necessarily practical for everyone. Our tastes change with life experiences and with them new interests, accommodations and necessities all contribute to the evolution of personal style. But look at your own personal style and see what about it has remained constant even if your design direction has changed.

You have style. You need to try to articulate it, embrace it or change it. I often hear “I know what I like when I see it.” That’s true of all of us. But being a “creative,” a designer, we create and not merely discover, find, and assemble – through all parts of the process. Helping clients distill the flood of inspiration, imagery and ideas presented, on the limitless platforms dedicated to interior design, new construction, remodeling, styling, and decorating, is the first stage of the job. With so many choices and directions from which to choose, navigating that circuitous path through the oh so many images and ideas is daunting, but essential to finding the right elements to combine and create the design – and set forth the style.

The stuff of life. This couple downsized and culled their belongings to their very favorite things. Their new interior, in their custom home, incorporated all of their treasures and added some new pieces for their next chapter.

Knowing what you like when you see it and collecting as you go is what results in what I fondly call the stuff of life. Your life is partially represented in the things you have discovered and saved – things that bring you joy that you want to see and have around you. They may change over time. Your fascination or appreciation for an object might wane…but the principle of having things collected over time and life experiences (or minimalist lack thereof) is a personal expression. Often the trick is to re-arrange what you have. The style is there, but the placement and orientation can make a significant difference. Arranging is very much a central part of effective styling and interior design. Styling is a fun way to play with options, trends, make statements, influence, and experiment. Have fun finding your style and incorporating all you love and enjoy into your interiors!

Aug 07

Fabrics – Texture, color, pattern, design & style – The Art of Transformation

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, beauty behold it, before and after, chairs, Color schemes, color trends, colors, commercial design, commercial interior design, contemporary fabrics, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, decorative accessories, design details, design process, design scenes, design theme, design tips, design trends, designer fabrics, designing a new home, designing with a purpose, eclectic design, element of surprise in design, embroidery, fabric design, fabrics, fanciful design, faux finishes, furniture finds, good design, graphic designs in interiors, hiring an interior designer, home, home decor, home improvements, how to select colors, inspiration, interior accents, interior design, Interior design pro tips, interior design pro-tips, interior design trends, interior enhancements, lifestyle, living with color, modern interiors, new home design, nostalgia and design, office furniture, Okeo Tex, patterns, personal expression, personal spaces, personal taste, planning a new home, planning a remodel, practical design, re-purpose, re-upholstery, recycle, recycle design, Refresh, remodeling, reupholstery, seating options, sectional sofas, selecting colors, sofas, Subscribers, textile design, textiles, textures, Thrifting, throw pillows, tips for new home design, trending design, trends, up-cycle, update design, updating, upholstery, value of good design, workplace design / 1

Everyone loves “Before & Afters.” The transformation of an object or a space is the magic of interior design. One of the most valuable elements in our design wheelhouse is fabric. Fabrics have the ability to transform. Like paint – color – altering to enhance a piece or the entire environment, fabrics offer not only color, but texture, pattern, design and style.

I love a good find. Call it antiquing, thrifting, scouting, treasure hunting…the hunt is the intrigue. Exploring random sources to find the perfect piece. Once found – knowing what, if anything, is needed to transform it.

The lines of these handsome armless chairs caught our attention out in the elements, on the front porch as we passed by.

Reupholstery is a life-saving treatment. To salvage a tired piece with good bones and great lines is a service to good design. Pairing old pieces with new fabrics is rejuvenating. Inserting fabulous fabrics into a design scheme is a fine art that gives aged pieces a new life and contributes to the uniqueness of the composition of a space.

As we placed the chairs for an intimate conversational grouping, the scene started to take shape.

Of the design elements, paint is the one with the seemingly limitless choices. Fabrics are next. The worldwide variety of textiles, creatives, fibers and the combinations thereof are vast. Searching for just the right fabric for a specific piece is part of that treasure hunt.

You have heard the term “run of the mill.” Even for many, having never thought of this as a fabric metaphor – this phrase is used commonly to describe the common. It means ordinary – a common, mass-produced product’s run of a manufacturing mill. Using common fabrics is a cop-out when it comes to creating unique designs – especially when there are so many incredible fabrics from which to choose.

Focusing on a close-up of this recent upholstery fabric, we see the intricacies of the colors and textures of the weave.

Personality comes into play when selecting a fabric. Along with function (how durable/cleanable it needs to be), the taste and preferences of the user, and the context in which it might occur – personality of the pieces plays a major role. For example, reading the personality of a chair – its lines and scale.

In the workroom, the chair begins to express its new identity.

The personalities of fabrics are as endless as the textiles themselves. Fabrics evoke moods, seasons and even attitude. For commercial use, as well as heavy-use residential – workhorse fabrics have evolved. Not long ago, durable fabrics looked durable, less attractive and limited. And without turning this into a continuing education course about fiber content, it is obvious once you investigate the options, durability for wear, ultraviolet tolerance, mildew resistance, and antimicrobial properties – are all woven or applied to fabrics allowing amazing installations in commercial interiors that you would not hesitate to have on your living room sofa!

Most people wouldn’t look twice at this tired sectional, however, we knew we wanted a portion of a curved sectional (not an “L”, but a soft curve).

Voila! The finished sectional is further detailed with custom throw pillows to bring together the caramel and blue tones of this color scheme. Warmly greeting guests upon arrival.

Residential interiors can now enjoy what commercial interiors have realized for years. By incorporating the durability and cleanability which allows for the wear and tear – without showing those signs of real life – residential and commercial interiors incorporate fabulous fabrics that defy their strength – beauty and style conquer!

Sustainability of the fiber sources is an increasing topic of conversation. That and the fiber contents regarding the health/safety of the materials and treatments, if any, used (Okeo Tex certification, for example).

With all this information regarding the myriad options, enhanced durability and the unique opportunities that textiles provide to dress your great pieces – treasure the history, family hand-me-downs (if not heirlooms) and give them new life!!!! Its ART!!!

Mar 05

Details of Home

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, ambiance, apartments, art and interior design, artistic expression, artistic imagery, built-in bookcases, chairs, Color schemes, colors, Company C, Contemporary Art, contemporary interiors, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, decorative accessories, decorative mirrors, design, design challenges, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design theme, design tips, design trends, designer fabrics, designing a new home, designing with a purpose, drama of color, eclectic design, eclecticism, element of surprise in design, fabrics, fanciful design, favorite colors, good design, hiring an interior designer, home, home decor, houses, inspiration, interior accents, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, Interior design pro tips, interior design pro-tips, interior design trends, interior enhancements, interior paint, joy, living with color, mirrors, multi-generational design, new home design, nostalgia and design, paint colors, peaceful places, personal expression, personal spaces, personal taste, photography, planning a new home, planning a remodel, re-upholstery, Refresh, relaxation, remodeling, reupholstery, room arrangement, seating options, selecting colors, sofas, Subscribers, the story, trending design, trends, up-cycle, update design, updating, upholstery, value of good design / 1

Whether a minimalist or an eclectic collector/gatherer, one’s details of home are important and personal. Like personality types, what is important to one person is not so much for another. However, it tells a story. The details of a home make it just that. Home.

This interior has a lot of personality and very much reflects the artist who lives here. Antique family side chairs take a near full century leap with this new, colorfully eclectic upholstery.

Residences, the dwellings in which we live, can take many forms – from short-term to decades of ensconced living. To “reside” regardless of the length of time – suggests a certain level of comfort to include some detail(s) to make it “home.”

Each home is an individually personal space filled with details that make it so.

What might YOU consider imperative elements of what you call “home?” Consider comfort, color, ambiance, familiarity, convenience, nostalgia and perhaps just pure joy.

A hotel room for the busy “road warrior” traveling for business, might reveal a photo of a loved one placed thoughtfully on the nightstand. Something as simple as this can make a temporary residence feel more like “home.”

Upon plopping the overnight bag on the hotel bed, one of the first things to unpack might be the framed photo of a loved one to place on the nightstand.

Dorm rooms will reflect personalities, pleasures, interests, colors and imagery for young people leaving home for the first time. They create their own sense of place and “home” while embarking on their new chapters of life.

While looking around your place of residence – this place you call “home,” consider what is important to you. It might be the actual architecture, quality of natural light, a collection, a piece of art, furniture, photographs, decorative accessories…

A little over a year ago during the throws of our introspective isolation, my cousin, a thoughtful artist of photography, commented from Connecticut about The Essence of Home. In it she shares intimate observations and encourages personal study of your significant space – memory or current abode. She also suggests an interesting little project in which she invites us to “take half an hour and create a photo essay of a place that has significance” to us. “Challenge yourself to capture a feeling. Wait for the right time of day and seek out the mystery of the place. (This is a great activity for kids, too. You’ll be amazed by what they choose to photograph – what “home” means to them.) See what thing you’re drawn to capturing; become aware of the everyday beauty in the space around you.” https://www.catebarryphotography.com/

As an interior designer, I am engaged in creating and illuminating details that are meaningful. Whether a view or an object, color or finish, access or privacy – inside or out of the interior these elements collectively contribute to create the overall design. I encourage my clients to identify things they do and things they own – things they have gathered and how they live. What of them is of greater importance and why. This process begins a dialog of preference, value, and interests. Establishing priorities to springboard a project is key to a firm platform for the design.

You know the old question…If your house were on fire, what would you want to get out? It might be a person or a pet certainly – but if it were a material possession(s), it is a question worth pondering. The same is true if you moved or remodeled, what elements would you want to retain or replicate and what would you eliminate or change?

Vintage family pieces reupholstered, new pieces repurposed, bookcases filled with personal treasures, and the precious pet in the center of the action. Home.

The details of your home are personal, identifying, comforting aspects of your interior design. Discovering these important details is significant in effectively planning your interiors.

May 13

Lift Up Those Skirts and Check Out Those Fabulous Legs!

By pattisays In blue and white, contemporary fabrics, contemporary interiors, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, design, design challenges, design details, design process, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designer fabrics, fabrics, focal points, good design, hardwood floors, hiring an interior designer, home, home decor, home improvements, interior accents, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, Interior design pro tips, interior design trends, interior enhancements, investment pieces, lifestyle, modern interiors, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, practical design, re-upholstery, remodeling, reupholstery, sofas, Subscribers, trending design, trends, up-cycle, update design, updating, upholstery, value of good design / 1

Woo Hoo – sound a tad risqué? Well, to get your attention, the title seemed apt. We continue to find hidden treasures and here are a couple examples that we have discovered and unveiled during this time of limited mobility. And a special feature piece that we had previously presented a while back – but warranted re-visiting for this blog.

Many sole-proprietor upholsterers and seamstresses work alone – all the time. So limiting their activities now is unfortunate for everyone. YOU might want to utilize this time to spruce up around the house since you have had this extraordinary time to observe and critique the function and flavor of your interior (and exterior) spaces.

Walking through the spaces of your immediate world, in and out of sunshine penetrating the shadows of stationary units of furniture placed with purpose and function, if not a design aesthetic – pondering the possibility of why not both? Can’t we have function and a great look? Does anything you see look as though it might need a re-make? Why not enhance the function of your interior space by re-thinking how it works or at least enhance the flavor of your interior with texture, color and various values of those harmonious hues or even discordant contrasts of the same?

Re-upholstery is a fabulous tool to salvage good frames and have a near instant-gratification for the results of changing the entire look of a favorite piece of furniture. Often the focal point of a room arrangement, re-covering the piece can exponentially change the entire look – feel – flavor of the room.

Re-upholstery can change the personality of a piece. It can transform the attitude and express an entirely different mood. With feet already exposed and no discovery required, some pieces benefit from minor modifications as well as new fabric.

This “find” in a consignment shop a couple of years ago sported loud chrome feet that seemed to scream they wanted to take flight – yet decked in a rather dull, dirty neutral velvet. Hmmm…

The transformation with a classic blue and white cotton stripe from Scalamandre made this piece stand up and be counted! New feet, in warm cinnamon-colored wood, maintained its original design with an entirely new, grounded style.

However, on the subject of great legs…it’s the discovery that there is something quite fine beneath the modesty panel that was intended originally to limit dust accumulation…the modesty of concealing that which should be celebrated, complimented and enjoyed – great legs!!!!!!

Sometimes it is just a modification and not necessarily complete re-upholstery . Here is a perfect illustration of a classic design elevated with the removal of this traditional skirt.

The treat here is lifting the skirt on a sofa or chair and revealing fabulous feet – legs to showcase! Yes, featuring these great legs can give a lighter look to a tired piece, elevate a bit for a clearance off the floor or rug. And the bonus is great features worth exposing!!!

Still concealed behind the gusset of the skirt’s corner, the leg has yet to be revealed.

Perfectly lovely legs in need of a little “lotion” touch-up – to the finish is all.

Tired upholstery can so easily be replaced. The idea is to know that you have “good bones” with which to work. But even if the bones are less than stellar hardwood, lesser frames can be reinforced to create a good piece for years to come.

New foam, Dacron, down and other fill and wrap all are fluff upon the frame to give the desired loft, density, give, luxury, stability, comfort and over-all look. Collapsed cushions, and worn fabric come to life with new fill and fabric.

This piece was new in 1978 covered in a neutral flaxen damask. In 1997, an intentionally selected down-filled seat cushion, once a desired relaxed, shabby chic look, in a second covering of this classic piece in a luxurious mohair, now looks deflated and tired.

Deflated and tired…this piece covered in a fine, timeless mohair needed help…

The new look elevates the sofa, creates a cleaner style and refines the lines from the collapsed, relaxed look of the shabby chic!!!

The new seat cushion fill and removal of the skirt exposing the legs is a radical transformation without completely re-covering the sofa. The classic mohair fabric is timeless.

Here, another pair of loveseats had skirts that when raised revealed fabulous legs ready to show! The project is not yet finished – move-in, unpacking and re-upholstery on-going…while new furniture pieces and rugs continue to arrive.

A dramatic transformation of a tired piece into a lovely statement piece.

Another detail worth noting is that contours and lines read differently with different fabrics that will conceal or highlight the lines.

This once jewel-toned tapestry fabric (25+ years ago) was a popular chenille for both design and durability. But over the years it has broken down and faded – yet this pair of loveseats remained favorite pieces very worth salvage.

The graceful lines of these pieces were not nearly as evident with the heavy tapestry as they now are with the clean woven linen neutral.

By changing the fabric and exposing the legs, these two pieces are exquisite and remarkable in their amazing transformation.

Consider re-upholstery. It provides the opportunity to select any fabric on the planet that is suitable for the purpose – resulting in an exclusively custom piece. The cost to do so is off-set due to you owning the frame. You don’t have to buy a frame and can therefore put more into the selection of the fabric. The labor and fabric are often less than purchasing a new piece. However, the custom satisfaction is personal and priceless!

The expected wear on the piece and daily use will direct the selection process for wear-ability. Color and abrasion tolerance will be key to selecting the right fabric for the piece. Don’t pick white if you tend to enjoy red wine on a regular basis. But even that is not insurmountable. An extra piece of fabric used as a daily cover will protect the primary piece of upholstery and maintain the desired appearance. Remove for special occasions and Voila! This works too to protect from that prima donna cat who has free run of the house and finds the new upholstery to be the best place for a feline to recline. YOU know who I mean you hairy beast!

Gotta love this magnificent feline! Shown here, Disco inspects the newly upholstered loveseats…wondering “what’s happened here?”

Feb 10

Color. The Spices and Ingredients of Design

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, ambiance, art and food, art of cooking, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, chairs, color and temperature re: interior design, color forecasting, Color schemes, color trends, colors, context of interior design, cooking and design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, decorative arts, design, design challenges, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designer fabrics, designing with a purpose, drama of color, drapery treatments, fabrics, floral arrangement, floral designs, flowers in design, food and interior design, good design, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, how to select colors, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, kitchen design, lifestyle, paint colors, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, red, retail remodeling, sectional sofas, selecting colors, sofas, southwestern design, Subscribers, textiles, textures, timeless colors, trends, upholstery, white interiors, window dressings /

Colors for fashion, interiors or a composing a bouquet are like the many ingredients, spices and herbs selected for great food. Creating dishes with fine flavors and visual appeal, by selecting the right combination, is good culinary design. So we see the spices and ingredients of design everywhere!

Assembling the colors, textures and shapes in a bouquet…

The art is in gathering the right combinations, textures, colors, flavors,…ok – maybe edible bouquets…Well, we’re not tasting the interiors – but some are scrumptious! Ooh – good enough to eat! And the fashion – yes, we’ve seen edible fabrics…generally not attempted in draperies – but who knows? The sky is the limit in design!!!

A few years ago, Kingston University Fashion Student, Emily Crane began pioneering a new strain of edible couture created from gelatin and seaweed! Brilliant and beautiful!!

Inasmuch as edible couture and creating fabrics from edible materials is fascinating, I digress…the actual point of my story is to recognize the common denominators between gathering materials for all forms of art – the assemblages result in the creative finished products. In this instance, interiors and their color schemes which bear likenesses to beautiful foods!

Color is the most apparent ingredient of most artistic design endeavors. It is the most obvious and first to catch your eye. Assembling an interior is usually grounded by a desired color. The foundation of a room begins with deciding a direction with color. This might seem to be contrary to the concept that form follows function – but I believe that the designing for the two are often concurrent events. The vision occurs while the function is simultaneously examined. Most people visualize in color.

I often write about color. It is an ongoing fascination to discover who prefers what color(s) and why. It offers the beginning of the visualization of a concept. As the framework is discussed – such as programming a kitchen. Inevitably, in the early stages, colors and materials are discussed. They might change. They might not end up as first imagined, but color aids in the visualization and process of design.

Look around your world and consider color. Why did you choose your interior colors? When selecting a color for the surfaces, fabrics and finish materials what would you do differently and why. Taking care not to merely react to trends, what colors will bring you joy? Trends often tempt. They are enticing and new, but they move along…It takes thorough examination to determine if a trend is truly applicable or merely a passing temptation. The validation of design is the approval of the occupants or function for whom/which it serves. Not just the feature of a new trend.

So have a little fun seeing these interiors paired with edible color schemes as dishes are correlated to interior schemes.

The spices and ingredients selected to create the flavor bursts might be hot green jalapenos, serranos, tart limes, dried red chiles balanced by the soft and warm yellow of corn tortillas.

What interior might look like a spicy platter of festivity? Perhaps bold wall colors sprinkled with myriad decorative accessories and functional art.

Imagine creating a creamy white-sauce mushroom pasta with velvety texture and soft finish. The ingredients you would reach for would be the cream, pasta, white pepper and perhaps a touch a sherry. Sautéing the mushrooms in butter for a luscious golden brown.

An interior that captures a similar feel derived from the same palette of colors…

Mimicking the creamy mushroom palette, rich wood, copper and steel tones contrast against the creamy whites in this interior featuring one of our favorite furniture and fabric lines – Duralee/Robert Allen!

Duralee/Robert Allen has many collections providing the perfect fabrics and furnishings for so many deliciously diverse interior projects!

From creamy, soft and warm to cool and refreshing…

Cool sushi plates featuring the pink and orange tones of tender fresh fish, cilantro sprig greens, and so white rice!

An interior possessing similar colors – the perfect ingredients to create a stunning design!

Durlaee encompasses many fine collections. Here the Clarke & Clarke Oriental Garden fabrics are gathered together to present a fresh scene reminiscent of our colorfully fresh sushi plate!

Ready for reds?

A berry lovely dish with creamy whites…Our delectable raspberry tart presented on a lace-embossed white pottery piece accented with finely sliced toasted almonds sets the stage for the next interior color scheme…

Once again we are featuring Duralee’s Clarke & Clarke statement called Zanzibar a brilliant raspberry and red ethnic statement inspired by the exotic and vibrant world of Tanzania, Africa. Discovering the creativity of colors and fabrics in distant places offers a mélange of ingredients with which to create an exciting interior design!

Mix it up. Gather the ingredients that will bring you joy and result in a deliciously creative interior!!! Come see and feel these fabulous fabrics and furnishings from Duralee/Robert Allen in our comprehensive design resource library at PATRICIAN DESIGN! Call us and we will send samples!

Dec 30

Refresh and Renew Designing Purposefully for the New Year

By pattisays In artistic expression, blue and white, Color schemes, color trends, colors, context of interior design, creative process, creativity, decorative accessories, design, design challenges, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design tips, design trends, designing with a purpose, dining and design, drama of color, entertaining, floral arrangement, good design, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, interior atmosphere, interior design, interior design preferences, interior design trends, interior enhancements, joy, kitchen, kitchen design, kitchen remodel, lifestyle, organization, paint colors, personal expression, personal taste, planning a remodel, practical design, re-purpose, re-upholstery, Refresh, remodeling, room arrangement, selecting colors, silk flowers, sofas, stone countertops, Subscribers, table dressings, table top, trends, value of good design, white kitchens /

Designing with a purpose is always the way to begin a project. But it is particularly valuable as a tool to start the New Year off fresh! What I mean by purpose is that your interiors should reflect the purpose that they serve for you and your family. By establishing a purpose for your spaces, you will achieve happiness.

Sounds simple, but happiness is proved by what brings you joy, peace and a smile to your face. To achieve this, you will need to evaluate your lifestyle, routines and the rooms in which you perform certain functions.

Upon entering your home, do you feel satisfied? Does arriving home make you feel happy? Is it your safe and comfy retreat from the outside world? Do you like the smell? Yes it matters. Like a realtor telling a home seller to boil some cinnamon sticks on the stove to create the scent of spices in the chilly months or fragrant floral bouquets in the spring and summer…all of the senses come into play when you are staging an interior. And to enhance the design of your own home – you are staging for yourself! If your home smells musty or stale, consider the sources and do a little fabric refreshing, open windows, check for grease in the kitchen…purge the unpleasant odors.

So how do you start your day? Is your room light or dark and how adjustable is it to modify as needed? Is the floor upon which you first set your feet in the morning warm or cool, rough or soft? How do these elements make you feel? How do you want to feel? Consider all of your senses. Consider the purpose of the space and what you want it to do for you. As you evaluate these small details, ask yourself “Do I want to make changes in any of these existing conditions? It’s usually fairly easy to do and if you just take one piece at a time, you will find that the improvements are very effective.

Is your bedroom restful? Are your feel happy when they hit the floor? Examine the sensory details to get started designing with a purpose.

If you enjoy cooking, see how your kitchen functions and how it looks to you as a workplace. Do you have things handy? Is what you use most often easily accessible? Evaluate and rearrange if needed. Re-organize your kitchen.

Some cooks like everything concealed, while some like having certain of their equipment out and ready. Make it suit your purpose.

When you entertain, how do you like to do it? Is your style casual or more formal? Where do people gather and how many at a given time? You can “zone” your entertaining so that some are gathered in established seating areas while others might pull up a stool and watch you cook. Consider the flow of your gatherings. Consider the purpose. I find that I am up and down a lot and therefore I opt for a little upholstered ottoman that I can scoot under the glass top coffee table when not in use. Benches, ottomans, even floor pillows can be great supplemental seating for overflow and these pieces are lower and visually less crowded than pulling chairs in from adjacent rooms.

With regard to seating, do you have pets, kids? Are you hard on your upholstery? This might determine what fabrics you select, if you are considering new pieces or re-upholstery of existing pieces, in your home.

I write often about color. There are so many paint choices that is impossible not to find the right color combinations for your spaces. Consider the purpose. Remember that different rooms can have different color schemes, if that serves your purpose. If you want a space to be restful, select soothing colors and if your want to express a more vibrant spirited feeling, choose colors that are more bright, bold and intense. Consider the purpose of the space and its color scheme regarding how you want it to make you feel.

It all boils down to observing your rooms and their details, letting go of things that no longer serve a purpose. If they do not function well or make you smile – let go. Rearrange your things. This is a neat trick to re-purposing your possessions and giving rooms a new look. Move things from one room to another or just within the same room. You will feel refreshed merely by making these simple changes.

As is true with all good New Year’s resolutions…don’t put off tomorrow, what you can do today! So get started and see how you can make your home the place where you gain strength and rejuvenation, achieve happiness and surround yourself with the things that bring you joy.

Dec 14

Designing is like Cooking…

By pattisays In Albuquerque, New Mexico, architect, art of cooking, artistic expression, artistic talent, artists, commercial interior design, commercial remodel, composing, cooking and design, creative process, creativity, custom design interior design, custom furniture, design, design details, design process, design scenes, design solutions, design tips, design trends, fashion and design, fashion design, furniture finds, good design, Graphic art, hiring an interior designer, home, home improvements, interior design, interior design trends, interior enhancements, landscape design, lifestyle, oatmeal cookie recipes, painters, personal expression, personal taste, practical design, public design, re-upholstery, remodeling, sofas, Subscribers, up-cycle, upholstery, value of good design /

Designing is like cooking – I guess cooking is a form of design. Yes, it certainly is. Whether it is graphic design, fashion design, architecture, musical composition, poetry, landscape or interior design – artists of all media – the art of creating, designing, composing, it is all about the right ingredients in the right amount to balance the scene. Proportion.

Even though I will be focusing on interior design, the”scene” could be the sheet music, the canvas, the poet’s screen or paper…the “scene” is the window that frames/encompasses the finished product. To compare these artistic endeavors, to the art of cooking, is so obvious to me.

Everyone must cook something. Whether it is merely heating up beanie weenies, with a sliced dill pickle tossed in, chased with a gin on the rocks, it is a composition that must result in a tasty scene – for someone. Having said that, we must also note that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” The more successful compositions appeal to a greater number of aficionados.

To cook, one must combine the right ingredients, in the right proportions, to combine to result in the best finished product. When I design, as with cooking, it is often “create as you go”…it is important to add an element and taste…re-think…evaluate…

Assembling ingredients and considering the balance of them in the finished product.

At a glance, the significant distinctions between cooking and interior design is that in cooking, the finished product might be gorgeous, but taste terrible. Interior design is all visual – on the surface…or so you might think…until you evaluate function. A beautiful cake needs to taste as good as it looks. An interior must function as well as it looks. Both are dependent on the subliminal factors that result in a truly successful finish product.

Successful is also in the eye of the beholder…25+ years ago my mother and I went shopping for a leather sofa. She, at 5′ 3″, was a bit on the “vertically challenged” side of the ergonomic spectrum. Therefore, actually sitting in the contenders was important so that her feet comfortably rested on the floor and her back against the back – no propping up with throw pillows to make the fit. So we searched and sat and searched and sat until one day, like Goldilocks, we found one that was “just right.”

A few weeks later, having waited anxiously for this perfect sofa to arrive, Mom excitedly called me and said “they’re delivering my sofa today!” I told her I would be by after work to see it. But before I could finish my day and see this long-awaited focal piece, she called again exclaiming “It’s the wrong sofa!” To which I replied “hang on – I’ll be right there.”

Sure enough, I watched her as she sat on her beautiful new leather sofa and looked like Lily Tomlin doing Edith Ann! Her legs shot straight out and even with a scoot forward, her feet dangled in mid-air. We knew something was wrong. It looked like the right sofa, but we didn’t have the intended dimensions of what we ordered. So all we could do was go back to the showroom and hope the sofa that we thought we had ordered was still on the floor and go from there…

With great relief, we found the showroom model…Mom crossed the room and took a seat. A very comfortable seat. Everything fit just right. So what was with the sofa that was delivered earlier today? As it turned out, it was the right sofa, only hers was brand new. The one on the floor had been sat upon for months and by a thousand fannies…the answer was simple prompted by a simple question. Would they exchange the brand new cushion filling for the broken down stuffing that was in the floor model? And with that – voila! Her new sofa was modified to be the perfect fit – old, broken-down cushions and all!!!!! She still sits comfortably on that sofa today. Function. The outside looked great – the ingredients were a bit off. Ingredients make the difference.

I used this example with a client recently when she had a chair reupholstered. Per her request, the stuffing was not changed – but the upholsterer thought that the collapsed appearance was not good and would reflect a lack of attention on his part. So he plumped and made more firm the stuffing inside his new, tighter envelopes. She was not pleased and thought all was lost. I assured her that it was an easy fix and asked that it be redone. He is in the process of modifying the fill to accomplish the comfort she remembers. The chair looks great – but the ingredients/details are not creating the function that would make it a truly successful design.

As a designer, we often (especially in bidding environments) are faced with “or equal” substitutions to our design selections. The specifications have to be within a certain tolerance, but the results can radically change the complexion, success, look and effectiveness of the design. Imagine how this could affect a recipe? Well,sometimes great new recipes come from unintentional substitutions….take these cookies I baked last weekend.

Barbara Bush’s popular Cowboy Cookies – unplanned, I had a wild hair to bake cookies. I can count on one hand how often that has happened in the last 20 years!! So having had these fabulous cookies recently (thanks Feath), I rummaged through the pantry for the ingredients. Well, I had wholewheat flour, not all purpose, I had a few butterscotch morsels and a few more white chocolate chips. I had no chocolate chips nor coconut. I had steel cut oats not rolled oats. Too lazy to run to the store, I thought that the worst that could happen was that my cookies would be terrible and I would have wasted the ingredients and a couple hours of time…However, I am pleased to report that they are wonderful and resulted in a new oatmeal cookie worth sharing. Substitutions can work, but the harmony of ingredients is the key.

Another issue that can challenge a good design is when there are too many chefs in the kitchen. The ingredients can become imbalanced and substitutions can be made that alter if not spoil the intended results. In some projects, the”lead” shifts. The contractor, subs, and owner can all insert changes that alter the design. This usually occurs without regard for the design as a whole. Each person has their field of vision, their focus of expertise or special interest. Sweet, salty, acidic…each has its place – balance. A disregard for any of the ingredients, poor substitutions or imbalanced quantities – will alter the results.

Yin and Yang – the balance of our known universe – is all at the root of the balance of good design. Balance and the relationships of scale (which are also forms of balance). Rough/Smooth, Shiny/Dull, Dark/Light, Soft/Hard are all ingredients of good design. The balance of these are the equation of successful solutions. And this doesn’t even include the magic of color its balance and compliments.

Many people are good cooks. They have an innate sense of what works. Many people have an innate sense of good design. They often take it for granted. They might not be able to articulate it – but they can create it, they know it when they see it and they employ the rules of balance whether they realize it or not. In both of these cases, theses innately talented people often need reinforcement or encouragement – validation – affirmation.

From dinner guests to friends coming over to see the new furniture arrangement, talented cooks and decorators can get the job done – as with all professional chefs and designers – with the support and contribution of the talents around them.

DOWNSIZING: Part One of Three

Color. The Spices and Ingredients of Design

Refresh and Renew Designing Purposefully for the New Year

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