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.

Aug 29

Colors and the Creamy Attraction of Latte

By pattisays In A Red Like No Other, Albuquerque, New Mexico, artistic expression, artistic imagery, automobile, black and white, car colors, car paint, car trends, cars, coffee, Color schemes, color trends, colors, Contrasting colors, creativity, dark colors, design, design details, design theme, design trends, drama of color, favorite colors, good taste, inspiration, latte, lifestyle, living with color, milky, new cars, new trucks, paint and body shops, personal expression, personal taste, red, selecting colors, style, Subscribers, timeless colors, travel and design, trending design, trends, truck, vehicle colors, vehicles, white color schemes /

Colors are all around and I am certainly clued into them. As a designer, my love of color, design, art and connecting all things through these elements, influences all that I do. From interiors to tablescapes to clothes to cars – cars?

On the curb at our storefront, this milky grey truck made the perfect opening statement.

Well, my interest has been peaked with the very apparent trend in car colors the last few years of what I call the “latte effect.” Picture a rich dark cup of coffee blended with dairy and the result is a milky derivation of the original color. Cars of all makes and models have adopted this very interesting approach to introducing new colors on the market. Adding white to a hue will “milky” it down. Indigo with white softens the deep blue/purple hue. Rich olive green is softened by the “latte effect” of adding white to the original color.

This color truly reads like someone who likes a lot of cream in their coffee. A lot!

These decidedly softened colors present a new range and offering of color options. Brilliant, I think. It takes any color we have known on a car and creates an entire stratum of new colors never before seen all at one time as though a newly discovered color palette.

Intense charcoal becomes a softer version of itself – still strong and powerful, yet with an eased edge. Blues, greens, golden tones all have their softened versions driving down our roads with a softer shade weaving in and out of the traffic of our lives. Sprinkled in parking lots, these soft colors are becoming a fascinating contribution to the mix of common colors.

Milky shades of blues and greens vary according to vehicle make.

I found an article by Peter Bohr, an award-winning automotive journalist who penned a piece about how the color of a car could affect its resale value. It makes perfectly good sense, when color affects almost everything we encounter. Color attracts. People respond to color and make selections based on color.

This milky cobalt blue is rich and confident.

A shirt, a dress – a wall color, or bedspread, people pick paint, clothes, and home décor with a tendency toward a color preference. Do you have what you might consider to be your “favorite” color?

Colors mean something – like red being attention-getting or urgent, warm to hot. While blue is calming, cool, and conservative. It is interesting to observe how often the color choices of things in a person’s world reflect that individual’s identity or, more interestingly, their alter ego – an opposite expression of their outward persona.

Kate Smith, a color consultant quoted in Peter Bohr’s article “Colorful Considerations,” states “Color is emotional and personal. On a canvas as large as a car, color shares something about the car’s owner with the rest of the world.” Bohr goes on to identify the most popular colors for cars White and Black. That to me means “blank canvas”. A clean blank white canvas or a bold blank black canvas – neutrals to go with anything and allow the owner to find their accents elsewhere. The “go with anything colors.” One open and fresh, the other closed and perhaps mysterious…

From black to white, the new milky grey is a popular selection – just for kicks!

Red cars perplex me. I cannot drive a burgundy car. I have difficulty even riding in one. Due to my sensitivity in this department, when renting cars we would specify, in advance, that we did not want a red car. That was to avoid saying that a fiery Ferrari would be fine, but that burgundy sedan is not going to fly. And despite the fact that the chances of leasing a fiery Ferrari – or exciting shades of cherry-bomb red were quite limited, we were safe to avoid any misinterpretation about the shade of red – so we de-selected all of them.

But what I have NOT seen is the latte effect applied to any red car color. Have you? To take a burgundy and milky it down would be a resulting dusty rose color. To apply the latter effect to a fiery red would result in a carnation pink/coral. Depending upon that original hue, the softened color would vary, but regardless, I have not seen this introduced on the market. Perhaps preliminary studies showed that other than dedicated Mary Kay sales associates attaining the highest level of reward, the pink tones were not big car picks. (Since having started this missive, I have seen a softened burgundy, but it is apparently still a rare find in the new color palette of cars.)

Here is the illusive milky red/smoky rose color of the “Latte Collection.”

Yet, having a favorite color or what you consider to be your favorite color might not apply to all things in your world. As I have always said about design and color, decisions are usually based upon context whether you are aware of it or not.

For the last 20+ years, my car color has been white. To me it is freeing. It cleanses my palette, (intended play on words). I know I won’t tire of it, and it allows me to approach and own that blank canvas when the entire rest of my world is ruled and stimulated by color and my constant critique, application of it or response to it.

As an exercise, think of what your favorite color might be. If you are super color sensitive like I am, you might consider that you have many favorite colors – usually based upon context – but for this exercise, pick one and then see where you have selected to use it in your world. Is it the color of your car or wall or favorite outfit? Don’t be surprised if it is not any of those seemingly significant things in your world. But check the the context. If it is on one or more of those things, ask yourself what about that “favorite” color resonates – makes you comfortable or even joyful. Then see what other color choices do not include that color and ask “why?” You might be surprised that this is fun and illuminating. It will provoke your thoughts about color and choices and perhaps heighten your awareness of the colors around you.

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!

DOWNSIZING: Part One of Three

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