January 10th, 2012

Bill Bryson “At Home”

via Amazon.com

If you’re interested in the concept of “home” – like most of us who practice interior design are – the emotional, practical and historic connotations, Bill Bryson’s book “At Home | A Short History of Private Life” might be right up your alley!  Bryson’s writing (in my opinion) is always engaging and accessible,  and his latest book is no exception.

An American whose home is in England (somewhere in bucolic Norfolk), Bryson takes an objective, trans-Atlantic and, at times, global look at how and when the various functions of different rooms – and the ensuing comforts – have developed.  He takes us on a tour of his Old Rectory, entertaining us in each space with a disarming narrative of historical facts, with an emphasis on the mid-19th century onwards.  As he says, “We are so used …. to being clean, warm, and well fed … that we forget how recent most of that is. In fact, achieving these things took forever, and then they mostly came in a rush.”  His scope of research is huge (the bibliography is gaspingly long!), yet organized and orchestrated into a fascinating and digestible history of interesting and sometimes astonishing facts. Did you know that William Morris – yes, that one, the English designer we associate with the Arts and Crafts Movement – (as if he hadn’t done enough!) was one of the founders of the “Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings” in 1877?  Or that the very idea (and establishment) of Bank Holidays is attributable to one John Lubbock, of whom most people have never heard?  You’ll also learn more about entomology than you can imagine (it’s fascinating… really!), and much more besides. I’d love to hear from anyone else who’s read this book … did you enjoy it as much as I did?

Hope the year’s off to a fine start for everyone!  Penny

 

via TourNorfolk.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more photos of beautiful Norfolk, head to http://www.tournorfolk.co.uk/

January 3rd, 2012

Color, color everywhere!

From the Sherwin Williams website

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE! I wish you all good health, lasting peace, and lots of love and laughter in 2012.

To kick off the year, Sherwin Williams (whose paint products and palettes I frequently recommend to my clients and friends), have published their 2012 color palette forecast, with 40 hues that “stick close to home with earth-inspired, color family groupings…”.

I think the promotional material is accurately descriptive: blues a “…soothing palette (that) celebrates a pair of functional and treasured blues: denim and water…”; reds include “…hues of brilliant flowers and glowing embers…”; greens “…an eclectic palette (that) focuses on greens that are lush, moody and complex…”; and neutrals “…a field of grain, a pile of pebbles, weathered wood and earthen clay… an understated yet refined palette…”   Yummy!

You can view the forecast at swcolor.com – and be sure to check out the beautifully-crafted videos that accompany each group.  You’ll find information about the newly-developed zero VOC primer to accompany the zero VOC paint (the ProMar 200 series) that became available earlier in 2011. There’s also a Color Visualizer on the site, and a smart ‘phone app for color-matching. Browsing lush paint colors feels a bit like finger-painting for grown-ups … enjoy! 

 

November 10th, 2011

Independent, But Plays Well With Others

Ever since our fabulous rep, Stacy Waniga from The Martin Group showed us the new Cowtan & Tout and Colefax and Fowler lines a few weeks ago, it’s been hard to stop thinking about them. Each time we reach into the library, our hands seem to come out full of them. Maybe blogging about it will let us move on. It’s hard to put a finger on exactly what is so captivating about their fabrics this season. It could be the soft, lustrous look of the linen blends, and weightlessness of the wool/cotton/linen challis. Maybe it’s the palette of soft grey-blues, muted greens and neutrals or strong reds and earth tones. Ethereal embroidered sheers pair with simple checks which fold beautifully into strong blanket stripes. Picture yourself sitting by a stream, with a soft breeze and soothing water, both moving over solid ground. It’s like that. And although it’s a line which could do fine all by itself, the fabrics play so wonderfully with others it’s hard to resist throwing in a bit of Scalamandre and Osborne and Little.

Cowtan & Tout's New Line

Weights, Textures, Patterns

October 30th, 2011

Floors with flair

Looking for ideas for floor coverings the other day, I stumbled upon some dhurries in a local store and was reminded of how much I enjoy these versatile decorative pieces.

The humble dhurrie might have started out as a simple floor mat in the Indian subcontinent, but today it’s become something of a style statement for the Western home. The colors, the look and the practicality of the dhurrie make it an ideal complement to the kind of ‘casual elegance’ aesthetic that adapts so well to many American homes.

 

Via Heirloom Philosophy

 

Perhaps the most popular style of dhurrie today is the simple stripe. The stripe often evokes the feeling of casual yet classy beach living; here, the designer of this room really plays up that “beach feeling” with informal cane chairs and a shell-adorned chandelier. There are more complex striped patterns too; you can find several of them at  http://www.indiandhurries.com

In softer shades of beige, ecru and oatmeal, dhurries readily adopt a role as another neutral in a calming palette of natural tones. See how the dhurrie here is an interesting contrast to the dark wood floor (which creates a space-defining border) while brightening and lightening the room? It is also remarkably hard-wearing and practical;  the flat weave responds well to vacuuming, and because dhurries are typically wool, they tend to wear well and repel staining if you tend to minor disasters quickly.

Via Cote de Texas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just as neutral dhurries keep a palette light, colorful ones help to accentuate bright shades in a room… how about the cheerful orange and white dhurrie in this little dining room, with the multicolored seats and cushions?                                  Or the turquoise and pale mint stripes echoing the bed dressing?

Via Attic mag

Via Happy Living Style

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course, not all dhurries are striped. Port City Flooring here in Portland have some alternative patterns; something of this kind is especially useful in adding texture to a room with a more minimalist feel:

via Elle Decor

 

 

Perhaps the greatest indicator of their resurgence of popularity here is their representation in some of the best direct retail catalogs … I noticed some great ones in West Elm recently. You might want to check them out!

October 12th, 2011

Refreshed and reused

Having just returned from a long weekend in Nova Scotia (to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving, naturally!), my thoughts linger on fond memories of the time there. Apart from the joys of family and thankfulness, one in particular springs to mind: the excitement of seeing a beautiful example of adaptive reuse of a handsome industrial building.

Or, to be more precise, a maritime building. What was once a dock and unloading facility for passengers and cargo from large ships is now the Halifax Farmers Market, a bustling hive of humanity in happy gathering and trading mode. The open structure, all girders and pipes on a big scale, encases huge open spaces flooded with natural light from expansive windows.

 

 

Built to accommodate the movement of thousands of people, large balconies on three sides offer more vendor spaces.

 

 

A “green” roof surrounding an open seating area (with a fabulous view) provides temperature control, while graceful wind turbines provide power for light and heat.

How rewarding to experience the results of thoughtful design and engineering: taking a building that might have fallen into disuse and creating a perfect venue for economic and cultural rejuvenation! Definitely worth a visit if you’re in the area. Bring lots of bags for yummy fresh veggies and flowers…

 

September 26th, 2011

Black, with milk or cream?

Decorators' Walk "Gordian Weave", Kravet/Calvin Klein's "Gingkos"

Did you happen to catch the article about Ralph Lauren’s new store in the February issue of Architectural Digest? Of course it is, as one might expect, beautiful, and a lovely example of a simple black/cream/white palette.

AD Feb 2011

There seems to be something of a resurgence in the use of these primary neutrals, promoted by some fabulous new materials coming to market. I scrounged around my studio and found several that I think are both striking and versatile.

(Osborne & Little "Lomond Check", China Seas "Hampton", Decorators' Walk "Trellis", Duralee "89120", Clarke & Clarke "Tribal Star", Bassett McNab "Woven Floral", Maxwell "Drum Roll")

 

 

Sanderson "Lillia", Kravet "Luxe Loops", Clarke & Clarke "Pandora"

(Boussac "Mareva", Maxwell "Pamplemousse", Maxwell "Drumroll")

What I love about the black/cream combination is how different it is from the crispness of black and white. Substituting (or adding) a warm shade of ivory or cream creates warmth and subtlety; even though the look is just as dramatic, it is a sort of understated drama.  

 

Black and white together often lend a very contemporary air; I’m sure you’ve seen lots of stylish, minimalist rooms in this palette. But I think a black/cream and/or white combination can lend itself to a less modern setting. See how it works to give a traditional dining room a touch of elegant “edginess” that transforms it from the lovely-but-unnotable to the “wow”?

 

(Via Eclectic Revisited)

 

 

 

(Dining Room by Vicente Wolfe, from "Learning to See")

Then there’s this more casual dining room–from one of my favorite designers–with its edgy mix of traditional frames, contemporary chairs and eclectic photo display. Soft cream is the perfect foil to black in this space, creating a look that is welcoming and warm, rather than filled with sharp contrasts.

And going back to that Ralph Lauren store, with its French-inspired and totally elegant décor… did you notice how that dramatic animal print ottoman REALLY draws the eye in a room of soothing neutrals?

September 6th, 2011

Back from The City

Just back from several days in Manhattan, and feeling more energized and collected … so revisiting this long-neglected blog, with apologies to anyone who happened to miss it! (By the way, before I forget and just as an aside … you just can’t tire of Grand Central, can you?)

(A Grand Central corridor)

 

(... and looking the other way)

On a more serious note, I was fortunate enough to spend some time being given a “guided tour” of the Holland & Sherry showroom. I’d always associated that venerable English firm with Jermyn Street and bespoke tailoring, but discovered that they actually have a wide range of fabulous fabrics and carpets while also being US representatives of other great lines.

For now I want to focus on the fully customizable rug collection. They weave their designs in any imaginable color, multiple textures, and various fibers … and, of course, in individually specified sizes.

 
 

 

Holland & Sherry’s website (from where these images of patterns came) is user-friendly, a good place to start in terms of looking for a design for your rug. And if you want something completely unique, ask your interior decorator to work with the the Holland & Sherry designers to come up with something–perhaps an adaptation of a favorite textile print in the same room–for a visual feast that will be gently and painstakingly brought to life, just for you! What better way is there to bring a luxurious yet hard-working piece of artwork into your space?

April 15th, 2011

Color, color and more color

Pantone have published their annual color trend forecast, nicely presented in the apartmenttherapy blog (see below). Some interesting confluence AND juxtaposition in several of these palettes, don’t you think? It’s always fun to see if and how these color ideas play out…

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/

I think the different quality of light in geographical regions inevitably drives the direction of color trends in each area; for example, in the clear white light we have here in Maine (not to mention the quiet restraint of many of the residents!), the Subtleties palette will probably be the one we see most. 

March 29th, 2011

Kudos to the Laureate

Souto Moura's Braga Stadium

Maybe you know of the Pritzker Architecture Prize and the most recent award recipient?  Eduardo Souta de Moura was not on my radar until I heard he had won. I’m so glad to learn of his work, most of which is in his native Portugal.

The grace and clarity of line, innovative use of materials, sensitivity to environment and adaptation to vernacular … I find Souto Moura’s designs inspiring and heartwarming.

Just one small example … the siting of this magnificent stadium was carefully and thoughtfully arranged to allow those who cannot afford event tickets to get a free view from a nearby hillside … how inclusive is that, and how mindful of local tradition?!

Many more photos and information are on the  website of the Pritzker Architecture Prize (which is granted through the Hyatt Foundation): http://www.pritzkerprize.com/. The photos are all the work of Luis Ferreira Alves, and provided by Souto Moura.

A home nestled into a hillside

Conversion of a convent into an inn

March 9th, 2011

The Power of a Line

Working on some corporate offices recently has reminded me of the power of a horizontal line. You know those dreary, rabbit-warren corridors and foyers in older buildings that are so familiar we hardly pay attention to them (here’s a classic example)  … until there’s an opportunity to change them? To do so in a cost-conscious way isn’t easy, but I think a chair rail can often provide the focal point your eye needs to delineate perspective and add interest. Here’s a rendering of that same hallway with said “power line”:

And “before and after” shots (the real thing, somewhat skewed by the wide lens in a small camera – sorry!) in another area of the same complex:

Of course, some new carpet, paint and wallpaper help too – but do you see what I mean? Am I right?

On another note entirely … won’t it be great when spring rolls around again?!