Fall Centerpieces

Centerpieces for the Season

I read an article in Better Homes and Gardens October issue on tablescapes and centerpieces.  The article is called "Natural Genius".  It's about not spending a lot of money to make your table look pretty but using the natural resources we have available to us right outside our doors.
 I'm sure most of us have something on our dining tables whether it is just place mats, table runners, a tablecloth or a plant in a vase.
 To me, a centerpiece is like jewelry, you always want to accessorize and yes, you should always have a some sort of dressing on your tables, we're designers, of course we're going to accessorize.

Even though summer blooms are gone, painfully obvious from today's snow, you can still create a beautiful and low to no cost tablescape just by simply looking around your yard.
You will need some items like; spray paint, (gold and silver are great for this time of year), unique looking urns, wicker bowls, vases you don't mind altering, mason jars and even old glasses that you never use.  Just give them a good wash, and start getting creative.  Here are some great examples of tablescape options and accessories.

We all have leaves in the yard...here is a great way to use them as decoration for a table centerpiece

www.bhg.com

This stuff is free people!  it's right out your door

www.bhg.com

Leaves, gourds, acorns, pine cones, and candles and you've got a great tablescape

www.bhg.com

Maybe reconsider throwing out that old sweater, how sweet is this little tea candle holder with some of that fabric to warm up that little vignette.  

www.houzz.com

Get some gold spray paint and go nuts!

This is a throw blanket, cut up some burlap, sticks, candles and voila!  How clever

www.houzz.com

www.bhg.com

www.pintrest.com

How about this...who would've thought pumpkins could be so elegant.  Decorative nail heads and your initial, very nice.

www.houzz.com

Go to your grandmother's basement, she's got these mason jars in all shapes and sizes and if she doesn't....I do!  Come ask me for some:)

www.houzz.com

this reminded me of Natasha's table centerpiece just a touch. This is just a cool branch that fell from the tree spray painted white.   

www.houzz.com

I hope these idea's inspire you to create a one of a kind and very inexpensive tablescape that you can change out every other week if you're so inclined.

Modern Twists

Happy mid-week to you all!

 

I read an article in Trend Ideas magazine this week on one of my favorite design styles... modern design.  What I love so much about being able to use modern elements with any design style is that it can feed all of your style cravings, from rustic woods paired with shiny surfaces to arabesques etched in a modern glass panel.  Speaking of cravings, I've got some delicious kitchens to show you!

 

The article is all about kitchen's that have been remodeled.  The article, Modern Outlook talks about remodeling an old loft kitchen, ripping everything out down to the studs and starting with a clean slate.  Modern design is often times much more expensive than other styles because the materials you're using are going to be, well...modern...new.  There are those modern designs that encorporate classical elements and I think that is where the magic happens. 

 

 

 

The linear lines attract your eye to all of the interesting levels and layers of what could be a fairly boring kitchen if it were just your typical beige kitchen.  The backlit drop ceiling provides deliniation of the one big expanse kitchen/dining combo.

 

There are plenty of reflective surfaces that help bounce the light around.  The rich wood warms the space under the waterfall countertops.

 

The next kitchen space is full of hidden compartments where your practical day to day kitchen tools are concealed with back lit lacquered cabinetry.  I love the stainless toe kick, the bands around the countertop and cabinetry

I love the idea the designer had here to encorporate a little bookcase nook for collectables and even cook books.  These are a java stained quarter sawn wood cabinetry with 3 form panels for doors that actually do open up for storage.  

 

Here is a view from the dining area, so as you can see, every ounce of space has been taken advantage of.  I love the stainless "island"

 

The below pic shows a beautiful modern kitchen with an element of classical, the herringbone pattern plank floor.  No, those are not modular or movable walls, it's a small galley behind the stove.

 

 

The Moooi LED pendants in this lovely remodel below cost between $3,000-$4,700 each pendant depending on the size.  The Sicis backsplash is more of a work of art than mosaic tiles, this backsplash alone I would estimate to be around $15,000 alone.  I love how they've used three different countertop surfaces, stainless on the range wall, a light granite on the perimeter and a beautiful dark granite on the island.  All of these luxurious elements of this design make you want to gather around and never walk away.

 



 

Rivetting

 

 

 

My blog this week in on Rivets.  I read an article in the October issue of Elle Decor magazine and it talked about what is trending for fall.  Rivets are trending in all things interiors from furniture to wall covering.  Here are a few examples of interiors with rivets

 

http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/trends/studs-and-rivets#slide-10

Source for pictures below came from my houzz.com account



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design Diva Dorothy Draper

  As we interior design students study the history of decorative arts, we've traveled through endless pages of beautiful pictures and museum sites that show the innovation of classical Greek to French Baroque and now American Federal interiors.  I was researching designers for this weeks blog and I came across this picture of the writing room at The Greenbrier Hotel in W.Virginia

Picture courtesy: http://tracizeller.com/blog/2010/if-it-looks-right-it-is-right/

 

We are studying American federal and this beautiful Girandole mirror grabbed my attention immediately. I knew I better get to know Dorothy Draper a bit better! 

 

 So, Who is Dorothy Draper?

 

 http://www.dorothydraper.com/History.html

  

 

In 1886 Dorothy Tuckerman was born in Orange County, New York (Did you know the East Coast had one of those?) 

 Dorothy was born to a very affluent family in fact she was raised in the very first gated community in America.

Her Great Grandfather, Oliver Walcott, signed the Declaration of Independence.  She also had famous cousins, Eleanor Roosevelt and fellow female designer Sister Parish.

Dorothy had very little education, however, she learned all she needed from her extensive travels to Europe.

Dorothy married a Doctor in 1912 and the glamorous life just continued.  She began her career by decorating her own homes and then opened her own decorating business in the roaring 20's.  Although Dorothy's marriage failed, her decorating career exploded.  She desired more, she craved bigger and better projects for herself and she made it happen. She was  commissioned to remodel the Carlyle Hotel lobby 

 

http://www.dorothydraper.com/History.html

 

Neoclassical, nothing too terribly bold but very beautiful.  Just wait though, you ain't seen nothin' yet!

Dorothy became a household name for post war households when she started writing decorating advise columns for Good Housekeeping Magazine.  This 6' tall boisterous woman was not just going to view the world, she was going to put her own stamp on it.  Here comes printed chintz, big bold stripes and color combinations the nation had yet to see.

 

http://www.dorothydraper.com/Projects.html

above s the Greenroom in L.A.

 

 

Pictures courtesy: http://danielledrollins.com/gracious-living-who-is-dorothy-draper/

 

Wow, look at the bold colors and patterns and scale...Dorothy took scale to a whole new level in the playing field. 

This is the Greenbrier Hotel and a classic Dorothy Draper design with signature black and white checkered floors, with pops of turquoise, greens and reds.  This hotel was used as a military headquarters and hospital before Dorothy created this lavish lobby.

 

 

Can you imagine Dorothy Draper envisioning the massive stripes, questioning whether or not she should, then being confident enough in her design to give the green light...go ahead boys, stripes it is!  Amazing.  What about all the patterns?  This is why Dorothy Draper was a diva. And peekaboo little pink sofa, I see you too back there.

 

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/dorothydraper/pool/interesting/

 

This is Quitandinha Palace. 



 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/18/arts/design/18wing.html

This is the restaurant at the Metropolitan Museum in New York that was coined the "Dorotheum".

 

 

 

http://www.flickriver.com/groups/dorothydraper/pool/interesting/

 

Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco

 

Her designs incorporated lots of classical and baroque elements on monumental scale.  Media called her style Modern Baroque. 

Who was Dorothy Draper?  She was a pioneer of design and decoration, She is still today an inspiration to many designers that followed.  It is evident in Kelly Wearstler's bold floor patterns and color layering, it's evident in Billy Baldwin's use of printed chintz and many other forward thinking designers.  I can only dream that one day I too would be bold enough, innovative enough to design a project that would go into the history books.

 

 

 

 



Designing with natural elements

I read an article in the September 2013 issue of Architectural Digest that intrigued me very much.  It's about using semi precious stones that are infused with energies and incorporating these elements into interior design by way of tables, wall tiles, flooring and however else your budget would afford.  I know it sound quirky or hippy-ish, but this is not a new movement from the dawning of the age of Aquarius...no these concepts of healing and energies have been around from the beginning of time.  It is only recently that we are seeing some of the most amazing technological advances like infusing semi precious stones with energies manually. 
Even Einstein knew that all things that affect the human body, good or bad, occurs in the energy field around us.
Here is how it works:
earth elements, like quartz, agate, Onyx...already naturally have energy, however, according to Energy Tools International...you can have those materials improved by adding or "infusing" Subtle Subatomic Energy or SSE to a special saline solution.
SSE is too difficult for me to explain and make sense out of but I understand it to be measurable energy. To learn more for yourself you can read "Subtle energy, the universe and us" by Yury Kronn Ph.D
Subtle Subatomic Energy has been proven to help a persons body counter the damaging effects of the radiation and negative energy from all the wonderful technology around us like our computers and cell phones and so on.

On a field trip to Chi Town we visited the Mart, in the Holly Hunt showroom I saw the most amazing little brown agate side table, when I looked at the price tag I was astounded to see $12,500.00!
 I wonder if it was infused with energies?  I know if I owned one of these sweet side tables...my energy would be through the roof!

http://www.hollyhunt.com/ShowProduct.aspx?ProductID=6883&ManufacturerID=29

 

Agate is a type of quartz that calcifies around a host rock, it shows a beautiful banding of layers that look almost translucent. It is said to bring confidence, health, wealth and long life just to name a few. 

 

 

There is the Onyx.  Like agate, Onyx is another type of quartz stone only it's bands are more like fishers or lines vs. the curved bands on the Agate.  Onyx has been died different colors for centuries and now in recent years has become a popular hard surface option for interior design that can be back lit for an incredibly beautiful and luxurious finish product like the floor tiles and reception counter in the pictures below.

  Onyx energy properties are said to deflect negative energy and encourage self control.

 

 

http://www.daginter.com/backlit-onyx-stone-glass/

 

Another semi precious stone the article talked about was Concetto Puro, which is a collection of handmade cut and bound precious stones by Caesarstone. 

The white Puro stones are calming, balancing and heal emotions. 

 

http://www.stoneholding.com/index.php?mod=MyDB&p=detail&product=387

This is an incredibly beautiful product called Concetto Puro, what a way to bring life to a plain white bathroom...backlight everything! 

So whether it is for residential or commercial applications, I would encourage any designer to incorporate these type of earth elements into their design (if budget allows of course) and consider the positive effects of infusing energies with any of these semi very precious stones.