Perhaps a little concrete goes a long way. The concrete truss that extends down the center of the room has been covered over with plaster board in a prism shape and painted white. Steel bookcases flank one of Meneguzzo’s large photographic creations. The enormous mustard sectional called ‘Bora Bora’ is by MDF Italia.

A bright red table and chairs from HP Haus plays against a black (possibly steel) floor and white walls of the small entry/office space. I love the collection of Japanese Godzilla figures on the left shelf. Hanging above the table is a net basket which actually functions as a lift for heavy photo equipment and bulky objects that need to go up to the main living space. As you can see, the stairwell is very narrow and steep so….this seems like a workable solution which harkens back to the old basket on a rope.

A clean minimal bedroom continues the theme of mustards and reds found in the other parts of the loft, bringing balance and flow. The bed is covered with a suzani tapestry purchased in Turkey.

A streamlined polished stainless steel sink makes an elegantly simple bathroom. But where does he hide the toothpaste and shaving cream? I think there’s a door on the left to hold the clutter of actual living. When I see places like this I always wonder what they look like on a daily basis. Are there newspapers strewn on the floor? Does this morning’s half eaten bowl of granola destroy the impression made by the sleek kitchen counters in this photo shoot? Is the whole effect ruined? Well….let’s not think about that. I’m crazy about this place and would love to see it in person sometime.

Photos from The World of Interiors May 2009

I want to introduce you Shokusai Ishikura ?whose design firm?Super Potato produces unique “hospitality” spaces (hotels and restaurants). ?As you will see, Ishikura gets an A+ in Collection Design. They are the theme that runs through a restaurant design project in Kirishima City, Japan (called Myoken Ishaharaso).?The cool thing about this gracious private dining space pictured above is that it is entirely “zen” and uncluttered. Peaceful. Inviting. And yet the whole right wall is a tidy assemblage of antique clocks and hard backed books, organized tightly together in a beautiful composition.

Here’s a head on view of the wall. Each clock is different in some ways but the same in others. Repetition and variation. That’s the key to an interesting collection!

Each private dining room is set apart from the next with a partition made up of one or more collections.This one features red laquerware .

Bowls and trays stacked up…all the same delicious color. Lovely shapes, aren’t they? I have always admired the elegant simplicity of these everyday dishes. And… they are in no way expensive collectibles. They are ordinary garden variety dishes that make an impactful design statement, especially when grouped together.

This partition is made of a collection of clock innards on the left and building materials and scraps on the right, all held in place by a pine wood frame.

Here are yet more common objects. A large grouping of antique tools seem to float in the air. Actually they are hanging upon metal pegs attached to a glass panel for a see through effect.

In the lounge guests gather around a stone hearth which warms their tea in an iron pot. The wall to the right displays a collection of glass bottles of varying shapes and sizes.

Simple wooden shelves hold earthenware jars, urns, pitchers, vases and pots of similar shape and size. Consider how the repeated shapes add impact to the display.?Most of the partition components were gathered locally within a few miles of the inn and by the restaurant owners. It is easy and fun to make collections out of common and uncommon objects. Buddhas, buttons, pine cones, beaded purses, vanity mirrors, old hockey sticks and tennis rackets, terra cotta dishes, antique metal toy trucks, shells, crystal candlesticks, copper things, silver things and more.

For lots more interesting information on making your own collections click on these other Design Like The Pros articles:

Accessorize With Collections
The Mother of All Collections
Accessorizing With Wow!

Photographs are from Interior Design Magazine June 2008

I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely enchanted with this tiny art studio situated on the windy coast of Aquitaine in France.

It is the cheerful retreat of painter Richard Texier and measures a mere 12 square meters. This style of architecture is referred to as a carrelet, loosely translated to square net (filet carre’) which were used by fisherman in the 1900′s who lowered their nets from these little huts right into the sea. Texier’s original hut was lost in the big storm of 1999. Determined to continue his artwork in this magical spot, he engaged engineers and high technology to rebuild it in a sturdier fashion. It’s painted black and “ocean blue” with a zinc roof and naturally weathered 100 meter long teak gangway. “It’s always been an enchanted place, between the sea and the sky…” says the artist.

The round gate was inspired by those the artist had seen in China, a place he often visits. When the red light above the gate is lit it signals that the artist is in his studio.

This is a shutter that can be set at various angles as a shield from the wind and curious eyes of tourists. I like the way the round gate repeats the shape of the round port hole windows. Repetition of shapes is a great way to bring conintuity to a interior/exterior design, even one as tiny as this.

The outdoor work table.

The artist uses his blackboard to develop ideas for his paintings and sculptures, such as the bronze lost wax candlesticks on the table. The hanging red lantern can be moved anywhere.

People walk underneath the jetty when the tide is out, and oyster farmers collect their wares. Bird footprints provide inspiration for art and mythical animal shapes.

The artist’s indoor workbench, upholstered chair and stool covered with a sail from an old tuna boat. Is that poetic, or what?

Careful storage is necessary in the tiny galley. On the right is an india ink drawing upon a nautical map. I’d like to get a closer look at that…..

The painter comes here to “fish for ideas and inspiration…and occasionally for shrimp. It’s fertile territory.”

Photos from The World of Interiors August 2008 Thanks to?Catherine de Moltalembert and Jean-Marie del Moral

Now that’s one beautiful sofa. It’s a Biedermeier….which is interesting to some of us but that doesn’t matter. The beautiful shape of the wood frame captivates my imagination! This is the home of the Fabrizio family, creators of Dedar fabrics, some of the most luscious designer fabrics you can ever imagine. Many are featured here in these photos. Funny story about the sofa. The Fabrizios spied it in a Como antiques store but were told that Versace had already bought it at auction. Within a few days a call came saying that the sofa had suddenly become available again. Asking why, they were told that because of it’s extreme width and length, the sofa had not been able to fit through the doors of the Versace villa.

When I saw this home, I knew I liked it but I couldn’t quite identify the reason. In order for me to feel comfortable in a house it must have a sense of order as well as good design elements. There needs to be continuity of color or style. Does this house have it? Yes, for the most part, it does. The purple chair in the living room threw me for a loop at first. It seemed out of place, somehow. But when I saw a second purple chair I felt more at ease. Don’t be surprised that I am talking about feelings. For many of us….perhaps most of us….interior design is about feelings. We ask ourselves “how do I feel in this room?” Our gut gives us the answer. But why? we ask. ?Sometimes it’s difficult to understand why we feel uncomfortable. It’s even more difficult to know what changes will make the room feel better. That’s where visual people have the advantage, particularly trained professionals. They can usually put their finger on what isn’t working and how to fix it. The purple and chartruse colors in this space make a statement. Look at me, they say! Surprised you, didn’t we? they say.

Here’s a beautiful little vignette composed of a French 19th c. painting, a Chinese table and objets d’arte. The yellow walls and dark woods are the overarching theme of this interior design.

The dining room features a very bold brown and white fabric on the drapes. This is a cotton/linen ikat pattern from the Dedar fabric collection. A Murano 1930′s chandelier hangs above the table. The chairs are handmade in Thailand. What a gorgeous window-door design….now that’s one to remember!

A continuation of yellow walls and dark wood in the graciously curved table. An Andy Warhol painting hangs on the wall above an attractive arrangement of books, collectible boxes, figures and small framed pieces.

I was surprised to see the bold fabric pattern brought in to the master bedroom. This repetition actually makes it easier to live with because it is predictable. Human beings need some predictability in order to feel secure. The headboard is generous and beautifully upholstered. The inlaid chair is Moroccan and it’s brown and white color echoes the printed bedspread.

Here’s a terrific use of black and white. The striped curtains have a very bold pattern, while the pillow shams have a very delicate pattern. So handsome together! To that we add the black and white photo (by Man Ray) and the black and tan serigraph (by Arakawa). And of course the black cast iron canopy bed. This is a beautiful, balanced composition. I am not one to always match art to the color scheme, but in this case it really looks wonderful. I am a bit surprised by the red walls in this room. It seems a bit of an abrupt change from the rest of the house. What do you think?

Here’s a corner of the family style kitchen with it’s collection of copper cookware hanging on a wall of locally made tile. The dark ceiling beams are a continuous theme through out this old home.

The patio of the gray vine covered home stone home in Fino Mornasco is part of a 17th c. villa where peasants raised silk worms and spun yarn for the silk industry in nearby Como. Lush wisteria grows in profusion.

Dedar is a family run business. Here they are in the textile studio amidst their latest luxurious fabric and wallpaper collections.

Photos courtesy of Veranda September 2009

Here is the beautiful couple with their equally beautiful children. As a running theme throughout the apartment, the rich dark wood floors are played against brilliant jewel toned fabrics and extremely gutsy yellow walls. Fabrics are lavish. The couple very much admires the orientalist interiors of French decorator Jacques Garcia and so we see his influences in their choices of furnishings from India, Turkey and the Middle East. We also see a large black-and-white photography collection featuring works by Bert Stern, Mario Testino, Ellen von Unwerth and Thierry Le Goues in addition to Mel Hennessy’s own professional work.

This view of the living room features a Syrian game table in front of a clock which Atlas hoists on his shoulders. The fireplace and mirror are Indian. A pair of chairs by the windows are upholstered in tiger fabric which beautifully echoes the yellow walls and continues the theme of rich exoticism. I appreciate the naked floors. Though I am a big fan of beautiful area rugs, the expanse of “negative space” gives the eye a chance to rest.

More exotica in the dining room: Moroccan cabinets, antique Murano vases, Napoleon III candelabra, and a 19th century painting by Jules Tornai. This is more ornate than I could live with…but what I do very much appreciate is the continuity from room to room. Each space carries the theme into the next space. As we walk through we say “yes, this feels right.” Many people have difficulty making a consistent design statement within a home. Each room is different and the over all effect is hodge podge. The key to great interior design is continuity.

Here is a detail of the other side of the dining room. Did you know red walls are good for the appetite?

Now….here is a sexy bedroom. Wrapped in violet. The wall color is intense, but not much of it shows because of the enormously generous purple silk draperies and the oversized painting (by Gustav Wertheimer). A Chinese cabinet sits by the bed and a Murano chandelier hangs above. We are told this was a gift from Kilian Hennessy’s godmother, the legendary Barbara Hutton. An Indian textile lays across the bed.

The bathroom is sexy too with it’s deep brown painted walls and indirect lighting. The collection of boxes inlaid with bone add so much to the room. Anytime a collection can be displayed it becomes a point of fascination for everyone. Collections are a delightful and entertaining way to accessorize.

Images courtesy of ?Elle Decor October 2008

“My objective was to create an eccentric garden in a setting of fantastical Mediterranean antiquity,” says the owner. The columns, though stone in the original Italian villa, were carved out of redwood with resin capitals and fiberglass bases. The finish was aged with a mixture of plaster, lime and spray-painted moss.

The portico features informal red and white striped cotton upholstery. In the center stands a 17th century mantelpiece from Antwerp (this one’s a real antique) above which hangs an aged mirror from Studiolo, Shapiro’s own home furnishings line.

The property was wrapped in 20 foot high ficus trees and giant Japanese timber bamboo to create “complete seclusion and mystery.” The exotic undulating hedge was inspired after a visit to Chateau de Marqueyssac in the Dordogne region of France. Once again, the designer brought his ideas home to Los Angeles. He ripped up the manicured lawn, imported hundreds of mature boxwood plants, and laid out a snakey pattern of rounded hedgerows separated by gravel paths.

Clipping these bushes seems like it would take a team of gardeners, but we are told that Shapiro does most of the work himself in just a few hours every two weeks. Indeed, he never lets anyone else touch the boxwood hedge!

Behind the neo classic portico is an airy 275 square foot space that is used often. A Northern Italian table sits near the windows surrounded by 19th c. rustic chairs.Here is where morning coffee is sipped and newspapers are read. A fire is lit and more creative ideas are dreamed. The Chinese drum coffee table sits atop a Turkish kilim. The gilt wood mirror is antique. The contemporary lettered diptych is by Shapiro.The workbench is the owner’s own design with a pyramid shaped lamp from his Studiolo line. The marble capital is 19th century.

A view back to the main house featuring a pair of 17th century Florentine marble lions and a 10 foot tall Spanish oil pot.

A rusted sculpture by Anthony Caro sits in front of a bench from the Studiolo line.

Here is Mr. Shapiro. ?”I view the garden as a vast abstract canvas.” says this serious artist….with a wink and a grin.

Photos courtesy of Elle Decor May 2009

Their work and the interior of their home have a lot in common. Informal and unrefined, each piece reflects a true passion for color, design and age. There seems to be an overriding respect for the process of making something in stages. Notice cabinet panels that are partially painted leaving a patchwork of earlier layers of paint and no paint at all. Is this a work in progress? or do the artists call it complete because it pleases them to do so?

Not to say that we all would be happy living with this level of unfinishedness…if that’s a word. But there is something to be learned here. Something to reflect upon. The haphazard combinations are eye catching indeed. Perhaps I am a bit too uptight with my design approach. I can learn a thing or two from the Squires. I happen to love the black and white checks thrown in to the mix. And here is the other half of the kitchen…

The tiles that surround the stove were designed and made in their studio. The wall features earthenware plates from around the world.

As with their rustic pottery, their home’s design seems to have its “roots in rural cultures all over the world, from Romania to the Islamic world, from Morocco to Alsace.” Notice the colorful fabric panels hanging in the livingroom… and again, attached to the wall under the pictures like a woven wainscotting. The door features a stained glass panel depicting a wild boar, the animal for which this house is named. Maison des Sangliers.

In the bedroom, plywood was pulled off the cupboard doors revealing panels of vintage wallpaper. The look pleased them so much that they varnished the doors to stop the decay just exactly as it was. The wall were stripped too and given a light wash of pink.

A roll of 1980′s Laura Ashley wallpaper decorates a corner of the bedroom. One gets the feeling the owners like it just as it is…not attached in the traditional wallpaper way but rather, hanging as a piece of art with the slight rounded bend in the paper, casting its shadow upon the wall.

Here is the exterior of the 500 year old house. Maison des Sangliers on the Place du Marche’ au Ble’

and here are Andy and Claire Squire in their garden.

Photos courtesy of The World of Interiors October 2009

This is the work of the Spanish artist, Luis Melendez and, as you might have guessed, he’s not with us anymore. He painted in the 18th century at about the same time that the famous master, Francisco Goya, was the artist to the king. Melendez desperately yearned to be a salaried court artist painting boring portraits of royalty but, when he was rejected, it appears that he drowned his sorrows in vegetables and fruits. And lucky for the world that he did, because he produced an absolutely delicious body of work. The green composition above is called?Still Life With Artichokes and Peas in a Landscape 1771.

Can’t you just smell the sweet yeasty aroma of this crusty bread? No one paints bread more photo realistically than Luis Melendez. When I was studying painting in art school I used to think that painting still life was a giant yawn. That’s probably because it was so difficult… and my paintings were lackluster at best. As was customary at the time, Melendez painted realistically. Impressionist and abstract painting did not come along for another hundred years. His works are not large. Most pieces are no more than 24″ x 36.” This one is called?Still Life With Figs and Bread 1770. Here’s more…

Still Life With chocolate Service, Bread and Fruit 1772

Still Life With Box of Jellied Fruit, Bread, Silver Salver, Glass and Wine Cooler

Still Life With Bread, Bottle and Jug. 1770

Still Life With Melon and Pears 1772

To purchase beautiful giclees and art prints by Luis Melendez (framed or unframed) ?see our store in the right hand column of this blog page.

Photos courtesy of Veranda Magazine October 2009

The other side of the room is dominated by a nicely chosen complement to the James Nares painting. This one is a diptych by Joe Gaffney using bold color and generous amounts of white space. Although the cowhide rug (from Rug Company) stays within the color palette, its geometric pattern is strong and takes some guts to work with. Is it too much? John Barrett, well known hair stylist and owner of this Greenwich Village apartment, asked designer Joan Schindler to help him make the statement he wanted to make.?”My furnishings and my haircuts actually have something in common – they never shout.” Yes indeed, the rug has a bold pattern but… it is balanced well by lots of “negative space” in the room. Negative space is a very important balancing element of design. Not to be underestimated. We all need a space where there is nothing. The eye needs a place to rest. In this case, the negative space takes the form of plain white walls, solid fabrics and sleek tables.

I love the way the salmon color is carried in to this conversation and art nook.

The kitchen cabinets are plain and pale. The color approaches some of the carmel tones of the living room. I absolutely love this e-NOR-mous arrangement of greens. It’s huge and wild, with red berries. The assymetrical arrangement gives it a very casual feel.

The bedroom is simple and sleek. The Stafford bed from Crate & Barrel is the simplest possible design. Here’s another abstract painting by Joe Gaffney.

The seating area in the bedroom features a pod coffee table by Kelly Hoppen. Burlap pillows are thrown onto the sofa. A silkscreen by Eric Watson on the wall.

I am intrigued with this desk and assymetrical bookshelf. We are told that it was purchased at auction but I don’t know the manufacturer or even the era. My hunch is that it’s mid century modern. Any thoughts out there in reader land?

Here is John Barrett in his tiny but exquisitely designed patio.

Images courtesy of Elle Decor September 2007

This beautiful piece of custom designed cabinetry makes a classic statement. It’s cornice is inspired by Paladian styles, and the white paint keeps the room pale. I really appreciate the well edited choice of books and accessories displayed in the shelves. Clean and uncluttered. The exquisite barrel-back wing chairs are genuine antiques…..that is to say, one of them is. The designer found one and wanted a pair, so she had the other one made to match. Many people who are not professional designers don’t know that you can actually design your own furniture and have a skilled upholsterer make it up for you. First a frame is built out of wood, and the shapes and curves are created with webbing, foam, cotton, down and springs. This chair is graceful and sculptural with a slim profile that gives it a sort of contemporary feel. Notice how the edge of the sisal rug is cut to run around the cabinet.

I love how the corner ceramic lamp echoes the deep red of the Scully painting.

Silk draperies are used here with simple pleats that are sewn on to the rings. The classic chandelier was found in pieces in a London antiques shop, purchased and reassembled for this traditional space.

This apartment is 2,200 square feet. Not huge. Efficient use of space and storage is important. Here is the guest room with it’s built in canopy daybed. The drawers beneath the cushion hold a multitude of essentials, and a trundle bed hides behind the baseboard. The pale colors and bare floor gives this small room a very open look. ?As you will see, every room in this apartment continues the running theme of a neutral color palette and the highest quality finishes. Continuity is the key to successful interior design. While this traditional style may not be your particular cup of tea, I hope you can see how well the designer accomplished a flow of color and design from room to room.

The master bedroom is luxurious but not over done. Beiges and whites don’t have to be boring, do they? The fabrics are very high quality, but quiet. Monogrammed euro style shams on the bed are a nice touch. I don’t think I have ever seen a chair pulled up to the desk at the foot of the bed. It looks great in this photo. The walls appear to be grasscloth…a great way to incorporate texture into a neutral room.

A small sitting area occupies the other side of the bedroom. Again, we see beautiful fabrics. Neutral chenille upholstery on the sofa next to an “airy acrylic table that takes up almost no visual space.” Large contemporary painting by Sam Samone.

Photos courtesy of Decor Magazine Late Summer 2009

It wasn’t just a little blue. No no no. Not just an accent. It was a major amount of blue! Splashed liberally on big walls, small walls, pool edges and more. And it’s not just blue. It’s turquoise and yellow as well. The color is big and punchy. It provides a bold contrast to the flora and fauna of Morocco.

The Arab Pavilion leads to the Square Lake surrounded by many species of angular cacti of assorted sizes. “It is perhaps water – a key element of Islamic gardens – that makes this place. Sleeping and black, it tinkles joyfully, flows quietly or suddenly springs forth in clouds of fresh spray.” (Marie France-Boyer)

Pointed palms and triangular bladed agaves and yuccas contrast with rounded lush aeoniums, bushy bouganvilleas and gnarled vines. Elaborate wrought iron grills and grates contrast with simple unembellished plaster walls.

Can we apply these design principles to our own garden? Yes, of course we can. This is nothing more than?taking a color that you love and using it BIG. Do you have the courage that Marjorelle did eighty years ago?

Here is a photo of the brilliant orangey-red poppies that grow in my garden every May. While their foliage is green enough, I am imagining placing a bright green glazed urn right next to them at least during the month that they are in blossom. I am choosing bright green because it is the complementary color to red and is directly opposed to it on the color wheel. But bright yellow would do beautifully too.

And while I am into my color fantasy, the yellow orange lilies that come out in late June / early July could certainly use a purple blue piece of trellis placed behind them as a backdrop.

Here’s a fun example that I came across?which demonstrates just what power a colored backdrop can have in a garden. That color green just leaps off the purple fence. Garden eye candy for the neighbors!

Photos from World of Interiors December 2007

This is a “crop circle.” It is one of the most intriguing and baffling forms of art the world has ever seen, partly because the creator(s) is unknown. It is an impression made in the waist high wheat crop, usually in a decorative geometric pattern, and often extremely intricate and complicated. This first photo is an aerial shot taken from a plane of the so called “Yin Yang” formation which appeared in West Kennett, England on June 21st, 2009. It measures 175′ x 200′

Here’s another crop circle. This one appeared in a farmer’s wheat field in Waden Hill, England on July 1, 2009.

This crop formation appeared in Cannings Cross, England on July 10, 2009. We are told that the farmer who owns the field was so angry that he took his tractor and mowed it down.

This intricate design has been named “Quetzlcoatl Headdress” and appeared in Wiltshire, England on July 5, 2009. Following is a ground photo taken of the same design, from a nearby hill.

This elongated crop formation appeared in Martinsell Hill, England on June 25, 2009.

Here’s a fascinating and beautiful one, also in Martinsell, England. It appeared “suddenly” on July 19, 2007 and measures about 700′ across.

Croppies have interpreted this one as a jelly fish. It was created at Wayland’s Smithy, England on May 29, 2009.

According to Lucy Pringle, an investigator and photographer, this doubled arc crop formation appeared on July 14, 2009. “Someone was driving past the field at 4:18 AM. There was nothing in the field at that time. It was totally bare of any imprint. When he drove back past the field at 5 AM, the formation was there.” Although the outside shape of this design is relatively simple, close up photographs revealed a complicated woven pattern like a basket in the flattened down part of the wheat.

It is not uncommon for people to discover braided and knotted wheat and barley stems within the formations. It is also interesting to learn that, in most cases, the stems themselves are not broken but simply bent over to lay flat so that they can still grow. Crop circles have been appearing for over thirty years and in many areas of the world including Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Poland, Japan. This year one was created in my neck of the woods, Washington state, in a town called Wilbur. These phenomenal events are, indeed, a fascination as well as a source of controversy. While it might be possible for a resourceful team of people to pull off a simple version of a crop formations, there is an ever widening belief that they are created by another source. A source that is far more sophisticated when it comes to the movement of energy. If you are of the school of thought that material objects are nothing more than energy vibrating at different rates…then you might be open to these other worldly ideas.

Is there art in the Twilight Zone?

Here’s a great article that addresses the reasons why: Crop Circles – An Invitation

For more information, you might want to check out the following websites:
www.visiblesigns.de/
www.cropcircleconnector.com
www.silentcirle.co.uk

Photographs courtesy of Lucy Pringle, John Montgomery, Russell Stannard.

You can call it eclecticism. Or you can call it mixing but not matching. Or you can call it crazy. But whatever you call it, Vicente Wolf does this thing with the eye of a master. As many of you may know, Vicente Wolf is a Cuban born New York dwelling interior designer / photographer and renaissance man. The seating arrangement above is in his Hell’s Kitchen loft. It’s a bold combination of very diverse styles and…it works! The 19th century gilded Russian chair sits across from a mid (20th) century acrylic chair, which is in turn, having a conversation with the contemporary custom designed sofa. “You try to have a dialogue without words,” says Wolf. “A visual dialogue between pieces…It is a thinking process, not just a decorative selection. These pieces have real personalities.” And to that I would add this explanation. This combination of diverse objects works well because of a continuity of color. The taupe leather which covers the gilded chair matches the wool fabric on the sofa. The yellow gold of the chair frame is echoed in the leopard cushion of the acrylic chair. And the arrrangement is set against an expansive white floor, with white walls almost like an art gallery.

The loft space is designed to show case Wolf’s extensive photography collection, some of which are propped upon his vintage chair collection. It’s a whimsical way to show off and enjoy both things. In a sense, the white and the photos are running themes throughout the apartment. The seating arrangement above features one of the designer’s favorite things, the antique Monk’s bench from Thailand. It holds an interesting beaded neckpiece from South Africa. The metal daybed was custom designed.

Large photo on wall is by Michael Rovner, Chairs hold photos by artists such as Alexander Rodchenko and Man Ray. Ones on the ledges include Weegee, Harry Callahan, Richard Avedon.

Featured in this little nook is a 19th century loveseat and an Italian 18th century chair around a unique flea market table with a twisted base. Charming, I think. The designer often sells his own things to clients, but he is very attached to this little table and declares that it’s a “keeper” along with the Monk’s bench and his bed. The eye catching color photo above is by Damien Hirst.

Ah….the bed. “It’s like a boat, perhaps a gondola, that takes you on travels while you’re asleep. A bed should feel protective. Cradling you.” The upholstery is a mohair blend by VW Home. The soft blue gray color echoes thoughout the space in throw pillows and cushions.

Here is another fascinating juxtaposition that works well. The gilded ornate french table sits next to a classic 1960′s Hans Wegner chair. Sometimes it’s all about color. Certainly the repetition of black details within the framed photos helps to tie in the black chair.

More white. More taupe. More gray blue. More photos. And more of that wonderful “negative space” that makes us feel so peaceful. Empty space is one of the most important design elements of all.
More about that in future posts.

Ethiopian chairs. Art by Georges Hugnet, Edward Weston and Franz Kline. Buddhist ceremonial shells.

Vicente Wolf with his camera.

Photos by Vicente Wolf for Veranda Magazine July-August 2009

This blog covers the inspired work of interior designers the world over…and it answers the question “what makes this house so great?” Because visual art is such an important part of any interior and exterior, we also include the best (though not necessarily the most famous) of the art world. Like Andy Goldsworthy, one of my favorite environmental artists. The eclipse like shape above is his arrangement of leaves called “Rowan Leaves and Berries.” Breathtaking, eh!?

What is environmental art? Environmental art is a sculptural arrangement created from natural elements. The artist uses the earth as his only resource. While a sculptor typically molds clay and chisels rock. An environmental artist arranges leaves, rocks, twigs, icicles, seaweed, sand, bird feathers, lambs wool found stuck to thorny bushes and much much more. While a painter applies color from a tube of oil paint with brushes and a palette knife, the environmental artist finds pigment in soils, autumn leaves and grasses and uses his hands to make the shapes. I first learned about this magical art form when I stumbled across the work of legendary British artist, Andy Goldsworthy. Because weather is constantly changing, this artist takes photographs immediately after a piece is accomplished, knowing full well that the wind will blow it away. Or….the tide will come in. Or….the temperature will warm up and it will melt. “Each work grows, stays, decays. Process and decay are implicit.” says the artist. “Transience in my work reflects what I find in nature.”?Collaborating strictly with nature, it seems that his camera is the one man made cog in the wheel (at least for the less permanent works).

Pebbles Broken and Scraped

Icicle Star (joined with saliva)

Snow Circles

Iris Leaves with Rowan Berries

Autumn Cherry Leaves

Ice Spiral: Treesoul

Is this not absolutely amazing work?

Here are two short videos that you will find fascinating.?Just click on the following links:

Andy Goldsworthy 1987 Grizedale

From Rivers and Tides

There are many books, posters and DVD’s about Andy Goldsworthy. Click here.

This bedroom lives in Paris in a four room apartment in the 7th arrondisment. It is the home of Vincent Darre, a designer’s designer. His resume is long and impressive including the likes of Yves St. Laurent. Prada and Karl Lagerfield. Creative director of L’Uomo Vogue. Darre decorated “thousands” of parties and dressed thousands of party goers. Now in mid life he has embarked on a new phase of creativity which includes furniture and lighting collections for his brainchild Maison Darre. Here you see the “Vertebrae Chair,” his own design from a new collection of furniture inpired by bones.

The dramatic blue canopy bed is flanked by tables with tibia legs upon which icons, votive plaques and cow skulls. The wing lamp is a Darre design.

I am not posting these photos because I understand the design. In this case…words escape me.?Try as I might, I am unable to get into this designer’s mind. However, I really admire his freedom. I admire his ability to follow his quirky ideas and see them manifest into unique pieces of furniture. This liberated creativity is what separates “artists” from “others.” Notice the pelvis coffee table. It holds Yayoi Kusama’s copper colored shoes under glass bells. I love velvet sofas. I can definitely relate to velvet sofas.

This end of the room is a wild mixture of gilt scrolls, contemporary chairs by Knoll, glass tables and a 1950′s rug. The scrolls look like they were salvaged but we are told they were copied from a Sicilian chapel frame. I don’t know why they are there but I think it is good for all of us design junkies to expose ourselves to extremes. How do we feel when we see this room? Are we suddenly inspired to cover our upholstered pieces in jewel toned velvet?

The hall features Darre’s skeletal folding screen. The walls are lined with natural-history illustrations. And here is a photo of the man himself, Vincent Darre.

Be sure to check out Apartment Therapy’s post on Vincent Darre which includes other photos of the bone inspired furniture.

Photos from The World of Interiors November 2008

How would this fireplace look if it were breathing flames? Fascinating! This big mouthed god of sorts is the creation of internationally influenced artist Pedro Freideberg who is of German heritage but has lived in and studied in many of the world’s cultures. Hence, he has absorbed the dreams of others and has given birth to many visual fantasies of his own. The fireplace lives in Casa Diana, a bed & breakfast/gallery in the small artsy colony of San Miguel de Allende, north of Mexico City. It’s owner, Carmen Gutierrez, has created rooms around her former husband’s art and it has become a gallery of much interest.

How did they pull off this great example of eclecticism? An over-the-top ornate guilded mirror next to a cow hide upholstered loveseat . What makes the loveseat work is the fact that it’s frame is ornate…similar to the mirror. This creates a graceful transition that we always seek in interiors. The cow hide is a wild idea. Who would have thought of it?! But it works because the colors are all from the same section of the color wheel in the white-gold-brown range…another graceful transition. This is a beautiful mixture of “same and different.”

The artist is often asked to explain his repeated use of hands. Hands everywhere. What do they mean? But he does not explain this. It is his surreal visual expression. Did Picasso explain his guitars?!?! The Louvre has one of his hands and we are told that his work is followed by many a discerning collector.

The exterior of Casa Diana is “alive” with Pedro’s art. He has framed the windows in slithering snakes, and an Aztec looking mask with his signature hands has the personality of Mexican folk art.

Atop the building, a cast head of Michelangelo’s David stands watch over the town of San Miguel.

Here is another beautiful plaster fireplace in an equestrian theme. The dynamic horses are Italian Renaissance inspired. And scroll down to see some other pieces that are housed at Casa Diana. Art commentators observe Indian iconic forms and colors as well as Hebrew, Islamic and Chinese symbols in Freideberg’s work. Regardless, it is obvious that this artist knows how to use visual language for a powerful impact.

It would be quite an adventure to stay in this B&B/Gallery but we are told that there remains only one room for guests because all of the others have been crowded out by the art.

Photos from The World of Interiors March 2008

When this still life first caught my eye, I was enchanted! What an interesting collection of exotic pieces! Ancient Chinese (Han Dynasty) porcelains and bronzes. Impressionist drawings as a backdrop. How artfully arranged! I immediately wanted to know more about the rest of the house, and the person who created the arrangement.

It turned out to be a townhouse situated on the Upper East Side of the island of Manhattan, New York. The Big Apple….but I would have sworn it to be in one of the classier arrondissements of Paris. ?”Architecture speaks to you and can tell you what it needs,” says West Palm Beach interior designer Jack Fhillips. “This place was not an English cottage or a contemporary space.” This duplex apartment just begged to be decorated as a European pied a terre. With handsome woodwork, a limestone exterior and a walk in garden entrance it had all the classic energy of Europe.

We are already seeing a consistent color scheme here. Warm white walls, contrasting deep brown wood treads, guilded picture frames. The art within the frames does not have a lot of color either. It is mostly a collection of 18th-20th c. etchings, drawings and architectural renderings.

That’s a wild bed, is it not? It’s a 19th c. piece and my hunch is it’s from France. It sits on a Savonnerie rug, which is a french weaving technique.

These are formal rooms, and not everyone’s choice of lifestyle. However, it is a beautiful example of how to create “flow” and “continuity” within a space. This is one of the basic principles of great design. Pick a theme and stick to it. This does not mean we can’t be eclectic. But eclecticism is not simply random….there’s usually some reason that an oddball choice works well. It could be about scale. It could be about color or texture. That’s a big subject and I will write more in future blog posts about how to pull off an eclectic interior.

Here we see more of the same color scheme, with liberal use of deep caramel. We are told that one of the designer’s “signature touches” is to place a desk in every room. Desks are great places for staging arrangements of things and…

this designer has a wonderful eye for doing just that. There are interesting vignettes on many surfaces combining art, books and flowers amd more. It’s a bit of eye candy to stimulate the imagination.

Photos from Veranda magazine March 2008

The little Nubian villages are situated along the roadsides in a barren,?flat landscape. Long windowless walls face the thoroughfare providing protection and privacy. These colorful doorways appear like brilliant jewels marking the entry to a home which is usually an arrangement of rooms encircling a central courtyard.

The power of these vivid designs is especially dramatic against the neutral sandy terrain. They are simple, yet unforgettable. Some designs are refined and some are more crudely executed, and all make strikingly different statements. We are told that color is applied by hand with wet plaster, usually by the women of the home. The interiors vary, but they often repeat the exterior color palette within the vivid kitchens, bedrooms and other living spaces.

Enormous unglazed terracotta jars called “gurglets” hold drinking water in this sky blue and yellow room.

These kitchen walls are partially covered with bright purple fabric and contrasting yellow and orange plaster. A small portable gas stove accommodates the cooking. In a culture that has come to use modern conveniences more slowly than most, there is a sophistication and artfulness that speaks volumes about the heart and character of the people of Nubia.

Photographs from The World of Interiors October 2008

The dynamic sculpture above is called “Wind Shear.” It is one of a kind, as are all of this artist’s pieces. The face, arms and legs are hand carved out of yellow cedar and painted to capture the feeling of a pantomime street player. The boots and straps and retro style helmet are from leather. The platform is a tightly packed bed of nails. I can feel the excitement as this figure tries to catch the wind with his hand crafted wings. As well, I can feel the fear of falling into the abyss. A metaphor for life….perhaps?

Here’s “The Walrus” which measures 55″ x 45″ x 16″, to give you an idea of the scale of these pieces. The artist has most recently become fascinated with animal images which will be featured at his one man show at Patricia Rovzar Gallery in Seattle, Washington. November 6 through December 12, 2008. There will be rhinos, sheep, yaks, birds and more – all portrayed in Don Charles’ matchless style. Following are “Rhino” and “Songbird”……..
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Is the artist creating an image of himself? ?Sculpting a bust with the most extraordinary rams horns. The large and small metal wheels at the base add an antique charm to the piece. Entitled “The Sculptor” this piece stands 42″ tall and sold for $13,000.

Notice the sculptor’s clothing made up of antiqued leather strips attached with burnished nails.

Horses are a favorite theme. Here is “The Outrider” measuring 33″ x 18″ x 38″. $10,5000

“The Favorite” measures 27″ x 33″ x 16″. $8,500

Biographical Notes: Don Charles graduated with honors from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California (this is also where I received part of my art training, although Charles had a much more impressive academic career than I did). He spent the majority of his “working” life at Boeing where he rose to become Director of Worldwide Advertising and Promotion. About ten years ago he decided to leave his corporate life behind and devote his time to the creation of these enchanting and whimsical sculptural visions. Is his work in demand? Absolutely! And I have just the spot for one of them in the front entry of my home.

In my continuing exploration of artist’s living/working spaces, I stumbled upon the functional and beautiful loft space of artist John Alexander in New York’s refurbished Soho neighborhood. It’s functional because half of this city-block-deep space houses Alexander’s painting studio. It’s beautiful because Alexander and his partner Fiona Waterstreet are naturally aesthetic. Like most lofts, this space is vast. Almost a planet unto itself! The furniture is interesting because it is of normal scale and rather homey and tranditional, striking a strange contrast to the cavernous volume of space. The project designer, Lorraine Kirke understood that the place was to be kept fairly raw, simply brightened and lightened up. But it was not to look “designed.”?

Layers of Lower Manhattan’s dingy grime were scrubbed away and the paint splattered wood floors were polished. Walls were torn down to expose long vistas. Remaining walls were painted a warm white, the best backdrop for the artist’s huge expressionist paintings, as well as their collection of other artists’ works. Our eye travels through the ?high ceilinged space as it follows red and pink accents repeating and repeating in different ways. Here a vintage embroidered blanket. ?There a bold red and white stiped chair. Over there a classic mid century red kitchen stool.

The little kitchen is functional but certainly not fancy. Stainless steel appliances and chrome shelves expose the tools of living and cooking that a busy informal family enjoys.

The paint studio houses a vintage velvet sofa…….who doesn’t love a velvet sofa! I’m glad the parrots are red! Had they been green or blue and I would not be saying….”ahhh….balance.”

Their son’s room features a lovely ?collectible Empire bed and big splashes of red.

The space seems to go on forever, does it not? This round Biedermeier table’s ebony finish and dark wooden sofa legs punctuate the space, and repeat the dark tones of the artist’s canvases hanging behind. The industrial track lighting used throughout the space makes reference to other times and other occupants. Perhaps a factory. Perhaps a warehouse. These walls have lots of stories to tell, no doubt.

Here’s a glimpse of our artist, John Alexander, in the blue shirt. He purchased the loft in 1979 when Soho was just beginning to come up in the world. “It was grand and funky,” says the artist. And now it is grand and very liveable.