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

We are gazing through three arches here. Standing outside the office, we look over its’ tile table, through the central courtyard, and into the loggia on the far side. Careful attention was paid to creating the longest possible view. Notice how the painting is centered on the very farthest wall.

Surrounding the border of the library the boldly painted motto “The Eye Sees What the Mind Knows.”?Tile floor, darkened wood, and an drum shaped rustic amber pendant lamp repeat the theme and carries through the finishes with consistency.

The kitchen is a lighter brighter room, featuring a pair of wonderful inverted lampshade fixtures in stitched parchment. I love the oversized cactus in terra cotta pots. Exaggerated scale adds quirky drama to any space. Imagine if the cactus were only half the size…..ho hum, right?

Another great addition to a space is a collection of something…almost anything will work to entertain us. In this case, vintage dishes in bright colors make delicous eye candy.

For the fireplace, a simple arch of bricks with a brick hearth makes a modest historically accurate statement. The sofas are actually vintage Monterey pieces. The painting on the far wall is William Ritschel’s 1912 Desert Wanderers.


It’s always fascinating to see the exterior of a house after viewing the interior rooms. This one looks like a big old Spanish mission at festival time. ?Spanish Colonial Revival is one of the most ubiquitous and charming architectural styles in southern California. ?It is easy to spot because of the trademark red tile roofs with (usually) white stucco walls, arches, wrought iron grates, center courtyards, terra cotta tile floors, cactus and bouganvilea. And if they are lucky houses, they will have an owner who treasures them.

Photographs by Scott Frances from Architectural Digest / November 2008

Here is a decorator’s dream come true, especially if that decorator loves history and antiques. The ingredients: A huge 19th century white stone building. 13,000 square feet of peeling paint, tall ancient windows and character galore. Gorgeous French countryside. Two antique purveyors with remodeling skills and a great eye for possibilities. The challenge for owner/antiquarians Claude and Alain Fassier, was to restore this run down building (that had a former life as a girl’s boarding school) into both a home and a place from which to market their fabulous collectibles. My mouth is watering. What a great project! Imagine clusters of chattering schoolgirls in white blouses and plaid skirts pushing through these doors to their classrooms. This sweet little child pictured above (a Fassier grand daughter) sits at a French sewing table.

A work in progress as this photo was taken. Layers of paint were carefully peeled away to reveal handsome trompe l’oeil fluted columns. The painted Louis XV table holds red tulips.

Through the doors we catch a glimpse of the library?with its miles of brand new bookshelves that are made to blend seemlessly with the old walls. A large work table from an electronics atelier is covered with old engravings and posters, globes and a glass bell displaying a papier mache’ algae plant. With vintage mannequins and glass cases housing stuffed birds, the whole room has an “air of wit and scholarliness” which is so appropriate for this former place of learning.

This room is on the ground floor of the building, and is part of the antique shop La Maison Fassier.?The large multi drawered chest is from a seed merchant’s storeroom. And the Persian rugs are from Ikea…do you believe it? This is a perfect example of using any and all resources to pull a room together. I will often find great pieces at Pottery Barn or Crate & Barrel that blend beautifully with more expensive furnishings.

I love this mixture of contemporary and antique. The classic Le Corbusier chaise lounge sits in front of some old roof finials, an abstract painting, a dried pumpkin and a resin sculpture. Putting an old relic up on a stand (that any gallery or metal fabricator can make for you) calls attention to it in a special way. It’s a popular thing for designers to do, and any appraiser will tell you that it adds value to the object.

The owner inserted these beautiful old doors into the room. They are especially lovely because of the unique stained glass panels of butterflies and flowers, and they look as if they were original to the building.

The guest bedroom continues with the magic of more vintage treasures. The carousel horse is 19th century German. The headboard is an 18th century painting on canvas.

Looking like a greenhouse of sorts, this is the schools open air glass roofed play area. It has become a useful veranda for the family. The eating table is covered with vintage linens. There are comfortable upholstered chairs for reading and lounging. Interesting old wicker chairs, iron stool, a doll house and all sorts of other goodies.

So…the next time you’re in Paris, drive southwest about 90 miles (how many kilometres would that be….anyone?) to the popular and newly chic town of Remalard. Stop in to La Maison Fassier and let us know what surprises your discover.

Photos from House & Garden July 2007

Hillhaven Lodge sits among the Hollywood Hills, famous for its star studded neighbors. It’s size is not overwhelmingly impressive compared to many, but its walls have witnessed many a celebrity party and there are stories to prove it. Yes indeed, Ingrid Bergman purchased the home during World War II. She called it the Barn and…. looking at the beams in the vaulted ceiling above, we can see why. Kim Novak and director Richard Quine carried on their romantic triste in this house. ?James Caan played basketball in its living room. Through the years we are told that it fell into ragged disrepair until director Brett Ratner came to purchase it and, with the help of designer Waldo Fernandez, restore it to it’s casually elegant glamour of today. I particularly love the way the owner’s collection of framed black-and-white photographs are displayed throughout. On easels. Propped against walls. On the floor. They all appear to be framed similarly (which is a great way to hold a collection together visually). The photos are a theme in the design of this interior, repeating itself from room to room.

Yes, it’s a real Rodin sculpture. Fantastic.

The fireplace seating area features four matching leather club chairs. Very handsome with the nail heads. This is a nifty way to create a conversation grouping. Let’s break out of the sofa-and-two-chairs box. The stacked stone wall, typical of mid century, is original to the home.

Another running theme are the dark hardwood floors and white walls. You may think this is not much of a theme but, indeed it is. Imagine if the walls changed color from room to room and if the floor finishes were different in each room, “Good Design” would have dictated that another running theme be established to provide much needed continuity. What could it be? It could be all white furniture and all white woodwork. for example. I love the English style divided light windows in this home. Below is an expansive bay window with its upholstered banquette. A pair of Windsor chairs and an English gateleg table are silhouetted in the light. Loveliest touch here are the two ?giant fern fronds in a vase.

The master suite features a Moroccan rug and Moroccan striped pillow fabric. The headboard is made out of 17th century Portuguese wood panels. Below is the gorgeous onyx walled master bathroom. And more of those beautiful divided light windows

Photos from Elle Decor March 2009

In this post we are being treated to the artful accessorizing of Patrick Wade and Dave DeMattei in San Francisco. These guys have earned their stripes in the world of design. Patrick is senior v.p. of creative for West Elm and ?Williams-Sonoma Home. Dave is group president for Williams-Sonoma. I’m loving how the delicious chocolate walls (Benjamin Moore Classic Brown 2109-10) of this living room play against the bright white trim. And look how the white ceramics continue to echo the white, over and over again. This crisp contrast is softened with cream colored sofas, sisal rug, soft glowing lamp shades and even the arrangement of yellowish tulips.

Yellows and blues weave their way through this inviting and comfortable home. This is a cozy corner of the dining room (fun to put a chair there!) featuring a large table and hand carved Irish dining chairs with informal cotton striped cushions. Impressionistic food paintings by Marion Vinot further add to the french country feel of this wonderful space. The blue and white transferware on the ottoman…

appears throughout the living areas. We told it is a sizeable collection and look how impressive it is when grouped together! Collections of anything are fascinating because of the repetition (in this case, blue and white) and the variation (all shapes and sizes). It makes us just want to look, and look…and look some more. Notice the touch of yellow in the flatware handles which is just enough to keep that yellow and blue theme flowing through.

The marble topped breakfast bar area is full of eye candy. Open shelving holds an ever so casual looking assemblage of dishware and glasses but…don’t be fooled. They’re not just stuffed in there with no thought to arrangement and color. The top two shelves feature a collection of white porcelain ?tea pots. All the dishes are white or white and brown transferware. The only other colors that appear here are yellow, gold and gilt trim. Flowers, fruit, even the spines of the cookbooks fall within this limited palette. It looks so informal but it definitely makes a statement. As a compulsive stylist, I really appreciate this artful design.

Another view of the kitchen shows more yellow and white. Yellow forsythia, lemons, grapefruit and that yummy yellow urn which I could just take a bite of it’s so great.

Here’s a beautiful arrangement of yellows and greens in an upstairs sitting room. Provencal ceramics snuggle with books atop the lovely and valuable Biedermeier dresser. The homeowners have mixed their antiques very tastefully with less pricey yet nicely designed ?items from Williams-Sonoma Home.

Was a designer involved in the creation of this room? I mean that in a good way! ?A little blue print, a little red of similar scale, a pair of traditional chairs, mid century modern tables, contemporary lamps, a rustic basket….so many different things. This is not an intimidating designer room. It’s a totally warm and inviting space. ?A space where a person can really relax….and tell the truth. Honestly? I’d give anything to curl into one of those chairs with a cup of my favorite orange spice tea and my very best friend to share stories with.

Photos from House Beautiful March 2008

Suspended against a white wall, this row of richly colored vintage shovels make a great pattern above the white sofas. They are similar, but not the same. And we are totally absorbed as we compare the differences. This one has a double handle. This one has a burn spot. This one is crooked and wonky. Oh look…This one has a string around the handle and that one is absolutely square. This one is oak. That one is pine. But….they’re ALL wooden shovels of approximately the same size. That’s the magic ingredient that ties them together into a striking collection.

Here is more dark pattern silhouetted against light walls. A grouping of three beautifully curved bronze vessels from India which repeat the graceful curves of the rusted iron table. The designer is working with shades of tobacco and shades of white in this room. A simple limited palette.A clean uncluttered look. Exquisite!

Here is another grouping of bronze vessels from India ?which, we are told, are used to store holy water. Isn’t that a wonderful story? Stories add so much to our collections. If you have them, don’t hesitate to tell them. Wolfe says that he enjoys the way these vessels “echo the lines” of this?nineteenth century French oak country table.

This rattan tray displays a grouping of intricately inlaid objects (probably from India). Some are round. Some a rectangular. Some are encrusted with stones. But ALL are silver and that is the magic thread that binds these objects together to create a collection.

I love this coffee table collection…and it took me forever to discover that they are African dowry bracelets. Pretty, aren’t they?…and tactile! I just want to run my hand along their rounded shapes. If anyone knows just how a woman can wear such a large bracelet, please write and enlighten us all. ?What makes this such a beautiful little grouping is that the objects are similar, but not the same. And that difference is what intrigues us.

Although this is an even numbered collection of four masks, Wolfe generally prefers groupings of odd numbers.?”Odd numbers tend to keep the space in a room moving,” he says, “even at a dinner party because three are more dynamic than two. I find self contained settings stay empty more than asymmetrical vignettes, which open up the room.”

Photos from Learning to See by Vicente Wolfe

Collections really pack a wallop. I was stopped in my tracks when I came across this amazing kitchen in World of Interiors magazine (May 2008). Is this the kitchen of a king? I asked myself. Well….almost, as it turns out. ?The Duke of Bragancaga built this palace in Vila Vicosa, Portugal in the 16th century where he and subsequent generations lived lavishly and generously. They hunted game of all sorts, dined upon wild boar stew, pheasant with chestnuts, savoury venison and no doubt drank copious amounts of wine. While much of the furniture and artwork has gone away, the impressive copper pot inventory still remains.

A copper plate is engraved with its owner’s name. I wonder if every single copper piece was incised in a similar way.

What makes a collection so impactful? Well, it’s simple. Collections demonstrate two important design principles.

Repetition and Variation. In this case, the theme is copper. This collection repeats and repeats and repeats copper. However, what makes it fun and fascinating is that ?the copper comes in every imaginable shape and size. That’s where the variation comes in. We are looking at giant cauldrons, tiny jelly molds, ladles, whisks, chafing dishes, kettles and everything in between.

Of course this collection would take up 4 city blocks and who has that kind of space in their own home!? Just a little bit of hyperbole. An exageration to make a point. Even a collection of a dozen objects of like finish but different shapes adds so much to a room. I have seen collections of objects of like shape but different finish and, to me, this is not as effective because there are often too many colors involved and it looks a bit chaotic.

Is anybody wondering how these endless copper pots stayed polished? ?We are told that it took 26 cooks, maids, waiters and bottle washers a lot of elbow grease and two months to complete the task.