Blogs I Love: Emma's Designblogg.

I'm running late on my "Blogs I Love" today...my schedule has been a bit crazy, this week. Anyway, I decide to feature Emma's Designblogg this week. Emma's blog is not new by any means, but I love it so, and I think more people should read it. As I was selecting pictures to post, I found myself wanting to post almost every picture she had. Everything about this blog is so perfect! Unique, intriguing, innovative, on and on. Of course, I also have an obsession for Scandinavian design. What is it about the Scandinavian look; its so simple and bold at the same time. Anytime, I want to see something totally different, I love to hop over to Emma's blog; and I am never disappointed. I'm adding it to my blog link, so be sure to check it out regularly.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend. I'm off to do some work and get some sunshine too!

Designer: Peter Dunham

I was thumbing through Elle Decor yesterday, and photos of Peter Dunham's store Hollywood at Home caught my eye. Dunham's work is new to me, but I love his uniquely "Hollywood" look. The combination of patterns and bright colors, mixed w/ Spanish colonial and traditional shapes is so dynamic. Definitely, not a look I see living in Texas very often. I guess the fantasy element of Hollywood movies, spreads to its interior design too. Wouldn't be great if we all allowed ourselves to have a little more whimsy and fantasy in our lives and homes?
The site for Hollywood at Home is still under construction, but there are plenty of pretty things to see in Dunham's design website.

Some Eye Candy.

I know I've posted about Camilla Engman's work before, but I just couldn't resist featuring her again. These photos are for the Organized Collection pool from Flickr. I love the simplicity and colors. Check out the Collection pool for more interesting collections...Flickr, I love you more and more everyday.

Color Palettes from Fashion.

(Link found from Uppercase Blog)

I'm not one to write about fashion, because I don't follow trends close enough to know what I'm talking about. Also, normally what I like has nothing to do with what is going on at the moment, (remember the "weird kid" label?) Despite that , I do like reading the Sartorialist; as many of you reading this do. I found a great blog called Wear Palettes. A graphic designer has taken on the amazing photos from the Sartorioalist and creates color palettes from the all the amazing outfits. Its fascinating. As I was scrolling through the photos, I couldn't help noticing small details that w/out the color palettes; I would have missed.

















Now I believe the blog is meant to inspire wardrobes, but I think it could be a spring board for interior palettes too. I have often read designers recommend styling a home the way you would style yourself, and I couldn't agree more. Many people are confused about what style they like for their home, but most people know what style and colors they like to wear. The subconscious is a funny thing...we usually seek out the same things over and over again. Personally, I love men's clothing. I like men's clothes because they are all about subtle details. Wonderful stitching, tailoring, and intriguing combinations of patterns and textiles. Also, men's clothing is more often made using natural fibers. All of those features are what I love to include in the decor of my home and projects I work on. I think we need to learn to trust our subconscious more. I included a few of my favorite palettes, that I think could be reinterpreted into a design scheme. Most of the palettes have lovely neutral colors that can be used as the foundational colors and very fun strong colors that can be used to give a little pop to a room.

Trapeze Light.

I made up the name of trapeze light. Its actually called a Suspension lamp, but it reminds me of a trapeze, so that's what I'm calling it. There is such a delicate balance to all the parts. What a conversation piece.
P.S. I forgot where I found this lamp originally. Sorry.

My Sketches

I was going through the drawers in my office recently and happened across an old sketch book of mine. I used to do a lot of sketching of ideas, working things out by drawing the details before they actually became a reality. I would always carry a sketch book with me where ever I went so I could quickly capture my inspiration as it occurred. I haven't been doing enough of that lately with the advent of Auto Cad, a program where drawings are computer generated, and with my small digital camera in my purse at all times. I don't know whether it is laziness or the advent of technology, but I must say that looking back on these quick hand done sketches that they have a certain charm that the computer or the digital camera just can't achieve. There is something to be said for hand drawing. When I went to Design School we were taught to hand draw and I filled copious sketch pads. I studied Architecture in Paris and we would sit for hours in front of an important building or monument while the professor talked about the merits of the architecture and we would be fastidiously sketching away. I remember my first art class where there were nude models. I was very young and very naive and must say that it was very embarrassing for me to learn to draw the human body anatomically correct. Hand drawing is a very good way to train the eye to see details, and details are the stuff that design is made of. There is something magical about capturing the essence of something with a few lines.

This was a sketch for a doorway into a Master Bedroom closet. I played around with different fringes to edge the drapery. One side was striped and the other side was a coordinating floral in linen.

This was an alternate detail for the drapery to cover the doorway into the Master Closet. Instead of being held back with a piece of curved metal it gathered back on itself with a series of loops sewn onto the back of the fabric, much like a roman blind. The top of the drapery was hung over the curtain rod with tabs that folded over and were pointed on the ends. There is even a design for coordinated lampshades trimmed with cord and tassel.

These were sketches for toss cushions with notations for the size,fabric, trims and even the colors.

This was a sketch for the drapery workroom for a "balloon" valance treatment with a decorative French mirror between. The windows bothered me as they were not even, so I added full length side panels to each window, as noted in the bottom notation, to have 10" hems/headers and I wanted them to puddle on the floor so I added an extra 40" to the over all length. I would not have been able to make this decision to frame the windows with full length draperies as easily if I had not done a sketch first.

A sketch for the arrangement of toss cushions and bedding, that were made of 3 fabrics: Cream Silk Taffeta, Anjelica - a beautiful cream and navy linen toile, and a charcoal pin strip Egyptian cotton. Funny I even added a little quotation: "Each Day Dawns But Once".

This was a sketch that I did of a chair in a Hotel Lobby in London, that intrigued me. I was sitting down waiting for the check-in to happen. The British do wonderful detailing on their upholstery and drapery treatments. I remember being totally charmed with the fabric and color selection of this chair, that I had to note exactly how it was done. I even drew the skirt in detail showing a section through it. People must have thought I was crazy, as I lifted up the skirt several times to see exactly how they had sewn it. I used to carry a travel palette of watercolors and would use whatever liquid I could find, for this one I might have dipped my paint brush into diluted tea?? After all it was London.

Urban Market

This past weekend I went to an outdoor antique fair called the Houston Urban Market. It consists of over 40 dealers from Houston and surrounding areas. Basically, its meant to be a place for antique dealers to come and sell some of their wares at "bargain" prices. I am not really convinced that they are bargain prices, but its still fun to go and look around. I don't even know how many people showed up...hundreds! By the way, if you plan on going be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you will walk a long distance just to park.

Love this very funky retro lamp. I tried to get the other Houston bloggers together, but was unable to. That's what I get for waiting so long to try and round everyone up. Maybe next time.

As I was scrolling through my pictures, I was reminded of my obsession with chairs. I mean, you would never know it but there were non-chair related items at the market. Actually, my favorite pieces were these amazing pillows. The patterns are embroidered by native people in Mexico...maybe that is why I like them so much.
P.S. I set up a Flickr account. I have more pictures of the market there.

Yellow Fever

It's Feb 25th and I am anxiously awaiting Spring. Yellow reminds me that it is just around the corner. Forsythia blooming, tulips nodding their heads to me at the Flower Shops, a bowl of yellow lemons are all live touches of yellow we can add to our homes. But what about using yellow in more permanent installations in your home to add a dash of sunshine and warmth year round. Color researchers believe the color Yellow increases self-esteem and strengthens the overall well-being. Yellow to me is happy, bright, optimistic and interestingly enough it is the color that has the longest memory retention. So yellow is a good color to paint your house when you are wanting to sell it.....because yellow houses sell faster. Also yellow cars have been proven to have fewer accidents.

Forsythia, yellow tulips & fresh lemons on classic Carrera marble countertops

House Beautiful March 2008

Yellow Pottery, lemons, bananas, and pineapple in this beautiful all white kitchen

Southern Accents

Classic contemporary yellow chairs

A contemporary way to add a splash of color in your rooms, which is easy to change out for a new look.

Jan Showers uses touches of yellow for punch in this room

Jeffery Bilhuber has used National Geographic magazines to get a pop of yellow into this warm and inviting sitting room

This is such a bright welcoming entryway with my favorite Gracie Studio Wallpaper. Photo via Mrs Blandings

I like the way Interior Design icon, Albert Hadley uses yellow as an accent color for furniture. The picture on the right is a room in his own home and on the right is his office.

A beautiful "tessellation" tile (left) & David's Hicks's masterful use of bright acid yellow (right)

I love the billowy yellow silk draperies in these rooms

A classic credenza designed by the fabulous Tommi Parzinger (top) & A painted Chinese chest (bottom)

Some yellow inspiration from my last trip to LA. That is velvet on the ottoman on left picture. The picture on the right is from an accessories showroom showing their spring and summer line for 2008. I definitely saw a trend for yellow for this year in home furnishings and accessories.

This is a room David Hicks designed in the 70's and it is still vital and current 30 some odd years later. He uses yellow sofas and chairs in his design much the same way as Albert Hadley.

A beautiful yellow wallpaper in this room by Katrin Cargill Creamy (left) & butter yellow painted walls by Jan Showers (right)

Yellow lamps add a vibrant shot of color in this black and white bedroom, and notice the interesting cushion on the bed

Classic yellow striped cushions

I love the bold use of yellow on this floor...now that takes chutzpah

Magnificent antique Directoire chairs