Perfect Art Show for Thrifty & Creative Collectors - A Winner

Well my peeps, put away those glass- covered, framed, mass produced prints you've been collecting at retail all these years. YOU can be a "Collecta" now.
If you'd love to start or enhance your art collection with original artwork done in various media, from oils to watercolors to charcoals to sculpture and pastels or photography, or, or, or. . . Then you'd have had a ball with Steven and me this past weekend at the Annual Patrons Art Show in Alexandria, Virginia. It's a fund raiser for the Art League of Alexandria andit happens each year around President's Day
so start saving those hotel points now! (Above: An art-stuffed viewing room)
Imagine this: For each ticket purchased to the auction
(for $175 each), you will be guaranteed one work of art from the auction. Each piece, donated by local artists has to have an appraised value of at least $175. (The marvelous still life I won this year....one of my top picks . . was listed on the artist's site with a selling price of $950.) 600 artists donated art this year and so only 600 tickets could be sold.
Shown in the photo here stands yours truly. I am in one of the viewing galleries just before closing the night before the auciton. It was the end of a long day of art viewing which is why the gallery was empty....it's normally packed with people. I'm clutching my list of favorite artwork. On it, I've noted, in my preference order, all of my favorites. My fingers are crossed in the hopes that I get one of my top picks of artwork this year.



HOW IT WORKS:
The auction begins promptly at 5pm on a Sunday evening. You may view the art the day before to make a list of your top picks. Once the auction starts - names are drawn from a large spinning drum; the person whose name is called stands and calls out the number of the piece of artwork they'd like. (The crowd may groan with disappointment that a favorite of theirs was just taken.) That's pretty much how the night gallops on. If you call out a number of a piece of artwork that has already been taken. . . you'll be get a loud boo from the crowd...these Alexandrians are serious! Thus, you must keep up and pay close attention, crossing off artwork pieces as they get chosen by the people whose names are drawn before yours. I know this sounds like pressure, but as they say - "you must suffer for your art."


What are the odds of getting something you love? My name was about the 175th name called - (I know this because my pal Peg is a wanna be statistician - she can do calendars in her head; divides weeks by numbers to tell you what day of the week something is occurring - and yes - she keeps a tally of who gets called when at the Art Auction. Go Peg!) I got one of my "A"-list picks this year, (last year too); Steven whose name was called at about 500th (out of a possible 6oo) got one of his "C"-list picks. Had the man consulted with his adoring wife when his name was called, I could have 'persuaded him' to call out the number of one of my top picks...a sculpture that had not been selected even so late in the evening. But alas...it was every man for 'herself' that night! (Good thing I love my fella. Don't love the photo he brought home, but this is marriage....)



My point is, the odds are better than you think to come home with something in your top 15-25 picks.. Think about it: if you love abstract art, then you are not competing with all of the still life lovers. I didn't bid on any photography or folk art and very few abstracts. My eye was more on the oils, a few charcoals and mixed medias, some sculpture and a water color here and there.


Below you'll see some shots of the auction. It lasts for about 4 hours...thus one must pack food, dress comfortably . . it's a long ride. But great fun! I hope you'll join me down there next year. I'll send out an alert for tickets some time around November/December of 2010. Happy Art!


Photos shown:
1. A portion of the vast Hall where the auction will take place...nice & empty. This is the calm before the storm. Note the taped square on the floor in the photo. That was our seating section. Pretty Glam, no?
2. Our taped down 'seating signs" Steven made.
Our folding chairs will go here
where they are handed out.


3.Another photo shows most people seated

and ready moments before the auction will begin. Some people can be seen making last minute changes to their preference lists. Note the large screen in the shot showing a piece of art and it's identifying number. This new-this-year-feature helps to keep wandering minds - like mine - on track. When you call out your piece of art, it is flashed up on the screen.





Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Modern Elevation House

Modern Elevation House

Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Modern Western House

Modern Western House

Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Asheville Luxury Interior Design

Asheville Luxury Interior

Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Mother Nature Wins Design Award

Well Mother Nature - you did it again. I'm not talking about the thousands of dollars of potential damage you've done this year on our property. I admit that I do occasionally (nervously!) survey (each day!) our completely buried English boxwood hedge and I look longingly at the assorted evergreen shrubbery that is either smooshed, possibly gasping for breath - or, well -killed, in the recent "Storm-Upon-Storm Spree" you've been on.





Still - that's not why I'm writing. No sour grapes here. I'm actually setting aside my landscape angst to pay you a great compliment.



Nice work!! As noted in this photo of our snow-draped deck and property - you are - an exquisite designer. This is one heck of a monochromatic design you did - just perfect.




When clients ask me about doing a monochromatic interior and I tell them that shape becomes of paramount importance, I don't always get a look of real recognition. That is - until I explain this:



When the eye is robbed of color or pattern - which it follows after hungrily and instinctively - the eye is left to notice shape: The silhouettes of the furnishings, the architecture, accessories. The eye is looking for 'differences.' Varied texture also become of paramount importance to engage the eye so that things look and feel rich - never bland, flat or cold.



Take a look at the photograph above once again after you read the following and you'll take a great design lesson. Not a lot of color in that photo- it's pretty much a 'white and brown story." And it's magnificent. What moves forward? All of the shapes. The jumbled web of branches in the woods in the background; the marvelous pergola structure which is not topped with a mass of purple wisteria as it is in May, but rather - out jumps the frothy snow cap perched high upon it. The mounds and drifts of white snow, in various shades of white (thanks to shadow) that cover the deck furniture and over sized pots - its a marvelous play. And for some textural contrast, the wood of the deck is rough and hard next to the soft downy snow. In further contrast rises the perfect radius of the arched window on the house - all shiny-sleek black-looking glass outlined in crisp white trim. It pops as a piece of interesting man-made art.



Ahhhh color & pattern. There are times when you are missed. Times when you are craved. However, there is a quiet and excitement in the monochromatic scheme. And for the record my peeps...a monochromatic scheme is a play in a single color - cut with neutrals like black, white, brown, gray, beige or ivory. The misunderstanding amongst client is that monochromatic means ONLY neutral colors. Au contraire. One can do a seafoam green monochromatic room - or something in all corn silk - any color played throughout a space in varying shades and tints will give you a monochromatic interior. One cuts it with neutrals to calm it or bring it to attention.



Granted, to pull off a great looking monochromatic interior, I do not recommend the do-it-yourself. Such an interior will likely benefit from an experts touch so that shape, texture, shade and tone can be correctly varied in order to keep things striking...never dull. Just like this marvelous work photoed above....crafted by the most expert designer of designers...Mother Nature herself! You go girl! (Do you charge by the hour?)







Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Best Luxury Homes

Best Luxury Homes

Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Luxury House Interior Design

Luxury House Interior

Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Toto, I Don't Think We're In Pottery Barn Anymore

Well peeps - in the spirit of adventure, I'd like to take you outside the bounds of what you might normally feast upon in the furniture stores and catalogers that you most likely frequent. As a designer, I get to attend trade shows, presentations, continuing ed classes - not to mention receive a slew of industry journals. It's great fun, the things that I get to see! And with some of these latest images - I just had to share. For example - notice the Tulip Sink pictured here. Imagine spitting your nightly toothpaste into this. I don't know about you, but my money is on "hitting the wall" or . . . your shoe. But you have to admit - it is interesting!




Take a look at some of these other wild, interesting and even beautiful concepts that found their way to me, by way of various trade publications recently. And before you judge (for example - "Wow, I hate that!") - At least consider first - and take note of - the immense creativity behind each concept. Then...judge. Have at it! (For example . . . "I really hate that"...") But more than anything else - have some fun, just like I did when I saw these creations from various designers around the globe. Enjoy!









Pictured here - a design student's final project in the Netherlands . . . that's a book shelf, made of letters. See close up detail below.






Book Shelf Detail





















Any idea what this light fixtures is made of? Scroll down to find out!




(A New Twist on a "Reading Light" I think you'll agree!)






























































































Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Shopping With Donna

If you love to shop for home furnishings as much as I do - then you must head over to Design Spree at some point. (There's one in Lawrenceville, NJ - check to see if there's one near you.) If you have a hard time focusing - then take your designer with you. It's a real "thrill of the hunt" sort of place - a yummy jumble and hodge-podge haunt. Brave the waters and you'll see furnishings from the higher end, nicely discounted. Caution: You usually need to buy it when you see it - things don't last long there, (though I understand they do now offer custom options on an upholstery line or two.) And to clarify, when I say good value, do know that I do not mean inexpensive - this is not Home Goods. However, the prices within the category are quite good and occasionally you will find 'the deal.'

Here are a few finds from a recent shopping trip I did for wonderful living room I'm working on in Bucks County - we're going for classic with a little provincial twist. The client selected some of the items shown here, and other pieces not shown in today's blog. Still - take a look at the treasures I turned up...






This Delish Mirror & Glass Coffee Table ...



















OR




This over sized mirror to create a little extra needed space near the baby grand.(The prices on these over sized mirrors are great!) Perfect mix of gold leaf and aged distressing . . .
















OR




This Tortoise Marble Topped Gilded Coffee Table . . .















OR


This sweet little painted chest. Can't you just hear it crying out for the perfect foursome of framed prints hung above it (framed in black) and the perfect candlestick lamp perched upon it? I can. Sorry little dresser, the client didn't pick you, but some other lucky person will. :)









Design Spree is certainly hit or miss, but what a delight when the perfect find finds you. Thanks for shopping with me . . . how about we take a break now, stop off for a cup of flavored decaf with a splash o'milk and a biscotti someplace? We'll kick back and enjoy our spoils. . .
Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

The 7 Things Your Mother Never Told You About Decorating . . . then again...Maybe She Did!

Who am I to argue with the fact that "Mother Knows Best." Me, the girl who couldn't get or keep any food in for 19 months after my own mother died. Still - there is likely a thing or two about design that perhaps mother didn't tell you that - if known - may save you a little time, hassle, aggravation, dollars - or any mixture thereof.

1. Don't buy suites. That means you. End tables and coffee tables need not be matchy-matchy. Chairs need not 'match' the sofa silhouette. Beyond a dining room or bedroom (and even there you can step out and step up) - that 'room in a bag' look is most usually a downmarket look. If you want a look that rivals something in a design magazine - let there be conversation between your case goods, not duplication.

*If you currently have the matchy-matchy thing happening somewhere in a room in your home, and you want to fix that problem now....start breaking up the marriage...of furniture that is. Separate matched pieces by relocating 1 'twin' into an alternate space. Works like a charm...now you'll see the furniture shape you love in two locations rather than one.


2. You get what you pay for. Well, maybe your mother did say this. If she did - she was a smarty pants. Cheapest is not always the smartest way to go in home furnishings or design. Cheapest will always be the most cheaply made, cheaply designed, cheaply executed and cheaply built. The cheapest craftspeople don't always do the greatest job. There are things that get dropped out 'in the backroom' in order to land something at the cheapest price. If you're in a college dorm room, that's one thing. But if you're creating a home - there are many times when it's wise to save for the best you can afford. The better sofa in the family room or other high-use area will will wear longer, look better for far longer and your comfort factor will rise exponentially too. Buying the cheapest in design is often a case of "throwing good money after bad" - now that sounds like something a mother would have said too!



3. Never kiss on the first date. Yes, that's correct girls. Keep them wanting. Don't feel like you have to give it all away on the first date. Rooms & Homes don't need to come together in 1 fell swoop. As a designer, I'm the one who will often say to a rarin'-to-go client - 'How about slowing down a bit.' Better to finish 1 room completely than spritz budget dollars and energy in 10 different directions. "Rush-to-the-finish-spirtzers" often run the risk of running out of steam (budget, focus or both) and then no one room ever crosses the finish line. Design is a slow, hurry-up-and-wait process. Embrace it for what it is. And remember: Good things come to those who wait. (Oooh...did your mother say that one too?? Mine did...often . . because I was always impatient.)



4. 'But You Look Good In Florals.' Yeah, well you might, but your sofa doesn't. What large scale florals (or any large scale print) do to your hips...imagine that on an 84" wide piece of stuffed furniture. It'll suck up more visual space in a room than you can imagine and you'll tire of it faster than you can say, "Does this sofa make me look fat?"



5. Sit like a lady. Yes, I like this one, particularly if you're wearing a skirt. Chairs are marvelous. Think of the chairs in a space as being little works for art -yes, think comfort, but also think shape, think pattern (yes, you may put your florals or larger prints on these), show a little leg on some, demurely skirt some of the others, go bold and deep in some places, and ever so darling elsewhere. Sit like a lady. It'll feel great.


6. A way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Yes, so we all know. HOWEVER, that doesn't mean that the Mr. of the house shouldn't have his appetite indulged when it comes to design. He may not want to spend much time with you - or you and your designer - searching for each last piece. But let his voice be heard in the design process...it's his castle too. My #1 rule when working with a couple is that in the common spaces, it has to feel great to both partners. In his office or your study - well, all bets are off. (All's fair in love - and in your own designated corner of the house). If you like girlie things and frill - have at it in your own space. But don't make him feast on it in the shared areas of the house. Men are people too. I love men. I love my men. (Hubby and son). Steven absolutely hates the girlie purple toile chair in my studio office. (Yum!) I don't much prefer the giant pencil in his office. (Take that!) But in the rest of our home, it's true-blue to the two of us. I know you love your men too. A way to a man's heart may be through his stomach - but there's a sensitive, artistic core in that fella too and as a normal human, he does indeed respond to environment and design. Let him be a full partner in design - or as much partner as he wishes.


7. "Always comb your hair before you go out - you never know who you'll run into." This has nothing to do with design - nor can I think of a thread - but who can argue with it.




Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Design Apologies - You're breaking my heart

Well peeps. It happened again just now. On the phone. Another apology casually and sheepishly thrown my way by a new client. 'Old' clients do them too. These unwarranted apologies always swoop in out of the blue and always make me feel bad. So - once and for all, I am taking blog in hand to put a hopeful end to these design apologies. You're breaking my heart.
The scenario is something like this. When I'm invited to a client's home for the first time to remedy a problem or ignite something 'vunderbah' together - somewhere along the route of our walking tour of the client's home, there are self deprecating remarks and apologies thrown my way like, (and these are direct quotes as best as I can remember them...buckle your seat belt)
* "I know this living room needs a lot of work, but it is what it is"
* "Sorry this table is so bad here, but it's what we have for now."
* "This house is nothing special I know . . . "
* "My kitchen is not so great - it's really small, but there it is..."
* "I know this chair looks terrible, but it belonged to my Uncle Willy"
* "I'm sorry these walls are so scuffed . . . "
Ouch! My heart!
Then there are the phone apologies from new clients who are sniffing me out.
* "My house is small..."
* "Our house is nothing special. . . "
* "As I said before . . . my house is REALLY small..."
Ouch! You're killing me peeps.
Invariably, somebody, somewhere - at least when speaking to me - live or in person - will apologize for the size of a room, the size of a home, the existing decor in a room or about Uncle Willy's chair. Ouch.
I'm getting that feeling in my chest just recounting this to tap out this blog. So let me say this: Girls! You have to stop! You're breaking my heart. Who is judging you? Not I, said the fly. Neither should you.
Your home is your haven, your spot, your nest and retreat. Your accumulated things, your colors and textures to date, your fabrics and patterns - your furnishings and all - these tell a rich story about you. They are your history, your journal. They are where you've been, who you were and how you felt at one time. Some of these may also be a reflection of who you are and how you feel now. Some of them may no longer be. But that is OK...that is remedy-able. People change. So do wardrobes as a result. And so do interiors....that "domestic sum total" that reflects what you want to feel and what you want to look at.
Your actual house - that conglomeration of wood, nails, drywall, HVAC. plumbing and so forth, that you single handedly turned from a house into a home . . there is blessing and gift in that alone. Lucky are you to live in it. It protects you from the elements; it shelters you from the cold; it gives you a door to close to the world when you need it closed, and a place to welcome the world when want to invite the world in. It is within the walls of your home that you dream your dreams, plan your plans, mourn your losses and celebrate your joys. That's pretty big. Your home. YOUR home. Don't ever apologize for your home. Not to me. Not to anyone.
And if by chance - you are feeling a little 'grass is always greener' about your home - that's OK. But do this for me the next time you have a quiet moment. I want you to walk through your house, from top to bottom, but on this walk though, I want you to take it all in with fresh eyes. I mean it. Take stock of all that is in each room; the meaningful things; the beautiful things; the useful things; the inherited things from your "Uncle Willy;" the things that come from different time periods in your life. Take it all in. This is the half-full part of the glass that I am setting before you and I am inviting you to drink it well.
Your home is your gift and treasure; a privilege well earned and something in which you are blessed to live in this lifetime. Not everyone has that privilege - not in this country or others. You know the what I mean.
So embrace it all - Uncle Willy's chair, your 10'x13' living room, your total square footage, your wonderful melange of living room furnishings - whatever. Feel like making enhancements? That's fine. Make them. But first, bless what was, be grateful for what is and how it served you and your family, then let it go and make your change. But own it. Own all that you are, everywhere you've been.
In some cultures, its considered an honor to invite a stranger into your home. Let it go at that. Be grateful. Be proud. And let it go at that.
Source URL: https://interiordesignq.blogspot.com/2010/02/
Visit Interior Design for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection