Swank Lighting

I arrived back from my Dallas Market trip to find an email in my stuffed Inbox informing me that I was the winner of the Swank Lighting contest. Unbeknownst to me they had the drawing while I was in Dallas. These beautiful Vintage Barovier & Toso Murano glass lamps are more beautiful in person than the picture shows. They are mounted on a wood base that is gold leafed and there are sprinkles of gold dust in the glass. They even have a numbered authentication sticker on them. Thanks Swank Lighting!!!!


To see the post that Swank Lighting did on the contest click here.
To view the post Swank Light did on me winning these beauties click here.
Stay tuned: Tomorrow I will tell you about the samples in the foreground of the above picture, which are for a current project I am working on.

New Baby

I received wonderful news yesterday: my client Elizabeth is expecting her second child. Congratulations Elizabeth, I am so happy for you. Maybe these beautiful prints from Posh Tots can find a place in the new baby's Nursery. Posh Tots

{ Calling Card Chic }

I was having some fun on this stationery web-site I found called Iomoi and fell in love with their designs for calling cards and I started to match up their designs for these cards to the personalities of the people I thought might live in these rooms. Check them out and have some fun coordinating your calling card & address labels to match your home. And let me know if you find a favourite for yourself.

Victoria Hagan

Victoria Hagan



Kate Spade as seen in World of Interiors

Michael Taylor headquarters designed by Jeffrey Weisman of Fisher Weisman
Stick Art by David Ward

Click here to see other posts on Color

{ Happy Monday }

You may notice a new wider format for my Blog and a few other tricks that I picked up this weekend from reading the Blogging "How To" posts hosted by Felicity at All Things Bright and Beautiful. Jo from Desire to Inspire provided the Html for making a table so that you can get pictures side by side. I had to change my Blog template to accomodate the wider format to Minimia stretch. I also learnt how to make a picture or link open in a new window by pasting a neat little macro in the Html code. This was all a little confusing for me (I am far from being a techie) but I am sure that it will soon become second nature.

So please let me know how you like the wider page format and the pictures side by side....if you can even remember what the old one was like.....Hmmm Happy Monday

Photo Credit Morgane Le Fay

{ Campaign Beds }

What is the history of campaign furniture? The invention of campaign furniture – meaning furniture made for travel –was designed for military and naval use. It grew in tandem with the growth of the British Empire and its colonies in the second half of the eighteenth century. The Napoleonic era is probably the best know for examples of campaign furniture which were designed to be dismantled for travel and assembled at the end of the journey.

Ever wonder why these beds are so dreamy, maybe it is because they have their origins in travel to foreign and exotic destinations. I am imagining that the canopy held fabrics that helped to keep out all sort of bugs and protect somewhat against the elements.


Happy Weekend.....Happy dreaming

Reference Books:
The first English pattern book references to the subject occur in Ince and Mayhew’s book The Universal System of Household Furniture (1759–1762), with two designs for folding sofa-beds and a field bed. Chippendale’s The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director (1762) illustrates six designs for field beds with folding hinged slats, and Thomas Sheraton illustrates a design for a ‘sofa bed’ in The Cabinet Dictionary (1803).

Postscript Jan 30/08
An Aesthete's Lament has left a comment that I thought was so good I wanted to include it in the main post: "Some of the beds featured seem to be versions of the iron beds that were used in 18th-century France and moved from house to house by the nobility (obviously they could have been used in campaign or expeditionary situations as well). Such beds were considered less prone to insect infestation, et cetera. Typically, the light iron framework would be covered with curtains and fabric and folderol, rather in the manner of a lit à la polonaise; these could be moved and packed away should the owner decide to relocate from his city house to his country house, et cetera. The first time I ever saw one of these iron beds without its draperies was in the apartment of the French decorator Jacques Grange, where I once visited. In his bedroom, the lit à la polonaise just stood there, utterly stark, its ironwork frame like calligraphy written in the air. The company Oly makes a lovely version of these, called the Walker bed.

{ The Art of Chic Flower Arranging }

These are some images of flower arrangements that caught my eye on my latest trip to LA and Dallas. I was attracted to these because of their simplicity and freshness. I always prefer flower arrangements to be showcased as a single variety and of the same color. And of course you can never go wrong with an all white flower arrangement. I keep an assortment of different sizes and shapes of clear glass containers in my pantry ready to put any length of fresh stems in. Make sure to cut the bottoms 1/2" off the stems before you put them in water. It will help to keep them fresher longer.

A simple bunch of lilies in a clear footed vase sitting on a bathroom countertop at Country Floors showroom on Melrose in LA.

Another arrangement at Bunches of Stocks in the Lobby of our Hotel in Dallas, simply tied and put in a vase on a base of charcoal.

Roses beside the elevator in our Hotel in Dallas. The bottom of the vase is filled with charcoal. The vases are stacked on top of each other with nothing holding them together other than their weight.

Roses floating in vases at the Global Views Showroom in Dallas.

This is a close up of the Sun Ray Wall Sconce in the above Photo show here in Nickel.

{ Vintage Children's Wallpaper }

This is a sample of a vingate wallpaper for a nursery I am doing for baby Inigo. It is printed by Design Your Wall. The first picture is a sample of the actual paper which is printed on a heavy canvas. The second picture
is the a picture of the full repeat from their web-site. It is always a good idea to request an actual sample before you order to make sure the colors are what you want and so you can match any paint before the paper is actually hung and to see the actual size of the pattern. As you can see the actual sample has a more yellow background, which I actually like better than the photo from their web-site.

Click the image to enlarge and see the texture of the canvas. This company prints on a shiny paper unless you request otherwise. For this "vintage" design I thought that the canvas showed it off better.

{ Registry Bliss }

Anne from Perfect Bound Blog contacted me recently and asked me to contribute to a series of Posts she is doing on "Registry Bliss". Her instructions were: "to pick my Top Five Dream Registry items...she goes on to add: I'm not talking about a Crate and Barrel coffeemaker here. Instead, truly over the top items that are neither practical nor budget friendly in any way". Well did she ever ask the right person as I was left wide open to have some fun doing this. Although I do think that what I have chosen to present are all very practical, but I'll leave it up to your discretion whether they are budget friendly as budget is a very relative term. The following is my contribution.
Please check out the other posts on Perfect Bound on Registry Bliss
Enjoy
Classic Bride
Toast and Tables

(Reprinted from Perfect Bound)
"It's not everyday that you stumble upon a blog from an actual practicing interior designer." Such is the case with Patricia Gray Interior Design. I have recently been starting my day with visits to Patricia's blog and they have been brighter and better styled because of it. I was flattered when she agreed to contribute to this week's Registry Bliss. While many of us are happy to flip through magazines, Patricia Gray continues to be featured in several of them. I think we're all in for a treat.
1. Four Poster Steel Campaign Bed. A similar one a available through Niermann Weeks. Picture Mimmi O'Connell.
2. Philippe Starck Ghost Chairs & Knoll Saarinen Table with Carrera Marble Top are both classics and will make your kitchen the most stylish and talked about. Available at Design within Reach. $310 and $6603. A beautiful pair of Vintage Murano Glass table lamps. You will cherish these for a lifetime. Available through Swank Lighting. From from $1,800 to $6,000 per pair.4. A pair of matching Pratesi Bathrobes and the matching towels. These are made form the best Egyptian Cotton and are absolutely fabulous next to the skin. Available through Pratesi.5. Miele CVA4085SS Stainless Steel Espresso Machine & Coffee Maker. It does it all for you, grinds the beans, foams the milk, electronic display. It even has individualized setting for your coffee favorites. Available at Miele. $2749.

PS I would be interested to know what you would pick from this list to register for.....

LA Pacific Design Center & Dallas Market Center

I'm off to LA & Dallas this week. Three days in LA. I am planning to go to the Pacific Design Center and visit various showrooms in the adjacent area. Then to Dallas for the Market for two days. In Dallas I am going to meet up with Joni of Cote de Texas fame. We have never met in person....

I, of course, will take loads of pictures and notes to share with you when I return.

And for the International readers of my Blog I have added a translator in my Side Bar to make it easier for you to read my Blog in your native language. Let me know how you like it. I was inspired by the Blog Perfect Bound to add this Google Widget. It is easy to do. Click on the link under the box that says Gadgets and Google will walk you through it.

Felicity from All things Bright and Beautiful has just started a great new series of posts for people new to blogging. Where to store photos, how to insert different fonts, code - you name it she wants to share the knowledge. Send tips or questions her way to improve your blog's look and make your blogging life so much easier. You can also check out some great tips for New Bloggers (and it can also benefit those of us who have been blogging for awhile) at a site called Pro Blogger.

I'll be back posting next week.

Happy Weekend

Go ahead and have a little fun this weekend and indulge yourself in a little temptation.....sleep-in, have that favourite dessert and/or glass of really good French wine, get a massage or give a massage, have a bubble bath, how about that new pair of shoes you have been dreaming about (the new Tory Burch 'Randy" flat), have your make-up done, plan your next vacation, make a wonderful pancake breakfast on Sunday morning, indulge in catching up on reading your favourite magazines, call a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, tell your Mom you love her.......have a great indulgent weekend!!!!!

Kitchen Design

Here are two examples of kitchens designed with no overhead cabinets. This concept makes the kitchen a focal point and gives it a clean contemporary feel.The picture above has open shelves for "artful" display of dishes.
Photography Eric Piasecki
This is a kitchen I designed with no overhead cabinets. The pantry is to the left in the picture. The slab of granite behind the cooktop is like a beautiful piece of natural artwork.
Patricia Gray Inc.
Click here to see more pictures of this home.
Click here to see a related post.
Click here to see more posts on my Interior Design.

Artful Display Kitchen Shelves and Pantries

Over the holidays I had some time to catch up on my reading. One book that I was anxious to read (especially because of the beautiful bookcase on the cover) was Briger + Briger. I love their approach to design which is very luxurious but very livable at the same time. I was particularly struck with their kitchen designs and the way that there are no over head cabinets. Instead dishes are displayed artfully. I also find it very user friendly, as you can see at a glance where everything is. Now I have a few caveats to add: #1 you need to have a uniform set of dishes to make this into an "artful" display #2 preferably the dishes should be white to make it look great.

March 6 2008 Post Note: Paul Briger was good enough to comment on this post (click here to see his comment) He disagrees and adds: "the most important key to success in open stacking is the orderliness of the stacking, not the color(s) used. "
I like the uses of the bold, horizontal-stripes on the walls in the Breakfast Room. It adds width and interest to an otherwise narrow space. The dishes are set with an order that makes the utilitarian shelves especially attractive. The orderly placement of objects no matter how grand or insignificant can produce an aesthetically pleasing display.

The picture above and below is a pantry that leads to service stairs. which in turn ascend to the pool level. A plant stand holds a variety of potted fresh herbs for the kitchen.

A view of the kitchen that goes with the above 2 photos showing the door to the Pool level. This kitchen is compact, functional, and pleasing to the eye. It suggests that in this house much attention is paid to the preparation of meals.

The above picture is a walk-in pantry off of the kitchen with a library ladder to reach the upper shelves. Bottles are nicely stored in the baskets on the floor (see close-up below). I also like the way the cookbooks are displayed on shelves that float on the wall allowing the books to be stacked horizontally. Everything is visable and easy to find. No opening and closing several door to find what you are looking for

Green Design - Chimo Fireplace

I love the design and practicality of this new invention for the fireplace. It is the Chimo Fireplace by Floz Design for Blomus, and is a flue-less, chimney-less, instant atmosphere provider that burns nice, green Ethanol. It mounts directly on the wall like a picture frame and effortlessly blends form and function in a simple and unique way that requires little set up and no chimney. This means that any room of your house can now easily accommodate the comfort and pleasure of a beautifully designed and functional fireplace. I have not had the opportunity to use this particular product in any of my Design projects, but I have used a fireplace designed by Eco Smart, a company out of Australia that burns Ethanol.

This rotating, stand alone model will add all the extra sizzle a bedroom or living labyrinth might require.

As seen in the New York Times and on HGTV Blomus' indoor fireplace is a breakthrough in indoor ambiance and Green Design. It installs in minutes by mounting on any wall in your home, with no need for a chimney, gas line or professional installation. Simply mount to the wall, fill the reservoir, light it up and enjoy.The secret is that the flame is generated from Ethanol which is a safe, clean burning fuel that is completely organic and made from renewable resources like corn, potatoes, wheat and other vegetables. Furthermore, Ethanol is Green since it is not a fossil-fuel and burning it does not increase the Greenhouse effect like other fuels. This product is made in Germany.