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Read the whole story, “Trend Alert: Strictly Neutral” with advice and how-to’s  at www.homeworkshop.com

From Coastal Living, this orange and white always reminds me of a Creamsicle:  cool orange sherbert and vanilla ice cream…

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The fabrics above are from: Duralee,Duralee and Thibaut

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A melange of oranges, lemons and limes, this room keeps it all pulled together with sunny yellow walls.  Citrus all the way!

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The fabrics above are from Thibaut, Thibaut and Designer’s Guild

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In the photo above from Coastal Living, an outdoor lounge is brought indoors. If summer is your favorite season, then this is a great way to keep that feeling year round.

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The fabrics above are from Thibaut, Designer’s Guild and Duralee.

All fabrics are available through Gaita Interiors (914) 834 – 8282

WISHING YOU A COOL JUICY DAY!

More than ever, I’m mixing functions in what is often the roomiest, prettiest and most comfortable space in the house.  The old idea of setting aside a formal living room, and having a little TV room somewhere is getting pretty old!

The flat TV has been instrumental in pushing this trend forward. But there’s been a less conspicuous player that is …shall we say,  PIVOTAL in making this type of room work…The  fun – beautiful – versatile – functional 

SWIVEL CHAIR!

This is the Orion Swivel, from KCC Modern Living.  Jensen Lewis carries this style.  I like the mix of straight and curved lines.  The size is ample for sitting, and yet compact.ORANGEORIONCHAIRSlkrutjpj0w39476gpnw9485n48o56ngv93845mf;e94tunvp9w867gb48y

Interior Design 101:

A room  designed strictly for television viewing, will have all of the seating oriented toward the TV.

If a room is meant to be used for socializing, then the goal is to create cozy inward facing conversation areas.

If you’re trying to mix it up, most likely, you will need a swivel chair or two, so you can go from inward facing socializing, to outward facing TV watching, without a neck injury!

Here are a few modern swivels. Some are very charming, some are modern classics, some are just oh-so comfy.   One thing they have in common, is that in keeping with the philosophy behind most modern design..”form follows function”  In other words, they LOOK like swivel chairs.

This is a swivel that’s big enough for two (51″ round!), which I think makes it pretty unique.  It’s called the Eos, and it’s from Room and Board.

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The stylish swivel chairs below are (clockwise) from Room Room and Board the Sutro, from Knoll, the Durso,  from Ikea the Karlstad, and from Design Within Reach the Egg Chair.

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Aren’t these fun? They’re The Question Mark Chair from Tonon Italia.  If they don’t work out inside, you can always plant them in the garden, and see if they grow!
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A little history, just for the fun of it!

The Eames Lounger, introduced in 1958, has been in production, and selling well ever since.  Since the television was not a major factor in home planning at the time, I suppose the new open floor plan concept in residential design may have been the impetus for putting a swivel on this gorgeous comfortable chair.

If you can get your hands on an old one in decent condition, go for it!  New ones are available through Room and Board.

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Here’s the 1966 brochure for the Time Life Executive Chair from Hermann Miller.  The only major change on the current model is that it has five feet on the swivel base, instead of four (more stable)  Now, as then, this chair is a symbol of power, high status and gravitas in the the world of business.

I for one, would love to have four of them around a game table!  You can see that I’m just not that serious!! ( I got no gravitas!) I’d rather play games, than do business…in a really comfortable, supportive modern classic chair.

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Where would interior design be today without these two geniuses of modern furniture design? Below is the Eames Soft Pad (so comfy and elegant) and the lovely Saarinen Tulip Chair. Both swivel, both look great in almost any setting.

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Okay, we’ve got an American! And a genius of twentieth century modern furniture design! Milo Baughman spent most of his career designing for Thayer-Coggin (from 1953 to 2003)  Among his many iconic, (very often copied) designs is  this classic modern take on a swivel tub chair. This is VERY close to the chairs my Mom had in our living room in the 1970’s, earth tone stripe and all! What a trip!

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Montgomery Ward, 1975, The Gyro Chair! This one tickles my memory (and my funny bone!) too. I’m pretty sure one of my hipper friends had this in her bedroom. So cool!  I suddenly feel like listening to my old Neil Diamond records…weird.   If anyone still has one of these, I’d love to know about it!

Secret Swivels

Modern isn’t for everyone.  This makes my job so much fun, as I’m a design omnivore!

Here are some very classic, traditional chairs that HIDE their swivels.  They disguise themselves as mere objects of luxury, but are in fact eminently practical.

This perfectly proportioned tufted chair from Duralee (available from GaitaInteriors) would feel right at home in the most formal room imaginable, but is SO COMFORTABLE, and of course, swivel-able.

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The four swivel chairs below are from (clockwise) Pearson, Kravet, Pearson and Kravet.  All are available through Gaita Interiors.

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This is personal favorite of mine from Kravet. It could double as a game chair, and a lounge chair. I think the transitional lines are very beautiful, the proportions are just right, and it’s very comfortable.  It could take almost any fabric treatment, and fit into almost any setting.. Just great!

So get yourself out of that tiny TV nook, (turn it into a pantry!)  get rid of the velvet rope, and start using your LIVING ROOM to live in!

GO DECORATE,
AND HAVE FUN!

Read the full story on Kathy Barlow’s terrific interiors blog, www.homeworkshop.com.

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Enter “Leona Gaita” in the Homeworkshop’s search engine to read some of my other stories featured there!

Seeing the collection in person, I was struck by the range of highly saturated blues and greens in their lighting collection…and I thought…what a great palette for summer!

A summer palette need not be bleached out! These deep greens, blues and aquas evoke the richness of a long summer day, from the bliss of a brilliant turquoise sky, to the cool depths of the deep green sea… and every hue in between.

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Batik Blue and White Porcelain Lamp

Finley Kelly Green Lamp

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Fiona Mustard Green Table Lamp

Paula Aqua Cased Glass Lamp

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All of the lamps above are from Arteriors, and are available through Gaita Interiors. All of the fabrics are from Duralee, also available through Gaita Interiors.

What is that quintessential THING, that all mothers want MORE THAN  ANYTHING? (besides a day at the spa,…no kids invited?)

Well here it is…based on months of research, extensive polls, laboratory testing…..

JUST KIDDING!  The only  search I’ve done is based on my own personal WISHES.  Here’s something I’d really love to receive, and it’s not too late to run out and get it!:

An assortment of cheerful floral cotton pillows-for the traditional Mom

These are from Pottery Barn, and they do a great job of making several very carefully chosen prints look as if they’ve been casually thrown together. the price is right, and the feather fillings are very good.

Or for the Mod Mom, Balanced Design makes these very beautiful, very eco friendly pillows: Green, organic and oh so modern!

Just the thing to add cheer and freshness to my house, and make me love being at home even more than I already do!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Here’s something I saw that stood out, for it’s artistry, craftsmanship, and beauty

Austin Productions Studio A is introducing the S Chair as part of the Piagetto Collection.

The designer Alexander Estrada, first and foremost an architect, shows his true love for furniture design in the exquisite, undulating lines of this piece. Like all innovators, Estrada combines age old wood craftsmanship, with the newest available technology to create his designs. Each cut on this chair is made by two CNC Laser routers.

The finishes are gorgeous. A joy to behold!!…and a very comfortable reading chair too!

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On the whole, the S Chair is really a piece of functional sculpture.

One of the fun things about going to High Point, is getting to see  the absolutely newest furniture pieces, some of which are not on the market yet.

As of now, this one isn’t even on the Austin web site, but I recommend visiting the site to see the work of the other established artists featured there.

HAVE FUN!

You know a trend is here for real, when Walmart jumps on board, like with their Orleans Outdoor Daybed (above left) for $268!  I think you could do a lot better with the pillows by grazing from other suppliers, such as the pillows shown on the Pottery Barn Palmetto Wicker Daybed.  At $1999 the Palmetto is reasonably well priced, and very pretty!

The one below that, on the left is from the other end of the spectrum.  Tuuci makes truly top shelf, very luxurious resort quality outdoor furniture and hardware. Their Bali Lounge shown here in it’s fully draped and cushioned glory runs about $10,000.

Summer’s coming, and vacations for many have been curtailed. The resort-like luxury of a shaded daybed can make your staycation quite convincing:  Close your eyes, sip on your home made pina colada, and it’s almost like being in the Caribbean!

Outdoor Cabana Daybed from www.homeinfatuation.com

We must be in Figi!

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These  curved, ovular daybeds seem very urbane to me.  I’d love to sit on this one, while surrounded by a garden with modern sculptures. The Hamptons, perhaps?

The Spartan Daybed from Restoration Hardware.

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Sydney Harbor YinYang Daybed from Front Gate.

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Get a good book, and a glass of iced tea (or something stronger) …and start relaxing the shade!

and HAVE FUN!

P.S.  I sat on this one last week at the High Point Furniture Market ( the Hallo from Kannoa) and had my Cleopatra moment!

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