Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog

COCO BEFORE CHANEL - Movie Review

2009-11-06T10:54:00.004-08:00

COCO Before Chanel is a new movie by Warner Bros just released in Vancouver. Coco Before Chanel stars Audrey Tautou, the French actress, who I love best in the movie Amelie. It was shot in Paris and Normandy. Many decades ago André Malraux predicted “From this century, in France, three names will remain: de Gaulle, Picasso, and Coco Chanel.” Not even the mythomaniac Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel could have anticipated how her legacy would persist triumphantly into the next millennium. I, for one, am going to be first in line at the box office for Coco Before Chanel. I will take my classic Coco Chanel handbag (which I bought in Paris when I was studying Interior Design) with me to the show.

In character as Coco Chanel, Audrey Tautou reclines in the designer’s private apartment on her famous voluptuous
suede sofa, above her Paris couture salon. Karl Lagerfeld made her classic Chanel suit specially for the film Coco Before Chanel.
Vanity Fair February 2009 Photo by Brigitte Lacombe
Coco Before Chanel - Movie Review

The Chanel logo is an overlapping double 'C' - one facing forward and the other facing backward, and comes
from the name Coco Chanel. "Coco" is the nickname frequently used for Chanel founder, Gabrielle Chanel.
Coco Before Chanel - Movie Review

Audrey Tautou stars as Coco Chanel in "Coco Before Chanel." Warner Bros. Photo
Coco Before Chanel - Movie Review

Classic Coco Chanel Handbag
Coco Before Chanel - Movie Review

Please let me know if you have seen the movie and what you think about it by leaving a comment.

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design.

Contemporary Designer Recliners

2009-07-24T08:56:00.006-07:00

Orbit Contemporary Designer Recliners

I am not usually a fan of recliners. The traditional overstuffed giant recliners tend to be a white elephant in a room. So needless to say I was very happy while researching seating for a media room to come across these well designed contemporary designer recliners by Darlings of Chelsea in the UK. They describe this recliner as: "One of their best selling recliners which reclines, swings, swivels and orbits to your desire"....and it claims to be "seriously comfortable".

Dakota Designer Swivel Recliners

The mechanism for these contemporary designer recliners operates by leaning back on the chair and using your body weight to hold back.

What do you think? Would you have one of these seriously fun contemporary designer recliners in your home?

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

LoftLife Magazine

2009-07-21T21:33:00.004-07:00

For those of you who haven't checked out the magazine LoftLife - The Loft Style Guide to Life in the City, it is a must read. And I don't say that only because I am on their 'Board of Experts' - the Editors and Creative Directors at LoftLife Magazine are top notch. Their style and editorials are fresh, relevant and timely. Last fall Kyra Shapurji, Managing Editor and Linden Hass, Photo Editor of LoftLife Magazine paid me a visit at my office in Vancouver to firm up a feature they were doing on favourite shopping spots of mine and a few other Design Professionals in Vancouver (see Spring 2009 Travel/80 Victorious Vancouver: Canada's design & architecture capital.) Linden Hass shot a few pictures of me and the drawing below is what resulted.

LoftLife Magazine Board of Experts
I love the illustrations done by the talented Graham Smith from San Diego. He illustrates the masthead and the Panel of Experts for LoftLife Magazine.
This month LoftLife Magazine is going to be on national newsstands: Borders, Barnes and Noble, as well as Hudson News.
So pick-up your copy and read their articles. In the current Summer 2009 issue of LoftLife Magazine I particularly like:

Travel/74 Allure of Amsterdam: Dutch Design Beyond Droog. (I am lusting to visit Amsterdam)
Loft List/11 Paper or Plastic? (really gets you thinking and hopefully acting)
Big Blank Wall/29 The mirrors on our minds. ( Love this round-up of mirrors)
among others..........
They also have a great Blog.
Happy Reading!

Please let me know if you have read a copy of this magazine and what you think of it by leaving a comment.

Valentino: The Last Emperor

2009-07-14T10:57:00.006-07:00

Valentino: The Last Emperor
"What do women want? They want to be beautiful!" is the motto that Valentino has based his life on.
This is how provokingly simple reality is construed in the movie 'Valentino The Last Emperor'.

This weekend I went to see the movie Valentino: The Last Emperor for the second time. It has finally arrived in Vancouver. The first time I saw it I drove to Seattle because it wasn't out here yet. It is one of the few movies I have been to in my lifetime that everyone in the theatre clapped at the end. I was moved to tears as the great maestro Valentino took a bolt of his signature red fabric and started draping it over a live model, creating and sculpting the design for a new dress. He was truly the Master of Couture, a dying breed in the times we are living in. Valentino: The last Emperor is a documentary that was filmed over a two year period chronicling Valentino's life work. It is a must see, not only for the view into the life of a great Master of Couture but also for the great love story it is.

Valentino: The Last Emperor
Valentino's 5 Pugs who go everywhere with him. This picture is taken on his private jet.

Please let me know if you have seen the movie and what you think about it by leaving a comment.

Official Web-site for Valentino: The Last Emperor
A 56 minute Interview by Charlie Rose March 2009 Valentino: The Last Emperor
Movie Trailer: Valentino: The Last Emperor

Rammed Earth Walls

2009-07-08T14:59:00.010-07:00

I recently returned from a road trip through the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. The Okanagan Valley is the home to a budding Wine Industry. I was pleasantly surprised with our stop in Osoyoss to visit The Nk'Mip Winery and Resort. NK’MIP Winery Resort is a four-season aboriginal tourism resort destination that features deluxe accommodation and visitor experiences including an award-winning winery, gourmet dining, desert golf, a cultural centre and full-service spa

It was a feast for my eyes to view the wall of the Cultural Center from the parking lot at Nk'Mip Winery. I was struck by the beauty of this facade that looked like a giant slab of the most sumptuous marble. On closer inspection and inquiry I was informed it was "Rammed Earth Walls".

Rammed Earth Walls at Nk'Mip Winery and Resort also known as pise de terre or simply pise

(above left) Notice how thick these walls of rammed earth are - approximately 20% thicker than standard concrete walls.
(above right) The rammed earth walls are formed in layers of approximately 6" thick , which gives this beautiful horizontal variegation resembling quarried marble.

Rammed earth, also known as pise de terre or simply pise, is a type of construction material. Pise de terre (rammed earth) walls are an ancient building method that has seen a revival in recent years as people seek more sustainable building materials and natural building methods. Traditionally, rammed earth wall buildings or pise de terre wall buildings are common in arid regions where wood is in scarce supply.

The basic recipe for rammed earth walls starts and ends with plain old dirt.

RECIPE FOR RAMMED EARTH WALLS
Soil - about 5 litres
Water - about half a litre
Cement - 10 percent
Pigment - 1 percent (about 1 tablespoon)

The mixture for rammed earth walls is compacted in layers between forms. Each layer of the rammed earth walls is approximately 6 inches deep. As each form is filled, another form is placed above it, and the process begins again. This is continued until the desired rammed earth walls height is achieved. Forms can be stripped off as soon as the form above is begun, as the compressed rammed earth walls are self-supporting immediately. Most rammed earth wall builders use pneumatic rammers to compact the earth within the forms.

Deep inset Window detail in Rammed Earth Walls Nk'Mip Winery. My Dad and me.

Some interesting facts about Rammed Earth Walls and Rammed Earth Construction:

Rammed earth walls are 20 percent thicker than most concrete walls so it is better insulating against heat and cold.
Rammed earth walls improve Indoor Air Quality because of the simple finish of exposed rammed earth walls have no toxic finishes.
Rammed earth walls are so solid that they boast superb acoustics and rank with the best in terms of fire resistance.
Because rammed earth walls don't rely on wood the structure will never rot, nor will it be host to carpenter ants or termites.
Rammed earth walls evolved in hot dry climates, where wood is too rare and precious to be used as a building material.
Rammed earth walls have been the standard in house construction in Southern Europe and the Middle East since biblical times.
Great Wall of China - Rammed Earth Wall construction

None other than the Great Wall of China, or at least most of it was built of rammed earth wall construction.

Does anyone know why it is called Rammed Earth?

Rammed Earth Wall Construction in Residential Bathroom with a Stump window made from base of tree that was growing on the house site.

Iron oxide layers have been added to these rammed earth walls in sedimentary layers with inset of abalone.
Above 2 photos or rammed earth walls Terra Firma Builders

The Rammed Earth House Book available at Amazon - details the construction of building homes with Rammed Earth Wall construction techniques.

Additional Resources on Rammed Earth Wall Construction
Wikipedia Rammed Earth Walls Construction
Terra Firma Rammed Earth Builders / Why Rammed Earth Walls in Construction?
Walls of Earth Rammed Earth Walls
DIY Rammed Earth Walls Construction
Mk'Mip Winery and Resort, Rammed Earth Walls Cultural Center
Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

Mixed Media Painting Techniques, Frottage and Grattage

2009-06-18T14:13:00.012-07:00

Frottage 1 - 24" x 36" Mixed Media Painting: Pastel, Acrylic, Gesso on Glassine

For this summer's program of continuing education (last summer I studied Architecture in Italy), I have embarked on a course in 'Mixed Media Painting Techniques' at Emily Carr University of Art. The course teaches the process of image-making on built surfaces and works with a range of materials such as gesso, plaster, paint, ink, charcoal, and various papers. I am learning to explore 'expression and emotion' through layering, drawing, brushwork, Frottage and Grattage following in the footsteps of the greats in mixed media painting like: Max Ernst, Mark Rothko, and Paul Klee. I particularly like my teacher, Diana Kubicek's style of teaching. She teaches us to explore the various techniques fearlessly and says repeatedly there are "no mistakes"in painting. As a matter of fact "mistakes can be the building block of a great masterpiece". I like that!

I have always been interested in drawing and sketching since my days in Design School, but find that I never have the time to take a brush to paper and do larger abstract paintings and works of art. So this course is a perfect opportunity to allow myself the freedom to explore different mixed media painting techniques.

The last class we spent exploring the technique of Frottage (from French frotter, "to rub") a surrealist and "automatic" method of creative production. Frottage was developed by Max Ernst.

Frottage 2 - 18" x 24" Mixed Media Painting: Ink, Acrylic & Pastel on Paper

In frottage painting the artist takes a pencil or other drawing tool and makes a "rubbing" over a textured surface. The frottage drawing can be left as is or used as the basis for further refinement (which we are supposed to do for homework with the pieces we created in this class). While this technique is superficially similar to brass rubbing and other forms of rubbing intended to reproduce an existing subject, frottage painting differs in being aleatoric and occurring by chance.

Frottage was developed by Max Ernst in 1925. Ernst was inspired by an ancient wooden floor where the grain of the planks had been accentuated by many years of scrubbing. The patterns of the graining suggested strange images to him. He captured these by laying sheets of paper on the floor and then rubbing over them with a soft pencil.

In my Frottage Paintings 1, 2 and 4 the textured surface that I used to make the Frotage rubbing was a bamboo mat, string, and screen. In Frottage Painting 3, I did the rubbing over a Gessoed canvas that was prepared with the free form focus on the bark of a tree. As I was doing Frottage Painting 3, rubbing on the Gessoed canvas, it slowly evolved to resemble a Japanese mountain landscape with a waterfall collecting into a pool at the base of the mountain. Our teacher guided us in exploring this technique in creating our Frottage paintings which is based on Surrealist automatism*.

*Automatism is a surrealist technique in painting, practiced without conscious aesthetic or moral self-censorship. Automatism has taken on many forms: the automatic painting and drawing initially (and still to this day) practiced by surrealists can be compared to similar, or perhaps parallel phenomena, such as the non-idiomatic improvisation of free jazz.

Frottage Painting 3 - 18" x 24" Pastel on tracing paper

Frottage Painting 4 - 12" x 18" Mixed Media Painting: Acrylic & Gesso on paper

In the first class we explored the technique of mixed media painting starting with a base of Gesso.

Study 1 - 11" x 14" Mixed Media Painting Technique: Gesso, Acrylic and Watercolor on Card Stock

Gesso is an art supply used as surface preparation or primer for painting and sculpting. Gesso is believed to have been developed in Italy, since the word gesso is Italian for 'chalk'. Preparation varies according to intended use, but usually consists of mixing glue with plaster, chalk, or gypsum. (Gesso is the perfect base for starting a mixed media painting.)

Gesso resembles paint, but is thinner and dries hard. Gesso is applied with a brush and must dry before the surface can be painted. This technique of applying Gesso was first created for use in painting, in order to give the surface the right properties to receive paint. In Gothic and Renaissance panel painting, the technique of applying gesso over a panel of wood was used in order to give the paint something to adhere to. It created a slightly rough surface and prevented the paint from seeping into the wood.

We were taught to apply the Gesso to our surface of our mixed media painting with a palette knife using broad strokes to building up the surface. Then various tools are used to create the textures. In Study 1 I used a metal clay sculpting tool with a comb like ridge to scrape across the wet Gesso. I then used the edge of my pallet knife to scrape in the diagonal ridges, then finished off with blotting areas with a sponge. I let the piece dry and then applied watercolor and acrylic in layers to the painting, while at the same time using a roller to take off the excess wet color on the surface so that the paint pigment settled into the crevices of the Gesso. I used the side of my palette knife to scrape off the raised portions of the diagonal lines to reveal the white Gesso below - a technique called Grattage*. Also the Gesso doesn't extend to the edge of the paper and gives it an interesting border.

*Grattage is a surrealist technique in mixed media painting in which (usually dry) paint is scraped off the canvas. It was employed by Max Ernst and Joan Miró

Detail of Mixed Media Painting Technique: Study 1 above.

Study 2 - 10" x 10" Mixed Media Painting Technique: Masking Tape, Gesso and Watercolor on Glass

Study 3 - 7" x 10" Mixed Media Painting Technique: Gesso and Watercolor on Paper

What are your plans for this summer?
Have you had any experience with Mixed Media Painting, Frottage or Grattage or other Mixed Media techniques?
Please let me know by leaving a Comment.

Another post you might be interested in:
Abstract Art - Go Big or Go Home

The Best Garden Pathways

2009-06-16T11:53:00.008-07:00

This is the time of the year, summer, glorious summer to spend time outdoors. Renew, refresh, get inspired. Visit your favorite garden or park, or dream about making your garden a little more special. I love gardens with pathways that invite exploration. Gardens that make you want to meander, to spend time and to contemplate the finer things of life. I love all the different colors of green in gardens. You don't necessarily have to have color in flowers to make a garden pop. Try different textures, shapes, and colors of greens. A well placed statue or urn gives the eye a place to focus and center on. A water feature can add a cooling element, and a splashing fountain can be a calming and soothing to the soul. Well designed gardens with meandering pathways with well placed plantings and focal points are truly works of art using nature as the canvas.

Smell the lavender as you walk down the gravel path (right picture) to the fountain with
lily pads awaiting you. I imagine that this pool is filled with Koi and that there is a bench or comfortable seating on the other side to sit and contemplate.

What a feat of design this elliptical planting between the slate pavers is.
A well placed statue draws you to the end of this pathway.

Still there are moments when the shadows fall
And the low sea of flowers, wave on wave,
spreads to the pathway from the rosy wall
Saying in coloured silence, "Take our all;
You gave to us, and back to you we gave.
Vita Sackville-West

This beautiful arbor is supported by a brick wall. It reminds me of the gardens that English poet and novelist, Vita Sackville-West created at Sissinghurst Castle Garden. In April 1930 Vita Sackville-West and her son, Nigel, were looking for an old house where she could make a new garden. Vita fell in love with Sissinghurst Castle and bought it, along with 400 acres of farmland. She spent the next 30 years planting and designing the layout of the garden using the walls & buildings already in place. She was also the first to plant an "all-white garden" because she wanted the color of the flowers and foliage to act as an illuminating factor to prolong the daylight hours and hence to be able to extend the time she could spend in the garden. I spent a delightful summer, several years ago, reading her book: Garden. The gardens at Sissinghurst that Vita so lovingly created, are now part of the National trust and are open for public viewing.

Villa San Michele, Capri
The house was small, the rooms were few
but there were loggias, terraces, and pergolas
all around it to watch the sun, the sea
and the clouds -- the soul needs more space than the body.

Reading this poem just makes me sigh and relax. It is so true that "the soul needs more space than the body" and how wonderful to recharge by spending time strolling under this pergola and hearing the soft crunch of the pea gravel under your feet - A thing of beauty is a joy forever! Excerpt by Axel Munthe from La Strada della Dolce Vita

The best garden pathways can be the simplest, like this cut grass pathway (left).

I love the use of old brick for garden pathways. Old brick has a character and charm that is hard to duplicate with new materials.

Garden on Turtle Creek, Dallas TX, (photo above and below) was designed by renowned Landscape Architects, Michael van Valkenburgh.
The backbone of the garden is a continuous path of varied walking surfaces and garden pathways that flow from the house down the slope.
The meandering stainless steel planks are hollow underfoot altering the pace of the walk through the garden.
A brilliant juxtaposition of materials!

And who is not in love with the beautiful gardens at Versailles. The French really take their strolling in garden pathways seriously!

Some of my most memorable and refreshing times have been spent in gardens walking their beautiful pathways while taking
in the sights and smells around me.

What makes a perfect garden pathway for you?
Please leave a comment and let me know.

Patio Furniture Deluxe

2009-06-01T10:45:00.002-07:00

Why is well designed outdoor furniture so hard to come by????????? Everywhere I look I am visually assaulted by poorly designed and equally stinky, (as in smell) off-gassing furniture manufactured in China. I have through diligent searching found some truly amazing, beautiful to look at, and environmentally friendly outdoor furniture that is not manufactured in China. FYI Knoll practices Sustainable Design. All Knoll Space seating is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® for low-emitting products.

First the UGLY........

Okay that's enough of that, now for the sublime...................

These chairs are so beautiful and sculptural and are appropriately call "The Clover Chair"

A truly classic and timeless design by Knoll - the Bertoria Chair and
the appropriately named Paperclip Table

I am partial to the Bertoria chair in white powder coated finish with a white vinyl chair pad.
It also works equally well indoors.

This is a design by the prolific Philippe Starck called One Cafe

The One Cafe also comes in black/ivory and a bar stool is available
with slip cover options in white cotton.

Another design by Philippe Starck called Dr No by Kartell is stackable.
The Dr Na aluminum table is practical, simple and a perfect companion piece.

The Lord Yo Chair (above) designed by Philippe Starck, is a take-off on the classic Lloyd Loom chair.
I like the cotton slipcover. They also come with Leather Slipcovers so you can take them
indoors in the winter for an attractive addition to your kitchen or dining room.

Knoll Noguchi Cyclone Table Kissi-Kissi Table One Cafe Table

Bo Chair Miss Lacy Chair Toy Chair

Now for a few divine settings to get you in the mood for those lazy, hazy days of summer

Sigh

What makes a perfect outdoor setting for you?
Please leave a comment and let me know.

Passion - That is the Key

2009-05-27T08:51:00.002-07:00

"Passion - that is the key in Interior / Exterior: the urge to beautify and capture reality and to inspire others."

This is an excerpt taken from the book: INEX by Wolterinck. It is one of my favourite books as it features the interiors of homes and shows how the surrounding gardens have been designed to compliment the interiors, creating a total lifestyle concept. This concept is especially more relevant at this time of year when the weather is warm and invites us to spend more time outdoors, thereby extending our useable living spaces. In 1986 Marcel Wolterinck opened a flower shop in the village of Lauren, Holland. His concern for perfection and versatility later resulted in his own furniture range and his passion developed for incorporating the interior of the home with the gardens.

The above pictures are part of the garden that surrounds an updated 70's house. Both the garden and the house breathe an Oriental atmosphere. The garden by the bamboo planting around the house, and a Japanese touch is provided by the oak fence which turns gray when weathered. The garden fountain is lead produced by W, and the table in the upper left is a work of art in bronze by the Dutch Sculptor, Huub Kortekaas. The garden chairs are teak and metal.

This Provencal Villa (above and below) is situated in St. Tropez. where the emphasis is placed on the exterior life. This is expressed in an outdoor room and outdoor terraces. How very pleasant to sit at the large, wooden table with a zinc base underneath the pergola overgrown with Wisteria. The presence of an outdoor kitchen provides an additional dimension to being outdoors and can be used as an exterior fireplace lit on summer evenings. The planting is a combination of old and new. An age-old olive tree dominates the view (below) and is surrounded by a row of box trees and a wealth of plants such as Santolina, Pittosporum, Senecio, Helichrysum, Laurus nobilis, lavender, thyme, and Westringia fruticosa, all creating a subtle interplay of greens and grays and a perfect match for the various local types of stone.

Paradise in Algrave: This beautiful villa (above) is located in Portugal. Wolternick arranged the seating areas surrounding the villa like rooms. The floor lamps, tables, and chairs with cloth upholstery have been assigned a permanent place in these comfortable outdoor areas. Taste and rhythm also apply to the exterior kitchen with its fireplace to grill dishes. Meals can be prepared on the worktop that flanks the fireplace on either side. At right angles with the fireplace is a bold U-shaped zinc table surrounded by delicate director's chairs.

The above photos are part of a 20-hectare estate in Bremen, northwestern Germany. The 16th century farmhouse on the estate is surrounded by ancient trees and hedges. The farmhouse court, where horses once stood, was all stone, but was given an intimate character by Wolterinck by means of 60 year old beech hedges, walls, and trained box trees. The garden has many exotic varieties of plants. "The people who used to live on estates like these traveled extensively and brought back with them plants from distant places. This is how many exotic varieties ended up here, like Brugmansia, Hibiscus trees, Agapanthus, lemon trees, figs and Plumbagos. In summer these are put outside in pots, in autumn they find shelter in the orangery". The teak bench from the Lister Collection in the top right picture is in the style of the English Architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869–1944) who collaborated with Gertrude Jekyll the renowned English artist and gardener.

What is your most favourite garden?
What makes a garden special to you?
Please let me know by leaving a comment.

Photos and excerpts from: INEX Wolterinck
Photography: Sigurd Kranendonk

Making Orange Work with Sherwin-Williams

2009-05-20T15:59:00.009-07:00

The following is an article I was interviewed for in this month's issue of Sherwin-Williams Stir
on how to successfully incorporate orange walls in your home.

Making Orange Work
By Holly O’Dell Sherwin-Williams

You can successfully incorporate orange walls in your design by choosing the right rooms, complementary colors and accessories.

Orange is a vibrant, happy, social color. An orange wall can bring a dynamic energy to any room. It can simultaneously brighten a space while warming it up. Paired with the right colors and accessories, a large swath of orange can make a room really shine. But orange walls haven’t always been an easy sell to homeowners.

An orange wall need not look like a giant homage to the citrus fruit; many different hues of this inviting, invigorating color exist in the paint world. Patricia Gray of Patricia Gray Interior Design in Vancouver, British Columbia, has selected three Sherwin-Williams paint colors that she feels illustrate the diversity of orange:

Husky Orange (Sherwin-Williams 6636): "Husky Orange features rusty tones with more brown in it, and I find that this color is a lot more acceptable to a broader range of people. It is one of my favorite colors for using in living rooms, libraries and family rooms."
Tango (Sherwin-Williams 6649): "Tango Orange is what I would call more of a mid-range orange, a current and hip color. I would use it for a focal wall in the living room or dining room; it would also be fun for an entryway."
Kumquat (Sherwin-Williams 6648): "Kumquat is beautiful because it tends to go into the peach tones, but it’s an upbeat and livelier tone than what we were inundated with in the ’80s. I find that Kumquat is very relaxing and soothing, which makes it ideal for a bedroom, sitting room or anyplace where you want a quieter mood."

Like any dramatic color used abundantly, orange needs its counterparts.
"White or cream help balance the heat of the color," Gray says.
"Chocolate browns and charcoal grays are also accents that balance and coordinate nicely."

An example of what Sherwin-Williams Husky Orange might look like on a wall in a living room or family room.
Photo Jeffery Bilhuber

An example of what Sherwin-Williams Tango Orange might look like on a wall in a dining room. in a dining room.
Photo Antonia Hutt

An example of what Sherwin-Williams Kumquat Orange might look like
in a kitchen on a backsplash of back painted glass. The glass gives this color more vibrancy.
Photo Jennifer Gilmer

** Colors may show differently on computer monitors than in real life.
I always recommend painting a sample test.

Have you used orange paint in your home?
Do you think that you are likely to use orange in your home in the near future?
If so please let me know about it by leaving a comment.

Read full article at Sherwin-Williams Stir
Read another article on The Color Orange where I give examples of Benjamin Moore Colors.

These Colors Make Me Happy

2009-05-07T15:46:00.012-07:00

The hand painted burnished red on my Hermes cups

My favourite orange T on the weekend

A clear blue sky on a warm day when I am on vacation

The creme on my morning espresso

Live green branches against a white wall

All white bathrooms

Look around you and notice what colors make you happy
and please leave a comment and let me know.

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
While you're here, subscribe to this feed so you don't miss out.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

15 Top Posts on Color Trends

2009-04-30T13:08:00.003-07:00

Hover mouse over picture to see title.
Click on picture to go to post.

Interview on All The Best

2009-04-28T11:22:00.003-07:00

The following is an interview posted today on me by Ronda Carman on her fabulous Blog: All The Best
Profile: Patricia Gray by Ronda Carman

I adore the words of Jan de Luz, "Style…isn’t something that you apply like hand cream. It comes from within, as an emanation from your own being.”
Vancouver based interior designer Patricia Gray is the perfect case in point. For those of us who follow her blog, we are well versed in Patricia’s inimitable style. Her designs are both studied and precise, while being completely livable and inviting. It is one of the main reasons Patricia never fails to excite and inspire.

As I have alluded to numerous times, my design tastes run the spectrum. Patricia’s timeless and classic designs, with an undeniable modern edge, are the perfect prescription for my neuroses.

Patricia received her training at the Parson's School of Design in Paris. She is a member of the Inter-Society Color Council of New York, the National Council for Interior Design, the Interior Designers of Canada and a certified Feng-Shui practitioner. Patricia's portfolio includes feature projects throughout the US and Canada, as well as in Japan, Singapore and Africa. A few notable design clients include John Travolta and Rob Feenie.

How would you describe your design style?
I like furniture to have good lines, rooms to have good ‘bones',
juxtaposition of good antiques and artwork with modern design.

What inspires your creativity and designs?
Travel, being around young people, the ocean and the desert.

What is your most prized possession?
I don’t know if you could call her a ‘possession” but my 4 ½ pound Yorkshire Terrier, Nicole.

What is the one thing in life you cannot live without?
My cup of coffee in the morning.

Who are your style icons?
Interior Designers: Michael Taylor, Andree Putman, Antonio Citterio
Fashion: Coco Chanel, Dianna Vreeland

Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project?
The great Albert Hadley.

What is your favorite luxury in life?
Travel. The best holiday I ever gave myself was a cruise from Rio to Barcelona.
10 days at sea crossing the Atlantic. It was the most relaxing time I have ever had.
Nowhere to go, nothing to do….eat, sleep, eat some more.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Clients that allow me be creative.

Past or present who has most influenced your direction in life?
My Mother for nurturing my creativity in childhood.
My Father for teaching me good values: integrity, self reliance, and perseverance.

Who would you most like to meet and how would you spend the day?
The dowager Queen Noor of Jordan. I have admired her for years from a TV
interview with Larry King. Her style and humanitarianism left an indelible
impression on me. However she would like to spend it!!

Profile by Ronda Carman
To see this interview in full visit All The Best and please leave a comment for Ronda.
Thank-you Ronda!!!
Photos by Roger Brooks

Be Faithful to Your Own Taste.....Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan

2009-04-23T15:34:00.006-07:00

"Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style." ~Billy Baldwin

I thought the above quote by Billy Baldwin was very fitting to describe the exclusive outdoor furniture collection which was originally created by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan in the mid-1940s. Just after World War II, the furniture designer Walter Lamb, began experimenting with bronze and copper tubing salvaged from sunken naval ships at Pearl Harbor and constructing prototypes incorporating canvas and yacht roping. The result was a collection defined by it's sculptural curves, sturdy construction and superb comfort. Today, Walter Lamb's furniture is still as timeless as ever and is still handcrafted to Lamb’s rigorous specifications by Brown Jordan. For modern use Brown Jordan has replaced the bronze pipe with weatherproof brass, which over time will develop a rich patina. Vintage pieces of Lamb's are now selling at starting prices of $5,000.00. Which goes to prove that nothing that is well designed and well crafted is 'ever out of style'.

Left: Vintage 1940's Walter Lamb Brown Jordan Rocking chaise in bronze, canvas and yacht roping.
Right: Vintage 1940's Walter Lamb Brown Jordan Bronze chaise rewebbed in cotton yacht cord.

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2007-2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog

Michael Taylor Interior Design

2009-04-20T10:11:00.003-07:00

I recently received Michael Taylor's new book, Michael Taylor Interior Design. As most of you who read my Blog know, I was greatly influenced my Michael in my formative years in Design School. Not much has been published on his work outside of a few articles in Architectural Digest, so this has been a highly awaited book for me. Michael Taylor was dubbed the "James Dean of Interior Design" by Diana Vreeland and "the best decorator in the United States " by society and fashion photographer Cecil Beaton. Michael Taylor revolutionized interior design in the 1970's and 1980's with the "California Look". Taylor brought the outdoors inside with neutral palettes, natural light, large-scale furniture, and organic elements, especially stone, slate, wicker, and plants. His interiors expressed his love and appreciation of California and the outdoors. They were casual, comfortable, uncomplicated, and free of clutter. So much of what he created, we now take for granted, but he started it all.

Taylor believed that nature was man's best friend. His first shop was located in San Francisco and a notable neighbour on the same 500 block of Sutter Street was Williams-Sonoma (circa 1956). Taylor was particularly taken with the imported oyster baskets that were originally used to transport oysters from the coast of France to Paris. Their heavy natural weave appealed to Taylor. They had a profound effect on him. He began to use them as vessels for towering plants and trees - fishtail palms, ficus, and Zimmer linden - creating a look that became fundamental to his interiors. He believed that plants prevent "a room from feeling over-decorated", "soften the light" and "help a room breathe and feel alive" and thus initiated "the plant in a basket craze" with these baskets that he purchased from his neighbour - Williams-Sonoma back in 1956.

Above: The San Francisco penthouse Taylor designed for Al Wilsey and Pat Montondon, circa early 1980s. Michael Taylor Designs archives

Taylor was a proponent of white walls and ceilings. His interiors glowed with a specially formulated "Michael Taylor White". (Never pure white "Michael Taylor White" was a mixture of warm colors with a beige tone.) Although Taylor's rooms were known for their neutral palette, he always "advocated a strong secondary color and repetitive use of printed fabrics for a 'certain purity' and bold unified effect." He also clarified that "There is a tremendous amount of color in my rooms, but there are not many colors."

In his formative years of his career he came to idolize the renowned decorator Francis Elkins (1888-1953), who has been quoted as being "one of the guiding forces in the whole development of what is the American style today". Taylor saw himself as Elkin's greatest disciple, and he believed completely in her genius.
Michael Taylor died at the young age of 59 at the prime of his career. His work and the "California Look" that he invented continue to influence interior design today. The forward in this book is written by his good friend Rose Tarlow, herself a Design Icon in her own lifetime.

Michael Taylor was known for his extravagant shopping marathons which are legendary. When Taylor entered a shop, he always paused at its threshold and scanned the entire showroom. He had the reputation of being able to home in quickly and precisely on the finest pieces of inventory. He "never forgot beautiful things. He constantly absorbed everything he saw and banked it as a source of reference." He imparted his depth of sensitivity to his clients, and made them aware that "it's got to sing and talk back to you, and be A plus, plus if it crosses the threshold" of your house. At Taylor's death in 1987 he had amassed an enormous trove of beautiful objects. Their was an auction of 1355 lots, including his clothes, books and orchids. The following is the official auction catalogue with several color photographs of the furniture and objects in their rooms and in place in the garden with a nice foreword by Paige Rense, Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest. I got my copy from the Bill Hall at High Valley Books.

Interesting Statistic: House and Garden magazine devoted a record eighteen covers and more than one hundred articles to his work over a period of thirty years.

Previous posts on Michael Taylor: Michael Taylor - Good Design is Timeless
David Ward Artist for Michael Taylor
Top photo Patricia Gray

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever

2009-04-17T16:26:00.003-07:00

A thing of beauty is a joy for ever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

A favourite picture and a favourite poem of mine that I am linking together
to wish you all a Happy Weekend.

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever
From John Keats' epic poem, Endymion, 1818:
Picture from Makanyane Safari Lodge, South Africa

Janus et Cie - The Ultimate Teak Umbrellas

2009-04-16T15:33:00.006-07:00

Janus et Cie Teak Octagonal Umbrellas

Janus et Cie makes the ultimate in teak umbrellas. I am fascinated by the attention to detail and craftsmanship they put into their umbrellas. The brass pulley assembly and the leather strapping is what makes this teak umbrella a work of art. I like to refer to it as the 'Hermes' of umbrellas. How wonderful to sit under this umbrella and gaze up into the beautiful design of the interior. Janus et Cie's teak is plantation harvested and is truly an investment that will give years of pleasure.

Janus et Cie Teak Octagonal Umbrellas

Care and Maintenance for Teak:
Teak is a wood that has traditionally been used on ships because it is strong and durable, and because of it's ability to stand up under humid conditions. Teak is one of the best woods for outdoor furniture and umbrellas because it requires little or low maintenance depending on the look you want. If teak is left untreated it will weather to a beautiful silvery gray patina, while retaining its strength and durability for many years. Weathering can be accelerated by washing the teak with a mild soap solution and the addition of a teaspoon of bleach to a gallon of water. Rinse with clean clear water. If you want to keep the natural beauty of teak, treating it with good quality teak wood care products will enable it to keeps it's characteristic golden honey golden color. If oil is applied to teak, it must be done to a perfectly clean and dry surface. Proper care and maintenance of your teak umbrella and teak furniture will enhance its beauty for years to come.

Other related posts you might be interested in:
How to CLEAN and CARE for LUCITE
Patio Furniture Deluxe
Lucite Patio Bench
Summer Inspiration

Teak Umbrellas Photos from Janus et Cie Web-site
Teak Care and maintenance instructions from Janus et Cie

Welcome to my Townhouse

2009-04-14T17:18:00.005-07:00

Last weekend was my Birthday and I was presented with this exterior rendering of my Townhouse by the talented Michelle Morelan. Apparently she was busy out front of my place the week prior taking photos to get her rendering just perfect for me, and was concerned that I would see her through the window and ruin her surprise.

Thank-you Michelle, I was totally surprised and I love it!!!
PS It was a good thing that the leaves were not out on the tree in front or else it would be hard
to see the facade. Meanwhile, we're still patiently waiting for Spring here in Vancouver.

Michelle Morelan graduated from Kwantlen University College in 2006, after receivng her Bachelor's Degree in Applied Design in Interior Design. While at Kwantlen, Michelle earned the Daryl McConnell Award for her design philosophy of looking to nature. She also received the Don Adams Award for design excellence. She grew up in Ucluelet BC on Vancouver Island, where much of her natural design asthetic developed. Michelle has also lived in Key West, and Amsterdam. She writes a very popular Blog: A Schematic Life

Poll Your Favourite Four Poster Canopy Bed

2009-04-11T13:25:00.008-07:00

A canopy bed is a decorative bed similar to a four poster bed but with a top to it. A typical canopy bed usually features posts at each of the four corners extending four feet high or more above the mattress. Ornate or decorative fabric is often draped across the upper space between the posts of the bed and a solid swath of cloth may create a ceiling, or canopy directly over the bed. The modern version of the four poster canopy bed is often left undraped. Canopy four poster beds make a dramatic design statement for the Bedroom.

The canopy four poster bed came into existence more from practical purposes than that of extravagance or decadence. The the earliest incarnations were probably beds of common people seeking an additional layer of shelter and warmth beyond that of a less-than-impenetrable thatched roof. Canopy beds with curtains that could completely enclose the bed were used by lords and noblemen in medieval Europe for warmth and privacy, as their attendants often slept in the same room.

Please take the poll in the right hand column and let us know which is your favourite Four Poster Canopy Bed.

1. Top Picture - An antique four poster canopy bed by Stephen Sills Associates.

2. Viceroy Mayakoba features this distinctive four poster canopy bed with a canopy of woven reed textile.

3. 'Loire' Four Poster Canopy Bed by Niermann Weeks
One hundred years ago you would find four poster canopy beds like this in colonial
hotels and residences in the four corners of the world. The distinctive "bell or
square top" was originally conceived for attachment of mosquito netting.

4. Bodie and Frau Four Poster Canopy Bed is Perfect for draping or leaving open & fresh.

5. 'Turner' Four Poster Canopy Bed in Natural Cherry by Restoration Hardware.

6. 'Willa' Four Poster Canopy Bed Oly Studio.

7. One of my favourites is the ultimate 'Daydream' Four Poster Canopy Bed from Dedon. It is
designed for outdoor use, but I think that it could make the transition to indoors quite nicely.

8. 'Valois' Four Poster Canopy Bed from Niermann Weeks
in Venetian silver leaf with antiqued mirrored panels.

9. A Huanghuali Six-Poster Canopy Bed with Latticework Railings, Jiazichuang.
17th Century Christies Images Corbus

10. 'Arezzo' Four Poster Canopy Bed Richelieu Mahogany by Niermann Weeks.

Other posts you might be interested in:
DIY Canopy Beds
Turquoise Aquamarine
What's Hot - Leather Slipcovers
8 Great Ceiling Treatments
White Bedrooms

Gardening Anyone?

2009-04-09T14:40:00.008-07:00

This is what I am longing to do this weekend, weather permitting.

My girlfriend Ann is leaving for a Trans Atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2,
girlfriend Linda is off to Paris to celebrate her daughter's 21st Birthday,
and my Aunti Anne is off to Hawaii.

Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, I wish you a Safe and Happy Easter!!

This wonderful photo is by Hotze Eisma Amsterdam

Turquoise Aquamarine

2009-04-08T12:19:00.004-07:00

Turquoise Aquamarine

These are some of my favourite pictures I have been collecting
throughout the year of this beautiful color: Turquoise Aquamarine
Enjoy and have a wonderful Easter!

The color family of Turquoise and Aquamarine has more to do with feeling and creative expression than with rational thought. These colors between green and blue the shades of turquoise, blue green and aquamarine relate to transformation, evolution, change.
Aquamarine: stimulates the intellect and stabilizes the emotions, improves confidence, and the ability to stand fast, helps communication.
Turquoise: supportive and protective, heals the spirit, soothing, increases contentment.

Whats Hot - Leather Slipcovers

2009-04-06T08:37:00.009-07:00

What's Hot - Leather Slipcovers

John Saladino Leather Slipcovers

What a great way to update the look of upholstered leather chairs by using leather slipcovers instead of the more traditional tight leather upholstery technique. It adds a whole new dimension to the "leather" look. Slipcovers are a great alternative and they give a more casual feel to furniture. You can change the look of your room by having an extra set of slipcovers and changing the slipcovers seasonally you have a brand new decor. Leather slipcovers may be all that your existing chairs need to update them. The new faux leather on the market has the advantage of being easy to clean. And for higher end products, it is hard to tell the difference from real leather, unless you give it the leather 'sniff test'.

slip·cov·ers noun Date:1856
Slipcovers (also called loose cover) is a fitted protective cover that may be slipped off and on a piece of upholstered furniture. Slipcovers are usually made of cloth. Slipcovers slip on and off, they come fresh, and may be removed for seasonal change, cleaning, moving, or storage.

Slipcovers are sometimes defined as "clothing for furniture." Indeed, they are tailored just as clothing is, and are fitted loosely or snugly to the taste of the owner or tailor. Some people order furniture upholstered in plain muslin slipcovers with the intention of using slipcovers only.

Lane Industries Leather Slipcovers left
John Saladino Leather Slipcovers 'Harley Chair' center
John Saladino Leather Slipcovers 'Cassandra Chair' right

Food for thought: John Saladino is the designer of the Harley and Cassandra Leather slipcovered chairs above. He has several meticulously designed and detailed chairs with leather slipcovers in his exclusive 'Saladino Style' line which he has carried for years. As a matter of fact, John Saladino is 'known' for leather slipcovers in the world of design by professional designers. Interior Designers/Decorators are usually the first to create a design that is fresh and new and then it eventually filters down to the mass market like the current "What's Hot" fad for Leather Slipcovers, which is now being seen in mass production in the example of the chair on the left above by Lane Furniture. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with mass produced furniture, but what I lament is that the original designer of the concept is often forgotten and not recognized in the wake of the new trend. In Italy they have an award that is given out each year called the Compasso d'Oro. It publicly acknowledges the contribution by designers of outstanding products made in Italy. Many of the designs that have won awards are now so fully encompassed into our every day lives that we take them for granted. Last year a Compasso d'Oro award in Italy was presented to the American designer Karim Rashid for a dresser he designed for an Italian Company. I admire the Italians for honoring their designers and giving them the acknowledgment that they deserve. Unfortunately we do not have a national award such as this in North America to foster pride in the great designers that contribute so much to the quality of our lives.

Leather Slipcovers

Leather Slipcovers

Leather Slipcover Photos from John Saladino web-site

Books by John Saladino

Villa by John Saladino Style by John Saladino

For further reading on John Saladino you might be interested in these posts:
John Saladino / Today I am Loving / Inspirational Quotes

Photos from John Saladino web-site Leather Slipcovers on Cassandra Chair / Photo from Lee Industries web-site Leather Slipcovers
Leather Resources: Holly Hunt Leather/Great Plains Leather/Edelman Leather/CC Leather/Kravet Leather/Barbara Barry Leather/Robert Allen Leather/ Beacon Hill Leather/Maxwell Fabrics Leather/Joanne Fabrics Leather/J Ennis Leather/Tritex Leather/Dragonfly Surfaces Leather/Montauk Leather/Stylus Leather

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2007-2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog

A Cool Canopy Bed

2009-04-02T08:29:00.006-07:00

A Cool Canopy Bed

This picture of this interesting canopy bed was sent to me by Ivan Meade, and is designed by
Asli Tunca, who is a designer in Turkey. She does beautiful minimalist work using stunning antiques.
Ivan recently did an interview with her -In Conversation with Asli Tunca & Carl Vercauteren

Other posts on this subject you might be interested in:
DIY Canopy Beds
White Bedrooms
Chic White Bedrooms
Another White Bedroom

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture, and travel,
as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2007-2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog

8 Top Ceiling Treatments

2009-04-01T09:32:00.009-07:00

Top Ceiling Treatments

Ceilings left untreated are one of my pet peeves. Walls and floors get all the attention.
Why are ceilings neglected, when they are one of the largest surfaces in a room and are
a perfect opportunity for adding an extra dimension to the room.

1. Faux Finish Ceiling Treatment - Add interest to your ceiling treatment by painting on a pattern or a Faux Finish.

2. Medallion Ceiling Treatment - A ceiling medallion treatment is usually in the form of an ornate rosette.
Most are round, but for something unique they are also available square or oval. It can be an interesting
feature to add to a contemporary setting.

3. Tudor Style Ceiling Treatment - This ceiling treatment can look equally good in a modern setting or a traditional setting.

4. Honeycomb Ceiling Treatment - A contrasting honeycomb pattern adds drama and focus to this ceiling treatment.

5. Contemporary Dropped Ceiling Treatment - This home from Budapest uses a contemporary ceiling
treatment by varying heights & geometric patterns. Notice the square recessed pot lights.

6. Painted Ceiling Treatment - Painted stripes on this ceiling treatment.
This is fun and creates visual interest on the ceiling.

7. Coffered Ceiling Treatment - Coffered ceiling treatments are an great way to add architectural focus to your ceiling.

8. Pressed Tin Ceiling Treatment - See Architectural Depot for some great Tin Ceiling Tiles

Photo credits: 1. Stephen Sills 2. unknown 3. Design Inc / House Beautiful Ginger Barber
4. Parlor Steakhouse NYC 5. www.suto.hu 6. Domino Jenna Lyons
7. Unknown top, Windsor Smith bottom two photos 8. House Beautiful

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture, and travel,
as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2007-2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog

April Food Day

2009-03-31T18:39:00.009-07:00

As many of you are probably aware, there is a drive underway this April 1st, for bloggers to unite and donate to the organization Feeding America and Food Banks Canada. April Food Day is asking all those who write blogs and those who read them to donate $1.00 in April. One dollar is such a small amount, yet it equates to ten pounds of food, or seven full meals! If you wish, and are able, you may donate any amount. Please help us fight hunger.

Click to Donate to Feeding America / Click to Donate to Food Banks Canada

Visit April Food Day for more details.
Thanks for being a part of April Food Day! Together, all of us can make a difference.

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2007-2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog