* Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

White Pattern + Light in Architecture

2013-05-07T19:23:00.002-07:00

archdaily.com; archithings.com; hiplap.tumblr.com; core77.com

lemanoosh.tumblr.com; pakal.org; s3.amazonaws.com

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2013 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Nicole's Portrait

2013-04-10T15:06:00.001-07:00

What fun we had today when we picked up Nicole's portrait. She is such a precious little pet (all four pounds of her). She never fails to make everyone smile. Her signature trait is her tongue which perpetually hangs out. Pamela Hudson is the artist that did this piece. She even put real crinoline fabric on the painting.

Nicole in her party dress

Nicole's portrait by Pamela Hudson

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2013 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Interior Designer Patricia Gray Honored With Two Northwest Design Awards

2013-03-14T17:15:00.000-07:00

Interior Designer Patricia Gray Honored

With Two Northwest Design Awards

The Northwest's top designers were recognized at Seattle Design Center's annual Northwest Design Awards Gala held March 7,2013. The Northwest Design Awards competition recognizes interior design professionals whose work has made a significant contribution to the design industry. Projects are judged on the basis of problem solving, creativity, quality of design and beauty of the space.

Among those being honored was Patricia Gray who won two awards for 'The Erickson' and 'Hamilton' project

The Northwest Design Awards Competition, now in its fourteenth year, recognizes the work of Pacific Northwest interior design professionals and celebrates the significant contribution design makes to life in our region. This year's theme, ‘CELEBRATE DESIGN’, offered designers a broad interpretation of how we use and occupy space.

To see images of Patricia Gray's award winning design, visit the Projects section of her website and choose The Erickson and Hamilton project.

Photography by Sean Lew

YAM Magazine - INTERIOR COUTURE with Patricia Gray

2013-03-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

I just found out that I got the front cover on YAM Magazine; the article titled Interior Coture. Thank-you Ivan Meade for writing such a great article and Joshua Lawrence for the photography.

Interior Couture

INTERIOR COUTURE

YAM’s one-on-one with Canada’s A-list designer Patricia Gray

By Ivan Meade | Photos by Joshua Lawrence

If Canada has a celebrity among interior designers, it is Patricia Gray, the designer of choice for stars like John Travolta — and the woman whose approach to design can best be described as couture. Only the rarest of interior designers develops the kind of signature style that seems to come so naturally to Vancouver’s Patricia Gray. It’s a style which, over a three-decade career, has won her accolades, awards, and features in prestigious magazines like Architectural Digest. Nowhere is Gray’s signature style showcased more naturally than in her eight-story Alberni Street live/work townhome. Here, the vibe is cosmopolitan but there’s no clinical showroom sensibility — this space is designed for living beautifully.

Interior Couture Interior Couture
Gray is one of those creatives whose design sensibilities seem to have evolved seamlessly from traditional to contemporary, never bowing to trendiness but always seeming au courant. Gray doesn’t do trends; she sets trends. She even creates ﬁne art for her clients and produces custom furniture through her own millwork company, upholstery workroom, and drapery workroom. As the daughter of a couture seamstress, is it any wonder Gray describes her approach to interior design as couture? And yes, if these rooms could walk, they would be on the world’s most fashionable runways........continued Interior Couture

Interior Couture

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2013 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Top 25 Interior Blogs in the World

2013-02-27T09:12:00.001-08:00

Photo: Patricia Gray | Interior Design Vancouver | The Patina

We have been ranked #3 in "The Top 25 Interior Design Blogs in the World".

Thank-you Designs-n-Deal.
Congratulations to Meade Design Group & Brillante Interiors, friends of mine, who also made the list.

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2013 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Antoni Tapies Quote

2013-01-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

My New Years wish to you.......

Antoni Tapies 1923-2012

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2013 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Happy Holidays

2012-12-15T09:39:00.000-08:00

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Luna Faucet

2012-11-17T21:14:00.001-08:00

Luna Faucet via Meade Design

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Patricia Gray's Tips for Making Colour Work in Your Interior

2012-09-14T16:30:00.000-07:00

Don't be afraid to use colour. Have fun and use colours you love in the accessories,

which don't cost a lot to change out. If possible, change them seasonally to keep

your interiors fresh.

White is a wonderful colour for kitchens. Just as simple white plates are a beautiful
way to display food, everything looks delicious against white counters, cabinets and
walls.

Before you commit to a colour, try many. Buy sample pots and large poster boards
and paint the boards. Move them around the room so you can see how the colours
change in different light depending on the time of day.

Two perfect blues: Heaven on Earth and Under the Big Top, both by Benjamin
Moore.

Choose original artwork you love and then look to that artwork to create layers of
colour. Pull different shades and vary them in throw pillows, accessories like blown
glass, flowers and fruit.

Keep accent colours in a single family for a unified, sophisticated result. Editing is a part of the process. With too many objects in a room, you don't appreciate any one thing.

Accents of citron and ultramarine blue pop against a neutral backdrop of beige, taupe and brown in the family room. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

A soothing shade of warm taupe on the walls is a perfect backdrop for art and accessories in the den. Cushions pull a shades of brown from art by David Edwards. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

The master bedroom, painted a delicate shade of pure summer sky, imbues the room with a relaxing atmosphere. A vintage Louis chair received an update with silver paint, white leather upholstery, and nail heads. Art is by Karen Lorena Parker. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

Click to read the whole article
Patricia Gray's Tips for Making Colour Work In Your Interior

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview

2012-07-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview

What a week we had. Last Friday I was contacted by Shaw TV to be featured on a segment on their Dream Homes show. Tuesday morning Shaw TV showed up with camera crew and shot for three and a half hours to get approximately four minutes of air time. Although it was quite exhausting with many retakes it was a lot of fun and the weather that day was perfect. Here is the link for the preview of the segment as it aired on Shaw TV Channel 4 yesterday. There will be a another segment airing next week. Stay tuned!!!

YouTube link Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Let There Be Light

2012-04-01T13:44:00.001-07:00

Have fun with accent lighting. Finding just the right lighting is one of the most difficult things for me as an interior designer, but when it happens it is magic. I think of the room as the perfect little black dress with the perfect cut, the one that dresses up or down according to the occasion, and the perfect lighting fixture is the jewelry that finishes off and compliments the little black dress.

I have written an article for West Coast Homes and Design, a supplement in the Vancouver Sun Newspaper,on how the right lighting is one of the most important aspects in achieving atmosphere in a home. Lighting is a discipline all to itself and often is one of the most important parts of an interior. Bad lighting can ruin a good interior: good lighting can almost salvage a bad one. For example….. (more)

In kitchens it is particularly important to get the lighting right as food preparation along with the eating and social aspects that go on in this room are a vital part of our lives and involve all of our senses. Kitchens need to be well lit with good overall ambient lighting and task lighting over islands and countertops. Add a little fun and pizazz with accent lighting as I did over this island.

Lighting in a bathroom and bedroom needs to make you feel refreshed and energetic in the morning, ready to face the challenges of the day ahead, but at night should engender a feeling of relaxation and harmony. In a bathroom, good lighting for putting on make-up should come evenly from either side of the mirror so shadows are not cast on the face. The rest of the room needs to be lit evenly from overhead, but be careful of placing recessed pot lights that are directly over your head when standing in front of a mirror or else you will have shadows under your eyes. I put the lights for the make-up lights and the overhead lights on different switches to further enhance the options to create different moods.

Left: Wall mounted LED swing-arm lamps were used in this bedroom for task light.
Right: Candles can add to the mood and ambience in a room and make a dramatic statement.
Click on the PDF icon to read the whole article

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel. 2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Highlights from Paris - My Paris Restaurants

2012-02-03T12:32:00.001-08:00

Café Campana at the Musée d'Orsay Paris

After an inspiring stroll through the new Impressionist Gallery on Level 5 of the Musée d'Orsay you arrive at the breath taking new new Pavilion Amont, the station's former engine house, and the Café Campana with futuristic décor by the Brazilian Campana Brothers. It is a provocative jumble of orange twisted coated wire fencing, sea anemone chairs by Edra, gold laser-cut lampshades resembling bells and the magnificent station clock as the focal point. This restaurant/cafe is not to be missed on a trip to Paris! Make sure that you sit facing the clock as you can actually see the hands moving and you have a beautiful view of the city of Paris. I had the most delicious salad – Comme une Niçoise with heart of cos lettuce, cherry tomato, anchovy filet, potato, tuna, hard-boiled egg and olives. See the menu here.

Cafe Flottes, 2 rue Cambon Paris

I fell in love with this Paris restaurant. It was close to my Hotel and it is on the same block as Chanel’s original store at 31 rue Cambon. Flottes serves the best home cooked French food in a casual atmosphere, and it is a favourite with the local Parisians; and rightly so. The atmosphere is bustling and friendly and the food is

simple, robust and excellent. I ate there three nights in a row and every night I had a glass of their Bordeaux wine with the special of the day followed by desert and an espresso of course. I had, respectively, the Beef bourguignon, Confit de canard, Piece de boeuf de Salers with béarnaise sauce and frites. For desert I had, two nights in a row because it was so good, tarte des demoiselles Tatin with crème fraîche - an upside down caramelized apple tart. I wish I had taken pictures of my food but I was too busy eating it. You can see the menu here. They also have a cookbook which I wanted to buy but my suitcase was already full. A nice touch to the restaurant is that Mademoiselle Flottes was bustling around the restaurant all three nights I ate there.

The seafood bar at Flottes restaurant in Paris is on the sidewalk and you can watch the seafood platters being prepared the as you walk by.

Flottes restaurant cookbook features the dishes they serve at the restaurant that have made them a favourite with the local Parisians.

Le Grand Colbert, 2 rue Vivienne Paris

On my visit to Paris I wanted to eat at Le Grand Colbert in Paris because of the history of the restaurant dating back to 1637, and the name taken from Louis XIV’s finance minister, a man well versed in cuisine, and also because my girlfriend had her wedding dinner at this restaurant….and if that is not enough, it is Le Grand Colbert restaurant is in the movie with Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves, and Jack Nicholson – Something’s Gotta Give. Well the food was not the best I had eaten in Paris, but I ended up having a great time, as I spent the evening in conversation with the German couple sitting next to me who were in Paris for the Chanel haute couture fashion show at the Grand Palais that very day. They have been haute couture customers of Chanel’s for quite a few years and get an invitation to the show twice a year, as well as going to the famous Chanel workroom on 31 rue Cambon the day after the show to choose the pieces from the collection that will be custom made to measure for Mademoiselle. I found myself living vicariously through them; their telling me about the show, the background of haute couture, the goings on behind the scenes, etc. The show this year (I don’t know how Karl Lagerfeld does it) tops all other shows. It was set in an airplane and there were two shows back to back – one for the haute couture customers (of which there are merely 200 in the whole world) and the other show for the press. You never know who will be sitting beside you when you dine in Paris. You can download an app to your iPhone or iPad of the fashion show here. Oh, and Mademoiselle has promised to send me photos when her haute couture gowns arrive!

At Le Grand Colbert restaurant in Paris I had Belle Sole “meunière style” and for desert traditional French Crêpe Suzette flambéed with Grand Mariner.

Au 35, 35 Rue Jacob

The restaurant Au 35, was recommended to me by the concierge at my Hotel at the last minute. I asked for something simple and easy as it was my last evening in Paris. Au 35 was a 5 minute walk from my Hotel. When I walked into Au 35 I instantly felt good about the place. It was cozy and authentic, and featured delicious French food made with the freshest ingredients. The entree I had was probably one of the best seafood dishes I have ever tasted, and I mean seriously, it was superb. It was a piece of local white fish on a bed of the most delicious tasting potatoes. It is one of those dishes I will dream of at night and when I think of it, I will be transported back in time to that moment in Paris. My entree was listed on the chalkboard menu as: Filet de julienne à la pomme de terre ceraxi. For desert I had crème brûlée with salted butter fudge – yumm!

Filet de julienne à la pomme de terre ceraxi at Au 35 restaurant in Paris

Au 35 restaurant Paris

Au Sauvignon, 80 Rue des Saints-Pères

This wine bar, Au Sauvignon, was recommended by the concierge at my Hotel. He says it is a place that he likes to go to with his friends for a drink before dinner of going to the theatre. It is one of he busiest and most chic spots in Paris, thanks to its location in the heart of the Left Bank, nestled among small designer boutiques and art galleries, just a stone's throw away from Au Bon Marché and across the street from Hermes’ newest store. The specialties are its tartines, or open-faced sandwiches made from pain poilâne and a single page of the compact menu and offers whites, reds and a few rosés, either by the glass or bottle.

Au Sauvignon Wine Bar Paris staircase

A steep staircase leading up to the restrooms at Au Sauvignon displays a clutter of posters celebrating the arrival of new vintages of Beaujolais, cartoon, caricatures, and paintings of Paris, including one of the bar itself. Amongst all this it’s easy to miss an inconspicuous hanging metal sign displaying the maxim “Le prix attire la clientele, la qualité seule la retient” – The price attracts the customer; only the quality brings them back.

If you have had the pleasure of eating at any of these Paris restaurants, please let me know your experience by leaving a comment here.

My Paris by Night

2012-02-01T18:15:00.001-08:00

Parking in Paris – How do the French do it?

2012-01-31T11:23:00.001-08:00

This is a street on the Left Bank in Paris in Saint-Germain-des-Prés. It is not unlike parking on other streets in Paris. I was continually amazed at how the French managed to park their cars so close together and then how they managed to get out of such a tight spot. Surprisingly I didn’t see a lot of damaged bumpers.

Parking in Paris – how do the French do it?

Highlights from Paris - Maison et Objet 2012

2012-01-30T15:13:00.001-08:00

I have just returned from Paris where I attended Maison et Objet. Maison et Objet is Europe's biggest décor show where I got the first look at the products, colours, and styles that will set the trends for the world for 2012 in interior design.

The Spanish furniture Company Baltus regards the creation of a piece of furniture as a work of art. They create avant-garde pieces with simple geometric shapes in amazing lacquer finishes. Maison et Objet 2012

A new line of bedding from Diane von Furstenberg. Maison et Objet 2012

Missioni - bright, colourful, and fun! Maison et Objet 2012

Ideel Contemporary Furniture incorporates salvaged antique teak ceiling beams and posts from Indian architecture into unique furniture pieces. Maison et Objet 2012

An coffee table from Fendi that is lit with battery powered LED lights. Maison et Objet 2012

A TV incorporated into a mirror in the Fendi showroom. Maison et Objet 2012

Charlotte Moss and me at a presentation of her new line of fabrics for Fabricut. Maison et Objet 2012

A show stopping display by the Italian stone company, Antolini Luigi. The models were painted to blend into the slabs of granite and marble. Very evocative and very Italian! Maison et Objet 2012

Lighting by the German Company Anthologie Quartett. Maison et Objet 2012

I wish Kitchen Aid would offer sleek products like this for the North American market. Maison et Objet 2012

Hay Shop from Denmark – a climbing wall of towel rings. Maison et Objet 2012

Designed by the French designer David Turpin this contemporary styled Bluetooth handset has an integrated iPhone charging dock. Check out their web-site as they have some very innovative products. Native Union Maison et Objet 2012

From Tokyo porcelain cups by Ken Noborumurata. Maison et Objet 2012

The Essentials of Fabulous

2011-12-09T15:10:00.001-08:00

I just returned from a ‘fabulous’ six days in New York. It really is a special time at Christmas with all the lights and excitement…..more of my adventures in a later post. I just wanted to share with you a must-get book for Christmas gift giving. I have just placed an order for a dozen to have on hand for last minute gifts for all the fabulous girlfriends, guyfriends, relatives, and for all the fabulous people you haven’t met yet.

“No one is born fabulous,” author Ellen Lubin-Sherman writes. “You have to decide to do it—to transform yourself into one of those amazing creatures that infiltrate our lives and ignite our dreams with their swagger, energy, pizzazz, and soigné charm.” The Essentials of Fabulous guides you to set yourself apart in this “whatever” world by paying scrupulous attention to detail. It shows you how passion, enthusiasm, attitude, superior manners, and a terrific personal style will catapult you right into the fabulous pantheon.

So I recommend that you definitely get a copy for yourself and while you are at it get as many as you can for all the fabulous people in you life.

Happy Fabulous to all of you!!

First Impressions

2011-10-26T15:28:00.001-07:00

I was meeting with a client recently about a new home they are building and I was discussing my philosophy of the importance in creating an environment that nurtures and supports the needs and lifestyles of the occupants. There is so much more than meets the eye when designing a home. I am reminded by what I was taught by my feng shui instructor and mentor Grandmaster Professor Thomas Lin Yun: ‘when you enter a space it takes your body and psyche tens seconds to adjust to the space – either in a negative or a positive way.’ Our homes are living and dynamic vessels that either optimally support us, or support us in a diminished capacity. Is your home all it can be?

Photo: Patricia Gray Inc; Artwork: Martha Sturdy, Tom Burrows; Photography: Roger Brooks

A Perfect White Geranium

2011-10-25T16:32:00.001-07:00

To my delight and surprise this morning I found this last perfect white geranium in my garden as the nights are turning cold and crisp and we are rapidly approaching winter. It is hardy and pure.

HOMEFRONT

2011-10-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

In pursuit of happy endings……..

I have been published this month in http://www.patriciagrayinc.com/docs/Homefront-Patricia-Gray.pdf magazine. Thank-you to Homefront’s Editor-in-Chief, Caroline Tapp-McDougall and writer, Lindsay Jackson.

Photos courtesy Natasha Duff of Meade Design Group
Click on the PDF icon to read the whole article.

5 iPad Apps for Interior Design

2011-10-10T13:18:00.001-07:00

I got a new iPad this summer as a gift from dear clients on the completion of their home and it has changed my life and the way I do business. No longer do I have to carry around my laptop – the iPad does every thing for me and more when I am out of the office that I used to bring my laptop for. With some clever apps I have a virtual box in my hands. These are some of the iPad Apps I am using that are proving to be indispensable:

1. Dropbox is a service that lets you bring all your photos, documents, and videos with you. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad. With the Dropbox app you can take everything that matters to you on the go. It is very easy to use – you just drag the file you want to transfer into the Dropbox folder on your computer and it almost instantly shows up on your iPad. Magic! You can share folders on line by giving others access by email. I have used it recently to transfer photos and drawings to a client and my contractor. It saves sending numerous emails and you can send high resolution images seamlessly.

2. Evernote turns your iPad into an extension of your brain, helping you remember anything and everything that happens in your life. From notes to ideas to snapshots to recordings, you put it all into Evernote and it instantly synchronizes between all your devices – iPad, iPhone and Mac or Windows desktop. No more having to plug your devices into each other.

3. iBooks is an Apple app that comes on your iPad. You can read books on it much like Kindle, but what I really use it for in business is downloading PDF documents such as CAD drawings, specifications, manuals etc. What makes the iPad so unique is that you can enlarge just the areas you want to see by dragging your fingers over the screen – it works like a magnifying glass. I recently downloaded the PDF of my camera & lens manual and it is now always with me.

4. Flipboard was named Apple’s iPad app of the year and rightly so. It is a fast, beautiful way to flip through the news, photos, videos and updates on social media sites. It is now my preferred way of bookmaking and browsing my favourite websites.

5. Microsoft Tag lets you instantly connect to a whole new world of information. there is not need to type long URLs, you simply scan the Tag. Microsoft Tag multicolored barcodes transform traditional marketing, such as print advertising, packaging, LDC displays etc. into live links that immediately access info, videos, and other material online.

*Best of all Dropbox, Evernote, iBooks, Flipboard and Microsoft Tag are all free iPad Apps
Check out my Post on 5 iPhone Apps for Interior Design

Please let me know what iPad Apps you have found helpful by leaving a comment here.

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Interior Design Russia

2011-10-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

Well I have just been published in Interior Design magazine in Russia. We really live in a global world and it is exciting to be so connected by the internet, blogging, Facebook, Twitter and all the new and evolving forms of social media. For those of you who don’t read Russian I have included a translation to English at the bottom of this article. Click on the PDF icon. You can read the magazine here. It is very interesting to see what the design trends are in that part of the world. I think that they are very contemporary and ‘cutting edge.’ My article starts on Page 90. Let me know what you think.

Click on the PDF icon to read the whole article with translation.

Williams-Sonoma 5 Interior Design Blogs We Couldn’t Live Without

2011-09-28T16:39:00.001-07:00

Thank-you Williams-Sonoma for picking this blog!
5 Interior Design Blogs We Couldn’t Live Without

By Jay Johnson
It’s easy to smell a phony when reading a blog; the words don’t ring true, they sound contrived, and the advice isn’t from the heart. But a great interior designer’s blog can be inspirational and helpful – and even funny. As bloggers, Irwin and I appreciate the extra work it takes to step outside of your everyday design projects and communicate to people you might never meet about what you love, what you hate, what resources you’ve just used on a job, and what elements of taste and style make you see the world in your own unique way. Here are some of our favorite interior designer blogs.

Patricia Gray This cleanly designed and beautifully photographed blog is the creation of a generous designer. Vancouver based Patricia Gray shares her keen eye for style, takes us on trips around the world (and points out her “favourites”), and points out the resources and materials that she enjoys using on a job. The latter is particularly useful for interior designers. It’s great to see a master designer work, look at resources as they appear in finished spaces, and get an analysis of why and how they function beautifully. You also get the bonus of a well-trained feng shui student, layered on top of the interior designer, and you can better understand why Patricia’s interiors exude calm, serenity, and strong flow.
Read full article

Black and White Photography in Whistler

2011-09-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

I have taken up photography. Is there ever a lot to learn. I started by taking a digital photography course at Emily Carr University. Then after much research and trial I decided on my camera and lens: a Nikon D7000 with a Nikkor 18-200 lens with polarizing filter. I wanted to get a full format FX camera but decided to get familiar with a DX camera first. I got Photoshop CS5 and Silver Efex Pro 2 (a program that converts color digital photography to black and white photography) as well as several books that I downloaded to my iPad 2 (BTW I love my new iPad 2 which was a gift from a client – thank-you very much!). All of this because I have a very curious mind and a very curious eye. I love the fact that when I look through the view finder of the camera I see the world differently from the way I view the world of Interior Design through my eye unframed. Looking through the lens forces my attention down to a small and very refined focus. I am also a believer of the value of life long learning and the fact that the appreciation of different art disciplines enhances and broadens our experience of life.

The above photo was taken at a client’s home in Whistler just before sunset as I was standing on the edge of the dock. I went there to take photos of the lovely views from their home of the dock and lake, with hopes of getting some good images to frame and hang in their just completed home in Vancouver. Somehow the color version looks nice in a smaller format for viewing on the internet or in the photo album, but when I thought about enlarging it to a frameable size it didn’t look like fine art. I far prefer to hang black & white photography on walls. I converted the digital color photograph to black and white photography with a software program called Silver Efex Pro2 and I quite like how the images below the water show up much clearer in the black and white photography then in the color version.

This image was converted from a color digital to black & white photography using a program called Silver Efex Pro 2.

These are some of the other photos I took.

Fresh fruit for our morning brunch. The sunlight was streaming in the window and this setting was calling out to me to take the photo quickly before 1. either the sunlight moved on or 2. we sat down and started eating. So much of photography I am learning is to seize the moment. Thank-you Nora for the delicious and beautiful meals you prepared.

The picture above and below were taken at sunrise in one of the most beautiful places in the world Whistler.

The morning dew.

I will leave you with a quote by the brilliant French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

“To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis.”

Qualicum Beach Smiling Rock

2011-08-29T10:06:00.001-07:00

I was visiting Qualicum Beach this weekend and someone put this rock down on the beach path. It put a smile on my face. Thank-you – whoever you are!

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

10 Things to do in New York in the Summertime

2011-08-25T20:51:00.001-07:00

1. Sit on the grass roof terrace at Lincoln Center. This stylish sloping green lawn is situated on top of a restaurant at the recently remodelled Lincoln Center and overlooks Lincoln Center’s reflecting pool and Henry Moore sculpture. The night I was there was a perfect summer night and the bonus was it was a full moon which hung in the sky with the city scape of New York below it. I had a hard time leaving.

2. Visit Vicente Wolf. I met Vicente when he was in Vancouver this Spring and he invited me to drop in and see him when I next in New York. He showed me around his office and then his showroom which is packed with treasures that he purchases on his yearly trips to exotic locations.

3. See a play in the theatre district. This time I saw Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre. It is the story of the Wizard of Oz long before Dorothy drops in, and the relationship of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. It was a great show. Be sure to dress up and have a nice dinner before the theatre, as I think it makes the experience all the more special.

A close-up picture I took of the curtain before the show started
4. Have dinner at:
La Esquina in Soho
You have to walk down a flight of stairs and through the kitchen to get to the restaurant. Book well in advance as it is very popular. It is the best Mexican food I have had outside of Mexico. I was told by a friend to try the deep fried Crickets. I was happy when I was told that they were no longer on the menu so I didn’t have to lie and say I had them. They also have a selection of over 200 premium tequilas. The waiters wore red t-shirts with ‘SEXICO’ on the front.

Le Colonial in the Upper East Side
The ambiance of French Colonial Vietnam (Indo Chine) of the 1920’s has been recreated in this two storey townhouse, decorated with black and white period photos, ceiling fans, lush potted palms. I had one of their signature dishes - Vietnamese crisp-seared whole red snapper with a light, spicy and sour sauce. Yummm!

5. Have lunch at Bergdorf Goodman’s restaurant, decorated by Kelly Wearstler and overlooking Central Park.

6. Shop, shop, shop
My favourite street is Madison. I start at Barneys at 61st and walk up to 70th and then down 70th to visit one of the most beautiful galleries in New York - the Frick, with a stop at the Nespresso Boutique between 65th & 66th for an Iced Latte and the best quiche outside of Paris. This trip I also “did Soho” and discovered some new stores:

7. Walk Central Park South East
I never knew this pond was here in Central Park. As we were walking back to our Hotel after our shop, shop, shop afternoon, I saw the trail lead into Central Park – you enter off of 5th Ave and 60th Street. In a few short moments we were transported into another world – a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is situated below street level, and the noises of the city are left behind. We were able to walk through the lush park almost all the way back to our Hotel.

8. Visit Francine at Interieurs. Francine is a friend of mine that I met through the Blogosphere. One of the highlights of my visits to New York is to visit her at her wonderful store and then go out to dinner together. Francine has one of the most outstanding roof decks in all of New York where she hosts many parties in the summer. There is never enough time to catch up on everything. She is busy working out with a personal trainer to prepare herself for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in September.

9. Have drinks at the Empire Hotel which is where Gossip Girls is filmed and has the official drink Cocktail List of the ‘Gossip Girls’ TV show with catchy names like: I’m Chuck Bass – Dewar’s Scotch, Red Apple, Ginger Bites and Apple Cider. You can read the Cocktail list here.

10. Visit MoMA
Get there early especially if you go on the weekend. We arrived at 10:30 on Sunday morning with a short line-up and by the time we left at 12:30 the line-up outside was down the street and around the corner. I head up to the top floor (and work my way down) to see my favourite painting – Monet’s Water Lilies which I could feast my eyes on forever. It is an amazing 42 feet in length. Tip: This trip I purchased a membership which is very cost effective and means you don’t have to stand in a line-up.