An Eye For Detail

MAISON ET OBJET: JANUARY 2010

2010-03-09T21:09:00-05:00

chapter 1

Maison et Objet took place in late January of this year, and no, sadly I was not able to go. I tried! Helser Brothers, the drapery hardware manufacturer, had a contest (!) to go to Paris, all expenses paid, and be their "field blogger". ! Now, I ask you, how FANTASTIC is that? I wrote my "proposal" and why I thought I should be the one to do this.

hmmmmmm: seems many other people also felt they deserved the honor, and seat on the plane!

As you can see, I did not win this contest... tant pis, as they say ("too bad"). I mean...I speak French, I've been to the show, I (sort of) know my way around etc. But yes, a most deserving interior designer, Rebecca Deming Rumpf, won and did, I think, a really beautiful job of reporting. She obviously enjoyed every minute of it, took lots of pictures, and wrote about some great details of all aspects of the show.

I loved these pictures of some passementerie:

Here is part of what she had to say about colors:

"As far as overall color trends go, purple was everywhere at Maison et Objet 2010, especially smoky plums and deep eggplants in combination with taupe and gray. I predict that, within a few years, purple will become the New Orange in the U.S. – the color no one wanted that suddenly we can’t get enough of."

Now, if you will recall.... no, I'll help you recall...I did a story on purple from the previous M & O show in September, beginning with :

"What I DID see here that was NEW was the color PLUM.....or mauve or amethyst or fig" See here for the story.

chapter 2

Hermine Mariaux is a trend watcher extraordinaire and reports for Home Textiles Today in a blog that covers the shows. Her reporting and analysis of Maison et Objet is superior! And then, to bring it all home to us, she gives a presentation of her findings, filled with tons of pictures, at the IFDA in New York. As luck would have it, I couldn't go in due to one of those pesky, enormous snow storms we have up here in the Hudson Valley.

But you can read her reports here: there are five parts to this, so keep clicking.

Here's part of what she says about color in general:

"Color always rates highest in interest to design professionals, and what we are seeing are increased percentages – a strengthening of directions – which emerged over the last year but have come clearer into focus."

And this, about those blues we're beginning to see everywhere:

"Blues continue their march away from green-cast turquoise into the true blues, a development which began almost a year ago and continues full strength at this show. Azure, hyacinth, and heliotrope blues are companions to a new rich glowing ultramine, a color miles away from navy."

Photo: courtesy of Hermine Mariaux

And here is Red, used as an accent:

Prints were large scale:

"Large scale designs predominate for florals as at Canovas, Lelieve, Nobilis, and Sahco."

"FutuRustic, Mother Nature Rules,Heritage & Tradition in Transition": read more about these, as interpreted by Hermine. In conclusion she says "No revolutionary changes were observed, merely evolutions of design directions previously noted."

So where does this lead us? What will be at the NEXT M & O show in September? Hold on to your seat: I'll be there! Maybe I should run a contest too, with NO expenses paid, but charming company, an "eye for detail" to guide us, and an overwhelming love of Paris! Want to come?

MORE BUTTER BUTTER!

2010-03-08T21:00:00-05:00

As you will remember, I had been on the hunt for just the right butter dish...yes, I know, sounds trivial and really kind of dorky, right? But you would be surprised at how many people understood exactly my predicament!
Having found this gorgeous dish a week ago, I then had to find just the right handle, or ring, or ....something... to lift up the lid.

Off I went to said bead show, thinking maybe, just maybe I'll find a bead, or whatever, to use as a handle. My friend and I searched (well, I searched; she was there to seriously buy beads for jewelry..). After walking many aisles (no, no this was not a hardship!) I spied these "roses" in a box:

Dumb me: I thought they would cut the string of beads and you could buy just one...No, you get all six beads. For $20? Not bad; I'll find some use for the others. What I liked was the fairly flat surface on the bottom: all the better to glue down. But which color? Black with the red? Orange? No, the turquoise was per....fect!
Here is the glue I used: thanks to everyone for your suggestions. This is what we had in the house, and it worked!

After sanding the bottom a bit, here it is awaiting glueing:

After drying overnight....ta da... I tested it!


I am very happy to report that it WORKS! It feels very secure and looks (I mean, really, just WHAT is important?) fabulous on the counter. Life should be so easy, right?
P.S. If anyone wants one of these beads, just let me know and it's yours!

THE BLUES II and more

2010-03-08T10:58:00-05:00

    So you know: I am ALWAYS on the lookout for stories, and follow-ups to stories!
I went to a bead show on Saturday, with my friend Roberta who makes the MOST gorgeous jewelry. She was there to buy, and I was...well, just there. But of course, always taking pictures, and knowing I was doing the B L U E story today, I couldn't resist adding these to the story.
Have you ever been to a bead show? It's great; the colors and textures are unbelievable! The only downside with this show was that I arrived, took out my camera, and realized I had NO MEMORY CARD in it! I knew that would happen some day.... I had downloaded pictures just that morning and forgot to put the card back in the camera. But there is always the trusty IPhone! These really aren't bad, considering that is all I had:



TRENDY MONDAY: THE BLUES

2010-03-07T21:07:00-05:00

There has been a veritable flurry of news about B L U E ! No, not the Pantone Turquoise Color-of-the-Year kind of blue...but just plain B L U E. I shouldn't call it 'plain'; it is anything but. Elegant, feminine, pretty, rich, exotic, ethereal, practical, trendy, old-fashioned: it is all these and much more!
House Beautiful magazine, just in case you haven't already seen it, has a entire issue devoted to the color B L U E. Check it out here.
Then, there is the Blue Chair story in New York; more on this at  "Live in Full Color".
   Here's my favorite chair:

And from ICI Paints, their Colour of the Year 2010:
"An airy and optimistic blue. Airy light blues are recognized as being refreshing, soothing and liberating. The color speaks of hope and clarity--the clear, new horizon of tomorrow".

Here is our new B L U E trend board:
Different kinds of blues in lots of different products; these are all new and on the market NOW.

Using the colors from the images above here is what you get:

And here is a new palette from Designers Guild for their "Chinaz" moire fabric line:
Somehow this palette struck me because the names are so perfect, and evocative. Often you find the names, especially of solid colors, maybe don't quite...fit the actual color. Not so here: perfect fit!

<Maine Cottage>

From Zoffany: "Provence Prints"



From JonRobshaw


and my personal favorite..... from Serena & Lily!

"WHEN DID YOU FIRST FALL IN LOVE WITH FASHION?"

2010-03-04T21:15:31-05:00

    This was the bold headline in the latest Chico's catalog. It went on:
     ".....With spring? With the palest colors, the most sophisticated neutrals, and the way they look on     you?"
    So, it made me think: When did you first fall in love with decoration, with details, with color, with the concept of home?
    For me, I have always and always always been in love with interior spaces! First, it was my bedroom growing up "No, don't you DARE sit on the bed, I just made it and it's all smooth; can't you SEE that?" I would say to my sister... This, in the bedroom where I had been allowed to choose the wallpaper and guess what? It had ballerinas all over it! I loved it. A boy had been in that room before me and the wallpaper had submarines and destroyers; quite a change!
    Years later, when I finally (after many long...years of roomates) had my own apartment, in New York: yellow, yes, it had to be yellow. To this day, yellow is one of my favorite colors. But yellow was hard to do in that apartment: the bathroom had pink and black tiles! Well, there was no getting around the fact that yellow towels simply WOULD NOT do. Ah well, let's just go with pink, but then have them monogrammed!
    I was married and our first apartment was in a charming brownstone. The living room: well, it had yellow and white upholstered sofa and chair, and then a wonderful floral chintz on another chair and pillows. A dusty rose rug and wonderful bamboo blinds completed the very 80's look!
    So, on it goes... my love with interiors and color. Some of you will remember my post of January 1. 2010 on lighting. One of the lamps I featured was from Pierre Deux. Well, I DID IT! I bought it, in yellow, of course, and here it is in our living room looking oh so perfect on an antique table:



Of course, I am so very fortunate to actually have to USE color in my work! I design for ceramics, rugs, textiles and paper.
     Pantone color guides are stacked up next to my desk;


      my file "color" is overflowing;
   I know the difference between RGB and CMYK;
   the table in the middle of the studio is tomato red;
     I actually speak the language of color!
I'm working on a post of all the things i.e. details, I use in my studio. We all take them for granted, of course, as over the years they become part of us. Technology has changed so many things (do I really need those huge flat files any more?) but has also added such fun things as Wacom pads, wireless keyboards, CD's (!), file backups. The list goes on and on. I'll take some pictures this weekend.
Have a nice weekend everyone!

"NESTING NEWBIES MAGAZINE" LAMPSHADE PROJECT

2010-03-03T09:17:39-05:00

This is one of the newest on-line magazines to hit the screen:
    NESTING NEWBIES
When you click the link above you will go directly to the on-line site: take a look around! I thought this project would be a good introduction to show you.
But, what do YOU think of on-line magazines? I have trouble with them: you can't skim; you can't flip through the pages (that is, without being at your computer); you can't put stickies on pages to earmark; and some are very awkward to navigate. This one seems easier, but still, I have trouble zooming in and then having to move the page around all the time in order to see it all. And with LONNY, only the latest issue is available for viewing, and that I find a huge problem. We will see what happens with NESTING NEWBIES. Couldn't they have found a better name???









     One question here: if you don't have a drum shape shade, you have to allow for less fabric at the top,     right? hmmmm

BUTTER BUTTER EVERYWHERE

2010-03-01T20:33:20-05:00

As Julia Child said: "If you're afraid of butter, just put in cream!"
We've been using butter substitutes for many years now: you know, the tub variety...
My husband recently decided he had had ENOUGH of the tubs, and wanted real stick butter. And, he wanted it to remain on the counter so it wouldn't be hard every time he wanted to use some. Makes sense, no?
Hmmm. We didn't want to just put it on the counter uncovered in it's white plastic "plate" from the bin in the fridge. With nothing really in the house to use, I put it here (temporarily) :

Yes, it's a "recycled" restaurant doggie bag kind of container. Not great.
Again, out in the blogoshere, there was talk of butter dishes to use on the counter! It all started with this post from Kathysue at The Good Life of Design. We had messages going back and forth, research about butter dishes... and just as I was about to order this one:

I went to a new kitchen store in Rhinebeck, N.Y., Bluecashew Kitchen Pharmacy , and found this Emile Henry dish!

It's absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? The only very small problem I have found is......I wish it had a handle of some sort on top. A little ring of some kind, a leaf knob: that sort of thing. My question to you is: do you think I could glue something on there? Do you know of a glue that would really hold? I would be very careful in trying not to get it too wet (if at all) when I hand wash the dish... Suggestions?


HERE'S THE BRACELET!

2010-03-01T14:20:38-05:00

I LOVE IT! Thank you pk and Judy!

TRENDY MONDAY: SPRING FLOWERS

2010-02-26T21:44:00-05:00

         THANK GOODNESS: IT'S MARCH !!!!

    What we all need is a good dose of SPRING! Have you been to Target lately? Even in the snow bound Northeast, they are showing row after row of bathing suits...so, of course, if you don't go and try one on right now, while you are pasty and white, then, well, you just might miss out on your first choice!
    In the spirit of all things SPRING, I give you some new flowers in all kinds of designs and products:
    Here are the pinks, blues, lime greens. Note the splash of coral in the palette at bottom.

Here is a slightly stronger palette, including some black and white:

    Last week there was a discussion in the blogoshere about trend boards: what they are and how designers do them. They are usually thought of as a tool for interior designers and decorators as a way to show prospective clients, either retail or residential, ideas for a project.
    My background is a variation on this: I am the product and/or print designer and in that capacity I have to present to my client, the manufacturer, my ideas on how a certain print and its coordinates will work for his/her specific product as well as for other related products. If it's presented to a ceramics manufacturer, they may also want to see the collection expanded to, say, paper products, or bath etc. It is surely to my benefit to step out the program to other products.
   Given that background and transitioning into the world of blogs: How do I do these boards, you ask?
    We start with a list of "Trendy Monday" topics: right now this list has maybe ten ideas on it. We (I mean Sophia and I) begin to gather ideas and images for some of these Trendy Monday projects. We use a program called "Evernote". I came upon it recently and it works ok most of the time...but we have also had, as in all things computer, real glitches. We each have "notebooks" for each category and add all sorts of images, with the URL source code, to each notebook.
    This "SPRING FLOWERS" project was a tricky one. Yes, there are lots and lots of flowers out there, but, of course, we had to narrow it down.. both in prints and products selected. Here are several of the early boards, and ultimately, rejects.

    I had wanted to do some sort of patterned background: top left. We tried it small scale, then tried this oversize scale. It couldn't compete with the images on the board. I still like it, but then, when I dropped in the black: BINGO! it worked. Same with the yellow at top right. It is actually a scan of a grasscloth paper. We tried scaling it down and then blowing it up. Nope.
    In the end, these boards are really a personal choice. The items at the bottom of the last board didn't make the cut: we already had something similar, or they just didn't fit.
    The boards are definitely a work in progress! You will see changes every so often!
    Anything you would like to see us research? We're open to any and all ideas!
ok, ok, a few more images for an almost Spring day:



DETAILS: SHAPES AROUND THE HOUSE

2010-02-25T17:59:21-05:00

    It's winter here, oh yes, it's REALLY winter! The snow is coming down once again. This morning I made it out to the gym before the white stuff started: thank goodness! Have to get the treadmill and weight work in or else I feel...well, what? Lethargic? Lumpy? No, just kind of stuck. Exercise is a very important part of my life and my weekly routine!
    So, here I am, exercised and showered, with a cup of tea and my NEW (almost) MacBook, in my office at home, ready to work. ( By the time you read this, it will be later in the day, or even the next day....) But I started looking around the kitchen, in the drying rack to be specific, and spied this very wonderful shape!

In general, I love jam jars: for their recycl-ability but also for their shape. Some, not all, have great lines. This one is from Le Pain Quotidien in Georgetown. At least, that's the one I go to when I'm down there; there are others, to be sure.

I really like that restaurant. It has the great "communal" table on the main floor, with small tables around the sides of the room. It has FABULOUS food, good service and oh the pastries to buy on the way out...

Then, there is the wall of syrups and jams. All I can say is: buy some next time you go!

Here's the tea service for one:

Then, I began looking further around my kitchen.
Egg cups: these are wonderful shapes too! So smooth and put together...

And this cutie: it's a gelatto dish from Florence, Italy! Love the shape, love the color, love the usefulness of it...

And here, my all time favorite in shape and feel. These salad servers were bought by my mother-in-law in New York in the '50's at George Jensen. My sister in law very, very kindly let us have these a year ago: thank you! They have the most wonderful weight and shine and feel. They are also NOT oversized, as are so many things today...these are small in comparison and suit us just fine


What do you have to say about shapes?