Division of Design

What can this possibly mean?

You’ve heard it before. Retold in so many ways. So why would I choose to bring up this age old adage again…because. Because it is probably is the single most important factor in your design life.

Design is in the Details deserves continuous mention.

Division of Design  means, if you divide all the small details that go into designing a home or a single room, all those small divided details become the whole design...’the essence of the entire design.’ 

THE NEW traditionalists. Cushion and seatback are upholstered with a scarlet saffron wool milled in one of the finest Scottish mills that remains today. Texture is added to the outer frame and welt with the use of a laser cut leather in Dolphin.  Exposed wood frame features a hand applied smoked grey finish on maple.

 

It’s not just the BIG things you see in a room, or in your life for that matter, that count. It’s all those little things that mean so much more than we give them credit for. One rose for no special occasion can mean more than 2 dozen on Valentine’s day.

It's not enough to finish the checklist, to hurriedly do the last three steps and declare victory.

Some have asked me, ‘Why do you obsess for hours over the perfect cabinet knob?  How on earth do you make a living doing that?’  I say, ‘How on earth can I not!’ 

THE NEW traditionalist: Side Table made from Maple sourced from New England and the Mid Atlantic. Shown in a hand applied Classic Glaze Chili with Black frame and Cerise Red upholstered drawer face with black nickel hardware.

 

As always, I continue to compare and reflect upon how facets of design are akin to our human existence. The world is full of billions of people…each with a division of details that make all of us unique in our own way. Even our bodies are not perfectly symmetrical; the left and right sides of the human body are not a mirror image of each feature, whether one ear is larger than the other, one brow raised slightly higher, or one leg is a quarter-inch longer than the other.

THE NEW traditionalist: Side Table made from Maple sourced from New England and the Mid Atlantic. Shown in ahand applied Worn Lacquer Silver and Onyx with Kelly Green Laser Cut Leatheraccent.

So why would I not approach interior design the same way? Each and every individual detail of the room or home is unique as its own feature. Yet when properly balanced by scale, color, and proportion, the design creates the perfect image as a greater part of the whole. Even the grout color works to emphasize the appearance of tile. How often I’ve heard; ‘We couldn’t have known how the wrong grout color would so dreadfully affect the result of our tile floor”.  

The Ovale Mosaic fromthe Musee collection features: Crema Marfil, Thassos, and ChinaBlack in handmade stone tessera.  Photo courtesy of: Artistic Tile

In fact, the last coat of polish and the unhurried delivery of worthwhile work is valued all out of proportion to the total amount of effort you put into the entire project. 

Creating the Ambra Collection. Truly an Art Form. Photo Courtesy of Artistic Tile

The details are not the details. They make the design.
                                                                                                        -Charles Eames

 Al fine!

 

INTERIRO DESIGN - Forecast 2012 - FURNISHINGS

INTERIOR DESIGN Forecast 2012 - FURNISHINGS.  Part 1  

Battersea Soffet, Lager - Anthropology

CASE GOODS
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, anyone who has an eye on interior design can’t help but notice the big swing toward contemporary furnishings. The spare, clean, simple yet sophisticated look of mid-century modern is everywhere. Yet at the same time, clearly present is an eclectic mix of organic trends.  

Organic style consists of rustic reclaimed wood furniture, driftwood salvage and Paris flea market finds. Organics soften the hard edge found in contemporary design features.

Resources such as Anthropology and Ralph Lauren Home, to name a few, offer a balance to the austere approach of mid-century modern design. Currently, interior themes are a blend of the Modern Masters with Danish American with Contemporary meets the Antique Road Show. Antiques never go out of style. 

Wood finishes range from stains in ebony, charcoal, to bleached oak and grey washes. You will also find a lot of natural walnut and oak in combinations of solid and veneer.  Tried and true cherry and maple are still around.

Photo credit: New England Home Magazine

                                                  Connecticut

Surprisingly, there is more and more Lucite entering the fore front. Lucite chairs dressing a dining table create an interesting juxtaposition when mixed with the mighty oak. 

Metal is becoming increasingly popular as well. Because of the push toward sustainability, stainless steel is becoming a very big part of every furniture manufacturer’s offering. Along with the industrial look for occasional tables and side carts, metals create a space with more character.  

Glass-Glass-Glass. It is everywhere now. May I suggest? Stockpile your Windex.

Next - Furniture Trends 2012 - Segment 2.  UPHOLSTERY and FABRIC

INTERIOR DESIGN - Forecast 2012 – KITCHENS

 

Kitchens are where family and friends come to cook, eat and socialize.

To begin a kitchen overhaul, homeowners shouldn’t be afraid to dispose of anything from the last two decades, especially Old World kitchen styles with heavy molding.

I suggest that homeowners embrace new materials, like counter tops made out of quartz, glass and wood, which can vary in style, shape and color. Glass tiles for back splashes have become increasingly popular providing a light, fresh, sleek design element; use as one solid panel or choose from a limitless variety in shape and color.

 

Photo credit: Scavolini.us

    

Kitchens are being recognized as not only the heart of the home, but also quite often the focal point and centerpiece.

Often open to large great rooms, the kitchen now looks less "kitcheny" and more like an inviting place to gather and entertain.

The decorative elements that are strong right now include natural finishes like wood and stone but they are complimented by glass, shiny metallics, special attention to lighting details, and even crystal.

Still the favorite choice for metal finishes is stainless steel. It has been used in the best kitchens for over a century and maintains its association with luxury due to its universal appeal, its ability to provide a sterile surface and shiny appearance. You’ll be seeing it used now more than just for appliances, but for the cabinetry as well.  

Photo credit: Scavolini.us