January, 2009 - Browsing by month

Michael Cannell authored this provocative, well written post earlier this month. He chronicles the excess of the recent years with $10K sofas and $8K chairs which now sit in a lonely fashion in the empty, slick condos across the nation. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/04/weekinreview/04cannell.html

The valid question he poses is will the design world regain relevance? I think so and as evidence I point to the rapid innovation in green furnishings and the reuse of materials. In the Depression, Modernism introduced affordable furnishings, linens and tablewares, all well designed. The ever popular, enduring Eames chair is a product of the 1940′s.

Quoting Reed Kroloff of Cranbrook Academy, “designers are good at coming up with new ways of looking at complex problems”. Though we enjoy good design from IKEA and Target, improved quality at slightly higher prices most likely will discourage landfill throwaways. To avoid landfills, our manufacturing and distribution must be in greater proximity to the consumer. This means a big reduction in imported furnishings.

The optimum design solution is one that incorporates recycling of materials and parts specifically into the object be it a sofa, chair, carpet or lamp. This is the cradle-to-cradle concept of Mcdonough and Braungart likely to be promoted in the years ahead.

Tags: cradle to cradle, Depression, design, Furniture, recycle
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 3 Comments »

William Kennedy, an art loving client and Facebook friend, recently shared his favorite photos of 2008. When I saw this image I was thrilled. You see, I love textiles in general and rugs in particular. When I discuss custom rugs with my clients I am eager to share how the process of rug making works and the design opportunities. Sharing this photo of the natural dye pigments is an opportunity to show the beginning of the process.

Necessary of course are the sheep, llamas and alpacas who add the wool to combine with the dyes for yarn. The yarns unite the artisan weaver and the designer to create motifs for the myriad designs. Subtle variations in colors in combination with intricate designs result in richly vivid details. The themes and images deliver a treasured rug to be shared for generations.

All the dye options you see in the photo are natural. Dyes like those shown in the photo are used by Peruvians to make textiles, belts, ponchos and wall hangings as well as rugs. Central to the heritage and customs of Peru are weaving and everyone weaves in Peru. The designs pass from generation to generation along with the techniques. Thus rug and textile making is preserved for the future.

William, his wife and two sons, explored South America and this photo was taken in Peru. I asked William and his family to comment about their insights from visiting Peru and seeing the textile process. I hope you will enjoy hearing their first hand impressions.

Next, I asked Brad Andonian, of Pande Cameron in Seattle to join in as a guest blogger. Brad represents the third generation of family ownership of this highly regarded rug importer. With locations in Seattle and Bellevue, Pande Cameron proudly serves metro Seattle as a leading resource for fine imported rugs.

Tags: Area Rugs, artisans, color, customs, decorating, heritage, interior design, interiors, natural, peru, Textiles, wool
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 1 Comment »

Over the weekend, I found a wonderful resource that I want to share with readers. When you want to make the biggest impact for the least investment in your home, a fresh coat of paint with an appealing color is the best option. Designers and realtors all preach this message and numerous programs on HGTV provide examples for viewers.

Getting the color chosen is generally the obstacle which I refer to as color phobia. A visit to the neighborhood paint store is a great resource but intimidating. With thousands of options, the issue is to narrow the selection and more important suit the hue to your home.

In this post I share a very helpful website to get the color selected and on your wall. Start browsing at MyPerfectColor.com. Search colors by how you plan to use them. I like the suggested color combinations or learn what colors other people are using in the same room, or discover the top selling colors are in your state. (WA favorites are Roasted Sesame Seed, Alpaca and Metropolitan all from Benjamin Moore). And, after you narrow your choices, contact your local paint store. I suggest you ask them for a small mini-can of paint to test. MyPerfectColor will send mini-can samples to your door as another option.

About MyPerfectColor.com

Brothers Jason and Dana Shaw are transforming Breslow Home Design Center, a business started by their grandfather in 1924, into an innovative web enterprise. MyPerfectColor.com is the first website of its kind. Offering color matches of over 100,000 colors across over 100 paint brands, MyPerfectColor not only offers an unprecedented selection of colors but also offers customers the ability to choose lighter or darker versions of any color. Any color is available in a pint-sized paint sample mini-can, or gallons and quarts of any finish of Benjamin Moore paint.

Tags: color, decorating, design, interior design, investment, paint, resource, update
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | No Comments »

Recently I spoke to three 30 year olds about purchasing furniture. One shared that he went to a consignment shop with success for many items. My daughter needs lots of items from upholstery to wood pieces and wants to be responsibly green so she searches online for used furniture near her home. After my post on Heath Ceramics, Alek commented and I investigated her blog. She shared her favorite furniture that she moved from Paris to Seattle. Her proximity to great flea markets in Paris places her in an enviable position.

So where am I going with this post? I want to provide some considerations about purchasing new or used furniture and I hope to receive some comments from readers.

On a personal level as an interior designer, I advocate for furnishings made in the United States and share information with clients about where products originate. The closer the manufacturing source to Seattle, the better to reduce environmental impact.

The percentage of furniture produced and imported into the United States is much greater than most people realize. Confusing this issue is furniture that is ‘finished’ in the United States vs. manufactured.

To save dollars and reduce environmental impact I encourage a search of auction houses or consignment stores. This is a smart idea for wood furniture and wood framed chairs since you can touch, see and sit.

Used Upholstery Issues

About the evaluation part, upholstery is tricky. The expensive parts of re-upholstery are the labor and fabric, especially on pieces like sectionals and sofas which use 10 to 20 yards of fabric or more. Here are some questions to ask:

• Is the original a quality product?
• Are there cracks in the frame; are the cushions ‘dead’?
• How are the springs, or webbing?
• What will replacement fabric and labor cost?

If the outcome of this evaluation results in a nay, there are alternative options. Contact an interior designer for critical advice about style, suitable fabric, size, and overall construction considerations and order. Or purchase from a local manufacturer. Use a recommended, professional upholsterer to build the frame and upholster a sofa, sectional or chair. There is no long distance shipment. You can also observe the progress and develop a relationship with the upholsterer.

Please share your comments and suggestions.

Tags: cost to reupholster, decorating, interior design, interiors, investment, new furniture, reupholster, Seattle, used furniture
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 2 Comments »

Over 40 years ago, Edith Heath founded her company and dedicated herself to the craft of ceramics and the skill of the artisan. As testimony to her design sense - many of her pieces live in the permanent collections of museums such as the MOMA in New York City.

Heath products are made in the Sausalito, CA factory combining a mechanized process with hand craftsmanship to obtain the highest quality product.

For the fortunate in Los Angeles, Heath opened a store on Beverly Blvd in December, 2008. http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/seeing-things-heath-comes-to-los-angeles/

Tags: artisan, ceramic, collect, design, interiors, LA
Posted in Ideas and Inspirations | 2 Comments »