Web Ideas

More thoughts on putting together a new website, I want to see a collage of images to show the range of styles and projects.

Typography

This summer of renovation is not just to my flat but to my website and blog. I must change my website because the hosting has been taken down, (Mobile Me), so I am re-building my website and I have learned it is best to have all the communication on one site or platform. So I will be switching to wordpress to have blog, website, portfolio, etc, etc, all together to make it easy to access.

But in the meantime I am looking at font, type, color and layout and I have come across a delightful blog: I love Typography by John Boardley. He discusses fonts, the subtle differences, the origins of the abc's, what type can say about you, what is the purpose of type, how it will improve you, the reader, the experience of reading. It is a trove of engaging articles on the beauty of letters and the need to consider the reader.

Often for projects I like to look elsewhere for ideas and for this project, a new website, rather than looking at other designers or suppliers sites, from reading John Boardley on type, I have been look at very old texts like a page of Gregorian Chant:

The movement and pattern of the notes, the type, cut from metal, the color scheme of black, white and red on old hand made paper. It is all beautiful and so well planned. Or another old text in 4 languages, but the layout, 4 columns and 3 below, how beautifully arranged. And all done with metal type.

Or other old texts in Latin, how clear are the letters and the large "P", although I can't read it, the letters are well placed and moves across the page.

And another in the black/white/red color scheme:

Now how to bring these ideas and arrangement to a modern website that will be read on a screen.

What's Going On In Your Head When You're Dancing?

This is the title to an exhibition of Karl Hyde's paintings and drawings at the  Bernard Jacobson Gallery on Cork Street from 17th July to 10th August.

These paintings are large, they stretch across the wall and are full of energy and vitality. There is a feeling of movement and a rapid gestural swoosh of a brush and charcoal, but standing in the space you can see there is much thought and contemplation that goes into the forms that dance across these canvasses. One can see the contrast of creating something that is rapid motion and movement but at the same time needing to think through how you want to fill that space and create a coherent expression of that moment of music and movement that is dance. Film can capture that, but the essence of film is movement. These paintings capture that moment of movement.

I was taken by the titles of the paintings, "Following The Sound Of Your Voice", "Birdlike Woman Runs a Giant Comb in through her Hair", "Your Feet Flick Fast with a mind of their own" or "On a Pink and Windy Morning" and many more. They are titles to short stories or the first line in a poem, or like a fleeting memory.

Many other images and paintings come to my mind when seeing these paintings, the colors of black white and red remind me much of contemporary Japanese calligraphy, but the more immediate image that came to my mind was the explosive sequences of Manga Anime.

Rapid, movement, gestures, fast, explosive, but pattern, rhythm, beauty, like Japanese calligraphy.

In my head when I am dancing it is the fusion of mind body and soul with music, I forget everything and exist in the moment letting my body move to the music.

See the show at the Bernard Jacobson Gallery, 6 Cork Street, London.

A Preview

I had a sneak preview at some of the new products to be exhibited at Design Junction in September:

Dare Studio

Pinch Furniture

Helen Yardly

John Galvin

And looking forward to seeing more at Design Junction.

Rough Linen

Vosgesparis has a gorgeous giveaway this week, a rough linen duvet cover from Rough Linen.

Described as a summer cover: " a summer cover is somewhere between a sheet and a bed spread - just what you need for summer nights"

Linen is one of my favorite materials, strong, absorbent, versatile, an ancient textile that has been cultivated since the Egyptians used it. Where is it best used, shirts, suits, dresses, table ware and most definitely for bedding.

See Vosgesparis to have a chance to win one of these beautiful summer covers:

 

And More Progess

Over the weekend I had more progress on the renovations to my flat. The floor was taken up in the hallway new lime washed oak floor boards installed. But on the way to moving shelving and books a corner that was covered over with insulation decades ago was removed and what was behind it was awful; layers of old wall paper and black mold growing, yuk! My flooring project was diverted, out came the bucket of bleach and rubber gloves and got to scraping and scrubbing down the corner. Then gave it a coat of white paint. 

I understand the need for insulation, conserving energy and all that, but in an old building it often creates more problems and damages the fabric of the structure. There is a wholistic movement to renovations.  Anyway, step by step, and room by room, I am striping back to the bones of the building, exposing the concrete walls, striping and cleaning the woodwork back to the old layer of lead paint and making a clean well lighted place.

This was the corner covered in insulation, exposed and then cleaned and painted.

The new white oak flooring... the old laminate. Still have to scrape and paint the base boards / skirting, but the hall looks wider and much lighter.

 Still much to do, but loving the changes. You know, like so many, I love the industrial chic look, the images of great looking furniture and accessories in rough, worn and decayed spaces, but the idea of living in a place like that.... I just want to clean it up and make it look good.

When the painting is finished, I want to hang the pictures and make it a gallery.

Table Lamps

One of the most essential items for a living room or bedroom is the table lamp. No need to be elaborate, lovely if it is blown glass, can be a piece of sculpture in wood, decorated with silver leaf or painted and distressed, in bronze it can be edgy. Whatever, it is one of the most essential items in a room, whatever your budget. It is so much nicer to sit next to your loved one on the sofa with a wash of light from the side, shaded through silk or card.

Still Life

Nature Morte Devant la Fenetre, by Raoul Dufy

I find the best ideas come from paintings.

Sunday Mornings

Lots of pillows, and a bed and .........

Maps

Something Nice Today is a blog by Ellie Parker, a friend from the Design Blog Collective.  She posts all the fun and funky things made in Britain by the many and talented designer / makers. Today on her blog you can find here a competition to win an original drawing of a map of the world or your favorite city by Alice Tait. If you like her Facebook page and comment on Ellie's blog, you have entered.

I love maps, and have spent hours studying them, old ones, new ones and illustrated ones like these from Alice. They give you a sense of place and most important they will give you directions, I think I would go for the London map, New York is so easy to find your way, uptown or downtown. Paris is the Right bank or Left Bank, but London is a challenge to know, you need a map.

Enjoy these maps and choose which you would like for your wall to find your direction. The competition is on till 21st July.

 

Ellie is the editor of Something Nice Today and a member of the Heart Home magazine family and she is very pretty and has a lovely smile.

And you can like Alice's Facebook page here

Charming

Ways to hang things we love, unfussy, place where it fits, charming.

Transitional

What is the style that is not traditional and not modern, but has touches of both, the rolled arm of a sofa, the clean edges of a chair, a table.

What is the style that is not country not city, but has some of the elements of both; stripes and plaids, comfortable furniture but tailored, fitted and impeccable finishes.

What is the style that is not industrial chic not vintage but has aspects of both; the texture of a metal, functional but a feeling and a story it was found somewhere.

What brings all those facets of design and decoration together and make it work? Most would call it transitional, a style that brings traditional and modern together, blends the relaxed feel of a country home but has the urban cool of a loft or warehouse, plus the fun and discovery of vintage.

William Yeoward a designer and supplier of furniture, fabrics. lighting, chrystal and glassware brings it altogether with great style.

I visited their showroom this week and where I viewed the new selection of furnishings, it is one of my 1st stops to collect samples and show clients how we could bring their furnishings together with new pieces and get that elusive style that is transitional. If anyone is interested in any of these styles, please get in touch, with Beth, we can pull together your style.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July

Some Color

Some color in architecture, a painting, in light.

painting by Kobi Zohar

photo by Robert Moran

The Architect and The Painter

Case Study House ＃8

Last week with friends from the Design Blog Collective, we gathered at Vitra to view the excellent documentary "The Architect and The Painter" about Ray and Charles Eames. It was the story of how they came together at Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan, married, moved to California and together designed many of the classic, iconic designs of the 20th Century, a very fruitful and collaborative relationship.

Their work expanded beyond furniture to photography, film, graphics and communication. They had a work ethic that work is play and play is work, their enjoyment came from the close involvement in their many projects. With an initial dream and drive to make well designed, beautiful and affordable furniture using new materials and methods like molded plywood, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, bent metal wire and aluminum – offering consumers beautiful, functional, yet inexpensive products and are some of my favorite pieces of furniture:

Furniture became sculpture but using studied measurements of the body, their furniture was comfortable. Their methods brought together art, industry and science.

For this showing that was arranged by Katie, our design geek, a big thank you and another for Jane Thompson of Vitra UK, a supplier and showroom of healthy, intelligent, inspiring and durable furniture.