Black, Red and White

 

 Malevich

Black, white, red, geometry

all images via pinterest.

Composition Of Greys, Blues and Whites

This lovely home of Faye Toogood, photographed by Henry Bourne for T Magazine of the New York Times is a composition of greys, blues and whites. A lovely home by the creative force of Studio Toogood.

I first started seeing and reading Fayes' work when she was an editor and contributor for World of Interiors. There is a section in the magazine called "Swatch" which had samples of the latest textiles, fabrics, wallpapers, rugs, furniture and accessories that was always artfully arranged.  At the time when I was designing textiles, it was especially inspiring seeing the juxtaposition of contrast textures, patterns and colors. Today with her studio for retail spaces, installations and visual materials for fashion houses, she continues to inspire us all.

Her home, beautiful, calm and full of les objects trouve, composed and elegant.

White With Gold Touches

Recently looking at some ornate gold frames, I was thinking about how this color associated with wealth is a great accent. It can go over he top, but when used in touches to outline it looks fabulous, elegant. These examples found on Pinterest just set off the schemes. Above gold is used to outline and define the architectural features.

The contrast of the elaborately carved console and simple frames, satisfying.

Gold framed mirrors are a favorite and always look great, but here again, the contrast of the straight lines of the chair frame and the carved mirror and molding in the ceiling.

And this gold kitchen cabinets, looks gorgeous.... Also notice how all are used with an abundance of white, the color to make the gold stand out but restrained. Add a touch of gold to your white space.

Visual Essay

A visual essay on shape, color, light, entrances, concrete, paint, of images I have collected on Pinterest. It is an invaluable tool. I meet many designers who are using this site developing concepts for projects and with clients. It is so useful.

Some More Progress

Over the weekend and stretching into the week, ugh! I stripped, scraped, and patched then painted the bedroom in the flat. Some more progress on renovating my flat. I like hands on work, it really gives me an insight of what my poor clients have to go through when I bring a team of guys into their lives, turn everything upside down, go through hell but come out this side of heaven to a new room, clean, freshly painted, new floor, ready to bring in their treasures and make it beautiful.

Here is some more progress so far:

I like to have floors as light as possible, it is a big light reflector. Lighter floors will always make a space feel bigger, lighter and more spacious. Still much to do, the woodwork, hang curtains, pictures, shelves..... but a big sigh the heavy work was done for that room.

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.

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July

More Progress

This  weekend I taught myself how to tile a wall. I couple of months ago I stripped out the bathroom of tiles, shower door, bathroom sink and flooring. With still the window and flooring to finish I made some progress on renovating this flat in London Town.

I now have so much more respect for tilers, a lot of thinking, planning and skill goes into tiling, arithmetic, visualizing, pattern and playing with shape, pattern and color.

Although I used only white, I want to alter the proportions of the room. The ceiling is higher than it is wide, the previous tiles were white 6"square. I have taken the large white ceramic tiles, 13 1/2 " x 9 1/2"  or 33 cm x 25 cm and placed them horizontally. The result is a room seeming wider, larger and much lighter.

Still needing to be grouted, but so pleased with the the illusion of a wider, bigger space. I also learned a new sense of awesome: when you cut a tile and it breaks perfectly, each time I was saying "awesome".

 Some other amazing tiling, with patterns and color:

I like the random selection of new and old, geometric and abstract all held together by green.

I like the mix of vintage tiles with modern white tiles and placed in a row, simple and elegant.

A very pretty arrangement and mix of blue and white, and the brass tap, just the right contrast.

 A simple arrangement and subtle use of color.

But the most beautiful and inspiring tiles for centuries have been the Islamic tiles of the 15th and 16th centuries.  The interlocking designs of geometric and floral patterns are exquisite, the turquoise and cobalt blues sing out against colorless lead glaze.

They have influenced designers from Louis Comfort Tiffany to William De Morgan and are collected today.

Heart Home Summer

This weekend while recovering from jet lag, (why is it always worse coming to the UK?) I read through the new issue of Heart Home Magazine, a delightful issue full of good food and marvelous and charming homes to look into.  I loved" Beach Life" the renovated home on the coast,  so clean, relaxing and fresh. Having lived across the street from the Gulf of Mexico when young, beach homes are always a attractive. My other favorite articles were the ones on the food, "The Modern Pantry" and "Bake Style Pretty"haven't cakes and cupcakes become so stylish lately?

The rest of the magazine has some great articles on homes and flats of designers and stylists, read it here, it is my favorite magazine now.

Shades of Grey

50 Shades of Grey is the book and topic of the moment with the publication of the trilogy this Spring. The erotic novel is exciting imaginations, I haven't read it yet but what stimulated my imagination was the mix of erotica and the color grey.

The color grey is everywhere today from shoes, handbags and scarves to wonderful selections of paints and fabrics for interiors. Grey in the bedroom was usually left for a discerning gentleman's room but a quick look through magazines and blogs show grey is used with mystery and a sense of eroticism with the addition of  some gold or a romantic chandelier. Pink is always an excellent compliment with grey, and a flattering color.

With white, grey textures of cashmere or flannel adds a seductive touch. A color we should reconsider.