Christmas Rehab

Last year, I was invited to a Christmas Party at the home of one of my past clients. I was excited to go, as I adored this project and the 18 months working with this lovely east coast traditionalist with impeccable personal style and a blue-blood esthetic.

The results of this re-decoration were beautiful—very “Barbara Barry” calm and elegant, wearing a quiet and unusual color palette of cream, taupe, navy blue and celadon green. Most of all I was eager to see how Miss Connecticut class act “decked the halls” at Christmas. I was confident I’d be impressed.

Well… the night of the party, as we started up the walk of their home, my confidence began to wane when I saw the full size, lit up Santa and sleigh lawn display, followed by the “HO HO HO” door mat. And when the hostess answered the door in a Santa hat and a relatively ugly Christmas sweater, I feared for her good standing with the D.A.R.!

As we entered her beautiful home, the bad choices continued with blots and slashes of bright red that overwhelmed the quiet background and looked like a crime scene.

The heavy-handed ribbon was everywhere, the tree was in bondage and the garland up the stairs was swaddled in ribbon with a huge “pom-pom” bow at every swag. Buffalo snow covered every other surface in the living room to display her extensive collection of expensive Christmas…stuff. Ceramic, china, blown glass Nativities, angels, Christmas trees, dancing reindeer, Santa Claus AND St. Nicolas, etc.

Frankly, nothing was spared the Christmas icon: the bell-shaped soap, the holly hand towels, the poinsettia napkin rings, the wreath napkins, the stocking-handled cheese knife and, lest we forget, the cream cheese cracker dip shaped like a snowman! We were in the presence of a full blown Christmas junkie! I know. You can only help those who help themselves, so I left my card and jotted on the back, “I fix Christmas too.”

I understand. It’s Christmas, tradition and favorite things, and all that is wonderful. But when it’s lost in a sea of red and green junk, it just looks cheap, right? It’s about the feeling you get when you enter the well-dressed Christmas home. When the embellishments are in sync with the environment it feels like the house is dressed up and festive, not in a funny costume. Warm and cozy or elegant sparkle and glow, the decorations should be supported by the interior design.

I’ve been decorating homes at Christmas for over 25 years. Many of them were design clients and some of them were Christmas junkies. I knew that to keep the junkies clean I would have to make some obvious improvements in their holiday display. So over the years I’ve refined my formula for any Christmas installation to look like Christmas!

First, define the style of the home and the color scheme. Never ignore the background you will be embellishing. Do not assume that red-green-white will sit well with every décor. If these colors overwhelm and “lay” on the background, rather than blend, they need to be toned down. Consider a range of warm colors (reds) and cools (green), like; red, burgundy, rust and burnt orange and green, hunter, lime, olive, etc.

When creating your color palette, use a variety of balls in different sizes and finishes. Always pick a “main” ribbon and an accent ribbon. Main ribbon should be at least 3-4” wide and wired. Accent ribbon should be less wide in an accent color. Your ribbon will be the element that ties things together, no pun…

Pick a theme that becomes your thread throughout. This is an overall “feeling.” You will dress your garlands and wreaths like this, top your tree like this and have the theme feeling in your table and chandelier design. Traditional themes might be pine cones and berry branches or clusters of fruit and pine, mixed into your design of balls and ribbon. Often, the ribbon will dictate the theme. Some are quite elaborate and two sided, and when used on a garland or tree and properly woven they can be enough.

Once you have picked your theme “feeling” use it in all your key installation locations (listed below). One important area is as a tree topper! Maybe start with a two sided bow as a topper, using your main ribbon, if your theme is little birds, stick a series of branches out the top and hot glue little red and gold birds on the branches. If it’s stars, shoot stars out the top, etc. Re-creating this “feeling” in key areas throughout the house will integrate Christmas into the landscape and the house will just be “warm and cozy.” You won’t need a plaid deer to tell you so!

Unless the decor is stark and contemporary, use greens as a ground for your displays. If your theme is “White Christmas,” use flocked greens, and if you have a flocked tree use flocked greens in your main applications. Greens like cedar and pine look great together, real or artificial. However, beware if you have never worked with real garland. Its uneven and “floppy.” The best way to use it is to wind a thin artificial garland into the live one, or add sprigs of real pine to fill out the thin areas. Otherwise, live is great to create a wreath around your chandelier, or lay on the arms of your light fixture, at the base of your candles, on your mantel or as a base to any Christmas element you are displaying.

If you are working with a stark, contemporary environment, have fun with it. Use unusual or bold color combinations, like red and purple, lime and orange, etc. Keep things simple, like an over-sized all-shades-of-green ball wreath or just hang various sized balls over the dining table or a series of various snowflakes. Use an artificial garland, double lit, to snake around the mantel with only a huge red plastic bow on it or replace traditional Christmas greens with various succulents. Remember to ALWAYS consider the space!

Next, define your application areas and stick to it. Like dressing yourself, if you are wearing a red dress, you don’t put on everything you own that is red… same with everything that is Christmas!

Good locations are:

The exterior entrance, on the door, around the door and or flanking the door.

Foyer: The entry chandelier, staircase handrail, entry console, chest, etc.

Living Room (or tree room): Tree, mantel, hearth, coffee table, top of windows.

Dining Room: Table chandelier, dining table, buffet, top of window.

Kitchen: Table and or over table fixture, corner of counter, top of window.

Lastly, go ahead and display the “Old Nativity” that’s been in the family for a hundred years, and if you must, go ahead and top your tree with the rubber-headed, one eyed, tree topper angel missing a wing, ‘cause it’s tradition. Anyway, the rest of the house will look like a “Winter Wonderland” or “Santa’s Village” or a warm and cozy Christmas Home and no one will notice the angel looks hammered!

Have a happy, tasteful holiday everyone!

Design Camp

I saw a pumpkin today. I guess summer is over…did you have a nice vacation Designers? What’d you do? Where’d you go? Paris, the Serengeti, Tijuana? Well, while you were working on your tan in Bora Bora, I was being a responsible designer and attending “Interior Design Camp.” For three grueling days I braved the wilds of Las Vegas, keeping a journal of my sightings and research, earning my “Good Designer” patch and scoring a big tote of vendor swag!

The camp leaders, celebrity designers Kelli Ellis and Lori Dennis, kept us busy every day with a packed roster of guest speakers, all industry experts in the field of design, retail, media and marketing. These programs were designed to help designers at every level to successfully brand, position and promote their interior design business. 

We learned about Sustainable Design, Connection Marketing, Design Law and bridging the gap between Design and Technology. It was hours of 50-cent words and abstract comparisons… arbitration agreements, non-disclosure, drive conversion, evaluate, control, focus, maintain, execute, clarify your responsibilities, establish your credibility, “Hierarchy of Needs.” Whew! Fascinating, you had to be there! Not to worry, I’m not empty-handed Designers. I brought back, to share with you, all my notes on “DESIGN,” ‘cause it’s more fun and that’s the kind of camper I am!

THE TREND REPORT

Michael Indursky of “Design Life Network,” with the aid of images, laid out the direction of trends, not just in palette and furniture style, but through illusion, metaphor and FEELING. If you look at each design year, as it adjusts to accommodate a new style movement, it will naturally expel the trend icon or the least adaptable element from the current trend, so a new “look” can be born. 

Looking at the layering of designs over 20 years, took us from big, heavy, dark and detailed to clean, light, simple and open…like a flip book. The movement is constant, but not jarring, it is an easy give and take and it always leaves you with something familiar. Trend life is from 2 to 10 years, yet some designs come, U-turn and go, like “Radiant Orchid” of 2014, a great color but, a shade of purple and the entire purple family has always had a reputation for being “different” and apparently the public was not ready for that responsibility. Other trends easily adjust through the years, like the “continental arm” on sofas and chairs, the rod and ring drapery, hardwood floors and ottoman seating, all adaptable to the changing trends.

As the New Year approaches, we slowly add color and accents to our neutral rooms, while the “classic” silhouette in furniture grows stronger.  The simplicity of the current clean designs remains sacred and welcomes a contemporary take on the white washed, raw linen, taupe/grey world of 2014. 

Blue, all shades of blue.

Meanwhile, if your specialty is creating complete environments, if your rooms tell a story and you enjoy finding the authentic touches, your time draws near!  The layering of details can be found in all the new offerings, creating much more specific statements of style; however quiet, peaceful, simple and neutral live on as the launching point for the new contemporary trends.

NEW TREND APPLICATIONS

COLOR TRENDS!  BLUE, all shades of true blue, blue as an accent or the all blue room. Blue as fresh! 

Browns.

BROWN, earth brown, in its natural shade, a beautiful, soft neutral with a defining quality, like black… Oh, did I mention, I heard it is the “new black”?? Stay tuned! 

ORANGE, at DA, we think bright, rich orange is very SoCal. And looks great on the beach combers!

Metals.

METALS. Mixed metal, flat, modeled, burnt and carved finishes. Bronze and copper raw accents. SILVER, soft polished silver as furniture, lighting, accessories, sculpture…accent with silver.    

                                                                        

Woodwork.

WOODWORK. Wood still wears many looks: raw, weathered, rustic and distressed stay strong in architecture and some furniture. Woodwork that has been white washed, grey washed or antiqued will still be the popular finish on classic furniture and on the wide plank hardwood and laminate floors.

Space sculpt.

SPACE SCULPT. Big, bulky furniture, creating a flowing landscape of shapes, volume within a room.

Simplicity.

SIMPLICITY. A new iconic contemporary, with a fresh take on the classics by altering all the scale.

Pleasant times.

PEASANT TIMES. An earthy, vintage feel, living on the land and the romantic notion of a peasant’s life. The river stone walls, washed, open beams and antiqued secretary bring a forest cottage, 16^th century feel to this cozy space.

Global views.

GLOBAL VIEWS.  Hand-embellished textiles, multiple batik patterns and prints, colorful painted pottery and baskets, wood carving on everything, detailed metal lighting, woven throws…etc. These fabulous handicrafts appear to be the treasures you found on your last trip to Bali, Kenya, Morocco, displayed on the neutral ground of linens and washes as bursts of colorful detail, texture and charm.

Inner sanctums.

INNER SANCTUMS. Multiple elements and activities sharing the same space, rooms within a room.

Transformative states.

TRANSFORMATIVE STATES. Deconstruction, shifting, veiling, fractal nature and conceptual.

CONCLUSION

In this camper’s opinion, there was a vibe around the future design ideas that was unmistakable. It was all about purpose and how you utilize your space. No frivolous decorator items or gratuitous accents, each application is there to serve you in one way or another. It felt like, in the future we may never leave our home. This is not a “style.” Imagine creating a purposeful, intelligent, worthy environment that reflects the needs and taste of your client, a place they feel inspired by and safe in, a home that is unmistakably theirs. If that is the challenge, where would you start? 

The Right Rug

One year my friend Ray took me to NYC for New Year’s, to stand with a crowd in the snow slush and watch the ball drop, and to visit his Grandmother. It was the latter that made the trip worthwhile. On New Year’s Day, after circulation had returned to my toes, we headed off for lunch and a long visit with Ray’s Bobe. She lived on the Upper East Side, with a view of the Guggenheim, in a beautiful old building with a curb-to-door canopy entrance and a jolly doorman wearing a flat-top cap and white gloves. 

We took the tiny elevator to the 4^th floor, found her place, knocked, and the door flew open, “BUBELE!” she squealed, with both arms reached out to Ray. They wallowed in a loving embrace while she mumbled Yiddish in his ear. Meanwhile, I was visually scanning the environment and happy to report, this was no “doilies on the headrest” kind of grandma!

Bakhtiari Persian Rug

The foyer was compact, with a beautiful old cherry parquet floor and a teardrop pendant casting a red glow. To the right was an opening to the wondrous living room, a virtual football field that looked like Geary’s Far East gift department. A six-panel Coromandel screen lined one wall, a gold statue of the Hindu deity “Ganesh” stood on a pedestal and the vase on the mantel, I soon learned, was a real Ming! However, most enthralling was the flooring: a patchwork of the most exquisite Oriental rugs covering nearly the entire floor, all different sizes and beautiful rich colors. I was mesmerized! Ray’s grandparents were world travelers, who apparently, thought a souvenir was an enchanting piece of art crafted by the natives, NOT a coffee mug with “California Redwoods” stamped on the side. Go figure.  

Tribal antique Persian rug.

I learned all about the “Oriental Rug” that day. For example, an Oriental rug is defined as a rug hand knotted in Asia, China AND Russia, Turkey, Nepal, Tibet, India and Pakistan. A Persian Rug is also an Oriental rug, but they are made only in Iran and woven with a “Persian knot,” not a “Tibetan knot,” the knot used in all other Oriental rugs. Each rug’s particular pattern, palette and weave are linked with the indigenous culture and weaving techniques are specific to an identifiable area or nomadic tribe. The more formal the pattern the more urban the area in which it was made. 

Tree of Life antique rug.

Geometric designs are typically tribal. Each family of weavers would place elements in the rug’s design to record their history, coupled with the colors and images, where every plant, animal and color in the rug has a particular meaning supporting the rug’s story or marking an event.   

The Oriental rug will always be a classic, elegant piece of art, appropriate in ultra-traditional environments as well as contemporary ones. Each rug is unique and beautiful in its own way and always, timeless design.

What? You say your budget won’t allow an East-bound shopping trip for flooring?? Not to worry Designers, Design Alliance saw that coming! We know your clients love their hard floors, so we stocked up on rug vendors.  Honestly, one more rug vendor and the fabric samples will have to forfeit the throne! 

Thatcher rug by Feizy.

Hard floors and area rugs go together. An area rug creates a boundary, defines an area, anchors an element, brings color and personality to a monochromatic space and creates a soft place to play, as seen here, with the tasteful “Thatcher” rug by Feizy, defining the margins of this seating area, sans walls.

We are confident at Design Alliance that designers will find the right rug in our growing inventory of options. Fluffy ‘n soft, dense ‘n wooly, long ‘n shaggy, woven ‘n flat, natural ‘n scratchy, in countless colors, patterns, styles and types of rugs. Check out these new products from our area rug vendors:

Schooled by Jaipur.

JAIPUR, pronounced (jay-poor) our newest rug vendor, is a grassroots driven company, with their rugs, pillows and poufs made in India. Cutting out the middleman, Jaipur works directly with the weavers in their villages, bringing jobs to empower these people in underdeveloped rural areas and offering literacy education to the oppressed woman weavers and their children all across India. Very Cool. 

Bough Out by Jaipur.

They are a product of their process, meaningful and with purpose… and sometimes fresh, fun and colorful, like Jaipur’s “Schooled,” a whimsical ride on a glass bottom boat. OR the happy orange and seaweed silhouette “Bough Out,” a great outdoor loop in six colors!  

Mumford by Jaipur.

Also, the crisp navy/white contrast of the “Mumford,” a luxurious wool and silk plush pile, would make the perfect, fresh transitional floor. 

JAUNTY original rugs are designed and woven by village weavers throughout India. Unique designs and rich colorations mark the Jaunty rug. Jaunty is another company aiding the 40,000 artisans of India, bringing hope and opportunity with weaving and hand knotting.  

Jaunty's Heritage.

Jaunty's “Heritage, one of their Classics Collection, grounds this traditional room with a warm, detailed design and pattern repeat in hand-tufted wool.

Jaunty's Vanguard.

Awaken your space with vibrant hues of red, orange and yellow splashed in the center of the room, with the “Vanguard” area rug. Reminiscent of abstract modern art, it anchors the room in an edgy vibe. 

Montage by Jaunty.

The “Montage,” Jaunty’s bold geometric design, wears a confident palette of pea green, sky blue, cream and two shades of taupe. This unique presence fills the room with movement and an interesting, stylish energy, in an otherwise simple, quiet environment. 

Bleeker by Feizy.

FEIZY pronounced (FAY-z) offers the affordable “Feizy Home Collection” and “Feizy Fine Rug Collection,” for Old World museum-quality rugs. At market, the Feizy Showroom was stunning: massive rugs hung from the ceiling like giant pieces of amazing artwork. Lively, like an open air market with warm smells and the sound of the ghalam pot, while wandering around, and at your service, were very cute salesmen, wearing muslin pants, Nehru jackets and sandals. Very theatrical. Not unlike this showy art rug, “Bleecker” not an easy rug to work with, yet a perfect choice for this white-on-white room to take it to the next level. 

Feizy Barbary collection rug.

Then there is the natural beauty of the “Barbary” collection, inspired by the Moroccan Beni Ourain rug: simple, striking and plush! 

Hastings by Feizy.

Eye catching, as the bird flies, this kaleidoscope rug “Hastings,” brings all the colors of the garden to order. 

SURYA RUGS are colorful, creative, organic and young. Along with, poufs, pillows, framed artwork and lighting, Surya, respects the commissioned designers, with collections that are lux, is fearless in unique design with woven paper rugs or braided leather and organic, with undyed, all natural rugs that just feel hand made.

One of Surya's Gypsy collection.

Speaking of organic, check out Surya’s “Landscape” collection “Gypsy,” inspired from an aerial view of Earth: rugs that look like topography or ocean breakwater or the land cracks in Death Valley or this cool slice of rock!  

Harlequin by Surya.

The “Botanicals” collection takes this trend in rug design over the top, with huge, stylized floral designs, some childlike or modern or giant roses you can smell! Here is the striking “Harlequin” in raspberry and lavender, a design that calls for very little furniture.

Dunes by Surya.

Who doesn’t love the shag? This hairy, groovy, young, contemporary rug, leaves the room a little disheveled, like tousled bed head.  “Dunes” is roll around soft and beckons you to get down and be with the rug…a shag rug really does make a room feel like it’s a “no stress” zone and all who enter must chill!

But wait, there's more! Our area rug vendors don't stop here. We have the 100% wool collection by Hibernia, J. Mish, Godfrey Hirst and Fabrica. Or our custom rug lines by Delos, Janelle and Creative Accents.

Our point? We have area rugs! Lots of area rugs. So if you're not lucky enough to possess your own hand-knotted antique Oriental, we've got your floors covered!

Let There Be Lighting

Designers, don’t you just love what has happened to lighting? This once utilitarian accessory that quietly blended into a room via the palette or as an accent to a theme, is now demanding attention in a big way. It’s as if “lighting” took a course in self-esteem, found itself, and now is coming out as the unique, uncompromised individual light that it is. Be it a gigantic, crystal-draped, Swarovski-encrusted chandelier for the glamsters or a bare bulb and socket on a wire for the no frills industrialist, there is a light that will speak to every taste.  

The Madamoiselle by LBL Lighting.

Sometimes lighting is a key “style statement,” giving a safe, undefined design a distinct personality like the “Mademoiselle” by LBL Lighting (left). No matter how you apply it, lighting has become a whole new kind of art for the home, like this statement piece (below): a custom ironwork with raw edged petals and stems creating an incredible primitive flower cluster floating above this sophisticated, island style veranda.

Custom ironwork chandelier.

At Design Alliance we are doing our best to find and align ourselves with creative, forward thinking lighting manufacturers. A favorite “To the Trade only” is Currey and Company, the host of our July 10 “Lunch and Learn.” Designer Linda Good attended and said it best; “…Curry might be a higher price point, but they set the trends that the other companies copy.” Linda is right. 

The Antiquity by Currey & Co.

Currey helps maintain their cutting edge creativity with collections by commissioned designers like Shannon Koszyk and her sexy, dark, Goth designs like the “Antiquity Chandelier” (left)—the perfect backdrop to black lips and nails.  

The Silvo by Currey & Co.

Or from the Marjorie Skouras Collection, which looks as if it’s made from the random shells found on the beach that day. The "Silvio,”a shell chandelier, is enchanting. If you have not studied the Currey catalog, check it out. It could have the winning piece you need!     

                                                     

The following are lighting companies we love and recommend for their quality and uniqueness:

Arbo pendant by Hubbardton Forge.

Hubbardton Forge is not your great-great-Grandfather’s blacksmith, but a very hip lighting manufacturer today. For example, this intriguing hanging fixture (left) is an inherently modern design in its simplicity, but the drum shade fails to block our view entirely, revealing a crudely assembled bonfire, glowing from inside. 

Corona by Hubbardton Forge.

How about this sculptural pendant, (right): the impression is subjective, but I’m torn between a slick asymmetrical “bob” cut, cupped around a face or the necessary bow of the legs on a large-bodied spider…bottom line, don’t let the name fool you, Hubbardton Forge has amazing fixtures worth a look.

Vertigo by Corbett.

The quirky, daring, literal Corbett Lighting is like emotions defined through lighting fixtures?! With names like “Tantrum,” “Recoil,” “Spellbound,” “Bliss” and to the left a pendant named “Vertigo.” The movement in this light is undeniable, swaying right-left-right, like the big finish finale at the “Hula Hoop Championships.” Vertigo is active, but orderly as form follows function in this alive fixture.  

The Falcon by Laura Kiar for Arteriors.

“The Falcon” wall sconce by Laura Kiar for Arteriors (right) is not only reminiscent of the Atomic Age designs, but gives a nod to designer Curtis Jere’s iconic wall sculptures.   

The Raven by Arteriors.

Fast-forward ten years and the “Raven Lamp”(left) by Arteriors captures the silhouette of the 60s, with its curvy column base and ombre grey finish, cased in blown glass. A sensual table lamp, totally on trend.

Plymouth by Hinkley.

The diverse Hinkley Lighting portfolio adds this romantic, oversized, open pendant (right) to the collection. Bringing a certain antebellum charm, this stylized carriage lamp profile gives the ‘ol Country Manor a transitional twist. 

Also from Hinkley, is this delightful chandelier (below). A whimsical cluster of gold coins or bunch of bubbles pauses for a picture as it passes through a reverse drum shade. So charming and adorable they decide to keep it and name it “Barolo.”

Barolo by Hinkley.

Let’s stop for a minute and talk about lighting placement. In my opinion lighting is one of the most important elements in any design. The proper lighting will illuminate the entire room, light the traffic patterns, provide task lighting in necessary locations and offer an appropriate atmosphere option. Every corner should be lit. 

However, we are no longer dealing only with table lamps. The trend for today’s lighting is skyward! The chandelier and pendant are the show stoppers, the sconce and the floor lamp have become utilitarian and the torchier is “out.” The retro placement of the main fixture centered on the ceiling is the trend. A big, wide semi-flush fixture , a dramatic statement chandelier or a cluster of pendants pouring into the room or hanging low over the coffee table or end table or night stand, these showy placements will give your design a current look.

Fascination 4-light pendant by Varaluz.

Want young, contemporary, wacky creative and sustainable? Yes! Then you want Varaluz, the all eco-friendly, super fun fixtures made from recycled materials, hand crafted and painted. What they say about themselves, “…we make cool designs with a conscience.” I love, love, love this “Fascination” collection, the coolest, unique island lighting (right)!

Pinwheel pendant by Varaluz.

The “Pinwheel” collection, made from recycled aluminum, is tiny pinwheels attached to the ball. Change the light bulb color and it glows in your chosen color (left).

   

Pique Five by TREND.

Lastly, the always energy conscience TREND lighting. Amazing contemporary designs inspired by the past… arty, mid-century style and atomic age  reference. The “Pique Five” (right) is a great pendant for clusters. Designs inspired by the sophisticated future, the “Constellation” (below), is slick, clean and stylish; a statement piece that will gather crowds.

TREND Constellation pendant.