Eclectic Fusion

Eclectic design. A thoughtful collaboration between different furniture styles or a decorating free-for-all? What do you think, Designers? Frankly, I’m not sure anymore, so I looked it up and Webster’s said, “Composed of elements drawn from various sources.” Gee, that was unsatisfying, so I went online and asked for the definition of “eclectic design” and several sources said basically the same thing: “…it is a planned design scheme with furnishings that relate to each other through color, shape, finish, texture or scale.”

That’s it? That tells me I can throw a random assortment of mismatched furniture in a room, paint them all red (so they relate), and that is good eclectic design? Or a room full of furniture shaped like a football, or really teeny, tiny furniture… that’s simply not enough of a guideline for such an important, game-changing trend to be executed properly.

Excuse me while I climb on my soapbox. Okay now, my point is where is the emotion here? Why wouldn’t this set of application “rules” include “should have a similar feeling” in the eclectic choices you make? Am I the only one who has to tag my designs with a mood projection so that when I’m looking at finishes, accessories and furniture, I can quickly assess its compatibility with the surrounding elements?

Think about past trends like the Tuscan look or Shabby Chick and the prolific accessory business it spawned. Nothing was spared that ochre antique or weathered white finish. God forbid we should hunt down a real vintage birdcage or invest in an antique Italian oil jug when they were pumping these illusions of authenticity out so cheaply.

I digress. My point is that our clients want atmosphere in their home. If asked, “What is the feeling you want in here?” they may just say, “Oh, make it warm and inviting.” But what they are really thinking is, “I want my guests to walk into my kitchen and feel a mild day in the Tuscan countryside where we will spend a leisurely afternoon visiting over wine and pasta al fresco next to the grape arbor.” They want to feel something and they want their home to project that feeling to their visitors. I say add it to the list.

Lately, I’ve frequently been stopped in my tracks by pictures of confusing room design claiming to be eclectic. For example, this airy room setting on the right has a beachy feel. Maybe it’s the Sisal rug or the starfish on the table, but the white-on-white with a pop of coral says “fresh” to me. Then you see this huge dark presence looming over the room. Who invited him? This lovely vintage breakfront full of old books looks as natural in this room as wearing a civil war costume to a beach party. Maybe if painted periwinkle or apple green with a white interior and less serious accessories it would blend in better and forgive the fact that it is freaky tall.

The primary reason I believe we need more guidelines is that this is not a trend that will run its course and then fall out of fashion. This is a trend that has given us permission to disregard the soul of good design, creating an atmosphere. If any chair goes with any chair and any light fixture can hang over any table, then the best we can expect emotionally from any eclectic room is the initial shock of seeing another rule broken. In the room above, luxurious Leontine monogram linens dress this bed with a padded silk taffeta headboard and matching bed skirt and a Thayer Coggin “X” bench sits at the foot of the bed. Hmmm, it needs artwork. I know… molded plastic panels with a mirrored finish from the 70s will really complement that bed!

That bedroom is an excellent example of the potential slippery slope of an “anything goes” attitude. Everything doesn’t go with everything, period. You have to be sensitive to the feeling you are creating and only invite furniture and accessories that will enhance your intended atmosphere. This, by the way, is not always easy to do. It’s disturbing to sit in a totally decorated room and feel nothing, like the bedroom above where you don’t know what to feel.

The amazing refurbished barn to the right, with a raised living space, first floor, center, makes an architectural frame around this eclectic mix of furnishings. Unified by food colors, this modern pumpkin-orange slipper chair is relating to the classic Bergere chair in tomato-red mohair. The mid-century coffee table relates to the 17^th century oil painting, both with “century” in their name. The bottom line here is that nobody is talking. The pieces do not do each other justice and the individual charm of each piece sits dormant. It looks like furniture waiting on a loading dock to be picked up.

Eclectic design could be exciting, with a whole new world of combinations to create, provided that the basic principles of design are respected within the concept. Different is good. The contrast amongst the different styles is exactly what highlights the individual beauty of each piece. The merits of one particular chair could be lost in a room full of antiques. However, when paired with a modern table, the chair and table are each suddenly more exceptional.

One eclectic application I love is this grand contemporary home built in the round with a main sky-lit hallway where rooms branch off. The strong bold architectural design feels futuristic to me—like a passageway on the Star Trek Enterprise. What softens this potentially sterile environment are these pieces from the past: a distressed statue from the first century greets you at the top of the hall, a smattering of weathered queen Anne chairs act as docent, while the key piece, a dresser circa 1900, looks like it was found in an architectural dig. This eclectic application is rich with texture and history, making this foyer an interesting space.

To the right is another room that makes sense to me. It’s like a nature play… the tree trunks play the table base, the giant sea urchin is starring as the chandelier, Hansel is lending the 18^th century Italian chairs to the production and the apple blossoms are playing in the background. This whimsical collection of organic elements is charming and becomes legitimate due to the sophisticated color palette.

Tell me Designers, what do you think of this “Cattelan Italia” ad below? Good or bad eclectic design?

Lastly, when it comes to staying current on design trends, exploring what’s new and to finding inspiration, I don’t go to the Internet. I refer to print publications. Always have. I trust the longtime editors of Elle Décor, Veranda, House and Garden, etc., to have integrity and what I read is what they say it is.

The Internet is an open forum with no quality control. It is stuffed with closet decorators who decorated their own home and now they have a website. I see some whacky room that an energetic wanna-be has posted and I think, OMG! Is sponge-painting coming back? No time for that nonsense. These last two images are from such a website. When searching for “eclectic design” this list of six different “eclectic” rooms came up. Here are two examples:

Formal Eclectic Living Room

This formal living room has a mixture of both traditional and modern contemporary furnishings. The upright piano is very traditional, yet the artwork on the wall above it is quite modern. The corner china cabinet, chair, coffee table and area rug are all very traditional while the fireplace, window treatment and ceiling design give the room a modern look. The color red is repeated in the artwork, valance and area rug.

Eclectic Fireplace

This traditional looking brick fireplace has an eclectic display featuring a traditional pendulum clock with matching brass candle holders. These vintage accessories are mixed with contemporary accents including an Asian figurine, a crystal and porcelain egg, a modern glass vase with elegant pink orchids and a house plant in a brass pot. The brass and live greenery help tie it all together.

A Night to Remember

Years ago, while working on an event installation in Santa Monica, I needed to stay another half day, but I had not planned nor was I prepared to spend the night anywhere. Fortunately, this handsome, hip gay couple I had just met that day kindly offered me a bed and I accepted.

I was very impressed as we arrived at their amazing Zen-style home in Malibu Canyon. The long, low profile structure with a primarily-glass façade, sat above us at the end of a wide, natural slate stair path with an easy ascend.  Aligned for the romantic canyon view, this serene environment was thoughtfully enhanced by pristine, Asian-inspired indigenous landscaping and various water features.

The interior was equally impressive with its decadent spaciousness and stark, unembellished rooms, walls and surfaces. I had a delightful evening drinking wine while, touring the home, hearing “their story” and watching them prepare and roll our sushi for dinner, at which time I switched to sake. The evening came to a close with a scary good chocolate confection and a tall, “…oh you have to try an espresso from our new machine!” drink—the perfect bedtime snack! 

By 11:30 pm I found myself in the guest bathroom with a pair of white cotton men’s pajamas, a bar of travel soap, a toothbrush and paste. I stood there with my confusing wine-coffee buzz, staring at this sexy, doorless shower with a glass wall and a full length window, an overhead rain faucet and only an exterior wall of bamboo for privacy… yikes! In front of me was the counter—a rough cut, floating 8”-thick slab of cement with a shallow basin bowl cut into it. A single bath towel lay folded on the top… nothing else, nothing! No drawer, medicine cabinet, trash can, linen closet, nothing! I glanced over at the toilet paper and thought,"this is the last they will see of you."

The bedroom, equally as sparse, had a floor-to-ceiling window with a black rock garden on the floor in front. The bed was a single mattress on a black ogee base with one pillow and matelassé coverlet, all in shades of river rock. Wall-mounted above the bed was an ornate carved Asian screen and a single, caged light hanging off-center with a pull chain you could reach while prone.

As I lay there with my face tightening from the travel soap wash, my body wallowing in wine and my brain in a coffee conference, I began to worry about my morning routine—the shower show, my dry skin, MY HAIR! Clearly, these wash-and-go pretty boys didn’t know from beauty maintenance. This was evident because they had no STUFF! Due to the fact there was nothing to watch, read or write on, I decided to defuse a possible night of worry and homesickness by taking a 1:30 am shower in the dark and on the back of a receipt, found in my purse, I proceeded to list all the things I would need to make me feel comfortable and at ease.

That unscheduled sleepover turned out bittersweet.  What could have been a great story about my night in Malibu with the “beautiful people” and their fabulous Zen retreat, instead was tainted by my panic and over-reaction to a night without my stuff. 

Bottom line, I now realize the importance of a properly appointed guest room. I would never want a guest of mine to feel as misplaced as I did that night, so I created a checklist of all that should be addressed when preparing the guest room for your planned and unplanned guests.

Firstly, the room itself should be light and pleasant; try not to fill the room with all the clients’ left over stuff. It should feel as spacious as possible. If they have a view, even the backyard, create an airy window with full length, lightweight curtain panels and, on the same window, have an additional blackout treatment, like blinds or blackout drapes.

The bed should look and feel cozy, with a lightweight blanket and coverlet or quilt, at least two pillows (one soft, one firm, down and foam) and maybe a neck roll. Also keep an extra blanket and pillow in the closet and add a throw at the end of the bed for a nap. Use 100% cotton linens and the highest thread count the budget will allow. If the mattress is boring, add a feather bed topper or a slab of memory foam—guests will appreciate the bed’s soft hug!

The nightstand should be clear of all personal items and have an alarm clock, a tray with water carafe and glass and/or a bottle of water, a vase and some fresh flowers from your garden, Kleenex, candles, matches and a bedtime snack, like a small bowl of fruit or a tin of cookies. Paper and pen should be available and a note directing the guest to the power bar access to charge their phone and maybe the Wi-Fi password. 

Below the nightstand or in an adjacent basket, have a collection of books and current magazines or books about the local history, events and activities. The lighting should be suitable for reading in bed—a table or wall-mount swing arm lamp works best. Add a night light along the path to the bathroom. A portable CD player or an iPod dock is a nice touch too.

The closet should have plenty of extra hangers and clear bar space, plus one or two empty drawers if possible. Although I always prefer a big, wide mirror over the dresser, if space does not allow, add a full length mirror on the back of the door. Invest in a luggage rack if there is no trunk or bench to set a suitcase on and hang a big fluffy robe in the closet for guest use.

The bathroom should have one bath sheet, two bath towels, washcloths, hand towels and a bath mat. Arrange a selection of pretty soaps to choose from, shampoo and conditioner, a new toothbrush and toothpaste, hand lotion, sun block and a blow dryer. You could also set a basket of all their travel size toiletries on the counter and bath oil and candles around the tub.

It’s a given that the bed and bath décor will be adorable when you are done, but the client will really be impressed if you bring it all together and make it “guest ready” for them. When you have completed the guest suite, invite your client to spend the night in the room and make notes and, if it all goes well, to “Like” you on Facebook!

The Big Cover Up

At last! Wallpaper is back. This versatile, style-enhancing tool of the trade has been creeping back into favor after a 15+ year hiatus. What happened to these once-beloved wallflowers that sent them undercover?

Let’s review. It was the mid-1980s and wallpaper enjoyed a long run with the hunter, wine and navy palette when Ralph Lauren created his dark, rich, accessory-laden environments with wallpaper on every wall.

This same period saw lots of big florals as well, from the pre- “shabby chic” floral chintz and pattern mix, to the “English Garden” styling from British designer Sister Parrish. Lest we not forget the scary popularity of wallpaper borders—easy, cheap and tacky.

Bottom line, wallpaper was doing good business in the eighties. Then out of the blue, “do-it-yourself” wall painting techniques became the trend of the day. Sponging, stippling, color washing, spattering, dragging, stenciling, marbling, ragging, fresco and trompe l’oeil were seen everywhere. Homeowners were having too much fun messing up their walls to go back to wallpaper. And poof! Wallpaper was all but forgotten.

Fast forward to when wallpaper made its comeback, with the quiet return of grasscloth leading the way. Its subtle, organic texture was an ideal backdrop for the "Tommy Bahama" Beach Club look and the more refined weaves were a perfect complement to the clean, warm lines of modern furniture and the popular mid-century designs. The grasscloth "look" became huge as the wallcovering of choice for contract environments... and still is today. 

Now wallpaper is showing up in all sorts of interior designs as an accent that promises to make an impact. With the ebb and flow of design trends we’re moving from the ”calm” of the monotone, neutral interiors to a more lively style statement with the popularity of eclectic design. Never before have we been so free of restrictions, fearlessly creating random mixes of style, print, pattern, color and texture. Equally irreverent are the bold, inspired, attention-demanding wallpapers of today and the “paper of interest” for these hip, eclectic interiors. 

I, for one, used wallpaper as my go-to solution for many uninspired areas in the home. For example, cover a small, plain entry in a colorful, bold pattern—and BAM!—you have an exciting welcoming entrance. 

The formal dining room is another great candidate for this wall treatment. For the three-sided dining space, just papering the back wall can be effective. For the traditional enclosed dining room, wallpaper is always good with a wainscot or a chair rail. The big empty dining room cavity can become a stimulating, stylish atmosphere of your making with the right wallpaper background.

My all-time favorite is the powder room or the “public restroom” of a home, basically a sink and a toilet and, unless it is an architecturally interesting space it’s a closet. A beautiful, over the top wallpaper, silk-screened or metallic-detailed, can create a stunning little jewel box for your guests to lock themselves up in.

At Design Alliance we love that wallpaper is back in our tool chest. We recommend you check out the following papers for inspiration on your next project.

WALLTERIORS: Unique, hand crafted, custom papers and they will match your color palette for free!

ABA: Beautiful grass cloth from Canada, with an array of choices from gnarly textures to tight metallic weaves, unique and affordable.

THIBAUT: A complete library of classic, colorful, silk screen papers in timeless traditional designs.

JF: The works of creative thinkers, the coolest papers from whimsical to sophisticated…with an edge.

MDC: Primarily commercial wall covering, with a unique home collection (see the “Eye of the Peacock” in the powder room, pictured below). Need I say more?

Curb Appropriateness

BDA, Before Design Alliance, I lived for 18 years in Belmont Heights in Long Beach, CA.  I loved the heights—they were a tasty smorgasbord of architecture. Each home was beloved by all and each was maintained by its owners with respect for the integrity of the architecture and its style.

Particularly impressive were the upscale homes along First Street, a wide, tree-lined promenade a half-block from the ocean. Every home on First Street was a pristine example of architecture, each different from the next… dark, rich Craftsman homes, stately Italian Revivals, charming California Bungalows, romantic Spanish Haciendas, stylish Mid-Century Modern homes, strong International Style designs (from the Machine Age aesthetic), Greek Revivals, warm, old-school Georgian homes and of course, Art Deco designs. Long Beach is a major contributor to the collection of Southern California Art Deco structures, the most in the United States. OK, I wax… I guess I miss the eye candy!

However, with regard to “Curb Appeal,” one truth was evident in my old Long Beach neighborhood. These home-proud residents not only kept their structures in repair, but they did their research to understand the design of their home and to create the most appropriate exterior presentation possible. They know the landscape, the façade color and the entry all enhance the mood of the structure’s style. There were no careless choices in foliage and flowers, like hydrangeas and calla lilies in a Modern garden or a palm tree in front of a Colonial Revival home, nor did you see inappropriate paint colors, like a Craftsman in pastels or a blue Hacienda. These mistakes are confusing and create emotional sabotage.

In Southern California we are a sea of bedroom communities, where more homes than not are undefined, the result of builders taking creative license with the architecture:  soft arches mixed with classic columns, Italian railings and wood shingled roofs, pediments and dormers on smooth plaster facades, or “The Box” with two windows and a door. Of course it’s easy when you have a fabulous, vine-covered Tudor to landscape, but what about the stylistically undetermined home in a tract with five rotating stylistically undetermined homes around it? Well, that’s where you come in Designer, helping your client find their “Curb Appeal.” It’s challenging, but lots of fun!

A good way to start giving the non-descript home some style is to determine its bent. Begin with the three basic style categories of Traditional, Transitional and Contemporary. Looking at the bones and the overall appearance, what style will it most easily receive?

Note the face of the house, the roof material, the pitch of the roof, the entry door style, hardscape materials and window style. These all are key elements to your style embellishment.

Look for classic features you can play up with the “traditional” home like the black entry door, square panel planters and carriage lamp lighting for the “Town 'n Country” look. Or brickwork, flower boxes and shutters for a “Cottage.”  If it’s blatantly contemporary, play it up for your client by painting it pale grey with white fascia and an orange, flat-face door, flanked with oversized planters and snake grass and a succulent landscape. If it has linear lines and “feels” contemporary maybe add a wainscot of ledge rock and a yucca tree with flax and grasses as a landscape…. you get the picture!

I know, we are all down on the matchy-matchy cliché of style, so think of it as a Halloween costume, where you need all the signals and clues as to who you are supposed to be.  That’s what a mutt needs when it’s dressing up like a purebred. So, once you have clearly defined the direction play it up.

Also, don’t try and make a ballerina out of a football player. If it has a tile roof, it’s not a cottage. A used brick path won’t work on a Spanish Bungalow. Embellishing the house with style clichés won’t make it something it is not. Remember, the key features will tell you which direction works.

Easy fixes are the entry:  changing out the hardware, house numbers, lighting, mailbox and painting the front door an accent color, then flanking the door or edge of porch with style-appropriate planters and foliage. Also, adding a little point of interest, like this stack of cross wood windows at the front door, or a window box of succulents or contemporary planter and abstract flax plant. Always look for interesting features that can be played up.

Of course painting the house is always a wonderful change. Use your “designer gift” and “see” the house in some unusual color combinations: in taupes or greens and grays, with a rich mustard or deep raspberry door. Sage is still a beautiful house color with cream and black accents on the fascia and molding with a red or navy blue door.

Just kidding!

Lastly, consider the landscape. It can make or break your design. Create flower beds, if needed. Make a round planter for a group of birch trees on the lawn. Create an off-center “mound” for interest and plant grasses, or line the path to the door with planters. Study your trees. So many rich colors like red Japanese maples and silver Pittosporum. Tons of beautiful palm species, traditional magnolias and liquid gold trees. If there is not a tree in their front yard, add one—it really grounds the front. Create a little mock-up of your landscaping ideas to show your client and then, unless you are also a landscaper, hire the pros.

Hunters and Gatherers

OK, who’s a collector? Raise your hand! See, look around you. There are lots of us living amongst you minimalists and you “can’t stand the clutter!” freaks. Some of you collectors may be married to one who simply doesn’t understand that if one frog is cute, an army of frogs is absolutely adorable!

Collectors know that the need to collect is really not just  about the acquisition—it’s  about the journey, the mental registration that  alerts us to the possibility that a “Reed and Barton” jelly spoon in the grape pattern may be in that shop you just drove by. The alert that pulls us over to park at a yard sale or scroll on eBay 'til midnight… looking, seeking, searching, hunting for yet another one-of-the-same for your collection.

I personally am from a long line of “Hunters.” As I grew up, hunting for items in a like category was normal behavior. Today, several collections later, I am currently surrounded by my collections of mid-century pottery, glass paper weights, vintage broaches, mid-century cocktail shakers, toothbrushes, vintage salt dishes, world globes, china creamers… somebody STOP ME! Yet, I still get a rush when I stop at a shop or win a bid or cruise a yard sale and discover a “find” at a great price. It makes my day!

That said, the only reason collections work in my life is because of the way they are displayed. When integrated properly, collections can be a charming personal statement, a showcase of one of your interests, the results of your diligent hunt and an opportunity to live with what you love. You may have a client who is a collector. You would love to box up and hide her ‘kine of cows’ collection, but it is her home and her hobby, so consider the following display ideas before having that nasty cow conversation with her.

A good collection rule is: always display like items together.

Multiples set up a rhythm that controls the chaos and can be juxtaposed with the eclectic quality of a room. When you display objects in multiples, the aesthetic impact is more than the sum of its decorative parts. Physiologically, the eye is drawn to repetition; it registers this kind of regularity as it scans the room. The same applies to clusters and groups, as they anchor the visual flow from element to element. The display of a collectable should be in consideration of scale, style and mood of collection.

Once you have gathered the collection together, decide on the best application for the collectable. For example, ceramics are great in clusters on a bookshelf or as a table decoration. If the ceramic collection is a specific category, like pitchers or tea pots, line them up single file on a long shelf. For platters use shallow shelves or display them on plate hangers as art. For salt and pepper shakers use old “knick-knack” shelves with little cubbies for each pair of shakers. For my creamer collection I had little shelf units built to fit them, then hung the shelves in a patchwork on the wall (see creamer shelf, right).

Anything you can frame is good! A collection of “smalls,” like vintage keys, old jewelry, luggage tags, hat pins, buttons and beads, vintage lighters or compacts…etc., can become charming artwork when displayed in a shadowbox frame.

For glassware, like snow globes, crystal elements, decorated eggs, perfume bottles—anything with a precious quality—use a wall-mount display shelf unit, an étagère or a china cabinet with interior lights. These units were made for display. Glassware will sparkle and encourage nose-to-glass viewing by visitors. Also, consider using the cabinet units for little figurine items like unicorns or Hummel characters. Bottom line, if your client collects elephants and the herd is scattered around the house, round em’ up and display the entire collection on a shelf in the china cabinet. It will look interesting and lush verses lonely and corny.

Let’s face it ladies. Finding unique artwork or one-of-a-kind accessories (you'll never find them  at HomeGoods) is tough. Nothing is new and predictability in a design concept is the kiss of death. However, if your client just happens to collect antique evening bags or vintage maps, reconsider them framed and hung in your design. It’s customized for your client and becomes an accent NOBODY else has.

For collectors of like-subject artwork, again hang together in a group if possible, like this “dog paintings” collection seen here.

***

As promised, here are my tips on hanging a large group of various sized pictures on one big wall—good for “Family Galleries” and art collections!

1) AFTER, you have addressed all the framing and created a coordinated group of pictures, lay them out and divide into like-sized piles:  3x5, 4x6, 5x7, 6x8, 8x10, etc. Then pull all the oversized pictures—anything over 16x20—or pull the 3-4 largest pictures. These are your “anchor” pictures.

2) Hang the largest “anchor picture” in the center of the wall. Then lay the remaining two to three pictures on the floor, down to the right and left, to be hung later.

3) From your piles, create groups of two or three pictures that work together; i.e., three 4 x 6 pictures of your client’s three kids, or two 8 x 10 pictures of their grandparents. These will fill long or wide spaces. IF the frames are not the same that’s okay, but the size should be.

4) The shape rule for the overall picture group is the same as in designing a room—the eye should easily flow from picture to picture. So, always hang in a pyramid or sideways diamond (marquis cut). When the wall is particularly long make more “peaks and valleys” like a mountain range.

5) From your pile, remove good “topper pictures” to be at the top of your pyramid. Pick interesting frames, ornate styles or unusual shapes. These are a focal point.

6) If the images need a certain cohesion or timeline, like the husband’s family hung together, divide your pictures into the required order and lay along the wall, as the story goes.

7) Remember to mix it up and use all available sizes consistently. Don’t be stuck with a pile of little frames and three feet of wall left. Work right-left, right-left, so you don’t get lopsided. Lastly, make an invisible border line at the top and the bottom so you have horizontal balance, too.

GOOD LUCK DESIGNERS!

A Room of Her Own

I am a woman who supports women. I think women are amazing and I meet remarkable women every day at Design Alliance. Women who are loving wives, nurturing mothers and successful Interior Designers—multi-tasking at its finest.

During my design years I was invited into the homes of many remarkable women, interesting women who spent their days orchestrating the family lifestyle. It was not uncommon for these selfless women to abandon their own dreams to become the support system for their family, while their own talents and inspirations went dormant.

Sally was a client like that. Adorable, petite and gregarious, she had raised four boys (three offspring and one husband). Her youngest son, 28, had moved out about a year ago and Sally was ready to make some changes when I was called in to consult on a kitchen remodel.

I was oblivious to what lay ahead when I arrived at Sally’s 4/3 Ranch-style home. The garden was pristine, with a dichondra lawn. So mid-century! She was the first on her block to have the beds lined in annuals and hanging baskets flanking the front door. This yard had been lovingly maintained.

When Sally answered the door she was pure sugar ‘n spice, with a slight Texas drawl, a corona of platinum hair, sporting a pink top, mint green capris and white mules with three-inch heels that click/slapped as she walked. She invited me in to meet her house. It was not so colorful. This was a home that had survived 32 years of growing testosterone. It was a war zone where nary a surface had been spared the blows of boys in a brawl.

Sally then led me to the main event, the kitchen. When I saw the space I think I bowed my head and said a few words. This room had the pale, marred face of a healing accident victim… a boot toe dent in the refrigerator door, a dozen cracks in the counter tile, a pock marked vinyl floor and the oven door askew. I looked at little Sally and wondered how she came out unscathed!

I then started to take a few cabinet measurements when I opened the door to the broom closet and discovered stacks of cookbooks, maybe 40 or 50, on the floor.

“Sally what’s this?” I questioned, pointing to the piles.

“Oh, my cookbooks,” she said. “I love to bake. My mincemeat has won two ribbons,” she proudly stated.

“Wow!” I eloquently exclaimed. “Don’t let me forget to build you a bookcase above the desk I’m planning to replace your end-of-the-counter ‘phone center’ with!”

“Oh!” Sally squealed. “That will be lovely!”

As Sally and I toured the rest of the house, she spoke lovingly of her boys and husband Bud. I learned she met Bud in college, had received her Masters in Fine Arts and had minored in dance, with dreams to join a company. At night she would sit with Bud in front of the BIG SCREEN and knit blankets for the local shelter. She pulled a plastic bag from under the sofa to show me. I saw how they had turned her middle son’s room into an office for Bud and her youngest son’s room into a gym for Bud. Sally got her oldest son’s room.

“I’d like to see your room Sally,” I stated.

“But it’s such a mess,” she complained.

“I’ll try not to notice, lead the way!” I said, standing strong.  

She apologized over and over as we approached, then she opened the door and announced, “We call it the “Junk Room.”

I peered in and nodded, “Quintessential!”  And it was. There was a 6’ slider looking out on the pool, a missing closet door, piles of clothes, papers and books, an ironing board, a card table holding a small laptop, a sewing machine and an easel, set up over a laundry basket, supporting a painting in progress. I made some mental notes.

On the drive home I thought about Sally and how talented she is, as a gardener, baker, knitter, seamstress, artist and dancer. I thought about her passion to be creative and what joy it brought her, yet day-to-day she would hide her self-expression in the shadows, amongst the clutter of the “junk room,” in the broom closet, or under the sofa to gladly attend to her family’s needs. My next thought was that this is not a project JUST about this deserving woman’s battered kitchen. Frankly anything I did to that interior would be an improvement. This is “My Brilliant Idea” project!

So I designed the kitchen, drafted plans, compiled my samples and collected the appliance literature for my remodel presentation. Then, without solicitation or permission, I started designing Sally’s “Room of Her Own.”

She was in the largest of the three boys’ rooms, 15 feet’x13 feet, with the slider to the backyard. First, I replaced the sliding door with a pair of French doors, widening the casing with 4” molding that led into 4” base around the room. Then I took off the remaining closet door and designed a sewing area in one third of closet cavity with a permanent surface for her machine, lighting and her chair.  The remaining two thirds of the closet became customized storage, with stand-up canvas storage, basket bins for fabric, cubbies for her yarn skeins and drawers and cabinets for all her painting supplies.

I painted the room a beautiful soft pink/salmon and the moldings and French doors a pristine white. I set her easel near the window and added a stool. On the main wall I put a built-in daybed with bolsters on three sides and a ridiculous number of accent pillows. I set a distressed mint green end table with aqua lamp next to a comfy down club chair in a “Sister Parrish” cotton floral.

I added a small flat screen TV on the wall, an iPod for music and an additional book case for her favorite books and pictures of the beasty boys. I imagined the floor underneath the carpet would be hardwood, so the carpet came up and a soft, fluffy, area rug defined the seating area. It was scary-girly, void of boys. It smelled like a girl, all pink and flowery and lacy, full of cuteness and sweetness, fresh and beautiful… just like Sally.

Sally was over-the-moon excited about the idea and Bud footed the bill, as well he should.  A Room of Her Own was a big success for this altruistic, would-be ballerina and for me, it was an idea I applied four more times over the years—for a writer, a collector, an editor and a die-hard crafter.

These ardent women were easy to spot: dedicated, selfless and passionate about all that they do. Women like this may cross your path—deserving women who need a place to be with self. Maybe it is just a corner where you create custom storage, or a surface to draft or draw, a chair and lamp in which to read, a potting bench in the yard or a mirrored wall and a ballet bar—it’s just for them. Women, who in spite of all their creative suppression over the years, still have a sense of wonder and imagination with an ongoing need to create their vision… whatever it might be.

  

The Family Gallery

The most classically grand home I ever worked on was a hand-me-down—a project passed on to me by my dear friend Eva, an elegant, well-seasoned designer with an impressive body of work. Eva’s clients were upscale, from neighborhoods I had never heard of, so when she suggested I call this family from “Fancyland” for an appointment my first question was, “What should I wear?”  Eva assured me that I would be fine and although she found this challenge baffling, she knew I would know just what to do. So I dressed up and made the call.

It took an hour to get to my appointment and a grilling by the border guard before I was parked in front of this awesome estate. The architecture was neoclassic, symmetrical and grand, complete with a pediment atop a row of Doric columns. I rang the bell and “the husband” answered. Middle-aged, cheerful and chatty, he waved me into the foyer, no, the rotunda, with dome!! The floor had a beautiful round marble inlay design and the dome was a detailed leaded glass. A curving staircase flanked the round and led to a bridge on the other side of the dome. Supporting the bridge were two columns, which led to three steps descending into the living room. As the husband carried on with the back story of the French settee, I stood there wondering what my role was in this scenario. What could I bring to this iconic environment that this world traveler had not already considered?

In that moment I was led to the living room entrance. It was a huge, impressive space, maybe forty feet wide, with a wall of French windows opposite the steps, which looked outside to a court yard. It was old school formal. On one end was the fireplace, on the other end a grand piano and three seating areas in the middle. The lighting was recessed in a coffered ceiling, the upholstery was velvet, silks and tapestries... then I saw it, my purpose had been revealed. In this classically sublime space, every surface was littered with little stand-up framed pictures of their four children! It was wrong, specifically in this formal setting AND a pet peeve of mine…Eva knew that! 

I realized it would not be easy to suggest they banish their offspring from the living room. I knew I would need some life threatening reason before Mr. Lucky and his wife, the breeder, would surrender this showcase display of their proudest accomplishments. Oddly, these people hire designers to ensure they have a well-appointed interior, projecting a certain ambiance that reflects their privileged life. Yet, when you find this sea of frames in the middle of this fantasy you are slapped back into reality, like Christopher Reeve when he pulled the current penny from his pocket in “Somewhere in Time.” Dream over!!

It took two meetings to convince them to relocate this exhibit. I explained that a home this grand has visitors, meetings, parties, holiday gatherings, etc. You don’t have such an extraordinary abode and not show it off. Due to this truth, the living room would be considered a “public” area. Really, no matter what size the living room is, casual family photos are too intimate, particularly in such mass.

I also told them that these photos cannot be viewed properly broken up across the landscape. If left there they would need to station a Docent at the steps giving “Table Tours” to identify the child and event. Ultimately we moved them to a gorgeous, sky-lit hallway where Mama could guide tours down memory lane and tell the tale of their family. She was thrilled.

Everything has changed since “desk-top photo processing” has become the norm. Every little moment that moves us is now captured digitally. No more, “Oh, look at that, I wish I had a camera!” You do, and it’s in your pocket or purse—it’s called a phone!

It sets you up for a successful shot: lighting, focus, find the face and BAM, you are Ansel Adams. The other culprit is the readily available, affordable and adorable stand-up frame. You simply can’t buy enough. Well, it’s enough already.

Documenting your memories is a wonderful thing. Seeing our children’s evolution or our grandparent’s history connects us and gives our life substance. However, overkill turns your life into a flip-book. You would not write your life story with such redundancies so why do we need six pictures of Tommy at two when one cute one will do? Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words.

There are several appropriate areas in the home for groupings of family photos: any bedroom, the family or great room, an office or den, but the best gallery location is the HALLWAY. It’s a natural long walk, free of furniture and generally an area not “decorated.” This is my favorite area and no matter how small, a grouping can be hung!

Hands down the most effective application for me over the years has been the Family Picture Gallery. The task of gathering and framing all the photos that live in a box under the bed is overwhelming, so there they sit. For many, gathering and framing the photos of a lifetime and creating a cohesive timeline that tells the story of said life is priceless. It’s a fond memory, a validation, a diary of experiences, a foot print on the planet of all that really matters in one’s life. 

This effort on your part will give your client warm fuzzies again and again. You have the power to do that… so why wouldn’t you?

For those of you who feel intimidated by a pile of 100 framed photos and a long blank wall, I will give tips on how to hang a gallery or picture group in my upcoming  blog on “Collectors.”