---

Weigh Down This Moment

---

Time is a relentless river.  It rages on, a respecter of no one.  And this, this is the only way to slow time: When I fully enter time’s swift current, enter into the current moment with the weight of all my attention, I slow the torrent with the weight of me all here.  I can slow the torrent by being all here.  I only live the full life when I live fully in the moment.  And when I’m always looking for the next glimpse of glory, I slow and enter.  And time slows.  Weigh down this moment in time with attention full, and the whole of time’s river slows, slows, slows.

I thought we'd take a brief break from the talk of design, and, often, the unnecessary.  Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts is solid; a must-read.  Don't be overwhelmed by the stream of consciousness. Take it slow.

Voskamp, Ann. One Thousand Gifts. Grand Rapids, Michigan. Zondervan. 2010.
(From the laundry room in my dorm at NYU - Mercer Hall.  13th floor.)

---

Rothko

---

It is a widely accepted notion among painters that it does not matter what one paints as long as it is well painted. This is the essence of academicism. There is no such thing as good painting about nothing. – Mark Rothko

Born in Russia, Mark Rothko immigrated to the United States with his parents in 1905.  He attended Yale for 2 years prior to moving to New York City, where he spent the rest of his career.  He is considered one of the prominent members of the "New York School," a group of modern American artists emerging in the 1940’s whose work is now considered “Abstract Expressionism.”  Rothko’s work is mostly unnamed, other than a number or color.    

His work can add such an interesting element to a space.  The colors are vibrant and the style easily mixed with other periods of work—more ornate pieces—for contrast and interest.  Abstracts and other modern art add an edge to a room's composition, particularly if your leanings lie in more traditional pieces.  The framed prints below are from Art.com and some are quite affordable.  I think Four Dark in Red (1958) [second piece below] is my favorite.  Or, perhaps its tied for my favorite with the second Untitled from 1969(peach). Oh, I could never have one favorite; hahaha.

Untitled (1969)

Four Dark in Red (1958)

Untitled (1969)

Untitled

No 10

---

Find: Sarasota Salvage

---

While in Sarasota, my girlfriend took me to Sarasota Architectural Salvage, just off downtown, where I found the picture below.  It is particularly worn with an inscription “Custom Print by Polaroid” in the bottom right.  I couldn’t resist the poodles at attention or the pin striped black frame.  I paid just short of $20.00.  Sarasota Architectural Salvage houses a host of unusual finds from Spanish-style doors, to vintage electric letters.  Their outdoor section boasts iron-work garden accessories—fences, plant holders, and fountains.  If you are in the area, stop by.

 

---

Shelves

---

Shelves are tricky.  For those who are fortunate enough to have them, filling them is a challenge.   Books, travel mementos, pictures, vases, and boxes are natural items for shelves.  However, as you’ll see below, these designers have filled the shelves with items which naturally find themselves on a shelf, as well as those which are bit more unexpected.

 

                                              Michelle Adams                                                       Victoria Thompson

                                                     Lizzie Bailey                                           Ethan Feirstein & Ari Heckman

                                                  Miles Redd                                                        Anthony Gianacakos

---

Water and Miles

---

The beauty of water and the relief of miles traveled, are hard to overstate.  This past weekend I visited a dear friend near the ocean.  The drive, company, and water were a delight; a needed reprieve.  Plan a trip—even just a short road trip—they are one of God’s many blessings.  Cheers to a great week.

(Sarasota, Florida)

---

Carey Mulligan

---

The style of Carey Mulligan is as formalized as it is relaxed.  There is a constant element of the feminine; however, there is a beauty precipitated without being over-indulgent or provocative.  In short, she is one to watch and be inspired by—form is content with clothing. Clothes, and the lines of the same, should enhance the female’s form—and I’m not merely speaking of bust lines.  Oh, to have a stylist to change one’s hair as often as she.  It makes me want to chop my hair—not to a pixey, perhaps, merely a bob.  Here were a few of my favorites; of course, there are many other examples. 

Pictures courtesy of Vogue and Carey Mulligan Online.

---

Constance Spry

---

I had been meaning to do a post on Constance Spry, and yesterday’s post was the perfect impetus.  The David Austin Rose pictured to the right, and included in yesterday’s post, is David Austin’s “Constance Spry.”  A divine variation named after another British forerunner, this time, instead of in horticulture, Constance Spry is credited with “domesticizing” floral design. 

“I do feel strongly that flowers should be a means a self-expression for everyone.”

Born in the late 19th century, Constance Spry did not begin her career in floral design.  Rather, she began her journey as a teacher.  Her passion for floral arranging emerged (and she married an endearing man who enjoyed her many talents) and she then opened a store “Flower Decorations,” in London.  Her influence on the industry is lasting and marked by a natural, democratic way.  You will notice her arrangements are decidedly undone, with an emphasis on the use of whatever is in your garden—be it an English rose or a weed.  I love the picture of her below.  See Kevin Sharkey’s piece in April’s edition of Martha Stewart Living.

---

David Austin Roses

---

Its exciting to me to learn the names of flowers and plants, training my eye and mind to bring them to remembrance.  So,  we are going to add a new flower to our repertoire.  Or, what I should say, is a whole host of flowers, namely roses, to our repertoire.  David Austin Roses are those bred out of gardens of David C.H. Austin, a British horticulturalist.  He began breeding roses at an early age and became fixed:

His objective being to create new roses in the style of old roses, thus combining the unique charm and fragrance of old roses with the wide colour range and repeat-flowering qualities of modern roses.

So, for our vernacular, we must know Mr. Austin is an esteemed Brit, having been honored by the Queen for his accomplishments in horticulture.  Further, David Austin Roses are “modern,” not “antique.”  Lastly: they are beautiful…and surely the desire of the most classic bride.

David Austin Roses Limited. Web. 20 Apr. 2011. <http://www.davidaustinroses.com>.

---

Color Collective

---

My sister and I were discussing potentially repainting the common areas of her home, which encompass 5 distinct, but fluid, places.  In that vein, we began to consider the unity of colors that the spaces demanded.  Although I am a bit opposed to having a terribly consistent aesthetic in each room of a dwelling, I am conscious of the flow and cohesion needed to make a group of spaces feel natural or organic.  We became fixed on the idea of potentially identifying the palettes “indigenous” to different periods—for example, the 60’s with bright pop colors or the 70’s with pungent hues of teal, orange, and chocolate (these are her favorites!). 

I was so excited to find the Color Collective, after reading Lauren White’s guest posts on Design*Sponge recently.  Her blog is centered on color and those palettes which are both pleasing and natural.  She describes the project as follows:

I created Color Collective as a designers' resource for color. The color palettes are pulled from the work of various designers, artists, and photographers that I am inspired by. I hope you will be inspired too, and use these palettes in your own creative projects!

It would be fun to have her every post be a page in a magazine where one could identify the palettes towards which they are most inclined.  But, in the meantime, her blog is a resource for current and future projects—party planning, outfits, bedding, etc.

(more pictures from Seattle—I’m in need of another trip…haha.)

---

Jane Eyre

---

What a singularly deep impression her injustice seems to have made on your heart... Would you not be happier if you tried to forget her severity, together with the passionate emotions it excited? Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. [emphasis added] 

I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you--especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land come broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. [emphasis added] 

Feeling . . . clamoured wildly. “Oh, comply!” it said. “. . . soothe him; save him; love him; tell him you love him and will be his. Who in the world cares for you? or who will be injured by what you do?” Still indomitable was the reply: “I care for myself. The more solitary, the more friendless, the more unsustained I am, the more I will respect myself. I will keep the law given by God; sanctioned by man. I will hold to the principles received by me when I was sane, and not mad—as I am now. Laws and principles are not for the times when there is no temptation . . . They have a worth—so I have always believed; and if I cannot believe it now, it is because I am insane—quite insane: with my veins running fire, and my heart beating faster than I can count its throbs. [emphasis added]

I had the pleasure of enjoying Jane Eyre this weekend.  It was a feast of language.  The book was adapted beautifully, much of the language untouched; the composition of characters, dress, and scenery was impeccable. 

The dress below was instructive to me.  Jane, in this scene, is to reunite with the seemingly betrothed Rochester.  The “instruction,” to me, in the composition is found in its layering of texture, color, and form.  The bonnet is both stiff and intricate.  The dress, though fit and constructed, is laced with a softer sensibility.  Her gloves provide a sheer quality, which, though intricate, is much less formalized.  The shawl is then layered to add movement, whim, and print.  I also can’t help but savor the carriage door, adding a shade of azure (fun way to said “teal”), with the damask print and purple touch.  Delightful.

Go see the movie.  I can assure you the viewing audience will be 99% women; however, any lover of the English language will be contented with the show. 

Jane Eyre. Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender. Focus Features. 2011.

A little education…

---

A little education: Chinese Chippendale

---

I was going through Wisteria’s newest catalog and had to pause to savor their celadon Chippendale Chairs; so, I thought I would provide us a bit of education regarding the same.

I’ve invested in a succinct dictionary of Antiques & Collectibles to provide the starters for our design education.  “Chinese Chippendale,” was defined accordingly:

A modern term for mid-18th century furniture with any Chinoiserie decoration, as illustrated in the Gentlemen and Cabinet-Makers Director by Thomas Chippendale, and made by his workshop and other contemporary furniture-makers.

Now, chinoiserie, as you will remember, is the European adaptation of Chinese design—the importation of pagodas, bamboo, intricacy, and asymmetry.  So, with an Asian flair, Thomas Chippendale established a name for himself in the furniture business in the early 18th century.  Today, his name remains embedded in the aesthetic of modern furniture.  The Chippendale Society honors the memory of Thomas Chippendale and pays tribute to the lasting effect of this furniture-maker’s work:

Chippendale probably worked as a journeyman cabinet maker and freelance designer before embarking on his great project, the publication of his lavish book The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director. [The MET’s library’s copy is pictured below, to the right.] This appeared in 1754 and illustrated 161 engraved plates of ‘Elegant and Useful Designs of Household Furniture in the Gothic, Chinese and Modern Taste’. It was almost immediately sold out and was reprinted in a second edition the following year. A third edition, with many new plates, appeared in 1762.

I am inspired by the ingenuity of this man’s hand.  He allocated resources to that which he loved, finding such a pleasing result.

“Chinese Chippendale.” Def. A-Z of Antiques and Collectibles. First American Edition. 2008. Chippendale, Thomas. Gothick Bed in Chippendale Drawings Vol 1. 1753. Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York; Chippendale, Thomas. The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker’s Director: Being a Large Collection of Designs of Household Furniture in Gothic, Chinese and Modern Taste. 1754. Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York.

Something to Behold

---

Something to Behold

---

Breton, Jules. The Weeders. 1868. Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York.

Tradhome Unveiled

---

Tradhome Unveiled

---

Have you perused?  It is fabulous.  I love Lonny, but this combination is suited for the student of both the foundations and the trends.  My favorite feature was “10 Things: my mother told me…”  It is perfect.  We’ve talked about many of these designers in previous months:

Heather Lawson of Habitually Chic [an oh-so fabulous blogger, one of the many who inspired me to write]: “Paint common rooms in neutral colors.”

Brad Ford:“Don’t bring the outdoors indoor.”

Susan Kasler [remember—she has the new line with Ballard Designs and now with Hickory Chair]: “Don’t mix your spaces.”

Jesse Carrier and Mara Miller: “Don’t distract from the view.”

Eddie Ross [fabulous blogger and creator of this fabulous tablescape]: “Save the china for special occasions.”

Windsor Smith [recently had a “Tastemaker Sale” on One Kings Lane]: “Don’t get too avant-garde with seating arrangements.”

Sarah Richardson [only my favorite host of my favorite show on HGTV: Sarah’s House]: “Never mix bold patterns.”

Thom Filicia: “Make sure every room has a balanced mix of skirted and non-skirted upholstered furniture.”

Celerie Kimble: [Remember this delightful sitting room? She is also featured in ' target=_blank>Benjamin Moore’s designer line.  She inspired my love for abstracts, along with Sally Benedict King]: “Never hang a mirror horizontally.”

Schuyler Samperton:“Keep small spaces simple.”

Tradhome: A very pleasing composition.  Check it out.

Schoolhouse Electric Co.

---

Schoolhouse Electric Co.

---

Jumping around in search of other information, I came across this interesting company.  Schoolhouse Electric Co. is a lighting company based in Portland.  They now have a store in both Portland and Tribeca (not too far from Bubby’s).  The owner and founder was inspired by a set of original cast-iron molds he happened upon in a New York warehouse.  The rest is history and now the company is teeming, creating new fixtures inspired by those of the late 19th through mid 20th century.  The fixtures are a modern touch on a traditional theme, and, they are pretty reasonable!  Here were a few of my favorites…

Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand

---

Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand

---

The MET’s current exhibition features three late 19th century – early 20th century photographers, Stieglitz, Steichen, and Strand, with 115 photographs from the MET’s permanent collection (I know, how are these not always being featured?).   

 

“Dancing Trees,” was taken by Stieglitz, who stands as the forerunner in this group of talented men.  He evidently provided the seed gift (so to speak), for the MET’s photographic collection, donating 22 of his own works in 1922.  Isn’t this incredible?  The MET, what a dream!  He is apparently my favorite from the database provided of this exhibit; of my favorites below, three are his.  He is credited with “Shadows in the Lake” (1916) and “Mrs. Selma Schubart” (1907).  I can’t resist Mrs. Selma’s color palette.

 

 

“The Flatiron” (1904) is credited to Steichen, a “protégé” of Stieglitz.  The Flatiron building, as I know I have always belabored, holds a sentimental place in my memories.  Nestled near Madison Square Park this beautiful area of the City, houses a fantastic garden and the Shake Shack (which is always worth the wait).  It is perfectly seated north of Union Square and just south of the Empire State Building.  The exhibition describes this work as follows:

Together with two variant prints in other colors, also in the Museum's collection, "The Flatiron" is the quintessential chromatic study of twilight. Clearly indebted in its composition to the Japanese woodcuts that were in vogue at the turn of the century and in its coloristic effect to the "Nocturnes" of Whistler, this picture is a prime example of the conscious effort of photographers in the circle of Alfred Stieglitz to assert the artistic potential of their medium. [emphasis added]

Paul Strand, is credited with “Conversations” (1916) below.  He took his photographs on the streets of New York City and is touted by the exhibit as “pioneer[ing] a shift from the soft-focus Pictorialist aesthetic to the straight approach and graphic power of an emerging modernism.”

 

TradHome

---

TradHome

---

You all know I’m a huge fan of Lonny Magazine, a digital magazine developed by the editors of the “oh-so” wonderful out-of-print Domino Magazine.  If you haven’t subscribed to Lonny yet, get on it.  But, now, there is another subscription that you must make: Tradhome.  On April 12th (Tuesday), they will feature their first digital edition.  I’m genuinely quite excited about this new venture.  If you read Traditional Home, you know that it informs the traditional, foundational notions of interior design.  And, Lonny informs the trends and youthfulness of interior design; I find it to be the 2 minute tribute to the hum of current happenings.  Now, we are blessed with a collaboration of the two:

Meet the love child of Traditional Home and Lonny editors. TradHome combines the style and imagination of both editorial teams to bring you an inspired online magazine that redefines tried-and-true traditional style. It's part Jamie Drake, part Dorothy Draper. Mid-century modern meets Rococo. Kelly Wearstler takes on Louis XVI.

 

Until Tomorrow.

---

Until Tomorrow.

---

I am so excited for the new few weeks of posts.  Although, I know this week has been light and the first quarter, scant; there is so much stirring in me to write.  I picked up Martha Stewart Living today, which you should if you haven’t already, and I am bursting to look into some new ideas and do some new research!  One of my favorite pieces I read from this issue was part of an interview with a homeowner who had recently hired designer Chloe Redmond Warner of Redmond Aldrich Design:

"Sometimes I’d ask Chloe, ‘Is this going to match?’ She’d respond: ‘Its going to look good, but matching is not the point.’”

“Matching only gets you so far.  I like to start with wallpaper and use that to help establish a palette for every room.  Then you need to introduce elements that play nicely with each other. That’s how you achieve a truly personalized, truly interesting look.”

I’ve been thinking about this lately, as I contemplate buying rugs and furniture for rooms I don’t own.  Style is not linear, it is more of a composition, a smattering.  The minute it is linear, you are the manikin. Which is sad, and implicitly not you!  

A Project: My Favorite.

---

A Project: My Favorite.

---

One of my many dear friends brought the most endearing idea to mind recently.  I have found work to be consuming lately.  Though the stress must be continually be managed by prayer and balance, my friend encouraged me to develop those outlets which have always brought  joy and encouraged creativity.  One of the many of these outlets, for me, is flower arranging.  So here is the plan: every month I am to determine two events or merely, recipients.  Then, arrange.  Because nothing is as satisfying to me as learning (goodness, that is an overstatement, but, you get it), I will treat the project as my training.  I will choose a style, season, and variety of flora and fauna to study for the arrangement.  I am excited, and so thankful for my dear friend, who has always had time for me, even for just a walk or cry!  Thank Jesus for the same.

(Pike Place Market…from my trip last year.)

Dancing

---

Dancing

---

I have had many distractions recently—work, fun, friends.  But, now, I have a bit of time.  So, I thought I would indulge my desire to be somewhere else, fancy free.  I found myself a video full of just that on an extension of Anthropologie’s site, entitled “the Anthropologist.”  Now, I have to imagine myself both this graceful and thin. Hahaha.  Enjoy.

In the meantime, I will dig up some of the work of this lovely photographer, David Eustace; and, perhaps, I’ll find more on the beautiful (thin and graceful) ballerina, Tomomi Sato.