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Laura Kirar

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Laura Kirar, a Manhattan based furniture and interior designer, was recently featured in New York Social Diary's "DecoratorSeries".  Her apartment on the Upper East Side, where she lives with her husband and cat, is very different.  There is a feeling of restraint and ease to her space; perfect for a small apartment.  Thought I would give you a peek!  I love her dining room table!

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Hotel Luxury

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One of my sisters, who has fantastic taste, has decided to redo her master bedroom and enlisted my help in the transformation.  I think it is fair to entitle our project "Hotel Luxury."  My sister, not unlike most others, enjoys nice things and loves to spend time in her bedroom.  So, we are aiming for hotel luxury with a aire of formality, a rich pallette and indulgent linens.  The framed piece below currently hangs in another room in her home; it established our design trajectory. 

I'm hoping after we are finished, you won't know if the 'hotel room' is by the ocean, or, in a hidden up-scale boutique hotel in the Upper West Side.  The walls will be a muddy gray.  Our "60%" color is gray, "30%" color is gold, and our "10%" color is rust pink (See my Games in Color Post).  I will have a little sketch for you soon, but in the meantime, here is our digital inspiration board. 

I'll keep you abreast of our progress and, of course, the finished product in less than 2 weeks!

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Private Collections

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I recently read an article about 3 private collections of art and I began to wonder, what is your philosophy on museums versus private collections?  Have you ever thought about it?  Are you of the mind that an original Vermeer, lets say, is wasted in a private collection?  Do you think there is an unspoken social contract that insists on art being enjoyed by the public?  Maybe, we have an obligation to the artist to allow the public to enjoy the work?  I'm torn.  It would be sad to never realize the intricasy of a Suerat or the eccentricity of a Dali in person.  Even a Van Gogh, which is often over-saturated with exposure in prints and stationary, is a remarkable thing in person.  Oftentimes, however, the public has the opportunity to enjoy those paintings that are owned privately. 

For example, there is, to the extent it is known, only one original Vermeer privately held.  All others are housed in the RijksMuseum in Amsterdam or in the permanent collections of other museums.  The Chrysler Museum  of Art recently had the privilege of showing this concealed piece of art. Thankfully, art collectors have an appreciation for art, as well as generally a desire to see it preseved and admired, which often allows museums, not unlike the Chrysler, to borrow their collections temporarily.  The "Young Woman Seated at a Virginal" is beautiful and a treasure to be sure--thankfully, for both the public and the private art collector to see.  

                                                 

Other such private collections include those of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.  Interestingly enough, both moviemakers have an appreciation for Norman Rockwell originals.  Recently, they have partnered with the Smithsonian American Art Museum in a new exhibition that opened July 2nd.  "Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell from the Collections of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg" showcases 57 Rockwell originals and higlights the significance and interplay of Rockwell's subjects and the movie industry.  It is refreshing to see such a long exhibit, I might just get a chance to see it!  The exhibit closes January 2, 2011.  Below are some of the originals that, I can only imagine, are usually hung in Lucas' or Spielberg's homes.

From Spielberg's Collection:

                                                 

From Lucas' Collection:

Suerat, Georges. Bath at Asnieres. c.1883-84. National Gallery, London. Dali, Salvador. Woman at the Window (Muchacha en la Ventana). oil on board. 1925.
Vermeer, Johannes. A Young Woman Seated At a Virginal. c.1670-1672. Oil on Canvas. Private Collection, New York.
Rockwell, Norman. Let Nothing You Dismay. Ladies Home Journal. July 1941. oil on canvas. Collection of Steven Spielberg.
Rockwell, Norman. The Connossieur. The Saturday Evening Post. January 13, 1962. oil on canvasmounted on board. Collection of Steven Spielberg
Rockwell, Norman. First Trip to a Beauty Shop. Top Value trading stamp catalogue. 1972. oil on canvas. Collection of George Lucas.
Rockwell, Norman. Shadow Artist. The Country Gentleman. February 7, 1920. oil on canvas. Collection of George Lucas.
Rockwell, Norman. Can't Wait. Boy Scouts of America Calendar. 1972. charcoal on paper. Collection of George Lucas.
Rockwell, Norman. The Flirt. The Saturday Evening Post. July 26, 1941. oil on canvas. Collection of Steven Spielberg.

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Collages: The Work and Pleasure
Part 2

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Did you find the tips from Shelley Myers helpful?  I hope so.  But, to continue, I've read that it is good to couple strong expressions of color, fabric, and form with simple touches that structurally stand up to your "umph" piece.  Collages or "montages" are perfect supporting actors.  Below, you'll find that the collages don't encompass the strongest pieces in the room--nor do they have to include too much variation of color or texture.  Accentuation is often unnecessary in a collage.  Do you have a favorite from below? 

Bill Brockschmidt & Richard Dragisic's Home - New York Social Diary

Angie Hranowsky

David Kaihoi     

Pottery Barn 

So what is the take-away?  Don't let your bare walls scare you and don't insist on buying the framed oversized poster to occupy the space!  Play with frames, composition, and negative white spaces.  You have a little work in the meantime, but, in the end, the wall will be well worth the effort!

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Turquoise

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Has anyone ever told you that turquoise or teal is the color which everyone can wear?  I certainly don't know if that is true, but it is a pleasing palette for the eye, is it not?  I like it in accents, jewelry, vases,  and throw pillows.  Check out the goods below.

Ginseng Pine Sage Pillows - Ruby Stella's Etsy Shop

Turquoise and Gold Vintage Bottle - Shorely Chic's Etsy Shop

Teal Park Slope Jute Weekender - drikab.'s Etsy Shop

Gold, Turquoise, and Red Coral Queen Earrings - Yifat Bareket's Etsy Shop

Find something you are passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.

- Julia Child

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Collages: The Work and Pleasure
Part 1

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I never tire of a wall of nicely matted personal effects and photographs. Traveling, and life's big events, generally result in momentos--the movie stub, crinkled street map, photograph, or flea market find.  I have a few such keepsakes.  Like the recipe card I snatched from my mom's kitchen drawer; one given to her by her mom.  It is written in my grandmother's hand and explains the steps to a treat which will ever remind me of her.  Or, the 2009-2010 Calendar for the MET; it lists the exhibitions and events that occurred during my stay in Manhattan.  Clipped to the side are a collection of admission pins.  They are in an array of colors and remind me of the nights my girlfriends and I would hop on the train and visit the Museum before close when few tourists were around (This is such an enjoyable time to tour the MET).  These memories deserve a simple frame, a large mat, and a spot on one of my walls!

I always look forward to the airline terminal magazine purchase.  You know, the one you keep yourself from indulging in as you wait, until you are restfully in your not so roomy seat on the plane.  The following helpful hints about creating a collage or "montage" were on one of the pages I viewed from 35,000 feet.  As included in Small Room Decorating, Shelley Myers, an architect, discussed her tips on creating a wall of well-matted frames:

(1) Test it Out     Mock up a sample display before finalizing the layout.  Tape up car-board forms, ct to the size of your frames, or use blue painter's tape to outline the placement of shapes on the wall.  Rearrange as needed.  The goal should be a display that is dynamic but not cluttered.

(2) Find a Mix     With so many endless variables--frame color, size and style; mat color and size;  color versus black-and-white photos--choose some elements that will remain consistent (a simple or ornate style of frame, for example) and vary other elements (such as color of frame).

(3) Pick a Height    The center of your montage should be at eye level (around  5 1/2 to 6 feet), but other measurements, such as the top of your display, can tie into parts of the built structure, like the height of a door frame.

(4) Balance Yin & Yang     Anchor the overall display by placing similar-size, larger frames at opposite corners and fill in with small groupings in between.

(5) Think in Threes     Unless you want a very formal effect, groupings of threes look more relaxed than twos.

(6) Play with Scale     Photos filled with people can make a display very busy, so experiment with some large mats are much smaller photos, such as a 4 x 4 inch snapshot within a 2 x 2 foot frame.

...

(7) Drill it In     To protect the finish of drywall or plaster walls, use drywall screws instead of picture hooks.  Install them with a handheld electric  drill.

(8) Protect It     Take extra care of your walls by using rubber bumpers or felt pads on the backs of rames to avoid scratching--especially if your walls are covered with wallpaper.

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Mara Bragg.  Fall 2010. Small Room Decorating. Living Large. No. 132. 38-45.

Tomorrow, we will discuss collages or "montages" further, and I'll give you a peek of some top-notch examples that, for a bit of work, will give years of pleasure.  See you then.