Here is an example of a painted coffered ceiling.
Coffering is a beautiful way to add interest and detail to an often ignored part of a room!
Tuesday Terms: Coffering
I have been so taken with this image lately. The ceiling, the trim around the doorway, the detail on the wall paneling, the chair fabric, the art, even the inlay on the dresser all reinforce and repeat Tuesday's Term: Coffering to stunning effect. Coffering is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault. In this image, the coffered ceiling is a beautiful stained wood. ( Interior Design by Steven Gambrel, House Beautiful April 2011)
Here is an example of a painted coffered ceiling.
Coffering is a beautiful way to add interest and detail to an often ignored part of a room!
Here is an example of a painted coffered ceiling.
Coffering is a beautiful way to add interest and detail to an often ignored part of a room!
GEORGE Projects, W Hollywood Hotel
We've been doing some research for a client's lounge redesign. One of the spaces that the client found inspiring is the W Hollywood Hotel. The interior design of the hotel was by a firm called DesignStudio, Ltd out of Portland, Or.
Perhaps we could back-light an onyx countertop like the W's bar...
Or upholster the walls with a metal schluter like they've done here:
And/or perhaps we can incorporate a super cool lighting feature like this dramatic crystal looking chandelier illuminated by all those mirrors cutting it at different angles. Cool!
Have a great weekend!! Hopefully it stops raining in California.
Perhaps we could back-light an onyx countertop like the W's bar...
Or upholster the walls with a metal schluter like they've done here:
And/or perhaps we can incorporate a super cool lighting feature like this dramatic crystal looking chandelier illuminated by all those mirrors cutting it at different angles. Cool!
Have a great weekend!! Hopefully it stops raining in California.
Tuesday Terms: Fortuny Fabrics
Fortuny fabrics, another fantastic Italian export, have long been coveted by the wealthy for their color steadfastness and beauty.
The story goes that Mariano Fortuny y Madrazzo devised a secret technique for producing textiles, using only the finest cotton ground cloth, and with colors so vibrant and plush you might mistake them for silk or velvet. The fabrics endure and develop a richness all of their own as they age. I think the same could be said of this dining room/library with that knock out gilded Saarinen table and Louis XV chairs upholstered in Fortuny fabric.
Image: Design by Fisher Weisman Interior Design, Published in Elle Decor.
The story goes that Mariano Fortuny y Madrazzo devised a secret technique for producing textiles, using only the finest cotton ground cloth, and with colors so vibrant and plush you might mistake them for silk or velvet. The fabrics endure and develop a richness all of their own as they age. I think the same could be said of this dining room/library with that knock out gilded Saarinen table and Louis XV chairs upholstered in Fortuny fabric. Image: Design by Fisher Weisman Interior Design, Published in Elle Decor.
GEORGE Projects, Faux or Faux Pas
Plants. Most of my clients are unsure of themselves when it comes having real or faux plants in their home. Too busy to maintain living plants, they are reluctant to add faux for fear of making a faux pas! What do you think of these pretty sprigs that I used in a recent photo shoot at Westwind Residence... real or faux??
While fresh blooms have a time and a place, (I'm enjoying my blood orange ranunculas from the farmers market right now) faux plants deserve a place in the home too. I use these faux arrangements with faux succulents and candles for entries or bathrooms:
http://www.growingwild.net/catalog.php?category_id=37&limit=12
Other places to look for good faux are Michaels or World Market. Just stick to simple and colors that are true to nature and you will pull it off beautifully!
While fresh blooms have a time and a place, (I'm enjoying my blood orange ranunculas from the farmers market right now) faux plants deserve a place in the home too. I use these faux arrangements with faux succulents and candles for entries or bathrooms:
http://www.growingwild.net/catalog.php?category_id=37&limit=12
Other places to look for good faux are Michaels or World Market. Just stick to simple and colors that are true to nature and you will pull it off beautifully!
Tuesday Terms: Japanning
With our thoughts and prayers with the people of Japan, this week's term will be the same: Japanning. Japanning describes the imitation of Asian lacquer-work by European craftspeople in 18th Century England. It is a lacquering process that uses layers of resin varnish, similar to shellac, upon a wooden surface to achieve a smooth glossy finish. It would typically have Asian inspired motifs painted on the finish.
An example would be something like this:
But I think a more modern example of this idea would be this elm Wood "Dynasty" chest from Horchow:
Or even this interesting "Joule" console, also from Horchow, which is handcrafted of wood with a silver-gilt finish:
And while she knows nothing of Japanning, a 3-month old baby Selby does seem to have mastered sunning on her recent excursion to Hawaii:
An example would be something like this:
But I think a more modern example of this idea would be this elm Wood "Dynasty" chest from Horchow:
Or even this interesting "Joule" console, also from Horchow, which is handcrafted of wood with a silver-gilt finish:
And while she knows nothing of Japanning, a 3-month old baby Selby does seem to have mastered sunning on her recent excursion to Hawaii:
Tuesday Terms, Aloha...
From Hawaii, where I'll be enjoying some R&R and getting inspired!! See you next week!
Saturday Trend: Agent Orange
You know that feeling when you make a prediction and it comes to fruition and you just wish you had documented it for proof!! For some reason (my husband will actually back me up on this!) I have a knack for calling color trends and this time I have documentation! Check out this February 20-22 WSJ article entitled "Orange Crush" which reports on all the orange being found on the runways, etc....
And now for the proof at last!!!!! Check out my Feb 04 blog posting here: www.georgeinteriordesign.blogspot.com/2011/02/george-westwind-residence.html
And now for the proof at last!!!!! Check out my Feb 04 blog posting here: www.georgeinteriordesign.blogspot.com/2011/02/george-westwind-residence.html
GEORGE Projects, 28th Street Accent Chair
We've never been able to show you the left side of the 28th Street Residence Living Room before because we were waiting and waiting for the Gramercy side chair, upholstered in our own fabric, to come in from Ballard Designs. If you haven't noticed, Ballard has excellent upholstery items, priced super reasonably. There is just one catch... they didn't anticipate the massive demand for such a thing and the lead times are astounding. If you have the time/patience to wait, you can come out a real winner however, like with this nicely proportioned accent chair below!
Tuesday Terms, Edison Bulb
You've probably noticed the Edison Bulb, a clear glass light bulb with the single loop carbon filament exposed at the center, popping up everywhere. They are truly beautiful to look at; to literally see energy harnessed for light.. . They can be a statement all alone or sometimes even better, paired with a translucent light fixture like they are in this kitchen below.
They'll run you around $15.00 or so depending on where you buy them but they're worth it because you'll love the way they look!