The Met

Although a recent visit to The Met was certainly inspiring, I am still feeling overwhelmed by my Visual Concepts research and project.  Onward!

dream kitchen

Someday I'd like to have an Ina Garten inspired black and white kitchen with open shelving, hardwood floors and gas Viking range . . .

My final project in design school is a kitchen, so I have them on the brain right now :)

Dorothy Draper & Company

Did you know there is a Dorothy Draper + Company school of decorating?  How fun would it be to go and spend a week at the gorgeous Greenbrier and take classes and tours with Carleton Varney?  Studying Dorothy Draper's style, learning to give rooms personality and harmony, tools of the trade, around the house and around the world and creating the 'wow' factor are just some of what is offered.  Details can be found here. 

from The New York Times

Drafting course

The required drafting portion of design school just concluded for me.  Much gratitude is owed to my architect instructor (who has his own very busy practice) for taking the time to teach this class and for his excellent constructive critiquing~it made it that much sweeter when he was impressed.  He told us at the beginning that our drawings would be beautiful and I doubted him.  But in the final class, it was obvious how much we all had learned.  Only 8 of the original 18 completed the course and it was worth it to finish. :D

 My elevation of a closet built-in.

Dream finishes--Scalamandre zebras wallpaper, Barcelona bench, beautiful wool rug and glam chandelier.

The Petit Trianon

Yet another French post.  I've been spending my days with Francois 1er, Marie Antoinette and Madame Pompadour :)  A place that intrigues me is Petit Trianon and Hameau de la reine.  I can see why Marie Antoinette spent time here as a respite away from the very formal Versailles.  At the end, a video of Paris at night has been included, it's a must see.

 Petit Trianon

 Hameau de la reine

and here is the video

Le Flâneur (music by The XX) from Luke Shepard on Vimeo.

Rendering

Classes have started up again and for the first time I'm taking three at one time.  Rendering is an elective and the instructor is an amazing French architect.  What has surprised me is the amount of homework and how many supplies are needed for this class.  It has been a long time since I took an art course, it's a great reminder of "the more you learn, the less you know."  Even though I feel a bit overwhelmed, the class is enjoyable and makes us all stretch.

my homework

 the instructor's samples

Countertops

My Materials class is studying countertops right now and it is so interesting.  The instructor delved into how each of the natural stones are formed by the Earth which helps us understand durability, appropriate usage and maintenance needs.  We went over all types of natural stone to recycled glass and everything in between.  But the most interesting to me was cement and how it can be customized.  It can be made into any color, the edges can be decorative and imprints can be made--anything from a leaf to your college alma mater's logo.  She shared a story about creating a cocktail table with a client, a base was purchased and a custom cement tabletop was created with three different colors to look like abstract art.  It is expensive and takes 28 days to cure, but is very durable and beautiful.

images from absolute concrete, pure contemporary, concrete countertop institute

Field trip

My Principles class took a great field trip last week to the New Jersey Decorating Exchange.  This picture was taken while we were in the fabric room.  Our host has been in the design field for many years and provided us with great information and resources.  I look forward to working with them in the future.

New York School of Interior Design

The other night I attended one of the New York School of Interior Design's lecture series events.

A big thanks to my friend Michele who gave me a tour and is endlessly interesting to talk to!  This is a great series~free and open to the public.

Williams-Sonoma Designer Series

 Last week in my Materials, Finishes + Sources class, the lecture and discussion was on selection criteria for interior materials.  There is much to consider.  Budget, design concept, existing conditions and client's habits are just some of the things that need to be analyzed.  This interview with Heather Clawson sums up many of these issues perfectly. 

In addition to owning her own interior design and consulting business, Heather Clawson is the author of the popular design blog Habitually Chic.

Listen before you leap. I start by talking to my clients to get a better feel for their aesthetic and how they envision using the space. Knowing if they plan to entertain, need child-friendly fabrics, or have pieces that can be moved from another room or taken out of storage is key. It's also crucial to figure out the budget so that I can make the right choices and get the most for a client's money. Paint and wallpaper can make a huge impact, so I try to pinpoint what's happening on the walls early on in the process.
Think practically. Designers have to avoid forcing their will on clients or choosing the most expensive options instead of thinking about how a room will actually be used. I was at a beach house in the Hamptons recently, and was shocked that the designer had chosen silk fabric for the sofas in the living room across from the pool. In a family with four boys, it seems inevitable that one or all of them might run in from the pool and sit on the sofa with wet hair or bathing suits! I always try to think of all possible problems that might occur before the design is executed.
Have a seat. When I'm selecting a sofa, comfort comes first. I have a client now who is 6'5" so though I made suggestions, he really needed to go to showrooms and try out different styles to sort out what felt best for someone of his height. Another important thing to do when picking a sofa for a New York City apartment is to make sure it will fit in the freight elevator and through the doorway!
Be consistent. It's easiest to stick with neutrals for larger upholstered pieces, and work in brighter colors with throw pillows, which are less of a hassle and cheaper to swap out if you get sick of them. Make sure that the palette of each room works within the context of the entire house. This is especially important in smaller city apartments where one room tends to bleed into another.
Pay attention to detail. Without accessories, a room reminds me of a woman who got dressed and forgot to put on jewelry. Small accents create another layer and keep a space from looking cold or boring. I avoid buying everything from the same store or period. The most interesting spaces offer a mix of modern and antique from a bunch of different sources. Flowers or potted plants help create a warm and inviting environment. Placing favorite books on a table and a cashmere throw blanket on the arm of a chair also sets a nice mood.
Make it your own. A house should feel personal to a client. I love incorporating family heirlooms or anything that has a lot of sentimental value. If we're starting totally from scratch, I try to choose pieces like marble Buddha heads or old art books that look like the client could have picked them up along their travels or inherited them. I don't want anything to look too done—a space should never look like a designer came in and did it all.
from Williams-Sonoma designer series

back to school

My design classes started yesterday--I am taking Principles of Interior Design and Interior Materials, Finishes + Sources this semester.  It was a busy day--after getting both girls off to their respective schools, grabbing my Starbucks, attending 3 hours of class, running a couple errands, school pick-up and a quick appointment at the pediatrician I was wiped!  It didn't help that it was 87 degrees yesterday, that's noodledom for me.  Anyway, I am happy to be back in school with these interesting, creative women soaking it all up :)