What I love most about Rachel's designs is her use of color and sculptural accent furniture. For example, take notice of her choice of accent tables when you browse her portfolio. Simply marvelous!
Which ideas would you borrow from Rachel's designs?
Showing posts with label family-friendly design. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family-friendly design. Show all posts
THE SOFTER SIDE OF MODERN DESIGN
Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Boston-based interior designer Rachel Reider for houzz.com. The interview's focus is on a contemporary home in which Rachel incorporated diverse materials and textures to create what she calls "soft modern." Click here to read the article and indulge in these gorgeous spaces.
What I love most about Rachel's designs is her use of color and sculptural accent furniture. For example, take notice of her choice of accent tables when you browse her portfolio. Simply marvelous!
Which ideas would you borrow from Rachel's designs?
What I love most about Rachel's designs is her use of color and sculptural accent furniture. For example, take notice of her choice of accent tables when you browse her portfolio. Simply marvelous!
Which ideas would you borrow from Rachel's designs?
OVERSIZED PHOTOGRAPHY
One of my latest design projects includes the use of oversized photography. My clients, a newlywed couple I worked with last year, invited me back to work on the family room. They already have their major furniture items and custom built-in bookcases and are now looking for help with accessorizing the space.
One of their requests is to showcase their engagement photos somewhere in the space. Wanting to propose something a bit more daring than the usual gallery wall, I presented them with this inspiration image:
A formidable grid of oversized photography makes for an impressive statement in any setting...and most unexpected in a family room!
There was a brief silence followed by the words I hoped to hear, "I love it!" [insert wife's hand clapping here]. Without further delay I headed to Ikea to pick up 6 of these 24" x 40" Ribba frames priced at $24.99. Not bad.
Once seeing these babies in person I seriously thought twice about this design [ok maybe three times]. Enormous I tell ya. But the most awesome part of the story is that my clients aren't the least bit intimidated and we're pressing on.
The prints were ordered on Friday and we are all so anxious to get the first frame hung. Stay tuned for updates.
Need more inspiration? Here are a few more images to get your creative juices flowing:
This layout was one of my first considerations because of it's conservative display of one photo. I also loved that it was flanked by two wall lamps leaving more surface area on the end tables. image: Mrs. Howard
If my clients decided against the grid display in the family room, I would've suggested using an oversized photo in their entry way. image: Jeffers Design Group
Black and white photography also is a viable option, but for the images I'm working with, color would be best! image: Traditional Home
One of their requests is to showcase their engagement photos somewhere in the space. Wanting to propose something a bit more daring than the usual gallery wall, I presented them with this inspiration image:
A formidable grid of oversized photography makes for an impressive statement in any setting...and most unexpected in a family room!
There was a brief silence followed by the words I hoped to hear, "I love it!" [insert wife's hand clapping here]. Without further delay I headed to Ikea to pick up 6 of these 24" x 40" Ribba frames priced at $24.99. Not bad.
Once seeing these babies in person I seriously thought twice about this design [ok maybe three times]. Enormous I tell ya. But the most awesome part of the story is that my clients aren't the least bit intimidated and we're pressing on.
The prints were ordered on Friday and we are all so anxious to get the first frame hung. Stay tuned for updates.
Need more inspiration? Here are a few more images to get your creative juices flowing:
This layout was one of my first considerations because of it's conservative display of one photo. I also loved that it was flanked by two wall lamps leaving more surface area on the end tables. image: Mrs. Howard
If my clients decided against the grid display in the family room, I would've suggested using an oversized photo in their entry way. image: Jeffers Design Group
Black and white photography also is a viable option, but for the images I'm working with, color would be best! image: Traditional Home Have you displayed oversized photography in your home? If so, share your spaces with us on my facebook page! What do you think about the proposed design?
Tastemaker Tuesday: Palmer Weiss
Widely known as one of Domino Magazine's top 10 for 2008, but better known for her sprightly interiors, Palmer Weiss has great design running through her veins. I'm convinced she was groomed for this position from birth considering the fact her mother is an accomplished interior designer and her father in real estate development. I should also mention she holds an ivy league education from Brown University and MBA from Northwestern University. She's not only an artist, but an equally capable businesswoman whom I admire.
How has your Southern upbringing influenced you as a designer?
I talk a lot about the role my Southern roots has played in my design. I am sure many people feel that their childhood environment influenced their design regardless of the geography. To me, Southerners (especially Charlestonians) are very tied to history and the legacy of their ancestors and along with that, cherish or at least live with, many heirlooms from the past. There is a comfort with antiques and art that I don’t feel is quite as ubiquitous elsewhere or at least on the West Coast.
And if you have ever read a Pat Conroy book or seen a movie like Steel Magnolias, you also know that the South is full of unapologetic characters. I love how Southerners embrace their eccentricities and even celebrate them. I feel like this is reflected in the décor of homes. As a small example, my aunt has a beautiful classically designed house with the wildest looking Southern folk pottery scattered throughout. The faces on these things look like the boogey man incarnate and I love that they are right alongside English Staffordshire and Chinese export pieces.
Define your signature style.
This is always a tough question for me – boiling down all of the styles, objects, furniture periods, etc into one succinct sound byte. On any given day, I feel like I could answer the question totally differently. I guess if I had to sum it up I would say that I have a classic style with a modern, colorful pop. To elaborate, I love classic scale and proportions, furniture arrangements, and clean lines. To this, I like to infuse modern pieces – (I am on a big mid-century kick right now) and a great deal of vibrant color and fun bursts of patterned fabric.
With Spring’s pending arrival, what are you doing to “lighten” the décor in your own home?
Life in San Francisco is fairly Season-less and if anything, summer can be the gloomiest and coldest time, so I am not really lightening anything up for the Spring! However, I am always tweaking things at my house and trying to find ways to contain the chaos and clutter of life with children. I recently moved my office out of my house and have re-purposed the space as my girls’ playroom and am enjoying reclaiming our kitchen den as a family seating area rather than toy depository!
When not designing I am…
Taking care of or playing with my two little girls.
Heroes...
Anyone who does hard work for little or even no pay to improve the lives of others – teachers, firemen, social workers and nearest to my heart, the volunteers at Discovery Blind Sports who give up their weekends to teach those with vision impairments how to ski or make sure they can enjoy themselves with a guide on the slopes.
Highest Compliment…
My mom asking me for decorating advice.
Lucky Break…
Getting in the Domino Top 10
Eureka Moment…
The day I decided that I was not cut out for corporate America and that I should follow my dream of owning my own (creative) business.
Looking forward to…
Our family trip to Mexico in April – bring on the margaritas!!
Best Advice…
Do what you love and the _____ (fill in the blank…money, happiness, success, whatever it is you seek) will follow.
Thanks so much Palmer for your time, talents, and free decorating advice! We continue to follow (and adore) your work and always wish you nothing but the very best!
How has your Southern upbringing influenced you as a designer?
I talk a lot about the role my Southern roots has played in my design. I am sure many people feel that their childhood environment influenced their design regardless of the geography. To me, Southerners (especially Charlestonians) are very tied to history and the legacy of their ancestors and along with that, cherish or at least live with, many heirlooms from the past. There is a comfort with antiques and art that I don’t feel is quite as ubiquitous elsewhere or at least on the West Coast.
And if you have ever read a Pat Conroy book or seen a movie like Steel Magnolias, you also know that the South is full of unapologetic characters. I love how Southerners embrace their eccentricities and even celebrate them. I feel like this is reflected in the décor of homes. As a small example, my aunt has a beautiful classically designed house with the wildest looking Southern folk pottery scattered throughout. The faces on these things look like the boogey man incarnate and I love that they are right alongside English Staffordshire and Chinese export pieces.
Define your signature style.
This is always a tough question for me – boiling down all of the styles, objects, furniture periods, etc into one succinct sound byte. On any given day, I feel like I could answer the question totally differently. I guess if I had to sum it up I would say that I have a classic style with a modern, colorful pop. To elaborate, I love classic scale and proportions, furniture arrangements, and clean lines. To this, I like to infuse modern pieces – (I am on a big mid-century kick right now) and a great deal of vibrant color and fun bursts of patterned fabric.
With Spring’s pending arrival, what are you doing to “lighten” the décor in your own home?
Life in San Francisco is fairly Season-less and if anything, summer can be the gloomiest and coldest time, so I am not really lightening anything up for the Spring! However, I am always tweaking things at my house and trying to find ways to contain the chaos and clutter of life with children. I recently moved my office out of my house and have re-purposed the space as my girls’ playroom and am enjoying reclaiming our kitchen den as a family seating area rather than toy depository!
When not designing I am…
Taking care of or playing with my two little girls.
Heroes...
Anyone who does hard work for little or even no pay to improve the lives of others – teachers, firemen, social workers and nearest to my heart, the volunteers at Discovery Blind Sports who give up their weekends to teach those with vision impairments how to ski or make sure they can enjoy themselves with a guide on the slopes.
Highest Compliment…
My mom asking me for decorating advice.
Lucky Break…
Getting in the Domino Top 10
The day I decided that I was not cut out for corporate America and that I should follow my dream of owning my own (creative) business.
Looking forward to…
Our family trip to Mexico in April – bring on the margaritas!!
Best Advice…
Do what you love and the _____ (fill in the blank…money, happiness, success, whatever it is you seek) will follow.
Thanks so much Palmer for your time, talents, and free decorating advice! We continue to follow (and adore) your work and always wish you nothing but the very best!
{images courtesy of Palmer Weiss Interior Design}
Tastemaker Tuesday: Susan Hornbeak Ortiz
Known for creating one of the most fashion forward lifestyle lines in the interior design industry, tastemaker Susan Hornbeak Ortiz shows us how inspiration can be found all around us, especially in the things we love. In this interview with BluLabel Bungalow, she gives an intimate look into the birth of her business (Shine by S.H.O.), her personal style, tips on making a style statement in your home, and why her next venture my be in fashion and jewelry design.
Erika Ward: How did you enter the design business?
Susan Ortiz: My mother started her interior design business when I was 2. I grew up with architects, designers and builders (my father was a builder, my grandfather was an architect). My education in design
was very informal where I observed and absorbed this world from a very young age. I grew up reading floor plans, walking jobs sites, and frolicking in fabric. My formal education, however, is in fine art. I received my MFA from UCLA in sculpture and photography in 1990. I have been a working artist for most of my professional career. In the Fall of 2004 my husband and I decided to move back to California (from Portland, Oregon) to be with family. I needed a break from the art world and decided to dive back into design. I launched Shine officially in January 2005 + never looked back....
I had a “clutch my pearls” moment when I saw your lighting designs, what inspires you to create such gorgeous pieces?
You're so kind - thank you....I am drawn to making beautiful objects and lighting seemed like a logical place to begin. My mother gave me a wonderful vintage glass lamp for my 35th birthday. That lamp became my touchstone...it truly inspired me.
As for process and design, my background in sculpture and fine art play a strong role in the success of the designs. I do not "source" my lighting. All of my designs begin as a small sketch in my sketchbook (always with me), then they evolve into a CAD drawing for the factory. The artisans in the factory then carve a mold off of these sketches. Most of the initial approval and discussions are done via email (I am a Photoshop junkie) but some travel is involved. I do go to China to approve all the designs and put the final touches on the line. This experience could fill a book! I am currently working on a high end lighting line that will be fabricated in the USA. I am very excited about this project...
How do you describe your personal style?
Coastal Couture....my signature style is a unique approach to coastal living that is global, eclectic, and modern. I am fearless with my use of color and pattern-I have no problem breaking the traditional rules. I feel very strongly about the couture and "crafted" portion of the line - Shine is about beautifully crafted and bespoke furniture.
With turquoise as the Pantone Color of the Year, can you give us three color palettes that contain the color turquoise?
My favorite color is Turquoise (all hues) and whites w/ a touch of metallic silver.
I also love turquoise and pink (very punchy and a little more risky) the safest combo and more soothing would and turquoise and chocolate (earth + water).
In the design of your own home, is there a particular color you are drawn to?
Turquoise (and blue) is my comfort color. Being near the beach and having a pool, it is the color that I am constantly surrounded by. It is a soothing color...water + sky...submersion + freedom ...I believe the ocean is our mirror to heaven...I also do not leave the house without a piece of turquoise jewelry on (I have a wonderful collection of old + new pieces).
What are three ways we can make the greatest style statement while maintaining a family-friendly environment?
Fabrics and finishes become important when designing for a young family. I do not feel you need to sacrifice style for practicality. I use high tech fabrics (especially designed for Shine) on tightly upholstered items. I also love the crisp, shiny texture of the vinyl patents - they are chic and very durable. Wood finishes are important as well. I use the lacquer finishes only in low traffic areas (they are more delicate) and use my natural cerused
oak finishes in areas that have higher traffic. Fantastic chandeliers can add drama and charm to any space + they are hung well above out of harms way (unless they are playing ball in the house!). Lastly art, if you can't afford original art be creative blow up small family photos and print on canvas. Also, scan and print fabrics and frame in interesting frames. Let the walls in your house express who you are as a family.
What do you think about fashion and its influence on interior design?
Fashion is my "go to" inspiration source. It is one of the main things that inspires me and drives me to create.
I watch all the new collections from Paris and NYC on the web, devour fashion magazines and photograph interesting store windows in Paris, Hong Kong, and NYC. Sometimes I think I am in the wrong business because I am so drawn to fashion and constantly creating and sketching. The metabolism in the furniture business is very slow. Ideas that I worked on 3 years ago are now just being accepted in the marketplace which is very different from fashion. I am full of ideas that have yet to be made or fabricated. Maybe in the future Shine will expand into fashion and jewelry design...
As a wife, mother of 4 and entrepreneur, describe a “typical” day in your life?
Oh my - this is crazy!
5:00am (earlier if I can't sleep)
This is my morning time (with no interruptions) to be quiet, possibly sketch, return emails, and start the day with my European office and wrap up with the factories over seas.
6:30 - 8:30am
My husband and I share in the morning routine...start breakfast/make lunches. Get all 4 kids up (kids range from ages 7 - 17) and out the door. We deal with a large gap in ages/issues - mornings are interesting! Off to school (Russ takes High school and I do Elementary) Back home to finish getting ready/chores/tidy the house....leave for work by 8:30 am (office/studio is 5 minutes from the house).
9:00am The fun begins...
Mornings are spent catching up with emails and organizing my assistant and team on the day. Everyday seems to have a cadence or theme. We have days where we are billing/shipping, production days that are devoted to checking on all orders/visiting our upholstery factory in LA. etc. I may have a meeting with a fabric rep or a photo shoot for a new introduction.
by 12:00pm
I have had my daily conference call with my European office (as their day is ending) we also chat on Basecamp to keep all our current projects/clients up to date. Afternoons are dedicated to juggling customers and balancing design time. When I am working on a new collection I seclude myself for weeks at a time (away from all the chaos and phones) so I can focus.
3:00pm
Kids are out of school and my mother in law (a Saint) does all the pick up etc. We have typical family after school stuff - tutoring, music and sports - everyone is going in a million directions - when all 4 have activities my assistant and I may dive in with pick ups and drop offs. I get a lot of phone calls from them around 3pm - this is not my quiet time!
Other days...
I try to add a work out in the morning or afternoon 3x's a week (to relieve the stress) and of course....when I travel for business this schedule completely gets blown to bits! I am in Paris 2x's a year for a few weeks at a time. My husband and I try not to overlap with our travel schedules so we can have some sort of consistency and balance in our family. I am due to go back to Europe for a showroom opening in Monte Carlo in April - very excited (please, take me with you).
What a day! As the busy woman you are, thanks so much Susan for taking the time to share with us and to you my readers for your comments!
Erika Ward: How did you enter the design business?
Susan Ortiz: My mother started her interior design business when I was 2. I grew up with architects, designers and builders (my father was a builder, my grandfather was an architect). My education in design
was very informal where I observed and absorbed this world from a very young age. I grew up reading floor plans, walking jobs sites, and frolicking in fabric. My formal education, however, is in fine art. I received my MFA from UCLA in sculpture and photography in 1990. I have been a working artist for most of my professional career. In the Fall of 2004 my husband and I decided to move back to California (from Portland, Oregon) to be with family. I needed a break from the art world and decided to dive back into design. I launched Shine officially in January 2005 + never looked back....
I had a “clutch my pearls” moment when I saw your lighting designs, what inspires you to create such gorgeous pieces?
You're so kind - thank you....I am drawn to making beautiful objects and lighting seemed like a logical place to begin. My mother gave me a wonderful vintage glass lamp for my 35th birthday. That lamp became my touchstone...it truly inspired me.
As for process and design, my background in sculpture and fine art play a strong role in the success of the designs. I do not "source" my lighting. All of my designs begin as a small sketch in my sketchbook (always with me), then they evolve into a CAD drawing for the factory. The artisans in the factory then carve a mold off of these sketches. Most of the initial approval and discussions are done via email (I am a Photoshop junkie) but some travel is involved. I do go to China to approve all the designs and put the final touches on the line. This experience could fill a book! I am currently working on a high end lighting line that will be fabricated in the USA. I am very excited about this project...
How do you describe your personal style?
Coastal Couture....my signature style is a unique approach to coastal living that is global, eclectic, and modern. I am fearless with my use of color and pattern-I have no problem breaking the traditional rules. I feel very strongly about the couture and "crafted" portion of the line - Shine is about beautifully crafted and bespoke furniture.
With turquoise as the Pantone Color of the Year, can you give us three color palettes that contain the color turquoise?
My favorite color is Turquoise (all hues) and whites w/ a touch of metallic silver.
I also love turquoise and pink (very punchy and a little more risky) the safest combo and more soothing would and turquoise and chocolate (earth + water).
In the design of your own home, is there a particular color you are drawn to?
Turquoise (and blue) is my comfort color. Being near the beach and having a pool, it is the color that I am constantly surrounded by. It is a soothing color...water + sky...submersion + freedom ...I believe the ocean is our mirror to heaven...I also do not leave the house without a piece of turquoise jewelry on (I have a wonderful collection of old + new pieces).
What are three ways we can make the greatest style statement while maintaining a family-friendly environment?
Fabrics and finishes become important when designing for a young family. I do not feel you need to sacrifice style for practicality. I use high tech fabrics (especially designed for Shine) on tightly upholstered items. I also love the crisp, shiny texture of the vinyl patents - they are chic and very durable. Wood finishes are important as well. I use the lacquer finishes only in low traffic areas (they are more delicate) and use my natural cerused
oak finishes in areas that have higher traffic. Fantastic chandeliers can add drama and charm to any space + they are hung well above out of harms way (unless they are playing ball in the house!). Lastly art, if you can't afford original art be creative blow up small family photos and print on canvas. Also, scan and print fabrics and frame in interesting frames. Let the walls in your house express who you are as a family.
What do you think about fashion and its influence on interior design?
Fashion is my "go to" inspiration source. It is one of the main things that inspires me and drives me to create.
I watch all the new collections from Paris and NYC on the web, devour fashion magazines and photograph interesting store windows in Paris, Hong Kong, and NYC. Sometimes I think I am in the wrong business because I am so drawn to fashion and constantly creating and sketching. The metabolism in the furniture business is very slow. Ideas that I worked on 3 years ago are now just being accepted in the marketplace which is very different from fashion. I am full of ideas that have yet to be made or fabricated. Maybe in the future Shine will expand into fashion and jewelry design...
As a wife, mother of 4 and entrepreneur, describe a “typical” day in your life?
Oh my - this is crazy!
5:00am (earlier if I can't sleep)
This is my morning time (with no interruptions) to be quiet, possibly sketch, return emails, and start the day with my European office and wrap up with the factories over seas.
6:30 - 8:30am
My husband and I share in the morning routine...start breakfast/make lunches. Get all 4 kids up (kids range from ages 7 - 17) and out the door. We deal with a large gap in ages/issues - mornings are interesting! Off to school (Russ takes High school and I do Elementary) Back home to finish getting ready/chores/tidy the house....leave for work by 8:30 am (office/studio is 5 minutes from the house).
9:00am The fun begins...
Mornings are spent catching up with emails and organizing my assistant and team on the day. Everyday seems to have a cadence or theme. We have days where we are billing/shipping, production days that are devoted to checking on all orders/visiting our upholstery factory in LA. etc. I may have a meeting with a fabric rep or a photo shoot for a new introduction.
by 12:00pm
I have had my daily conference call with my European office (as their day is ending) we also chat on Basecamp to keep all our current projects/clients up to date. Afternoons are dedicated to juggling customers and balancing design time. When I am working on a new collection I seclude myself for weeks at a time (away from all the chaos and phones) so I can focus.
3:00pm
Kids are out of school and my mother in law (a Saint) does all the pick up etc. We have typical family after school stuff - tutoring, music and sports - everyone is going in a million directions - when all 4 have activities my assistant and I may dive in with pick ups and drop offs. I get a lot of phone calls from them around 3pm - this is not my quiet time!
Other days...
I try to add a work out in the morning or afternoon 3x's a week (to relieve the stress) and of course....when I travel for business this schedule completely gets blown to bits! I am in Paris 2x's a year for a few weeks at a time. My husband and I try not to overlap with our travel schedules so we can have some sort of consistency and balance in our family. I am due to go back to Europe for a showroom opening in Monte Carlo in April - very excited (please, take me with you).
What a day! As the busy woman you are, thanks so much Susan for taking the time to share with us and to you my readers for your comments!
[images courtesy of Susan Hornbeak Ortiz, house tour via Sunset Magazine]
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