More Iconic Chairs of the 20th Century

The Barcelona Chair

 

Mies van der Rohe,  a famous Bauhaus designer, whose motto was “less is more” designed the famous Barcelona chair for the Barcelona World’s Fair of 1929.  Made of steel and leather, the Barcelona chair quickly became a modern furniture classic and is still popular today.

The Brno Chair

 

Another chair by van der Rohe, the Brno Chair was designed for van der Rohe’s own house, an all- glass structure built in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1930. The chair is made of steel and leather.

The Egg Chair

 

The Egg Chair was designed by Danish designer Arne Jacobsen in 1958 for the SAS Radisson Hotel and reached its peak in popularity in the 1970s. Made from moldable material in the form of an egg, the chair embraces the shape of the sitter.

These chairs are still as popular today as they were when they were designed.

Until next time...

 

Iconic Chairs of the 20th Century

My love for interior design has united once again with my new found love for graphic design.  This can be seen in my chair designs that I have created for my Etsy store.  Over the next few days I will give you a little bit of history behind the chairs that I have chosen to draw. 

The Molded Plastic Chair

Designed by Charles and Ray Eames, these molded plastic chairs were the first industrially manufactured plastic chairs of their kind.  Their clean, simple forms cradle the body.  Still popular today, here is my take on these wonderful iconic chairs!

 The Wire Chair

The Wire Chair was designed by Charles and Ray Eames in 1951.  An immediate success, the wire chair has stood the test of time and is as popular today as it was half a century ago.  Here is my take on this mid-century modern chair!

Until next time...



Ready to decorate?

As we know, for 2013 Emerald was declared the color of the year by Pantone. The lush, vibrant EMERALD leads the way, allowing fashion and interior designers to explore the green color family, and create beautiful pieces.

For your house, you can redecorate in 2013, change the color scheme, or take a more cautious step and add wall art like this one, created by Susan:

 

or a minimalistic original drawing created by Zoica:

 

If you want to explore another 2013 favorite colors, here is an example of the Monaco Blue in this beautiful hand knitted pillow, by Adorablewares at Etsy:

The coastal home picture below has its own interpretation of this year's colors, exploring fresh, contemporary, and textured hues. In this Benjamin Moore site picture, you can see how beautiful the Grayed Jade fits with the light grays and neutrals:

If you want to see a stronger color as wall accent, here is Susan's version of the Dusk Blue:

 

Are you ready to decorate?

Girls' Night Out

Last night I went painting with my daughter at Sip & Stroke in John's Creek.  It was great fun.  You bring your own wine and snacks and you paint.  There were about 40 in attendance and everyone’s painting was unique.  Never painted before?  No worries, they guide you step by step through the process.
We like to do this about once a month.  It’s a great way to spend time together and it’s a great stress reducer. 

Here is Donna working on her painting :

 

Here is me working on my painting:

Our finished masterpieces:

 

What do you think?

Until next time...

 

Shoes...Shoes...Shoes

Do you consider yourself a fashionista?  What woman doesn't love a new pair of shoes?  With spring just around the corner, I created my new “Shoe Art” Collection.  This set of three 8 x 10 Shoe prints is perfect for a girl's bedroom - of any age! 

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/125081194/wall-art-modern-shoes-on-chevron-room

 

Here are some great quotes I found about the power of shoes:

"Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world" - Marilyn Monroe

“I don’t know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot - Marilyn Monroe”

“Cinderella is proof that a new pair of shoes can change your life”. - Author Unknown

“You want to fall in love with a shoe, go ahead. A shoe can't love you back, but, on the other hand, a shoe can't hurt you too deeply either. And there are so many nice-looking shoes.” - Allan Sherman

“If the shoe fits, buy it in every color.” - Author Unknown

So let's go shopping...

Until next time…

 

 

 

2013 Spring-Summer Colors

There are numerous happy colors for this 2013 spring. If you are ready to shop, you have various options.
 

There is a sense of balance for the theme of spring-summer 2013. Colors have an expression of balance, and you can use it as self- expression.
 

This spring-summer we have neutrals,  brights and darks, with Pantone's year’s favorite: emerald green. There are other colors that Pantone site is listing, all with catchy names: Grayed Jade, Dusk, Linen-Nude, African Violet, Nectarine, Poppy Red, Lemon Zest and Tender Shots.

Below, find my design, an Emerald color high-low hemmed dress, with a Linen-Peach lining and an African Violet color under-layer. What do you think about using these three colors together?

 



More Color - Neutral Colors

 

 

Black, white and gray do not appear on the color wheel because they are not technically colors.  They are neutrals.  Brown is not found on the color wheel, but is made by combining any two complementary colors.  Neutral colors include monochromatic, monotone, and achromatic color schemes.  Achromatic neutrals are black, white, and gray only. 

Did you know that …

·        All neutral color schemes suggest calmness and can be very successful.

·        Neutral schemes are considered easy and safe but be careful that they don’t become dull and boring.

·        Neutral Plus is a good alternative to all neutral – A scheme that introduces one or more strongly chromatic hues in limited areas.

Who doesn’t love black?  Black…

·      suggests sophistication, elegance, dignity, wordliness, and mystery

·      is the color of authority and power

·      suggests formality (think black tie)

·      Is the color of mystery

·      Is a symbol of grief

 

While most of us love wearing black, use black sparingly in decorating.  It’s a great accent color.

Love white?  White…

·         indicates purity, innocence, cleanliness, youth

·         lends a sense of calm to a space

Here are a couple of tips when using white in decorating:

·         White looks good in a room that is enhanced by good natural light.

·         Choose warm creamy whites instead of stark whites.

Did you know that gray…

·         lacks assertiveness, but suggests intelligence, guarded behavior, a sense of discipline

·         is the color of aging as in “the graying of America”

·         is associated with wisdom

·         can seem chilling and impersonal

·        Gray’s energy imparts void, emptiness, lack of movement, emotion, warmth and identifying characteristics

Did you know that more men prefer brown than women?  Brown…

·         Is relaxing and easy to live with

·         associated with nature

·         conveys warmth and comfort

·         is solid and reliable, suggests stability

·         denotes masculine qualities

·         is the color of earth and abundant in nature

So next time you are faced with a decision concerning color, whether what you are to wear or what color to paint your room, remember that color influences the mind as it does the body.  Color works magic by communicating with our emotions. Color has the power to inspire, energize, soothe, and enliven.

Until next time...