The first makeover of the year for us is our Chelsea Sofa and Chair; smaller scale, leaner arms, more pitch, and a wonderful swivel option. Believe it or not, the chair above is upholstered with a Sunbrella fabric for a pool house. As elegant as it looks, you can just about hose this down in the patio.
Nina Petronzio's Blog
Interior design, furniture, fashion
One of the most common requests we get for wood furniture is for a “mahogany finish”. There is a misnomer that mahogany is naturally dark in color – when in fact natural mahogany has reddish tones, natural maple is almost white, and natural walnut is often gray (shown in top photo). We will typically hand-apply a darker finish color to any of these woods to create a natural sense of warmth.
Contractor Tom forwarded this to this morning. We haven't used it on a project yet and not even sure if we can import it into the States, but it tested great this morning. This is actual tint that is applied to a window. Typically to get this effect, you would have to replace all windows. But this tint allows you to have the same results applied directly onto whatever you have. Will keep you posted!
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Haring Kids is an amazing site and resource for introducing art to children…and adults.
Excerpt
This section offers Teachers, Parents, Students, and Keith Haring fans alike, resources for enriching, explorative lessons for all ages and fields of study. We have gathered our lessons from education departments at Museums that have hosted Keith Haring exhibitions or have received funding from us for special projects, from some of our staff members and close affiliates of the Keith Haring Foundation, and finally, from visitors just like you, submitting their projects to us (see our link on the right to submit a project). We know how much kids love Keith Haring's work for his bold, vibrant images of hope and happiness, and have created this section in an effort to spread knowledge and appreciation for the messages he shared during his lifetime. We hope that you will find this resource to be inspiring and educational.
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In furniture and interior design, I am influenced from many difference sources; from nature, architecture, client needs, music. But I find that my go-to inspirations are often drawn from iconic designers like Coco Chanel and masters of fine art like Marc Chagall and Cezanne.
The colors, shades, and lighting used in classic paintings are a tremendous starting point for design and color schemes. The Masters (traditional and modern alike) have the best understanding of how to contrast and complement colors. When in doubt, we need only turn to them. Even the greatest cinematographers of our time begin their film preparations from canvas inspirations.
In the same breath, I am as inspired by iconic fashion designers such as Coco Chanel, who often pushed the boundaries of fashion, while maintaining a classic elegance and beauty.
In designamare moments, here are some of my go-to quotes...
Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury. Coco Chanel
The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you! Coco Chanel
If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing. Marc Chagall
An art which isn't based on feeling isn't an art at all. Paul Cezanne
When I judge art, I take my painting and put it next to a God made object like a tree or flower. If it clashes, it is not art. Paul Cezanne
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NEW YORK FASHION WEEK, SEPTEMBER 5 – 12, 2008
Spring traditionally evokes a sense of freshness and new beginnings, with sprouting shoots and blossoming flowers that inspire designers to breakout of the winter doldrums. Bright colors return to the top 10 list for spring ’09, as designers incorporate vibrant pops into their collections, yet temper the vibrancy with deeper, translucent or neutral tones.
“New York’s fashion designers encourage hopeful attitudes with lively colors, while sophisticated, grounded hues address the need for stability in times of economic uncertainty,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®.
Fall ’08 saw blue and purple rise to the forefront of fashion. As is often true, colors evolve from season to season, and spring ’09 is no exception. Palace Blue, a favorite among designers this season, takes a steadfast, classic, spring navy-like tone and makes it sparkle. Paired with just about any color in the report, it offers many intriguing spring combinations. Taking purple in a lighter direction, Lavender presents a softer, more summery hue, extending the mystical aspects of purple available last fall.
As yellow continues to make its mark on the world of fashion, tangy Super Lemon brings a fun, optimistic outlook to the palette. Its luminosity is determined to evoke a smile and attract the roving consumer’s eyes. Taking a cue from its lemony neighbor, friendly and approachable Salmon Rose also conveys an optimistic outlook. The subtlest of oranges, Salmon Rose is flattering to most complexions and is beautiful with a summer glow. Think sensual and seductive Fuchsia Red for clothing, as well as lipstick and nail polish selections, this spring. With its blue undertones, this cool red is a real show-stopper, adding a sense of elegance to the palette.
Stabilizing neutrals provide practicality in a changing economic landscape. Not your average beige, Rose Dust breaks away from the typical neutrals associated with spring by adding dimension with subtle rose undertones. And with its bluish-green undertones, cool Slate Gray is a nuanced neutral that can be paired with any of the other nine colors in the report.
Three greens, each with their own distinct personality, round out the color palette for spring ‘09, perpetuating the idea of freshness and renewal. Vibrant Green, the quintessential spring hue, brings a true verdancy to the palette in a time of revitalization. Dark Citron, a citrus-inspired green, is calmer and more serious than most, offering an element of sophistication to the mix. Reflective Lucite Green, a clean, clear subtle hue, adds a slight shimmer.
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The trickiest part of customizing dimensions on a standard item is to maintain the proper scale. You may not think it, but adding a mere inch here and there could very easily throw off the entire feel, look, and integrity of a piece. All that being said, it is possible to customize as long as it is planned out strategically before the craftsman begins framing.ASID Interior Designer, Marissa Jurado of Primabella Designs came to us with a challenge to create items in our line that would be comfortable for an NFL football player. Marissa wanted to items to be functional for her client, but certainly did not want them to look like "large furniture". After all, other than Alice, who wants their house looking like Alice in Wonderland?
Above are examples of extra-wide Marlborough Barstools and a Gatsby Dining Table from our line, that we created specifically for Marissa, keeping scale and comfort in mind.
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Most spas have names that conjure up an atmosphere of bliss and tranquility. So I am a little taken aback by the sign outside the spa in the orange groves of northern Israel. It reads, ADA BARAK'S CARNIVOROUS PLANT FARM. Barak makes most of her income by showing off her plants, which eat everything from insects and reptiles to small mammals and schnitzel. She started grabbing one of the little snakes slithering in and out of the hungry plants' jaws and passing it around to visitors at the end of her act. And that was how she hit on the snakes' therapeutic value. "Some people said that holding the snakes made them feel better, relaxed," she says. "One old lady said it was soothing, like a cold compress."
Traditionally, snakes have gotten a bad rap in the Holy Land--just ask Eve--so I am surprised that Barak's technique has found acceptance here in modern Israel. After some experimenting, she eventually settled on a combo of big snakes for a deep massage (the king and corn snakes are heavy enough to produce a kneading sensation) and little ones, whose passage over the skin is a trembling flutter. "People either like it a lot or they hate it," says Barak. She makes this remark as a busload of Israelis arrives, and an 18-year-old with flowing brown hair agrees to lie down and let the snakes--all nonvenomous--make themselves at home on her bare belly. The little ones move over her neck and face like caressing fingers. She looks enraptured.
It's a lot to ask a tourist to be swarmed by snakes. For a more traditional massage, many visitors head up to the Sea of Galilee. Secluded in the pine forests is the Bayit Bagalil, a boutique hotel offering tasty Mediterranean cuisine, views of the water Jesus supposedly walked on and a variety of massages for those who prefer a human's touch to a reptile's. It's also worthwhile to splash in the mineral-laden Dead Sea, renowned as a health spa ever since the Queen of Sheba raved about its medicinal properties 4,000 years ago. (Hint: resorts like the Mövenpick on the Jordanian side are more luxurious and, because they are less traveled, far cheaper.) Around the Dead Sea, though, stay away from the snakes: their touch might soothe, but their bite is fatal. Adapted from Time Magazine A Spa That Slithers By Tim McGirk / Talmei Elazar Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008
See the creepy video
I had a client tell me a story of what would have been my most horrific DESIGNAMARE. When unexpected guests showed up for a particularly crowded Thanksgiving dinner, he was forced to bring out milk crates for extra seating.
He didn't even flinch when he told me the story, but his new bride and I shared a look and knew that this would never happen again. So first order of business was placing ottomans in their entryway. Under a console the ottomans take no extra space and can add an useful splash of color. But more importantly for these clients, they work great in a pinch for extra seating.
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Tired of stepping on Matchbox cars or pointy Barbie limbs in the middle of the night? Karen from Mission Viejo, California was and wanted to customize storage capabilities to our Fairbanks Ottoman. The body is made in kid-friendly faux leather and the upholstered interior is soft and fluffy enough for hide-and-seek.
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