What is Feng Shui?

Feng shui is a discipline with guidelines that are compatible with many techniques of architectural planning. Space, weather, astronomy, and geomagnetism are basic components of feng shui. However, many believe there are inexplicable factors involved and so considering it a metaphysical art. Proponents claim that feng shui has an effect on health, wealth, and personal relationships.

I believe that some aspects of Feng Shui can be useful in the home. One great example:

If you wish to be the leader in your industry, place a dragon, bear, lion or other strong animal on the right hand side of your desk facing towards the window or the door.

These guys are Amazing!

Source 1,2

Frank Lloyd Wright Part 3

Frank Lloyd Wright created modern architecture and in doing so he changed the way America lived. Wright said, "Whether people are fully conscious of this or not, they actually derive countenance and sustenance from the 'atmosphere' of the things they live in or with. They are rooted in them just as a plant is in the soil in which it is planted." Whatever one’s opinion of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, there can be no question about his constant aim at beauty to which certainty most of this ultra modern can lay little claim.

Wright revered the American experience and believed that democracy was the best form of government. Throughout his life he strived to create a new architecture that reflected the American democratic ideal, an architecture based solely on America's democratic values and human dignity. He often referred to the United States as “Usonia” The city plan, Broad acre City, was the culmination of Wright's ideas on a new architecture for a new democracy.

Jewel Tones

As school starts and the weather changes warm yellows, oranges, reds and browns take their place as traditional fall colors. While this color scheme is oh so inviting, this time try adding new tones to your fall color pallet. To be more specific Jewel Tones.

Employing the Jewel Tones is a great way to add color to any space as the colors outdoor slowly fades into the hibernation of winter.

Source 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,

Ikea Hackers

I can't get enough of these awesome pendant lights made out of flower pots.  Click here to learn more

White Space

Don't be afraid of white space, negative  space allows the eye to rest

True creativity is not the absence of rules, but the creation of them.

Objects in space must relate to eachother and the space around the

Occasional Tables

With occasional tables on my mind for our living room I was fascinated to read this article that has some great ideas for occasional tables and their multiple uses. While I whole heartedly believe in the principle “you get what you pay for” a $900-4600 occasional table might break the bank.

$900; chelseatextiles.com

$4,650; cedrichartman.com

If you like the look of these tables but cant handle the price tag here are a few tables that just might do the trick

Hemnes Nightstand $59.99

Lindved Side table $19.99

Isala $179.99

Bring the Wing Back

I saw an old broken leather swivel wingback chair on the sidewalk while traveling to school the other day since then my mind is swimming in wingbacks

I have a lot of memories connected to the wingback chair. Growing up my dad had many of these chairs. His chair in the living room doubled as my 'timeout' chair, another in his study was a lovely red leather with decorative nail heads, then the swivel versions in offices around town. While for a time the wingback might have lost favor to more modern styles, if we have learned anything from history of design it is that it almost always repeats itself. 

What is Design?

            Design is the action of bringing elements together in a thought-out manner to form an idea or object that is utilized. While this is a broad definition of the term it brings design down to its basic idea. Design is certainly a human attribute that requires cognitive thinking, the ability to plan, to bring elements together and to explain the design to fellow humans. The use of term elements is also wide reaching; the elements a designer uses can be very diverse. From tactile objects such as brick, wood or stone to the intangible colors, compilation of words or configuration of processes elements are essential for design. While any of these elements can be placed together at random a fundamental part of design is that the elements are brought together for a reason with each element working, in harmony or discord of each other. The compiled elements therefore combine a single idea, what we call design. While the design can represent multiple ideas, the culmination of elements shares a common thought. With the understanding of the common thought a society has the choice to accept the design and then put it to use as the elements and intertwined ideas dictate.

Bottle Vases

I don't know what it is about these simple clear glass bottles that excites me so much. Maybe it's their simplicity or thier handmade feel, have you ever actually watched someone blow glass? The sites, smells, heat and talent of it all is truly remarkable. I'll try to dig up my pictures of that experience.
  Or maybe it's my environmentalist side shining through. Of the three R's Reuse is my favorite and can sometimes be the trickiest. These clear glass flower vases are a great example of Reuse. 

Stacked Books and Glass

It's OK really, you can post comments. Please

Copying Beethoven and Amadeus

Copying Beethoven and Amadeus

            In a two day time period I watched both Copying Beethoven and Amadeus. Watching them so closely helped me better differentiate between these two great composers, the lives they lived, their hardships and their accomplishments.

Both composers expressed their gifts from a young age. Mozart was cherished and praised for his talents by his family, particularly his father showing great love to him, and though it may have been to his demise, Mozart believed he could do anything and lived for joy.  In contrast Beethoven had a very difficult childhood. Young Beethoven did not have the same joy in his life and this unhappiness seemed to transfer to his adulthood.

I trust that for the most part these movies were factual and this allows us a better understand of the real people. However I wonder if the crudeness both characters express in the movies was distorted because of the modern understanding of reading historical text. In other words could to be that they were not really as eccentric, in real life, as the movies portray them to be. 

By way of contrast, I thought it was incredibly interesting to see, what I had learned in class, how each composer writes and understands their music. While Mozart would literally just received the music in his head and knew it was correct Beethoven had to work for months to get it precise. In Copying Beethoven it was fascinating to see how the music was placed into print to be sold and used by the musicians in the symphony.

Another noticed contrast was how each composer earned their wages. While both worked very hard at what they did, Beethoven has less of a hardship getting paid for his work. Based on the movies I would say this is because Mozart was more focused on having fun in his life while the ever serious Beethoven was so reclusive while writing that he was able to center his career efforts to profitable venues.

While there were many fictional parts in both movies I think that they can be overlooked in understanding and experiencing the worlds of Mozart and Beethoven.

Ikea Hackers

Do you know about Ikea Hackers? It Is a great website that let's people, anyone and everyone share ways they have altered or "hacked" Ikea products. It's great fun. Ikea Hackers

Designer Couples

Some of my favorite designers in history are fortunate enough to have there true love at their side, counseling them, encouraging and inspiring them, working together as a team to create great works of art.

Three Couples that come to mind that have inspired me to not only be a better designer but also a better husband and father are:

Carl and Karin Larsson

Charles and Ray Eames

and lastly a local couple Dan and Cassandra Barney. Soon I will start a weekly feature entitled “Designer Profiles” for more details on these and other inspirations to me

The first two I have had the pleasure to study in school and on my own, while the latter continue to inspire me through their current works and lessons taught first hand.

As I contemplate my blessing I would be amiss if I didn’t count my amazingly talented wife for the council and encouragement she gives me to be a better designer and man.

Melissa and I met while working at Roberts Craft Store. This fact alone was quite possibility one of the first attributes that drew me to her. She not only worked with crafts but was and is incredibly talented at scrap booking, color choice, placement, balance, sewing, and even framing, not to mention she is an amazing cook and mother.

Words cannot express how grateful I am to have her in my life.

Here are just a few projects we have worked together on. There are bound to be plenty more.

Nursery Nostalgia

A pop of nostalgia*

Here are some subtle ways to give any space a  'pop' (pun oh so intended) of nostalgia without poodle skirts and vinyl records, enjoy!

Elegant Hot August Nights

Blown Glass Color Scheme

Frank Lloyd Wright Part 2

In 1936 Wright completed a house cascading over the Bear Run river in Pennsylvania, on cantilevers, called the Kaufmann house, more commonly know as Fallingwater, is considered to be the most famous house ever designed for non-royalty. Touring through this gem of architectural history helps one better understand how much effort Frank Lloyd Wright spent in every inch of his designs

Wright played a major role in the idea of "organic architecture". To Wright organic does not necessarily mean of nature, but rather that the design feels natural in the space.  Furniture is meant to look like it always belonged in the specific room for which it was designed. Frank Lloyd Wright was known for visiting the homes after the customer had been living in it a while, to make sure that the furniture was in the location it was designed.  For this reason Wright often used built-in seating to insure that his designs were not disturbed.

File Drawer Goes Side Table

 I got this old file drawer for FREE at a yard sale, Melissa and the boys thought I was crazy for taking it, however I could see the diamond in the rough.

 

 I redesigned the unit to be a side table using the wood from the drawers as the shelf and support. Then Melissa and I work/learned together to add the decorative trim to match the tall book case we already have. To the side you an see what the old clock looked like

And here is the finished product. This little side table works perfect for our needs and you can't beat the price!

Now to get started on the beautiful bergère chair, which we also got for free. Time to learn how to upholster!

The French Style of Poussin, Classic Form and Moral Clarity

               

 Nicholas Poussin’s The Death of Germanicus (1627, The Minneapolis Institute of Arts) depicts a group of Roman soldiers in a wide range of emotions towards the unjust death of their heroic captain. On the far left a soldier turns his muscular back toward the viewer and raises his hand to his face as though hiding his despair. The mass of soldiers is embodied by the two foremost soldiers; one is wearing a vibrant red cloak and shimmering helmet, his contrapposto pose suggests he has just arrived, while the other key soldier stands solid, resembling a marble statue. He is wearing golden armor and stands closest to Germanicus with his hand raised heavenward to display his level of allegiance. Poussin draws the viewer’s eye to the crisp white forms of Germanicus’s cloak. The essential moral link in the painting is the V shape created by angles of the statuesque soldier together with the form of the grieving wife. In this void lies the dead Germanicus who is honored for his virtue and piety by the burly soldiers and a loving family alike.

                Germanicus is a testimony to Poussin’s study of ancient Roman history and archaeology.  The entire work is reminiscent of a Roman frieze: the horizontal lines, the row of figures and the blue drapery above the bed bring order of movement close to the viewer and create intimacy in the scene. Fortunately Poussin moves past the relief like qualities in his creation of depth in the space. The background is complete with pilasters and spacious archways, allowing the architecture to echo the narrative in the scene. Poussin’s display of a controlled freedom of the brush, intricate detail and diverse use of bold forms and figures to portray a wide variety of moral meaning became the foundation of French art and Neo-classicism.