A Room Becomes A Retreat

After

Before

So, you have all the furniture and items you need to make a room feel good as a retreat from the chaos of the day. But you have a dilemma;  the room is not functional or pleasing to the eye. You do not want to spend a dime to make the room what you want it to be. Sometimes all a room needs to breath life into it, is a little organizing, repositioning of the furniture and pulling items from other spaces in your home.  

This family room was in need of some good home organization.  The electronics were in total disarray; and the furniture had no real position of purpose. 

First thing was to get rid of all the unnecessary items from the room. Here I removed the electronic wires that were no longer in use. This client had lots of them. Then I created a focal point to anchor the room. After establishing the focal point, I could then reposition the furniture. Then it was time to hang the art. The client just happen to have at least ten piece of art just sitting around; some for this room and some for other rooms, but they could not decide where to place them. Last but not least, the accessories were added, pulling them from other areas of the home. This project was done in approximately two hours. You can do it too. And if you can not, well contact me ;0)

Night At The Brooklyn Museum:Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui

 I really enjoyed this exhibition. This is a must see. Hope you enjoy just a taste of the exhibition in these photos.

 Here is the Link to the site: http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/el_anatsui/

Splendid Design In Spain

 "Sometimes to truly understand a design concept or an idea you must truly experience it."  This year I started my new year doing just that.  I wanted to not just read about Spanish design, I wanted to experience it.  So I ventured across the great pond to the spectacular  country of Spain. I was able to visit five cities: Avila, Madrid, Salamanca, Segovia, and Toledo; each city has its own style, character. and design influences. 

 Avila, throughout the city, with its massive perimeter walls wrapping the city is filled with historical design. It is known for Mother Teresa and her dedicated chapel.

Madrid, with it's historic yet urban big city flare is filled with mixes of wonderful architecture and design. The juxtaposition of old and new are everywhere in this city. The past, present and future in design all cross roads in Madrid. 

Salamanca, the education center of Spain is progressive like any other college city. But what sets Salamanca apart from its other sister cities is the way they light up their architecture. The city could be called the "city of lights". Every meaningful building is lit up by night showing off its splendor.

Salamanca has neighborhoods, museums, palaces, cathedrals, churches, and so much to see. You can take a close look at and walk into the past on an old roman bridge.  What I learned about Spanish design is their acute attention to the details. Nothing like walking winding streets filled with thousands of years of design history.

Segovia, known for its castle and Roman built aqueduct is breath taking. I will let the photos say it all.  Pay close attention to the details of the castle's interiors.

 

Toledo, last but not least, is known for the amazing swords, armor, and craftsmanship.  Beautiful architecture and winding streets tell the story of a traditionally but robust city.