Colors from History
You may think that color was invented only recently, but the truth is that humans have a very colorful past. Here’s a look back at 3 different times in history and the colors that were prevalent.
Ancient Egypt: The use of red and yellow ochre Earth pigments is very prevalent, along with blue, green, purple, black, white and gray.
Tomb painting from Ancient Egypt
Ancient Greece: In the Palace of Knossos on the island of Crete there is a strong use of reds, black and blues.
A fresco from the Palace of Knossos in Crete (been there- it's fascinating!)
Medieval Times: Rich tapestries and textiles utilized the vivid colors of religious art and the stained glass windows. Reds, yellow, light and dark blues and greens, brown and off-whites were all used.
A very famous tapestry. Note the depth of colors
Do you notice a theme here? A lot of Earth tones, but also a very high percentage of reds and blues. Are you surprised?
Doing Double Duty
Sometimes your home just doesn’t have space for all the things you need it to do. If renovating, remodeling, or adding on isn’t an option, consider the age-old tactic of double-duty rooms. Nothing new here if you think about it. The first homes were little more than one room. Talk about double, triple and even quadruple duty!
Often it’s the office that has to share living quarters with a guest room (or vice versa depending upon how much you use the office!) The trick is to make it functional, comfortable and a place that can easily transition from one function to another.
This week, when I was attending an ASID event at the Perfection Custom Closet showroom in Niles www.aperfectcloset.com, I saw something I haven’t seen in a while. A Murphy bed! What a great piece to put in that office/guest room! What’s a Murphy bed? Well, it’s also called a wall- bed or pull-down bed. Essentially a bed that folds up into a wall unit or other item. Here’s a picture of the one at Perfection Custom Closets:
The Murphy bed- closed
Murphy bed- open
Pretty cool, huh? Murphy beds can come in queen size as well as twin size, and are great for those that need an office most of the time and a guest room only occasionally. Let’s face it- there’s a really strong temptation to nap when you have to work with a bed in the room, not to mention the space limitations! I’d go a step further in customizing this one to incorporate a locking file drawer in each of the “nightstands” instead of the two bottom drawers. The top cabinets could house manuals and other office supplies that can be out of sight when it’s time to be a guest room. The only other challenge is in making the desk neat! (More of a struggle for some of us).
Here’s a Murphy bed that’s a combination desk and bed!
When you close this one, the bottom shelf becomes your desk top!
Kind of an interesting option for an additional bed for a sleep-over guest in your kids’ rooms! Now there is one picture that I found that I would classify as borderline scary. Take a look and tell me what you think.
Yikes!
I suppose if this were a vacation house and you were trying to get the maximum amount of guests in a space, this concept would be ok. Maybe even for kids slumber parties. You’d have to do a lot of re-arranging to make these work, so I’m assuming they don’t get used that frequently.
Believe it or not, the Murphy bed has been around since William Lawrence Murphy applied for a patent in 1916. With the focus on down-sizing and making the most of what you have, the time is right to see a resurgance of its popularity!
Wowed by Walls!
As a design professional, I’m often invited to events that feature some of the latest and greatest products for your home. This week I had the pleasure of attending 2 very informative events, both having to do with wall treatments.
The first event was sponsored by ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) and was graciously hosted by the Donghia showroom at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart. The subject was wallpaper and we saw some of the most beautiful wallpapers that I’ve ever seen. Usually, I’m not a huge fan of wallpaper as a lot of it looks: a)fake, b)ugly, c)common. These papers were anything but. The showroom carries its own line of papers, as well as lines from Luludk, Lori Weitzner, David Goldberg, and fabrics by Bart Halpern that are often used as wallcoverings (some really yummy silks!) Here are some of my favorites:
Donghia paper- Looks like tapacloth
This one is from Donghia’s own line and is quite lovely.
Lori Weitzner "Cartouche"
This one, from Lori Weitzner has a raised pattern on the paper and can actually be painted. I thought this elegant design would look fabulous in a dining room. By the way, Lori’s website is quite cool. I recommend watching the video. www.weitznerlimited.com
Lori Weitzner's "Aura Spliced"
This was a really stunning paper. It’s actually fiber from fig trees that’s been made into a wallpaper. You would paint your wall first and then apply the paper. The wallcolor is seen through the open holes in the fiber. It gives great texture and interest to a wall. She even has a wallpaper made of recycled newspaper that’s pretty neat. Now granted, some of these papers are not inexpensive. But if you’re looking to add some interest, sophistication or just a “wow” factor to your room, you could do just an accent wall in one of these and create a stunning room.
The next event, a few days later, was sponsored by Sherwin-Williams paint and hosted in the Robert Allen showroom at the Mart. They were introducing designers to some of their new faux-finish products. These were also pretty awe-inspiring. Again, I thought that faux-finishing was passe’, which was ok with me. These finishes were really sophisticated with metallics, linen finishes and also venetian plasters that are tactile, interesting and visually draw you into a space. Check out www.sherwin-williams.com and take a look. Unfortunately I couldn’t download any of these pictures, so you’ll have to take a look for yourself! I would definitely recommend many of these for a spectacular, one of a kind look for your home.
I encourage you to think about your walls in terms of color AND texture when you’re contemplating a project. Sometimes just a little jolt can amp up a room’s interest enough to make you say “wow”!
By the way, as part of my new year’s blogging campaign, I’ve signed up for WordPress’ “Post a week 2011” group. I’m promising to post at least once a week (really my goal is twice a week) throughout the year. It’s great to buddy up, so if there are any other bloggers out there that would like to be my buddy for twice a week posts, let me know!
Decoding the Mart’s Design Center
Have you heard the news? The Merchandise Mart is now opening it’s showrooms to the general public. Well, sort of. Here’s how it works: You go to the Merchandise Mart and check in with the Concierge who gives you a pass to visit showrooms on floors 6, and 15-18. You also receive a complimentary one hour consultation with the “designer on call.” This designer can discuss your project with you, and should you find something in one of the showrooms, the designer will make the purchase for you. See, the showrooms aren’t going retail, they’d just like to encourage you to see what they have and buy from them. You just can’t do it directly.
Chicago's Merchandise Mart
I understand the Merchandise Mart’s goals, and while I applaud their efforts to keep up with what design centers in other cities are doing, I also have some concerns for you- the client. Granted, some people are good at navigating the showrooms, are able to spot what they want immediately and know what they want to achieve when they arrive. For those few (and they’re very few), this is a great opportunity.
Just one of 150 showrooms!
For most people, this can be an invitation to confusion, with the result being less than you had envisioned. Why? Well, here are some of my concerns:
- First, the Mart is a HUGE place and the showrooms can be overwhelming. Sure, you can walk in and look around, but you may become a victim of visual overload before you find what you want.
- Second, if you find what you want (let’s say a sofa or chair), if it isn’t in a fabric that works for you it’s time to trot off to the fabric showrooms to find one that will. (see above regarding visual overload)
- Third, while the showroom employees might be helpful- they’re not in the business of retail. They want to work with designers who can bring them continued business.
- Fourth, working with the “designer-on-call” is great if you’re one of the few that can immediately spot what they want and know it’ll be perfect, but how much can a designer really help you if you only talk to them for an hour, and they don’t even get to see the space they’re helping you with? Pictures can be helpful, but it’s very hard to give you a fabulous outcome without seeing the space and getting to know you. Both of those take some time.
My suggestions for visiting the Design Center are:
- Engage a designer for your project BEFORE going to the Mart. They’ll get to know you and your project and direct you (even accompany you) to the showrooms that will fit the style and budget that you’re looking for.
A designer can help you have a plan- a great place to start!
- Know what you’re looking for before you go. Know the sizes, the colors, and style before heading off into the world of visual overload. Again, here’s where working with a designer ahead of time is going to make this easier for you.
- If you don’t have a designer and want to find one, you can check out “Find a designer” on the Mart websitehttp://www2.mmart.com/designcenter/findadesigner/ as well as ASID Illinois’ website http://www.asidillinois.com/find_a_designer.php. Both of these sites can help you find someone to work with.
Next time- how to choose and work with a designer. Enjoy the wonderful Chicago weather!
