* Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

The Essentials of Fabulous

2011-12-09T15:10:00.001-08:00

I just returned from a ‘fabulous’ six days in New York. It really is a special time at Christmas with all the lights and excitement…..more of my adventures in a later post. I just wanted to share with you a must-get book for Christmas gift giving. I have just placed an order for a dozen to have on hand for last minute gifts for all the fabulous girlfriends, guyfriends, relatives, and for all the fabulous people you haven’t met yet.

“No one is born fabulous,” author Ellen Lubin-Sherman writes. “You have to decide to do it—to transform yourself into one of those amazing creatures that infiltrate our lives and ignite our dreams with their swagger, energy, pizzazz, and soigné charm.” The Essentials of Fabulous guides you to set yourself apart in this “whatever” world by paying scrupulous attention to detail. It shows you how passion, enthusiasm, attitude, superior manners, and a terrific personal style will catapult you right into the fabulous pantheon.

So I recommend that you definitely get a copy for yourself and while you are at it get as many as you can for all the fabulous people in you life.

Happy Fabulous to all of you!!

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

First Impressions

2011-10-26T15:28:00.001-07:00

I was meeting with a client recently about a new home they are building and I was discussing my philosophy of the importance in creating an environment that nurtures and supports the needs and lifestyles of the occupants. There is so much more than meets the eye when designing a home. I am reminded by what I was taught by my feng shui instructor and mentor Grandmaster Professor Thomas Lin Yun: ‘when you enter a space it takes your body and psyche tens seconds to adjust to the space – either in a negative or a positive way.’ Our homes are living and dynamic vessels that either optimally support us, or support us in a diminished capacity. Is your home all it can be?

Photo: Patricia Gray Inc; Artwork: Martha Sturdy, Tom Burrows; Photography: Roger Brooks

A Perfect White Geranium

2011-10-25T16:32:00.001-07:00

To my delight and surprise this morning I found this last perfect white geranium in my garden as the nights are turning cold and crisp and we are rapidly approaching winter. It is hardy and pure.

HOMEFRONT

2011-10-20T08:18:00.001-07:00

In pursuit of happy endings……..

I have been published this month in HOMEFRONT magazine Pages 16 – 20. Thank-you to Homefront’s Editor-in-Chief, Caroline Tapp-McDougall and writer, Lindsay Jackson.

Photos courtesy Natasha Duff of Meade Design Group

5 iPad Apps for Interior Design

2011-10-10T13:18:00.001-07:00

I got a new iPad this summer as a gift from dear clients on the completion of their home and it has changed my life and the way I do business. No longer do I have to carry around my laptop – the iPad does every thing for me and more when I am out of the office that I used to bring my laptop for. With some clever apps I have a virtual box in my hands. These are some of the iPad Apps I am using that are proving to be indispensable:

1. Dropbox is a service that lets you bring all your photos, documents, and videos with you. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad. With the Dropbox app you can take everything that matters to you on the go. It is very easy to use – you just drag the file you want to transfer into the Dropbox folder on your computer and it almost instantly shows up on your iPad. Magic! You can share folders on line by giving others access by email. I have used it recently to transfer photos and drawings to a client and my contractor. It saves sending numerous emails and you can send high resolution images seamlessly.

2. Evernote turns your iPad into an extension of your brain, helping you remember anything and everything that happens in your life. From notes to ideas to snapshots to recordings, you put it all into Evernote and it instantly synchronizes between all your devices – iPad, iPhone and Mac or Windows desktop. No more having to plug your devices into each other.

3. iBooks is an Apple app that comes on your iPad. You can read books on it much like Kindle, but what I really use it for in business is downloading PDF documents such as CAD drawings, specifications, manuals etc. What makes the iPad so unique is that you can enlarge just the areas you want to see by dragging your fingers over the screen – it works like a magnifying glass. I recently downloaded the PDF of my camera & lens manual and it is now always with me.

4. Flipboard was named Apple’s iPad app of the year and rightly so. It is a fast, beautiful way to flip through the news, photos, videos and updates on social media sites. It is now my preferred way of bookmaking and browsing my favourite websites.

5. Microsoft Tag lets you instantly connect to a whole new world of information. there is not need to type long URLs, you simply scan the Tag. Microsoft Tag multicolored barcodes transform traditional marketing, such as print advertising, packaging, LDC displays etc. into live links that immediately access info, videos, and other material online.

*Best of all Dropbox, Evernote, iBooks, Flipboard and Microsoft Tag are all free iPad Apps
Check out my Post on 5 iPhone Apps for Interior Design

Please let me know what iPad Apps you have found helpful by leaving a comment here.

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Interior Design Russia

2011-10-04T13:28:00.001-07:00

Well I have just been published in Interior Design magazine in Russia. We really live in a global world and it is exciting to be so connected by the internet, blogging, Facebook, Twitter and all the new and evolving forms of social media. For those of you who don’t read Russian I have included a translation to English at the bottom of this article. Click on the PDF icon. You can read the magazine here. It is very interesting to see what the design trends are in that part of the world. I think that they are very contemporary and ‘cutting edge.’ My article starts on Page 90. Let me know what you think.

Click on the PDF icon to read the whole article with translation.

Williams-Sonoma 5 Interior Design Blogs We Couldn’t Live Without

2011-09-28T16:39:00.001-07:00

Thank-you Williams-Sonoma for picking this blog!
5 Interior Design Blogs We Couldn’t Live Without

By Jay Johnson
It’s easy to smell a phony when reading a blog; the words don’t ring true, they sound contrived, and the advice isn’t from the heart. But a great interior designer’s blog can be inspirational and helpful – and even funny. As bloggers, Irwin and I appreciate the extra work it takes to step outside of your everyday design projects and communicate to people you might never meet about what you love, what you hate, what resources you’ve just used on a job, and what elements of taste and style make you see the world in your own unique way. Here are some of our favorite interior designer blogs.

Patricia Gray This cleanly designed and beautifully photographed blog is the creation of a generous designer. Vancouver based Patricia Gray shares her keen eye for style, takes us on trips around the world (and points out her “favourites”), and points out the resources and materials that she enjoys using on a job. The latter is particularly useful for interior designers. It’s great to see a master designer work, look at resources as they appear in finished spaces, and get an analysis of why and how they function beautifully. You also get the bonus of a well-trained feng shui student, layered on top of the interior designer, and you can better understand why Patricia’s interiors exude calm, serenity, and strong flow.
Read full article

Black and White Photography in Whistler

2011-09-14T17:48:00.001-07:00

I have taken up photography. Is there ever a lot to learn. I started by taking a digital photography course at Emily Carr University. Then after much research and trial I decided on my camera and lens: a Nikon D7000 with a Nikkor 18-200 lens with polarizing filter. I wanted to get a full format FX camera but decided to get familiar with a DX camera first. I got Photoshop CS5 and Silver Efex Pro 2 (a program that converts color digital photography to black and white photography) as well as several books that I downloaded to my iPad 2 (BTW I love my new iPad 2 which was a gift from a client – thank-you very much!). All of this because I have a very curious mind and a very curious eye. I love the fact that when I look through the view finder of the camera I see the world differently from the way I view the world of Interior Design through my eye unframed. Looking through the lens forces my attention down to a small and very refined focus. I am also a believer of the value of life long learning and the fact that the appreciation of different art disciplines enhances and broadens our experience of life.

The above photo was taken at a client’s home in Whistler just before sunset as I was standing on the edge of the dock. I went there to take photos of the lovely views from their home of the dock and lake, with hopes of getting some good images to frame and hang in their just completed home in Vancouver. Somehow the color version looks nice in a smaller format for viewing on the internet or in the photo album, but when I thought about enlarging it to a frameable size it didn’t look like fine art. I far prefer to hang black & white photography on walls. I converted the digital color photograph to black and white photography with a software program called Silver Efex Pro2 and I quite like how the images below the water show up much clearer in the black and white photography then in the color version.

This image was converted from a color digital to black & white photography using a program called Silver Efex Pro 2.

These are some of the other photos I took.

Fresh fruit for our morning brunch. The sunlight was streaming in the window and this setting was calling out to me to take the photo quickly before 1. either the sunlight moved on or 2. we sat down and started eating. So much of photography I am learning is to seize the moment. Thank-you Nora for the delicious and beautiful meals you prepared.

The picture above and below were taken at sunrise in one of the most beautiful places in the world Whistler.

The morning dew.

I will leave you with a quote by the brilliant French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson.

“To take photographs means to recognize - simultaneously and within a fraction of a second - both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning. It is putting one's head, one's eye and one's heart on the same axis.”

Qualicum Beach Smiling Rock

2011-08-29T10:06:00.001-07:00

I was visiting Qualicum Beach this weekend and someone put this rock down on the beach path. It put a smile on my face. Thank-you – whoever you are!

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

10 Things to do in New York in the Summertime

2011-08-25T20:51:00.001-07:00

1. Sit on the grass roof terrace at Lincoln Center. This stylish sloping green lawn is situated on top of a restaurant at the recently remodelled Lincoln Center and overlooks Lincoln Center’s reflecting pool and Henry Moore sculpture. The night I was there was a perfect summer night and the bonus was it was a full moon which hung in the sky with the city scape of New York below it. I had a hard time leaving.

2. Visit Vicente Wolf. I met Vicente when he was in Vancouver this Spring and he invited me to drop in and see him when I next in New York. He showed me around his office and then his showroom which is packed with treasures that he purchases on his yearly trips to exotic locations.

3. See a play in the theatre district. This time I saw Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre. It is the story of the Wizard of Oz long before Dorothy drops in, and the relationship of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch. It was a great show. Be sure to dress up and have a nice dinner before the theatre, as I think it makes the experience all the more special.

A close-up picture I took of the curtain before the show started
4. Have dinner at:
La Esquina in Soho
You have to walk down a flight of stairs and through the kitchen to get to the restaurant. Book well in advance as it is very popular. It is the best Mexican food I have had outside of Mexico. I was told by a friend to try the deep fried Crickets. I was happy when I was told that they were no longer on the menu so I didn’t have to lie and say I had them. They also have a selection of over 200 premium tequilas. The waiters wore red t-shirts with ‘SEXICO’ on the front.

Le Colonial in the Upper East Side
The ambiance of French Colonial Vietnam (Indo Chine) of the 1920’s has been recreated in this two storey townhouse, decorated with black and white period photos, ceiling fans, lush potted palms. I had one of their signature dishes - Vietnamese crisp-seared whole red snapper with a light, spicy and sour sauce. Yummm!

5. Have lunch at Bergdorf Goodman’s restaurant, decorated by Kelly Wearstler and overlooking Central Park.

6. Shop, shop, shop
My favourite street is Madison. I start at Barneys at 61st and walk up to 70th and then down 70th to visit one of the most beautiful galleries in New York - the Frick, with a stop at the Nespresso Boutique between 65th & 66th for an Iced Latte and the best quiche outside of Paris. This trip I also “did Soho” and discovered some new stores:

7. Walk Central Park South East
I never knew this pond was here in Central Park. As we were walking back to our Hotel after our shop, shop, shop afternoon, I saw the trail lead into Central Park – you enter off of 5th Ave and 60th Street. In a few short moments we were transported into another world – a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is situated below street level, and the noises of the city are left behind. We were able to walk through the lush park almost all the way back to our Hotel.

8. Visit Francine at Interieurs. Francine is a friend of mine that I met through the Blogosphere. One of the highlights of my visits to New York is to visit her at her wonderful store and then go out to dinner together. Francine has one of the most outstanding roof decks in all of New York where she hosts many parties in the summer. There is never enough time to catch up on everything. She is busy working out with a personal trainer to prepare herself for climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in September.

9. Have drinks at the Empire Hotel which is where Gossip Girls is filmed and has the official drink Cocktail List of the ‘Gossip Girls’ TV show with catchy names like: I’m Chuck Bass – Dewar’s Scotch, Red Apple, Ginger Bites and Apple Cider. You can read the Cocktail list here.

10. Visit MoMA
Get there early especially if you go on the weekend. We arrived at 10:30 on Sunday morning with a short line-up and by the time we left at 12:30 the line-up outside was down the street and around the corner. I head up to the top floor (and work my way down) to see my favourite painting – Monet’s Water Lilies which I could feast my eyes on forever. It is an amazing 42 feet in length. Tip: This trip I purchased a membership which is very cost effective and means you don’t have to stand in a line-up.

Luxury Home

2011-08-17T20:22:00.001-07:00

“An upfront interview process allows this Vancouver design firm to meet
all the design needs of busy professionals”.
Luxury Home

PATRICIA GRAY INC
story by Romy Schafer
photos by Roger Brooks

For nearly 30 years, Patricia Gray of Patricia Gray Inc. has been creating one-of-a-kind residential installations for individuals too time-pressed to contemplate their design wants and needs, much less deal with the inherent challenges of renovating a room or entire home. “Most of the clients I work with are busy professionals, so I handle all the details for them,” says Gray, principal of the Vancouver-based design firm, which has executed projects in the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore and Africa.

“All the details” typically range from ascertaining a client’s needs and wants to designing custom furnishings to arranging amenities. “I offer a complete service for my clients—everything that’s required in making a space personalized for them,” she says, noting that she also does full design-build project management.

Thousands of sheets of silver leaf were hand applied to the recessed ceiling, reflecting the crystal chandelier, sunlight through the floor-to-ceiling windows and the water of False Creek.

Gray’s recent installation at Vancouver’s The Erickson—a 17-storey residential tower designed by and named for world-renowned architect Arthur Erickson—illustrates her complete-service approach. When a busy San Francisco couple commissioned Patricia Gray Inc. to turn their spacious two-bedroom, three-bath condominium into a second home for impromptu visits, the designer looked to a luxury, five-star hotel for her inspiration. “They wanted a home that they could come to on the spur of the moment and everything would be ready for them,” she explains. “I set up flower delivery, maid service, laundry service and concierge service, so the clients can just send emails [to these service providers] when they decide to come to Vancouver. When they leave, the maid service cleans everything up.”

Limestone countertops and backsplashes, SieMatic cabinets and Miele appliances give the kitchen a modern, European look.

So how does Gray, an award-winning designer who studied at the Parsons School of Art and Design in Paris and the University of Ferrara in Italy, determine clients’ design preferences and needs—something they often don’t know themselves? “I arrive at that through my extensive interview process,” she explains. “I ask them how they’re going to live in their space, what their entertainment requirements are, what their family requirements are [and so on]. Then, I get to know them, and the style evolves by osmosis.”

Thoroughly acquainting herself with clients’ lifestyles at the project’s onset enables Gray to develop a complete design concept for them, “so they know exactly what their home is going to look like when it’s finished, before we even start,” she says. “Everything’s designed and priced. Then, they approve the concept and the budget, and I proceed from there,” ultimately handing over a completed, customized new home.

But, as every experienced designer knows, the journey from the initiation of a project to its completion can be filled with challenges. “There’s a lot of coordination to do with all the different suppliers and sub trades involved,” Gray explains. “It’s one thing to be able to design something very beautiful, and it’s another thing to be able to execute it. The great challenge is in the execution—it’s like putting together a gigantic jigsaw puzzle. All the pieces have to fit together, and everybody’s got to work together to bring it to fruition.”

Adjacent to the kitchen, accordion-style doors open the entire 20-foot width of the balcony. Views of the downtown Vancouver skyline and the mountains can be seen in the distance. Patricia Gray Inc. custom pillows in Sunbrella fabric.

For Gray, working with high-level tradespeople and artisans is key to a successful, problem-free renovation. “I have quite a wonderful group of people that I’ve built up over the years that can execute my designs,” she says. “I think that’s one of the bonuses my clients have in me—my intellectual knowledge, all the years of experience I’ve had and having the right people working with me. I have a wonderful contractor who I can totally count on. Everyone I work with shows up when they’re supposed to and completes their jobs on time and on budget.”

Creating custom-designed furnishings like tables, seating, media and wall units, pillows and artwork further enables Gray to create personalized spaces for clients. “I have a millwork company, an upholstery workroom, a drapery workroom,” she explains, adding, “What I do is very unique and very specific for each client. I like to think of my design as couture. Everything is custom-designed and made specifically for each client.”

This penchant for designing home furnishings has led to a new business venture for Gray: a line of custom furniture based on some of the limited edition, custom pieces that she’s created for past projects. At press time, possible manufacturing partners and marketing initiatives for the line were still being worked out, according to Gray.

The master bedroom is on a corner, with windows along two walls. Patricia Gray Inc. custom motorized silk draperies and roller shades control the natural light reflecting from the silver leaf ceiling. The linens are by Frette bedding with an Hermes throw and Patricia Gray Inc. pillows made with Jim Thompson fabric.

Creating elegant, personalized spaces will no doubt continue to be Gray’s métier. When asked what she considers the most rewarding part of her job, she quickly responds, “When I hand over the completed project to my clients—when all the months of work are finished, and they see everything in its beauty and perfection.”

Discover more about Patricia Gray.

White Paint and Other White Necessities

2011-04-04T08:53:00.001-07:00

I have to admit a secret of mine...I am a white SNOB - okay now you know my innermost secret. I use only white candles, white dishes, white towels, white flowers (although I have been known to buy colored tulips), and white sheets. Nothing is more classic than white. White dishes set off the food on them perfectly. I cannot have a good sleep on anything other than white sheets, and white candles and white towels are absolute.

In interiors I love how white highlights good architecture, and any object in the room that has "good bones." White walls are a good backdrop for objects d' art and paintings that are placed in the room - white walls give focus to the lines of the items that are juxtaposed in front of them.

Painting a room white can make it have surprising depth. When I design an all-white room I use several different shades of white to bring out the architectural details, or I layer the space with strong forms in different tones and textures of white and then use some strong color contrasts to outline and bring the white into focus. My all time favorite white color is - Benjamin Moore paint Cloud White. It is a very soft white and easy to live with. It has a chameleon effect - taking on the colors of what is set next to it and changing in tone at various times of the day. Not every white is snow white. Try using whites tinted with: ivory, cream, antique white, and palest beige, blue and yellow. An interesting fact on the popularity of white is that Benjamin Moore has over 140 whites to choose from.

To maximize the light in a room I chose a paint with a semigloss finish rather than the latex matte finish more usual on walls. The "chalkier" matte finish absorbs light; the semi-gloss is more reflective.

Some of my favorite whites I use are are from Benjamin Moore: Cloud White, Simply White, Ballet White, White Dove, White Linen and Designer White.

Photo Credits

1, 2 MLK Studio via All the Best 3 JK Hotel Milan 4 David Schefer 5 Helen Hennie 6 Trevor Tondro 7 ,8,9 Jennifer Post 10 Ptithabibi Morocco, Towels

Ottomans, Benches, Foot Stools

2011-03-20T16:24:00.001-07:00

Ottomans have become a favourite of mine to use in family/media rooms and dens. I like using them for several reasons. First and foremost they serve as the indispensable coffee table. I like to make mine with tight tops and rather flat as opposed to padded with a pillow effect. This way you can set things on top of them without worrying about them toppling over. Secondly you can comfortably set your feet on them and be in a semi-reclining position to watch TV, read or maybe even fall asleep. Thirdly I can have them made any size to fit the requirements of the room. This is a real benefit because large coffee tables are hard to find. In the space below the ottoman is made out of deep chocolate brown faux Ostrich. This family has two young daughters and they use the ottoman to color on and do their craft projects and have snacks. Spills can be wiped up easily, and the deep brown faux ostrich adds and a nice textural interest and makes a dramatic center focal point for the room.

This ottoman is large by ottoman standards 5 feet by 3 1/2 feet. It is covered in Holly Hunt, Hair on Hide Leather, in a creamy butterscotch color. It was made long so 3 people sitting on the sofa could all put their feet up on it, and I made it deep enough to that there was still room at the back for the inevitable books, magazines, remote controls and trays for snacks and drinks. It also doubles as extra seating for parties. What coffee table has that much versatility?

The Ottoman in this penthouse I had made in charcoal gray Beacon Hill "Pashmina". It is soft and luxurious like a Cashmere blanket and makes a nice warming contrast to the leather sofa. It sits on top of the same color of Belgium wool area carpet. Facing the sofa is the view with the TV hung and framed between the windows. Where else do you put the TV in a room that is all windows & view.

My Vision of Heaven

2011-03-12T16:28:00.004-08:00

A beautiful door, sunshine, a pea gravel garden path!

Photo Credit
PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about the world of interior design, architecture, lifestyle, and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

A Glimmer of Hope

2011-03-08T16:20:00.003-08:00

When I opened the blinds in my office this morning this is what I saw….could you hear me clapping my hands? I even did a little dance around my desk……. so happy, so happy. For those of you who live in Vancouver, you will understand. For those of you who live in more southern locations, you will think I have totally gone crazy. Yesterday I found myself on the internet looking up SAD to see if this was my problem, but today I know that I am just missing the sunshine. These beautiful crocuses that I planted last fall are my reminder that spring it is just around the corner! How strong and hardy they are pushing their way up and through the rocks. A testament to our northern spirit.

A view of the crocuses from my office window.

Steve Jobs on Design

2011-03-03T14:44:00.002-08:00

I love this quote by Steve Jobs.
What do you think? Is good design more than just looking pretty?

Join the discussion by leaving a comment.

Photo Credit

Vicente Wolf and Inuit Art in Vancouver

2011-03-01T09:41:00.001-08:00

I had the pleasure of spending time with Vicente Wolf on his trip to Vancouver where he spoke at the Buildex convention. Albarosa Simonetti had put together an itinerary of Native Art Galleries and we spent the afternoon looking for Inuit dolls made of Caribou antler for Vicente’s private collection. As well as showing Vicente the sights of Vancouver we had lots of time to talk about design, travel, photography and share stories.

Patricia Gray, Vicente Wolfe, Albarosa Simonetti at Buildex Vancouver

Patricia Gray, Vicente Wolf at Inuit Gallery Vancouver

Inuit Caribou Antler Dolls

These Inuit dolls carved from Caribou antler which is a renewable resource, shed by the animal annually, have the arms and legs attached with sinew. Their antecedence is in ancient Inuit history, and were often the only toy that a small girl would have. They are absolutely charming in their simplicity. I would not have known about them were it not for Vicente’s passion for collecting.

Vicente Wolfe Collection of Inuit Dolls in his Montauk home

Top 2 photos: Albarosa Simonetti
Photo 3 Photo Credit
Bottom Photo Credit

West Coast Homes & Design

2011-02-18T18:04:00.003-08:00

This is an article that was just published in West Coast Homes & Design.

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning international interior design firm writing about lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT
in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Dreaming of Summer

2011-02-16T17:21:00.001-08:00

Summer is just around the corner – or is this wishful thinking on my part? At this time of year my thoughts turn to thinking of summer and imagining the warmth and taking time to relax outside. So my attention was rightfully piqued when I saw these beautiful pieces of furniture. I always look for a theme when I am captivated by images, and these pieces have canopies over them, thereby eliminating the need for an umbrella. I like the fact in design that ‘form follows function’ and especially when function can be made inherently beautiful. In other words these loungers are self-contained and functionally-integrated escapes from the sun.

Hemisphere Lounge Chairs,Cocktail and Side Tables, Orbit with Canopy - Richard Frinier for Dedon

Daydream Daybeds, Cocktail and Side Tables - Richard Frinier for Dedon

I can just imagine sitting in the warmth in these beautifully designed and functionally-integrated pieces of furniture.
What about you? Are you dreaming about summer?

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, lifestyle, and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

10 Things to do in Palm Springs

2011-01-24T08:30:00.001-08:00

1. Visit Old Town La Quinta
Old Town La Quinta is beautiful! The archways, the Saltillo tiles, the flowers, the mountains, every building is lovely to look at. It is an experience, not just pulling up to some strip center on the highway. The bogenvilia was beautiful climbing up the columns. I love Saltillo tiles, especially on star risers.

Old Town La Quinta Palm Springs

This is definitely my car of choice to drive in Palm Springs

Old Town La Quinta Saltillo tiles on stair risers

Carthusia Note Fiori di Capri Home fragrance left /Caldi Caldi Boutique Old Town La Quinta Palm Springs

Check-out the wonderful boutique Caldi Caldi. I was lured into this home furnishings store by the most delicious smelling scent from Capri called Note Fiori di Capri, which apparently was the home fragrance used by Jackie O when she was in Capri. Now every time I spray this scent I am transported to another world and time.

2. Go on a Palm Springs Windmill Tour
When driving or flying into Palm Springs, one of the most striking sights you will see in the Coachella valley is the vast array of wind turbines that sprout from the desert floor. The words "wind turbine" have evolved into what the locals call windmills. My curiosity was piqued so we arranged a tour which was excellent. Our tour guide Ken Huskey was very knowledgeable, with a lot of the facts and figures that went right over my head. But what did stick with me was how huge the windmills were close up. To give you a perspective of the scale of these windmills (in the picture below on the left) if you look closely you can see the small figure of a maintenance person dangling from a wire.

Palm Springs Windmill Tour Coachella Valley
Palm Springs Windmill Tour at the Spa Resort & Casino.

3. See a rainbow over the Palm Springs Desert mountains
It was unfortunate on this trip to Palm Springs that there were heavy rainfalls which resulted in flooding and the closure of many roads, but I was fortunate to see this beautiful rainbow one afternoon when the rain had stopped.

Rainbow over the Little San Bernardino Mountains Palm Springs

4. Richard Avedon Photography Exhibit at the Palm Springs Art Museum

The Richard Avedon photography exhibit at the Palm Springs Art Museum runs through January 30, 2011 and showcases 90 black and white images of notable Avedon subjects including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan and, of course, some of the Richard Avedon’s iconic shots of Dior’s early work. I went to the Museum with friends not knowing what was showing. I have long admired Avedon’s photography from afar, so you can imagine my delight in being able to see his iconic photographs up close. His photography is mesmerizing and I had to be dragged out of the exhibit. I quickly rushed into the Gift Shop and bought Avedon postcards and the Richard Avedon book Women in the Mirror, so I could continue to feast my eyes on his work.

Richard Avedon, Self Portrait 1980 / Amazon Book: Women in the Mirror

Richard Avedon, Twiggy 1968, gelatin silver print

Richard Avedon, Dovima with elephants 1955, Evening dress by Dior

5. Look at Mid Century Modern Real Estate in Palm Springs

Mid Century Modern Real Estate Palm Springs

6. Shop at the Cabazon Outlet Mall

The prices and selection are fantastic!! Some of my favourite stores are Tod’s, Gucci, Prada, Elie Tahari, Michael Kors, Dior, Ralph Lauren.

7. Have supper at Jillian’s Restaurant on El Paseo Drive, Palm Desert

Jillian’s Restaurant is housed in a historic 1946 hacienda style building. The building was originally built as Fort. It is still intact complete with the artillery room in the rear. At the front entrance at Jillian’s you can look at interesting pictures of it in the 40’s. I found it amazing that when it was was built it was the middle of the desert with nothing around it. That is hard to imagine today, as it is in the center of the busy and thriving Palm Dessert El Paseo Drive shopping area. Below is what I had for Supper at Jillian’s, which was absolutely delicious. I think the Apple Dumpling has to be the best desert I have ever tasted!

Jillian's Restaurant El Paseo Dive Palm Desert

Appetizer
Tower of Fresh Crab
Fresh Dungeness crab meat layered between diced avocado,
sweet tomatoes and toasted brioche
Entree
Rack of Lamb
Rack of Colorado Lamb rolled in Dijon herb crust,
roasted and presented on a fresh Rosemary scented demi glace
Dessert
Apple Dumpling
A tart apple cored and filled with cinnamon and pecans, encased in puff pastry,
baked then drizzled with a luscious caramel sauce and served with vanilla bean ice cream

8. Visit the Salton Sea & Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve

Salton Sea

Thousand Palms Oasis Coachella Valley Preserve

9. Pick an orange from the tree

Picking fresh, juicy, sweet oranges right from the tree.

10. Swim in Palm Springs Natural Hot Mineral pools
The pool I swam in had water that flows from springs 300 feet deep in the earth and comes out of the ground at 115 degrees Fahrenheit. These Palm Springs therapeutic pools claim to be beneficial for arthritis and back pain, heart and diabetes, weight loss and insomnia. What I like best is that the water is odorless and tasteless. It is a treat to swim in water that doesn’t smell like chlorine.

DIY Grace Kelly Hermes Bag

2011-01-20T17:46:00.001-08:00

Kelly Bag

What woman hasn’t lusted after a Kelly handbag from Hermes. I know I have, but with a price tag over $10,000.00 I think twice. Even though the price tag is so high there is a waiting list to own one of these bags. Last time I was in New York I dropped into the Hermes store and enquired about purchasing and was told that there was a several month wait and it was on a first come first serve basis. They were very vague about timing, color choices etc. and I was informed that they would not accept enquiries over the phone. Apparently you have to check in person in the store for the privilege of being able to buy one. Fine if you live in New York, have the time to hang around the store, and have the money to spend. The distinctive closure on the Kelly bag is what makes it so recognizable. I thought this DIY project was quite clever and could be fun to make if you are lusting after your own Kelly bag or know someone who is.

DIY Kelly Bag

Download the pattern and instructions from Paper Monkey. Please let me know if you decide to make one, or better yet send me a photo and I will post it. Thanks to Content in a Cottage who suggests that this origami Kelly bag would be make fabulous place cards for your holiday table or fancy dinner party with a small gift inside for each guest.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Palm Springs Thousand Palms Oasis

2011-01-17T08:02:00.001-08:00

Two years ago when I first visited Palm Springs I remember driving past Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve in the Coachella Valley and thinking to myself how scruffy the palm trees looked and why on earth didn’t they not groom them. I guess that is how my mind works as an Interior Designer. On this trip I took time to visit the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve and get to know the palm trees and their natural habitat. I have come away with a new appreciation for the natural beauty of the desert vegetation.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve

The species of palm tree at Thousand Palms Preserve, know as Washingtonia filifera, has a very thick trunk and grows slowly to about 45 feet. Their life span is 150 to 200 years. The dead leaves hang vertically and form what is called a skirt around the trunk. This ‘skirt’ is a home and refuge for numerous birds, insects and lizards. Fruit stalks, extend beyond the leaves and bear masses of tiny white to cream colored flowers. During this time of year, large clusters of small hard fruit hang from the tree.

This ‘skirt’ of the Washingtonia palms is a home and refuge for numerous birds, insects and lizards.
One hundred and eighty animal species inhabit the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve is surrounded on either side by the Indio Hills.

A few weeks ago a sudden flash fire erupted (cause is not know) on the other side of the mountain from the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve. In a matter of minutes a whole grove of the Washingtonia filifera were up in flames. It caused quite a stir in the community with locals and environmentalists. In talking with the caretaker of the Thousand Palms Preserve I was told that as long as the very top of the palm tree was not totally burnt it has a chance to re new its growth from the top, however the skirt will not re grow and hence the home for local insects, birds and lizards is lost.

A burnt out palm trunk from a fire in the 70’s at Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve has never grown new palm fronds.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve is located on the San Andreas Fault
A natural spring feeds the area making the vegetation lush and green.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve palm fronds

The base of an uprooted palm tree at Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve. Palm trees they have very shallow roots.

1000 Palms Oasis Coachella Valley Preserve

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Adoptable Adorables

2011-01-15T08:21:00.001-08:00

These pictures broke my heart. These wee ones are looking for their fabulous forever home too! Meet Tinkerbell, General Lee and Bogart. These precious pups were rescued from high-kill shelters in California. Unfortunately I am not able to adopt one of these adorable pups. Hopefully you or someone you know will see these pictures and fall in love with one of them.

Tinkerbell

General Lee

Bogart

If you are interested in adoption, please contact Pamela at 778.297.9929 or 778.239.1428.
Or email at pamelamckenzie@shaw.ca for more information. The dogs are in Vancouver now.

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent.
To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden,
where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."
-Milan Kundera

Stuart Membery

2011-01-13T11:41:00.001-08:00

I am please to welcome Stuart Membery as one of the valued sponsors of this Blog. Stuart Membery is one of the world's celebrated designers and his work spans Architecture, Interior, Fashion, Fine Art & Product Design. Through his background designing for such notable companies as Cartier and Esprit he has honed his experience and has branched out with his own HOME COLLECTION line which encompasses furnishings, lighting, textiles and trims, floor coverings and accessories. Stuart Membery is scheduled to open up a flagship store at the prestigious Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 2011.

Stuart Membery mostly works with mahogany and rattan for his furniture collection, and his signature style echoes the atmosphere of bygone eras. Colonial, Beach and Plantation are popular themes that run through the STUART MEMBERY HOME COLLECTION. From his Studio in Bali, Indonesia, Stuart Membery works with his draftsmen the same way he works with his pattern technicians and cutters.

I love the style of Stuart’s advertising and the atmosphere it conveys.

STUART MEMBERY OUTDOOR FURNITURE COLLECTION

STUART MEMBERY TEXTILES AND TRIM COLLECTION

STUART MEMBERY FLOORCOVERINGS COLLECTION

STUART MEMBERY INTERIOR LIGHTING COLLECTION

These are some of my favourite pieces from the Stuart Membery Home Collection.

Stuart Membery is scheduled to open up a flagship store in 2011 in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and his line is carried by my friend and fellow Blogger Anna Spiro at her store Black & Spiro. Please check out the Stuart Membery website and Blog.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

2011 Your Best Year Yet

2011-01-11T08:59:00.000-08:00

For those of you wanting to make 2011 Your Best Year Yet, I highly recommend this book Write It Down, Make It Happen. I have bought my favourite, a brand new Moleskin notebook and I savoring writing in it with my yellow Lamy fountain pen all the wonderful things I want to happen in my world in 2011. Make 2011 your "Best Year Yet" by getting clear about what you want to happen – it really works!

Moleskin is the legendary notebook used by Van Gogh, Hemingway, Matisse and Céline.
There is a whole Blog devoted to the "Moleskin. You can check it out here.

Wishing you all the best for 2011, and may it be a year filled to over flowing with all the good you desire!!!

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Palm Springs Salton Sea

2011-01-09T10:19:00.001-08:00

This year I was fortunate to be able to spend Christmas and bring in the New Year in Palm Springs with my Dad. Although the weather was not the best because of the torrential rain and flooding that hit most of Southern California, I did manage to get in some pool time, check out the Real Estate Market, see some of the sights and do some power shopping at Cabazon Outlet Mall – more on all of this in another post.

En Route to Salton Sea

One of the first things that I wanted to see this trip was the Salton Sea. The last time I was in Palm Springs I got a glimpse of the Salton Sea from a distance and it has stayed in my memory ever since. I was so transfixed by this far away glimpse that when I got back to Vancouver I tried to recreate an image of it in a piece of artwork. So on this trip an all day outing was planned. I was anxious to see if the Salton Sea was really like what I had painted it to be. The night before, in preparation for the trip, we watched an informative video of the history of the area. Early in the morning we loaded up the car with a picnic lunch of sandwiches of leftover Christmas ham, trifle for dessert and beverages and we set off on an all day adventure.

Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Rest Area

The Salton Sea is a salt water lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault in Southern California. The lake occupies the lowest elevation in the Colorado Desert in Southern California. It is currently 226 ft below sea level.

The creation of the Salton Sea of today started in 1905, when heavy rainfall and snowmelt caused the Colorado River to swell, overrunning a set of head gates for the Alamo Canal. The resulting flood poured down the canal and breached an Imperial Valley dike. Over a period of approximately two years this newly created river sporadically carried the entire volume of the Colorado River into the Salton Sink.

The Southern Pacific Railroad attempted to stop the flooding by dumping earth into the canal's head gates area, but the effort was not fast enough, and as the river eroded deeper and deeper into the dry desert sand of the Imperial Valley the basin filled and it resulted in the formation of the Salton Sea.

In the 1920s, the Salton Sea developed into a tourist attraction, because of its water recreation, and waterfowl attracted to the area. Celebrities used to trail their toes in the brine, but few people dare take a dip today.

The Salton Sea has had some success as a resort area in the past but today it is not exactly a thriving area as evidenced by what I saw in the town of Bombay Beach which was built on the eastern shore in the 1950s. Today the inhabitants of Bombay Beach live below the poverty level.

Bombay Beach Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is a major sanctuary for migrating and wading birds. When Sonny Bono was alive he was a major activist in promoting the preservation of this area. It is now feared that without intervention and support the lake will dry up.

Parched Earth Salton Sea

Vegetation Salton Sea

Vegetation on the shore of the Salton Sea

My Dad taking pictures with his new camera. Around the Salton Sea geothermal plants are being built to harness the heated water below the earth’s surface to power electrical generators. The Salton Sea area is located on the San Andreas Fault.

A view of the rich farming fields around the Salton Sea which are a feeding frenzy for wintering birds.

Salvation Mountain at Slab City

Slab City is an off-the-grid community where squatters and seasonal snowbirds live in RVs and vehicles among the concrete remnants of an abandoned Navy base. Located close to the Salton Sea, east of Niland, Slab City isn't actually a city at all - it's more a loose community of squatters, snowbirds and nomads who've pitched camps across 640 acres of open desert. Slab City and Salvation Mountain are quite a site to see, although a bit scary for my eyes. It seems to be locked in the 1960s with the only evidence of current times being solar panels, satellite dishes, fancy RVs and off road toys.

Salton Sea 23" x 36" Mixed Media on Paper Patricia Gray

Painting of my vision of The Salton Sea

Photographs Patricia Gray

Other travel posts you might like:
Cabo San Lucas
New York
Palm Springs Post Modern Architecture
Drinks at the Viceroy Palm Springs
Sunday in Milan
VENICE - Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa, Giudecca Island, Redentore
ROME - Hotel Mascagni, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Barberini
FLORENCE - Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Uffizi, Accademia Gallery

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Happy New Year from Palm Desert

2011-01-08T09:06:00.006-08:00

Wishing you a Happy New Year and All The Best for 2011.

Image R.Nichols

A Dog's Rules for Christmas

2010-12-11T10:41:00.009-08:00

#1 A big man with a white beard and a very loud laugh may emerge from your fireplace in the middle of the night. DON'T BITE HIM! Believe it or not, he comes bearing gifts.

#2 Don't pee on the tree.

#3 Be tolerant if your humans put decorations on you. They seem to get some special kind of pleasure out of seeing how you look with fake antlers.

Wishing you a happy holiday season filled with love and laughter with your dear ones two-legged or four!

Courtesy of Barking Babies

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design. 2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Home for the Holidays Christmas Tree

2010-11-28T12:52:00.001-08:00

Patricia Gray Inc is honoured to have participated along with Linda Sale Interior Design in their 3rd Annual “Home for the Holidays” fundraising initiative benefiting Canuck Place Children’s Hospice at Sutton Place Hotel. This festive fundraising initiative partnered with local Vancouver businesses to create signature trees that are showcased in the lobby of The Sutton Place Hotel for the month of December. Please drop by and feast your eyes on the beautiful trees and cast your vote for your favourite. Thank-you to everyone who voted for their favourite tree and helped us raise proceeds for this important cause.

The tree is decorated with handmade Canuck Jerseys for each team member, and Gingerbread Cookies to represent the Children of the World dressed in their native costumes with each holding the flag of their Country. Click here to see more pictures of the decorations. For more information, please visit Canuck Place Children’s Hospice or Sutton Place Hotel Home for the Holidays.

Photos top left to right: Patricia Gray with clients Arnold & Audrey Armstrong; Patricia Gray with client Linda McGibbon; Patricia Gray with Sara Tye, Creekside Tile; Patricia Gray with Hanan Arabatlian, Aura Interiors.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

These Pictures Make Me Smile

2010-11-25T18:48:00.001-08:00

I just couldn’t resist posting these pictures and words of wisdom I got in an email from my Dad today. I usually do not read these types of emails when I receive them other than from my Dad, as he always forwards me the Best of the Best. It made me smile and feel good, for our little furry friends really do give so much to us. I hope that it will put a smile on your face also!

A Dog's Purpose? (From a 6-year-old).
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly piped up ''I know why.''

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.
He said “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?''
The Six-year-old continued “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Live simply
Love generously
Care deeply
Speak kindly

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

First Snowfall in Vancouver

2010-11-20T13:48:00.001-08:00

View from my terrace

We had our first snow fall in the City last night. I woke up to extreme quiet and looked outside to a winter wonderland. It is unusual for us to have snow this early in the season if at all downtown……so if this keeps up we will have fantastic ski conditions in Whistler!

Have a wonderful weekend wherever you are.

The Erickson Vancouver

2010-10-04T15:58:00.001-07:00

These are some preview pictures of a current project I just completed the Interior Design for in the newest luxury development in Vancouver, The Erickson building, situated on the most treasured waterfront location in Vancouver overlooking False Creek. It was designed by the late Arthur Erickson(1924 – 2009), one of the masters architects of our time.

“Beauty in a home conveys a sense of harmony and wholeness….created with the end experience of the owner in mind”
The Erickson Building Vancouver

The Erickson Building Vancouver

The Erickson Building Vancouver Dining Room silver leaf ceilings

The Erickson Building Vancouver view from living room Patricia Gray Inc.

The Erickson Building Vancouver looking south across False Creek

The Erickson Building Vancouver looking east across David Lam Park

The Erickson Building Vancouver onyx counter Powder Room

“Powerful design has a lasting and profound impact on the imagination.
It sparks change, shapes our world and inspires our future.”
Bottom Photo Credit: Albarosa Simonetti

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

2010-09-14T21:02:00.007-07:00

This song is for a good friend who has just undergone major surgery! You know who you are...take care and best wishes for a speedy recovery. xoxo YouTube

5 iPhone Apps for Interior Design

2010-08-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

I got a new iPhone in December and I have been getting familiar with iPhone Apps. These applications or Apps (for short) are wonderful software programs that are installed directly on the screen of your iPhone - most are free to download, or have a nominally small fee.

These are the iPhone Apps that I have downloaded so far that are proving to be very helpful:

1. Flashlight iPhone App - This App fills the screen of your iPhone with bright white illuminating light. I used it on a job-site last week to look behind a wall to check the position of the gas line in a kitchen renovation. I will also have it handy next time I am in a dimly lit restaurant and can't read the menu!

2. iHandy Level iPhone App - very handy for leveling pictures on the wall, checking that a table is level, etc.

3. Digital Mag iPhone App - great for magnifying those hard to read dimensions on floor plans....also works great to read small print disclaimers, menus, etc.

4. Ben Color Capture iPhone App - I love this one. You take a picture with your iPhone and it matches it up with the exact Benjamin Moore paint color.

5. MacBox Units iPhone App - Units is a really useful app for the iPhone that lets you easily convert from various units into lots of others. Units can convert Area, Currency, Energy, Temperature, Time, Length, Weight, Speed, Pressure, Power, and Volume. As an added bonus Units also has a built in ruler, for doing small, quick measurements when the need arises.

*Best of all Flashlight, IHandy, Digital Mag, Ben Color Capture, and Units are all free iPhone Apps

Please let me know what iPhone Apps you have found helpful by leaving a comment here.
Comments

Plein Air Painting: Taking Your Paints Outside

2010-07-30T08:38:00.001-07:00

Last week I was gifted with a ‘plein air’ watercolor workshop given by Lynn Onley. Plein air painting is a familiar concept today, but in the late 1800s when the Impressionists ventured out of their studios into nature to investigate and capture the effects of sunlight and different times of days on a subject, it was quite revolutionary. We met at Porteau Cove, which is situated overlooking Howe Sound, 38 km north of Vancouver on the Sea-to-Sky Highway on the way to Whistler. Interestingly, I learnt that an old ship has been sunk in the bay, so as well as attracting outdoor enthusiasts, scuba divers and marine biologists come here to explore the depths of the ocean. A pebble beach slopes gently into Howe Sound in Porteau Cove. On summer days when the tide is low and the sun high, the warm rocks heat the incoming waters, making swimming here a pleasure. Lynn Onley who gave the workshop, is the daughter of Toni Onley, one of Canada’s most celebrated artists. His landscapes have always provided a special significance for Canadians in reviving an appreciation for our surroundings. Lynn Onley following in her father’s footsteps is an accomplished artist herself. I felt very privileged, and excited to have the opportunity to learn the art of watercolor from Lynn Onley as passed down to her from her celebrated father Toni Onley.

The view of the scene I painted with instruction from Lynn Onley

Lynn Onley painting Plein Air in Porteau Cove using her father, Toni Onley’s paint box

Lynn Onley painting Plein Air in Porteau Cove using her father, Toni Onley’s paint box and his wood and canvas folding chair. The first step is to lay in the color washes for the sky, and while still wet take tissue and blot to make the clouds. The next step is to paint in the mountains, using the ‘soup’ as Lynn calls it, which is the remaining mixture from the sky as the base to add the next colors to. Lynn showed us how to mix Alizarin Crimson with Sepia, to tone it down, to paint in the slab-like chunks of red granite showing in the mountains.

Lynn Onley demonstrates watercolors techniques

Then Lynn added in the ocean, and next the shore, and then trees. At this point you can continue to add more detail, or take the painting home to finish. I had to leave at this point with my water color still needing more work. I took it with me on my trip to Desolation sound and added in more detail, working from memory and being further inspired by the colors and light in the more northern atmosphere of Desolation Sound – Desolation Sound is at the 52nd Parallel, while Porteau Cove is at the 49th Parallel. Thanks Lynn for the inspiring day!!

My finished watercolor of Porteau Cove after a morning of instruction from Lynn Onley.
11” x 15” on 140 lb watercolor paper , Windsor Newton paints

A pebble beach slopes gently into Howe Sound. It was low tide so the green moss on the rocks usually below the water line was showing. We started painting at 10:00 AM, and the sky, cloud formations, and shadows on the water were constantly changing as the sun and tide line changed.

The dock at Porteau Cove.

The granite mountains above Porteau Cove on the highway to Whistler.

These pictures are of the beautiful tree I sat under while painting at Porteau Cove. I took these pictures as inspiration – possibly for my next water color.

Van Gogh, in a letter to his brother, claims to
“devour nature ceaselessly,”
and finds himself
“in surroundings which entirely engross me,
which so order, fix, regulate, renew and enlarge my thoughts
that I am quite wrapped up in them.”

Toni Onley 1928 – 2004, one of Canada’s most celebrated artists, painting Plein Air.

Map of Porteau Cove

Weekend In Paris

2010-07-08T08:16:00.006-07:00

Toast Soldiers and 3 Minute Boiled Egg
This picture is my inspiration for Sunday brunch, when I like to take my time and read the New York Times,
over a leisurely breakfast of three minute boiled eggs and, toast soldiers with homemade blackberry jelly.
I am going to cut my toast into strips like this and serve on my best china!

Postscript comment from Herve Pierre the owner of this plate: The plate was made on Bastille Day 1789 !!!! its in the back of the plate ! the man who made it signed and put the date, didn't know at the time that it would became eventually a famous day !!!

Macarons from Ladurée in Paris
And then for Sunday afternoon tea, this silver tray of goodies looks delightful.
This tea-service porcelain is from the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres and is an exact replica
of those made in the eighteenth century. The macarons are from Ladurée in Paris. The best thing
about them, as well as being delicious and melt in your mouth, are the beautiful colors.

Macarons: Small, round cakes, crisp on the outside, smooth and soft in the middle,
are made every morning in Ladurée’s "laboratory".

To live as if you were in Paris, in your refrigerator, you need Evian, confiture, foie gras, and
Céte d’Or chocolate, which friends know to bring back for Pierre from France.

con·fi·ture (n) A confection, preserve, or jam
foie gras (n) A pate made from goose liver (marinated in cognac) and truffles

Credits & Photos: The Selby, NY Mag - The New York lower Fifth Avenue condo of Hervé Pierre, the creative director of Carolina Herrera.

TriBeCa Interior Design

2010-07-01T12:35:00.007-07:00

How beautiful is this!
This screen has captured my attention. I love how the light shines through the colored glass. To fabricate the screen,
artist Susan Woods sawed blackened-steel tube into segments, welded them together, and inserted rounds of
colored glass.

Credit: Interior Design Magazine, TriBeCa apartment
Photo by Eric Laignel

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

DIY Tables by Goncalo Campos

2010-06-29T09:25:00.001-07:00

I love the genius of product design. The series of tables designed by Goncalo Campos, are made only using two basic materials, fabric and wood, the most commonly used materials in most households They are designed to be assembled with no glues or external fixtures, other than fabric, using a simple construction technique - they look primitive but at the same time very elegant. I can see the possibilities using beautiful woods, such as ebony, walnut, or perhaps fumed wood, and coordinating the fabric to match the colors and mood of your room. They would make wonderful conversation pieces for a wedding, or summer lawn party.

Images Courtesy of Gonçalo Campos. Goncalo Campos is a Portuguese designer, born in 1986. Graduated in product design in 2008, after which joined Fabrica team, for a year and created a series of of tables which were featured in the exhibition Mais que Partes (More Than Parts), shown in the Fabrica features shop in Lisbon.

Fumed wood veneers – White Ebony

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Furniture IS Lifestyle - DEDON LAUNCHES “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

2010-06-29T07:46:00.000-07:00

DEDON LAUNCHES “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

I love the new lifestyle advertising campaign that the Dutch company Dedon, a manufacturer of outdoor furnishings, has launched. You may have seen the ads for this Dedon campaign in some of the recent Design magazines - Dedon is selling their furniture as lifestyle. DEDON takes its collaboration with legendary American fashion photographer Bruce Weber to a next level with the publication of a new book Coming Home, a sumptuously produced, limited edition book. Building on themes that Weber developed for the current DEDON advertising campaign, Coming Home is an exploration into the meaning of home and the feelings we hold for it. Personal, poetic and eclectic, the book weaves together exclusive imagery by Bruce Weber with artwork and illustrations specially commissioned by the photographer. Watch the Dedon movie in large format here, or on YouTube here. The music and imagery are spectacular. The movie starts with a quote from the movie Out of Africa - the words of Denys Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford: “I don’t want to live someone else’s idea of how to live.”

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER
A multilevel treehouse, a cast and crew of 60 people with legendary fashion photographer Bruce Weber keeping it all together.

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

When I first saw the Dedon ad campaign, by Bruce Webber I was mesmerized by it. Some people I have talked to just don’t get it.
After all Bruce Webber was the photographer for the controversial ad campaign for Calvin Klein in the 90’s, and
Webber also photographed a shirtless Chris Isaak in bed for a fashion spread in Rolling Stone.
Dedon says about Coming Home “…….it is an exploration into the meaning of home and the feelings we hold for it.”
I say that ‘Furniture IS Lifestyle’ and has as much of a message to say about how we live as Fashion does!

What do you think about ‘Lifestyle Advertising?’ Leave your comment here.

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER Architectural Digest Spain - May 2010
Postscript: These are scans from a Spanish magazine that my friend and fellow blogger Ivan Meade sent to me after I published this article.

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT
in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Whats Hot? Fuego Outdoor Living Grill

2010-06-24T14:21:00.001-07:00

I am in the process of designing an outdoor patio for clients. It is a challenging project as well as being very exacting, with a lot of technical details to take into consideration (gas lines, water lines, electrical panel load limits, permit approvals, etc), before I can even start on the ‘pretty stuff.’ This outdoor patio is on the roof of a penthouse, with a spectacular view of the ocean, mountains, and city of Vancouver. It is a breathtaking 130 feet in length, and is probably larger than most people’s back yards.

Every once in awhile I come across a new and innovatively designed product that causes me to stop and take notice, and with a sigh of relief, that I have found an esthetically pleasing alternative to a category of product design that generally leaves my visual sensibilities assaulted. Finally an outdoor grill (notice that it is not referred to as a BBQ - ‘Grill’ is the operative new terminology), that shakes up tradition, and is beautiful to look at. “A campfire for modernists,” “a social magnet with a great sense of style.” Attaching a label to this Fuego outdoor living grill is trickier than throwing a salmon – wild, rubbed with herbs and spices – on an open flame. As well as Fuego being a top rated grill, it has a modernist design aesthetic with sleek-lined minimalism. One that I wouldn’t mind gracing my clients’ patio.

Fuego Catalogue

Fuego Grill 01

What do you think? Would you like to have this Fuego grill gracing your patio?
I’ll take the pool!

The Colors of San Jose del Cabo

2010-04-22T09:14:00.002-07:00

The Colors of San Jose del Cabo

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Wine Spa Treatment

2010-04-21T10:41:00.002-07:00

"Come! I am tasting the stars!"
--Attributed by legend to Dom Pérignon (1638-1714)

Outdoor Wine Spa Treatment cabana overlooking ocean

I had my first wine spa massage today – it is the hottest new trend in the spa industry. Grapes, grape seeds and grape vines contain some of the nature’s most powerful antioxidants. The French have known the rejuvenation properties of grapes for centuries, and recent studies are showing that the French suffer less heart disease due to a regular intake which confirms that wine not only tastes good - it’s good for you on the inside, and now on the outside.

To start off the wine spa massage treatment you arrive 45 – 60 minutes before your appointment for your ‘guided relaxation sequence’: 10 minutes in the steam room or sauna relaxation; pressurized rain shower cooling-off and rinsing; 10 minute Jacuzzi immersion; cold plunge immersion for blood pressure stabilizing; 15 minutes in the relaxation lounge. The “La Vin” Massage is a personalized anti-stress massage using the unique therapy of Chardonnay oil containing antioxidant grape seed extract oil. The Merlot massage claims to treat sunburn and extreme dehydrated skin. After the wine spa massage I was escorted to the relaxation lounge where the Wine Spa Sommelier had designed the perfect pairing between “Haute Signature” canapés, and a perfect glass of wine from Valle de Guadalupe.

Wine Spa Therapy Relaxation Lounge / Wine Spa Therapy Facility

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Welcome to the Hotel California

2010-04-20T13:44:00.002-07:00

Yesterday I set off to visit the legendary Hotel California in Todos Santos, Mexico. The Eagles made this song famous in the 70’s|(listen to it here on YouTube as performed at the 2007 Grammys.) According to the locals - Todos Santos was a town that the Vietnam draft dodgers escaped to in the late 60’s. When communicating with home they would discreetly say they were staying at ‘The Hotel California’, hence the words of the song:

“We are all just prisoners here
Of our own device……
You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave……”

The drive to Todos Santos from my Hotel (on the Los Cabos Beach corridor) is approximately 1 hour, on the two lane Highway 19. I bravely rented a car for the day and set off on my adventure only to get lost before I left Cabo San Lucas. It turned to to be an interesting diversion, as I got to see the area of town where the locals live, which I might not have seen otherwise. Back on Highway 19, which is undergoing construction, the speed limit is posted at 60 km per hour or 80 km per hour. I soon found out that was only a ‘suggested’ speed limit, as I had huge semi transport trucks right on my bumper and passing me on this narrow highway on a solid yellow line. Once I sped up to the going speed of 110 – 120 kms per hour I fit in nicely.

There were two stops that my Mexican Personal Assistant told me that I had to stop at: Art & Beer for their famous drinks & decor, and Miguel’s for authentic Mexican food. Visiting the Hotel California was the anti-climax of the trip as it was very touristy, but the Pina Colada and appetizers at Art and Beer, and the Chili Reno at Miguel’s were unforgettable.

The bartender at Art and Beer making his famous Clamato drink (above.) It has 17 ingredients and could constitute a entire meal. These are the ingredients, if you want to give it a try: Tomato juice, orange juice, worchester sauce, soya sauce, lime juice, hot sauce. wasabi, dijon, horseradish, oyster sauce, small scallops, clams, cracked shrimp, celery, celery salt, Vodka, ice.

Me with my Pina Colada - it was sooooo good / Appetizers of squid & scallops and clams on the half shell

The Pina Colada was served in a pre-frozen half pineapple, with appetizers of fresh clams on the half shell, and a separate plate of baby squid and the smallest, tenderest scallops – both were topped with Mexican hot sauce. In Mexico when you order a drink you automatically get something to eat with your drink. This time I got a full meal with my Pina Colada. The seafood was fresh caught locally that morning.

Art & Beer on Highway 19 – Todos Santos in distance

The seating area at Art & Beer / Umbrellas from drinks along with business cards placed on the posts throughout Art & Beer

You can lounge in hammocks while enjoying a Margarita

The view from Art & Beer towards the Sea of Cortez

Cactus and Succulent at Art & Beer

Hotel California Todos Santos / Mannequin in lobby of Hotel California

Me and Miguel in his namesake restaurant – Todos Santos

My final stop of the day before heading back was at Miguel’s Restaurant in Todos Santos to try one of his acclaimed Chili Reno’s. Miguel and his wife started their restaurant 9 years ago with two tables and it has grown into a renowned establishment with recent press in the NY Times and LA Times. The food is authentic Mexican – Miguel’s two sisters and aunt were cooking in the kitchen, and I was lucky to get to see my Chili Rellenos prepared. The decor is traditional with dirt floors and typical thatched roof.

Miguel's Chili Relleno
Fry the green chilies in a fry pan to brown the skins to make them easy to remove. Discard the seeds and pulp inside. Dip the chilies into boiling water (to remove the hotness). Stuff with cheese. Beat up an egg white and dip the chili into and then coat with fine bread crumbs, fry until golden brown and the cheese inside melts. Serve with rice and brown beans.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Hola from Los Cabos

2010-04-16T20:49:00.002-07:00

Warning: Depending where you are when you are reading this, you might feel a tinge of envy, but let me preface this post by saying that this vacation is just what I am needing to recharge and ‘smooth my feathers’... I am sitting on a beautiful sunny beach in Los Cabos, Baja Mexico sipping a Margarita and eating a pizza with Mexican hot sauce ....two weeks of bliss….with lots of time to waste away in Margaritaville. The resort I am staying at is situated on a magnificent private coral beach with 6 swimming pool, 3 restaurants, and a world famous Wine Therapy Spa with treatments called vinotherapy (more on that in another post.) I arrived late Sunday, and on Monday I did not leave the pool deck. I was totally mesmerized by the warm ocean breeze, the sound of the surf, and the reflections in the infinity pool.

Mexican Pizza with Hot Sauce & a Lime Margarita
The bird in the background was trying to get a bite of my pizza.

Wildlife at the pool.

This iguana has a good thing going. He slinks under the deck chairs and waits in prey for any unattended food that he can pilfer. The first time I noticed him (or may it is a ‘her’) he had a slice of tomato in his mouth, bigger than the size of his head, and was scurrying across the pool deck back to the safety of his rock to devour it. It quite shocked me the first time I saw him, but over the course of a few days the more I saw him the more familiar he became.

The resort is at the bottom of a high outcropping of rock. Walking back to my room these are some of the view corridors to the ocean. My favourite time of day is in the late afternoon, when the sun is lower in the sky and casts dramatic shadows.

Shadows on the trunk of a palm tree

One of the restaurants is situated on the edge of the ocean and is lit entirely by candle light where Chef Gerardo Rivera reigns supreme. The service staff bring flashlights to look at the menu. For my main course I had the most delectable local Sea Bass firewood cooked with tomato chunks, lemon grass and cilantro accompanied by a glass of Chateau Camou, El Gran Divino”, (Late Harvest). For dessert I waited patiently for the 20 minute cooking time for the Chocolate Bomba scented with Cardamom and Bitter Chocolate, which was baked in a wood oven. In Spanish - Bomba de chocolat amargo y cardomomo.

Chocolate Bomba baked in a wood oven.

One of the paths to the beach / Private deluxe beach cabanas

An early morning walk on the beach

The waves washing up on the beach (left) / The waves receding (right)

Coral Reef Beach
Wish you were here!!!!

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Happy Easter

2010-04-01T16:44:00.002-07:00

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Lucite and Glass Faucet

2010-02-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

This is one of the prettiest faucets I have seen. It would be a thing of beauty in a Powder or Guest Bathroom. It is made from glass with lucite handles. When the faucet is opened, the water comes out from the bottom and fills the vase up to the rim. A limited edition to bring an air of poetry to the bathroom.

Design Davide Vercelli for Hego Water Design Italy

Objects d' Art Ivan Meade

2010-02-17T08:09:00.001-08:00

IVAN MEADE OBJECTS D' ART

I was recently gifted with this extraordinary 925 Sterling Silver Object d' Art by the talented & inspired designer Ivan Meade. It is now a treasured piece in my home. Below is the story of Ivan’s inspiration for creating this piece. I love it when artists share how they came to design a piece….and how their works of art are birthed into the world of form.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog™

Vancouver Winter Olympics

2010-02-12T08:36:00.001-08:00

The Winter Olympics start today, and as I am writing this I can hear the cheers from the crowds on the street outside my office and the hum of helicopters overhead. Exciting times. The city all a buzz and full of people from all over the world. I live and work downtown, so I will be able to walk to all the activities. I am sure a lot of you will be glued to your TV rooting for your Countries. This YouTube video is amazing. Sometimes I forget just how beautiful my city is.

Reinventing Blue

2010-02-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

And I mean a deep, dark, luscious Blue. It is showing up in walls, fabrics, carpets and accessories. It is a blue that doesn't have green or red in it. It is almost black and is warmer than lighter blues and has more life and depth than Black. It is the deepest shade of Indigo as seen in Ikat Textiles. It is the color of the sky on a moonlit night. It is mysterious, moody, classic, timeless, calming, and refreshing. It can have a glossy finish or be totally matt. It is beautiful when contrasted with pure white. My favorite Benjamin Moore paint colors are Polo Blue, Blackberry Punch, Kensington Blue, Blue Gaspe, Hale Navy, and Old Navy. Some deep blue colors are: sapphire, azure, beryl, cerulean, cobalt, indigo, navy, royal, midnight blue, slate, steel blue, Prussian blue.

The high gloss finish on this wall has a subtle reflectivity to it that changes at different times of the day and literally sparkles at night.

Alberto Pinto has used a deep blue in the bold geometric carpet as his only color in this wonderful Master Bedroom.

A deep and refreshing Mediterranean blue has been used on the walls at JK Capri Hotel in Italy.

A deep "French Blue" velvet for this classic chair.

I am in the process of designing a guest bedroom and I have chosen a deep blue silk for the curtains called Moonlight. I am putting a natural woven raffia roman shade on the window behind the curtains for some textural interest. The walls will be painted the same shade as the silk curtains: Benjamin Moore "Blue Gaspe". The Headboard is a heavy white Belgium linen. The bedding is white Egyptian cotton with an Hermes cashmere blanket in a deep charcoal color on the end of the bed. The carpet is wool and is the color of white coral. I will hang black and white "ocean" photographs that I have taken on my travels on the blue walls to finish it off.

Let me know if these deep luscious shades of blue are slated to become one of your new favorite colors?

Photo Credits from top: Dominio, Alberto Pinto, JK Capri Hotel, Jayson Home.

2010 Color Reform Trends

2010-02-02T08:50:00.001-08:00

ABC Carpet & Home Vintage 'over-dyed' carpets

ABC CARPET NEW YORK INTRODUCES COLOR REFORM TRENDS COLLECTION TO SALVAGE OLD RUGS

I got an interesting email from ABC Carpet & Home New York this week, that captured my interest - they (ABC Carpet & Home) is encouraging us to look on the bright side for 2010 with a their new rug collection that promises to: "escape predictability, embrace the unconventional, and help preserve our planet." This new assortment of hybrid carpets called Color Reform, transforms imperfect, vintage rugs into modern works of art. ABC Carpets are literally “...rescuing carpets from the “rug graveyard” and giving them a new lease on life.”

ABC Carpet & Home has utilized this notion to develop the concept of Color Reform, which refers to evolutionary change through color. Each one of a kind rug was individually handcrafted by Turkish artisans in the Toros Mountains. The vintage rugs are neutralized to remove their original color and then over-dyed to create their remarkable chromatic state. The variations in the tonality of pigments result from the carpet’s original concentration of color combined with the dye application process conceived from each artist’s distinct vision.

Exotic rainbow hues range from neon pink and electric green to opulent reds and saturated yellows. The striking compositions evoke an almost translucent appearance as irregular, partially faded motifs emerge through the color, adding complexity and interest to each piece. Below is one of my favourites in the series, in a more neutral color palette, that I think you would be able to live with for many years to come and pass on to future generations.

ABC Carpet & Home Color Reform
Vintage 'over-dyed' carpet

To Kindle or Not?

2010-01-16T18:55:00.006-08:00

The controversy for me is to read a book on Kindle, or to hold a book in your hands? Here is what I have decided. There is a place for both. There are certain books to read on Kindle. For me they are current best sellers that I usually devour, and having read them once they are cast to a separate and less prominent position on my bookshelf. It seems a waste of paper to me to have stacks of books that I will only read once. And another advantage of Kindle is that you can have that book instantly downloaded onto your Kindle wirelessly and be reading with no wasted time (and time is a precious commodity) standing in line at the bookstore or waiting for it to arrive by mail.

The new Kindle DX comes with a larger 9.7” display and I am debating on whether to wait until they come out with a color screen. I discovered that they now have Kindle for PC & iPhone (free download). I downloaded Kindle for PC last weekend and really enjoyed the ease of reading on my laptop. You can turn the pages in a nano second, which is good for speed reading certain types of books and I liked the illuminated screen for reading at night. I have read two bestsellers on Kindle for PC : The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande & Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell – both excellent books.

But then there are books that defy the use of Kindle for me, and those are the books that I want to hold in my hands, smell the pages, turn the pages, start reading from the back of the book, explore the beautiful pictures , arrange them in alluring stacks on my coffee table, line them up as works of art on my bookshelf. There is nothing as delightful to me as owning and reading a precious first edition.

1st Edition 1940 – I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson

So what do you think – to read a book on Kindle or hold it in your hands?

Patricia Gray is an award winning Interior Designer in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design. 2010 © Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog™

Featured Home 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

2010-01-14T17:31:00.016-08:00

Architectural Digest's February issue has just hit the newsstands and they have done a special Travel section for the 2010 Winter Olympics and my "Gastown" Project in Vancouver is featured.

Click on above image to see entire project. To view the slide show on-line click here.

Patricia Gray is an award winning Interior Designer in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.

Monochrome Interiors

2010-01-12T08:55:00.008-08:00

Monochrome is a term generally used to describe painting, drawing, design, or photography in one color or shades of one color. A monochrome object or image is one whose range of colors consists of shades of a single color or hue. I have shown a monochrome interior in shades of white, but monochrome interiors can also be in shades of green, blue, red, etc. I particularly like this Monochrome interior - Blue Fin Restaurant at the W in New York, because of the way pattern and texture were used to give interest and drama to an otherwise all white space. I haven't eaten here yet, but I want to....I wonder if the food is as good as the design?

If anyone has dined at this restaurant, please let me know.

Photo: Monochrome Interior -The Blue Fin Restaurant W New York Times Square, Interior design Yabu Pushellberg

Fabrizio Plessi's Venetian Palazzo

2010-01-03T12:05:00.006-08:00

Perfection!

Fabrizio Plessi's Venetian Palazzo

Fabrizio Plessi's Venetian Palazzo
Interiors Magazine Photos: Paolo Utimpherger Magazine Cover: Photos Nathan Kirkman / Design Wendy Posard

Diary of an Interesting Year

2009-12-31T12:22:00.001-08:00

A Rendering of my Living Room given to me as a Christmas gift by Michelle Morelan.

2009 is a great year to reflect back on, now that it is almost over. Whew, what a turbulent year - full of challenges. I am not one to buy into the doom and gloom of the economic climate (I have weathered others through the years: early 80's, early 90's, late 90's), but this year was a year of an down economic climate that has seemed to have escaped no one in the 'world.' There is a saying that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. It is hard to see when you are in the midst of chaos, until you have come through it.....hopefully we are through it!!! One of the benefits for me was that I kept busy and was continually looking for ways to recharge and re-inspire. I was fortunate to have four wonderful trips this year to do just that. It is very important when you are working in a creative field to be continually evolving and expanding your horizons, and travel helps me to do that. I also full filled a life long dream this year and went back to school and took two Art classes in Mixed Media Painting. I subsequently turned my garage into an Art Studio and have spent many glorious days there immersed in painting.

A trip to Palm Springs in the early Spring - where I became fascinated with and wrote a Blog posting on the Mid-Century Post Modern resurgence of 'screen block.'

Palm Springs Modern Architecture and the Use of Screen Block

A trip to the Okanagan with my Dad and a visit to the The Nk'Mip Winery and Resort in Osoyoss where I was inspired by the use of Rammed Earth in Modern Architecture.

Rammed Earth Wall NK'MIP Winery Osoyoos

A trip to New York in September and another in December. What can I say about New York, other than that it is one of the most exciting and visually stimulating cities in the world. Being able to see the artwork of great masters at the MOMA, Georgia O'Keeffe at The Whitney, and Kandinsky at the Guggenheim - it just doesn't get better than that. I shopped for clients at the D & D Building, A & D Building, and the New York Design Center, explored Soho, Tribeca, the Meat Packing District, Canal Street, walked Central Park, 5th Avenue, tried the Subway, enjoyed live theatre, ate at wonderful restaurants, enjoyed the lights and shop windows all decorated for Christmas, met new friends, and connected with old friends.

Kandinsky at the Guggenheim / The Meatpacking district and Highline / South Pacific at The Lincoln Center

Mixed Media Painting Classes at Emily Carr University of Art

Frottage 1 24" x 36" Mixed Media: Pastel, Acrylic, Gesso on Glassine

Experimenting with Mono Prints

Acrylic on Canvas

The Salton Sea 23" x 36" Mixed Media on Paper

West Coast Landscape 24" x 48" Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas

Triptych in My Living Room: Be Still My Bleeding Heart 72" x 36"'
Chinese Ink on Bronze & Silver Metallic

Diptych in My Living Room: Koi Pond 16" x 16" Gold & Pearl Opalescence (right)

My painting companion - Nicole

I am very honored to be on the 'Board of Experts' for LoftLife Magazine in 2009, and to have an article published in BC Home Magazine

I wish you all a very Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2010 and may all your dreams come true!!

Patricia Gray is an award winning Interior Designer in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Wrapping up 2009

2009-12-29T19:46:00.001-08:00

I always revel in the week between Christmas and New Year as a time diverge from routine, and welcome the New Year in with a change in what I usually read throughout the year, which are books on Interior Design. One of the ways I make a choices on what I want to read, is to leaf through several books and read the jacket covers or page through the book randomly to see if anything speaks to me. That is how I choose, What the Dog Saw by Malcolm Gladwell. I had previously read his book, Tipping Point, and then saw him interviewed on a talk show on his third book - Outliers. While paging through his most current book, What the Dog Saw, I was immediately hooked on his article entitled: The Ketchup Conundrum. This book, What the Dog Saw, contains Malcolm Gladwell's favourite pieces that he has written over the last several years for the pages of The New Yorker. "Good writing," Gladwell says in his preface, "does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else's head." It is a fascinating read.

Another favourite way to choose a book is to ask people what is their favorite book they have read. Usually they are so enthusiastic in recounting the highlights of the book that it gets me excited to read it. The outcome of my most recent enquiry was - the New York Times Bestseller by Muriel Barbery, The Elegance of the Hedgehog. This book is set in Paris, which immediately attracted me, but the real focus of the book is about a woman who is a concierge at a bourgeois building in a posh Parisian neighborhood. She (Renee) has a secret: she is a ferocious autodidact who furtively devours art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. Renee hides her true talents and her finest qualities from a world that she suspects cannot or will not appreciate them. It is a story about living out her life in obscurity to hide this fact about herself, and how she reconciles herself to owning her brilliance.

Last night on Charlie Rose I watched a fascinating interview with the brilliant Orhan Pamuk, a Turkish novelist and winner of 2006 The Nobel Prize in Literature, on his new book: The Museum of Innocence. The story, which takes place in Istanbul between 1975 and today, is about obsessive passion and the great question: What is love, really?, as well as a look into the minds and culture of the Turkish society. I am off to purchase this book tomorrow to wrap up my reading for these last few day left of 2009.

What is your favourite book that you have read lately?
Please leave a comment here, and let me know.

Patricia Gray is an award winning Interior Designer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who blogs about "WHAT'S HOT"
in the world of Interior Design: New and Emerging Trends, Contemporary Design, Modern Architecture and Travel,
as well as how your surroundings can enhance the world around you.
© Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™ 2009

Christmas Greeting

2009-12-24T14:25:00.003-08:00

I got this from a friend, and I thought it might also get you in the Christmas Spirit...... Enjoy the spirit of Christmas, wherever you may be, and whoever you may be with!!! Patricia

P.S. And I add greetings to all the "beautiful men of this world."

Christmas in New York City - Art Galleries & Theatre

2009-12-18T18:03:00.001-08:00

Christmas in New York City - Galleries & Theatre

This Christmas visit to New York I was fortunate to see the Musical, South Pacific at the Lincoln Center, and two Art Galleries; Georgia O'Keeffe at The Whitney Museum of Modern Art and Kandinsky at the Guggenheim Museum. I love theatre in New York. There is something very special about getting dressed up and the excitement of the opening strains from the Orchestra.It was a toss up between the new play 'A Little Night Music', the latest revival of Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award-winning musical with Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones, or the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical 'South Pacific' at the Lincoln Center. I am happy to say that I saw South Pacific and it was as good as the concierge at my Hotel said it was. There was something soothing about hearing songs that I have grown up with and are so familiar. The theme song "Some Enchanted Evening," stayed with me for several days. Here is the YouTube version of 'Some Enchanted Evening' you can listen to.

South Pacific at Lincoln Center

The Guggenheim Museum had a wonderful exhibit of the work of the Russian artist, Vasily Kandinsky, who was a pioneer of Abstract Art and broke new ground in painting in the first decades of the twentieth century. The Guggenheim designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was opened in 1959 and, rightly so, is claimed to be one of his most famous masterpieces. The spiraling design of the interior makes this museum one of the best venue's I have ever been in to view an art exhibit. As you walk up the spiral ramps you can view the pieces of artwork as a whole. Magnificent!!!

The view from the roof top of the Guggenheim across the reservoir & jogging trail of Central Park.

I want this townhouse!

These are two of my favourite pieces by Kandinsky from the exhibit.
You can view the exhibit on line here.

After the exhibit we got directions to a local's favourite restaurant on E. 73rd Street where I had a most memorable lunch of Arugula salad topped with sliced roasted artichokes and topped off with large, (very large) paper fine slices of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Yummm!!

Via Quadronno on E. 73rd Street. (left)
A Beautiful piece of street sculpture outside the restaurant. (right)

The walk back to the Hotel was in typical New York style down streets lined with beautiful townhouses all decorated for the holiday season, past apartments with uniformed concierges, among the locals walking their dogs, across streets with bumper to bumper honking taxis, and a short jaunt through Central Park.

Townhouses decorated for Christmas on E 73rd Street

Fifth Avenue

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas

From the bottom of my heart.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Designer firm in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Christmas in New York City - The Shop Windows

2009-12-17T10:29:00.001-08:00

Christmas in New York City - The Shop Windows

This year I am fortunate to be spending some 'Christmas time' in New York, which for me is one of the prettiest times of year in this city. There is so much to see and to do here at any time of year, but especially more so at Christmas. The displays in the store windows are magnificent, the Christmas lights are bigger and better than anywhere, the concerts, shows and theatre are at their best, the restaurants are overflowing, and the stores are filled with shoppers looking for just the right gifts, and everywhere the city is filled with good cheer. Enjoy the pictures.

The ceiling at Macy's.

Swarovski Crystals

Louis Vuitton at Macy's

I loved the awnings at Lord & Taylor which were totally covered in green boughs and thousands of twinkle lights.

Kiki de Montparnasse in SoHo for the ultimate in Christmas lingerie.

Stella McCartney in the Meatpacking District

Brooks Brothers at Lincoln Center featured a Tie Tree for the discerning gentleman.

Colombus Circle

Cole Haan Rockefeller Center

Anthropologie Rockefeller Center had fun and unusual window displays, like this one of the pink Cadillac in the snow bank.

The Gap

My pictures below of the windows at Bergdorf really don’t do the beautiful displays the justice they deserve. They were so much better than the photos. There were so many people standing in front of the windows, that it was hard to get a full shot, and then the battery went dead on my camera and I had to take the rest of the photos on my iPhone at a much lower resolution. It is really hard to describe the amount of people in New York, unless you have been there at Christmas time. When I returned to Vancouver it felt like a sleepy little Hamlet in comparison.

Bergdorf Goodman 5th Avenue New York

The striking glass structure of the Apple Store is iconic. You enter through the glass doors into a glass cube and a spiral glass staircase leads to the service floor below ground. I had my new iPhone with me and took it out to show it where it was born. I am sure that there are going to be a lot of Happy little iPhones under the Christmas tree this year.

Glass Roof Apple Store

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight
Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here were are as in olden days,
happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
gather near to us once more.

Through the years we all will be together
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.

And have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

2010 Color Trends

2009-12-01T16:21:00.001-08:00

Color Experts Farrow & Ball Create 4 Key Color Trends for 2010

I just received the run down on the 2010 color trends from Farrow & Ball. They are all fresh and exciting combinations. I like the earthy shades in the Industrial color trends palette. The subtle, natural colors in the Aquatic color trends palette would be dreamy in a bedroom. I especially like the dark and dramatic colors in the Urban Decay color trends palette (Pitch Black No.256 is one of my all time favourite accent colors). And how can you top the Glitz & Glamour color trends palette for adding a bit of pizzazz to a room. I would stick with the neutrals for the largest areas (Cat's Paw No.240, Savage Ground No.213,Ringwold Ground No.208) and use the brighter accent colors sparingly, maybe incorporating them in artwork and accessories.

1. Industrial 2010 Color Trends: A strong but fragile fusion of colour.

Inspired by industrial architecture, this look is all about modernity mixed with tradition. Old and new are combined in an urban palette of muted tones that mimic the earthy shades of natural materials such as stone, clay, chalk and brick. Team soft grey based neutrals such as Cornforth White No.228 and Pavilion Gray No.242 with intense and inky darks such as Off-Black No.57 and Down Pipe No.26 to create a contemporary scheme. The deep, dramatic hues are accented and uplifted by splashes of vibrant, zestful colour with citrus shades such as Babouche No.223 or Orangery No.70.

2010 Color Trends
Key colours for the Farrow & Ball Industrial 2010 Color Trends :
Farrow & Ball Down Pipe No.26
Farrow & Ball Off-Black No.57
Farrow & Ball Pavilion Gray No.242
Farrow & Ball Cornforth White No.228
Farrow & Ball Setting Plaster No.231
Farrow & Ball Orangery No.70
Farrow & Ball Babouche No.223
Farrow & Ball Blackened No.2011

2. Aquatic 2010 Color Trends: A soft, watery palette defined by the elements.

This is a gentle, tranquil scheme. Subtle, natural colours are starkly contrasted with strong inky blues and combined with the reflective qualities of light, glass and mirrors for a diluted, watery look featuring freshwater tones. Try Strong White No.2001 or James White No.2010 teamed with the soft Pavilion Blue No.252 or Tunsgate Green No.250, and underpinned by Blue Ground No.210, Drawing Room Blue No.253 or Hague Blue No.30.

2010 Color Trends
Key colours for the Farrow & Ball Aquatic 2010 Color Trends:
Farrow & Ball Pavilion Blue No.252
Farrow & Ball Tunsgate Green No.250
Farrow & Ball Blue Ground No.210

Farrow & Ball James White No.2010
Farrow & Ball Hague Blue No.30
Farrow & Ball Strong White No.2001
Farrow & Ball Drawing Room Blue No.253

3. Urban Decay 2010 Color Trends: A vibrant scheme with an unpredictable twist.

Bold and graphic, this look is heavily influenced by the global economic meltdown and features the strong use of vibrant colours, but with an urban edge. Team dark and dramatic colours such as Pelt No.254 and Pitch Black No.256 together in a scheme for a theatrical look and experiment with paint finish as well as colour to make a real statement. Use Eco Full Gloss to create a high shine surface and inject with zingy, bright colours such as Arsenic No.214 and Dayroom Yellow No.233 for added impact and the ultimate visual scheme!

2010 Color Trends
Key colours for the Farrow & Ball Urban Decay 2010 Color Trends :
Farrow & Ball Pelt No.254
Farrow & Ball Pitch Black No.256
Farrow & Ball Oval Room Blue® No.85
Farrow & Ball Parma Gray® No.27
Farrow & Ball Dayroom Yellow No.233
Farrow & Ball Arsenic No.214
Farrow & Ball Great White No.2006

4. Glitz & Glamour 2010 Color Trends: A decadent look that celebrates excess.

In complete contrast to Urban Decay, this look is all about wealth and indulgence. Use rich and opulent shades like Brinjal No.222, Pitch Blue No.220 and Churlish Green No.251, alongside shimmering gold and metallics for an extravagant feel. This glamorous, glitzy look has a Middle Eastern influence, so colours include exotic shades which combine and collide in a celebration of colour and excess. Try Porphyry Pink No.49, Brinjal No.222 and Churlish Green No.251; a riot of colour with an adventurous twist. Key to this look is the myriad of colours – definitely not for the faint-hearted!

2010 Color Trends
Key colours for the Farrow & Ball Glitz & Glamour 2010 Color Trends :
Farrow & Ball Brinjal No.222
Farrow & Ball Cat's Paw No.240
Farrow & Ball Churlish Green No.251
Farrow & Ball Savage Ground No.213
Farrow & Ball Pitch Blue No.220
Farrow & Ball Porphyry Pink No.49
Farrow & Ball Cinder Rose No.246
Farrow & Ball Ringwold Ground No.208

What is your favourite 2010 Color Trends palette?
Please let me know by leaving a comment [here].

Knitting 101

2009-11-27T23:08:00.005-08:00

This year for Christmas presents I am knitting a few scarves for special gift giving. My Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 5 and I have continued to knit on and off over the years. I love going into yarn shops and feasting my eyes on all the colors and textures available. On my last trip to the yarn shop I was captivated by this most exquisite shade of teal blue. It is a blend of wool mohair and silk, and knits up as soft and light as a spider's web. I love working with bamboo needles. This scarf is super easy. Cast on as many stitches as you need to make the scarf the width you want and then just knit every row until it is long enough. For this season extra long and very narrow scarves seem to be all the trend.

Happy Knitting If you have any knitting projects on the go please leave a comment [here]. PS I am going on a plane trip...does any one know if knitting needles are allowed through security??

Helpful Videos: Knitting 101 Casting on Stitches Knitting 101 The Knit Stitch Knitting 101 Casting off Stitches Knitting 101 Knitting Tips

Patricia Gray is an award winning Interior Designer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who blogs about "WHAT'S HOT" in the world of Interior Design: New and Emerging Trends, Contemporary Design, Modern Architecture and Travel, as well as how your surroundings can enhance the world around you. © Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog™ 2009

Interior Design 101

2009-11-26T12:52:00.001-08:00

Patricia Gray in BC Home Magazine
Talks about Design 101

BC Home Magazine Design 101

BC Home Magazine Design 101 cont.

BC Home Magazine Design 101

View article in Adobe Reader
BC Home Magazine Design 101

Bookshelves in Interior Design

2009-11-11T14:10:00.001-08:00

30 of the Best Bookshelves

Books are such a wonderful way of personalizing your space. Who doesn't love to be surrounded with all this wonderful inspiration. I think rooms with bookshelves are some of my most memorable spaces. Everyone feels comfortable in these rooms and they are rooms where you want to linger. I have a girlfriend who has a monumental bookshelf in her dining room. I always love to sit at the table across from the bookshelf so I can peruse the shelves between the dinner conversation.

"Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read."
— John Wooden

I have categorized the following pictures of bookshelves into 7 sections:

1. Bookshelves in Living Rooms

Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Dominio

Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Poliform

Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Homes and Gardens

Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Domino Magazine

Bookshelves in Living Rooms -BHG

2. Bookshelves with Library Ladders

Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Alberto Pinto

Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Tom Scheerer

Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Diane von Furstenberg source unknown

Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Ikea

Pierre Chareau's Bookcase from La Maison de Verre by Dominique Vellay
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - photo via Apartment Therapy

Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Southern Accents

3. Bookshelves in Offices

Bookshelves in Offices - Interior Design Briger and Briger

Bookshelves in Offices / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Alberto Pinto

Bookshelves in Offices - Domino

Bookshelves in Offices - Interior Design Mary McGee

4. Bookshelves in Dining Rooms

Bookshelves in Dining Rooms / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Charles Page

Bookshelves in Dining Rooms - Elle Decor, Photography William Waldron, Interior Design Glickman & Teng

Bookshelves in Dining Rooms - Interior Design Antonia Hutt

5. Bookshelves in Kitchens

Bookshelves in Kitchens - Vitsoe

Bookshelves in Kitchens / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Cecconi Simone

Bookshelves in Kitchens - photo via Purple Area

6. Bookshelves in Bedrooms

Bookshelves in Bedrooms - Interior Design Source Unknown

Bookshelves in Bedrooms / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Source Unknown

Bookshelves in Bedrooms - photo via Girl Meets Glamour

7. Bookshelves in Stairs

Bookshelves in Stairs - source unknown

Bookshelves in Stairs - Design by Wilson and Associates Architects

Bookshelves in Stairs - Design by Levitate Architects via Home Interiors

These bookshelves line the stairs up the third floor of the Fallingwater house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Bookshelves in Stairs - picture via Flickr

What is your favourite room to display books in? Please let me know by leaving a comment.