Inspired by Chihuly

Chihuly

One of my favorite artists is Dale Chihuly, the world renowned glass artist.  His use of glass and shape and color gives me such joy, I could get lost in his work all day.  I almost did at his exhibition at the Boston MFA a few years back. We are so lucky in Boston, because one of his exquisite pieces, the Lime Green Icicle Tower, was acquired by the museum and is now part of the permanent collection.

If you have been lucky enough to visit one of his exhibitions yourself, you know these hand blown glass sculptures are breathtaking. It is awe inspiring to see that these pieces are created by blowing and coloring glass and attaching them together or arranging them to create masterpieces of sculpture.  The way Chihuly puts together forms and colors to create something so magical has always intrigued me.  I am intrigued that Dale Chihuly was first introduced to glass while he was studying interior design at the University of Washington.

After years of studying glass, Dale moved to Venice on a Fulbright Scholarship to learn team glass blowing, a technique that he continues to use to this day. He returned to Washington and opened Pilchuck Glass School, and his works are represented in more than 200 museum collections worldwide.  

Here are some of my favorites of his work:

Persian Ceiling, Victoria and Albert Museum, one of my favorite art installations.

Boat Loop

Royal Botanical Gardens, England

Honeysuckle Blue Seafoam

Mille Fiori

Mille Fiori

Persians

Curated Inspiration

As an interior designer, I am always looking to find new ways to reinterpret classic style. One way I like to keep my design wheels turning is by flipping through pages of "The Art Museum" by Phaidon Press. It's like visiting the world's greatest art museum, with no lines or admission fee.

The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. One of my current faves.

"The Art Museum" is organized by color coded "galleries" displaying art of every kind ranging from sculpture to collage.  I love that it is able to tell the history of the world's greatest masterpieces over centuries.  You can see here how the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles can be reinterpreted in a modern space, below.   You can learn more about the book, or make a splurge, here.

phaidon.com

Over the past few years, this book has rested comfortably on a side table in my living room, where I enjoy turning through the pages from time to time. I always keep it open in hopes that its beautiful collections will seep into my design projects.

phaidon.com

Where do you find your inspiration?

Time to celebrate with ASID

I always look forward to the annual ASID New England Gala. As Past President of ASID New England, I enjoy staying involved in the active design community we have here in Boston. It's a great venue to connect with friends and colleagues as well as fun to meet new people and develop new relationships with members of the industry.

The Gala is the Chapter's annual event to celebrate Excellence in Design and to honor ASID members who have excelled in the industry, and is a wonderful excuse to get all we interior design professionals, our vendors, our sponsors, and our friends together for a night of fun. Below is a quick Plum Pass video of the event in 2011, when I was President. (That's me in the purple dress)  Mary Beth Haggerty is the current President of the Chapter and will be hosting the 2013 Gala.

I hope to see you there this year.   Thursday, March 21 at the Mandarin Oriental, Boston.  For tickets go to ASIDNE.org or call 617 261-3995.

Color Trends 2013

You all know how much I love color, so I am always excited to hear what the design industry leaders have to say about the newest and exciting colors of the moment. To me, every color is inspiring, and I choose a room palette specific to the individuality of each of my clients. 

Have you ever noticed that interiors tend to follow in the wake of fashion? That is one reason why I enjoy seeing Pantone's Spring Fashion Color Report.  Here are some of their spring 2013 colors, and ways they could be translated to design:

My Impulsive Purchase

Do you remember back in December when I posted about looking for the perfect swivel chair for our house?  Well, I can finally cross that item off of my list.  It was a complete impulse purchase on a trip to the Baker showroom at the Boston Design Center.  On a meandering walk-through of the showroom, I stumbled upon a floor model for sale that was exactly what I was looking for.  After some gut-searching and deliberation with a few designer friends, I knew I wasn't leaving without...

the Jessica Charles Jackie Swivel-Rocker Chair. It was an amazing deal, and just so happened to be upholstered in the perfect fabric for my living room. Now we can swivel between the fire and the TV.  Even my husband agrees it was too good to pass up.