(fyi, the music player does not appear in google reader)
Related Post:
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Diana's Daydream
In yesterday's post, I played around with the idea of taking the imagery that a song a creates and turning it into a room. Ms. Diana was lovely enough to play along with me and she put together a beautiful collection.
I think she really captured that place in between awake and dreamland that I see when I listen to the song. That bed is certainly a fairytale all on it's own but I think my favorite item is the window seat Diana included as a place to gaze out the window and stare at the fireflies at night. You can find a description of each item included in the collection here.
Anyone else care to play along? Here's what you have to do: Listen to Owl City's song Fireflies, put together a mood board that you think captures to essence of the lyrics, and either leave a link to your mood board in the comments or email it to me verdugo.designevolution@gmail.com. Be sure to include the links to any shops or art work you include in your collection. If you'd like to write up a little description of why you choose the items you did, that would be wonderful too.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Daydreaming a Room Design
I'm totally hooked on Owl City's newest release Fireflies lately. If you haven't heard it yet I'm sure you will soon. I have a bad feeling it will soon me on over rotation and I will tire of it. Until then I love fanciful lyrics and the sweet images the song evokes. I was daydreaming this afternoon about spending some time in the space I imagine when listening to this song. When I close my eyes I see something similar to the space I put together below. Have a listen to the song and see if what I picture is anything like what you envision.
(fyi, the music player does not appear in google reader)
So what do you think? Does it capture the whimsy that the song portrays? Give it a try yourself and see if you can turn Fireflies into an interior space.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Jonathan Adler Warehouse Sale - NY
Heads up to those in the greater NYC area, Jonathan Adler is having a warehouse sale in Long Island City this weekend only.
30 - 70 percent off Adler housewares is enough to entice me, how about you? Side note: don't you just love the fun colors and graphics they use for the Jonathan Adler promos and email newsletter? I guess I shouldn't really expect any less from him.
Hope you all have a great weekend. In addition to some I shopping I plan on checking out this art exhibit, can't wait. See you back here Monday morning.
Image Credit: Jonathan Adler
30 - 70 percent off Adler housewares is enough to entice me, how about you? Side note: don't you just love the fun colors and graphics they use for the Jonathan Adler promos and email newsletter? I guess I shouldn't really expect any less from him.
Hope you all have a great weekend. In addition to some I shopping I plan on checking out this art exhibit, can't wait. See you back here Monday morning.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
It's Official, I'm in Love
It's official, I've found my dream home decor. What I find hilarious is that I'm currently decorating my home and it looks nothing like the photos below. It's feeling much younger with brighter colors and more modern furniture. But when I saw these photos it was love at first site. These will have to be stashed in the inspiration file for the next major moved because I'm certainly not starting from scratch.
I can honestly say I love every single thing about. The totally neutral backdrop with punches of deep, rich color and ethnic prints, the perfect mix of classic furniture pieces with a few modern ones thrown in, the view (this one is going to be tough to find in NJ).
One thing I especially love about this home is the simple white bedding. It leaves you with the ability to quickly change the look of the room but just adding a throw and a few pillows. It's also leaves you the option to easily (and less expensively) change your bedding seasonally.
I'm throwing in this last photo just for fun, isn't it fabulous?
Photo Credits: Haven in Paris, yes again I'm hooked on that site
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I can honestly say I love every single thing about. The totally neutral backdrop with punches of deep, rich color and ethnic prints, the perfect mix of classic furniture pieces with a few modern ones thrown in, the view (this one is going to be tough to find in NJ).
One thing I especially love about this home is the simple white bedding. It leaves you with the ability to quickly change the look of the room but just adding a throw and a few pillows. It's also leaves you the option to easily (and less expensively) change your bedding seasonally.
I'm throwing in this last photo just for fun, isn't it fabulous?
Photo Credits: Haven in Paris, yes again I'm hooked on that site
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Steal This Idea...
...Create a simple painted headboard.
A solid color painted about 1/3 up the wall creates the illusion of a headboard. Carry the stripe along the full length of the wall for added impact.
Photo Credit: Haven in Paris
Related Posts:
Small Space Solutions Courtesy of a Chic French Flat
Steal This Idea...
P.S. Haven in Paris site discovered thanks to Nichole. I suggest you spend sometime checking out the site and dreaming about planning a trip to Paris. There are some breathtaking properties available for rent.
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A solid color painted about 1/3 up the wall creates the illusion of a headboard. Carry the stripe along the full length of the wall for added impact.
Photo Credit: Haven in Paris
Related Posts:
Small Space Solutions Courtesy of a Chic French Flat
Steal This Idea...
P.S. Haven in Paris site discovered thanks to Nichole. I suggest you spend sometime checking out the site and dreaming about planning a trip to Paris. There are some breathtaking properties available for rent.
Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Discover: Interior Design
Hello folks, my crazy project schedule has been put hold so that means I should have more time to spend with you all. Today I wanted to introduce you to a blog I've been following for the past six months. The blog is Discover: Interior Design written by Kristin Warbington, a LEED AP Interior Designer based in Georgia.
Discover: Interior Design is not just a blog full of beautiful interior photos (not that we don't all love those), it dispenses fundamental information to help you navigate the field of interior design. It's like you're getting a free education in the field. I especially want to point towards a recent post which describes the Elements & Principles of Interior Design. The Elements and Principles of interior design form the foundation for all design. The application of these elements and principles creates an interior that is both physically and psychologically comfortable. The Elements of Design are: Space, Line, Shape, Texture, Light, Color, & Pattern. The Principles of Design are: Balance, Harmony, Rhythm, Emphasis, Scale & Proportion. I won't really elaborate any more from there, be sure to check out Kristin's post because the post is well written and the information is easy to digest.
If you are a novice to the field of interior design and read a lot of design blogs you probably see these terms used often. Having this basic foundation will help you to really understand why a room design works. Instead of looking at a photograph and thinking' "oh, that's a beautiful space" you will have the tools needed to dissect the space and translate the elements and principles it displays into your own home.
While you're visiting Discover: Interior Design the Design Jargon and Decor Tips pages. These are also loaded with useful (and interesting) information.
Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.
Discover: Interior Design is not just a blog full of beautiful interior photos (not that we don't all love those), it dispenses fundamental information to help you navigate the field of interior design. It's like you're getting a free education in the field. I especially want to point towards a recent post which describes the Elements & Principles of Interior Design. The Elements and Principles of interior design form the foundation for all design. The application of these elements and principles creates an interior that is both physically and psychologically comfortable. The Elements of Design are: Space, Line, Shape, Texture, Light, Color, & Pattern. The Principles of Design are: Balance, Harmony, Rhythm, Emphasis, Scale & Proportion. I won't really elaborate any more from there, be sure to check out Kristin's post because the post is well written and the information is easy to digest.
If you are a novice to the field of interior design and read a lot of design blogs you probably see these terms used often. Having this basic foundation will help you to really understand why a room design works. Instead of looking at a photograph and thinking' "oh, that's a beautiful space" you will have the tools needed to dissect the space and translate the elements and principles it displays into your own home.
While you're visiting Discover: Interior Design the Design Jargon and Decor Tips pages. These are also loaded with useful (and interesting) information.
Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Kreme Life
Wallpaper has made a fantastic comeback and I'm always on the look out for really fun and interesting patterns. Enter Kreme Life. Kreme Life creates low VOC, eco-solvent wallpapers, designed and manufactured in California.
These smaller scale design companies are pumping out some really awesome designs though they can pricey for a single roll making them cost prohibitive for an entire project. What's great about these Kreme Life papers is that they are offered in frameable sheet sizes like 18"x24" and 24"x36" for only $45 and $55, respectively. It's an affordable way to bring some interesting color and pattern into a room.
Related Posts:
Victoria & Albert Pattern Book Series
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These smaller scale design companies are pumping out some really awesome designs though they can pricey for a single roll making them cost prohibitive for an entire project. What's great about these Kreme Life papers is that they are offered in frameable sheet sizes like 18"x24" and 24"x36" for only $45 and $55, respectively. It's an affordable way to bring some interesting color and pattern into a room.
Related Posts:
Victoria & Albert Pattern Book Series
Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Nice Package
Alright kids stop your snickering. Well, okay I'll admit it, the shop name makes me giggle a bit and I hope the pun was totally intended. I'll get serious now because this is exciting news. Two lovely and talented ladies have teamed up to create a unique line of home decor products and packaging supplies. So, with out further a due, I give you Nice Package:
Every single thing in the shop is sweet and special and packaged with attention paid to every last wonderful detail. Of course, I'm not at all surprised by how wonderful the shop is, it's brought to us by these two lovely ladies:
The shop is officially open for business next week but I couldn't wait to share it with you. Head over to site and start browsing now so you can have your shopping list all nice and ready for when they officially open. For the creative gift packaging challenged I must recommend the Total Package - Winter Essentials Kit. With 15 different items, it has everything you need to create the most beautiful gifts that friends and family will almost not want to open.
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Every single thing in the shop is sweet and special and packaged with attention paid to every last wonderful detail. Of course, I'm not at all surprised by how wonderful the shop is, it's brought to us by these two lovely ladies:
The shop is officially open for business next week but I couldn't wait to share it with you. Head over to site and start browsing now so you can have your shopping list all nice and ready for when they officially open. For the creative gift packaging challenged I must recommend the Total Package - Winter Essentials Kit. With 15 different items, it has everything you need to create the most beautiful gifts that friends and family will almost not want to open.
Sign up to receive Design Evolution updates via RSS feed or email.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Color Lines - A.I.R. Gallery
Starting tomorrow night and running through November 1st a fabulously talented artist friend of mine, Taryn Wells, is having a solo exhibition at the A.I.R. gallery in Brooklyn. Taryn's work is thought provoking and the theme is often centered around her experiences as a mixed race individual growing up in a suburban, and primarily white, environment.
Taryn's primary medium is graphic and her drawings are so finely detailed they often feel almost as lifelike as a photograph. I always moved by her pieces and definitely recommend that you check out this exhibition. Please see the the press release below for a complete description of this showing as well as gallery address, dates, and times.
BROOKLYN, NY, SEPTEMBER 2009 - A.I.R. Gallery is pleased to announce Color Lines, a solo exhibition by artist Taryn Wells. The exhibition will be on view from October 7th through November 1st, 2009, with an opening reception on Thursday, October 8th from 6 to 8 pm.
Color Lines brings a distinct viewpoint to the often overlooked history of the multiracial American and the complicated subject of racial classification. The featured works examine the dualities and dark truths of America through a new perspective. Wells’ self-portraits illustrate her personal relationship to the topic as the artist identifies as multiracial. The drawings are sometimes sardonic, sometimes somber, but always compelling.
By using graphite for the entire series, Wells creates sharp contrasts and a sense of isolation and grit, portraying her problematic place in the world as a multiracial individual. Most importantly, the medium transmits the continuous motif of black and white – both a thematic and literal translation of identity. The incorporation of the “box” motif suggests that the subject is under the viewer’s microscope, imparting feelings of constraint and limitation.
“Ms. Wells’ work “provides no easy answers in her exquisite drawings which grapple with the psychological implications of society’s definitions of racial identity. These monumental graphite drawings of her own face, some of them nearly three feet tall, combine portraiture, anatomy, pop culture, and an unflinching gaze to create an artistic tour de force.” -Susan Navarre, Executive Director, Brookline Arts Center
Color Lines asks us to discard our prior beliefs and look at race in a new manner, for Well’s works offer an opportunity for dialogue concerning the plurality of race.
Taryn Wells earned her BFA at Boston College. She is the recipient of numerous awards and her work has been featured in several publications including Nerve House and CALYX. Wells’ work is exhibited internationally, including New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Madrid, and Tokyo. She is a National Artist of A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn.
A.I.R. – ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS SINCE 1972. A.I.R. Gallery is located at 111Front Street, #228, in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. Gallery hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11am to 6pm. For directions please see www.airgallery.org. For additional information, please contact A.I.R. Gallery Director, Kat Griefen at 212-255-6651 or kgriefen@airgallery.org.
Image Credit: Taryn Wells
Taryn's primary medium is graphic and her drawings are so finely detailed they often feel almost as lifelike as a photograph. I always moved by her pieces and definitely recommend that you check out this exhibition. Please see the the press release below for a complete description of this showing as well as gallery address, dates, and times.
BROOKLYN, NY, SEPTEMBER 2009 - A.I.R. Gallery is pleased to announce Color Lines, a solo exhibition by artist Taryn Wells. The exhibition will be on view from October 7th through November 1st, 2009, with an opening reception on Thursday, October 8th from 6 to 8 pm.
Color Lines brings a distinct viewpoint to the often overlooked history of the multiracial American and the complicated subject of racial classification. The featured works examine the dualities and dark truths of America through a new perspective. Wells’ self-portraits illustrate her personal relationship to the topic as the artist identifies as multiracial. The drawings are sometimes sardonic, sometimes somber, but always compelling.
By using graphite for the entire series, Wells creates sharp contrasts and a sense of isolation and grit, portraying her problematic place in the world as a multiracial individual. Most importantly, the medium transmits the continuous motif of black and white – both a thematic and literal translation of identity. The incorporation of the “box” motif suggests that the subject is under the viewer’s microscope, imparting feelings of constraint and limitation.
“Ms. Wells’ work “provides no easy answers in her exquisite drawings which grapple with the psychological implications of society’s definitions of racial identity. These monumental graphite drawings of her own face, some of them nearly three feet tall, combine portraiture, anatomy, pop culture, and an unflinching gaze to create an artistic tour de force.” -Susan Navarre, Executive Director, Brookline Arts Center
Color Lines asks us to discard our prior beliefs and look at race in a new manner, for Well’s works offer an opportunity for dialogue concerning the plurality of race.
Taryn Wells earned her BFA at Boston College. She is the recipient of numerous awards and her work has been featured in several publications including Nerve House and CALYX. Wells’ work is exhibited internationally, including New York, Boston, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Madrid, and Tokyo. She is a National Artist of A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn.
A.I.R. – ADVOCATING FOR WOMEN IN THE ARTS SINCE 1972. A.I.R. Gallery is located at 111Front Street, #228, in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn. Gallery hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11am to 6pm. For directions please see www.airgallery.org. For additional information, please contact A.I.R. Gallery Director, Kat Griefen at 212-255-6651 or kgriefen@airgallery.org.
Image Credit: Taryn Wells
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Design Evolution Tumblr
I've just been slammed with a bunch of work for an important project so I anticipate a lighter blog posting schedule in the near future. I thought this might be a good time to formally introduce you to the Design Evolution tumblr blog.
Initially I set up this for my own personal use and wasn't really planning on sharing it with anyone. But then I though why not share. I use this blog as a place to dump all of the beautiful photos of interiors that I find around the web. It's strictly interiors, all of photos are tagged with terms I feel are relevant to the photo and the source is linked under the image. I highly recommend this type of blog to anyone looking for a way to organize a big stash of inspiration. Tumblr blogs are super simple to set up and post to. It takes just a few seconds to upload your photo(s) and include any text you'd like. Just try not to get too sucked into the tumblr world, there's a lot of fab stuff out there.
Have fun exploring, trying using search terms like - dining room, study, lighting, orange, etc. and see what you find. Enjoy!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Blueberry Scones
I've been changing up a few things here on Design Evolution and one of those things is I'm ditching Tasteworthy Tuesday. I've never been happy with that name so it bugs me every time I have to write and apparently I can't handle the pressure of having a feature that runs every week on the same day. There were weeks I would be lazy about cooking and have no recipe to share so I would feel guilty about it and some other weeks I would have a recipe to share and totally forget I was supposed to post in on Tuesday (spaz). But don't fret I will still be sharing some of my favorite recipes with you I'm just going to be a little more lax about when I post them. I would also like to go beyond just sharing recipes and include posts about entertaining, place setting ideas, etc. so look out for some new content in the near future.
So now that I got all of that out, on to the recipe. This one is pretty easy, though a little messy, and thoroughly tasty. I love to make these on lazy Sunday mornings.
Blueberry Scones
recipes makes 8 scones, adapted from a Tyler Florence recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
5 tbsp. cold butter, cut into chunks
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together all dry ingredients. Using a couple forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate. The secret to making scones is to not overwork the batter. Fold the blueberries into the batter. I used fresh blueberries that I had tossed in the freezer so they wouldn't spoil. It actually makes it much easier to incorporate the berries if they are frozen. Otherwise they are easily smashed and you end up with blue scones.
Here comes the messy part. I've made these several times and each time I ended up with a mixture that was kind of wet. This makes the shaping of the scones difficult but not impossible. Press the dough out on to a well floured surface into a rectangle about 12ish by 3ish inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet. If your scones stick to the table don't despair you can reshape them on the cookie sheet. This is what I usually have to do. If you'd like brush the tops of the scones with a little heavy cream and sprinkle with course sugar.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and enjoy plain or topped with your favorite preserves.
So now that I got all of that out, on to the recipe. This one is pretty easy, though a little messy, and thoroughly tasty. I love to make these on lazy Sunday mornings.
Blueberry Scones
recipes makes 8 scones, adapted from a Tyler Florence recipe
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
5 tbsp. cold butter, cut into chunks
1 c. heavy cream
1 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Sift together all dry ingredients. Using a couple forks or a pastry blender, cut in the butter with the flour. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the heavy cream. Fold everything together just to incorporate. The secret to making scones is to not overwork the batter. Fold the blueberries into the batter. I used fresh blueberries that I had tossed in the freezer so they wouldn't spoil. It actually makes it much easier to incorporate the berries if they are frozen. Otherwise they are easily smashed and you end up with blue scones.
Here comes the messy part. I've made these several times and each time I ended up with a mixture that was kind of wet. This makes the shaping of the scones difficult but not impossible. Press the dough out on to a well floured surface into a rectangle about 12ish by 3ish inches. Cut the rectangle in 1/2 then cut the pieces in 1/2 again, giving you 4 (3-inch) squares. Cut the squares in 1/2 on a diagonal to give you the classic triangle shape. Place the scones on an ungreased cookie sheet. If your scones stick to the table don't despair you can reshape them on the cookie sheet. This is what I usually have to do. If you'd like brush the tops of the scones with a little heavy cream and sprinkle with course sugar.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and enjoy plain or topped with your favorite preserves.
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