A Merry Red Christmas Eve

I am planning my virtual outfit to wear on Christmas Eve. This year has been very special and there is much to celebrate and to be thankful for. Red seems appropriate and just feels right for this time of year. In a perfect world this is what I would love to have in my closet and jewelry chest. What do you think?

Lida Baday silk skirt & Donna Karen turtle neck

Cartier "Le Basier du Dragon" 18K white gold & ruby earrings based on Art Deco style. The lucky thread is tied, as when making a wish.

Manolo Blahnik shiny red sequin heels trimmed with satin piping

         Cartier Ruby & Diamond Ring                       Cartier Classic Diamond Watch with red crocodile strap

And to finish off the outfit Cartier Delices Perfume

Wishing you all 'Sweet' dreams for a Merry Red Christmas!

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design,
as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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The Ultimate Hostess Gift

The wax is comprised of a unique blend of soy, maple and palm waxes. The vessel is inspired by the organic floral structure and elements of art deco design.  The packaging is stitched in Burmese silk.  The satin ribbons are imported from France and the tissue that wraps each bowl is hand pleated and imported from Switzerland.  And the scent is pure heaven:  French Tuberose against an earthly and delicate scent of Woodland mushrooms.

D.L. & Company candles available from Griffen Trading.

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design,
as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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Beauty is as Essential as Bread

There is an old french adage that says: 
"If you have a dollar, spend fifty cents on bread and fifty cents on flowers."

 

Photo via Cote de Texas    
Jeffery Bilhuber Designer

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design,
as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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Deck out your Holiday Home like a Pro

A display of nutcrackers at the home of interior designer Patricia Gray

Kim Pemberton, Vancouver Sun 

When it comes to decorating for the holidays, who better to ask than local interior designers who have decked out their own homes in style?

Avoiding stress at the holidays is the main point for interior designer Patricia Gray. Her secret is starting early in the season in order to enjoy visiting with friends and family throughout December.

Gray typically picks the last weekend in November to haul out the decorations and gets her tree up by the first week of December. Although she was tempted to get a seven and a half foot artificial tree this year she opted to stay with a real Douglas Fir tree - mainly because the fake tree wouldn't fit into her car.

"I don't mind artificial trees. A lot of my clients in condos are not allowed to have live trees. The one I wanted looked so realistic," says Gray, adding the Home Depot tree was a bargain at $299 with 1,000 lights on it.

She suggests using clear white mini lights and plenty of them in order to make the ornaments stand out on the tree.

"My tree is decorated with silver and red balls and 10 strings of mini lights. I find the more lights the prettier the tree. I stuff them into the depth of the tree close to the trunk then bring them to the outside," she says.

Gray has become somewhat of an expert at tree decorating after completing one for the Canucks Children's Hospice fundraiser at Sutton Place Hotel. For that tree she and her staff, at Patricia Gray Design, began making gingerbread cookies in August representing children from around the world holding their country's flag. To make the icing long lasting, they used glitter glue instead of using real icing.

"Making your own gingerbread and hanging them on the tree is quite a nice thing to do. You don't have to go to the extent we did. You could do something simple and just have the glitter embroidery glue on the edges [of the gingerbread man]."

Keep it simple, keep it fun and just enjoy," she says.

Postscript December 12th, 2008
My partner in the tree decoration at the Sutton Place Hotel was Linda Sale Interior Design

Get a Head Start on Your New Year's Resolutions

 

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design,
as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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Modern Kitchen Design in Vancouver

What's Hot - Fumed Wood Veneer

Fumed Wood Veneer - Indian Apple

I am excited about this new product that I have just been shown by The Vancouver based Dragonfly Surfaces.  The color and graining in this line of fumed wood veneer is amazingly beautiful.  The trees used are from sustainable-managed forest. 
Some of the fumed wood veneers that have captivated my attention are:
Fumed Red Gum, Fumed Olive Ash, Fumed Acacia, Fumed Sweet Chestnut, Fumed Wild Cherry, Fumed White Ebony, and Fumed Indian Apple 

What is Fumed Veneer?

Dark woods and stains are in high demand these days. The process used in creating fumed wood veneer turns light colours into warm rich chocolate browns.  The wood is placed in a special chamber where it goes through a “fumigation process”. There are only certain types of wood that are suitable for this process; they are tannic acid containing woods such as oak and larch. The reaction of the acid in the wood with ammonia is what is responsible for the darkening of colour. The light and shadow effects creating a patina in the wood veneer are due to different levels of tannic acid in the wood giving the veneer a truly unique look.

When woods that are not fully hearted are fumigated the result is a light splint zone. This gives the Smoked Wood Veneer its distinctive look that is not attainable through other processes.

The colour that the fumed wood takes on due to the fumigation process is to a large degree non-aging and is far more stable to light compared to many other coloured wood types. The fumed wood veneer is also more elastic and less brittle.

Environmental Story
During the fumigation process of the wood there are no waste products produced. The ammonia that is required for the manufacturing process is routed by the fumigation chambers directly into a washer and is neutralized. The resulting nitrogenous solution is then used in farming as fertilizer.

 
Fumed Wood Veneer - Macassar

Fumed Wood Veneer - Smoked Oak 

White Ebony

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

My Favourite Curves

My favourite curved backyard.............

 

My favourite curved staircase

 

My favourite curved chair

My favourite curved ceiling detail

My favourite curved Banquette

My favourite curved mirror

 

My favourite curved headboard

My favourite curved sofa

My favourite curved back dining room chairs

My favourite curved fireplace sculpture

My favourite curved driveway

My favourite curved garden

 

 

My favourite curved bench by Qerat 
The "C" bench natural wenge and linen

 

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™

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing all my American friends a Happy Thanksgiving

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design. 
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What's Hot - McGuire Furniture

 
Classic McGuire Circa 1973

McGuire Furniture is celebrating it's 60th Birthday and they have just introduced a new collection of furniture for the Kitchen.  For those of you who aren't familiar with this Company, it was founded in 1948 in San Francisco by John and Elinor McGuire. When I was in Design School I will never forget rendering McGuire's glass topped octagonal black bamboo table surrounded by Cane chairs.  You can never go wrong with purchasing McGuire.  It is a time tested and proven classic, as I am sure their new Kitchen Series will be, for generations to come. 

McGuire glass topped Octagonal Black Bamboo Table Circa 1985 

New Kitchen line Circa 2008

Slatted Chair in Walnut or Oak                                        Danish Chair 

 

Woven shelter chair or barstool                       

Walnut Swivel Counter Stool

Chaparral Table                                                                 Heritage Table

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™

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Santa Baby - Get a Head Start on Christmas

Good Books Make Great Gifts

A brand new book is slated to hit the bookstores just in time for Christmas - The Huffington Post Complete Guide to Blogging
with a Section titled: THE BLOG REVOLUTION IS HERE! (but we know that already)

 
This book refers to Blogging as "the advent of a new form of human communication - one that is more
interactive, more democratic, and just more FUN than what has come before."  But we all know that 
Blogging and Blog Surfing is  fast, interactive, and totally cool.....and I will add that it is also extremely
informative.  News, Ideas and inspirations take mere seconds to share. And to prove that Blogging travels
at the speed of lightening Liberty Post has also just talked about this book on her Blog.

 

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design. 
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Leonard Cohen in Vancouver

 

I got an invitation this week for an exclusive showing of the artwork of the  legendary Canadian singer Leonard Cohen.  I did not know that Leonard Cohen was also an artist, and when I viewed his artwork I discovered that he draws and paints in the same poetic way as he sings. I quite like his bold, free, and graphic approach, and his wit certainly does shines through. For those of you who haven't heard of him, his first album - Songs of Leonard Cohen was released in 1967 with songs like: “Suzanne,” “Sisters of Mercy,” “So Long, Marianne” and “Hey, That’s No Way to Say Good Bye,” all now longstanding classics.  You can listen to a YouTube of his song "Suzanne" here. I remember this particular song from my teen years and wanting to learn to play the guitar and sing other songs of the time like Mockingbird by Carly Simon and James Taylor. (Yikes I'm dating myself)

Leonard's son, Adam Cohen, a renowned musician in his own right will launch the exhibition and sale of the 37 pieces that make up “Leonard Cohen: Artworks,” starting Dec. 3rd until Dec. 31 at LINDA LANDO FINE ART.

Full Press Release here

http://www.lindalandofineart.com/

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design. 
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Today I am Loving....

This beautiful and classic wall sconce designed by John Saladino.

 

The Soho wall-mounted fireplace that uses natural gas or propane. It measures
33" h by 33" w by a mere 12" deep, which has to be one of the shallowest fireboxes
on the market. I would Install it on a wall, just like a piece of modern art. It has a brushed
nickel front.

Miele's new Clean Touch Steel finish which protects against smudges and scratches with a
thin layer of glass coating the stainless steel. It debuts in December on G series
dishwashers. www.miele.com.  Now that is some cutting edge technology that
will be appreciated!

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design. 
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The Divine Law of the Great Chair

The excerpt below is from a wonderful Blog by Carrie and Danielle. It totally ties into my love for chairs and also the spiritual aspect of surrounding yourself in your homes with things that you love. Carrie and Danielle are also authors of the best selling book: Style Statement: Live by your own Design

Here’s a radical notion: what if you really liked, even outright adored every material thing in your own life? What if the quality, shape, color, function, and feel of the things you owned gave you satisfaction, pride, and delight?

Enter, The Divine Law of The Great Chair.
When you let go of things you don’t love, you create space for things that you do love to show up. EVEN IF: it’s “useful”, it’s filling an “empty” place, it was a gift, it was inherited, expensive, imported, exotic, or you truly loved it once upon a time -– if you don’t like something in your space, it’s dragging you down. This isn’t about old, or new, or what you can afford – this is about how STUFF makes you FEEL.

THIS WEEK: Identify the “old chair(s)” in your life that you’re making do with, and get rid of it. You may have to sit on floor cushions for while, but you’ll be dwelling in possibility – instead of compromise and regret.

Photos
Top: Thomas Pheasant
Top Row: B & B Italia, Vicente Wolf, unknown
Second Row: Bertoria Chair, Andrew Martin, Ghost Chair
Third Row: Knoll Eero Saarinen Womb Chair, Knoll Brno Chair, Knoll Warren Platner Chair
Fourth Row: Barbara Barry, B & B Italia, Barbara Barry
Fifth Row: Madeline Stuart, Thomas Pheasant for Baker
Sixth Row: All Oly
Seventh Row: Oly, Blanchard UK, John Saladino
Eighth Row: Chapman Radcliff, Baker, Jayson Home
Excerpt above from Carrie and Danielle The Divine Law of the Great Chair

Patricia Gray writes about Interior Design inspirations, emerging trends, and the world of Design.
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