Design Rocket

The Return of Real Color? Hope so. Thank God.

Photos by Fred R. Conrad for the NY Times

In today's NY Times Home section I happened to notice a piece, The Color of Comfort,  by Fred Bernstein about writer John Patrick Shanley. Apparently Mr. Shanley feels the same way I do about color: one needs to have it in one's life. Lots of it, fact. And I am talking REAL COLOR, not LET'S-PRETEND-WE-HAVE-COLOR color. 

Let me go on the record right here: I am truly tired with the color trends of the last few years of design. I find it annoying to try and refer to the palest of shades as a color, and then figure out which color it is. Is is barely aqua or is it barely grey or maybe the palest of greens? For me if you need something equal to an operating room light to determine which hue you have, then you don't have a hue at all. Or maybe, I should say, you don't have a clue at all. Go out on a limb with some real color in your house, for God's sake. Guess what: Sometimes subtlety in decorating is just another name for wishy washy. 

In reading about Mr. Shanely (who, among many other things,  wrote the original screenplay for Moonstruck, which is reason alone for me to love him), I found that I share his same preoccupation with color. He has a memory of staring at an illuminated Christmas tree in a window as a kid, in love with the changing colors. I used to do that with those wonderfully tacky aluminum trees with the colored spotlights on them. I also clearly remember spending hours studying the granny square crocheted coverlet my aunt made, trying to decided which color combos I Iiked best. And don't even get me going about Disney's Sleeping Beauty with the three fairies who were always engaging in their version of color wars. Whoa. I loved that movie for that part alone.

So, can we finally get rid of these washed out shades of nothingness in decorating? Looking for some inspiration? Check out the slide show of John Patrick Shanley's place. And then if that isn't enough, here is a hint:  how do your spell C-R-A-Y-O-LA ?    

Variations on a vase, Part One

When is a vase of flowers more than a vase of flowers? When it isn't a vase at all.

I confess: when I am arranging flowers for a dinner party or for decorating, if I end up having to use an ordinary vase meant expressly to hold flowers, I am not pleased. I find vases boring. I think the containers that  flowers are displayed in should be as unique as the arrangements themselves.  Sometimes I will resort to a vase depending on the flowers, the setting, or, more often than not, the amount of time I have to throw something together. But when I have time, nothing in my house is safe. I've used cookie jar bottoms, vintage planters, sugar bowls, old tin beach pails, and anything I can get my hands on. Flower arranging purists will disagree I am sure, but I love the contrast of putting flowers in something unexpected. Generally I follow this rule: the funkier, the better. 

While antiquing a few weeks ago, I came upon this old delivery basket used by a milk man of years gone by. Fortunately, there were also some vintage glass milk bottles also available for sale. I ended up with only four, since the assortment of bottles in this shop were on the pricey side. I'll have to keep my eyes open for others. When I got home I realized that I have another delivery basket I completely forgot about  (the curse of the zealous collector: repeats) ! That means I'll need even MORE old milk bottles...

The open bottom allows the print to show through. The old wooden handle adds to the combination of the glass,metal, and flowers. The steel gray of the basket picks up on the weathered teak of the table.

Fooling around with another selection from my stash of vintage table cloths. Two of the bottles flanking the holder. This particular basket holds ten milk bottles. My other basket holds eight. A really spectacular effect for a large table would use ten bottles with even larger blooms, as well as more bottles on either side.

This arrangement holds a variety of flowers from my garden. Some Astilbe, Knock-out Roses, A variety of Hydrangea, day lilies, and Salvia, among other blooms. I thought I might make this a recurring post topic, so if you have a wonderful arrangement in something unexpected, send me a picture!

Carol Hoffnagle and Peter Keefer

The wonderful imagery for this blog post comes to you courtesy of good artist friends of mine, Carol Hoffnagle and Peter Keefer. Carol and Peter live and create in their home and studio in Montana and they  send out weekly photo essays abut life and art under the big sky. I always look forward to those pictures because I know that I will see some of the quirkiest things Montana has to offer, as well as some of the most beautiful. Sometimes Peter and Carol even share their own work, but not nearly as much as I would like. I'd love to see shots of them at work, painting, drawing and just being the artists they truly are.  In the meantime, I enjoy my weekly trip to the West via their collection of photos. This recent set of pictures celebrates Independence Day and Old Glory. Being the patriotic soul I am, I had to post these pictures for you. Thanks to Peter and Carol for letting me share these!

 

Every year they hang an old flag with 45 stars on it. They estimate the 8 foot by 15 foot flag to be from 1896-1908. 

The flag has seen many, loving repairs over the years.

Some one in times past was determined to make repairs and  keep the flag waving.

In this throw away age, it warms the heart to see the home made effort by long ago, loving hands to preserve this flag. I think the thread bare, worn flag has a much nicer aesthetic than a flag that is brand new. 

It displays beautifully despite the moth eaten holes and repairs.

And it creates a soothing and comforting view from inside the house, as well.

Good night, Old Glory. Happy Birthday America.