Backdrop to The King's Speech

It's Oscars time and I have been running out to try and catch the nominated movies before the 2011 Academy Awards tonight. I finally saw The King's Speech, which is up for Best Art Direction, and really enjoyed it, great movie.

I was absolutely mesmerized by the wall that served as a backdrop for much of the drama. I kept wondering as I was watching, did they create that? Is it a set or location? It just felt so gutsy, these layers and layers of peeling paper, such rich, old texture.

(I did a little research, and as it turns out, it is part of a location in London. More on that story and the industry controversy , if you are interested, can be found at incontention.com )

So excited for the Oscars, one of my favorite nights of the year.

Retail Therapy at American Eagle

Walked the mall the other day just to check out the point-of-sale. (I am a retail-design-geek, it's true). American Eagle Outfitters' window was the winner. I love the wet-paint type treatment, muted palette. The water backgrounds are great, and I especially love that they used them as "solids" on the merchandising cubes.

Chinet goes beyond basic with Comfort Cup

I love it when a little beauty shows up when I least expect it. And in this case, from an unexpected source, Chinet, a brand that has always stood for strength and quality.

Bringing a little style to it's line-up attracts me, makes me feel differently about this brand. Even the packaging is unique. I'll be interested to see if Comfort Cup is just the beginning of a new Chinet. Will they become "the Target of paper goods"?

Looking back helps me to see ahead.

At the end of the year, I like to take some time to browse through the past 12 months. I look at my date book, I clean out files, I review the work I have created. It gives me a great feeling of accomplishment. I came across these abstracts that I had set aside to a junk pile. A little time passing gives me perspective, and I see these in a new light. Not sure why I did not like them, but I see something more I need to explore, a new path to follow. I like that.

2011 Color of the Year

I am not yet tired of apple green. I loved it all last year (see 2010 Color of The Year), and it looks like it will carry over to 2011 as my favorite. My husband said no way to apple green walls in our family room. But somehow, he was OK with the two full-length, GREEN sofas I just ordered! I am committed to this color!
The fabric swatch is shown here with some throw-pillow options.

Wear your true colors.

I love the new bracelet I received from my girfriend/sister-in-law. She knows me so well. I have been wearing it every day as I work at my desk, and it really gets me in a great mood. It is like a painting with all my favorite colors.

Yes, the writing's on the wall...

Not only do I love notebooks, but I also love textured surfaces, especially weathered materials, old floors, rusted metal. So when I came across this journal, I flipped. I bought two, one for me and one for a friend. I cannot wait to spend some time doodling, sketching, maybe using the book itself as inspiration. Each spread has a unique wall scene that just makes me itch to pick up a pen. It is published by Quirk Books, who I am just discovering, and distributed by Chronicle Books, an old favorite of mine.
By the way, I picked up my copy at Room Service, at their new location on West 25th St.

Everything I hope for in a cup of coffee.

"Warning: You may encounter unadulterated strong coffee, spontaneous enlightenment and/or unfettered optimism while drinking this beverage."

I was completed entertained for the first ten minutes of my flight the other day, studying this to-go cup from Phoenix Coffee. I love the illustration and colors, the coffee itself. And the words pretty much sum up what I hope to get out of a cup of coffee.

http://phoenixcoffee.com/

Just playing around...

Sometimes it's good to just let your mind wander a little. I haven't had a lot of time to play, lately, and I forgot how much I need that.

More Falling Water

This must be "one-tank-trip" month. Just after returning from my girl's weekend in Pennsylvania and touring Falling Water, my husband suggests we go up to Niagara On The Lake and check out the wine country and, of course, Niagara Falls. Another incredible fall weekend. Here are some of my visual highlights. The pictures just do not do The Falls justice, you really have to see it in person.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water - Incredible

I recently visited this famous summer home of the Kaufmann family, designed by the famous architect. I was blown away by how Frank Lloyd Wright was so far ahead of his time. This house would have been groundbreaking in the 60s or 70s, never mind that it was built in the 1930s. Too many cool things about it to relate all of them.

One of the things that fascinated me was the way the entire house was made with built-ins. Look closely at the photo above. Not only are the glass window panes built INTO the rock that makes up the structure of the house, where interior wall and outer wall are one, but the shelves in each room are built into that same stone.
The house was built around an existing boulder that makes a natural appearance in the "great room" by the fireplace. And almost all of the furniture and decor in the house today are the original pieces, including original artwork throughout, which was a bonus, to see a couple Diego Riveras and several other stunning pieces of art. I was literally in awe for the entire tour. If you ever have the opportunity, visit Falling Water. It is an incredible experience.

Tile I love, by a designer I love. Ann Sacks.

Aren't these gorgeous? I was searching for some basic neutral bathroom tile for a middle-american master bath, took a detour, and stumbled across these and was blown away! 24" x 24" Aura glass tile, by Ann Sacks.
www.annsacks.com