this or that?

this? restoration hardware belgian style knock off.

or that? kelly wearstler 1970's rehash.

or this? new jersey teresa style.

or none of the above.

DIY Tables by Goncalo Campos

 
 Images Courtesy of Gonçalo Campos

I love the genius of product design.  The series of tables designed by Goncalo Campos, are made only using two basic materials, fabric and wood, the most commonly used materials in most households. They are designed to be assembled with no glues or external fixtures, other than fabric, using a simple construction technique - they look primitive but at the same time very elegant.  I can see the possibilities using beautiful woods, such as ebony, walnut, or perhaps fumed wood, and coordinating the fabric to match the colors and mood of your room.  They would make wonderful conversation pieces for a wedding, or summer lawn party.

Goncalo Campos is a Portuguese designer, born in 1986. Graduated in product design in 2008, after which joined Fabrica team, for a year and created a series of  of tables which were featured in the exhibition Mais que Partes (More Than Parts), shown in the Fabrica features shop in Lisbon.

Fumed wood veneers – White Ebony

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm  in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT  in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Furniture IS Lifestyle - DEDON LAUNCHES “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

 
DEDON LAUNCHES “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

I love the new lifestyle advertising campaign that the Dutch company Dedon, a manufacturer of outdoor furnishings, has launched.  You may have seen the ads for this Dedon campaign in some of the recent Design magazines - Dedon is selling their furniture as lifestyle.  DEDON takes its collaboration with legendary American fashion photographer Bruce Weber to a next level with the publication of a new book Coming Home, a sumptuously produced, limited edition book. Building on themes that Weber developed for the current DEDON advertising campaign, Coming Home is an exploration into the meaning of home and the feelings we hold for it. Personal, poetic and eclectic, the book weaves together exclusive imagery by Bruce Weber with artwork and illustrations specially commissioned by the photographer. Watch the Dedon movie in large format here, or on YouTube here.  The music and imagery are spectacular.  The movie starts with a quote from the movie Out of Africa - the words of Denys Finch Hatton, played by Robert Redford: “I don’t want to live someone else’s idea of how to live.”

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

 
DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER
A multilevel treehouse, a cast and crew of 60 people with legendary fashion photographer Bruce Weber keeping it all together.

DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER

When I first saw the Dedon ad campaign, by Bruce Webber I was mesmerized by it.  Some people I have talked to just don’t get it. 
After all Bruce Webber was the photographer for the controversial ad campaign for Calvin Klein in the 90’s, and
Webber also photographed a shirtless Chris Isaak in bed for a fashion spread in Rolling Stone. 
Dedon says about Coming Home “…….it is an exploration into the meaning of home and the feelings we hold for it.”
I say that ‘Furniture IS Lifestyle’ and has as much of a message to say about how we live as Fashion does!

What do you think about ‘Lifestyle Advertising?’  Leave your comment here.

  
DEDON “COMING HOME”, A LIMITED-EDITION BOOK BY BRUCE WEBER Architectural Digest Spain - May 2010
Postscript:  These are scans from a Spanish magazine that my friend and fellow blogger Ivan Meade sent to me after I published this article.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Designer firm  in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT  in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

mtv designer guest blogging

Hi! I am the production designer for the MTV show "The Real World". I know you can't believe it's still on, and I can't believe I got a job! As a designer! Let me tell you how I took a beautiful New Orleans mansion and turned the interior of it into a pile of crap.

Not since Katrina, or the recent oil slick, has the image of New Orleans been so fucked over by MTV for the world to see. But hey, it's just a place to party.

Big ass beads are draped on the beds. Ain't I clever? And dig the ginormous masks over the headboards. It was more of a challenge for the tech team than the art department. They had to go in and make sure all this junk looks decent. And by decent I mean getting paid big bucks for using every tacky cliche I could throw on the set. I shopped my ass off on Bourbon Street.

The house's front door opens onto a grand staircase with a railing that I totally desecrated with a shit load of Mardi Gras beads I found in the garbage. Another wall is decorated with corny Dr. Bob signs ("Be Nice or Leave"). I was very cool to install a female mannequin removing her shirt, you know, winky winky a real bead whore begging for "beads". Her name is Ravishing Rachel. She's available online. We didn't pay any of the artists for their tourist crap. Why should we? We give them huge, I mean HUGE exposure on our crap show.

I had them build a streetcar in the hall. It's so quaint, just like the Southern Cajun hicks in New Orleans. When the bratty cast kids came on set, they thought it was a public toilet, and the little creeps never clean up after themselves, so thank God the entire set ends up where it belonged in the first place - in the dumpster. The occupants of the spaces I designed will shame themselves and defile the city. It's like my design for this big old house and this decrepit city totally inspired the no talent cast.

In the basement I designed a kitchen, dining area and lounge decorated with weathered, reclaimed window shutters (my personal kick in the ass homage to Hurricane Katrina damage), a stupid chandelier made of brass instruments, and dig, a player piano, and tom-tom drums serving as end tables! I added a pool table and a fish tank just for more wacky New Orleans fun. It was so fugly it made the trash piles after Katrina look good.

Thinking outside the box, I wanted to try to cram as much of New Orleans crap into this house as possible.

People ask me if I claim much of a "Real World" house's decor for personal use -- I used to do that, then I realized I have a whole house full of junk. But I did keep two vomit and urine stained wing chairs from the New Orleans season. I'm looking forward to putting them right by my fireplace and having a little piece of the New Orleans I trashed right inside my very own house. Most of my key signature pieces like Ravishing Rachel end up in our (Los Angeles) home office. It enhances the cesspool look we got going there.


For laughs, I put a vintage fortune-telling machine in an upstairs sitting room. A first-floor sitting room carried a sportsman's paradise theme, strung with fishing net and accessorized with oil soaked plush-toy renditions of local wildlife. Oiled up plush toys! Man how is that for thinking outside of the box?

And speaking of boxes, I did a first-floor "confessional box" -- where cast members could retreat to record first-person testimony about whatever pathetic drama had just occurred elsewhere in the house. I packed it with voodoo shit to scare the little turds.

I hope some voodoo queen doesn't zap my ass with some bad mojo for touching this shit. Cause like man, I dig New Orleans. Who doesn't? I mean it's all good right? It's a parteeeeee!!!!!

Who watches this crap anyway? It starts Wednesday 9 PM.

Luxury Hotel Interior Modern Design

Hotel Interior Design Ritz

Interior Design Ritz

Staying at a hotel can be one of the best, and most relaxing experiences that many people will ever have, especially if the hotel of choice is a luxury hotel. Finding a luxury hotel that will meet your vacationing or weekend getaway needs may take a little digging, but it will be well worth it.

What is a Luxury Hotel?

Interior design Ritz

Lobby Bar Interior Design

Hotels are given a rating from zero to five stars - five star rating being the best. When a luxury hotel is rated, there are different things about it that are given a rating, and the rating is averaged to give it the hotel star rating.

In the United States, Europe, and England, there are star ratings for hotels, though each area uses a slightly different way to rate them. The star rating is meant to help people who want to choose a luxury hotel based on certain criteria.

Restaurant Interior Design

Interior Restaurant Ritz

Room size, comfort level of the room and especially the bed, noise level audible in the room, cleanliness, decor, amenities provided, and service of the luxury hotel staff are all rated during the overall process of reviewing the luxury hotel. The bottom line, though, is that if you want a luxury hotel, you will want to look for a four star rating at the least, and possibly a five star rating.

Interior Design Restaurant Ritz London

The star rating is not the only thing which distinguishes a luxury hotel from other hotels. Most often a hotel will be considered a luxury hotel if the rating is at least four, and there are other unique things about the luxury hotel, such as a particular focus or special perks that are not common to other hotels that are not considered to be in the luxury hotel category. Having a spa, in room massage, offering child care, and even having a special theme throughout the hotel may help as one establishment is deemed a luxury hotel.

Special Perks

Usually a luxury hotel will offer special perks. You may be able to find a luxury hotel that will offer perks and amenities in almost any area including family fun, romantic adventure, and exotic treatments.

Finding what you want in a luxury hotel can make your vacation time or weekend getaway even more memorable.

Bedroom Interior Design Ritz

There is a luxury hotel option available in many price ranges and one can be found by looking for the star rating. Make sure when you look at the rating of a luxury hotel, you look at the ratings for the individual categories that have been rated. If comfort and room service are more important to you than space and a blow dryer, then give those things precedence over the other.

Ritz Interior Design

Office Decorating Ideas

Do you need office decorating ideas for your home business? Here they are! Having a workplace at home takes adequate planning, time and effort. Don’t worry, we know what we’re talking about. We work at home, too...just like you!

This web site will not only provide you with decorating ideas, but ways to create a productive work environment within the walls of your own house or apartment.

With more and more people starting to work at home, the need for office decorating ideas keeps growing. But where is the best place to start?

First you need space.

Identify how much space you need and how much you have available for your home business.

For some, a simple desk in the corner of a kitchen is enough. Many others need a light, spacious room to work at home. But, how big are the pieces of office furniture you plan to use? Are there sufficient electrical sockets in the room for lighting and for cable or wi-fi internet connections? Do you have enough filing cabinets for organizing your paperwork? Do you need space for storing inventory or other home business necessities?
Always decorate the walls with decor you like to look at!

Framed art prints and posters work best when related to your business, especially if you have client meetings at your home office. Also, if inspirational quotes or stories help keep you going, frame them and hang them up! Use your favorite colors and your favorite types of decor. Make your home office feel special to you!

Ensure clients don't have to cross your living room, kitchen or nursery before entering your home office. And of course, make sure you have comfortable chairs that fit the style of your office, along with idea-inspiring industry reading material should clients need to wait to speak with you.

Have bottled water, juice and coffee on a nice serving tray ready for enjoyment. It doesn't take much to have these little niceties ready, and image counts!

Even though you work at home, you're still running a business and clients expect an accommodating environment.

Stylish clocks, calendars and chalkboards are great office decorating ideas for any home business. If you don't have a lot to spend on office furniture, at least spend alittle more on your office accessories such as your desk lamp, desk chair (for your comfort), and other office supplies. They'll help keep your workplace contemporary-looking.

Keeping up with technology is also necessary for any home business. If your clients can see your work area, these tips are especially important. Once again, image counts!
Create a relaxing, but professional atmosphere without any distractions.

Most small business owners spend more time in their home office than in any other room in their house.

A good view and relaxing colors (blue, purple, green) can be very comforting.

Clutter is distracting. A clean, neat and efficient home office will improve your productivity when you work at home.

But don't forget to inject just as much love into decorating your workplace as you would in decorating any other room in your house. Have fun creating a comfortable, efficient, and client-friendly (if necessary) area for your home business!

If you’re living in an apartment and there’s only one cramped room available, you might just need some office decorating ideas.

Why not paint the walls white and use a large mirror to open up the space? Also, try to decorate with lighter colors. Darker colors will make the room feel smaller and more closed in. Make sure to plan for the possibility of needing a larger space in the near future, too! Think big!

Whats Hot? Fuego Outdoor Living Grill

I am in the process of designing an outdoor patio for clients.  It is a challenging project as well as being very exacting, with a lot of technical details to take into consideration (gas lines, water lines, electrical panel load limits, permit approvals, etc), before I can even start on the ‘pretty stuff.’  This outdoor patio is on the roof of a penthouse, with a spectacular view of the ocean, mountains, and city of Vancouver.  It is a breathtaking 130 feet in length, and is probably larger than most people’s back yards. 

Every once in awhile I come across a new and innovatively designed product that causes me to stop and take notice, and with a sigh of relief, that I have found an esthetically pleasing alternative to a category of product design that generally leaves my visual sensibilities assaulted.  Finally an outdoor grill (notice that it is not referred to as a BBQ - ‘Grill’ is the operative new terminology), that shakes up tradition, and is beautiful to look at. “A campfire for modernists,” “a social magnet with a great sense of style.” Attaching a label to this Fuego outdoor living grill is trickier than throwing a salmon – wild, rubbed with herbs and spices – on an open flame. As well as Fuego being a top rated grill, it has a modernist design aesthetic with sleek-lined minimalism.  One that I wouldn’t mind gracing my clients’ patio.

 
Fuego Catalogue

 
Fuego Grill 01

What do you think?  Would you like to have this Fuego grill gracing your patio?
I’ll take the pool!

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Designer firm  in Vancouver, Canada who blogs about WHAT'S HOT  in the world of Interior Design.
2010 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

jelly bean-simon gwd guest blogger

Hi. My name is Jelly. I used to be a model, and the wife of a sleaze French fashion photog. He dumped me. I have 2 kids. I am a single mom and a single gal in New York. I am a celeb with no visible means of support. And I like to decorate. Let me share some tips. I stole all those silver water pitchers from a hotel I partied in. I just kept ordering room service until I had an instant collection.

I base my colors on all the colors of jelly beans. I think a house should have one of every different color jelly bean. This makes it kooky, but in a fun and quirky good way, and cohesive in a crazy way.

My celeb apartment is just okay. The French fuck won't give me enough money to live in a really nice place. It's a duplex with two bedrooms, and a couple of bathrooms, but still it's hard for me not make it look like an episode on Hoarders.

I like to wear a jaunty little hat when I am considering a couch color. It's my thinking cap and it keeps my jelly bean ideas close to my pea brain. My couch was pink but then I made it purple. Purple is a better jelly bean color than pink. Really.

The saggy blue blanket isn't a jelly bean color. How did that get there? Did my horsey leave it there? Keep an eye on that chaise lounge. It likes to travel. Traveling furniture is my trademark. And I will report anyone to blogger who uses any of the images or words I steal from others, because I trademark everything. EVERYTHING.

There are two things to remember when you decorate. 1. Jelly beans, and 2. Jelly beans.

These are my new big pillows for my big girl bed. I love all white but only if I can add my signature trademark jelly bean colors to make my head pop. I trademarked all the jelly bean colors. ALL OF THEM.

My bathroom is brown, not very jelly, but I'm too poor to rip it out. I bet the French fuck doesn't have a fugly brown bathroom.

But I am rich enough to go to Target and put jelly bean orange rugs and towels and a shower curtain in the kids bathroom.

I love to decorate with kid like art. In fact I think my style stopped growing at age 10. I love to wear short little dresses in jelly bean colors, and shrunken baby T shirts to show off my aging model body.

I love horses! Just like a little girl! So I have a life size pony in my dining room!

I use this clear glass lamp because this is a small clutter fuck of an apartment, and clear stuff makes it seem bigger, though I would love to put a jelly bean color lampshade on it.

I have a sad rustic dining room table and some old moldy french chairs I stole from my ex husband's family French garage sale when they weren't looking.

I love to match my jelly bean purple shirt to my jelly bean purple orchid plant. And don't forget the jaunty hat to keep those decorating ideas close to the pea brain!

Here's a shark on the table. It goes with the horsey. I flip flopped my rooms. This used to be the living room, but I switched it with the then living room for the now dining room and the now dining room for the then living room. My jaunty idea hat was smoking with this concept. The TV will get moved to the now living room so the shark can hang on the wall in its place.

Here's my jelly bean red breakfast bar. It's close the purple couch so I can rest my skinny ass on the couch instead of using a bar stool.

I'm decorating my bed with my jeans collection. Who needs a boring throw? See my horsey ribbons hanging over my bed? It's just like my bedroom when I was 10.

Here's my desk for the work I don't really have. And see that white chaise lounge? It used to be in the now living room. It's the trademarked traveling chaise lounge I promised you. It was a huge design decision to move it to the now bedroom. Did I tell you I love white? It's so fresh.

These are by book shelves in my bedroom. White, white, white. I love white. It's so fresh.

My virgin white bed. Fresh, fresh, fresh. Yay horsey ribbons over the bed!

More boring junk in my apartment.

I love my fat blue chair. It has a wall space all for itself. I got it from the Cindy Crawford collection at Rooms To Go. We old models who love to decorate have to stick together.

Do you think it's too big? Really? Too fugly? Really? Why is everyone always picking on me?

Here's the TV in the now living room where the then dining room used to be. Dangling cords are so techno, so edgy. And hey, checkout that big clear glass bowl of jelly beans. Clear glass makes the jelly beans seem bigger. Really. But why are they all yellow? I know there are a lot more jelly bean colors! I trademarked them!

Ooh, even touching jelly beans is so me!

That's better. I feel so happy when I'm one with my jelly beans.

Here in the dining room I have these super shiny silver lamps. They reflect all my jelly bean colors.
And I love to decorate with booze and champagne bottles. It's so personal. I even bedazzle them with super shiny jelly beans.

Come on horsey, let's have a drink and a bean or two.

Oh no, someone skinned the pony for a coffee table! But the bowl of jelly beans makes it all good. And the clear lamp makes the place seem miles bigger!

Oh no I didn't! Did I use the dog for a throw pillow?

Lush bouquets from the Korean market on the corner always makes a New York single gal apartment look so pretty and ready for romance. And who needs drapes when you have flowers like these on the window ledge?
.

So there you have my decorating tips for a New York City single mom/gal apartment. Now I have to feed my shark some jelly beans, and start a fantasy blog called Jelly Beanly Chic. Trademarked of course. You can see all my ideas on YouTube where I am auditioning to get my own HGTV Design Turd show.




gwd: thank u jelly 4 guest blogging.


if anyone else would like 2 guest blog for girl world decor, just let us know.

coming soon: the girly award nominations