BLACK HOMES

Perhaps its that Halloween is quickly approaching, or it's my innate interest in the macabre, but i have always had a deep love for homes or buildings painted black. I really like the way that a monochromatic exterior plays down the details of woodwork and other kinds of trim on older homes. Of course, all-black looks great on more contemporary structures, too! If only people stop the notion that a home can only be White or light, with dark trim at the most. I think these examples show that there is nothing wrong with going all the way.

More about this Peacock home later!

The LIFE

Mystery + Beauty surround the Bohemian Chic Lifestyle. Don't be afraid to express your soft romantic side and create beauty in home decor. Whether it be a city loft by the river or a downtown brownstone, we all need a little { pretty } in our hectic urban lives. So, if you love culture + fashion + design, come embrace a little bit of the sweet lifestyle.

Lounge Elegantly. The Glamour of a vintage settee or boudoir lounge is a must have for the Vanity Fair Lifestyle. Choose muted hues & graceful curves to express the softer side of bohemian life. Like this Spencer Chaise from Jayson Home & Garden upholstered in creme linen and burlap with a dusty light burnt oak finish.

A little Bohemian: A little Green.

"Little Uma" {picture directly above} is a carved french 19th century Rococo-style settee with it's original turquoise patina. What makes her special and why I love the design house of Chair Couture, is their philosophy & passion to recycle French antiques and reupholster in bold modern or vintage flavored fabrics. What you get is a fabulous reinterpretation of bohemian whimsy + high fashion urban glam.

For the love of vanity fair ~ comes Marianne. This fabulous French country bed, Circa 1930, comes with it's original gray-green patina + upholstered in one-of-a-kind "dandelion field" fabric.About Margaret:The fabulous designer behind Chair Couture, "Margaret Elman indulges in the ultimate recycling program by finding one-of-a-kind French and Italian antique chairs and beds, then reupholstering them in eye-popping prints." {the goods: *top picture ~chip: carved French settee, circa 1920 with original gilt patina + covered in a bold, stripe velvet by Designer's Guild through Osborne & Little}. All images courtesy of Chair Couture.

Be Eclectic with fresh + flirty chairs. From French inspired petite frames or feminine cowhide chic, grab those unique finds from your local boutique retailer and bring it back home. {left chair: from jayson home & garden}.

Accent bohemian style with rustic antlers + vintage lighting ~ Nothing's off limits. The Vanity of Case: mix it up with antique chests or reproductions and don't be afraid of a little glamour with chrome or metallic finishes. The Whitman Chest of Drawers, perfect for the bohemian traveler, comes with steel drawer front panels and urban cool leather pulls {the accent goods: all above from my favorite boutique retailer in Chicago ~ Jayson Home & Garden}.

You Gave Me Brave – Oct. 24 – Nov. 21 – L.A.

S1F Gallery presents:
You Gave Me Brave
Curated by Young Chung

October 24 – November 21, 2009
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 24th, 6 – 9 PM

Gallery Hours: Friday, 6 – 9 PM & Saturday, 12 – 5 PM and by Appointment
S1F Gallery
2404 Wilshire Boulevard #1F (Entrance on Park View)
Los Angeles, CA 90057
http://www.s1fgallery.net/
213.387.7759

Claire Morgan

I don't know how many of you have seen the work of Claire Morgan, but her art is an incredible and ambitious feat. She is an installation artist who specializes in what I believe is fishing wire, rigging planes and cubes from bones, rotten meat, strawberries and gnats. Often times she exhibits taxidermy animals which makes me want to draw a comparison with Cai Guo Qiang's 99 wolves crashing into a plexi-glass wall titled, "Head On"; but this relation seems all too literal and are outweighed by conceptual differences. Where Qiang's installations are more humorous and social, Claire Morgan's are far more contemplative, like fleeting figments of mortality. Based in London.

Munsell Hue Test

The Munsell Hue Test attempts to survey how good your color vision is. The lower the score, the better your vision. The analysis afterwards, will show where your hue discrimination lies, a useful design tool. You can also compare your results to age demographics at the end! Ironically, concentrating on such an exam for a prolonged period of time on a computer screen feels rather detrimental to your vision. Oh well, I scored a 12, compare your results! Post them in the comments.
http://www.spectralcolor.com/game/huetest_kiosk

'Objectified' Returns To L.A.

The documentary film by Gary Hustwit, about the visionaries and the designers behind some of the products that we see today comes back to Los Angeles for a screening and a talk after. It is a complex discourse between designer, manufacturer and consumer in a sentimental, thought-provoking and often times humorous way. If you have not had a chance to see 'Objectified' I strongly recommend you do! And if you have not had a chance to see the other films by Gary Hustwits pick up his other documentary called 'Helvetica'.

Wednesday, August 12, 8pm
Laemmle’s Royal Theatre
11523 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Los Angeles CA, 90025
Post-film Q&A with Gary Hustwit

Tickets can be purchased here.

Barbie Who?

Barbie's townhouse has nothing on these amazing (slightly creepy) modern doll houses by Bozart and Mod pod. Remember, these are doll houses!

Um....

Creepy?

Is it wrong that I want this chair...in my size?

The Designer Notebook is one year old today! Happy Birthday Blog!

The Glass House

My dear friend Arlena has recently visited Philip Johnson's famous Glass House in Connecticut, and sent me these up-close pictures that are just dreamy.


In the late 1940s, a group of influential architects educated at Harvard University moved to New Canaan, Connecticut. They chose the location for its proximity to Manhattan and because they were able to buy large, inexpensive plots of land to build on. New Canaan has since become famous for its collection of modern homes and the most recognized is the Glass House built by Philip Johnson. Johnson spent much of his life at the property and called it his “50 year diary”. The title “Glass House” refers not only to the glass home he built there but also to the other structures and sculptures on the 47 acre estate. With his partner David Whitney, Johnson played hosted many artists here, including Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns. After his death in 2005, the Glass House was turned over to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and in June of 2007 it was opened to the public.

Visits to the Glass House must be booked well in advance. Although photographs are not allowed on the regular 90 minute tours which are $25/person, they are encouraged on the last tour of the day which is 2 hours and $40/person.

Windex anyone?

Now your house can really glow!

What if we could light our homes with glowing wallpaper rather than having to rely on electric lights? Swedish designer Camilla Diedrich has asked this exact question, and in response, created a stunning line of luminescent wallpaper that is lit by fiber optics. Her Nature Ray Charles Wallpaper features a delicate assortment of floral motifs that shine through in lucid lines, adding a touch of energy-efficient ambiance to any room.

Now that's just CUTE!!

If you’re a fan of modern prefab architecture and you’re raising rugrats, now you can get your little ones on the prefab mod action with the Mini Modern Prefab Playshed. Part Case-Study home, part play-house, the Mini Modern Prefab proves that kid’s design can be fun and sophisticated at the same time. Architect Ryan Grey Smith, known for his adult-sized Modern-Shed is bringing prefab to preschoolers with his Modern Play Shed, a smaller but no-less awesome version of his original design. Better than any treehouse or playhouse we’ve ever seen, it comes fully loaded with a sloped shed roof, dutch doors, 12 windows, and more.

The wall that wasn't!

Frequent passerby in the neighborhood of Santa Margarita, Spain may find themselves a bit lost when they can’t seem to find the white wall they just passed by. Appearing at first as a simple sheet of folded paper, this beautiful white-walled building features a facade of panels that open in brilliant pops of color. Designed by Romera y Ruiz Arquitectos, “Ocho casas inscritas y tres patios” is a sustainably constructed social housing complex with a facade that changes according to the wishes of its inhabitants!