This I Believe

I know that I often come across as caustic and sarcastic (we could spend hours talking about childhood trauma, etc., but won't). So, I thought I'd risk a little vulnerability by exposing my true design philosophy. I recently submitted the following in a blog contest. Apparently they were looking for something either a lot more esoteric or even more caustic and sarcastic. Oh, well.... read and let me know what you think.

I can’t tell you how many times a prospective client has asked me to “define my style”. At first I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. What is the “right” answer? What do I need to say to land this job? Over the years, I have found that the answer isn’t simple or pat. My style has evolved as an expression of my client’s. I have made it my duty to consider their needs, personality and lifestyle while creating a design solution that reflects their taste (no matter how much I might question it) while morphing it into something beyond their expectations. Yeah, I know — easy to say — not so easy to do. First, it requires checking the ego at the door. What? This isn’t all about me? Oddly enough, it’s not always about being published or racking up awards (I can already hear heads exploding). Second, it requires listening… really listening. Finally, the fun part — I have to DELIVER, often being forced out of my comfort zone to do things that I would have never dreamt about doing before. At times I feel a bit like a “design chameleon”. Call me Sybil, but I’ve come to love the fact that you can look at my projects but can’t easily single me out. It keeps things fresh and interesting, unlike my past life, where I cranked out the same look for each client, day in and day out. It was easy, safe and very lucrative, at the cost of my creativity, which underwent a slow, numbing death. Lately, I’ve been asked to deliver interiors ranging from “Belgian Farmhouse” to “Hindu Courtesan”. You read that right — “Hindu Courtesan” — but that’s another story. The point is, each client and project provides a unique and challenging opportunity. Each day, I’m pushed to find new resources and ways of doing things. And yes, each night I go to bed wondering, “How on earth am I going to pull this off?” But, somehow I do. I learn and grow with each experience. And, most importantly, the client gets what they want… only better.

Coming up next — my experience with the unwashed masses at the Atlanta Home Show — stay tuned.

Sticker Shock Redux

I attended an event at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens with the Yogini and Andrew Harris last evening (generously sponsored by 3form, Baker Audio, Maharam, Global, ESI, Office Images, and Patcraft). What I noticed upon arrival forced me out of my blog sabbatical. Those of you who read my May 19 post (ranting) about UL stickers will remember that I threatened to attack the entry sign with a bottle of Goo-Gone. Well, someone beat me to it! HALLELUJAH! My faith in man is somewhat restored. I'd like to think they read my blog and were shamed into removing those hateful things. Well, one can dream. Below are pics taken by Andrew on his phone along with one from my original post in case you don't feel like referring back to it (too many clicks can be very exhausting). Let's keep up the momentum — get out your Goo-Gone and help to make Atlanta sticker-free!


Before: UL stickers create visual clutter and are just plain ugly.


After: A sticker free sign is a happy sign

Bright Ideas

Because of the economic downturn, the Yogini has put me on a strict budget. That means no Whole Foods, suffering through $5/bottle wine, and lots of meals at home. It also means getting creative with home improvement projects. We've recently updated the lighting at the cabin and did it on a shoestring. Here are two of the fixtures we created.




Island Pendant
Mortar Tray — We found this at Lakewood a few years ago and thought it was fun and crusty enough to use at the cabin. It sat on above our cabinets, unused, until a few months ago...$45
Under Cabinet Light — from CSL...$32
Nickel Chain — Home Depot...$5
Electrical Conduit Pole — Home Depot...$4
Total Cost: $86




Bed Room Surface Mount
Old Aluminum Warehouse Pendant — We found this at Scott Antique Market and loved it. It was just the shell of the fixture with none of the electrical remaining. I like how beat-up the exterior is; the inside glass reflector was in pristine condition...$65
Lamp Kit — Home Depot...$4
Chrome Reflector Lamp — Light Bulbs Unlimited...$3
Total Cost: $72

I DARE anyone to call me a spendthrift!

To Market, To Market

Well, another Market is upon us and the Design Yogi, Yogini and our friends and colleagues, Martha Nicholson & Andrew Harris, made the bi-annual pilgrimage to the Portman Labyrinth known as America's Mart. Anyone who has been can attest that it requires major winnowing of the wheat from the chaff (lots of chaff, very little wheat). Here are a few noteworthy exceptions.


This new series was introduced at High Point. I especially like the stool. Picture it in a bright Ikat.


OK, this is some of the chaff, but I had to throw it in. There are so many things I could say, but won't. I think it speaks for itself.


This ottoman would be pretty wonderful in the house I'll be working on in Jackson Hole. So, where is that client anyway???


This burlap upholstered bed is really fun. How about all white bedding?


More curves and a graceful stretcher make this a great little console. It looks great backed-up to "Satan's Settee".

We were finally rewarded when we snuck into the 2nd floor temporaries (they were closed at the time... we're such rebels) and found two talented metal workers. Here are some of their creations.


There was a pair of these beauties... I nearly wet myself.


The same artisan created this bench from an old conveyer belt... love it! He's thinking about adding a chaise to the series... uh oh — I almost wet myself again.


The clever marriage of a steel punch form and concrete — I can imagine an entire furniture line.


An old cable spool and foundry mold were cut in half and combined to make a pair of consoles. Add a larger, chunky concrete top and now we're talking.


Another industrial chic piece in the form of a cocktail table base — this one showcases an old train spring.


Of course no Market is complete without its senseless bling. This one was no exception.

A Tisket, A Tasket

Last month the Yogi and Yogini traveled down to Charleston, SC to pay homage to the Dowager Yogini (my mom) on the occasion of her 7oth birthday. While we were down there, Spoleto Festival was in full swing. One of the featured cultural festivals was the Sweetgrass Festival. We got there early to avoid the heat and crowds. This allowed us plenty of time to visit with the "basket sewers". They are descendants of a long line artisans who brought their craft from West Africa to the rice plantations of the South Carolina Lowcountry in the late 17th century. Each basket embodies the rich history and culture of the Gullah people. Painstakingly gathered local vegetation such as palmetto fronds & thorns, bulrush and pine needles are composed to create a study in artistry, utilitarianism and sustainability — an exquisite, personal and perfect expression of design.

Unfortunately the resources available have been greatly diminished due to development of rural areas. Add to this their ever-increasing popularity, and the limited number of artists that master the craft... well, you can see where I'm going. They can get quite pricey, especially those created by "master sewers", like Vera Manigault.

The next time you're in Charleston, wander on over to the stands on Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant (where they've been sold since the 1930s) and hold a piece of history in your hands — even if you can't afford to own it.








Ms. Vera Manigault's tour de force, "Baby Moses Basket", is a whopping 36" long, constructed of palmetto thorn, took her over 12 years to create, and will set you back a cool $4000.

Let The Buyer Beware!

I have a small, OK... HUGE, confession. One of my guilty pleasures is watching extremely bad reality TV. Somehow it keeps things "real" for me. Anyway, Monday night I was sacked out on the sofa watching the antics on the Bachelorette and found myself screaming out in disbelief. I saw Ali and borderline nutjob, Frank, haggling with a Turkish rug merchant at the Bazaar for a Kilim rug that the Yogini and I bought at Ikea. I kid you not. I thought that maybe I was imagining things, but the Yogini screamed out at the same time, "That's our rug!" This is where it gets good. The price shown on the merchant's calculator was 980. Considering that the rug costs $149 at Ikea, that's quite a mark-up for the right to say that you purchased it at the Bazaar in Istanbul (not to mention shipping charges back to the States). Even if the 980 were Turkish Liras, that would translate into about $620 US. He did, however, throw in two pillows to sweeten the deal.

Here's the description direct from Ikea's website:




KIBÄK (I love Ikea's names... does ANYONE know how to pronounce them?)

Rug, flatwoven

$149.00

Product Information
Key features

• The rug is hand-woven by skilled craftsmen, and is therefore unique.
• Woolmark. 100% pure new wool.
• Pure new wool makes the rug naturally soil-repellent and durable.
• Its flat woven pattern is equally visible on both sides making it reversible.
• Flat woven rug. Suitable for use in the dining room because it is easy to keep clean and chairs can easily slide in and out.

I especially like the first bullet-point. It's apparently "unique" enough to pawn-off on clueless American tourists.

FYI, You can also purchase the same exact rug from overstock.com for $179.99. They call it the Indo Kilim Multicolor Rug — I think I like KIBÄK better.

Don't get me wrong I'm not bashing the rug. It's a great value, and we love the way it looks in our Cabin. But, honestly, Frank, I hope ABC footed the bill for your purchase.


The KIBÄK / Indo Kilim Multicolor Rug / Turkish Bazaar Rug installed at our cabin.

designer:

One Man's Trash

First of all, for those of you who follow me (I'm talking to both of you), I'd like to apologize for the lapse in posts. It is truly my intent to publish at least once a week.

I was flipping through last month's Charleston Magazine and ran across a piece about artist, Jonathan Brilliant (yes, that's his name... and, yes, he is). I just love his works on paper that are created from coffee cup sleeves, stirrers, lids, sugar packets... you name it. It's fascinating to see ordinary discardable items turned into extraordinary works of art.


Coffee Cup Sleeve Mandala (print made from coffee sleeves)


Untitled (1000 black coffee lids & 1000 white coffee lids)


Sticks, Straws, Sleeves & Lids (detail)

Even more impressive, are the temporary woven sculpture installations that he constructs from wooden coffee stirrers. The scale and execution are nothing short of amazing. The pieces are held solely by tension (Moms, keep your kids on a short leash).






This particular installation at the City Gallery in Charleston was composed of 70,000 stirrers and took 10 days to create.

Jonathan is currently on his "Have Sticks Will Travel World Tour", creating site-specific installations. Do yourself a favor, and check out his website. Be sure to look at the gallery of installations. You'll never look at your latte the same.

Color Me Green

The yogi is going GREEN! At least I'm going to try — I've decided to pursue LEED credentials. The first stop in doing so is taking the LEED Green Associate exam. In preparation for this I attended a study class that was presented at Southface. What an incredible facility! During our lunch break we were given the nickel tour. I was blown away by the systems and common sense approach to design that resulted in this building being certified LEED Platinum. Cisterns collect rainwater for use in irrigation. Native and adaptive plants grace the campus. Pervious concrete is used to mitigate runoff. Glazing is relegated primarily to the north and south facades to control heat gain. Natural daylight is maximized by the use of light shelves and light tubes — artificial lighting is kept to a minimum. Low volume and waterless plumbing fixtures are utilized... they even have a composting toilet (that may be pushing the envelope a little too far). Their mechanical room is amazing. You can actually go online and check their water and energy consumption in real time. I especially grooved on the green roof and photovoltaic canopy (salvaged from an old BP station — talk about environmental irony!). But, this is just scratching the surface. I'd encourage anyone interested in green design to take the hour long public tour offered every Wednesday at 10 am. You can make reservations on Southface's website. Green is the new Black.

Every Cloud...

The Yogi just spent his Memorial Day weekend in the Mid-Ohio Valley for the Yogini's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. While I could exhaust an entire post about the trip, the economic demise of the heartland and the minefield that is the average American family, I've decided to focus on the inspirational moments from the trip. Apparently during its golden age (the mid-1800s to the early 1900s), the region was quite a happening place — literally the crossroads of America. From Blennerhassett Island to Historic Marietta & Harmar Village there are little gems to be found along with an abundance of forgotten history. The Blennerhassetts particularly piqued my curiosity. They were Irish aristocrats that seemed to be constantly surrounded by scandal. He was not only her husband, but her uncle. Shocking! He got caught up with a revolutionary faction in Ireland and was forced to flee to America. Here he showed similar poor judgment by allowing Aaron Burr to woo him for his fortune. This ultimately resulted in him being accused, with Burr, of treason for trying to establish an empire in the Southwest. It was discovered later that Burr had his sights set on Northern Mexico (current day Texas). I think that little tidbit should go in their new history text books. Juicy stuff, huh? Below is my favorite single item from the Blennerhassett Museum. I love the rustic elegance of its proportions and details.







This gave me the bug to hit the local antique malls in Marietta and wander into quaint little Harmar Village, where we had a lovely little lunch at the counter of the Soda Museum. Yes, I went to the Soda Museum. I'm constantly surprised when wonderful, beautiful things pop-up in what appears to be the lowliest of places.

Sticker Shock

You can file today's observation from The Yogi under "Rants". One of my pet peeves is the UL sticker that seems to pop up in the most conspicuous places. I know it sounds like a small thing, but I think these photos make my case.


At first glance, it appears that someone forgot to remove the price tags.


Are those what I think they are?


UL strikes again!

Here some simple backlit signage is destroyed by the ubiquitous sticker. I understand the regulatory needs that must be fulfilled, but do we always have to sacrifice aesthetics to be compliant? Could they not have been placed elsewhere — like the top of the letter, unseen to anyone except the inspector who is looking for them (or better yet, on the inside where the light source is housed)? I'm just saying.

If you hear about a crazy person being arrested at the Atlanta Botanical Garden with a bottle of GooGone, you'll know who the perp is.

Incredible Edibles

This week's Designers' Day Out was a trip to the Atlanta Botanical Garden to experience the much anticipated Canopy Walk. I have to admit I was more excited about the design of the structure and it's details than the experience itself, which was much too brief for me (as so many are). I guess that's an occupational hazard.

Also new is the Edible Garden. The Yogi got much more excited about this recent addition — perhaps due to my love of food. I was absolutely bowled over by the decorative use of garden vegetables and herbs, as well as, the fruit espaliers. I love a good espalier. The herb wall was also a knock-out. It's an incredibly creative and beautiful way to cultivate. I particularly like the grid of textures and shades of green that it creates.

But don't take my word for it. Go check it out, and tell them the Yogi sent you. On second thought, you better not. They might charge you extra.


The approach to the walk. I was very amused by the number of elderly people who got scared and turned around at this point.


I love the view from the ground as the walk "disappears" into the trees.


This is my favorite part of the walk. The structure is a beautiful thing of engineering and geometry.


I'm a sucker for espaliers... and anything else French for that matter.




The herb wall — my new favorite thing.

What's In A Name?

Happy Cinco de Mayo, friends. I was going to talk about design inspirations from South of the Border, but was afraid that I would be asked for my papers. So, I'll feature some appropriately European designs that I literally tripped over while at ADAC this morning. They are both new introductions from Formations. The first is a translation of the traditional wing chair in weathered oak with a seat cushion and kidney pillow. It's called the Wooden Barrel Chair (who comes up with these?) and is surprisingly comfortable, even for those of us like the Yogi who are posteriorly challenged. I just pray that I don't see it knocked-off in an upcoming Restoration Hardware catalogue.



The second (also from Formations) is the Sabot Ottoman. Not knowing what a sabot (pronounced SAY-boh) was, I googled it and was informed that it is either:

1 : a wooden shoe worn in various European countries (1) : a strap across the instep in a shoe especially of the sandal type (2) : a shoe having a sabot strap

or

2 : a thrust-transmitting carrier that positions a missile in a gun barrel or launching tube and that prevents the escape of gas ahead of the missile

Hmmmmm... I'm still pondering what either of these has to do with what I took to be an abstraction of animal horns. Did I miss something? At any rate, I love the thorny, horny legs on this critter. FUN!

I didn't come into the business to get awards or titles.

This is a quote from one of my favorite actresses, Julie Walters. LOVE HER! That being said, it doesn't hurt to be recognized for your achievements every now and then, or at least once a year. Last Thursday, ASID Georgia held their annual Design Excellence Awards banquet. Having attended a few of these, I have to say that it was one of the better awards events that ASID has put together. OK, I confess... I was on the planning committee. Congratulations to my fellow committee members, Chris Socci, Andrew Harris, Crystal Aitken, Erin Boden, Justin Caldwell Childers, Susan Currie, Jennifer Dixon, Joanna Hebb, Kerry Howard, Matt McBride, James Molinaro, Hillarie Robbins and Judy Talley for all their hard work. It really paid off. I heartily recommend entering projects that you are particularly proud of for all ASID designers. And, for those of you out there looking for a designer, don't overlook these Kudos when making your decision. Did I mention that The Design Yogi and Yogini were awarded a Gold? See Lakeside Townhome on my website. Also garnering honors that evening were alumni from The Design Yogi's first interior design home, Mark Williams and Karen Hott. I also want to congratulate Big Daddy - Design Star - Kerry Howard who served on the planning committee with me for his award. Well I guess it's back into humility mode until this time next year (maybe).

Let There Be Light!

Now that we've fed my god complex a bit, let's talk about lighting. This week I'm featuring a little renovation project that I did with Martha. The lighting was a key feature, and has since proven to be the client's favorite aspect of the interiors. This week's shameless plug goes to Urban Electric Co. Most of the lighting specified came from this incredible company based in the Design Yogi's home town of Charleston, SC. They have recently opened a showroom here in Atlanta in the White Provision complex and threw one great party to celebrate. The event was catered by JCT, another one of my favorites. I was spotted with several other designers, who shall remain nameless, accosting the caterers every time they brought out the hors d'oeuvres (particular, the fried chicken... YUM). But, I digress. We specified lighting for the foyer, kitchen accents, stair hall, and dining area from their fantastic line and were given stellar customer service throughout the project (Thanks, Ellen & co.) The photos below were taken at the installation, so bear in mind that things are not quite complete (most notably the yummy chocolate brown concrete counters that showed up the following week).