Pink -- When It's Hot, It's Hot!

So easily associated with little girls, valentines and summer wardrobe, pink can take on a whole different persona when it comes to decorating.
It probably had it's heyday in the art deco period when pink and black tiles were the fashion for bathrooms.


The color also had a huge presence in mid century modern furnishings. My childhood memories bring up recollections of our living room where the focus was a pair of glamorous club chairs. They were covered in a pale pink leather outlined with nail head details and paired with a couch in a handsome gray tweed. Wish I had a photo! But nevertheless I resurrected the color scheme in the paint finish for our Posh Pam lamp with a silk shade in a vibrant blush.




A few years back  I was determined to create a new and  uncommon color scheme for the High Point Furniture Show. We showed up at market with our Neapolitan collection that included a Diva armoire and Rumba end table painted in a rosy pink and brown motif .

To complete the vinette we also introduced our Rockin Rose lamp. The shade was a modern hardback drum shape covered with a brown poly blended fabric. I had it lined and trimmed with the same fabric in dusty pink. When the lamp was turned on the glow was an awesome cinnamon.red.










For the moment I'm on a mission to find a spot for hot pink in our collections and exploring new ways to use it n our hardware. For the start, I'm loving it with bronze green, amethyst purple and gold. Where it leads me...we'll just have to see.

Hand Painting - It Gets Personal

I was reminded recently of how I came up with our Tiki designs. Originally created to mimic tortoise shell shapes and colors inspired by the tortie coat of  my Persian cat Lucy, I never expected it to become one of our most popular lines.  I've watched it morph over the years as each artist in my workshop put in their own personal interpretation of "Tiki". Just like handwriting, each Tiki knob and finial adopted a signature look.

Tiki Banister Ball has a magnificent blend of  black  butterscotch and gold just like my  Persian cat Lucy, 

.Then we even started to create the pattern in colors far removed  from the original tortoise pattern. Purples, blues, reds and most recently pink and blue. I almost forgot there was a Polynesian impetus behind my original invention.

If the Tikis are little works of art, the big personal artistic expression is everywhere in our furniture collection. I especially enjoy the freedom my artists have enjoyed with our scroll pattern and ribbon leaf motifs.  As part of our furniture painting training, each person is instructed on how to create the pattern with some "must have"parameters and some loose guidelines. It's probably derived from my art teacher background, but I always allow them to choose the brushes and tools that feel the most comfortable. Then I encourage them to interpret the design. The results are magnificent! 

Not that it was my intention, our workshop artists have literally hailed from all over the globe. Unique cultures. backgrounds and aesthetics are all reflected in the brush stroke and the style of the individual artist.and it's given an exotic look to our hand painted furniture.

Scroll patterns from our Barcelona Beds
Painted by: Filipe from Portugal, Karen from China, Sonoko from Japan, Troy from Florida

 

 

Ribbon and Leaf Patterns / Jitterbug dresser, Diva Armoire and Charisma Bathroom Vanities
Painted by Bea from France,Filipe from Portugal, Sonoko from Japan

 

 

Pizzazz in the Bathroom

Remember when bathroom sinks were either a free standing pedestal or a counter under mount? And hey weren't they all porcelain? The bathroom sink has come a long way in the past 10 years. Its metamorphosis has seen a variety of vessels available in a list of materials to make your head spin; glass, stainless, marble, bronze, wood, hammered metal and oh yes, porcelain still reigns.

Charisma Bathroom vanity with Oceana Vessel Sink 

Choosing a bathroom bowl can be a daunting challenge and there's no doubt we pull out all the punches for the powder room. Whether it be a residence, restaurant, hotel lobby or theater, nothing can be too showy or dramatic when it comes to the bathroom with this antiquated name. It's the kind of venue that offers utter decorating freedom where the designer can be the most daring with colors, textures, lighting and materials. In this instance our customer selected our Nu Mini Style 11 knob that we customized to highlight the prominent colors of this one-of-a-kind hand crafted sink. She shot photos before and after the cabinets were finished in green.  I like them both.