Mark Rothko: Seeing Red

I finally had the opportunity to see the show Red.  It was about Mark Rothko and his commission to paint panels for the Four Seasons Restaurant in the Seagrams Building.  Ultimately, it did not work out and he cut ties.  Mark did not think it was a suitable environment for his work.

via Plum Siena

I am always fascinated by artists' back stories.  What inspired a certain work or in what period they were in their personal or professional lives?

Free House Interior Design

Mark Rothko was a Russian born, abstract expressionist painter known for his large scale color field paintings.

There are deep meanings behind these cubes, rectangles, and boxes.  Rothko hated explaining the meaning, he wanted you to FEEL the painting, not just look at it.

via The New York Times

Rothko employed a lot of different techniques to draw you into the painting.  The subtle play of opacity or the amount of luminosity.  The warm and cool variations create a layered depth.  It wasn't out of the question for Rothko to change the orientation of the painting half or three quarters of the way thru.  The goal was always to make you feel enveloped in the canvas.

Thad Hayes

Rothko felt that abstract art should be experienced in emotionally expressive terms.  "Large pictures are like dramas in which one participates in a direct way," he said.

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Rothko was a philosopher at heart.  He was very influenced by Freidrich Nietzsche and his teachings.  Always questioning the human experience, values, religion, emotions, and ideas.  There had to be a connection, an intimate experience with the painting.  Can't a painting sometimes, just be a painting?

Miles Redd via Luxury Interior Design

Mark Rothko, ill and depressed committed suicide in 1970.  Now, armed with a better understanding of the man, I absolutely appreciate the art in a different way!

via Hauteshitnyc

TIMELESS!

Rules Are For Fools

We all learn that there are certain basic "rules" one should follow.  In life as in decorating, whether it is don't wear white after Labor Day or form follows function ~ I like to think of them as mere suggestions. Independent minded people are always challenging those "rules" and what comes out of that is as unique as each of us...

Victoria Pearson

Upon first observation, you wouldn't think to put an oversized picture to one side of a fireplace ~ the root lamp however balances the height and weight on the opposite side; therefore it works!

via House to Home

There is A LOT going on in this bedroom.  I am fascinated by the mismatched wooden window cornices. For some, the different patterns may be too jarring in the bedroom.  That said, the scale of the patterns and the recurring color pink keep your eyes dancing around the room.

I personally would never block a window, but maybe there is an ugly view that can be hidden while still utilizing the light from above.  The lacquered screen further diffuses the light around the room.  Either way, a decorative statement was successfully made.

Big light fixtures make a big impact in the kitchen.  The continuation of the industrial feel and similar material make it look fresh in a work horse of a room.  The island and table are enough to anchor the fixtures; all 3 of them!

Who says a room must function only as what is was meant to?  Extra storage beautifully displayed in the  bath becomes a clever use of carved out space as well as a decorative element!  It's a muti-tasking beauty.

House Porn

Michael Bruno and 1st Dibs did it again.  As if I needed another reason to spend more time sitting in front of my computer screen, now they feature hot properties and fine homes for sale spanning the globe.

Of course I want to see what goodies fill The Normandy House, a very prestigious home in Southampton, NY that is currently on the market for 35 million.

 

Or this lovely estate in Los Angeles, created by Windsor Smith.  With its blank slate, she was able to weave her magic.  It is reminiscent of a Kentucky horse farm, with a twist!  It can be yours for 11.96 million.

Who couldn't appreciate the gentrified Villa Contenta?  A 75 million dollar compound perched on a prime bluff in Malibu.

Yes, I want to know what lies beyond the gates of this Malibu estate as well.  It is calling to me.  In these homes, a theatre is de rigueur, but how many can boast an aviary or auto museum?

I see myself padding around this home overlooking Gramercy Park in New York.  I'm so adaptable!  The only thing standing in my way is the 21.4 million I need to walk thru the door.  I can see myself in many of these places, behind many of these gates.  That's the beauty of getting lost in the fantasy of fine homes.

From Malibu to Montecito, Palm Beach to Park Ave, there is something for everyone.  Search 1st Dibs Real Estate by location, designer picks, types of properties.  They all boast major WOW factor!  Beware, it's addictive.  Make sure you have loads of time and a comfortable seat.

I'll just keep idling the hours away voyeuristically enjoying the homes of "the rich and famous."  I lost a whole day.  I couldn't stop, couldn't turn away.  That's when the trouble began...I started rearranging my house.  My husband's gonna kill me!









all ph:Coldwell Banker & Corcoran