It's Going to be a Colorful Fall

 As predicted, Tangerine Tango has proven to be a very popular color this year, and I think it has legs.  While we wait for the color of the year 2013, Pantone has provided designers with a trend forecast for this fall, as published last year.  We are seeing it take shape, and these more bright than muted colors happily coexist with almost anything!

Jeffery Bilhuber

If enveloping yourself in one of these colors seems like too much of a commitment, like anything else, a little goes a long way.  Know thyself; there's something for everyone.  Add touches of these saturated colors for an instant update.  Take a cue from these pictures and mix these colors together.  They're wonderfully complementary ~

Christian Leone via Lonny

Amanda Nisbet

Miles Redd

Amanda Nisbet

Miles Redd

Jamie Drake

Melissa Ruffy

Jonathan Adler's Mod Mod World

ph: Kravet

Jonathan Adler is at it again.  Expanding on his repertoire of pottery, bedding, furniture, rugs, lighting, accessories, and baby, now comes a line of fabrics in collaboration with Kravet.


I was at a talk recently by Jonathan's other half, Simon Doonan.  Simon was talking about Jonny saying, "It's easier to dish about somebody when they're not around."  And dish he did!  He told us how Jonny got started throwing pots, then found wonderful craftspeople in Peru who could create his pottery designs to his exact specifications.  That freed him up to expand into other areas.  He's been on a mission to MOD-IFY the world ever since.

The patterns have been described as flamboyant, trippy, moderne, and bohemian, but always sophisticated. "Better than Zoloft!" exclaims Simon.  The top and third (clockwise) pillows' inspirations came from the pottery collection that started the empire.  The colorful flame and geometric patterns, chevron prints, wave, and circle designs will gave any room a little lift.

ph:JA

The fabrics will be available in the beginning of October

* FYI... Jonny is coming out with handbags in the spring that Simon says, "Will make you want to blow your brains out."  Boy, that must be some bag!

The World of Gloria Vanderbilt ~

Collages, Dream Boxes and Recent Paintings

Aurelia in turtleneck

When I think of Gloria Vanderbilt I think of those once thought of sexy jeans she came out with in the 1970's.  Admit it, (if you were alive in the 70's) you owned a pair or two!  Who knew she is also a painter and creates collages?  At 88, Gloria is busy painting portraits of friends and family among other things, and has been doing so since the 50's.  1st Dibs is showcasing her work in an exhibition thru October 24th.  Earlier works and dream boxes will be displayed, but only certain recent works will be for sale to benefit The Huntsville Museum of Art.

Cloud Land

Patterns

I liked the collages with their flecks of gold, shells, fabric and brightly colored bits of paper.  It looked like the faces were painted on the glass.  They had a 3-dimensional quality to them.  Often the collages were of royalist subjects.  Gloria's artistic endeavors spawned many business ventures.

Cavalier

Along side the paintings were dream boxes.  I fully admit, I do not understand the plexiglass containers filled with doll heads and paraphernalia, but somebody called it visual poetry.  Who am I to question art?

Surprises

Bye Bye Mamma from Baby Willy

Lily of the Valley

New Years Eve

Gloria usually doesn't know what she is going to paint until she is standing in front of the canvas, always wearing her denim painting smock and signature hair style.  Her inspiration; an appetite for life!

ph: Josh Gaddy

See more of Gloria's work: here
phs: 1st Dibs and CLI

Charlotte Moss ~ A Visual Life

That Charlotte (no) Moss (grows under her feet) is at it again.  In her 8th book titled Charlotte Moss: A Visual Life, she shares a lifelong passion of scrapbooking, creating collages and the inspiration that makes her one of the great decorators of our time.  She invites other great ladies with a flair for living to share their journey in bits of paper and picture as well.

We all have an instinct to gather things and surround ourselves with those things that comfort us.  We may do it in different ways or it may take on different forms; such as starting a collection of some sort, journalling, even pinning pictures on Pinterest or creating videos.

It can be quite relaxing to just stop a moment and capture pictures that move us.  Whether you are cutting pictures from a magazine or taking your own photos, which Charlotte does, prolifically; It helps you step out of your day, explore, capture a moment or a thing of beauty that you might otherwise not have noticed.

The book is organized by themes:  travel, gardens, interiors, entertaining.  It's a great way for you (and by you, I mean me) to be inspired to get those files off the floor, out of drawers, and onto a working, visual board of beauty.

What's next for Charlotte you ask?  The beautiful photo (below) of a formal garden will soon be transformed via digital printing into clothing a la Mary Katrantzou.  Remember my story on Mary?  I am a huge fan, and I do love this new medium.  It has become very popular with many a designer.  I'm sure Charlotte's rendition will be as exquisite as everything else she has done.

One of the women Charlotte spoke of as an inspiration was Gloria Vanderbilt.  She just happened to be exhibiting her collection of art and collages, so I took a quick peek.  Check back next time...

Net~a~Porter ~ New York

Chic just happens in New York when my all time favorite on line shopping mecca, Net-a-Porter ( I am a worshipper after all) as well as The Outnet and Mr. Porter opened an office in the city this past July. Keeping its identity intact on the other side of the pond was a priority for the design team at Studio Fibre .  The London office, with its Parisian apartment inspiration, was so mesmerizing when that was unveiled there was no question that the overall design convey continuity and be thought of as a "working wonderland."

Natalie Massenet has a lot to smile about with the growth of the companies she founded at 73 % this year and that's in the US alone.  Net-a-Porter is described as having a masculine presence with a feminine finesse.  I like the sound of that.

LONDON ~

The question was how to take an airplane hanger like space and humanize it.   The cavernous space was designed to be a hybrid between business, a photography studio, retail and event space.  That's a place I'd want to spend my day!  Its mix of hi/low materials, matte/hi gloss finishes, Murano chandeliers and industrial lighting create a picture perfect backdrop for a fashionable design driven business.

Now I know where all my money is going!   If you haven't visited Net- a- porter , The Outnet or Mr. Porter I encourage you to do so but caveat emptor; I cannot be responsible for the possible addiction.


Ph: NY via Hypebeast, London via Dezeen by Pantling Studios