The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum (an outpost of the Smithsonian Institute) is housed in what was Andrew Carnigie’s 5th Ave. mansion

April’s Feeling The Felt At The Cooper Hewitt post had caught their eye and they thought she’d like to hear for herself what a few of today’s most successful female designers have to say about juggling life, love and career.

They were so right- we were psyched.  The line up was fabulous.  Elle Decor’s Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell playing host to this year’s recipients: (minus Josie Natori-too bad, I love her PJs!)

Charlotte Moss (whom the magazine also presented with their annual Vision Award)

Kelly Wearstler

Holly Hunt

and Michelle Nussbaumer

2. Margaret Russell must have some innate sense of direction. I quickly realized that these women represent not only varying styles and life stories, but when pinpointed on a map they also represent a crisscross of locations within our colorful country.

Moss (NY), Nussbaumer (Dallas), Wearstler (LA) and Hunt (Chicago).  Was this just a coincidence? Was Ms. Russell consulting an atlas?  Whatever the reason for their geographical alignment, I was thrilled. Feeling as if I’ve been suffering from ‘NY tunnel vision’ I was excited to hear about life as a designer beyond the Big Apple.

So I happily headed to the heart of Times Square to hook up with April outside of the hip and happening TheTimesCenter housed within the NY Time’s headquarters (wow, try saying that 10 times fast).

3. That TheTimesCenter is an amazing space inside an even more amazing building. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, The New York Time’s new headquarters is a 52 story marvel of glass and steel. It’s transparent facade allows outsiders to peek in and the day’s ever changing light and colors to shine back through.  Here’s a quote I found from the designer himself:

“I love the city and I wanted this building to be an expression of that. I wanted a transparent relationship between the street and the building. From the street, you can see through the whole building. Nothing is hidden. And like the city itself, the building will catch the light and change color with the weather. Bluish after a shower, and in the evening on a sunny day, shimmering red. The story of this building is one of lightness and transparency.”-Renzo Piano (source)

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The building really does change colors.  I remember it first caught my eye while I was driving in a cab up the West Side- it’s facade had literally turned the same amazing palette of crimsons and blues as the evening’s sunset.

I had yet to ever have the opp to be inside- as soon as we walked through the big glass doors we were struck by the space’s colors- about as close to Pantone’s color of the year for 2009 Mimosa as you can get highlighted with punches of a bright, true red.

When I walked into the auditorium and caught sight of the building’s interior moss and birch tree garden beyond the stage’s windows I was truly blown away. It’s no surprise to learn that Piano has become the go- to architect for museum redos throughout the United States.  The space has the same serene and contemplative feel you’d expect to experience in a modern day gallery or museum.

3. Networking is important, but when you are not in the mood very hard.  Luckily sometimes fate steps in. I was first and foremost there to listen in on the conversation between Ms. Russell and her panel of ‘designing women’.  But the cocktail hour at these events exist for one reason and one reason only- to quench your thirst, feed your hunger and fulfill your need to meet new people and provide your own answer to New Yorkers’ favorite question ‘What do you do?’.

But it was a Monday night and after a busy weekend I found myself lacking all social energy.  Besides I was having way too much fun egging April on to talk to the cute catering guy and playing the ‘Does where we stand effect the amount of hors d’oeurves we are offered?’ game to be bothered.

being this close to Holly Hunt, it probably would have been a smart move to say ‘hello’

By the time we were instructed to line up to enter the auditorium we realized we hadn’t talked to anyone other than each other.  Then as if on cue a lovely woman came up and asked if we were in line and an interesting conversation ensued.  Long story short she owns a ‘fringe’ art gallery and has a very exciting art show opening this month.  We ended up sitting together and now we have yet another interesting event to look forward! So sometimes being lazy does pay.

4.  That we must remember how awesome the founding mothers of modern day design are and that Margaret Russell is really cute in person.  Elsie De Wolfe , Dorthy Draper and Sister Parish were among the mavens mentioned in the opening slide show. It was fascinating to take a quick jaunt through history and see how much of an influence these woman still have on what makes for a beautiful home today.

rooms by Elsie De Wolf and Sister Parish (combining mauves and greens was a big hit for all 3!) and one of Dorthy Draper’s stylish ‘how-to’s’

Margaret Russell was quite poised, able to laughed off a few minor technical glitches and at herself -divulging us with her need to suck on cough drops due to a lingering cold. Once the panel was introduced and took their seats next to her in the living room like set, she charmingly referred to the evening as her own version of ‘The View’.  ( She however did not explain an ankle brace she was sporting with her LBD and heels but judging from her ‘gams and her guns’ I’m guessing kick boxing accident).

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5. That Charlotte Moss is hilarious. April and I of course loved her for the fact they she’s a Virginia girl turned New Yorker-just like us, but it was her plethora of feisty one liners that kept us chuckling throughout the evening.  When Margaret (or Peggy as Charlotte refers to her) asked “Do you care if you are called a designer or a decorator (since Elle Decor tends to use both terms in their magazine), Charlotte replied- ‘I don’t really care what you call me, as long as you pay my bill on time”.

I also admire that Charlotte is the only blogger out of the bunch.  Tete-A-Tete followers her latest musings and inspirations. (By the way none of the panel including Ms. Russell Twitters)

She was also quite candid about her recent decision to shut down Townhouse, her famed Upper East Side retail store. Saying that what seemed at first to be an incredibly hard choice, once made- was in the end one of the easiest she has ever made.  The demands of the store had taken ‘all the fun out’ of the other areas of her professional life.

6. That even the most successful of designers has a decorating skeleton or two in the closet.  When asked what the worst decorating mistake they ever made was.  Michelle Nussbaumer offered up that at a clients request she had slipcovered a desk- ‘You couldn’t even open the drawers’ she laughed.  While an entrance way  of six different colored stripes led to Kelly’s worst ‘decorating don’t’. Michelle also stated that she has mounted a stuffed alligator over a console in a client’s dining room (it’s a Texas thing, I suppose!)

7. That a good staff can organize your life and perhaps even polish up your fashion styling skills. Kelly Wearstler credits one overly zealous staff member with having the organizational skills of a pro, creating what sounds like an amazing clear bin system of all of her samples, memos and archives. She described it with such awe and appreciation you know it must be incredible.  Then Michelle let us in on the fact (after it was first brought to our attention by Charlotte) that she often takes her younger, just starting out in the business staffers shopping for their professional wardrobes. (Wow-really?  Again, this must be a Texas thing?!)

8.  That Holly Hunt believes success comes from taking risks.  She admitted to making many mistakes when she was first starting out in business, but that it was her risky decisions- like buying a showroom after her divorce and eventually signing on to partnership with designer Christian Liaigre that helped to define her career. I loved that she admits to being totally disorganized and even made reference to the many, many piles of papers that constantly crowd her desk (hey, Holly-me too!).  Plus even though she’s called Chicago home for many decades now, she has yet to lose her West Texas drawl- which I find very cool.

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the evening’s stylish crowd-we’re in there somewhere

9. A room’s atmosphere and energy is what a successfully designed space is all about. These were the keywords on everyone’s lips. How the room makes you feel, it’s comfort level and how a room can enhance your life are of top priority for all four women.

10. It was refreshing to know that even the most famous of designers don’t always have carte blanche when it comes to running the show.  Charlotte Moss was again hilarious in talking of the trials and tribulations of working with clients saying that she sometimes has to tell her clients “let’s step back for a moment and revisit why you called me in the first place’.

11. Kelly Wearstler believes its important to constantly surround yourself with inspiration-  Scouring bookstores, museums, movies and travel are some of her personal favorite sources. Charlotte makes sure to keep a notebook in every room and bag so she’s always on the ready to jot down an idea,  Michelle works with traditional inspiration boards as a starting point to defining the mood of a new projects, while Holly always keeps an eye open believing that good design ideas are all around us everyday.

12. That Michelle believes that in order to be a successful mother, friend, wife, sister and business woman it takes finding that perfect balance:  Since she manages to be a career woman and mother to four children, I’m guessing she’s found it.  I wish more had been discussed on this subject- perhaps she will start a blog…I will read it Michelle if you do:)!!!!

After a big round of applause we all made our way out to the lobby to say our goodbyes and the panel came out to mingle with the crowd.  As we were leaving, we caught sight of Charlotte Moss and felt it was imperative to give a ’shout out’ to the common bond of our ‘Old Dominion’ home state.

She was very sweet, comparing notes on being southerners in the city and encouraging us to ‘keep blogging’.  When we told her that she was the one that we voted ‘the designer we most wanted to go have drinks with afterwards’, she politely laughed and said’ Oh, yeah, well that’s good, I like that-but I’m off to dinner now” and away she went.

Rats! If only she had taken us up on it- what a fantastic ending to an already great evening we would have had.  Oh, well. Holly…. you’ll be happy to know we took a risk.

Kate’s Talking ‘Colors That Make a Man’s Heart Race’ in this month’s Cosmo:  (Yeah!!! It’s the Fergie issue) Did you know that wearing a vibrant shade of pink can increase others’ heart rates, an electric shade of Teal attracts attention and can up your self confidence, a yellow hues can give a boost to those around you and that certain shades of purple can make you appear either coy (light purple) or mysterious (deep Amethyst) to the man of your dreams?

Cosmo takes a fun and flirty look at how your beauty routine can benefit from a little color knowledge.  Our favorite color guru Leatrice Eisman and make-up artists Jillian Dempsey and Michael Marcus also weigh in with their own colorful spin.

I had planned to show an image of the article’s layout but I’m having some scanner drama…so you’ll have to make a stop at the newsstand to see it for yourself.  Its well worth it I have to say… I realized I had completely read through ‘Get Rid of Muffin Top’ and ‘Wacked-out Things Guys Say In Bed’ before I even checked to make sure we had been included in the issue…:)

Designers Lend Their Creative Passions To a Spectacular Charity Auction: Women In Need (or WIN) is a fabulous organization that has been providing housing, help and hope to homeless families since 1983.  I was shocked to learn that there are over 100,000 homeless people in NYC alone and that 1 in 4 children in our great city are living within poverty level. With the holidays and another cold winter right around the corner these statistic truly hit home.

To help raise awareness and funds, WIN has asked a whole slew of celebs to decorate a paper mache house in their own unique style.  The houses are to be auctioned off through November 30th.  My money is on Oscar De La Renta’s.  I’m flipping for his symmetric landscaping and pink trim.  Here’s a fantastic behind the scenes look at the inspirations behind this incredible event.

Click here to view the embedded video.

‘I’m Not Really A Waitress’ And Neither Is My Laptop: Dell is one company that loves adding a little color to technology.  Their online Color Studio allows consumers to chose from over 300 cover design options featuring among them works by such artists as Tristan Eaton, Siobhan Gunning and Bruce Mau.  Dell has also collaborated with both Product(Red) and the MLB (please no one tell my son about this).  Their latest and greatest partnership is with non other than nail lacquer experts OPI.  Starting next months you can chose from 20 different classic OPI shades and 6 seasonal favorites including ‘Dear Santa’ and ‘Smitten With Mittens’.

“Beautiful nails really are the ultimate accessory to any look,” said Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, OPI Executive Vice President & Artistic Director. “And now, with Dell laptops that coordinate with OPI Nail Lacquers, you can match your nails to your emails!” Parafin dip and complimentary shoulder massage not included.

A Big Book About Minis: Have you ever noticed that the tallest people drive minis (is it just an optical illusion, or am I right?).  Well, the cutest thing on 4 wheels turns the big 5-0 this year and a new book called ‘Wash Me’ pays homage to the auto’s unique spirit and style.  Car as muse- the images include works by 10 distinct artists non of whom have ever had the chance to list ‘car’ as their medium.  The Mini Brand is no stranger it seems when it comes to curating artistic expression.  I was surprised to learn that the auto company has been in an exclusive partnership since 2008 with NYC’s own Ludlow 38, an exhibition space within the Goethe-Institut in New York’s ever artsy Lower East Side.

Over 900 buildings and monuments worldwide are set to ‘go blue’ this Saturday night in honor of World Diabetes Day: “Understand Diabetes and Take Control’ is the theme of this year’s campaign.  It is estimated that around 285 million people are living with diabetes and (shocking to hear) that sufferers are responsible for about 95% of their own life long care.  With (in most cases-  preventable) Type 2 Diabetes on the raise (with an estimated 344 more people at risk), education and awareness has never been more important.  Get the facts on diabetes and read more about this colorful campaign here.  Thanks to Liberty Post, for sharing with her readers how the disease has effected her own life and making us aware of this wonderful event.

Farewell Met Home and Gourmet: Yikes!! Not much to say here….just that the world will be a little less colorful and yummy without you.  Best wishes to you all.

If you follow this blog then you’re probably aware that I am always on the prowl for inspiring color and style ideas. I also love a good party (especially ones filled with interesting and creative people). When these two occasions merge you can say I’m truly ‘living in full color’ !

So it should come as no surprise that when I recently received an invite that included the words paint, palette, The Audubon Society and inspired by the colors and beauty of nature- it took no twisting of this blogger’s arm to get me R.S.V.P-ing YES right away.

The occasion: a colorful party hosted by Olympic Paints to celebrate the unveiling of Olympic’s Audubon Collection, 8 palettes inspired by the beauty of nature, drawing upon the vision and artistic tradition of the National Audubon Society.

With the works of renowned photographer Tim Fitzharris and painter John Jay Audubon himself as inspiration, these 8 Olympic paint palettes (in 48 colors ranging from the softest pastel to the deepest rich hue) virtually come to life before your very eyes, as if they were (sorry Great White Egret- I have to say it) plucked directly from the canvases.

Best part-Olympic Premium Paints (available exclusively through Lowe’s nationwide) are zero VOC , low-odor and- coming in at below $25 a gallon, quite easy on the decorating budget.

It was all sounding to my inspirations-loving-self, a bit too good to be true.  So I invited my pal Mary (a colorful interior designer in her own right) to tag along with me to The Bryant Park Hotel to get a closer look.

We arrived on the 25th floor of the hotel to be greeted by not only a spectacular view of the city but by a spectacular art project as well.

It was so fitting that Mary and I would be there together since we are soul mates in our love of paint-by-numbers. (She’s going to kill me for revealing this but Mary’s phone screen saver is actually a paint-by-number she did of her dog)

We jumped right into the evening’s festivities and began testing out the palettes and displaying a little bit of our own painterly skills.

our goal

and our Olympic palette

I told you we are professionals, check out Mary’s skill-level…even balancing a glass of wine she’s able to stay well with in the lines!

Throughout the room images of Tim Fitzharris’s amazing (and I mean amazing!) landscapes were on display with snapshots of rooms decorated in the colors inspired by his photographs.  The colors in these pictures are so breathtaking.  If you aren’t familiar with Mr. Fitzharris’s American landscapes check out his site.  If you are a new student of photography-like me, he has collaborated with the Audubon Society on what looks to be 2 great books geared towards digital camera users ( just added them both to my Xmas list).

This board shows a bedroom inspired by Olympic’s Majestic palette.

Here’s a better close up of the room from Olympic’s website.  The palette is said to ‘embraces the red canyon depths to distant horizon’s cast’.  I’m totally feeling it. I love the pop of frosty blue (the paint version is First Frost B52-1) paired with the warmer hues of cherry, clay and creams.

Nothing brings the outdoors in quicker than a palette of blues and greens.  Mary and I were both obsessed with the Grandeur palette.  Especially the deep saturated colors of Teal Zeal B58-5 and Guacamole C68-4. The Fitzharris images that go along with this palette include a picture of Bowling Ball Beach in California- which has to be seen to be believed. I’ve had the palette’s brochure open on my desk all week.  Being a bit stressed, I actually think that gazing at it has helped to zen me out. (My family thanks you.)

“Olympic Paint’s new Audubon Collection allows consumers to bring the brilliant hues of the natural world indoors, providing a connection with the landscapes that inspire them”,  Sandy Pinot, The Audubon’s director of licensing explained to us.  “Our relationship with Olympic is well-aligned as connecting people with the beauty of nature: and giving them the power to protect it is at the heart of what Audubon does.”

(A little bit of a side note: I have to mention how intrigued I was to learn some of the fascinating history behind the Audubon Society, like that it was started over a century ago right here in the heart of New York City-who knew?  The more I’ve been reading their site the more I think everyone should become a member or purchase an Audubon product for someone they love this holiday season and help support their tireless commitment to protecting nature, but I will go further on this in an upcoming post)

I also learned (thanks to Olympic’s own Kathy Boytim) of Olympic’s long history and passion in creating environmentally friendly, affordable paint options for consumers and have been doing so for years now. Way before ‘green decorating’ became the buzz- I must add.

Basically, I loved how passionate everyone involved was feeling about these beautiful palettes- the excitement was contagious!

You can experience all of the palettes at Olympic’s ‘Color’s of Inspiration Centers’ as featured in your local Lowe’s. They even have 3″x4″ chip cards of the collection and 8oz. sample cans, making it easy to try a little mysterious, glorious or tranquil colors in your own home.

Or if you are a ’shut in’ like I’ve been lately, thanks to dropping temps here in NY.  Then check out the company’s online paint tool, upload your pix and experiment with the colors right from the coziness of your own home.

With such a spectacular range of colors- I’m guessing there’s a palette for just about everyone.

In fact at the party we discovered that we all had our own palette.  Okay, truth be told I forced everyone to stand next to what I thought could be their personal palette.  Luckily everyone was a good sport about my pushy commands.

Andrea Husarova, graphic designer extraordinaire is perfectly chic next to the Tranquil hues of Crashing Waves (B56-2), Shy Violet (C41-2) and White Smoke (C10-1)

Olympic’s Kathy Boytim perfectly matched with the Majestic colors of Mexican Moonlight (C28-4), Pink Clay Pot (B35-3) and Fortune Cookie (B17-1) in her own stylish version of frosty blue

The Audubon Society’s own fiery Sandy Pinto is serenely matched with the Harmonious shades of “Serenity” (B52-2), “Lovely Lilac” (B46 -3) and ‘Filigree” (D54-1)

While Ketchum Public Relation’s Julie McNeal is camera ready in her modern earthy hues surrounded by the colors of Grandeur (fyi-that’s that image of Bowling Ball Beach!) “River Reed” (C11-2), Turquoise Mist (B58-3) and ‘Parchment Paper’ (C16-1)

Okay, I know Mary will never be my ‘event date’ again if I don’t put a picture of myself in this post- so here I am with my new colorful gal pals Sandy and Andrea.  Oh, yeah and Mary’s purse found it’s own palette as well!

And speaking of Mary, I think she was feeling a little jealous that she has yet to be asked to create a fabulous palette.  So she took it upon herself to create her own- inspired by her glass of wine and the delicious catered spread.

After a good giggle, we realized this was probably the time to say our good-byes (Mary and I DO have the tendency to shut down a party when we are together!)

Thanks to everyone (esp. you Sylvia from Ketchum PR) for having us along on such a fun, color-filled, inspiring night!  We had a blast! xoxo

p.s. Please let me know when you try out any of these Audubon Palettes in your own home, I would love to hear all about the beautiful results!

Without missing a beat April replied, ‘We work for Estee Lauder. We’re the ones that come up with the color names for lipstick’. Knowing full well that we would never see this duo again and because they both seemed very impressed by our colorful jobs ( truth be told we were at the time simply overly-imaginative waitresses) I of course played right along.

Soon after as we made our way out of the party I looked at April and asked, ‘Where did that come from?”.  She laughed and said “I don’t know-but wouldn’t that be a cool job?”

I had to agree…this many years later I’m still thinking naming colors would be a cool job.

So when I heard about General Motors sponsoring a competition to put a name to a color to one of GM’s first ever extended- range electrical car ( or E-Rev)- the Chevy Volt, I figured here’s April’s and my (and yours too) chance to make this little white lie into a full spectrum reality!

Okay here it is- the Volt in all of it’s pre-production glory.  The current name-less color is described as a Silver exterior with an Emerald hue. The color will be available exclusively on the Chevy Volt which will begin production in late 2010.

Once offically named, the color will join a palette of other Volt exterior colors including Black, Cyber Gray Metallic, Crystal Red Metallic, Silver Ice Metallic and premium White Diamond Tri-Coat.

The Volt gets a test drive.  Very exciting considering the car is expected to drive up to 40 miles on electricity without using gasoline or producing tailpipe emissions. When the Volt’s lithium-ion battery is depleted of energy, the engine generator seamlessly operates to extend the total driving range to more than 300 miles.

So here’s a quick round-up of the contest from Maria Rohrer, Director, Global Volt & Global Marketing Operations at Chevrolet-

‘Think of a creative name that conveys what the Volt represents in Eco innovation, technology, and the Chevrolet spirit. To enter the contest, simply click on the “Submit Your Name Here” link below beginning at 8 a.m. ET on October 22 and follow the instructions to submit your color name. You can submit a name through 8:00 a.m. ET November 4. We’ll then review the entries and pick three finalists to enter a final round of consumer voting.

Check back on November 16 to find out which three finalists we selected and vote for your favorite name through December 1.  Who knows, maybe you will be the one to join us in Los Angeles for a final “vote-off” and a chance to drive a pre-production Chevy Volt.”

Read the rules and submit your color name here

Okay we’re getting a little bit of a late start since the contest ends in only a few days so April and I will be here racking our brains all morning.  A little bit of a spoiler alert- if reading others submissions throws you off (I know it does me) then avoid scrolling down over what has already been submitted.  ( FYI, you have to be a US resident to eligible to win.)

Here’s a few more images of the Chevy Volt in need of a color name.  So get your creative engines revving (or should I say plugged in) and name that color- Good Luck!

It’s so fascinating to me just how important color is when it comes to our automobiles.  GM’s own study found that 39 percent of consumers will leave a dealership and go to a different dealership, even a different brand if they are not able to find a vehicle in a color to their liking.

It’s no wonder that car companies spend so much time and energy forecasting up and coming consumer trends.  It’s also no wonder that in return, color forecasters for home and fashion keep an eye on what is happening in the world of automotive color.  Funny to think that the latest palette coming down a runway may ultimately have been influenced by what was being seen at an auto show a season or two before.

Check out this video with GM’s own Chris Webb (I remember he took part in one of my favorite Project Runway challenges ever- the week when they had to make an outfit using only car parts from a GM Saturn!).  Here he talks about just how important color and color technology is in the world of General Motors.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Did color choice come into play when you bought your last car?  See what the color of the car you drive says about your personality- a fun rundown of meanings by color guru and Pantone director Leatrice Eisman as featured on Sensational Color.

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/chevy-says-name-that-color/feed/ 4 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/a-few-hallowed-ideas-part-3/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/a-few-hallowed-ideas-part-3/#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:13:56 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=6559 Happy Halloween!

Okay as the countdown begins for the arrival of good spirits (evil ones you are so not invited), I find myself rushing about with the final preparations for my evening’s festivities.

I had a few silly decor ideas and I thought I would quickly share them- then I must run because I’m having all kinds of last minute costume drama!  What exactly does one wear to star in Kibuki Theater these days..hum, the hot pink kimono or the black with aqua one?

I always love to do at least one ‘trick’ for the kiddies.  A small toy Jack O’Lantern inspired this idea.  I can’t wait to see their faces when they discover that even our ‘House Mouse’ wants to celebrate the sweet and spooky holiday!

a faux construction paper hole, a quick felt door mat, a few plums from an ornamental grass wrapped to look like corn husk, my toy pumpkin and a mini- terracotta pot of treats sets the stage for my trickery

Oh man, my House Mouse is way more trusting then I am….

A few days ago I learned about an upcoming show at the MOMA that gave me a great idea for how I could set the table for tonight (best part, it’s the cheapest table setting ever!)

No one does Halloween better than Tim Burton, an upcoming show at NYs Museum of Modern Art pays tribute to his creative, macbre mind.

This Tim Burton drawing gave me the idea.  I’m thinking an austere dining room might just be the way to go (aka I’m off the hook for having the pressure of dressing a perfect table!!!)

So I’m clearing out all decorative items from the room.  The light fixture that hangs over my table is really just a single bulb once the pretty Fortuny cover is removed so it easily turns into a simple bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. I tested it out-if I slightly loosen the bulb it flickers a bit when you move across the floor. The now cold and bare room is  so weird and spooky, I can’t wait!

I really am loving the austere idea, but I can’t resist having fresh flowers when I entertain.  So I really tried to figure out what I could do that would be quick, easy and cost basically nothing.  I do have lots of interesting things I could pick from my yard.  My butterfly bush actually turns almost a shade of black this time of year so I did experiment with some cuttings- but nothing was coming together.

When I spotted a $8.99 bunch of roses at Costco, I had my idea.

these

plus

equals

A bouquet Morticia would be proud to call her own-hey, there’s that mouse!

I loved Morticia Addams when I was a kid! I was fantasying I was her as I was chopping of the flowers…now if only I can train my husband to become ravenous and suddenly French every time he sees me.

(I’ve always preferred small compact bouquets of roses over the long steam variety anyway -so I had no problem sacrificing the flowers to create this Halloween display.  My little vases filled with pretty roses just went into hiding upstairs. I see it as a win/win situation).

Okay, now I do have to go.  For a little more reading and viewing pleasure did you by chance see Kiki’s post this week on Color For Your Home..it’s a great rundown of her favorite Halloween color trends and more fab holiday decor ideas then you can shake your broom stick at!

Cheers! Hope your night is a Treat!

As I looked past their disappointed faces to the two beautiful but very un-carved pumpkins resting on either side of my front door, a feeling of unorganized parental guilt washed over me.  But then something caught my eye- a little sugar pumpkin that was resting nearby.  A light went off in my head!  The contest flyer said nothing of size requirements.

5 minutes later we had our submission.  A few hours later we had our first place ribbon- even the judges couldn’t help but laugh at how ridiculous it looked next to the other gi-normous entries.

A dramatic reenactment- the winner was actually even smaller, but you get the idea.  Now every year for my house I carve one of these little guys- give him a worried expression and place him well within squashing distance of the bigger guys. It still gets a laugh.

When I do finally get around to carving, my last minute antics result in your standard run of the mill Jack O’ Lanterns- crooked smiles and all.  Which is fine- I’m very much a traditionalist when it comes to my holidays, but its getting hard not to notice that the pumpkins around my neighborhood seem to be getting more and more intricate every year.  I spotted a couple last year that left me wondering if Martha Stewart herself had turned up to style the night.

Now this is something to aspire to! Some incredibly talented carver sent a picture of their Elvis O’Lantern into MarthaStewart.com-why oh why can’t I be patient enough to accomplish such a feat!

FYI-Did you know that gourds, potatoes and beets were originally carved on Halloween night to welcome the good spirits in and scare the evil ones away throughout Europe. That the celebration of Halloween didn’t really catch on in the USA until the late 19th century thanks to an influx of European immigrants, particularly Irish fleeing the famine in Ireland.  It’s the Irish immigrants in fact who are credited with the switch to pumpkins (indigenous to North America) once they realized how much easier they were to carve.  The name Jack O’Lantern is in reference to Irish folklore- the story of Stingy Jack and The Devil.

So this year I’ve  vowed to challenge myself. To move outside the familiar and create at least two interesting pumpkins.  But where to find inspiration?

A quick drive just past the famous village of Sleepy Hollow to Croton-on-Hudson, NY.  There lies the historic Van Cortlandt Manor and the answers to all of my pumpkin carving inspiration needs- The 5th annual Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze.

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On your drive though Sleepy Hollow beware of running into this guy.  Legend has it every October he’s menacing around!

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A carver’s inspiration mecca- Pumpkin Hedge, one of many extravagant displays as featured in this year’s Blaze celebration

Taking place over the past 5 years, the event transform the idealic 18th century riverfront home and properties of the historic Van Cortlandt Manor into a surreal world taken over by pumpkins lighting up the night’s foggy sky.

This is the second time I’ve attended Blaze, and it still shocks me to no end how much time, energy and creative power it takes to create this amazing spectacular event which -get this- features over 4000 pumpkins. Hows that for carving anxiety!

There were so many great carving ideas this year at Blaze that I had to snap up a few ideas for myself.

pumpkins, pumpkins and even more pumpkins- as far as the eye can see

I’m such a sucker for symmetry.  I love the idea of this pumpkin pair- they have a little bit of a 70’s feel to them, don’t you think?  Add in a few pumpkins carved with peace signs and you’ve got an Austin Power’s type swinging scene- Yeah, Baby! (skill level- with enough time, possible)

I’m thinking if  I could create any one of these I’d become a neighborhood legend in no time.

dino-pumpkins (skill level- supportive spouse and some friends)

take us to your leader-kins (skill level- an incredibly understanding, supportive spouse and even more creative friends)

underwater-kins (great idea if you live or simply aspire to live near the beach)

fairyland-ikins (it doesn’t always need to be spooky- these hung from the trees while the pumpkins on the ground where carve with toadstools, snail-y and other such enchanted accoutrements.

and my personal favorite- bees swarming their hive-ikins (skill level- it would take a village, I’m guessing)

Blaze’s creative director, Michael Natiello, says the true inspiration for Blaze is the landscape of Van Cortland Manor itself.  The event is a land art installation, with the themes and arrangements meant to complement and draw attention to the site’s architecture, history and landscape. Kudos to him and his incredibly talented staff!

I’m not the only one impressed, beside drawing thousands of visitors….Blaze attracted one famous visitor who happened to bring her camera crew along.  That Martha- she’s just everywhere!

Check out this behind the scenes look at what it takes to put on this pumpkin extravaganza:

Click here to view the embedded video.

For the best tips on carving the perfect pumpkin, Michael Natiello let’s us in on the tricks of his treat of a trade:

download the PDF file of carving tips from the Blaze website under Blaze Extras.

Okay…finally, I’m off to carve!

I love how creative Halloween makes people, and though I’m not a huge fan of blood curdling scary- some spooky, eerie and slightly unexpectedness- all ‘rock my haunted boat’.

With this in mind, I’ve decided to throw a little last minute ‘hallowed happening’ for a few of my favorite ghouls and goblins. Nothing big, just a little post-treating tete a tete where the goblins can trade off their candy and the adults can secretly trade off favorite ways as to dispose of the fore-mentioned candy.

You might not realize it but Sleepy Hollow, the home of Washington Irving’s legendary tale of the headless horseman, is only about 20 miles north of NYC.  Eddie Ross’s  HGTV Halloween Block Party special was inspired by the spine tingling story and historic NY village. I found his behind the scenes blog posts chock full of such great decorating ideas- I had to share! Plus, I was in Sleepy Hollow last weekend and found some inspiring Halloween ideas myself- but more on that in a minute.

With a shortage of time and an even shorter stack of bills for a budget, I’m thinking it’s going to take a witch’s spell of some serious inspiration to successfully pull it all off.  Lucky for me, I’ve got some creative friends, some inspiring neighbors and even a few tricks up my own sleeve to get me going.

With plans to keep things special but uber-simple (and because everyone will have eaten dinner so I will only have to provide drinks and a few nibbles), I’ve decide to do something I’ve never done before and offer my adult guests a ready to be poured colorful treat when they arrive.

Realizing my bartending repertoire is about as limited as my time, I enlisted the help of my friend and author of ‘It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere: The Global Guide to Fabulous Cocktails‘ Colleen Mullaney for a little stylish direction.

Besides being an accomplished author, Colleen is a stylist and former magazine Editor-in-Chief who knows a thing or two about creating memorable events.  I knew I could count on her to have the perfect libation in her arsenal of goodies.

Once I told her of my plans, she quickly sent me the recipe for a concoction she calls a ‘Spookatini’.

1. To sugar rims: rub rims with lemon juice, press rims lightly into shallow dish filled with black sugar.

2. In a large pitcher filled half way with ice, mix all ingredients except for seltzer.

3. Strain into martini glasses, top with seltzer and serve.

Colleen’s own blog offers up even more stylish Halloween ideas. Her Witches’ Broomsticks, made from a rather creative pairing of pretzels and fruit roll-ups (how easy is that!) is added to my ’sure to bring a jack-o-lantern smile’ list of treats.

For even more of Colleen’s entertaining ideas visit her website at ColleenMullaney.com.  To discover other mouth watering recipes and holiday decorating tricks become a fan of Colleen on Facebook.

Of course I realize that I can’t have such a special treat for the ghouls without the goblins getting jealous so I searched around for an equally easy but awe inspiring brew for the kids.  This recipe from Cookie Magazine is just brilliant! I don’t happen to have a cauldron on hand but I do have a big soup tureen that I’m thinking I can wrap with a left over scrap of burlap, tied on with garden twine. (I did notice though that Target has plastic cauldrons if you aspire to go truly authentic).

( f.y.i you might have to google where to find the dry ice pellets- usually a beverage center has them. I think kids will be impressed even without it- especially if you serve it  it in clear plastic cups and add a little gummy spider or worm as a garnish.  If you forgo the dry ice, I’m thinking a little Sprite or 7- Up could be added for a kick of carbonation.)

1. Mix the juices and add 4 to 8 drops of green food coloring-depending on how green you want it.

2. Using plastic or silicone tongs or leather gloves (do not allow dry ice to touch your skin), drop a few pellets of dry ice into the mixture.

3. Wait until all the dry ice has dissolved before serving. (It will add carbonation to the drink.)

Okay, now that I’ve got the drinks covered…I’m off to toil with some quick and cheap decor ideas.  First up I’ll attempt to follow a few choice tips from a guy who has the rather colorful job of overseeing the carving of around 3000 pumpkins every Halloween season!

to be continued….

]]> http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/a-few-hallowed-ideas-part-1/feed/ 4 http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/pretty-as-a-peacock/ http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/pretty-as-a-peacock/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:37:37 +0000 juliehoylen http://www.sensationalcolor.com/liveinfullcolor/?p=6308 It’s seems almost apropos that the minute I’m inspired to write about the stylish trend of Peacock motifs, I would find an article claiming that the male peacock’s elaborate plumage perhaps has much less to do with attracting it’s mate then had always been thought. Instead a scientific study done on Indian Peacocks and Peahens cites the male bird’s vocal callings and shuttering moves may actually be what catches the female’s attention.

How very fitting, right ladies- it’s always what they say and how they move-not how they look that ultimately keeps us hooked!

Well regardless of why the peacock has such a spectacular showing of feathers, one thing is for sure their beauty has inspired countless artists and designers through the centuries.

Peacocks are spoken of in Ancient Mythology, The Bible and the Hindu religion. They are often used symbolically in literature and in folk art, often being depicted as looking back at their tails ( signifying renewal, since they drop and replace their feathers yearly).

Personally peacocks feathers always make me think of a time when Art Nouveau was actually ‘nouveau’ and of  lovely heroines caught up in some wonderfully heart wrenching Edith Warton plot.

can’t you just imagine using this Preening Pen ($20 from Anthropolgie) to scratch off a calling card to your family matriarch or passionately write prose dedicated to a secret lover!

This year peacock plumes are inspiring everything from evening gowns to eclectic bedding. A peacock inspired palette is one of the most vibrant themes happening in wedding trends as well.

Peacock plate by John Derian, Giambattista Valli gown from Fall 09, Matthew Williamson’s spring collection for H&M was influenced by peacock hues, a vintage peacock inspired umbrella, peacock top from Forever 21, art nouveau peacock slip on sneakers, peacock bedding from Target

Martha’s saying Peacock wedding hues is a ‘good thing’ this year

For home the colors inspired by the blues, greens and golden tones of peacock plumes have always been considered dramatic.

Whistler and the birth of the ‘Decorating Diva’ syndrome

My favorite is the very famous Peacock Dining Room, designed by the artist James McNeill Whistler for the art collector Frederick Leyland’s London home.  The story goes that Leyland intended to hang Whistler’s painting “The Princess From The Land Of Porcelain” in the room and asked the artist for a suggestion on what other colors to paint the rest of the room.

Leyland, away during the renovation was completely unaware that Whistler- unhappy with the way the room’s colors were clashing with his artwork – had taken it upon himself to paint every square inch of the space in gold and peacock blue ( it even has peacock feathers patterns on the ceiling).  When Leyland returned he was shocked to find his room had become a rhapsody in blue and gold.

He refused to pay Whistler the entire amount billed for the artist’s time spent as’ interior decorator’- Whistler later painted an image of two squabbling peacocks on one of the room’s walls depicting the conflict that ensued.  The room now resides in Washington D.C.’s Freer Gallery Of Art.

A brilliant blue peacock palette can also go a bit modern when combined with bright colors and white.  Kiki has a really great post about the trend of blues going green over on our blog Color For Your Home.

Her example of this bedroom by Kendall Wilkinson Design is my dream!

Overall though my favorite way to be inspired by a peacock’s colors for home is to simply look directly at the bird for color clues.  Multiple shades of brilliant blues and greens mixed with a little iridescent shimmer accented by shades of drab golds, browns and inky blacks.

If you have a room that basically browns and blues ( we all loved the choc-aqua trend), then an addition of another blue and some greens with golden accessories might be a great way to opulant- up the room’s overall look!

Or if you want to go very adventurous ( I know I do) then peacock blue walls with a metallic wash ceiling could result in a jewel box of a space! Doesn’t that sound so good- guest room redo, here I come!

swatch source House Beautiful

Benjamin Moore’s Baltic Blue, Mills Spring Blue, Hague Blue and Farrow and Ball’s Pelt all make an interesting foil to Benjamin Moore’s Paddington Blue ( a real peacock blue designer Robin Bell tells House Beautiful).

A quick palette just to get you inspired…now shake a tail feather and get styling!

The Palette Of Twilight: Dwell magazine’s founder Lara Deam’s third paint palette based on Le Courbusier’s Polychromie Architecturale has been released.  Using Ralph Lauren colors, Deam has based her choices for this palette based on the colors she believes create a calming and peaceful effect and give the illusion of a blurring of colors. Perfect for a room with lots of shadows at twilight ohh, I love that description! Check out her video where she talks more about her palette’s inspiration on Dwell.com.

Maybe file this one under the Best and Worst in color from Vogue magazine this week: Vogue magazine has always taken pride in it’s long history of pushing the boundaries when it comes to the fashion as art.  They also have been big supporters of the modern day working artist- often featuring them and their work on the pages of their various sister magazines throughout the world.  Over the past 6 years Vogue (US) has asked artists to explore the subject matters of self- portraiture, nudes, still life and most recently the landscape painting. Bringing together artist like Jeffery Koons, Elizabeth Peyton, Francesco Clemente and William Wegman ( who is quoted in the November issue as saying “landscape painting is ‘easy’, something he does when he is feeling lazy”) the magazine has curated a show exploring their unique visions.  The works will be on displayed at the Park Ave. Armory in NYC from Oct. 30- Nov. 15.

Now onto the pushing the boundary-side of things.  The current issue of French Vogue is causing quite a color controversy this week.  In a fashion spread styled by the French Editor-in-Chief Carine Rotifeld ,the very pale and blonde model Lara Stone is photographed posing in a 14 page spread made up to look as though she is black. Hum, pushing the limits artistically or just trying to get the magazine some attention? After lots of recent chatter about the lack of black models on this season’s catwalks around the world, their timing and questionable taste couldn’t be worse.

Talk About Having An Eye For Color Matching!- This has got to be one of the coolest photography projects I’ve ever spotted.  The Invisible Man is Chinese performance artist Liu Bolin, who paints himself to blend into the world around him so that he seems to be virtually disappearing before your very eyes.  He claims that no trick photography was use.  Check out all of the images and let me know how long it takes you to spot him in the very last one! ( Took me 3 viewings).

I have to admit that the answer to this question was something I never really thought about until I began writing this blog.  I always felt I knew what I liked and that is what I liked.  I honestly was never really that concerned with whether I was wearing or had painted my bedroom the latest, greatest hue.

But once I began meeting more and more designers and talking with them about where they find their color inspirations I realized what an amazing synergy there is going on in the color palettes between the worlds of home, beauty and fashion design.

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Lavender showed up as a leading color trend in Pantone’s Spring 2009 Fashion Trend Report and as a rising color trend in Home as well- as seen here at the January 2009 Maison & Object Trade Fair in Paris

And while I don’t think that any particular trend(s) should direct you into changing your entire wardrobe or home, I do think that discovering how style makers find their inspirations may make a great clue into discovering your own.

So which one influences the other more?  Well I suppose I now have to say that answer is in the eye of the beholder.  I had always thought that fashion color trends typically had more influence over home color trends. I feel as if I have had more than one interior designer confirm that over the years.

I’ve written posts based on this belief- From The Runway to Pottery Barn a few years back was based on the very concept. It was hard to deny how many prints and color combos from their Spring catalog had been seen on the fashion runways the previous Fall.

When I interviewed Amy Lau about her recent Kip’s Bay Showhouse stairwell and the question came to the color of the wallpaper that she had chosen, she sited the most interesting mauve-y color that she was spotting in the windows of Manhattan chicest boutiques as having influenced her  choice.

But a chance encounter this week has me doing a little re-thinking of things.

Tuesday night I attended Designer Visions: 2009 Cinema Style at Soho Mews. It was a super fun evening packed to the seams with some incredibly talented people.  Soho Mews is a complex on West Broadway that most of us can only dream of living in…so it was quite exciting to get a peek inside. The theme of the night was for each designer to pick one of their favorite movies to use as their muse and create a space suited for modern day life.  In three almost identical duplex townhouses decorated to the hilt by Thom Filicia (for House Beautiful- “The Big Chill”), John Salandino (for Veranda- ‘The Girl With A Pearl Earring”) and Richard Mishaan (for Town and Country-Dinner At Eight”), the designer’s visions literally came to life.

First walk through I couldn’t help but notice how many different versions of Gray was being used.  When I mentioned it to Kate she said-’ Yeah, very cinematic”.  Hum, was that why?  It did make sense, very dramatic and moody.  I had always dreamed of living on the set of the Thin Man ( which by the way, would have probably been my muse)…was this what it would feel like?  I couldn’t help to think about what a huge color Gray has been in fashion over the last few seasons and how it looks to be a hot color yet again this coming Spring ( If you know me you know I often gauge a color trend by the very not-so-sophisticated method of what color polish Chanel is showing on their runways the season before- FYI for Spring 10 it’s a Dove Gray).

I figured that the Gray tones seen all over fashion these past few seasons perhaps had a bit of a hand in inspiring the palettes of  these rooms as well.  After all Gray has been hot in fashion, it only makes sense that it would explode onto the home scene- right?

Later in the night I had a very similar conversation about the heavy use of grays and complex neutrals with the cutest interior designer who had a much different take on who influences who. ‘Color trends always start in home and then move into fashion’, she exclaimed, ‘people always say it’s the other way around, but that they are wrong’.  Color is a much more serious decision when it comes to home, look at Gray for example.  Before a handful of years ago Gray wasn’t even considered a color.  It started to become used more and more in home interiors, at show houses, on the pages of magazines.  Now it’s a huge color in fashion- but it started in home.

She backed up her argument by saying that it is indeed fashion designers using these color trends first in their own homes, then into their Home Lines ( haven’t you noticed how it seems as if every fashion designer has their own line for home now- she asked.  I guess she is right you never do see it the other way around, do you…)  and then they bring these color to life on their runways.

Was she right?

I thought back to the minimalist look in home and fashion from the 1990’s, to simple neutral toned Calvin Klein sheaths and giant wood tables topped with gray and white table settings upon glossy white floors.  This is the time to me that Gray and it’s neutral cousins came into trend for me.  I remember back then Gray and Taupe and even White was considered very fashion forward after the opulent colors of the 1980’s.  So  which came first in this equations- did these colors hit modern homes or modern wardrobes first? Is my age showing?  Was Gray not considered a color until now? One thing is for sure, the minimalist’s palette and style that hit big in the 90’s is still having a strong influence over runways and homes today.

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When I mentioned this ‘ gray matter’ conversation to fellow blogger April added that perhaps the introduction of concrete as a designer touch in kitchens and baths that helped drive the trend of Gray in homes even stronger over the past years. Hum, good point…I suppose you could probably throw stainless steel in there somewhere, too.

And while I’m sure not clear as if the trend towards Grays truly did begin in home first-it’s no doubt that finding the perfect gray wall color was rarely a conversation you would be having with your neighborhood paint store a decade ago, let alone picking a gray toned polish for your manicure.

What ever the right answer is, my new party friend has made me aware that in the world of design and trends, it’s never quite an open and shut case- I go forward with my trendy mind and eyes a little more open.