Best of 2009 Interior Design Trends

Best of 2009 Interior Design Trends

Interior Design for Your Home

Interior design is the process of shaping the experience of interior space, through the manipulation of spatial volume as well as surface treatment. Not to be confused with interior decoration, interior design draws on aspects of environmental psychology, architecture, and product design in addition to traditional decoration (Wikipedia).

Interior Design - Home
Decorating a home is about finding a comfortable balance between the different furnishings in the space such as living room, dining room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. By reading my interior design articles, hope you will be able to put together an entire room or an entire home and have the design flow well throughout the home.

The common step for you to start interior design for your home are :

Choose either a theme or a color scheme

If you have been choosed some furniture or other decorations item to fill your house, then these items may have to set the color scheme for the room by selecting the paint color or wallpaper for the walls, After that time for you to focus on the floor. To get an idea about your floor, you can go to flooring stores. Otherwise, you can put carpet to make your design more beautiful and the room will look more put together also you will be able to see exactly where the decorations need to come into play within your interior design.

Decorate the walls of your space room

This will include such items as photographs, art, and also the window coverings. The window coverings become a major aspect of the interior design, choose your style and model according to your demand. The entire interior design of your room reflects your personal style and who you are as a person.

Stuart Membery

I am please to welcome Stuart Membery as one of the valued sponsors of this Blog. Stuart Membery is one of the world's celebrated designers and his work spans Architecture, Interior, Fashion, Fine Art & Product Design. Through his background designing for such notable companies as Cartier and Esprit he has honed his experience and has branched out with his own HOME COLLECTION line which encompasses furnishings, lighting, textiles and trims, floor coverings and accessories. Stuart Membery is scheduled to open up a flagship store at the prestigious Raffles Hotel in Singapore in 2011.

Stuart Membery mostly works with mahogany and rattan for his furniture collection, and his signature style echoes the atmosphere of bygone eras. Colonial, Beach and Plantation are popular themes that run through the STUART MEMBERY HOME COLLECTION. From his Studio in Bali, Indonesia, Stuart Membery works with his draftsmen the same way he works with his pattern technicians and cutters.

I love the style of Stuart’s advertising and the atmosphere it conveys.

STUART MEMBERY OUTDOOR FURNITURE COLLECTION

STUART MEMBERY TEXTILES AND TRIM COLLECTION

STUART MEMBERY FLOORCOVERINGS COLLECTION

STUART MEMBERY INTERIOR LIGHTING COLLECTION

These are some of my favourite pieces from the Stuart Membery Home Collection.

Stuart Membery is scheduled to open up a flagship store in 2011 in the Raffles Hotel in Singapore and his line is carried by my friend and fellow Blogger Anna Spiro at her store Black & Spiro. Please check out the Stuart Membery website and Blog.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

10 Things to do in Palm Springs

1. Visit Old Town La Quinta
Old Town La Quinta is beautiful! The archways, the Saltillo tiles, the flowers, the mountains, every building is lovely to look at. It is an experience, not just pulling up to some strip center on the highway. The bogenvilia was beautiful climbing up the columns. I love Saltillo tiles, especially on star risers.

Old Town La Quinta Palm Springs

This is definitely my car of choice to drive in Palm Springs

Old Town La Quinta Saltillo tiles on stair risers

Carthusia Note Fiori di Capri Home fragrance left /Caldi Caldi Boutique Old Town La Quinta Palm Springs

Check-out the wonderful boutique Caldi Caldi. I was lured into this home furnishings store by the most delicious smelling scent from Capri called Note Fiori di Capri, which apparently was the home fragrance used by Jackie O when she was in Capri. Now every time I spray this scent I am transported to another world and time.

2. Go on a Palm Springs Windmill Tour
When driving or flying into Palm Springs, one of the most striking sights you will see in the Coachella valley is the vast array of wind turbines that sprout from the desert floor. The words "wind turbine" have evolved into what the locals call windmills. My curiosity was piqued so we arranged a tour which was excellent. Our tour guide Ken Huskey was very knowledgeable, with a lot of the facts and figures that went right over my head. But what did stick with me was how huge the windmills were close up. To give you a perspective of the scale of these windmills (in the picture below on the left) if you look closely you can see the small figure of a maintenance person dangling from a wire.

Palm Springs Windmill Tour Coachella Valley
Palm Springs Windmill Tour at the Spa Resort & Casino.

3. See a rainbow over the Palm Springs Desert mountains
It was unfortunate on this trip to Palm Springs that there were heavy rainfalls which resulted in flooding and the closure of many roads, but I was fortunate to see this beautiful rainbow one afternoon when the rain had stopped.

Rainbow over the Little San Bernardino Mountains Palm Springs

4. Richard Avedon Photography Exhibit at the Palm Springs Art Museum

The Richard Avedon photography exhibit at the Palm Springs Art Museum runs through January 30, 2011 and showcases 90 black and white images of notable Avedon subjects including Marilyn Monroe, Bob Dylan and, of course, some of the Richard Avedon’s iconic shots of Dior’s early work. I went to the Museum with friends not knowing what was showing. I have long admired Avedon’s photography from afar, so you can imagine my delight in being able to see his iconic photographs up close. His photography is mesmerizing and I had to be dragged out of the exhibit. I quickly rushed into the Gift Shop and bought Avedon postcards and the Richard Avedon book Women in the Mirror, so I could continue to feast my eyes on his work.

Richard Avedon, Self Portrait 1980 / Amazon Book: Women in the Mirror

Richard Avedon, Twiggy 1968, gelatin silver print

Richard Avedon, Dovima with elephants 1955, Evening dress by Dior

5. Look at Mid Century Modern Real Estate in Palm Springs

Mid Century Modern Real Estate Palm Springs

Mid Century Modern Real Estate Palm Springs

6. Shop at the Cabazon Outlet Mall

The prices and selection are fantastic!! Some of my favourite stores are Tod’s, Gucci, Prada, Elie Tahari, Michael Kors, Dior, Ralph Lauren.

7. Have supper at Jillian’s Restaurant on El Paseo Drive, Palm Desert

Jillian’s Restaurant is housed in a historic 1946 hacienda style building. The building was originally built as Fort. It is still intact complete with the artillery room in the rear. At the front entrance at Jillian’s you can look at interesting pictures of it in the 40’s. I found it amazing that when it was was built it was the middle of the desert with nothing around it. That is hard to imagine today, as it is in the center of the busy and thriving Palm Dessert El Paseo Drive shopping area.

Jillian's Restaurant El Paseo Dive Palm Desert

Below is what I had for Supper at Jillian’s, which was absolutely delicious. I think the Apple Dumpling has to be the best desert I have ever tasted!

Appetizer
Tower of Fresh Crab
Fresh Dungeness crab meat layered between diced avocado,
sweet tomatoes and toasted brioche
Entree
Rack of Lamb
Rack of Colorado Lamb rolled in Dijon herb crust,
roasted and presented on a fresh Rosemary scented demi glace
Dessert
Apple Dumpling
A tart apple cored and filled with cinnamon and pecans, encased in puff pastry,
baked then drizzled with a luscious caramel sauce and served with vanilla bean ice cream

8. Visit the Salton Sea & Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve

Salton Sea

Thousand Palms Oasis Coachella Valley Preserve

9. Pick an orange from the tree

Picking fresh, juicy, sweet oranges right from the tree.

10. Swim in Palm Springs Natural Hot Mineral pools
The pool I swam in had water that flows from springs 300 feet deep in the earth and comes out of the ground at 115 degrees Fahrenheit. These Palm Springs therapeutic pools claim to be beneficial for arthritis and back pain, heart and diabetes, weight loss and insomnia. What I like best is that the water is odorless and tasteless. It is a treat to swim in water that doesn’t smell like chlorine.

Palm Springs Natural Hot Mineral Pool

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver writing about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

DIY Grace Kelly Hermes Bag

Kelly Bag

What woman hasn’t lusted after a Kelly handbag from Hermes. I know I have, but with a price tag over $10,000.00 I think twice. Even though the price tag is so high there is a waiting list to own one of these bags. Last time I was in New York I dropped into the Hermes store and enquired about purchasing and was told that there was a several month wait and it was on a first come first serve basis. They were very vague about timing, color choices etc. and I was informed that they would not accept enquiries over the phone. Apparently you have to check in person in the store for the privilege of being able to buy one. Fine if you live in New York, have the time to hang around the store, and have the money to spend. The distinctive closure on the Kelly bag is what makes it so recognizable. I thought this DIY project was quite clever and could be fun to make if you are lusting after your own Kelly bag or know someone who is.

DIY Kelly Bag

Download the pattern and instructions from Paper Monkey. Please let me know if you decide to make one, or better yet send me a photo and I will post it. Thanks to Content in a Cottage who suggests that this origami Kelly bag would be make fabulous place cards for your holiday table or fancy dinner party with a small gift inside for each guest.

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Palm Springs Thousand Palms Oasis

Two years ago when I first visited Palm Springs I remember driving past Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve in the Coachella Valley and thinking to myself how scruffy the palm trees looked and why on earth didn’t they not groom them. I guess that is how my mind works as an Interior Designer. On this trip I took time to visit the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve and get to know the palm trees and their natural habitat. I have come away with a new appreciation for the natural beauty of the desert vegetation.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve

The species of palm tree at Thousand Palms Preserve, know as Washingtonia filifera, has a very thick trunk and grows slowly to about 45 feet. Their life span is 150 to 200 years. The dead leaves hang vertically and form what is called a skirt around the trunk. This ‘skirt’ is a home and refuge for numerous birds, insects and lizards. Fruit stalks, extend beyond the leaves and bear masses of tiny white to cream colored flowers. During this time of year, large clusters of small hard fruit hang from the tree.

This ‘skirt’ of the Washingtonia palms is a home and refuge for numerous birds, insects and lizards.
One hundred and eighty animal species inhabit the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve is surrounded on either side by the Indio Hills.

A few weeks ago a sudden flash fire erupted (cause is not know) on the other side of the mountain from the Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve. In a matter of minutes a whole grove of the Washingtonia filifera were up in flames. It caused quite a stir in the community with locals and environmentalists. In talking with the caretaker of the Thousand Palms Preserve I was told that as long as the very top of the palm tree was not totally burnt it has a chance to re new its growth from the top, however the skirt will not re grow and hence the home for local insects, birds and lizards is lost.

A burnt out palm trunk from a fire in the 70’s at Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve has never grown new palm fronds.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve is located on the San Andreas Fault
A natural spring feeds the area making the vegetation lush and green.

Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve palm fronds

The base of an uprooted palm tree at Thousand Palms Oasis Preserve. Palm trees they have very shallow roots.

1000 Palms Oasis Coachella Valley Preserve

Patricia Gray Inc is an award winning Interior Design firm in Vancouver who blogs about Lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT in the world of Interior Design.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™