Yellow - Mimosa's Debut?

Yellow tulips speak to me of Spring and the promise of sunshine.
What could be more optimistic than that?

Pantone, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industry has selected 'Mimosa', a warm, engaging yellow, as the Color of the Year for 2009. It was selected for the view that the world is in a time of economic and political change and for the fact that yellow more than any other color represents optimism, hope and reassurance.

"The color yellow exemplifies the warmth and nurturing quality of the sun, properties we as humans are naturally drawn to for reassurance," explains Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "Mimosa also speaks to enlightenment, as it is a hue that sparks imagination and innovation."

While all the above testaments to the effects of yellow on the psyche are so true, yellow is a color that is a tried and true favourite and has been used abundantly throughout the annals of time. Although I don't subscribe to the fickle market trends of color ......thank-you very much Pantone for your re-packaging and re-marketing of the color Yellow and for giving it it's year of fame!!

Sunset in Morocco taken by my girlfriend Ann on her desert safari expedition 2007.

Yellow lanterns on the Island of Giudecca for the famous Rendentore fireworks celebration 2008

Albert Hadley was using yellow in his designs in the 80's

David Hicks (left) used yellow in the 70's

Conran has introduced a yellow velvet for this sofa (left) just in time to catch the yellow wave.
A yellow ottoman at the showroom of Dennis & Leen in Los Angeles that I was attracted to on a visit in 2008 (right)

Yellow tufted ottomans (left Nate Berkus, right KWID)

Yellow toss cushions and trim on draperies add a lively spark to these rooms. EKB Interiors

Jeffery Bilhuber's famous library using the iconic yellow of the National Geographic magazines

Yellow in large scale abstract artwork

House Beautiful Nov 2007

Yellow wall coverings KWID

Framed wall paper panels by the fabulous Maison 21

Bold & graphic yellow stripes in this bathroom

Yellow for draperies

Fabric and trim from my files for a Master Bedroom I designed in the 90's

Clarence House Silk draperies

Yellow Bedding

Yellow paint for walls. Benjamin Moore's St Elmo's Fire is a great yellow with just a touch of green in it.

Yellow slipcovered dining chairs Vicente Wolf

Yellow lamps were starting to show up in abundance in 2008

Jan Showers lamp (left) Michael Devine fabric (right)

One of my favourite pieces of artwork by Kenton Nelson

View as a slide show below............

What do you think? Is yellow a color you will want to introduce into your home in 2009, or will you be content to let others use it?

Click here to read a post I did on the color Yellow February 2008

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design, as well as sneak peaks of her work..
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Weekend in Vancouver

 
Brockton Point Light House at Stanley Park

It's days like this that I really appreciate living in my beautiful city of Vancouver.  For those of you that have never been here we are surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains and the Pacific ocean.  When it is not raining and the sun shines everyone is out and about, and Stanley Park is a favourite destination of mine on sunny weekends.  I hope you enjoy the pictures.

View of Lions Gate Bridge towards the North Shore

    
Third Beach at Stanley Park looking towards West Vancouver

 

Nicole walking on the beach and chasing Sea Gulls

Sea Foam

Some of my favourite rocks

  

View towards Horseshoe Bay and North to Whistler

  

Sunset over English Bay

Even though the sun was shining it was a cold day and Nicole is glad to be back in the car with the heater turned on full blast for the ride home.

Coal Harbour view towards North Vancouver

 

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design, as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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The Obamas' and Michael S Smith

Domino magazine has just revealed the Obamas' selection of
Michael Smith as White House decorator

Michael Smith's hallmark as a great designer is his deep passion for the many forms of beauty found throughout the
history of the decorative arts as well as his ability to blend pieces from different eras.

Though not thought of as a modernist, Michael Smith does it so well. Just look at the strong, simple forms of this
couch and coffee table paired with an abstract painting that adds hints of color.  The Obamas' strike me as a
modern family and maybe some modern furnishings and artwork will find their way into the White House.  Michael Smith
has been talking about getting the furniture of the great masters of 20th-century American design,  like
Billy Baldwin (see the post I did on Billy Baldwin here), into the executive mansion.

Maybe Michael Smith will create a strong, elegant Master Bedroom in the White House with the drama of a huge
lacquered Chinese screen as a headboard, burled wood night tables, and '40s benches at the end of the bed. 
And maybe a Suzani draped over the bed for a truly international flare.

 

It's genius to put proper furniture in what's usually a functional space.  I have never seen pictures of the
White House bathrooms, and wonder if they have the space for a large table like this one. 
I think that the Obamas' have made a great selection in choosing Michael Smith.....what do you think?

Pictures Michael Smith Dominio



A home for a family

 

                                                                                                     Michael Smith's newest book

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design, as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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Billy Baldwin's Slipper Chair

Probably no other piece has stood the test of time more than Billy Baldwin's classic and iconic Slipper Chair.  He was said to have designed it according to Mitchell Owen's article in the New York Times , for Pauline de Rothschild's  5' 9" lanky frame in mind thus making it easier for her to strike a pose and extend her long legs, and it also happens to be a a chair that men feel comfortable sitting in - which is not a small feat.

Billy Baldwin's most famous piece his slipper chair is show in some photos below.

Bill Baldwin Slipper Chair / House Beautiful November 1999

Slipper Chair Home and Design Winter 2002

Slipper Chairs House Beautiful October 1995

Slipper Chairs close-up detail

Slipper Chairs Veranda June 2002

Slipper Chair Elle Decor May 2001

Slipper chair in Billy Baldwin's apartment via Peak of Chic

Large Slipper chair & Dining Room Slipper Chair by Ventry

You can read more about Billy Baldwin.  His book is being reissued on Amazon February 2009 and is available for pre-order.

Patricia Gray writes about emerging trends, her inspirations, and "What's HOT" in the world of Design, as well as sneak peaks of her work.. 
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What's in a Name?

I have decided to start a blog to explore my first year as a Southern Housewife. Though I'm not sure that I truly qualify as a Housewife. I have a full-time job, no "real" children (though my three pups would beg to differ). But... I do own a house and I am now a wife. And while I didn't grow up in the deep South, I was born in Atlanta ... (Dekalb County Hospital... as all native Atlantans now, the true test if you're FROM Atlanta is the hospital in which you were born. But I digress). And, my husband (of 6 weeks!) and I live in Atlanta. So for those joining me, welcome! I hope that I can provide some entertainment and perhaps helpful hints as I continue to make our house a home and refine my Southern Cooking skills.

Speaking of which, DH and I did ring in the new year in true Southern style, with Collard Greens and Black Eyed Peas.

Collard Greens:
* Brown fat back or salt pork in one pan. In large saucepan, cook 1 small onion in olive oil until translucent. When nearing translucence, add about a clove of garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
* When fat back is browned on both sides, toss into pan with onion and garlic. Add 2 cups of chicken stock.
* Simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.
* Add cleaned/trimmed collard greens (about 6 cups). Stir to incorporate greens with onions, garlic, broth.
* Continue to simmer over medium-low heat for another 30 minutes to an hour (or longer!).
* As you near serving time, add about 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Test seasonings and adjust to taste.

Black Eyed Peas:
* Slice shallots and saute in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
* Stir in chicken or vegetable broth.
* When liquid starts to simmer, add about black eyed peas. Adjust liquid to ensure that beans are fully covered.
* Cooking directions on peas indicated I should cook for just 20 minutes. That did not seem long enough, so I cooked for about 30 minutes and that seemed to work well!

***Please note that this was the first time I ever cooked Greens or Black Eyed Peas. But, we thought that they turned out well!***