A little perspective

I must apologise for my lack of blogging, but I had decided to pause momentarily until my college course started. As mentioned at the beginning my blog was founded from my desire to retrain as an interior designer, and part of this journey is starting my course. I am doing an introduction and intermediate course to Interior Design, one evening per week for 3 hours from now until June.

Last Tuesday I found myself racing from work to college, and somehow getting lost wandering around dark empty corridors at the college. Thankfully I found my class, and although originally it was meant to be a class of 30, it was a more intimate 7, this only somehow added to its charm. Also I think this will allow for a lot more one on one with my teacher.
Of course we all did the nervous introductions, and I’m sure we were all thinking I hope he/she is not better than me!
Now I must admit to not having drawn for over a decade and almost have a fear of doing so, I guess this is a result of being surrounded by talented artists!!
But my teacher literally threw us into the deep end, and we embarked upon learning about “ 1 Point Perspective”. I guess for a lot of you, this seems pretty basic, but I can admit to not knowing how to do this, and also liking the fact we started at the very beginning.

So what is a one point perspective (ok ,ok, ok if you know, just read on!)

1 Point Perspective

Using one perspective, parallel lines converge to one point somewhere in the distance. This point is called the vanishing point (VP). This gives objects an impression of depth.

When drawing using one point perspective all objects vanish to one common point somewhere on the horizon

Using one perspective, parallel lines converge to one point somewhere in the distance. This point is called the vanishing point (VP). This gives objects an impression of depth.

When drawing using one point perspective all objects vanish to one common point somewhere on the horizon.
The sides of an object diminish towards the vanishing point. All vertical and horizontal lines though are drawn with no perspective. i.e. face on.
One area where one point perspective can be quite useful is for sketching room layouts.

So we started with a kitchen, and I couldn’t believe when my drawing started to actually resemble a kitchen and looked semi decent.
Before I knew it my class,( three whole hours) had finished, I felt inspired, and for once in a very long time had actually learnt something.

My first drawing...............................................

A masculine twist William Morris



I have always admired the works of William Morris and have often driven past one of his homes in Walthamstow (East London), which is now a museum and gallery. I decided to finally dedicate some time to going inside and wondering around and generally gazing in admiration at his works.

The man himself - Self portrait 1856
"I was born at Walthamstow in Essex in March 1834, a suburban village on the edge of Epping Forest, and once a pleasant place, but now terribly cocknified and chocked up by the jerry builder" (William Morris, letter to Andreas Scheu, 5.8.1883, quoted by Briggs, 1962, p.29).

Time for a few facts:

William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement.
His chief contribution to the arts was as a designer of repeating patterns for wallpapers and textiles, many based on a close observation of nature. He was also a major contributor to the resurgence of traditional textile arts and methods of production.

 By 1883, Morris wrote "Almost all the designs we use for surface decoration, wallpapers, textiles, and the like, I design myself. I have had to learn the theory and to some extent the practice of weaving, dyeing and textile printing: all of which I must admit has given me and still gives me a great deal of enjoyment".

Behind the picture - William Morris

Take a look at William Morris's initial sketch for 'Trellis' below, and see how it turned out in the final wallpaper print.

© William Morris Gallery

Original design for Trellis, 1862, William Morris

© William Morris Gallery

Trellis wallpaper, 1862, William Morris



When I was walking around the museum I just couldnt  get over how much work he had produced, he must have never stopped working and creating. I was completly overwelmed by the printed and woven textiles and Wallpapers. Although most of these incoproated images from nature, whether it was flowers,Plants, fruits or birds they are had a distinct masculine feel. Which I think has helped them to stay as current and distinctive now as then.

 As in so many other areas that interested him, Morris chose to work with the ancient technique of hand woodblock printing in preference to the roller printing which had almost completely replaced it for commercial uses.

Here are a few highlights of my visit.......complete with a commentary!

A wall full of a selection of his wallpaper designs.

Some pictures that showed the traditional methods of production.

A particularly flamboyant tile design.

You could tell by looking at each piece of Morris's work the intricate attention paid to every stage of design and production.
His only advice to people who wanted beauty was to "Look back! Look back!" Art should be for repose and escape. He wanted the artist to have the sympathy of 'simple people'.

Well I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I think it was only fitting to treat myself to something from the gift shop and what better than a William Morris Umbrella, ohh how people will gaze at my brolly when its pouring down with rain!!

Come rain or shine  a Morris design will put a smile on your face!!

So if you get a chance, in fact make a chance, take a trip and visit the William Morris Museum.

You certainly wont be disappointed in fact I think it will inspire you for ideas for your home, my next entry I will write about how William Morris designs have been used in homes now and how I think you could use them.

www.walthamforest.gov.uk/william-morris  

I also read this William Morris quote that I love , "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful".

Silky Beauty..............

A close Friend recently asked me whether I thought feature walls with wallpaper where done to death. I didn't even need to pause to think as I had been thinking for a while that this is a trend that has been done to death. It seems that every home in Britain has jumped on this bandwagon, and wallpaper designs have become tackier and more footballers wives than classic wallpaper beauty.

But part of me thinks that this does not mean wallpaper should be avoided,and when I read an article on the weekend all about Silk hand painted wallpapers I believe this is the wonderful alternative.

Silk hand painted wallpapers, these can be custom-made,hand painted silk with beautiful illustrations. They are usually done on Fromental paper, this is expensive (£180 per square metre), but the pro is that as it is backed on sturdy paper, it can be peeled off and rehung in another room or in a new home if you happen to move.

This can also allow you the creative freedom,input and personalisation. There is a design called "unconscious style", which means that it is painted freehand; there is no sketch or outline to follow. Meaning if you choose a design with tree trunks it is all done by single strokes and every detail is unique.

In daylight the wallpaper will have a seductive and calming atmosphere but at night it will full of opulence and decadence. Subtle side lighting will make details such as painted birds appear to stand proud of their leafy background.
You will create a look where you wish the night may never end.

You would defiantly stop to stare at this everyday, its just beautiful.

If ever there was an edible bathroom............

 (Architectural Digest)

And naturally this bathroom belongs to the Blonde Sex Symbol Jayne Mansfield. I don't think I need to say much as the picture says it all ,and doesn't it reflect her?!!?
VAVAVOOM!!!

Store away with me.......................

There comes a point where your home almost seems overrun by your possessions and you reach crisis point where storage solutions are required. But somehow the everyday storage solutions can ruin the beautiful look you've created in your home.This brings images to mind of holders,do you really want your home to start resembling this.............

Ok  I'm sure for the average person their level of clutter or possessions do not really make them go into the Hoarder category. But its a slippery slope.
So I'm going to suggest some storage solutions that are pleasing to the eye!!! They do exist,and you do not need to resort to child friendly primary coloured plastic boxes!!!

How about using old travel trunks,you can store lots inside them but you can also use them as furniture and have them as a coffee table or stack a couple on top of each other and they become a sideboard.
The prefect combination of art and function.

Here trunks have been used as a coffee table and also as bedside tables,both providing you with addional storage but also adding something interesting to your room.

Also storage can be where you use a dead space and incorporate the facility to store.

I think this is really cleaver that the storage created mirrors the design of the staircase.

More and more of us are having a home office but again this brings added clutter, here the looks embraces this and display objects so that they become integral to the space. Using the bookcases as a wall breaks up and divides a space.

Also storage in the kitchen can be fun and colourful,whilst serving a purpose. Here by displaying all your kitchen storage items they become a feature of your room.

So if you are thinking of ways to clear up some of your overspilling clutter, think outside of the box,think how can you incorporate function with art. Dont just box it up!!!

Knock Knock...................................

                                                          First Impressions count

One of the first things you will notice about a house is it's front door.
I think sometimes we overlook this, and the thought of changing or even just painting our front door doesn't even occur to us. Also the thought of perhaps pushing the boundaries and making a real statement with your front door scares a lot of people.
They say your eyes are the window to your soul, I think perhaps the front door is the entrance to the soul of your home. So be bold,don't let colour scare you, why not paint your door a vivid,shocking shade,it's sure to put a smile on your and your neighbours face everyday. Throughout history colour has been closely linked to changing humans emotions and creating different moods.So surely by painting your front door in a colour that you are fond of it will make you feel happier everyday.Also the idea of a sense of unity if you and your neighbours were all to paint your front doors in a colour to reflect your personalities.Perhaps if you were to pose the question it would make them think "why have I never thought of painting my front door in a colour I love?". Why indeed? Paint is cheap,easy to do,easy to change,and provides an instant face lift to your house.

  I love how each home owner has painted their front door in their desired colour and although they don't match this only somehow adds to the charm and helps to reflect each individuals life which is going on within each home.

I thought I would show you a few of my favorite front doors, so here are my top 5!!!!!

1. I like the way these doors are uniformed and how the the green of the plants acts as a contrast against the blue.






2. Bringing a little ray of sunshine into your life everyday

3. How about introducing a stained glass window front door with a vivid shade of paint on the wood, not only does the stained glass reflect in your hallway but it adds a beautiful feature to the front of your
home.

4. Now I had to get a pink front door in here, as I do love something pretty in pink!! Pink raised panel front door at a Palm Springs, CA home! This brings to mind retro 1950's living.

5. My last door, is of a muted red door,I liked this image because it showed you a glimpse inside the home,and how the door reflected what is inside!

So why not paint your door your favorite colour, if it was me I would paint mine a gorgeous turquoise, so it reminded of the ocean and made me smile everyday!!

Collect me

Now there are collectors and there are hoarders, distinct difference. I want to focus your attention on collectors. And how a collection can become part of the interior design of your home.

I started my collection quite recently of perfume bottles.Its amazing how quickly your collection can grow and how it becomes a feature of your room. Mine take pride of place on my dressing table. Every morning when putting on my make up I admire my collection of every kind of perfume bottle. In beautiful coloured glass and crystal.

I think that if there is something you collect make it a part of your room.
Perhaps you have a love of all things to do with clothes, how about having  a collection of mannequins where you display your most beautiful finds.

The use of mannequins to display your finds and also a lovely collection of mirrors to gaze into.

Or if reading is your thing, why not turn books into displays, books are not only filled with beautiful words but as objects themselves they too can resemble furniture. Books are full of tales of wonderful lands,romance,mystery and so much more, by filling you home with these wonders you  are showing all your guests your indulgence into literature.

I also think photographs are something that can be seen as a collection, photos help show the lives of the family who live in the house and also all the people that are special to them. We live in a digital age, where we store all our photographs on our computers or networking sites. But there is something special about actually getting your pictures printed and displaying them. I think this is a wonderful thing to collect and make a feature of in your home. There are so many ways you can do this. You don't just need a photo frame!!

Unusual ways to display your photos............

Incorporate frames with the same finish in a variety of sizes to create a smart, contained area, a perfect alternative to the traditional over mantel display.

There is something about this room that almost makes it feel like a gallery,and really makes a feature of your wonderful collection of photographs. People will stop at look and this will create an element of intrigue and added interest to your home.

So if there is something you collect or would like to collect make it a part of your home, once again I think this is another way of reflecting you through your home.

How very true...........

Interior Design is the language which expresses the use and the mood and the possibilities of a place.

If you go down to the bottom of the garden.............

As a child I used to love spending hazy,lazy summer afternoons at my grandmothers. She had this amazing gift for bringing things to life.
My grandmother had a long garden,where at the end stood an old metal swing surrounded by wild sprung forget me nots. She told me that this was where the fairies lived and that we should make them clothes from all the flowers that grew in her garden.
We collected every type,colour and shape of flower imaginable and carefully assembled them into dainty fairy outfits.Once we had finished we lay them out underneath the swing and carefully crept away and waited for them to be taken by the fairies.
And when I went back a few hours later they had  all gone.My grandmother told me that the fairies would now be wearing their beautiful flower clothes.

Its summer in London at the moment and my garden is in full bloom, the colours got me thinking about colour in your home. I strongly believe that colour originally comes from nature.

Here are a couple of  the photographs I took of the flowers in my garden.

I always think these look like happy smiling faces.

Natural colours that can be used in the home calm greens,white with just a hint of pink.

Colour schemes not only influence mood, but you can use them at a low cost to improve the whole shape and feel of a room. Remember the decorators rule of thumb: light colour expand a space, while dark colours reduce it.

Colour palettes

To choose a scheme for a room, think of things you love. Are you influenced by the heady and exotic colours of India. Make homage to this thru colour.

An indian inspired dining area.

I found a very interesting article on BBC homes website .

www.bbc.co.uk/homes/design/colour_wheel.shtml

This explains how to combine colour to work well, and whether they are toning, harmonious or complementary.

Don't be reluctant to experiment with colour, so many of us take the safe option and paint our walls white. If you paint your room a bold exciting new colour and get bored of it changing it is easy just the flick of a paintbrush.!!!

I think the reason why I told you the story about the fairies at the bottom of the garden was to show you that as a child we use our imagination but when we become adults we stop. I think by introducing colour in your home you can rekindle your imagination.Take inspiration from your garden and nature and the colours you see outside.Bring some of that beauty inside your home.

Not just little girls like sugar and spice and everything nice............

I feel pretty..............................................

Pretty rooms,there is something about this look that transports me to my childhood. I remember my first ever room as a child being painted a sugary pale pink.How I loved that room, my first bedroom all to myself and so pretty. Sometimes by adding an element of your past to your home it makes you remember fond memories.

 An assortment of floral china and chintzy fabrics makes me think of my grandmothers house and items you use to create this look have a feeling of being passed down from generation to generation.

This look makes you want to take afternoon tea and sit and chatter.

It is not a perfect, strict, 'finished' style, but mixes and matches different looks and styles. It includes treasured family heirlooms, handed down, and items of many different eras and styles.

I think one of the simplest  and cheapest ways to create this looks is by adding some flowers to your home. Look out for old fashioned pottery - use water pitchers and bowls to hold big bunches of flowers (gathered from your own garden maybe?). Or even use an something more unusual to display your flowers, how about a tea cup and saucer?

If you like your nick-nacks, this is definitely the look for you! Look out for all sorts of little boxes, bowls, pots and pretty ornaments. Display collections of tea-pots, porcelain dolls, precious family heirlooms.

I like the fact that there are no real rules for this look, its all about slowly adding pieces that you love the look of.

The below two images show some ways to create this look in your living room. I think they work particularly well as they look so sickly sweet but yet remain stylish.

 There are antique pieces used which some people feel date a room but when you use antiques in a precise well thought out way you can reinvent them and make them once more a feature of your home.

So if you want to add a little sugar to your home, go on, why not,make yourself and  your home feel pretty.

Some places just take your breath away................Venice

The world is an inspiring place and I have been lucky enough to travel to places that have opened up my eyes to a whole new way of seeing things.
I had always wanted to go to Venice,a place surrounded by water,it all seemed unreal, unimaginable.
A place literally soaked in history.When we think of Venice, Italy, we conjure up images of grand palaces on a Grand Canal with gondolas bobbing up and down in a romantic haze of watery loveliness.

Your eyes have to adjust upon your arrival as the buildings almost overwhelm you. Beautiful works of art.
 The concept of travelling around by water only seems to enhance the beauty of Venice. It allows you to see things from different angles and slow down to wonder what has happened in such a magical and historical place.

Now the Venetians knew a thing or two about style.

From the Middle Ages, Venice was in the money. Not content to be a mere city state, it had its own empire and by the 16th century held a monopoly over trading. Unsurprisingly, this resulted in a shameless flaunting of wealth by its rulers and merchants, who wanted the best that money could buy. They employed the finest craftsmen to decorate their sumptuous palazzi with lavish stone and marble, and filled them with intricately carved wood, fine mosaics and rich silks.

Now this got me thinking how could you re-create this in your home, well here are a few easy tips.

Venetian mirrors..........

A simple item to add to your home, mirrors are essential (not just for checking your reflection) but to create a feeling of light and space in your home. They can make a feature of a wall and break up a space.

                                                           Murano Chandeliers

Now don't be overwhelmed by this picture. Chandeliers today are no longer exclusive to Churches and Domes. Gone are the days when you see giant crystal lights suspended from high ceilings of historic establishments. Because of technology, these magnificent chandelier fixtures are available for everyone who is looking for ways to lighten up a room while enhancing its beauty.

Enhance your dining space by hanging your chandelier directly above your table.

Illuminate your dining experience and add a touch of romance to your meals with your family and friends.

The diverse, intellectual history of Venice can also be recreated by displaying an eclectic mixture of art and accessories such as those collected on worldwide travels. Try filling bookcases or shelves with vintage books and interesting objects.

Also the use of brightly coloured silk fabrics in cushions will also help you achieve this glamorous Venetian style.

Venice inspiring.