Design Time

Due to a car forever in the shop (I will buy a new one someday, I swear) and a knee on the mend from surgery, I am stranded on the couch. With tons of work to do and no motivation to do any of it. 

So I thought a day like this called for a scroll through the internet for delicious design finds I would then share with you.

You see, my brother is a real-life designer who does incredible projects all over the US: restaurants, offices, homes with his company Flags of Origin. I am not. For me it's a hobby. And happens primarily in my head. Nonetheless I like to think I inherited a certain taste-level passed on to both of us. BOTH of us. :) 

Rugs

People forget about rugs. They become merely an afterthought, but they're oh so important. They tie the room together and make it feel like a true space, not just a collection of stuff. And what a nice "good morning toes!" when you step off your bed onto something soft and luxurious. Whatever your aesthetic you can always find something that will work. So stop using that excuse and go buy something already. Here are some I love.

Goa Hand-Tufted Rug
Surya on Gilt

White and Black Endless
Madeline Weinrib

Martil Blue
Decorative Carpets

Blue Chevron
nuLoom

Asan Indigo
The Rug Company

Gaelic Yellow
The Rug Company

Stripe by Paul Smith
The Rug Company

Faded Ikat Rug
West Elm

Phoenix Dhurrie
West Elm 

And this rug, which makes me want to quickly befriend a pregnant lady just so I can design the nursery.

Owl
The Rug Company

i mean come on....

Wallpaper
No, it's not gauche to use wallpaper. I'm not talking about wallpaper borders, they can stay in the 80s where they belong, however real wallpaper can transform your room into something truly unique and beautiful. 

But please, if you spend the money on the wallpaper, pay someone to hang it for you. No matter how certain you are you could do it yourself. Call the professional. Because when you're watching TV or reading your book and you can't help but notice that tiny bubble that never goes away or the pattern that doesn't quite match up properly, you'll wish you had taken my advice.

These are a few small wallpaper companies with skilled and unique artists. Have a look.

Hygge & West - San Francisco based wallpaper company, collecting unique prints from talented designers.

Triangles - White, Charcoal & Gold
Lisa Congdon

Bohemian Almost White/Gold
Lisa Congdon

Daydream
Julia Rothman

Flavor Paper - a hand-screen wallpaper company based in Brooklyn, NY. I was introduced to them by my brother and I have become equally as big a fan.

Scenes of Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Created for the Wythe Hotel

Wythe Toile
Dan Funderburgh

Dumbo Wall
Speed and Sherman

From Flavor Paper: "One wall of a series based upon the premise of bringing the outside inside called Rock In. DUMBO wall is just that – Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, but now it can transform a clean wall into a textured and interesting place to show off your contemporary furniture collection."

Monaco
Tibi

Harlequin London - originally founded as a wallpaper company, they have now expanded into textile design. Their wallpapers remain to be some of my favorites. 

Jolie Stripe - Lime & Neutral
Harlequin

Leaf - Indigo
Harlequin

Trellis - Onyx
Harlequin 

Array - Navy/Coral
Harlequin

That is my design wisdom for today. I hope you enjoy and finding something delectable you can't live without!

Honeycomb Studio

This year a good friend of mine, Courtney Hamill, (re: gyrotonic partner in crime) did something we all wish we had the guts to do: she quit her job and became an artist. Total free-fall into uncertainty.

Trust me, I understand how hard it is to give up a definite income to chase a dream. And as is true with both of us, we never would be able to do so without the support of our family and friends.

So in-between writing (actually, sprinting away from massive writer's block), I escaped to Courtney's ceramic studio and photographed her in action. I'm so proud of all she's created in such a short time. She has a unique line of antlers (springbok deer, fallow deer, steer and whitetail deer) most glazed clear with the tips dipped in gold; a lovely line of mugs with fun and unexpected glazes; multi-colored bud vases; and, is currently working on a line of beautiful curved vases.

Here are some photos as they do more justice than words. But after you browse... stop by the website and make a purchase or two. 

Fallow Deer

 

cheese plates

springbok deer

 

steer

whitetail deer

 

After assaulting her with my camera for an hour or so, I sat down and asked her some questions...

1. Who are other artists that inspire you? 

A few of the ceramists that inspire me right now are Diana Fayt, Derek Wilson, Annette Gates and Michele Michael. 

2. Why ceramics? What drew you toward this medium? 

The tactile nature of ceramics has always been very appealing to me. The feeling of shaping a pot on the wheel, especially with porcelain, is addictive. I’m also drawn to the practicality of ceramics, compared to other artistic mediums. Ceramics is a perfect medium for a tinkerer. In addition to aesthetic concerns (what should this form be shaped, what glaze should I use), there are very practical/engineering concerns like "how do I keep this antler from cracking in the kiln," "how do I modify this glaze to get the color that I want," and "how do I design this handle so that I rests comfortably in the hand."

3. What would a dream project be? 

I’m living it! Having my own studio and working in it full time is a dream come true.

4. What advice would you give to aspiring artists? 

1) Get in the studio and work!, 2) Don't take many people's advice - trust your own voice, 3) Don't get too attached to any one creative idea.

5. If you no longer were able to do ceramics, what other medium would you want to explore and why? 

I've always wanted to learn welding and metal work. I love 3D art and metal work sculpture has always appealed to me. I would feel like a total badass with a blowtorch in my hands.

6. What is your favorite part of the workday? I'd have to say the afternoon to early evening stretch where I hit my stride and completely lose track of time because I'm so immersed in the work I'm doing. I find it really satisfying to look down at my watch and realize it's 2 hours later than I thought it was. I call that productivity.

7. How scary was it to quit your job and take the leap? 

SO SCARY. I felt like a crazy person. I still might be, but I have an incredibly supportive husband and a cheap house and I realized that being scared is a weak reason not to do something. There's a great Georgia O'Keeffe quote that says " I've been absolutely terrified every moment of my life -- and I've never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do." I try to channel that attitude.

8. Do you ever reenact Ghost with your husband? 

Constantly. Sometimes it's hard to get work done.

Love her. Go buy stuff.

Honeycomb Studio

Courtney Hamill