Colour Focus: Tranquil, tropical, true BLUE!

It's that time of winter, dear readers, when I must confess, the joy of this 'winter wonderland' is unequivocally over for me. Begone snow shovels, dark cold mornings, clunky boots, and thick woolly apparel! I am itching to trade these winter blues for the blue seas of the tropics! After a tough winter and a hectic work schedule, I'll soon be taking in the turquoise tranquility of the caribbean, which brings to mind thoughts of the 2010 colour trend: BLUE.

Pantone's colour for 2010 is TURQUOISE 15-5519, a refreshing hue that combines the serenity of blue with the healing properties of green. Turquoise inspires a comforting, soothing escape from everyday stresses and restores our sense of wellbeing.

Turquoise is believed in some cultures to have protective powers. It is a color of truth, tranquility and healing, inspired by water and sky. Turquoise represents an escape, taking us to a tropical paradise that is pleasant and inviting, even if it is not reality.

The psychology of colour suggests blue promotes rest and encourages the body to produce chemicals that are calming. Not all blues have this quality: electric or bright blue becomes dynamic and dramatic, and this variation of the hue stimulates exhilaration and excitement.

 Photo via Westcoast sea glass.

In Feng Shui, blue is considered an element of Water, although it symbolizes both the clear sky and the healing, refreshing waters. A buzzword for the soft watery blue hue we associate with relaxation and rejuvenation is 'spa blue'.

Interior by Jamie Drake, photo by Adam Chinitz

Light blue is a colour of harmony and gentle growth, while darker blue evokes the Feng Shui energy of deep calm and serenity. You may consider introducing deep blue elements into your bedroom to promote better sleep or a gentle playful aqua in the living room of a big, busy family. One of the most calming feng shui combinations is blue and white, as this combination is said to bring the energy of unlimited sky and happiness to one's space.

 Blue is universally flattering, has appeal for men and women, and translates easily to fashion and interiors. With both warm and cool undertones, Turquoise pairs nicely with any other color in the spectrum. Turquoise adds a splash of excitement to neutrals and browns, complements reds and pinks, creates a classic maritime look with deep blues, livens up all other greens, and is especially trend-setting with yellow-greens.

Photos via Elle Decor, lower photo by Pieter Estersohn

Designer Brian Gluckstein's favourite blue paint colour, Benjamin Moore 2123-40 (above) Michael Kors one shoulder zipper dress from Neiman Marcus.

Frank Roop Design from Elle Decor, photo by Eric Roth

 

Blue doors in a living room via Plaisirsimples

A simple punch of blue art and small table accessories add terrific impact in this room. via Lulu Interiors

The opalescence of light in New York's Blue Fin Restaurant, photo by Evan Dion

           Blue toile on wall panels add interest and blue embellished fabric panels hung from the ceiling create a canopy bed, photo via Decorpad,  Bathroom above in navy and white by T.Keller Donovan.

Blue and taupe living room via Persian Tea

Bathroom via Southern Accents

Soft blue carrera marble bathroom by Sarah Richardson.

Chic baby's room wall via Decorpad.

Photo via House of Turquoise, where Erin has a beautiful collection of turquoise rooms! Above and below are photos of the winning combination of blue with acid green.

Hampton Home and Cottage photo via House of Turquoise

Serene symmetry in deep muted turquoise. Photo via Decorpad.

Design by Candice Olsen, via Pointclickhome.

Housewears uses turquoise capiz shell plates and beach glass in an outdoor tablescape for

the AGW Showhouse tour.

                        A stunning combination of blue and brown! Kitchen from Southeast Kitchens

So delicious...a sublime marriage of blue, taupe and silver gray. Photo via HGTV

Check out more BLUE ideas in House Beautiful March 2010!

modern blue kitchen via Perfect Kitchen Design.

Tone on tone turquoise is totally tranquil!Love the use of the photo hanging in the window. Photo via Decorpad.

Design from Sarah Richardson. The mirrored chest is strategic; it appears to take up less space than a wooden sideboard would.

classical blue and white by Laura Casey Interiors.

Kitchen via Blossom Interiors.

Nate Berkus likes blue, (photo above and below)and uses it so cleverly for vibrant punch. 

photo via Rebecca June.

Nate Berkus via Habitually Chic.

Soft blue and white scheme via Decorpad.

This amazing light blue bathroom pairing old with new is the work of talented design icon Vicente Wolf, see his blog at Vicentewolf.

Candice Olsen's design combines turquoise and magenta via Emily.A.Clark.

A collection of blue vases is chic and fresh! Photo via Martha Stewart.

Lovely turquoise accessory trends via Trilby Phoenix.

Trends for 2010 on the New York Runway...according to Miss Glitzy Monologue, blue is the new black!

A chic choice for spring and summer: Banana Republic's Dancing Charms earrings, under $50.

A light refreshing fragrance, Dolce & Gabbana's Light Blue is a
summer staple.

Sexy Summer sandal from Stuart Weitzman. 

And of course, there's always the timeless turquoise of Tiffany! Hopefully, this compilation inspires you to consider adding a bit of blue to your wardrobe or living space this year!

Truth be told, blue has never been a first choice for me, but I have a genuine fondness for various shades and tints of turquoise, am drawn to the crisp timelessness of navy and I am totally enamoured with the luxurious 40's appeal of a very muted gray blue. Blue is classic! Which blues are you into?
For other classics, visit "Timeless Tuesday" by clicking on Ms. Audrey Hepburn!

A Tribute to My Father: For the Love of Wood

Bolier's Rosenau Stateside Chair

Dear readers, it is my sincere hope you are enjoying time with family and friends during these holidays!

It is with great sadness I must tell you - a very special part of my life, my beloved father, has passed away during this holiday. He was a truly wonderful man who had keen interest and skill in fine woodworking, and his attention to detail and dedication to his hobby made him a master. Therefore, I am compelled to discuss one of his favourite materials: wood. No space should be without the beauty and warmth of wood!

Zebrano wood has been one of the popular exotic woods used in the past decade for modern applications, as shown in this kitchen by Beeleigh Interiors from the UK.

Here are some of the exotic and domestic varieties of wood used for furniture and inlays. Chart courtesy of Evoke Woodcraft.

Dark Maple wideplank flooring by Carlisle.

The hottest wood flooring is hand-scraped, reclaimed, recycled, or distressed and is available in a variety of widths and finishes, making it wonderful for hiding wear and tear. Some companies even burn the wood slightly to give it an ashy, grayed appearance.

Country Floors' teak flooring

The natural beauty of wood adds warmth and richness to a space. The rustic beams, oversized clock, gleaming floor and turned legs on the island of this kitchen make this stark white scheme very cozy and inviting. Interior by Amy D Morris.

Going green is important these days.Global Views' Washboard Media Console is made of recycled wood.

Siematic's new Beaux Arts Collection mixes styles and wood finishes in cabinetry to create dramatic, outstanding kitchens.

Often, clients are concerned about ' mixing woods'. Mixing it up a bit is good! A room with all one colour or type of wood can be boring, especially with all of the basic 'espresso' furniture that is available anywhere, even at the grocery store! Some consideration should be made with the wood's colour and the style of furniture. A rustic yellow pine cabinet may not work well when paired with a refined mahogany dining room table.

I have a fondness for dark furniture, especially when it has an interesting shape. Barbara Barry's Facets pedestal table for Henredon is timeless beauty.Photo from Detroit Home Magazine.

Housewears works with any wood, but custom built applications other than kitchens are often maple, walnut or quarter sawn oak.This wall unit we designed is dark espresso maple, and is actually 11 feet tall, but in a room with 18' ceilings, the scale was absolutely perfect.

Another project from Housewears, using quarter sawn oak in a natural finish. The look was clean, interesting, yet simple in this small media room.

A clever black walnut pocket bar from Interior Design Magazine. Photo by Eric Laignel.

Oly's hot Isa wooden chandelier is a modern take on an old-world style.

Photo via The Contemporist. Dutch designer Frans Schrofer's Mobius Chair

Oly Studio's Ivan Tall Chest is ornate yet restrained.

The sun-bleached, relaxed traditional look is cropping up everywhere...this is the St. James Collection in weathered oak from Restoration Hardware.

Global Views is also introducing its Light Limed Wood collection, with this French Key Console.

Rustic modern - Interior Design Magazine's Best of the Year 2009 winner in residential tables is the Duette table by Altura Furniture.

Another Interior Design Magazine award winner for 2009 in residential seating is the Pasadena Rocker by Thos. Moser.

Yes, I know you've seen this photo before, but I must post it again because it is my father's handiwork.

We worked together on this project: I designed, and he built the cabinetry, carefully matching the grain of the gorgeous black walnut. The workmanship is superb, and we both loved it!

My Father, John

                                                                         1939-2009

Today, I honour my dad, an outstanding father and grandfather. He taught me so many wonderful values, and he was a friend to all who knew him. We will miss him tremendously! A retired engineer and devoted family man, he also loved to golf and to work in his woodshop. He enjoyed assisting us at Housewears, setting up and delivering furniture in a pinch, or completing small projects we specified for our clients...there was nothing he couldn't fix. The outpouring of support has been very comforting to our family during this holiday, and he would want us all to toast to his life rather than shed tears for his passing. This New Year's Eve, please hug your loved ones a bit tighter and enjoy your time with them, and raise a glass to those special people who are no longer with you! Wishing you joy, peace, love and good health for 2010! 

Holiday Inspirations and Bathroom Renovations

Silver manzanita candelabra from West Elm.


T'is the season to spruce up your nest in preparation for holiday entertaining, and stock up on great gifts. Here are a few sparkling gems we found:

Sleek and chic, these monogrammed silver boxes are from West Elm.


Consider adorning your door with a square boxwood wreath, like this one available for order at Williams-Sonoma.
For the baker, Williams-Sonoma's "Message in a Cookie" kit cookie cutters creates personalized messages with 3 sets of alphabet letters!

Books make a great gift. Kelly Wearstler's new book, Hue, is available for pre-order now!

World-renowned design team Yabu Pushelberg recently released their new book, a compilation of the amazing projects they've worked on. Read more about this talented Canadian team on my previous post "Made in Canada".Kate Spade has holiday greeting cards! Cheery in raspberry and red, these are available at Kate's Paperie.

Martha Stewart has joined with Crane's to create her Holiday Tidings Letterpress collection.

The gift that is sure to bring a smile to any fashionista, this silver resin Neiman Marcus shopping bag ornament is available through Neiman Marcus.

Peace Baby! Holiday peace ornaments are hot this season, and add a touch of whimsy to a modern tree. This german glitter ornament is available at Pottery Barn.

True fat-free chocolate by Godiva! Enjoy Godiva's candle - available in various scents, such as raspberry ganache and white chocolate peppermint bark. A beautiful candle for a powder room, this Prada Beauty Infusion Iris candle is available at Bergdorf Goodman.

We at Housewears are busy juggling many projects these days, and as promised, here's a peek at one project near completion:

BEFORE: Housewears, please help!

Welcome to shower hell. At least this was the feeling conveyed by the clients, as Mr. X is more than 6 feet tall. For him, a satisfactory shower experience was not hitting his elbows or head against the glass in this narrow, claustrophobic enclosure. Things became far too challenging if by chance, he dropped the soap. The clients, a professional couple with 2 children, love the location and layout of the executive home they purchased several years ago. However, as we all know when purchasing a home, some of the features were not ideal. Housewears was called in to transform this couple's frustration zones into blissful spaces.

Mrs. X had an equally interesting retreat, a kiddie pool with jets. This served as an ideal spot for bathing the children, but the kids are older, and Mom is ready to ditch the corner jacuzzi!

And then there was the sink area, a typical style for this 15 to 20 year-old large two-story home, with exposed brass hinges, hexagonal sink and faux marble countertop. These clients also had a large master bedroom that needed an update, and although I didn't snap a photo, they woke each morning irritated by their terra cotta walls and a seafoam green plush rug.

AFTER: Mission Accomplished!

The bathtub area was created with a shelf for towels and apothecary jars filled with french soap and carrera marble floors.

A floating dark maple cabinet with gray quartz countertop, Kohler's Reve vessel sinks and wall-mounted sleek chrome faucets keep the look modern with 'Hotel' appeal. Note the striped pattern of carrera marble in 3 sizes on the floor.

A spacious shower with multiple shower heads was tiled in oversized gray porcelain tiles for easy care.
A floor-to-ceiling etched glass wall was installed next to the sink cabinet, to act as a privacy wall for the toilet area.

A glimpse into the adjoining renovated master bedroom from the bathroom reveals dark exotic wood floors, low modern furniture, warm gray tones and a subdued, luxurious feel. A few more accessories are needed to make this project perfect, but the clients are ecstatic, and as always, that's what matters most to us. This space went from blah to Ahhh!

Here's hoping all of your holiday preparations are Ahhh! inspiring! Click here to visit "Metamorphasis Mondays" and see what others are transforming, and to participate in a great giveaway!