1. Water and fish; very bathroom worthy. Notice the soft taupe upon which the fish swim.

  2. A traditional damask pattern in soft neutral tones. This pattern is easy to live with and familiar in an updated way.

  3. Traditional toile is always in style. The French theme is complete with the decorative mirror.

January 25th, 2012

Until Next Week: Wallpaper in the Bath

Next Wednesday we will be launching a new and improved format for my design journal. Reconsidered. Redesigned. Reengineered. There are many exciting new features that I very much look forward to sharing. We’re busily working away so I thought I would post an entry that garnered so many comments when I first posted it almost a year ago. It appears that wallpaper has once again gained popularity, especially in small rooms where it makes a real impact. See for yourself—and see you next week!

Barbara Sallick
____________________


I am not really a “trend” person, but I would have to be blind not to notice all the fabulous wallpapers being installed now, especially in powder rooms. I can’t think of a better place to experiment with some funky wall covering than a small bath. The drama ratio is high and the expense can be low because so little material is needed.

It is important to consider color when selecting wallpaper. Although the pattern can be subtle or bold, the color should be compatible with the adjacent rooms. A bold new color statement would be too shocking.

Wallpaper, like tile or any decoration, is such a personal choice and it reflects an individual point of view. Soft neutral colors are easy to live with even if the pattern is graphic or big, traditional or modern. Bright colors, on the other hand, can be fun, charming or glamorous or just plain wild. Certain types of patterns and colors can suggest certain geographies. If I were to think about typical Portuguese designs, they would be blue and ornate. An English country house might have rolls of William Morris leafy patterns applied to the walls, not only in powder rooms but certainly in bedrooms and dining rooms.

I had absolutely no luck finding examples of modern baths with decorative wallpaper. I imagine that the prevailing style would be to use textured paper such as grass cloth or linen.

When thinking about wallpaper and wall patterns, I could only think about all of the glorious patterned rugs for floors from soft worn orientals and kilims to David Hicks modern designs. Pattern can be easy to live with. So why not translate the information that seems so familiar on floors to walls? What a nice surprise to open a powder room door and be met with an abundance of color and pattern.

If you have examples of your newly wallpapered bath that you would like to send, I will try to post them when I write again about wallpaper.

Try something new and different. It will be fun and you might have surprisingly great results.

Barbara
bsallick@waterworks.com

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  1. The charming cover of THE PERFECTLY IMPERFECT HOME by Deborah Needleman.

  2. Deborah loves pools of light that come from well placed lamps. The narrow table, mirror, and lamps make a welcoming entrance.

  3. A hanging light over a soft skirted table with a vase of flowers adds dimension to a room that may be too big. It takes furniture away from the walls and offers a resting place for books and other beautiful objects.

January 18th, 2012

The Perfectly Imperfect Home: Deborah Needelman

Last Sunday I was on my treadmill, as I often am at 8:30am on weekends, watching Open House NYC. It is always so much fun when someone I know appears on TV. And, on January 8th Deborah Needleman, editor in chief of the WSJ Magazine and creator of the Off Duty section of the Wall Street Journal, was featured. When I first met Deborah she was the Founding Editor in Chief of Domino, the much missed youthful, lighthearted, helpful shelter magazine that made design accessible and revealed designers insider secrets.

On the TV segment she shared her lovely NYC loft and some easy decorating tips from sofas covered in washable white canvas to the strategic placement of lamps for a warm glow. Her home reflects just who she is: A stylish, sophisticated working Mother whose preference is for a relaxed and comfortable home. Her new book, THE PERFECTLY IMPERFECT HOME, takes us on a journey of how she came to appreciate the simple elements of style and how some very easy quick fixes will help brighten your house and life!

I want to add that the illustrations are charming and a welcome relief from the glossy photos that are in all new books and every magazine. This artistic format lets you use your imagination to help drive design decisions. I love the chapter on Glamifcations where she claims a bit of “fippery” is actually a necessity. She says, and I agree, that it can elevate a room into an experience. She is looking for the chic combination of simplicity and glam. That could mean the use of very decorative fabrics or a fancy decorative mirror and simple white dinner plates.

This is a delightful book that makes you believe that you can manage a room transformation without spending a King’s ransom and have lots of fun expressing yourself in the process. Deborah makes you re-think the placement of objects, the collection of family photos (often orphans hanging by themselves), and the creation of tablescapes by clustering small objects for a strong visual statement.

Enjoy the charming illustrations!

Barbara Sallick


PS. This is the last week The Perfect Bath will be published in this format (94 blogs have been posted to date). We have re-designed it for an easier format and a little more interactive participation from our readers. Hope you will like it.




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  1. A Noguchi sculpture in iron, wood and rope. I was thinking about propellers when I looked at this. The texture of the iron work is great against the rope.

  2. This wonderful, small and well formed table designed by Ray Eames, is still in production and as beautiful and practical today as it was the day it was designed.

  3. This petal table was designed by Richard Schultz for Knoll. It is another familiar form. I love the white powder coat base against the teak top.

January 11th, 2012

Museum Exhibit: Crafting Modernism

Several weeks ago I took the time while in New York to go to the Museum of Art and Design (MAD) to see the CRAFTING MODERNISM exhibit. The museum, formerly the Museum of Contemporary Crafts (MCC) and later the American Craft Museum (ACM) still retains its original vision by creating exhibits to examine and celebrate American craft in the 20th century. It charts the bold new direction in craft media from the postwar period through the mid 60′s, showing a range of works from the strictly functional but studio made, to beautiful objects integrated into the factory with the designer-craftsman serving as the bridge between hand and machine.

What makes this exhibition so special is that in our technological age the handmade object has become an important expression of individuality. It is also a tribute to the innumerable galleries, journals, conferences and fairs that promoted the studio craft movement; the artists who were willing to develop new techniques with their chosen materials and take advantage of technical advancements. It also acknowledges a group of individuals with vision and energy to support and promote these craftspeople. The influence of craftspeople spread with their participation in international exhibitions with pieces that went outside of traditional boundaries to show work of great originality and energy.

Many of the earliest craftspeople brought a modernist perspective to their art that was shaped by the Bauhaus; for example Joseph and Anni Albers worked to unify art, craft and industry. There was a fine group of artists from Denmark working in metals and ceramics. A crafts lifestyle attracted a small group who wanted self employment and small scale production as a means to being self sufficient. They could work independently or collaboratively, teach, or team with industry where the “designer-craftsman” could create objects with mass production capabilities.

Today the studio craft movement is a vital part of the world art scene. This exhibit and the MAD celebrate artists who have taken their materials to new frontiers. All of the objects are beautifully staged and many of the pieces are awe inspiring. I have included pictures of a few of my favorites, some that are familiar to all of us.

Try not to miss CRAFTING MODERNISM.

Barbara Sallick

 

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  1. An extraordinary cartouche fabricated in terra cotta glazed white.

  2. The highly embellished entry at 65 Bleecker Street.

  3. A view of the facade highlighting the beautiful terra cotta decoration with transparent glass shop entries.

January 4th, 2012

New York Architectural Treasure

A couple of weeks ago I had to go to a meeting on Layfayette Street in Lower Manhattan. I was a bit early so I looked for a place to have a cup of tea and found Le Pain Quotidian. Only when I was leaving and looked up did I realize that I was in a very special building disguised by huge scaffolding. I poked around a bit and found the entrance at 65 Bleecker Street and was I surprised!!

Out came my phone to record the extraordinary architecture and interior decoration. The receptionist was happy to tell me it was called the Bayard-Condict Building and the only building in New York designed by the famous Chicago architect, Louis Sullivan. It was built between 1897-1899 and despite its outstanding architectural characteristics it had little influence on other New York buildings because it was built in an industrial area. It was one of the first steel skeleton frame buildings in the city, an innovation, but what you see is incredible white terra cotta over masonry and an exuberant amount of decoration.

When the scaffolding finally comes down, what you will see is a building constructed in three sections. There is an ornamented base (which is what caught my eye first), a shaft of identical floors with a lighter style of embellishment and a heavily decorated crown. It is 13 stories high but seems taller because the windows are relatively undecorated, accentuating its height.

The restoration began in 2000. All of the 7,000 glazed architectural terra cotta pieces were inspected and, fortunately, only 30 were damaged beyond repair and had to be replicated. The building today looks very close to the original intent of the famous architect. Lost column capitals have been replicated and insensitive storefronts have been replaced. It is quite a sight and worth the trip to inspect the wonderful remnant of old New York.

This is a great example of my “you never know” theory. Something inspirational may be right in front of your eyes!!

Barbara Sallick

 

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  1. An ornament tree as you enter the shop. You immediately feel the holiday spirit.

  2. Great felt coasters in holiday colors. A terrific hostess gift.

  3. For your favorite dog...nice fragrant shampoo or a tin of biscuits plus a selection of dog toys. Lulu usually chooses the stuffed doggie handbag from an overstuffed basket on the floor!

December 21st, 2011

Privet House at Christmas

I love small shops whose owners so tastefully decorate for the holidays. This past weekend I went back to the Privet House in Warren, Ct to find a couple of last minute gifts and was delighted to see the shop looking so festive. There were great gift ideas for everyone on your list from the dog to the smallest child.

While it might be a little late for this year, unless you live in Connecticut, there are great ideas for the future. I especially liked the red glass dishes and the decorated chandelier over the table. Hotel silver is not expensive and makes a sparkling gift if packaged with some greenery. And, my favorite apothecary jars from my last visit have been re-merchandised and are as appealing as ever.

You can never go wrong with a lovely ornament or two, especially vintage ones, and there were lots of them to be found here. Privet House also has a great selection of vintage books (I just bought a great one for a designer friend) on fashion and decorating. Vintage books, in fact books of all sorts, are always appreciated.

Make the holiday special with one special gift from a shop you love.

I send you good wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Happy Holidays.

Barbara

 

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