LIVING WITH FABRICS

As seen in SNAP – May 2013

 

Fabrics can give a room its character as well as reveal as much about your personality as the clothes you wear.  Fabrics can be used in interiors in so many different ways – They can be your drapes, the upholstery in your furniture, pillows, table linens, sheets, blankets and even the towels you use every day are a type of fabric (terrycloth).

 

Iván Meade & Echo Eaton checking fabrics at Meade Design Group Studio

 

As you can see, we are surrounded by fabrics every day.  It seems that using fabrics in interiors should be a very important element in any home, but often this is underestimated.  Aesthetically, fabrics add texture, interest, and beauty; but they can also add functionality to your home.  For instance there are many reasons to dress up a window: Privacy is usually the first need, to keep out sunlight, to disguise the window’s unattractiveness or an unattractive view, and to add more colour and decorative interest to the room.

 

Echo graciously carrying fabrics available at Meade Design Group

 

On the other hand; cushions, pillows and trims come in various styles and can be used to reinforce the lines and style of your upholstered piece.  It is also important to select the right fabric for your lifestyle.  Something that will be durable, yet comfortable to the touch.  People are generally spending more time on their sofas than before, they eat while watching TV, have naps or socialize with friends and pets.  For linens in the 90’s  a 300 thread count was the minimum requirement for a nice set of sheets, nowadays you can find higher thread counts, but take this with a grain of salt because fiber quality, yarn size, finishing and construction can also affect the quality of a pair of sheets regardless of the thread count. After all, we spend around a third of hour lives in our bed.

 

Barbara Barry Fabrics at Meade Design Group

 

If you have kids or pets at home are you choosing the right fabric for your needs? If you have a window facing east or west where the sun hits the strongest – Have you selected the right fabric for your window treatments? – Do you have the softest sheets in your bed?  A fabric is defined by four qualities: its hand, which is the way it feels – rough, smooth, thick, or thin; its textural quality – tufts, nubs, bumps, and reliefs, it’s fibres – natural, synthetic, or blends;  and its pattering – interwoven or imprinted designs.  As a broad generalization, rough, nubby fibers and bold geometrical patterns tend to be more contemporary and masculine in style; smooth, glossy cottons, silks, and pictorial patterns tend to be more traditional and feminine in style.

 

Window Treatments at Meade Design Group

 

Fabrics definitely make our life more comfortable and enjoyable.  We often forget we are surrounded by them so why not give them the attention they deserve and choose fabrics that are really going to improve our lifestyle?

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

THE PALAIS LIECHTENSTEIN

The Palais Liechtenstein, one of Vienna’s and Europe’s most beautiful privately owned palaces has been fully restored and will be open for public tours this spring for the first time.  This palace is considered one of the best examples of Baroque architecture and was once the residence of the royal family of Liechtenstein. 

 

Garden Palace Delsenbach etching © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections

 

In the final days of World War II the palace suffered extensive damage from direct hits in a bombing raid and an aircraft crashing into the roof. The ceiling of the stairway on the second floor was completely destroyed, and there was considerable damage to the adjacent state rooms. In the years immediately following the war work was carried out to secure the fabric and repair the worst damage, but due to the financial losses sustained by the family as a result of and after the war, the palace was not restored until 1974/76.

 

City Palace west facade © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

City Palace west facade destroyed © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections

Liechtenstein City Palace facade © Palais Liechtenstein GmbH_Fotomanufaktur Grünwald

 

At a cost of $135 million and four years of hard work by over 500 artisans the palace has restored the place to its pre-war beauty revamping the building for the family’s private apartments, while visitors will finally get a peek at many of its gilded Rococo interiors, not to mention the prince’s neo-classical art and furnishings collection.

 

City Palace mirror detail © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

City Palace Bouquet room before completion © Palais Liechtenstein

© Palais Liechtenstein

SP Prunktreppe mit Teppich © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

Square room © Palais Liechtenstein GmbH_Alexandra Matzner

 

Deeply rooted in Vienna’s history for over 300 years, the palaces of the princely family of Liechtenstein are notable for their superb state of restoration, original interiors and their stunning symbiosis of nature, architecture and masterpieces of art history.

 

The project was overseen by Hans-Adam II, the reigning prince of one of the smallest and richest principalities in the world.

 

HSH Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu Liechtenstein

 

“It was very important to us to renovate the CITY PALACE, which has belonged to our family since 1694. I feel that we have a certain obligation to preserve it for posterity. Elaborate detailed work has been carried out to bring the palace up to modern standards, whilst preserving all of its historic charm. Now we are delighted to be able to hire the house out for wonderful events and to bring it back to life with guided tours,” explains the owner, HSH Prince Hans-Adam II von und zu
Liechtenstein.

 

With a dramatic palatial staircase, silk wall hangings, and intricate parquet floors the palace has been restored to its full glory.

 

Garden Palace Prohaska Garden © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections

Garden Palace aerial view 2 © LIECHTENSTEIN. The Princely Collections, Vaduz-Vienna

I invite you to visit the website and the video tours of the palace at:

 

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

LIVING WITH Art

As seen in SNAP – April 2013

 

Often I think that the associations with the word “Art” are too strong and misunderstood. Art does not only belong in museums, public buildings or city landscapes. Art also belongs in your home, your bedroom, your bathroom, and your garden.

 

Recently while working on a project with a client in some part of the process I mentioned that we needed to consider some art pieces for the focal point of the room and other walls. My client looked hesitant " But I can't afford art in my space, art is so expensive! " Well I said. "Art doesn’t need to be expensive; It only needs to speak to you and your surroundings".

 

You can find really interesting pieces even in second hand stores. When you bring art to a living environment you bring interest and a more sophisticated feel. Art impacts space in a very personal way. One's art selections can reflect one's mood, vibrancy, culture, and even one's sense of humour in some cases. Art is for me a "stamp in your letter" (Spanish saying) or the icing on the cake for you Canadian people.

 

I have always been fortunate to be surrounded by art. I always thought that having art in your home was as common as having a dish washer or an iron. But this thought started changing when I realized that people often get intimidated by the word and by the art itself. Art can be found in so many ways – Paintings, Sketches, Photographs, Etchings, Sculptures, Masks, Object d’Art, or even an item of nostalgic value. Art can be expensive – yes! , but also art can be inexpensive; a simple framed napkin with a sketch on it can be art in itself. I wish I could have a sketch by Frank Gehry for example. Why not frame the latest cover of Rolling Stone Magazine or a black and white photograph from a Magazine - Art can be social and art can be political, but the most important thing is that art can be everywhere you are - just need to find it and make it yours.

 

 

Sketch by Frank Gehry

 

Here are some examples of Meade Design Group projects where we have use art.

 

African Masks + Engravings – Shoal Point Residence

 

Hand Sketch and Bust – Sherman Oaks

 

"Man and the Bird" by Artist Cony Valdes - Marifield Project

 

Black & White Photography – The Village

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

IN CONVERSATION WITH THOMAS PHEASANT

Thomas Pheasant

 

Internationally acclaimed designer Thomas Pheasant is praised for his work in interior design (including his own furniture lines with Baker and McGuire – in addition to his studio collection) for good reason. A master of the effortlessly chic style which is not only comfortable to live in, but also timelessly elegant. His projects almost always include a nod to classical architecture – however subtle, which help to achieve his signature ageless aesthetic.

 

Thomas is no rookie either. His studio was established in 1980 and is still bustling with beautiful designs in his home state of Washington. He still personally attends to every design decision of his carefully selected projects making each project uniquely his.

 

Mr. Pheasant’s accolades are endless; from the magazines his projects have graced (Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, Veranda and Traditional Homes to name a few), to books (9 and counting!), and the assortment of awards that have been bestowed upon him (countless from Architectural Digest, as well as House beautiful, among others).

 

I am so looking forward to sharing his responses with you – keep reading to get in on the conversation…

 

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

 

Thomas Pheasant – My first experience was when I was nine years old and I decided to redecorate my bedroom.  I painted one wall black, pulled up my blue shag wall to wall carpeting to reveal raw wood floors and made a mobile of record album covers that hung from the center of my ceiling via wire coat hangers.  It was my first exercise in turning ideas into reality. From that day on my room became a constantly evolving space until I left for college. It taught me not to be afraid of trying new ideas and that rooms should not stand still.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade – How would you describe your style?

 

Thomas Pheasant – Modern classicism with an eye toward simplicity.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade – Why do you think the general public is very fond of your style?

 

Thomas Pheasant – I think people are attracted to the ease and serenity of my interiors. I believe in rooms that allow one space to breathe, so my interiors speak to a large audience. This direction is not exclusive to either modern or traditional spaces.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade – You have a gorgeous furniture collection with Baker Furniture - Do you have a piece from any of your collections that is your favorite and why?

 

Thomas Pheasant – My latest collection for Baker is a great representation of the direction I am taking in my interiors studio.  The collection is inspired by the past but presented as a modern take on luxury.  Perhaps my favorite piece is the Athens Chair. It is inspired by the classic klismos form but translated to a unique and modern silhouette. Not only is it beautiful, it is a feat of amazing engineering.

 

Room scene by Thomas Pheasant (Baker Furniture)

 

Iván Meade - The selection of your furniture pieces is always exquisite - What inspired you to include pieces in your projects that are no longer commonly used in today’s homes?

Thomas Pheasant – I love that my clients bring diversity to my work through their interests and collections.  I enjoy building interiors that are inclusive of furnishings or objects that may not reflect the trend of the moment but are reflective of who my clients are.  I think that my own furniture designs have evolved into forms that, while distinctive, are easy to mix with a variety of styles.

 

Room scene by Thomas Pheasant (Baker Furniture)

 

Iván Meade – Are you working on any new collections?

Thomas Pheasant - I am currently working on a new collection of limited edition pieces for my own Thomas Pheasant Studio.  This new collection will be an active and evolving process of presenting special pieces as objects of art for the home.  I am also working on a collection of tabletop items including crystal, silver and china, which will be debuting later this year.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade – You have a home in Washington DC and a Pied-a-Terre in Paris – With strong differences with American and European Design how do you translate your own sensibility to create a space that is truly yours, but also a reflection of where is located and your lifestyle?

 

Thomas Pheasant – I am always true to my ideals of creating spaces that reflect the uniqueness of the location. My Paris apartment was totally rebuilt architecturally in the style of 19th century Paris. I infused the space with my furniture and modern art that reflect my own personal interests. In Washington, my home is a study of classical architecture and my same love for modern furniture and art. The two homes reflect my serene style but they offer me two totally different experiences that connect me to my two favourite cities.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade - What would be your dream project?

 

Thomas Pheasant – I would love to create a luxury hotel that would express a totally new look in modern classical style. The idea of creating a new look in over the top classicism, from interiors to uniforms, would be exciting.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade – What do you enjoy about being a designer?

Thomas Pheasant – The constant challenge to evolve through the support and trust of a diverse clientele. It keeps you young and motivated.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade – What is the best advice you have received as designer?

 

Thomas Pheasant – Don’t be afraid of taking your own road.

 

Room scene by Thomas Pheasant (Baker Furniture)

 

Iván Meade - What is the best advice you could give to somebody who is new in the world of design?

 

Thomas Pheasant – Be patient, find your own voice and give yourself time to build your vocabulary.

 

Interiors by Thomas Pheasant

 

Iván Meade - Lastly, you have already created a stunning body of work with many mediums and styles. What would you like your legacy to be?

 

Thomas Pheasant –Elegance through understanding the past while looking to the future

 

I invite you to visit Thomas Pheasant’s stunning body of work at his website:

 

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

BEIGE VS. TAUPE

As seen in SNAP magazine

The other day I had a very interesting question posted on my Facebook page – What is more chic, beige or taupe?

 

My answer was “beige is for contractors, taupe is for designers, but I personally prefer creams –which is a neutral option as well”.  No offense to Contractors, they do great work; but they have overused the same beige palette for so many years that unfortunately, it has become a very standard and boring colour.  On the other hand, beige is a comfortable colour for the majority of people.  It can add warmth to a space, and it usually looks good with other colour combinations and many light conditions, so it is a no-brainer.

 

Taupes & Creams – Interiors by Meade Design Group

 

I don’t want to advertise that beige is a bad colour, as a designer I think any colour can be a great colour - it all depends on how you are using it and the application of the colour itself.  However, many designers prefer taupes & grays as they are more current and sophisticated thanks to their gray/brown/white base.  Grays & taupes are soft and their colour value reads well with our West Coast light conditions as they are usually inspired by nature itself.  Because we are closer to the North Pole, the light in Victoria is whiter than if you were looking at the same colour in Central America where the natural light has an amber tone.  This is one of the reasons bright colours look so good in the exterior of many Mexican homes but not so much here.

 

Creams with Mauve/Taupe accents – Interiors by Meade Design Group

 

Light plays a very important role when choosing colour.  Light has colour, and white is a colour. You can live in a room without furniture but you can’t live in a room without colour.  And since a colour can shape a room as much as any furniture arrangement, your choice of colour is crucial.  If you are in the process of selecting a colour scheme, think about the quality of the light and the direction of your window exposure – East facing windows get a lot of light in the morning so the sunlight will be warm and yellowy before noon. West facing windows have a warm orangy-red sunlight after noon, and South facing windows have a warm orangy-yellow light all day. North facing windows have no direct sunlight, resulting in a cool bluish light all day.  Using this knowledge, a beige (for instance) can look great in an East facing window and rather green in a North facing window or under fluorescent light.   Always check a colour in the morning, afternoon and at night before committing to live with it.   A colour will change during the day and will be affected by the light.  

 

Are you a beige or a taupe person?

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011