Thursday 26 February 2009

In Conversation with Asli Tunca & Carl Vercauteren

Asli Tunca & Carl Vercauteren
photo by House and Garden


When I first discovered Asli Tunca’s site I was amazed at her beautiful interiors. Asli is a master of creating unique, minimalist layouts with interesting furniture – they can be antique, modern or highly detailed but she always uses an amazing character piece. A striking white-washed patina is often found throughout her projects and creates the perfect backdrop and ambiance for her creations. Her finished product resembles an art composition with a beautiful balance of colour, proportion, scale, light, texture, shape and value.

Asli was born in Istanbul, studied in Switzerland and Paris and has been around the world with her projects. Before she began her interior design business, Asli was already a leading name in fashion design, she now has a line of furniture with her husband, Carl Vercauteren to add to her growing list of talents. Her combination of talents and experiences are evident in her work and I strongly encourage you to check out her website at:


Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

Asli Tunca - That's so long ago , I cannot remember! I have 14 years of experience in antiques, furniture and decoration and 12 years in fashion before that. My mother also attended an Academy of Art. I guess I must have started to create when I started walking and talking!


Photographs courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - What was the transition like from fashion to interiors?

Asli Tunca –It was extremely smooth for me as I had the chance to do a lot of traveling and was able to see beautiful places at an early age, I realized that a big part of what I do now was hidden in me! I find if you do anything with art, you will not get lost when you change it to another form.


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - What does your fashion background bring to your interiors?

Asli Tunca - A knowledge of fabric, leather etc. is naturally deeper. I guess I also know how to create a harmony with different groups of objects and furniture in the same way (nobody matches their shoes and bags perfectly anymore, the same idea works for a space too).


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - How has having a knowledgeable partner in design (Carl is a trained sculptor and antique expert) affected your work?

Asli Tunca - In a wonderful way, both for my life and in my work, I sometimes think does he really know all? It turns out that he really does !!!


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - I read on your website that you and your husband are working on an Ottoman-inspired design line. It is such a great experience to design a line that showcases your heritage. What Turkish elements will you be featuring in your pieces?

Asli Tunca - In ottoman/hand crafted art in contrast to European past culture there is a lack of 3 dimensions, they created quite simple and flat shapes. They compensated with beautiful decorations, incrustations, tiles etc. when we design in this style we try to stick to the rules.


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - You always respect the traditional with a fusion of modernity. I believe this is what makes your style. How do you achieve this?

Asli Tunca - I don’t think about it much differently than one would make a soup; you have to add salt and pepper in the right amounts.


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - Do you have a name for your design style? If not, how would you describe it?

Carl Vercauteren - We design first of all for our clients without losing our own style. Somehow along the way it has become a style even though our clients are many different characters with different tastes, and there is a big variety it has become recognizable. It is hard to give it a name though.


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca

Iván Meade - What do you look for in a furniture piece? Or, in other words, you are very selective in what goes into your designs, what makes a piece important enough to be used in your projects?

Asli Tunca - We look for the quality and finishes and how well it has or is going to age. Don’t get me wrong, there is a chopping block in the middle of our living room, it is a beautiful one and it stands close to a wonderful gilded 17th century furniture but they match so well. I think furniture and objects also have a certain soul by carrying their past lives and their makers emotions. Anything can fit together - it is a feeling, an experience I guess. There is no way to describe it.


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - What is your favourite furniture piece?

Asli Tunca - the ones which look wonderful where they stand!!


Photograph courtesy of Asli Tunca


Iván Meade - The walls in your projects have an incredible patina and warmth. Many North Americans want to eliminate their white walls, especially if they have patina. If a building does not have these already do you create them? If so, what is your process? Do you feel these walls will work in any project?

Carl Vercauteren - The technique used here is a stucco and was done to make the building look genuine and neutral so that it could receive a wide variety of furniture and objects. The patina comes naturally by applying the stucco to the wall which makes it look very real.

Iván Meade - I've noticed that you have unique architectural features in many of your projects, such as the hallway step pictured on your website. Do you often collaborate with architects?

Asli Tunca - The staircase was designed and conceptualized by Carl, he approached it as he would a sculpture.


photo by House & Garden


Iván Meade - Your showroom is stunning and unique, the building itself is amazing as well. What is the story behind your space?

Asli Tunca - The basement is the oldest part of the building. When I purchased it that was the part i fell for. We were expecting to find more of these original features with the same “wow” factor in the rest of the building, but unfortunately the building was completely spoiled by concrete columns and supports in order to reinforce its structure. We decided to break it down and make it look as original as possible by using products and finishes which would age well and fast. It had to look as if it had always been there as it is now.


Photographs courtesy of Asli Tunca


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?

Carl Vercauteren - We create for our clients. If their children will still like what we did it in the future, it would mean we have achieved our goal of creating something timeless.



Photographs courtesy of Asli Tunca

Asli Tunca and Carl Vercauteren's combination of talents and experiences are evident in her work and I strongly encourage you to check out their website at:



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Tuesday 24 February 2009

Crossing Boundaries - The Travel Experience -

I just received this press release and I had to share it with you. Designer Vicente Wolf brings Crossing Boundaries to LIFE.


Vicente Wolf


Travel to Thailand with Vicente Wolf and learn to see through the eyes of this iconic interior designer.

Have you always dreamt of learning to bring global cultures into your home? Do you long to travel and explore the play of composition, scale, color, contrast and light as they are perceived by people living in a world unknown to us? Want to be inspired by these cultures and learn to see your space as a reflection of a global human spirit?

Over the last 30 years, this has been the basis of Vicente Wolf’s work as an interior designer. In October 2009, Vicente will take ten inquisitive travelers with him to explore Thailand and discover the nuances of scale and color that Vicente has come to know exist only there. On this first of a series of international trips, he will share his global vision of design in a uniquely experiential way – guests will be able to see and touch all that he does in real time and experience how the elements outlined in Vicente’s second book, Crossing Boundaries, are represented in the places that he visits, watching it come to life in the items selected in the markets of the world.


Thai Temple - photo by iccaworld

But it’s about more than just traveling to an exotic destination with one of the world’s favorite designers. Vicente is offering a full-circle opportunity that starts with the option of an in-home consultation prior to the trip for him to analyze the space and ascertain what opportunities can be found in the travels. With this visit setting the stage for what’s to come, Wolf will guide guests, once abroad, first to see the global context of where they are by visiting sites personally selected by the designer, and then assist them as they shop the wonderful markets with expert input to ensure that they bring the world into their home – on a personal basis. Once the goods arrive, Vicente will make a second trip to the guest’s home to assist in their placement so that the items can fully represent the guest’s education.


Interiors by Vicente Wolf


Author of two books, Learning to See (Artisan, 2002) and Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design (Monacelli Press, 2006), Vicente Wolf is most passionate about empowering others. The decision to bring the Crossing Boundaries experience to life is a natural procession for this sincere teacher, who lectures annually at Parsons and other interior design schools and, as public speaker, regularly enthralls audiences with experiences gained across the globe.



The cost of traveling with Vicente is $15,000 per person, which includes one-on-one time with the designer, but excludes the cost of travel for Vicente to visit each guest’s home and all travel accommodation and fees for guests. Travel arrangements will be handled by Sterling Brownell Travel and in Thailand, luxury tour operators Abercrombie and Kent will take care of guests.

To learn more about this opportunity, please contact travel@vicentewolf.com

Or visit



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Monday 23 February 2009

The Library : Modern Baroque Interiors by Daab


This post’s featured book is Modern Baroque Interiors by daab.

My good friend Antonieta D'introno recommended this book to me. She said - this book has your name all over it. So I had to get and I have to say that I really have enjoyed it.

This is a must read for those who enjoy blending classic, traditional and modern styles; it is particularly interesting for those who are redesigning an older space but like modern styles (or vice versa). The book is filled with colour photographs of recent projects in the modern-baroque style. Heavily decorated walls, lighting fixtures and draperies contrasted with sleek, modern furnishings in current colour palettes. Each space feels rich and luxurious without looking stuffy or old; reflective surfaces abound. Another great feature of this selection is the variety of projects featured, each project shows a different approach by a different designer in 5 languages (English, French, Spanish, German and Italian), and while most books are a specific feature on well-known designers, this book features a multitude of up-and-comers.

The book itself is an easy read, mainly images with small blurbs but the photography is showcased in a crisp and clean manner. The chunky proportions of this 9” x 9” book makes it great for display, layering horizontally on shelves and coffee tables or upright in a bookshelf.

I really enjoy the design approach featured in this book and it showcases one of my favourite styles for Vancouver Island homes, it is a perfect fit for many of our buildings and residents. I think this is going to be a huge trend for a while, it has already taken off to a great start!



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Saturday 21 February 2009

A Schematic Life

Yesterday was such a great day, lots of positive things happened and it was greatly appreciated due to our rough week last week.

One of the most touching things was a great post from the coolest designer Michelle Morelan on her blog: "A Schematic Life". She posted 2 beautiful renderings one of our studio and one of our projects. It meant a lot to me when she said she found our work inspiring.




Meade Design Group - Studio




Spring Bay Residence - Kitchen by Meade Design Group


Please check out her blog post to read more about Michelle Morelan and to see more of her stunning artwork.



Thanks again Michelle!



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Friday 20 February 2009

We Won! We Won! We Won!


Who knew that being silly and having good laughs would provide us with tickets to see Beyoncé's concert in Vancouver on March  31st! ?????

Echo heard about the Sasha Fierce contest on the radio on her way into work and had to tell me about - she thought I was a definate shoe-in!

Of course, I obliged and we submitted our entries with our fingers crossed.

Lo and behold I am now the proud owner of 2 Beyonce tickets and am officially the firecest poser in town!!!!

Check out the links below to see my official winning post:






MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Thursday 19 February 2009

So Fierce ! ! !

Beyoncé Knowles aka "Sasha Fierce"

The full-time workers at Meade Design Group have taken time out of our busy day to pose a la Sasha Fierce (aka Beyoncé) to win tickets to see her performance at GM place in Vancouver. We feel our glamorous chandelier and wallpaper make the perfect backdrop for fierce divas like us! - We also risked breaking our glass table to get the perfect shot! (luckily it did not break after any of us posed on it!)

Our individual entries are:


"Jesús Godzilla"


Principal Designer Ivan’s alter ego – Jesús Godzilla – is perfect for this Latin interior and graphic designer. Jesús (pronounced “hay-zues”) because he is the second coming in the design world - a prolific figure that others praise, and look up to in awe, this is also a nod to his heritage. Godzilla because really – what is more fierce than Godzilla?

*Please notice his take on the Sasha Fierce pose, complete with a fierce “grrrr”-esque facial expression and exposed chest hair (his shirt was unbuttoned as a special treat just for you).


Echo Eaton aka - " The Pink Princess"

Interior Designer Echo’s alter ego – the Pink Princess – is an exaggeration of her naturally bubbly and girlie personality. The Pink Princess makes all of the rules, is a fashionista and always gets what she wants! Although she knows to use her power for good and not for evil!


Bobbie Cann aka "Miz Granolita"

Bobbie’s alter ego - Miz Granolita (translation: “little granola”) – is a vegetarian graphic designer who loves the outdoors, sailing, kayaking, and animals. These traits are amplified when Bobbie becomes Granolita. There is no stopping her when it comes to saving and preserving mother earth!


Bobbie and I agree that our boss Ivan is the clear winner of this contest but he wouldn’t submit it without us doing it with him. He loves Beyonce – we have even spent a few afternoons trying to learn the single ladies routine here in our studio!


Who do you think is the fiercest of them all ?



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Sunday 15 February 2009

Eye Candy of the Week- Joe Cariati Glass

Glass Decanters by Joe Cariati
Photo by Phillip John Cybulski


PRODUCT

Hand-crafted Contemporary Glassware

DESIGNER
Joe Cariati

COUNTRY
U.S.A.

MATERIAL
Glass


TECHNIQUE
Venetian off-hand glassblowing

YUMMY FACTOR
Delicious !


Joe Cariati is a designer and glassblower from Los Angeles who produces high quality, 100% hand-made, hand-crafted contemporary glassware. His collection of elegant bottles, bowls and vases are a response to the need for original hand-made work to be accessible, affordable and unique. All work is made by Joe, from start to finish using a Venetian off-hand glassblowing technique that makes each piece one-of-a-kind.


Joe Cariati Website -



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Thursday 12 February 2009

In Conversation with Jonathan Adler

In Memoriam of Mr. Greg Young

Jonathan Adler


IVAN MEADE - What was your first experience with design?

JONATHAN ADLER - I was twelve when I first tried pottery at summer camp and have been passionate about it ever since. In everything I do, I am obsessed with fusing serious craftsmanship with happy iconography.


Lantern Bowl by Jonathan Adler


Bull by Jonathan Adler - Menagerie Collection


IVAN MEADE - Who or what has influenced your style?

JONATHAN ADLER - I am madly, deeply, truly, and passionately in love with Hans Coper. His forms and finishes are perfection and he has been a huge influence on me. I am also mad for Bjorn Wiinblad and Stig Lindberg, both mid-century Scandinavian designer/potters whose work is simultaneously gorgeous and cheeky. I try to make pots that are unimpeachably chic and infectiously joyous and Wiinblad and Lindberg both pulled off that combination magnificently.

As for designers, I absolutely adore David Hicks. Obviously his graphics and color sense are worthy of worship, but what I particularly love about his work is the way he mixed styles, pairing traditionalia with modernism with classicism with whatever he felt like and always did it with a sense of boldness and confidence. I don't believe in strict adherence to any particular style -- I believe that you should surround yourself with the stuff you love and you should do so with confidence and I think David Hicks showed how mix and match with panache.


Interiors by Jonathan Adler


Interiors by Jonathan Adler


IVAN MEADE - You are infamous for having fun with design and creating your own style. How would you describe your style?

JONATHAN ADLER - I consider myself a Maximalist designer and, as a Maximalist, I combine styles with a sense of abandon and fun. Maximalism is life-affirming and Minimalism is gloomy. I want to look back at my life and remember the fun of a powder room wallpapered in a lime-green brocade pattern, or the excess of a giant vase filled with hundreds of peacock feathers -- it's the over-the-top things that stay with us.




IVAN - Do you have any specific design philosophy or mantra?

JONATHAN ADLER - Our company motto is "If your heirs won't fight over it, we won't make it". I have an aversion to buying things that are just okay or that will do for now -- everything we make is the result of passion for design and commitment to quality.


Interiors by Jonathan Adler


IVAN MEADE - Name 5 things you can’t do without...

JONATHAN ADLER:

1. My bloke, Simon Doonan


2. Our beloved Norwich terrier, Liberace


3. My pottery wheel


4. My squillions of handcrafted tchotckes

5. My ping pong table



IVAN MEADE - What should every room have in it?

JONATHAN ADLER - The hanging chair. Every house should have a hanging chair. There is a constant battle over who gets to sit and swing.


Interiors by Jonathan Adler


IVAN MEADE - Where do you see design going in the next ten years? Do you feel it’s important to follow trends?

JONATHAN ADLER - The exciting thing about this time in design is that we live in an anything-goes world. I am starting to think that Eclecticism, the buzzword for the last few years, is too weak a word to describe the amped-up style du jour -- I prefer Aggressive Incongruity.


Claridge Teadrop Lamp designed by Jonathan Adler


IVAN MEADE - We really enjoyed seeing you as a judge on the reality television competition “Top Design”, do you plan on any more television appearances?

JONATHAN ADLER: If I follow what Gore Vidal said -- "Never pass up the opportunity to have sex or appear on television…

Interiors by Jonathan Adler


IVAN MEADE - Your line has expanded to include furniture, rugs and lighting....what’s next for Jonathan Adler?

Caprice Dining Table designed by Jonathan Adler


JONATHAN ADLER: I've opened new stores, one on the Upper West Side and one in Santa Monica. I’m always designing and trying to find time to work in my pottery studio.

IVAN MEADE - Lastly, you have created a stunning body of work in a multitude of mediums – what would you like your legacy to be?

JONATHAN ADLER: My lifelong mission is to meld happiness with chicness, and to take over the world with my vision of “happy chic”.


Interiors by Jonathan Adler


Jonathan Adler Bio.-

Since receiving his first order for pottery from Barneys New York fifteen years ago, Jonathan Adler’s eponymous company has grown to become an internationally recognized lifestyle and home furnishings brand offering tabletop, bedding, bath accessories, furniture, rugs, pillows and lighting.

Jonathan Adler is known for a design aesthetic which pairs modernist forms with bold colors and groovy graphics. The company motto, “If your heirs won’t fight over it, we won’t make it”, reflects Jonathan’s commitment to impeccable craftsmanship and panache.

Jonathan Adler has seven company-operated stores nationwide as well as a thriving consumer website.

Through its wholesale division, the company sells its groovy home décor in over 1,000 locations worldwide. Additionally, Jonathan Adler is one of the country’s leading interior designers, working on luxury residential projects as well as large-scale commercial projects, including the celebrity hot spot Parker Palm Springs hotel.

Jonathan is the lead judge on the Bravo television series, Top Design.

I invite you to discover Jonathan Adler work at his website:


Ivan Meade is a local designer and principal of Meade Design Group, a multidisciplinary interior and graphic design studio in the heart of downtown Victoria BC www.themeadegroup.com





MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Sunday 8 February 2009

In Memoriam

"And when you're consoled (everyone eventually is consoled), you'll be glad you've known me. You'll always be my friend. You'll feel like laughing with me.

And you'll open your window sometimes just for the fun of it... And your friends will be amazed to see you laughing while you're looking up at the sky. Then you'll tell them, 'yes, it's the stars; they always make me laugh!' And they'll think you're crazy. It'll be a nasty trick I played on you ..."

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
The Little Prince.



Mr.Greg Young + Stylist [ 1964 -2009 ]


Greg was with us since the very beginning. In fact it was Greg that gave Meade Design Group it's name. Words cannot express how much he will be missed. He was our idea sounding board and always gave us his honest feedback. His sense of style is in many of our projects, the blog and his support made a big difference personally and professionally.

He was Karim Rashid's biggest fan and Jonathan Adler's prime collector. He was the master of cool and for those that knew him, he had a wicked sense of humor.

He was our best friend.

February 08, 2009



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Friday 6 February 2009

Eye Candy of the Week - Damian Garrido


PRODUCT
Centrepiece, Cubes Model, 1994


DESIGNER
Damian Garrido

COUNTRY
Spain

MATERIAL
Sterling Silver
925

LIMITED EDITION
35 PIECES

WEIGHT
1.625 gr

DIMENSIONS
40 cm length, 19 cm width, 14 cm height


YUMMY FACTOR
C'est exquis !

One of the most innovative ateliers working in silver today, Damian Garrido uses dying techniques to form intensely modern designs that strike a harmonious balance between history and innovation, line and curve, solid and void. Each design thoroughly appeals to my own sense of balance, my appreciation for historical techniques and designs in conjunction with my pursuit of things unique and innovative. In the end, it is the timeless beauty of each piece that marks their success.

Barry Friedman
Barry Friedman Ltd., New York




MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011