My Ten Favourite Outdoor Accessories

Summer is here!  Yeah! Yeah! and another Yeah!

 

The sun is bright and everybody wants to enjoy the outdoors.  Here is a list of my 10 favourite outdoor accessories for the season.

 

Which one is your favourite?

 

Floor Fireplace by Blomus

Designed by Flöz Design

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

Solea Sundial by Blomus

Designed by  Ralph Kondermann

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

Horseshoes Game Set

Available at Restoration Hardware

 

Viento - Pinwheel by Blomus

Designed by Susanne Augenstein

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

Wireless Outdoor Porable Speaker

Available at Restoration Hardware

 

Bola – Garden Globes by Blomus

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

Amalfi Square Lanterns

Available at Restoration Hardware

 

Fire Basket by Blomus

Designed by Fried Ulber

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

Royal Botania Wave Hammock

Designed by Erik Nyberg and Gustav Ström

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

Royal Botania Ninix NNX90

Available at Gabriel Ross

 

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Examining the Value of a Solid Graphic Identity and Marketing Strategy During a Recession

There is such a difference between cost and value that people are not always willing to acknowledge during trying economic times. I think this is a perfect time to examine the value of a solid graphic identity and marketing strategy with my readers. Not only as promotion for my own business - I would prefer it if this post can be a resource to help businesses in difficult times - but as a quick lesson that shows the general public the significance of what a graphic designer can do for their business.

 

Graphic Identity for Meade Design Group

 

It is very common for businesses to reduce their marketing and graphic work to cut costs and overhead when income is not being produced as steadily. However this can greatly affect your business in negative ways; your graphic image is how others recognize you and look at you in a professional manner. If your image begins to slip, others may view this as a weakness in the company's professionalism and that you may not be as productive or resilient as you once were.

 

 

Graphic Identity for The Design District

 

 

Furthermore, while other businesses around you are cutting these costs this is the perfect time to make your business stand out from the crowd and to elevate your image and professional package above the competition. It is important for your customers to know that they can trust in you and your business in the years to come, remember: it's not always just getting the clients attention with your graphic image, it's keeping their attention, trust and interest.

 

Advert for Luxe Interiors

Designed by Meade Design Group 

 

This is also the perfect time to approach a designer or public relations representative as many of them are being cut from your competitor's budgets. They may have special rates or packages available while trying to gain a larger client base, this is the case particularly for return clients.

 

 

Graphic Identity for Sprouts

 Designed by Meade Design Group 

 

Graphic Identity for Queenswood

 Designed by Meade Design Group 

 

In situations like these it is also those companies that expand and try things that are outside of the box that will succeed; your graphic designer or marketing team may be able to come up with unique ways to help possible clientele find you. Often times there are various inexpensive advertising methods that are grossly overlooked although proven very successful for those who are willing to try. They may also be able to help you brainstorm limited time offer packaged services that may get you clients that never thought they could afford you. These clients will be very excited to have their opportunity and will most likely return once this offer is gone.

 

Labels and Ribbon for Finn & Izzy

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

Ad for Finn & Izzy

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

This is also a very important time to make sure your website is current, accurate and easy to navigate. Technology is always on the rise and you may be surprised to find out how much business is now generated over the world-wide-web.

 

Business Card Design for Tafe Measure

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

If you are a retailer you may want to consider upgrading your website to accommodate online purchases (e-commerce). Your customers are busier than ever and often turn to the internet to save gas, time and money - help them find you with a website that is easily found by search engines and makes it easy to shop from the comfort of their own home. This is also helpful to you - business is much more cost-effective when done on-line; there is no staff to pay but you can remain open for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and are available to possible customers around the globe rather than being restrained to your own town.

 

Running with Scissors Promotional Items

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

 Running with Scissors E-Commerce Site

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

Website for Kimberly Williams

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

Website for Eva Campbell

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

If you are a service based company, ask your web developer to check on the efficiency of your website: how well the search engines find you, how many people come to your site versus how many contact you from it and what pages they visit. This is very valuable information as to what is working for you and your business. Also be sure to maintain a current portfolio and if possible, change your welcome page often to keep visitors coming back to see what is new and exciting with your business.

 

Letterhead design for Kimberly Williams

Designed by Meade Design Group

 

All in all, please be sure never to underestimate value over cost, if you invest and trust in a solid graphic identity and marketing strategy you are sure to reap an abundance of rewards.

 

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In Conversation with Alexandra Von Furstenberg

Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

The name “Von Furstenberg” is synonymous with aristocracy, high-end design and fashion but Alexandra von Furstenberg is making her mark with her own collection of limited edition home furnishings that have dazzled design-geeks, consumers and critics alike. Alexandra’s 2008 collection was comprised of modern, light reflecting acrylic with high-impact, bold, neon-coloured edges. The 2008 collection was fun and pop-inspired with clean lines and a modern take on the art-deco style.

 

The 2009 collection from Alexandra von Furstenberg has similar lines to the previous collection but takes on new life with masculine, strong and sultry colours, reminiscent of gunmetal or a beautifully applied smoky eye. It is a more elegant and classic take on the fun, pop-colours of her previous collection and in combination with some new pieces with more rectilinear forms, these pieces are a real treat for homeowners with a more subdued or dramatic home.

 

 

Alexandra has a very strong background in the arts, she attended both Parsons School of Design and Brown University, majoring in costume design and art history. She began a career as Creative Director and later as Director of Image for her mother in-law, International fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and decided to change her focus to interiors in 2006. Her exclusive collections have been very well-received and are continuing to grow and thrive. Alexandra’s her work has graced many magazine pages and high-end homes, we can’t wait to see what she’ll come up with next.

 

Please read on to find out more about this talented designer…

 

Iván Meade – What was your first experience with design?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – My first experience was designing costumes for the drama department at Brown University. My fashion portfolio continued as I worked alongside my mother-in-law for ten years. This unique experience in fashion was a great segue into a personal passion for designing my own living spaces. It was a natural transition into product design, beginning with the launch of the AVF collection in 2008.

 

  Gangster Console by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – Who or what has influenced your style?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – The style of my current collection, Voltage, was influenced by 1940s Art Décor, Hollywood glamour mixed with 60s retro, and a space odyssey, futuristic vision.

 

Bullet Cocktail Table by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – How would you describe your style?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – My style embodies the sleek, modern lacquered design seen in both my 2008 and 2009 collections. The chic, elegant lines of the furniture and accessory pieces are matched with quality craftsmanship.

 

M-!6 Cube End Tables by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What designers of past and present do you admire most?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – There are so many designers I admire, but if I have to call out a couple I would have to say Pierre Cardin - Although he was most known for his work in fashion, he was so innovative during his short career in furniture design. Also, Charles Hollis Jones for being a pioneer in Lucite in the early 70s.

 

Revolver Occasional Table by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What do you consider to be your greatest strength and your greatest weakness?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – My strength lies in the creative process and being able to bring my vision to three-dimensional form. The greatest challenge for me is to stick with my designs even when they are misunderstood.

 

Blacksmith Desk by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What was the transition like from fashion to interiors? Was it difficult to remove yourself from your successful career at Diane von Furstenberg?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – The creative process in fashion and interiors is very similar in that your sense of style is all around you - not only in the way your dress, but also in the way you decorate your home. It is a form of lifestyle. Of course it was difficult to walk away from a successful career in fashion, but it was a transition I was ready for.

 

Soiree by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What compelled you to move into interiors from fashion?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – It was a natural progression for me.

 

Axel Desk by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What books are currently on your bedside or coffee table?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – Frank Lloyd Wright: Complete Works and Helmet Newton are on my coffee table and by my bed I have Conversations with God.

 

XOXO Table by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What attracts you to acrylic as your medium of choice in your designs?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – I felt that acrylic had been so misunderstood and misused. I wanted to give it the design credit it deserved.

 

Sledge Cocktail Table by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What are you excited about right now in the world of design (this can be both fashion and interiors if you would like)?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – Consumers seem to be less conservative than they once were, leaving room for diversity.

 

Bootleg Trays by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What piece has given you the most satisfaction?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – It’s not really a particular piece, but the collection as a whole. When I launched my first and then second collection, the satisfaction of seeing all of my work come to life was indescribable. It was the birth of my brainchild, so to speak.

 

Blindfold 4 Panel Screen by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – Do you have a signature detail or design mantra that you apply to all of your pieces? If so, what is it?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – Each design in my collection features the lip logo on a numbered, dated and signed plaque. In a sense, the pieces become functional art. As for a design mantra, the words Fearless hang in my Los Angeles showroom. I think it is the strength behind these words that drives my creative force in this challenging industry.

 

Trillion by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – What is your next design venture?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – I hope to someday grow AVF into a full blown lifestyle brand, reaching all levels of design.

 

Sledge Cocktail Table by Alexandra Von Furstenberg

 

Iván Meade – Lastly, you have already created stunning collections of furniture and accessories that show your talent and growth as a designer. What would you like your legacy to be?

Alexandra von Furstenberg – To continue to have collections that adapt to the changes in consumer’s lifestyles – from their homes, to their clothing, and their technology. I also hope to evolve in the same way, as a designer.

 

ALEXANDRA VON FURSTENBERG

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My ten favourite pieces from AB Interiors

If you have not read the comment from AB Interiors in my last blog entry, you may not now how I was encouraged to post an entry about their product line (in the friendliest way of course!).

However, once I took a look at their online store I was excited to find all of the pieces I would need for my dream summer cottage. I would love to own a cozy place by the sea filled with rustic, Belgian inspired pieces for a casual yet elegant place to get away from work and busy downtown Victoria.

Take a peek below to find some of the highlights I would need to include in my dream cabin…

 

Which ones are your favourite pieces?

 

Large Wood Chandelier

 

Wood Canister

 

Finial Book Ends

 

Malaga Dining Table

 

Pacifica Ottoman

 

Versailles Sheets

 

Bamboo Flatware

 

Barrington Table Lamp 

 

Chachepot Basket

 

  Pacifica Lounge Chair

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In Conversation with Russ Heinl

Russ Heinl is a very talented well-established photographer. His main subject matter is aerial and architectural photography plus a totally new and different direction he has gone in: black and white medium format photography.  Over the last 16 years Russ has had 11 aerial books published including: Over Beautiful British Columbia, Over Canada and Portugal An Adventure of Discovery.   He is definitely one of the best interior photographers on the West Coast.

 

Vancouver Library

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

Architectural

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

I strongly encourage you to check out his websites [www.HeinlAerialPhotography.com and also www.RussHeinl.ca] for yourself and to read on to learn more about this talented local photographer.

 

Bamberton

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

Iván Meade - When did you first get started in photography? 

Russ Heinl -  I still recall the day, I was 19 at the time when my girlfriend (now my lifelong friend and wife of 37 years) bought me my first camera as a gift.  I started taking pictures later that same day and since then have never stopped.

 

Dallas Road

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

Iván Meade - What is it about photography that interests you as an artist?

Russ Heinl – It is the ability to capture an image that reflects how I am seeing and feeling the subject.  Perhaps my favorite photographic quote will serve as a good example of this:   “There are always two people in every picture:  the photographer and the viewer” – Ansel Adams.   The photograph allows me to share this moment with others.

 

Elk Lake

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

Sidney

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

Iván Meade - Where do you draw your inspirations?

Russ Heinl – Two places.   One comes from the subjects themselves.  When you connect with your subject you feel inspired, it just feels right and the photography falls into place naturally.  The second comes from enjoying other photographer’s work, certain images really connect with me and I get a great deal of pleasure from looking at them, they inspire me to get out there and get photographing.

 

Machine

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

Iván Meade – Who has influenced and motivated you the most?

Russ Heinl – As for influenced, nobody makes me want to take better photographs more then Ansel Adams.  No matter how many times I look at his work it never ceases to amaze me how perfectly he has captured the moment.  His composition is impeccable!

And as for motivation there are two gentlemen who have truly motivated me and given me the confidence to move forward with my work.

The first is Ted Grant, Canada’s premier living photographer with a career spanning 55 years.  The National Archives of Canada have a dedicated “Ted Grant Photo Collection” and he is the only photographer to hold both Gold and Silver medals from the National Film Board of Canada.

About 19 years ago I humbly and somewhat nervously approached Ted requesting he review my portfolio and offer his frank opinion on my work.  From our first meeting Ted has always been very supportive and encouraged me to get out there and work hard and to not be afraid to pursue my dream. Over the years and from time to time I would show him my progress and our relationship and my confidence grew from there.  Thanks Ted!

Robert Bateman is one of Canada’s national treasures and he needs no introduction.  When my first book “Where The Eagle Soars” was nearing completion I contacted his office requesting he review my work with a request for him to write the foreword to the book.   Eventually the two of us connected, he liked the photography and he did write the foreword, we even ended up working together on a west coast lighthouse project we both had an interest in.   Robert has encouraged me as an artist but more importantly his philosophy that “composition is everything” has greatly influenced and guided my approach to photography.  Thanks Robert!

 

Winter Snow

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

The Oriental Hotel

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

 

Iván Meade – In what direction has your photography moved?

Russ Heinl – A good question as I feel I have come full circle now.  As you know I am well known for my aerial and architectural work and like many photographers have been making my living in the commercial world shooting 35-mm digital color images.  More recently I felt an urge to get back to my photographic roots.  Simply put I needed to get back to making photographs again, not just taking them.

So now my artistic side is experiencing a renaissance from shooting black and white images on my medium format Hasselblad film camera.  The camera is totally mechanical, the image is square and it takes time and a degree of skill to operate.  By its very nature it makes you slow down and think about what you are doing and to really give serious consideration to the composition.

 

Winter Snow

Photograph courtesy of Russ Heinl

 

Iván Meade – Do you have any new projects coming up in the near future?

Russ Heinl – Yes there is a new and exciting project in the planning stages now.   I’ve partnered up with the British Columbia Cancer Foundation (BCCF) and a corporate sponsor to launch a solo art exhibition of my black and white photography that will be a fundraiser event for the BCCF later this year.   Robert Bateman has graciously agreed to write the introduction to the show for us.

 

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Eye Candy of the Week – Calvin Klein Fabrics

Yesterday I received the new 4 fabric books from the Calvin Klein Home collection by Kravet – a must have in any interior designers library.

VANUATO – DRIZZLE

77% COTTON, 17% VISCOSE, 6% LINEN

The collection has been under development for the past 18 months and the results are quite astonishing. This week we will have more than one eye candy – it is really hard to choose only one fabric for this section.

The colours are the classic Calvin Klein – Sophisticated hues of Tusk, Bark, Pyrite and Arctic tones “all easy to live with colours”

FORUM – BISQUE

78% RAYON, 20% POLYESTER, 2% COTTON

DAPPER – PORCINI

65% VISCOSE,19% COTTON,16% POLYAMIDE

SENTO – POND

44% COTTON,39% VISCOSE,17% LINEN

SHIBORI – ANTIQUE

63% COTTON, 37% RAYON

DEBUT – PEARL

68% SILK, 32% ACRYLIC

PRODUCT
Calvin Klein Fabrics

DESIGNER
Calvin Klein

MANUFACTURE
Kravet

MATERIAL
The fabrics range from solids, luxurious textures, silks, waxed linens, embroidered linens, velvets, silk/mohair and luxurious cashmere.

YUMMY FACTOR
C’est exquis !

All the fabrics are available through Meade Design Group

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In Conversation with Angie Hranowsky

Angie Hranowsky is the principal of Angie Hranowsky Design Studio and much like Meade Design Group, she runs a multidisciplinary design firm specializing in both interior and graphic design services. This combination is very advantageous to commercial clients who are looking to have a cohesive flow through their stationery, website and office space.

 

Angie Hranowsky

 

Angie began her career as a well respected graphic artist, she graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a BA in Art History and further refined her craft when she graduated from the Portfolio Center of Atlanta, specializing in Graphic Design in 1997. Angie worked at Miami’s renowned firm Pinkhaus before opening her current firm in 2000 where she began to incorporate interior design into her portfolio using her knowledge of the elements and principles of design. Since the business’s inception she has been able to work with such elusive graphic design clients as Mercedes-Benz, Atlantis Resorts, and Perla Anne and has had her interior design work featured in Metropolitan Home, Domino, and House Beautiful.

Both of Angie’s design skills (interior and graphic) embrace a wonderful flair for a mix of vintage and new, bold colours, and clean lines. She always achieves a fresh, modern, and comfortable outcome. I have always said that the transition between graphics and interiors is actually a very small gap to bridge; it is simply applying your style and re-thinking it to work cohesively between different dimensions of space and I love that there is another designer out there that is filling that niche. I believe it is a true testament to how enduring, and versatile one’s design sense really is.

I encourage you to view Angie’s portfolio on her website [http://www.angiehranowsky.com/] and to learn more about this talented designer below…

Iván Meade – What was your first experience with design?

Angie Hranowsky – When I was little I would create houses for my barbies using my mother's record albums for walls and my grandmother would sew me little bed spreads and bolster pillows. I had little wicker furniture and I made drapes that I taped to the walls of the albums. I was also very much in to fashion. By the time I was in high school I would spend hours each night creating outfits. I would take things like tapestries from Pier 1 and using them for skirts.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – Who or what has influenced your style?

Angie Hranowsky - Mid-century design and architecture is probably the biggest influence. I have always been drawn to it.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – How would you describe your style?

Angie Hranowsky  - Modern, comfortable and colorful. I love to mix things up. I think a house feels much more interesting if there are different styles and different textures. A home should feel like you've been collecting things over time not like it was decorated from one store at one time. I want the unexpected. It should make the owner feel happy and unique.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – What designers of past and present do you admire most?

Angie Hranowsky  - David Hicks, Saul Bass, Eero Saarinen, Gio Ponti, Steven Gambrel, Billy Baldwin

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – How did you find the transition from graphics to interiors?

Angie Hranowsky  – Fairly easy, but interior design just comes naturally to me. It's been more about working out the transition on the business side. I think my graphic design training has allowed me to come to a job with a different and fresh point of view.

 

 

Iván Meade – What do you consider to be your greatest strength and your greatest weakness?

Angie Hranowsky – I have a very good instinct for design and what works and I'm good with people. My weakness is that I tend to procrastinate some times. Although I'm usually on fire when it gets to be crunch time. I also tend to be a yes person, which is not always a good thing. I have to force myself to slow down and say no sometimes.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – Some graphic designers would not call themselves illustrators or typographers; do you do all of your own illustrations with your graphic design work and do you enjoy creating or customizing typography?

Angie Hranowsky - I do not do much illustration work. If it needs to be fairly complicated I hire an illustrator. I do not create typography, but I love working with it. I have worked with graphic designers who are really more illustrators or artists and typography bored them to tears. I love the graphic aspect of typography and playing with letters and form.

Iván Meade – What books are currently on your bedside or coffee table?

Angie Hranowsky  - The Believers by Zoe Heller, When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris and a ton of design magazines.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – What are you excited about right now in the world of design?

Angie Hranowsky  - I think like most people I am excited about where we are headed in the world of green design. Really good eco friendly design choices are becoming much less limited all the time.

 

  Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – I love that you are not afraid of bold shots of colour and pattern in your interiors. How do you encourage your clients to take that leap?

Angie Hranowsky  - So far there has not been a lot of coaxing. My clients are great and very open to ideas. If it's a client that is not as crazy about pattern or to much color then we just find the right balance. There has to be a trust there between you and the client if the space is going to be successful.

 

  Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – What would be your dream project?

Angie Hranowsky  - A small boutique hotel or a classic mid-century house like an Albert Frey or Richard Neutra house.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – What project has given you the most satisfaction?

Angie Hranowsky  – Every new project that I finish gives me the most satisfaction. Truly, when I finish an interior I think this is the best one yet and then I move on to the next one and think wait this is the best one yet.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – What are your favourite or most unusual printing techniques for your graphic design projects?

Angie Hranowsky - I am pretty straight forward when it comes to printing. I focus on clean, beautiful design, top notch printing and usually top of the line uncoated paper. I love letterpress and try to do that as much as I can. Right now I'm working on a wedding invitation suite that will be sold through a friends retail letterpress business.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – Your mixtures of modern and vintage in your interiors are always seamless and appear effortless; although they are obviously from different eras when you look at each piece individually, together they have a perfect consistency. What is your secret when combining multiple styles?

Angie Hranowsky  - I don't have a secret. It's just instinctive. It's always about finding the right balance between styles, colors and finishes.

 

Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

Iván Meade – What is your next design venture?

Angie Hranowsky  - Right now I'm working on an Idea Home for Coastal Living and I'm concentrating on building my interior business. Charleston is a beautiful historic city, but has no roots in twentieth century or modern design. It attracts people from all over the country and my style offers something original.

 

  Photograph courtesy of Angie Hranowsky

 

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?

Angie Hranowsky - That I created beautiful and original work. Rooms that were long lasting and made an impact in peoples lives. That my graphic design work contributed to the strength and longevity of people's businesses. 

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Bienvenue Milène!

The designers at Meade Design Group are pleased to introduce a new member of our team: Milène Vallin

 

Mademoiselle  Milène Vallin

 

Milène is a graphic design student from Lyon, France. She is going to be working with us during the month of June as an intern in order to get the necessary credits for her graduation from ESDRA.

 

Echito, Mademoiselle Milène, Miz Bobbie

 

We are very excited and honoured that she has come from so far to work with us. She is very talented and very sweet, it s a pleasure to have her in the studio and we are sure you will all welcome her as a part of our team while she is here!

 

Iván, Mademoiselle Milène and Miz Bobbie

 

The first task we gave her was to create a new banner to go on the news section of the website.  Take a look at the cool design she created for us.  She is going to bring a very French eye to graphic design in Victoria, BC while she is here.

 

 

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In Conversation with Michelle Morelan

As Seen in SNAP Victoria – June 2009

 

Michelle Morelan is a native of Ucluelet, BC with an eye for brilliant West Coast design. She lives and works between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Aside from being a great and talented interior designer she is also an amazing artist and her project renderings are totally worth framing. Michelle has one of the best interior design blogs I follow "A Schematic Life". I had the pleasure of meeting her at a blogger party in Vancouver and I have to say that she has a great sense of humour and a very warm personality. Everybody wants to be friends with Michelle!

Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - What is your favourite design find?

Michelle Morelan - We travel quite a bit, and I am enamored with the flea markets of Paris and Amsterdam, but I love natural curiosities like sticks, stones, old bird’s nests, driftwood and seashells. For example, when I installed the show suite at the Moorage in Ucluelet, I created a driftwood sculpture on a cedar plinth with drill, a dowel, wood glue and a cedar block.

Rendering by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - Why is it important to you?

Michelle Morelan - It’s my one of my favorite design finds because it was almost free; proof, and a reminder, that you don’t have to spend lots of money on design. With clients on smaller budgets, I have often looked to nature to fill the gap by using shells, stones and moss, mixing them with something like the client’s crystal vase, or wooden boxes from their workshop. With my first apartment, I created birch tree wall art, and I would use salal or ferns in vases; it curbed my need to spend on expensive flowers, and I learned to love all of those shades of green. Now, even know I can afford flowers; I look forward to spring, so I can force branches inside.

Interior Design by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - How does this item reflect upon your personal design philosophy?

Michelle Morelan - I believe strongly in the interior/exterior relationship and looking to nature for inspiration. This is when I think you can create a space that is calming and seamless. Maybe it’s not obvious, like a piece of driftwood; maybe you look to nature for the perfect colour of blue. I once specified colours from a dozen brown eggs. I think one of the reasons we find some colour choices in rooms jarring is that they are unnatural colours; nature is the best designer. Designers often translate nature’s principles of scale, proportion, colour, line and emphasis, and bring them inside, even if you don’t want to live with sticks and stones. You may not even know why you feel so comfortable in that space; it just feels good.

Rendering of Meade Design Group Studio by Michelle Morelan

Special Gift for Albarosa from Brillante Home Decor by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

Michelle Morelan - I think the first one is difficult to establish. My Aunt in Cape Breton had an amazing farmhouse and lake house not too far away from each other that we used to visit in the summer as children. I remember being in awe of both homes. She had exquisite taste.

At about 13 years old, I remember designing a Japanese tea garden (on paper, in plan) for my family’s rocky backyard. A couple of years later, I bought my first issue of AD. It was the Exotic Homes around the World issue and a home in Mexico was featured- there was a seamless transition from indoors to out; so different than homes in my neighborhood. I would go to bed dreaming of walking though that space; how I would come in the front door, which room would be mine, what I would be wearing and doing in each room, at each time of the day.

When I was 15, my family commissioned a local builder to build us a new home, and I was the sweeper onsite. All of these things got me thinking about the build environment.

Aunt Glenna’s Cabin in Cape Breton

Iván Meade – Did you always want to be an interior designer?

Michelle Morelan - Yes, as long as I can remember, but I got a later start in life; I had my sons at 21 and 23 and really wanted to spend time with them as they were growing up. I opted to start at Kwantlen at 36, and graduated with an Applied Design Degree right before my 40^th birthday. Albeit difficult, it was one of the best moves I have ever made. I’ve been in business for myself almost 2 years now!

Michelle’s drafting and drawing tools

Iván Meade – Your interiors are not just beautiful and have the west coast contemporary feeling, but they are also very livable. How do you achieve that?

Michelle Morelan - Programming is key- a space can look magazine worthy, but not function for the family who uses it on a daily basis. I believe that good designers ask the right questions, understand and filter the answers, then compose a comfortable formula of form and function. The fact is, most clients bring stuff with them you wouldn’t choose, and budgets run out; that’s the challenge.

I love having the opportunity to watch clients use the spaces; the way they interact with friends at parties or play with their kids after dinner. I want my clients to praise the design after I am gone, and they start living their lives- instead of cursing it.

Contemporary West Coast is a favorite look of mine, and I love the work of Vancouver architects Brian Hemingway, Battersby/Howat and the Patkau’s. It’s about being quiet in nature, and appropriate to site. I believe the same is true with interiors.

Interior Design by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - I believe one of your strengths as a designer is your renderings - all your hand sketches are always exquisitely well done – Where do you get your inspiration from?

Michelle Morelan - Thank you. I really think it’s becoming a lost art, with the precise computer renderings available at such a low prices.

I have been influenced by nature first, but then the sketches in AD, of Albert Hadley, Mark Hampton and a great instructor at Kwantlen- Tony O’Regan.

My very first clients showed such excitement when I walked them through a SketchUp model of their unframed space; I will remember it forever. A picture is worth a thousand words, and I feel that it’s a skill that nicely compliments interior design. Even know renderings are not in the budget for most clients, I typically include one either of the finished space, as a gift after project completion, or of the schematic space early in the process.

I really do think we can all draw. There are fundamentals and techniques, and you have to practice without fear, but it’s not that difficult. It’s one of those things you just have to DO and enjoy.

Digital Renderings by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade – Do you have other strengths or weaknesses that we don’t know?

Michelle Morelan - I have a very strong sense of fairness, and have little tolerance for those who do not.

Interior Design by Patricia Gray & Rendering by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - What does it mean for you to blog your ideas about design, the story behind your renderings and basically open your personal life to the web?

Michelle Morelan - If I thought about it too much, I may not do it. I guess I have a level of voyeurism, and am interested in other’s lives, so I’m open to sharing mine in return. I think it’s nice to know we are human, and more like each other than not. Besides, my studio is right in the middle of my home, so there is no separating the two (or should I say three) areas of my life. There are blogs that stick to design, which I love, but I like sharing family milestones and my disappointments. You never know what you are going to get when you come to visit; it’s A Schematic Life!

Iván Meade – What has been the best experience of being a design blogger?

Michelle Morelan - Meeting people like you Ivan! Honestly, meeting design bloggers face to face has been one of the greatest benefits of blogging. I have also received a few rendering commissions from posting my work. It’s done something for me I can’t explain; maybe validation, maybe discipline, a kinship with design enthusiasts or new friendships. I just know it feels good.

Rendering by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - I know that one of your favorite activities is to visit art exhibitions and explore antique markets – I have also noticed that you always use real art and the quality of your pieces is exceptional in all your projects. Do you select your art pieces to work with the room or does the room work around the art pieces?

Michelle Morelan - With a recent new build project, the client had some amazing original watercolour pieces that suited their seaside home and just needed reframing, so I was lucky. The longer I practice design, the more I see the importance of original art and sculpture in a space. Like classic furniture pieces, they will work with your changing interior over the years. Concentrate on the shell of the space first; add a few classic furniture pieces and art- then bring in some element of nature as garnish. That’s a perfect recipe to me.

I have also taken a few classes when travelling- oil in Amsterdam, watercolor with artist Marla Thirsk in Ucluelet and a sculpture class in Key West. I would suggest taking a mixed media class, and learning to paint your own canvas or do your own sculpture. They will always be special to you. When my son was 18, we painted a large canvas together, and met in the middle; I will always cherish it. I’m taking a class with Patricia Gray at Emily Carr starting in a couple of weeks.

Art is personal, and if it makes you smile, then bring it into your life. It doesn’t have to match your interior palette, but does have to work with the style or concept of the space. In saying that, it would be amazing to use a classically painted and framed piece in a stark modern space, or vice versa. Tension is good too.

Joni’s [Cote de Texas] Living Room – Rendering by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade – I also know from reading your blog that you are a big fan of Danish/Dutch design – Why is it so appealing to you?

Michelle Morelan - Yes, I love to travel; my husband is a commercial pilot, so I have lots of opportunities. He spends quite a bit of time in Belgium and Amsterdam.

I walked into an artist’s co-operative in Amsterdam on one of my first days in Holland a few years back, and so immediately appreciated the support for the arts. Maybe it’s the long history of artists, the quirkiness of Amsterdamers’ or the ability and desire to look forward. You can’t help but notice the way the Dutch mix old and new architecture and design; they do it so well. They also hold back and live with water in much different ways than us; so interesting and innovative.

Of course, having Belgium, Sweden and Germany as neighbors, and the availability of European goods, like Italian furniture adds to that yummy design recipe. Our history is such a short one in comparison, and I sometimes feel removed from all the excitement.

Interior Design by Michelle Morelan

Iván Meade - Can you tell me what your next design venture is?

Michelle Morelan - Something I have been contemplating since my graduation is to apply to UBC’s school of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, so I am applying next year. For me, it starts with the site and context.

Interior Design & Rendering by Michelle Morelan

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?

Michelle Morelan - HHmmm…that I created spaces and lifestyles for people that worked for them and their families; happy clients and a balanced life for my own family would be a great legacy.

I invite you to discover Michelle Morelan’s work

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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 – www.themeadegroup.com