Monday 28 March 2011

Art in Bloom 2011 – “Design Fit for a King”

This year Meade Design Group have been very fortunate to be invited by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to reinterpret an art piece of their permanent collection in a botanical extravaganza as part of their annual exhibition Art in Bloom.

 

This is The Word, And I Am King ... by Theresa Victoria Wylde

 

Leading creative professionals in the field of design were selected to celebrate spring creating unique floral interpretations.  We were assigned a stunning  oil painting in canvas by Theresa Victoria Wylde (circa 1909) entitled “This Is The World, And I Am King…”  (127” height X 137.5 width). Our interpreted  title for the exhibit is  “Design Fit For A King”.

 

Description

The central figure is a young girl with long wavy black hair who wears a purple gingham dress with a purple over-dress; she is sitting in a forest by a stream, holding an apple(orb) in one hand & a foxglove(septre)in the other; she has a 'crown' of evergreen boughs with cones in her hair; a squirrel sits nearby, watching her.

- Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

 

We were inspired by the description of the painting and we also wanted to display all our strengths as a multidisciplinary design studio.  We designed 3 pieces for the installation.  The first idea that came to my mind when I saw the piece was “ethereal” – I wanted to create an installation that was light and complemented the painting.

 

The first piece we designed was a massive Plexiglas cube to encase the antique chest that was below the painting.  As an interior designer I felt that the scale of the chest was not big enough to hold the visual weight of the painting, so we corrected the proportions and the scale of the chest with a new Plexiglas structure making the chest look like an archived piece.  We also incorporated a modern interpretation of some of the elements of the painting with contemporary graphics. Our design complemented the William Morris wall paper  showcasing our strengths in Graphic Design.  Natashita brought to life our ideas choosing an opalescent metallic vinyl that complemented the colour scheme of its surroundings.

 

Varias 2011 240

 

The second piece we designed was a Plexiglas plinth that mimic the proportions of the chest. We cover the face of the plinth with the same vinyl we used in the cube below to continue the flow.  As for the 3rd piece we designed the flower vase which references the foxglove flower in the painting. 

 

Art in Bloom 2011 Victoria BC

 

Artist Statement

We were inspired by the strong vertical line created by the foxgloves held by the girl in this painting. We wanted an organic, linear form to overlap the painting asymmetrically to create a strong, contemporary vignette that still works with this traditional piece.

We used a combination of anemones, tube roses, double tulips, mosses and greens accented by drumstick alliums and fuchsia trachelium. We wanted to build up a woodland feeling with berries, mosses and greens, but still have interesting forms and textures with more exotic accents. This is reinforced by the golden graphic that has been applied to the acrylic base which encases the trunk.

 

 

Art in Bloom - Tulips, Amarntus

Mini Flower Bouquets

 

Art in Bloom 2011 - Meade Design Group

Art in Bloom Victoria BC - Setup

Here is Echito our flower arranger extraordinaire.

 

Art in Bloom Victoria BC - Setup

Adjusting last minute details.

 

Art in Bloom Victoria BC 2011 - Meade Design Group

And here it is the complete installation.

“Design Fit For A King”

 

We want to extend our gratitude to Plexiklass, Rook and Rose, Brenda Marks – Kravet, and Garside Signs and Displays for all their help, patience and guidance to make this project come together.

 

If you are in Victoria don’t miss the hottest ticket in town!

 

Art in Bloom 2011 - a week long celebration of fine art and all things botanical. The bi-annual fundraiser heralds the beginning of spring to Vancouver Island, and supports exhibitions and programming at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Art in Bloom highlights the talents of local and international artists, writers, floral designers and garden experts.

 

Art in Bloom 2011 Logo



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Friday 25 March 2011

The Power of Sketching!

It takes just a quick glance, maybe a couple of seconds, for someone to evaluate your idea or design concept. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about your idea based on your confidence, your experience, and the way you are presenting that specific idea.

 

The first impression can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo, making the right first impression is  extremely important, for they set the tone for any client relationship that follows.

 

So, whether they are in your design career or social life, it's important to know how to create a good first impression.

 

You can have the best idea but if you don’t know how to present it you can’t sell it. 

 

 

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Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao Spain sketched by Frank Gehry

 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and so the "idea" you first present says much about you to the person you are meeting. There are many different ways to present the idea/concept but the basic one is just as simple as a quick but convincing sketch with white paper and dark ink. Is your sketch saying the right things to help create the right first impression with the client? 

 

Having the ability to sketch in front of the client will showcase that you are able to put an idea on paper.  You don’t have to be the best sketching artist it is the way that you communicate the idea and a client will understand what you are trying to say.  Frank Gehry is a great example of this.  Every time he is presented with the location of a project he sketches the idea, then he develops that idea into something more clear until the idea is finally completed.

 

I am not by any means Frank Gehry and I can’t compare my skills with his skills but this is how I always start my design process.  It doesn’t matter if I am designing a logo or a family room I always start with a pen and paper.  I want to know - Do you sketch?

 

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Shoal Point Residence – Sketch by Iván Meade



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Thursday 17 March 2011

Eye Candy of the Week – Polyhedron Pendant

 

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PRODUCT

Steel Polyhedron Pendant

 

AVAILABLE AT

Restoration Hardware

 

TECHNICAL FEATURES

  • A metal sleeve, finished to match the frame, covers the porcelain socket
  • 6' black cloth-covered wire
  • Requires one 150W max. bulb
  • Hardwired
  • Wipe with dry, soft cloth

DIMENSIONS

  • Small Pendant: 21-1/2" diam., 21-1/2"H
  • Medium Pendant: 32" diam., 32"H
  • Large Pendant: 41-1/2" diam., 41-1/2"H

 

DESCRIPTION

Classic triangular forms create the beautiful symmetry of our openwork pendant. Constructed of sturdy steel in an industrial finish with an aged patina. – Restoration Hardware.

 

I have always been attracted to polyhedrons – I like the geometric language that they convey and how well they work in any space.  This pendant can look amazing in a traditional setting and very cool and hip in a contemporary space.  I just love when complexity can be this simple.

 

YUMMY FACTOR

HOT!!!



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Saturday 12 March 2011

Stylish Blogger Award

 

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I was honoured to receive a nomination for the Stylish Blogger Award from Albarosa Simonetti of Brillante Interiors. For someone with that such good taste and grace to nominate me as being stylish is quite the compliment! If you haven't checked out Brillante Interiors before, it's a must read. She discusses topics in the most elegant way imaginable such as interiors, art, photography, and everything Italian.

 

I am happy to oblige in continuing the chain and sharing my seven inspiringly stylish elements:

 

1. An old photograph of my mother that was taken a couple of days before her wedding.  It’s a beautiful photograph and a great remainder that style needs to be natural.

 

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2. Horses as subject matter in art. Their presence, their elegance, their movement...

 

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Sculpture by Frances Sample

 

3. Creative Flower Arrangements – They know how to tell a story.

 

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4. The juxtaposition of antiques and modern art.

 

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5. A wax seal – a little bit of old world in a new world that has been bombarded with technology. 

 

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6. Cantera Stone & Sterling Silver

Sphere is a piece that mixes two of my favourite materials: Cantera stone and Sterling Silver. What moves me is the story behind the piece and the pleasure of seeing it become a reality as my first object d’art that I designed for my collection Accentus.

 

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7.  Etchings

I love etchings because they are a real piece of art, they have a complex process behind them, they are numbered (which means they are not mass produced) and they are affordable. A good way to support the art community.

 

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Picasso

 

I am also honoured to nominate my fellow blogger friends for this prestigious award:

 

1. Michelle Morelan - 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".

2. Qerat - Tareq, the principal of Qerat is a multitalented designer, entrepreneur and blogger. His pieces, to a large extent, are handmade using very old and intricate techniques in a new contemporary way while maintaining a respect for his culture.

3. Tobi Fairley - Tobi's internationally acclaimed blog features her designs which are altogether soft, crisp, understated and refined. She has a brilliant grasp on balance in all forms (visual weight, colour tones and hues) and has a beautiful way of making her traditional designs look current and fresh.

4. Scot Meacham-Wood – The Adventures of Tartanscot.  His blog features all of the images, events and design tidbits that inspire him as an Interior Designer/Stylist. Scot is an expert at comfortable, transitional, interiors.

 

Thank you again Albarosa, this was a fun exercise - and of course, I am happy to have the opportunity to promote some of my favourite blogs!



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Saturday 5 March 2011

Eye Candy of the Week – Arbutus + Denman

 

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PRODUCT

The SimplySpun Collection

 

DESIGNER

Arbutus + Denman

 

AVAILABLE AT

Arbutus + Denman

Only Human

 

TECHNICAL FEATURES

- Aluminum shade with a matte powder coated finish

- Available in black & white

 

DESCRIPTION

I am always excited to find, discover and introduce local Victoria talent.  I know it is hard to imagine that this Canadian city is full of well keep secrets. Well it is, and there is the certitude that you can find real design talent just around the corner.  This is one of the multiple reasons why I love this city so much. Yesterday my good friends Chris Rothery and Christina Stack from Only Human introduced me to ARBUTUS + DENMAN a local design team with a new stunning product. 

 

The SimplySpun collection of light fixtures is a clever, clean and very memorable line completely designed in Victoria.  With sexy names like Anya, Quincy, Ella, Cortez, Clio and Mino these light fixtures could fill the latest interior design project and you will think they are already design classics. 

 

These stunning light  fixtures where first introduced at the IDS 2011 Toronto show being extremely well received. With a very strong price point that can’t be beat and the fact that is a local product you can’t go wrong using these babes in your next project.   If you are into the “100 mile diet” why not to embrace the “100 mile design approach”.  Supporting our local design talent, using local design products and spreading the world that Victoria produces great design.

 

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SHOW THEM SOME LOVE!

 

YUMMY FACTOR

Refreshing!!!



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Tuesday 1 March 2011

In Conversation with Ben Brannen

BBrannen_Sept10_127 lowresC Ben Brannen

 

Ben Brannen is the co-principal of the successful local design firm and store, Bespoke. He has a rich history in the design community and continues to assist clients and colleagues with a smile alongside his faithful companion, the adorable Tibby (his dog, a Yorkie that I want to kidnap every time I see him roaming Market Square).

 

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Mr.Tibby

 

Ben began his design career working in a paint store in Calgary while he attended Carleton University. He has earned himself a vast amount of experience throughout the years in space planning, decorating, colour consultations, material and fabric selections, and custom drapery. He shares his education and experiences via teaching courses and volunteering on panels through Chinook Learning Services, Bow Valley College and Mount Royal College.

 

Ben's designs are dictated by paying attention to his clients' needs and providing them with multiple options throughout the process so their home can have as much of their own personality showing as possible. He describes his style as being "based in tradition but brought together in a cleaned up, contemporary environment with tailored choices that have just enough detail to be interesting.  In many ways it is a style that brings sparkle and soft touches to a masculine design aesthetic".

 

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

 

Ben Brannen - I am sure I was interested in design as early on as my first set of Lego blocks. While the occasional spaceship transformed from the blocks, my favorite subject was always the 2 story home with attached garage (to store the matchbox cars of course). Or perhaps it was the first time I decided the furniture in my bedroom would look better if I moved it around. I got my real opportunity to learn about design during my first job during university working at a Benjamin Moore paint store. I got my basic knowledge of color and coatings there and thought I'd made it big when I did my first decorative painting gig for an in house designer I worked with.  I  believe design is in constant flux. While the fundamentals are constant, our interest in pushing the boundaries and reinventing style makes design a constantly changing art. I love constantly learning and changing!

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - What is your favourite local find and how long have you had it?

 

Ben Brannen -Being a prairie boy the water has to be an easy one! I never get tired of watching the colors change over the water. When my dog Tibby and I go for walks on the beach I am constantly looking for natural accessories. Sometimes it is a colourful stone and others an interesting piece of driftwood. Tibby keeps a look out for ticks! My favourite piece so far is a twisted piece of driftwood with a single stone trapped inside. I have it sitting on top of a stack of my favourite design books.

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - What do you think most Victoria homes are missing?

 

Ben Brannen - coming from Calgary where the majority of homes have that brand new feel, the homes I get invited to help with always seem to have so much character. If there is one general thing that is missing in most Victoria homes (and I hate to generalize), it would have to be the great room where the family can gather and perform a number of different life experiences at the same time.   Most of my clients share an interest in interior design but lack the knowledge or vision to bring their ideas to life. I love educating my clients during the design process specifically explaining why it is designer manage to create interiors that are uniquely beautifully suited to each resident and never the same.

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - How have you found the Victoria design scene and projects differ from those in Calgary?

 

Ben Brannen - It is so hard to generalize the difference between design projects because the client dictates the style of design and each and every client is different.  Overall, I have found that the Victoria surroundings - deep green landscape all year long and shades of blue in the water that surrounds the island influence my color choices and style references, much like the big sky, mountain peaks and prairie color shift themes design in Calgary.  I think in part because many of my clients make choices to live where they live and their interior environments reference that location.  Those that have the luxury of more than one home especially. 

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade – Who or what has influenced your style?

 

Ben Brannen -  Like many designers, I am influenced my so many things.  My partner and I like to travel as much as we can, and I find I am especially open to new ideas when I step away from the day to day and am immersed in a new environment.  Seeing luxury living in the heart of Morocco is still a high point for me.  In terms of inspiration and similarity of style, I still look to the US designer Thomas O'Brien for an inspirational mix of clean, modern traditional style that aligns with my own preferred aesthetic. 

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

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?

 

Ben Brannen - When helping a client with their home, I would much rather have them invest in pieces they will have for a lifetime or longer.  It is far too easy today to "buy all new"  but this always looks formulaic and stages to my eye.  I would rather have my client save and buy something they will love forever and pass on to a family member in the future.  But here is where I contradict myself.   love contemporary lighting design and like to infuse this into my rooms.  I find lighting is an element that is often overlooked and dates quickly.  So when I have a choice, I will place a Schonbek Chandelier or a Fortuny silk fixture in the same home that has a high tech rail system.  The rail system will date, but the investment piece will last the test of time.  I have the same opinion with fabric - if the furniture is made to last I change the frame slightly and put current fabrics on the pieces rather than throw them in the landfill.  Homes and home furnishings are an investment.  It is this mix that creates  the clean and current aesthetic with a traditional foundation.

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brennan

 

Iván Meade - What product or line are you most excited about right now at Bespoke?

 

Ben Brannen -  It is no secret that I love what a difference paint and wallpaper can make to a  room for such a small investment!  Farrow & Ball have just updated their palate with 9 new colors.  If you don't follow fashion, the colors might seem avante garde, There are beautiful shades of liveable grey lilac tones such as Calluna, and a fantastic new exterior color called Plummett, and my personal favourite "Charlotte's Locks" a gorgeous bright orange (not for everyone) that I can't wait to use in a on the walls and ceiling of a dining room with Pointing wainscoting (any takers?)  I always look forward to Farrow & Balls wallpaper book releases, but currently my favourite is a Schumaker contemporary and yes a traditional JP&J Baker book we have in the store.

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brannen

 

Iván Meade - With your previous experience in the world of colour - What do you look for in a colour? Or, in other words, you are very selective in what colours you use into your interiors, what makes a colour(s) important enough to be used in your projects?

 

Ben Brannen -  Many years ago when I was just learning about color, I had the opportunity to learn how color is made in relation to paint.  I think the most interesting colors are made up of many pigments.  At different times of day, the underlying pigments and their relation to other adjacent colors is what is interesting to me.  Add to that the psychology of colors, how they make people feel and how colors in your past make you feel just amazes me.  Since learning the composition and psychology of paint color.  The same theories can be applied to everything from fabrics to marble.  For me, rooms can look beautiful with many color combinations, but it is the best when it makes the client feel relaxed and comfortable in their own environment.

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brennan

 

Iván Meade - Having an interior design boutique - What trends do you see coming in the design world?

 

Ben Brannen - I have a love hate relationship with trends.  I love to track them, but caution clients from jumping on the band wagon.  In general, brighter cleaner colors in our homes (a reaction to the excess of earth tones in recent years, and hopefully a more positive outlook for the economy).  Wood finishes are moving to finishes that are less formal and more time worn.  Patterns are being used and mixed more and more (a through back to the 70's? - not something I want to repeat, but I don't mind cleaning it up a bit)  Trends are good to look at, but I caution people to design their homes with what they love, not necessarily what is trendy.  I personally like to invest the least amount in the trendy items so you are not tied to them when they are out of fashion.  With that said, everything dates.  Design evolves and think of it as a lifestyle.  Just like a classic suit will go in and out of style, you can always change the look with the shoes, shirt and tie you put with it.

 

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Interior Design by Ben Brennan

 

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?

 

Ben Brannen -  I believe that it is a privilege to design our interiors.  With all of my clients, I want this to be a positive experience, and one that is also a learning experience.  I enjoy educating my clients through the design process and find that the more I involve them in some of the choice process, the more they enjoy and understand why they find their homes attractive and comfortable.  So while I laughed when I heard legacy, I hope that I will have met some wonderful people, made some friends and had the opportunity to make people proud of their homes and shared them with their friends and loved ones. And of course I am surged with pride when someone says I am responsible for their homes and I simply say I helped.

 

I invite you to visit Ben Brannen’s website at:

 

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MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011