Eye Candy of the Week – Chrome Obleeek Cylinder

 

 

PRODUCT

Chrome Obleeek Cylinder

 

MANUFACTURER

Urban Nature

 

COLLECTION

Chrome Collection

 

MATERIALS

Chrome

 

DESCRIPTION

One of our beloved blog fans Miz Tanya Weber sent us a link to these wonderful chrome planters.  I guess Miz Weber knows exactly what we like because this chrome planter collection is stunning. 

 

I love the asymmetry  of the Obleeek Cylinder planters and the fact that they are made with heavy gauge sheets of aircraft-grade aluminum containing up to 80% recycled content.

 

YUMMY FACTOR

Sweet, Sweet, and Sweet!!!

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

In Conversation with Axis Decorative Arts

Foster Eastman & Tracy Averill

 

Tracy Averill and Foster Eastman turned their passion for collecting French antiques into a business. By 2001, when Axis Decorative Arts opened on Howe Street, the pair had been collecting French furnishings from the 1920's-1940's for over a dozen years. They were an immediate success thanks to their refined eye and design skills. Visiting their showroom alone is a real experience, the combination of vintage pieces in pristine condition paired with contemporary accents and their brilliant glamour-meets-industrial space is a combination to die for.

 

Axis Decorative Arts

 

Axis Decorative Arts focuses on 3 main types of business: Interior Design, Sales, and Consulting. Their spaces are stunning combinations of styles, moody lighting, and textures that feels so decadent yet liveable. Their inclusion of art and antiques really do add a personal but rich touch to the overall atmosphere. The sales portion of their business is a great find - all of the beautiful pieces from Paris and Southern France that once can see in their showroom are actually for sale, and you can be sure that it is a genuine, quality piece when purchasing from Axis. And lastly, their consulting has brought them much success with movie sets and events - glamorous!

 

I have always admired their showroom and their work, and I cannot wait to find out more about the men behind Axis Decorative Arts - read on to get in on the conversation…

 

Ivan Meade - What was your first experience with design?

Tracy Averill -I worked for a fashion retailer in the late 70's and early 80's and that company trained me for their display department. I was a quick learner and ended up managing a region for them. I then went to work for Holt Renfrew and worked as the visual presentation manager for ten years.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - Where does your passion for collecting 1920's -1940's French Furnishings come from?

Tracy Averill -Foster and I both collected 18th and 19th century antiques for a few years and did two apartments in that style. When Foster opened Axis Hair Salons we started to look at Art Deco pieces from the 1920's for the salons and soon became hooked! We moved to a modern apartment and changed our collecting from that point on. I loved the clean lines of the Deco period and how well they worked with contemporary  furniture and art. We have been on that hunt for great pieces ever since. That has opened our eyes to all things 20th century. The French part of it has been many trips to Paris and the south of France and that has also taken us to Italy looking for great pieces from the 1960's

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - What do you look for in a furniture piece?

Tracy Averill -I like what vintage furniture adds to the room. I feel that a good piece should also add function but for me uniqueness and quality would be what I would want out of it. So much of what I see I see everywhere and that would not hold my interest for very long. It is hard to put into words but I just know when I see a piece that works. It has very little to do with price but like all things the best are always going to cost.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade – What is the most practical thing you own and what is the most rare?

Tracy Averill -All pieces that have storage are practical and add tons in what has become smaller and smaller spaces. I love using sideboards or buffets in living rooms to anchor the room and you can put so much in them. I also think that a desk in the living room with a great desk chair is perfect. I have one and I use it all the time and with lap tops you can keep them small and tidy? I have a desk set by Hermes made in the 1930's in perfect condition... that is rare.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - What do you think the furnishings of today are missing?

 

Tracy Averill -Most furnishings that I like today, and I like many just need time and use to soften the edges. I now look for pieces from the 70's to do that in coffee tables end tables even soft furnishings so I don't have to wait.  

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - One of my favourite aspects of your designs is that you use original Art, Sculptures and elements with old world patina in all your projects - Do you design around these pieces or are the pieces guests to your spaces?

 

Tracy Averill -I think that all my interiors start from a few pieces that I like the look of together. I then start to fill in the spaces with pieces that are needed to make the room function. I would always wait for them to come from a vintage source in my own rooms but that is not always the way that it works with clients. In that case we look at what is available in the new lines. But for me the balance should lean toward vintage this is where the room will stand out from what we see around us today. Art is very important and original art is also very assessable at any price level. Sculpture is a little more difficult as good pieces are hard to find and will cost a bit, but don't put a ugly sculpture in a room as it will always stand out!!

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - I also noticed that you often enhance every space with beautiful paneling and custom fireplaces that work in concert with modern living, but also relate with the antique furnishings  you use - How do you achieve this?

 

Tracy Averill -I am glad you ask this question as I think it is what I try to do in all rooms. The back grounds to fine antiques and 20th century vintage need to help contain the pieces. I love to use a grid of panels to frame the room and help focus the eye. A fire place is a great central focus for a room. Most new homes or apartments unfortunately have ugly fireplaces in the worst places so for me they need to be redone or blocked up.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - What is your approach to lifestyle and design?

 

Tracy Averill -I think that some of us see design in everything that we approach and the lifestyle is almost a by product. Living with style takes some work you have to take the time to put things in order. It is often the small details that set this apart from the ordinary and I try to see through what I find as mundane and make it more interesting.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade - What is the best advice (design related or otherwise) that you have ever received?

 

Tracy Averill -Having the patience to research and find just the right piece to give the room that WOW factor.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

Iván Meade –  What is next for Axis Decorative Arts Interior Design?

 

Tracy Averill -My market is now global and I have alined myself with 1st Dibb's most of my business is now international and I see that as the future.

 

Interior Design by Axis Decorative Arts

 

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

Tracy Averill -That clients enjoy the experience as much as I do. Helping them see them selves in their homes living with quality vintage pieces and striving for uniqueness.

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

Eye Candy of the Week – Molecule Door Knob

 

 

PRODUCT

Molecule Door Knob

 

MANUFACTURER

Sherle Wagner

 

COLLECTION

Modern Hardware, Levers, Knobs and Pulls

 

MATERIALS

Back Plate in Polished Nickel

 

DESCRIPTION

Unfortunately, there is not much information about this ultra cool door knob collection.  I just found it randomly on the web and I fall immediately in love with its design.  An anonymous piece with a really big memorability factor.

 

This door knob is very edgy but has an elegance to it.  I would love to use the Molecule door knob in a beautiful Art Deco inspired custom cabinet made with Senegal Ebony wood, or to making an entrance really shine.

 

Where will you use this door knob?

 

YUMMY FACTOR

Addictively Delicious!!!

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

In Conversation with Erika Smolders

Erika Smolders

 

Erica Smolders is without a doubt one of the best floral designers in the city. She runs the premiere luxury floral boutique, Rook and Rose located in the fashionable district in lower Johnson Street (aka "LoJo"). 

 

I met Erica over a year ago when she was opening her quaint shop, and since then every time I walk by on my way to the studio her floral displays outside make my day brighter and happier.  She always has the most beautiful and unexpected flower arrangements ready to take home and you'll undoubtedly find the most stunning selection of seasonal and exotic blooms as well. 

 

Erica Smolders and her talented team including Lolita, her bulldog (which has stolen my heart completely) are available to work with each and every client bringing the beauty, the unique and the unexpected to every floral creation.

 

Lolita

 

Iván Meade - What is your favourite local find? Where did you get this item – how long have you had it?

 

Erica Smolders – Last spring I found a 1950’s Smith Corona typewriter while helping a friend clean out their garage. A few months later, I opened Rook & Rose and really liked the idea of using it at the shop to hand-type card messages and little love letters.

 

 

Iván Meade - Why is it important/inspirational to you?

 

Erica Smolders – I think it makes people happy. The sound of a typewriter might seem a bit out of place in a flower shop but it sure gets a lot of attention. I also really like that no two notes are ever the same. Some might be a tiny bit crooked or have a spot of white-out but I think that makes them special and I bet people will keep those cards for a really long time.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

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

 

Erica Smolders – In floral design I really appreciate small, unexpected details and I think you can always tell when someone has taken the time to include those things. Plus, I love anything with a slight DIY vibe and I’m a sucker for anything vintage.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with floral design?

 

Erica Smolders – I was attending University overseas, took a part-time job at a small flower stand and fell in love with it. Within weeks I’d decided that I just had to be a floral designer... and the rest is history.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Who or what has influenced your style aside from nature itself?

 

Erica Smolders –Without a doubt, the years spent working in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore and were the most inspiring and influential experience I could have asked for as a young designer.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Your shop is really unique and beautiful - It is not your typical flower shop what is your idea behind the shop?

 

Erica Smolders – I actually framed a restaurant napkin that I used to take notes when I was coming up with the concept for the shop. It says “clean, modern, stress the basics, affordable luxury, approachable design, beautiful packaging, quality customer service” and I think we’ve really done that.

 

Rook & Rose – Floral Boutique

 

Iván Meade - It was very refreshing to find someone in the city who does new and different floral designs. How do you keep current in the floral industry?

 

Erica Smolders –My eyes are always open. I follow high fashion, interior design and modern art really closely and have noticed that it doesn’t take long anymore for trends in those industries to influence floral design.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - Do you feel that Victoria is ready for a change? Where do you see floral design going in the next 10 years?

 

Erica Smolders – Absolutely! There’s been efforts to push the envelope around the city but it’s sometimes been met with hesitation. Luckily, being a new business, we’ve built an incredibly supportive clientele who are always checking in to see what’s new and that really keeps us on our toes. Hopefully within the next 10 years more and more people will choose flowers to compliment the style of their surroundings and maybe those fluffy, tacky, novelty arrangements will finally retire! 

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What project are you most proud of?

 

Erica Smolders – I live for the moments when a bride tells me that her bouquet was ‘exactly what she wanted’ or that the flowers were ‘the favourite part of her wedding day’. Knowing that you’ve made someone so happy on one of the most memorable days of their life... you just can’t beat that.

 

Floral Bouquets by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What would be your dream project if you were given carte blanche?

 

Erica Smolders –I really love events to have either a clear theme or a really cohesive look, so a dream project for me would be having a hand in the planning process from the beginning so that I can spend a majority of my time on all the thoughtful little details. Our flowers just look so much nicer on a perfectly planned table.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

Iván Meade - What is your favourite plant to work with?

 

Erica Smolders – Orchids! It might seem like a really obvious answer but I just love how versatile they are and some of the rare varieties are really special.

 

Floral Design by Rook & Rose

 

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?

 

Erica Smolders – Oh wow...I don’t know! I’m still just the new kid on the block. Ask me again in 5 years?

 

Erika Smolders in full action.

 

I invite you to discover Rook and Rose website at:

 

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

The Foodie Influence – Y.A.M. Magazine

 

 

I am so excited to let you know that my own kitchen, yes you read it right, my own kitchen has been featured in the latest issue May/Jun 11 (page 28-33) of Y.A.M. magazine.  It has been really nice to see my space through other eyes.  I am very happy with the end result of the article – and why not? I am very proud of my new title as a self-confessed foodie.

 

Kerry Slavens wrote a beautiful review of my kitchen and the thoughts behind my design choices.  The images are also extremely nice thanks to the skilled eye of well known local photographer Jeff Bosdet.

 

 

I really like the photography on pages 30-31- as it really showcases how open and light my space is. 

 

My dear friend Tara from Tara McHugh Flora made all the stunning flower arrangements for the photo-shoot. 

 

 

If you are in Victoria you need to get a copy of Y.A.M. magazine, if you are not we will tweet the link to the virtual magazine when it comes out. 

MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011