acts of violet

the color of the sky when i left my house this morning was lovely shades of violet & periwinkle & lilac. a perfect inspiration for posting some lavender-infused design inspirations.

(drake design asscoiates' lavender bath in an east hampton's show house)

(purple and white living spaces from brocade home)

(glass rocks in lavender by architectural systems)

(soft light in a beige room spiced up with shades of purple art ~ room by axel vervoordt)

(agape's bath fixtures with purple lines)

(a bath by cermica flaminia)

(william switzer & assoc has this lovely palazzo capponi console with provincetown blue base & lavender lacquer top)

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(dale chihuly purple persians at the quadrant building in seattle)

fluid

fluid is a hip bar in downtown san francisco with interior architecture and design by orlando diaz-azcuy design associates. it was completed before my time at oda, but i'd like to show it off anyway. i'm not so into the crowded bar scene, but i can appreciate a great atmosphere with delicious manhattans, so i suggest going for happy hour before it gets packed. but i'm not doing a review of the scene ~ it's the design, of course! i really appreciate how the sleek sparseness of the contemporary design has been kept warm & inviting. the majority use of white, silver and clear (oda trademarks) are given a fun & energetic vibe with the computer controlled neon-lit walkway and underlit main bar. the attention to detail here is impressive ~ and easier to spot when the bar isn't congested, hence why i selected these photos from our company's archives. the unique wall niches, the lovely lucite furniture, and the use of many separate ambient light sources give this space a special feel only possible with brilliant, creative dilligence.

passion of the plate

my main issue when it comes to dinnerware is choosing just one motif. so i've decided to go for an ecclectic mix-match, rather than trying to decide on one pattern for all my plates. lately i've been wanting to add some new beauties to the cupboards, so i'll share some of my favorite table candy in the search, so far. feel free to comment on your faves or add to the list!

(from kate spade's collection at macy's ~ gwinnett lane turquoise on top & st.kitts mix on bottom)

(the ginko and blue blossom lines, new at cost plus world market)

(red envelope's lovely granada plates)

(cb2 has a ton of gorgeous dinnerware. shown here are shanghai, haiku & fiore)

(walmart ~ yep, that's right walmart ~ has this nice dinnerware set now available, called moonlight tranquility. so the name is cheesy, but the pattern is quite nice.)

(a fun site called rosanna has several beautiful options for serving ~ here we have fleur, rosette, & stockholm)

(ken eardsley's wonderful ceramics seem perfect for spring ~ which appears to be just around the corner according to my hyacinth & lily of valley bulbs)

enamoring artists

the diva over at freshly{blended} is killing me lately with her incredible artist's finds. i'm so taken with them, i just have to post about them too. thanks, nicole!

(julie west has a great sense of form & color & whimsy. a ton of her work can be found here & here . those of you who know me well, know why i'm smitten with this particular piece.)

(brandi milne's luscious paintings were recently shown in portland oregon, and she is based in huntington beach, ca. the colors & shapes, as if flowing through water, are so alluring & beautiful.)

(uk based artist richard sweeney's magnificent creations ~ like an extremely advanced origami, these sculptures are made of paper. intricate, captivating, and awe-inspiring.)

s.o.s.

i am so fortunate to work with some extremely talented people. my admiration has encouraged me to start highlighting them here on my blog (it's that, "wow, i know him/her!", sort of feeling). this happy, foggy friday morning i'd like to share an art installation made by my friend & co-worker, stephen o. stout. he is a very talented painter & artist (not to mention my guru on auto-cad) based in berkeley. the installation below was selected for the miami designer showcase house this past fall. the series of white cube paintings have soft brush strokes, with slight color tints and shades of grey organic shapes - each one a unique experience. and, when taken in as a whole, they are a true visual journey. installed in the perfect location: a stairwell with high ceilings, the passage to different elevations is enhanced, and even slowed by the provocative images fading into or jumping off of the white squares.

arte de mexico

arte de mexico (based in burbank) specializes in making custom furniture, lighting, and architectural elements in styles that reflect traditional designs from around the world. their in-house staff of artisans (finish carpenters, painters, iron forgers, and woodcarvers) have mastered the skill of adapting classic techniques to accommodate the needs of today's design community. here's a peek at some examples of their gorgeous work.....

thermae spa

just opened in 2006 (after several years of delays) thermae spa is an incredible example of blending old and new, with a deligthful and inspiring result. located in bath, england, the old-world georgian architecture has been infused with contemporary sleekness with the addition of modernist architecture & design by sir nicholas grimshaw (famous english architect, president of the royal academy, currently working on the world's largest aquarium. more to come on him in future posts). bath is famous for its natural hot springs (the only location in the uk with such a treasure) and with the opening of thermae spa, they are given new life. the spa's interiors were completely re-vamped for a clean, relaxing, minimalist feel. it boasts four bathing pools using natural thermal waters, a spectacular rooftop pool, whirlpools, a series of steam rooms and an extensive range of spa treatments.

although i'd love to visit thermae spa for a first-hand view of its architecture & design, i wouldn't mind experiencing their body soothing offerings as well. oooh la la!