Contemporary Interior Design

• Posted on 30th July 2012 by Nicola Holden

With summer finally having reached the UK, what more to inspire us than the colour of sunshine! I came across this image the other day, and I just love it. It is sultry and exotic, and speaks of warm weather and an easy-going lifestyle.

Photography: Jamie Beck & Kevin Burg. Art direction & styling: Kelly Framel.

I never thought that I was a yellow person, but recently I have been drawn to this colour for interiors schemes. Not bright cadmium yellows, buttery yellows or clear, cool yellows, but more the earthy yellows – mustardy ochres, sludgy orange-yellow-green-browns, or an Indian yellow – bright, clear and warm but not cloying. Yellow is always a warm, sunny, happy colour, used to raise spirits and boost energy. However, it is also an emotional colour, and shouldn’t be used where peace and quiet are essential.

The book is ‘Choosing Colours’ by Kevin McCloud

Here are some interiors that have caught my eye recently, having incorporated yellow into their schemes:

What colours are catching your attention this summer?

“There are painters who transform the sun into a yellow spot, but there are others who, thanks to their art and intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun.”
Pablo Picasso

“How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun.”
Vincent Van Gogh

“It is the colour closest to light. In its utmost purity it always implies the nature of brightness and has a cheerful, serene, gently stimulating character. Hence, experience teaches us that yellow makes a thoroughly warm and comforting impression.”
Johann Wolfgang Goethe

Image credits: 1 – The Glamourai, 2 – © Nicola Holden, 3 – Mark Bolton Photography, 4&5 – Design Sponge, 6 – Elle Decoration and 7 – Freshome

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• Posted in Colour, Interior Design, Yellow | 8 Comments

• Posted on 23rd July 2012 by Nicola Holden

Just before heading up to Scotland I had a wonderful day out with a friend of mine, exploring the delights of the Masterpiece fair.

Masterpiece London, now in its third year, is one of the leading art and antiques fairs, full of an amazing variety of luxurious and distinctive design, be it cars, wine, contemporary design and exquisite jewellery as well as fine and decorative arts.

Masterpiece is no ordinary event, and definitely not somewhere if you’re shopping on a budget, but it is absolutely the place to go to acquire rare collectors’ items (such as ‘A Complete Map of the Everlasting Qing Empire’ dating from 1810, and one of only three in the world, with a price tag to match), or just to enjoy temptation on a grand scale!

As Masterpiece themselves state, ‘There is nowhere better than Masterpiece London to discover a rich and varied treasure trove.’, and they are so right!

Here is a brief snapshot of some of the eclectic mix of items that I lusted over on the day:

1. Art Deco sycamore and rosewood dressing cabinet with shagreen covered doors, circa 1920 – Wick Antiques Ltd
2. Bronze of Sitting Couple on Bench by Lynn Chadwick – Osborne Samuel
3. A Chinese embroidered turquoise silk robe for a lady, for semi-formal wear, late 19th century – Jacqueline Simcox Ltd
4. Necklace with Burmese cabochon rubies, diamonds and pearls by jeweller Viren Bhagat – http://www.symbolicchase.com/
5. Trio of Vessels by Julie Blyfield – Adrian Sassoon
6. Hope (red/violet) by Robert Indiana – Waterhouse and Dodd
7. Chinese Lady in Red by Zhao Kailin (1961, China) – Tanya Baxter Contemporary
8. Seaweed 2 by Mike & Doug Starn – Hackelbury Fine Art
9. Louis XV rectangular gold mounted red lacquer box, decorated with oriental scenes, Paris 1750 – S.J.Phillips
10. Leopard Staring, Masai Mara by Nick Brandt – Bernheimer Fine Art Photography
11. Plum Blossom Cabinet – Based Upon
12. Columbian 17th Century casket “Barniz de Pasto” with plant and animal motifs with silver mounts – AR-PAB
13. Jumuwarnti by Lloyd Kwilla – JGM Art Ltd
14. Scarred Dahomey Girl by Irving Penn – Hamiltons Galleries
15. The Colander Table – An Illusion in Aluminium and Glass by Daniel Rohr – Peter Petrou
16. Nest from an edition of 10 (+1 AP) welded half dollars (bird side up) & stainless steel by Johnny Swing – Sebastian + Barquet

Did you visit Masterpiece? What pieces do you like?

“Contemplation seems to be about the only luxury that costs nothing.”
Dodie Smith

Image credits from respective companies.

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• Posted in Art, Interior Design, Masterpiece, Photography | 6 Comments

• Posted on 17th July 2012 by Nicola Holden

Oops, I’ve just realised that it’s been almost six whole weeks since I last blogged! Apologies to all of you who follow my blog. I know I’ve been performing a bit of a disappearing act, but the exciting news is that I have been busy working on a guest blog for Decorex 2012 that I can now share with you here.

As a runner-up in last year’s Decorex Blogging competition it was an honour to have been asked to write a blog for the site this year, and I decided to focus on the theme for this year’s Decorex – design heritage.

Click here to read this blog.

I have also just got back from a much needed 10 day wildlife holiday around Scotland where I fortunately managed to avoid most of the rain. I took plenty of photographs, and I will be sharing some of these with you, with insights into the design inspirations that nature provides.

Until next time …

• Posted in Decorex, Design Heritage, Interior Design | 1 Comment