Rock a Bye…
Posted by Cynthia | Filed under Musings
Most of us have had the opportunity to console a baby with soothing, repetitive movement at some point in our life. Some of us have had the challenge of doing so while fatigued, stumbling around in the depth of the night with a colicky baby, and feeling like our legs just might give way. This simple modern tandem rocker is a brilliant example of user driven design. It solves a very real problem, giving both caregiver and baby an opportunity to relax a moment, together. It is designed without gender reference, and without unnecessary adornment. Pure solution driven function. I wish I had this for my boys. Now, why didn’t I think of that?
Tags: interior design, Modern Design, Nursery Furniture, Rockid
Infuse some fun…
Posted by Cynthia | Filed under Musings
Modern interiors offer the opportunity to express form and color in dynamic and unexpected ways. This New York City home does just that. The way we design our living spaces, impacts our behavior. Take this engaging layout above. Wouldn’t you just love to load up this space with friends? The form demands our focus not only in the room, but on those gathered. Building a sense of community, there’s no way to be a wallflower at this party!
This beautiful home is filled with design classics ranging from Mies van der Rohe, to Cherner. Yet, this space is anything but expected. Combinations of old and new as well as a neutral backdrop of exquisite detail and restraint, make it fresh and oh-so inviting. Did you notice the elegant and perfectly proportioned custom stair railing? It defines the space and provides structure to the room, emphasizing the connection between floors, and functions.
Images sourced at designer’s website.
Tags: color, interior design, Midcentury Modern, Modern Design
Modern: In Black and White
Posted by Cynthia | Filed under Musings
Designing with black and white can create drama and a visually powerful space. It requires a thoughtful and deliberate approach, positioning objects in such a way that they are read in contrast. The design work of Architect Joseph Dirand, is a gorgeous example of this stylistic approach. It offers an unparalleled simplicity, which suggests a carefully curated experience of space. When I look at these images, I find myself focusing on each object and its artful position in the room, as part of the overall composition. Really, isn’t that how we experience space? As we walk through a doorway and into a room, we are positioned to see a layering of objects, which creates our impression of the space. When designing with black and white, the limited palette allows us to focus on the details, and minimize the chaos or “noise” in the room. Try it. Take a black and white photograph of your room. When you look at it this way, it helps to understand the level of contrast in the space, and the powerful opportunity it provides to design.
Images of the work of Joseph Dirand sourced on the Architects website.
Tags: architecture, black and white, interior design, Joseph Dirand, Modern Design
Fabulous and Baroque
Posted by Cynthia | Filed under Musings
I’m the first to admit that traditional baroque furniture is not typically found in my personal design vocabulary. While paging through fab.com, I discovered these handcrafted reproduction furniture pieces by Austin Texas based ‘Fabulous and Baroque‘. With a strong classic foundation, they are excellent examples of modern design. Interpreted with a heavy, expressive, chunky scale, an unconventional color and finish selection, and luxurious fabrics, I believe this furniture line has successfully pulled off a tough design assignment. I find this collection to be in the spirit of the masters of the genre- Stylistic influence of Marcel Wanders, and similarly the Bourgie table lamp Ferruccio Laviani by Kartel. The designers boast they have created pieces built to last a lifetime, with careful attention to detail and craftsmanship.
The headboard above is a modern and luxurious.”With its intricate and elaborate carvings, this luxurious mahogany, hand-carved Royal Fortune French black lacquer platform bed is the ultimate piece of furniture to turn any bedroom from bland to grand! We’ve added the ultimate in decadence by upholstering the headboard in a luxurious black silk and finished the tufting made with Swarovski ELEMENTS crystals. Details include flowers, leaves and scrolls”.
Images found at Fabulous and Baroque
Tags: Baroque, Fabulous and Baroque, interior design, Modern Design, Modern Furniture
The Modernist Holiday Feast
Posted by Cynthia | Filed under Musings
Deep Fried Brussel Sprouts
The authors of Modernist Cuisine, a collection of cookbooks focusing on the Art and Science of Cooking, have published a ‘how-to’ for a most fabulous Modernist Christmas Feast. From the consideration taken to the design of the menu, right down to the presentation and photography of the edible art, this modernist meal is an inspiration. The visual impact of the composition on the plate is as important as the taste of the dish, the food pairings are carefully considered and each and every detail is beautiful. When charged as I am with preparing something new and interesting for the holidays this year, I appreciate this great resource for influence of artistry, and expertise of technique. I have attached the images and descriptions below, as these pictures speak much louder than words. If you’d like the recipes for your holiday meal, please visit Modern Cuisine for the complete details. Bon Appetit!
Christmas Ham-Hock with Pineapple and Cherries
Garnet Yam Fondant with Sage Foam
Pumpkin Pie: Butternut Squash Custard
From the publisher: In Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, Nathan Myhrvold, Chris Young, and Maxime Bilet—scientists, inventors, and accomplished cooks in their own right—have created a six-volume 2,400-page set that reveals science-inspired techniques for preparing food that ranges from the otherworldly to the sublime. The authors—and their 20-person team at The Cooking Lab—have achieved astounding new flavors and textures by using tools such as water baths, homogenizers, centrifuges, and ingredients such as hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, and enzymes. It is a work destined to reinvent cooking.
Images found at Modernist Cuisine.
Tags: architecture, art, FLOR, holiday cooking, Holiday recipes, interior design, Modern Design, Modernist Cuisine
