Tony Duquette

Last week I attended Hutton Wilkinson's lecture and book signing at the Pacific Design Center. Wilkinson was long time business partner of the late Tony Duquette, and continues designing and marketing textiles, jewelry, and home furnishings under the Tony Duquette name. He was promoting the release of his new book More is More: Tony Duquette. It was truly a wonderful and inspiring day.
Tony Duquette was superbly talented as a painter, sculpture, set designer, interior designer and jewelry designer. His love for the exotic and eccentric was evident in the way he lived life and in his designs, nothing was too extravagant or opulent. Along with his artist wife they hosted many elaborate parties during Hollywood's heydays. Tony Duquette's creative use and reuse of the ordinary transformed into the extraordinary has inspired and continues to influence many designers.
Baker furniture in collaboration with Hutton Wilkinson has introduced a limited edition of Tony Duquette's custom furniture line. If you're in Los Angeles, stop by the Baker showroom at the PDC to see this collection. Pictures don't do them justice



Gold Toad -Toad was a reoccurring theme in TD's work



Abalone Chandelier - was designed for Duquette's one-man exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1952 and later moved to the drawing room at Charles and Palmer Ducommun Bel Air residence.




Biomorphic Mirror and Console - originally designed for the Charles and Palmer Ducommun Bel Air residence in the 1960s




Insect Man - This sculpture was designed originally to display one of TD's jewelry pieces




Duquette's office at home




Bergdorf Goodman's 2007 Holiday windows

I love the Gold Toad
Which one is your favorite?

Firoozeh

DesignSchematic

Tartan

Tartan has been around for centuries
This year it's hotter than ever.....



Desk Accessories and Cashmere throw - WIlliam Sonoma Home

Jeffery Banks ornaments




The Grill restaurant at The Dorchester, London

Anthropology winter catalog

Which one is your favorite?

Firoozeh Khorrami

DesignSchematic

Insperation - Ceramic Tile II

Malibu Potteries was establish in Malibu California by Mrs. Rindge in 1926. In the six short years it existed, it produced some of the most important and beautiful ceramic tile to come out of California. With an abundance of good quality clay, and a strong demand for decorative ceramic tile needed, for the Mediterranean and Spanish style homes being built in that day, Malibu Pottery produced 30,000 square feet of ceramic tile per month. Although, with it's Saracen, Moorish, and Spanish designs, most of the tile was produced for homes in the Los Angeles area, the tile was also shipped world wide. In 1931 a fire destroyed most of the factory, Mrs. Rindge was planning to rebuild, the depression and building slump that followed prevented the factory from re opening again.


Above: Persian carpet designed by William Handley of Malibu Potteries
Logia at the Ahmason house in Malibu California, built in 1930

Even though Malibu Pottery shut down Malibu Ceramic Works has reinvented, and has been producing beautiful handmade ceramic tile in the traditional fashion, in Southern California for the past 30 years.



www.malibuceramicworks.com

Do you like Malibu tile?

Firoozeh Khorrami

www.DesignSchematic.com

Winter Tablescape

I found this beautiful tablescape on Martha Stewart's web site isn't it gorgeous. So simple and sophisticated

Just because it's getting cold outside and we don't have the beautiful summer flowers doesn't mean you can't get creative with what's in season.
How would you decorate your winter table?

Firoozeh

Design Schematic

Think Pink

One of my favorite colors is pink. It is calming, elegant, understated yet versatile, and can be a neutral.

This Beautiful dining room is designed by Suzanne Kasler, notice the beautiful pink silk drapes, and the railroaded upholstery on the dining chairs.



I just love this bedroom with hot pink satin moire upholstered walls.
Designed by Jamie Drake

Have you ever thought about painting the inside of a book shelf. It's a cool trick to bring in some color or in this room it helps ties all the elements like the rug and fabric on the sofa together. I also love the Murano glass lamp on the desk.

Let me know what your favorite color is?

xoxo

Firoozeh

Design Schematic

Insperation - Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is an important element in design. Available in as many colors as styles, used in hundreds of applications and spaces. It can add color, texture, and pattern to any indoor or outdoor space. Produced in different parts of the world, each with it's own history and culture.

"Seven Colors" (Haft Rang) tile dates back to the Safavid period in Iran (1502-1736) to decorate many religious and non-secular buildings.

Intricate detail of the beautiful and unique tile work of Isfahan Islamic building of the 16th century


Zillij mosaics - Moroccan tile comes in many different motifs, floral, geometric (below), chiseled, and many colors. Each motif and color remains a symbol and has a special significance in the iconography of the Islamic/Moorish art.





These tiles have decorated walls, floors, ceilings, tables, and furniture for centuries and are still being manufactured.

Firoozeh Khorrami,

www.DesignSchematic.com

Murano Glass

Murano glass is hand blown glass, luminously colored and sculpted by artisans who have honed their craft and passed it on for generations. The name Murano comes from the geographical location of the glass foundries, a small island about a mile from Venice. In the 13th century the ruler of Venice ordered all the glass foundries to move to the island of Murano so they would not pose a fire hazard to the city.

Here are a few of my favorites


above: Umbtello lamp by Otium
www..otium-nyc.com/


Ca Rezzonico by La murrina



Flores Vase


Bambu Vase


Zero vase by Ivan Baj - Arcade Glass



This year there will be an exhibit "Venice: Three Visions in Glass" featuring three Venice based innovative artists. It will be at Barry Friedman, a gallery in New York’s Chelsea district, from Oct. 29–Jan. 16

Please leave a comment if you have visited the show, are you a fan?

Firoozeh Khorrami,


www.DesignSchematic.com

Lanterns

Lanterns have been a popular light fixtures for many years. Early lanterns only purpose was to shield the flame of the candle from extinguishing due to the wind or a breeze, they were primarily square, and made from inexpensive sheet iron or tinplate. Today lanterns make quite a statement, they are used indoor and outdoor, made from a variety of metals, some very simple, others very ornate and decorative....


Above: We will soon be installing one of my favorites in the entry of a home, this beautiful Dennis and Leen lantern, I will post photos as soon as it is available
www.dennisandleen.com


Above: Curry and Company "Loggia Lantern"



Above: Baker Furniture's collectors edition "Urban Smoked Lantern"




Above: Designer Denyse Rinfret used a pair of antique English lanterns to make the island of this great kitchen into the focal point.

Here's a close up of those lanterns.
photos courtesy of Traditional Home (October 2009)


Above: Puccini-lantern from the Las Palmas collection


Above:James Lumsden used two Puccini lanterns to dress up this grand entry hall.


I hope this has inspired you

Firoozeh Khorrami

www.DesignSchematic.com

Lighting

Last week I went to a presentation about lighting at the Ferguson showroom in Woodland Hills. In the past few years I am very happy to have found more and more clients are asking about ways to conserve energy in their home and office. Half of the energy consumption in the home and office is due to heating and cooling. As heating and cooling systems become more and more efficient lighting will dominate a larger portion of the pie. Although florescent lights are great for saving energy when picking a green product we have to look at other factors like, disposal, manufacturing, and the quality of the light. Philips Halogen Energy Savers meets the strict 2012 energy laws, although more expensive about $5 each compared to .25 cents for a standard incandescent lamp, they save 30% in energy and last 3 times longer than a standard incandescent lamp. Also by planning and layering light we can strategically design a space that incorporates the energy saving benefits of florescent lamps with the color rendering benefits of incandescent lamp.

Below: For lighting up a work surface florescent fixtures are used they are compact save energy light up the entire surface and don't produce as much heat.

However in areas were color is more important like over an island or in the breakfast room you might want to consider using an incandescent light as below

The pictures above were found on the Internet source unknown

What other ways can we save energy?

Firoozeh Khorrami

www.DesignSchematic.com

Lusterware

Lusterware is pottery or porcelain with an iridescent effect caused by the metallic finish containing copper and silver or other materials. It's history is ancient dating back to Egypt and Rome, true luster technology probably began sometime between the 4th and 8th centuries AD. Luster glazes were applied to pottery in Mesopotamia in the 9th century; the technique soon became popular in Persia and Syria and migrated to Spain and Italy. In the 18th century the English were the first to apply platinum glaze to earthenware. This created the look of more expensive sterling silver, the so-called “poor-man’s silver”. A process that was introduced by John Hancock and Josiah Spode, known as silver luster or English luster.












Do you collect lusterware?


Firoozeh Khorrami, ASID

www.DesignSchematic.com

Planters

When designing a room, I don't consider it complete without the natural elements. Plants are as much a part of the design of a space as furniture and architectural detail. Not only do they add color they also have a visual impact as well as form and style. Don't forget the planters....

Here are some planters I've been looking at for a client.







These beautiful planters are from Bobo Intriguing Objects

www.bobointriguingobjects.com

Which one do you like?

Firoozeh Khorrami, ASID

www.DesignSchematic.com

Luxurious bathroom accessories

Bring up the style volume in your bath by adding some beautiful accessories. From an elegant mirror to plush towels and fragrant soaps.



Textured towel, designed using old hand looms from a French nunnery, reviving an age old craft and maintaining a timeless form



America tild guest towel stand with soap dish



Hammam Bathware



Waterworks bath accessories



How about using these beautiful canisters for storing cotton, bath salts, extra bars of soap.....



Amber glass pharmaceutical bottles from Restoration Hardware



Waterworks smoke glass accessories



I love this "Grooming Bar" by Waterworks



This freestanding towel bar is great for extra towels by the bathtub



I hope this has inspired you

Firoozeh

www.DesignSchematic.com