Candice Olson

One of the things I am thankful for is getting to meet Candice Olson last month. It's refreshing to witness a rare combination of talent, poise, and genuine humility. There isn't an ounce of ego that you would normally expect from a celebrity. She will have a new show in 2010 and I wish her continued success.

To qoute the lady herself : "How Divine".

Post High Point Market Trend Report-Klismos Inspired Chairs

I don't like doing a trend report during High Point, it interests me more to wait and gauge the responses from both clients and vendors. This week I will highlight several trendy undercurrents in the design world.
(Well, only the ones I liked of course.)
The earliest known form of Greek chair dates back to six or seven centuries before Christ!
We are still reinterpreting, and personalizing the classic design of the Greek Klismos Chair.

Thom Felicia for Vanguard Furniture, debuted October 2009.

The collection is pretty edgy and fresh. You may recognize him from TV's Queer Eye for the Straight Guy (fun show but only showed a teeny glimpse of his talent).

by Newell Design/Decorati

by Donghia

Via House Beautiful, one of my favoritest magazine/websites on the planet:
No one's ever sat on an original Greek klismos chair, because not one has actually survived. Its popularity peaked around 400 B.C., but it was resurrected in the 18th century, when all things classical were the fashion. Since then it's been perennially beloved. From the moment we first spied it on ancient Greek pots, the elegant klismos has been reproduced, reinvented, refreshed, and retailed. It's the most popular chair we've never seen.
What actually makes a chair a klismos chair?
Basically, it's the concave top rail that's curved to embrace the shoulders of the sitter, and those four incurved saber legs. Some chairs have vertical or horizontal back splats and some have none. Because this element is seldom visible in the Greek original, we don't quite know what's "right." There are many variants with perfectly straight front legs, too, but they look clunky.
Are they only available in wood?
Until recently, the klismos form was primarily made of wood, although metal examples do exist. During the 20th century, however, the chair was manufactured in any new material that came along, and I've recently seen some in lacquer with gold leaf, and in clear acrylic. Occasionally, you'll find an example that's fully upholstered. I'm doubtful that this can be called a klismos, since a traditional attribute of this chair is its portability.

New Tate Dining Chair by Revco International

Martha Stewart Lyell Klismos Side Chair

The Palmer Outdoor Chair by Oly

This style chairs pairs with both traditional and modern styles, it simply depends on the specific reincarnation that strikes your fancy.

“I had three chairs in my house: one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society”

Henry David Thoreau

The Lost City of Atlantis...

Has been found in Dubai

The Palm Jumeirah

(which is a much MUCH larger international topic)

from conception

to construction only seen in UAE

To Earning the title "Most Beautiful Resort in the World"

and is the only resort to be rated 7 stars.

Being the cancer (crab) that I am, this looks like the type of fun I wish they would let me have at my local aquarium.

But what makes this resort undeniably superior is the exquisite attention to detail

by one of the world's best interior design firms, Wilson & Associates.

The lobby’s centrepiece is a 33' high sculpture with over 3,000 pieces of hand blown glass said to have taken almost two years to create. It is surrounded by a reflection pool. This is Dale Chihuly’s first installation in the Middle East. Surrounding it are eight architectural sea snake columns. The ceilings feature eight handpainted murals by Spanish Artist Albino Gonzalez telling the story of the ancient mythological city of Atlantis. He is one of the world's foremost interpreters of ancient mythology.

Considering the story of Atlantis was originally told by Plato, the murals in the resort are  layered with paint, history and fantasy.

 Can you imagine waking up in this suite? SWEET!

I will pretend my aquarium game on facebook is this exciting.

Candice Olson's Forecast for 2010

Candice Olson's

Inpiration & Direction

for  2010

(Click on the image to enlarge)

You had me at "free"

House Beautiful announced today via twitter: November Daily Freebies Sweepstakes

Once a day they are giving away products from Ballard Designs.

You can enter HERE.

Sadly, we succumbed to twitter and are admittedly twitterpated. So far the only interest in twitter is news like this!! that vendors and partners only release via tweets. Forgive the foray into twit-dom.

I love, love! House Beautiful and  appreciate the style Ballard offers at affordable prices.

From Ballards:

From House Beautiful-If you don't have a subscription yet I highly recommend! Their annual color issue is amazing: