Looking to color the day

You know those days that you wake up feeling blah………! I browsed my design folders to see if I could find something that would make me feel a little bit better. Something, maybe, colorful! I found bold color walls… Why not?! Why not add some bright color to one of your walls?! I would like to share these images with you because I know we are generally afraid of strong colors in our houses… But maybe that can inspire you and me! I confess that I am a kind of a “neutral palette person”, but I keep asking myself why not some color?!

Interior Design - Alessandra Branca

Interior Design - Paula + Martha LLC Designs

Interior Design - Sherril Canet

If you get inspired by those and decide to do a little project in your house or office, or maybe you already have done a “super color” wall or walls…and would like to share with us…send it to me. It will be a pleasure to post it in RG Art & Design Inspirations blog!

WHO IS HE?

This is Thomas…

Writing the last post about Thomas O’ Brien made me curious to learn more about this interesting and successful person who has been creating rooms and products that I am totally inspired by. I found a great interview where I learned a lot about him; done by this wonderful blog CHIC COLES.  Chic Coles is created and managed by the “Coles Family”: Melissa Cole, Cassandra Cole, Leslie Cole and Wendy Cole. I would love to share the “warm and sweet” interview with Thomas O’ Brien done by The Coles.
If you want read the interview click on this link:
Interview with Thomas O'Brien.


Photos of his retail store, interior projects, collection in other showrooms... Enjoy, and get inspired!

If you want to see and learn more about his style, I would recommend that you get his book at:

  Amazon Books

AH!  And here you can get his tips and advice for Holiday Decorating, posted at 

Designer Series WSHome: 

(I know this is a little bit out of season, but it's worth it!) 

Stick with tradition. I think the holidays are more fun if you incorporate traditions which add something personal. Ever since I was a kid, I've been collecting old toys and ornaments and animal figurines, and it all comes out in December, to be set up like a vintage Christmas village on my mantel. My goddaughter lights up every time she sees it. We have a ritual of unpacking all the pieces together and have a great time planning where to put everything. I'm not above adding in less precious elements in small doses, like fake snow or Frosty the Snowman. She loves it, and I get a kick out of seeing the magic through her eyes. For me, holidays are really all about the kids and family and entertaining.


Dress it up. I try to make the whole season feel special. Let yourself and your home be dressier and more festive than usual. I make a point of taking out my china, crystal, linen, and silver to use not just at dinner but during the day. It's nice having Christmas dishes too, even if it's just a set of mugs you mix in with your usual place setting. I set out holiday platters and mixed groups of glasses on the table, so that they become part of the décor.


Pick a theme. I often use a wintry, serene, white and silver palette at holiday time. There are certain details I love year after year: Christmas M & M's in brilliant cut-crystal candy bowls, big fires at all times in the fireplace, a magnolia wreath on the front door hung with antique ribbon, and lots of holly and amaryllis all over the house. Repeating the same scheme is part of the fun and makes the holiday classic for me.


Shine on. I get the largest tree possible and load it up with strands of white lights with bulbs in a number of different shapes and sizes, set back really deep in the branches. This creates a layered, twinkly effect. I also sprinkle tons of old-fashioned silver tinsel all over the tree and pile on ornaments I've had in my family for ages. In the evenings, I always light candlesticks and votives to add to the glow, with dimmed lamp light and as little other light as possible. That puts the emphasis on the tree, and makes the whole night shimmer.


Entertain in style. Every year I host a big party for my office, plus a bunch of smaller get-togethers. In November, I transform my bar and butler's pantry into an entertaining station, stocked with everything I need as a host for the whole season. I bring out favorite pieces like my Mauviel hammered copper double champagne bucket (from the wonderful line of French copper cookware that is sold at Williams-Sonoma). But even with fine things I like to keep the mood a bit casual, as in mixing and matching vintage and new glassware at the bar. This not only looks more interesting, but it is practical for parties, making it easier for guests to keep track of their particular glass. In terms of music, I go for classics like the Nutcracker and Nat King Cole. At our staff party, everyone takes a turn opening presents in front of the group, having a special moment of recognition. And everyone puts such creative effort into decorating and packaging their gifts. I keep a wide wicker basket handy for all the discarded paper and ribbons. These are the small moments that add up to an elegant evening, with so many nice details to be appreciated.


Favorite item from WSHome. My favorite item in the store is the classic hotel bedding. The quality of the cotton is great, and the colors are always so sophisticated, never overdone. And with all the house guests that come through around this time, it's especially good to have extra sets of sheets.

I want to thank "The Coles" to have giving me the permission to link their interview in
RG Art + Design Inspirations blog!

THOMAS O’ BRIEN for Target

In my opinion and many others {I am sure}… Here is another successful designer and merchant...THOMAS O’ BRIEN. Well known for his “warm modernism”, Thomas O’ Brien is the founder of the influential company AERO STUDIOS: retail, interior design services and commercial product development. He is the creator of the sophisticated and “affordable” collection of Vintage Modern for the national wide store TARGET.

THOMAS O'BRIEN VINTAGE MODERN COLLECTION

 Thomas O'Brien® Menswear Bedding Collection - $99.00

Thomas O'Brien® 3-pc. Towel Set-Quiver Brown - $24.00

Thomas O'Brien® 3-pc. Towel Set-Quiver Brown - $21.24

Thomas O'Brien® Hand Painted Dinnerware Collection - $24.99

Thomas O’Brien® Brushed Nickel Step Frame - 5x7" - $12.99

Thomas O'Brien® Ottoman/Bench - This item is out of stock. 

Too bad... : - (

“I like practical and useful things as well as fine and rare things” he says. The combination of opposite elements in his design: as casual and elegant, classic and modern, masculine and feminine fuse a unique style that I take as great inspiration. I am personally attracted to this kind of style _ “the mix”, a personal style of a Bohemian collector, a worldly traveler, a story teller… {Who is Thomas really?!}

A PERFECT WHITE & BLUE HOUSE

PERFECTION: According to the Oxford dictionary the word perfection means: act or process of making perfect. 2. State of being perfect; faultlessness; excellence. 3. perfect person, thing, or example. 1 refinement, enhancement; …. 2 purity, flawlessness, … 3 ideal, …, model, etc…
Anyway, this morning I spent a long time speaking on the phone with one of my best friends, talking about very philosophical and psychological subjects. It was a productive conversation about life… relationships, interior essence, family, career, kids, husbands, passions, etc and etc… It was insightful to both of us! At the end we talked about perfection… How we {human beings} are always looking for perfection; the perfectionism in ourselves, the perfectionism in others, the perfectionism in our lives, in our houses, in the world. Well, maybe not everybody is looking for perfection. By coincidence, last night before I went to bed I found this “absolutely perfect interior house”! I never saw even in magazines such a perfect interior like this one that I am posting here! I was dazzled by such an accomplishment! It’s just amazing how idyllic it is. I want to congratulate the interior designer, Sherrill Canet, the photographer {who I don’t know the name – if somebody out there knows his/her name, please contact me}, the stylist {the same for the stylist}; and the owners for creating this incredibly perfect house! It’s so perfect that it is almost not real!

Memorial Day Weekend

Well, well, well… While we don’t have the house and backyard to make a barbecue and host our friends and family, we found someone else’s backyard to enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend! Well, the truth is even if we had the “house and backyard” this past weekend I would not be able to have had guests anyway… My back pain was back and it was killing me, and I was in such a bad mood! However, I did not want to spend the whole weekend in bed, so I decided to go for a smooth walk in some beautiful nature or garden place. So Mike and I found this new place on Long Island. It was just perfect for the moment! Believe or not, I came back home feeling much better from my horrible back pain!

The Bayard Cutting Arboretum, a New York State Park, was donated to the Long Island State Park Region by Mrs. William Bayard Cutting and her daughter, Mrs. Olivia James, in memory of William Bayard Cutting,

"to provide an oasis of beauty and quiet for the pleasure, rest and refreshment of those who delight in outdoor beauty; and to bring about a greater appreciation and understanding of the value and importance of informal planting."

Great paths for serene walks...

Surrounded by peaceful water...

The kids love to feed the whole family of swans!

Sit down and relax!

NOTE: I apolized for the bad quality of the photos.  I did not have more battery in my regualar camera, so I had to use my cell phone camera!  Well, but it's not too bad, right?! 


THE BAYARD CUTTING ARBORETUM
Located at:
440 Montauk Highway
Great River, NY 11739
Phone: 631 581 1002

Members of the Community: “Rural Modernists”

Do you think that you can’t find contemporary minds in the countryside?!  Well, the country is not just about farms, cows, trees and hills. We also can find contemporary art and design. During my trip last weekend to the countryside of New York City, I found Jason O' Malley studio with his organic ceramics forms and cartoonist pop art illustrations; and to my surprise, I found the freshest and most enduring Scandinavian design: Scandinavian Grace located on State Route 28 around Ashokan Reservoir. Who would have thought?! Scandinavian designs and pop modern illustrations in the middle of the woods?! Oh, if you don’t believe me, you can check it out yourself!

"This portrait combines the personalities of this "opposite attracts" couple (just like me and my husband).  Collete is a city gal and Tom is a country bumpkin." (Jason O' Malley)

"My clients wanted a portrait of them with their pooches set in their chic living room with the NYC skyline in the background." (Jason O' Malley)

Here he is: The artist himself, Jason O' Malley and his dog Tino.

Isn't Tino so cute?!... Good dog! Good dog!

Jason O' Malley ceramics.

Jason O' Malley ceramics. Aren't them so BIG and unique?!

Scandinavian Grace - Origo Tumbar item

Scandinavian Grace - Norn 03 item

Scandinavian Grace - Nordic Light item

Scandinavian Grace - Cozy Candle item

Scandinavian Grace - Cokkie Tray item

Scandinavian Grace - Pip Pip Bird Feeder item

Hope you like these "finds".  I LOVED THEM!!!

  _ RENATA GROSS _