Your Space Our Design: May 2010

Peonies are a favorite flower of mine for a multitude of reasons. I absolutely love the way the large blooms are so delicate yet so full. The way the pedals are presented with layer upon layer of gorgeous texture and full body that adds to an heir of sophistication unlike any other flower I have seen or worked with; not to be outdone by the opulent fragrances they hold.

One reason peonies are making a large resurgence is their Hollywood glam factor- remember Carrie’s bouquet from Sex and the City? This bouquet incorporated some of the Gardenia variety as well as some varieties of cream and white roses. This bouquet was an exaggerated example of richness combined with simplicity.

I was recently asked by a client if I could incorporate peonies and hydrangea into a wedding design. This made me revisit suppliers and inquire about affordable varieties. I have to say that this revisit has been a successful one and I am planning on bringing peonies to the island and by doing so offering brides more choice! I love taking flower design to the next level and pushing the envelope in all my designs and so this is the perfect opportunity to get the creative juices flowing once again!

Peonies have been celebrated throughout the ages in the orient and later Europe and were the subject of many fine art pieces including porcelain works as well as paintings by Renoir. The variety of flower has also captured the attention of celebrities including Martha Stewart who grows her own peonies as well as Oprah Winfrey.

Representation of peonies by Lang Shih-ning (Giuseppe Castiglione, 1688 - 1766) from the Ch'ing Dynasty. The Italian Jesuit, painter and architect lived and worked at the court of Emperor Ch'ien Lung.

Peonies, Auguste Renoir, 1879

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Going to another country can have a profound effect on one’s perception of color. While I was in Cuba this past April, I was reminded of exactly how many colors there are to choose from and how underutilized color is in North America. Perhaps it’s the colder climate and what seems like never ending winters that make neutrals so appealing. Whatever the cause, it is my belief that we all could use some color in our lives.

I was constantly inspired by countless hue combinations and diverse textures and architectural details and how they played off each other to create visually stimulating yet not overpowering areas.

This made me think of client interactions and just how many people are afraid of color and tend to stick to safe 'run-of-the mill' shades like beige's and browns (yes brown is a neutral!). I have always tried to sway my clients in neutral opposite directions by focusing on the type of mood they expect from a space which quite frequently is “energy.” Once this is established, then I draw inspiration from photographs not unlike the ones posted here; and finally, I implement these ideas into a functional and client specific design plan.

People are always amazed by the way color looks once applied to walls and how it is harmonized with the use of fabrics such as drapery, throw pillows, duvet covers and even throws and how this affects their overall mood and turns once uninhabited rooms into everyday spaces.

I know I’ve done a good job when a client comes to me and says something along the lines of “thank you for injecting color into my space, this is exactly what I wanted but I was afraid it would be too bright and didn’t know how to put it all together.”

In a world where time is unplentiful and people are frequently exhausted, why not come home to a refreshing pallet of blues, corals and overall punches of color to revitalize the soul?

I was truly inspired by this colonial style building, mainly because of the sheer scale of color usage. The gorgeous cool blue brings out the richness of the wood door and it all works so well to highlight the architectural detailing of the moldings. I love how the ironwork and lighitng don’t draw you away from the overall feel but add to a feeling of grandeur.