abo design co. » Design

Organic Art

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:18:38 +0000

Continuing on my art tangent…I would like to introduce you to the works of Chihuly (if you haven’t already been enlightened by his magic). If you google Dale Chihuly, you will find an awe-inspiring collection of images of glass sculptures that blurs the line between real and magical…that and a very thorough biography on his own website. So instead of exhausting you with a lengthy who, what, when, where, why, and how, here’s my very short & sweet version: an inspiring glassblower from which countless complex, multi-part, large-scale sculptures portraying nature’s beauty were borne. Interesting fact: he was a student of interior design and architecture in the early 60s (not surprising when you observe his use of space and dimensions with each installation). So there’s my quick sypnosis of the man, now please read the extensive biography here: chihuly.com/intro. If it appears at bit too lengthy for the time you have right now then simply allow the following images to enlighten your mind:

Note: must be enjoyed with some music (I recommend classical or Pink Floyd) and a glass of wine or whatever your poison is…

You can see this one in person at 1200 Georgia St

Bellagio， Las Vegas

Victoria & Albert Museum, London

For the ultimate experience, please watch this brief must see video: Chihuly & the Making of the Bellagio Lobby Ceiling

Interstyle Ceramic & Glass Tiles

admin — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 20:53:39 +0000

Whenever possible, I always prefer to support a local company when selecting finishes & materials for my clients. One company that has become quite popular among my clients is Interstyle located in Burnaby. They manufacture ceramic & glass tiles for kitchens, bathrooms, and swimming pools. They specialize in creating custom mosaics and large format tiles for wall & floor installations. What’s truly unique about them is their line of recycled glass manufactured locally in Burnaby. For those working on LEED certification, you know how important this is. Aside from the fact that they are a local business, their products are visually stunning and for special projects that call for unique designs, they’re an excellent alternative. A sampling of my favourites:

Aquarius

Agates

Icestix

Ribbon (countertops or wall panels)

An Artistic Makeover: Sinks

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:46:14 +0000

When you think of a bathroom or kitchen sink, you tend to picture white porcelain or stainless steel. It’s never been the conversation piece or focal point of a room. I don’t usually get excited about selecting a sink! It’s there for function and as long as it’s not obnoxiously ugly, it doesn’t usually get the attention that I would give to the selection of a hood or a fireplace. Linkasink certainly changes this, however. And it’s very exciting to see manufacturers, across the spectrum, merging beauty and function when producing new product lines.

Linkasink offers your traditional, funtional sinks the beauty makeover it desperately needs. For those clients who are looking for something a bit more special, Linkasink provides a bedazzling update to the everyday sink. From onyx to bronze to mosaics, the possibilities are endless! These artistic pieces make me rethink the way I design and inspire new designs. Here’s a sampling of some of my favourites:

Stainless steel mosaic kitchen sink

Porcelain Swarovski Pearl Stripes (Cantu has one in their Vancouver showroom)

Tumbled Onyx Farm House Kitchen Sink

Mother of Pearl Mosaics (in dusk)

New York: Art by Design

admin — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:10:04 +0000

New York is famous for many things. One being design. The Metropolitan Museum of Art has done a spectacular job of gathering designs from all decades and places. From fully furnished 19th century rooms to individual furniture pieces, I felt like I was walking back into time. Rather than exhausting you with my take on each item, I just want to give you a photo summary of some of my favourite pieces and rooms. Some of them truly represent their time & age and placing them in new and modern settings would just be odd but of course if that’s your style, you can make it work. On the other hand some of these pieces are so classic that they can still be seen in homes to this day.

If you ever get a chance to visit New York, I highly recommend visiting the Metropolitan. But make sure you leave plenty of time for it as you will not be able to see everything it has to offer in one, two, even three days! We visited the museum three times and still haven’t seen everything.

: My favourite room & my hubby fading into it

: Love this blue and the details at the edge of the seat

: A perfect Fleur De Lis

: Note how the legs of table mimic the chair

: Almost too perfect to sit on

: In love with this sideboard & decorative bowl

: Perfect balance demonstrated with choice of colours & size of objects

: The mirror is the perfect topping for this pair

: Really appreciate the details

: A must have for every boudoir

: I love the bookshelf

: For ladies who must converse

: A very princely writing desk

The Perfect Home for Book Lovers

admin — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 08:00:19 +0000

Are libraries too boring? Do you crave adventure & intrique inside & outside of your many books? For those of us who need an interesting, unique abode where we can sit back & enjoy our favourite novels, Point Design Studio in Tokyo, has created the perfect solution…an igloo style room to store books. Bookshelves are designed to allow you to grab your books from inside or outside this hut style creation. The design is whimsical, fun, creative and makes me want to spend hours in bed reading, while surrounded by books!

Image courtesy of point-tokyo.jp

Image courtesy of Inhabitots.com

Bathing in an Egg

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 22:33:19 +0000

I’m very excited for the launch of Viaggi/Maxx’s new egg shaped bathtub! It is to happen this summer. The design is simple, and just beautiful! It is cradled in a wood stand that is beautiful in itself. This eloquent design is perfect for that spa-like bathroom. You know that feeling of cradling a warm egg in your hands? It makes me think of this experience. Very calming but striking enough to be the center piece in your bathroom. I’ll keep you posted on the lauch when it happens. In the meantime for a sneak preview visit www.maxx.com.

Innovative Wine Cellar

admin — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:25:31 +0000

I received these pictures of a wine cellar, unfortunately without any information. Can’t seem to find any info on it, so would be pleased if you know anything about it! Great concept AND it looks good. Let me know if you know who the designer is.

Nature: Genius Designer or Serendipity?

admin — Sat, 30 May 2009 00:00:19 +0000

I found a great blog post on environmentalgraffitti.com about the Fibonacci Sequence & Golden Ratio. Nature astounds me every day because regardless of where I feel my inspiration for that painting/furniture design/etc came from I can always find the roots deep in nature…

Hope you enjoy & learn something new with this article.

Powder Room

admin — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:26:20 +0000

Powder rooms are one of those projects that you can have fun with. It’s a very utilitarian room so I always like to jazz it up and make it more than just a sink & toilet. This is a room for your guests so it’s a great place to make a statement about you & your personal style. Believe me, guests will appreciate a played up room while they sit on the throne contemplating about the people who live in the house. No need to go wild, although you can (powder rooms are forgiving that way), but do dress up your powder rooms with a few interesting accents & accessories.

As for fixtures, consider HOW the room will be used. Will your guests require the full storage that a regular bathroom calls for? Is it just one of those rooms, you pop in and out of or will you be occupying it for extended periods at a time? This will help a lot in the selection of sinks/vanities/seating/toilets. No need to provide tons of storage if you don’t require them. Spend your money where it’s needed & keep the rest for accessories & accents as they will pull the room together. Have fun with tiles & wall treatment. You can splurge a bit here because the space is small enough! There are so many different patterns & finishes that you can really get lost in the selection so be warned! If you are usually an undecided, don’t ask for too many “opinions” from friends or family members; they will just end up pulling you back & forth from one idea to another. Select your fixtures and if you really need help with design then seek a professional to help you pull everything together. It’s a small enough project that you don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for professional services.

Consider art (even the written print). It makes for a more interesting room & you give your guests something to look at. Fresh flowers are always a nice touch. Wouldn’t you want to feel like you’re at a hotel when you’re a guest a friend’s house? Perhaps they would too! Clean accessible linens are a nice touch for that added hotel atmosphere.

Some great examples of powder rooms done well:

Sarah Richardson

Tufenkian by Barbara Barry

admin — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:18:27 +0000

I have always admired Barbara Barry’s work & yesterday made my first order for one of her carpets for Tufenkian! Very exciting. It’s a beautiful piece that the client is absolutely in love with.

Ms. Barry is well-known in the design community…she’s a bit of a celebrity actually. Her collaboration with Tufenkian began in the mid-1990s. Inspired by the distinct textures & striated colours of their handmade carpets, she created a collection that is muted, geometric, and classic modern. If you are in the market, visit the Salari showroom.

Dots

Quilted

Waltz

Galaxy - Client chose this one