Congratulations Mariette Himes Gomez

Congratulations to Mariette Himes Gomez! Ms. Gomez is the 2011 ASID Designer of Distinction Award winner! Avery well deserved award for one of my favorite designers. Mariette has won numerous award and appears in the AD Top 100. I have blogged about her beautiful designs before and pleased to do it again.

Timeless elegance is how I would describe her work. I have awed over designs Mariette did years ago just like the ones she does today. That is a truly gifted designer ~ to be able to create a room that never tires. Please enjoy a few of Ms. Gomez's lovely designs and you'll understand her award of distinction.

Thursday's Room

Ok, before I go any further, I have to say I don't think this is a fluke. I think I am simply drawn to her designs. I was leafing through my stash of inspiration rooms for today's post. I stopped dead at this one. I stared at it for a long while taking it in. There are similarities to last week's room. There should be. The wood plank ceiling for one (but she carries them down on the walls in this room). I am strangely attracted to wood ceilings right now. Maybe it's being surrounded by natural elements, maybe its a little like being in a safe cocoon ~ not sure.

This in my opinion, this is the epitome of rustic chic ~

The designer, once again, the amazing Mariette Himes Gomez. This room was published in Architectural Digest in June 1999. I point out June 1999 because that was ten plus years ago and the room is still brilliant even with all the new fangle things out there. It's timeless. Hmmm... maybe I should have saved this one for Timeless Tuesday.

Now let's discuss the P&E's (principles and elements).

This is a large scale room. She brings into better perspective with the wood ceiling and walls. I adore how she floated the bed framed with logs. Then carefully placed large scale pieces of wood around and over it. The curved ones almost appear as hands reaching out and draped ever so gently with gauzy fabric. God-like if you ask me. This vignette is in perfect proportion to the room.

And talk about emphasis ~ that is one fine focal point. There is also lovely harmony ~ the rustic, wood surfaces unifying the room made better with her use fabric for soft diversity. Shape, form and line play important rolls. The horizontal lines of the ceiling and floor tend to make one feel secure. The free forming branches provide the rest for a full range of emotion ~ angled in some areas for action / excitement, curved in other areas for comfort, and vertical for the feeling of expanse ~ God-like. The shapes and forms compliment each other and are well proportioned.

Color and light are critical here. With all this wood, the room still appears bright because of the light (light enters the room from three sides), the neutral hues of the canopy that allow light to pass, and bed linens. The green chair, a color from nature, is also light as are the floors. If more vivid color were used, the room would take on a much different feel. Imagine the canopy being different colors or dense such that the light couldn't pass. What would the room feel like then? I also adore how the ceiling and floor run perpendicular to each other. If they were parallel, I think that would be overwhelming (or a bowling alley look ~ not too chic for a master bedroom).

This room could very well have been overwhelming but with Mariette's gentle hand ~ not even close.

Thursday's Room

Thursday's Room is a new series I am starting ~ I've been doing that a lot lately ~ getting organized. I've had to because business is good and I am finding it hard to post daily. So I have decided to organize my week as such:

1) Monday's Method ~ interior design advice for my readers. Send me a question and if you have a couple of pictures to illustrate, send those too ~ paula@paulagracedesigns.com.

2) Timeless Tuesday ~ a party on all types of timeless classics. The official kick-off is February 2nd. I am so excited about it ~ a gathering of beauty in one place!

3) Wednesday ~ Hump Day! Here's a day for you to further peruse Monday's Method and all the lovely folks that linked to Timeless Tuesday.

4) Thursday Room ~ here I will take a room and briefly discuss it utilizing the principles and elements of interior design.

5) Fun Friday ~ that will continue. Friday is my day to talk about anything from music to comedy to handsome men to...... what ever it is, it will be fun!

If something comes up that I simply must post about, I'll just fit it in ~ like on hump day.

Anyway, getting back to Thursday's Room, the space at the top is done by Mariette Himes Gomez and was featured in Architectural Digest. Here it is again.

I love this room. This is quite a large room but rather than filling the room with large scale furniture, she created zones ~ two distinct seating areas sharing a console between them. This is a wonderful use of space. By centering the console with the portable lamps, two people may lay on the sofas on either side and read quite comfortably. Having the two zones provides much seating during gatherings but each area has an intimate feeling well positioned for conversation.

What Ms. Gomez does take full advantage of is the vast wall space. She chose a piece of art well proportioned to the room anchored by a long console. This grouping along with the window beside it, balances the the expanse of the windows & doors opposing it. The remaining furnishing are symmetrical giving this a regal appearance but without pomp and circumstance.

There is no mistaking the focal point of this room either. The gradation from the ottoman, to the sofa, to the lamps, to the fireplace and the art above is perfect. The rhythm carries your eye from floor to ceiling ~ and what a ceiling! This is a monochromatic room with plenty of visual interest. The vaulted, beamed ceiling full of texture and fantastic lines takes one soaring amplified by the elegant wrought iron chandeliers.

The colors are neutral allowing the pillows to be the pop and the art and outdoor scenery to take center stage. The space plan is open, airy, traffic paths free and clear. Note the line on each piece of upholstery ~ straight to not hinder one's view from anywhere in the room.

Now we all know that Mariette Himes Gomez is a fabulous interior and product designer but this room really caught my eye ~ the rhythmic gradation is perfection in my eye and she allowed the natural light to bath the room. These make this room truly a work of art for me.

What else do you see my friends? Can you see yourself enjoying this space?