Dixie Chick Chic

I love the Dixie Chicks. I had the fortune to see then a couple years back when they opened for The Eagles. When the issue of Metropolitan Home came with Emily Robinson home featured, I took notice.
Her space is so open and airy with calm hues. It has an industrial feel without being cold. Here are a couple more shots.
Architects Jim Poteet and Patrick Ousey; interior designer Joel Mozersky

I adore this shot (and the rug). Having the glass separate the room was a splendid idea. The instruments are art to me and I would love to see them all the time. The light radiates throughout. How wonderful!

Take a look at the full story at Point, Click, Home ~

Metropolitan Home

I am so sad about Metropolitan Home Magazine folding. Their December issue is their last. I cannot believe it. It has been one of my favorite shelter publications for years. I have featured it numerous times on my blog. I will likely continue to feature it as I have saved many Met Home magazines for inspiration. I am very, very sad ~ that is all I can say.

Christopher Guy ~

It's funny... I wrote my Christopher Guy post before I left for Market. I grabbed my new Metropolitan Home and Elle Decor magazines as I ran out the door. Low and behold, look who graces the cover of Metropolitan Home ~ a Larry Laslo design using Christopher Guy's furniture. How wonderful!

Here are a couple of more photos from Mr. Laslo's exquisite design ~ a better one of the dining room without the print and the bedroom. He chose well. I love that headboard.



Now ~ on with my original post!
I have not featured one of my vendors from The Beautiful Home Store in a while. When I was looking at the list, my eyes fell upon Christopher Guy. His show room in High Point is always fun and inspiring to go to. He is a visionary. He creates unique furnishings with elegance, grace, and a sensuality like no other. Take the tete-e-tete above for example. The curves wrap around you, practically holding you while you speak the the one in the other chair. Lets take a look at some other designs and you tell me what you think.

The backs have it.....



The backs of these chairs remind my of a gorgeous woman in a stunning evening gown baring her alluring back rather than hanging out the front. Elegant.

More please! Ok then.....










I think of his pieces as art and use them for accents.

His and hers.....



I can see these last two flanking a massive formal fireplace.

Does he have case goods? Yes, I love his vanities and he has interesting accent tables...




Bedrooms.....



As grand as grand can get!

And, of course, what started it all for Mr. Guy? Mirrors....

Take a look at his website. If not to look for a piece for your home, for inspiration, and for fun. His site is always fun!

Christopher Guy may be purchased thought The Beautiful Home Store. As always, a portion will be donated to charity.

Asymmetrical Balance ~

This is a wonderful example of asymmetrical balance. Why? Asymmetrical balance is also known as informal balance. I adore asymmetrical balance because it is done with the eye ~ hence also being known as optical balance.

With asymmetrical balance, a center point or line is still found but differing furnishings are used to create balance. The furnishings need to be similar in mass or form and are still equal in distance from the center point.

In the above picture, the chairs are balanced by the chaise. The console table lamps are balanced by the shelving unit. This type of balance is more difficult to achieve. It requires searching for 'like' objects and then placing them, tweaking them, assessing the sight and feel of the arrangement, tweaking again.....

Once accomplished, it is delightful as it is already varied thus interesting and unlikely to become boring over time. This type of balance has a genuine, more relaxed feel to it but provides the same type of secure and confident feelings as symmetrical balance. When one enters into a room with good asymmetrical balance, the feeling of order occurs but is more subconscious than conscious. In symmetrical design ~ it is unmistakable as one sees the mirror image. In asymmetrical balance, one feels it first and then perhaps sees it.

Here are additional examples of asymmetrical balance....

The large vase is a similar height as the floor lamp, which flank the vignette. Since the vase has some mass, the chair together with the floor lamp, a grouping, provide the balance.

The sofa and chairs offset each other. They are unified by the chairs and a pillow on the sofa being similar colors.

The chair and the vase together balance the sofa. I love this design.

The white console (a horizontal plane), lamp, and drapes form a grouping that oppose the large white doors (a vertical plane). The bird cage counters the tree with hanging birds on a wire table. The area as a whole is given a sense of stasis. This is a very thoughtful design.

Photos compliments of Point Click Home.

As mentioned in my symmetrical balance post ~ here's a good read.

Symmetrical Balance ~

Over the next few weeks, I will be doing several 'educational' posts. I primarily started my blog to share interior design information. A home is quite personal and important to one's health on many levels. For an elderly person or one with disabilities, being able to function with ease and perhaps live independently is paramount (we'll be discussing universal design in the future). For children, growing up with surroundings that are safe, functional, stimulating, and soothing is important for their development. For adults, home is a place to function with ease, to feel comfortable, to close off the world when a rest is needed and to feel proud off when inviting family, friends, and colleagues in. A home is a place for our psychic to be eased, stroked, excited, and pleased. That is a tall order ~ one that I feel fortunate to be able to embrace. It allows me to marry my two fields of study.

Some of you know that interior design is a second career for me. My first was in the psychology field. I was in that field for too many years to mention. Here is the reality ~ you can take the girl out of the practice, but you can't take the practice out of the girl. Honestly, I feel it is helpful to have that background in my now chosen field of design. When I start working with a new client, I believe it is critical to get to know them, observe them, really hear them (each one of them as their thoughts and needs may differ) as I am helping them interpret their vision to create a home. Serious stuff. When I do my e-designs, I have a comprehensive questionnaire for clients to complete followed by an in depth telephone conversation. It is not quite the same intimacy I have with my face to face clients but I do the best I can and it has been quite successful. Some have asked me why I do e-design at all ~ well for the same reason I do the blog ~ to share interior design information. I honestly believe it is every one's right to have a place to call home. Not everyone can afford design services as they are typically done. An alternative is e-design or virtual design as I call it.

Why am I telling you all this?? ~ because when I have discussed the principles and elements of interior design previously, I didn't emphasize their significance to the soul and psychic. Next to functional, the most important aspects of design in my opinion. So that is what I am going to do ~ discuss their relevance and show you what I mean. I will start with the the principle of balance.

You hear designers speaking about 'balance' all the time. It is a very important principle in design but what does it really mean? One can imagine what it means since it is a common word and folks are always trying to achieve it in life everyday. Let's start by defining it.

Balance is equilibrium. It is the composition of furnishings that physically or visually provide a feeling of stability. This is important as this gives us a sense of security, a confidence about one's surroundings. This principle is accomplished in one of three ways ~ symmetrical or formal balance, asymmetrical or informal balance, or by radial balance. What?

Symmetrical balance is mirrored images. First a center point is found. Next what is placed on one side is exactly (or almost exactly) placed on the other side. Symmetry is not synonymous with traditional design. It is used in all types of design styles. Pictures always help.



In these pictures, you see the fireplace as the center. The window treatments and sofas/chairs are mirror images ~ the exact same thing ~ of each other. In the first picture, the tables are also symmetrical; in the second, the sconces are. Both pictures have puff ottomans visually aligned with the center point.

Here is a bedroom example.

Symmetrical balance is timeless and appears formal. It suggests order and refinement. One doesn't have to decipher what is happening in the room ~ it is predictable thus evoking a feeling of safety. To avoid having the predictability become boring (sounds like a relationship ~ well, my friends it is a relationship ~ a relationship with your home) there should be some asymmetry or, in other words, some variety. Look closely at the pictures. In the top library picture, the vases on the mantel are only on one side, on the tables closest to you, there is a lamp only on one. In the second, note the objects on the mantel and the single floor lamp. In the bedroom picture, note the white vases and their height/size. The asymmetry keeps the room as a whole with a needed breath of relaxation.

Here are some more examples of symmetrical designs. Note the asymmetry to add the variety and interest.






Here's the educator coming out in me again (I was an instructor at a university) ~ always give folks a great read to gain additional information. I will do this from time to time. A comprehensive book that gives the basics of interior design is Interiors: An Introduction by Karla J. Nielson and David A. Taylor.


Stay tuned. Later this week, we'll discuss asymmetrical and radial balance.