Past Inspiration

Look at this seriously beautiful sofa Grace Kelly is lounging on...

All you would need to recreate this look is a vintage sofa, a roll of black and white ticking, some black fringing and a good upholsterer...I am inspired are you??

Displaying Collections

I often talk about collections and how to display them. Here a few images to inspire...

All images via skona hem

Looking Through the Windows

Some of you asked to see some more images of our new display at Black & Spiro. Well here they are. If you look closely you can see that we wallpapered the ceiling of the entry to the shop in a contrasting paper to our front wall. Sorry about the terrible photos...I haven't mastered the art of taking photos through glass yet even though some of my lovely readers have tried to offer me advice on how to do it!!

Before & After

Sideboard After

Sideboard Before

I recently came across this lovely old Puerto Rican sideboard which I purchased for Black & Spiro. The girls and I decided to have it painted in a very soft mint green colour. We just had the piece delivered into the store on Friday. We placed it in our front window display with lots of pretty old jugs and vases filled with fresh flowers on it. I was so excited as one of my lovely clients came in to see me on Friday afternoon to go over a few things for her new kitchen and she instantly fell in love with our new piece. It is going into her new kitchen and she plans to fill it up with her collection of old mismatched china. I think it will be so perfect along with her pale pink retro Smeg fridge!!

PS. Sorry about the terrible photos however, it's really hard to get a good photo through the front glass windows of the shop...

Saturday Vintage Shopping Trip

A friend asked me to go hunting for vintage pieces with her yesterday {Saturday}. I warned her before we left that sometimes it can be hard to find things and sometimes we can come home with no great finds. Well, didn't I eat my words. We had one of the most successful vintage hunts I have had in a long time. We filled the boot of the car and then filled the back seats with things too. We even have a few pieces which need delivering next week!! Now, that's what I call a successful day...

Another Job In Progress

Here is another little job I have been working on. I will post more pictures of this one as it evolves also. I found these vintage lamps and had the orange and white patterned shades made to work with the client's existing Karlee Rawkins painting....a completely different look to the job in progress I posted yesterday.

More Pretty Vintage Style

Another great example of pretty vintage style above. So many lovely things in this photo. I adore the red and white stripe armchair with the floral cushions and the white cane table displaying lots of gorgeous things is divine.


Image - Country Homes & Interiors via Brambourne Farm

Pretty Vintage Style

I love this pretty vintage style room. It's amazing how inexpensive it is creating a room using vintage pieces. My friend Simone recently started a great blog called Beach Vintage where she shares her passion for vintage finds and how to create a great vintage look on a budget. I can't believe some of the gorgeous things she has collected and created and she always does it so inexpensively!!

Image 1 & 2 via House of Bliss

Lady Portrait

If I wasn't trying to be good I would snatch up this gorgeous vintage girl from Lynn at Paris Hotel Boutique. So, if any of you decide to snatch her up make sure you let me know as I would love to see where she ends up!!

Chic Vintage Style

These beautiful red and yellow vintage photos have me inspired this week. Look at the upholstery on those car seats.....Tres Chic!

Image 1 & 2 - Milliemott's Photostream @ Flickr

Glamorous Times

Following on from my vintage fashion posters which I posted last week...

I am very inspired by the style and grace of these women. Look at the beautiful dress Grace Kelly is wearing in the bottom image. I just adore the green and white floral fabric it is made in. On another note, look at the curved banquettes which are made in white painted lattice. There is just so much inspiration in these beautiful images.

Image 1 - Vi.sualize.us, Image 2 - Grace Kelly via Porchlight Interiors Blog

Be Faithful to Your Own Taste.....Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan

"Be faithful to your own taste because nothing you really like is ever out of style." ~Billy Baldwin

I thought the above quote by Billy Baldwin was very fitting to describe the exclusive outdoor furniture collection which was originally created by Walter Lamb for Brown Jordan in the mid-1940s. Just after World War II, the furniture designer Walter Lamb, began experimenting with bronze and copper tubing salvaged from sunken naval ships at Pearl Harbor and constructing prototypes incorporating canvas and yacht roping. The result was a collection defined by it's sculptural curves, sturdy construction and superb comfort. Today, Walter Lamb's furniture is still as timeless as ever and is still handcrafted to Lamb’s rigorous specifications by Brown Jordan. For modern use Brown Jordan has replaced the bronze pipe with weatherproof brass, which over time will develop a rich patina. Vintage pieces of Lamb's are now selling at starting prices of $5,000.00. Which goes to prove that nothing that is well designed and well crafted is 'ever out of style'.

Left: Vintage 1940's Walter Lamb Brown Jordan Rocking chaise in bronze, canvas and yacht roping.
Right: Vintage 1940's Walter Lamb Brown Jordan Bronze chaise rewebbed in cotton yacht cord.

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2007-2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog

Black & Spiro Today

I finally had all of the beautiful vintage fashion posters, which I purchased in Paris last year, framed. Today I had them hung in a cluster on a wall in our new display at Black & Spiro.

We used a silver bamboo frame on the posters with a white matting board. They look so beautiful. We have a total of 16 available for sale however, I think I am going to find it very hard to let some of these beauties go!!

I will be posting more photos of the display later this week, once the new curtains are installed, so do stay tuned.

PS. Notice the aqua wall they are hung on. I told you I was into aqua at the moment!!

I have been asked to provide pricing on the posters by a few readers. They are all $340.00 except for the LV one which is $480.00. Thanks for your interest!! Oh, and if you would like to see the full set available please email me anna@blackandspiro.com.au and I will email them all through to you.

Room Love

I love this room for the sheer fact that it is so simply compiled. There's no fuss about this room just collections of things loved against an all-white background...my favourite!

Image - Malin Ngoie Photographer

Palm Springs Modern Architecture and the Use of Screen Block

Palm Springs is ground zero for mid-century modern architecture Get Ready to Embrace your Inner Modernist

Palm Springs Modern Architecture Photo Julius Shulman

Every February for the past 9 years the big event to attend is the Palm Springs Modernism Show, which I missed by one week. Was I disappointed when I found out. I would have planned my trip differently. More than eighty of the foremost decorative and fine arts dealers convene to offer the very best of mid 20th-century furniture, paintings, sculpture, lighting, books and jewelry to eager collectors. Concurrently, Modernism Week surrounds the Modernism show with an events lineup offered during nine days that includes an always-memorable Saturday night gala, retro films, lectures, architectural tours around town (some on a double-decker bus), a classic car show, gallery openings and no shortage of martini soirees to rival the Rat Pack’s. A “don’t-miss” party (that I missed) this year was held at Frank Sinatra’s Palm Springs home, a sumptuous 1947 Mid-Century marvel with period décor, that rents out for $2,600 / night.

Palm Springs Modern Architecture Twin Palms: The Frank Sinatra Estate

But all was not lost because I did a self guided driving tour of "Screen Block" houses. The tour was headed by my Dad in the drivers' seat and two really good back-seat drivers (Joyce & me) with the map, shouting out directions: turn left here! no maybe try turning right!...stop now!....back up! The tour was written up as: Palm Springs' Hidden Architectural Treasures and some of these treasures were really well hidden off the main track. Unless a visitor is fortunate enough to spend an extended time in Palm Springs they are unlikely to notice or appreciate the extensive use of a quirky building material known as "screen block", a pierced decorative concrete block most commonly produced in 12" squares. It had it's heyday from the late 1950s through the 1960s especially in climates where the challenges of sun protection spawned a host of architectural solutions including metal grilles and wood louvers. During this brief "golden era" more than 250 different screen block patterns were produced around the country. Palm Springs is remarkable for having at least 54 of those patterns documented within its city limits. Along with this popularity screen block inherited a cascade of synonyms including "breeze block", "grille block", "solar block", "veil block", perforated block", "vented block", and "pierced block". Manufacturers claimed that buildings using screen block were 10 degrees cooler. Screen block has its origins and is a close cousin of the wooden grilles found in Moorish and Hindu architecture. But despite these exotic connections, history shows us that screen block's functional versatility and design appeal was embraced as a uniquely American product, forever linked to the space-age optimism of the late 50s and 60s and to the Sunbelt lifestyle.

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

1. The first example was the Resort Realty Building 190 E.Palm Canyon Dr. The exotic three dimensional block (today painted turquoise a colour that works wonderfully in the clear desert air of Palm Springs) was designed by Austrian-American sculptor Erwin Hauer. It was far more expensive and difficult to produce than standard screen block and surviving examples of Hauer's blocks are extremely rare.

Palm Springs Modern Architecture
This building was hard to get close to, as it was at the intersection of 4 busy streets with lots of traffic. But I am glad that I persevered to get close enough to take close up shots of the way the sun cast these interesting shadows.

2. The next location was rather hard to find, Twin Palms Apartments 495 Twin Palms Drive, and I would have driven right by without stopping to take in the beauty of it. A different colour has been used for each of the sections and the screen block is called "Venus" because they create imaginative "Martian-like figures.

 
Palm Springs Modern Architecture
In the pictures you can see that windows are right behind the screen block.

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

3. Then to my delight we went to Canyon View Estates, an absolutely gorgeous neighborhood of detached condominiums built in the early 60s, designed by architect William Krisel who was commissioned by the developer Alexander. Alexander changed the face of Palm Springs with the construction of more than 2,500 homes in the modernist idiom. Krisel also designed the private home of the Alexanders' - "The Alexander House" which was dubbed The "House of Tomorrow". It was conceived as an experiment in modern living. It gained fame as the honeymoon home of Elvis and Priscilla Presley.

Palm Springs Modern Architecture Alexander Residence1957 Photo: Julius Shulman

William Krisel shaped the look of Palm Springs 50 years ago and now a new generation is resurrecting his classic designs, and it was so apparent upon driving into this subdivision, where you could see that it is becoming the hip and happening area.

 
Palm Springs Modern Architecture
The screen block on this house (above & below) is called 'Maltese". I love how the tree is growing up and through the architecture.

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

 
Palm Springs Modern Architecture
How wonderful to have an orange tree in your front yard

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

Palm Springs Modern Architecture
The landscaping for this community of 164 homes was immaculately maintained. The trees were works of art - living sculpture.

 
Palm Springs Modern Architecture
I think this is called "Mei Ling" pattern pattern (above & below)

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

 
Palm Springs Modern Architecture
This screen block is fleur-de-lis and was one of my favourites (above & below)

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

Palm Springs Modern Architecture
This house with the Japanese inspired "Starburst" pattern was being renovated and I was able to slip inside and take a few photos.
The wall between the kitchen & living room was taken out and this interesting glass mosaic tile was put on the backslash
of the all-white kitchen (that's me in the reflection taking the picture).

 
The shower in the Master Ensuite was sunken about 12" 

Double molded sinks in the Ensuite

The tilers at work in the Main Bathroom

 
Palm Springs Modern Architecture
The view from the back patio

Furniture and the remains of the workers lunch in the dining room. Great Chairs - vintage to match the era of the house.
All the floors throughout the house including the outdoor balcony and the carport were tiled in white Mexican pavers.

 

Palm Springs Modern Architecture

The living rooms in these homes feature vaulted ceilings and clearstory windows

 

Picture taken from inside living room. The windows are on all four sides of the living room which is a really effective way of
getting light into the interior of the home without the effects of the heat from the sun.

4. Last stop Parker Hotel 4200 E. Palm Canyon Dr, recently re-designed by Jonathan Adler. This vast wall of is made of "Vista-Vue" pattern screen block. Both beautiful and functional. Don't you love the Bell Hop's pink jacket? It is so Jonathan Adler.

I hope you enjoyed the screen block tour.
We are off to have drinks at the Viceroy.

Other travel posts you might like:
My Visit to Palm Springs
Drinks at the Viceroy Palm Springs
Sunday in Milan
Venice - The Old and the New
VENICE - Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa, Giudecca Island, Redentore
ROME - Hotel Mascagni, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Barberini
FLORENCE - Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Uffizi, Accademia Gallery  

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture,
and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009