Fornasetti Carpets

Fornasetti wallpapers are beautiful, well-made and bang on trend. My favorite ‘Tema e Variazioni’ inspired by the enigmatic face of a beautiful woman he came across in an old French magazine.

Piero Fornasetti was born in Milan (1913-1988) and became an eclectic painter, sculptor, interior designer, craftsman, engraver of art books and organizer of international exhibitions and events. Believing strongly in disegno – the practice of sketching and copying – as the legacy of the Italian artistic tradition, his unique style shows a strong sense of irony. He worked independently of the avant-garde and his production of exquisitely made objects, textiles and furniture, some of which are in the V&A Museum, is one of the largest of the 20th century.

Fornasetti's latest collection transfers the work this Milanese artist and interior designer into bold carpets. I love the bold whimsical nature of them.

Bacio

How great would this area carpet be in an entry foyer

Buona Notte / Viso

These area carpets feature the enigmatic face of a his beautiful French woman - one with eyes open and one with eyes closed

Serratura / Mano

How great would these carpets be in a hallway

Cortile / Pavimento

These carpets are so enigmatic and remind me of a beautiful silk scarf in the manner of Hermes or Gucci.

Ortensia / Serpente

For a little more spice or drama a beautiful leaf in the botanical style or the symbolic serpentine.

Which one is your favorite pick?

The Color Orange & Gracie Studio Wallpaper

I just received the email below from Jennifer Gracie and she sent along with it this image of the most beautiful and luscious wallpaper that her office is papered in! Lucky you Jennifer....thanks for the image. BTW I am a big fan of Gracie wallpaper and you can see why. Click here to read the interview I did with her brother Mike.

Dear Patricia,

I think your blog is fantastic, and I do look forward to it's updates. I believe you interviewed my brother, Mike, for it in the past. I was reading your most recent on orange color while sitting in my office with it's handpainted scenic with an Hermes-y orange background!

I've sent you a photo, which I thought you might like, given that orange is your subject of the week.

Best regards,
Jennifer

Jennifer Gracie
Gracie, Inc.
419 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10003
www.graciestudio.com

Washington Post

I was excited to find out that my post on "The Color Orange"

along with Joni's post on "Blue Opaline"

had been featured on the Washington Post's "Blog Picks" last Thursday. The same article was then picked up by my local newspaper The Vancouver Sun and also by the Seattle Times and the LA Times. Thanks to Terri Sapienza of the Washington Post!

Design Watch: Praise for the powers of orange and blue

By Terri Sapienza

The Washington Post

Our picks to click this week:

• Patricia Gray posts on the color orange, calling it "mentally stimulating" and worth considering for a dining room, library or child's room. Need a little more convincing? Check out the interiors that accompany this post and you, too, may feel the need to lacquer your ceiling the color of a Hermès box. http://www.patriciagrayinc.blogspot.com/

• On Cote de Texas, the color of choice is blue. Blue Opaline, that is. It's an antique, handblown glass from France. Though blue is the most popular color of Opaline, according to the blog, the glass can be found in green, white, pink and red. The rarest color of all: lemon. Read a brief history and see lots of fabulous photos. "One piece is just as beautiful as a hundred pieces are," the blogger writes. http://www.cotedetexas.blogspot.com/