It is hard not to think of the phrases “black and white,” “nature,” “décor,” and “art” together without thinking of Ansel Adams. Adams was one of the greatest American photographers, but also had a profound impact on the development of an environmental consciousness in the United States.

Jeffrey Pine

Born in San Francisco in 1902, Adams had a somewhat lonely childhood since he was an only child and troublesome student. He found respite in nature, but also learned of its power early on, after surviving a damaging earth quake with only a broken nose. He taught himself how to play piano, which he then pursued as a career. Playing the piano taught Adams how to use his creative and calculative abilities to hone a craft. Later, he used these skills to photograph Yosemite National Park while participating in trips hosted by the Sierra Club. Adams became especially fond of Yosemite and began working with the Sierra Club – participating and sometimes leading excursions.  On these outings he perfected his photography techniques.

Northern California Coast Redwoods

His work was first published in the 1922 Sierra Club Bulletin, and quickly gained popularity. He became a well-respected photographer across the nation, and used his influence to advocate for the National Park System and for wilderness preservation. His photos all portrayed the natural beauty of landscape and reflected his strong conservation ethic. In fact, some criticized his work for not containing any human figures, saying that this overly-idealizes nature. However, these photographs have helped conservationists permanently protect much of the land Adams photographed.

Another reason his photographs seem idealized to the modern viewer is because most of his work is in black and white. His few colored photographs were often sold to gas stations and other corporations for advertising purposes. Adams saw color photography as a way to make money, while using black and white as a medium for his art. For him, black and white more accurately portrayed nature because of the “infinite scale of values in monochrome.” At the time, color photography was just being developed and the primitive stages of the technology did not provide the same austere beauty that made his photos famous. Adams wrote in 1967 that there is a “greater sense of color through a well planned and executed black and white photograph.” It is hard to argue with him after looking at his unmatchable work in black and white.

Portrait of Ansel Adams at Work

photos courtesy of AnselAdams.com

Our theme for November is Black and White, in honor of the new book Black and White (and a bit in between) by one of our favorite designers: Celerie Kemble. The book, which hit shelves on November 1^st, features black and white themed interiors by various acclaimed designers and of course, Kemble Interiors. The gorgeous full-color photographs are supplemented with descriptions, decorating tips, and fun anecdotes, which is sure to be a great read since Celerie is known for her fabulous sense of style, humor and candor. Kemble explores the iconic aesthetic of black and white décor with a well-rounded point of view, and shows readers how using black and white can be chic and modern, yet still inspired by nature.

To celebrate her new book, Celerie and Merida have teamed up to design a line of complementary black and white abaca – Belted Stripe in 3 unique colorways Tuxedo, Feather Gray, and Dove – to be unveiled this winter. Abaca is the perfect natural fiber for Celerie’s line because Merida’s abaca area rugs are hand-woven which gives them a beautifully unique texture.

The high contrast of the black, white and grey palette is sure to dramatize the textures of the materials even more. As Celerie states – “Belted Stripe is all about presenting clean, graphic lines on a natural fiber. So often geometry is shown in context that seems machine-made and overly perfect. I wanted to create patterns where strong graphics retained a warm sensibility by selecting a particularly interesting construction of abaca.” Stay tuned for this beautiful collection coming soon!

While attending the Boutique Design New York (BDNY) show earlier this week I saw a lecture titled “How to Land Your Next Commission” and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn valuable insights and tips for hospitality designers from the experts themselves. The panel of speakers was made up of the people at the top – hotel owners and operators signing the checks, including Brad Wilson, COO of Denihan Hospitality Group; Brendan McNamara, Senior Vice President of HHR/VCH/Dream Hotels; and Kevin Gallagher, Operations Project Manager of Marcus Hotels & Resorts. Their suggestions were simple yet profound and I am happy to take the opportunity to share them with you.

1. Do your homework on the client
Time is money. As Brad Wilson said, he doesn’t bother with designers that waste time in the initial meeting. He suggests focusing the preliminary conversation on diving into your design concepts rather than spending undue time on lengthy introductions and/or in-depth explorations.

2. Always stay within the budget
Brendan McNamara highlighted the importance that he places on a designer understanding the hospitality business and how to make profit in the industry. There is nothing that can kill designer’s credibility faster than hidden project costs and never-ending invoices.

3. Understand how the client makes profit from the project
All the panelists agreed on this one – building off of the last point, ROI analysis is what’s driving projects. Show your client that every decision that you make is somehow related to profitability and you won’t have trouble getting extra funds for that rooftop swimming pool.

4. Be aware of the geographic location of the project – understand the market
What might work in some countries and cultures might not be appropriate in others. Brendan McNamara shared an example that white tones in western cultures can portray clean, sophisticated luxury, while in some Asian countries white is associated with death and mourning.

5. Understand the technicalities of the project and provide creative solutions
Kevin Gallagher said that in this shaky economy a “lipstick and rouge” approach to renovation could be just what a project needs. A designer that’s savvy enough to re-purpose existing, perfectly functional features wont have trouble finding work.

6. Don’t be afraid to put all your eggs in one basket
Designers often worry that clients will “steal” their brilliant ideas and bring them to another source to execute, and are therefore hesitant to place all of their cards on the table from the get go. Brendan McNamara, however, insists that he has never hired a company to implement someone else’s ideas. He thinks that creativity in the hospitality business is very important and designers who are not afraid to show it will almost always get his business.

7. Reference your prior work
Brad Wilson likes to see designer’s style and look, and what better way to do that than by looking through their portfolio of previous projects. There is nothing wrong with bragging about your past accomplishments, and being proud of them can actually showcase leadership and confidence.

8. Listen and react
Collaboration is very important, but at the end of the day a designer is working on realizing a client’s vision. Flexibility, creativity and the ability to adapt a design given a client’s feedback are virtues that all panelists used to describe their perfect designer. Do you have what it takes?

Welcome to the first post of our Monday Series, Innovation in Interiors.

Last week, my colleague Siobhan Kelley and I attended High Point Market to test my hypothesis that High Point is much more than a bunch of buildings housing gorgeous products.  I am thrilled to confirm that my hypothesis proved accurate.  At the core, under the surface structures, something unique was happening — a dance of inspired ideas, paired with collaborative conversation, sprinkled with a vision for the future of design.

Walking from building to building it was impossible not to be swept up into the exciting and engaging conversations taking place throughout the market.  We made a point to ask everyone about their personal experience – what they were seeing, tasting, hearing, and sharing.   It wasn’t long before similarities began to unfold.  Repeatedly we heard wonderful things about Hickory Chair, Baker, & Lee Industries, but overwhelmingly we heard praise after praise of Tara Shaw Maison.

When I got to the Tara Shaw Maison showroom I instantly understood what all the fuss was about.  I never thought a seat cushion would get me excited, but oh was I wrong.   From the moment I laid eyes on Tara’s Louis XVI chair with ballet tied slipcover I was inspired.  I thought, now here is a tried and true chair, innovated, and reinvented with a little drama.  It is a dance between the yin and yang, the hard and soft, masculine and feminine.

The Louis XVI leg is a strong leg that can stand on its own, but even the strongest of us can be softened in the presence of grace.  The twisted lace running up the legs was inspired by Tara’s experience as a dancer.  Its traditional use in ballet was to give dancers strength and stability.  In this application, its function is elegance.

Have you ever watched a ballerina and noticed the magical way that they float across the stage, defying gravity and logic?   As one watches, it’s hard not to wonder how they are able to do it?  The secret is that all of the strength, poise and grace come from within the core.  Due to their elegance, many people make the mistake of assuming that it lies somewhere in the periphery, while truthfully the legs and the arms simply aid in the expression.  Once you are in your core you are unstoppable, you can do anything.

My point is that High Point is the same once you tap into the core of the trade show — being communicating, sharing, and evolving the discussion.  The possibilities for the future will blow you away. Too often we get stuck in other trade shows focusing on the products, while the products, like the arms and the legs, simply aid in the expression.  All the magic happens within the core.

-Tara

Check out other blogger’s High Point Market trends and takeaways:

• View Pineterest’s High Point inspiration boards here >
• Read about High Point Upholstery Trends that CreateGirl spotted here >