“we are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it’s forever.” –carl sagan

a month ago, on display in honor of the london design festival, was one of the most intricate pieces the v&a museum has ever seen. the exhibition curiosity cloud by mishler-traxler for the small discoveries series for perrier-jouët focused its attention on presenting insects in a live manner. the goal was to allow the viewer to focus more on the atmosphere, experiencing the essence of the space and engaging the viewer’s mind in the room’s beauty.

the piece aimed to “celebrate a moment in nature and the relationship that humans have with the entomological world."
inspired by the concept of museum preservation, curiosity cloud concentrates on the preservation of 25 represented insect species placed in glasses. the insects, varying from extinct, common and newly discovered are positioned into 250 hand-blown crystal glasses created by renowned viennese glass company, lobmeyr.

each artificial, hand fabricated insect has been printed onto foil, laser cut and hand embroidered to create its form. the figure is then connected with a small string to a motor and small light source that sits inside each bulb. due to the shape of the glass, the mechanical insects are provided with enough space at the bottom of the bulb to easily move around and appear as though they are flying.

the idea behind the design appears when the bulbs begin to be approached. sensors within the glass detect movement and thus begin the movement of the insects. upon initially entering the room, the piece is remarked as peaceful and calming, with no movement, yet once the life behind the glass is detected, the piece becomes a sort of imaginary playground for the viewer, with insects fluttering all around.

 

after the festival, curiosity cloud will relocate to perrier-jouët's maison museum in champagne in france to sit alongside it's art nouveau furniture pieces. there, the piece will continue to excite and awe many more.

that’s the thing about art, if it's done right, it'll make you question everything you are.

the key to making your interior perfectly personalized begins with a blank wall. from there, the decisions are up to you. creating your own gallery wall can be one of the best representations of your personal style. having a gallery wall brings a sense of excitement into the space and allows your guests to get an immediate impression for your likes. the feature can add texture to the space making the room pop amongst your overall interior.

the first step is to determine your individual aesthetic. begin by establishing the type of layout you wish to visualize. whether that be random, a grid, matching or varied artwork and/or frames or incorporating in alternative pieces, the decisions are up to you. try to select each article based upon what feel best expresses yourself.

when it comes to selecting your artwork, the fundamental base of the wall lies in selecting a large centerpiece to begin with. by starting with a piece to build off of, you can set a foundation to anchor your pieces around. having only small frames makes the wall look disorganized and cluttered, thus beginning with a big piece brings the attention outward, conveying various shapes, sizes and colors.

additionally, the best way to assure that you will be pleased with your “gallery look” is to lay the pieces you wish to include on the floor prior to hanging. doing so allows you to visualize the wall display and get a sense for the distances you wish to have between each piece. this also lets you coordinate your pieces to see which complement each other best, whether that be based on subject, color or size.

alternatively, if you chose not to have exclusively art on display, there are several items you can also feature on your wall, these include: 

taxidermy, hats, sculptures, mirrors, clocks, tapestry weavings, banners, garland and plates.

ultimately, the possibilities are endless when designing a gallery wall. the decisions are yours, so chose well.

write injuries in dust, benefits in marble.

taking a page from the books of italy, it should come as no surprise that the newest design craze can be accounted as one of my favorites. featured first at the salone del mobile in milan (milan design week), marble made an appearance through nearly every accessory. from clocks, fabrics, tabletops, lighting and stationary, the material can be spotted nearly everywhere. its luxurious qualities bring back the classical sculptures that once covered the sceneries of italy, into a now contemporary context. the marble finish quickly spread into the stockholm furniture fair, london design festival and now into companies all across north america.

the finish being seen at the highest form of popularity is one derived from tuscany’s pure white/grey carrara marble, fitting to the word’s greek derivative meaning ''a snow white and spotless stone.'' not only does the material express a beautiful aesthetic appeal, but it also allows for minimal environmental impact, making it an extremely sustainable product, encouraging those to make the investment into its pricey cost.

its elegance is best highlighted when placed with accents of wood, leather and various chrome finishes (including copper and steel). bringing marble pieces into the home, places a sense of higher class living into the interior while also utilizing its versatile abilities.

unbeknownst to most, the world is completely controlled by a single pipe smoking rabbit.

well, i think that rabbit blew his smoke right into the newest design trend. smoky glass has become the latest modern comeback. opting for a mysterious and intriguing sight, the use of smoky glass creates contrast between masculine and feminine features crafting an intimate feel. the throwback to the sultry time of the 70’s focuses on the use of a clear material with a translucent effect to provide exposure with a hidden quality, eluding to extreme sex appeal.

the key to creating a modern appearance is to draw on glass with a soft grey tints. previously, the trend was seen in tints of green and yellow, which often appeared as dirty rather than contemporary. additionally, featuring the glass in contrast to chrome or matte finishes, such as a stark white or flat black, the smoked glass piece is able to stand as a focal point of a room, attracting the attention of the viewer.

the trend is typically spotted in lighting accessories yet has recently been utilized in forms of lucite available in tables, chairs, door knobs, vases and even smoked mirrors. these dramatic accessories provide a smooth transition into fall by emphasizing deeper tones.

as someone who wishes she was born in the 70’s, i love the idea of anything associated making a comeback. i hope this trend continues on the rise and throws in a little “peace & love.”

call it old fashioned.

remember those images of the nuclear family, with a mom, perfectly curled hair, sporting a floral dress, standing amongst pastel shades in the family kitchen? what ever happened to those 50’s novelty stoves and fridges in soft hues of yellow, green, turquoise, blue and pink? would you be surprised to hear they were on the turn for comeback?

the “atomic age” colors are on the rise yet again with modern brands like smeg and big chill bringing the style back. both companies aim to create “colorful, retro-style appliances that fit in perfectly with modern design.” these quaint appliances were originally brought about as a way of recovery into joyful tones while families lived through world war II. the cheery colors were acceptable as kitchens were a separate part of the home and colored appliances and even cabinets were never perceived as overwhelming. as time progressed, kitchen hues became more neutral due to the changing landscape and increasing size of the home. the kitchen became more of a focus and appliances became more like furniture and thus needed to be more elegant and blending.

however, smeg and big chill have begun to restore the revolution. with big chill advertising a “retro fridge combining the iconic look of a 50’s style vintage refrigerator with the amenities of contemporary appliances” and smeg pushing forth “vibrant colors, rounded curves and smooth lines,” their retro appliances (including refrigerators, dishwashers, toasters, blenders, kettles and stand mixers) “truly embody the glamour and form of the 1950’s.” they aim to make the 50’s style are more than just an icon and more of a lifestyle. combining the pastel tones with neutral hues, they create a calming atmosphere with a spark of color to add visual interest. they have allowed the kitchen to once again be utilized as an artistic palette, incorporating color into the space.

be sure to keep an eye out for these “retro” kitchens and don’t be surprised if you find yourself loving the trend too.

nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.

the whimsical words of winnie the pooh have now become the essence of design, on display in london’s legendary covent garden. located on the west end of london, covent garden’s south hall market has been selected as the focus of french artist, charles pétillon’s latest and greatest exhibition to fill the 19^th-century building with 100, 000 white balloons.

floating below the glass and steel ceiling, the balloons create the imagery of dreamy clouds, pulsing with light like a beating heart. the piece, titled heartbeat, begins the london design festival, running from september 19-27. the balloons will glow for one week before, to ready the audience for the event.

covent garden itself sits as an open air gallery to showcase pieces from up and coming innovative designers. specifically, the designers selected consist of those who can integrate their work with the building and environment, perfectly fitting for the photographer and visual artist, pétillon. 

known for using white balloons in his pieces in an attempt to alter the perspective of the way people view things and places, pétillon speaks of this piece stating, “the market building was the beating heart of this area. with heartbeat i’m connecting its past with the present to allow visitors to reexamine its role at the heart of london’s life.”

in my opinion, his piece offers one of the most delicate and intriguing ways to create visual interest in an interior. his work does so in such a simple yet striking manner, that he compels the audience to look up, an action often forgotten when entering a new interior. his vision is one to be admired and what i too hope to achieve one day as a designer.