Friday, September 23, 2011

Saying Goodbye To Summer!

I'm very excited to greet Francine's readers, this week it's Ania Palermo, a guest blogger filling in for those adventurous shoes. Francine has successfully completed her climb of Mt.Kilimanjaro and called from a satellite phone to let us know she's alive and well and we were very excited to hear her African adventure is exactly just that.

But here in New York, as we are dealing with deadlines, project installations, coming up with new products for the fall, we haven't even noticed when Fall has taken our summer days away from us. The Burberry trench coats have came up, the good ol' New York trick of switching out the wardrobe for the new season, is already in full swing as temperatures have dropped to 49 at night time. But facing the cold months ahead, just hasn't entered our minds as summer hasnt quite left us.
image by Jeff Cate

So, I wanted to share some images shot by a wonderful friend and a great artist, Jeff Cate, here of Interieurs terrace, still in full bloom.

image by Jeff Cate

image by Jeff Cate



We've hosted editors, bloggers, dear friends and clients on our terrace and welcome many more next spring and summer.

But for now, welcome Fall! For now, we'll transform the terrace with heat lamp and some outdoor sculptures and see if some brave souls will brave colder months with some spiced apple cider.

As I'm packing my art supplies and my yoga mat for a retreat in rural Pennsylvania as New York is drenched in record rainfall, I'm looking forward to hearing the rain drops in a more serene setting.

source Internet


for now

A Bientot!


Thursday, September 8, 2011

Inspiration: African


Interieurs Showroom: photo by Jeff Cate

I am fascinated by artists and the creative process. Is a designer an artist? not quite, I would never be conceded to the point of viewing myself as an artist. However, I feel that the source of great design comes from the core of one's creativity and emotions.

My approach to design is not a calculated one, it comes from pure instinct. Indeed, my training was in finance, I cannot draw, sketch, nor use CAD... but I have an innate sense for form, color, proportions, texture, and space.

I do not sit at a desk and start drawing a furniture collection, rather I may be reading a novel, looking at an art book, observing nature or be in a foreign land, and it suddenly hits me....this is it!
This is exactly what happened last fall. I was reading a marvelous book, Cutting for Stone, whose story took place in Ethiopia. I felt transported to a beautiful harsh world full of contrasts. I was reading in my Living Room, and started to look closely at an antique Ethiopian Tombom I had acquired years ago, and for the first time  noticed all the intricacies in its rough carvings. That was it... my next collection would be inspired by this one artifact.

Today, I cannot look at a fashion magazine without noticing that African style is in!!

Saturday, I will be flying off to Africa for close to a month. My friend Judy and I will be hiking up the African sacred mountain Kilimanjaro with a guide and a couple of porters, sleeping in tents for 10 days as we are taking the long route to the summit. My husband will then meet me for a "safari'' through various Tanzanian parks, and finally off to Zanzibar where I hope to find small interesting artifacts and furniture for my showroom Interieurs, and finally to Pemba Island for some rest and swimming. As I am reading "Memoirs of an Arabian Princess from Zanzibar", I feel transported to a vision of Oman and Zanzibar . I hope to capture some of the scents, traditions, architecture of these times gone by.

 Hopefully, my Interieurs team will keep the blog going with (I hope) a few guest posts.
 A few African inspired images to illustrate a classic ethnic style that has inspired designers, painters, musicians for generations.


The Ethiopian Tombon  as an inspiration for the Interieurs Amara collection

African meets Industrial

African fashion style 


Interieurs Showroom: Modern Eclectic

Morocan  Lounge for a music industry client


 
My Living Room and kid's playroom published by Robb Report

Hope you are inspired!
A Bientot,





Tuesday, September 6, 2011

A MAINE EAGLE


As August came to a close, I was able to escape New York summer heat and drive with husband, sons and friends to our beloved Maine family island. 

I treasure every moment spent on this stunningly beautiful island, with its sandy beach, magnificent woods, amazing rock formations and the most spectacular moss species (moss post to follow!). I love taking long early morning and late afternoon walks, camera in hand of course. To my bewilderment, I spotted a bald eagle, rather rare and highly protected (a mere possession of a bald eagle feather can cost a $25000 fine!)

Camera set, I very discreetly started to follow his path and his flight...




A Bientot,

Francine



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