I'm still feeling a bit groggy from all the meds I'm on, but I can't stop thinking about you and your many emails and comments that continue to wish me a speedy recovery. Thank you so much for your caring words but it's just a virus, nothing major really! :) I thought that since I'm not up to blogging at my regular Holly speed, I will post a few things today and tomorrow to keep you inspired until I'm back on Monday. Since I have a few more posts from the What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do series, I think I'll start with these...


Today we'll hear from creative lady Paola Thomas who is a Seattle-based mother, wife, blogger, and online shop owner of MirrorMirror. She, alongside Velocity Art & Design, just recently launched a creative meet up in Seattle called The Lab, too. Busy lady! Let's talk to Paola, shall we?

How do you think a person can find their spot in the world of design?

Take a long hard look at yourself and what you can do and what you enjoy doing. What do you really LOVE to do? I guarantee the business you end up doing will not be the one you envisaged, so don?t wait for something fully formed to drop into your lap, start experimenting with something TODAY and then watch it unfurl and grow. Do a new thing to your baby business every day, and grab every opportunity with both hands. You can always stop and change direction if you?ve made a mistake.

Let's say a person found what they love to do, is there more to it than creating pretty things?

Oh yes! Be truly honest with yourself and also focus on what you CAN'T or don't want to do. emember if you want a real money-making business that there's an awful lot of selling and marketing and networking and finance that needs to be done. You can hire people to do some of those things if you've got the money, but you have to at least be able to manage those people. I happen to love that side of things, but if you don't, then I really would think long and hard about whether you want to turn your creative passion into your business. I've seen people end up hating their passions. Instead have a job that pays the bills and develop outlets for your creativity in your spare time.

One thing I've heard a million times over is to see if there's a market for your work. Just how important is this?

One should think seriously about whether there?s a market for what you do. Just doing what you love is not enough. Keep testing and experimenting to see what will get you an audience. If you make stuff, get an Etsy shop; if you take photos, get on Flickr; if you want to write, start a blog. If can get an audience in these challenging environments, then maybe you have the beginnings of a business.

Great advice. Speaking of blogging, I met you in 2005 long before you had a blog. Can you tell us how that came about?

I find my blog tremendously useful for exploring ideas. It started as a marketing tool for my shop, but has now become a way for me to experiment with ideas, practice my writing and photography, and act as a platform for the things I like doing such as cooking, knitting, decorating etc. I doubt very much I?m going to make money out of these things, but having that outlet for my personal creativity is enough. For example when I started my blog I didn?t possess a digital camera. Now photography is a huge part of the blog and of my life.

Do you feel that you've found your 'calling' as a web shop owner and blogger?

I'm definitely going in the right direction but I'm nowhere near where I want to end up. My background is in finance and business development ? I worked for many years as an investment banker and then management consultant, before losing my job at a small Internet company in the dotcom crash. I realised then that I liked cushions and colour more than spreadsheets and legal docs and started combining some freelance journalism with doing a home study course in interior design. I soon realised that I don?t think spatially enough to be a great designer (and I want to be great at what I do) and also really missed the commercial side ? I love marketing and I love the Internet. Which is why I decided to set up a business that's actually primarily all about selling and marketing and the Internet, but focused on a market I really understand (women like me) and brings me into daily contact with beautiful things and creative people. And along the way I've had to write a business plan, get a bank loan, manage the building of a complex e-commerce website, run a customer database and PR list and pay sales tax etc. It?s not all about cushions.

You mentioned you lost your job and launched your web shop, but how can one afford to do that?

The upside for me is that my husband's salary has been enough to support us in this ?experimental? phase ? every penny the business makes gets put straight back in - though we have far less money than we used to. The downside has been that I've been combining it with being at home with a baby/toddler, so am only doing this stuff very part time so far. But I love what I do, I have created myself a ?job? where reading design magazines counts as work, so therefore I'm happy.

Thank you Paola! If anyone has questions to ask Paola about running a web shop, etc. please use this as your opportunity and ask some questions in the comments section below...

Our latest reader design dilemma from Sarah on the Chesapeake Bay. This one is a little different because the space is still under construction, so you'll have to use your imagination!

I have a loft-like space (a large living/bedroom above the garage) near the Chesapeake Bay. The room has high vaulted ceilings (about 10 feet, though of course the peak is higher), lots of windows, and board and batten extending to 7 feet on the walls. The space has windows on all sides, so gets plenty of light. There is a desk/bookcase unit that divides the space into living and sleeping areas. The furnishings are going to be low and modern.

The space, under construction

In terms of color, I was thinking of a soft grey/blue for the 7ft board & batten section of the walls (something along the lines of Boothbay Gray from Benjamin Moore) and a deeper color above that extending up across the ceiling (perhaps Benjamin Moore's Hale Navy). The color would extend throughout the space (only the bathroom will be different). I will also need an accent color for the central bookcase/desk and the trim.

Alternatively, if we decide not to paint the ceiling, perhaps the Hale Navy for the central bookcase/desk. I would love some more color options for the walls, trim, and central architectural component.

Is this a workable scheme? Or would a dark ceiling feel too oppressive? Do you have any color suggestions? -Sarah

Here are my initial thoughts on Sarah's dilemma. Some things to consider:

1.) How are you going to use the space(s)?

In Sarah's case, it's a multi-use space, with one side dedicated to sleeping, and the other for living. So, given that each side of the space has it's own purpose, it makes sense to divide the space with appropriate colors for each end. This will visually set up the two sides, as well as emphasize the desired mood for each space.

2.) What are the architectural needs of the space(s)?
This expansive loft space has a high peaked roof. If she paints the ceiling dark, it will achieve one effect, while if she paints it light, it will present a totally different solution. Does she want to emphasize the ceiling, drawing attention to it's "loftiness" with a light hue, or does she prefer to make the space feel cozy and intimate, and visually erase the ceiling with a dark tone?

*There is no one right answer, as everyone has different design goals.
For example, here's a really bad picture I shot at my favorite little gelato shop in Baltimore (yum!). They have soft custard yellow walls, and jet black ceilings that just simply disappear. It works really well in this scenario.
As for colors, each one will have a different effect, depending upon the particular space. What looks bright and fresh in one space might appear dark and somber in another. If you have enough light in a space, it will be able to hold darker colors like Hale Navy.
As a rule of thumb, the spaces you see in glossy magazines are generally professionally lit and styled, so don't take the color you see in print to be the same you'll see once it's up on your walls. Always take the chip home, or paint a 2x2' test board first.
Gray is a tricky character, and will shift depending upon the type of light you get, as well as what it's up against. There are cool grays, warm grays, brown grays, blue grays, green grays... the list goes on. So be sure to look at it's undertone to make sure that's the look you are going for.

What else can I offer... I'd like to get everyone else's opinions and design suggestions on this dilemma. What would you suggest?

it’s our third week focusing on australia and our latest regional roundup focuses on brisbane, australia’s third most populous city. today’s line up stars tiel seivl-keevers {tsk-tsk}, mel robson, jason grant {inkahoots}, tiffany shafran, and alex tebb. we’ll be back tomorrow with our final australian roundup so be sure to check back, but in the meantime, click here to check out today’s designers (there are many more below the fold). [thanks again to all the fabulous designers! all the roundups can be found here.] -anne

[aussie porcelain above by mel robson. check out her feature below]

Tsk-tsk

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I’m from Australia. I have lived in many different cities here, but I’m currently living in Brisbane, Queensland.

2. Describe your work
Most of my work is illustrative. I create original artworks or limited edition prints for children and grown ups. I’m exploring a range of themes including matryoshka dolls, birds, flora and fauna.
My works are mostly small in scale so I can finish them!

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I live in a warmer climate so the outdoor lifestyle does influence my work. I pay attention to the wildlife around me, particularly the birds and I enjoy the colours of where I live. Brisbane is a very light and sunny place.  I’m very close to the ocean and some of Australia’s best beaches, but it is the trees and hills that I feel closest to. I often pick up leaves and pods on walks and take them home to study.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
Melbourne. It is home away from home for me. I lived there on several occasions and it is so full of life. Art, craft, design, good food. But locally I enjoy being in a park near the river, or going to a few suburbs here that have hidden shopping treasures. Also the gallery of modern art has a continual range of exhibitions and displays catered for all ages. It is such an amazing space.

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I think here we are influenced so much by so many different cultures and countries. We then somehow take bits of pieces from that, combine them with our surroundings and it becomes quite unique to anything else. There are so many good Australian designers who have emerged over the last 10 years and I really get a sense that a lot more quality design is about to bloom..

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Today, somewhere a little warmer like Fiji! But I really am keen to go to Japan. The history, design and food really interests me.

Check out more of Tiel’s work here and her blog here.

Mel Robson

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I grew up in a little town called Murwillumbah (which means place of many possums!!), but I now live in Brisbane (right in the middle of the east coast of Australia) and have been based here on and off for the last 15 years or so.

2. Describe your work
I make objects from porcelain. I design and hand make ranges of functional and decorative objects for the home, as well as limited edition and one-off exhibition works. I use a lot of text and imagery on my pieces which I draw from a whole array of sources - old letters, wallpaper, photographs, maps, recipes, sewing patterns, excerpts from old books and magazines etc. I take lots of old things and work them in to new ones.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I’m probably influenced more by the built environment rather than the natural environment - the architecture, the buildings and houses. Brisbane has grown a lot in the last decade and is a real mish mash of old and new. This doesn’t always work so well but there are little pockets where the old and the new sit comfortably, even beautifully, together.  I like this. Its something I try to achieve in my own work – weaving together the past and the present, integrating them.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I find that I get most of my best ideas while I’m walking. I like to go hiking, so our national parks are pretty inspiring for me. There is nothing like wandering along deserted trails for clearing the mind and making space for new ideas. At the moment though I walk mostly around my local area, which is an old area of Brisbane filled with charming houses and shops full of character (and characters)!

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
I think Australian designers have a good sense of humour and often approach design with a sense of playfulness and wit. We are good at sarcasm and laughing at ourselves and I think this is often reflected in the work of our artists, craftspeople and designers.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Hmmmmm…..where wouldn’t I go?! I’d like to spend more time in Europe, particularly the Scandinavian countries.

More of Mel’s work here, and her website (under construction) here.

Inkahoots

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I was born in New Zealand and now live in sunny Brisbane, Australia.

2. Describe your work
I’m part of design group Inkahoots that includes Robyn McDonald, Ben Mangan, Joel Booy and Kate Booy. Rather than privilege market agendas of commodification, the studio promotes visual communication as an important tool of cultural critique and transformation. The work is visually adventurous with a strong typographic focus, and aims to be daring and searching, not for the sake of newness, but to give expression to a changing society.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
For a long time Brisbane was a politically oppressive and culturally conservative place you needed to escape. So it bred a resilient underground oppositional culture that continues to influence the city. The rainforests, bush, and beaches around Brisbane are incredible. And the scale and pace of the city makes it both a great place for work and play, and for playful work.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I’m not so comfortable with the idea of chasing inspiration.

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
If it were a super hero it would be one of those characters with random control over their super-human powers.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go?
Satori.

Click here for more by Inkahoots.

 
for the past few weeks we’ve been exploring the major design hubs in australia. but as with anywhere, there are those incredibly talented artists and designers who are able to make a name for themselves from off the beaten track. today’s final regional roundup: australia covers everywhere in between. and while these features have been focusing on the contemporary design scene, aboriginal art - a history that covers 40,000 years - continues to make it’s mark on australia, and is something i still hope to explore (talk about patterns! . . . luckily, one of the best collections is at the kluge-ruhe aboriginal art collection at my beloved university of virginia, of all places). but that’s the beauty of these roundups - they’re a starting point to discover a place, begin a conversation and in a world that is constantly changing and each can be revisited. it’s been nearly three months since i started on this piece - which features over 40 designers - and it’s still only brushing the surface. so please continue the dialogue in the comments, sharing your new discoveries, favorite aussie designers, inspiration and observations. in case you missed any, you can find all the posts here. and to view this full post (and many more designers) just click here. [an incredible thank you to everyone who participated!!!] -anne

[aboriginal painting by roslyn ann kemp, above]

Magic Jelly

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now? 
Born & bred right here in Adelaide, South Australia.

2. Describe your work 
Most important to me is to communicate & connect.  I’ve just started a project called The Paper Chase, trading art for paper, it’s all about collaboration & communication.  I try to make my work as accessible as possible.  I like to use low-tech equipment (Gocco for instance) & commonplace materials, & to lavish care & attention on the forgotten, overlooked & discarded.  I tend to work on a small scale, firstly, because I’m a finicky fuss-budget obsessed with detail, but also because I want my work to be intimate & personal rather than to shout at you from across the room.  I hope a little bit of wit & levity creeps in there somewhere too.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
I often trawl the local secondhand markets for bits & pieces to use in my work, & take lots of photos, particularly of signage & architecture.  In fact, I’m combining my interest in architecture & ephemera at the moment by building a house out of paper, loosely based on a lovely row of late-Victorian terrace houses on the seafront near where I live.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired? 
Anywhere that’s out of the house!  Every spring I start feeling restless & want to take a trip to Sydney.

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene? 
I really can’t say as I don’t feel that I’m a part of it - I’m a total hermit!  It’s a small market, that’s for sure - especially in Adelaide - & I tend to sell more internationally & do more commissions for overseas clients.  I think the Australian scene is growing though.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go? 
I’m planning a visit to the US in a few months’ time to take a road trip along the West Coast.  Now, if you have a time machine handy, where I’d really like to go is back to the mid-20th century so I can go wild amassing huge quantities of ephemera & toys, & taking lots of photos.

Click here for more work by Karena and visit the Magic Jelly Etsy shop here.

Bison Home

1. Where are you from? Where do you live now?
I am From Grenfell NSW (population 2000 ). My family came on the Sirius…the first Fleet of White Settlers/Convicts who came to Australia in 1788. I currently live in Canberra and my studio is in a rural location (Pialligo) surrounded by plant nurseries and vineyards.

2. Describe your work
My work…best described as a ceramics designer. I am drawn to simple, classic forms and I produce a large range (140 profiles and 30 colours) of dinnerware and decorator pieces. I’m a former archaeologist and ancient historian who became tired of excavating broken pots in Syria … so I taught myself how to make them instead! We create forms which reflect the relationship between beauty…and practicality. I am fortunate to have a wonderful team of craftspeople who support me in crafting our Fine Australian Stoneware Collections.

3. How is your work influenced by where you live?
As a person who was training to be an academic… I was captivated by the evolution of design in Classical History…and the amazingly poignant social contexts behind ceramic vessels. To unearth a piece of pottery…over 2000 years old with a fingerprint in it sends chills up your spine. I also went to School in Malmo Sweden and the colours and subtlety of Scandinavian seasons and design…obviously filter through my palette and shapes.

4. Where do you go in Australia when you want to feel inspired?
I absolutely love The Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Crusing along the stark coastline in a car or just spending time at our family Beachhouse near Portsea. Simple, unpretentious…and better still…uncomplicated.

5. How would you describe the Australian design scene?
Australia is changing rapidly in terms of global visibility and credibility. I always find it ironic though that within our own country people find it hard to conceptualize that viable design and manufacture can occur outside of Sydney and Melbourne. People look somewhat bemused when you tell them your studio is in Canberra (Our capital is better known for the Greenhouse gasses which come out of the Parliament Buildings!) That being said I see numerous whimsical and elegant works from talented artists/designers emerging…particularly working with textiles.

6. If you could go anywhere where would you go? If I could travel anywhere and spend time it would be south America…Belize in particular. The fusion of Jungle (with panthers) Mayan Pyramids and Amish/Mennonite settlers….sounds so disparate you’d have to get inspiration!

Click here for more from Bison Home.

CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE POST

WINKS - weekend links. Here we list what has come in during the week, things we've found and things we think you'll want to see. If you'd like to see your blog or website featured email us and if we think it fits with our readers we'll link you. So what's in this week?

• Cliff Spencer is a furniture maker. His website says so. He specialises in highest quality modern and traditional cabinetry, custom furniture, green materials, finishing & refinishing. But Cliff isn't a furniture maker. He's an artist. Wood comes alive under his hands. As the website says, "When the morning sun hits the swirling grain of the wood in one of our pieces in just the right way, you’ll see a different angle, a shape, a curve you hadn’t noticed before. It’s old world craftsmanship in modern times, using only the finest joinery, built to last for generations." Live simply with beautiful artisan pieces.




• Kim and I have been waiting for some time to introduce you to Manvi Drona-Hidalgo and her blog Mochatini. Emails back and forth and now she feels she's ready ;) "With Mochatini, I hope to share with you things that inspire me, that I am passionate about, some upcoming artists, timeless classics with modern twists, my attempts at design and other musings." Manvi is a busy woman. She also blogs for 2Modern’s Design Talk and Vogue India. Click on over and say hi! Oh and check out all the eye candy.

Belgian furniture designer Casimir Meubelen has launched a new website and is exhibiting his first new furniture pieces after four years of design silence. Casimir uses the symbolism of the well known I form of a building-construction as the inspiration for "The Poutrel". Find out details of the exhibition in Antwerp and discover more of his design here.

Up To You is the über stylish creation of brother and sister team Bill and Dimitra Doufekas. This Toronto design destination showcases funky objects and gifts housed in a shop that replicates your trendy friend's apartment. So many of their internationally sourced pieces can't be sourced anywhere else in Canada. Kim is always lamenting the lack of great design shopping in Ottawa. Maybe a short trip to Toronto will cure your blues Kim. They have an online shop as well.

What do you think this is? It's crusted with Swarovski crystals. Perhaps jewellery? A hair clip? A pendant? A brooch? No it's jewellery for your home.


Yes, a crystal encrusted mural you can apply to a wall a column, a head board. Anywhere. The Saturday Décor designs and produces a unique line of home décor products — including window and wall décor, jewellery, lighting, and pendants. Duco Phangsoa emailed to introduce this concept. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. OTT definitely but just right for your own personal palace!

I wish emails had smells. This one had me wishing for an internet version of scratch and sniff. "Diptyque, the effortlessly chic brand from France, has the solution for your fireplace woes. French for “wood fire,� Diptyque’s Feu de Bois candle is the perfect substitution for a crackling fireplace. The earthy-but-refined candle is infused with a complex scent that is evocative of fir trees, firewood and autumn woodlands." Website is coming soon but there is a store locator. I'm so intrigued I'm off to Ollie and LLoyd in Brisbane to savour the scent.

Another new blog. This time from Byron Bay in Australia. (God's own country.) Paisley Peacock and Paneer combines decor (paisley and the peacock bit) and blogger Mamta Pinnell's other passion, Indian vegetarian cuisine (paneer - it's a soft cheese). Interior design and home-wares (with lots of paisleys), beautiful Byron Bay, India and vegetarian cooking! Sounds like candy for the eye and the spice for the taste buds.

image from house and garden

i've always wanted my own place, but now that we're actually looking to purchase, i never dreamed that the whole process could be so hard. it's so different designing for others and designing for yourself, especially when my husbands idea of good design is an old lazy boy and a 72" flat screen! needless to say, our ideas clash - however he's been one of my biggest fans and has given me full reign over the design process of our future home. the hardest part for me is picking a style of home i like, because i just love so many different styles ... i love the metropolitan feel to lofts, the openness and raw architectural details, but i also have a passion for modern country that brings a sense of warmth and serenity to a space. vintage furnishings, lots of textiles and layers on layers of umph oh, what about small space condos for simple living, or ... the list goes on. i can't seem to decide. i'm hoping when i see THE space i will know it and love it.

condos, single detached homes, lofts, town homes .... there's just so much out there.

Thanks to Elements of Style for this post about how to live a Hollywood Regency dream by renting from Room Service.

Oh My God! THE LIZA ROOM TAKES THE CAKE! If you missed SF20, you can lament your loss by perusing these fabulous images Leah posted at More Ways to Waste Time.

Oh My God Part II: Oh Patricia Gray, thank you for this. At first I thought it was a Chelsea Lately sketch, but it really is Sarah Palin’s office

Home Rejuvenation’s posts blow my mind all the time. I’m giddy over the The Next Generation House by Sou Fujimoto Architects.

I’m just nuts about Mrs. Blandings. I don’t know how I missed this charming Kansas City-based blogger’s writing for so long.

I don’t know how it took me ten days to find fellow, the new online design magazine from decor fellow blogger James Saavedra. Thanks to Habitually Chic for the tipoff.

Check out the list of the most inspiring design books of all time from O At Home magazine. I’m such a dork; I circled the ones I already have, which added up to ten. I was really excited to see Luis Barragan, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown and J.B. Jackson included on the list, but was disappointed that landscape architecture was not represented more.

Bummer! The Farnsworth House, in spite of the plinth it sits on above the ground, is majorly flooded. To make a donation towards repairs, click here. (via AT: Chicago).

Design Bloggers in Print! The New York Times did a huge feature on design bloggers yesterday, and included some of my favorites, like Jennifer Dwyer from The Peak of Chic. Congratulations! Hey, you know what’s weird? Wordpress has the word “bloggers” underlined right now like it’s not a word. It has Wordpress underlined as well. What’s up with that?

• photo from Room Service via Elements of Style

• photo by Leah Hennen at More Ways to Waste Time

• photo from The Anchorage Daily News (Landov) via The New York Times, via Patricia Gray Interior Design

• photo by (I think) Sou Fujimoto Architects, via Home Rejuvenation

• image from Mrs. Blandings

• image from fellow by James Saavedra

• image from amazon.com

• image from landmarks.org