Patricia Gray's Tips for Making Colour Work in Your Interior

 

Don't be afraid to use colour. Have fun and use colours you love in the accessories,  

which don't cost a lot to change out. If possible, change them seasonally to keep 

your interiors fresh.  

 White is a wonderful colour for kitchens. Just as simple white plates are a beautiful 

 way to display food, everything looks delicious against white counters, cabinets and 

 walls.   

  

 Before you commit to a colour, try many. Buy sample pots and large poster boards 

 and paint the boards. Move them around the room so you can see how the colours 

 change in different light depending on the time of day. 

 Two perfect blues: Heaven on Earth and Under the Big Top, both by Benjamin

 Moore. 

 Choose original artwork you love and then look to that artwork to create layers of 

 colour. Pull different shades and vary them in throw pillows, accessories like blown 

 glass, flowers and fruit.  

 Keep accent colours in a single family for a unified, sophisticated result. Editing is a 

 part of the process.  With too many objects in a room, you don't appreciate any one 

 thing.   

Accents of citron and ultramarine blue pop against a neutral backdrop of beige, taupe and brown in the family room. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

A soothing shade of warm taupe on the walls is a perfect backdrop for art and accessories in the den. Cushions pull a shades of brown from art by David Edwards. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.   

The master bedroom, painted a delicate shade of pure summer sky, imbues the room with a relaxing atmosphere. A vintage Louis chair received an update with silver paint, white leather upholstery, and nail heads. Art is by Karen Lorena Parker. Photo: Patricia Gray Inc.

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PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview

Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview 

What a week we had. Last Friday I was contacted by Shaw TV to be featured on a segment on their Dream Homes show. Tuesday morning Shaw TV showed up with camera crew and shot for three and a half hours to get approximately four minutes of air time. Although it was quite exhausting with many retakes it was a lot of fun and the weather that day was perfect. Here is the link for the preview of the segment as it aired on Shaw TV Channel 4 yesterday. There will be a another segment airing next week. Stay tuned!!!

YouTube link Patricia Gray Shaw TV Interview 

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle

and WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.

2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Let There Be Light

Have fun with accent lighting. Finding just the right lighting is one of the most difficult things for me as an interior designer, but when it happens it is magic. I think of the room as the perfect little black dress with the perfect cut, the one that dresses up or down according to the occasion, and the perfect lighting fixture is the jewelry that finishes off and compliments the little black dress.

I have written an article for West Coast Homes and Design, a supplement in the Vancouver Sun Newspaper,on how the right lighting is one of the most important aspects in achieving atmosphere in a home. Lighting is a discipline all to itself and often is one of the most important parts of an interior. Bad lighting can ruin a good interior: good lighting can almost salvage a bad one. For example….. (more)

In kitchens it is particularly important to get the lighting right as food preparation along with the eating and social aspects that go on in this room are a vital part of our lives and involve all of our senses. Kitchens need to be well lit with good overall ambient lighting and task lighting over islands and countertops. Add a little fun and pizazz with accent lighting as I did over this island.


Lighting in a bathroom and bedroom needs to make you feel refreshed and energetic in the morning, ready to face the challenges of the day ahead, but at night should engender a feeling of relaxation and harmony. In a bathroom, good lighting for putting on make-up should come evenly from either side of the mirror so shadows are not cast on the face. The rest of the room needs to be lit evenly from overhead, but be careful of placing recessed pot lights that are directly over your head when standing in front of a mirror or else you will have shadows under your eyes. I put the lights for the make-up lights and the overhead lights on different switches to further enhance the options to create different moods.

Left: Wall mounted LED swing-arm lamps were used in this bedroom for task light.
Right: Candles can add to the mood and ambience in a room and make a dramatic statement.
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PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm in Vancouver. Here we write about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2012 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

White Paint and Other White Necessities

I have to admit a secret of mine...I am a white SNOB - okay now you know my innermost secret. I use only white candles, white dishes, white towels, white flowers (although I have been known to buy colored tulips), and white sheets. Nothing is more classic than white. White dishes set off the food on them perfectly. I cannot have a good sleep on anything other than white sheets, and white candles and white towels are absolute.

In interiors I love how white highlights good architecture, and any object in the room that has "good bones." White walls are a good backdrop for objects d' art and paintings that are placed in the room - white walls give focus to the lines of the items that are juxtaposed in front of them. 

Painting a room white can make it have surprising depth. When I design an all-white room I use several different shades of white to bring out the architectural details, or I layer the space with strong forms in different tones and textures of white and then use some strong color contrasts to outline and bring the white into focus. My all time favorite white color is - Benjamin Moore paint Cloud White. It is a very soft white and easy to live with. It has a chameleon effect - taking on the colors of what is set next to it and changing in tone at various times of the day. Not every white is snow white. Try using whites tinted with: ivory, cream, antique white, and palest beige, blue and yellow. An interesting fact on the popularity of white is that Benjamin Moore has over 140 whites to choose from. 

To maximize the light in a room I chose a paint with a semigloss finish rather than the latex matte finish more usual on walls. The "chalkier" matte finish absorbs light; the semi-gloss is more reflective.

Some of my favorite whites I use are are from Benjamin Moore: Cloud White, Simply White, Ballet White, White Dove, White Linen and Designer White.

 
 
   
  
  
Photo Credits

1, 2 MLK Studio via All the Best 3 JK Hotel Milan 4 David Schefer 5 Helen Hennie 6 Trevor Tondro 7 ,8,9 Jennifer Post 10 Ptithabibi Morocco, Towels

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Ottomans, Benches, Foot Stools

Ottomans have become a favourite of mine to use in family/media rooms and dens. I like using them for several reasons. First and foremost they serve as the indispensable coffee table. I like to make mine with tight tops and rather flat as opposed to padded with a pillow effect. This way you can set things on top of them without worrying about them toppling over. Secondly you can comfortably set your feet on them and be in a semi-reclining position to watch TV, read or maybe even fall asleep. Thirdly I can have them made any size to fit the requirements of the room. This is a real benefit because large coffee tables are hard to find. In the space below the ottoman is made out of deep chocolate brown faux Ostrich. This family has two young daughters and they use the ottoman to color on and do their craft projects and have snacks. Spills can be wiped up easily, and the deep brown faux ostrich adds and a nice textural interest and makes a dramatic center focal point for the room.   

This ottoman is large by ottoman standards 5 feet by 3 1/2 feet. It is covered in Holly Hunt, Hair on Hide Leather, in a creamy butterscotch color. It was made long so 3 people sitting on the sofa could all put their feet up on it, and I made it deep enough to that there was still room at the back for the inevitable books, magazines, remote controls and trays for snacks and drinks. It also doubles as extra seating for parties. What coffee table has that much versatility?

 
The Ottoman in this penthouse I had made in charcoal gray Beacon Hill "Pashmina". It is soft and luxurious like a Cashmere blanket and makes a nice warming contrast to the leather sofa. It sits on top of the same color of Belgium wool area carpet. Facing the sofa is the view with the TV hung and framed between the windows. Where else do you put the TV in a room that is all windows & view.

 

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

The Erickson Vancouver

These are some preview pictures of a current project I just completed the Interior Design for in the newest luxury development in Vancouver, The Erickson building, situated on the most treasured waterfront location in Vancouver overlooking False Creek. It was designed by the late Arthur Erickson(1924 – 2009), one of the masters architects of our time. 

“Beauty in a home conveys a sense of harmony and wholeness….created with the end experience of the owner in mind”
The Erickson Building Vancouver

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver Dining Room silver leaf ceilings  

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver view from living room Patricia Gray Inc. 

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver looking south across False Creek  
 
  
The Erickson Building Vancouver looking east across David Lam Park 

The Erickson Building Vancouver onyx counter Powder Room

“Powerful design has a lasting and profound impact on the imagination. 
It sparks change, shapes our world and inspires our future.” 
Bottom Photo Credit: Albarosa Simonetti

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Banquette Seat

Banquette Dining

This is a picture of the new banquette which was recently installed in the Breakfast Nook in my own kitchen. When I moved into my new home I decided to keep these antique Georgian chairs (which I have had for years and had previously used in a bedroom and a den) and reincarnate them in the kitchen. I wanted to use white for the upholstery, and deliberated on finding the right fabric that would be user friendly and easy to maintain. I choose a soft washable leather and finished the bottom edge of the chairs with a antiqued nail head trim to keep with the period design. I paired them with a contemporary Saarinen table, which highlights the backs of the chairs and makes them stand out like pieces of sculpture. The custom banquette seat was designed to fit into the alcove and it is covered in the same washable leather. The top corners of the banquette are scalloped to match the back of the chairs. I like mixing different chairs around dining tables and not having them all match. The trick is to find a common element that ties them together. In this case it is the dark wood color that unifies them. I also have Phillipe Stark Ghost chairs that I use when I need more seating around the table. Ghost chairs are like a chameleon and work anywhere. Banquette seats are very comfortable and they encourage lingering. Already this is a place everyone gravitates to and wants to sit and talk long after a meal is finished. It is also one of my favourite spots to sit with a coffee and a good book.

What about you – do you always choose to sit on the banquette when going to a restaurant?
And do you tend to linger longer than usual?

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and WHAT'S HOT
in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Mirror Magic

Not much has been written about the merits and sheer magic of using mirrors as focal points and works of art in rooms. So I would like to dedicate this post to the beauty, genius, and magic of mirrors. Everyone has either seen or heard of the famous Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles, built by Louis XIV in 1678. The principal feature of this famous hall is the seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows that overlook the gardens. Each arch contains twenty-one mirrors for a total of 357. In the 17th century, mirrors were among the most expensive items to possess and at the time and the Venetian Republic held the monopoly on the manufacture of mirrors. The expense in manufacture of mirrors has come a long way since those days.

Mirrors over fireplaces:
One of the places in a home most adorned with a mirror, other than the bathroom, is over the fireplace. It is the perfect focal point in a room to strategically place a mirror. Depending on the room and the orientation of the fireplace, a mirror hung over the fireplace can reflect other important areas of the room and create drama and atmosphere. In the living room below I used a laser cut mirror above the fireplace, which echoes the filigree pattern in the framed wallpaper panels on either side of the fireplace. I painted the wall behind the mirror a deep chocolate brown to further define the edges of the mirror. The curtains are the same rich chocolate brown color and are made of silk taffeta which further adds to the shimmery effect at night.

 

Mirrors in Bathrooms:
Bathroom mirrors come in every size and configuration. In my designs I try to come up with something unique, while still being very functional. In this bathroom my client wanted a 3 Way mirror. So handy if you want to get a 360 degree view of yourself. The mirror over the vanity is double sided circle, that echoes the shape of the matching back to back sinks. The mirror is attached to the ceiling and to the vanity at the top and bottom with clear glass.

 

What do you do if you have a window in front of your vanity? Below in my own bathroom I used California shutters for the window covering. I love the look and feel of California shutters. I designed the room so that the sink was centered on the length of the window. I had the stile of the shutters made to line up perfectly with the center of the sink, then I had my glazier design a special mounting that would allow the mirror to be attached to the stile, while still allowing the shutters enough space behind the mirror to open and close. The mirror appears to be floating in front of the shutters. 

 

Mirrors in Dining Rooms:
This is a picture of the breakfast area in my own home. The mirror helps to enlarge this small space and bring in the view of the garden. By placing a lamp on the table in front of the mirror it creates the illusion that the room continues. The lamp also creates some drama and makes it a cozy spot to sit and linger in the evenings. You can read more here, where I talk about my Lucite lamp and mix of chairs.

 

The mirror I designed and had built for my client's dining room. It perfectly reflects the magnificent Murano glass chandelier hanging over the custom built large square dining table. It also captures views of the adjoining living room for people that are sitting with their backs to it. When you are making mirrors this large make sure that they will fit through the front door. I made that mistake once and that was enough to learn a very valuable lesson: check and double check every detail!! If it still won’t fit, I have the mirror made on-site. The draperies are made of chocolate brown silk taffeta with a padded valance, the ceiling inset is lit around the perimeter and painted with gold leaf.

 

Mirrors in Bedrooms:
In this bedroom I placed a full height mirror for the client to use as a dressing mirror.

 

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™