Daily, on the DesignQuotient™ blog, DesignCoach™ Los Angeles interior designer James Swan tests your knowledge about the worlds of decorating and design.
We’re always looking for Good-Design-Daily
Today on the DesignCoach: Design and Decorating; It Does Take a Village
In writing about the challenges of raising children, Hillary Clinton famously summed up her thoughts in the title of her book “It Takes a Village”. With only slightly less gravitas, I suggest that to decorate a home today also takes a village; a global village. Yes, the world has become smaller and whether we view this as a benefit or a defect we reap benefits in the shape of product choices that we might never otherwise posses. In surveying recently completed rooms it is easy to accumulate a lenthy list of countries of origin ranging from England, Ireland and Wales to the far reaches of South Africa, South America and New Zealand and everything in between. For the savvy designer access to an international array of product allows unique objects to find their way into projects on a regular basis. With such exposure comes an expanded vocabulary filled with new words. A secure understanding of this growing and changing vocabulary is now mandatory for those who find the world of design and decoration to be of interest.
Rya Rug: This long-haired, hand-made rug from Finland was originally intended as a warm winter blanket but more frequently appears as an area rug or, for those inclined to collect, as a graphically inspired wall-hanging.
Shoji Screen: These sliding wood and rice-paper panels are typical in Japanese homes. Reaching from floor to ceiling they permit privacy but allow light to filter from room to room. Adapted in various ways, this influential element can be viewed in architectural and furniture details.
Santo: The carved image of a saint, typically in wood and finished with both paint and gilt decoration; found in Latin countries and offering collectable and decorative possibilities.
Always look for Good-Design-Daily
