Colorful Mats

The apartment of Ingrid Bergman in the 1958 film Indiscreet has become a design favorite.  I've never seen anyone else frame their art so colorfully until yesterday when I came across two examples. 

David Hicks also used colorful mats or "picture mounts" as they are called in David Hicks: A Life of Design.  This London apartment from 1954 was also featured in House & Garden so I wonder if the set designer from Indiscreet happened to see it.

While looking through Tales of Endearment, the blog by Natalie Joos yesterday, I came across a photo of Fabiola Beracasa's apartment.  I love how cheerful the bright colors look on the dark wall. 

Kate and Andy Spade also hung artwork with colorful mats in their daughter's room.  The craziest color I've used for a mat is pale blue so I might have to add this idea to my list of things to try this year!

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Colorful Mats

The apartment of Ingrid Bergman in the 1958 film Indiscreet has become a design favorite.  I've never seen anyone else frame their art so colorfully until yesterday when I came across two examples. 

David Hicks also used colorful mats or "picture mounts" as they are called in David Hicks: A Life of Design.  This London apartment from 1954 was also featured in House & Garden so I wonder if the set designer from Indiscreet happened to see it.

While looking through Tales of Endearment, the blog by Natalie Joos yesterday, I came across a photo of Fabiola Beracasa's apartment.  I love how cheerful the bright colors look on the dark wall. 

Kate and Andy Spade also hung artwork with colorful mats in their daughter's room.  The craziest color I've used for a mat is pale blue so I might have to add this idea to my list of things to try this year!

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The Fantastic Work of Jeremiah Goodman

One of my dreams is to meet artist Jeremiah Goodman and watch him work.  Since that hasn't happened in person yet, I'm glad I can see photos of him sketching and painting.  Usually his work is on the smaller scale but the Swedish retailer Acne commissioned him to create three large canvas murals for their London boutique.  I don't usually like to mention age but Mr. Goodman is 88 and his fantastic work is clearly keeping him young!

Photos by Dean Rhys Morgan

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The Fantastic Work of Jeremiah Goodman

One of my dreams is to meet artist Jeremiah Goodman and watch him work.  Since that hasn't happened in person yet, I'm glad I can see photos of him sketching and painting.  Usually his work is on the smaller scale but the Swedish retailer Acne commissioned him to create three large canvas murals for their London boutique.  I don't usually like to mention age but Mr. Goodman is 88 and his fantastic work is clearly keeping him young!

Photos by Dean Rhys Morgan

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The Big Bambú

The best part about the roof garden at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is that it's open to the sky. So imagine my surprise when I stepped off the elevator and was faced with a 100 foot long bamboo structure that blocked the sun! It looked like a cross between Kon-Tiki and a hippie Swiss Family Robinson habitat. My visit was at the end of May when I was at the Met to see the Picasso exhibit so I hadn't read yet anything about the summer installation which officially entitled Big Bambú: You Can't, You Don't, and You Won't Stop. At first, I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not but once I had a chance to walk through it and read more about it, I definitely came to appreciate this amazing art exhibition.

Twin brothers Doug and Mike Starn and a team of rock climbers will be constructing Big Bambú until October and you can watch them build it before your eyes. I witnessed one worker strip the bamboo poles of leaves and cut them for the other members tied them together with nylon rope. You can see in my photos that the team climb very high off the ground and dotted throughout the installation. If you are also dressed properly, meaning sneakers and shorts or pants, you can schedule a guided tour that takes you along the footpaths and bridges that weave through the structure. I, of course, was wearing sandals and a dress so I didn't not take advantage of this opportunity which quite frankly looked scary! I am sure it would be very exciting for children though. It will interesting to check in periodically throughout the summer and see how Big Bambú has evolved and even more so to see how it ends. And more importantly, I wonder how many months it will take them to clean up!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

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The Big Bambú

The best part about the roof garden at The Metropolitan Museum of Art is that it's open to the sky. So imagine my surprise when I stepped off the elevator and was faced with a 100 foot long bamboo structure that blocked the sun! It looked like a cross between Kon-Tiki and a hippie Swiss Family Robinson habitat. My visit was at the end of May when I was at the Met to see the Picasso exhibit so I hadn't read yet anything about the summer installation which officially entitled Big Bambú: You Can't, You Don't, and You Won't Stop. At first, I wasn't sure whether I liked it or not but once I had a chance to walk through it and read more about it, I definitely came to appreciate this amazing art exhibition.

Twin brothers Doug and Mike Starn and a team of rock climbers will be constructing Big Bambú until October and you can watch them build it before your eyes. I witnessed one worker strip the bamboo poles of leaves and cut them for the other members tied them together with nylon rope. You can see in my photos that the team climb very high off the ground and dotted throughout the installation. If you are also dressed properly, meaning sneakers and shorts or pants, you can schedule a guided tour that takes you along the footpaths and bridges that weave through the structure. I, of course, was wearing sandals and a dress so I didn't not take advantage of this opportunity which quite frankly looked scary! I am sure it would be very exciting for children though. It will interesting to check in periodically throughout the summer and see how Big Bambú has evolved and even more so to see how it ends. And more importantly, I wonder how many months it will take them to clean up!

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic

Read more »