eBay fabric
Yeah, spanky I've done that. My hubby is an eBay enthusiast and he buys and sells quite a lot of stuff there. Good news on that is more goes out of here than comes in! But that particular fabric, which I just flipped for (it's the ONLY patterned fabric in my whole house other) was a brand-y new design that I saw at my friend's architecture agency. So I had no recourse. But my friend did get it for me through her wholesaler. The $45/yd price was actually a 40% discount!
Ya got it or ya don't?
On this subject I probably agree with Viv, can I call you Viv? My earliest memory, from about 3 1/2, is of my babysitters house. It was ultra modern. Bare brick and wood ceilings and beams, clerestory windows and skylights. She was my favorite babysitter because of her house.
I've learned enough in my careers in software design and civil engineering to feel pretty strongly that while a lot of people can look at a room arrangement and know that it's good or bad; relatively few can look at it, see it's bad AND know how to make it better.
I have no doubt certain brain wiring gives one the inate ability to recognize good design and also to make it. You can certainly teach people what's good but it's a fundamental leap to analyze something and know WHY it's good and how it might be made better.
My knack for design has definately improved over the years with experience, knowledge and age. I think my taste is better now than It was 10 years ago but it's also far more confident and risky. I use colors now I would not have dreamt of 20 years ago. I'm much more about designing to please myself.
It's the way my head is wired that when I look at absoltely anything man-made, my first reaction is "...it would be a little better if only...".
You can certainly learn to recognize good design but I'm not sure you can learn to make good design.
Oh, i dunno..
I was born with a talent for music. I was picking tunes out by ear on the piano at five, had formal training on the French horn but can also pick up pretty much any instrument and play it at least badly. I memorize music quickly and can play back pretty much anything I hear. It's just very easy for me.
But that doesn't mean that other people can't learn to play an instrument, too. The fact that most people don't play an instrument doesn't mean they are incapable of learning to do it, just that it's something they haven't studied. They're either not willing to put in the effort, or they're not that interested, or they don't have the means to study.
I'm not saying I could be another Nanna Ditzel if I just applied myself. I don't think I have that kind of talent or drive. But I certainly have learned a lot about design over the years and am way better at composition now than 20 years ago. I know from observation and experience how to assemble a bunch of stuff of various colors, textures, shapes, and sizes into a pleasing whole. And I understand what I am doing and how line, mass, contrast, value, etc. play into it.
Born with an eye
Well, about the only talent I arrived with is a hyper-active sense of observation. I am a "Where's Waldo" genius. I see all the things most people miss. It's a pattern recognition thing. I see instinctually before I actually observe cognitively. I guess this must translate to design sense some how. Bad color combinations can actually make me nauseous.
There really is something
to be said about being born with eye to design. I never had such an ability. I have learned about design through reading magazines, watching television, reading books about design and architecture, talking to friends who are architects and designers, reading messages on this forum (an invaluable resource, I might add!), and experimentation (at times to great deteriment to my bank account - bad sofa purchases, bad rug purchases, bad coffee table purches, etc.).
Returning to Mark's post, I do like your apartment, and you have a admirable collection of mid-century modern furniture (especially, the Knoll credenza). It does seem a bit busy to me - you have furniture upholstered in various colors, and walls painted various colors. But then again, as seen from my prior post, I am advocate of neutrals.
Hi Mark
It's only a one bed, one bath apartment, and was just a weekend retreat.
I'm now spending more and more time away from the city, and need more space..more room for acquisitions too !
The kitchen was built from one of those huge 1970s lounge units in Danish rosewood($100).. we disassembled it, and reassembled as a kitchen !..the tiles are ceramic, but with a totally matte finish..we used the same in the bathroom too, for continuity.
Whaawh ...
Gosh robert, your place is simply stunning ! I can only echo AC and Mark?s comments. It is just a lovely space with everything in harmony. I also very much like the kitchen view from the main living space: both radiate the same serene atmosphere . And your Eames RAR looks sooo inviting to me ? :oD
Oh, and Robert: please don?t post any more pics, my laptop keybord is turning into a swimming pool of drool. And if my electronic circuitry goes haywire, I can never access DA again.
Like Mark, I found myself wondering: why would anyone want to move from a place like that ? I was thinking: yodelling neighbours ? A lady with 50 pink poodles across the hall ? & black leathered headbanging boyfriends at 3 am ? .. But apparently, no such indications (so far) ..
Lighting
Two small recessed ceiling fixtures about two feet out from the wall on either side. Angled to wash down the wall and mantle. You can see them in this pic on the left side. Same fixtures ring the bay and light the pictures on the opposite wall. No other lighting except from the fire. It looks the same way any ole night, ain't that sweet 😉
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