Asparagus Interiors

I’ve been meaning to write about some inspiration lately.  What moves me? What influences my designs and how are these elements incorporated into recommendations?

I’m usually like a sponge soaking up every color, graphic, and natural anomaly in sight.  But recently I ran across two very different crafts that speak to my core design philosophy.  Experiment with color and incorporate nature.  Nature in this blog comes from wood and glass.

Woven Glass - Two artists, Tom and Eric of Markow and Norris , create delicate hand woven glass sculpture.  The vibrant colors, fabric like drapery and creative inlays take glass to a new level of tactile bliss.

Carved Wood Sculpture - Tom Langan’s carved birds take me a back to my roots.  The grouping of the birds and clustering of the sculptures create a real feeling and sense that this art is alive.  It’s the grouping that interests me and influences how I group objects in my designs.  I love the realistic approach to carving and painting the birds.  I most of all love the Egrets.

Marimekko’s fall line celebrates natural themes with deep jewel tones.  The renowned Finnish textile and clothing company pushes the modernist boundaries by appealing to the naturalist with the Ginkgo pattern. Erja Hirvi’s Purnukka pattern offers funky twist on gars and vessles, and the Terttu pattern is bright and berry appealing.

Textile Arts has just released the new fall textile offerings by Marimekko.  Consider buying a yard and hanging it on your wall with one of their wall hanging systems.

Last week we vacationed in Holland, MI.

We visited the beaches, Windmill Island, Saugatuck and Grand Haven.  But no trip to Michigan is complete with out doing a little local shopping.  The artist community in Saugatuck and Douglas is a great way to find unique art, garden features and housewares.

Shopping locally not fuels the local economy, but mixes up your decor with unique items that become little treasures.

We visited the Holland Farmer’s Market to check out the fresh produce, flowers, plants, pastries and goodies that the locals bring to table.

I found this wonderful deep purple sage wreath for my front door.  The crafter also made very cool wreathes out of dogwood sticks and other branches to form almost a lacy puff ball effect that jumped out at you.

I love the farmer’s market vibe.  It feels good to buy from your neighbors and support the local community.

Ahh … mixed mediums. I’m all about mixing it up this year. Art on the wall can be more than a framed picture. Consider other mediums like wool tapestry, metal art, ceramic or wood. These tactile pieces of art add texture to your walls and interest to your spaces.

A friend and favorite local Artist Susan Waldron , inspires me with her Alpaca wool tapestries. Susan raises the Alpacas on her farm, harvests the wool and dyes the color to create these beautiful tapestries. Her work looks like a pastel painting constructed with wool felt.

Susan’s artwork can also be found at: Gallery 28 , Geneva IL

I’ve decided it’s time to add an animal presence to the house. Besides our Lab Westerly, I’m thinking a little more fanciful, a Bestiary!

Long ago we gave a set of bull antlers to my sister as a white elephant gift. I’m thinking it’s time to go one step further and revive that animal spirit. Complimenting the deep orange on our fireplace wall a white bull may take charge of our living room with vengance.

Stray Dog Designs created Ferdinand . A serious yet spirited bull bust. He’d go great next to the fireplace, and constructed in white, may softens his tough demeanor.

Yesterday I was with Poppy out and about in Wheaton, IL. We stopped for a coffee and walked over to the Wise Penny Resale Shop, benefiting Central DuPage Hospital Auxiliary.

I found this cute Louis XV Fauteuil - Slipper Chair for the girls. It’s a great find, and proceeds go to a good cause. With a little paint and new upholstery, I think this could be a special chair for the girls to read on.

Thanks to my friend Aimee, I signed up for Catalog Choice today.

A great little site that manages what catalogs I get and stops those I don’t need.
Saving trees and reducing waste. Yeah! Thanks.

I recently received a call from an Odegard carpet rep. She reviewed the product line with me and spoke about the virtues of the environmentally friendly rug line.

The Odegard carpet line incorporates these eco-friendly features:

• Natural fibers - wool and silk
• Natural dyes from sources such as the madder red root, pomegranate peel, walnut shells and indigo plan extracts
• Woven by adult craftsman - validated by the RugMark, a non profit organization ensuring that child labor was not used

What should I be looking for when purchasing an Oriental Rug?

• A rug should lay flat and strait on the floor
• Good quality wool has a noticeable glow, feels fleecy, a little oily and soft
• Has lively - lustrous wool - colors will not fade or bleed with natural light
• Elements of the carpet’s design fit naturally together
• Find a good, trusted rug dealer that is well established, check out www.rugmark.org
• Bring color samples from upholstery or drapery to go with the rug
• Determine the desired pile height and thickness based on durability needs
• Consider if you want a traditional or contemporary design
• Due to the nature of a handmade product the rug may have some minor inconsistencies ask the dealer if noticeable

Last weekend Chicago hosted the Green Festival at McCormick Place.

The festival included eco-friendly products such as: food, home cleaning solutions, clothing and beauty products. Other vendors included building material suppliers, Greenmaker, Interface Flor and other smaller companies with information, such as, green roofs and solar panels.

I stumbled on JaDecor. It’s a natural wall covering that is made of cotton, with accents of silk, mica and plant fiber. Ja Decor looks like a faux finish that’s easily applied, seamless, durable and easy to repair.

Some benefits to JaDecor include:

Sustainable Product
Acoustic Value
Thermal Value
Custom / Unlimited Design and Color
Easily Repairable

As I was getting out of the shower today, my daughter slipped on our tile bathroom floor. She bounced back instantly, but I wondered what was the slip coefficient of this product?  If I could replace this floor where can I get eco-friendly tile?

Crossville offers Ecocycle:

Contains 40% recycled ceramic content
Stone-Look Exudes a Feeling of Rustic Elegance
Slip Resistant and Easy to Clean
May Contribute to the seeking LEED Certification
Ideal for all commercial and residential applications

The deep texture and colors add to the rustic look and slip resistance allows it to be used in kitchens and baths.

Eco Friendly Flooring offers Recycled Metal Tiles:

100% recycled aluminum or brass
Available in polished, vibrated (matte), or sandblasted (rough)
Great for back splash walls, bathroom walls or accents to tile floors

Oceanside Recycled Glass Tiles - Haiku:

Great for bathroom and kitchen walls and floors
Design offers organically-inspired textures and patterns
Oceanside Glasstile uses more than 600 tons of recycled glass annually