At Last --- Performance Sisal

I've long been a fan of plant-derived natural fiber rugs for the texture they add to interiors. But as anyone who owns one of these rugs knows, they are not meant for areas with heavy traffic and don't hold up well to the wear and tear of the typical family with kids and pets. Despite their rugged appearance, plant-derived natural fiber rugs can be as delicate as some of the finest hand-knotted silk woven rugs (but don't come with that hefty price tag).

At last there is an option for getting high performance natural sisal carpet. Merida has introduced Urbana -- a sisal whose fibers are treated for fire, stain and liquid resistance before being spun and woven into the carpet. Suitable for commercial, hospitality and residential settings, Urbana is available in 5 colorways ranging from natural to dark brown and gray tones. Even better, Urbana is available for Quick Ship in just two to four weeks and can be finished for use as area rugs or laid wall-to-wall.

      

                                                                   Photo courtesy of Merida

I'm thrilled to have this new product in my arsenal of designer floor coverings. I think I can speak for all interior designers and say, thank you Merida!

Happy 238th birthday, USA!

Can our holiday weekend get here fast enough? I'm sure this week is one of the most popular weeks to take a vacation for residents of the United States. The weather is typically ideal (although those of us from North Carolina and up the east coast are awaiting forecasts whether tropical storm Arthur will hit us). And given the national Independence Day holiday, most businesses will close for at least one day. When you only have a limited number of vacation days, it's a bonus to take a week off but use less than five vacation days.

I'm finally in summer mode. I don't know why, but I always feel energized in summer to get projects in my home done. Maybe it's the longer and unencumbered days that school vacation provides us moms. And for many summers (but not this one), I've had one or more of my kids away at overnight camp. So, in spite of work commitments and the draw of spending hazy, hot and humid days at the beach, I manage to get good stuff done.

With the holiday weekend upon us, it's a good time to show you some of my current favorites in our nation's favorite color scheme. Enjoy!

Top row, left to right: Porcelain Spider's Nest Table by Tucker Robbins; Hex rug by Jill Rosenwald; Navy Bargello Chest by Dana Gibson.

Middle row, left to right: Updated Louis Chair in blue metal from Wisteria; Bistro Napkins from Anthropologie; Independence Toile fabric by Quadrille (photo by John Knott courtesy of House Beautiful).

Bottom row, left to right: Amidships Bulkhead Wall Mount Light Fixture in red by Barnlight Electric; White Lacquer Cube Side Tables by Jonathan Adler; Sapphire USA Map from Z Gallerie.

Laurie Gorelick Interiors News

A slight departure today from the traditional blog post. I just thought I'd share some recent news and activities of Laurie Gorelick Interiors.

Laurie Gorelick Interiors is now a featured designer on Dering Hall. Dering Hall is

"an online marketplace for the finest interior designers, architects, artisans, and design galleries to showcase their work and sell new, high-end home furnishings and accessories. At Dering Hall . . . [o]ur ongoing mission is to assemble a community of the world’s leading creators in one place and to connect them with other designers and savvy, sophisticated consumers."

On Dering Hall's site, you'll be able to follow featured designers (like LGI!) and read curated content about interior design, design products, featured designers and designed spaces.

Laurie Gorelick Interiors ranks 58 on the Decorex100 Power Leaderboard of influential Twitter users in interior design. This is the second year of the Decorex100, a list of interior design influencers compiled by Decorex International, the London design festival which showcases luxury and bespoke furnishings from around the world.

This past weekend, I attended a VIP event at The Vintage Bazaar, an upscale outdoor festival featuring antiques, architectural salvage, vintage jewelry and clothing, original art, and unique artisan crafts. It was a magnificent day to attend this combination flea market and crafts fair near Salisbury Beach on the Massachusetts coast. What better place to gather some cute ideas for vintage and coastal decor than this!

I loved this assemblage of coral and seashells, always a welcome element in seaside homes.

                             

How about these paintings on canvas of nautical flags? Easy enough for a DIYer. Yet perfect for coastal wall decor.

                       

I loved the rusticity of this wall shelf made from repurposed wooden pallets.

                          

And I'm probably behind in recognizing this easy and adorable idea for outdoor (indoor as well) table lighting: a canning jar rack with sand-filled mason jars holding tealights.

                             

Coming up for LGI: I'm taking some little trips this summer. My youngest will be a high school senior this fall, and I'll be taking her to visit some colleges around the northeast and down south. College towns offer some nice opportunities to scope out local vendors and fun finds. What makes summer special for you?

Going Goth

In case you haven't noticed, gothic motifs abound in my world. And why not? Surely something that has been around for almost a thousand years has withstood the test of time.

To go goth in your interiors, try any of these relics: the quatrefoil, the gothic arch or the groin vault.

Quatrefoil

In lighting

                       

Top left: Gabby Atlas Chandelier.Top right: Regina Andrew Gold Modern Luxe Chandelier. Bottom: Currey and Company Cosette Lantern

In furniture

                          

Left: Suzanne Kasler Alexandra Side Chair by Hickory Chair. Right: Oomph Tini Table IV

In wallcovering

                               

Osborne & Little Quatrefoil wallpaper

Gothic Arch

                                         

Baptiste Chandelier by Oly Studios

                              

Upper cabinets feature gothic arches in a kitchen by Venegas and Company.

Groin Vault

I love groin vaults as a ceiling detail to create focus and drama. Emulating a cloister, groin vaults are dramatic in a foyer. Also over a freestanding tub in a master bathroom. The interior below features a groin vault in a library designed by McAlpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors.

                

                                          Photo by Pieter Estersohn courtesy of Architectural Digest

See? In interiors, going goth is not only the tried and true, but the elegant way to go.

Relationship Advice

You might think from the title of this post that I'm starting an advice column. But I'm not.

Last week, Houzz.com emailed me about a discussion forum on its pro-to-pro page asking: What is your biggest challenge as an interior designer? The discussion forum was filled with comments like many I had expressed in a former post, "Don't Hire Me If . . ." A lot of the designers posted about their frustrations dealing with clients: for example, issues dealing with our fee structures; unreasonable expectations about how long a design project can take; etc.

It's good to have these forums where designers can take comfort in knowing their experiences are shared. But it made me think, why just share our challenges? Why not share our triumphs too? What makes a design project gratifying, the relationship with the client rewarding and the outcome grand?

I have found that my best projects are for clients who enjoy and collaborate in the design process. Their intuition and eye for design is sharp, but they don't have the time, or access to tradespeople and vendors, or complete confidence in their own decision-making to do the project entirely on their own. In today's post and some in the future, I thought I'd share some projects in which my relationship with the clients have made the experience rewarding and the outcome impactful.

                

The living room above is the most popular image from my portfolio on Houzz. And it's one of my oldest projects. The clients were a couple, both employed full-time, with two children. When they hired me, they had worked with a builder to customize the design of their house and had begun furnishing it. But because of work schedules, commuting, and their children's activities, they lacked the time to execute their vision.

I presented alternative furniture plans for several rooms. Once we decided on the plans that worked best, we collaborated on the furniture and finishes. For the living room above, I took the client to showrooms in the Boston Design Center that I thought would best complete the design and suit her and her husband's tastes. I suggested the grasscloth wallpaper set in a checkerboard motif for the walls and the day-beds in lieu of formal sofas. My client picked out the rug and some of the accessories on her own. The fabrics for the sofas, pillows and draperies were from those we culled at the Design Center.

Judging from the response to this image on Houzz and elsewhere, this living room was a success. When I work with a client who is comfortable with the design process and engaged in a collaborative solution, trust builds, our relationship blossoms and the experience yields a positive result.