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Jumat, 27 November 2009

Knitting 101

This year for Christmas presents I am knitting a few scarves for special gift giving. My Grandmother taught me to knit when I was 5 and I have continued to knit on and off over the years. I love going into yarn shops and feasting my eyes on all the colors and textures available. On my last trip to the yarn shop I was captivated by this most exquisite shade of teal blue. It is a blend of wool mohair and silk, and knits up as soft and light as a spider's web. I love working with bamboo needles. This scarf is super easy. Cast on as many stitches as you need to make the scarf the width you want and then just knit every row until it is long enough. For this season extra long and very narrow scarves seem to be all the trend.

Happy Knitting If you have any knitting projects on the go please leave a comment [here].
PS I am going on a plane trip...does any one know if knitting needles are allowed through security??

Helpful Videos:
Knitting 101 Casting on Stitches
Knitting 101 The Knit Stitch
Knitting 101
Casting off Stitches
Knitting 101
Knitting Tips

Patricia Gray is an award winning Interior Designer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada who blogs about
"WHAT'S HOT" in the world of Interior Design: New and Emerging Trends, Contemporary Design, Modern Architecture and Travel,
as well as how your surroundings can enhance the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog™ 2009

Holiday Round-Up: Christmas & Hanukkah Cards

{Last Year's Christmas Card}Even in just the past few years, I've seen a noticeable down tick in the number of cards I receive during the holiday season. Perhaps holiday cards have simply become old fashioned (and, let's be honest, way too much effort) in a world of instant connectivity. After all, why waste the money on a card and a stamp when a simple text message will convey the same message

Kamis, 26 November 2009

Interior Design 101

Patricia Gray in BC Home Magazine 
Talks about Design 101

AA Front Cover
BC Home Magazine Design 101

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BC Home Magazine Design 101 cont.

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BC Home Magazine Design 101  

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BC Home Magazine Design 101

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope everyone has a wonderful day full of good food and good fellowship. Dave and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in Houston with both our families, but I'll be back later this holiday weekend with a great roundup of holiday cards and gift wrap to kick start the season.Photograph courtesy of Martha Stewart Living.

Selasa, 24 November 2009

Invigorating Colour Combinations - Sublime Lime And Fuchsia Pink!


Just because autumn is upon us and the Indian summer has disappeared altogether you can still inject vibrancy and wonderful colour combinations within your home to cheer you up throughout the year!

Colour clashing remain in-trend within the world of interior design. Meaning even those who have what used to be perceived as lack of colour sense, can let their imaginations run wild and mix colours which clash to create stunning and inspiring interiors!

Lime and fuchsia pink are great examples of how two striking colours can look harmonious sitting side by side. The key is to use then in nearly equal proportions so that one colour doesn't grab all the attention! Ready made curtains swept open and held in place with matching tie backs are a great way of creating a frame to a picture, piece of wall art or highlight a display area.

Think theatrical! To create great focal points within your living space, remember ready made curtains don't have to be solely used as window dressings they make the ideal frame to your 'theatre' as well as being a simple way to divide rooms and even conceal untidy alcoves, let the colours scream out your personality!

Image: Belle Maison

Senin, 23 November 2009

Weekend Update: Somewhere to sit (finally!)

This was the state of my living room back in August. After moving from a much smaller townhouse with one main living space into a home with both a living room and upstairs' den, we found ourselves with exactly nothing to put in here. Zip. Zero. Nada. Since then, we've slowly been adding pieces to this space, first the rug, then a chair and floor lamp -- and, as of Friday, a sofa, lamps and

Jumat, 20 November 2009

Cibus Corner: A Rebuttal

Odi et Amo Editor's Note: A few weeks ago two very dear friends of mine (let's call them DK and his lovely wife and sous-chef KK) submitted the following post as a rebuttal of sorts to my sister's Cibus Corner post on her favorite autumn dishes. Given that they're both medical residents in Boston and have approximately 30 minutes (combined!) a week to devote to recreational activities like

Kamis, 19 November 2009

Who wore it better?

One of my favorite features in all those gossip magazines is the old-standby "Who Wore it Better"? Not only am I consistently amazed at how the same dress can look completely different on two different women, but I love to see how different people accessorize the same dress or blouse to make it suit their own tastes and style. I initially bought this darling pink winter holiday coat for my

Create Clean, Straight Lines Using Matching Curtain Poles


If you have the advantage of having a large dining area maximising the amount of natural light during the day by using sheer curtains creates a striking and informal ambiance to the area.

Having full length sheer curtains which cover two walls will also create the illusion of more space, along with clean lines and chic styles which suit both modern and contemporary homes effortlessly.

Using curtains poles which fit neatly into the corners of the room also provide a style which is well thought out, bringing cohesion to the area. White or ivory sheer curtains such as voiles or faux silk add a touch of contrast against the robust and durable practicalities of a dining room furniture. This juxtaposition enables the curtains to be hung from dark coloured curtain poles to compliment the colour of the the dining suite beautifully and elegantly.

Try mixing sheer lightweight fabrics with chunky furniture to create stunning interiors which have a eclectic mix of textures to add depth with harmony to your dining room. Using full length curtains will also add height to a room as well as being the perfect solution for dressing patio or French doors which are typically found in dinning rooms of traditionally styled homes.

Image: A Life's Design

Selasa, 17 November 2009

I'm dreaming of a White (and Silver and Blue) Christmas...

I have an early case of holiday fever. Perhaps it's because this will be our first holiday season in the new house, or perhaps it's just because I've been very busy at work and this has been one helluva roller coaster of a year, but I'm looking forward to the upcoming holiday season immensely. And while I enjoy Thanksgiving with all of its great food, classic college football rivalries, and a

Black Venetian Blinds Provide Style And Impact To Modern Interiors


Metal Venetian blinds have been available for years with many people being more used to seeing them in offices than people's homes. However, their versatility and practicality has made them a very popular window dressing in all styles of homes.

Recent manufacturing concepts means that the clanking, noisy Venetian blinds are a thing of the past, smooth operating systems and a diversity of different colours provides a chic and stylish window dressing either when used on their own or in conjunction with ready made curtains.

Black Venetian blinds provides an understated impact to a window and it the perfect choice for creating contemporary monochromatic colour schemes.

If privacy is high on your interior design agenda than Venetian blinds tick all the right boxes! Enabling you to have complete control over the amount of light entering your room, along with ability to tilt the blinds to provide complete privacy from prying eyes without restricting natural light. If you don't have passers-by looking in then you cab simply pull up the blinds to your desired height to provide maximum light along with chic interior styling! Angle the louvres upwards and it is possible to bounce the natural light off of a white ceiling back down into the room.

Image: Little French Nest Blog

Senin, 16 November 2009

Guest Bedroom Update

Back in September I blogged about my love for DwellStudio for Target's Hadley Headboard. The modern bold stripes paired with the more traditional curve of the headboard is truly high-end design at a budget price. Well, when after a few weeks I still couldn't get it out of my head, I decided to go ahead and purchase the brown and white striped version for one of my guest rooms. "Before"After a

Jumat, 13 November 2009

Sometimes second best is...well, best.

For the past several months I've been on the search for the Holy Grail of kitchen tables. My requirements: Because of the length of the back benches, I needed an oval table rather than a round one with a length between 70" and 80" and a width of no greater than 48" (to keep the pathway to the back door clear). I also had to have a pedestal table to accommodate the corner seat. And of course, I

Kamis, 12 November 2009

Are You Prepared For Potential Floods?


According to UKCIP (UK Climate impact Programme) 'In the next 25 years, 80,000 homes could be affected by flooding..'

With many homes and their occupants already experienced the devastation flood waters can do to homes, there are some useful tips which may help to lessen the blow should your home be affected this winter.

Always follow instructions given by the emergency services.

Check whether your house is liable to flooding. This may sound rather daft, however, just because you haven't been affected before there is no telling whether you may be in the future, so checking is wise so that you can be prepared for a worst case scenario.

Check weather forecasts and flood alerts to begin moving as many of your possessions as you can upstairs if you live in a two or more storey house. If you live in a ground floor flat or a bungalow ask friends and family to take care of your belongs for you. Many things you may be able to replace, however, treasured photographs and mementos are irreplaceable.

If you have floor length curtains it would be wise to take them down, otherwise they can act in the same way as a wick and soak the water upwards. Replace the curtains with inexpensive aluminium Venetian blinds so that you still have privacy both day and night.

Above all else remember not to take any risks which could endanger your own or others lives.

Image: Living Art and Interiors Blogspot

Rabu, 11 November 2009

Bookshelves in Interior Design

30 of the Best Bookshelves

Books are such a wonderful way of personalizing your space. Who doesn't love to be surrounded with all this wonderful inspiration. I think rooms with bookshelves are some of my most memorable spaces. Everyone feels comfortable in these rooms and they are rooms where you want to linger. I have a girlfriend who has a monumental bookshelf in her dining room. I always love to sit at the table across from the bookshelf so I can peruse the shelves between the dinner conversation.

"Five years from now, you’re the same person except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read."
John Wooden

I have categorized the following pictures of bookshelves into 7 sections:

1. Bookshelves in Living Rooms

Bookshelves in Living Room
Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Dominio

    Bookshelves in Living Rooms   
Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Poliform

Bookshelves in Living Rooms

Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Homes and Gardens

Bookshelves in Living Rooms
Bookshelves in Living Rooms - Domino Magazine 
Bookshelves in Living Rooms
Bookshelves in Living Rooms -BHG 

2. Bookshelves with Library Ladders

Bookshelves with Ladders Alberto Pinto 
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Alberto Pinto

Bookshelves with Ladders Tom Scheerer 
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Tom Scheerer

Bookshelves with Ladders Diane von Furstenberg  
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Diane von Furstenberg source unknown

Bookshelves with Ladders
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Ikea

Bookshelves with Library Ladders 
Pierre Chareau's Bookcase from La Maison de Verre by Dominique Vellay
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - photo via Apartment Therapy
Bookshelves with Library Ladders
Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Southern Accents

3. Bookshelves in Offices

 Bookshelves in Offices Briger and Briger
Bookshelves in Offices - Interior Design Briger and Briger

Bookshelves in Offices Alberto Pinto 
Bookshelves in Offices / Bookshelves with  Library Ladders - Interior Design Alberto Pinto

 

 Bookshelves in Offices
Bookshelves in Offices - Domino

Bookshelves in Offices Mary McGee 
Bookshelves in Offices - Interior Design Mary McGee

4. Bookshelves in Dining Rooms

Bookshelves in Dining Rooms charlespage co uk Bookshelves in Dining Rooms
Bookshelves in Dining Rooms / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Charles Page

Bookshelves in Dining Rooms Elle Decor, Photography William Waldron, design Bruce Glickman and Wilson Teng 
Bookshelves in Dining Rooms - Elle Decor, Photography William Waldron, Interior Design Glickman & Teng

Bookshelves in Dining Rooms Antonia Hutt 
Bookshelves in Dining Rooms - Interior Design Antonia Hutt

5. Bookshelves in Kitchens
Bookshelves in Kitchens
Bookshelves in Kitchens -
Vitsoe

Bookshelves in Kitchens Cecconi Simone 
Bookshelves in Kitchens / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Cecconi Simone

Bookshelves in Kitchens
Bookshelves in Kitchens - photo via Purple Area

6. Bookshelves in Bedrooms

Bookshelves in Bedrooms 
Bookshelves in Bedrooms - Interior Design Source Unknown

Bookshelves in Bedrooms 
Bookshelves in Bedrooms / Bookshelves with Library Ladders - Interior Design Source Unknown

Bookshelves in Bedrooms via Girl Meets Glamour 
Bookshelves in Bedrooms - photo via Girl Meets Glamour

7. Bookshelves in Stairs

Bookshelves in Stairwells  
Bookshelves in Stairs - source unknown

Bookshelves in Stairwells Wilson and Associates Architects  
Bookshelves in Stairs - Design by Wilson and Associates Architects 

Bookshelves in Stairs 
Bookshelves in Stairs - Design by Levitate Architects via Home Interiors 
 

Bookshelves in Stairs
These bookshelves line the stairs up the third floor of the Fallingwater house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Bookshelves in Stairs - picture via Flickr

What is your favourite room to display books in?  Please let me know by leaving a comment.

 

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

Kitchen best place and decoration ideas



Best place and interior design for the Kitchen


best luxury kitchen modern furniture
Stylish kitchen cabinets and dining room design
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. This is the room to be arranged so as to make maximum functional.
But how to arrange the kitchen? What we need and what is superfluous in it?



Modern kitchen decoration and design
Modern kitchen decoration and design
Here are some simple steps for planning your future kitchen:
    1. You need space for stockpiling in your kitchen
    2. You need a place to organize and store your glasses in your kitchen, dishes and cutlery.
    3. You need a place to droughts instrumentation in your kitchen. If you have a dishwasher, it will most likely have their dryer. There are already models of kitchens with separate places inside the drying cabinet. If you do not like this way will have to leave a place to put the dryer.

neff-kitchen-accessories-gullwing-sink
Kitchen spaceses in elegant shape
4. You need a place for washing in your kitchen- are included here, sink, dishwasher, garbage. Should also provide space for storage of the preparations that you use.
5. You need a place to cut in your kitchen- the desktop! As a place to put the instruments that help in cooking (ie: microwave, food processor, coffee maker and d.r.)

   modern small kitchen ideas
Modern small kitchen ideas

6. You need a place to cook  in your kitchen - I mean here the stove - hot plates and oven. Let's not forget about the hood.
 7. Space for a refrigerator  in your kitchen  - depending on whether your refrigerator will be built or not.
8. You need drawers  in your kitchen - drawers under the desktop must be ordered by frequency of use - the most common things we advise you to keep in top drawers, less borrowing even in lower. This will save the constant bending and squat.


Perfect European Kitchen Design for Kitchen Room

Kitchen and diningroom design and Ideas

  It is also desirable to plan and lighting. The kitchen must have 2 types of lighting:
    1. Central - suspended ceiling
    2. Local - Desktop
The next step is to determine from what material will be your and your kitchen countertops and color. Gorenje models Gatto and offer a wide range of combinations of materials and colors.

Modern Design kitchen
Modern and luxury Design kitchen

Naturally, before it should be the size of the place reserved for the new kitchen. If it is small and you want to get into it very possible, our consultants can help you to choose the best kitchen for you, and for that purpose, just visit  one of our web site: !  or Luxury Interior ideas    
We have individual approach to each client and we offer a professional team of engineers and designers who produce individual computer project according to your needs and space.
Check allsow :

Kitchen best place and decoration ideas



Best place and interior design for the Kitchen


best luxury kitchen modern furniture
Stylish kitchen cabinets and dining room design
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. This is the room to be arranged so as to make maximum functional.
But how to arrange the kitchen? What we need and what is superfluous in it?



Modern kitchen decoration and design
Modern kitchen decoration and design
Here are some simple steps for planning your future kitchen:
    1. You need space for stockpiling in your kitchen
    2. You need a place to organize and store your glasses in your kitchen, dishes and cutlery.
    3. You need a place to droughts instrumentation in your kitchen. If you have a dishwasher, it will most likely have their dryer. There are already models of kitchens with separate places inside the drying cabinet. If you do not like this way will have to leave a place to put the dryer.

neff-kitchen-accessories-gullwing-sink
Kitchen spaceses in elegant shape
4. You need a place for washing in your kitchen- are included here, sink, dishwasher, garbage. Should also provide space for storage of the preparations that you use.
5. You need a place to cut in your kitchen- the desktop! As a place to put the instruments that help in cooking (ie: microwave, food processor, coffee maker and d.r.)

   modern small kitchen ideas
Modern small kitchen ideas

6. You need a place to cook  in your kitchen - I mean here the stove - hot plates and oven. Let's not forget about the hood.
 7. Space for a refrigerator  in your kitchen  - depending on whether your refrigerator will be built or not.
8. You need drawers  in your kitchen - drawers under the desktop must be ordered by frequency of use - the most common things we advise you to keep in top drawers, less borrowing even in lower. This will save the constant bending and squat.


Perfect European Kitchen Design for Kitchen Room

Kitchen and diningroom design and Ideas

  It is also desirable to plan and lighting. The kitchen must have 2 types of lighting:
    1. Central - suspended ceiling
    2. Local - Desktop
The next step is to determine from what material will be your and your kitchen countertops and color. Gorenje models Gatto and offer a wide range of combinations of materials and colors.

Modern Design kitchen
Modern and luxury Design kitchen

Naturally, before it should be the size of the place reserved for the new kitchen. If it is small and you want to get into it very possible, our consultants can help you to choose the best kitchen for you, and for that purpose, just visit  one of our web site: !  or Luxury Interior ideas    
We have individual approach to each client and we offer a professional team of engineers and designers who produce individual computer project according to your needs and space.
Check allsow :

Modern Kitchen Design Ideas

Kitchen Interior Design

Luxury Kitchen Design
Luxury Kitchen Design
Modern kitchens are certainly the emphasis in the kitchen and in the whole interior. Kitchens can be made both by the assembly of ready-standard kitchen units and an individual project taking into account the exact dimensions of the room and preferences of customers.  On the other hand kitchens by design are more labor intensive, which implies a higher price.

Modern Kitchen Decor
Modern Kitchen Decor
However, they are preferred because of their high functionality, facilitate the rational use of space and unlimited choice of colors, shapes and materials. When designing the kitchens of great importance to the comfort is planning prior to functional areas in the kitchen.Depending on the size and purpose of the planned kitchens can be differentiated following areas: storage products for cleaning and washing food and utensils for food preparation and cooking.

Modern Kitchen Interior Design
Modern Kitchen Interior Design
  Kitchens should be designed primarily according to individual needs. The facilities that can offer modern kitchens are usually at the expense of price so that all possible facilities should be discussed with the client.
  Kitchen Interior Designs
Kitchen Interior Designs
Implementation of costly and functional kitchen is justified when it will be operated frequently. In other words, qualitative and functional kitchen are only justified if you spend enough time in the kitchen. In these cases it is worth consider any comfort alone.

Modern Kitchen Ideas
Modern Kitchen Ideas
For example the replacement of cabinets with doors on the bottom row of medium-deep and deep drawers. So you will not have to bend to use these modules kitchen. Top row of doors can be replaced with valves loopholes. Proper arrangement of kitchen units is essential for the rational use of space, especially in the angular spaces of D and U-shaped kitchens.

Modern Kitchen Interior
Modern Kitchen Interior