Mother Nature Wins Design Award
Well Mother Nature – you did it again. I’m not talking about the thousands of dollars of potential damage you’ve done this year on our property. I admit that I do occasionally (nervously!) survey (each day!) our completely buried English boxwood hedge and I look longingly at the assorted evergreen shrubbery that is either smooshed, possibly gasping for breath – or, well -killed, in the recent “Storm-Upon-Storm Spree” you’ve been on.
Still – that’s not why I’m writing. No sour grapes here. I’m actually setting aside my landscape angst to pay you a great compliment.
Nice work!! As noted in this photo of our snow-draped deck and property – you are – an exquisite designer. This is one heck of a monochromatic design you did – just perfect.
When clients ask me about doing a monochromatic interior and I tell them that shape becomes of paramount importance, I don’t always get a look of real recognition. That is – until I explain this:
When the eye is robbed of color or pattern – which it follows after hungrily and instinctively – the eye is left to notice shape: The silhouettes of the furnishings, the architecture, accessories. The eye is looking for ‘differences.’ Varied texture also become of paramount importance to engage the eye so that things look and feel rich – never bland, flat or cold.
Take a look at the photograph above once again after you read the following and you’ll take a great design lesson. Not a lot of color in that photo- it’s pretty much a ‘white and brown story.” And it’s magnificent. What moves forward? All of the shapes. The jumbled web of branches in the woods in the background; the marvelous pergola structure which is not topped with a mass of purple wisteria as it is in May, but rather – out jumps the frothy snow cap perched high upon it. The mounds and drifts of white snow, in various shades of white (thanks to shadow) that cover the deck furniture and over sized pots – its a marvelous play. And for some textural contrast, the wood of the deck is rough and hard next to the soft downy snow. In further contrast rises the perfect radius of the arched window on the house – all shiny-sleek black-looking glass outlined in crisp white trim. It pops as a piece of interesting man-made art.
Ahhhh color & pattern. There are times when you are missed. Times when you are craved. However, there is a quiet and excitement in the monochromatic scheme. And for the record my peeps…a monochromatic scheme is a play in a single color – cut with neutrals like black, white, brown, gray, beige or ivory. The misunderstanding amongst client is that monochromatic means ONLY neutral colors. Au contraire. One can do a seafoam green monochromatic room – or something in all corn silk – any color played throughout a space in varying shades and tints will give you a monochromatic interior. One cuts it with neutrals to calm it or bring it to attention.
Granted, to pull off a great looking monochromatic interior, I do not recommend the do-it-yourself. Such an interior will likely benefit from an experts touch so that shape, texture, shade and tone can be correctly varied in order to keep things striking…never dull. Just like this marvelous work photoed above….crafted by the most expert designer of designers…Mother Nature herself! You go girl! (Do you charge by the hour?)