Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Find the Right Designer

Your new kitchen is a bigger investment than ever. It pays to hire a design professional you can trust. On the messy journey called kitchen remodeling, there are advantages to having a professional designer as a guide. The pros can help you budget wisely, avoid mistakes, make the space beautiful and functional and open doors to new and specialised resources. Just like you go to a doctor specialising in a part of the body, the specialist for that part of the home is the kitchen designer. We understand how it all fits together and why the parts are necessary. You're going to do it right the first time with a designer.


Step 1 - Start A Search
  • Start your search for a designer online at the NKBA Web site which can point you to designers in your area
  • Then visit the Web sites of the designers or contact them directly
  • Get names from friends and neighbors who have remodeled their kitchens
  • The phone book, home centers, kitchen showrooms and real estate agents may also produce good leads
Step 2 - Have A Meeting
  • Do your homework before the initial meeting with a designer
  • Browse showrooms to gather wish-list ideas for appliances, cabinet styles and finishes and flooring options
  • Compile a portfolio of magazine photos tht shows your style preferences
  • The designer will want informaion from you but you should seek information from the designer too including actual photos of his or her work
  • Ask to see a project similar to yours, including the plans and find out how much it cost
  • Ask about the payment schedules, contracts, timelines and design services
  • The designer will want to know about your lifestyle
Step 3 - Is It A Good Fit?
  • After the initial meeting you may decide whether that particular designer is good for your project
  • The ideal designer-client relationship is based on honesty, trust, communication, respect and a sense of teamwork
  • If you feel comfortable enough, and trust a desginer based on her knowledge, her creativity and her needs, then that's a good vibe

Monday, March 21, 2011

Livet hemma (Life at home)


: : inspiration straight from the designers at IKEA. Here is Ikea's own blog .livet hemma. with lots of amazing inspiration from their designers, stylists, editors and more. Enjoy!

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Ottomans, Benches, Foot Stools

Ottomans have become a favourite of mine to use in family/media rooms and dens. I like using them for several reasons. First and foremost they serve as the indispensable coffee table. I like to make mine with tight tops and rather flat as opposed to padded with a pillow effect. This way you can set things on top of them without worrying about them toppling over. Secondly you can comfortably set your feet on them and be in a semi-reclining position to watch TV, read or maybe even fall asleep. Thirdly I can have them made any size to fit the requirements of the room. This is a real benefit because large coffee tables are hard to find. In the space below the ottoman is made out of deep chocolate brown faux Ostrich. This family has two young daughters and they use the ottoman to color on and do their craft projects and have snacks. Spills can be wiped up easily, and the deep brown faux ostrich adds and a nice textural interest and makes a dramatic center focal point for the room. Patricia Gray | Interior Design Patricia Gray | Interior Design 

This ottoman is large by ottoman standards 5 feet by 3 1/2 feet. It is covered in Holly Hunt, Hair on Hide Leather, in a creamy butterscotch color. It was made long so 3 people sitting on the sofa could all put their feet up on it, and I made it deep enough to that there was still room at the back for the inevitable books, magazines, remote controls and trays for snacks and drinks. It also doubles as extra seating for parties. What coffee table has that much versatility?

Patricia Gray | Interior Design

 Patricia Gray | Interior Design
The Ottoman in this penthouse I had made in charcoal gray Beacon Hill "Pashmina". It is soft and luxurious like a Cashmere blanket and makes a nice warming contrast to the leather sofa. It sits on top of the same color of Belgium wool area carpet. Facing the sofa is the view with the TV hung and framed between the windows. Where else do you put the TV in a room that is all windows & view.

Patricia Gray | Interior Design 

Patricia Gray | Interior Design


tufted bench1 tufted bench5

tufted bench3 tufted bench4

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™

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Stockholm home






: : love this wonderful Stockholm home bursting with colors and patterns. Everything feels so very Swedish. And what a beautiful happy family! From Swedish Design magazine .family living.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

My Vision of Heaven

A beautiful door, sunshine, a pea gravel garden path! 

Photo Credit

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

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

A Glimmer of Hope

When I opened the blinds in my office this morning this is what I saw….could you hear me clapping my hands? I even did a little dance around my desk……. so happy, so happy. For those of you who live in Vancouver, you will understand. For those of you who live in more southern locations, you will think I have totally gone crazy. Yesterday I found myself on the internet looking up SAD to see if this was my problem, but today I know that I am just missing the sunshine. These beautiful crocuses that I planted last fall are my reminder that spring it is just around the corner! How strong and hardy they are pushing their way up and through the rocks. A testament to our northern spirit.

A view of the crocuses from my office window.

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™

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Me=featured designer on .from sthlm.






: : I am incredibly proud to announce that I am this month's featured Swedish designer on .from Sthlm.
.From Sthlm. is an online webshop that was started two years ago and has since featured over twenty different independent Swedish designers, Lotta Kuhlhorn and Mrs Murphy are among a few of my favorites on the list.

Every month a new designer is featured and a limited amount of their products are sold through the website. Tiffany who runs the site also shares an interview with each designer on her blog. Her list of featured designers is very impressive and I'm honored to be part of it. .From Sthlm.  has become a fantastic resource for Swedish design and takes a new innovative approach to shopping online, where you get to know the designer and learn about the story behind each product. Thank you Tiffany for featuring me this month! I hope you will enjoy my prints that are featured at .from sthlm. this month.

P.S For the month of March I will be selling my prints exclusively through .from sthlm. My etsy shop will open again in April.....with new patterns! Head on over to .from sthlm. and learn more about my kurbits and where they come from.

from Scandinavia with love

: : found a new Scandinavian blog chock full with inspiration! Please visit .from Scandinavia with love. to see more wonderful photos of Scandinavian homes.

color at ikea family live





: : here comes some interior inspiration from .Ikea family live.  this colorful home in northern Portugal is fantastic! it's totally my style, mixing lots of bright colors and patterns. it makes me happy to look at these photos.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Steve Jobs on Design

 Steve Jobs on Design via Pinterest

I love this quote by Steve Jobs.
What do you think? Is good design more than just looking pretty?

Join the discussion by leaving a comment.

Photo Credit

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™

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Vicente Wolf and Inuit Art in Vancouver

I had the pleasure of spending time with Vicente Wolf on his trip to Vancouver where he spoke at the Buildex convention. Albarosa Simonetti had put together an itinerary of Native Art Galleries and we spent the afternoon looking for Inuit dolls made of Caribou antler for Vicente’s private collection. As well as showing Vicente the sights of Vancouver we had lots of time to talk about design, travel, photography and share stories.




Patricia Gray, Vicente Wolfe, Albarosa Simonetti at Buildex Vancouver



Patricia Gray, Vicente Wolf at Inuit Gallery Vancouver

Narwhal Gallery: Samonie Toonoo - Hockey Player

Inuit Caribou Antler Dolls

These Inuit dolls carved from Caribou antler which is a renewable resource, shed by the animal annually, have the arms and legs attached with sinew. Their antecedence is in ancient Inuit history, and were often the only toy that a small girl would have. They are absolutely charming in their simplicity. I would not have known about them were it not for Vicente’s passion for collecting.

imageVicente Wolfe Collection of Inuit Dolls in his Montauk home

Top 2 photos: Albarosa Simonetti
Photo 3 Photo Credit
Bottom Photo Credit