Taxidermy Doesn't Have to be a Trophy

Taxidermy swept through the interior design scene a few years ago and seems to still be a relevant fad in home decor. At first I had my reservations, being an animal lover and a vegetarian. But a few things changed my mind.

Many taxidermy shops don’t support the traditional trophy aspect of hunting and killing. Those with this view are carrying antique pieces from the late 19th and early 20th century. Much of the hunting done at that time was considered scientific, a form of nature preservation.

Many people who have begun to collect these pieces view the animals as a piece of art and a gift from nature. Since many of us may never see these animals up close in real life, it can be fascinating to have them in our homes.

Since I still have the thought in the back of my head that popularity creates demand, and if the fad is big enough there will have to be more killing to produce the supply, I have found many alternatives to the trend.

Hand-carved wood deer heads are some of my favorites. The detail on them is beautiful, and they provide a unique natural appeal in a similar fashion to the real thing.

A hand carved wooden stag head commands attention in my small apartment.

Felt animal heads are a bit more whimsical and playful. I love the softness of them and think they are perfect for a child’s room.

These felt heads by Roost are currently for sale in the shop!

A vintage Aoudad head from Africa

I have also seen beautiful and colorful papier mache heads of a bull, goat and deer that add an enchanting aspect to any interior.

This is one trend that may come and go for some, but the animal lover in me will always find it appealing.

This post appeared in last Sunday's Kansas City Star Magazine.
By Jaclyn Joslin

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/03/03/3457731/design-notebook-taxidermy-doesnt.html#storylink=cpy

Spare, But With Purpose

Below is a copy of the article by Jaclyn that ran in this past Sunday's KC Star Magazine. Enjoy!

Photo by Roy Inmann

By JACLYN JOSLIN

Special to The Star

Do you have a guest room that rarely gets used? Or would you like a spare room to be functional for you on a day-to-day basis and accomodate guests when necessary? Many of us only have guests once or twice a year and having a room that is not functional for other purposes for the majority of the time seems like wasted space to me.

Here is another good question to answer: do you use your guest room as storage space for things that you don’t know where else to put? Before moving into my small apartment, I had a guest room that held junk. Honestly, when I went to move I uncovered things I had not looked at in years in the guest bedroom closet. I had to ask myself: what purpose are these things serving me? If I am not using them, not even looking at them for years at a time, it is hard to justify holding on to them.

Now I am a big proponent of editing and an even bigger proponent of not collecting junk. Too many of us hold on to things that were either given to us, or at one time were useful to us, but no longer fit our lifestyle. It is OK to let these items go, in fact it is a good thing. The items could be useful to another person and it is important to not let things stagnate in your life.

I like to move my accessories around every few months. I will take everything off my bookshelves to dust and be sure to not study the arrangement too closely before dismanteling. Then when I go to put it back on the shelf, I purposely try to put items back in a different spot. If pieces end up not fitting back in, I will look for a place elsewhere and if it still has no home, I know I need to evaluate keeping the piece or putting the item back into circulation.

The pictured room is a perfect example of having a beautiful space that is functional and comfortable for guests or for everyday use by the homeowners. There is no clutter, only well selected pieces that serve a purpose, have a timeless appeal to them and most importantly, the homeowners love them!

In this particular home, the owners already had one complete guest room, but there was still another small spare room. It could have been outfitted with another bed that would have taken up most of the floor space, or we could make the room a bit more useful for their everyday living. We chose the latter by putting in a chair and a half with a twin sleeper. A pair of Moroccan poufs in front are great for kicking your feet up on while sitting in the chair reading, and are easily moved to pull the sleeper out.

The room also sports a wood-and-iron side table with a few minimal accessories. That way it is not bare, but also leaves guests a spot to place belongings or a drink. The pharmacy floor lamp is perfect for sitting in the chair reading, or when the bed is pulled out. The small dresser that fills the semi-awkward niche is kept empty so that guests have a spot to put belongings when visiting. This is important! Resist the urge to fill dressers up with clothes that you will never wear or other junk that you do not need. Pillows and bedding for the sleeper are kept in a small closet. Along the other wall there is a bookshelf for holding a few accessories and books, making this room a quiet reading retreat when company is not in town.

I find that most people underestimate the energy that inanimate objects hold. It is easy to operate out of guilt or laziness and think that you should hold on to something because it was a gift or because it is just plain easier to let things sit and not think about the purpose it is serving you. By clearing out your extra rooms or any portion of your home (basement, attic, closets, etc.) and only keeping the functional and decorative items that you love, you will be amazed at the space you create in your life for other good to come in.

Reach Jaclyn Joslin, interior designer and owner of Urban Dwellings Design in the River Market, 412 Delaware St., at info@urbandwellingsdesign.com.

The Fabric Frenzy

A fabric lamp shade, varied patterns and textures on pillows along with a suzani draped across the back of the sofa create depth and interest.
Photo by Roy Inman

Fabric is a beautiful thing. It is transformative and expressive. Fabric provides color, pattern and texture. It also plays a major role in setting the mood for any room.

Countless designers have graduated into becoming textile designers after years in the interior decorating industry. Thom Felicia (who recently graced Kansas City's DIFFA Dining By Design event this past May), Kelly Wearstler, Barbara Barry, Thomas O'Brien, to name a few, have all delved into the fabric houses of the world.

Even fashion designers have been crossing into the home to introduce their vision. Of course we are all familiar with the likes of Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, who both have corresponding furniture lines. There are new names to add to the home textile from fashion runway list; Trina Turk, Diane von Furstenberg and Lily Pulitzer have all brought their vibrant and eclectic patterns to home decor.

So, what is so great about fabric you ask? Besides the obvious beauty that can be found in the vast array of fabrics that are out there, here are some quick and easy ways fabric can be applied to spruce up a space:

• Pillows. The easiest and potentially most affordable change you can make to a room. Many homeowners have several sets of pillows they can change out seasonally. I almost always have a contrasting color or texture pillow on every sofa or chair.

• Tablecloths. Have an old side table that is a bit unsightly? Or just want to add some drama to a room? Having a custom tablecloth made can be an affordable way to change the look of a room instantly.

• Lamp shades. Recovering lampshades with a printed fabric can take a ho-hum lamp to smashing in no time.

• Artwork. Pieces of fabric can easily be framed for a unique piece of art. Vintage suzanis make great statements hung on walls, draped over the back of a sofa or at the end of a bed.

• Reupholstering. A bit more costly, but a great way to reinvigorate a lackluster chair or sofa is with new fabric in the form or a slip cover or reupholstered.

• Fabric headboard. Tired of the "set" of furniture you purchased where your bedside tables, dresser and bed all match? Replacing the bed with an upholstered headboard in a fabulous fabric can make all the difference in the bedroom.

• Window treatments. A space with naked windows is not considered complete by designers standards. There are countless options when it comes to custom window treatments. Choosing the right fabric for the job is crucial, as this is a costly endeavor and will make one of the biggest statements in a room.

Where to find fabric:

• Ebay is a great source for vintage fabrics such as suzani and ikat prints.

• Calico corners has a great selection of fabrics and their onsite workroom is very affordable for upholstery and window treatments.

• Hire a designer who has access to trade only fabric showrooms for a more exclusive and high end option.

Choose bold fabrics and mix solid fabric with patterns. Be sure to alternate textures to add contrast and visual interest. Pair silk with velvet or cotton and linen with chenille. Let your fabric selections in your home be a reflection of your personal style. The type of fabric should be suitable to your lifestyle; slipcovers and durable fabrics for those with children and pets. Fabric has the potential to create the depth and richness that makes a room interesting, livable and beautiful.

A Study on Color

An article I wrote for the KC Star on the daunting subject of Color!

Color has been the subject of numerous books, articles, seminars and TV shows. It is the thing most people I help with interior design fret about, and understandably so. There are so many opinions, options, ideas and theories on the subject.

Color can elicit strong emotions and feelings. Most cultures place significance or associations on certain colors. Color psychology is even its own discipline and is defined as "the effect of the electro-magnetic radiation of light on human mood and behavior." The definition goes on further to say that there is a difference between color psychology and color symbolism (the conscious associations we are conditioned to make with color).

Scientifically, color is an energy, and its physical effect has been proven in studies. Because of the electro-magnetic radiation given off by color wavelengths, blind people can amazingly identify color with their fingertips. Another study done in the 1970s found that independently there are no objectively wrong colors; rather it is the combination of colors that triggers a response.

I mention this only to showcase how complex choosing a color scheme is for interiors, marketing and advertising, or fashion. Every designer has his or her own method for tackling color. I love the legendary British designer David Hicks’ cutthroat approach:

"Too much time is wasted, too many thoughts expounded, too much nonsense talked, too many rules adhered to and endless energy put into deciding what colour will go with what other colour."

Admittedly, sometimes I agree. But on the other hand, when I choose a color scheme for a client, I put a lot of thought and time into the final decisions.

Here is where I would like to note that designers do not carry a magic wand, so that when they walk into a space, a color immediately presents itself as the solution. Quite the contrary is true for a well-thought-out and livable color scheme.

The major factors I take into consideration when creating a color scheme are these:

1) The profile of those using the space, how it will be used and the desired mood to be created.

2) The type of sunlight the space gets and opportunities for artificial lighting.

3) The other non-changing elements in the room: flooring, cabinetry, trim work, etc.

Then I ask: How do I want the space to feel, and what colors will look great on those living there? I perform a dance with the colors and textures, a back and forth of testing different combinations until I have narrowed down my selection.

Lastly I ask: How can I get away with creating a scheme that is beautiful and timeless yet not boring and predictable? Creating tension between different elements in the room will keep things from becoming obsolete. When I put time and thought into my selections, my ideas evolve, guaranteeing that they do not become stale.

If you have ever struggled with color, you are not alone. Even professionals with a well-trained eye can end up making adjustments along the way. Try not to get caught up in trends. Your home and the colors you use in it should make you happy and be a reflection of your personal style

This presentation board illustrates a color & design scheme for 1 room. The color scheme alone took nearly 6 hours to conceptualize.

KC Taste Maker's Dinner

Below is an article written for the KC Star Magazine that tells a little about the dinner party we were so lucky to be a part of. The idea was to round up some taste makers of KC and host an intimate dinner where people could share ideas and their thoughts on trends in their field of profession. The result was a spectacular evening that the guests are still talking about! I will be posting pictures from the event soon, so be sure and check back for them!

I am a novice at real entertaining. I have the basic guidelines for a successful party down: keep drinks and music flowing, and most guests stay happy for several hours. But throwing an actual dinner party where insightful conversation and idea-making ensues? Well, that is a bird of a different feather.

Recently I had the honor of co-hosting such an event. Kelly LaPlante, the editorial director of Standard Magazine, approached me about having a Kansas City Taste Makers Dinner at my store, Urban Dwellings Design. Kelly and her crew are traveling the country and hitting up hip cities to discover what the movers and shakers are up to. K.C. was the second city (the first was L.A.) to make the cut for this intimate and interactive approach to a dinner party. The party was a smashing success, and here is what I learned along the way about making the evening especially memorable.

Carefully curate your guest list. Decide how many people you can manage to entertain, which in our case, was 20. Our focus (the theme of the party) was on taste makers, but we wanted a variety of creative professions represented. Guests at our dinner included writers, general contractors, chef/restaurant owners, stylists, boutique owners, social media/branding specialists and, of course, interior designers. Also, it was important that not everyone already knew each other, so guests could take away a few new friends after the evening. Most important, choose people that you think will have good synergy together.

Do pre-planning legwork. Our evening was catered, but finding out guests’ dietary needs in advance was helpful. If you will be preparing the food yourself, make sure it can all be made in advance so you’re not tied up in the kitchen as guests arrive. I have seen more than one host become bitter after slaving away and not getting to actually enjoy the party itself.

Set the mood. Admittedly, we have pretty good resources in the store for creating an inviting atmosphere. Our table was adorned with a row down the center comprised of an interesting mix of objects d’ art, bud vases with fresh flowers and tea lights. Make sure to dim the lights or only use lamp lights and candles. Bright or harsh overhead lighting is really just the pits for creating an intimate mood.

Play music. These days, creating a playlist on your iPod or selecting a swanky station on Pandora is easy, and greatly adds to the party atmosphere. We chose the Pink Martini station on Pandora for cocktail hour and then switched to Billie Holiday for dinner.

Use place cards. I once thought place cards were snobby. But in a situation like this it is helpful to position guests where you think they will be most comfortable but still have the chance to meet someone new.

Create a warm welcome. Try to greet each guest as they arrive and let them know how special it is to have them join you for the evening. Having pre-made drinks to hand out upon arrival is also nice. We had a warming urn full of a spiked apple cider that smelled and tasted delicious, and added a quick warm up to the cold night.

Consider conversation starters. For our Taste Maker Dinner, guests were asked to fill out cards on their trend predictions for 2011. After dinner, we would share our ideas at the table. This gave guests something to talk about and bond over the remainder of cocktail hour and into dinner. The concept can be adapted for a party at home by correlating it to the theme of the evening. A few of the noteworthy predictions from the taste makers:

“America will continue to produce artisan products. European-style butchery will continue to grow. Pigs, hogs, pork, bacon, fat!” Michael Smith, chef/owner of Michael Smith and Extra Virgin restaurants.

“Challenging economy + a desire to nest at home = SMALL LUXURIES. It’s the little things in life that matter MOST! (For example) A heartfelt hug when you walk in the door!” David Jimenez, vice president of store design for Hallmark Cards.

By combining basic party guidelines with thoughtful advance planning, you can create a great dinner party. But if you also engage your guests and open a forum for interesting thought and conversation, you will create a memorable and exciting experience for all involved.

By Jaclyn Joslin, Special to The Star

Gray is not the only way

For the KC Star:

Every few years, there is a trend that saturates the design industry, and this year we were hit hard with one.

As I gear up for the furniture market held twice a year in High Point, North Carolina, I prepare myself for scouting new ideas. I schedule meetings with my most important vendors in advance. I prioritize what items I will be looking for based on customer demand. But mainly I am looking to spot The Next Best Thing, that trend that won’t hit the chain stores for a few years.

Right now everywhere you look is gray. The corporate retailers are doing it and although it has been a trend with designers for a few years already, it was still very prevalent at market in October. Most vendors I spoke to seem to think this trend will be around for another few years.

During my tour of the Global Views showroom, my rep informed me of their conscious decision to use gray with accents of citron in their front-room display. Just downstairs from them in the International Home Furnishings Center (referred to as IHFC), a 12-story building with 3.5 million square feet of display room, you could see traces of gray everywhere. A new line, Mr. Brown, a subsidiary of the designer line Julian Chichester, also was using gray with accents of green, citron and pink.

A trip to the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams showroom proved they had been influenced by shades of gray as well. MG+BW has its own 24,000-square-foot building that houses almost the entire collection during market. The showroom is known for a few things: an almost obsessively well-kept and presented showroom, impeccable service, men in black and the color white everywhere else. Mitchell and Bob (yes, they are real people) believe in letting their furniture stand out and creating the mood for the settings. The two-level showroom will typically have 13 to 15 vignettes on each floor of furniture set up in living room or bedroom environments showcasing new products and fabrics as well as current inventory. The first half of my appointment was going along business as usual. Then we took the stairs to the second floor and I was transported into moody, dark chocolate and gray surroundings. They had even painted the floors gray! After so many years of white floors, this trend was big enough for them to take note.

So while I appreciate the current trend, the thought started to cross my mind that it was being a bit overdone. I was on the hunt for something new and different. Gray was starting to downright depress me! After seeing this look everywhere I turned, I was now ready for something to stand out in the sea of gray.

Thankfully, my luck changed during my visit to the Oly Studio showroom. A hunch I had been having was confirmed: gold is the new gray. A new plush gold mohair had been introduced along with a stunning hand-carved hardwood chest encased in natural brass, illuminating a beautiful gold sheen. Gold is vibrant, brilliant and in my opinion, goes with everything. There were even “Solid Gold” dancers at the Oly after-hours showroom party.

If the big-box stores are doing it, you can almost guarantee I will do the opposite. Rather than coming home to KC riding the “gray train,” instead I felt inspired by the idea to infuse rich and vibrant pops of color that breathe life into a space. Not to worry though, I still have a penchant for gray and envision gold and gray among other colors living harmoniously together.

Reach Jaclyn Banash, interior designer and owner of Urban Dwellings Design in the River Market, 412 Delaware St., at info@urbandwellingsdesign.com.

Inspiration

This is a shot from a wonderful project that was carefully executed over the course of a year. The homeowner has exquisite taste and we mixed some of her pieces with new upholstery, antiques and beautiful custom window treatments to achieve this elegant and layered room.

This project became the inspiration for an article I wrote in the KC Star.
Photo taken by Roy Inman

Patience: The New Design Element

This KC Star article got a great response from readers. I think it offered a sense of relief to people struggling to finish their homes off "just right".

Do you ever wonder what makes a room interesting? There are many answers to this question, but one of the simplest has nothing to do with design. It’s patience.

This virtue is hard to come by these days, but I would submit to you that having patience when designing a room plays a major role in the design’s success and its ability to stand the test of time.

Most designers will tell you their homes are never done. That is because we like to add, subtract, move around and mix it up. Layering a few well-selected pieces you’ve collected over time with a combination of old, new, modern and rustic pieces will create an interesting space every time.

I admit this look has taken me a while to accomplish in my own home. And if I did not think about my own personal design scheme almost every day (as most non-design junkies don’t), this design aesthetic would be very hard for me to achieve without help. Here are some tips for creating spaces that are interesting, cohesive and complimentary to your lifestyle.

Search out timeless handmade pieces. Not only will handmade stand the test of time of quality and craftsmanship, but also style and character. You do not have to build an entire room with handmade pieces, but the more special a piece feels the longer you are likely to keep and enjoy it.

Don’t put false deadlines on finishing your room. All too often I hear things like, “I really need this in a week because we are having a birthday party for my son.” Decorating a space based on a false deadline like this will almost always end in disaster. Pieces will be purchased that are not quite right in size, color or style just to hastily impress guests. Trust me when I say the success of your party will not be affected by the completeness of your design scheme. Waiting to purchase the right piece will always save you time, money and resources in the long run.

Patience can have a tremendous impact on your pocketbook. Designing a complete room can get expensive. By searching out pieces over time you are also spreading out the cost.

I’m certainly not suggesting that you hem and haw over every last purchase, just make a list of criteria for each piece. Mine looks something like this:
1) Did I have a strong emotional reaction when I first saw it (the ahhh factor)?
2) How/where was it made?
3) Is it in my budget?
4) Is it comfortable?
5) Will it fit in with my overall design scheme?
If the answer is yes to all of these questions, it is a no-brainer. If it is missing any criteria, I re-evaluate and decide if the pros outweigh the cons. Numbers 1 and 5 are deal breakers for me. If I do not love the piece and it does not fit perfectly in my design scheme, it is NOT coming home with me. I can always work around the rest.

My list of pointers would not be complete if I did not add something I strongly believe in: enlisting professional help. Having a design professional’s eye to pull concepts together and create a design scheme for you both to work from will save a lot of time. Even well-known style trendsetters ask for help when it comes to the arduous task of designing their own interiors.

So take a deep breath and come to the realization that it takes time to create a beautiful and inspiring space. In the end, however, it is much more rewarding than the alternative. I personally can’t imagine living with anything in my home that I don’t love and treasure and enjoy looking at every day.

Reach Jaclyn Banash, interior designer and owner of Urban Dwellings Design, 412 Delaware St., at info@urbandwellingsdesign.com.

Copy Cat

We had fun re-creating this vignette in the store for one of my KC Star articles. The inspiration came from an image in the magazine Real Simple.

My Advice (In my humble opinion)

KC Star article:

Sometimes it’s hard to resist buying something on sale even if it is not the right fit. You can always make a bargain work, right? Wrong.

I can’t tell you how often I see rooms with off-size furniture, mismatched styles or poor color combinations because the owner did not have a plan to begin with and/or bought items on the cheap, thinking they could make them work. But more often than not it doesn’t, and you end up wanting to replace pieces soon after buying them, which means you wind up spending twice as much money.

I firmly believe in investing in a plan, utilizing pieces of furniture that will last a long time and make you happy each time you look at them. This doesn’t mean you must purchase everything at once. A room can be finished in stages as long as you have a well-devised plan to guide you.

If you aren’t sure of your personal style, it’s easy to get inspiration. Go to the library or supermarket and pick up any number of design publications. The pages are loaded with ideas, and once you start flipping through and ripping out or making photocopies of pages you’ll probably notice a commonality in the pictures you like.

Even if you can’t put your thumb on what is drawing you to each image, a design professional probably can. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many people think designing is easy, but actually if you have not been trained and don’t work in the field everyday, making the big design decisions can be challenging. For example, deciding which sofa to buy, with what chair, which paint color, and finishing touches such as window treatments and lighting can be very difficult without some guidance.

And, sorry, but no matter how many hours of HGTV you watch, you still may find designing your home a difficult task. Most clients I help have tried on their own, made mistakes, are not happy with the results they came up with, and now have asked for professional help. Designing around mistakes can be challenging, even for a design professional. Follow these three guidelines, and you will be sure to love your interiors for years to come:

Do not buy inexpensive items just because of the price. If it works for your plan that’s great, but otherwise pass it up for just the right thing.

Find inspiration. Home décor magazines, travel magazines, books, etc. will unveil a common thread in your personal color or style preferences.

Ask for help. Even if it is not in your budget to hire a designer, many furniture stores offer space planning at the minimum, or have some design services that are included with purchase. Take advantage of this professional assistance.

So if you have a room or rooms you’re ready to transform, start planning. It will save you time, money and a lot of frustration.

Reach Jaclyn Banash, interior designer and owner of Urban Dwellings Design, 412 Delaware St., at info@urbandwellingsdesign.com.