climbing to greater heights ...

:: Stairway by Tamara Thomsen, via 20x200 ::

... one can definitely hope + strive for, yes?


this painting reminds me a lot of the time i was perched on the stairs at my college, sketching + painting my study on the staircase. put aside the occasional 'visits' by other students + tutors walking up and down the stairs, i was mostly on my own, trying my best to create some decent piece of work in my little corner. many years on, that stands out as one of my fondest art moments in college. fondest, and possibly one of the trickiest too. certain projects/studies/paintings/sketches no doubt left a bigger and more inspiring imprint in me than others.

today, i find myself creating my pieces of work at any little chance i have to take my eyes and attention away from the kids, even if just for an hour, or less. that leaves me working almost literally everywhere in the house. even my bed's seen my brushes + acrylics. secret's out then. if any of you ever imagined me sitting pretty + calm painting in a designated work space at home, i thank you much. in truth, i stand more than i sit when painting, and i don't always work in the work corner i've created myself.

it would be good to be more disciplined though. well, there's always 2010 to cue the resolutions list. should put that on the list then ... work only in designated work space.

anyway ... i digressed. this was supposed to be about stairways. below, some other images which have caught my attention ...

:: via Freshome ::

:: via Home Designing ::

:: via Design Age ::

:: via Traveller Boats ::

:: via Schlicken Blogsome ::

:: via Abodesign Co. ::

:: our very own stairs at Big Lime (image previously used in an earlier post here on the blog) ::

weaving between cultures ...

in design work, i admire the successful fusion of the old meets new, east meets west approach. whilst many gravitate to the rigid and precision that are modern design pieces, there seems to be a large following too for those reviving our 'traditional' pieces, designs filed under (i'd imagine)conservation and/or heritage.

ikat is one such art form.

Ikat, or Ikkat, is a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp

or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design.

Ikat means "to tie" or "to bind" in the Malay language.

:: taken from Wikipedia ::

seen today are many product designs originating from the ikat process. what is even better, to me, is that the Westerners seem to be loving this art form so much that they're producing ikat-designed home and fashion items and commercialising them. true, there's the desire to keep things within yourselves (culturally), but when it comes to art, i think a fusion between the East and West is always a good thing. just give due credit to origins of design. ;-)

:: Pottery Barn cushions, image via Apartment Therapy ::

:: Anthropologie cushions, image via Design Sponge ::

:: chair by Oregon-based designer Jen West, image by Design Sponge ::

:: image via Patricia Gray ::

:: image via Design-59 ::

bowled over ...

these pretty patterns on these adorably moulded bowls. moulded bowls ... has a cute ring to it, don't you think? :-)

:: bowls beautifully made by Aida Dirse, image via OhJoy! ::

.... but back to these bowls, grouped together, i think they make quite a display on a special lil corner in your home. love them!

first impressions DO matter (granted, to some more than others)

Imagine walking into your home's compound through similar doors everyday, and on concrete slabs or wooden decking over shallow water.
Aahhhh... such bliss.
A pretty and calming picture painted in your minds yet? ;-)

colours of the world

How prett-ily cute is that wall map?? Would be such a great colourful addition to Z's room.



Tell me I can get one just like that here in M'sia. No? Ah well...

parallel display

- photo from Terramia http://lovemyearth.blogspot.com -

Shelves I like! Wall I like!! Floating cabinets I like!!!
Sigh...
Maybe... an idea to consider no doubt. ;-)

superneat!

Isn't this just beautiful?

Love the colour, the shape, the gentle curves, the little bits you can pull out as extra seating, table or storage and then keep them back in under the table - how brilliant is that?

Form and function at its finest this one is.

I likeeee! And I wannntttt!! :-)