Alison Fowler

It's Saturday, and I'm back with Day 3 of Ottawa Artist Week. I do hope you're enjoying seeing some of the great art originating with artists in Ottawa. Today, I'm profiling the florals of Alison Fowler, done in fantasticly colourful acrylics -- perfect for grey, January weather like we have here today. Here are some sample images, and you can check out more of Alison's work at http://www.artbyalison.com/ If you live in Ottawa, you can also head down to Alison's solo show at The Foolish Chicken, a funky restaurant at 79 Holland Avenue. Happy rest of the weekend, everyone!

Karen Goetzinger

I'm back with Day 2 of Ottawa Artist Week, and so pleased to introduce Karen Goetzinger, a mixed media textile artist who is based here in Ottawa. I certainly don't know much about textile art -- and suspect I am not alone. But, when I first saw Karen's work last week, I thought, wow, how beautiful. I love the colours and texture, and am so impressed that much is stitched by hand. Just imagine one larger work displayed on a wall, or four arranged together. Wouldn't they make a lovely, stunning focal point -- especially if shown against low, contemporary furniture? Unfortunately, I can't show you more images right now because I'm fighting with technology and it's getting late! But, please do check out Karen's website http://www.karengoetzinger.com/ and enjoy her creative talents. There's more wonderful abstracts, and she also creates kimono-canvas which are extremely unique.

Heidi Conrod

Last night, I looked at my calendar and thought -- yikes, it's mid-January and we don't have any major holidays coming up soon. How about I proclaim this Ottawa Artist Week, just for the fun of it? And so I have, for anyone reading, at least! Over the next few days, I'm going to highlight three local artists whose works have recently caught my attention. First off is Heidi Conrod and her marvelous portraits. Heidi's work is found in numerous corporate and private collections and is currently displayed in Ottawa at the Dale Smith Gallery http://www.dalesmithgallery.com/ Please visit this website to see more beautiful examples of Heidi's work.

Smiles

Happy weekend, everyone! Hope you get some time to do some creative outdoor designing! (Update on this creation: Unfortunately, our beach snowman, his Tropicana lotion, sombrero, and party glass are now just a pile of mush in the front yard -- kind of like poor Frosty. But, my three year old and I have lots more ideas for the next time around! And, we're accepting requests, too!)

Molo Design

Wow! Molo Design in Vancouver is creating some fabulously unique furnishings these days. Check out these images of paper softseating and soft walls --both made completely out of kraft paper! There's a variety of stools available and a beautiful lounger. Plus, the stools are magnetized on one side, so you can design your own low tables, benches, stacked blocks, and other creative displays. Fabulous for loft living and wide-open spaces, and perfectly ok to sit on! For more information on Molo Design visit www.molodesign.com, email info@molodesign.com, or call 604.696.2501. Let me know what you think!

Wall Juice

I am a big fan of wallpaper and decals, and a huge fan of Ottawa-based Wall Juice and their fabulous Wall Tattoos and Phrases, perfect for contemporary and creative living. Here are a few images to wet your appetite and get the creative juices flowing. BTW, Wall Juice is relaunching their online store January 21st, and from January 21-28th, they are offering My Designing Life readers a 15% discount on all their fabulous products. Just quote interiors0108 and you'll be all set. Enjoy, and if you want to see more, go to http://www.walljuice.com/

Floor stencilling

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had lovely holidays, and are only slowly getting back into the regular swing of things. I'm excited to be back blogging and reading everyone's inspirational ideas, and am so looking forward to a year of great design and new projects.

I'm starting off 2008 with something I've never tried before, but just love how it adds texture to a room and acts as a wonderful design accent -- floor stencilling. Floor stencilling was very popular between 1740-1840, and can still be seen today in affluent American homes built during this period. Then, as now, stencilling was used to simulate woven carpet, floorcloths, tiling, and parquet floors, at considerably lesser expense than the real thing. And, most were painted using one colour -- often black on pumpkin pine. Again, to cut down on costs.

Today, there is a growing interest in creatively accenting wood floors with paints, stains and tints, inside stencilled designs. Companies like MB Historic Decor, based in Vermont, http://www.mbhistoricdecor.com/ and Gracewood Design, in Portland, Oregon, http://www.gracewooddesign.com/ specialize in creating original and authentic stencils used in both interior and exterior designs. Though now, patterns usually incorporate one, two, or three colours.

All you have to do (it sounds so easy doesn't it?) is prepare your floor by first washing, scraping and sanding away all the old paint and varnish, then, priming it with wood primer so the paint or stain will adhere. Then, you trace your stencil onto the floor, and colour it in with cold water fabric dye that adheres well, remembering to use an almost dry brush. Once this is all done, you protect your design with floor finish.

Here are a few examples of floor stencilling I've pulled from Flickr and other sites. As you'll see, it's beautiful in smaller rooms as a stark accent, down otherwise uninteresting hallways, on stairways, as faux carpetting, and even around the pool on acid washed concrete. If anyone has taken on a project like this, and would like to share, please do, and I'll post it up so everyone can see. Or, if you're bitten by the creative bug reading this, let me know, too, and also how your project goes!


As seen on MB Historic Decor's website: Diane Nazar's finished stairs in a 21-year old, Colonial Revival farmhouse, suburban Chicago


As seen on Gracewood Design's website: photo of their studio floor when they were located in San Francisco


As seen on Gracewood Design's website: pool deck


As seen on la apartment therapy, www.apartmenttherapy.com/la


As seen on Flickr, by Kirrily Robert, stencilled floor at the B & B