Gunkelmans Interior Design Blog

Brass finishes have been slowing gaining back popularity.  I know what you are thinking, and that was my first reaction too…all i could think of was the shiny brass hardware and finishes of the 80's.  Fortunately this a a whole new refined brass it is rubbed, antiqued and aged, allowing for a more subtle and elegant version of it predecessor.

Lately I have been seeing it everywhere in magazines, catalogs and every time I search for a new product. Andrew Flesher was ahead of the curve using an aged brass finish in his own home a few years ago in as shown in the photo above.  Here are a few other products I have noticed.

Lighting:

  
Furniture:

Accessories:

So take a chance and add a little brass in your life.

by: Karen McKay  
   

For the past three years I've been working on a really great project in Deer Valley, Utah.  I'm working with clients that I have worked with in the past and this will be the third house I have done for them.   With each new project we know each other better and that makes the process so much more enjoyable for both of us, because we have grown to have a mutual trust and understanding. 

We're in the stage of the building process where things are starting to come together and the house is really starting to look like a house.   If you could relate the building process to being pregnant, the house would be in its third trimester.   Even though I've never been pregnant, I often relate to the building/design process as having a baby.   You create, and wait to see your efforts come to fruition – often times it takes about the same amount of time for furniture to arrive as it takes to have a baby!

On this project I've been involved from the very beginning, working with Hagman Architects out of Aspen, CO.  The concept of the house, which is set on a breathtaking lot, is that there were old stone structures or "out buildings" that were connected by vintage industrial glass structures.  In the photos where you see plastic, there will be Hope's window walls.  In fact, two entire sides of the living room are floor to ceiling Hope's window walls, and on the one side there will be a glass bridge that connects two of the stone "buildings".   There will be another Hope's structure with glass on three sides that houses a glass staircase.  The interior furnishings will be a combination of clean classic antiques mixed with more transitional pieces and a lot of natural "un-worked" materials.   The house will have color (European yellows, greens, blues and burnt oranges) in its furnishings and fabrics to stand up to the strength of the natural stone and wood that will run from the exterior through to the interior.   As beautiful as natural materials are, they have a tendency to "eat" up color.

I've included some "ultrasounds" if you will, and can't wait to show you photos of when the "baby" is born.  

Submitted by Andrew Flesher  

After the rigors of “Black Friday” shopping are done,Saturday and Sunday are usually spent bringing out the Holiday ornaments that have been carefully packed with tissue paper in boxes in the attic or basement!

If you haven’t gone through the paces yet, here are a few of my favorite thoughts for added touches:

·    Add “fresh” to your treasured pieces. Place fruit in an antique Imari or modern white bowl (oranges, Granny Smith apples or Bosc pears) for color. Tuck lemon leaves or boxwood sprigs among the fruit for softness and contrast of color.

·    Bring together your collections to make a larger statement. A multitude of varying sizes of candlesticks placed in the center of the dining room table provide a simple but creative look and beautiful flickering light. Tie the thought together by using the same color of candle; the shape does not have to be the same.

·    Don’t forget fragrance! There are tantalizing natural oil scents that speak to the season. Try an Agraria Bitter Orange diffuser on your entry table. It comes on a lovely piece of mirrored glass.

And finally…hang a huge bunch of mistletoe with a 3” wide double-faced satin copper-toned bow from your entry fixture and give your favorite loved one a wonderful kiss!

Merry! Merry!

Submitted by Mary Hickey