San Francisco Womens Journal » interior design

Fresh Cut Flowers: Summertime Flower Power!

SFWJ — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:46:22 +0000

Laurel Winzler

You’ll find an abundance of colorful seasonal flowers to spice up your decor during the summer season in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sunflowers, zinnias, garden roses, hydrangea, belladonna and dahlias all make their appearance in June and last through to the fall.

by Laurel Winzler
SF Bay Area Floral and Event Designer

What makes these blooms so special is that they’re grown in open fields, not greenhouses, and they exude an easy, old-fashioned charm that’s hard to resist.

Fields of Flowers

Drive south from San Francisco along the coast or inland through the Gilroy-Salinas area and you’ll pass field after field of brilliantly colored flowers. You can buy them directly from some growers, at farmers’ markets throughout the state, or from your local florist.

Dahlia fields at Figone Nursery, Half Moon Bay

Sunflowers Bring Summertime Cheer

Sunflowers are a big favorite for casual summertime arrangements. Their cheerful faces and strong lines mean that they can stand alone or work in combination with other flowers. Smaller relatives like coreopsis and gaillardia have the same bold yellow color on a smaller scale.

A Variety of Sunflowers at Torchio Nursery

Garden Roses are Perfect for Summer Weddings

Garden roses are now widely available due to the plantings by many local growers, especially in the Petaluma area. They are much fuller than hothouse varieties and often have a delicious fragrance. While not suitable for all types of arrangements due to their shorter stem length, they are hugely popular for summer weddings and add an especially romantic touch to bridal bouquets.

Cool Off with the Blue in Hydrangea and Belladonna

Hydrangea and belladonna love the damper climate along the coast. They are some of the rare flowers that are truly blue, and provide a wonderful contrast to the hotter summer tones of red, yellow and orange.

Dahlia Love

Dahlias have become very popular over the past 5 years, due largely to the efforts of Bay Area growers to create a high-quality product available in the quantities needed by professional floral designers. The range of color, shape and size is astonishing, making them a top choice for summertime floral arrangements.

Lots of Water and Indirect Sunlight will Extend the Life of Your Flowers

Field flowers in general have a shorter bloom life than greenhouse varieties, so they must be purchased when freshly cut. They also wilt more quickly than other types of flowers, so keeping them in water and out of direct sunlight is key to extending their vase life.

With their bold colors and shapes, these flowers work best massed in simple containers that don’t compete for attention. A vintage look can be achieved using mismatched pitchers, mason jars, tin pails or other more rustic containers, while working with clear glass cube vases will create a more sophisticated design.

No matter how you use them, field flowers are a local Bay Area resource that add a wonderful summertimel touch to any occasion.
Laurel Winzler left a career in the legal world to establish her successful San Francisco floral and event design business, Laurel Designs. She has built a reputation for innovative and exciting designs, serving clients from Bay Area brides to the San Francisco Symphony. Drawing on years of experience as a performer and artist, she specializes in working with each client to enhance the beauty of their homes, offices and special events.

Laurel is a preferred vendor at many exclusive Bay Area event venues, and donates her time and talents to many organizations, including San Francisco Opera, Special Olympics, Make-a-Wish Foundation, the Community Music Center, Project Inform and the Junior League of San Francisco. In addition, she is a sought-after speaker at hospitality industry events. Please visit her website, flaurel.com, to learn more.

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Decorative Painting: Innovative Colloboration Delivers Unique One-of-a-Kind Results!

SFWJ — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:13:28 +0000

Debra Disman

Although the creative process can be a solitary one, Decorative Painters often collaborate with innovative industry partners, increasing the value and enjoyment of our work to the Client.

by Debra Disman,
San Francisco Decorative Painter

I’m often brought into the design process by another professional who is already working with a Client. My role is to collaborate and help translate the Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form through the use of Decorative Painting. Partners include interior designers, architects, contractors, realtors, or even a property specialist, such as Fred Horsfield. Fred and I have worked together on several rewarding and meaningful projects.

Celestial Gold

When Fred was working on the remodel of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in the Haight Ashbury District of San Francisco, it was decided to apply 22 carat gold leaf to its original 1905 cross. Fred brought me in to accomplish this task. It was both a privilege and an honor to be responsible for bringing this treasured object “back” to its original gilded state

The remains of previous paint and gold leaf applications were stripped off the wooden surface, which was then primed and base coated in preparation for the gold leafing. Real gold leaf can withstand the elements, and requires no varnish. The gold shines celestial against the blue and sometimes foggy San Francisco skies, expressing both the history and the spirit of the Church.

Kitchen Magic

I had the opportunity to add some fun and whimsy to Fred’s kitchen, when he purchased a new home in the Sunset District of San Francisco. He expressly requested a painted flowerpot to “sit” on the baseboards of one of his kitchen walls, and a stenciled vine to “grow” out of it, and travel over the adjacent doorway, across the top of the wall, and around the window.

A combination of techniques was employed to create the Trompe l’oeil (fooling the eye) “magic”, and add an imaginative dimension to the room. A relatively small amount of decorative painting can take a space completely out of the ordinary, and make it special, unique, and customized to the Client.

Children’s Corner

Moon, sun, stars and planets stenciled over colorwashed walls brighten up the Child Watch Room of Oshun Center, a drop-in facility for women and their families in San Francisco, where Fred’s company was contributing some improvements to the building.

I chose the techniques of colorwashing, (semi-transparent glaze “washed” over the painted wall surface), and stenciling because they are relatively simple ways of creating color, texture, pattern and imagery in a space. The comparatively low cost of the materials can also save on a Client’s budget. Here, the outer space theme expresses the idea of transcending limitations, and traversing new frontiers, an important message for the children who rest, play, and wait in this room.

Collaboration Creates Synergy in the Design Process

An inspiring aspect of collaboration is the unique mix of skills, ideas, and creativity that results. Everyone involved contributes their talents and expertise to a synergistic process that becomes more than the sum of its parts. The result is added value to the Client, and most likely, exceeded expectations. The collaborators learn from each other, and increase their toolbox of know-how and information.

My collaboration with Fred has been an enriching experience that demonstrates the endless ways in which Decorative Painting can Enhance, Beautify, Communicate through and Transform the built environment. One space at a time, we are impacting the society, culture, and world we live in, the mission of ArtiFactory Studio!

Debra Disman’s passion is to translate her Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form. She can help you use the magic of decorative painting to transform your home, place of business, even your community!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers and serves as the Color Muze for blog talk radio’s Artistically Speaking Radio. To learn more about decorative painting please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Furniture for Small Spaces: Storage Magic!

SFWJ — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:29:47 +0000

Beryn Hammil

In my last article Secret’s to Decorating Small Spaces, I shared some tips on how to look at the floor plan of the smaller space you’re considering. It’s important to give some thought to how the space will support your lifestyle. Another significant aspect for you to consider is…storage.

by Beryn Hammil
SF Bay Area Interior Designer

As you can imagine, condo or apartment living presents a storage challenge. Fortunately, furniture manufacturers have considered this lifestyle change as they design new lines. People, who are downsizing, as well as young apartment dwellers, are the beneficiary of this change in design direction

Furniture that Works Magic as Storage

Almost every piece of furniture has the potential to give you a place in which to store stuff. Ottomans have tops that lift off to provide storage inside the cube. Some even have tops that become serving trays! Beds have drawers built into the framing underneath the mattress as a place to store either clothing or seldom used items. Media cabinets have lifts built into them so the flat screen TV doesn’t have to be visible if you don’t want it to be seen 24/7.

Remember the piano bench whose seat lifts up to store sheet music? Well, now there’s even a chaise whose seat lifts up to provide storage underneath it too!

Small dwelling denizens have much to choose from when it comes to practical furniture.

Sleep options are endless: we’re all familiar with sofas that convert to beds and wall units that tilt down to become beds (the Murphy bed). Both have been around for decades. Now there are club chairs that convert to single beds, sofas that convert to bunk beds, and narrow window seats that pull out to become full size beds.

Furniture too can be as flexible as kids’ Transformer toys: console tables expand into dining tables, coffee tables lift to become dining tables, small cabinets open to reveal beds, and mirrors magically become wall-mounted flat screen TVs.

If it can be imagined, it probably exists. And if it doesn’t already exist, there’s someone out there who can make it for you.

This variety of options makes a smaller home seem as if it has more space in which to live, and without all the hassle of a larger house.

To downsize one’s living space is now the “cool” thing to do, no matter what your age. And with all these clever ways to make a smaller space more practical, even people who don’t need to downsize are choosing to live smaller. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times, but whatever your motivation, it’s something you can embrace with both arms.

Beryn Hammil is the owner of Beryn Hammil Designs, a San Francisco Bay Area Interior Design and Decorating Firm. She is known for “creating spaces people love coming home to every day.” As a designer, Beryn listens carefully to her clients’ needs, and then expands on them to create the homes that people enjoy living in for years after the work is complete.

Beryn is a member of ASID and is known throughout the Bay Area for the “Design Dilemma” columns she writes for the San Francisco Chronicle’s Home & Garden section. Her interior design and remodel projects are as compelling as her written ideas. To learn more please visit her website BerynHammil.com, connect with her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

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Decorative Painting: The Fine Art of Client Collaboration

SFWJ — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 20:20:33 +0000

Debra Disman

In my world of site specific Decorative Painting, every project is a collaborative effort that is designed to translate the Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form.

by Debra Disman, Decorative Painter

I am not alone in this effort. When I look around on a job site, interact with designers, architects, contractors and craftspeople, and observe real estate agents and property specialists, I can see that everyone working with Clients has this goal in mind.

Clients are Our Key Collaborators!

When I worked with a delightful couple poised for retirement from distinguished academic careers, I observed the collaborative nature of their relationship with their realtor Robin Miller, “Realtor Robin, The Nest Finder” who referred me to them.

A True Collaboration

Clients Debra and Gil embraced the magic of decorative painting as one means to create the unique wine country home they had in mind. I listened carefully to what they said, and then offered ideas and suggestions on how to use my work to achieve their vision.

At its best, the creative process with Clients is give and take, a true collaboration. Debra and Gil named their new home “Windstone”, and commissioned signage above their front door. They researched fonts, and I chose metallic hues that I felt would pull out the lettering, and integrate with the colors, treatments and design of the adjoining room.

Together we worked on color choices and custom treatments designed to marry the existing architecture with the sense of clarity, warmth and elegance they desired in their new “dream” home. During the process, I helped them hone and clarify their vision, and offered feedback and support on their choices.

Said Gil, “We feel so reassured about the direction of our decisions….it helped us so much that you liked the choices we had made…– you give us confidence!”

Capturing a Unique Vision

A botanist by training, Gil not only designed an actual vineyard for their backyard, he and Debra also presented me with an original quote to be lettered over their wine bar niche, in which a vineyard mural was painted. As with all projects, I showed Samples of styles, scale and colors for them to choose from.

The Sampling process is crucial to enable Clients to get a sense of what the finished application will actually look like in their environment. It is this attention to detail that will produce the desired effect. As a site specific Decorative Painter, this is the Client response I seek:

“You …captured our vision….But even more so, you added so much “texture and depth” to our concept by providing insights and ideas that will truly transform our home into a special wine country manor.”

Have FUN, while Exceeding Expectations

Gil and Debra are accomplished cooks, and their kitchen tray ceiling cried out for a treatment that would enhance it as an architectural detail, add warmth, depth and interest, and reflect the copper accents throughout the room. The warm coppery orange colors also stimulate the appetite!

When Debra and Gil affirmed that I was “able to artfully capture our vision for Windstone and make it even better than we could imagine.” I knew that the goal of translating their inner vision into concrete visual form had been realized.

However, when they declared, “THAT WAS SO MUCH FUN!”

I knew we had transcended the goal of our work, and had met one of the needs of our soul: to share our skills, talents, and creativity, and have a blast in the process!

Long after our work was complete, Gil and Deb confided, “We tell everyone what an enjoyable experience it was…” Clients should look back upon our collaboration as a wonderful experience! This spells success, as much as their appreciation and enjoyment of the colors, finishes and treatments now gracing their home.

May you always meet the goals of your work while satisfying the needs of your soul, and enJOY every moment of the process!

Debra Disman’s passion is to translate her Client’s inner vision into concrete visual form. She can help you use the magic of decorative painting to transform your home, place of business, even your community!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers and serves as the Color Muze for blog talk radio’s Artistically Speaking Radio. To learn more about decorative painting, please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Secrets to Decorating Small Spaces!

SFWJ — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:35:12 +0000

Beryn Hammil

Now that the children are grown and are out on their own, many people are considering moving to smaller living spaces.

Moving to a smaller home may initially be challenging for a variety of reasons, including emotional, but smaller spaces can be better. For most people it offers a more practical lifestyle; there’s less to manage, clean, and maintain. Of course, there’s also less space and accompanying expenses to pay for too.

by Beryn Hammil
SF Bay Area Interior Designer

Consider this When Planning Your Move to a Smaller Home

Before you commit to a smaller space, look at the floor plan of your potential new home and make sure there’s enough space in it for you to create an inviting home. Ask yourself a few key questions:

Does the kitchen afford you all the amenities you need to function effectively in it?
Is the living room large enough to have a separate dining area?
Does the house or apartment have enough closets?
Do you really need a guest room that’s not used most of the time? Or can a guest room be a library, study, or media room whose sofa opens to a bed on those rare occasions when you have overnight guests?

Answers to these questions will help you make a wise decision about your new home.

CREATE THE ILLUSION OF SPACE

Rooms within Rooms

One of the best ways to make a smaller home seem larger is to arrange your furniture to create “rooms within rooms.”

For example, did you know that a sofa can also be a room divider? Instead of putting it against a wall facing into the room, put it in the room perpendicular to the wall so that its back is facing towards part of the open space of the room. This visual separation can effectively make a living room and dining room out of one space. Two rooms for the price of one!

To help reinforce this divided room concept, place a console table (with ottomans under it for extra seating when you need it) or a credenza (it can provide storage space) at the back of the sofa. Add a pair of console-height table lamps on top of it and put some of your favorite accessories in between. This provides lighting for the sofa area as well as ambient light for the new dining room.

The newly created dining area is perfect for socializing when friends join you for a lovely dinner. Additionally, your dining table also gives you and your guests a place to sit and play cards or board games.

Furniture that Serves Multiple Purposes

Back to the living room area; be sure you have enough seating for guests and to give yourself a change of place in which to sit. Swivel chairs, comfortable in and of themselves, also give you the opportunity to face in a different direction without having to rearrange furniture. Very practical for a small home!

A coffee table is a necessity, but can occupy lots of visual space. A glass table on the other hand, is still a functional surface but without taking up so much “eye” space. Alternatively, consider a coffee table that has ottomans stored under it as part of its design. When you have guests, the ottomans are wonderful for quick seating, and grandchildren love to make secret forts out of them!

Mirrors Create the Illusion of More Space

Mirrors are another wonderful way to make a small space appear larger. Instead of mirroring an entire wall, think about a large, framed mirror as a major element on a wall in the room. It can literally create the illusion of twice the space, and with its frame, it seems like a work of art in and of itself.

Close the Door and Away You Go…NO Worries!

Downsizing to a smaller space used to be a word that struck terror in the hearts of homeowners. Not so much any more. It’s now an opportunity to live a freer lifestyle. More people are looking forward to being able to just lock the door and go on a trip without a worry about who will water the garden and watch the old homestead. That’s reason enough to give up the large house in exchange for a smaller space in which to live a more carefree life.

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Celebrate Life Events with Decorative Painting!

SFWJ — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:51:32 +0000

Just like repainting, remodeling, or redesigning, adding a mural or decorative painting treatment to your home, business, or community space often signifies transition, which means change.

Change goes hand in hand with transformation, and decorative painters are here to help you celebrate your life events with creativity, and make your transitions fun, beautiful, and transformative!

by Debra Disman, Decorative Painter

Working closely with you, the decorative painter can create customized pieces, finishes and treatments that reflect the important transitions in your life, business, or career. We support your journey in a unique, way, harmonizing our work with your particular environment, needs, tastes and goals.

Twin Bundles of Joy: Life Imitates Art, Two by Two…

The advent of the birth of twin girls inspired the lettering of a quote from a beloved children’s story which wraps around the nursery walls. The story, about a French girl’s school where lines of little girls walk two by two, (rain or shine!), set the theme for the twin’s nursery, where the lettering gradates from gold to copper. The space between the picture rail and the crown molding makes a perfect background for the iridescent text.

Doing something so special and appropriate for the room and the occasion helped the Client prepare herself for the transition of motherhood- times two!

Are You Ready to Recycle, Reuse, Recreate?

A treasured piece of furniture that has seen better days can be transformed into a one of a kind accent or even focal point through the magic of decorative painting. A console table, bought second hand, and beloved by the Client, was ready for transformation after a light sanding removed its peeling paint.

Since the house was being remodeled, the entry where this piece lives was being transformed. This set the stage for imaginative reuse of the existing furniture, with the Client as creative collaborator in the process. As is often the case, one change inspires another.

Restaurant Revamp adds a Unique Touch!

When Benihana’s Restaurant in Cupertino, CA underwent a remodel, it commissioned a graphic treatment on approximately 46” by 500’ of corrugated wooden soffit that wrapped the building side and front, 80’ in the air. The players involved came from the worlds of business, construction, graphics and installation.

The imagery, colors and design of the treatment is based on Benihana’s existing brand graphics, used in its interior wall coverings. The Cupertino location is the only venue in the US where this kind of unique exterior painting treatment can be found.

Close coordination with the highly skilled team was crucial to its success. As Director of Retail Development for the participating P+R Group Reed Larsen said, “We discussed the desired effect and Debra went to town and got it done in time & it looks great”.

Update and Celebrate with Decorative Painting!

New addition to your family? New space? Recreation of your existing space, room, building, business? Time to revision that piece of furniture so that it can live up to its aesthetic and functional potential?

Remember that transition = change = transformation, and transformation is the stock and trade of the decorative painter. The next time you find yourself moving through one of those all important life transitions, consider how a change of color, texture, pattern or image could support and reflect this milestone of your life journey, and offer you something expressive, lasting and yes, even transformative, in return.

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers and serves as the Color Muze for blog talk radio’s Artistically Speaking Radio. To learn more about decorative painting, please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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April Showers bring May Flowers!

SFWJ — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:34:41 +0000

We’ve certainly had our share of April showers this year, which means that May flowers are sure to bloom! The San Francisco Flower Market is ablaze with color and the selection of beautiful blooms makes it hard to choose!

by Laurel Winzler
Floral and Event Designer

Here’s my list of personal favorites for wonderful spring arrangements:

RANUNCULUS – These multi-petaled beauties are wonderful for their range of colors and fullness. Unlike many spring flowers which tend to be in the cooler pastels, they come in the “warm” tones: peach, apricot, coral, yellow, pale to hot pink, and red. Massed together they make charming flower girl bouquets, and in a mixed bouquet add fullness and delicacy.

PEONY - Peonies are a cold-weather flower that won’t grow along the California coast, so the majority of the product we receive comes from Oregon and Washington. White, coral, pink and deep red are the most available colors, and some tree peonies in peach and creamy yellow are available for a short part of the season.

As you can see from the photo, they arrive at the Flower Market as tight buds, but open to dramatic single or double blooms that can stand alone in an arrangement.

LILAC – Lilac is a woody shrub and the cut blooms can be very temperamental! Getting freshly-cut stems is very important, and it helps to pound them with a hammer before placing them in a vase, so that they can draw water more efficiently. Keeping the water very fresh and clean also helps the blossoms last longer. The beautiful blooms in white, lavender and deeper purple are worth the effort – and the scent is heavenly !

TULIP – Coming in the widest range of colors and shapes, these are the go-to spring flowers for arrangements. Beyond the standard varieties there are long-stemmed French tulips, double-petaled tulips that mimic peonies, and ruffled parrot tulips – my personal favorites !!!

The drawback to working with tulips is that they continue to grow after being cut, so that the stems can lengthen an inch or more overnight, and they move and rearrange themselves in response to temperature and light conditions. This means that a tulip bouquet is constantly changing and sometimes needs to be re-worked if you want to keep a particular shape or size arrangement.

The old method of putting a penny in the water to keep the stems upright no longer works because modern pennies have almost no copper in them – but a sip of inexpensive vodka will accomplish the same thing !!!!

Laurel Winzler left a career in the legal world to establish her successful San Francisco floral and event design business, Laurel Designs. She has built a reputation for innovative and exciting designs, serving clients from Bay Area brides to the San Francisco Symphony. Drawing on years of experience as a performer and artist, she specializes in working with each client to enhance the beauty of their homes, offices and special events.

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What is the best place, space, surface or location for Decorative Painting?

SFWJ — Fri, 07 May 2010 18:59:44 +0000

The answer is… EVERYWHERE! Have you ever wanted to create your own paradise by bringing home a piece of that special vacation or experience that inspired you?

by Debra Disman
Decorative Painter and Principal, ArtiFactory Studio

Do you dream of creating an environment that inspires others because they more clearly understand your message? Do you have an interior wall, an exterior wall, a nook, fireplace, a piece of furniture, even a ceiling that could be transformed by the right combination of skill and imagination?

The World is Your Canvass!

For Decorative Painters, the world is our canvass and thus…it is YOUR canvass! In the process of creating, our goal is to support the human beings that live, play, dream and work within the existing space and architecture, both interior and exterior. Inevitably, the creative work commissioned for walls, furniture, floors and ceilings reflects the spirit, goals, desires, needs and intentions of our Clients. They hire us to translate their inner vision into concrete visual form, and create something magical and unique for their particular environment.

Residential Wall Magic Enhances Life Transition

A chosen vase becomes the inspiration for a unique wall treatment on a relief area over the fireplace mantle in a new home purchased by the Clients in anticipation of their retirement. Part design, part mural, all decorative treatment, this application seems an extension of the luminescent vase- or is it the other way around?

Here’s what the Client had to say about the magic:

“I knew that the mantle treatment would be a very special part of our new home, but to see how you had taken digital photos and transformed them into art was amazing to me!”

Commercial Branding Opportunity through Striping

Martinkovic Milford Architects suggested decorative painting to their Client, the owner of On the Fly, a specialty men’s store in San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center, to add an extra dimension to its display window. The broken stripe suggests stitching as well as the classic men’s pin-striped suit, and reflects the visual branding image used in the store’s marketing materials.

The hands-on stripe application both communicates and enhances an established visual message, while adding that extra bit of bling to the store and its display. You might say this treatment is “tailor made” for the venue!

Non Profit’s Mural Project Builds Community

Staff, managers, clients, friends and artists all contributed to The Land of Oshun, an 8×40’ mural painted on the exterior of The Oshun Center, a program of the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics. The Center provides a safe place and services to women and their families. “Oshun” is a deity figure in the Yoruba religious pantheon, and represents all that makes life worth living.

In addition to identifying the Center and brightening up a challenged neighborhood, this collaborative mural “will inspire everyone who sees it to be aware of the great contribution that women and families make to our communities.” Darryl Inaba, Founder, Haight Ashbury Free Clinics, San Francisco, CA.

Enhance, Beautify and Expand the Vision

In all of these cases, decorative painting is used to express and expand upon the vision of the homeowner, the business, and the organization, adding depth and dimension to each space. The new home, the retail space, the women’s center, are enhanced and beautified through the magic of decorative painting. The purpose, function, and intention of each is more effectively communicated through the application of its special treatment.

The results are…transformative!

She is principal of ArtiFactory Studio, a decorative painting company based in San Francisco, CA which provides custom decorative painting, murals, and color consultation to customers from all backgrounds and walks of life. Debra holds a degree in painting from the University of Iowa and has studied in France, San Francisco, and San Diego. She is a provisional member of the International Association for Colour Consultants/Designers. To learn more about decorative painting, please visit ArtiFactoryStudio, or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.

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Flower and Art: Color, Line, Balance and Texture

SFWJ — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:32:28 +0000

I’ve heard many times that arranging flowers is an “art”. A beautiful arrangement can set off the intrinsic beauty of each blossom, and make the viewer see that flower in a new and unique way.

by Laurel Winzler
Floral and Event Designer

Not unlike a painting, every floral arrangement incorporates the elements of color, line, balance and texture, and each shows the aesthetic perspective of the designer.

There is No “Right” Way to Design an Arrangement

Everyone has a unique idea of how to work with flowers, and there is no right vs. wrong way to put an arrangement together. Some designers work with vividly contrasting colors, while others prefer to blend and balance tones. Strong linear elements and structure can predominate, where another designer will create pieces that are more rounded and naturalistic. Full, soft blooms are the preference of some designers, while others like to add boldly contrasting textures.

In each case, the designer’s “eye” will influence the final arrangement and make a personal artistic statement. In fact, two designers can begin with the same flowers and end up creating two totally different arrangements, each beautiful in its own unique way.

Flowers in Art

Not surprisingly, artists throughout history have portrayed floral arrangements or incorporated them into their works. As background elements, they add detail and richness to Renaissance portraits and Flemish tapestries.

Their forms are adapted into elaborate designs in illuminated Medieval manuscripts and Celtic jewelry.

Most strikingly, the painters of 17th Century Holland portray flowers in “still life” works of incredible richness and detail – many featuring that exotic and highly-prized new flower, the tulip !

Arrangements as Art

A unique opportunity to truly see “flowers as art” takes place each spring at the de Young Museum in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Called Bouquets to Art, for the past 26 years this exhibit has invited the most talented floral designers in Northern California into the museum, asking each of them to select a piece of art and to then create a floral arrangement based on that artwork.

Over the course of a week, visitors to the de Young have a chance to see the floral creations displayed beside the art which inspired them. Each designer prepares a list of the materials used and an explanation of the way the arrangement interprets the artwork.

Lectures and demonstrations throughout the week allow renowned designers to share their expertise and inspiration. This exhibit takes flower arranging to a new and inspired level and is a feast for the soul as well as the eye!

Bouquets to Art runs from April 20 – 24, 2010. See BouquetstoArt.org for more information. I’m a participant and will be in Gallery 24, Site B, interpreting “The Gold Scab” by Whistler! Please stop by!

Laurel Winzler left a career in the legal world to establish her successful SF Bay Area floral and event design business, Laurel Designs. She has built a reputation for innovative and exciting designs, serving clients from Bay Area brides to the San Francisco Symphony. Drawing on years of experience as a performer and artist, she specializes in working with each client to enhance the beauty of their homes, offices and special events.

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Thinking Green: Eco-Friendly Event Decor

SFWJ — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:16:30 +0000

Laurel Winzler

I’ve always associated the color green with the month of March. New grass on the hills, budding foliage on the trees, and of course St. Patrick’s Day. Green is also the color of conservation and eco-awareness.

by Laurel Winzler, Floral and Event Designer

I’m often asked by clients how they can make their events more “green” and how to purchase organic or sustainably-grown floral product.

Green Event Decor

When planning an event, decor is one area where you can make eco-friendly choices to reduce your carbon footprint. It’s important to think creatively and let go of conventional ideas like having a cut flower centerpiece on each table. Following are three ideas to help get your creative ideas flowing!

1. Use Live Plants

Use living plants that can go home with your guests at the end of the event. The following picture shows how a single plant, in this case a beautiful orchid, adds elegance and simple beauty to an event.

2. Think Outside of the Traditional Flower Box

Or set a flat pallet of wheat grass wrapped in Ti Leaf in the center of the table. Add a few blossoms or whimsical silk butterflies inserted on picks.

3. Use the Season’s Fruits and Vegetables

A simple display of fruit or vegetables can also make a statement, grouped on a plate or filling a classic glass cylinder vase.

Use Recycled Containers

Working with recycled containers also increases the eco-friendliness of an event. Old glassware, tins, trophies or crates can be found at flea markets and thrift stores for next to nothing, and can star on your table with a simple plant tucked inside. This often takes more leg work to locate the containers in sufficient quantities, but if you plan early and are willing to “mix and match” you can achieve charming results!

Flowers and Plants: Organic, Sustainable or Local ?

When looking for plants or cut flowers that have organic credentials, you’ll quickly discover that the selection is limited. Flowers and plants are a visual product, and to consistently produce both beautiful blooms and attractive foliage requires the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Many growers are adopting more ecologically sound farming practices, but most still work with too many chemicals to be certified organic.

Farmers markets can be a source of organically grown seasonal blooms, but typically you’ll find the product is of lesser quality than commercially grown. To find high-quality flowers or living plants with variety and color, you still need to purchase from a commercial grower.

The Best Answer: Buy Local!

Don Garibaldi at his family's Ano Nuevo ranch, flower growers since 1901.

The best answer is to buy from local growers – and we in the SF Bay Area are blessed to have options. Several of the vendors at the San Francisco Flower Mart still grow their own product locally- in Half Moon Bay, Salinas and Monterey.

Most have been in business for 3 or 4 generations, so purchases from them truly support local farmers and their communities.

Other vendors at the Mart bring in product from Southern California, Humboldt County in Northern California, and regions of Oregon and Washington. While not immediately local, this product is not imported from overseas and many of these growers are already working sustainably in their farming practices.

Truly organic cut flowers and plants are hard to come by, but in Northern California you can exercise your option to buy local or West Coast product. Let your florist know this is a priority for you, and be open to creative suggestions and alternatives.

All it takes is a little awareness for each of us to make “green” choices in our event decor.

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