Holiday Tablesscapes

This is holiday week and we open the holiday season with Thanksgiving this Thursday... I can't wait!! This is also the time when we decorators like to pull out all the stops with beautiful tablescapes and imaginably creative wasys to decorate our houses or someone elses... Organic tablescapes... colorful dining rooms... mix old with new. It's also the time to use what we have. Haven't we all acquired so many beautiful things over the years?.... Something old accompanied with something new, something borrowed mixed with something blue. This tradition need not wait for the wedding season.  I'm going to California for Thanksgiving.  I plan to take a few items with me to add to the family table... my favorite napkin rings, maybe a silver platter.... hope to post some pics in a  few days.... Until then....I'm thankful. I'm grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving.... Red River Inteirors.

Make it Special

Make it Organic

Make it Beautiful

 

Make it Blue

Make it Red

My Design Picks

Today I'm posting a few of my top design picks in home furnishings. They're unique and would be a great addition to any space. They're fresh...and  stylish.... that's what I like about these designs.The companies represented by these picks have an international flair and represent contemporary style... click the links below to discover more.

 Imola Chair - Bo Concept

The Imola comes in leather,vibrant felt colors and additional upholstery fabric.

 

Kikko Modern Chaise -Contemporary Furniture.com

What a great place to lounge. The headrest are movable...made in the Netherlands

The Austin Chair - Outer Limits

Ya gonna love it...it hugs the body

Metal Blinds in Umber - The Shade Store

A stylish metal shade works well in a contemporary space. Try it in the office or at home.

String Panel Window Treatment - The Shade Store

This innovative window treatment can be used in a small or large space as well as a room divider.

A photographer's vision in oil

About four years ago, Edward Burtynsky's titanic and disturbingly beautiful photos made up the most powerful exhibition I've seen at the Cantor Arts Center. Mining and refining leave scars on the Earth, but Burtynsky finds color and light inside.

Burtynsky now has an exhibition focusing on oil up at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. (in case you happen to be passing through). Sprawling images of old derricks, ship-breakings and trashed cars are compelling even online.

Magazine writer and blogger Tyler Green also has an interesting snippet of Burtynsky's life story up on his blog, "Modern Art Notes."

Pictured: Edward Burtynsky's photograph "Oil Refineries #23, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, 1999." From www.edwardburtynsky.com.

Window Fashion Dealer

I love window treatments. I started selling blinds about ten years ago but decided to become a dealer of several vendors this year. Red River Interiors has always sold drapes and has lots of fabric vendors to choose from... But now we're excited to add the following companies to our line of window treatments... Click the links below for more product information and email us to set up a design consultation.

Hunter Douglas

click on company name to link

Horizon Blinds & Shades

Skandia Window Fashions

The Woven Company

More 'metaphysical' music at the Cantor

Friday still means free experimental music at the Cantor Arts Center, and today I was back to watch more musicians with new takes on Mark Applebaum's wild "Metaphysics of Notation" score. (I was last there in May for Sam Adams and his laptop.)

Today featured the Weekly's A&E intern, violist Be'eri Moalem; and his cellist girlfriend, Julia Jurkiewicz. The pair originally met playing a Brahms quartet together. They took on Applebaum's score of symbols, flowers and dots with verve. I enjoyed the rich range of sound: mournful, smooth, intricately patterned, minimalist, lively.

At one point, Be'eri stomped and Julia knocked rhythmically on her cello, creating a sort of fast-paced folk dance. Later, I peered at that section of the score to see what had inspired them, and found sharp diagonals emanating out from peaceful centers, and curving lines wrapping around like ribbons.

Other moments were very familiar: I heard pieces of Bach and hints of "Avinu Malkeinu" and other Jewish songs. Be'eri said later that some of the notation's imagery reminded him of the emotions called up by other pieces of music. He has more to say about the score online.

The upstairs balcony where the score lives is a very resonant space, which players have enjoyed. It's also, of course, surrounded by visual art. In the middle of today's concert, I slipped into the neighboring Frank Lobdell figure-drawing exhibition for a moment. It was a pleasure to hear the gorgeous sounds of the strings ebbing into the gallery as I admired Lobdell's deft drawings of women. One moment the music added more grace to the women's curves; another, it contributed drama to the inky shadows drawn behind them. Each art form helped me find more to appreciate in the other.

Concerts are planned through February, with recordings of past performances up at the museum.

Pictured: Be'eri Moalem and Julia Jurkiewicz playing at the Cantor. Photo by Rebecca Wallace.

Holiday Guest Room

It's November. We're about to enter the holiday season. Airline ticket prices are down...so, isn't this the perfect time to fly home for the holidays? I plan to head to the coast. No staycation here. I've done enough of that. I do remember my way to San Jose.... California that is... silicon valley... the Bay Area. It's time to visit family and friends. But, if you're staying put and having overnight guest....why not spruce up that unused guest room? You know the one that doubles as an office, craft room and a catch all.
Airline travel can be tiresome and rushed during the holiday season so before your guest arrive pull out all the decorating stops. Paint, de-clutter, buy new bedding, update accessories. Give the room the formality of being the designated guest room. If... only for a week.

Transitional and Glamours
This room has the feel of a boutique hotel

image: Coastal Living

Sleek and Contemporary
Just a bit moody.... Love It

Traditional and Refined
Anyone traveling to the low country?

Where's the girly girl?
Ya got ta love her.

image: Red River Interiors

'Country Living"
Serene small space in the attic

Image: Country Living

For the lady who loves red... I know I do.

image: Red River Interiors