Please add more Surprise to the Bedroom

The following bedroom is beautiful and very elegant but as usual I really don't like the decor on the wall. The cross above the bed is probably very valuable and may have a very special meaning for the owners but it is also too predictable for my personal taste. Rooms should look as if someone is LIVING there - not so much like a museum.

original image source: www.southernliving.com

I could see an alternative on this wall that would rather add a surprising exotic element to this classically designed bedroom without destroying the elegance and aura of this place. I am convinced that too many correspondents make a room static. It is like using too many colours of the same hues - you need a different object or area which attracts the eye and that delivers a counterpart in the symmetry.

The art on the wall is a so-called silk carving, a silk sculpture created with a technique that I developped out of the trapunto techniques you can find in quilting. If you would like to read more about the "making of" please check this link.

"Ganesha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
39" x 19" x 2" silk carving
©Petra Voegtle

A few details show you the depth of this "carving":

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A Bedroom with blank Walls - oh no!!!!!

Now - even if this were only a guestroom - the blank walls would be an "abomination". To be honest - I really don't like overstuffed rooms, especially not bedrooms but this is a bit too minimalistic. Although the bedspread and the little folk art side tables add a certain feeling to this room it still looks bland and cold. Not really inviting. And that's what we normally do with guests - don't we? Unless the unloved mother-in-law is rummaging through the house....

 with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com

I would add some mystery to this room - an apsara face for heavenly dreams, a kirtimukha mask to face off all evil and one of those devine Buddha faces as they can be seen in Cambodia to protect you and keep your soul in perfect harmony:

"Lucky Dragon, Apsara, Buddha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 14" x 14" ea.
©Petra Voegtle

I would even add some sheers (very few) loosely draped over the frame of the bed just to match the colours of the silk carvings.

These three faces are the Angkor Faces, Apsara, Lucky Dragon and Buddha, a small series of silk carvings. Faces and Figures of Angkor is a series about the ruins and remnants of the temple area of Angkor Wat. The reliefs are all worked in silk, inspired by carvings in stone. They are a reminiscence of all the unknown artists of the past of whom we have neither memory nor documentation - only their unbelievably beautiful and sophisticated works, works that have survived hundreds of years.

Silk carvings are silk sculptures or reliefs created with a technique that I developped out of the trapunto techniques you can find in quilting. Instead of a single layer of stuffed material it consists out of multiple layers.
These works are all mounted on wooden stretcher frames and can be used as is or additionally framed.

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Sometimes you need a Colour Break...

To furnish and decorate a room, a hallway in matching tones might be desirable for many people but too often the result is boring and tiring. An eyecatcher can create so much difference. I would want any room or place to incorporate something exciting, an object, a colour that really demands some attention. If you have a colour palette that consists mainly in beige and brown tones a break is really necessary as in this hallway:

The original art on  the wall certainly looks elegant with the nice shiny frame but I am sure that after a very short while no-one would look at the art any more - it would simply mingle with the background and disappear from your attention.
The contrary would happen with a piece of art such as this one:
a silk carving/sculpture with glowing colours, nothing you would just oversee.

The silk sculpture was inspired by the Hawaiian legends of Pele, the Hawaiian Akua (Goddess), the fire goddess, mother of all life which comes out of the depth of the earth. 
In Hawaiian mythology women were a powerful source of new life and source of spiritual power. In the Polynesian world Mana Wahine - the power of woman - was a force that must never be ignored. It was Hina (Woman) who gave birth to new life, Hina controlled the moon, the tides and the reefs and Hina had the secret of fire.

Pele incorporates a technique called silk carving©, which is a development by the artist. The intent of this technique was to create a symbiosis between carving and fiber art. The surface of the fiber was transformed completely into a relief. The upper layer of this piece was made from one single piece of silk - nothing was sewn on top to add depth. Additionally paints and pigments were used in a manner to give the visual impression of flowing lava in all its glowing colours and the viewer is supposed to feel the heat. But it is "only" a piece of soft sculptured silk.

 "Pele"

( from the Hawaiian Symbols series)
silk carving, 48" x 17"
©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to see more detail photos please check this link

(This art piece was shown at several art venues in the USA and was featured by art critic Cate McQuaid in the Boston Globe.)

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It's all about Colours...

When I enter a room or look at photos of rooms my spontaneous reaction is a response to the colours. This is the most important impression for me. Everything else that fills a room comes much later and can be even totally secondary. It is the colour that spreads the emotion,gives you a feeling of being at home and peace of mind. Yet sometimes I feel repelled, even sense a kind of hostility and alieness.

This bedroom may not be spectacular and probably the interior designer did not mean to create an extremely sophisticated room but in my opinion s/he's done a wonderful job to create a room that is calm, cosy and peaceful. Exactly the right background to find a good sleep after a long busy day, a room where you still read a couple of pages of a novel before you switch off the lights.

I could not help it but I thought the silk carving would be a nice compliment for this room, colours are wonderfully matching and the Lord Ganesha would certainly watch over your sleep...

original image source from My Home Ideas/ Southern Accents

"Ganesha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 39" x 19"
©Petra Voegtle

What is a  silk carving©? This is a development by the artist - it was evolved out of the trapunto techniques of quilting. The intent of this technique is to create a symbiosis between carving and fiber art. The surface of the fiber is transformed completely into a relief. The upper layer of this piece is made from one single piece of silk - nothing is sewn on top to add depth. Additionally paints and pigments are used in a manner to give the visual impression of other materials such as stone, wood, metals.
If you would like to read more about the "making of" please check this link.

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Flowing Lava in a Doorway

The cloud of ashes is gone and things are going "normal" again in Europe. But could you ever talk about normality with the knowledge that beneath our feet the earth is hot and fluid and could burst any time depite all scientific research anywhere on this planet?
Did you know that worldwide around 20 active volcanos are doing their job i.e. erupting right now? And about 50-70 volcanoes are active (erupting) each year (from Volcano Discovery). A creepy feeling. But if we would give way to all our fears life could not go on.

When I saw this image of a doorway/stairway I thought it would be the perfect place for Pele, the silk carving. The original painting that hangs on this place of the wall is surely an eyecatcher with its vibrant colours (see below) but I am sure the designer would have chosen the dramatic silk piece if s/he had known about it - not? What would be your choice?

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

The silk sculpture was inspired by the Hawaiian legends of Pele, the Hawaiian Akua (Goddess), the fire goddess, mother of all life which comes out of the depth of the earth. 
In Hawaiian mythology women were a powerful source of new life and source of spiritual power. In the Polynesian world Mana Wahine - the power of woman - was a force that must never be ignored. It was Hina (Woman) who gave birth to new life, Hina controlled the moon, the tides and the reefs and Hina had the secret of fire.

Pele incorporates a technique called silk carving©, which is a development by the artist. The intent of this technique was to create a symbiosis between carving and fiber art. The surface of the fiber was transformed completely into a relief. The upper layer of this piece was made from one single piece of silk - nothing was sewn on top to add depth. Additionally paints and pigments were used in a manner to give the visual impression of flowing lava in all its glowing colours and the viewer is supposed to feel the heat. But it is "only" a piece of soft sculptured silk.

 "Pele"

( from the Hawaiian Symbols series)
silk carving, 48" x 17"
©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to see more detail photos please check this link

Btw - this art piece was shown at several art venues in the USA and was featured by art critic Cate McQuaid in the Boston Globe.

Lost Treasures in the Hallway

The hallway of this house looks marvellous with its space for arts and crafts. So my thought for this stairway was - if it were mine - to hang this silk carving with its trees and floral environmental theme: Lost Treasures as a complementary art piece to the wonderful pottery besides the stairways.

As I already said - the silk carving is an environmental piece and - belonging to the Hawaiian Symbols series - it stands for all the extinguished flora and fauna of this world. Especially the Hawaiian archipelago has lost many of its endemic species thanks to the introduction of too many aliens due to the ignorance of immigrants and natives - mostly not with bad intentions but nevertheless deadly for the existing species.

 original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

"Lost Treasures"
( from the Hawaiian Symbols series)
silk carving, 66" x 17"
©Petra Voegtle

If you would like to see more detail photos please check this link

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A cosy Room with a touch of Nostalgia

Currently it seems that I have a soft spot for cosy rooms. Maybe it is the cold outside that has returned where spring temperatures should be dominant.
What I love here are the stucco ceilings and the touch of ease - nothing appears "staged" in this room, it seems to be totally natural. I also like the old apothecary cabinet that has been used here as a practical shelf/closet. And the small crystal chandelier adds a touch of nostalgia.
And of course I would add a piece of art if this were my room: a silk carving (bas-relief made of silk) that depicts an apsara face as a reminiscence of Angkor Wat in Cambodia with its many apsara wall reliefs.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source

If you would like to know more about silk carvings in general and the series about Angkor's Faces please use this link.

"Apsara"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 14" x 14"
©Petra Voegtle

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A modern Sunroom

There is no knickknack in this room - only clear elegance, no extra embellishment. The emphasis is on the view to the garden, unspoiled, without distraction. This place lives with the light that enters this room without any barriers, giving a feeling as if you are sitting directly in the garden. A modern understanding of a sunroom I would think.

The silk carving on the wall is merely a connection with the feeling that we all embrace from time to time, a longing for something else we do not own, another sphere, another time, light in times of darkness...

If you would like to see details of the silk carving use this link.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source

"The Longing"
silk carving
©Petra Voegtle
.

Living Room in white - not quite...

Rooms in white have something innocent, virginal, pure and clean. But his does not mean that they must be impersonal, cold and repellant. On the contrary. Depending on accessories and interior design in total these rooms can be full of charme, cosy and inviting to live in - such as this room which I really like very much.

The main contribution to ease and comfort here is certainly the wonderful wooden floor that has been kept in a chalklike finish and the breathtakingly beautiful crystal candelabras. Not to mention the slipcovered furniture that adds a lot to the "feeling at home".

If this were my room I would add some plants to give it a bit more of a sun room and of course I would add some art - just like this silk carving Bamboo piece.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source

The silk carving Bamboo belongs to the Hawaiian Symbols series. It has been sculptured from one single piece of silk with a technique that I developed further from the trapunto techniques, known in classical quilting. If you would like to see more details please see this link.

"Bamboo"
(from the Hawaiian Symbols Series)
59" x 15", silk carving
©Petra Voegtle
.

A Niche with a Longing...

The original photo contains quite a few empty golden picture frames on the wall which are supposed to be filled. I thought this silk carving may be another potential complement for this lovely niche. Colours would be perfect including that little gold pigment that has been used in this silk carving called The Longing.

If you would like to see details of the silk carving use this link.

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com/Taurus Homes

"The Longing"
silk carving
©Petra Voegtle
.

Listen to the Sounds of the Ocean when you go to sleep...

What could be more relaxing than the sounds of the sea? Soft waves lapping against the sand of a lonesome beach, the sun going down and the rustling of palmleaves, softly swaying in the breeze...

The silk sculpture on the wall may be reminiscent of one of your most beautiful holidays on Hawai'i, or any other at the sea. Colours of dark blue to the light blue of the sky, the turquoise hues above white sand, the greenish shades where the seagrass is growing below the surface - all these colours are represented in this silk carving which is called Ho'okipa after the famous surfer beach on Maui. The silk carving belongs to the series of Hawaiian Symbols.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source

"Ho'okipa"
(from the Hawaiian Symbols series)
46" x 16", silk carving
©Petra Voegtle

Spark a little Fire in the Bedroom...

Maybe you know the sentence "sometimes less is more". Often people tend to overload their rooms with lots of "stuff" but in this case I thought that it could not be wrong to add a little extra to the wall in order to spark a little fire.

The artwork on the wall is a small silk caring from the Hawaiian Symbols series and is called Ahi ko A'a which means "fire of the lava". It is made from silk and has been painted.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com

click here for the original image source

"Ahi ko A'a"
(from the Hawaiian Symbols series)
15" x 23", silk carving
©Petra Voegtle

A stylish Dining Room with a Silk Carving on the Wall...

This room has a great light - therefore the dark furniture and accessories do not diminish that feeling of a light room. I also like the open living character a lot - this gives air to breathe and makes the room larger than it actually is. This is very cleverly done!

So I thought that the facing wall would be the perfect place for this silk carving which is called The Longing. This silk carving has a long history and was started in 2004 already until it was changed lately into this final result, resembling a bas-relief in bronze now. But it is entirely made from one single piece of silk!

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com

click here for the original image source

"The Longing"
silk carving
©Petra Voegtle

A purple Bedroom

I am absolutely in love with this colour and I think quite a few people are. Here is a link to a website/blog which gives the colour purple a whole different meaning:
Chintz of Darkness The blog belongs to Seraph and Splendor from Seattle and their images about the colour purple reflect a whole new world in purple. Both say of themselves: We are

"two fallen angels that have landed in Seattle, Washington. Our days and nights are spent designing and collecting objects of beauty. Many of the masks, draperies and pillows featured in our photographs below have been created by us. Chintz of Darkness is celebration of dark decorating and other diversions, including our favorite books, artists and illustrators." (from their blog)

There is a lovely decadence in anything both are creating and very inspirational for people who look for something different.

Let's begin with a bathroom in my favourite colour for today:

Wouldn't this be the perfect complement for the following bedroom I found to be so wonderfully rich in purple colour.

Personally I would have added much more "chintz" to this one - I find it screams for more velvets, silks and brocades - doesn't it? But in order to keep it a bit more "subdued" I have just added those 2 silk carvings on the wall from the series Angkor's Faces. The two little sculptures are called Fragments of Angkor and refer to the magic apsara sculptures in Angkor Wat, Cambodia.

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

"Angkor's Fragments"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 2 pieces
©Petra Voegtle

Please check out my blog In Terms of Colour for the articles I posted about the colour purple specifically - you might find a bunch of inspirational ideas and what the colour is all about...

Apsara in the Bathroom...

A bathroom such as this talks of elegance and certain expectations. So why not placing art into such a beautiful environment while taking a cleopatra's bath?
The silk carving on the wall is part of the Angkor's Faces and Figures series and belongs to a diptych called Fragments of Angkor.
Details about this silk carving - it is really made from silk - you can see here

original image source from http://www.getdecorating.com

"Angkor's Fragments"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 11 1/2" x 9"
©Petra Voegtle

An Angel's Face on the Wall...

A bedroom that emanates innocence, a long gone era, simplicity and a time full of tenderness.
The silk carving on the wall is an Apsara, one of those heavenly statues and sculptures carved into the walls of Angkor Wat's temples.
If you would like to know more details about Apsara from the series of the Angkor's Faces and Figures please check this link.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com
click here for the original image source

"Apsara"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 14" x 14"
©Petra Voegtle

The House by the Sea and a little white Bedroom...

Looks like a painter's bedroom - doesn't it? So I thought this fits very well into my dreams of having a small old house by the sea, 2 or 3 very simple rooms to work in, sleep and have a guest or so. Silence besides the sounds of the ocean and the cries of the seagulls. A view out of the window, seemingly endless, where you hardly can realize where the sky meets the horizon. A place to dream...

If you would like to see more details of the Silk Carving Ganesha please see my website.

with courtesy of http://www.livingetc.com

click here for the original image source

"Ganesha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 39" x 19"
©Petra Voegtle

A Silk Carving in a Spanish Room

Can you talk about the charm of decay? Normally I would say this is contradictory because decay never contains charm. Decay is linked to poverty or at least impoverishment and there is nothing charming about it. But this room tells a different story. It may be in an old Spanish villa or mansion somewhere in the highlands of La Mancha or in the south, loaden with history and many stories. These walls have a lot to tell...
See more about the silk carving series Angkor's Faces here if you like

original image source from http://www.forum-dueren.de

"Buddha"
( from the Angkor's Faces series)
silk carving, 14" x 14"
©Petra Voegtle