Gretchen Opgenorth: March 2012

I know, I know, I have been away for a while.... The above quote might sum it up best. I have been watching, soaking it in, with my computer closed at home, which is when I blogged the most.

Call it spring fever,(watching my little man help with the gardening)

call it priorities, (my family, they make me smile:)

call it uninspired (maybe over inspired, there is so much out there, you can go into sensory overload sometimes and feel like you are going to crack!)

via pinterest

call it lazy....(I have just been waiting for the inspiration to hit me)

call it ALL OF THE ABOVE...

the blog was put on the back burner.

I am tipping my toes back in the water.

via pinterest

Because it has sprinkled a little inspiration, and I feel like I just might be getting my drink of water....I might be finding the balance, between too much inspiration and not enough, too much work and feeling distant from my family...sometimes it is just a good thing to step away for a while and prioritize.

So while my posts may still be spotty, know that I am still here...filling up my cup:)

via pinterest

On the coffee table in the studio. How about the pages of the book in the bright orange. The kids said...."Maybe the person who made this book is the same one that does the gold pages on books:)" Maybe???

I have always been a fan of Designer's Guild, and often peruse the website for inspiration. It is a fearless use of color and pattern type of company and runs far and deep. I think all interiors could use a little infusion of it, but I am a color and pattern kind of girl. They have everything from fabric to rugs to bedding and furniture. All full of pattern, all full of color! My kind of company! The style is bright and carefree and complex and simple all at the same time. That is why she is amazing.

But I have a little confession to make, I did not know that the company started at the hands of 1 very talented designer...Tricia Guild in 1970, and has evolved into the "Designer's Guild" that we know today. I remember flipping through a House Beautiful and running across a piece on her...and thinking Tricia Guild what a cool name, and then reading further and finding out that the surname Guild was the Guild in Designer's Guild...talk about a light bulb moment! Here is a little snippet viaWikipedia click here to read more.

She looks amazing! And I can't get over the creativity in her drapes

Tricia Guild established Designers Guild, in 1970 ^[1] whilst searching for textiles to decorate with. By re-colouring a collection of Indian hand-block printed textiles, the first collection was established. She opened her store on the Kings Road with her first collection of fabrics, also selling ceramics and furniture. In 1974 she started working with artists such as Kaffe Fassett, Lilian Delavoryas and Janice Tchalenko, amongst others...

Throughout the 1990s Guild focused her attention on expanding the range as Designers Guild grew in the UK and overseas. The flagship store and showroom are situated on the Kings Road, London and include a showroom devoted entirely to fabrics, wall coverings, furniture and paint.
In the 1980s the company’s reputation started to build. Tricia’s brother Simon Jeffreys, who was in corporate finance with Coopers & Lybrand, joined the company as Chief Executive, in partnership with Founder and Creative Director, Tricia Guild. In 1985 DG turnover was £3.0m and now in 2010 it has grown to over £50m ^[2] with over 250 staff and offices and showrooms in London, Paris,
Munich and Milan and a 66,000 sq ft (6,100 m²) distribution centre in West London.
Today Designers Guild exports to over 60 different countries and won the Queen’s Award for Export Achievement in 1991 and 1996. A licensing division has been developed into product areas which include upholstered furniture, paint, bedlinen and towels as well as stationery and home fragrance. A new division was also set up to produce and manufacture fabrics and wallcoverings under license to further utilise the Designers Guild sales and distribution network.

Designers Guild also produces under licence The Royal Collection of Fabrics and Wallpapers, William Yeoward Fabric and Wallpaper and Jasper Conran Fabric. They are also the distributor for Ralph Lauren Home throughout Europe and the Middle East. Designers Guild launched their new website and UK online shop in March 2008 to promote their brand online. They also created an interactive fabric and wallpaper library on the website, and customer scrapbook facility with an aim to maximise business opportunities. The USA online shop was launched in 2009, offering their full range of home accessories to the US market.
Guild was awarded an OBE for services to interior design.^[3]

^{Quite a resume I have to say. I know, I know, get to the good stuff...her amazing portfolio of course. I decided to take some photos of the pages from the books that I recently added to my library. (which are her 2 most recent books) The common thread of her work is of course color and pattern, but as you can see, she can be quite restrained.}

I love the white walls and color.

Notice the ceilings. Loving the pink wall.

amazing English Manor House.

Showing that Traditional French can be beautiful with color and pattern infused.

Hello Modern color and windows.

This pink bedroom has a little bit of everything, white, pattern, wood ceiling and floors.

You had me at green...built in stripe wall with wood beams...BRILLIANT!

I love this chair.
See how traditional and heavy the mouldings are...but the color is unexpected and fun.

This is a beautiful outdoor space.

More Modern and white with some gorgeous french detail on the walls.

I love her use of stripes.

I love these colors. And have you noticed how she utilizes different patterns in her drapes.

Lots of pattern and color.

This wood wall is AMAZING.

Monocromatic.

Green and blue is a favorite of mine.

Even Felix likes the book.

So there you have some eye candy for your Wednesday. If you want to look more into her books she has a TON of them, I think 15 in all. And there is something for everyone. Here is a link.

Here are the books that I bought.