Trend Watch: Skeleton Keys

What's hot in fashion inevitably appears in other design disciplines, including interiors and graphics in time. We've seen it with a handful of recent trends: tartan and plaid, chains, birds, botanicals, skulls...the list goes on.

A crossover trend we've noticed lately appears to be skeleton keys. And why not? What a great silhouette! I first noticed them in Tiffany ads:

Klein Reid has a nice set of porcelain keys:

We're starting to see them come into the realm of clothing:

Key scarf via Shop Nasty Gal

As usual, Etsy is on-trend offering a hotbed of skeleton key imagery. A preliminary search produced tons of jewelry, t-shirts, crafts and home accessories featuring the skeleton key.

I could show you nice wall decals, but why hide my tawdry side? Instead, I give you my personal fave, a vinyl toilet graphic:

Via Etsy

The key trend is catching on a little slowly in housewares and accessories, but it's definitely there. Restoration Hardware is selling "key art" and check out this Fornasetti number:

Fornasetti sculpture via UnicaHome

Keys hit the upscale market with this paperweight at Barney's:

Urban Outfitters joined the party with a key key holder

Photo courtesy Urban Outfitters

Other than necklaces, textiles seems to be where key imagery is most prevalent right now–especially in the toss pillow realm, which most likely started with West Elm's 2008 pillow cover and quilt:

Photos courtesy Don't Call Me Eclectic

Vintage burlap skeleton key pillow via The Bella Cottage

Room Service Pillow via Pillows and Throws (also in turquoise)

Cafe Press has a ton of great options including mouse pads, wall clocks, ornaments, buttons, aprons, bibs, bags, greeting cards, t-shirts, water bottles and, of course, PILLOWS:

Via Cafe Press

Via Etsy.com

Key tea towels via Etsy

I think we'll be seeing a lot more key imagery before the trend dies down.

Color Me Inspired: Purple and Yellow

Purple was never a favorite of mine until somewhat recently. I started to notice it in mid-2008 during my quest for bridesmaid dresses that didn't look bridesmaid-y. Deep plum kept showing up and tempting me, but I was hell-bent on dark grey, so I had to forge on. (My girls and I searched high and low for dark grey dresses. Of course, AFTER our wedding, they became the color du jour and were suddenly easy to find. My timing is impeccable...) Later in 2008, I made my first purple purchase since I was six: a deliciously plum leather wallet. And then I couldn't stop! I found myself seeking out plums, purple, and deep raspberries in my clothing, as well. I am fully aware that the color-projector-powers-that-be had a lot to do with this sudden desire, as purple was deemed 2008 Fall Fashion Week's IT color:

Photo courtesy Omiru.com

We on the streets are a bit behind the fashionistas, but purple continued it reign on the 2009 runways, and we're really seeing it everywhere now, as it's been injected into all facets of design–even nail colors:

OPI Linkin Park After Dark (such a fun color!)

All this new-found interest in purple is just part of the cycle–– we certainly didn't just discover it in 2008! Associated with royalty, opulence and dignity, purple is quite versatile. Depending on how much blue or red is added, it can be bright and bold, masculine or feminine, soft and muted or nearly neutral and grey. While it pairs beautifully with so many different colors, today I've decided to focus on it's polar opposite, or, in color theory terms, it's complement: yellow.

The two can make a striking statement, but, as the saying goes, there's nothing new under the sun, and as with most color combinations, nature found it first:

Photo courtesy Derek Ramsey

Fine art followed:

Bonnard's View of the River (1923)

Matisse's Purple Robe and Anemone (1937)

The pairing has certainly hit both "high" fashion:

Photo courtesy jewelry.com

...and "low" fashion:

Photo courtesy Polyvore.com

...jewelry:

Kate Spade Damask Ring

...graphics:

Homies Bike by Enormous Champion via Etsy

...and, of course, interiors:

The boldness of the purple wall offset by the lush gold sofa is spectacular.

Photo courtesy Gaita Interiors

This lavender and mustard combination is so fresh!

Photo Courtesy DecorPad

I love this soft mauve and chartreuse pairing.

Photo courtesy Apartment Therapy

Rich greens and browns balance the striking purple sofas and yellow curtains.

Photo courtesy Homes and Gardens

Another subtle use of the complementary colors for a calming but not at all boring entry.

Photo courtesy Apartment Therapy

I always love a well-styled tablescape:

Photos courtesy Rebecca Thuss

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

2009 was an exciting year for us and we have high hopes for 2010! Have a wonderful holiday season and see you next year!

Much love, from your friends at FRISSON!

New York: The unhappiest state in the Union

I was going to wait until after the holidays to comment on the New York Times' article about we New Yorkers being, as Clyde Haberman put it, "the sad sacks of the United States." But why wait? Nothing like ringing in the New Year with a little positivity (wink). "Sure, we complain a lot," Haberman goes on to say, and "grumbling could quality as the official state sport. But are we really the unhappiest of them all?" As it turns out, we are, according to this study.

But I wonder if we really are. I mean, we city dwellers do love to complain, don't we? I sure do! Por ejemplo: the subway system is getting less convenient and more smelly. We consistently pay more for everything; crushing taxes, overpriced groceries at crappy supermarkets, outrageous rent. Street parking is nearly impossible and paying for a monthly garage spot could require a second mortgage. Most of us squeeze into tiny apartments where every piece of furniture must serve several purposes. If your bed doesn't turn into your sofa, your dining table and a bookcase, its just taking up precious space. And don't even get me started on outdoor space! Some of us want so badly to have a little sliver of the outside to call our own, that we get excited about our FIRE ESCAPES. Now, that's just sad. See the lovely "terrace" below:

Photo courtesy 66 Square Feet

At the same time, if you've never had to unplug your toaster so you can pull your rolling cart out of your kitchen, so you can open your oven door, you just don't know what you're missing! Between us, Oliver and I have lived in close to 20 towns and cities in three countries, so I think it's safe to say we have a handle on what its like to live in other places, as compared with New York. This is, by far, one of the most challenging places to live. However, this is also one of the most interesting, making it a tough place to leave once you've gotten your footing. New York is teeming with fascinating, ambitious, hilarious, talented people. The access to art (be it high, low or something completely uncategorizable) is unmatched in this country. The rich history is woven into our daily lives in the form of grand, stunning architecture and impressive engineering feats. The leafy parks keep so many of us from going insane. The food is, in a word, delicious. And you can get ANYTHING delivered, from groceries to laundry to liquor.

While we have a lot to complain about, we also have a lot to love. And why are so many of us still living here if it's so awful? It's a big place, so while there are many sad sacks, there are also many people who are actually pretty happy with their lives here. Something tells me many of those people have weekend homes in the country. I'm just sayin'. And speaking of the country, this was a study of states, so I wonder what makes upstate New Yorkers so mad.

Of course, New York City isn't for everyone –and for good reasons. We don't know if we'll be here forever and ever, but for now, it's the right place, so instead of focusing on all the things that annoy me about the city (winter), I should try and remember what I love about it and not be such a Negative Nellie. The occasional trip to Rio or the Caribbean would really help, though.

Color Me Inspired: Red and Green

A cheery holiday table courtesy Style-Files.com

We love color. Oliver has always been very sensitive to subtle differences in color, be it on walls, furniture, clothing, in art, food or even inaccurately-named board game pieces, which distract him to no end (purple and red or eggplant and plum...a story for another day). Needless to say, colors play a huge role in our lives as designers. Oliver and I have lived together in six apartments in two cities, and watching our tastes shape each place has been interesting. We've gone from covering our walls in wild, Disney-esque color to a far more toned down, but still playful use of color. Oliver's own oil paintings have progressed over the years to a calmer, more sophisticated use of color, as have his graphic design work. As an interior designer, the more I work with color, the more I believe that all color combinations work together, you just have to strike the right balance of hue, tone and value.

With that, we begin our first "series" for The Studiolo: a weekly collection of color combinations. While we're not the most Christmas-y of couples, the holiday is just around the corner (at the end of the week!!), so we thought we'd start with the most expected color combination this time of year: red and green with, perhaps, some unexpected results due to expert treatments.

Photo courtesy Miles Redd

Photo courtesy Elle Decor

Photo Courtesy Porter House Designs

Photo courtesy House Beautiful

How awesome is that gold flatware?

Photo courtesy StyleCourt

Photo Courtesy House Beautiful

I wish I had a reason to commission a custom semi-circular sofa for our future fantabulous bay windows....a girl can dream!

Photo courtesy Domino

These doors are to die for!

Photo Courtesy Eclectic Interior Design Group

Photo courtesy Elle Decor

Preview: AHRC Save-the-Date

In 2009, we were approached by the AHRC's Sibling Committee to design an invitation suite for their first fundraiser. The theme was "The Future is Ours," and they wanted the invitations to reflect the "looking into our crystal ball" concept. The group was a pleasure to work with and open to our ideas, so we were thrilled when they asked us to design the 2010 suite. They were quite pleased with last year's striking black and white motif (which also cut down on printing costs) and wanted this year's set to carry through the brand we'd created. Oliver had no trouble deciding which typeface he wanted to use and got to to work right away.

We love the result! The new design bumps the sophistication up a few notches while retaining the feel and concept of the 2009 design, below:

Front

Back

Stay tuned for the invitations and reply cards – coming soon!

In the meantime, save the date for the Sibling Committee fundraiser at Bayards on March 8th, 2010 from 6-9 in the evening!

Preview: Engagement Shoot

FRISSON recently shot some casual, New York-y engagement photos for good friends, Erin and Wilson, who will be getting married in San Francisco next September. Erin and Wilson moved to New York from the Bay Area in 2008, when Wilson started business school here. Their San Francisco wedding photographer will do an engagement shoot with them California, but since they're spending their entire engagement in New York, they wanted a record of it for the grandkids.

We lucked out with a beautiful, clear autumn morning and had tons of fun walking around the Upper West Side snapping shots of them. After experiencing our own wedding, we know how disconcerting and uncomfortable it can be to have all eyes on you, with a camera following your every move. But, these guys were pros! They were natural and relaxed, and they adore each other, which shows in the pictures.

We were delighted to take on the project–the first of its kind. Oliver has quite a bit of photography experience, but this was our first professional photoshoot, so it was a of an bit adventure. There were no big mishaps, other than a crew of unfriendly cafe employees, but we managed to snag some great shots despite their scowls and didn't let them put a hitch in our step.

See more selected images on our website.

Thank you, Erin and Wilson for giving us the opportunity to capture your New York lives and for being such easy, photogenic subjects! We can't wait for the wedding!

If there are any other engaged couples out there looking for some fun engagement photos, let us know–we'd love to photograph you!