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BLINGAMILISM

In early 2009 Karl Lagerfield (fashion designer and former king of bling) pronounced that “Bling is over. Red carpety covered with rhinestones is out. I call it ‘the new modesty.‘”

Pick your choice of buzz words – blingamilism, the new modesty, the new sobriety – the fact is, buying trends are different today than they were over the past decade. The reality of our times is changing not just our bank accounts, but how we see things as a whole – the importance of family, the need to feel connected, the desire to travel, build, entertain and live without damaging the planet – all resulting in a quest for a more simplistic, honest way of life.

Yes, we’re still buying, but our choices are more deliberate and considerate.  We’re buying less, but buying better. No longer is it important to have the brand name or icon splashed all over the product, consumers are more interested in the value behind the brand.  What it stands for.  How is is made.  How long it will last. So instead of putting so many diamonds on a watch that you can’t even tell the time, brands are getting back to what really matters – nice movement and design.

What does this mean to us in the design world?  As Lagerfield proposed “This whole crisis is like a big spring house-cleaning – both moral and physical. There is no creative evolution if you don’t have dramatic moments like this.” Indeed, the design aesthetic is also changing to reflect the changing values of the consumer.

Consumers are seeking products that will endure – values of honesty and quality are superseding the search for the cheapest option.  They want pieces and spaces that speak to them personally, that they can make an emotional connection with. They have a desire for luxury products that speak to heritage, muted aesthetics, craft, longevity, true rarity and a well thought out and considered product.

We’re seeing design revert to its original premise…the creation of useful things and designs that last from both a functional and aesthetic sense.  The creation of classic, timeless, edited, seasonless pieces with enduring style and a greater focus on craftsmanship. We’re meeting consumer demand by asking more questions to find out what really matters, editing more, searching harder for the rare and unique, and at the end of the day, designing with an eye toward creating a design that is responsible, meaningful and highly personal.

SPRING INSPIRATION #1

Ah, another sign of Spring…our bluebird family has returned and is setting up house once again. I love the vivid combination of cobalt blue and the rich umber on the male and the first sighting always fills me with joy.  And our little bluebird happens to be quite representative of two the season’s most important color stories…

The blue family is set to be the biggest color message throughout 2010. Already in the stores for Spring 2010 we are seeing chambray, bluebell and soft denims all playing a major role. And as we move in to Summer these blues will become more intense, from cobalt to electric to swimming pool blues and azul. Flashes of inky blue, peacock and turquoise will enliven these deep midnight shades.

But the new colour family to keep an eye on is the soft browns. We will see this family emerging throughout 2010 and into 2011. From warm chestnut to spiced cinnamon, and hot chocolate, brown is set to be with us for several seasons to come.

WHITENESS SOIRÉE

Contributor: Amanda Kaufman (Sterling Studio Manager)

If you missed last Thursday’s celebration at the Charles Luck Studio, then you missed quite a party!  The theme for the soirée was one of the hottest trends in design; Whiteness. The scene was white hot with the studio decked out in crisp white linens, soft votives and gorgeous white lilies all set to some fabulously funky house music.

More than 70 of the areas top industry professionals came out to network dressed in their favorite tones of white, cream, beige and grey in honor of this trend.  Guests nibbled on all “white” goodies like crab salad with white corn on endive from R&R Catering and sipped white wine and CL signature white cosmopolitans.

The studio tables were laid with many of the new interior surface products that Charles Luck launched this winter.  The reinvention of classic marbles and travertines through technology and hand-tooling had guests touching and coming up for second and third looks all night.  The best aspect of the evening was getting our customers together; seeing the studio filled with such talented people, making introductions and discussing job opportunities is what we have been striving for.

To learn more about the whiteness trend, please click here to visit Perspectives, our annual architecture and design forecast.

OUTDOOR LIVING


Copper Bay MasterCut™ Natural Veneer Stone

As I wrote this last night it was snowing. Again.  Are you as tired of the snow as I am?  I know our masons are!  When the last snow melted I was so grateful to see the first sign of spring peek though the cold and tired earth – the daffodils are stretching their buds, hungry for some sun and warm air.

When its this cold and dreary out we all long for more time outside and look at our unused terraces, patios and gardens with longing.  And this reminds me of one of the great things about incorporating natural stone into your outdoor living space in the form of a fireplace – it can extend the seasonality of your home, allowing you to spend more afternoons and evenings outdoors, even when the hot days of summer have ended.

We recently photographed this gorgeous outdoor fireplace. It features our Copper Bay MasterCut™, crafted from quartzite and precision-cut into ledgestone for efficient installation and a beautiful finished look.  Even though it’s a local installation, it evokes the feeling of a ski lodge and I can imagine curling up in front of the blaze with a cup of coffee on a warm night.  Here’s to spring!

To see our entire portfolio of natural stone for fireplaces and house fronts, please click here.

Contributor: Mark Whitfield, Director of Product Management

We have had plenty of snow in the mid-Atlantic region so far this season and are eager to see the arrival of Spring! All of our locations are featuring 5 products to celebrate Spring beginning on March 1st. These products can provide a distinctive look for any of your interior or exterior Spring projects and at a great value. Here is the selection from our Spring Specials Promotion and please visit our website or the contact us at Charles Luck Stone Center to learn more.

Eagle Ridge Building Stone

Eagle Ridge Building Stone

Eagle Ridge building stone: A beautiful fieldstone with rich, earthy tones from the Hawk Mountain region. It has a weathered face, marked by soft tans and rusts, with accents of darker brown and gray and is ideal for fireplaces, garden walls and house fronts.

EasyStone Multi-Color Paver

EasyStone Classic Circle Paver

EasyStone mesh-mount paver: A rich basalt paver with delicate dendrites on many pieces. The stone is carefully crafted and adhered to a durable mesh-mount backing for easy installation and is available in a variety of patterns for any design need including terraces and driveways.

Mystic River Pattern Flagstone

Mystic River Pattern Flagstone

Mystic River pattern flagstone: This Brazilian slate provides a smooth finish, rich color tone and excellent consistency in coloration, piece size and thickness.  It is available in a variety of sizes and in a 200 SF pattern set.

Belgian Bluestone Light

Belgian Bluestone interior tiles: A limestone tile with great depth and presence. Belgian Bluestone is known for the inclusions of fossilized sea life that can be seen in some pieces. The dimension of the tile is 15-3/4”x15-3/4”.  Click here to see the three finishes available in this promotion: light honed, dark honed and satin.

Geyser Spring Antique and Classic and River Pass Antique and Classic natural stone pavers: These pavers are precisely cut from natural stone to ensure easy installation. Geyser Spring is granite and River Pass is basalt and both products are available in two dimensions, 6”x6”x2-3/8” and 6”x9”x2-3/8”.

Geyser Spring Classic Paver

Geyser Spring Antique Paver

River Pass Classic Paver

River Pass Antique Paver

I’m still thinking about our recent trip to Paris and especially my first real introduction to the Louis Vuitton brand via the “house” store at 101 avenue des Champs-Élysées.  The architectural element is immediately evident in the space created by American architect, Eric Carlson. His design cuts through the interior volumes of the existing structure to create an exceptional multi-level promenade of terraces that literally lead you through the space, fluidly spiraling upward with a traffic flow that beckons you to take in every little detail.

Throughout the store, refined details echo the architectural elements of the Champs-Élysées, suggesting an extension of the avenue inside. The internal tiling, for example, repeats the pattern found on the avenue in the elegant nuances of brown and beige limestone.

France’s Historical monument heritage required the preservation of the building’s Art-Deco façade and the design team cleverly used a mesh to wrap appropriate features on the storefront and within in the same way that Louis Vuitton covers its bags and trunks in canvas, like a metallic second skin. This overlay featuring the emblematic Monogram flower is encrusted with wood, leather, crystal or porcelain and is also used to separate the various shopping spaces.

The interior design is the work of architect Peter Marino. His design is indeed exquisite and speaks to those amongst us who have an affinity for noble and humble materials, such as wood, leather and stainless steel. His finishes are perfect and illustrate the House’s long tradition of craftsmanship and excellence.

The Champs-Élysées store also displays some of the Louis Vuitton presentation concepts, such as the acclaimed luggage lounge or bag bar above which hang a compelling display of vintage trunks, evoking the feeling of bygone times and enduring value. Some pieces still feature the monograms of their previous owners, causing one to wonder if these trunks lived through the old cruise ship voyages from Paris to New York were the rich socialites packed their gowns and jewels in the massive boxes.

I continue to be fascinated by the Louis Vuitton brand; it resonates so strongly with me because of the care placed on maintaining the heritage brand through exquisite attention to detail in every single aspect of the brand, and the creative and inventive purpose behind keeping the brand fresh and modern.  The Louis Vuitton store is as much a tourist destination as it is a space for retail transactions. While you may discover the perfect handbag, shoe or accessory, you will also be just as delighted by the visual and tactile voyage presented by this renown brand.

For a quick tour of the space, check out this video.

AN ABSTRACT EXPERIENCE

Contributor: Amanda King (Studio Consultant, Sterling, VA.)

While visiting Paris two weeks ago, Heidi and I visited Le Centre Pompidou, one of the most daring modern art museums in the world. We happened upon a temporary exhibit of an artist whose name was unknown to me, Pierre Soulages. This large scale retrospective featured over 100 paintings and 60 years worth of work from France’s most famous abstract artist. Pierre Soulages is known as “the painter of black.”

At first glance it was easy to see the consistent theme of his work, the universal use of the color black dominated the exhibit. We meandered silently, taking in the extent of this mysterious artists work. What at first seemed to be elementary works of art, started to unfold as unique pieces different in size, texture, and format. Some canvases were hung by cables from the ceiling and painted on both sides. One work has consistent horizontal lines; another has soft diagonal lines that fold like fabric.

“Is this art? But it is so simple. I could do that!” Common thoughts shared by all first time viewers, including myself. But something about this exhibit lingered with me and two weeks later I am still thinking about the “painter of black.”

Why is Pierre Soulages so famous? His paintings represent nothing.

Exactly. Like many abstract painters Soulages says “He doesn’t represent, he presents.” It is the way the light hits the canvas, the shadows that are created from the texture created from built up oil paint. Critics may try to look deeper into his work and see the “fallen silence created” or “a battleground between shadow and light.” Or, like me, you could look and say nothing.

For Soulages, “a painting is an organisation, a set of relationships between shapes, lines and coloured surfaces, on which the meanings which we give it are made and undone.” In a world of constant noise and distraction, I found the silence of these paintings refreshing, an opportunity to clear your mind and think about black.

Contributor: Patrick Wright (Charlottesville Stone Center)

Did you know that the logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics is based on a stone structure?  The specific logo is named llanaaq the inukshuk, was designed by Vancouver artist Elena Rivera MacGregor, and is said to mean welcome and friendship. An inukshuk (pronounced in-ook-shook) is an Inuit word meaning “likeness of a human.”  These inuksuit (plural form) are stacked stone cairns that are used for navigational and symbolic markers. The ones like llanaaq that are human shaped are known more specifically as inunnguaq. These have spiritual connotations and were used for hunting structures to help corral caribou. Want to build your own?  Here’s how:

Step 1: Assemble a pile of rocks. They should be of different sizes, though they each should have some flat edges.

Step 2: Find a flat piece of ground on which to build your inukshuk. Crooked or slanted ground will make it difficult to stand your rocks on.

Step 3: Begin building your inukshuk. To have your inukshuk stand longer, it is best to have a strong base. This means bigger rocks, and more rocks, are used at the bottom. 

Step 4: Try to build your inukshuk so that it resembles a person. As you reach the mid-section of your inukshuk, do you have a long rock that could be used as arms? Or maybe you can use two rocks as arms, and use a third rock on top to keep them together.

No two inuksuit are ever the same. Each one contains the imagination and message of its creator. How will your inukshuk be different? What will be the purpose of your inukshuk?

Click on these  brief videos to learn more about the history of the Inukshuks, a unbeliveable demonstration of rock stacking, and an interview with Peter Irniq, Inuit cultural activist, on the Inukshuk purpose and building form

VISIONING À PARIS

Last week, Amanda King (Sterling Studio consultant extraordinaire) and I traveled to Paris, France for two non-stop days of couture and culture (check out the rest of this week’s blog for a recap of our adventures). So what in the world are natural stone people doing in Paris, home of avant-garde and haute couture fashion? We were there primarily to start our research for next year’s Perspectives by attending the world’s largest textile show, the rendezvous for more than 50,000 trade visitors coming from 110 countries, but also to soak in as much inspiration, aesthetics, creativity, and culture as we could.  We’re curious about how design manifests itself in different disciplines today and passionate about gleaning into the future for what will be relevant tomorrow.

The biannual show unveils Pantone’s color forecast, the season’s stories, and is the place where fashion & design houses go for inspiration, information and to make product selections for the designs we will be seeing on the runways a year or so from now.  It’s a myriad of color, texture, pattern and delicious words like Urban Echo, Phosphorus, Feathery Shiver, Cheeky Opulence, Sparkling Nonchalance, and Sullied Smokiness.

It was a high energy, super stimulating and optimistic atmosphere. How does this all translate back to the stone in the Charles Luck portfolio?  Check out our current architecture and design forecast, Perspectives and stay tuned for more insights from the show that will ultimately lead to our 2011 forecast.

FRENCH CRAFTMANSHIP

I’ve had the fortune to visit many of the world’s greatest cathedrals, but this was my first visit to Notre Dame de Paris, and like all the others, it is breathtaking, a source of awe and inspiration.  It seems so inconceivable that a structure as grand and massive as Notre Dame could have been built in the 12th century, and take more than 300 years to complete.  No electricity, no cell phones, no transportation to speak of.  That generations of laborers and masons could be so visionary to work on a project they would never live to see completed. Notre Dame represents the lofty Gothic style – domineering windows of stained glass, ornately crafted spires, ogee archways, flying buttresses, and the Gargoyles, guardians of grand cathedrals. The craftsmanship in every corner of Notre Dame is a testament to man’s desire to glorify God and his humble ability to use his hands and simple tools to create the most fabulous display of creativity and passion.

There’s probably no place on earth better than Paris for shopping.  After all, haute couture found its origins in Paris in the mid-eighteenth century and Paris remains the reigning center of all things haute couture today. Amanda and I began our “tourist” day at Avenue Montaigne and Avenue des Champs-Elysées, one of the city’s hottest fashion junctures. With no extra Euros in our pockets – and a rather frigid day – we quickly walked the famous streets and checked out the seemingly endless display of the world’s top brands – Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Dolce e Gabbana, Max Mara, Christian LaCroix, Valentino, Prada, Jean Louis Scherrer, Gucci, Pucci, Bulgari, Calvin Klein, Nina Ricci, Ynes de la Fressange, Donna Karan, Celine and that’s not all! Luckily for us, window-shopping is one of this city’s greatest spectator sports; the French call it lèche-vitrine—literally, “licking the windows”—which is fitting because many of the displays look good enough to eat.

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