Tuesday, September 25, 2007

I'm Seeing Things in Black & White

Black and White combinations are still commanding attention across the board in decorative accessories and design. Here are a few of my favorites. They remind me of old book plates printed in Intaglio.
The Washington Printmakers Gallery defines Intaglio as:
"Intaglio (from the Italian world to carve) might be considered the reverse of relief printing. In a relief print, the ink is rolled onto the surface and not into the lines; in an intaglio print, the ink is pushed into the lines and pits and wiped off the surface of the plate. "

Celeb designer and blogger extraordinaire Mark Cutler is expanding his line of "Tableaux Cloths." A collection of crisp corner pleated table linens printed with black and white images of classic furnishings. He will even provide the tables underneath if need be. What a great solution to covering a less than stellar table or just to give the client flexibility and variation in a space. The new line will include lighting and even a tent!!! Oooh La La. Sounds very romantic. I can't wait to see all of the items.



From online retailer UMA these classic glasses come in a set of four. The vintage goblets shown in silhouette are so much fun.


Intricately patterned diner plates from Rossana make a dramatic statement on the table or hanging on a wall. The Rosanna website is one you must check out. Her patterns are to die for and the packaging is almost as beautiful as the dinnerware! I'm tempted to buy something just to get the hat box like containers.



Lisa Bengtsson is a brilliant graphic designer who has a large selection of wallpaper based on her graphic images. I adore this one entitled Familjen - Foto ( I am language illiterate but I assume this means Family Photo - please correct me if I am wrong )


The Acrila Collection from Moco Loco has a real sense of humor. This innovative use of acrylic showcasing images of traditional furniture pieces in Intaglio is truly unique. My favorites are the upholstered chairs and barstools. They also come with brightly colored accents in the upholstery.

Finally from the ultra talented design team of Mathew White and Frank Webb, their Intaglio series of furnishings and accessories is a play on the classics. Intricately detailed prints of classic embellishment and encrustation are adhered to the flat surfaces of these basic pieces creating the illusion of shape and shadow.




This magnificent faux room done entirely in Intaglio is part of an exhibition "Eminent Domain" done by White & Webb for the Rice Gallery In Houston, Texas. Wouldn't you love to have a room like this in your home? I know I would.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a fun post. I love the "tables" by Mark Cutler...what a touch of whimsy.

franki durbin said...

way too much faux fun ;) This does have to be used judiciously. In this case, too much of a good thing isn't good. But I love a bit of whimsy thrown in wherever possible.

terrific post!

Mark Cutler said...

Thank you so much for the kind words! We are really excited about these beautiful tables! There will be five different sizes ranging from a side table, dining tables and console tables in our two fantastic new prints--Baroque and Louey!

Unknown said...

MMI,
I think they are great as well. I love to see a room with a sense of humor.

Franki,
You're right about using it sparingly but I do love the roomscape they did for the Rice Gallery, particularly the floor! I would love that design in a rug or better yet a stone inset, Yummy.

Unknown said...

Mark,

Can't wait to see them in person. It's great to see a designer thinking so creatively. I particularly like the double use aspect of these pieces. I should have asked what the tables look like standing alone.

The Paris Apartment said...

jackie
you turn us on to such amazing things! thanks for this post, i will devour it!

Pigtown*Design said...

I love using intaglio prints to decorate with.