Tracery Interiors at the Birmingham Home & Garden Inspiration Home

Our friends at the renowned interior design firm, Tracery Interiors just sent us this photo of the fabulous room they designed for Birmingham Home & Garden magazine’s 2011 Inspiration Home. The home will be featured in its entirety in the magazines January 2012 issue, but until then, here is a sneak peek of the Great Room, dressed in neutrals and accented by pops of rust. We are thrilled to see that Tracery Interiors chose a pair of our Boston Functional Library Wall Lights in Bronze along with the Large Dorsett Two Tier Chandelier in Black Rust for the space.

 

Image Credit: Jean Allsopp for Birmingham Home & Garden

A Glamorous Bathroom

We recently came across this stunning bathroom and closet project by Martensen Jones Interiors, led by Lisa Martensen and Jan Jones in Dallas, TX. The bathroom actually belongs to Lisa. The space features classic elements such as white cabinetry, Carrera marble countertops, floors, and shower , and glamorous, beveled mirrors. A few modern touches, such as the bathtub and Saarinen Tulip Stool add an eclectic touch to the room. Naturally, we love that the designers opted for the feminine and glamorous Catherine Wall Sconce by Eric Cohler for Visual Comfort & Co. in Polished Nickel for this beautiful bathroom. While the sconces come with natural paper shades, we think the fact that Martensen opted to take the shades off for this space makes for a slightly more modern look.

It’s a little difficult to make out the flush mount ceiling fixture because of the light in this image, but Martensen opted for the bamboo style of the Frank Flush Mount by Alexa Hampton for Visual Comfort & Co., which happens to be a favorite among designers.

The mirrored closet doors are both beautiful and practical. On the right, another look at the fabulous vanity.

The Catherine Sconce is ready for her close-up!

 

{Images via Martensen Jones Interiors}

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from our family to yours! We wish you a wonderful holiday season and a joyous New Year. We look forward to working with you in 2012.

Please Note: Visual Comfort will be closed on Monday, December 26th and will reopen on Tuesday, December 27th.

A Chic Kitchen by Zoldan Interiors

We are currently loving this chic, Parisian-inspired kitchen designed by Los Angeles-based, Tia Zoldan of Zoldan Interiors. The home belongs to actor Nestor Carbonell of Lost and was featured in the September 2011 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Every last detail is completely stunning from the beautifully framed windows and banquette to the interesting, Moroccan-inspired tile and bistro chairs. Of course, we love that the homeowner opted for our Large Hicks Pendant by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort & Co. in Bronze and Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass.

A second look at the kitchen reveals recessed cabinets with gorgeous brass hardware along with carrera marble countertops and backsplash and a classic farm sink. Hanging above the sink is our Small Hicks Pendant by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort & Co. in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass. The flush mount fixtures are our Large Marine Flush Mount in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass.

We’re Moving!

In a continuing effort to service our growing business, Visual Comfort will be moving to a new and expanded, 11 acre facility on December 19, 2011. In preparation for the move, we will be closed for business on Friday, December 16th and will resume normal operations on Monday, December 19th.

We thank you for all your support and look forward to working with you in our new facility.

Designer Spotlight: A Classic Dining Room by M.E. Beck Design, Inc.

Texas-based designer, Maria Beck of M.E. Beck Design recently shared these lovely photos of a classic dining room she designed for a client in Austin. The space is filled with neutral colors, traditional tufted chairs, and some modern artwork. While we love the play on scale through the long drapes and vertical paintings, we especially love the fact that Maria selected two of the Large Double Twist Chandeliers by Eric Cohler for Visual Comfort & Co. in Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass.

How do you feel about selecting two chandeliers over a dining table? Is this something you would try for a client or in your own home?

The AD100

Thomas O’Brien’s Aero Studios was selected for the 2012 AD100 List. | Item Featured: Extra Large Hicks Pendant

Each year, Architectural Digest publishes it’s AD100 List, which serves as a veritable roster of the “who’s who” in the fields of interior design and architecture. These design professionals are tastemakers and influencers in the world of design. Visual Comfort & Co. is proud to see five of these talented professionals who design lighting collections for us included in the 2012 AD100.

Alexa Hampton of Mark Hampton LLC | Item Featured: Abbot Single-Arm Sconce

Suzanne Kasler Interiors | Featured Item: Quatrefoil Table Lamp

David Easton Inc. | Item Featured: Marais Floor Lamp with Tray

Michael S Smith Inc. | Item Featured: Spencer Table Lamp

ELLE DÉCOR December / January 2012

The December 2011 issue of ELLE DÉCOR features a fabulous selection of interiors from an eclectic pied a terre in Brazil to actress, Hilary Swank’s modern Manhattan apartment. We are thrilled to see our products included in this month’s issue.

The Manning Accent Light by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort is featured as a must-have gift for the 2011 holiday season. This lamp comes in a chic combination of polished nickel and crystal and would look fabulous on any desk.

Hilary Swank’s New York apartment features a pair of our 18” Cabinet Maker’s Picture Lights in Antique Nickel.

California Classic

The December/January issue of House Beautiful might just be the publication’s best issue of 2011. I was immediately drawn into the room on the cover. It is at once polished and inviting and has that quintessential California vibe. Sure enough, once I read the article, I realized that this charming and beautiful home is located in West Hollywood. Each room is completely chic, without any pretense. Every space is perfectly layered and beautifully styled, a given, considering the fact that the home owners are visual merchandisers. Aside from the thrill of seeing such a lovely space featured in the pages of this month’s issue, I was elated to see several Visual Comfort & Co. items in this stunning home.

The grand dining room features Gracie Chinoiserie wallpaper, gingham chairs anchored by a couple of limed wood Chippendale-style chairs, and our Large Paris Flea Market Chandelier.

The homeowners drew inspiration from Christopher Peacock’s classic kitchen designs for the all-white, timeless look of this space. Hanging overhead, a pair of our Grosvenor Single Pendants along with Visual Comfort’s Large Siena Flush Mounts, both in Polished Nickel.

The guest bedroom features dark chocolate walls paired with flowy, ivory fabrics along with our Large Narrow Neck Vase Table Lamp in ivory on the nightstand.

The fabulous guest bathroom is dressed in high gloss black paint and includes classic fixtures like Visual Comfort’s Two-Light Classic Double Library Sconce in Polished Nickel and our Medium Classic Smoke Bell.

The lovely brass floor lamps in this inviting living room look very much like the Anette Floor Lamps from our Ralph Lauren collection.

 

{Image Credit: Amy Neunsinger for House Beautiful}

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! We have much to be thankful for at Visual Comfort & Co. including your business and support. We hope you have a wonderful day with your loved ones. What are you most thankful for this year?

From Russia with Love

While perusing some of our favorite international design magazines the other day, we stumbled upon the November issue of ELLE DECORATION Russia and were thrilled to see our Square Tube Hanging Chandelier front and center, on the cover of the magazine. The issue is filled with stunning, grand spaces and we are honored to see several of our lighting designs among the pages of this beautiful magazine.

Unfortunately, our limited knowledge of the Russian language did not help us to decipher the name of the designer on this project and since we read the issue on Zinio, we couldn’t use a translation tool. Either way, this space is beautifully layered, with a warm, neutral palette as the base for vibrant patterns and textures.

We love the casual, inviting nature of this space. The walls are a lovely shade of grey, which looks fantastic paired with the crisp, white moulding and glossy, black doors. The entire home is perfectly accessorized, with plenty of interesting layers and personal touches.

Upon closer inspection, you’ll notice that this sitting room includes a pair of our Old Pharmacy Floor Lamps along with our Frame Makers 18 Picture Light.

A Chic Bachelor Pad

The guest bedroom in this chic home features a pair of Watson Table Lamps by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort and a Caged Lantern by Eric Cohler for Visual Comfort in Bronze

When given the task of designing a home for a twenty-nine year old professional hockey player, design duo Parrish Chilcoat and Joe Lucas of Lucas Studio opted for a masculine color palette, modern silhouettes, and several pieces of Visual Comfort lighting. The result is a home that is layered, youthful, and inviting—exactly what any stylish bachelor should strive for!

The Living Room is dressed in warm neutrals, organic-inspired patterns and shapes, and our Tripod Floor Lamp in Tudor Brown .

The stairway gives a nod to the Southern California locale, with white-washed walls, a vintage surfboard, and a Large Morris Lantern in Antique Zinc with Clear Glass.

The patio is as layered and stylish as all of the rooms inside of the house. The furniture offers a relaxing vibe with two Brantley Lanterns by Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort hanging overhead.

 

{Image Credit: Victoria Pearson for House Beautiful}

Canadian House and Home: 25th Anniversary Issue

The Westport Pendant by Barbara Barry in Pewter for Visual Comfort & Co. is featured in this lovely bathroom by Montréal-based interior designer, Scott Yetman.

We are thrilled to see many of our products and designers peppered through the pages of Canadian House & Home’s November 2011 issue, which also happens to be a celebration of this fantastic publication’s 25th Anniversary. In addition to new market features and editorial spread, the editors of House & Home took a stroll down memory lane to capture some of their favorite interiors, quotes, and moments in the magazine’s history. The issue truly is a fabulous read. Thank you for featuring several Visual Comfort products in this special issue, Canadian House & Home!

This month’s “More or Less” feature includes two Visual Comfort chandeliers: The Oval Flat Line Chandelier from our Chart House Collection and the Classic Ring Chandelier from our Studio Collection.

This handsome breakfast room by Scott Yetman features the Small Reed Chandelier in Polished Silver.

This lovely Calgary showhome by designer, James McIntyre, includes the Greenwich Adjustable Floor Lamp by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort in Polished Nickel.

Designer Spotlight: Nam Dang Mitchell

We recently spotted Calgary-based interior designer, Nam-Dang Mitchell in the November 2011 issue of Canadian House and Home magazine. We were drawn in by an image of a kitchen Nam designed, using Visual Comfort lighting. Our interest piqued, we sought out Nam’s portfolio and loved what we were met with. Nam’s aesthetic is polished, tailored, and glamorous. She uses the most beautiful, subtle color palettes and mixes furnishings, accessories, and fabrics from various aesthetics and eras beautifully. The projects in her portfolio are quite different from one another, but they all have such polish and style. Naturally, we can’t help but love the fact that she has selected to use Visual Comfort lighting for so many of the spaces in her portfolio! We always love seeing our products used in design projects and it is especially nice to see them in such stunning spaces.

This kitchen features a lovely color palette and the Small Goodman Hanging Lamp in Antique Nickel.

Our Large Cornice Hanging Lantern Dots this Graceful Hallway

On the left, our Classic Smoke Bell Pendant, On the right, our Six Light Square Tube Chandelier

This chic dining room sets the stage for the Six Light Square Tube Chandelier.

The graceful Ruhlmann Sconce flanks the fireplace in this lovely living room.

Both this bathroom and living room feature the Bryant Sconce by Thomas O’Brien—on the left in Polished Nickel and on the right in Bronze.

This handsome kitchen features a warm, neutral palette along with a pair of our Large Country Industrial Pendants in Bronze.

This chic bedroom includes a Small Hicks Pendant in Bronze with Hand-Rubbed Antique Brass Accents and various textures.

This elegant bedroom, dressed in warm neutrals is host to French-inspired accents like the gilded sunburst mirror above the bed and the Louis-style bench and a pair of our Large Ring Table Lamps in Alabaster.

The Square Chunky Stacked Table Lamp in Alabaster adorns the nightstand in this classic bedroom.

 

{Image Credit: Colin Way via Nam Dang Mitchel Design Inc,}

Design Likes and Dislikes

We are thrilled to see many of our products and designers peppered through the pages of Canadian House & Home’s November 2011 issue, which also happens to be a celebration of this fantastic publication’s 25th Anniversary. In addition to new market features and editorial spread, the editors of House & Home took a stroll down memory lane to capture some of their favorite interiors, quotes, and moments in the magazine’s history. In one feature titled, “The Honour Roll”, the magazine captures memorable quotes from some of the world’s top designers, including our very own Thomas O’Brien who said the following in the April 2004 issue in regard to art and accessorizing:

“One thing I ask clients to tell me is what they don’t like. People are much clearer about what they don’t like than what they do. Make a list of the things you know you don’t want, and let that help define the things you do want. If you can’t describe exactly what you want, you can at least eliminate a lot of things.”

I have found that I often take this same approach in my own life when I don’t have a super obvious choice. Whether I am determining what to have for dinner or what type of chandelier I want to hang in my living room, I often go through my dislikes before I determine my likes.

So, let’s hear it. What do you absolutely dislike when it comes to interiors? What are your go-to items that make you feel like you’ve gotten it right every time?