CHERISH THAT CHERISHED ITEM IN YOUR HOME

CHERISH THAT CHERISHED ITEM IN YOUR HOME

    It is the new year… a time of the year I dwell on more serious thoughts (perhaps it is no more philosophical then NOT dwelling on all the food I have been stuffing in my face). And I thought about the one design item I cherish in my home décor.

   I am referring to the item that if I moved… I would always take with me! And the item I would find a place for in my new abode… no matter the size of the item or the size of the space. My close friend refers to it as her “feel good piece.” This is different then the “sentimental piece” you keep, even if it is less then beautiful, because you cherish the person who gave it to you and it keeps that person close even if they are gone.

   My girlfriend made the distinction. She has a ballerina lamp that her Mother, long deceased, hand painted and added items to make it more personal. Although she admitted that it was somewhat gaudy… she would take it with her and use it in her bedroom… always! But I persevered! What about something you have, probably purchased, that you cherish because of its design beauty and/or distinction? She bought a rug from Home Goods some time ago that is loved for its style and especially the vibrant colors. She will take and use that rug wherever she goes. (Since her house is for sale that may be very soon). Her gorgeous home interiors are built around these particular colors that she will  carry through in her new home.

   In my apartment I have a painting that I cherish. It is about 5 feet tall and it has moved many, many times. Its first home was a 5000 square foot turn-of-the century house in the South… and has resided in several New York City apartments… the first was a one bedroom.  You get my point…I always made it work!!! When I lived in the South my antique collector friend called from New Orleans one afternoon. I am with a dealer he explained, who purchased an antique furniture lot, and one painting came with it. He didn’t want the painting and would sell it for $500 but it could not be returned. Not to mention that my friend, emphatically told me, that if he schlepped the painting over 2 hours hanging out of his car (pre SUV’s) I was stuck with it, if I liked it or not. Since he had remarkable taste in furniture, accessories and art and we often made a beeline to the same artwork in galleries… I took a chance!

   Like… it was LOVE at first sight! 

I know nothing about the artist even with all the research on the internet. The painting’s signature says DUNLAP and was applied to the canvas with stick on letters that are peeling off. What does that say about the artist… my imagination is racing. Did he want to keep the owner of the painting constantly guessing? Was it a statement of the permanence of the art itself versus the artist who painted it? Was it a message or an insight into the painter’s psyche? The bottom of the painting is clearly a copy of Johannes Vermeer’s famous painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” residing at the Mauritshuis in the Hague. 

The top portion of the painting is a portrait of a man, eyes starring, much like the girl’s gaze which is as intimate as it is intense, with nail heads on two sides and the word FINIS screened in white paint on white paint… discreet but visible.

 Is it a self portrait of the painter? How did it end up in an antique cache? It is exquisitely painted! Even the Vermeer portion is crackled to look worn and old. Every time I look at it, hanging prominently in my living room (even if it skews the symmetry of my couch and coffee table… not an easy thing for an interior designer) I stop and think how lucky I am to own it. I wish I could tell the painter how much I cherish it.

   So stop and look at your space and take note of that piece (or pieces) that makes your home, even if you have the same sofa with the same fabric that hundreds of other people own… uniquely yours. And CHERISH it.

   By the way… if anyone can shed any information on the artist… please contact me through our Facebook page, Prince Segal Design, or email me at Chris@princesegaldesign.com. I would really appreciate it!!!! Or if you would like to share one of your cherished items with my followers… send a picture with any details and I will post it. 

Chris Nicole Prince

12/27/2011  

Shower Systems in All Their Glory and Removing the Mystery...

Being in the bath business a long time, I’ve seen and heard from a lot of different people.  One of the things that causes more undue consternation among my clients is picking out a shower system.  It causes people to stress, panic, and make rash decisions.  I am here to tell you that designing a shower system, no matter how simple or complex is NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!!!  It is a step by step process that when done correctly, can add a wonderful bathing ritual to your life…

Now I have to admit…I love showers.  There are bath people and there are shower people.  I can appreciate a good soak, but it requires a different mindset, time, and patience.  Benjamin Franklin loved baths.  He would conduct business meetings while in the tub using a cover of his own design in order to  maintain a certain level of modesty.  I love showers…I do my best thinking in the shower.  It is my personal space.  I am only surrounded by steam, air, and my thoughts.  To me, it is conducive to thought, meditation, and relaxation.  In order to remove the mystique, stress, and strain from its design, I offer this small primer.

The most important thing to remember before you figure out what are your best options for your shower, are what you are looking for in your shower, the type of water pressure your home or building is providing, and the space allocated to the shower.  You should also ask your contractor or plumber about building codes in your area.  A lot of municipalities now mandate the use of anti-scald valves in any shower installation.  This is not a probem and actually can make the entire process simpler. 

One of the best anti-scald valves out there is called a thermostatic mixer. 

It is a wonderful piece of equipment that provides the basis for most of the shower systems I design.  It is generally a ¾” temperature setting valve (although it is available in ½” & 1” configurations as well)  Depending on the manufacturer, it allows a water flow rate of anywhere from 10 GPM (gallons per minute) to 22 GPM!  All the thermostat does is control water temperature…it turns no water on or off.  You need what are called volume controls to actually control water flow.  For each and every outlet, and you can have more than one…you need a volume control.  Just make sure you know the water output of your various showerheads, bodysprays, rainbars, et al. so you don’t over tax the capacity of your thermostat.  Some people make use of multiple thermostats in their shower so they don’t run low on water flow to their various outlets!  There are also diverter valves that can be used to move water from one source to another, but with the thermostatic valve, this limits the reason you made the choice the upgrade the valve in the first place…water flow.  Due to the fact that you have this increase in water flow, and that you have independent volume controls turning on and off your water flow, with the thermostat, you can actually have more than one source going at the same time.  Imagine if you will,  you’ve had a rough day, and you are stressed to the n’th degree.  You step into your shower…a 14” diameter (or larger) shower head starts raining down upon you from your ceiling,

 while multiple body sprays massage you from every angle  erasing the knots from your body, and allowing your mind to clear itself.

Or, maybe, you wake up (too early), for work.  Your preferred shower temperature is already set on the thermostat.  You turn on the volume control to your multifunction showerhead and a powerful torrent of water hits you, throws you against the back wall of your shower (kidding…sort of)  and helps to wake you up and get you ready for the day ahead.

The beautiful thing about thermostats is that they really are available in just about every price point and style you can think of .  Years ago, thermostatic valves were part of the rarified air that only wealthy people could afford to have installed.  Finding plumbers who knew how to install them was a challenge.  Now, like computers, and automobiles, the trickle down theory applies, and the price of the these great valves has dropped like a stone making it possible for almost anyone to incorporate them into a shower design.  My next article will discuss simpler and more basic shower set ups.  

Richard K. Segal

Prince Segal Design

A Letter to Billie and Wick

Dear Wick and Billie,

I am writing this to two of my most artistically enlightened friends ... in Alabama. O.K.... two of my most enlightened friends... period!

There are days that I just love living in NYC and yesterday was one of those days. I don't know if you read about a quilt show, INFINITE VARIETY - THREE CENTURIES OF RED AND WHITE QUILTS, that was held at the Armory that lasted only 6 days (and closed today) but took 2 days to mount. It was created and paid for by the husband to his wife as a gift to celebrate her 80th birthday. (Note to all husbands and/or significant others reading this e-mail)!!!  The exhibit was not only a gift to her but a gift to the city as the admission was free! Joanna Semel Rose has been collecting quilts since the 50's and has over 1000 in her collection. This exhibit represents 650 quilts spanning 3 centuries (most nineteenth century) and all of them were in red and white. She began buying them at flea markets and they have been beautifully restored

.

The show was mounted by the American Folk Art Museum and I believe there is going to be a catalogue on the exhibit. Red and white has been a classic scheme for American quilts.One reason was because of the colorfastness of Turkish red dye which tended not to fade like other colors.

The armory is 55,000 square feet and when you walked in the exhibit took your breath away. I have NEVER seen anything as impressive... in any museum. First, the fact that they were all red and white made the visual impact even more powerful when you walked in. And the imposing space!!!! If you are into quilts or not... not the point. Amazing how contemporary some of the designs looked. Op art... geometric shapes. Some were personal with writing... 

some delicate... others bold.  The display was both majestic and intimate... lyrical... poetry in motion. Hundred and hundred of quilts were suspended... almost frozen in midair. The display comprised primarily of 2 huge circles... you could walk in and around each one with quilts on both sides suspended at different heights and levels. Some were also on the wall etc. The juxtaposition of quilts next to each other was so well planned. The visual weight... i.e. some displaying more white vs more red or delicate next to bold... was perfect and added to the overall visceral jolt when you walked in and continued throughout the show!  I am not doing it justice because the exhibit was fabulous. Everyone has been talking about it. My girlfriend volunteers at the Cooper Hewitt every Wednesday and she said that this show was the only thing people were talking about. She said that members of the staff ran out for part of the day to see it because it was closing today. If you can look it up on-line. This is one visual experience I will never forget. And everyone I have spoken to that saw it said the same thing... overwhelming and spectacular!!!!

And Saturday I am going to the Macy's  flower show avec a friend. My Mother went every year religiously so I am doing it partly for her! I have only been once or twice so it will be a treat... visually and emotionally.

So kids this is the good news about the city dynamics for this week. The downside... I envy you the weather you are enjoying. They are predicting snow ONCE AGAIN. Perhaps the universe is giving us (new yorkers) these treats as a way to make up for this horrific winter. I guess at the end everything balances out.

Had to share this experience avec toi.

Much love,

XOXO

C and M     

The Art of the Toilet

   Have you ever had to discuss something so personal…so private, yet something anyone remodeling a bathroom must talk about?  Some even feel the need to talk about it in depth….It’s where you learn who your friends are…who has your back(side).  Yes, I am talking about the noble toilet…the throne, the porcelain god, that of many other exotic namesakes.  Well, whatever you want to call it, and whether you want to talk about it or not, we all need one…and if you can believe it, it really is pretty simple to specify…IF you know the proper questions to ask. 

   So you ask, what’s there to know?  You sit, you go, you flush…so easy a two year old can do it.  Not so fast.  This toilet needs to be installed first.  Did you know that there are at least seven types of toilet installations out there (not including some really funky European types I won’t discuss here…)  You have three different dimensions for floor evacuated roughs..10”, 12” (the industry standard), and 14”.  As a general rule, but not always, anything built after 1963 will utilize the 12” rough.  So you ask…”how do I know what my rough is?”  The simple way to check your rough dimension is simple.  Measure from the bolt cap in the floor to the back wall.  

That is your toilets rough dimension.  What makes life a bit simpler is that certain manufacturers have created rough adaptors for their toilets.  Toto created their unifit rough adaptor just to solve such dilemmas as wanting a certain toilet that wasn’t initially designed to fit you bathroom.  Also good to know in advance is the fact that moving a toilet rough is a nasty dirty job that most plumbers just don’t want to do and will charge you for accordingly if you become adamant about it.   

   Well that’s simple enough you say…yes, but what about rear outlet toilets?  Huh?  Yes, there are those commodes that due to certain building constraints evacuate horizontally.  Just to make things more interesting on top of that, there are different heights in which they evacuate.  A lot of loft buildings use back outlet toilets because the floors are big slabs of concrete and chiseling channels to run waste lines is no one’s idea of fun.  American rear outlet toilets evacuate at about 4” above the floor. 

  However, most of these models are big bulky commercial models, not quite suited to the delicate aesthetic sensibilities of your typical toilet buyer.  So here come the European powerhouses like Duravit, Villeroy & Boch, and Laufen with sleek elegant back outlet models.  

“Woo Hoo!” you exclaim.  If it were only so easy….these toilets evacuate three inches higher than the standard American rear outlet waste pipe.  Thank goodness for the plumber you hired…and the fact that there are now companies out there making adaptors that preclude the need to have the waste pipe moved up or down in the wall.

Are we done yet?  Not quite…we haven’t touched upon a popular new trend in residential toiletry. The visually appealing wall hung toilet.  These toilets actually are quite practical.  They need a standard  12” rough, the tank is hidden in the wall between the studs, and most times the toilet is off the floor making for easy cleaning.  These tanks, also called carriers are made by an American company called Geberit.  

There are other companies that make carriers but they generally are not designed for American plumbing, don’t meet most building codes, and replacement parts become an issue.  The good news is that most of the companies making the bowls know this and design their toilets to work with the Geberit carrier.   Since the plumbing is in the wall, they don’t extend into the bathroom too far.  This becomes especially handy if you have a bathroom with severe space constraints.   The variety of flush plates available for these toilets has also become much broader (with finishes and price points to match).  

Richard K. Segal

Prince Segal Design