WHAT'S IN A WORD?

I love “eclectic”. Which is to say, I hate “eclectic”…the word, at any rate. The concept of eclectic—namely the canny blending of material, era, style, provenance, colour and scale (to name only a few)—still delights me no end. It is the great melting pot of the design world. But that word—that poor, hackneyed, misused word! In some ways I view it with the same apprehension some senior citizens regard the term ‘gay’; that’s not to say I’m in agreement with them, just that I know what it’s like to mourn a word. Common wisdom dictates if you love something you should set it free, and that’s precisely what I plan on doing with those eight particular letters.

So what do you do when the one term meant to serve one purpose falls down on the job? You consult a thesaurus (“catholic” came up!) and then you improvise. I have substituted “curated” before, as in a curated room versus an eclectic one. At times this has proven to be a serviceable option; at others I choke on the sheer pretentiousness of it. Ask me to give “quirky” a whirl and I may well have a seizure on the spot.

A reasonable person might wonder what exactly happened to eclectic that made me hate it so. The short answer? It got hijacked by bad people. Well, perhaps not bad people but ones who are more often than not tedious and misguided. To be fair, this is an affliction of our modern era—or at least something that has occurred with greater frequency since we all wound up with specialty television channels numbering in the hundreds.

Getting back to my initial point, though, I do love an eccentric assemblage of items that seem not to be driven by reason—or any other governing principle for that matter.  They always are, of course, but not in a way that loudly declares its intent—and they are distinguished by being the refreshing antithesis of matchy-matchy (more on that in another post).

Real artistry is all about the blend, be it pigments in paint, flavours in food, gestures in dance or furniture in a room. With a deft hand the results are marvellous—marvel-worthy for the simple fact that the nuances that make them successful are always more intuitive than identified. Much like old Hollywood sets, no one wants to see—or know about—the brackets propping them; they only care about the magic that is created because of them. Good design can be analysed with a cold eye but the most successful examples don’t invite such scrutiny, just the desire to accept and enjoy what has been wrought.

I find that, these days, eclectic seems to be a catch-all term for thrown-together, which suggests haste and a lack of care. You throw a salad together—you do not treat a space and the objects that dwell within it with such callous indifference. I find this not dissimilar to when you were a child and your parents tossed you into a room with someone else’s horrible children and expected you to play together just because you just happened to be roughly the same age. Ugh. That to me is as forced and wrong-headed as putting a velvet Elvis painting over a Biedermeier chest and declaring it “wacky”. Again: ugh!

A perfect example of the abuse that has so compromised eclectic can be found in the behaviour of a peripheral acquaintance. Her modus operandi is to snap up whatever happens to be on sale, toss it all into a room regardless of suitability, and then rationalize the crime she has perpetrated by saying the look is “eclectic”. I’m not sure how one’s perception moves from bargain basement to eclectic in such circumstances, but there you have it. I am always slightly embarrassed when this ersatz curator invites me to view the results, something akin to the feeling I get when I encounter a sheepish-looking dog who has been dressed up by its owner….

At its noblest, eclecticism is the opposite of “thrown-together”; it’s about careful consideration and intent. Love plays a significant role here, too. The crème of the design world frequently espouse the notion that if you truly love the items you’re working with they will love one another in return. Or, more simply put, just work. True, it might take a bit of fiddling to get these arranged marriages just right but oftentimes that ‘love’ will show itself in line, balance and proportion. Even when such fundamentals are at odds the tension they create offers a refreshing challenge to our perception, not to mention frequent moments of delight.

What I always try to do—and what I think we all strive for in the name of feathering our nests—is create those moments of delight, enduring ones which speak to us on a daily basis and never fail to engage visitors to our homes. Perhaps that is where the compass points us next, not necessarily away from eclectic (still a functional word, to be sure) but more so towards the creation of circumstantial delight. Perhaps all eclectic and I need is a brief cooling off period—a trial separation, if you will, in order to gain perspective on what really matters. After all, what could matter more in these short lives of ours than delight?

SEEING RED

One of the tried-and-true primaries, red is a colour that people either love or hate. I have to admit that I am indifferent to it—at least when it comes to interiors. Make no mistake, I understand the drama of red and the need for red; it’s just that I generally have a ‘meh moment’ whenever I encounter it. 

To be fair, there are many reds I like, but they tend not to be that classic fire engine red that everyone gets so wound up about. I generally prefer the ones that are more bastardized—the skeleton-in-the-closet reds that are just slightly off. You’ll notice a few hues down that I similarly characterize my preference for certain blues and yellows; my need for the primaries to be, well, less primary. It may stem from a bad experience I had with them in pre-school. Or I may just be a terrible person—it’s hard to say. Nonetheless, here are three variations on “black sheep” reds that make this old carcass of mine feel something akin to passion…

Blue-reds: Oddly, despite my aversion to its closest kin, cerise (or cherry, en anglais) ranks among my top five favourite colours. I remember when I was in university a house around the corner from where I lived in Victoria’s Oak Bay had a cerise front door with a diamond-shaped window of amber and blue leaded glass, done in the classic harlequin pattern. Devastating. I was late for class often because I would go out of my way to look at that door—in the fog, in the rain, in full sunshine, in leaf-dappled autumn light. If they ever change the marriage laws to a drastic extent I will propose to—and wed—that door. But I digress. Favourite blue-reds of mine are: Farrow & Ball’s Rectory Red; Venus Envy from C2; and Crushed Velvet and Pomegranate, both from Benjamin Moore. Big box pick: Behr’s Strawberry Daiquiri

 

Red-reds: OK, so there’s a gun to my head and I have to pick three; these are the ones that will save my life: delicious in dining rooms, dignified on front doors and delightful on the inside of closets. Two favourites from Benjamin Moore include Caliente and Vermilion, but let’s not forget Farrow & Ball’s Incarnadine or C2’s devastating, jazzily named Bang. Big box pick: Licorice Stick from Behr.

 

Orange-reds: seriously, if the right orange-red asked “Who’s your daddy?” I would blush hotly and swoon. I adore this colour—and was in seventh heaven when a client of mine (a very traditional doctor, no less) agreed to let me paint her living room/dining room in a hot-cha-cha rendition from C2 called “Mojo”. Needless to say it resulted in quite an enchanting love triangle: me, the good doctor, and Mojo.

Less harsh and more flattering than red-red (which can make you look like you’ve just had bargain dermabrasion if the reflection is just so), this hue offers the most wonderful, healthy glow to all who bask within range. Frontrunners include: C2’s Persimmon and the aforementioned Mojo; Bonaparte and Rustique from Benjamin Moore; and Farrow & Ball’s Blazer, which is as natty as it sounds. Big box pick: Old Glory by CIL.

 

ÀPRES LE DÉLUGE, MOI...

Just under three weeks ago, the city I call home was thrown into chaos when two rivers breached their banks and caused unprecedented flooding. More than 75,000 people were evacuated to higher ground and a significant number lost their homes and many of their possessions. Despite the fact that the citizens of Calgary stepped forward to help clean up in the aftermath, many lives will have to start anew—some, unfortunately, without insurance.

Although I was evacuated from my own home it remained untouched by flood waters and life returned pretty much to normal after a week. In fact, the only thing I had to do to get back on track was clean and re-stock my fridge. Despite being able to help in some small way by clearing debris out of homes in the affected areas, I still feel like more needs to be done.

To this end, I am offering a 25% reduction in contract hourly fees for anyone who experienced significant flood damage to their primary home and must rebuild. The scope of this can range from assisting with colour and material selections for your restoration provider to complete furniture replacement or full-fledged renovations.

While I cannot guarantee the availability of my contractors and their trades—based on the volume of work already underway—I will do my utmost to connect new clients with reliable, quality workers. I am also happy to work in conjunction with your own trades, should you already have them in place.

In this vein, I am also creating three comprehensive “design-in-a-box” options for those who do want to work with their own labourers but take the guesswork out of the selection process. After all, there will be enough information to process with insurance claims, restoration companies, personal finances and the like without adding something as relatively frivolous as colour choices into the mix.

These designs will include scale-able materials available through a wide variety of suppliers, complete with product numbers, colour codes and similarly useful information.  All will feature flood-friendly (not flood-proof) materials that are either salvageable or economically replaced should an event such as this ever (fingers crossed it doesn’t) occur again.

Based on my knowledge of the affected areas, I have chosen to focus on three themes: traditional, contemporary and retro.  The last one is of particular interest to me, as I grew up in the era of rumpus rooms and miss the days when we truly had a place to unwind and let kids be kids.

While the past cannot be undone, it’s my sincere hope that the aforementioned measures can be of some use as Calgary rebuilds to become the vibrant, neighbourly city I know and love. As our civic motto proclaims: Onward! For more information, please contact me via e-mail; david@barbariandesign.ca or telephone: 403-808-5630.

THE MOST IMPORTANT GUY IN MY LIFE

I remember as if it were yesterday—no mean feat after four decades. I was in grade one and the sparks flew immediately. Now, before you get the wrong idea let me clarify: there was no hanky-panky between me and my first grade teacher (a woman, to be even more clear). No, the object of my enduring affection was one Roy G. Biv, otherwise known as the colours of the rainbow. Redorangeyellow Green. Blueindigoviolet. A stunner if there ever was one and beautifully nuanced in character; it was impossible for me not to fall in love.

You’ll notice that I have not made mention of his estranged cousin Beige who, while nuanced, is not nearly as much fun at a party. We’ll get there eventually but for now let’s go with the good stuff. Colour, like humour, taste, attraction and self-image, is subjective—and if you can get around that then I’m going to take you for a spin on the wheel, pointing out my favourite hues along the way.

Despite the vividness  of the subject matter, this could prove to be a rather dull errand so I will attempt to bring things home—literally—by focusing my attention on some of my favourite paint colours. I will attempt to represent a range of price points where possible but should point out up front that I’m a bit of a paint snob. One of my long-standing clients also refers to me as the Colour Nazi, a moniker I neither deny nor dislike, but that is not the same thing.

That said, I fully appreciate that not everyone is into colour, so will space out the posts with other material as much as possible. I also recognize that this entry has gone on far too long (“Just tell us which colour to paint the goddamned living room!”) so will leave it at that for now. Julie Andrews would be upset with me if I didn’t start at the beginning (a very good place to start) so we’ll commence with Red. But first…

ROLE PLAY

As much as I’d like to insist this is all about me, I have to admit it is all about you—when you’re who I work for. Addressing client needs in an effective, attractive manner is the foundation of Barbarian’s existence and satisfaction is paramount. I believe my past involvement in theatre design served me well; to quote an oldie but a goodie, “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players”.
Theatre design is all about research and “getting it right”; if you do your job properly, an audience knows who belongs in the environment you’ve created even before the first actor has set foot in your set. Research is particularly important given the range of worlds you’ll be called upon to create—one show might see you designing a 1930s prairie farmhouse while another demands a chic Manhattan apartment circa 1992.

Interior design is no different, for in order to create a space that accurately reflects your clients (the characters) you must first know their backstory and the details of the script that informs their lives and lifestyles. To proceed otherwise is like designing a set without knowing which play it is for.
That is why I always start with a creative brief—a document based on in-depth interviews with clients, which essentially provides us with a script. It isn’t necessarily a Pulitzer Prize-winning material every time but it is a script nonetheless and literally puts us all on the same page.

If you’re reading this and you know you’re never going to hire me, try the following in order to create a brief of your own.

Who will be using the room? (Don’t forget to include pets in this equation; they’re home more than you are.)

What kinds of activities will take place in the space?(Is it a ‘vertical’ space like a kitchen or a ‘horizontal’ space like a family room?)

When is the room generally being used—in the day, the evening or both? (This is crucial for colour and lighting choices.)

What are your likes? (Be honest.)

What are your dislikes? (Be even more honest.)

What is your budget? (Everyone has a budget—even “unlimited” is still technically a budget.)

Are there any specific challenges that need to be addressed? (Do some blue-sky thinking on this then bring it down to Earth.)

Why changes are being made to the space? (Structural? Layout only? Cosmetic? All of these?)

How do you hope the room will be different once it’s done? (Remember: change should always be purposeful and for the better.)

I hope this helps focus you in the right direction so you can avoid things like project scope-creep, budget overruns, uneven results and other vexing factors that are part and parcel of interior projects. Oh—and don’t worry: I won’t hold it against you as I eat Ramen noodles and draw a threadbare pashmina around my shoulders to stave off the cold…

WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE

Wilkommen.
Before I get started, I must admit something: the only reason I know how to spell “wilkommen” is because of the soundtrack liner notes from Cabaret (both film and Broadway versions). A gimmicky start for a blog called Hausfrau but appropriate—even though I am neither a frau nor do I live in a haus. Let’s just say being one step removed from both gives me some perspective.

Speaking of perspective, as a forty-something homosexual male I think I have a lot of it—or at least that’s the impression I get from the number of people who seek my advice, rightly or wrongly, on matters of life and style. I suppose that’s because I’ve been around long enough to view things with a critical eye—though not so long as to have become jaded. That I have no shortage of opinions doesn’t hurt, either.

My company, Barbarian, focuses primarily on interior decoration, but that in no way restricts my point of view. As I mention on my site: although focused on matters of design, here you will find opinions—for better or worse—on aspects of culture high and low, current events, entertaining, food, fashion and other matters of gracious living. Whether you’re inspired, amused, entertained or offended (give me time) I’m glad you’re here.

Wilkommen, to press a point. I’m going to shut up now as I find introductory messages both tedious and difficult to write. Here we go…