Sue Firestone

Creating a well-balanced picture wall is an art in itself! Whether you’re going for a gallery-style display or a simple, elegant layout, here are some expert tips to get it just right: 📌 Start with a Focal Point – Choose one large piece or a central frame to anchor your arrangement. 📏 Plan Before You Hang – Lay out your frames on the floor first or use paper templates on the wall to find the perfect layout. 📐 Stick to a Theme – Whether it’s black & white prints, family portraits, or abstract art, a cohesive theme makes your wall look polished. 📊 Balance Shapes & Sizes – Mix different sizes and orientations, but keep things visually balanced to avoid clutter. 🛠️ Maintain Consistent Spacing – Keep frames 2-4 inches apart for a harmonious flow. Happy arranging!✨ #InteriorDesign #GalleryWall #HomeDecor CRYSTAL BARTHELEMY🏠💃🏼 RE/MAX ONE DRE # 02050979 Crystal1Estates.com Crystal1Estates@gmail.com

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Chandelier's Secret: Decoding the Ancient Rattan Weaving Patterns for Modern Design We are meticulously unraveling the hidden language of ancient rattan weaving patterns found in grand chandeliers, demonstrating how these historically rich, intricate designs can be precisely reinterpreted and sustainably applied to contemporary large-scale architectural and interior design projects, from hotel lobbies to corporate installations. #rattan #wicker #handmade

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The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is unveiling its new $720 million building, the Geffen Galleries, designed by Peter Zumthor. While the space opens to the public in June 2025 with previews and performances, the art won’t be installed until April 2026. The museum’s leadership and 45 curators have spent years rethinking how to break down traditional hierarchies of art presentation, embracing a more fluid, cross-disciplinary, and inclusive approach. Thematic ideas like oceans and migration will guide the display, bringing together works from LACMA’s encyclopedic collection and highlighting non-Western perspectives, Indigenous voices, and underrepresented art forms such as textiles. The building’s architecture and curatorial strategy aim to disrupt conventional narratives, encouraging exploration and dialogue. When an institution like LACMA pours $720 million into a new building, it’s impossible not to ask: what, exactly, is worth such an extraordinary investment? Is it the bricks and mortar—or in this case, the undulating concrete designed by Peter Zumthor—that we’re investing in? Or something more elusive: a new vision of what art can be and whom it can serve? LACMA’s project is not just about aesthetics. It’s about reimagining the cultural contract between museum and public. By dismantling traditional hierarchies—Western versus non-Western, fine art versus craft, canon versus marginal—the institution is signaling that the future of museums lies in plurality and dialogue. This is a worthy ambition. Museums, after all, are no longer mere vaults of cultural prestige; they are arenas where narratives clash, mingle, and evolve. Yet, we must be cautious about equating architectural innovation with institutional transformation. Does a dazzling building automatically result in deeper engagement, broader inclusion, or more meaningful experiences? LACMA’s leadership hopes +=+l-but history offers a sobering lesson: ambitious architecture often outpaces the slower, subtler work of changing hearts, minds, and systems. Moreover, in a world grappling with pressing social, environmental, and economic challenges, the optics of a $720 million spend can seem tone-deaf. Critics are right to question whether such funds might also have fueled education programs, expanded digital access, or supported emerging artists on the precarious margins of the art world. That said, culture and community need space—not just digital or conceptual space, but real, physical places where we can gather, reflect, and encounter the unexpected. If LACMA’s new building becomes a true civic hub, not merely a temple of elite contemplation, it may well justify its cost. But the ultimate measure of success won’t be the curves of its concrete. It will be the diversity of stories told, the multiplicity of voices heard, and the richness of experiences shared within its walls. https://lnkd.in/eUEpkF9W

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The Unsung Hero of Support: The Corbel 🏛️ From the soaring cathedrals of the Middle Ages to the refined interiors of the 21st century, few architectural elements have transitioned into furniture design as gracefully as the corbel. (About the Author: With expertise in furniture design and product development, Steve Wilcox bridges the gap between creative vision and commercial reality. He researches, reports, and educates on furniture design and development—empowering manufacturers and individual designers to scale their impact. Connect with Steve for product design, executive consulting, or professional mentorship.) Originally a structural necessity in stone masonry, the corbel (derived from the Old French word for "raven," due to its beak-like appearance) was designed to carry weight from above. In furniture, however, it evolved into a masterclass of form meeting function. A Quick History: - Classical Roots: Early corbels were heavy, scrolled brackets used to support heavy cornices and eaves. Check it out in Rome or Greece next time you are there! - The Renaissance Shift: As furniture became more architectural, designers began integrating carved wood corbels into massive oak cabinets and "buffets" to provide visual stability. - Victorian Opulence: This era saw the corbel become highly decorative—think lush acanthus leaves and intricate scrolls supporting heavy marble-topped pier tables. Corbels in Furniture Design: Today, we use corbels to bridge the gap between structural integrity and aesthetic "heft." They are essential for: - Kitchen Islands: Providing essential support for heavy stone overhangs while adding a custom, high-end feel. - Mantelpieces: Framing the fireplace with a sense of permanent, grounded history. - Bookcases & Desks: Adding a layer of traditional craftsmanship to otherwise simple silhouettes. - Exposed shelving supports....if its decorative or not, the Corbel is your "go-to" for functional and decorative support! Whether it’s a minimalist "S" curve or a hand-carved masterpiece, the corbel reminds us that the best design doesn't just look good—it holds everything together. The sketches and renderings below would be great for a tall cabinet, they are a bit stylized and the detail is a bit "soft" for the classical applications. ;-) Have a great weekend. SW #FurnitureDesign #InteriorDesign #Architecture #Woodworking #DesignHistory #CustomFurniture #interiors

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Patty Madden Real Wood Veneer   Each line of grain moves in quiet rhythm — a single, continuous gesture of real wood. Here, surface becomes sculpture. Walls, ceilings, and light — flowing together as one uninterrupted form.   A collaboration between Patty Madden, Luxe Surfaces, and their partners, this innovation in real wood veneer is crafted through a patented joining process that transforms sequenced sheets into continuous rolls — allowing the grain to flow seamlessly across tall walls and ceilings, designed to fit the space. Also available in sheets. This innovation transforms natural wood into seamless architectural planes revealing the artistry of the hand, and the poetry of engineering. Real wood — reimagined at scale to fit the space. Luxe Surfaces + Patty Madden   #interiordesign #woodveneer #wooddesign

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Hotel spaces are always evolving. Fabrics date, wear patterns show, brands refresh, and suddenly a room or restaurant feels tired. In our work at Curtain Drops, we see how even relatively small soft-furnishing updates can completely shift the guest experience, without full rebuilds or major downtime. What I find most interesting is how early conversations between operators, designers and suppliers often lead to the smartest, most cost-effective refurb decisions. Out of curiosity, which areas do you think make the biggest first impression on guests: lobby, restaurant or bedrooms?

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Chinese Sculpture maker reveal the secret of fabrication processing #newyorknewyork #architect #bronzesculpture #wellness #interiorideas #producer #landscapearchitecture #sculpture #beverlyhillsartshow #contemporaryart #wellness #filmmakers #laart #filmmaker #luxuryproperties #luxuryrealestate #bronzestatue #physician #londonart #metalsculptures #dentist #fitness #monumentalsculpture #interiorstyling #uaelife

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The line between art and furniture is getting thinner, and it’s wonderful. When artists design furniture, they bring instinct- proportion guided by emotion, not only function. The result is furniture that performs, but also provokes. A sideboard becomes sculpture. A bench tells a story through form. We’re seeing more collaborations where studios translate paintings into tangible pieces- colour gradients turning into veneered layers, abstract lines guiding joinery. Clients respond differently too. When a table feels “made by an artist,” it invites conversation, not just use. Maybe design’s next wave isn’t creating new categories, but blurring the ones we already have. Isn’t that where creativity feels most alive?

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Planters, magazines, end panels… all feeling the magnetic attraction of this piece. MAGNETO, designed by Cory Grosser for Punt mobles, elegant versatility. #contractfurniture #commercialfurniture #interiordesign #aivisuals

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