Archive for the ‘On Art & Design’ Category
Restaurant BT – Art, Design, French Vietnamese Cuisine in a Brilliant Modern Concept
Cork covered wine list, menu on a single sheet of textured paper...and a dazzling green mum, the single pop of color amidst the glowing amber surroundings.
“I can’t believe I haven’t taken you to Restaurant BT yet!” said John. We recently made the quick trek to South Tampa for lunch on a beautiful sunny October day. You could say we are voracious foodies and locavores, hunting down the creative, the cheffy, the anti-chain, the sustainable, and the local. Rarely does one place smoothly cover every angle, with attention to each nuance. Ah, Restaurant BT, you’ve done it!
We arrived at the glass back door that connects the kitchen to the outdoor patio, thinking it was the entrance. A server popped out and instead of directing us around the building, he casually invited us into the kitchen and said “Oh, people can come through our kitchen any time!”
So we entered through the kitchen (how often does that happen?) and as soon as we sat down I began to take in the aesthetics of this place…
Warm, modern, natural, cohesive. Smooth bamboo tables and marbled tile floors. A single fresh and green chrysanthemum in a round glass vase on every table. Neutral cloth napkins draped over the edge at every seat.
Exquisite plating. Yet simple. How often do you get an orchid with a lunch appetizer? The calamari was absolutely zinging. The marinade it was dressed with had us eating the lettuce bed as well.
A design classic. The Louis Ghost Armchair (at Design Within Reach http://www.dwr.com), a modern re-invention of the Louis XV armchair, which begs you to appreciate the homage paid to the overall theme.
Comfortable elegance was evident everywhere…but sometimes ambiance take precedence over creative and quality cuisine and attentive service, diminishing the core competency to a disappointing facade. You know it’s happened one too many times, right?
Suspended cleverly along the front wall, multiple tiers of spices in glass bottles. What an awesome idea!
The reality: Using an “innovative and fresh mixture of organic ingredients, small farm meats and poultry, fresh caught seafood and local Florida produce”, BT’s dishes are grounded in a blend of Vietnamese and French cooking, seasoned by over 24 years of experience in the industry. Their moniker is EAT LOCAL, THINK GLOBAL, and on their website you find that they really do take this seriously. Recycling almost everything, including shredded office paper for the Humane Society and the used kitchen oil for making gasoline alternatives, they also use biodegradable containers, which honestly, everyone should be doing this by now.
Two very notable things here. 1) That is BT, exiting the kitchen and delivering food to a table. She was visible throughout our whole meal. 2) Lithographs of spices, by Cuban artist Luzette Costello - integrate so perfectly here.
As the server addressed me as “Madame”, I couldn’t help but delight at the significant yet subtle touches playing throughout the experience. One of my favorite downtempo electronica songs melted through the air…even the music, I thought, is intentionally curated…
Which brings me to the notion of intention in design…or art, or cuisine, or anything creative that is decisively and beautifully intentional. An alignbetween saying I love to tout is art is not an afterthought.
I have to bow to Chef BT. She is an artist of many realms, fusing it all together in an experience that is anything but…an afterthought.
Which Comes First – The Art or the Design?
Oct 7, 2011
LCW Eames Chair Image via Wikipedia
I’ve gathered plenty of nicknacks in my time. I’ve created lots of art and photography and proudly displayed it anywhere and everywhere. I’ve been my own victim of clashing decor: antique meets contemporary meets metropolitan meets IKEA meets Target meets garage sale. If I like it, in it goes!
But over time, with age, and a relationship with a fellow creative who decidedly likes mid-century modern (he’s got great taste), I have begun to cultivate a more unified sense of style and direction. I discovered I loved modern…and also found out that the Herman Miller LCW Eames Chair has to be the most comfortable thing in the world made out of plywood!
I am also a rule-breaker and a little rebellious. Oldest child syndrome perhaps? I often describe to friends and colleagues that my Type A and Type B personalities constantly battle it out in my brain. So I’ve been pondering, as an artist…which comes first when it comes to decor – the art or the design?
A great post caught my attention last week on Apartment Therapy: How Do You Choose: Art Colors vs. Room Colors? I found it refreshing that in the post and comments, the sentiment encouraged being “bold” and letting the art choices lead the design. I think most artists would appreciate this one! My input was:
Page 70 of the 2011 West Elm Catalog No 11 - Features layered rugs, intersecting and mismatched patterns that replicate lines and angles in the framed photos...a creative example of integrating art, colors & patterns.
… As an artist, I believe that art should not be an afterthought, and it’s so much more enjoyable if it has meaning for you – but the overall design is important too… I also think building a room around a strong piece of art is unconventional and exciting. And it’s also fun to break some rules every now and then!
I asked my good friend, interior-designer-turned-yogi-and-alignbetween-model Carrie Ielfield what she thinks. Carrie’s worked in a variety of design roles, most recently in a world-renowned hotel & hospitality brand. She adds:
I think both ways can work! But from a creativity standpoint, it’s more fun when you have a great piece of art or patterned fabric that you can use as a starting point to design your room around. The task of designing a room can sometimes feel overwhelming or scary at first. Finding a piece of art that you really love can become the basis for the room design, as it provides a reference point for selecting the colors and textures in your room.
Energize the Root, by yours truly, captures Carrie's 'mountain pose' silhouette, overlayed with mandala design and fanning lotus flower.
When you are drawn to a particular piece of art, there’s this element of self-discovery that happens in the design process. Whatever emotion is evoked when you look at that piece can help you decide upon the overall mood and energy you’d like to convey in your space. Using art as the origin of your inspiration allows you to tap into your intuition of what really moves you and makes you feel good. Then you know you are designing a space that follows your own personal sense of style and creativity. -Carrie Ielfield Interior Designer, NCIDQ
Beautifully put Carrie! (By the way, if you’re ever in New Smyrna Beach, FL, and ready to do some yoga, Carrie is a talented and intuitive teacher. Find out more at her website: Brahma Living).
So the good news is…freedom reigns when it comes to art, decor and design. It seems it’s not only okay, but perfectly creative and bold to jump outside the box! And all the artists around the world say “Amen”!
So do you fall in the “art is not an afterthought” camp? I’d love to hear from decorating enthusiasts, artists and designers. What works for you – please share!
just your blog posts, ma’am
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