On Friday, January 24th we were invited to the showroom of Timothy Oulton that is located in The New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue, 8th floor, in Manhattan. We’ve been to their champagne events before and had a good time so we decided to go.
A scene in one of the many Timothy Oulton showrooms around the world: The sofa fabric is a soft linen and the coffee table and stool are made of reclaimed timbers. Photo: Courtesy of Timothy Oulton
Oulton specializes in dramatic crystal chandeliers, handsome tufted leather sofas and spectacular dining and coffee tables. This British firm uses reclaimed wood to produce handcrafted and totally unique items that are sold in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia.
It’s said that reclaimed wood has “soul” and, of course, a second life in rustic tables and stools
INDIGO IS SPECIAL
One of my favorite “blue” colors is true indigo. My interest peaked at the Oulton event where we saw their film on the origin of the natural indigo dye that comes from the leaves of a plant called the Indigofera tinctoria. The dye is used to create textiles that the company weaves on a loom and uses for their stunning hand-woven creations.
Making indigo from the leaves of the Indigofera tinctoria plant and weaving the fabric on a loom – then using it to make distinctive cushions
BLUE IN LOGOS
When I told an artist about this blog she told me that the color blue is a very popular color for logos – especially for companies. I found that she was 100% correct. For example: Google famously tested 40 different shades of blue when it was creating its logo. The executives wanted to make absolutely sure their logo matched their branding strategy.
GREAT BLUE PAINT
I went to the British company, Farrow & Ball to find a color blue that I really liked and struck gold with their “Drawing Room Blue.” This was after many tries with other brands that did not come through – they looked good as a chip, but didn’t make the final cut. The folks at F&B have since told me that this color is very popular.
BLUES IN FOOD
Let’s start with blue cheese, one of the aristocrats of the cheese world – and, I’ve found, “the bluer the better.” Or, bite into a blueberry muffin for instant gratification. Nothing beats those plumb, juicy little morsels hitting one’s taste buds. Oh yes, and once we went to a beer tasting at Crate and Barrel in Soho. This was a first: wine tastings, yes. A beer tasting – never.
If I remember correctly, as the evening went on the noise level escalated and so did the beer choices. Finally we were offered Blueberry Beer. I thought it sounded dreadful. Boy, was I wrong! It was fantastic.
CLASSIC BLUE DENIM
Once when I was on the #6 Lexington subway going up to Bloomies I got bored and started counting the number of people wearing blue denim jeans sitting across from me or standing near. There were nine.
Levi Strauss & Co. has been making women’s jeans for 86 years
Then in the February 2020 issue of Elle I came across an article that reported on the must-haves in blue denim. And there they were: denim in jeans (yes, even patchwork and painterly) jackets, shorts, skirts and boiler suits all in different shades of denim.
The handy all-in-one denim boiler suit for females
Fashion photos: Courtesy of Elle magazine, February 2020
BLUES IN MUSIC
Whether one says, “The Blues” or uses the word “Blue” in the title it always seems to sound great. For example, here’s one of my favorite selections that I play quite often. CLICK HERE for Loose Marbles “Wabash Blues.” Or, CLICK HERE for “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin.
BLUE SKIES NOW
Well, we’re finished, I think – except for a few more gems, such as:
I’m done. That’s it.
Shaun Nelson-Henrick
Comments will be approved before showing up.
I just read an article that sounded – to me at least – like “a canary in a coal mine” or an early warning of danger. This piece, written by Joe Pompeo, appeared in the May 2020 issue of Vanity Fair magazine with the title “The British Tabloid Invasion” and a subtitle that read, “How the Daily Mail is conquering American gossip.”
The paparazzi horde, La Dolce Vita, 1960 – photo courtesy of Vanity Fair
Apparently the good old U.S. is a nation of “not great” sleepers. Really? And I thought I was the only one! According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention it was revealed that one out of three Americans are chronically sleep-deprived. Yikes!
I think we’re all taken by the incredible mystique of the famous French fashion house, Hermès that has been with us for two centuries and is still owned and operated by the same family. From its beginnings in fine equestrian leather goods, they are – in the tumultuous year 2020 – best known for their handbags and many other items.
My image of Hermès has always been rarified products at equally rarified prices so imagine my surprise when I recently received a very stylish publication of theirs in the mail.
Karen Armitage
May 29, 2020
All I can say is I love the color blue from blueberries to eyes. Nothing beats the "blues.