Pratt and Lambert - Personal Expressions 2008 - (Page 14) feature of the light, and light takes a big role in Seattle interiors.” However, she also uses other natural hues in her interiors. “If you pick salmon for example, it has a shiny silvery skin and a very bright, red-orange color of the flesh,” she says. “The color of the bark of a pine tree — we are the Evergreen State, so we do have a lot of Evergreen trees. Also, the blue-gray of the water is a very popular color.” Marinello uses cooler tones, like gray or white, as a shell palette, but she accents the lighter-hued walls with colored fabrics, like throw pillows. “Our light here in Seattle is very gray and overcast, and we’ve found great success in bringing that into the interior,” Marinello says. “People think, ‘Oh my gosh, you can’t!’ But with very nice lighting, design, and very warm tones in the upholstery fabric, we find it very appropriate and very successful. Then we let natural materials like wood really sing.” “The materials that spring to mind are steel, wood and concrete,” says Sandetskaya. “The most popular wood is probably fir.” “There’s a couple of local companies that craft custom tables and furnishings whom we’ve worked with that utilize local, reclaimed trees and turn them into furniture or art pieces.” In addition to natural materials, Seattle furniture is also made from mohair or velvet, oftentimes in cool, silvery textures, says Sandetskaya. “You’ll never see a lot of patterns in a good Seattle interior,” she says. “People in Seattle shy away from ing one of the most famous glass artists,” says Sandetskaya. “But you often see glass played with in accents. It’s not only colored glass, but also glass in a clear form — it’s really kind of a parallel to the water, of which we have a lot in Seattle.” Marinello recommends using large pieces of modern, abstract art to also bring color into the space. “This is a formula that works so lovely in Seattle homes, because it compliments the monumentality of the views outside,” she says. This penchant for high-quality design is representative of what you’ll find in Seattle at large. “We’ve created this culture of striving for the best — best in technology, best in wine, best in interiors and best in art,” says Marinello. “Artwork is really at the core of every interior we put together. Between the views and artwork, it sort of all falls into place. flowers as a pattern; they would rather go with more geometric patterns.” Accent pieces are where Seattle’s Asian influences shine though. These may consist of works from local artists or blend in natural elements from the outdoors. Sandetskaya often works with meditation islands that incorporate elements like stones, water and bonsai trees. “We don’t have a lot of time of the year when we enjoy the exterior, so we need to make sure that our interiors accommodate that need to connect with nature,” she says. “Therefore interiors compensate for that by incorporating the island with green plants — that comes, actually from the Japanese aesthetic.” The Northwest is also known as a center for glass art, and these installations help distinguish Seattle homes. “Seattle is very big on glass, with Dale Chihuly be- Whitecap Gray 25-32 embracing the elements The trend of using sustainable resources in home design also extends to furniture and accessories, which in Seattle tend to take on a casual, comfortable feel. “Furniture here is very straightforward and not fussy,” says Marinello. “It’s more contemporary than traditional and comfort is the number one requirement.” If that’s true, the second requirement might be eco-friendliness. “What’s popular is side tables or knickknacks that are made of reclaimed woods,” says Frank. P R AT TA N D L A M B E R T. C O M S 14 PRATTANDLAMBERT.COM
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