As we approach the ten year anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our country, you may ask “What do interior design and 9/11 have in common?”

Well, for one thing, art.

 
Art is very personal, whether one is the artist or the viewer. Artists throughout our country and the world were affected on that day. For many, the artistic outlet provides a form of healing, whatever the medium, and no matter the training or skill of the artist. Here are some websites that have some unique expressions.

And, of course, there is children’s art, sometimes more moving for its raw simplicity (all from“The Day Our World Changed: Children’s Art of 9/11”).

Inevitably, we went to war, and are still at war. But, how many of you know we have a military Art Program? If the quote above is true, then we have a wonderful visual diary from the Army.

Follow this link for a brief history of the program and to view  the artist’s works. It also has a link to the National Constitution Center’s Art of the American Soldier Exhibition.
 http://www.history.army.mil/museum.html#tab_3

Here are a few of my favorites.

No matter what your political views, the end result is human lives have been changed forever by all wars.

In closing, please consider supporting the Wounded Warrior Project and/or Christmas Can Cure to show your appreciation for the sacrifices made by our military and their families. 
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
http://www.christmascancure.org/


-Carol

Never heard of it? Well, if you are looking for a place to lay back and relax, and if you are an avid golfer or hiker, you need to check it out! It’s a nice quiet city, about 89 miles north of Fabulous Las Vegas! I have to think it was probably what Vegas might have been like circa 1940’s. Why Mesquite, you ask? Well, we have been very instrumental in helping to form and develop one of the strongholds there for years!

You might be surprised to realize that Mesquite, and especially Eureka, offers all the fabulous amenities like spas, fine dining and entertainment that Vegas can provide, just at a simpler yet still exciting pace. We have designed and provided some of the most lovely accommodations and venues that would rival larger cities. Eureka is a real first class operation, and a pleasure to have as one of our anchor clients! We would be lost without them. They really understand and appreciate the value of good design for their clients and guests. Here are just some of the examples of our successes with them:

Also… not to forget… the new live entertainment venues…

 The New Seasons Lounge and Moon Bar! 

Sorry! … those designs are a secret right now! 

Opening in October 2011

I highly encourage you to explore Mesquite and the Eureka! You will be pleasantly surprised! Check out their website
www.eurekamesquite.com before you go.

-Larry

Hi! Back again! I pondered for a bit this week on what I wanted to share. I recently experienced the new Disney spectacular “The World of Color” and it got me to thinking… you know what? Let’s talk a little about color.  

 “Ahhhhhhh!!!!” you say? 

Scary word for some when it comes to things like clothing and even more so, interior spaces!  

It’s funny to us that over so many years of practicing design just how intimidated people and clients are about the use of color!

Come on now, be brave! Color is naturally present in everything around us. So, why not more color in what we choose to wear and even more so, the spaces that we inhabit, both in our private and public spaces? 

Color has a mysterious and magical quality that has the ability to make us react and feel. We see it in symbolism, like the Royalty of Purple and the Passion of Red. We have all subconsciously reacted to and experienced color, whether we are aware of it or not.
  
Color changes and dances; color interacts with light to create different affects. In the same setting, colors will appear different, just from differences in the time of day or type of lighting. It’s really a very fascinating thing! Color can reflect and also absorb, creating different feelings in the same spaces.

Imagine you're driving by a green field of grass, punctuated by yellow wild flowers. You’ll notice the yellow flowers more than the green grass, because yellow is the first color our eyes notice. Painting walls a pale yellow mimics a sun-filled space and creates a soothing feeling for the room's occupants. White lace or sheer curtains,  tinted with a tiny amount of pale yellow dye, will make a home feel sunny and cheerful.

However, bright yellows can cause feelings of turmoil and hostility. Therefore, bright yellows should be used sparingly, especially in high-anxiety centers such as kitchens. Also,  naturally bright rooms that have been painted bright yellow may over-stimulate some people, contributing to angry feelings. However, that very same dazzling yellow room may be just the perfect place on an overcast day in a cold climate.

Red is the strongest and longest-lasting color our eyes process. Red is like a cup of tea or coffee; it awakens the senses. Dining room walls painted dark rouge red are not only romantic and festive; but they also help make food taste fabulous. At night, in low light, dark red is lavish and sensuous. In the morning, the same red enlivens and motivates you to live the day fully.

Many people are afraid to use red on walls because they mistakenly believe red to be an angry or blood-associated color, but red is auspicious, not caustic. Artwork often looks more important with a red background as opposed to white, and almost everyone looks great with rich red as a background color.

Light sky blue has a soothing effect on humans. This is because the pituitary gland releases tranquilizing hormones when we look at sky blue. If you want the feelings generated by baby blue but reject the color as "babyish," add a little black and use a complex grayed-blue.

White suggests cleanliness and reflects the most light. It's the purest of all the colors and psychologically denotes
respectability and attention to hygiene. Brilliant white adds coolness to hot color schemes. Too much white will cause squinting and eyestrain, however, and it's uncomplimentary to pale-skinned people.

Gray makes rooms seem refined and exclusive and denotes prudence and humility, while bringing an aura of elegance. The only color that leaves no after image, gray instills creativity, imagination, and meditation, but should be avoided in areas where the natural daylight is often diffused by overcast skies.

Color affects human beings on a variety of levels, including changes in our very body chemistry. Therefore, a considerable amount of thought should be given to the color scheme of a room, depending on its use and the effect you're trying to achieve. 

It’s interesting that all color begins with the three core colors in their purest form: Red, Blue and Yellow. The millions of colors are all derived from this trinity. And these three in the purest form cannot be broken any further! It is fascinating when you think about it!

One of the great joys that we experience as interior designers is when a client is brave and open to working with color. It’s just color and can be dialed up and down very easily when you create a palette! 

Hopefully this will allay some reservations that you may have and allow you to be more receptive and adventurous the next time you redesign a space or select a new outfit!

 -Larry


Colorful based interior spaces:

Yes, we thought the same thing…. “That’s a mouthful of a name!” so, let’s just call it simply WHL Design Group!  Some of you have known and worked with us in the past, and to others we are something new! Well, we are reaching out further these days, as you probably are to keep it moving forward.  

Here you will find new information on design ideas and products for all areas of design. We don’t want to be just another one of those blogs that talks all about us! Come on, we know it does get boring. From time to time we will share neat and interesting things that Larry, Carol and Natalie are involved in, with visuals too! Everyone love the visuals! But mostly we want to share ideas, concepts and products that we come across that you might find interesting. 

We are continuing to evolve 

Earlier this year we launched our Dallas, Texas office location and it is well received! 

Fairly soon… you will find more residential design services offerings! In case you are wondering, Larry came from a residential design background before migrating into Corporate and Hospitality Design! Also in the works you will find our new Virtual Designer Coordination Services on our website! It will be a very fun way of working with us and you can be anywhere on the globe! For a small fee we will work with you to create and coordinate a complete Interior Design package, whether it is a single space or an entire residence or a commercial space! It will be very easy, unintimidating and exciting!

See you next time!

 Well, it was great to reach out to you all. Going forward, we will be updating weekly, so, come back next week to see the latest goings on!