Color Addict

Sonia Delaunay created dazzlingly colorful paintings, textiles and household items.

Sonia Delaunay was initially a painter but became increasingly attracted by color itself and designed fashion and other items, including a great deck of cards. Robert Delaunay, her husband, also created compatible beautiful paintings, viewable at the Guggenheim here in New York. Another great husband/wife meeting of the minds. They must have been incredible inspirations to each other.

Perhaps one of the first really modern designers, working in the early decades of the last century but active until her passing in 1979, Sonia unleashed her wild colors on dresses, cutlery and created the first neon sculpture. She was friends with great artists and supported by many art movements such as the Surrealists, Dadaists and Futurists. She collaborated with Coco Chanel and Sergei Diaghilev. Her fluid movement from everyday items to “high” art appeals to my sense that art should trickle into all aspects of life, making existence richer, more fun, more intense, more thoughtful and more colorful.

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“Life consists of what a man is thinking of all day.”

This is artwork created for and included in my business card for Nonlinear nyc. The background became my most flamboyant painterly rug, called “Think.” The words were my version of a similar thought to Emerson's; I read the Emerson quote only recently. It's a distillation of a lot of interesting concepts I've read about the power of positive thinking and related ideas. But it's not just about thinking. It's the concept of how your thoughts become actions which become tangible things and experiences and ultimately your life. So be aware of what you spend your time thinking about. You have the power to direct your mind, although at times it can seem like your mind has you. And you can direct it to happiness and constructive endeavors or to negativity and circular thoughts that take you nowhere. I'd choose the former.

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Above: Run Kitty Modern Rug Design by Katie's Modern Rugs

Last but not least in the recent onslaught of rug designs from Katie's Modern Rugs is this homage to Cassandra the kitty. Cassandra's very feminine and curvaceous butt is recognizable to those who know and love her.

I did this drawing of Cassandra when she was a little kitten and everyone pointed out to me that it was definitely a female kitty. I hadn't realized, had just drawn what I saw. It's cool to see this art now make its way onto a rug design. You can never honor the kitties too much.

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Here is another of Katie's Modern Rugs new designs. This design also comes in a yellow/purple combination and was inspired by 1950s lampshade patterns.

Above: Lampshade Blue Modern Rug Design is Good for Twisting On

Have fun in your own house like Autumn and check out the full line of Katie's Modern Rugs grouped by motifs including painterly, graphic, rich solid colors and illustrative rug designs. Our rugs are custom made in any size and shape. This rug is a circle, which works well in a dining room and for ceiling gazing, according to Autumn. We can make runners that turn a corner and all sorts of cool shapes. Live it up with our unique modern area rugs. Here's an image of the rug in the fuller room below.

Above: Lampshade Blue Modern Rug Design by Katie's Modern Rugs 

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Today, I received a shipment of six rug designs for my business, Katie's Modern Rugs, my first full-size rugs with which to take promotional photos, show buyers the actual color and texture of the rugs and launch the business.

Above: Squiggle Blue Modern Rug Design by Katie's Modern Rugs

The colors came out beautifully and the rugs feel great under your bare feet. The rugs take a couple of months to make. Specifying yarn colors is, to me, the most involved and tricky part of the design undertaking, as what you see in a finished rug isn't always what you expect. You have to learn the translation process the same way you learn in graphic design work how printed pieces translate colors from the Pantone or other color matching systems. But hey, you get to play with colors for hours in the process, so not a bad task.

Above: Art Blue Modern Rug Design by Katie's Modern Rugs

The Good Doggie rug design shown below is one of the ones that gets a big reaction from customers. There's nothing like a critter to get people all worked up. There are more animal themed rugs in the collection too.

Above: Good Doggie Modern Art Rug by Katie's Modern Rugs

Katie's Modern Rugs designs are presented in four categories: Painterly, Graphic, Solids and Illustrative. Since color is one of my greatest design strengths, even the solid color rugs offer wonderful design options in colors that brighten your life, as shown in the long luxurious hall runner below. This color combination is called Blackberries.

Above: Long Luxurious Hall Runner Rug in Color Blackberries by Katie's Modern Rugs

The site shopping cart is not quite finished being set up so if you see a rug you're interested in, don't hesitate to get in touch with Katie's Modern Rugs. Thanks! 

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Recycled sweaters are the forefathers of this patriotic blanket made by Crispina.

The company specializes in blankets but also offers some really cute toys and other items. The fuchsia and orange add much pizzazz to the traditional red, white and blue.

Sustainable living and products are terms I'm hearing constantly, meaning to reuse materials and create less waste. These items made from fabrics that have already served people well but can live again in beautiful pieces are a great example of smart recycling. No reason to throw something away that has tons more life left to love in it. Refurbish and refresh, baby.

Possum made from recycled materials by Crispina is ready to be loved by a new family, like yours.

Happy Independence Day 

July 4th means it really is summer now. Summer means fun. Summer means swimming. Summer means dinner while it's still light out, sometimes at Leno's Clam Bar.

Leno's Clam Bar really hits the spot. The best fried clams and huge portions. Fantastic corn on the cob. This is the kind of place that will always seem nostalgic and is very American. The present owner's family bought the place in 1967 and the building has been there as a joint since the 1920s.

Summer means walks down to the tiny beach with bare legs and feet in the water. Summer just feels so darn good. Give into it. Happy summer and Happy July 4th.

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Autumn was caught angling for my rugs yesterday.

Cats are designed for comfort. They stretch, snooze and contort into graceful, funny and odd-looking yoga-like poses all day and night. I'm not above taking advantage of their natural artistry and dexterity to promote my modern rugs.

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My design career has headed in the direction of interior design recently.

This is a photograph of my gallery / hallway design in my last apartment on 106th street and Broadway in Manhattan. My designs are drenched in color, with plenty of open space and beautiful textures, such as Murano glass lamps with ceiling medallions (available from many architectural and hardware resources) and wrought iron details (the flower stand here is from the Gramercy Park Flower Shop).

For those who are interested, the paint-flecked slotted doors attached to the kitchen entry were found in an antique store in New Jersey. The blue overpainted small armoire is from Chester, New Jersey, an abundant antiquing town. The small stool is an Eames classic, available from Design Within Reach. The large mirror is a great value at Pottery Barn. The small lamp is from an antique store with a new shade. The small edge of a corner table you see was designed by me to fit in the corner of my previous apartment's kitchen to make more counter space. The kitty is the inimitable Cassandra. The rug is by Susan Sargent, who helped inspire my own rug design collection. 

Here's me, Katie Ulanov, entering into interior design in my current kitchen in City Island. Gorgeous striped glasses are by Vietri and available at At Home on Fifth. Glass multi-color cutting board is available at the Museum of Modern Art and Chiasso. Pucker (green bottle far right) makes great apple martinis, which look good being drunk in a blue and green kitchen.

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Happy birthday, world. It's 2006.

 
I wish everyone the best year of their lives. My personal good news is that my modern art rug design business, Katie Ulanov Rugs, received its first really significant retail store order on December 31, 2005. It was a nice way to bid adieu to 2005 and usher in 2006. The unique colorful rugs are being carried by Hers & Mine, an enticing furniture store in Park Slope, Brooklyn (250 Fifth Avenue; call 718-783-3500 for information). Owner Akua Hendricks has big plans for both the custom rug designs and the rest of her store this coming year. Akua loves color, among other design elements. The colorful rugs speak to that. She will have a full wall display of the unique rugs for your viewing pleasure as well as full size area rugs, to give you a rich taste of the line. Also find great armoires, wood tables in perfect sizes and many small decorative items such as picture frames and pillows at Hers & Mine. Akua is wonderful so pay her a visit and enrich your home decor.

Katie Ulanov modern art rugs can be ordered through Hers & Mine. You can also order select rug designs at Red Elephant Gallery, a gorgeous online craft/gift store. You are welcome to direct any custom rug or other questions directly to us. Please note that one feature of the custom rug line is that you can order all sizes and shapes, including, for example, round area rugs, square rugs, extra long rug runners and more.

Up the street a couple of blocks, at 152 Fifth Avenue, is At Home on Fifth (718-399-0091), a sister store, that carries dazzling home decor such as glassware, tableware, bowls etc. from respected vendors such as Vietri. Akua's mom owns that store. An aunt owns a bustling candy store next door. This family is an inspiration.

Park Slope is a great place to spend a day or weekend, filled with delectable stores such as these, the beautiful Promenade for romantic strolls, Prospect Park and more restaurants than you could ever find time to eat in. 

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My boyfriend, David, lives in Park Slope, a great place. The first retail store to carry my rugs, Hers & Mine, an eclectic furniture store with a colorful personality, is down the block on Garfield Street and Fifth Avenue. Before I met David, I hadn't been to Brooklyn, except to drive musician friends to gigs once or twice. Speaking of music, for those of use who care and love jazz, it is stretching out in Brooklyn. A small club called Puppets offers talent-laden original sounds. Another delicious restaurant, Night and Day, at 230 Fifth Avenue, is about to open a full back room with live jazz seven nights a week (please note that the websites for both establishments don't do the venues justice).

The life that is happening in this cousin of a borough is amazing. To me, it seems like a sophisticated relative who isn't jaded, yet anyway.

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