Watching Dave Santia’s The Art of Rock and Roll was truly a high point for the evening.  This talented man speed paints.  In less than 10 minutes, works of art, that eventually would be auctioned off for Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan, were created.  Stroke by stroke, Dave’s creation develops in front of the crowd.

Strokes of orange paint are forcefully splashed on the the black canvas.

What is he painting?  Hard to make it out at this point.

Dave begins to incorporate more colors.  Still, I have no clue as to what the artist is creating.

More splattering, more colors.  And what is Dave doing?  He is literally flipping around his painting. And who has Dave been painting upside down?  Detroit’s own Kid Rock.

Nice, really nice.  But what’s nicer is that this painting was auctioned off for $7000, all for Children’s Leukemia Foundation of Michigan.  Dave painted Sparky, Mohammed Ali and Cindy Crawford, helping Art Van raise over $11, 000 for charity.

Congratulations to Art Van, to Dave and of course, the Children’s Leukemia Foundation of MIchigan.

Check out Dave’s Facebook Page at

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dave-Santias-The-Art-of-Rock-and-Roll/343917705621921

Great party Art Van!

Design Detroit was invited to experience first hand Detroit’s Art Movement.  Thanks to the Buick Design Team, Design Detroit was introduced to Detroit artists Bryan Baker, Andy Kem, Adam Shirley, Graem Whyte, each one relevant and influential in the Art Movement of Detroit. The artists gave us a tour of their studios and we saw the creative environments in which they work. We were in Hamtramck and Cork Town, at the Russell Industrial Center and at Re:Vive Gallery.  There many prongs required to establish a thriving energetic city, and these artists are creating a foundation that will lead the way for many other vibrant movements to follow.

Buick Color & Trim Designer Ven Lai, and Buick Lead Designer, Alikhan Kuljanov

To ensure that we arrived to the galleries in style, the Buick Design Team provided the newest Buicks for us enjoy.  Thanks to Ven and Alikhan from the Buick design team, (pictured above) we were exposed to the process by which art influences the automotive design process.  On display throughout the gallery were inspiration boards that would include photos that captured mood, color, texture, and pattern.  Ultimately, these boards would inspire the final look and feel of the  beautiful interiors of the cars, works of art in their own right.

We drove various Buicks from location to location, and as the afternoon went on, the similarities between the car and the art did not elude us. Like the Buicks we were driving, each piece of art begins with raw materials, a design concept, and the commitment of the artist. It is through the vision and commitment of the artist that we are left with compelling art, functional or decorative.

  
Bryan Baker’s press and dice print

Bryan Baker uses a printing press and block letters and even dice to create his works of art. Bryan’s studio is located in Corktown, in a building called Ponyride.  Bryan creates prints,  posters, and business cards, spanning the functional to the decorative.

  
Andy Kem’s Gravitymachine Series and Parabolic Stools

Andy Kem and Adam’ Shirley’s studios are located in the Detroit Industrial Center, home to a plethora of artists.

Andy Kem creates functional furniture and accessories of plywood, mitering and cutting with precision and skill.  His pieces are beautiful and available for sale at Re:View Gallery.

Adam Shirley, Still Life

Adam Shirley looks at the relationship between two and three dimensional objects, material and scale.  Adam is a graduate of Center for Creative Studies and Cranbrook. Working primarily in metal, Adam creates pieces that the viewer will find unpredictable for this material.

Graem’s Venue For Conflict Resolution

Graem Whyte’s home and gallery, located in Hamtramck, is quirky and unconventional and mesmerizing all at the same time. A sculptor, Graem successfully mixes disparate elements to create whimsical humorous pieces. Art is everywhere in Gream’s space, on the walls, on the floor, on the kitchen counter.

Our day ended at Re:View Contemporary Gallery where gallery owner  Simone DeSousaat hosted a group of honored guests who had been awed by the tour. Simone, an artist herself, is committed to promoting and encouraging the Art Movement in Detroit. Simone networks and collaborates with local artists to make the city’s creative prong be as relevant and exposed as possible.

When the arts thrive, good things happen.  Design Detroit has always encouraged our readers to make saying “I got it in Detroit” an impactful, powerful and positive phrase.  Imagine if you we were instrumental in launching a Detroit artist.  When guests at your home compliment pieces in your collection, you can graciously reply “Thank you.  I got it in Detroit!”

What inspires us?  A candid photo, a piece of artwork, a beautiful magazine ad?  It’s hard to say where we find inspiration when it comes to giving rooms in our home a face lift.  Why, when it is so beautiful outside, is Design Detroit posting a story about giving the inside a new look?  Summertime is about relaxing wherever we can, by a pool, in our yard, on  boat or on a vacation and all of those activities are synonous with reading magazines. Magazines are a great resource for home inspiration. From House Beautiful to Better Homes and Garden, rooms and products are highlighted to provide you with great ideas that can give your environment new energy and vitality.

Here’s the coolest, hottest tool Design Detroit has found to help you plan your fall project in July so that you can enjoy your new room come fall.  Sherwin Williams, a name known for quality paint, has an online program, “ChipIt!” , where inspirational photos can be uploaded to the Sherwin Williams site, and Sherman will spit back colors that are prevalent in your photo. How cool is that?

Simple steps to Facelift a room:
1. Pick a room that needs a facelift
2. Enjoy your summer as usual with home magazines always at your side
3. Buy those cute little post it notes that can book mark a page for you in a magazine
4. Look at all your photos that you have tagged as a collection.  Try to identify a common thread that draws you to the photo.  This can be mood, color combinations, or style
5. Scan one of your photos, upload the photo to ChipIt , and plan your strategy
6. Plan your painting project for a rainy August day (or call a painter which is my preference)

If you are someone who has very little time to relax, download the Sherman Williams color snap app to you phone and it will identify colors for you while you are out and about.

It’s easy to facelift a room when you chip at it little by little.

Find a Sherwin Williams Store near you and watch for coupons.

The holidays are here and they are the fun, relaxing ones.  No running to the mall, no ordering turkeys, no stressing out over estranged family members.  Memorial Day, a day of respect and remembrance for those who have served our country proudly, is a perfect way to kick off the summer.  Gathering at picnics and parties with friends and family is perfect way to pay our ultimate respect to those who have served, enjoying the freedoms afforded to us.

Heading over to a friend’s house and you are supposed to bring an appetizer?  The easiest, tastiest way to go is homemade salsa and chips.  Buy a  chip and dip serving piece and leave it with your hostess.  (You know you’ll forget it anyway!) Bring a 4 pack of Jose Quervo Margarita’s and you’ve brought the party to the people.

I love the Emeril recipe for salsa or pico de gallo.  This is so easy to make and so impressive.

  
Portable salad bowl, Macy’s    Plate, serving piece at Target, Plastic glassware, Macy’s 

In charge of the salad?  Bring this innovative serving piece from Macy’s where the serving utensils are packed right into the lid. Need a  new plates and glasses?  Plasticware is the way to go.  Looking for a way to serve snacks?  The colorful piece from Target is perfect for nuts, bread sticks, and  pretzels.

Tray, plate, plastic glassware from Macy’s

Love all the colorful trays and plates available for outdoor entertaining. The vintage looking glassware from Macy’s mixes it up nicely for an outdoor meal.

Beverage dispenser from Macy’s,  Glassware and tray, Tootie and Tallulah

Every party needs a beverage dispenser for lemonade, ice tea or homemade sangria.  The tall glasses are key to any beverage available in the beverage dispenser because nothing is better on a hot day than a tall glass of something!

Make this holiday a memorable one.  Enjoy the company of those you love and spend some time relaxing and entertaining.  Memorial Day is one of  the best holidays of the year!

After what seems like an eternity, spring and maybe summer have both arrived.  From 50 degrees to 80 degrees in a matter of a week, Detroiters are furiously trying to ready their gardens and clean up their outdoor spaces.  English Gardens was pack last weekend as novice weekend gardeners to master gardeners planned planters and beds for summer.

Creating and maintaining the garden is for some relaxing and for others of us whose thumbs are anything but green and can kill a plant with eye contact, not so relaxing.  For those of us in the latter category, we plant, we maintain and we sit.  Speaking from experience, spending time on decorating the area in which we sit back and enjoy the fruits and flowers of our labor, is well worth the effort.  Take some time and decorate by adding fresh cushions and even throw pillow. Mix and match pillows in patterns and solids and allow your outdoor living area to become a bridge between your indoor space and your gardens.

Create outdoor elegance with outdoor lighting and torches.  Hang lights around your umbrella, place lights in planters, and buy outdoor plasticware that allows you to entertain in style. Always keep a few goodies on hand for an unplanned gathering of friends or family.

Cushion and torch, English Garden, tray and glasses, Target

Seat cusion, plate, placement, candle, plasticware, English Gardens

Styling tip: Make sure your cushions are treated with scotch guard.  They will last much longer.

This summer, enjoy every minute you can outdoors.  Make sure you spend time decorating your outdoor space.  Let it be a haven for you for reading, working, or entertaining,

Its time for Detroiters to turn their attention to the outdoors and enjoy our best kept secret, Michigan Summers.  Its time to ignore your inside choirs, and  enjoy your yard, your balcony, your patio.  Neighbors and friends stop by to catch up, enjoy a fire, or play some cards.

Before you entertain, look at your outdoor lights and maybe splurge on a few new candle holders. The  glow of a candle can bring to warmth in the coolest of summer nights.  Make sure you place candle

  
Cadence Latern, Crate & Barrel             Ceramic Outdoor Candle Holder, English Gardens

a safe distance away from branches, plants, and furniture.  I love all the products we shot  for this piece.  For the vintage host, we have beaded glass candle holders.  For the host who loves design, the cadence latern is clean and modern.  For the host with an artisan flare, the ceramic  candle holder is beautifully crafted.

And for the host who likes to reuse  favorite pieces again and again, use a candle holder, that you ordinarily use for a floating candle, fill with coffee beans and a votive and you have a perfect conversation piece.  You can use rocks, sand, moss or anything that you find interesting.

I keep votives and floating candles on hand for drop by summer company.  Nothing is better than having friends pop by in the summer and having a few things on hand to create an instant party.

Of course, it is always nice to have some food and beverages on hand for the company as well. Its a little dim to only have candles on hand.

Treat your outdoors as an extension of your home.  buy some candles, and lighten up your summer.

For those of you that watch Top Chef, do you ever wonder how the judges can eat all the food they eat and not gain an ounce?  Well,  the judges simple taste the food; they do not eat the entire plate of food served.  And with the products highlighted today on Design Detroit, you to can be adventurous with your palette with small plate options from Pier One. 

The new craze in party throwing is throwing a  tasting party.  Design Detroit suggests hosting a party  where the guests bring one item, and the host presents the food in serving pieces where the serving size is bite size.

These pieces are perfect for small servings of charcuterie.  Of course, not for your vegeterian or vegan friends but for your hardy, meat loving friends.

Whether you are hosting a brunch, having a group over for March Madness, or simply love to cook, keep in mind the presentation.  These pieces from Pier One are sold as sets, but Pier One offers many open stock items to tailor to your serving needs.

A dessert is not a dessert without chocolate.  But when apples or berries are in season, a cobbler with ice cream is a perfect end to a perfect dinner. So how do you chose?  With tasting pieces you can offer guests a sampling of a chocolate dessert, a fruity dessert, and a creamy dessert with a great champagne.  And with these pieces, the presentation is neat and purposeful.

This a great gift for someone who has a new place, is getting married, or simply loves to entertain!

Host a tasting party of your own with awesome serving pieces.  Forget the chicken wings and the spinach dip and take a culinary trip down a new road with a tasting party.

Design a tasting party of your own. And present to impress!

We have been told that it is a no-no to sport white before Memorial Day, but of course, there is an exception to every rule. Design Detroit supports owning, sporting, and loving white plates.  That’s right, white plates!  Whether you are someone who loves fine China from Touch of Lace or Neiman Marcus or someone that likes to pick up pieces along the way at Pier One or Ikea, white plates are a staple. The beauty in owning whites plates is that you have the ability to create table top looks that compliment an occasion, a meal, a season.

The starting point is up to you.  Pier One carries an open stock of plates (meaning the plates and coordinating pieces are sold individually making it easy to replace any pieces.) Buying open stock allows you to keep an inventory that works for you.  Maybe you host a family meal every year that requires 18 plates and with an open stock scenario, you can own 18 dinner plates, and 12 appetizer plates, and 8 salad plates….whatever works for you.

Hosting a spring brunch?  Check out the plates from Crate and Barrel, graphic, fresh and YELLOW.  And yellow is so trend on this spring.  A salad course looks awesome on yellow.  Greens look brighter and food looks tastier.

Having friends over to watch basketball?  The nautical plates from Anthropologie  are playful and gender neutral, and definitely a conversation starter.

Having the girls over to discuss upcoming wedding plans?  These pretty floral plates, sold in a set of 4 from Macy’s, are so pretty, and so appropriate to host the girls.  The plates are actually inspirational because they look and feel happy!

And of course, if an occasion requires a more formal setting, your white plate is the perfect backdrop for vintage plates that are both traditional and whimsical at the same time.

When shopping at your favorite stores, spend time looking at napkins and table clothes and napkin rings.  These accessories can help complete a look that will surely have your guests anxiously awaiting your next invite. Style your table with unique serving pieces and  floral arrangements. Mix patterns on plates and in your table top linens.

Let white plates serve as a back drop for unique, colorful and expressive small plates.

Design a perfect setting for your next get together.

The simplest way to change the look and feel of a room is with pillows. They’re plush, cozy and speak volumes about your lifestyle, personality, and design savvy. Whether your tasted skews to casual, oversized and overstuffed pillows, or those more classically tailored, your sofas and chairs, benches and beds will get a much needed style boost. And because we love the unexpected at Design Detroit, take some time to really let your pillows be an extension of the designer within and take some risks.

The eclectic designer takes pillows of varying fabrics, textures and patterns and mixes them purposefully and, as only an eclectic could, with unexpected flare and style. The modernist will take clean shapes, geometric patterns and consistent fabrics to enhance the unfussy lines of their furniture. The traditionalist favors pillows that match upholstery, embracing symmetry and balance. The transitional designer is neither modern nor traditional, instead opting for an inviting room with patterns that coordinate, not match, and where pillows vary in size and shape.

   
Lime pillow, Nordstrom, Ampersand and Stripe Pillow, Crate and Barrel, Dot and purple pillow, Nordstrom, Bird pillow, Leon & Lulu

Rotating pillows throughout the year is an easy way to add seasonality to a room. SInce yellow is one of trend color for spring, introduce it into a room via pillows. You may need a bridge pillow, one that marries a current couch fabric with yellow, to add any new color successfully and thoughtfully. Further, you may need to remove a few existing pillows from a room for the transition to work. Keep in mind, too, that pillows with removable covers can do double – and triple – duty throughout the year: linen for spring and summer, cozy chenille for fall, nubby wool blends for winter.

Abstract floral pillow, Nordstrom, Stamp and Love pillow, Leon & Lulu

At Design Detroit, we find pillows to be a easy update to any room. Paint a wall, grab some new pillows, buy some spring flowers, and a new feeling can be created with minimal effort and minimal cost.

Design your space Detroit with a few fluffy accessories. Your couch will thank you.

No matter the season, no matter the year, being charitable is always in style.

And on Wednesday night, at Tender in downtown Birmingham, the chic, the convivial, the charitable gathered to celebrate Humble Design, an eco-friendly, non-profit organization that designs and installs functional and welcoming home interiors for mothers and their children who are just coming out of shelters or escaping domestic abuse situations … A simple, yet truly powerful and life changing, mission.

Humble believes in uplifting through re-gifting. That is, when families come home to a dignified, clean and safe living environment, they can focus energies on establishing community and familial roots, ensuring academic excellence for their children, and generally gaining a positive outlook on life.

So as we prompt you to read Design Detroit, and consider investing in trend-on items for your lifestyle, we also encourage you to look at those things in which you may have lost interest, from furniture to fashion, and consider that individuals in need will find value in these items.

Here’s how Humble works: donations of gently used household furniture and accessories are accepted Monday through Friday at its Troy warehouse, 1878 Thunderbird Drive, Troy, MI. 48083.. Humble volunteers then use the inventory to furnish homes for needy families. Items on Humble’s wish list include:

Pots and pans, kitchen utensils and dishes;

Furniture, area rugs, lights, artwork, pillows and tables;

Shower curtains, linens, bed frames and window treatments; and

Cribs, crib sheets, educational toys, books and toy bins.

Finally, if you’re strong, handy or crafty, Humble will accept the donation of your time – as much or as little as you can spare – as it’s always looking for painters, movers, organizers, Type As or Bs, to lend a hand.

Design Detroit thanks Tender for bringing attention to the efforts of Humble Design. Donate Detroiters, and help Design a difference in someone’s life.