IN CONVERSATION WITH GRANT K. GIBSON

Grant K. Gibson

Grant K. Gibson doesn't necessarily fit into a box when it comes to design style. But that is by no means a drawback! He masterfully executes designs that are traditional, modern, youthful, eclectic, or rustic - but they are always immaculately well done. And wouldn't you know, he's a witty blogger too?

Grant founded Grant K. Gibson Interior Design in 2002 and now works across the continent with offices in San Francisco and New York. The firm strives to create spaces that are direct representations of his clients, without any imposed nuances or elements that are not befitting of their personalities. 'No project is too large or two small in our eyes" says the company profile, as well as a firm stance on attention to detail and customer service and satisfaction.

Our readers have most likely heard of Grant before, he has had numerous features in Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, and Better Homes & Gardens. He has also received prestigious positioning within these pages, including being names as one of "The 10 Designers to Watch" in Domino, and the "5 Designers to Watch" in Elle Décor.

His blog has also been well-received, Grant's focus is typically design-related, but he certainly touches on other elements of his life including his love of fashion, food and travel.

He is a true design star and we are thrilled to get his input for our 'In Conversation With' series, read on to get in on the conversation…

Ivan Meade - What was your first experience by design?

Grant K. Gibson - I would have to say that my first design experience was designing my childhood bedroom. Even at a really young age, I was always changing things around and moving things, painting the walls and taking up carpet to show the hardwood floors hidden under.

My path to design really started when I was in college studying for a degree in psychology (which has totally come in very handy in interior design) I was on the path to become a psychologist when a good friend told me about an art history class that she thought that I should sit in on. Before the end of the lecture, I had already made up my mind that I was going to switch majors. That really started my love of art and architecture and design. In New York, I then interned and worked a few antique stores and then started to do my own apartment as well as friends who liked the way that I did my apartment.

I then thought, why not try to do my own thing and start my own company in interior design. The dream was then born and then I ended up moving to San Francisco, where I really started to get serious about my design company. New York always holds a spot in my heart, so I am happy that I can have the best of both words and work between both cities with offices in both New York and San Francisco.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade – What is the most practical thing you own and what is the most rare?

Grant K. Gibson - I think that the most practical piece that I own is a custom table that I designed with a very tailored slipcover over it. I love that it can serve as a desk or table and I can make a mess with paperwork or books or fabrics, but then at the end of the day, I can put things in baskets and hide them away. Under the table, I also have a small file cabinet for important papers and a printer. I don't like to look at those things, so it is wonderful to keep those things hidden.

As for the most rare piece that I own. It would be a Beidermeir secretary that I have in my dining room. I purchased it around 5 years ago as a birthday treat to myself. It was from a dealer in New York. I simply fell in love with it and just bought it on the spot. It was the most spontaneous purchase that I have ever made, but I look at it everyday and it makes me smile.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - What should every room have in it?

Grant K. Gibson - Every room should have good lighting. With this, I suggest having everything on dimmers. This is from the overhead lighting and table/floor lamps. Lamps that are on too bright are too harsh.

I also think that it is key to have a layering of lighting, so that it is not all from one light source. The layering adds dimension and depth to a space. Bad lighting can really kill a room.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - What do you think the homes of today are missing?

Grant K. Gibson - Were do I start? Architectural details? History? creativity and originality? I don't understand builders that construct new houses that have horrible construction or lack of architecture at all. These details really help to make a space. When I say creativity or originality- by this I mean I see lots of people with these cookie-cutter designs. They have what everyone else has. This is the problem that we face with so many big companies. I feel like creating custom, fine crafted pieces are like pieces of art and make a space feel unique and individual. I am not suggesting that a whole house has to be custom, but mixing styles and sources and making it your own is what I think is interesting about a space.

An interior is about the people that live in them. It should reflect their lifestyle- how they live and what they like.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - What do you look for in a furniture piece?

Grant K. Gibson - Like we just talked about with custom design, I tend to do a lot of custom pieces for my clients. When I look at pieces or am working with my vendors to create pieces, I am looking for quality and something that is timeless. I like pieces of furniture to be able to last for many years. If someone gets tired of the fabric, it can be re-covered.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - One of the elements that I really like about your design aesthetic is that you always use real art in your projects and elements with old world patina - Is this part of your design philosophy?

Grant K. Gibson - Thank you. I do like to mix in things with a touch of old world charm. Trust me, not all of my clients like that look at all. I like to think of myself a traditionalist- but a new traditionalist. I love and respect things that come from the past, but I like to mix them up and play with things and make them more current today. I like to keep things light and not to heavy handed. I think of this as being not the way that your parents or grandparents would have had. I work with a lot of young couples that want to keep it fresh and fun. I do like to add an element of humor and surprise if I can to every project. I would say overall that I have an eclectic style and have really enjoyed learning and pushing the limits with my clients over the past years.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - What is your approach to lifestyle and design?

Grant K. Gibson - I wake up everyday and I pinch myself. I have been very fortunate in life and I love what I do. So many people have jobs that they are not passionate about. My job keeps me on my toes (and can be a challenge for sure). It's not like all I do is go shopping and pick out pretty things all day long. I think that overall, I have a pretty positive outlook and attitude on life. I am a pretty relaxed and funny person. This I feel like reflected in the designs that I work with in my client projects. I am pretty clear with my clients from the start that there will be delays and always some issues along the. I like to tell them that really there is no such thing as a "design emergency". At the end of the day, we still have people without jobs, children starving in the world and so many other things to think about. It is not that I am a lazy designer and make excuses at all, I take each project very seriously. I just feel that we don't leave this world with any of the things that we have collected or purchased. Buying things doesn't solve problems or at the end of the day make people happy.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade – You seem to really enjoy blogging, which is part of what makes your blog so much fun to read. What is your favourite thing about blogging?

Grant K. Gibson - For me, my blog is very one sided. It is pretty much about me and my life. I don't really blog too much on other designers or use recycled photos of spaces. I love writing about my travels and my projects that I am working on. I have loved connecting with other designers and bloggers out there. That part has been wonderful to meet other people that are interested in the same things.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade – It’s great that you share some of your personal life with your bloggers as well, such as your own personal and clients projects. What has that process been like?

Grant K. Gibson - When I started my blog, I started it so that I could share photos of a trip to Paris with friends back home. I thought that it was a way that I could put up photos and talk about my time. After returning home, I thought about it and I decided to just start writing more and keep it up. That was around 3 years ago. For me it has been an amazing tool to put myself out there and for people to get to know me more. I have actually found many clients because of it. They have told me that they felt like that were able to get to know me more by reading my blog. By my cooking or traveling or all of my adventures. I think that often a website is static and it doesn't get updated very often. A blog is meant to get updated frequently (I try to blog once a week) and be up to date.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - What is the best advice (design related or otherwise) that you have ever received?

Grant K. Gibson - Years ago, a very wise and well known design in this industry told me to: Never forget that you are the designer and they are the client and not to live the same lifestyle that the client does. He meant that so many designers get caught up in the design world and end up trying to live the same lifestyle that the client does. This designer also told me to give the client what they want. That has been key for me. There are times that I might not like exactly what they have selected. I have to remember that they are the ones that will be living there at the end of the project- not me.

Interior Design by Grant K. Gibson

Iván Meade - What does it feel like to be announced as one of Top 5 Designers to watch in America by Elle Décor Magazine?

Grant K. Gibson - I am still on top of the world from this. I have been reading Elle Decor forever. I always had big dreams of being published in the pages of Elle Decor one day. When Margaret Russell picked up the phone to call me to tell me that she wanted to select me as one of the Top 5 designers to watch- I nearly dropped the phone.

I feel honoured and know what a special and unique being selected by Elle Decor is. To be honest, my life hasn't been the same since. I have received a great group of wonderful new clients and I couldn't be happier.

Interior Design by Grant K.Gibson

Iván Meade – What is next for Grant K. Gibson Interior Design?

Grant K. Gibson - Well, I am always playing with the idea of a line of fabric and furniture and I have actually started a book. All of which might take me years to complete. I am in no rush and I am not going anywhere!

West Coast Social Media Awards – Best Blog Nominee

 

 

PLEASE CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SUBMIT YOUR SUPPORT

Eye Candy of the Week – Foscarini Diesel Glas Lamp

 

 

PRODUCT

Foscarini Diesel Glas Table

 

AVAILABLE AT

Gabriel Ross

 

MATERIAL

Blown glass and metal.

 

DIMENSIONS

• Length: 55 cm
• Height: 59 cm

 

DESCRIPTION

I have been looking for a task lamp for the longest time and yesterday I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the Diesel line while I was visiting Gabriel Ross in town.  I like the simplicity of the lines and the retro vibe of these lamps, but what I really like is the taupe glass and how the light glows within the glass. 

 

Glas takes the familiar image of industrial lamps used in warehouses and factories worldwide. A reinvented icon in the light of a new contemporary lifestyle, transformed into a precious and personal entity, transported into a timeless dimension. By day, by night: Glas is a lamp with a double life. When it is off, the superficial chrome-coloured vacuum metallisation finish reflects the surrounding environment and objects like a mirror. When it is on, it emits a warm beam, with a retro feel, which is both directed and diffused. This characteristic underlines the passage from the technical nature of metal to the artisan craftsmanship of glass. Placed on a table, oriented with a counterweight, Glas transforms a home or public environment into a creative laboratory, a fascinating workshop of new trends. – Foscarini

 

YUMMY FACTOR

Tasty!!!

Art in Bloom 2011 – “Design Fit for a King”

This year Meade Design Group have been very fortunate to be invited by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria to reinterpret an art piece of their permanent collection in a botanical extravaganza as part of their annual exhibition Art in Bloom.

 

 

Leading creative professionals in the field of design were selected to celebrate spring creating unique floral interpretations.  We were assigned a stunning  oil painting in canvas by Theresa Victoria Wylde (circa 1909) entitled “This Is The World, And I Am King…”  (127” height X 137.5 width). Our interpreted  title for the exhibit is  “Design Fit For A King”.

 

Description

The central figure is a young girl with long wavy black hair who wears a purple gingham dress with a purple over-dress; she is sitting in a forest by a stream, holding an apple(orb) in one hand & a foxglove(septre)in the other; she has a 'crown' of evergreen boughs with cones in her hair; a squirrel sits nearby, watching her.

- Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

 

We were inspired by the description of the painting and we also wanted to display all our strengths as a multidisciplinary design studio.  We designed 3 pieces for the installation.  The first idea that came to my mind when I saw the piece was “ethereal” – I wanted to create an installation that was light and complemented the painting.

 

The first piece we designed was a massive Plexiglas cube to encase the antique chest that was below the painting.  As an interior designer I felt that the scale of the chest was not big enough to hold the visual weight of the painting, so we corrected the proportions and the scale of the chest with a new Plexiglas structure making the chest look like an archived piece.  We also incorporated a modern interpretation of some of the elements of the painting with contemporary graphics. Our design complemented the William Morris wall paper  showcasing our strengths in Graphic Design.  Natashita brought to life our ideas choosing an opalescent metallic vinyl that complemented the colour scheme of its surroundings.

 

 

The second piece we designed was a Plexiglas plinth that mimic the proportions of the chest. We cover the face of the plinth with the same vinyl we used in the cube below to continue the flow.  As for the 3rd piece we designed the flower vase which references the foxglove flower in the painting. 

 

 

Artist Statement

We were inspired by the strong vertical line created by the foxgloves held by the girl in this painting. We wanted an organic, linear form to overlap the painting asymmetrically to create a strong, contemporary vignette that still works with this traditional piece.

We used a combination of anemones, tube roses, double tulips, mosses and greens accented by drumstick alliums and fuchsia trachelium. We wanted to build up a woodland feeling with berries, mosses and greens, but still have interesting forms and textures with more exotic accents. This is reinforced by the golden graphic that has been applied to the acrylic base which encases the trunk.

 

 

Mini Flower Bouquets

 

Here is Echito our flower arranger extraordinaire.

 

Adjusting last minute details.

 

And here it is the complete installation.

“Design Fit For A King”

 

We want to extend our gratitude to Plexiklass, Rook and Rose, Brenda Marks – Kravet, and Garside Signs and Displays for all their help, patience and guidance to make this project come together.

 

If you are in Victoria don’t miss the hottest ticket in town!

 

Art in Bloom 2011 - a week long celebration of fine art and all things botanical. The bi-annual fundraiser heralds the beginning of spring to Vancouver Island, and supports exhibitions and programming at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Art in Bloom highlights the talents of local and international artists, writers, floral designers and garden experts.

 

Stylish Blogger Award

 

 

I was honoured to receive a nomination for the Stylish Blogger Award from Albarosa Simonetti of Brillante Interiors. For someone with that such good taste and grace to nominate me as being stylish is quite the compliment! If you haven't checked out Brillante Interiors before, it's a must read. She discusses topics in the most elegant way imaginable such as interiors, art, photography, and everything Italian.

 

I am happy to oblige in continuing the chain and sharing my seven inspiringly stylish elements:

 

1. An old photograph of my mother that was taken a couple of days before her wedding.  It’s a beautiful photograph and a great remainder that style needs to be natural.

 

 

2. Horses as subject matter in art. Their presence, their elegance, their movement...

 

Sculpture by Frances Sample

 

3. Creative Flower Arrangements – They know how to tell a story.

 

 

4. The juxtaposition of antiques and modern art.

 

 

5. A wax seal – a little bit of old world in a new world that has been bombarded with technology. 

 

 

6. Cantera Stone & Sterling Silver

Sphere is a piece that mixes two of my favourite materials: Cantera stone and Sterling Silver. What moves me is the story behind the piece and the pleasure of seeing it become a reality as my first object d’art that I designed for my collection Accentus.

 

 

7.  Etchings

I love etchings because they are a real piece of art, they have a complex process behind them, they are numbered (which means they are not mass produced) and they are affordable. A good way to support the art community.

 

Picasso

 

I am also honoured to nominate my fellow blogger friends for this prestigious award:

 

1. Michelle Morelan - Aside from being a great and talented interior designer she is also an amazing artist and her project renderings are totally worth framing. Michelle has one of the best interior design blogs I follow "A Schematic Life".

2. Qerat - Tareq, the principal of Qerat is a multitalented designer, entrepreneur and blogger. His pieces, to a large extent, are handmade using very old and intricate techniques in a new contemporary way while maintaining a respect for his culture.

3. Tobi Fairley - Tobi's internationally acclaimed blog features her designs which are altogether soft, crisp, understated and refined. She has a brilliant grasp on balance in all forms (visual weight, colour tones and hues) and has a beautiful way of making her traditional designs look current and fresh.

4. Scot Meacham-Wood – The Adventures of Tartanscot.  His blog features all of the images, events and design tidbits that inspire him as an Interior Designer/Stylist. Scot is an expert at comfortable, transitional, interiors.

 

Thank you again Albarosa, this was a fun exercise - and of course, I am happy to have the opportunity to promote some of my favourite blogs!