Blue and White Ginger Jars get a Room Makeover

Grant K. Gibson

As you all may know, earlier this week I was busy attending the Design Bloggers Conference, where for the past two days I had the pleasure of listening to a star studded panel of guest speakers, all of whom are influential in the world of interior design and blogging.

One of those guest speakers was Windsor Smith, an award winning designer known for her “elegant interiors infused with a modern sensibility”.  In her address, she noted that “Designers are part anthropologist because they observe how people live”. Windsor could not have said it any better.

Not too long ago,  my good friend and San Marino/Pasadena area realtor, Carrie Benuska,  went out and about looking at homes for a project I was working on. Upon entering a living room, Carrie immediately squealed with delight when she spotted a collection of different sized blue and white ginger jars prominently displayed in a bookcase.  She then enthusiastically shared how she loves to incorporate the very same blue and white ginger jars  into the decor of her own home.  Being the “anthropologist” that I am, I immediately caught on that her blue and white ginger jars were her prized possession, although with Carrie’s enthusiasm, this was not too hard to figure out! In interior design, not only must a designer listen to her client, but she must also be able to take what she has learned about her client and create to reflect’s the client’s personality, as a home should be a reflection of the client’s personality, not the designer’s.

I grew up in an area  where incorporating blue and white ginger jars into the one’s home decor was the norm in the most affluent San Marino and Pasadena homes.  When I hear the phrase “blue and white ginger jars”, I automatically get transported to the ’80s and the first thing I envision is traditional decor – center hall colonial, brass hall lantern,  toile drapery in a dusty and subdued color with upholstered Chippendale chairs to match.

I still see the same houses where little of the decor has changed, and the blue ginger jars, toile drapery, and Chippendale chairs remain just as they did 30 years ago.  However, I have also seen a shift towards taking traditional design elements such as the same  blue and white gingers jars and presenting them in a non-traditional way.  This creates an unexpected and entirely fresh and updated look; an entirely different vantage point.

Grant K. Gibson

Grant K. Gibson

Gibson also utilizes strong pops of bright citron in the abstract painting on the wall, the accessories above  the sideboard, and the toddler’s highchair in the foreground above.  Everything in the room is visually balanced.

Grant K. Gibson