I’m Hooked on Michelle!

Not too long after the inception of DesignTies in January of this year, one of the first blogs I discovered was Michelle Morelan’s A Schematic Life. I was immediately drawn to her writing style, her sense of aesthetic, the interiors and design she showcased, and of course her beautiful one-of-a-kind renderings! The fact that she lived right here in the lower mainland, British Columbia… bonus!!

Recently, though, Michelle has been showcasing original and what I feel are absolutely stunning abstract paintings. I mean… I was a regular and loyal visitor of A Schematic Life, an admirer of Michelle’s designs and renderings… but now I’m just plain HOOKED! I’m hooked on Michelle Morelan… and everything she produces!!

So hooked, in fact, that I felt compelled to showcase some of Michelle’s work for Hooked on Fridays, a weekly blog party hosted by Julia from Hooked on Houses.

If you haven’t already discovered Michelle… and if you’re not already hooked on her like I am… you will be after you see what I have to share with you!

Introducing… the enormously talented interior designer, Michelle Morelan!!

There’s a silly tale to this photo. I had met Michelle for a yummy lunch at a restaurant called Joey’s. After lunch we found ourselves in the ladies room admiring the art hanging on the walls, the fantastic granite trough sink and the overall design of the space. It really is a lovely bathroom!

Out comes my camera and I start TRYING to take photos of the space. Nothing would turn out! Then we decided we wanted to take a photo of us together. Hmmm. That involved using the timer feature!! Disaster! Finally… after several takes, I captured the one I’m sharing with you today (my hair is much lighter now – I don’t look like me!). We laughed so hard at how inept I was with my camera!! :-)

So didn’t I promise you some Michelle Morelan design?!

Let’s start with some of her fantabulous interiors… all photos b0rrowed from her website, Michelle Morelan Design.

Lovely, lovely interiors!

Those of you familiar with Michelle know her for her unbelievable renderings! My blog partner Kelly was VERY fortunate, recently, to win an original Michelle rendering of her living room. Using only a photograph to guide her, this is what Michelle produced:

I can’t begin to tell you how excited Kelly was to receive this special illustration!

Here’s one that really struck my fancy… Michelle travels when ever the opportunity presents itself, and this illustration is of Amsterdam.

I SOOOO want to go to Amsterdam. I’m sure it would look just like this!!

Sometimes, when Michelle sees a photo of an indoor or outdoor space on a blogger-friend’s site that she loves, she’ll surprise them by creating a beautiful rendering and posting it on A Schematic Life.

Like this one… Maria from Colour Me Happy took a trip to Provence a few years ago and stayed in this beautiful rental villa:

Wouldn’t you love to stay here, too?!

Or how about this fantastic room designed by Joni from Cote De Texas?

There’s also this lovely rendering of Brooke’s (Velvet & Linen) front door…

Another that I can’t leave out… a beautiful room designed by Patricia Gray

Finally, I can’t leave out the rendering Michelle made specially for Tobi Fairley. Tobi was recently in Vancouver and Ivan Meade from Meade Design Group hosted a brunch in honour of her, inviting many Vancouver-based bloggers – myself included! At that lovely gathering Michelle presented her with a wonderful rendering of a fantastic Tobi-designed room!

Lovely, lovely renderings!!

Now… if you’re not already hooked on the talents of Michelle, you will be after you see her creative and – in my opinion – simply stunning abstract paintings! All photos were borrowed from Michelle’s blog, A Schematic Life. Where possible, names and other information about her paintings were captured. I hope I got it right!!

The Dance of the Sun and Moon

18” x 24”, Acrylic on Linen

Study in Yellow Oxide

36” x 48” Acrylic on Canvas

 

Bark Study

Inks and gesso on canvas, 18” x 24”

 

Collage

Assignment for Mixed Media class at Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design

 Ink on rice paper, acrylic and gels and drafting ink on watercolour paper, 20” x 30”

 

No Name Identified

(My impression = a birch tree forest)

Acrylic and gesso on wood, 12” x 24”

 

No Name Identified

Acrylic, watercolour, ink and chalk with gesso on watercolour paper

 

No Name Identified

Oils, 30” x 48”

Lovely, lovely paintings! 

Are you as blown away as I am?

I want one!!

I’ll say it again… I am hooked on Michelle Morelan!! Her skill, vision and talent, her ability to capture light, texture and colour in ALL her designs, her love of pure design and her commitment to the arts – all are attributes that I enormously admire!

Be sure to make your way over to Michelle’s blog, A Schematic Life, and see for yourself just how fantastic Michelle is… you’ll be hooked, too!

Thanks to Julia for hosting her weekly blog party, Hooked on Fridays. Be sure to make your way back to her blog to find out what all her partiers are hooked on, too!

And before I forget… Kelly and I host a weekly blog party of our own: Rewind Wednesdays. Take a moment to learn all about it by clicking right HERE!

Thank you, Michelle!! A fantabulous rendering…

I’m so excited to be able to share with you a very special gift I’ve received from Michelle Morelan at A Schematic Life. This Friday (as well as every other day of the week!!), I’m hooked on Michelle’s beautiful renderings…

Michelle recently held a giveaway with a custom-designed room rendering as the prize. She had a number in mind between 1 and 100 — the winner was the person who picked the number closest to her number.

I couldn’t decide on a number, so I said to hubby “Give me a number between 1 and 100”. He said “57”. I asked him “Why?”. He said “Why not?” So 57 was my number… and it was the EXACT number Michelle had picked!! Holy Crap!! I don’t know how hubby did it, but he needs to put his super powers to use next time the 6/49 is up to a big juicy number!!!

I’m absolutely thrilled that I’ll soon be the owner of an original rendering by Michelle :-) I’ve selected my living room for the rendering. I can’t wait to see what Michelle does with it…

…and guess what… I don’t have to wait to see it, and neither do you — Michelle has already finished the rendering!! Not only is Michelle good, she’s FAST too!! :-) I love it!!

Isn’t it amazing?!?! Michelle got EVERY DETAIL, right down to the artwork reflected in the mirror!!! Even the hardwood looks like it has the same sheen that it has in real life. And the wainscoting… I just… I… I’m speechless!! It doesn’t happen often, but I’m literally at a loss for words!!!

While I try to get my mouth back in order, take a look at some of Michelle’s other fantabulous renderings…

Brooke’s front door — Velvet & Linen

 Original design by Michelle Morelan

 

 Bedroom designed by Patricia Gray

 

Meade Design Group — Studio

Check out the interview that Ivan Meade did with Michelle on his blog, Meade Design Group.

Interior designed by John Wiley

 Albarosa’s Italian bedroom — Brillante Home Decor

 

Melissa Rufty — MMR Interiors

 

Original design by Michelle Morelan

 Joni’s living room — Cote de Texas

OK, I think I’m back in working order now!!

If you want to learn how Michelle creates her fabulous renderings, check out her post on Rendering 101. You can also read about how Michelle created the rendering of my living room. And guess what?? She’s going to have another giveaway soon!!! I highly recommend you enter!!

Michelle, thank you so much!!

And speaking of winning giveaways…  I hope the winner of our tassel giveaway will be as happy with the Fleur de Glam tassel as I am with my rendering :-) Thanks again to Angela at Angela’s Peony Patch for designing and creating the gorgeous custom-made purple & silver tassel for a lucky DesignTies reader. Angela is a great artist in her own right, and we’re honoured that she wanted to do a giveaway with us :-) So with no further ado…

Congratulations, Jasmine @ A Suburban Sentiment!!

This is going to be a well-travelled tassel — from Angela in North Caroline to me in Ottawa to Jasmine in suburban Sydney, Australia!! Jasmine, please send your mailing address to designties@gmail.com and I’ll pop Fleur de Glam in the mail to you ASAP.

Whew!! Too much excitement for one day!! But if you think you can handle even MORE blog fun, head on over to Hooked on Houses and make the rounds at the Hooked on Fridays blog party hosted by the lovely and beachy Julia. And because Michelle’s renderings are truly fashionable works of art, I’m also linking to Fashionable Friday hosted by the fabulous Fifi at Fifi Flowers Design Decor :-)

HAPPY JULY 4th TO ALL OUR U.S. BLOGGER BUDDIES!!

Oh, and the Ben & Jerry’s If I Had 1,000,000 Flavours ice cream is dee-lish!!