Thursday, December 31, 2009

Dior Gray - Mistake or Triumph?




This winter, tired of the wedgewood blue walls of my living room, I thought I would try to modernize the space more by painting it gray. I was transfixed by Pratt and Lambert's Rialto when I saw it on the walls at Lawson and Fenning. But my good friend, Mark, recommended that I not use this color because it would "close in" my living room. Instead, I collected many other paint chips ranging from off-white to charcoal. I settled in the end on Dior Gray by Benjamin Moore. My friends, Ivy and Waiyi, inquired, "are you sure you want to go that dark?" Being bold (and also because I'd already purchased two gallons of the paint!), I answered, Yes.

What I didn't realize in going so dark was that none of my furniture, flooring, or ceiling is modern to match the charcoal and heathery tones of Dior Gray. In any case, here is the result. I welcome suggestions on how to (inexpensively) enhance the ceiling color or create throw pillows to make this work better.

Next time, I think I will play it extra safe with something like a beige-gray or very light off-white gray.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

No Subtitles Necessary

I enjoyed this documentary about Lazslo and Vilmos very much. I had no idea these two cinematographers escaped communist Hungary with hours of film about the revolution to become two of the ASC's most sought-after camera men. Films that they've worked on include the Deer Hunter, Frances, Easy Rider, Paper Moon, and Deliverance.

I highly recommend No Subtitles Necessary and plan to view as many L and V films possible, esp the campy low-budge ones I'd never heard of before. (They weren't allowed to join the union when they got to Hollywood and were told to come back when they "learned to speak English!" Hence, the low-budge work to get by at first).

http://www.lazsloandvilmos.com/.

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