Judy Bell Blog

NW Women in Boating

info@jolyonyates.com — 2012-03-25T19:54:20+01:00

March 19th was my invitational evening with NW Women in Boating. The group had asked me to make a presentation about interior design in January before the January 2012 Seattle Boat Show but the meeting was canceled due to heavy snows and reset for March 19th.

Bless them. Sunbrella, my “fav” go to Canvas Fabric Company supplied complimentary tote bags for the attendees. The totes are beautifully striped in bright spring pastel colors with roomy interiors including complimentary lining and inside pockets – definitely delightful. These aren’t teeny little totes but of a generous size for multiple uses with a classy, little Sunbrella tab sewn into a side seam. Needless to say, the ladies smiles were every bit as bright as the Sunbrella colors when they realized they were receiving a gift from a company they were familiar with and had purchased product from in the past.

Design in an Interconnected World

info@jolyonyates.com — 2011-11-10T18:30:04+00:00

Parsons, The New School for Design, is launching a Master of Arts in Design Studies program to define the next phase of global design. Says Joel Towers, executive Dean of Parsons,

“The Design Studies program will enable practitioners and scholars alike to take a critical look at design and its place in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world.”

Taking that idea from Parsons, let’s go a little further and have a quick glimpse into some complexities already experienced by global yacht design teams. Let’s think about the challenges we face in our industry. Specifically; let’s think about a project design team comprised of designers, each living in different countries.

Judy on Pro Boat Radio

info@jolyonyates.com — 2011-11-08T08:28:57+00:00

”Judy Bell-Davis (Bell Design Group) joins us to discuss current trends in yacht interiors. An award winning interior design specialist for marine vessels, her projects have included luxury yachts, semi-custom, production and commercial boats.

Her ability to blend high-tech construction methods, composite materials, color, light, product design and ergonomics into prestigious, unique, and safe design is well recognized. Her work is often showcased in prestigious yachting publications and boat shows throughout the world”.

Quality Kudos

info@jolyonyates.com — 2011-10-20T21:44:00+01:00

Steve and I met with Bellcomb Structural Panels yesterday. “And?” you ask. I’m happy to share that they are my go to suppliers of lightweight panels – both vertical and horizontal installation since the early ‘90s. That’s when folks were transitioning to high performance yachts and expecting the luxury of marble and granite. Engineering requirements and weight limitations for high performance yachts did not include a weight and balance tolerance for solid stone panels.

Boats Afloat

info@jolyonyates.com — 2011-10-19T20:52:00+01:00

Fall is definitely settling in the North West corner of the United States. We’ve been blessed with a few cool, clear fall days where the sunshine is so bright that fall leaves become a fluttering tapestry of greens, red, burgundy, yellow and gold. Inland lake waters wink dancing diamonds of light, flirting with small wind puffs skirting overhead. Fall harkens people and woodland creatures to action before winter comes. It’s that time of year where folks begin putting away their summer toys, yachts and boats while thinking about those things needing to be done before next year or if the list is too long, whether to purchase new or to squeeze yet another year as is. Those folks are exactly who we visited at Bell Design Group’s exhibit during the recent boat show on Lake Union.

Times are a Changin'

info@jolyonyates.com — 2011-09-11T22:48:00+01:00

It’s an interesting time to sort through “expert” opinions which, historically or shall I be cheeky here and say hysterically, both parties predict in sync; we’re in dire straits and doomed or that our cultures are changing and we need to change too. Remember Henny Penny? The reality here is that there is truth in both. I think it’s time to quit running in circles waiting for someone else to fix things. It is time as responsible individuals, to think about what we can do to help as individuals. It might be as simple as donating food or time at the food bank. We all agree that change is not easy and we all like easy but (and this is not an original thought) changes are necessary for evolutionary purposes – notwithstanding advancing communication, intellect and awareness.