I Went Back to Cali - La Cienega Design Quarter - Legends 2015
Finally, my jet lag is over. It was much worse in Los Angeles and ended shortly before my return flight to Rome. How wonderful!The LCDQ Legends interior designer conference is one of the most popular events in the industry. I've heard designers call it the Coachaella or the Oscars of interior design. There were more than ten thousand RSVPs for the three-day event, with designers from over twenty-four states, and one hundred and fifty designers traveling to Los Angeles from overseas.This was my first year attending. It was fantastic. There were Interesting and informative panel discussions, fun parties, and over sixty-seven inspiring window displays.Not only did I enjoy visiting some of my favorite (and new) showrooms, I appreciated the style of my fellow decorators. Folks were not playing. It does make sense that many interior designers/decorators have a great sense of style. I forgot how super casual Los Angeles is until I saw someone walk into Urth Cafe in Beverly Hills wearing pajamas bottoms. I'm talking about the sloppy, comfortable ones you sleep in, not the dressy ones you would wear to a party.I also had Hollywood film/TV meetings but since this is not a screenwriting blog, all I will say is that everyone is talking about EMPIRE. We'll see how this hit show changes the landscape.There were many highlights and I left feeling very energized (and determined to move to a new neighborhood).Opening night gala. My friend Corrina (an interior design junkie) came with me. It was packed. The food was delicious. I felt drunk despite not drinking at all. The jet lag struggle was real that night.
The official kick off. The Bloggers Breakfast. I met Erinn Valencich from American Dream Builders. So nice. Perhaps my experience is not the norm, but I'm constantly surprised by how friendly and helpful people are in this industry. At the conference I met some serious A-listers and they couldn't be more down to earth. It's shocking!There were many famous design bloggers attending the breakfast but the room was so crowed it was impossible to move around. I found out who was at the event after seeing their Instagram feeds.Yes, I took a photo of this Italian shower head. I love that other people were also taking photos of faucets and shower heads. I could spend hours discussing such things.
I've written about Peter Dunham before. His showroom, Hollywood at Home, has moved to a new location. Beautiful. I ordered some fabric samples for my Anguilla beach house project.
You know how I feel about Peonies.
Peter's famous Fig Leaf print.
How gorgeous is this dark blue club chair at Mecox?
This table? Perfect for a bedroom, entryway, or a small office.
Everyone was so cheerful. It really unnerved me. Ha!This photo was taken at the ELLE DECOR Power Luncheon. Very pretty and again, great food.
Lulu Powers making Aperol Spritz before the "Entertaining - The Home As A Social Stage" panel, with Susan McFadden, Kathryn M. Ireland, Russ Diamond, and Lulu.The take away? Dining rooms are not obsolete, despite what developers of McMansions say. They're being used differently, less formal. I agree and wish I had one.
I read Windsor Smith's new book once I returned to Rome. I highly recommend adding it to your library. It was great to meet Windsor and to spend time in the Arteriors' showroom.
I love that Arteriors was serving cocktails at 2:30 p.m. on a Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, I was driving non-stop in Los Angeles. Still, I enjoyed the festive atmosphere.
One of the most popular events is the Moore and Giles cocktail party, co-chaired by Harbinger LA and the Hearst shelter magazines (Veranda, Elle Decor, and House Beautiful) in the Harbinger backyard.More Aperol Spritz. The Italian inspired menu was catered by Lulu Powers and was delicious.
My incredible experience ended with an intimate party at Kathryn M. Ireland's beautiful home. I forgot my phone (the HORROR!).Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita blog wrote a post about it.Ireland has moved her West Hollywood showroom next door to her textile printing shop on Washington street. Outside, it looks like any other nondescript industrial space. Inside, is a completely different story.I cannot believe it's been almost three years since I attended her Interior Design Boot Camp. It was one of the best investments I've made in my career. It was also a lot of fun.
Work in progress. Hand printed textiles.
Photos: My and my iPhone.
Getting Your Home Ready for Spring - My Fabric Picks for Decorative Pillows
I hope you had a lovely holiday weekend.It's still a little chilly here in Rome but I know better than to complain about it. Our weather is almost tropical compared to some parts of the States.Growing up in NY/NJ I looked forward to saying, "peace out" to winter and getting ready for spring. While some of my chores were not fun, I enjoyed helping my parents prep our home.Once I moved to Los Angeles I didn't have to worry about such things. There are seasons but the changes are subtle. Nothing drastic like mountains of snow and not a single sunny day in February.One thing I appreciate about living in Rome is having "real" seasons again but without the bone chilling North East winters.I've written before about how my mom did not play when it came to keeping a clean house. Spring cleaning was like Oscars week for her. I get it. She grew up in the Caribbean and never got used to the weather. After a long brutal winter, it's nice to open all the windows and let your home breathe.I don't like heights, so I would ask my dad if I could pass on cleaning the gutters. I loved working in the garden with him. What I didn't love so much... changing the draperies. They were heavy and we had a LOT of windows when we lived in New York City and when we moved out to suburban New Jersey. I couldn't avoid ladders completely. Once the drapes were down, they were off to the dry cleaners and my mom and I would put up pretty Spring/Summer curtains.After a thorough cleaning, it's on to the next step.Along with swapping out heavy draperies and bed lines (goodbye thick duvets!), pillows are an easy way to bring some Spring into your home. I'd rather make custom pillows but if you don't have time to pick out fabric, stores like West Elm, Crate and Barrel, and IKEA have some fantastic and affordable choices. Like this Ella Square from Crate and Barrel.
If you go the custom route, below are my some of my favorites for Spring/Summer 2015:Dedar's Rataplan. A very pretty and interesting take on stripes. I'm seeing a glass (or two) of Franciacorta with this print.
Peter Dunham's Peterazzi in Pale Indigo. This silvery blue says Spring and a nice chilled white wine from Agrigento, Sicily.
Kathryn M. Ireland's Brianza from her Summer in France line. This would look great against a white linen sofa and with a glass of Rosé.
For a more graphic design, Kelly Wearstler's Groundworks line for Lee Jofa is gorgeous. I'm thinking a Martini for this one.
Also from Lee Jofa, David Hicks' La Fiorentina Red. A Negroni cocktail (which was invented in Florence) would be perfect.
Here is everything (and I mean everything) you need to know about Spring Cleaning from the one and only Martha Stewart. It's a good thing.
Bigger Is Not Always Better - Peter Dunham's West Hollywood Home
Meeting Peter Dunham was one of the highlights of Kathryn M. Ireland's Design Workshop. I have adored his textiles and design for ages and was excited to see his showroom. He was lovely.I think it's very interesting that he downsized. When I lived in Los Angeles, most of my peers in entertainment were all about getting to the next level. You had to have the right address, the right car, and even if your house was perfect, the minute you could afford to (or not) you would upgrade to a bigger, better, house.In this month's issue of HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, there is a great interview (and slideshow) with Peter. He talks about why he moved from a house that was 3,500 square-feet to an apartment that is only 550 square-feet.Living in a tiny space forces you to edit. You cannot surround yourself with just "stuff."There is some fantastic design advice for small spaces in the article. You can read it HERE and check out more photos of his charming home.
The Hallway/Il Ingresso
Recently I re-read "Rose Cumming: Design Inspirations."This book, about one of the pioneers of a "new" field called interior design, was a gift from my friend Erica for my birthday last year.The following quote from Ms. Cumming jumped out at me: "I feel that upon entering a house one should at once be made conscious of the dominate note pervading its scheme of decoration."I was just speaking with a friend regarding how sometimes hallways are neglected spaces.I agree with Ms. Cumming. A hallway shouldn't be a dumping ground for keys, shoes, etc.If you live in a small space you could create a hallway that's functional and stylish.Here are three fab hallways:
Photo: Veranda
How gorgeous is this staircase? I love the contrast of the very dark wood with the white paint.
Photo: The Kitchn
Designer Rita Konig's kitchen is a perfect example of a hallway serving more than one purpose.
Photo: Remodelista
A hallway is a great space to showcase art.
Weekend Inspiration - DOMAINE Magazine
The design and fashion blogosphere is buzzing this week about the debut of DOMAINE Magazine.This online publication was created by the same women, Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr, behind another favorite, WHO, WHAT, WHERE.
This site is fantastic. There are articles about home décor, fashion, and yes, even recipes (bacon mac and cheese).Plus, it's interactive. You can leave comments. Love it.I enjoyed the article about interior designers Jeffrey Alan Marks and Ross Cassidy. I've never met Jeffrey but Ross is a sweetheart. I'm not saying that just because he complimented my skirt in L.A. last year. Ross was very kind to pose in his red pants so I could Tweet the photo to my friend, Erica, a noted Red Pants Pathologist.Looking forward to checking out the rest of DOMAINE.Buon Weekend!
Weekend Inspiration - Let There Be Light - A Family Room Designed by Peter Dunham
A new Pope was elected this week. We still don't have a Prime Minister. It's kind of nuts but I digress.The determined sun fought its way through today's stubborn clouds and after a week of horrendous weather, we finally had a few hours of sunshine. The angels sang.Perhaps it's a little early for Spring cleaning (the horrible weather is scheduled to return on Sunday afternoon) but I would like to get started on some projects this weekend.Thoughts of Spring brought me to the photo below.How lovely is this space designed by L.A. based, British born, Peter Dunham?
Photo: Architectural Digest
We had a chance to visit Peter's showroom during Kathryn M. Ireland's Design Bootcamp. His showroom was filled with beautiful things and Peter was very charming.I think those chairs need to be in my home.Buon Weekend!
Stylish Simplicity - Bee Still, My Beating Heart - La Rochere Tumbler
I've been a fan of these glasses for ages. I saw them in Kathryn Ireland's kitchen last year and thought to myself, "I need to buy some when I move to a bigger apartment."I had to find a new kettle. I decided to go ahead and spend money on a solid one, as the cheap one I bought fell apart way too soon. Off I went to C.U.C.I.N.A. I try my best to avoid this store as every single time I stop in to buy one specific item, I get sucked into picking up a few things.It happened again. I walked past the glasses section and somehow two glasses ended up in my basket.
It's okay. It makes me happy when I open up my kitchen cabinet and see these two little glasses. Once I move, I'm getting a set.In the States you can find them at Sur La Table.As for the kettle, I bought a Le Creuset that was double the price of my old one. However, this one is built to last and very pretty.
Get Your Interior Design On - The Kathryn M. Ireland Bootcamp Experience
Last month I attended Kathryn M. Ireland's Interior Design Bootcamp in Los Angeles.That would be Kathryn the internationally known designer, NOT Kathy the former SI cover model. One Hollywood exec said to me, "I thought you were talking about the model the entire time. Alas, now our conversation has become less interesting to me." Too funny. Gotta love Hollywood.It would be hard to describe a packed four day schedule in one short blog post. Overall, it was fantastic experience. I was very impressed by Kathryn and her team, Jen, Rebecca, and Francesca. I learned a lot and enjoyed meeting my fellow bootcampers.There were only seven of us. Six were in different stages of our careers. One bootcamper had a new house. For her it was a good opportunity to see how a designer works. Some bootcampers had degrees in Interior Design and their own showrooms, while others were self taught and just starting out. It was a great mix.If you watch the show MILLION DOLLAR DECORATORS or have read anything about Kathryn you know that along with being a talented textiles and interior designer, she's a fantastic host. We met some heavy hitters in the business and it says something about Kathryn that everyone she introduced us to was warm, and down-to-earth.The workshop was organized (binders, books, baked goods!) We received excellent nuts and bolts information and advice about the business of design. There were guest speakers who talked about the state of the industry, branding, product development, publicity, and social media.We also visited several high profile showrooms with Kathryn, like Lucca, Nathan Turner, Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Peter Dunham, Christopher Farr, Jasper, Pat McGann, etc.Martyn's was our last showroom stop. He had drinks and quips for us.There was down time too (and plenty of wine with meals). We went on a hike in Will Rogers State Park with sick views of the Pacific. It wasn't mandatory but a nice way to kick off a long day. That day we visited Kathryn's print shop. She opened it in Los Angeles instead of outsourcing the work. The time it takes to hand print fabric is no joke and that's why it's expensive.We worked on our mood/presentation boards for our projects with input from Kathryn and her team. I wanted to pull my hair out as I tried to draw my floor plans by hand. Luckily for me, one of my fellow bootcampers was a kitchen and bath designer. She talked me down off the ledge.I can't really say which highlight (there were many) of the workshop was my favorite. I can say I returned to Rome feeling excited about the future and inspired.For more information about future Bootcamps, check out Kathryn's WEBSITE.
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Io Adoro - Sugar Paper - Los Angeles, California
Finally, my jet lag is over.My trip to Los Angeles was fantastic. Those who know me or read my former blog know how I feel about the City of Angeles. However, this trip was different.Kathryn M. Ireland's Design Bootcamp had a lot to do with my positive experience. I will post about that later.While I was in L.A. I met up with two friend friends/colleagues at Farmshop located in the Brentwood Country Mart.I was a little early so I stopped by what seemed to be a lovely stationary store. Once I was inside, I almost lost my mind. It was Sugar Paper! I've read about this store many times but never had a chance to visit it.Remembering my luggage restrictions (and my budget), I limited myself to just two items. It was very difficult. 
Founded in 2003 by graphic designers Chelsea Shukov and Jamie Grobecker, Sugar Paper makes beautiful letter-pressed stationary. I love their stylish designs.There's something really special about handwritten notes. It's so rare to receive one these these days. Everything is online.Check out Sugar Paper's portfolio HERE.