Karen Vidal

Progress at Partridge

2011-11-15T09:25:00.000-08:00

A quick look at the pebble flooring being laid at the apartments we are remodeling in Frog Town

The Backyard is Finished!

2011-11-10T14:45:00.000-08:00

Can you tell that our grass is artificial? Like I mentioned before the grass was never looking great plus with faux grass we save on water, and its pet friendly for our dog Toto too.

Ivanhoe School's New Look

2011-10-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

This is a remodel project we did for the Office of Ivanhoe School in Silver Lake

Here is an interesting photo I found of the original Ivanhoe School

Before...

Some photos of the process...

After!

Sample Sale this Thursday and Friday, don't miss it!

2011-10-18T13:35:00.000-07:00

Getting excited for the sample sale this Thursday and Friday at my house. Hope to see you soon!

Our Backyard Makeover

2011-10-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Our backyard got trashed over the summer because we had to replace all the panels on our house (that's another story), but we were ready to lose the grass anyway. Between the salt water in the pool, our dog, and sometimes our son, the grass never looked great. Plus we wanted the option to create more shade. You'll see what we decided to do.

Sample Sale!

2011-10-13T09:32:00.000-07:00

I will be hosting a sample sale at my house next Thursday and Friday, stop by and check out these amazing designers. The sale moves on to Siren Studios on Saturday and Sunday. See you there!

Partridge Family

2011-10-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Heres an idea of our latest building transformation soon to be Palm Springs chic! This project is on Partridge St. in Frog Town, an up and coming neighborhood just outside of Silverlake.

It's here!

2010-10-24T17:13:00.000-07:00

Herman, the baby eating yard monster. We were very busy today--marking, carving, placing, staking--but 300 lbs of pumpkin later and voila! We started out carving the big one, then got all the little ones placed, took a break for dim sum (really the most important part) and then came back to do the claws.

coming soon...

2010-10-18T16:36:00.001-07:00

Can you guess? I don't think so. Stay tuned.

More garage

2010-10-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

The garage is totally tranforming into an indoor/outdoor room. It's going to be so fun. The bench looks great, but the floor...so fun! There's not going to be a door to the outside, just these giant sunbrella curtains.

more kitchen

2010-10-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

So it's moving along. The cabinets are looking really nice. Overall you can tell that the space feels much more comfortable--opened up and airy. The soapstone is going in today and then we will start tile! It's all the fun stuff.

Kitchen progress

2010-10-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Cabinet installation started today at the spanish kitchen remodel; I posted some of the before pics again--the kitchen didn't actually look that bad to start but it didn't function well. The counters were too shallow, all the drawers stuck, it was dark--it just wasn't working. Well I opened up a nice big arch to the dining room and the cabinet layout has been fine-tuned to flow much better. The progress from now until the end will be pretty quick so I'll keep updating the photos. P.S. the cool 60's "Bewitched" stove is available. Any takers? Disclaimer: super-cute but not super-functional! Not for people who cook with large pots. Samantha just had to wriggle her nose, remember?

Cisco love

2010-10-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

My clients saw some lights they liked, and it turns out they were from Cisco Home. I went to check out the store in Pasadena and I was very impressed. They have lovely things, plus a commitment to sustainability without compromising design. We are going to use two of the "jug" lights in a gorgeous blue and you can get them hung from this really thick sisal rope, which gives them a whole different look. I loved their lighting--which is saying a lot. Especially great were fixtures made out of vintage colanders--so fab! Plus Amanda who works in Pasadena has been so accomodating, the whole experience has been great.

Too long!

2010-10-07T16:17:00.000-07:00

I sort of fell off the blog wagon--sorry! I don't really know what happened; the kids started school again and time seemed to warp in a very unusual way, and I've been very good about going to Pilates Plus at 6:30a, which turns out to be very bad for blogging. So there are my excuses, but I am going to make a re-commitment to post on a regular basis. That being said, let me introduce a little project called "Jessica's Garage". It's not any garage they can use since their 1920's Spanish has a driveway that would accomodate a model-T--not even their Prius can fit! So right now it's jsut a big empty space. So we are making a built-in bench, and tiling the top as well as the floor to make the whole thing a great indoor/outdoor room. Wait until you see the floor pattern!

Claycraft

2010-09-08T19:49:00.000-07:00

I found this wonderful intact fireplace surround of all original Claycraft tiles. The colors are astounding. The only problem is I'm not doing a project that could use it! It's so tempting to snap it up because I know I'll never see another...what to do?

Almost ready...

2010-09-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

...for the grand re-opening of Good Microbrew! Lots of big final elements this week: the custom beer display cabinet delivered and installed, the bar unit to display all of the unique tap handles, and the installation of some of the many (and more colorful--"Flying Dog Doggie Style"!?!) beer names onto the wall "menu". Humberto helped me a little, but it was my big DIY project and it's done! Now it's time for the party--this Friday 7p-11p. Dress up and come on by. Or just come on by if the dressing up part is too hard. I do like an excuse to dress up, so I just made that part up.

Bathroom re-do

2010-08-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

I met Charity when I was doing paint consultations at Jill's Paint (my favorite paint store!), and I helped her choose some colors for her living room and master bedroom based on some photos she showed me. About a year later she called me up because she had gotten into some trouble with her bathroom--the only one in the house. It started with a some loose tile in the shower. Needless to say when I showed up the guys had demo'd her whole shower without any kind of plan of action. Charity was going crzy trying to match her existing tile for a "repair". It was a mess. We halted work, took a look at the situation and came up with a plan; I love vintage tile and save it whenever I can, but her bathroom was drab and depressing. We decided it was worth it to explore a whole new look, and boy was it worth it!

"Mountain Lion Alert"

2010-08-24T19:34:00.000-07:00

At least that's what my client's neighbor told us as we were standing on the porch of her newly purchased home in Sierra Madre. Tragically the neighbor's cat had been snatched by a mountain lion, in full sight of his wife! The exterior fence moved up much higher on our "must do immediately" list. As well as adding some soul back into a charming 1920's Craftsman Bungalow, which as you can see looks more like a 2002 Condo. Not a drop of charm left. We are starting with the kitchen. And the fence...

Traditional

2010-08-23T20:06:00.000-07:00

This house was hard; it wasn't really anything when we started. No real style, almost 80's. My clients wanted it to be warm and homey so we added Traditional detailing with some Craftsman overlays. Today it's hard to remember how bland it was.

A Good transformation

2010-08-23T19:57:00.000-07:00

The new floor went in at Good and it's amazing. I couldn't believe how fast Scott and his team got it installed, and we could walk on it the next day. Natural stone is set into an epoxy binder and troweled flat. Viola!

Just Peachy

2010-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Inevitably all my peaches ripen at once and I have to be a little kitchen creative; peach preserves are yum, but sometimes you just gotta go that extra step. Peach Pie? Maybe--but what about Peach Upside Down Cake?!? Old fashioned and scrumptious, warm with ice cream...should I keep going? I know someone can't wait!

Looking Good

2010-08-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

The bar was finally installed at Good Microbrew, and you can see that Ron is just a little bit happy with it! It looks like it was always there--it's pretty funny that a microbrew specialty place didn't actually have a bar. We're making a big push to have the place looking finished before Sunset Junction because there's going to be a huge beer garden in the parking lot and tons of people in and out of the restaurant.

Camel Love II

2010-08-03T08:05:00.000-07:00

My friend Tracy has a wonderful blog, that inspired this post: meet Shishi and two very happy riders.

p.s.--those camels are really tall!

Inlay envy

2010-07-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

Before I left for my trip I was figuring out the layout for a bathroom floor that felt complicated; it has a carrerra marble surround then a 5" mosiac inlay with thasos, bardiglio and carrera stone with detailed corners, but it isn't totally rectangular (it has a angle in front of the shower enclosure), and finally it has an inset field that has a laser cut pattern. Anyway it was all really pricey and I can't make a mistake because it has a crazy lead time, etc etc etc. Then I'm in Jerusalem and I almost fell over when I saw the inlaid stone work they were doing--IN THE YEAR 324!!! The stress I had over my one bathroom suddenly seemed totally ridiculous.

Mallory MIA

2010-07-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

Mallory, now that you've found my blog I just wanted to let you know we miss you! Especially a certain someone...

Bauhaus Tel Aviv

2010-07-27T19:42:00.000-07:00

From 1930 to after World War II more than 100,000 inhabitants came to Tel Aviv, and over 4000 buildings were constructed in the "International Style", giving Tel Aviv a unique modern presence-- the "White City" along the Mediterranean coast. Because of both the talented architects who were returning from studying in Germany and the ideology of the Zionist settlement, the "modern style" impacted the look of the young Tel Aviv like no other city. When I visited tel Aviv 12 years ago many of the beautiful Bauhaus structures were literally crumbling. Luckily the last decade has heralded a renewed appreciation and pride for these understated structures and the preservation movement is in full swing.

It's hard to imagine...

2010-07-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

...constructing a Cathedral in medieval times, over hundreds of years without computers and mechanized equipment. The artistry and mastery are almost overwhelming. It puts my construction projects in perspective! Notre Dame is amazing, but what about a Cathedral from 324 a.d.--more than 1000 years earlier than Notre Dame. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, housing the believed remains of Jesus, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Upon entering, just beyond the slab where Jesus' body was lain after being removed from the cross, is a mosaic depicting the Crucifixion and burial of Jesus. It's fabricated out of 1/2" pieces, with the most amazing colors, but what is truly unexpected is how much emotion is conveyed in the faces of the saints and supplicants.

I'm back!

2010-07-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

No, I haven't abandoned my blogging endeavour--I should have posted that I would be away. Now I'm back, recharged and refreshed with new inspiration. I was in The White City (aka Tel Aviv), with let's say an extended connection through Paris (hmmm, how did that happen?).

Wayne kitchen progress

2010-06-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

The cabinets are almost finished. Here are some progress shots. The countertop is going in tomorrow and then we just need our beautiful backspalsh tile from Heath. Our finish deadline is the end of this month, and things are flying!

Pavlovian

2010-06-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

I was at a dinner party last night, and started talking about sweets--baking, eating, etc so then I start thinking about my favorite bakeries The City Bakery, Taylor's, Macrina...and the next morning my Macrina cookbook is out nad lo and behold a beautiful bundt that actually came out of the pan! We like to call it "Black and Blue" cake because it's full of delicious blackberries and blueberries. We never run out of ideas here.

Henious

2010-06-06T15:51:00.000-07:00

This ladies room! Will thankfully be getting a full re-do. When I was designing the bar I told Ron that the ladies room had to be a priority. Luckily we are finally getting started and this is first up. Score one for the ladies.

Getting close

2010-06-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

It's so fun when finish items start going in! There's been tons of progress at the house on Wayne, but not a lot to look at. By the end of this week it will be a different story.

tricky kitchen

2010-05-25T20:18:00.001-07:00

So this is the kitchen in one of the Spanish houses I'm doing. The problem is, it's kind of cute! The real problem is, it doesn't function well, the drawers are all woonky, there's not enough storage, and even though the stove is amazing (remember from Bewitched? But she didn't actually have to cook on it, did she) it all has to come out. Ultimately the new kitchen will be super cute and functional too, and everyone who doesn't know better will think it was original.

My secret project

2010-05-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

I can't say much yet, but it's something I'm working on, and no I don't keep it safe in my vintage Barbie case. I'm not sure what that was doing there...anyway, more soon!

A tale of two houses

2010-05-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

You know how things happen in pairs? Well, I went to look at a really sweet Spanish style house from the 20's over in Carthay Circle and then a week later I went to look at a kitchen remodel in Glendale and it was deja-vu--the exact same layout, from the angled front entry, the living room with the vaulted ceiling set off to the front of the house, the small dining room right in the middle, and the same galley kitchen. I'm going to nosy around a bit to find out if it was actually the same builder, but I have the felling that it was a popular floor plan that was available in the 20's. I was pretty amused at the coincidence.

Wayne tile choices

2010-05-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

So were are gearing up for the finish at Wayne St. and have made our final tile selections. I'm very excited to be incorporating some Heath tile--the dimensional diamond shaped tile for the kitchen backsplash, and the amazing turquoise crackle that is a brand new color in a 2 x 12 dimension. We're mixing in some penny round (for the master floor) and some really porcelain sheet tile in fun shapes.

Wayne St. update

2010-05-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

We've been making good progress at Wayne St., but the place looks totally torn apart still. The last big framing is happening--the back wall in the kitchen. We 're going to add a 7' window, which will be great when we put the pool...

More Santa Monica AFTER Photos

2010-05-10T21:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some more AFTER pix of Santa Monica. My clients have moved in, and after they get settled I'll get some more shots.

Just to be clear...

2010-05-10T20:57:00.001-07:00

This is the re-modeled kitchen in Santa Monica, and I LOVE it! I didn't label whether each photo was before or after--I thought it was obvious, but Mary Jane made a good point. Thanks for telling me MJ.

Water!

2010-05-06T20:30:00.000-07:00

We did a water test on the fountain at Chislehurst today! Ohhh, it was so nice to see it look beautiful and function too. The landscaping is in and the place is looking totally transformed. I have to find the photo of when it was a black lava rock free-form fountain just to remember because somehow it seems like this one has always been there.

It's like candy

2010-05-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

My friend Lianne has the most amazing glass (and art, but more on that later). She's got this tiny store on Abbott Kinney in Venice that usually is so full you are afraid to turn around. I was shocked to see a very pared down version--well for her anyway--when I was last there. I love it when it's crammed, but this time I felt like I could really focus on the beauty of the different glass grouped by color. It's very hard to resist!

It used to be ugly

2010-04-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

Mary Jane said the funniest thing today. She said, "It's hard to remeber when the house looked really ugly!" It hasn't even been that long. I couldn't find an old picture of the kitchen, but remember the Living Room and Master Bathroom?

the home stretch

2010-04-20T18:32:00.000-07:00

Back to the Chislehurst fountain: here it is, complete with the top cap (which we had been waiting for, because they had never actually been made before and it turns out that it was very difficult to make such a thick piece that was rounded but wouldn't break when fired, etc), and even grouted which always makes the tile installation finally look finished. It wasn't a great time of day for the photo light-wise, but it's still lovely. Soon--water!

My own art walk

2010-04-16T20:23:00.000-07:00

I caught up with my friend Alex yesterday and it didn't feel like any time had passed, but the reality is we hadn't seen each other for far too long. And it wasn't totally a social visit either--she's helping me on something that is still secret. I told her I would send her a photo of a mural that she painted in my daughters' room, and I saw it again with fresh eyes and was re-smitten (is it a word?) with it. Totally free-hand, even though it looks like a stencil, and totally effortless. I think we chatted the whole time she painted. And her actual art? Amazing! I realize what a role her work plays in my own home. You can see more of her work here.

do good and look good too

2010-04-16T20:12:00.000-07:00

My friend Tracy designed this charity tee shirt for the earthquake victims in Haiti. I love the hand stamped heart! (glad to see your continuing ed paying off for design!) It's available on the Velvet website and ALL the proceeds are going to charity. Please pass it on. Also check out her blog--it's fab.

Apartment Love part II

2010-04-12T19:21:00.000-07:00

So this is how they come out--this isn't the same unit but it is in the same building. It's a Spanish style bungalow complex, from 1926. It had great bones as they say, but the units were horribly neglected. It's nice to restore the units, but also design them so that each is different and special. The people who end up renting them really appreciate all the detail.

Apartment Love

2010-04-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

This is the latest apartment that I'm doing; the kitchen and bath in their current horrific state. You won't believe how sweet they'll turn out. I love that the original 1920's kitchen breakfast bench is still intact.

Santa Monica Loop

2010-04-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

So somehow wsince my friend Toni-Ann introduced me to Lemonade on Abbott Kinney, I rationalize that it is actually right near my jobsite on 5th St. and find myself "passing by" to pick up lunch. The salads are yum, and I spared you the photo of the extra large caramel fleur de sel maccaroon which I can't resist. Oh yeah, I was in Santa Monica (Venice?) because they installed the soapstone countertops. They are fab!

We're back

2010-04-06T20:23:00.001-07:00

Had a little Spring Break, now back to it. Thanks Ginger for your creative inspiration!

becca

2010-03-26T17:38:00.000-07:00

About 9 or 10 years ago we were going for breakfast downtown at Nick's, and that area was (still is really) a weird mix of industrial and barren with Nick's on this random corner. We're walking to go in and I see this graffiti, only it's like anti-graffiti because it's this really sweet looking girl almost like a Kewpie doll. And I was angry because someone had the gall to graffiti over it. It was signed "becca". Today I saw another becca in Venice. I tried to google her, but nothing seemed right. Any clues about "becca"?

This is what I needed...

2010-03-26T17:17:00.000-07:00

...from Zen Bunny. "A feather necklace?", you ask eyebrow cocked skeptically. "Not just a feather necklace", I protest. "A hand crocheted copper wire masterpiece with a bloom of beautifully colored feathers artistically rendered by a student at the Royal College of Design!"

I know. What can I say. It's not rational...

So this was my day

2010-03-26T16:40:00.000-07:00

I started in Santa Monica: I was supposed to meet the soapstone fabricator to look at the counters before installation but that is going to happen tomorrow. So I saw the re-finished floors, which look great, especially considering their prior condition. Then I went to Bourget Brothers to get some samples for something I'm cooking up. More on that later. Next to Bay Cities Deli--I know people love it, the line was huge, but I think Eastside Deli kicks its butt (and that's not just because I live in Silverlake!) I had (had I tell you) to go to Zen Bunny, where I took the photo of the taxidermied foal--a stillborn they assured me--not to see the foal but to get a necklace that I couldn't stop thinking about. What the heck, I was already there. Next back on the freeway, eastside bound to check on an apartment I'm renovating on Virgil (the pix are of the tile-super cute!). Unfortunately, or fortunately I vascillate in my thinking, it's very close to Scoops which I swear is my favorite place for a treat--today it was almond-honey-cardamon and cinnamon-hazelnut. Yumm yum! Then up to Los Feliz to check on Wayne Street--they were still framing the staircase. You think I'm done? Not yet. I had to go check on the new awning they were putting at Elevado, but OMG 30 min to kill so I met Ed at Intelligentsia. I swear I just had the iced tea. Maybe just a taste of the cookie. Ok, both cookies. Finally to Elevado, the awning looks great. Home now, getting ready to make dinner.

orange crush

2010-03-25T18:35:00.000-07:00

I do love orange. Lately maybe more than usual. I flipped when I saw the orange hanging planter at pot-ted. I don't have many (any?) plants inside my house, but I had to have it and with a little air plant inside it's fab. Then I felt like sharing my bedside lights (since I'm talking about orange). Vintage deadstock glass that I got years ago knowing I would find the perfect place one day. And as I was going on about orange I looked down at my earrings on the desk next to me...and well, you know.

Details

2010-03-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

Since I was Chislehurst looking at the fountain I popped inside to take some detail shots inside. Sometimes I feel like it's hard to focus on these things in the greater context of my web site photos, where the photographer is always trying to depict the larger space. I love the daybed we built in the living room that utilizes an otherwise dead area. We matched it to an existing window seat and it's hard to tell that it's not original.

Just add water...

2010-03-25T18:18:00.000-07:00

We actually put water in the Chislehurst fountain today! Seems so boring, it is a fountain after all, but it's taken a long time and a lot of hard work to get here. Next week I'll have a picture of water coming out of the spout. Ha!

Photo Shoot

2010-03-24T20:56:00.001-07:00

This week has been crazy! It actually started on the weekend when our house was used as a location, which is stressful getting everything ready before the crew comes in (especially when you don't have a lot of notice and it's Saturday morning and you have two kids who don't really care about these things). Then we had a wonderful still photo shoot by Mitch Walker--his scouting shots looked wonderful. I can't wait to see the finished shots.

Almost done

2010-03-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe but after all of this the Chislehurst fountain is almost finished. We'll grout next week, then fill it up to see how the water is flowing before we plaster. Exciting!

Sometimes...

2010-03-19T08:45:00.000-07:00

...Levi creates awesome stuff!

Crime scene?--no, just the kitchen

2010-03-19T08:41:00.000-07:00

More at Wayne Street--we're moving along now. We wanted to see what the kitchen island looked like in the space, so we taped it off on the floor. The first go was not right, but after some tweaking it looks pretty good.

Can't tell what it is?

2010-03-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

It's the master bath at Wayne Street! We are framing walls--you can't really see how it's going to look, but it's going to be fab.

This is how it gets fixed

2010-03-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

The "non-wall" at Santa Monica looks like this now; we wanted to preserve the detail moulding and built-in bookcase in the dining room, so we went in from the outside. It looks cool, all deconstructed with the columns remaining. Of course all the siding will go back once they finish framing the wall.

Just because they're wacky

2010-03-12T19:45:00.000-08:00

At a recent field trip to the Natural History Museum, my kids showed some real style!

Houston, we have lift-off

2010-03-12T19:38:00.000-08:00

Ok maybe that's a little bit of an exaggeration...but it is amazing to see the tile actually getting installed. The fountain was the first design item we started with, and somehow we managed to renovate a good portion of the house as well as relocate Paul's recording studio--which basically got built within the guest house! But now the beauty is unfolding...

Kimberly, this one's for you!

2010-03-12T19:32:00.001-08:00

Kimberly told me she liked my posts that included my fav food destinations. She did mention that I'm giving away all my secrets...anyway here's a good one. It's a re-hash with a dash of something new. I had to do a major Pasadena circuit today: I started at Pasadena Architectural Salvage (again!), but actually I was there a little early, sooooo I had to swing by Euro Pane for some Macaroons. Last time I got there late and all the extra tasty flavors were gone, but since it wasn't even 10am, well you get the picture. After PAS I had to go to George's Plumbing to see Lester about some things, and then Snyder-Diamond (hello, Warehouse sale coming up!) to double check some appliances. Those stops weren't that exciting today, but my final stop was:Azeen's Afghani Restaurant. Haven't heard of it? Judging by how empty it usually is you're not alone--but don't let that fool you. It is seriously not to be missed. I got the Chef's combo, and it made me start to plan my next trip to Pasadena. I don't think all the valves were in, were they Lester?

do you want the good news...

2010-03-10T20:07:00.000-08:00

or the bad first? Mary Jane, I'm pleased to say that the tile in your master bath is moving along and looking very good. But you know the thing about these old houses--when I made the joke a couple of posts ago about the door not having a header, I swear I was just being flip (not that it hasn't happened to me before). Little did I know that a week later we'd be looking at a door that doesn't have a header along with a wall that has no structure! Yikes. And the funny thing, as I was leaving Esteban came up to me and asked if you picked the final color for the dining room! Ha! (Have you?)

Fine Dining

2010-03-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

Another development at Chislehurst is that the Dining Room is coming along. We got an amazing Spanish table--it can expand to 14' long-- and great carved chairs. Really worth waiting for the perfect thing. And Beate got an exquisite carpet from Jamal (he's on La Cienega, no website)--I love the colors. Now we just need a sideboard and some art and then maybe we can have a party?

Today!

2010-03-09T17:50:00.000-08:00

It happened--the tile was delivered for the Chislehurst Fountain! It's absolutely gorgeous. Thank you Eric and James for your hard work, artistry, and perseverance (btw, when are we getting those tile caps? Ha!). So by the end of next week the tile should be fully installed. I can't wait!

Hidden treasure

2010-03-04T19:31:00.000-08:00

Usually when I'm doing an old house there's one remnant that gets revealed along the way that's a hidden gem--like this wallpaper. Hidden under terrible wallpaper in the breakfast room at Santa Monica, an amazing peek at the past. Did the Marx Brothers put it up after they did "Go West"? Not very p.c. but very fantastic!

Wayne St. now

2010-03-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

It's always a little crazy going to a job site after the demo--you look around at the gaping holes, exposed framing, many surprises that get uncovered ("What do you mean that opening doesn't have a header?!") and breathe a deep breath, knowing that it will start to come together soon enough. It's scary exciting.

I can't wait

2010-03-01T18:27:00.000-08:00

The tile for the Chislehurst fountain is being delivered next week! Beate, it's really happening. Above, a sneak peak. We have made some modifications--you'll just have to wait for the final installation to see!

Overload!

2010-02-25T19:09:00.000-08:00

This is where I was today--at a prop house that's liquidating it's inventory. I bribed my friend Lizbeth with the promise of Lebanese lunch at a totally out of the way place. First we just had to "make a stop". Luckily she was game--even scored a lamp shade. It was intense trying to keep an eye out for Spanish gate leg tables, Colonial revival light fixtures, 60's modern anything...the list goes on. I'm sorry the photos are blurry but at this point I was spinning around! After being totally overwhelmed I managed to come back to myself with the help of some delicious mezze. Good thing I plan so well.

Do you remember?

2010-02-24T11:55:00.000-08:00

John and Maria when your place looked like this? My clients could see past the birds (yes those are real pigeons and yes they are living inside!) to the potential charm of this house in Silverlake. They were very brave to actually buy it, but they were right. The house is now officially bird free--on the inside anyway--and very sweet. We'll have pics one they are more moved in. Congratulations!!!

Blast from the past?

2010-02-24T11:38:00.000-08:00

I had to go out to Sun Valley--not the great one in Idaho but our local version up the 5 past Burbank--to look at an issue regarding the kitchen cabinets for the Santa Monica job. I hadn't been there before, and the address brought me to the craziest looking structure and I'm thinking that it has got to be a mistake but then I see the carpenter come out. So I follow him inside, and am literally amazed. I cannot stop gawking. It's some kind of crazy throwback, I think to WWII. It must have been used for some kind of manufacturing. Anyway, it was mind boggling so I had to share. And I solved the problem with the cabinets too.

Thank you Craig...

2010-02-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

for creating a list that let's people put all kinds of cool things up for sale! Scored this wall unit for Wayne Street. I can't wait until there's a wall to put it on...oh yeah, I got the chair too.

Sweet!

2010-02-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Somehow it's so much easier to motivate out to the salvage yard (even if it is your favorite one!) when there's a bakery that has tasty treats nearby. So I'll share one of my favorite loops: head out to Pasadena, past Old Town, until you feel like you went too far and you must be in Sierra Madre, and you'll find yourself at Pasadena Architectural Salvage. There Gayle will help you find exactly what you're looking for--even if you don't know what exactly you're looking for. Last trip I saw some great freestanding cabinets that had come out of a dentist office (!), and a salvaged built-in that I wish I had a project for right now. But the best part is after you find all this great stuff you can reward yourself by heading back via Colorado and make a pit-stop at Euro Pane Bakery. It's so crowded, so I'm not sharing any huge secret here but the one two punch of salvage and sweet makes a very satisfying trip.

2010-02-18T19:24:00.000-08:00

My friend Elaine Parks does amazing art. I'm loving her wall sculptures. In the intro of my new favorite book Decorative Art, Shirley Conran says: "An interesting feature of Decorative Art is the inclusion of hand made objects as well as entirely machine made articles. The sculpturesque, dinosauric quality of some of the pottery in the ceramic section, with its irregularity of shape and colour is as satisfying in its own way as some of the compact, well constructed and beautifully finished furniture which has been specifically designed for mass production." What she said in 1961 is as relevant today and captures why I love Elaine's work so much. Plus she uses the word "dinosauric". Amazing.

Happy Birthday Ginger!

2010-02-17T18:50:00.000-08:00

My beautiful daughter turns 10 today! Happy Birthday sweet girl. You're awesomely awesome!! xoxo

Decorative Arts

2010-02-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

I was in Lawson-Fenning in Silverlake, and in the back they have a bookstore called Ivanhoe Books. It's geared towards design, architecture and inspirations, and they have a selection of vintage books as well. Since I can't pass by vintage anything without looking twice, a title caught my eye (certainly it wasn't the spine which was faded and worn) Decorative Art 1961-62. Hmmm, let's have a looky--AMAZING! It's British and the opening features a "Conversation with Shirley Conran". Herewith a small excerpt.

EDITOR: Mrs Conran, which country, in your opinion, is contributing the greatest influence on interior design?

S.C. Undoubtedly Finland. Although many Finns have assured me that there is a great deal of bad design in their country, they very sensibly seem to keep it there..."

Priceless! so are the photos...

I'm glad you're not just in Sausalito!

2010-02-15T17:17:00.000-08:00

It's so convenient having an amazing Heath Tile and Ceramics showroom right here on Beverly. It's perfect for my Wayne St. job, so I went to pull samples. I met Wendy Jung, who is the tile specialist--at least that's what I'll call her--and she was so helpful. She let me pull loads of samples, field tile and dimensional tile in the most gorgeous colors. And they have a wonderful book called Heath Tile, The Complexity of Simplicity, which is where I got the photo of Edith Heath looking wonderfully glamorous at the factory inspecting the ceramics just out of the kiln. I also learned that the tile for the Norton Simon Museum was her first job--can you imagine!

Color

2010-02-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I just do color. It's super fun. I feel like a doctor doing a housecall--and at the end I write a color prescription ("Paint these colors and call me in the morning!") Such was the case with this building. I'll go back and take pix when it's done. I'm doing a sophisticated Old Hollywood scheme with this one. And I get to use one of my favorite colors--Sparrow. It's from Benjamin Moore, and I can't get enough of it! It's a great dark, with grey and green and brown tones. I love it inside, in bedrooms especially, and outside where it works equally well as a trim option or the body color.

mmmm Good

2010-02-11T17:41:00.000-08:00

Good Microbrew on Sunset in Silver Lake is ready for a face-lift (and a tummy tuck, and some lipo...sorry Ron this girl needs some help!) The star at Good is all the beer, something like 500 different kinds available in bottles. It's mind-boggling. We'll be making significant changes throughout the space and creating a ton of displays to showcase all of those beers. It will be a beer wonderland.

A piece of History

2010-02-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

This is the plaque that is on the entry gate at the Santa Monica House. I'm so glad that my clients appreciate this old beauty because it would be a shame to lose her. Once these old gems are gone you can't bring them back. The building code today wouldn't even let you if you tried.

Rare sight in Silver Lake

2010-02-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

This gorgeous full rainbow. i was sitting at the computer, looked up because the light coming in suddenly got quite dramatic and saw the end of the rainbow. We all went rushing outside and were treated to the full show, arching the full span of the reservoir. Then it got better--there was actually a double rainbow, although I'm sorry to say I couldn't get it snapped. But we did see it, I swear.

Rainy Day in Santa Monica

2010-02-10T14:57:00.000-08:00

Lately it seems like every time I go to meet at the job in Santa Monica it's pouring buckets. One time it was actually hailing! I went there to go over the electrical rewire, and was happy to see that the bathroom was framed for the new layout, the old kitchen was totally gone (it was a bad old kitchen from the 80's not a good old kitchen from the 30's), and living room ceiling structural issue was almost fixed. Believe it or not things are looking good!

Dragonflies!

2010-02-08T19:54:00.000-08:00

That's right, with the help of two very talented craftsmen the Chislehurst fountain is going to get some lovely dragonflies. They bake these cookies by hand in their Echo Park studio, using old world techniques that no one has the skills (or patience!) to do these days. The color above won't be our final color--you'll get to see that when it's actually up. But can you imagine--hand carved molds, tile rolled out in batches and hand pressed, more than 80 layers or glaze along with some cross spray on the relief to get that color--whew! I'm exhausted.

I'm lucky...

2010-02-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

Right now I'm working on some very distinctive and different projects. The Chislehurst fountain is the last part of a larger remodel of a 1937 P. P. Lewis Spanish style home in Los Feliz, then there's the 1925 Colonial Revival in Santa Monica that the Marx Brothers owned (and rehearsed in apparently) and is now a designated city landmark--which many people considered a "tear-down" according to some West Side blogs (but we'll show them)--, and a 1964 Post and Beam by architect David Hyun. Unfortunately this house had fallen into grave disrepair, so now we're dealing with a situation where we have to refer to the houses' "good bones" when we are looking at areas. We've just started this one, so I'll be able to put many photos of the whole process. Here's a start.

Groucho Marx lived here!

2010-02-06T18:35:00.000-08:00

Really. This house was probably a lot more spectacular when it was sitting on the "Gold Coast". That's when the Marx Brothers owned it. Apparently Jews weren't allowed in any of the beach clubs, so they created their own. It was moved off the beach to 5th St. in 1936, where the same owner lived there until he recently passed away. It's a fab house and my clients fell in love with it, undaunted certain aspects. Like, the master bath...

Chislehurst Fountain

2010-02-06T17:36:00.000-08:00

The beginning. Well not exactly the beginning, because once there was obviously a very beautiful fountain here. And when I got to the project there was a monster of black lava (?!) cascading down the hillside. At least they didn't demo the basin. Anyway, after a long search for the right tile material to use, I found it right here in Echo Park. I'll take some pics and you'll see why we knew it was perfect.