5 Favorite Things: West Coast Edition

Last month, one of my oldest friends, Kelly and I headed west and got our tan on literally from Malibu to Laguna Beach.  Somewhere between sunbathing and trips to The Coffee Bean, I managed to squeeze in stops to a couple "design destinations".  Thanks to my iPhone and my discovery of Instagram that lead to an addiction over that weekend, I captured some fabulous design, inspiration, and some simple things I love that I have recapped in this blog I am titling, 5 Favorite Things: West Coast Edition.

Kelly, only looking sweet and innocent here.  I'm looking a bit devilish from the iPhone camera flash.  Note to self..take a Photoshop class. 
1. Design Destination: The Viceroy Hotel, Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica
Since I blog constantly about designer, Kelly Wearstler and her fearless design style, I dragged Kelly on our first night to The Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica for cocktails. Of course the hotel is ultra glam with white patent leather studded wing chair style chaise lounges and a black and mirror coffered ceiling. However, I particularly loved the Ladies Room sink and faucet. The counter and sink basin were made entirely of slab carrara marble and the basin sort of extended beyond the wall to the adjoining Mens Room. Of course, as Kelly and the other women were putting on lipstick, I was studying the fabrication of the marble sink. I know, get a life.
The Viceroy Hotel Lobby, Designer, Kelly Wearstler

The Ladies Room at The Viceroy Hotel
Striking a pose at The Viceroy...in a vintage 70's Instagram style.  Thank you to my client Julie for my fab snakeskin bag. ; )
2. Design Destination: Minotti on Beverly Boulevard
Next to Holly Hunt, the Minotti style is probably my favorite modern design aesthetic.  Sleek modern sofas in solid and neutral leather, mohair or linen set against silk Tibetan rugs...love, love, love.  Edited but not sterile, this sexy modern design style perfectly blends masculine tailored design details with feminine glamour.  It's how I want to live..atleast at this moment. 
Kelly at Minotti on Beverly Boulevard


Kelly at Minotti on Beverly Boulevard

3. Inspiration: Street Style
First, I need a camera and a basic photography class because I really should capture what I see as potentially fantastic photographs in the course of my daily life.  I captured this iPhone shot of this young woman walking fast down the Street in Santa Monica while talking on her cell phone with the rollers still in her hair and carrying what appears to be an Hermes Birkin bag.  I guess if you are going to leave the house in your rollers, it is best to also wear your Birkin which kind of says, "Leave me alone.  I didn't have time to take out the rollers but atleast I have a Birkin, so screw.".  Just my interpretation.  Caption as you wish. 

This was another photo I captured on my iPhone walking down the street in Laguna Beach. 

4. Simple Things I love: White Orchids
White Orchids may be my favorite flower.  I favor tons of them in a bed of green moss on a round entry table.    I just think white orchids exude exotic elegance.  This image of a table of white orchids under the white tent at the Farmer's Market caught my eye.

 5. Simple Things I love: The Beach
I love the quote from author Isak Dinensen, "The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears or the sea.".   So true...so true.   
I'm definitely a coastal girl.  I love the beach, the sun and anything on the ocean.  I think I'm going to try out that stand up paddle boarding next month.   Kelly will probably not be joining me for that outing since she has some crazy fear of water.  I think she just watched Jaws too many times. ; )

Laguna Beach


Design Moods

I believe one of the goals of design is to capture a mood.  Although my current projects are varied from Modern to Glam, my mood in design now is decidedly modern and neutral with an edited and pure sense of beauty and luxury.  I'm drawn to the simplicity of UK designer, Kelly Hoppen's interiors, the chain link and sexy yet hard edge of the Litter SF jewelry, bold over scaled black and white portrait photography in interiors and beautiful simple black and gray body art and as always music.   


Cindy Crawford, Vogue Espana 2009 via

Designer, Kelly Hoppen

Designer, Kelly Hoppen
Designer, Kelly Hoppen


Litter SF via stylelist.com

Designer, Kelly Hoppen
Designer, Kelly Hoppen

Designer, Kelly Hoppen
Adam Levine Vogue Russia via




L.A. Design Recap

This past week was a whirlwind.  Boston to L.A. then back again.  I flew in Sunday afternoon to attend the Design Blogger's Conference at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel this week.  It was my first time back to L.A. since returning home to Boston eight years ago.  L.A. and I have a brief history in my design career.  Naive optimism and frankly, momentary insanity is what I experienced last time I was in L.A.  This time was no exception.  There is a great Sex and The City episode where the ladies head to L.A. that is especially hilarious.  Sunshine, green tea infusions and the "Brazilian" end up causing the typically hard edge and powerful New York girls to act like completely different women.  I'm always amused by the surreal quality of L.A.. Where else but L.A. would you run into Charro while putting on lipstick in the ladies room?  As always, even amongst the sunshine and ultra chic design, I find the amusement wears off, leaving me with a sense of the ever present all just on the surface quality that L.A. holds.  Possibly it was the ice cold puddle I ended up standing in wearing flip flops while waiting for my ride at Logan Wednesday night that snapped me back to reality.  Anyway, I'm back.
Sex and the City: Sex and Another City Episode

The Design Bloggers Conference had some great takeaways.  My iPhone is filled with notes and quotes and some behind the scenes celebrity dish from Martyn Lawrence Bullard.  Here are just a handful of my favorites.

1. "70's and 80's is the new black." says celebrity designer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard referring to what is on trend in decor.  I love the sleek onyx and chrome coffee table covered in fabulous collected luxe objects in Martyn's design of Elton John's Penthouse featured below.  The space has a 70's sexy Halston vibe. 





2. "Cher said, "I think I want to be the first wife of a Maharaja.".... Take that for a design direction." - Martyn Lawrence Bullard  From now on, I am going to encourage my clients to give me over the top design direction such as this.  How fabulous.  Martyn described that his celebrity clients as creative people use interior design to live out their fantasies.  Referring to working with Jimmy Choo founder, Tamara Mellon, Martyn also said that fashion people "want to live their brand.". 
Designer, Martyn Lawrence Bullard Cher's Home

3. "We are known for wallpapering the shit out of a room." - Jason Oliver Nixon of Madcap Cottage and Demystifying Design.  I think this is the coolest elevator pitch.  I could have listened to Jason speak all day.  He is super talented, adorable and entertaining.  I almost hit the floor when he gave out a prize to someone in the audience for wearing blue eyeshadow.  He and I could totally hang. 

4. "Today's peacock, tomorrow's feather duster."  Jason shared this quote, one of his mother's favorites with the group.  Isn't that the best?! ....and  he also shared, "It's better to be looked over than overlooked." - Mae West. I couldn't agree more.


Designer, Jason Oliver Nixon

4. "It's how we put together what we see that makes us unique."  - Bunny Williams  Ponder that.  This statement really blew me away.  Truly, it simply is our unique point of view that differentiates one designer from another.  It's fascinating to me that we all walk this same world and yet see things through our own unique lens.  I find this really beautiful and a great takeaway for designers, photographers, all creative types.

5. "My soul as a designer..." a term that Bunny Williams said that grabbed me.  Each of us, any creative person, artist or designer, can reflect and ask oneself, "What is my soul as a designer?".  She explained that her soul as a designer is to create home. She explained this in detail and it resonated with me.  This is really beautiful since design is about living, where we connect, love and our relationships with each other.  
Designer, Bunny Williams

Designer, Bunny Williams

Chocolate, Shimmer and Sheer

Are you on Pinterest?  If not yet, just get ready to be hooked.  For me, it's a way for me to create virtual inspiration boards for my projects.  I just tossed out stacks and stacks of magazine tearsheets that I have used for years for my large white bulletin board that served as an inspiration board for my work.  I'll admit, it was a bit scary tossing those tearsheets but I think it's good Feng Shui.  Here is a link and a preview to my latest project inspiration, Chocolate, Shimmer and Sheer.



via

Designer, Susan Ferrier

via

via


Living Style

Apparently Gwyneth has a new look featured on next month's cover of Harper's Bazaar.  Well, now atleast she will match her home.  I can't count how many times I have designed a space, then arrived to the client's home to find them wearing clothes, bag, shoes, even nail polish that matches their new decor.  I love it.  Design is about living your style, enjoying your home and making you look and feel great. 


The March 2012 Issue of Harper's Bazaar

House & Garden, Gwenyth Paltrow's Home

Eat, Pray, Love: India

August 31, 2010
After my latest posts focusing on Italian style, I realized that I should continue the trip around the globe and write a blog as a sort of homage to Eat, Pray, Love, next stop, India. As I'm sure you already know, the title Eat, Pray, Love refers to the authors time in Italy (eat), India (pray) and finally Bali (love). I haven't seen the movie and admit I have yet to read the book....something I hope to do this holiday weekend. However, I have heard author, Elizabeth Gilbert speak and have read excerpts from her books. No doubt, this woman can write. Her soul just leaps off the page. Here is one of her quotes for you, "He was powerful and I died of love in his shadow.". Wow.

Designers influenced by Indian style typically use saturated colors such as magenta, turquoise, deep lime green and orange in their interiors. When I think of India, I imagine the hot sun sparkling on the shimmering white of the Taj Mahal, layers of gold bracelets on a woman's wrist, embroidered silks with design motifs resembling Indian architecture and beautiful furniture with inlay of bone or mother of pearl.

Photo: Geoff Barringer Source: http://www.dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/

Photo: Designer, Windsor Smith

Photo: Designer, Windsor Smith Source: http://www.simplifiedbee.blogspot.com/

Photo: Geoff Barringer for Ports 61 Source: http://www.dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/

Photo: Designer, Bunny Williams Source: Elle Decor

Photo: Julia Roberts, Eat, Pray, Love

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.

Italian Style

I posted this blog back in August 2010 featuring designer, John Saladino's beautiful Tuscan style Montecito villa and the brilliant work of architect and designer, Bobby McAlpine.  I often mention that my mind, like other designers, is running a constant movie.  It's been this way since I was a little girl and probably why I spent entire summers dressed in my dancing school costumes.  I was always living in another place and another time inside my mind.  So when another designer posted the Christina Perri song, A Thousand Years, a song that reminded her of a book she read about the prolific writer Dante and his love for his muse Beatrice, I immediately thought of this beautiful editorial that I had included in this past blog post by photographer, Kalle Gistaffson, titled Storia d'amour.  Love is the ultimate inspiration.


On this rainy day, I thought I would share some inspiration from one of our recent projects. Design is about capturing a mood..a place..a time. For me, this is Italian style, casual and elegant. Limestone floors, faded antique rugs, velvet drapes, iron lanterns, cypress and statuary....and always romance.

Photo: Frank Grimm Source: http://www.dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/







Photos: Designer, John Saladino www.saladinostyle.com






Photos: Kalle Gistaffson, Storia d'amour, Source: http://www.dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/

Photo: Edith Wharton's Italian Gardens via http://www.trouvais.com/





Photos: Architect Bobby McAlpine, McAlpine, Booth and Ferrier Interiors Veranda Magazine




Photos: Architect, Bobby McAlpine & Designer, Susan Ferrier Source: http://www.cotedetexas.blogspot.com/

Photo: Frank Grimm Source: http://www.dustjacketattic.blogspot.com/

Rachel Hazelton is an Interior Designer from Middleton, MA with design projects in Andover, MA, North Andover, MA, Lynnfield, MA, Boxford, MA, Topsfield, MA, Boston's North Shore and throughout New England.
 
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