DECOR FILE : FABULOUS!

OH, BOY- OH, JOY!

I am in LOVE with this note book I found while perusing Oh, Joy! Love, love love! Just had to share...

DECOR FILE : FABULOUS UPDATE

PALM SPRINGS- BEAUTY AND STYLE FOR THE LOBBY

above and below: the dated, over-worn lobby of Palm Spring Skilled Nursing Center. Notice the ceiling fans ala 1980. The country Pine furniture and mustard yellow wall colors. Oh the Southwestern Prints as well!

Below: The same lobby after a major overhaul to update the area and bring graceful, edited style. NO more ceiling fans or prints. Hello Philadelphia Honed Stone flooring, eco-chic upholstery, custom fireplace walls and hand-blown glass and bronze pendants!

Again: The after below

Since, approximately, this past February- I have been working diligently on several Skilled Nursing Facilities- or SNF's as they say in the biz. This past Saturday was our first major install in the lobby of my Palm Springs project. It has been such a long time coming but FINALLY I can show some dramatic before and after images. What you should realize is the following:

1. my budget is frugal- considering the task I was handed and the scope of the project/improvements that needed to occur. The building is over 26,000 square feet with 100 beds.

We have replaced all the flooring through out with either luxury vinyl tiles, stone or ceramic in the case of the baths.

Paint Through out.

New bedding, draperies, headboards, nightstands.

Demo'd and rebuilding two nurses stations.

Demo'd and re-poured exterior courtyards. Added fountains and new plantings.

All new lobby furnishings.

artwork in the Lobby

Draperies through out the public spaces.

Renovated the Physical therapy gym-

Created an efficiency apartment for Occupational Therapy...

the list goes on and on and I can still tell you that we are still about $15.00 a square foot if you did the math! This my friends, is unheard of.

2. The details are what matter. Everything that my hand touches or my eye sees undergoes intense scrutiny. This is to say that everything and every detail is just as important as the next. One link on the pendant fixtures versus two. Draperies hanging 3/4" above the floor versus 1". Charcoal stitching on the opalescent leather pillows versus black. Orchid arrangements made my my own hands because the nursery could not get it just right. You get the picture. This is not about finding something retail and plopping it down...it is about a pointed vision and well edited elements.

Here are just some of the great details:

the luxury vinyl was selected to cut down the use of chemicals around the residents.

custom draperies, night stands and headboards, as well as healthcare appropriate bedding are in the patient rooms.

lobby furnishings are custom designs, eco friendly with FSC certified frames and foam that is either of recycled content or soy based.

Fabrics are designer, to the trade- all while meeting stringent standards (This has been most challenging.)

lobby artwork is ORIGINAL paintings! Not prints - Original hand-made contemporary pieces.

3. I have single-handedly facilitated everything. No assistants. No foreman. Meet your General contractor- in a sense.

While there are still many items to tackle, another nurses station to install, and some painting to complete... I am supremely pleased. The aim was to bring style and beauty to individuals who often are ignored. To demonstrate that luxury and grace can be accomplished with out excess if you have a well edited, trained eye and comprehensive know-how. (Imagine if I had generous budgets!) And that we need to change the face of typical health care design to incorporate the refined, upscale aesthetics that the boomer generation has grown accustomed to. Today its about being effortlessly chic.

Happy Monday!

DECOR FILE : FABULOUS!

NY INSPIRATIONS AT THE MET AND THE CORNER BAR

Byzantine Necklace- Divine!

There was something so intriguing about this display of figures on pedestal...definitely something to hold onto

Coins of Antiquity- I have so many ideas for these!

This was by far- one of the most quaint and welcoming bars I have visited...a tiny, tiny corner in TriBeCa...every element was perfection!

SNAPSHOT DU JOUR PT. 2

The latest skilled nursing project- this one in Inglewood, CA. Decent exterior- much needed reno on the inside. Very exciting to start this new project.

SNAPSHOT DU JOUR

On my first subway ride.

I HEART NY

METROPOLITAN HOME SHOWTIME SHOWHOUSE

The best ever- the view of TriBeCa!

Inspired by the United States of Tara- Francine Gardner welcomes you to her space through an entry defined by cut steel profiles...its like you are literally walking into the mind of multiple personality Tara

This detail was brilliant! Francine and her team framed out a window with a bland view and directed your eye to the most interesting part through the use of mirrors....

I adored this bath off a Weeds inspired room by Paul Latham

One of my favorite moments- flying geese upon cork walls that led to a Californication inspired room by Joanna Kornak for Holly Hunt

More Weeds by James Biber

Clever Tudors inspired chairs by Piero Lissoni

More Californication by Markus Dochantschi

SNAPSHOT DU JOUR: THE EXTENDED VERSION

SAN JOSE + PALM SPRINGS

new wall treatment for the residents' dining room

Blue tape outline of new fireplace wall with Convex Mirrors above

Putting my Father to work

Previous Hallway entrance

Keep it simple, fresh, and use contrast

fabulous Ikat from Kravet that inspired the new stone floor in Palm Springs. I die.

Another few crazy weeks in decor land...and this decor fellow is beat! But there is no rest for me as I head off to New Jersey and New York for business meetings- and hopefully some client shopping this week. We are moving, steadily, ahead in San Jose and Palm Springs.

In San Jose- the dining room wall treatment is nearing completion and I think it looks smashing. The great grid of lattice adds interest and depth but since its painted the same color - its mellow and soothing. This is a far cry from the burgundy and forrest green striped wallpaper. In the lobby- the crown molding and base are still being installed- but I decided to add a few "teaser" details to the space to foreshadow things to come. To be honest, I think I honestly frightened everyone when I had the wallpaper hung. Everyone was a tad hesitant...but now that they see the crisp, candlelight Ivory details and the black and gilt convex mirrors- they keep oohing and awing. (So do I!)

Here's a tip- when you don't have the biggest budgets - create dramatic change through the use of contrast....and of course materials.

I'd say that these homes will are well on their way to chic.

Happy Monday Friends!

SNAPSHOT DU JOUR

QUICK CHANGE

A good friend of mine is a VP at a international film distribution company. She is being interviewed for a European Spotlight this week and wanted a little freshen up of her office. To the rescue I picked up a few quick accessories, some original contemporary art, and , of course fresh flowers. We did a clean sweep of her office and within an hour or two had a great transformation. (Her last name translates to rabbit- so hence the bunny references.)

Happy Tuesday- I will be filming for HGTV!

DECOR FILE : FABULOUS!

STYLE AND BEAUTY FOR ALL

THE BEFORE:

THE AFTER:

I have a mantra: everyone deserves a life infused with style and beauty. This I am passionate about- so when the opportunity arose to renovate several skilled nursing facilities through out California...I jumped on board. I firmly believe that a beautiful environment has healing affects and so it only makes perfect sense that medical environments embrace the shift from institutional to beautiful. It has been an arduous 7+ months to get to this stage...what, with vendors constantly missing deadlines and funds always tightly held. However, the sleepless nights and many glasses of wine proved worth it.

Here is to the first of many beautiful spaces...with much more to come.

Happy Monday.

DECOR FILE : FABULOUS!

EUROPA

The lovely reception area floor before I began....above. Eye catching - yes?

As you can see, we began at night- 8pm. Sometimes you work around the clock.

Europa up close. I love the variation of color and the movement of the veining.

I have the stone guys lay out few rows. This lets me see the bigger picture as well as show them, visually, how I want to vary the veining "pattern". Not to many darks together nor too many lighter pieces grouped together.

A large portion complete. Of course it needs to be cleaned and grouted.

This is more like what it will look like in its finished state. Rich and caramel hued.

I will admit- that recently, I have a little obsession with vein cut travertine. I just adore it. For me, I suppose it is the natural movement within each piece of stone that makes it such a beautiful product...and when you place multiple pieces of stone together, you get this amazing mosaic of undulating waves! This weekend in Palm Desert, we started the demo and installation of the new reception floor and foyer. I chose Europa- a honey to caramel colored vein cut travertine from Walker Zanger. (Walker Zanger has the most beautiful stone selection.)

Being the perfectionist that I am- I was handing the stone guys each piece- saying "this one here. No that one is too muddy- use this one". And so on. Its just my nature to pay attention to ALL the details and make sure that the floor had a wonder flow and rhythm. I could not be more pleased with the progress and the impact.