May « 2010 « Covet Living

So there are quite a few rad perks to living in Southern California: Winter temps of 65 degrees; In ‘N Out burgers available at a moment’s notice; belonging to the same gym as David Hasselhoff (try staying focused on the treadmill while watching The Hoff lift weights – it’s harder than you think). But one of the best perks I try not to take for granted is being able to take off on a short lil’ road trip to some great yet close destination for the weekend. Whether it’s the mountains for snowboarding, Joshua Tree for a camping trip which has been recommended at many articles at campingfunzone.com…. SO much is at our fingertips.

For the times when you really want to travel on the road, and not by road, there is the option of a Motorhome Airstream. Whether you are a seasoned traveler or just love to experience new places in ways that are not possible on a usual vacation, a Motorhome Airstream is for you. You can easily take your own Motorhome with you on trips around the country and even beyond. There are many different sizes and styles to choose from, as well as the availability of an RV for sale anywhere in the country.

This past weekend, my BF and I were lucky enough to attend our friends’ wedding in the be-yoooo-tiful little coastal city of Santa Barbara. About an hour and a half north of LA, we were psyched to help usher in our friends’ new phase of life in such gorgeous surroundings.

Now, I love my roadtrips, but what was perfect about this journey was the short distance we had to drive. We cruised up Friday evening after work and in no time were checking into our adorable hotel, the Montecito Inn.

Built in 1928 by Charlie Chaplin as a fun destination excursion for his friends (I totally build inns for my friends, too), the Montecito Inn is so charming, un-pretentious, and just overall a lovely little hotel. The staff knew our names all weekend and couldn’t have been friendlier. And for some reason, our group of friends were the only ones to take advantage of the pool and hot tub during the weekend. Giddy up!

Once we’d checked in on Friday night, we met up with friends for a relaxing dinner at Cava, a Nuevo Latino restaurant with yummy grub and even better sangrias.

After a relatively tame night, the next morning we discovered a gem called Jeannine’s American Bakery & Restaurant. Imagine the comforts of your grandma’s house mixed together with an adorable vintage French cafe. The food was INCREDIBLE. BF ordered melt-in-your-mouth banana French toast; yours truly ate a buttery croissant and some breakfast-style potatoes. And even more wonderful was the service and the people who worked there. An adorable older woman named Nancy made sure to introduce herself, ask where we were from and guide us to prime outdoor patio seating.

(Bottom: Banana French toast. It seriously gives the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes a run for their money. And look at the adorable plates they serve the food on!)

Now onto the wedding. No, we didn’t travel to Santa Barbara for the food. Though I’d consider hauling butt back there just to eat that French toast again. Now. I want to thank my friends Mark and Melissa for giving us a reason to hang out at the Four Seasons Biltmore for a few hours. I mean, wow. This place is truly beautiful. It’s nestled right across the street from the ocean and has lush, expansive lawns. The wedding itself was warm, loving and fun. It was a perfect night.

(I wish all my friends had cardboard cut-outs)

We couldn’t possibly take off early on Sunday. Please! After our second breakfast at Jeannine’s, we lounged by the pool/jacuzzi and finally set off for an afternoon trip back to La La Land. But instead of the faster, more direct 101 South, we took the scenic curvy coastal route with astonishing views of the Pacific.

Coasting along to the tunes of Jack Johnson, I thought to myself, “I couldn’t be more relaxed.”

Our last stop was at Neptune’s Net in the ‘Bu for some lunch.

And finally, after the relaxing, fun, romantic weekend, we were back home. It doesn’t get much better than that.

xoxo,

I was recently asked to do a room in a Designer Showhouse in Evanston, IL. Neat-O, n’est-ce pas?! For you non-Chicagoans, Evanston is an idyllic little suburb just north of the city and a hop, skip & a jump from where Jake Ryan once leaned up against his shiny red Porsche, ca. 1984, waiting for Samantha Baker. To the tune of the Thompson Twins. I only re-wound that scene about 857 times in high school.

This particular brick mansion (a National Historic Landmark) was built in 1914 by Ernest Mayo and is perched on a luscious, picturesque corner lot in said town. Owner Janet Kohl – who currently resides in the home with her husband and 3 young boys – carefully and lovingly restored this once delapidated property a few years back. Click here for pre-renovation pics.

What’s a Designer Showhouse, you ask?

A Designer Showhouse is like the home design equivalent of a fashion show. It’s a project where a bunch of designers each pick a room in a house and redecorate it in their signature style… Then, the showhouse is opened to the public for a few weeks, during which time visitors buy tickets to shuffle through and soak up some inspiration… in the end, the designers get some business, the house gets a facelift, and the proceeds go to some very worthwhile charities (in this case, Designs for Dignity and the Citizens’ Lighthouse Community Land Trust of Evanston). Good times, Amen.

I almost turned it down, given that my plate already overfloweth. But in the end, the opportunity was too cool to pass up, so I jumped in and thought, yo. I can totally figure this out. Bring it.

Flash forward to 2 weeks ago, when I was under-the-gun, measuring out my floorplan to scale with a measuring tape I fished out of my sewing kit. Yikes. To be clear, I am not a card-carrying, official “designer.” My background is in real estate; design-ing has always been the thing I do on the side. I renovated my own home, have decorated homes for friends, and do some freelance work, but those projects have always developed organically. This project is a horse of a different color. Designer Nathan Thomas (Bravo’s Top Design Season 2 winner) said something in a recent interview that really resonated with me:

“I think designers are constantly thinking, rethinking, and second guessing their work looking for something better or different to make it their own and truly add their stamp to the project or design.”

Word to your mother, home slice.

Not wanting to bite off more than I could chew, I opted for the manageably-sized 2nd floor landing. Here are some BEFORE pics:

…AND, here are my hurdles:

Hurdle #1 – I initally had visions of sweet, funky little matching chairs & sugarplums dancing in my head, like these bad boys that the lovely Sam from StyleSWOON recently used. But alas, there’s not enough depth anywhere for ’em. Any furniture I put along the walls can only come out about 15″, otherwise someone will trip over it.

Hurdle #2 – The Rules: No painting of the original woodwork, no faux finishes allowed, and all paint colors must coordinate with the owner’s existing decor and must be approved. Artwork must be chosen from a select pool of sources, as the showhouse will have curator-style, docent-led tours. We’ve also been instructed to drive as few nail holes into the old plaster walls as possible.

Hurdle #3 – Finding common ground between the owner’s vision, and my own. This project is less, “go hog wild!” and more like a true design job… walking the fine line between fulfilling the client’s wishes and staying true to your vision. Janet has wonderful taste, but it’s very different from mine. She loves pastels, ultra feminine interiors, and Victorian French opulence. Je love all that too, but I prefer it pared down, injected with some modern oomph, a few punchy colors, and a little whimsy. (Below Left) is Janet’s current living room. (Below Right) was my living room in Charleston.

…And our respective dining rooms. (Top) = Janet’s, (bottom) = mine:

Her style is more refined; mine is more laid back and eclectic. If Janet was an issue of Veranda, I would be the love child of Cottage Living (RIP) + Domino mag (RIP). Classical music plays softly in her house, while Def Leppard and Billie Holiday mash-ups blare in mine. You get the idea. We do, however, share a love of antiques and all things French. So I’m building on that.

Hurdle #4 – Getting ehhhhhverything DONATED. Mama doesn’t have an extra $10k lying around to spend on curtain tassels. Luckily, I’ve worked as a design rep long enough that several dear friends and clients have offered to lend some of their gorgeous inventory to the showhouse. (High-five Devin & Don from Jayson Home and Garden, George from George Lowell, Ken from Kenneth Ludwig Home Furnishings, Christopher from Urbanest, and Brian & Rob from Oscar Isberian! Hollar.)

Hurdle #5 – Coordinating all the yesses, no’s, maybes, and “come back and see what we have in stock the week before”‘s, and turning that into something that resembles a cohesive design plan. I would do cartwheels if I could just bop around Chicago and hand-pick what I wanted. That said, here’s what it’s looking like so far:

Left to right, top to bottom: (a) Farrow & Ball’s PALE POWDER = Wall Color. (b) Chandelier from Kenneth Ludwig Home Furnishings. (c) “Contessa” fabric, by Home Couture for Quadrille, available to the trade through Summer Hill. This pattern – used by the likes of Ruthie Sommers and Angie Hranowsky – has had me messing myself for YEARS. (d) Antique Moroccan marble lamp base, from Edgewater Antique Mall. (e) Rug from Oscar Isberian. (f) Mirror from Kenneth Ludwig Home Furnishings. (e) Shades by Delia Shades. I first saw these in a bathroom done by one of my idols, Jessica Helgerson. These are FLAW-LESS. Simple, clean, and lovely. They also filter out only 14% of the light, so they’re relatively transparent. (f) Spencer Chair, from Jayson Home & Garden.

Nothing is set in stone, but that’s how it’s shaping up. My biggest challenge is to keep it looking fresh… I’m still looking to add a dose of lucite, some limewashed-looking wood, and another pop of color somewhere. The showhouse runs from June 18 – July 2. We would LOVE for you to stop by! I’ll also be teaching a workshop on refinishing furniture that week. Check out the project’s website for further information.

XOXO