Los Angeles Design Blog | Material Girls | LA Interior Design

This past Thursday evening, I attended the store opening of Restoration Hardware’s newest location in West Hollywood.  The new space features a 24,000 square foot, two story showroom complete with a pebbled courtyard and room vignettes or “The Gallery” as it’s called.  The party was packed and filled with celebs, it was such an amazing turn out!

Once we checked in at the guest list, we entered into the main entry (pictured above) from the garden courtyard. The large scale lanterns, hanging by rope are stunning – in fact, all their lighting is equally amazing (I think that’s one of the features that really caught my eye in the new space).

In one of the main gallery spaces (where we hung out most of the night actually) is an oversize tufted sofa (so comfortable!), two of the reclaimed French floorboard coffee tables (back to back), with a large scale chandelier (again, another stunning light fixture!).

The crowd in one of the other gallery rooms.

Interior Designer Mary McDonald at the party.

Restoration Hardware CEO Gary Friedman with model/actress Jaime King.

Gary Friedman with actor Ashton Kutcher.

And what’s an event without my BFF’s: Morgan and Brooke.

Also had a blast hanging out with Molly Luetkemeyer of M. Design Interiors and Christian May of Maison 21!

[For more event photos, click here.]

Making the rounds of real estate and design blogs last week, was the announcement that Paris Hilton’s former house is available for rent.  The house, located on Kings Road in West Hollywood sold in 2007 for $3.8 million and is currently available to rent for $20,000 a month. The listing agent is Mauricio Umansky, husband of Paris’ aunt and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards.

In case you missed the visuals, here goes!

In this room, Paris is certainly the focal point.  All very glam, mirrored and black & white. Accessories? A Fendi throw pillow and mirrored obelisks.

The dining room is bright and crisp in white with contrasting ebony wood floors, a mirrored dining table, and a crystal chandelier.

The entry foyer, high in black and white contrast complete with a zebra striped area rug to carry the theme.

Paris’s mirrored bed (as also seen in Emily’s recent post), accented in pretty shades of pale pink.

Step into Paris’ closet: a mirrored dresser and a glam chandelier make this the ultimate girly girl walk-in closet.

The private backyard has a poolside tented cabana and chaises decked out in black and white.

{Did anyone spy what looks to be a stripper pole in the center of the coffee table in the very first picture?}

Images via ShelterPop and Realtor.com

A client of mine happens to be a sales director for iVillage (an NBC Universal Company) and they have recently launched their new Home & Garden Channel – totally worth checking out! It’s full of inspiration galleries, how to videos, house tours, gardening advice, blogs, and more!

The inspiration galleries are organized by section which makes it easy to find inspiration per room, such as: Nurseries, Window Treatments, Playrooms, Mudrooms, Dining Rooms, Wall Treatments, Backyards, Porches, Decks, Girls’ Bedrooms, etc.

A playroom featured in the inspiration gallery.

A modern bedroom featured in the Bedrooms section.

Another bedroom (the feature list sources as too, like this zebra print pillow from Target!).

Love the House Tours section too:

Which includes the home of Real Housewife of New York, Alex McCord.

And another home tour of Real Housewife of DC, Mary Schmidt Amons.

Check out iVillage for more!

Well, it’s officially summer in LA and this past week has been hot, hot, hot! My 1940’s bungalow in Bel Air has neither AC…nor a pool. Seeing these celebrity pools featured on the Elle Decor website has me a tad envious about now.  Fellow Bel Air neighbor Monique Lhullier has yet to invite me to come over to lounge by her pool (I house sit, FYI). Little does anyone know I’ve been sticking my head in the freezer to cool off!

So here’s where these celebs spend their hot summer days…

Fashion designer Monique Lhullier’s pool, original to her manor-style home located in Bel Air.

The Hampton’s pool of artist Chuck Close and his wife, landscape historian Leslie Rose Close.

The Long Island weekend house of fashion designer Dennis Basso.

The infinity pool at fashion designer Elie Saab’s weekend home near Beirut, Lebanon.

Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer’s East Hampton, New York home.

Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo’s Mediterranean-style setting at her  home in the Hollywood Hills.

The infinity pool at the Malibu home of Cindy Crawford and her husband Rande Gerber offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.

The Hollywood Hills home of actors Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor has a bi-level pool deck with an exotic vibe.

After creating a book called Pools (Rizzoli), fashion muse Kelly Klein knew a thing or two about how to create one for herself. She designed a black-bottom pool with soapstone coping and sleek steel railings at her Florida home.

At beach retreat belonging Coach president and creative director Reed Krakoff and his wife in Southampton, New York.

Fashion designer Cynthia Rowley’s pool in the backyard of her Manhattan townhouse.

All images from the “Celebrity Pools” feature on the Elle Decor website.

This past Thursday evening I attended the Elle Decor cocktail party to kick off the start of the two day events for “Legends of La Cienega.”  The gala took place at the Therien showroom on La Cienega where I met up with fellow blogger Christian May of Maison21 to enjoy an evening of wine, hors d’oeuvres, and the guest of honor: Margaret Russell, editor-in-chief of Elle Decor magazine.

The “curbside” entrance to the Elle Decor party.

Concetto by CaesarStone, the event sponsor.

The stunning interiors of the Therien showroom.

The cocktails came to us, quite literally.

The beautiful Margaret Russell with Michael Bruno of 1st Dibs.

Fashion designer Catherine Malandrino.

Designers Ron Woodson and Jaime Rummerfield.

Guests: Ron Woodson, Peter Gursky, Suzanne Marquez, Jaime Rummerfield and Roman.

Guests: Jaime Rummerfield, Thomas Lavin and Suzanne Marquez.

Editor-In-Chief, Elle Decor, Margaret Russell and Catherine Malandrino.

Guests mingling in the Therien showroom.

Courtyard at Therien.

Stay tuned for more highlights to come of the “Legends of La Cienega” design events.

Now I am off for one last cocktail party of the two day extravaganza!

{Photos by Mark Savage Photography}

Always one to want to know what the Kardashian sisters are up to, I was in awe of this home office featured on CasaSugar designed by Jeff Andrews for Khloe Kardashian.  Khloe was introduced to Los Angeles based interior designer Jeff Andrews by his client Ryan Seacrest. (Coincidently, Jeff Andrews works with the same art gallery as I do and I had heard a lot about his project for Ryan at the time.)

Being that Khloe’s style is young and glamorous, but with an appreciation for traditional – the concept for the home office (and the entire house) was “glam-traditional.”  Here’s a sneak peek of the office (and I can’t wait to see the rest of the house in the future!):

The pair of guest chairs are vintage and Khloe already had them but didn’t love them so Jeff reupholstered in a fabric with a subtle sparkle.

To add glitz and dimension, the back of the bookshelves were lined with antique mirror.  The chandelier adds glamour and Jeff customized the piece by adding cut black crystals (purchased separately and added on).

The walls are painted in Benjamin Moore Stone (a shade of gray lavender) and the ceiling in a lighter shade of lavender (Angelika).  For the window treatments, they used sheers in charcoal/purple color which help to glam up the space.  The mirrored desk and side table along with other accessories pull everything together.

Look forward to seeing the rest of the house!

Well, it’s the one and only original Material Girl: Madonna!

Over the years, we’ve seen her transform her many looks and styles – from her Marie Antoinette days (above) to the early days of her “Material Girls” song (below) – and now, a very domesticated Madonna has signed on to showcase the Spring/Summer 2010 ad campaign for Dolce & Gabbana.  The ad campaign was shot in New York by photographer Steven Klein and recently featured in Vanity Fair Italia.

{Remember when? I still have this on vinyl!}

And here’s a preview of Madonna’s new ads for Dolce & Gabbana:

Madonna being very domestique at the kitchen sink doing dishes.

Looking very Italian-esque, Madonna at the kitchen table peeling tomatoes.

And eating spaghetti on the kitchen counter!

{In retrospect, it’s certianly a change from the mod glam Versace ads I remember from over a decade ago.}

Lucite furniture and a glass desk – Madonna working away.

Over the years, not only have we seen her chameleon looks – but we’ve seen her in many “environments” as well.

What do you get when you mix Sir Elton John, his partner David Furnish, and interior designer extraordinaire Martyn Lawrence-Bullard? A very chic LA pad! Check out these photos featured in the December issue of Architectural Digest.

Both Elton John & his partner wanted a place that was very LA, something very ’70’s and reminiscent of the building’s architecture, and as quoted “Boogie Nights.”  Sir Elton wanted a period vibe as a backdrop for his art & color photographs and aside from that – color.  That says the man – who is himself very colorful!  And as Elton’s partner states; “Martyn takes your taste and gives the most gorgeous, sexiest version of it,” says Furnish. “Not having a template style, he’s a true collaborator.” I think that’s a great quote and couldn’t agree more – this space really reflects who the clients are.

The living room with sweeping views of the city.

Love the Kelly green painted wall and dark floors.

The 1960’s chandelier is from the Grand Hotel in Milan.

Elton’s colorful office space (and so happy to see he is a Mac user)!  Definitely a chair for the one and only “Rocket Man!”

[To see the full spread pick up a copy of the December 2009 issue of Architectural Digest which also includes the homes of: Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Magic Johnson, Donna Karan, Ralph Pucci, James Burrows, Carole King, Elie Saab, and more!]

As a resident of Bel Air, I like to follow the Bel Air Association Blog to keep up with such neighborhood news as: recent bobcat sightings, the latest home invasions, street construction, & of course, highlights of properties on the market in the neighborhood.  Take, for instance, this property that apparently Michael Jackson was in negotiations to purchase just prior to his death.  The estate is 20,000 square feet, has 15 bedrooms, 16.5 bathrooms and includes a two story guest house, swimming pool, spa, fitness center, tennis courts, and…I must be leaving something out?  Oh, the asking price: $37,995,000.

Here’s a little peak of what MJ would have gotten for his money:

And, of course, Michael Jackson touring the property:

I’ll refrain from commenting about the interior decor and leave that to you, dear readers…

{Images via TMZ}

Well, apparently Barbie has hired an interior designer and it’s none other than the Jonathan Adler!  Have to say, I am a bit miffed that it wasn’t me – I am, afterall, the one who decorated, redecorated, rearranged, decorated again, redecorated again, rearranged again and again and again…her house all throughout my *previous* years as a very young and budding decorator (I was about 6 or 7).  I mean, come on, did Mr. Adler decorate Barbie’s house when he was a kid?  (Okay, he just may have…)

That aside, Jonathan has done a marvelous job with Barbie’s chic pad – and she does deserve a designer like Jonathan Adler.

Just take a look at what he’s done for her bedroom:

Barbie is living it up – so glam, so chic!  Love the area rug, the headboard, the bench, the screen, the pillow with her initial!

Jonathan even customized a few key pieces for her, like this love seat:

It can be purchased here and includes the pillows and throw!

There is also this entire set:

Love the side table, the table lamp, the vases! And an outfit to match!

Barbie just seems to have it all, doesn’t she!  The wardrobe, the car, the house, the decorator…is she still with Ken?  I’ve lost track after all these years!