Los Angeles Design Blog | Material Girls | LA Interior Design

It seems a bit fantasy, yet an architectural delight: having a pool in the house! Not a generic indoor pool, but a dramatic scape to a living room, bedroom, or bathroom. Common it may be to have an interior courtyard pool, yet many flow right into the house and beyond…

Right in the middle of a living room! (This one is actually situated between a living room, dining room, and staircase – guess there’s never not an excuse for a dip in the pool when it’s that accessible!) Image via Coco + Kelley’s “Room of the Week Feature”

In the bathroom, like a moat to the tub…I would definitely love this set up!

The indoor/outdoor room, with the convenience of having part of the inside of the house.

An interior wading pool creates a symmetry to exterior double endless pools.

Indoor/outdoor living is a luxury in some climates, having the privacy of a courtyard pool and a living room that completely opens up to a pool is pure bliss.

This is producer Jerry Weintraub’s bedroom that was featured in Architectural Digest magazine. Doesn’t seem safe to have a pool this close to a bed, but the architectural elements are intriguing.

Still loving the concept of a pool in a bathroom, this one extends beyond to the outside.

And another…

Perhaps a tropical vacation house could not be without the indoor / outdoor pool concept.

While it’s mainly an outdoor pool, a courtyard pool that is completely open to the interiors is truly an extension of the home.

When I was in design school, one of the design studio projects was to create a 1,000 sq ft home – this is the house I designed with the concept of indoor/outdoor living as an extension of the home. I included the idea of a lap pool jutting into the side of the house, side by side with the fireplace in the living room. The idea reminds me a bit of the very first image I posted (the pool merging with the interiors of the house).

All images via Pinterest.

Rizzoli recently released a book by Stephanie Stokes titled, “Elegant Rooms That Work.” The book focuses on planning comfortable rooms that are also multipurpose spaces to include attractive storage. It’s something many of us in our homes are in need of, yet do not want to sacrifice aesthetics. The book outlines creative ways of turning the tiniest of spaces into imaginative storage. If you are looking to be inspired by elegant rooms that are also planned to precision for maximum storage, this book is worth checking out! Currently available from Rizzoli, it features 224 pages, 200 color photographs, and retails for $50.

If you live in the NYC area, there is a book release event this Wednesday at 1st Dibs on Lexington Avenue.

I loved coming across Monique Lhullier (Los Angeles based fashion designer) on The Coveteur today. The article not only features her clothing collection (stylish shoes, jaw dropping dresses, pretty purses) but glimpses into Bel Air home (which was once featured here on Elle Decor, and has always been a favorite of mine). For the full feature, check it out here.

{Fashion Designer Monique Lhuillier in her formal entry way at her home in Bel Air.}

{I know, I want this collection too. <sigh> }

{This is what I mean about jaw dropping: love this dress!}

{These are so pretty too!}

{In her living room, as once featured in Elle Decor magazine.}

{As quoted on The Coveteur: “If I wasn’t a designer I would be an interior decorator. I love creating beautiful and interesting spaces. A friend of mine from the Philippines has a company called Celestina. She finds stunning shells from the island to create these unique bags.”}

{Her blissful backyard.}

{Her charming Bel Air home!}

All images via The Coveteur – one of my favorite sites for a little voyeurism into the lifestyles of some fashionable people!

Check out interior designer Kelly Wearstler’s feature here too!

Happy New Year!

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Hope you ring in the new year both gorgeous & glam! Happy 2013!

Here are some interiors that are both gorgeous and glam!

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For more inspiration, follow me on Pinterest.

I came across this gorgeous home on Fresh Home, and couldn’t help but not feature it here on Material Girls – it is just so pretty!

The project was a full renovation and addition of an older home located in a prestigious neighborhood in Toronto. The project renovation was handled by the Toronto based interior design group McGill Design Group with furnishings from Plum Furniture and Design Solutions, also located in Toronto, Canada.

{A contemporary entry in a classic style architecture home.}

{A light and airy living room.}

{Classic details adorn the fireplace.}

{A clean, contemporary kitchen.}

{Custom bookcases and built-ins.}

{Wood paneling detailing in a powder room.}

{A gorgeous desk.}

{Desk drawer detailing.}

{The master bathroom.}

For more inspiration, check out the Fresh Home Design & Architecture blog – one of my favorite reads!

I am happy to announce the winner of Olioboard’s Holiday Entertaining Design contest that I took part in judging. So many fantastic and creative design boards were submitted (which made it a challenge to select just one!). However, one lucky winner was announced last week…

The winner: “A Blue Christmas” with My Two Designers by Olioboard member Anne.

Here are some of the other great design boards that made the top eight (you’ll see why it was hard to choose!):

“Relax & Enjoy” by Allison.

Another from winner Anne, “White Christmas.”

“Cozy Cool Christmas”

To view the other runners up, visit the Olioboard website here.

My Two Designers along with Olioboard is teaming up for a fun contest – and I’m excited to announce I have been selected to judge! One lucky winner will receive $1000! For all the details and to enter the contest, click here. {As an added bonus, entrants will receive a 20% discount code just for entering.}

Looking forward to taking part and viewing all the design boards (one of my favorite things)!

Thank you to Carmen at The Decorating Diva for featuring one of my room design’s in her latest Look Book series! To view the feature, click here – and to check out more Look Book features, view here.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s Upper East Side NYC apartment is featured in the latest issue of ELLE DECOR magazine. It’s a stunning 10 room apartment located on Park Avenue. Ivanka worked closely with her interior designer to achieve a beautiful but functional home for her family.

The den features a Christian Liaigre sectional sofa and walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Galveston Gray.

The mural in the entry foyer was hand painted by Bob George Studio.

The dining room features a Lindsey Adelman light fixture and Mies van der Rohe chairs.

The fun, vibrant lacquered blue desk in the den was custom designed by Trump’s designer.

The master bedroom features a custom designed headboard and side tables, with vintage 1940′s French stools at the foot of the bed.

The charming nursery includes an armchair and dresser from Restoration Hardware and the ceiling is wallpapered in a pattern from Sandberg.

To view the full spread, pick up the October issue of ELLE DECOR which hits newsstands this week!

As I am eagerly awaiting my trip to London next month, as a particpant of Blog Tour London 2012 with Modenus, I have become in awe of the hotel that we will be staying at. The citizenM Hotel is a boutique hotel located at the Bankside, near to the Tate Modern Museum and London Bridge. It features 192 luxury rooms, in addition to it being a super stylish hotel!

{The lobby living room}

{Hotel interior courtyard}

{Courtyard seating}

{Living Room with bar behind}

{canteenM – bar and cafe}

{Lobby sitting room}

{The lobby with it’s own bookstore: Mendo}

{Self service check in kiosks in the hotel lobby}

{All rooms feature XL king size beds, ambient lighting, rainhead showers, furniture by Vitra, electronically controlled window shades, along with several other amenities, wi-fi and global plug outlets included.}

{And the fun might just begin with the tablet mood pad included in every room: controls the room, tv, window shades, temperature, lighting and more – plus Internet browsing and access to Facebook, Twitter – the important things to keep connected to while traveling!}

Looking forward to my stay at citizenM London!

Visit the CitizenM website for a listing of all their hotels.

CitizenM London Bankside was designed by the award winning Dutch Design Firm Agency Concrete.

All images via CitizenM’s Facebook page.