Los Angeles Design Blog | Material Girls | LA Interior Design

Leave it to Kelly Wearstler to incorporate the most unique furniture and sculpture into her interiors, including the most unusual anatomical sculptures which (as quoted above) she deems “organic and sexy.”

The dining room of her Hillcrest Estate, amassed with figurines and sculptures.

The Malibu Beach Residence, with life size figures and overscaled sculpture (above and below).

If you’re ever in the hunt for antomically correct sculptures (as was I for a current design project), check out what 1st Dibs has to offer with their ever changing assortment of inventory and great connections to individual vendors.

This “Overlife sized Plaster Sculpture of a Face” measures approx 32″ w x 20″h” and is avaialbe through Talisman London.

This 1940’s Female Bust from the Czech Republic is available for $1,100 through Vintage a la Mode in San Francisco.

An Italian Cubo-Futurist Bust, circa 197o is made of tin.  Available through Dual Modern in New York.

Antique French Bust Of Diana “The Huntress” France circa 1880’s-90’s, from Moss Antiques in New Orleans.

Pair of 1930’s Deco Busts, finished in crackle lacquer from the Paul Marra Showroom in Los Angeles.

Bronze Abstract Sculpture by Artist Richard Etts in mint condition from Colin Fisher Studios.

For more online finds visit 1st Dibs (searches “busts” “sculpture” “anatomical sculpture”)

What a great idea – alphabet chairs! Based in the Netherlands, graphic design Roeland Otten has created these prototype chairs and stools consisting of all twenty six letters of the alphabet.  They are one-off limited editions made of lacquered MDF.  How fun would it be to spell out your name with a set of these chairs!

Check out the July 2010 issue of House Beautiful magazine to find out what Kelly Wearstler likes in bed…everything from the type of mattress she prefers to dressing a bed to her line with Sferra Linens.

(Photographed at the Tides Hotel in Miami.)

As many of you may have already seen in the latest issue of ELLE DECOR magazine, the ELLE DECOR editors came out with their first ever A-List of 25 interior designers (including a shortlist of five up-and-coming interior designers).  The goal was to produce “a list of authentic tastemakers whose rooms reflect the passions of ELLE DECOR—high style, serious comfort, snappy ideas—and whose innovative approach to the art of decoration will be studied for generations.”

Last week, ELLE DECOR hosted an event at the McGuire Showroom in NYC honoring the 25 A-List interior designers along with the 5 to watch – and almost all 30 attended!  Imagine thirty of the greats in one room together, including big names such as: Jeffrey Bilhuber, Eric Cohler, Robert Couturier, Steven Gambrel, Suzanne Kasler, Victoria Hagan, Charlotte Moss, Joe Nahem, Alex Papachristidis, Thomas O’Brien, Miles Redd, Stephen Sills, Michael Smith, William Sofield, Steven Volpe, Bunny Williams, and more.

I was not actually at the event, but thought I would pay tribute to some of the local Los Angeles interior designers that were celebrated:

First and foremost, Michael Smith (pictured here with Margaret Russell).  Michael Smith hails from my “hometown” – we both grew up in Bay Shores in Newport Beach and he lived next door to my aunt and went to school with my cousins.  It’s always very exciting to see his name mentioned – especially on an A-List!

Native Angeleno, Oliver M. Furth (included among the five to watch) with Margaret Ruseell and interior designer Katie Lydon (another one of the up and coming listed!).

Los Angeles designer Madeline Stuart (included on the A-List).

Fellow blogger and San Francisco, CA based interior designer Grant K. Gibson (left) was included on the five designers to watch list!
(Pictured here with Alexis Contant (of the Boston Design Center) and designer Matthew Patrick Smyth.)

Congrats to all the A-Listers!

Photography by Patrick Butler courtesy of ELLE DECOR.

Just as with interior design, event designers never cease to amaze me with their ability to transform a space.  Being that Los Angeles is a city with a never-ending amount of events and premiers taking place, event designers are in constant demand.  Unlike the pace of interior design these events move at record speed with the event designer needing to create and transform a space in a very short period of time.  One local event designer who does just that is Tony Schubert; principal of Event Eleven.  Tony happens to be a childhood friend of mine from summers on Catalina Island. In addition to event design, Tony also specializes in weddings, concerts, fashion shows, and interiors.

{Weddings}

Tony was the event designer for Kelly Wearstler’s wedding to Brad Korzen.

Kelly Wearstler’s wedding designed by Tony Schubert.

Kelly Wearstler’s wedding reception, an Event Eleven creation.

The wedding of actress Jaime Pressly to Simran Singh in Malibu.

Jaime Pressly’s wedding created by Tony Schubert of Event Eleven.

Jaime Pressly’s wedding in Malibu last year.

It’s amazing the transformation and lighting that can take place “under a tent.”

{Entertainment Events}

Star Trek Premiere after party.

5th Annual TV Guide Party — featuring John Legend and Kanye West.

5th Annual TV Guide Party

{if only the real Material Girls were there!}

Coach Fragrance Launch.

Coach Fragrance Launch.

People Magazine SAG Awards 2010 after party.

People Magazine SAG Awards 2010 after party.

People Magazine SAG Awards 2010 after party.

{Interiors}

Ketchup restaurant in West Hollywood designed by Tony Schubert.

Ketchup restaurant in West Hollywood designed by Tony Schubert.

Ketchup restaurant in West Hollywood designed by Tony Schubert.

Angels & Kings Bar in Hollywood designed by Tony Schubert.

Angels & Kings Bar in Hollywood designed by Tony Schubert.

Wonderland Nightclub designed by Tony Schubert.

And here’s Tony today…

AND he may just kill me for this, but I had to include a bit of nostalgia, here he is coming to hang out on my (family’s) boat on Catalina Island with our friends, summer of ‘91:

Congrats to Tony and all his success!  Look forward to seeing more of his amazing work!

[All images via Event Eleven]

Event Eleven   Los Angeles + Miami   www.EventEleven.com

A few weeks ago I featured a blog post about the Legends of La Cienega window vignettes. Each display featured an amazing range of talent from local designers and decorators who participated in creating vignettes honoring movie sets or tv shows celebrating Hollywood for the Legends of La Cienega design events in Los Angeles.  If you haven’t seen all the window displays (I featured a partial selection in my blog post) you can now visit the Elle Decor website to view all the windows and their descriptions and vote for your favorite window! Check it out here!

Loving this chair.  I know it’s been around for awhile but recently I was “reacquainted” with it while researching desk chairs for a client who is looking for something eclectic to pair with her traditional desk.  And now this chair has been on my mind: I. Want. It.

Designed by Philippe Starck in 2003, and made in Italy by Kartell, the chair features the haute couture glam of Dolce & Gabbana leopard print silk upholstery .  It’s available for $950 and can also be purchased through such websites as: YLighting, Emmo Home, & Unica Home.

If you like color and graphics and the flair of one Mr. Jonathan Adler – then you are going to like his new line of wallpapers.  They are all “in stock and ready to roll!”

…the one I want to see most is right in my own city!

The recently opened W Hotel & Residences in Hollywood  are right in my own city and I’ve yet to check them out.  I was right across the street the other day meeting with a client at 1600 Vine which is part of the joint development with the W Residences.  It’s amazing to see how much this area has changed with all the new development and refurbishing of what had once become a seedy Hollywood.  Now there are so many new apartments, lofts, mixed use developments, retail stores, and restaurants.

Lobby of the W Hotel

The hotel complex features 143 residences, including the WOW! Collection which officially opened on March 31st.  The WOW! Modern collection showcases seven unique residences designed by seven interior designers interpreting how they each define “Hollywood urban.”

Here’s a peek of some of the rooms from the residences designed for the WOW! Collection at the W Residences:

Dining Room by Cantoni

Living Room by Interior Illusions

Bedroom by Mark Cutler

Living Room by Mark Cutler

Bedroom by Poliform

Living Room by Poliform

Kitchen/Dining by Barclay Butera

Bedroom by Barclay Butera

W Hollywood Residences | 6282 Hollywood Blvd | wresidences.com

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!