Sweet Style-Bottega Louie

One of my favorite restaurants in downtown Los Angeles is Bottega Louie, a crisp, white, cavernous restaurant that features a pastry and dessert bar that is the closest thing to Laduree that we have in LA. The plain white walls and brass features allow the pastel packaging and bright colors of the macarons and candies to pop. Every time I walk in there my pace slows down and my eyes open a little wider. It is not often I find environments that I could live in, but this is one that I wish I could transfer to my own home. I'm just not sure which room I would make it...the kitchen is too obvious. The restaurant was too crowded to get good photos of the scale of the room, but I did take a bunch of photos of the treats themselves which are just as inspiring. The colors of the macarons and cupcakes are so on trend right now....proof that interior design inspiration can come from anywhere!

My Own Home Sweet Home

With the onset of blogging and social marketing, designers can't just be designers anymore. We have to  promote ourselves and share our work....something I just will never be good at, but am trying to be better. Over the past 15 years I have worked on about 40 homes, and usually end these projects with my clients becoming friends, knowing I will be back in these homes. And in my experience, most interior design projects aren't really ever over...most of the time we hit a goal and then take a break until both parties are ready for phase 2. So I leave without a sense of urgency, but inevitably look back and realize I forgot to take pictures!

Well I am happy to say I am finally changing that. And to start, I had my own home photographed, before I decide to move on and 'another home got away.' I live on the edge of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, conveniently located only about eight blocks from the Pacific Design Center where I spend a lot of time. I found the home one day on Westside Rentals, and within less than eight hours after viewing it had the keys in hand.

As this home was not meant to be a permanent space, I set out to furnish it with things I already had, not worrying about spending money on buying new things to "decorate it." Ironically the lessons I try to teach my clients are the lessons I learned for myself this year. As I have spent more time in my home this year than I ever have, I realized that what makes my home so special to me is the way it makes me feel, not the fact that I have the "perfect" fabrics or table or lamp. The most important lesson is: buy what you love, and it will never go out of style.

Living Room-Custom sectional that I designed, not for this home, but I think it still works....Ikea curtains I hand-dyed, vintage Indian coffee table and gold gilt chair that I have had in the same purple velvet for almost 12 years....a perfect example that design can endure if you choose something you love and don't worry about trends. I painted the fireplace a pearlescent white when I moved in.

Close-up of gold gilt chair and an ottoman I had made from a vintage embroidered fabric I purchased overseas. The mid-century chrome floor lamp with woven shade contrasts nicely with the ornate chair.

I didn't want to do both gold gilt chairs in the same color, but used the same silk velvet  for consistency.  A Kartell side table sits next to the chair, and a 'driftwood' console anchors the TV and artwork wall to the other side of the chair.

I painted my front door a high gloss blue. The built-in was already there when I moved in.

Objets d'art I have collected from travels and personal photos.

I hung a piece of fabric from Thailand over the bed in the master bedroom, and use a Moroccan wedding shawl as a throw on the end of my bed.  The low platform bed and lamps are vintage from the 60s.

I took a Mexican rug and reupholstered a bench for the end of the bed. Hot pink ties all the fabrics and accents together.

The cream leather chairs are from Italy and have also traveled with me over the years. The lucite table was a major score for only $100 at a flea market.

The bowling pins don't really make any sense other than that I loved the neon pink band around them. I didn't have a wall to hang the pink Venetian mirror on so I propped it up on old leather luggage.

About 15 years ago I bought about a dozen old mannequins from a fur salon in Minneapolis for my store. I am so happy that I didn't sell them all and kept one. Mine works perfectly as a necklace holder. The paintings on the wall are from the Dominican Republic.

Sitting area in my kitchen which I gave a funky French feel with black and white and pops of neon pink again.

The wood paneled den was just screaming for an eclectic bohemian feel, and gave me an opportunity to put some of my favorite fabrics on pillows. I tossed a $15 scarf from H & M onto the ottoman for more pattern. I am obsessed with vintage lighting from the 60s and 70s.

The mirror on the paneled wall was a lattice screen that I painted black, highlighted with gold on the inside edges, and backed with mirror tiles.

This home was built in the 20s, and the bathroom looks like it is original to the home (not in a good way)! Not wanting to tear up a bathroom and have an expensive project on my hands, I made due with what I already had. I fortuitously already had a suzani bedspread that tied in the burgundy accent tiles, so I  made it into a shower curtain. I layered rugs on the floor to cover the broken tiles and painted the ceiling to distract the eye from the flaws!

Close-up of the Asian-bamboo style console and coordinating mirror.

I wallpapered one focus wall in my office, which was designed around the German reverse-painted lamp I bought about seven years at an antique store. I often start the design of a room based on just one piece that I love.  The paintings in the oval frames are by the Marseilles artist Alexander Peutin from whom I purchased the Alfred painting and for which I named my last store in Minneapolis.

Close-up of one of my favorite lamps. I became obsessed with the color combination of blue and black because of this lamp seven years ago, and now I see this combination becoming a major trend.

Looking into a gold-leafed floor mirror you can see a view of my dining table which also acts as a center table since the dining room is  in the middle of the home, and you have to pass through it to get to the other rooms. 

The brown velvet curtains close off the wood-paneled den when I want to create intimacy for dinner parties. Otherwise the curtains are wide open, allowing light from the sliding doors to come in. I put a striped linen on the dining chairs to contrast the white lacquer.


All Photos By Nick Clark

Paul Smith

I have been traveling back and forth from LA to NY a lot lately. Some would consider that the best of both worlds. Personally, I can't complain. In LA I get the sun, the outdoors, hiking, the beach and a relaxed routine. NY represents energy and all that is hip, new, and chic...words which also describe my friends who live in NY. 

On my last trip, some of those friends and I took a trip to the Paul Smith store in Soho to visit another friend, Jack, a visual merchandiser, and to do a little shopping. Because we were with an 'insider,' I felt comfortable taking out my camera to snap shots of the store which I have been in many times. I mean, I can't tell you how many pairs of Paul Smith socks I have bought over the years as gifts for the men in my life! (That doesn't sound right-that includes male friends!) Seriously though, if you ever need a gift for a guy, you cannot do any better than Paul Smith. Their socks are the easiest gift to buy for a guy...those multi-color stripes will elevate any outfit.

As we toured the store this time, though, I was able to look past the clothing and see the really great merchandising and store design. The store is set up like a home, and as you wander from room to room the vibe changes, yet, retains a vintage eclectic vibe everywhere you turn. You know a store has succeeded when they create an environment you would want to live in.

The women's side of the store combines a rustic chevron patterned wood floor with 70s brass bookcases and classic French seating redone in bright floral fabrics. Throw a low, loungy velvet or linen sofa in this room and I would move in!

The mix of florals on this vintage settee is super cute, and I love the soft pinkish/purple color of the walls.

Over on the mens side, we have a similar antique brass cabinet and a similar eclectic mix of different vintages, but here everything is a bit more masculine and mid-century.  The stone floor lends itself to being more retro than the ladies' side.

Close-up of a wing chair upholstered in a fashion stripe. Most fashion fabrics do not lend themselves to upholstery, but some fabrics can be backed to make them stronger.

The store merchandise sits comfortably against a wall covered in an artwork collage. Here are the socks I was talking about!

Close-up of artwork collage. I am currently helping a friend create the same look in her home, but I am making her collect a few more paintings before we start hanging them. Everything she had was very colorful...she was missing some quiet moments by having black and white sketches and photography.

This photo in the window is supposed to resemble (or actually is-I don't remember) a view  of a garden of one of Paul Smith's estates...or one he had visited. Don't quote me-I was ten steps behind because I was taking photos! 

Upstairs is the wholesale showroom. Hopefully I don't get in trouble for posting any photos of product that shouldn't be seen! This photo shows the uber-creative sock display with fake grass and glass and acrylic table.

Another creative display.....scarves hanging from bungee cords.

This bag takes the stripe trend to another level as they apply a second trend-photography. The pattern on this bag comes from it being a photograph of a jacket that is on the bag.

A narrow wall in a small niche has a few rolls of eggplant colored paint to bring out the color of the gentleman's suit in the painting. The bare light bulb keeps the vignette 'easy chic'.

Lighting done casually, yet done so artistically