"I like gluing things to other things."

REALLY? This is a from an article in the NY Times, "A Las Vegas Mansion, Glue-Gunned to Perfection". Playing it fast and loose with the word "perfection" aren't we? The Hartland Mansion, originally two houses, were combined to create the largest mansion in Las Vegas in the 1970's. Larry Hart, armed with a glue gun, took it upon himself to redesign it. Las Vegas is over the top times 10 and as you can probably tell already, DIY'ed to the max. Everything is glued together! The "bones" of the house are spectacular, but let's take a little tour through, shall we?

I love the floor and the architectural mouldings around the door and ceiling. The drapery gathered ceiling is RIDICULOUS, but it's Las Vegas, so it needs to be over the top.

A small indoor pool!

Call me crazy but I'm SERIOUSLY petrified by this room. There are way too many nutcrackers in here. I love collections, don't' get me wrong, but if I walked into this room, I'd stop and slowly back out of it.

One of the 13 bathrooms in the home, this one is heart themed...get it? Heart? Hart? Okay, you get it.

Much of the house is said to be inspired by Versailles. This is the master bedroom. I can barely look at the swans much less the wall to wall pink carpeting but let's get a better look at this bed...

This bedspread apparently weighs 34lbs, ornamented with pearls. Woah, on second thought, let's get out of here.

Did Larry Hart put the mirrors on this piano? You bet he did! He glued each and every one on there. Apparently he started this at an early age, gluing pearls onto his mothers high heels and eventually designed shoes for Ginger Rogers and Dolly Parton. Wow.

This is called the "Velvet Room". Can you guess what is velvet and what is glue?

Okay, I know I'm being snide but this is so over the top! You really must read the article, this family's story is both funny and tragic. The Harts are from Texas and just like most Texans they seem larger than life. They own a house with 13 bathrooms but love to shop at bargain stores! Have a great weekend and please don't get inspired and glue pearls to your bedspreads!



Alicia B.

Faye Toogood is IT.

Among other things this weekend, I finally had a chance to read the Sunday Times! I love just relaxing with a cup of tea and slowly making my way through the paper, but I rarely have time. In the NY Times Magazine (special design issue!), I came across this incredibly talented designer and stylist, Faye Toogood. Her last name basically says it all, because she's fantastic.

Apparently, while she was working for World of Interiors she went stealth underground and started her own business; designing windows for Liberty, and Dover Street Market's shoe department.

I'm obsessed with this little scene with the overscale necklace on the vanity and of course that window. Obsessed.

Remember when I said she was fantastic? Literally, her scenes have a huge element of fantasy.

Soon after she started doing her "under the radar" work, a sort of buzz began and more jobs followed. I can see why.

At World of Interiors she was feeling inhibited by the magazine layout (2-D) and needed to literally bust out of the page. Mainly, she's doing exhibitions spaces and displays but just got her first interiors space for the owner of The Rug Company.

Is this not gorgeous looking? Faye is only 32 years old and is so talented and has such depth to her design.

The two most important elements to her are color and texture. Her scenes are very tactile and vibrant. This one is very ethereal.

I'm quite glad I didn't discontinue my subscription, this week at least, to the NYTimes. Visit her website for more. There is so much there that I didn't post on here and all of it is amazing and inspiring. Studio Toogood.


Alicia B.

I know I'm supposed to love this, but...

I just can't. As a (wannabe) designer, I realize that this is a very important house, revolutionary idea, etc., but I feel sad instead. This is from the NY Times article, Surrendering to the Landscape and is built by architect Tom Kundig and his wife (also a designer) in southern Idaho. Take a moment to look at that view; isn't it incredible? Then you look down at that cement and glass BOX of a dwelling and you say, OH COME ON. Take a look at the rest of the house:

I'll admit that if I were there where she is standing I'd be just dying over that view, but what if you were on that mountain behind her? She's blocking the view!!

Big block cement wall.

This is their garden. Beautiful rose garden with thick cement walls on either side. What's the point?

I love the idea of the windows on either side of the fireplace. That's amazing.

View of the modular living room.

AMAZING view of the mountains while they make me dinner. This is the kitchen, btw.

Lots of books. For some reason though, that fabric on the chairs doesn't really say contemporary/ modern home in the desert.

This isn't part of the article but it's a picture of an uninterrupted beautiful landscape in the same area as the home above.

I do love some aspects of this home, however it just doesn't feel right to me to place that little block in the middle of something so majestic and beautiful in nature. Is there a way that we can have a neat looking house in the middle of a gorgeous landscape without making it look like that? I get it; it's the juxtaposition of the two forms, but I think it's too obvious. I'm over it. Also, doesn't it seem strange that people are railing about destroying our environment, animal's natural habitats etc, yet we're supposed to be in awe of this home? Up by my parents' home, there is a house that is partially underground. It's SO cool looking and there's just a simple silo coming up from the ground (the rest of the house is built into the side of the hill--and it doesn't destroy the view of the Berkshires. Thoughts? Please don't yell at me.


Alicia B.

Designers, make it work.

Patchwork sofas look ultra chic and diy in a recession.

I just read the most amazing and hope inspiring article ever (for the recession) in the New York Times today. It's called, Design Loves a Depression. Now, I know design blogs are all about pretty pictures, but you're going to have to read a little. We're smart people so let's do a little research, shall we? Anyway, the article is basically saying that even in an economic downturn, design thrives. It's one of the few markets that doesn't completely crash during a depression. Design gets more creative and less frivolous and lucky for us, the quality improves. Ahem, the Eames. They even said that the piece of rickety pressed cardboard that you might buy at a future date from Ikea or Target may just be better quality than in the past. Designers get creative at solving problems too. They see a challenge, like people not wanting to spend much money, and they work around it in creative ways. Yay! So, I hope this article is right. I love finding creative ways to save; I made most of my gifts for my family for Christmas (hotpads, photographs, headbands etc) and it was super fun!

So even if we're in for a rough ride ahead, we have good quality and creative design to look forward to. A neat sounding book they mentioned in the article was Livable Modernism: Decorating and Design During the Great Depression(above). Things are about to get creative.


Alicia B.

Music to Match the Decor? HUH.

Okay, make me a soundtrack!

In my usual reading of my favorite section of the New York Times, Home and Garden, there is a new trend of matching music with your interior design called Audio Architecture. Here is the article. You can hire someone to to take a look at your space, style, interests etc and they will create play lists for you that will play throughout your house. Houses are now coming with ipod docks built into them so you can control the music in all part of your house. I definitely love to put on music while I clean, but is this a little bit much? Undecided. Some music interior designers charge up to $250 for an hour of music and you can purchase as many hours as you would like. They will design it for different times of day as well! One of the companies is in New York, called Audiostiles. You can have this done at home and in the office! Will it help with productivity?




A client says, "I love that I don’t have to think about what to put on. It’s already done for me." Doesn't this sort of take all the fun out of making a mix? Are we now paying people to make what I grew up calling a MIX TAPE?? I wonder what sort of music someone would choose for me? People walk to work with ipods, there is music at work, and now at home. Is our life being made into one big soundtrack? Something to think about I suppose. Wow, that got deep at the end.

Alicia B.

(Italian) Cowboy Take me Away

I'm seriously considering packing it up and skipping town--to Tuscany. Italy is one of my favorite places in the entire world and I wish I were living there now. Who's with me!?? Here are some views of my new villa I just purchased (pics I found in the NY Times that I WISH I purchased.)

Not loving on that bed but how much would you love to walk on that terracotta tile.

This kitchen is narrow but I love that open rustic shelving and the curtain door at the end. So simple. Ahhh.

OH.

Oh, my new villa is all hidden in the Tuscan hillside.

I love these interiors. They're so open, light, and airy. Plus they're in Italy.


Alicia B.

You people are weird.

Oh dear God, why the stacked boxes? PLASTIC STACKED BOXES AND EXERCISE EQUIPMENT??? I can't breathe.

I know this blog is about design but I feel that everyone should be aware of what you're about to see. I mean I completely endorse exercise, I love it and I walk to work every single morning and try to make it to the gym when I don't have too much homework etc. This article in the NY Times is about people who are using the treadmill at the office. While doing work. On the phone. I mean can you imagine being on the other end of the phone..."UM why are you breathing so hard at me?" Kinda creepy. And by creepy, I mean you're a lunatic.




Alicia B.

Whatevs, Martha.

I promise this blog won't become a Martha Stewart Fan Club but I read this article in the NY Times about a new Martha Stewart show called Whatever, Martha. Apparently it takes aim at my domestic goddess/idol and her reputation of being bitchy, controlling, making sexual innuendo during her shows. They even take jabs at her fashion choices! Martha was asked permission for the show and permission was granted. She says, “My die-hard fans might get upset. If they do, then they just shouldn’t watch it." Oh, I'm watching it anyway (tonight at 9!).

Alicia B.

Upper West to Midwest

From an article today in the NY Times, I found this spread about a family that moved from the upper west side of Manhattan to good ol' Minneapolis, MN. They moved into an old mill and renovated it themselves! That's my ultimate design dream; to move into an old factory, an old church or just an old Victorian house with secret passages. To be honest I think the family did a pretty good job but I would have left more exposed walls, and chosen different furniture. Something about the furniture they chose doesn't work for me. What do you think?

Exposed stone wall. I approve.

I do think this door is quite cool though.

This is my fave. The enormous exposed beam with those pieces on it--love.

This bathroom is amazing, but to me it doesn't say "old mill," it says spa in Mexico.

I suppose I am a bit critical but when you move into an old mill, I demand rustic industrial perfection! Don't put a Barcelona chair in there! There was too much mixed in there for me to be happy with it. Here is the link to the article. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/garden/04minneapolis.html

Alicia B.

Will the Gap be back?

New York Times is speculating again if the Gap is going to make ANOTHER come back this fall. Apparently they've gotten a new set of designers who will whip the Gap back into the mainstream. I'm pretty excited as all the new looks are very reminiscent of my youth...the 90's and they look very "back to school."

Here is the article in the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/21/fashion/21PATRICK.html?ref=style

My Fave quote from it is from the designer Patrick Robinson,

"Speaking honestly, when I was younger, I really wanted the fame thing,” he said. “It was part of the game of being a fashion designer. But that doesn’t turn me on anymore. What turns me on — my soul — is making cool clothes and being part of a company where I can actually see the difference I’m making. I’m not just spinning my wheels and getting the clothes into five stores in America.”

How real/soulful! Anyway take a look below at some of their new looks...

Orange and brown belted cardigan...Orange!

I think I had a dress like this in blue when I was 8. I think I'll get one again...

The article says Khaki is back again and as a boring preppy girl...I'M IN!

Cute gauzy window pane scarf

Alicia B.