ettabits

entry ideas & inspiration from wynn hotel's encore tower's large scale console vignettes

2011-03-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

recently, at west elm in santa monica, i presented the essentials to creating a gracious entry, whether you have a tiny bit of space for a shelf, a chair that doubles as a table, or more room for a console. before i share a summary of that presentation in a separate post, i'd like to share with you some of my inspiration, this batch of which comes from the encore in vegas, including their luxurious spa.

i love how the wynn design team uses this chunky red rug from natural carpet company for a wall treatment!

this is a great example of a successful colorful arrangement of art and accessories on top of the console.

try mixing styles like this shiny chrome phone paired with an organic lamp and accessory

plus dragonflies floating on the wall behind.

found items from nature are fabulous accessories!

plus, experiment with layering your wall treatment, mirror and accessories and see what works best!

it's all in the details: smart & stunning decorating & design ideas from petit ermitage!

2011-03-20T16:35:00.000-07:00

i'm so inspired by the clever details at petit ermitage in west hollywood. take a look and see what inspires you for your home or business.

i love how this charming birdcage takes some of the spotlight away from the less than attractive wall panel. i'd even add something inside like a candle.

of course if you have disposable paper products, they should be made with recycled content and eco ink,

but how about following the lead of the hotel shown above with a special message like lips and hotel phone #!

sometimes a practical need can provide an opportunity to add just the right detail like

these beautiful metal wall corner gaurds.

another example of how you can use hardware to your advantage as a special design detail like

in the elevator as a corner brace on the wood paneling joining the wall and the ceiling.

this thin metal baseboard is a great solution to the typical 'wood' baseboard

that comes with some depth and could be a problem in a narrow space.

another great example of embracing what could be seen as something that needs to be covered up.

this electrical pole is clearly embraced as it's adorned with the same lyrical pattern found inside the hotel.

2011-01-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

i just heard from a tile artist, carol francis, i met with her artist husband michael a couple years ago at hd expo, an interior design show for the hospitality market in las vegas and am thrilled to post this update after first sharing their talents with you back then. first of all, the fact that this is a husband and wife team of artists who started their pottery studio in a thatched cottage in 1980, is just so romantic! now, their studio francis ceramics, is based in wales and produces traditional delft, custom mural, and contemporary hand-painted tiles which are also eco-friendly! their client list is extremely impressive and includes kensington palace and nina campbell!

michael francis hand-painting bespoke tile panel

their recent winter newsletter highlights some recent projects and reminds me how versatile their tile is. i love how they share in that newsletter, images of the process from start to finish, some of which i share below with you. enjoy a stroll through this process for a vanity in the VIP restrooms at an exclusive london nightclub, chinawhite.

source material supplied by client

initial layout sketch

artist's isometric impression based on finished tile

finished installation

one of their tile panels for another project that also makes me swoon:

i love how the client's art on the console creates a 3d effect of the mural

eco stunning and affordable holiday gift ideas from unique LA

2010-12-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

tons of green goodies for the holidays at unique LA last weekend!

the 3rd annual independent design + art show providing shopping from

over 300 independent american designers

selling their wares like fashion, art, stationery, home accessories, and edibles!

and look who's talking about it:

my top picks include:

made from 95% factory scraps, mostly salvaged leather,

fahmina gives them new life as hip, sexy and fun cuffs, earrings, necklaces, clutches and belts.

love the hip vibe of the poster list's vintage looking posters

made with veggie based inks on 40% post consumer waste!

selina vaughan's colorful and useful totes made from vintage seed sacks!

enhance your beauty and even glam it up over the holidays

with locally made besame cosmetics made using natural ingredients!

they use teas, botanical oils and antioxidants - oohlala!

their mascara is one of the most natural mascaras on the market today

with only 7 ingredients and is allergy tested and paraben-free!

join unique's facebook page so you're sure to catch the next event!

top eco holiday entertaining decorating tips

2010-11-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

how can you spruce up your home for holiday entertaining? try these easy, affordable and green tips!

Lead guests through your driveway and/or from parking to the main entrance with candlelit lanterns (use non-toxic candles of course!) using what you have even if they don’t match. Don’t be afraid to mix it up with different styles and sizes! Or you could rent them from an event rental company or perhaps a local showroom as some offer rental services like Berbere Imports in LA.

designer michael schaible image from architectural digest sep 2008

For something more festive, create a canopy, perhaps between 2 trees, either over the driveway or by the home’s entrance, with strips of fabric torn (better than cutting) from fabric remnants. Or even just a few strips to sway in the wind to serve as a flag marking a driveway entrance and/or entrance into the house.

from flashdance, a collaboration of wedding vendors

Place a large plant in a planter/container or cluster of them on the ground by the main entrance or a smaller one could sit on a small stool.

from aimee herring at real simple

Replace an old doormat with something like this coir one made from organic coconut husks, woven by hand.

restoration hardware

Create a gracious entry with a console or for small spaces, a chair with a tray on it or books stacked and coats can even hang on the back of the chair and for even smaller spaces, a shelf.

from erinn V style blog

Add a plant or flowers, a stack colorful coffee table books without paper sleeves, light a candle, group party favors in a large bowl perhaps on the books. Gifts could be teas, jams, homemade candy, colorful orbs made from recycled magazines woven in traditional bamboo methods or seed orbs which contain a Goat’s Beard bud, picked May through mid August in northern NM, that opens inside a glass orb and reveals 60-80 seeds!

seed shaman places goat's beard buds in orbs which open up and reveal 60-80 seeds!

upcycled magazine ornaments

for the powder room or guest bath, add an assortment of linen napkins (they don’t need to match) from the kitchen that can be placed in the bathroom for individual hand towels and/or drape a small piece of special linen over the counter.

from the perfect bath blog

Replace everyday soap with a new one, either a special scented liquid soap or a beautiful bar of soap placed in a special dish pulled from the kitchen or dining room. Add flowers, even just a stem and leaf in a small vase from a large plant in the house or from the yard. Provide hand lotion and perfume. And of course, light a candle.

from perfect bath blog

Take throw blankets from bedrooms and drape on a sofa and/or chair. Be sure to add layers of light and create balance by adding and/or moving floor and table lamps, dimmers and candles.

from interior design sense blog

Have a little firepit inside your home to gather around with family and friends, especially if you don’t have a fireplace to use. For tabletop or inside the fireplace instead of burning precious wood. Select one that uses Bioethanol, a wholly renewable source of energy that’s made from agricultural products such as sugar, potatoes, beetroot, and corn. There are no emissions except for heat, water vapor/steam and low levels of carbon dioxide. You may even get a tax credit via the US Biomass Tax Credit which allows for a 30% consumer tax credit of up to $1500 per year with purchase before December 31, 2010!

mercer brasa fire

Drape and even layer fabrics, cloths, or even a quilt over part or all of a dining table or even a small side table. Cluster similar vases/bowls on a dining table, console or shelf. Dig into your china closet and find little bowls, even a ramekin, or a small cheese tray and display interesting jewelry as a decorative table accessory.

from interior design sense

be creative and have fun!

top eco picks and design tips from eastside eco home tour in los angeles

2010-10-26T00:28:00.000-07:00

sunday i attended the eastside eco home tour 2010 hosted by farm feliz and the greater griffith park neighborhood council green committee. sponsors also included california solar innovations, enrich LA and large marge sustainables. the tour was free though donations were gladly accepted to help raise money and awareness for the environmental studies magnet at thomas starr king middle school in los angeles.

the highlight for me was a house i've been wanting to check out for a long time and that's the zenergy house in studio city created by the green home specialists residential energy assessment services. this near zero energy house is a stunning example of how to create a healthier, more durable, and more energy efficient home while respecting the environment and adding value to your property.

here's a roundup of some of my top picks and tips from the house:

greeting me in the front yard were eco-rubber flagstones from eco smart made from 88% post consumer recycled rubber buffing from tires (but they got hot in the sun so install accordingly)

perhaps the easiest no cost solution to improve air quality is to remove shoes before entering your home

green certified copper panels creates shade beautifully by parasoleil

clever LED strip behind a stock metal strip casts a beautiful glow on the backsplash and counter

a clever low cost backsplash solution is a stunning eco wallpaper from madison & grow coated in non-toxic polyurethane

furniture made by ecor, made from 100% recycled materials, that is light-weight, strong, curve-able, formaldehyde-free, non-toxic, 100% recyclable and made in the USA
(photo from duong designs blog)

sun valley bronze's recycled content lever with reclaimed apitong inlay

pillows by paper-cloud are hand printed with water-based solvent-free ink on 100% linen and 100% organic cotton made in the USA shipped in eco-friendly packaging

an organic fair trade linen company, loop, is another sponsor and i specially love this washable woven blanket

crafted and finished by hand of wood from plantation sources and shipped in 100% post-consumer packaging by vers

planika's glassfire stone collection uses odorless, smokeless, clean burning, renewable fanola ethanol

the zenergy house website has a lot more information on creating a high performance home including info on windows, hvac, insulation, lighting, appliances, water, solar heating, etc.

eco bridal salon in LEED certified annenberg beach house in santa monica, ca

2010-10-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

rachel from eTTa design with organizer and eco floral designer shrene hulugalle

as an eco-friendly interior designer in los angeles, i felt right at home last sunday when i attended a fabulous eco elegant bridal event produced by sherene hulugalle of wisteria lane flower shop at the stunningly preserved marion davies guest house, part of the LEED certified annenberg community beach house in santa monica, ca. the event benefitted heal the bay and showcased an elegant array of eco-friendly businesses and services since eco can often be presented in a hippie look.

one of many eco creations from wisteria lane

in every corner of this beautifully preserved historic landmark were sustainable floral creations by wisteria, the event host. their eco-friendly flowers are either certified organic or veriflora and are locally grown in a manner that's gentle on the earth and safegaurds the well-being of farm workers, wildlife and the ecology.

i love the combination of succulents with the soft pink roses!

the first clear example of eco elegance were the plethora of gorgeous and romantic dresses from 2 extremely talented designers. one of them is hanna hartnell with her sumptious hartnell line of dresses! first of all, she has a certified green bridal salon in santa monica. secondly, she has a clear passion for preserving the environment through the many organizations for which she volunteers. thirdly, she creates stunning dresses for weddings and events and even offers men's attire!

hanna hartnell's dreamy eco silk creations

her dresses are made from silk with the cocoons of sustainable silk worms processed and dyed in a complex dye houses that control and recycle the run-off of dye water. the water's then treated and reused, thus protecting local waters. also, by lining the dresses in a different silk color, they become reversible so a bride can easily wear her gown after the wedding!

details of lindee's dreamy dresses

the other devine dress line is from lindee daniel who uses peace silk which means the silk worms grow to moths as opposed to dying after its silk making is spun (the traditional silk making practice). this organic silk is dyed naturally so for example, the blue dress shown here is made from real indigo!

lindee creating a new dress by draping muslin which she gives to a patternmaker who makes the final dress in the final fabrics (note the pink is also muslin as there won't be any pink in the final dress)

another silk fashion resource was the adorable young designer pinky and her lovely hand painted eco scarves from her lark e designs company.

pinky's precious painted silk scarves

delicious food from great catering resources akasha, including exquisite organic cupcakes, and from patina, decadent parfaits and colorful salads.

akasha's adorable yet elegantly adorned cupcakes plus homemade jams and chutneys, perfect for party favors!

patina parfaits and veggies that pop with color!

delightful stationery ideas presented from lilikoi with an example of their hand operated letter press machine. also, they use tree-free cotton papers reclaimed from the fabric industry which is recycled and made in the USA, employ hand mixed soy based inks, reuse suppliers' packaging, and save all test sheets and scrap paper.

so much fun pressing my own stationary from lilikoi!

lilikoi's hand-pressed samples

another lovely paper source is copper willow located in a cool creative cooperative in very hip culver city. they print only on recycled or tree-free paper, use only earth friendly solvents and chemicals and soy-based inks, and practice conservation in all phases of production.

love these clever copper willow flowers!

there were mini makeovers provided by calibella who uses USDA certified organic cosmetics and brushes and also provides personalized nutritional counseling with organic nutritional supplements. in addition, the organic pharmacy from beverly hills (based in england) was there with their non-toxic skin care products and free makeup applications and tips. this is no ordinary pharmacy, but is more like the old-fashioned pharmacies and even better, this one is mixed with homeopathic skills so you can get remedies for whatever ails you!

non-toxic makeup from the organic pharmacy in beverly hills

makeup maven christina cardenas from calibella

of course there were also the photographers and i just loved viewing their photo displays! they all had such unique perspectives yet captured the dreamy romance of weddings. i especially love the charm and magic captured by miha matei, the natural photojournalism sytle of b&g photography and the true personalities captured by jennifer kelley lublin photography (who so generously caught my image shown here).

thanks to jkl photography for the sweet snap!

also in attendance were the recycled bride, the world's first eco-resale website for brides and their friends. you can buy, sell and save on designer wedding dresses, decorations, accessories and more! plus, to help you in the fitness department, was ana caban, the good life guru with health and fitness products to prepare for the big day!

such perfect timing was the environmentally focused art exhibit in the beach house's main building, continuing their until nov 28th. eleven artists from topanga canyon gallery exhibit work that reflects the land we walk on and the vistas that embrace us - illustrating the diversity of this experience through different artistic lenses and mediums.

fortunato's green idea house historical groundbreaking in hermosa beach, ca

2010-10-05T14:42:00.000-07:00

green idea house groundbreaking, hermosa beach, ca

today i was part of history! and as an eco-friendly interior designer in los angeles, it was extra special to attend the groundbreaking for the green idea house in hermosa beach, ca. it is a cornerstone case study for southern california edison's net zero energy homes program and home to the fortunato family who have had the vision and commitment to make this renovation a reality along with fred koch of koch development, a design build firm and contributor to natural home magazine. the event's MC was michael divirgilio, former mayor of hermosa beach who introduced presenters like senator jenny oropeza's office, california state assembly ted lieu's office, hermosa beach mayor peter tucker, marcela oliva, b. arch, m.arch, professor of architecture and environmental design for los angeles trade-technical college, kent peterson, past president of american society of heating, refrigeration and air-conditioning engineers (ASHRAE), and dency nelson, passionate environmentalist, founding member of plug in america, former chair of the hermosa beach green building committee, with a terrific resource, friends for a green hermosa beach eamil.

senator jenny oropeza's office awards certificate of appreciation to the fortunatos

why should we care about net-zero? well, the california energy efficiency strategic plan states that all new residential construction in california will be zero-net energy by 2020 and all new commercial construction in california will be zero-net energy by 2030. plus, according to past president of ASHRAE, kent peterson, also very involved in the green idea house, net-zero energy buildings mean:

dramatic reductions in the US carbon footprint, in ways that support healthy economy
lower operating costs for building owners and tenants, more competitive US businesses
more sustainable communities, less strain on power grids, delayed needs for new power generation
infrastructure
plentiful domestic energy from a clean new source and buildings that generate power back to the grid

house plans displayed in the garage

how can we accomplish this? well, to help is savings by design, a program to encourage high-performance nonresidential building design and construction. it's sponsored by four of california's largest utilities under the auspices of the public utilities commission and offers building owners and their design team a wide range of services:

design assistance
owner incentives
design team incentives
energy design resources

some of the others at the grounbreaking and involved in the green idea house include southern california edison's mobile energy unit (MEU). the MEU promotes energy-efficienty solutions and energy management for residential and business customers. it showcases SCE programs and services through hands-on interactive demonstrations of how SCE customers can save money and, energy and help the environment. check the road show calendar to find out where and when you can explore the MEU.

socal edison's MEU interactive bus illustrating money saving and energy conserving solutions.

other green idea house partners i discovered at the event include mediterranean heating and air conditioning, inc who manufacturers and will install solar panels with brand new technology, the building doctors, certified home performance contractor and national gypsum's brand new thermalCORE panels which will maintain a comfortable interior environment as indoor temperatures fluctuate during the day.

solar study via google's sketchup illustrates a 5' overhang with existing orientation acts like an umbrella in the summer, when the sun rises high in the sky, and lets in passive heat during the winter when the sun rides lower.

the green idea house has brought together such an inspiring group of innovative technology, talented and respected individuals, educators and vendors, committed community members and city officials and passionate environmentalists. it is a living laboratory to share the process of designing and constructing this green home and how everyone can accomplish the same type of sustainability affordably. bravo!!!!

brilliant batiks from bali

2010-07-24T12:32:00.000-07:00

i have a thing for textiles, especially when they're handmade!

look how terrific these pillows are, mixed up, NOT matching (matching is one of my biggest pet peeves!)

this works partly because they are a similar value and all share the same white.

i just received an exciting email from a wonderful batik company in bali, katherine rally textiles! it's a husband and wife team, katherine and rally, he's an architect and she's an interior designer - so cool and romantic! they live in bali with their two children and there, work with a small scale batik production facility that is family owned and operated, making batiks for generations. everything is sourced locally, minimizing the oil consumption typically used to ship materials. in addition, no machinery is used and in fact, the batiks are patiently crafted by hand, piece by piece. the only source of energy used is local renewable wood to heat and remove the wax. and even the wax is recycled to be used again for the next piece! then, the finished pieces are dried on a clothesline in the sun.

i love how the patterns are colorful and bold yet are soft and warm (part of the allure of batik).

again, notice how well these bright bold batiks look against the patina of old furniture!

i love how katherine rally textiles takes an ancient craft and makes it fresh for today.

imagine an afternoon nap snuggled in all those wonderful pillows!

owners katherine and rally also live a sustainable life. for example, they don't own a car or motorcycle and instead get around their little city of ubud on a bicycle. plus, their son attends a green school which is made entirely out of bamboo!

i'm so excited to decorate with these batiks for curtains, roman shades, headboard, seating, and table linens!

information about where to buy all these gorgeous goodies is on their website including retail via some showrooms selling the pillows and tableware and trade representatives like nicky rising in LA.

*i just found out from rally dupps, the husband of the fabulous team behind katherine rally textiles, that the factory not only recycles the wax, but also the dyes, and because they don't toss harmful chemicals into the Balinese rivers, they are officially licensed by the indonesian government, a privilege of which the factory is very proud!

eTTa's CRAVE LA page!

2010-06-20T19:31:00.000-07:00

who wants to buy a signed copy from me of the new hip urban gal's guide, CRAVE la, featuring me and eTTa designs?! here's a peek:

eTTa design featured in new book!

2010-06-07T14:23:00.000-07:00


You're exclusively invited to the CRAVE Los Angeles Book Launch Party WHEN: Tuesday June 15th, 6:30-8:30 WHERE: The Urban Craft Center and Weego Baby, located at the Edgemar Center in Santa Monica (map and directions) Join us for the CRAVE LA book launch party at The Urban Craft Center, an open craft studio and supply store; and Weego Baby, a modern baby store. Check in first at The Urban Craft Center (The U.C.C.) at 2433 Main St, 310.392.0139. The U.C.C. is not visible from the street—click here for directions. After checking in, feel free to wander over to Weego Baby - 2447 Main St, 310.452.7999. Mingle Meet and greet the savvy entreprenesses featured in CRAVE LA, while flipping through the guide for the first time. Arts & Crafts Try your hand at needle felting, button making, and gocco stamping at The Urban Craft Center's workstation. Sip/Savor Sample sweets and appetizers from Pink Salt Catering, Large Marge Sustainables, canelé, SusieCakes, A.sweeT., and Gotta Have S'more. Sip a DRY Soda / Pinky Vodka mixer, or just enjoy DRY on the rocks! Raffles and Giveaways Enter in the raffles for a chance to win prizes from Calleen Cordero, BedHead Pajamas, Stephanie Johnson, The Doves Studio, Balanced Place Pilates, and more. Luck not on your side? Not to worry, there will be plenty of giveaways from RakSa, BedHead Pajamas, Luxe Link, Body Inspired Fitness, and Balanced Place Pilates! This event is free, but you must RSVP in advance for guaranteed admission. RSVP HERE
Sponsors Thank you to our raffle and giveaway sponsors: Balanced Place Pilates, BedHead Pajamas, Body Inspired Fitness, Calleen Cordero, The Doves Studio, Luxe Link, RakSa, and Stephanie Johnson.

backyard beauty

2010-04-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

check out photojournalist peter bennett's new blog, citizen of the planet. he takes us through a journey of what he sees around him in los angeles and promises to entertain while educating us. his images are stunning and remind me of the beauty around me as well as my place in this natural world. thanks peter!

peter documented the junk raft that navigated from long beach to hawaii which took 10 weeks plus making the boat out of 15,000 plastic bottles and an airplane fuselage.

he also captured the LA river expedition in 2008 to help spread awareness that there's even a 55 mile river running through LA and that it's not protected by the EPA because they deem is not navigable. LA was settled here because of this river. imagine a thriving river for which LA is known, something of which we are proud rather than being embarrassed.

natural inspiration

2010-04-12T14:43:00.000-07:00

thanks to luxe interiors + design magazine, i learned about an incredibly inspiring artist, rex ray, on p55.

the san francisco-based artist creates whimsical and colorful art and graphic design.
he describes his work as digitally inspired, craft-based neo-modernism.

i love his art and knowing that he spent years in colorado in the mountains, hiking and photographing the natural world which he believes had a profound effect on his imagery.

and i just found out on his new blog, that he's designing carpets with samad!

thank you for brightening our world!

locally made and luscious!

2010-04-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

i knew from the moment i first saw this hand-blown glass lighting in person years ago at a trade show, that these were special. the lindsey adelman studio in ny continues to push well beyond the creative box and create exquisite lighting. check out the latest creation below.

clients can essentially create a custom fixture by choosing glass color and technique plus hardware details.

clearly inspired by natural wonders like the white coral below from her studio where she displays other corals.

lindsey also makes beautiful art with actual hair! she adheres it to the sticky side of a sticker or archival tape. lindsey has received awards and her work has appeared in such magazines as elle decor and town & country.

eco means color!

2010-04-09T13:53:00.000-07:00

colorful treats from palecek

how cool are these? a plethora of colors and so eco-friendly!

non-toxic, water-based, meets highest air quality standards in the US and made in CA!

eco wallpaper is gorgeous!

2010-04-05T17:28:00.001-07:00

thanks again to madison & grow for donating this beautiful wallpaper which absolutely made my adopted room a success. thanks again and thanks for posting on your facebook page.

the eco fabulous tunic i'm wearing is linda loudermilk!

stay tuned for photos of the presidential suite i'm completing at casa del mar!

more visual treats

2010-03-14T21:52:00.001-07:00

also, from ford & ching, rs barcelona, a detail of a large square ottoman upholstered

with wide red elastic bands wrapping it like a gift - so clever!

this is a folding screen that is just exquisite, even the shadow it casts on the floor.

impressive treasures at ford & ching

2010-03-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

last week i attended a spring cocktail party at the ford & ching furnishings and fashion showroom in downtown la at the historic kimsing theatre. as always, there were fabulous finds including many with eco-friendly elements.

i got to meet one of the furniture designers, george bergere of go build studio. this dresser is zebrawood made with sustainable veneer harvested from plantation-raised poplar trees.

this next item caught my eye because of its beautiful wood finish. geneva sound systems creates a unique and more effective speaker solution eliminating the need for 2 separate speakers.

skram furniture are responsible for this cool cork stool.

samuel moyer crafts these tripod stools out of offcuts of various species.

eric clayton's striking coffee table is made with reclaimed poplar table with a recycled steel base.

ango's rattan and steel pendant.

pipes & crystal create stunning chandeliers

2010-03-14T17:19:00.000-07:00

i love checking out interior design magazine's cool new products and this time they profile michael mchale who uses reclaimed parts whenever possible like pipes from hurricane katrina and combines it with bohemian and swarovski crystals.

eco-friendly faux wood flooring that looks real and is maintenance-free

2010-03-14T14:59:00.000-07:00

interior design magazine's feb issue highlights a floor covering made with recycled content that is ecolabel certified called bioessenze by nemo tile.

it looks like wood but is actually porcelain! you may be wondering why someone would want to use a faux wood floor but consider that it's resistant to wear, maintenance-free, impervious to moisture, and withstands atmospheric agents, scratching and mechanical impact.

it's perfect for commercial applications.

first designer to create 100% FSC pure sustainble upholstered furniture now offers an outdoor collection

2010-03-14T12:36:00.000-07:00

thanks to interior design magazine and inhabitat for sharing the news about kaa design group's

new 9-piece fsc outdoor collection for cisco brothers called "HOM escape in style".

and thanks for keith granet of granet & associates, for bringing these 2 talents together.

i remember falling hard for kaa's modular home they displayed at a green building trade show. what drew me in even more were stunning furnishings they made and now sell.

perhaps its the fsc guatemalan machiche and elegant lines that make it so unique and elegant.

i think you'll agree that it doesn't look like your typical outdoor furniture.

sustainable teak in modern shapes

2010-03-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

restoration hardware introduces, belvedere, a new outdoor collection

made with sustainably harvested premium grade A teak.

cafted with moritse-and-tenon joinery, it's designed to last at least 25 years!

cardboard lighting that is beautiful and fire-safe!

2010-03-14T11:35:00.000-07:00

i love these graypants pendants, made from discarded cardboard boxes!

they are treated with non-toxic fire-retardant and made with UL parts

but the entire fixture can be UL-rated.

they're also handmade in seattle in a really cool studio! check out their chairs and tables too!

eco and elegant glass railing and tile

2010-03-14T11:14:00.000-07:00

ever think about using a non-porous material in high-traffic areas?

check out this glass tile as a backsplash for a bar and this glass railing, both from deverre!

it's a patent-pending, handcrafted process using recycled materials and

a low-emission, low-energy manufacturing process.

CRAVE la features eTTa designs!

2010-03-12T20:42:00.000-08:00

thanks to megan for posting my interview on CRAVE la. learn more about me and eTTa designs from CRAVE's interview like how i'm named after rachel carson (my middle name is carson), the naturalist who wrote silent spring which essentially started the environmental movement.

stunning & cool new eco wallpaper

2010-03-04T15:40:00.000-08:00

featured in O magazine, Town & Country, Dwell, In Style, Domino and House & Garden, among many others, mod green pod, the cool folks who make eco-friendly wallpaper and fabric, just launched a new pattern of wallpaper. its aptly named "delight" in 3 colors hand-printed on vinyl-free FSC-paper with non-toxic ink and finished with a water-based glaze for light wiping.

be sure to check out their cool room creator feature

to see what their products look like in a room!

their fabric is printed on 100% organic cotton! i love this pattern, even the name, glimmer.

check out their website to learn more about

the talented women behind this company and their environmental commitment.

did you know LA has a 51mi river?

2010-03-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

do you know where this is?

if you said Los Angeles, you're right! LA actually has a 51mi. river running through it yet it's not protected by the EPA (the army corps of engineers says it's not navigable yet kayakers float down it), it's lined with concrete, none of the water is captured for the city and many locals think it's part of the sewer! learn about this river, the current political situation surrounding it, and its potential to be the brightest star in LA from a stunning documentary, 'rock the boat'. check out 'rock the boat's facebook page too!

2010-03-04T10:10:00.001-08:00

ettadesigns can blog from my mobile device now!

how healthy is your home?

2010-03-03T09:12:00.001-08:00

for those who are following my blogs and tweets regularly probably know that i love q collection for for their exquisite eco-friendly furnishings. they just sent me an email with shocking information. ABC News' reported that products on american store shelves now contain 89,000 chemicals! many of these have proven to increase the risk of cancer, neurological disorders or reproductive defects! why is this possible? the EPA is virtually powerless to regulate these chemicals due in part to lobbying by the chemical manufacturers.

however, a new senate bill, powered in part by dow and dupont, is pushing for the reform of outdated chemical regulations and is expected to be introduced soon and then would need to be passed. until we know that our laws are protecting our health, it is up to us to know how things are made and the impact it has on the people who make them and the environment so that we can make healthy choices.

q collection's primary goal is to eliminate all toxic chemicals. for example, their furniture is free of formaldehyde and polyurethane. their fabrics are printed with low-impact, heavy metal-free dyes. this fabric is durable enough for commercial applications and was used as welting on the chairs in sea wellness spa at casa del mar.

how and where was your decorative pillow made?

2010-03-03T08:31:00.001-08:00

beautiful products aside, i'm so moved by the mission of a company who thankfully emailed me, one thread fair trade. i'll start with its commitment to the environment which involves a commitment to hand loom weaving which according to its website, "results in zero energy impact and releases 1 ton less co2 in a year than the same job produced on a power loom. power loom fabrics contribute large amounts of carbon emissions into our environment and one job on a power loom sucks up as much energy as 20 vacuum cleaners running all day."

their website continues, "also, by using hand loom we support the rural hand loom weaving villages which are struggling to survive due to the increasing usage of power looms. hand loom weaving uses nine times more labor than required by a power loom, thus providing many more people with a livelihood and means of survival." you can actually learn about the artisan who made your pillow by an artisan's number on the pillow's label and clicking on that number on the company website. it's amazing!!!!

even more impressive than their eco impact, is the company's mission. according to their website, "we believe that every one of us has the responsibility to improve the state of our global community, the state of mankind." wow! one way they do this is by their promise to fair trade which means they pay their artisans a fair wage, ensure safe and healthy working conditions, support the artisan's community in education and business development, provide training in textile arts, and cover all costs of raw materials and unit maintenance. i can assure you that most manufactured items, especially those made in china, do not follow fair trade practices. however, with increased awareness, we can make more educated choices and create a home filled with items that contribute to humanity rather than exploit it.

elegant mirror made with coconut

2010-03-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

this is an excellent example of how an organic material can be quite elegant. the mirror at the top of the 1st photo and then shown in the next photo, #2, is so beautiful. offered by ochre, it's framed with white coconut strips! thanks to interior design magazine for sharing this mirror on p38 of the current feb issue and online at the link. i love reading my design mags...they are so inspiring!

sustainably harvested organic seaweed at sea wellness spa

2010-02-25T19:39:00.000-08:00

check out eTTa designs' eco-luxe spa design on voya's website. i designed sea wellness spa at casa del mar inspired by its seaside location and coincidentally, the client chose to feature a sustainably harvested organic seaweed based beauty and skincare product, voya. sea spa is the ONLY spa in the LA area which offers voya.

home style trends from las vegas market winter 2010

2010-02-19T01:47:00.000-08:00

home style trends from las vegas market winter 2010 at world market center las vegas include the color turquoise (inspired by sea and sky, it creates a sense of hope, healing and compassion), understated elegance (simple, elegant, subdued, large scale, and sparse), metallic/ iridescent textiles and rugs, and of course eco (naturals, tone-on-tone, light distressing, woven grasses, and subdued tones).

learn more from monica pederson in this style file video!

lawns: big pollutants?

2010-02-18T09:49:00.000-08:00

did you know....that in denver, 55% of all residential water is used on landscaping?!

....that gas-powered mowers produce11 times more air pollution per hour than a car?!

....that pesticie and herbicide runoff seriously affects plant and animal life in waterways?!

for many reasons, including environmental and aesthetics, i prefer real lawns vs. synthetic lawns, but that doesn't mean a ton of water consumption. there are solutions like native grasses like buffalo grass (see below), hair grass and even eco-lawn shown above from wildflower farm. eco-lawn grows in full sun, part shade and even deep shade! it's highly drought tolerant once established, has a beautiful green color, requires less fertilizing and can be mowed like regular lawn.

the lush buffalo grass lawn above (photo: joe fletcher, steve gunther, jack coyier) is from a project in venice, ca designed by marmol radziner & associates which received an honor award from the american society of landscape architects in 2009. once established, locally adapted types of native grasses should thrive on the area's average rainfall. during especially dry years, they may need some watering.

you can find more info on o'connell landscapes' blog and sunset's "kick the water habit" article.

my adopted room's professional photos have arrived!

2010-02-17T10:42:00.001-08:00

thanks to the fabulously talented photographer laure joliet who donated her time and the professional photos for all 18 rooms at the new family shelter for upward bound house!

thanks laure!

when i first saw this bunkbed, pre-selected by upward bound, it was in 'honey oak' and i was not excited. but then i painted it in snowfall white with benjamin moore's natura donation and it looks great! i will protect it in a clear coating to be announced soon.

the floor lamp is donated from hotel surplus, the mother-of-pearl curtain hardware donated from west elm via parent company williams sonoma inc. and the bed sheets are donated from gotcha covered with pillow inserts and comforters from kohl's.

i started planning the room concept with the beautiful eco-friendly elizabeth wallpaper in peacock donated from madison & grow which drove the palette. since it's such a small room, a whopping 130SF, i decided it needed to be light and bright, hence the white walls and bed.

the inspirational message on the wall is a cool removable sticker by ferm living.

the dark brown wall-to-wall carpet was also pre-selected by upward bound but it's a wonderful foundation actually. though dark rugs may hide dirt, be warned that they show threads, lint, and anything light, very easily so be prepared to vacuum regularly. on top of it, is an abaca rug, a highly renewable plant, from natural carpet company. the lounge chair was donated from a wonderful upholsterer and refinisher (who also sewed the curtains and pillows!) who had it leftover from a job in their warehouse!

the cute white wicker table was donated from a designer friend of bridgid coulter, a designer who also worked on the shelter and who also donated the mirror and side chairs!

that's me wearing eco chic linda loudermilk...look at that back! fabric was donated from f&s, duralee and another designer friend of bridgid's, plus pillows from dl rhein and french american paper. gorgeous silk drum pendants donated from zia priven, white vase holding the orchid donated from accessory preview (plus a beautiful green capiz wastebasket in the bathroom) and woven baskets below the air unit (and a throw on the bed) donated from pottery barn.

the woven window shade, made from rapidly renewable grass, is from the woven company. this detail shows how special these treatments are yet it was a simple solution. i re-purposed the "silk" panels from a donor by adding trim that although donated, came from f&s' outlet store and only sells for $2/yd!

out of sight at the moment, in the bathroom, are a beautiful polished nickel towel hook and wastebasket donated from restoration hardware.

on the table is a beautiful arrangement of succulents in a sweet little urn donated from grow on abbot kinney, along with an orchid in the bathroom.

the plant and planter donated from the talented group at inner gardens who not only offer landscape design services but have an amazing collection of new and antique containers!

'before' video of room at family shelter

2010-02-17T10:17:00.000-08:00

you'll see in this video what the room looked like when we were painting it. it looks so small with the bunkbed in the middle and it's hard to imagine how big and beautiful it ends up looking when it's finished!

thanks to all my friends who helped with the painting - it was fun!

what should a shelter look like?

2010-02-16T15:00:00.000-08:00

upward bound house's new family shelter in culver city, ca is beautiful. in fact, some may be surprised at how nice the rooms are but why shouldn't a shelter be special? check out my videos for more visual peeks at the project.

first an introduction....

now for a tour....

2010-02-04T01:05:00.000-08:00

a cool place listing things the blogger thinks are lovely and beautiful, hablan de ella, includes an image from my apartment at the top of today's list! it's a cool coffee table with griffin bases that was in my grandparents' home, shown in front of cushions in batik from f&s fabric and behind those are metal shelving from crate & barrel.

teaming up with lennar, cr designs and west elm

2010-02-03T23:15:00.000-08:00

recently i had the privelage of helping carlo rios of cr designs who is also the design ambassador for west elm, stage a stunning luxury home called la casella in orange county for lennar. the spaces are brilliantly adorned with furnishings from west elm and art from amber trueblood.

eTTa in the LA Times!

2010-02-03T17:20:00.000-08:00

thanks to lisa boone, anne cusack and the la times for covering the homelessness issue and spotlighting upward bound house's new family shelter. this image from their post today shows me cleaning the bunkbeds. don't worry, that pattern is later covered by all the bedding as it's just the mattress fabric - phew!

extra special thanks!

2010-02-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

in the design/build industry, collaboration is crucial, whether with your client, your contractor or another designer and direclty affects the success of a project. thankfully, the upward bound house's new family shelter exudes this achievement.

it has been a pleasure working with the staff at upward bound house, in particular dara lasky, alison shiry, mary pat cooney and david snow. in addition, the contractor jensen construction was extremely helpful, especially jake and steven. and finally, my fellow designers, all 17 of them! the amount of support that i felt from the design group is amazing, whether i needed to borrow an extension cord, collect donations, or have help finishing my room in the last few minutes before the opening event.

thank you again to everyone who helped make decorating the family shelter such a success!

what works in a family shelter can really work in a mansion

2010-02-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

thanks to apartment therapy and their latest fab re-nest posting of the upward bound project! it gives me such joy to know that our project is inspiring others...and to be included in a group of what ap states as "LA's most notable interior designers"!

an interesting tidbit is that the same pattern and color of madison & grow wallpaper donated for the feature wall shown in the left photo is what was used in the last showcase at greystone mansion in the righthand photo. i wish i had the professional shots to show here and will soon but in the meantime, enjoy the irony!

inspiring support for LA homeless families

2010-02-02T00:27:00.000-08:00

my adopted room at upward bound house's new family shelter in culver city was a huge success (as was the entire project)! although 'my' room is being tweaked this week and professional photos will be taken soon, i'd like to acknowledge all the vendors, designers and individuals who contributed to 'my' room. if you're looking for great vendors/suppliers/resources and talented installers/subcontractors, check out this list! once i post the professional shots hopefully next week, i'll point out what these valuable resources provided.

AAA Packing and Shipping

Accessory Preview

Alysia Cotter Photography

B&B Hardware

Benjamin Moore

Bridgid Coulter Designs

Celadon Thai Kitchen

CR Creative Services

Custom Creation Solutions

DL Rhein

Duralee Fabric

Edward Thomas Collection

Elizabeth Zampolli

Joe Faux Decorative Painting

Jorge Coral

Kohl's

Liz's Antique Hardware

Madison & Grow

Manny Galindo

Natural Carpet Company

Neysa Pelletier

Rob Kramer

Rosalie Maduro

Sue Kim

Tara Mackenzie

relaxed elegance for a new family shelter

2010-02-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

i am so honored to be a part of an amazing experience designing a room at a new family shelter in culver city, upward bound house's family shelter. i will write more about it soon and reveal the sources of the donated treasures that adorn the room as well as professional photos once we have electricity in the spaces. in the meantime, check out the fab inhabitat and grace hilton blogs posted today about the shelter and the successful opening last friday.

2009-12-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

paige anderson appel is so talented! she runs bash eco events, an event production company, specializing in stunning eco weddings. she even donates part of her event fees to A MILLION TREES LA! i just love her solution to a fun and eco-friendly christmas tree. just paint one on the wall (with low or no VOC paint of course) and voila! it looks so amazing!

paige hosted a lovely evening with delicious food cooked by her talented husband kevin appel who is an accomplished artist and art teacher. paige and kevin are not only an adorable couple but truly an amazing, dynamic and inspirational duo! in addition to the lovely hosts and guests, clever decoration and scrumptous food, were beautiful gifts available for sale from TRUNKSHOW luxury organic goods organized by the talented designer heather heron. shown above are organic bedding found at the TRUNKSHOW and totes from heather heron's new home furnishings line with environment.

happy holidays!

sunset view from current project

2009-12-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

can you guess where this stunning sunset photo is taken? it's a current project and the install is january so you will see comleted photos soon. happy holidays!

holiday giving through decoration donation

2009-12-18T13:35:00.001-08:00

amazing things are happening in our community! almost all of the 18 newly constructed rooms at upward bound in culver city have designers or individuals committed to decorating them in time for the first families to move in on Feb 1!

i am one of them and already have the following companies donating to 'my' room:
Restoration Hardware (this company features beautiful handmade pieces by various artisans)
Liz's Antique Hardware (amazing antique, vintage and new hardware and lighting)
Healthier Choice (carpet pads and floor underlayment)
GreenLife Coatings (eco-friendly invisible protection for all surfaces in your home & business)
Haefele Design (architect specializing in kitchen design)
Amber Trueblood (contemporary artist)
The Savvy Traveler (award-winning travel concierge)

please contact me regarding your donated item(s) and forward this info to anyone you know who may have an item or items to donate. whether it's something decorative, non-perishable food or skincare!

look for eTTa on facebook and become a fan and get progress updates on this project. type in "eTTa" in the upper right hand corner of your facebook page and you should see "eTTa designs - eco-luxury interior design" pop up.

did you know your tap water may be toxic?

2009-11-16T12:52:00.000-08:00

recently, i attended a wonderful lecture by the extremely knowledgeable mary cordaro at bausman & company. she gave us tips on water quality safety and conservation which also helps save money, minimize pollution and extend the life of plumbing.

as i prepared to write this lecture recap, i did some research which revealed startling findings on the safety of our tap water included in # 16 below from the ny times. also, some additional information came from eartheasy.

1. GREY WATER

re-use wash water for irrigation

2. RAIN WATER

supplemental irrigation from a catchment system

3. USE AS LITTLE WATER AS POSSIBLE/TURN IT OFF

while scrubbing dishes, brushing teeth, shorter showers, etc

4. EFFICIENT HOT WATER SYSTEM

hot water is the largest percentage of residential end use of total energy. consider the location of the hot water heater in relation to location of where water is dispensed and tankless water heaters. typically 20% of water in a household is wasted just waiting for the hot water to come out. consider tankless hot water heaters. flush system regularly to avoid sediment buildup.

5. MOLD PREVENTION AND WATER RETENTION

use non-toxic materials

6. PROTECT AGAINST LEAKS/FLOODS

get 1" lip sheet metal pan and leak detector with alarm and caulk cabinet

7. CHECK FOR TOILTE LEAKS

8. CHECK WATER METER FOR HIDDEN LEAKS

9. DON'T USE TOILET AS AN ASHTRAY OR WASTEBASKET

10. LOW FLOW PLUMBING

11. TANK BANK OR FLOATER BOOSTER

be sure to leave room for 3 gallons of water in the toilet tank

12. INSULATE PIPES

13. USE DISHWASHER AND WASHING MACHINE FOR FULL LOADS ONLY

14. COMPOST INSTEAD OF USING DISPOSAL

disposals require a lot of water and impact septic system

15. USE A BROOM NOT A HOSE (OR THE HIGHLY POLLUTING BLOWER) TO CLEAN SIDEWALK

16. WATER FILTRATION

mary says that for bathing, a filter is fine but for drinking, purifying is also necessary since there are already many questionable toxic elements in tap water and our water supplies are getting more and more polluted. in fact, according to a NY times article this year, violations of the 'clean water act' has risen steadily! Also in the article, Lisa P Jackson, the new EPA administrator, said "today the nation's water does not meet public health goals, and enforcment of water pollution laws is unacceptably low." It also mentions that according to some Times research, "an estimated 1 in 10 Americans have been exposed to drinking water that contains dangerous chemicals or fails to meet a federal health benchmark in other ways."

however, mary doesn't recommend switching to bottled water, since that industry's not required to be any better than tap water, and some argue it's worse than tap water. her recommendation is filtration which also protects plumbing with regular maintenance (removing pipe scale is very important). one solution is a product mary sells, the effective and efficient performax system which even meets future ecological guidelines!

17. SAFE WATER BOTTLES

replace your plastic bottles made of PET which are hazardous to our health with safe bottles.

Williams Sonoma Home Design

2009-11-16T11:42:00.000-08:00

Williams Sonoma Home hosted a lovely evening last week at their West Hollywood store for designers. It was such a treat to hear from VPs of design Monelle Totah and Kirsty Williams and get a sneak peek at how and where products are sourced, designed and produced to create the casual and classic elegance that so clearly defines Williams Sonoma Home. This design duo shared their inspirations from antiques found in London, Istanbul and Paris. They also highlighted some eco and sustainable aspects of the business like antique textiles used on pillows and small furniture, the full Hickory furniture line which is 90% US made, selecting items that are manufactured with fair labor, sustainable wood and earth-friendly finishes (see ottoman pictured), US made fabric, reclaimed wood, recycled glass, and artisinal accessories. They also mentioned that they are about to start planning for Spring 2011 which reminds me of the timeframe from my days in fashion merchandising.

Since the event, I was pleasantly surprised to discovered Williams Sonoma Home taking even more sustainable actions as outlined by the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

2009-11-15T17:05:00.001-08:00

What a great holiday gift idea! A $25 raffle ticket helps raise money for RugMark's GoodWeave certification and gets you a chance to win a luxurious 8x10 rug valued at $10,800 (pictured to the left)! GoodWeave is working to end illegal child labor in the carpet industry and to offer eductional opportunities to children in South Asia.

Know where and how your new rug purchases are made so that you can make an informed decision. RugMark and GoodWeave certified ensure your rug is child-labor-free.

West Elm's Host at Home

2009-11-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

West Elm hosted their first "Host & Home" event yesterday in their Santa Monica store! I was honored to be one of 3 celebrity designers who decorated a West Elm table and offered decorating tips to guests. My focus of course was sustainable entertaining and focused on mixing West Elm's natural, organic and recylced items with antique and vintage items as well as the benefits of selecting multifunctional pieces, especially important in these tough economic times.

The holidays are the perfect time to have fun and try new ways of decorating. Look at what you already have and think about how that/those could be used differently. Perhaps you have a piece of fabric/linen/scarf handed down from your grandmother that would be a stunning table runner. Perhaps you have a special piece of china that could show off some floating blossoms. Perhaps you like the warmth, charm and whimsy of antique items so go ahead and mix that with new West Elm items which would balance so well with their clean lines.

I'm grateful to West Elm for hosting the event, to Bausman & Company in West Hollywood who loaned the spectacular and whimsical early 19th c. chinese red horse and to Grow on Abbot Kinney who loaned the plants and flowers. In addition to those items, I used small square initialed vintage napkins from my grandmother as well as the embroidered scarf used as a runner. The West Elm items include small trays sold for the bath but make great liners for an appetizer course (or lined with a lemon leaf, could serve cheese). The small white plates are stone and again from the bath section but could be used on the table to hold a candle. The bench is a great way to add additional seating and either be stored under a table or double as a low console or coffee table. The linen on the bench is actually a runner and pillows and throws in the dining area provide added comfort for guests. Additionally, the flatware looks extra special displayed horizontally in one of the West Elm boxes on the end of the bench as an alternate to an upright container or individual place settings.

Happy holidays!

handmade himalayan wallpaper

2009-10-23T16:44:00.000-07:00

maya romanoff's latest wallpaper collection, meditations, is made from lokta paper from the himalayan mountains. lokta was first used for tibetan buddhist texts and today is also used for japanese currency. the paper making process uses little energy since the plant is delivered by foot after harvesting. then it's soaked, softened, boiled and then put into a pulp beater which is powered by small-scale hydropower from a nearby stream. it is then placed in the sun to dry. while the pulp is still wet, local artisans use chopsticks to hand-form the circular patttern of Ohm shown here.

devine dimmers

2009-10-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

check out the cool invisible lightswitch and dimmer from british forbes & lomax available in the states now. it's so invisible, you really need to look closely to see the brass toggle (also comes with a cool dimmer dial for your eco-friendly projects) which appears as a dot above the moulding in this image. other finishes are also available.

is leather green?

2009-03-26T15:10:00.000-07:00

last night i attended the fabulous westweek party at the recenlty opened l.a. edelman leather showroom at the p.d.c. in west hollywood. the event was complete with glenlivet scotch and a glenlivet representative dressed in gorgeous native attire (his knee-high socks were my favorite!). the party was well attended including my friend and colleague kathy pryzgoda of light studio l.a. who designed the showroom's lighting (pictured with me to the left). the best part was meeting jon edelman, president and 2nd generation in the family tannery!

without changing a thing in their processing, this award-winning organization recently received certfication by greengaurd. along these lines, it's important to keep in mind that their full-grain luxury leathers are a by-product of the meat industry. not only great for upholstery but also floor tiles and tables so check out the huge array of colors, textures and patterns on their website.

I'm back and greener than ever!

2009-03-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

Yay...the blog is back! The hiatus of postings on here was surely not due to a shortage of green happenings or products. In fact, there seem to be more fantastic sustainable stuff out there than ever. So, my excuse is that I was sidetracked by my lastest design project, the eco-luxury spa at Casa del Mar in Santa Monica. Stay tuned for photos but also please stop by any day 11-7 and see for yourself how elegant and luxurious green can be!

Last Tuesday I attended EcoStiletto's Green Girl's Night Out at Intuition. Guests brought gently worn shoes for Dress for Success (including a pair from my closet which I wore once over the last few years so thankfully someone else will enjoy them and they'll stop collecting dust!) and enjoyed music from a solar-powered DJ, organic food by Ciudad and Border Grill, drinks by O.N.E. (including Acai which was delicious over ice), cool green (of course!) bracelets promoting the Green Youth Movement, an interactive installation for Lips Against Lead by Teeens for Safe Cosmetics and canvas totes by Green Works (supported by the Sierra Club). One of my favorite parts of the evening were the adorable, stylish, vegan and fair-trade ballerina slippers by Do-Ni. Oh and 100% of retail profits goes to a participating non-profit of your choice. How cool! Pictured above with one of the shoes is Dana Luong from Do-Ni and her cute baby and the other image is me trying the shoes on at the event.

l.a. fashion week begins with genart fresh faces

2008-10-14T23:54:00.000-07:00

last friday night i enjoyed a seat at the much anticipated 11th annual genart fresh faces fashion show hosted by mandy moore at the petersen automotive museum. even the italian reporter seated next to me mentioend that she expected the evening's show to be the best part of l.a. fashion week. part of the high expectations are due to the fact that this event launched the career of zac posen! the show was impressive and my favorites included the romantic fluid garments from wayf (above but more images are on genart's site).

the prior night at petersen was "fashionably natural", also presented by genart and hosted by maggie gylenhaal. it featured stunning designs from designers using natural and environmentally responsible textiles. kudos for genart for helping to put eco-fashion in the spotlight!

eco-luxury l.a. high-rise

2008-10-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

the other night dwell magazine teamed up with EVO to host a panel discussion led by frances anderton. the discussion was held at the outdoor pool deck of the newly constructed building in downtown l.a. it's billed as l.a.'s first truly eco-friendly luxury high-rise seeking LEED silver certification. as i toured the 3 furnished units that night, luxury was so much the focus that it wasn't clear what the green building and design elements were. however, the development's website reveals many impressive green accomplishments. they included energy efficiency elements like energy star appliances and high performance glazing, recycling 75% of construction waste, water efficiency like low flow plumbing and dual flush toilets, and improved indoor air quality like operable windows for natural ventilation and low-toxic building materials. they even went beyond the building itself and dealt with transportation options like the flexcar outlet located just a block away. my favorite place of the 23 stories, is the roofdeck lounge shown in the image above. the l.a. skyline at sunset was stunning!

stunning green bistro

2008-10-14T21:45:00.000-07:00

the interior of the new restaurant gjelina on abbot kinney in venice is a stunning example of warm AND cool green design. reclaimed wood and recycled light fixtures add a rustic and warm touch while the design is simple creating a modern feel. designed by peel inc and modern architecture, the restaurant's sustainable philosophy extends to communal tables which hold delicious plates made from local ingredients. check it out for yourself at 1429 abbot kinney at milwood in venice.

Eco Block Party

2008-10-14T15:33:00.000-07:00

on sunday, sep 28, was the much anticipated return of the abbot kinney festival. just across the street at one end of the festival, epoxygreen hosted an eco-block party with green building and design vendors sharing their eco-wares. epoxygreen is a wonderful resource of green building & design products, and i think it's the largest in southern california! they are extremely helpful and on the cutting edge of the latest sustainable products. hey, if they're good enough for fred segal (who's on the cutting edge of fashion) and designed their green store in santa monica, then they should be great for designers and homeowners.

i also got to set up a little spot and share a little bit about my design talents. my "booth" was made up of lovely rattan chairs, an inlay table and lanterns from berbere imports. while it's helpful for a green design project to incorporate recycled materials, it's also smart to use antiques and handmade items when available. berbere offers beautiful artisan items, antiques and products made with natural sustainable materials which enhance our surroundings. it was a beautiful day and the abbot kinney festival is always fun.

Malibu Wallflowers

2008-10-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

on saturday, oct 4th, was the wallflower organic & eco festival sponsored by the city of malibu, malibu chamber of commerce and the green living expo. there were many eco-friendly vendors from food to gifts to building products. i was fortunate enough to participate as a panelist in the speaker tent sponsored by malibu living, livity international, epoxygreen and studio rma. it was an impressive lineup of eco-experts who offered all sorts of great advice. one wonderful resource in particular is green life coatings who clean, restore, treat and protect any type of surface from fabric to tile. it's all eco-friendly and enhances the wear and durability of a finish. in fact, it's great for commercial use too like the hotel spa i'm currently designing. thanks to everyone who helped make it possible and turned out on such a cool day to enjoy the festival.

Pasadena visual delights continue!

2008-09-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

after attending the ALMA awards, we enjoyed delicious food at mi piace. perhaps the most compelling element in that beautifully designed restaurant is the lighting. check out this stunningly simple fixture!

Let there be light!

2008-09-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

I always enjoy the exhibits and receptions accompanying them at SPF:a gallery at MODAA in Culver City. Stop by to see a talented group of light and space aritsts.

ALMA Awards

2008-09-21T21:26:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to attend the 2008 ALMA Awards at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium last month. It was a fun show with the usual beautiful celebs, but what was most impressive was the spectacular and significant architectural setting, built in 1932.

green haute couture in LA

2008-08-09T23:09:00.000-07:00

out of a dwindling number of haute couture houses in the world, there is a stunning example here in LA! lloyd klein's boutique and atelier is tucked into a stunning brick structure known as the Castle Building, an LA landmark. among his clients, hollywood royalty are greeted by a gothic turret and a wood moat. on the inside are original mission style beams, an original gilded archway and a mass of mirrors and grey suede walls. it is not surprising that lloyd was trained as an architect given the significance and beauty of the structure he selected as well as his intricate designs.

hidden treasures

2008-08-09T22:30:00.000-07:00

santa monica has a hidden treasure called appropriately hidden on main st. in the former shatzi space, it's a restaurant with lots of loungey outdoor space and delicious food with amazing deals on their happy hour menu 5-7! in addition to ample outdoor lounge seating, there are a couple of romantic cabanas that'd be perfect for a special occassion plus the interior has beautiful vaulted brick ceilings. click here for better photos by allen lin.

SFO colorful metal treat

2008-08-09T22:21:00.000-07:00

on a recent trip up north via southwest airlines, i was greeted at the san francisco airport with this colorful metal art installation. it reminds me of a quilt. if anyone knows the artist please post it here for everyone.

venice contemporary architectural surprise

2008-07-25T12:07:00.000-07:00

there's an area in venice near the canals and just west of the very cool street abbot kinney blvd called silver triangle. it's just far enough away from the congestion of the beach to be quiet yet it's walking distance to the beach and to abbot kinney.

in the silver triangle, a very cool project, market mews, just opened its doors for a very cool party last night hosted by deasy/penner. first of all, the party was set in one of the very cool lofty units with the main party area in the 2-story living room which opened onto a patio through a raised glass garage door that spanned both stories. add to that a very soulful dj, st germain champagne cocktails, a very good looking laid back crowd and beautiful and unique furniture from ford-brady and the vibe is ultra cool. the listing agent ramey ward, gave us a tour of the model next door to the party and explained that 2 units are already sold in the group of 8 loft-like 2br townhouses designed by architect steven ehrlich. priced from $1,265,000 to $1,490,000, these contemporary units have some green features including drought resistant landscaping and tankless water heaters.

welcome to the neighborhood!

glow closeups

2008-07-21T23:45:00.000-07:00

thanks to dan del campos of pop image culture, i've added some of his photos here from the glow festival in santa monica. these illustrate some of the visual delights more clearly than my phone pics in the last posting. enjoy!

glow inspired by paris and grunions

2008-07-20T10:21:00.000-07:00

it was wonderful to see thousands show up at and around the historic santa monica pier from dusk to dawn last night for a new festival called glow. it was inspired by the popular nuit blanche in paris and 'grunion runs'. remarkably, when california grunions spawn, as a wave breaks, you can see their silvery 5" to 6" bodies swim up the sandy slope as far as possible for 30 seconds to 3 minutes. in addition to that natural delight, glow offered media art, performances, music, and sculpture installations.

the glow program was extensive and to my delight, included many eco-friendly elements like the free bike valet which was very busy, a service i absolutely love at the local farmer's market. there was a solar powered installation which illuminated koi fish wind socks. there were illuminated tumbleweeds floating in the water made from recycled plastic bottles. reclaimed materials from reDiscover were available for visitors to place on flatbed screens of opaque projectors to create unique visual storytelling.

hopefully i'll have my camera with me next time so i won't have to rely on my phone for the pics. and i hope glow santa monica returns every year and more people will participate both as the audience and the artist. thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put this together!

2008-07-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

in my june 27th post, i mentioned an amazing, comprehensive, sustainable standard covering all commercial and consumer products except cars and airplanes. check out the video from the 'getting smart about sustainable products' event recently at treepeople to learn more about this incredible standard. developed by market for transformation to sustainability (mts), it's called SMaRT (sustainable materials rating technology). the standard is based on product life cycle assessment across the product's entire supply chain. it is a wonderful tool for any consumer, but in particular for me as a designer, it will help a great deal since it provides a quantifiable and verifiable sustainable standards. some design products with SMaRT certification include miliken, forbo and knoll who have insightful comments on mts' blog. these standards will save designers time and our client's money as we won't have to do certain research on a product since mts has already done that. thank you mts!!!!!

design for a cause in MA

2008-07-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

though i'm based in LA, i was born and raised in MA and wanted to share this cool design competition for MA designers. it's the annual festival of wreaths co-sponsored by van millwork and boston magazine, open to any mass-based designer and architect. register by 8.1.8 and those selected will get to decorate parts of the van millwork showroom in needham and then viewing and voting begins 11.29.8 for 3 weeks followed by a gala. the top winner will get a full-page in boston home magazine! the best part though is that this is a fundraiser for the room to dream foundation,which creates healing environments in hospitals, communities and homes for children and adolescents who are faced with chronic illnesses. what a great way to help our community through design!

more fabulous eco-friendly design products!

2008-07-13T14:28:00.001-07:00

we are extremely fortunate today that there are so many wonderful eco-friendly materials and products available. these eco-treasures can pop up at the most unlikely places. for example, the other week i attended the la home show and was extremely impressed with the better home and gardens green works living green exhibit (touring the country this summer/fall!). they had a very effective display showing us how to green our homes. they also shared some very cool green materials like these from matrix-z.

matrix-z's seastone is a beautiful manufactured stone for residential, commercial, interior, exterior, horizontal, vertical, wet and dry applications. it's a great alternative to mined stone incorporating natural shells, recycled glass, and aggregates. it's slip resistant and mildew, mold, stain and wear resistant. also, it received the emerald green award for green products and practices. suggested retail prices range from approximately $7.25 to $14.25 per square foot and trade is about $4-$6.

they also have a line of gorgeous shell tiles called seatile like this paua/abalone. this is obviously a material best suited for a backsplash or similar while the seastone is much more versatile.

architectural venezia

2008-06-30T23:13:00.000-07:00

yesterday i had the pleasure of attending aia/la's venice home tour, "a stroll through venezia" hosted by snaidero usa. there were many beautiful features and details throughout the tour but what struck me the most was mdesign's mark baez's mcube modular prefab system. with a steel frame and concrete floors, baez uses translucent light emitting fiberglass insulated panels that serve as cladding, exterior and interior walls, insulation, operable windows and moveable /removable walls/doors. the panels are reminiscient of shoji screens but are definitely modern. it was remarkable how cool and comfortable the space inside was for such a hot sunny day. there was also plenty of light and no electrical lighting needed. the modular system can be fully erected in 90 days at a starting cost of $100 per square foot! there are more sustainable elements too like photovoltaic panels, radiant floors, and passive solar design. the space we got to tour was actually 1 unit in a 3-unit case study building at 709 5th ave. it is clear that this system is successful since baez has almost completed a similar structure on the corner of rose and 4th.

vintage fabrics reborn!

2008-06-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

yesterday i rode my bike to the venice ecofest presented by the venice chamber of commerce and earth day LA. as usual, the weather was beautiful and since it was at the beach, there was a nice breeze keeping everyone cool. there were many eco vendors like one offering info and investment opportunities for wind energy, a sun-powered sound stage, e-waste collection, filtered water stations, free bike valet, and the green truck with food and beverages.

there were also eco fashion vendors like christine ladd huffman and her recyclicious headbands. chrissy creates fun and fahsionable headbands using vintage fabrics so they are eco-friendly! this white, pink and green one is my new acquisition from her booth at ecofest. i actually bought it for my sister, but may keep it for myself! check her website for retail locations and where else she may be selling them herself this summer.

downtown LA has a suburb?!

2008-06-27T16:37:00.001-07:00

did i hear birds and see trees blowing in the cool evening breeze in downtown LA? yes, i did! last night, i helped out with an event by patrician company at the newly completed barker block on molino st by kor group (you know, the folks responsible for the very hip successful viceroy hotel among many other cool properties). it's a beautiful building on a lovely tree-lined street in a very cool art enclave! a local walking her dogs who lives with her husband down the street told me she's been there "since the beginning" and added that she calls it a "suburb of downtown LA". i have to admit that i didn't really feel like i was in a downtown area. there were no high-rises nearby, no city noise, no city traffic and no city trash. it was a friendly street too with neighbors taking walks, riding bikes, waving to each other and a couple stopped to chat with neighbors on their patio. i urge you to learn more about the development downtown, especially barker block as they still have some units left!

universal sustainable product certification is HERE!

2008-06-27T16:05:00.001-07:00

i am so excited to learn about the institute for market transformation to sustainability(mts), an amazing group that has been working for about 15 years so far to achieve a sustainable world through transformation of the way products are designed, made and sold. this includes a universal certification called SMART certified, available for any sustainable product except for planes and cars! SMART is a rating system based on 24 sustainable product certification criteria for building products, fabric, apparel, textile & floor covering. it provides many benefits like environmental, social, economic, liability reduction, and product differentiation. also, SMART protects against unlawful greenwashing. it's clear that this is integral to a sustainable future.

thanks to treepeople and usgbc for hosting an aia and idec accredited evening last wednesday of SMART certified sustainable products education and awards.where i first learned about mts and smart certified. located in treepeople's new green building conference center, designated for LEED certification, it was a lovely evening with organic wine and food too!

help & hope for green remodeling

2008-06-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

green remodeling refers to projects that are designed and constructed to reduce the environmental impacts in areas like energy, water, materials consumption, waste generation, and harmful indoor and outdoor emissions. the REGREEN program, developed by usgbc and asid, is a set of best practice guidelines for sustainable residential improvement projects. whether or not you are considering applying for LEED or Green Point Rated certification for your green remodeling home project, check out REGREEN. simply download the 180 page pdf from the website and learn how to take a whole-house systems-thinking approach from different case study examples, detailed drawings, strategy library, resource lists, green product checklist, etc.

global green's green building resource center, sponsored a free workshop last tuesday at the santa monica library that introduced REGREEN. there was a nice turnout of community members and homeowners concerned and curious about greening their homes. in addition, mary cordaro environmental consultant, bau-biologist, and owner of an organic bedding collection, taught us how to create a healthy home through environmentally-friendly solutions that also contribute to healthy air quality. get more info in person at the green building resource center (hours) and attend some of their wonderful events listed here! also, learn more from an interview with monica gilchrist, global green usa's national resource center coordinator.

beeswax buzz

2008-06-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

after my posting about queen b beeswax candles, i received a note from the owner of that company, cate burton, explaining why beeswax makes the healthiest candle. so, i did a little research and here are a few fascinating tidbits i discovered about candles.

aromatherapy candles actually create poisonous byproducts when the oil is burned.
paraffin candles are made of petroleum industry waste, then bleached and other chemicals added.
according to the epa, paraffin candles are known to release carcinogens.
the american lung association warns against burning scented or slow-burning candles with additives.
vegetable and soy candles are a good alternative to paraffin or aromatherapy candles, but toxins are created when oils are converted into wax to make the candle.
another surprising issue with vegetable and soy candles, is that in order to create supply for them, large areas of virgin rainforests are being illegally cleared.
beeswax looks like the best choice for its non-toxic, non-polluting, non-allergenic, and all natural properties.
beeswax is also made from a renewable source and gives off a sweet honey aroma.
beeswax produces negative ions which purifies the air.
beeswax candles burn efficiently, about 10 times longer than paraffin.
beware though when a candle is labeled beeswax since by law it only needs to have at least 10% beeswax in order to be labeled as beeswax.
finally, be sure the wick is cotton since many candle wicks contain lead.

thanks cate for helping us improve the indoor air quality and the natural world!

eco fashion

2008-06-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

thursday night i attended 'green with envy fashion experience' in hollywood, an eco-fashion event hosted by janice dickinson and presented by reality cares and gaudy pr. it featured a fashion show by 4 designers including deborah lindquist one of the most sought after environmentally-conscious designers. she uses sustainable materials like hemp, organic cotton and organic wool, plus recycled cashmere, repurposed kimonos and saris, and vintage silk scarves. the most important factor of all is of course that the designs are beautiful and comfortable. just as with eco-friendly interior design, it's not good enough that a design is green, it must also be beautiful and functional.

YOU improved

2008-06-18T23:23:00.000-07:00

there's a lot of pressure as a designer to dress and present myself in a certain way. luckily, i have a good sense of style in terms of how i dress and put myself together. in fact, i often get compliments on my outfits. however, i'm an expert in interior design and NOT an image consultant. so i knew that i would benefit from hiring an expert in that department to avoid costly mistakes down the road. by the way, this is the same philosophy i believe in for why people need to hire an expert interior designer like me!

since i was shooting a hosting video yesterday, i wanted to be sure i had the best outfit. so i met with monique marco, a talented stylist and image consultant who taught me a ton! just check her out in the hip, adorable and eco-friendly outfit pictured here! even though i had a good foundation about what shapes and colors look best on me, monique was able to enhance that knowledge and boost my look. best of all, she has a unique approach re. the environment known as "ecoLove" which you can learn more about on her website.

thanks monique! i can't wait to have you come back to do a complete overhaul on my wardrobe!

santa barbara discoveries

2008-06-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

yesterday i had the pleasure of participating as a speaker at built green expo sponsored by the santa barbara contractors association. a nice variety of build and design exhibitors were located in a beautiful outdoor setting at the santa barbara city college under blue skies with the ocean, kites and masts in the background. the extensive conference portion was located in classrooms adjacent to the exhibit area and speakers included michelle kaufmann! speaking of michelle kaufmann, at the final hour i caught the end of the house tour, also part of built green expo, and saw one of her designs. i liked the seamless connection between the indoors and outdoors. the interior is filled with lots of daylight and the sun casts beautiful shadows on the front and back patios through adjustable louver overhangs.

to make the most of my santa barbara visit and feel less guilty about the gas guzzling trip, i spent time visiting with my ventura-based designer friend carrie chase. we visited 3 lovely diani boutiques in the same plaza. inspiration comes from the pristine diani beach in kenya where the owner spent many childhood holidays. i was happy to see green design elements like driftwood used as a table base and mirror frame. also, the owner re-used perforated panels originally installed in the windows and recessed some of them into the wall and also made some stencil on the wall! they also sell queenb candles, a brand new 100% beeswax candle from australia. yes, it's imported but it's a step in the right direction.

then, we went to canary hotel, formerly hotel andalucia, which i helped re-design when i was at michael s. smith. it was so nice to see the lovely general manager again as well as the beautiful result of our design efforts last year. there was also a nice transition into the newly renovated restaurant coast by jim gillam of the design firm backen gillam. they did a wonderful job converting the restaurant which seems to already be a hit as evidenced by the crowds pouring in over the early dinner hour on a Saturday.

it was a wonderful day trip to santa barbara topped off with a stop at my favorite smoothie place, blenders in the grass. then i drove back to LA along the coast with a stop to view the surfers hanging 10 on friendly waves at leo carillo as the sun set...ahhhh.

uncovering layers at the getty

2008-06-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

last april, i learned about a fascinating new layer at the getty research institute. the discovery started at a dwell magazine event discussing art and architecture, where i met christopher j. alexander, the associate collections curator for the getty research institute. christoppher fills a new position as the research institute to help develop its architectural collections and share them with the public. christopher is responsible for several exhibitions of julius shulman's work and recently at the getty, 'lessons of bernard rudofsky'.

yesterday, i was excited to park at the upper lot at the getty at no charge! i was meeting with christopher and eleanor schapa, an amazing art history teacher from santa monica college and ucla extension, whose art history comment was quoted in the new york times! i was thrilled just to be at the getty and escape LA for a bit. it ended up being more of a treat than i anticipated as christopher gave us a surprise mini tour behind the scenes of the institute. we strolled through parts of their incredible library with a general collection of 900,000 volumes of books, periodicals, and auction catalogs. there is also the special collections room and a photo study collection with about 2 million photographs! we peeked at the incredibly organized and well-maintained julius shulman collection (including 260,000 prints!). the best part of this institute is that it's not just for scholars, but access is available to anyone with a government-issued photo ID! however, if you are a member of the scholarly and museum communities or a particular researcher, then you get more access privelages. and to top it off, the parking is free by reservation!

thanks christopher for the wonderful introduction to the Getty Research Institute and their fascinating architectural collections.

note: the photos are mine from my getty visit years ago when family from new england visited, as the getty is always on the agenda for out-of-town guests.

vegas & venice

2008-06-10T18:12:00.000-07:00

you're probably wondering what vegas and venice (CA) could possibly have in common. well, on my recent visit to vegas for HD expo (see prior posts), i noticed some beautiful veiny marble floors at wynn (among many other indulgent details). it reminded me of the veiny sand i've seen at venice beach after the water washes over it and leaves dark grey streaks. check out these photos which illustrate the surprising similarity. who would've thought that something found in a very contrived world on the strip would serve as a reminder of something so beautiful and natural as the beach!

sophistication by Dwell

2008-06-09T12:28:00.000-07:00

'dwell on design 08' (DOD) graced LA with 2 1/2 days of an exhibit that was more sophisticated than the usual. not only was the space void of the usual trade show carpets to reveal very cool concrete, most vendors presented their wares in a more sophisticated way than typically shown.

towards the back, just beyond a lovely display by monrovia gardens, was a magnificent discovery of a company called hom who was launching their lifestyle business at DOD. hom displayed an actual 2BR 2BA manufactured home that was very different than the usual prefab out there for many reasons. one is that it has a gable roof which adds an element of warmth and charm. the home has many ecological components including its own beautiful line of furniture, lighting and accessories. they offer 3 floor plans which go all the way up to a 6BR 4BA 3600SF home which cost about $200/SF which is much more affordable than the typical prefab.

there were several architects and design/build firms exhibiting who showed us some stunning examples of their work. to help illustrate that, often there were models and the most strking models i saw were at demaria design associates' booth. they're made from wood and at a quick glance, this close-up view looks like the real thing!

it was extremely exciting to meet several of the designers behind the gorgeous exhibited products. this included teresa grow, the designer behind the eco-friendly luxury wallcovering company madison & grow, who with her business partner erin yasgar, launched their product at DOD! the designs are inspired by many of my favorites, dorothy draper, david hicks and dwell. their product works well in a myriad of settings whether with antiques or modern pieces and it's also eco-friendly! their wallcoverings are non-toxic and hand-screened with water-based inks on clay-coated paper.

another designer, daniel ogassian, shared his innovative exterior cladding solutions. daniel began his design career on a potter's wheel 15 years ago and making ceramic tile (pictured next to him). while his business still offers ceramic tile along with the cladding, he also makes concrete (see detail image), precast and custom solutions.

yet another designer, brook bannister of mccloud design, makes some of the most beautiful waterfalls i've seen! brook, like many of the designers, has a quiet and modest demeanor despite his gifted talent. his water features are quite sculptural and are set against different metal finishes like patina, perforated and corrugated.

some other great treasures from 'dwell on design 08' include vintage and re-used furniture. for example, fusion furniture displayed clever pieces re-designed by tim george. george takes industrial pieces that have been discarded and converts them into something very suitable for the home. for example, this metal bar cart with wood interior was originally a medical cart (without the wood of course)! what a great way to contribute beautifully to the sustainable design cause.

there was also eco-intelligent furniture from animavi who uses a cradle-to-cradle methodology. the sustainable components of this beautiful product include hand-polished steel, soy based foam, 3form ecoresin shell, 100% natural flame-retardent wool felt liner, solvent-free water based adhesive, durability and timeless quality. the un-upholstered version is great for outdoors!

i was delighted to see that rugmark foundation exhibited at dwell and to learn that not only is dwell a sponsor of rugmark, but the publisher and president of dwell, michela o'connor abrams, is on their board. rugmark was established in 1994 to help end child labor in carpet manufacturing. today, more than 4 million rugs have been sold with the rugmark label! however, ALL imported rugs should be sold with this certification so there is still much work to be done. before looking at a rug's cost or sustainable qualities, please make sure it's rugmark labeled to be sure it was made without child labor. to find a rugmark rug near you, go to the search option on the rugmark website.

The luxury to Dwell

2008-06-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

it has been too long since my last entry, but i was distracted with the official launch of my website and blog as well as dwell magazine's 4 days of 'dwell on design 08' in LA (DOD).

i was fortunate to be a part of DOD as a speaker and share my knowledge of sustainable interiors (see the dwell fan page). DOD appeared to be a huge success and offered inspiring presentations, cool and unique products, a focus on sustainble design, sold out home tours and fun parties. and the dwell staff behind the event are so nice and stylish! i really hope DOD returns to LA next year!

activities began last thursday with the first of 2 days of their conference with a party thursday evening at fordbrady downtown. they feature stylish and unique furniture, lighting and accessories among which includes this chair displayed in their exhibit booth. it's the garden boy stainless chair designed by angus hutcheson. it was displayed like a museum piece and looked so magnificent and sculputural, as if it were a piece of art, not just a functional piece of furniture.

on friday, i had the honor of speaking on a panel about sustainable interiors with lori dennis and mary cardaro. it was a wonderful session where we were able to explain why green design is so necessary and how to create a sustainable interior. in addition, we discussed that green design doesn't define a space, rather it is 1 component of a bigger picture. an environmentally friendly space means that it's efficient and healthy, but the space must also be beautiful, comfortable, and effective. we also emphasized the importance of evaluating a product or material based on its full life cycle, not just whether it has some recycled content.

friday night was the vip party at moca downtown with a great dj and beverages sponsored by izze and 360vodka. perhaps the coolest part of the party was the design tournament featuring LA's top rendering gurus. these designers were seated in a circle with large monitors above them so that party guests could watch their every move. it was fascinating to watch beautiful homes conceived right in front of your eyes!

another fun activity was a landscape design challenge sponsored by monrovia who also supplied the plants and trees throughout the 4 day event. i got to experience this first-hand as i was part of a team in the 1st round who won! we had 10 minutes to create a design using any number of plants supplied by monrovia and work within a small square area. our design was inspired by dwell of course and resulted in a minimal, asymmetrical design with a curved path running through it. as a prize, we received dwell tshirts and a monrovia plant of our choice! i proudly took home an arabian lilac.

in my next post, i will share a glimpse of more cool products from the exhibit.

hip restaurant renovation

2008-06-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

last night i got together for a fun and inspirational evening with a group of wonderful ladies who are business owners in the los angeles and orange county area. every month at a cool local spot after work, we get together to meet other female business owners for support and inspiration. last night we met at the del restaurant in playa del rey. the service is excellent, the food good and atmosphere in the lounge is hip and comfortable. it's a new business but in the spirit of green design, they kept the existing building and many elements like the leaded glass windows and doors and even the very cool captain figured door handles!

Altadena Treasure

2008-06-03T13:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I met with a very talented artist named Leslie Aitken who has a lovely little work studio in Altadena called LA General Store. Leslie has many talents, but focuses mostly on sewing, knitting and crochet and creating beautiful and unique garments and accessories. Her studio space is lovely and I really like how innovative her space is and how she re-used old furniture like shelving that was left on the side of the road! She also created nice little areas for various functions like a an area to meet with cients, a desk and computer area, workspace for sewing, a kitchen and even a shipping area!

Shown in the first photo, she found an old leaded glass window that she uses as a partition and it's just beautiful! There are also nice bursts of color from her yarns and notions. Thank you Leslie for sharing your passion for creation with me! Until her website is up, you may contact her at lageneralstore@hotmail.com or at 626.529.3386.

bike path leads to bliss

2008-06-02T01:35:00.000-07:00

today i rode my bike from my home in the marina to manhattan beach, along a portion of the 22 mi bike path that extends from pacific palisades to palos verdes. i have done this trip before, but today i visited new spots to re-energize before riding back to the marina.

the first stop, after saying hello to a friend playing volleyball, was lunch at petros. i first was struck by the beautiful and calming interiors that nicely illustrate greek elements in a modern aesthetic. i wish i had photos of the interior to share, especially since i'm an interior designer! there were some gentle arches which not only are reminiscent of the restaurant's greek origins, but also balance the straight lines in the space beautifully. these arched forms repeat in the ceiling to break up the acoustic tiles and help break up the space. the truly authentic greek food was excellent and the customer service was topped off by a lovely chat with the owner, petros benekos. this impressive businessman also owns petros vintage 2 doors down which carries vintage clothing and accessories, including mostly levi's.

on my way back to my bike, with live music in the background, i strolled through an outdoor art exhibit organized by the city and metlox. a few of the talented artists include pottery with handles made from sticks by matranga studio, lovely paintings like this beach scene by kenneth james reiter and stunning photography by paul blieden like this one from his 'texture' category where he takes an ordinary and worn object and turns it into something very special.

i look forward to my next bike ride to the south bay to discover more of its treasures.

Nature and Art

2008-05-30T23:39:00.000-07:00

One of the many benefits about living in Los Angeles is the abundance of wonderful art galleries and regular exhibit opening receptions. Generally at these events, a DJ spins music, beverages and light snacks are served and some interesting characters are scattered throughout the crowd (and can be almost as interesting to watch as the art!). Tonight I had the pleasure of attending one such reception for 4 artists at the Corey Helford Gallery in Culver City. I was invited by one of the artists, Sarah Folkman, who I know through our friend, Artist and Art Instructor, Amy Lay. After entering the Gallery and arriving at the second level, I realized I was there once before, last year at the Culver City Art Walk. The Art Walk is here again tomorrow and this year there are even more restaurants in this newly hip neighborhood to keep you nourished and energized all day long.

Anyway, Sarah's work is just lovely! She presented a group that was painted on wood and a few pieces on canvas. I love her wood painted pieces which are a nice small size, about 5"x5" and are painted delicately with subtle colors and are very calming. If you take a close look at the woman's profile above, you may notice that the outline of her face mimics the grain in the wood. It's brilliant!

Inside Look at UCLA's Interior Design Studio Critique

2008-05-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

sorry for the absence in writing but i was out of town with family and was completely distracted by my adorable 2 year old nephew.

anyway, before i went out of town last week, i had the honor of serving as a guest critic for the mid-term of Bruno Bondanelli's studio II class, part of UCLA's FIDER accredited Interior Design Certificate Program. i was a little nervous at first since i knew that the accomplished instructor, founder and principal of the architecture and interior design firm Bondanelli Design Group, and his students would be counting on me for words of wisdom. i would have to immediately analyze a student's presentation and spontaneously offer helpful suggestions and thoughtful critiques. it was also a 7pm class so at a time when i'm usually winding down from the day, i had to catch a 2nd wind and come through for this class. thankfully, my starbucks soy chai latte kicked in and i really got into it and could've easily stayed longer than 10pm to discuss their projects more. since they invited me back for their final, i think they found my insight helpful. though i'm not sure they know how much i learned from them!