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Thursday, October 16, 2014

Uncomplicated Simplicity

The latest Urbis magazine is out and this issue is all about 'Coastal Living' - which on our rainy, cold summer day in Wellington makes one rather jealous.

This home on Manhattan Beach, California caught my eye. It was designed by, and is the home of, interior designer Mandy Graham. I like this timeless aesthetic - the tight palette of materials and simple details work together to make this compact home look very spacious. Get a copy of Urbis to see more of this uncomplicated and elegant home.

Photographs via Mandy Graham

Sunday, July 13, 2014

A Minimal Home in Venice Beach, California.

california dwell magazine Los Angeles Minimalism USA White

It was just over a year ago that I stopped over in Santa Monica, Los Angeles for a few days on my way to Italy. I stayed with my architect friend, Stephanie who was a great host and showed me around her cool little neighbourhood.

One night we had dinner with a fellow architect friend of hers, Don Dimester and his wife Lisa, who invited us back to their Venice Beach home that evening - and it was this place that you see here. I was excited to see it again when it was recently featured in Dwell magazine and to be reminded of my visit there.

Don designed this duplex for himself and his brother, Dennis (who I also met and asked me to keep talking so he could laugh at my accent). Read the article here to hear Don's story and how this unique home came about.

A dramatic stairwell going up the roof deck

Large rolling doors are used to open or close off spaces

Dennis' kitchen with sliding doors

The communal roof deck

Photographs by Eric Staudenmaier via Dwell.

Friday, April 26, 2013

San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2013: Catherine Kwong

california greige Living Room modern mix ornate details painted wood floors showhouse tufting

This years San Francisco Decorator Showcase is a beautiful mix of old and new with an emphasis on a unique set of juxtaposed details thanks to Catherine Kwong and the other talented designers. Catherine designed the Living area of this amazing home and I love this space just as much as I loved her own beautiful home!

Catherine Kwong designs a decadent
rock 'n roll hideaway for the 2013 San Francisco Decorator Showcase.
With custom furnishings and an emphasis on luxe materials, Catherine
Kwong brings her signature elegance and modern point of view to create
a grand living room.
“The design was inspired by Mick and Bianca Jagger in the 1970’s - the
young and wild, traipsing-to-Saint Tropez years,” said Catherine Kwong.
“I was doing research for a client and discovered all of these beautiful old
photos of Mick and Bianca that depicted a wild romance. They were
impossibly stylish and full of excitement, with a bit of scandal, of course.
So I designed this room for them; a place for late-night parties with rock
royalty and the jet-set. I wanted the room to be just like Mick and Bianca:
luxe and decadent, but with a rock 'n roll edge.”
The star of the room is the dramatic painted floor, which serves as a rich
canvas for the room’s artful mix of luxurious textures, details and lines.
Inspired by the iconic paintings of Cy Twombly, the floor was
hand-painted in exuberant brushstrokes by decorative painting firm,
Stancil Studios.

Please visit the showcase now through May 27th