Interior Design Sense

Greetings from the City of Lights!  I am here with my hubby John to attend the Maison & Objet Home Fashion Showcase, and we couldn’t be having a better time eating, drinking, sightseeing and shopping our way through this magnificent city!  Although the weather has been a bit dreary at times, that hasn’t stopped us from taking in all that Paris has to offer. Also a blast meeting one of my Chicago client’s at the flea market to find goodies for her new home.  I am so excited to bring the best of European chic back to the U-S of A for my clients and showroom!

Here is a look inside what we have been up to…

Hotel Plaza Athenee…our amazing hotel!  So Paris chic.  Lavish glam to the max! The Gallerie and Night Club were elegant and happening.  The Dior Spa and Fitness Center was one of my favorite haunts during my stay. Fitness was much sought out after foie gras intake daily.

Beautiful nighttime at our lovely hotel with the twinkling lights of the Tour Eiffel in the background. There is an ice skating rink in the courtyard of the hotel with children skating daily to the tunes of french music.

Restaurant Le Jules Verne at the Eifel Tower

Hands down the best meal and views of our stay in Paris.  I highly recommend for lunch, sipping champagne of course!

Clignancourt Flea Market…I was like a kid in a candy store even though I have visited many times….

My client and I trying to wrangle best prices while amusing the crowd

Vanves Flea Market…another endless world of treasures!

The main attraction of our trip, Maison & Objet Home Fashion Showcase.  Five days of the most amazing home furnishings and decor in the world!  What is it about Paris that makes everything so oo-la-la?

Check out these chairs…j’adore!

Some exhibitors and me in the Hall of Garden and Home Furnishing’s………..

A few little treats from Laduree to end the perfect day in our hotel …These are mostly gifts I swear!

I found another artist (Mimi Chen Ting) who brightened up my day so I had to share her playful pieces with you.  I can see these compositions and colors in all kinds of rooms and spaces especially if it’s on the traditional side and you’re looking to make a modern statement.  Take a look at her work through Elisa Contemporary Art Gallery and let me know how you feel after a viewing.  It should be cheery!

This past week I was researching inspiration for closets and built-ins for a client project that currently requires renovating two bedrooms. The closets in both rooms may be visible to the room itself, so the most ideal way to make them presentable is to make them look good! That means built-in drawers and cabinetry, nice hardware and lighting, and other decorative elements to create a stylish closet space.

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An attic space turned closet with gold and metallic accents, wallpapered ceilings.

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Small and narrow, but every inch accounted for.

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Everything is neatly concealed behind paneled doors, with a stunning entry door.

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A full length mirror makes a narrow space appear larger.

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A dramatic high gloss black painted dressing room.

Congratulations to MG reader Aliza from Lakewood, New Jersey! Aliza has won both the “Dr. Mary Side Sleeper” and “Jetsetter” pillows from the wonderful folks at The Pillow Bar!

Developed by noted sports chiropractor Dr. Mary Collings, the luxurious “Dr. Mary Side Sleeper” is designed to relieve shoulder and neck tension, and the “Jetsetter” pillow is perfect for comfort on the go.

Aliza told MG that she’ll catch some zzz’s with her new pillows in her favorite room of her new home- the master bedroom! The sleek pillows- recently featured in the Wall Street Journal- will fit perfectly in her white and grey bedroom, which mixes traditional elegance with hotel contemporary. Enjoy, Aliza!

Dr. Mary Side Sleeper Pillow

Jetsetter Pillow

Lorin Marsh is a furniture and accessories showroom that’s been in business since 1975.  It’s represented locally in Houston by David Sutherland.  I’ve picked my favorite pieces that fit my aesthetic  more, “cleaned-up feminime,” but they really have a range.  These products are definitely “high-end,” but it shows.  I’m off to face the swarming crowds (not my favorite thing) at Dallas Market hoping to see Emily at some point!

It has been absolutely nuts ever since we got back from holiday break. We have started a bunch of new projects and have been going full steam ahead ever since Jan 3rd so the fact that this month is almost over just blows my mind!  It feels like just yesterday that I was in California with my family for Christmas. It was my first visit to the golden state, and I must say that I loved it!  The laid back attitude of Californians, the amazing weather and gorgeous views, made it very tempting to move EJ Interiors across country and set up shop there.

We covered Newport, Laguna, LA and San Diego in a short amount of time.  It was an adventure to say the least!  Of course, it couldn’t all be about sand, waves and water.  I had to incorporate some aspect of design on my trip to keep it interesting and to slowly but surely educate my husband (which he loves of course!)

We stayed at Pelican Hill in Newport for a few days and the views around this place were breathtaking- Paloma wasn’t kidding!

It was a little bit more traditional than the hotels Ben and I normally stay at, but it was really beautiful and super cozy nonetheless!

During the days, we ventured out to Balboa Island (where I met Jill!) and Laguna Beach. There was the most adorable home shop in Laguna called Tuvalu.  It had lots of items with familiar names such as Currey, Arteriors and Palecek.

We then took a day trip to LA with my entire family (we should have known nine people in a limo bus on an all day tour was a recipe for disaster) but hey, that’s how the Johnstons roll. It’s not a family vacation if at least three people don’t get Hangry (angry because they’re hungry) or in trouble with my dad for running late.

Luckily, a beautiful drive up the coast and an amazing church made it all better.  Who wouldn’t want to get married here in California’s perfect weather?

I then had one (and only one) request of the bus driver…and that was to take me to see the infamous and mysterious Chateau.  I’ve read too many issues of Us Weekly, not to go there.  This castle on a hill is legendary in my mind and although I only saw it from the bus (because I’m not a B or C list celeb), you get this amazing slanted I phone photo…

OK, I did have one more request on the trip to LA….to see the iconic Martinique wallpaper that was made famous by the Beverly Hills Hotel and then later used by Paris Hilton and Brian Atwood/Nate Berkus.  We’ve blogged about this leafy paper before HERE. I had to beg the guy at the hotel to let me take a photo of it and luckily he obliged!  What I didn’t get a photo of were the tiny Olson twins eating next to us at the Polo Lounge five minutes prior. I don’t know what got me more excited- seeing Martinique or Michelle Tanner!

The next stop got a big roll of the eyes from the husband (well, a few stops did) but this one was the most memorable- The Beverly Wilshire hotel.  We just had to see the Pretty Woman elevator! I told Ben it’s on the list of things I have to see before I die, so that helped convince him.  As we walked up to the hotel, I heard my twenty two year old brother mutter- “What’s Pretty Woman?”

Oh geez- the adventure continues!

“Well color me happy, there’s a sofa in here for two!”

So now that Ben is almost convinced this is a complete girls’s trip…I reassure him of this by heading over to the Viceroy Santa Monica to stay the night and gawk over KW’s design.

The colorful California Viceroy was a complete departure from Wearstler’s more neutral design in Anguilla.  With bold kelly green and graphic black and white accents, this hotel was definitely more bold and vivacious.  It’s no surprise that Saturday night here by the pool is “bumpin” (per Trip Advisor).

We then headed to our next hotel stay in San Diego at the historic US Grant Hotel.   I ended up really liking this hotel.  It had the most comfortable bed (which counts a lot in my book!) I also liked how they mixed the elegance from the 1910’s with an updated more modern feel.

I had to take a photo of the TV cabinet in our hotel room too.  What an inspiring and attractive design for a custom casegood!

The day after we arrived in San Diego, we went to one of the largest and most progressive zoos in the world. I can’t help but notice design and pattern no matter where I am- even on the fur of this leopard!  Such a gorgeous gorgeous animal…

After many recommendations from friends, we took a visit to”the Del”, a 120 year old hotel in Coronado.  The Hotel del Coronado is known for its Victorian design, reported ghost sightings, movie set background and celebrity visits.

The last stop on the journey (and the whole purpose of our San Diego trip) was the UT bowl game.  As a Sooner, I felt like a traitor wearing burnt orange, but it got me a new sweater from Banana!

All in all, such a fun trip and I can’t wait to start planning my next California trip- to San Francisco!

(Sorry for the strange spaces between the photos- blog issues!)

Your house is never fully complete until you have a dining room (casual or formal) where you, your friends and family can sit down and enjoy good food and good company.  It’s the one place in your home that brings everyone together so why not make it the one place that everyone enjoys and wants to spend time in.  Take the time to think about the style and design of the space.  Should it be cozy and comfortable, bold and colorful, a mixture of old and new?  Whatever look you’re trying to accomplish, make sure it’s well lit and there’s plenty of space for everyone to gather around.

This is a great blend of old and new

Perfect contrast between the table and chairs

A beautiful airy room in Malibu

A modern square is the perfect table to include everyone in the same conversation

Light and bright by the sea

Traditional with a twist of modern

A smaller, city friendly scene

Wow, things have really changed since I had my children.  Take a look at these pictures from Beyonce’s maternity suite.  It looks more like a luxury hotel than a hospital room.  The diva gave birth to baby Blue Ivy (as I’m sure you know because this news has been everywhere) at Lennox Hill Hospital in NYC, and clearly no expenses were spared.

Ok, ok…I guess this isn’t the norm.  But if this is the precedent Beyonce has set, expectant moms might be asking for the diva hospital treatment too! What do you expectant Mom’s think of these digs??? Pretty posh,no?

Photos courtesy of TMZ.

The Hotel Bel Air (located here in Los Angeles) recently reopened after undergoing an extensive two year renovation. Interior Designer Alexandra Champalimaud was hired to recreate  a new reception and boutique, new lobby lounge, all the guestrooms, suites, & twelve hillside villas along with the spa and guest lofts. Rockwell Group was commissioned to design the dining venues, for which chef Wolfgang Puck oversees all the food and beverage operations for the hotel.  Throughout the process, insightful feedback from past guests was taken into consideration when implementing many of the hotel’s design changes. It was important to bring the hotel up to date, while retaining much of the character of the original hotel and the glamour of the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

The exterior facade and signage, which retains the hotel’s original buildings.

The famous round pool of the legendary Hotel Bel Air.

Outdoor dining at the newly designed Hotel Bel Air restaurant.

A hotel room suite living room (Bel-Air Suite Living Room).

A hotel room suite bedroom (Bel-Air Suite Bedroom).

A deluxe room with private patio.

For more info, visit Hotel Bel Air.

So I thought I would share a personal project…”personal” meaning my own small Living Room.  We had a kitchen fire in September (everyone was fine) and have started the process of replacing or repairing the things that were damaged.  Our white slipcovered sofa and green silk chair were trashed from water and smoke damage.

This is our old apartment but shows the “BEFORE” of the sofa…

***SOFA BEFORE***

***SOFA AFTER***

My sofa had to basically be re-built (notice the new arms) and I made the switch from slipcover to a neutral upholstery in a linen/cotton blend.  The green chair was skirted and I added a gray cotton velvet.  I’ve been wanting to de-colorify our place for a while now, and all it needs is a punch of hot pink peonies! (side note our coffee table is usually more “styled” but alas, the box o’ accessories is most likely in my husband’s car trunk left over from the frantic hustle pre-Sadie Bday party).

***CHAIR BEFORE***

***CHAIR BEFORE***

The green silk chair was never my favorite piece in the world (really used as a desk chair in our bedroom but in our new place the scale was better for our LR).  Silk was obviously not my first choice and not practical for dog & baby.

And chair after….

***AFTER***

Skirted in a gray cotton velvet that changes color as the day goes on.

Here’s another “AFTER” of the same chair.  My Mom also had a pair, so we had them re-done in a punchy coral and added a box-pleat skirt.  These are the head chairs at their Dining Room Table.  Just waiting for the go-ahead on aqua/chartreuse wallpaper and silk turquoise drapes!

I hoped you enjoyed this FF.  It is always extremely nerve racking for me to share personal projects but I love it when others do, so why not??