Do the words “luxury” and “budget” seam diametrically opposed to each other? If you equate luxury with a high price tag or you can only be surrounded by objects with designer labels, then this article is not for you. If you define luxury as a lifestyle that perfectly blends comfort, glamor, and excitement, then you have come to the right place. The four keys to creating a luxurious environment without blowing your budget are Function, Layering, Smart Shopping, and and Careful Planning.
Function is the most important element because it builds the foundation for how you can maximize the comfort and ease of using your space. A cluttered and disorganized home is NEVER glamorous. Make sure there is a place for every thing, and that your storage systems are attractive and complement your overall design scheme. The internet is a great resource to compare storage products and also to find informative product reviews. If an item scores high in QUALITY and VALUE, then you can feel confident in your purchase.
Layering is the second key and this involves paint, fabrics, lighting, and accessories. Paint is the easiest and most economical way to add drama to your space. You can also give found furniture a whole new life with a high gloss paint or interesting treatment. Fabrics are essential to the layering process and can add color, texture, pattern, and sheen to your design. Many fabric stores have sale tables where you can find sumptuous and elegant materials at a fraction of the cost. Lighting is an element that is often overlooked. You can create a special ambiance by mixing mood and task lighting and installing dimmers. Candles are also a cheap and easy way to add romance and atmosphere. Controlling the mood of your environment can make you feel like master of your domain.

To Be Continued…..

The following rooms are good examples low-budget luxury.

Who says that you have to be Joan Rivers to get a face lift? Many people’s rooms deserve the same treatment. I have recently been performing  face-lifts on some historic Los Angeles apartments for clients with limited budgets. It can be quite an expensive and ardous task to try and repair what 50 to 100 years of changing hands has done to an interior. You have to evaluate the reality of what your budget will allow for in a space that will someday return to it’s owner.

Our bathroom became the afterthought of our apartment. We have been living with it, but is was time to complete our home by doing it the way we wanted. I wanted to pay homage to my unique Art Deco apartment by creating a room of contrasts and drama, while retaining a bright and sunny atmosphere. I stripped 70 years of paint off of our beautiful green tile border that creates a base molding around our bathroom. Some “bright” person long ago made this decision and everyone else then followed suit. My color palette was inspired by Deco and the Viennese Seccession. I was originally going to use black, yellow, and aqua(the tile color). I decided to use a dark brown instead of black to warm up the palette. I alternated my colors to create impact as well as showcase the Art Deco architectural features. If you have a special period home, take inventory of what elements are original and important to the integrity of the structure.

Isn’t that paint over the beautiful tile just awful? The crevices created by all the paint also made it difficult to clean. Ick!

This kind of stripping is not fun or sexy. Luckily, we used an eco-friendly product with a nice citrus scent.

The step pattern over the bathtub was enhanced by the alternating colors.

The fantastic trio of pieces to the right of the mirror were created by Portland artist and DIY lounge host, Richard Fox.

This cabinet needed lots a TLC and some new pulls. What was once generic is now a glamorous focal point.

The Shanghai World Expo 2010 is now in full swing. I have been watching from the cyberspace sidelines in amazement at how the countries of the world decided to represent themselves and their contributions. It’s kind of like “America’s Next Top Model” for developing countries. They have even even grouped together the “Axis of Evil” contributors such as North Korea and Iran. The level of contemporary kitsch seems to be off the charts. I have noticed some similar inspirational thread between many of the pavilions. The overall theme of the Expo is “Better City, Better Life”. I have pictured many of my favorite pavilions below under my own appropriate categories.

THE TORD BOONTJE INSPIRED PAVILIONS:

The Russian Pavilion makes the transition from day to night.

The Poland Pavilion pays homage to it’s paper-cutting craftsmen and with this feminine, modern structure.

The South Korea Pavilion uses die-cut numbers and letters to create its facade. The colorful facing of the other material juxtaposed to it reminds me of the Eames’ House of Cards.

THE RETRO FUTURISM INSPIRED PAVILIONS

The UK Pavilion was designed by Thomas Heatherwick and consists of a swaying chorus of acrylic rods. Very Mod.

The Israel pavilion reminds me of the work of Architect John Lautner.

THE DISNEYLAND INSPIRED PAVILIONS

I love how the Danish pavilion resembles a Tutti-Frutti factory

The real thing is very delightful and the umbrellas complete this whimsical entry.

The Chinese Pavilion makes a very iconic statement.

The groovy Malaysian Pavilion looks ready to party with its psychedelic roof.

Speaking of parties, the opening ceremony featured the Expo mascot representing over 190 countries. The Mascot is named Haiboa who looks like Gumby mated with a lady smurf .  A chorus line of these kitschy cuties cut a rug in “It’s a Small World” style.

THE EARTH MOTHER PAVILIONS:

Canada’s Pavilion looks like a rocket that was made out of toothpicks and ready to blast off!

the Australian Pavilion is made of a special weathering steel that looks very woodsy and 1970′s.

I love the Spanish pavilion and its undulating ruffles of raffia. The giant baby adds an element of the bizarre.

What do you get when one of the most fabulous drag queens (who just happens to be a compulsive shopper with great taste!) and two of LA’s most popular and innovative interior decorators (and former co-owners of uber-cool store Retropia) join forces? THE MOST GLAMOROUS GARAGE SALE IN THE HISTORY OF ALL MANKIND!
Furniture, art, linens, clothing, kitchenware, barware, lighting, clothing (lots of DRAG!), shoes, gardening equipment, bedding, records, books, CD’s, DVD’s, knick-knacks… YOU NAME IT! Even a new queen-size mattress, lawn mower, bicycle and TONS OF MEMORABILIA AND COLLECTIBLES!

Plus FUN, FUN, FUN in gorgeous Highland Park!

NO EARLY BIRDS! Early birds will be shot, taxidermied and sold to one of the creepy hipsters who shows up ON TIME!

SATURDAY & SUNDAY,
6133 Outlook Ave LA CA 90042
9 AM to 3 PM!

Here are some of the groovy items you will be seeing:

I have been writing about ways to re-design rental kitchens. We spoke of fabric, paint, and hardware as a way to personalize a kitchen that you are unable to drastically modify. Our rental kitchen shelving suffers from almost 80 years of layers of paint. Instead of the laborious task of paint removal, I opted to use a decorative shelf paper. These come in great patterns and can add a little punch to your cupboards. I chose a blue and white floral for my 1930′s kitchen that is not only lovely, but easy to clean. I hated going into my tiny pantry before, but now I delight in looking for that last can of peas.

We are putting the finishing touches on the Apartment of Julien Nitzberg. Julien writes for stage and screen and he needed the bachelor pad to match the resume. His Echo Park top floor flat boasts great views and has historic charm. Since this is a rental apartment, we had to deal with what the years of use had given us. Julien wanted us to create a retro western atmosphere that would turn his writer’s den into a ravishing rancho. We are now working on the kitchen. We replaced an oversized chair with two small functional Windsor chairs and we are putting a colorful cushion on the built in bench. We picked the color palette of green(the color of the walls), brown, white, orange, and red. Paint, cabinet pulls, organization, and accessories are a great way to overhaul a rental kitchen that cannot be modified. I will give you a sneak peak of some of our finds and inspiration. Stay tuned for the complete reveal of Julien’s homestead makeover!

Julien’s kitchen needed  organization and an identity. We unearthed the banquette seat and created a cozy and comfortable breakfast nook.

Julien pitches in to do some light handyman work in order to cut down on costs.

The above fabric will cover the bench seat cushion.

This fabulous plaid tablecloth will complement his bench fabric and will be easy to clean. it contains our complete kitchen color palette.

This scenic hunting fabric will be used for the kitchen window valance above the sink. We will trim it in a wide chocolate brown braid trim.

We found these classic ranch pulls at Lowe’s for a very “classic” price. Lowe’s is a great resource for attractive and inexpensive hardware.

I love this tableau above the sink with the whimsical monkeys and  the big brown initials. I always tout the power of branding your environment over just filling it with name brands.

Senor, Lora Hall, and I spent the day carrying out phase two of our landscaping plan for our client, Tomas Costanza. We picked out our flagstone and rock with the help of the great crew at La Canada Rustic Stone in Pasadena. We wanted to use the warm tones of gold and red to compliment the stone in the backyard and also to create an intimate and comfortable setting curbside. Our client wanted a “park-like” atmosphere that could also act as a pass through and a place to watch basketball. The space was very barren except for an orange tree. The tree seemed very alone in this sizable patch of neglected ground. Our client,Tomas, found these beautiful benches at Lowe’s for only $77 on sale. I designed the pint-sized park around the bench and all of the elements seam to flow around it. Lora thought a loose and more natural setting would be more intriguing than lining everything up just so. We all had fun breaking the slabs up into smaller pieces which Lora and I placed into a puzzle of steps which needed to be leveled and grouted with beautiful reddish-brown bark. The rocks, plants and ground cover were placed to seam random, but pleasing to the eye. The formerly lonely orange tree is now a relaxing respite for all to enjoy.

http://www.full-circlegardening.com/
http://www.rusticstone.com/

Southern California is all about outdoor living at it’s finest. I was very excited to welcome Spring while working on an outdoor project. I especially loved turning a lackluster pool house into a fabulous party cabana. Cabanas create instant outdoor rooms and shady protection from the blazing sun. They also create a luxury hotel element right in your own backyard. The above cabana creates an urban safari vibe at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas. Kelly Wearstler designs great pool spaces such as this classical black and white cabana-scape. The similar cabana pictured below it is available at http://superiorawning.com/. You could recreate one of your favorite hotel cabanas in your own backyard. I also love the cabana staged with the bed inside. You could create an instant guest room for the warmer months of the year or use it to create a romantic getaway that is only steps from your back door. Think of it as luxury camping without having to travel. An outdoor space creates so many options for extending your living area and freestanding cabanas are a great way to add instant, glamorous shelter.

This classic fourposter commercial cabana from Superior Awning feels very Palm Beach in the cheerful yellow and white stripe.

The cabana above is called the Pacifica and is available at  http://www.resortcabanas.com/

This divine cabana lounge oozes continental splendor and can be enjoyed at the Tuckers Point Hotel and Spa in Bermuda.



I love the pavilion style of the Coronado cabana available at Resort Cabanas. They have an incredible selections and many colors to choose from.

Our Client, Tomas Costanza, called us in to do a landscaping and Pool Cabana makeover that had to be completed in less than a week. Most of the landscape was barren, so we knew we had a big job ahead of us. We also needed to conceal the back of his neighbor’s fence which created an uneven and unfinished look. The pool cabana was a fun and interesting challenge that could create a focal point and unify the design of the backyard. We teamed up with Landscaper/Gardener Lora Hall to come up with the garden plan and to supervise the plantings and maintenance. We had a fabulous team who worked very hard to pull it all together. Steve Lanasa and I designed a wavy bamboo reed fence to create a spectacular pattern that vines can cascade around. Sue Nice helped me select the fabrics and custom created all of the drapes, hangings, and pillows. I wanted to create a tropical hotel feel with a touch of Mod and Moroccan. The last touch on the pool cabana will be lighting and accessories. We will hang a 70′s orange resin lamp and 2 small colorful Moroccan lanterns that will create patterns on the walls at night. Tomas is very pleased with the result and looks forward to a Spring and Summer by the pool.

These wonderful photos of Mid-Century homes with interesting decorative elements are located in the neighborhood of View Park in South Los Angeles. I live in the adjacent Leimert Park area and take my walks here about three times a week. View Park and its sister neighborhoods, Baldwin Hills and Windsor Hills, are home to a huge concentration of original and notable homes built from the 1920′s-1970′s. There are excellent examples of International Style, Streamline Moderne, Ranch, Mid-Century, Spanish Revival, and Normandy style structures. I have been shooting pics of great architectural elements and clever color schemes and would like to share some with you. These mid-century modern homes display so many of the details that make houses of this period so special. Decorative brick screens and geometric wood cut-outs create interest on designs that would be more generic without them. I am very inspired by some of the garage door designs. The lovely landscaping also enhances the overall curb appeal. Some of these houses, like the orange and white one, are very Asian-influenced. These fabulous homes are just a small sampling of the Mid-Century treasures this neighborhood has to offer.