The Scottsdale Mondrian - Yummy

Since it's opening in January of last year I have been yearning to visit this gem of a hotel designed by one of my all time fav's Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz. It has all of his signature touches, draperies galore, natural sinuous shapes, lots of white and clean crisp lines.





For now I'll have to settle for a virtual visit! Happy Weekend.

pics courtesy of The Morgan Group

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Back From the IWCE in Atlanta

I just got back from Atlanta after giving seminars at The International Window Coverings Expo. I had no idea the extent of the damage caused by the tornado that struck there two weeks age. It was amazing that they were able to go ahead with the show as most of the glass had been blown out of the buildings. All of the high rises in the downtown area had many of their windows covered with plywood. It was all very surreal.



The Expo was a great success with the high point for me being the party I co-hosted with Debbie and Casey Green of Minutes Matter to announce our new partnership. Thanks to everyone who attended - I hope you had a great time.


Cheryl Bray of The Custom Home Furnishings Academy did a live demonstration on the show floor on how to construct one of the treatments in my book. She and some of her fellow CHFA teachers did a fantastic job. Thanks to everyone who participated.

I'm not scheduled to go out of town now until May - HOOOORRRAYYYYYY
Traveling can really suck the energy out of you. I am just going to relax and work on my bedding book for the net few months. Hopefully I'll have more time to post.

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Michael S. Smith for Ann Sacks

I'm loving the new tile collection by Michael S. Smith for Ann Sacks. It is true to his signature look, classic, clean, and based on tried and true motifs with a modern twist.



The range is small but complete with colors ranging from Butter to Bark.

It reminds me of 1930's - 40's bungalows in Southern California.


Yummy!

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Architectural Digest - March Edition in Poor Taste?

Does anyone else find this months issue of Architectural Digest showing a newly redecorated White House on the cover and comprising some 16 glossy pages of Laura Bush's decorating talents, to be offensive, in very bad taste, and an incredible case of bad judgment on behalf of the AD editors?

With hundreds of thousands of Americans losing their homes to foreclosure due to corporate greed and incompetent money management and a blind eye turned to the whole mortgage market by this administration until it was too late, is this really a good time to show off the extensive overhaul of the White House's interiors?


The economy is in the toilet - we are stuck in a war of ego's in Iraq, major banks are going belly up. Should a publication as influential and established as AD take these things into account when planning their content?


I wonder what the young men and women coming home from Iraq think when they see an article featured like this? Are they happy that the home of their commander in chief is finely decorated to his personal liking? Is it important to them that the families personal movie theater be updated to provide more seating? Do they stay up at night worrying that some of the furnishings and accessories in the Lincoln bedroom are not historically accurate for the period. For Shame!


Ok, I realize that virtually every administration that has taken possession of the White House has been tasked with maintaining its historic interiors and some have taken it upon themselves to revamp much of the space during their tenure. However, for an administration that has been waging a questionable war practically since inauguration day, was interior decoration such a pressing need?

To me, a lifelong Republican (not so sure anymore) it is just another glaring example of this presidents total ineptitude and inability to see the facts right in front of his ( and hers - the first lady) face. I am embarrassed to have even read the article.

What do you think?

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By the way in other breaking Architectural Digest news:

Architectural Digest is conducting open auditions for new residential designs and interior decorators. The Los Angeles audition will be 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 26-27 at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood.

Courtesy - San Francisco Chronicle

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Miss Pedigrew Lives in a Really Bitchin Apartment

After a long day at the San Francisco Mart last week my daughter and I went to see the new movie Miss Pedigrew Lives For A Day. I was expecting a very funny movie - but it was just so so with some weird pseudo lesbian undertones and bad casting.

Normally this would irritate me but I was too busy being blown away by the great set design - it was awesome!!!!


Satin upholstery, fur rugs, gold leafed walls, Art Deco and Art Nuevo accessories galore. The sets - particularly the apartment - were fascinating stylized snapshots of that era - prewar Brittan 1939. It reminded me fondly of all the vintage films I loved as a kid and still tune in to see on TCM.


If you 're looking for a flick to see this weekend - give it a try. The movie might disappointed but the eye candy won't.

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Target - My Love - How Could You?

Dear Big Red,

A friend told me what you've been saying about me and I just can't believe it. Things were going so well between us - I thought you really understood me - I thought you cared. But you're just like all the others aren't you?............................

Apparently an unnamed blogger emailed The Big Red One to complain about a billboard and their response was less than welcoming. According to a recent article in the New York Times she got a blow off email saying that "Target doesn’t deal with non-traditional media". Target went on to say that this allows them time to focus their efforts on publications that reaches their core “guest.”

Oh Big Red - I thought I was your "core guest" - who have you traded me in for?

“We do not work with bloggers currently,” said a company spokeswoman, Amy von Walter
Read more here and here.

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THIS IS HUGE ! - Minutes Matter Studio

I've been sworn to secrecy for months - but now - I can finally blab!!!
I'm joining Minutes Matter Studio in giving a whole new dimension to my window treatment designs.


The Design Directory of Window Treatments is going interactive !

Minutes Matter Studio is the industries leading provider of digital window treatment software, design solutions, and organizational systems. Their programs allow designers to combine hundreds of individual components into custom window treatment designs that can then be individualized with coloring tools or by importing the actual fabric pattern and color into the program. The powerful tools available within this software package also allow the user to design directly on a photograph of the clients room or to import specific elements from the room into a custom drawing.


For the first time ever, Minutes Matter Studio is producing a separate module for their system exclusively featuring the designs in my book. They are working fast and furiously putting the module together to make it available for purchase this Winter 08'.


( Oh, yes, make no mistake - I will be very full of myself from now on !! My head is growing bigger by the minute. Can you say window treatment superstarrrrrrrrrr? Seriously, this is just so cool - I can't believe it! )

Debbie & Casey Green the brilliant masterminds behind Studio, and my fabulous publisher Gibbs Smith are throwing a party to celebrate at The International Window Coverings Expo in Atlanta on March 27. If you are planning to attend the Expo, please visit the Minutes Matter Booth or email them to receive a pass to the festivities. Don't dawdle though, our room can only hold 200 partiers!


Hope you can make it.................... :)

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