The Encore, Las Vegas' Newest Resort

Walking into the new Encore hotel in Las Vegas is a very enlightening experience. The buttressed ceiling is made of glass and lattice which allows for natural light to illuminate the casino floor below. It's a far cry from the old smoke filled, musty casinos of the past.

This new sister property to the signature Wynn hotel next door takes the boutique experience first felt in the Wynn to the next level. The registration area above is very low key and tucked into the back of the hotel. You can't see it very well in this photo but the back wall is covered with huge flowers that are completely encrusted with vibrant ruby red Swarovski crystals.



The jaw dropper is definitely the enormous red, crystal encrusted, chandeliers that hang over the gaming tables in the main casino. The lighting design at The Wynn, seen here, was magnificent and the designers have followed through with equally stunning fixtures in this new project. The task lighting has been very well designed and the property is brightly lit which provides a vivid contrast to these colorful fixtures. Amazingly there is no red glow or pink wash from these fixtures on the surrounding white molding which had to be a difficult problem to overcome.




This fixture was amazing, made of curved glass leaves . The pictures really do not do them justice. Their scale is huge but they don't overpower.




This restaurant off of the main casino was decorated with a lighted crystal sculpture of a huge dragon on the back wall. It is truly stunning in person.



It must have taken thousands of crystals not to mention man hours to put this work of art together. It is illuminated from the inside and lights up the whole back wall.




These two fixtures where my favorites. The gilded trees are complete with spun wire nests and little birds and topped with the signature red lampshades.



The tufted, upholstered, white satin, ceiling is the perfect foil to show off the lights against the deep red ceiling.




In the shopping area, there is another section of glass and lattice ceiling as well as windows on to the pool so it is filled with natural light during the day.




Giant bejeweled fixtures hang from each section of the hallway.



This golden, blown glass fixture was gorgeous, hung in it's own gold leafed, domed vestibule.




The secondary stars of the property are the fabulous draperies hung throughout the space which act as room dividers to create a very intimate feeling in the casino. The gaming tables and slot machines are separated into small groups which are housed within a separate draped section giving you the feeling that you are gambling in a VIP section or high roller suite even if you're only played the quarter slots!


Luxurious draperies are everywhere and again the scale is mind bending. The trim on these panels looked to be one layer of double brush fringe overlapping two layers of hanging tassel bullion with another layer of double brush fringe on the other side. Not to mention the layers of fabric and interlining. I can't imagine any industrial sewing machine that could get through all of those layers but it's mind blowing to think they were all sewn by hand!!!!

These vibrant tassels were two and a half feet long!



The walls are draped and the mirrors have tassels on them.

More gigantic tassels.



This was an interesting treatment. It is threaded through a circle built into the arched molding of the opening creating a built in scarf holder.


One of the focal points of the resort are the colorful mosaic butterfly's inserted throughout the marble floors of the casino. I'm not a big butterfly fan so I wasn't wowed; the light fixtures are what blew me away.

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Bedroom of the Week

Finding a good workroom that can produce both window treatments and custom bedding can sometimes be a challenge but if you live anywhere near Franklin Kentucky you're in luck because that is the home of View by Vickie, the custom workroom and design studio of the very talented Vickie Law.



Her work is beautifully done with great attention to every detail.


She has a great sense of proportion which is so key to producing beautiful soft treatments.


I love this table skirt with its pointed scallop topper and coordinating banding at the hem. She has used microwelt on the scallops and to separate the banding from the main skirting. These are the kind of details that set a couture workroom apart from the rest.



Another pretty window seat - I always wanted one of these when I was growing up but I never got one. Maybe some day!



These draperies are to die for. Notice the handmade, stuffed flower embellishments with colorful ribbons. I love this idea, it is so cute and really makes the treatment unique. I adore the fabric, it looks like it has cut outs of flowers attached to the face.


I use this heading quite a bit because it is so versatile. It is a gathered ( or pleated in this case) scalloped heading bound at the top and hung with loops or ties.

This drawing is a similar design from my book; for such a simple design it packs a big impact.




Vickie also makes beautiful slip covers, notice how well placed and matched the fabrics pattern is on this cover. This is how it is supposed to be done!

all images courtesy of View by Vickie

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Vintage Wallpaper Samples

My wonderful husband always has a eye out for posts and products that I might like while he is surfing the net. ( Do people say that anymore? It sounds so last decade! ) Anyway, look what he found! Beautiful French gouaches on paper that were design proofs for The Societe des Papiers Peints in 1936.



These are the kind of images that really provide me with inspiration for my designs. I am always amazed at how modern and timeless design can be. The patterns, motifs, colors, and subject matter of these prints could be found in any couture paper house today.

I am really drawn to the combination of grey and orange in this print as well as the asymmetrical geometric composition. It seems like something Kelly Werstler would flip over.

I tried to do some quick research on The Societe but came up with nothing. I assume they were a French wallpaper firm. The only reference I found was in selected quotes from this magnificent looking book. I may have to purchase to know more, but I would really be buying it for its fabulous cover!

Check out this book here

I let you know if I can find out any more info on the source of these papers and if you know anything about them please fill me in.

All images via Dinosaurs and Robots

via

Bonhams & Butterfields
Auction Lot 7224
estimated price range $200 - $600
Auction date January 11, 2009

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Firing Up The New Year

Happy New Year!!! Here's how we celebrate in Las Vegas. Back in the day we would have been out on the town with the rest of the party goers but now a days we ring in the new year at home to avoid the crowds and drunk drivers.

The town puts on a great fireworks show that we can see from our house.



It starts at one end of the Strip and goes to the other end with one of the highlights being the Stratosphere in the middle.


We have fireworks over the fake Eiffel Tower and in front of the fake Venetian but wouldn't it be great to actually travel to some fabulously exotic location for the New Year? ( When you live in Vegas it loses all of it's exotic local status and it is just your hometown)



Here is the real Eiffel Tower lit up and ready for New Years. Now that is a party that I would love to attend!!!


How about Rio di Janeiro? That blue band of light along the beach is the crowd of party goers assembled to watch the show! I wonder if they are all in Bikinis? Isn't it summer down there now?


If you're into seriously cold weather you could ring in 2009 in the Red Square in Moscow and watch the fireworks over the onion dome.


I think I would love to celebrate in Sydney. The weather is great this time of year and the celebration is said to be top notch. I think Aussies know how to have a good time.



Can you imagine watching these fireworks from atop the London Eye? That would be a spectacular view.


No matter where you are at the stroke of midnight I wish you a spectacular New Year filled with good health, a dash of luck, happiness and contentment and dreams come true.

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The French Table

I've been doing some research lately on table linens and I realize how sorely neglected my dining room table has become. We rarely eat in a formal setting and take most of our meals in font of the TV or at our desks. Since most of the time it is just my husband and I, my thought is that it's just too much trouble to set the table, but I realize that I am really cheating myself out of the experience of dining. One of my New Years resolutions will be to take more care in planning and executing our meals.

I love the simplicity of fine french table linens. The table above is to die for but sometimes you want something with a bit more color and pattern.


I ran across a fabulous website, F & B Fine Linen that offers a full range of French table linens. They import only the finest brands and have a large assortment of beautiful, everyday and special occasion products.


These toppers are from Beauville and are almost too pretty to use.



Other lines carried are Sferra, Yves Delorme, Le Jacquard Francais, and Garnier Thiebaut.



These colors are divine, they make me want to redecorate.



Classic Provance, the rooster and chicken towels are done in wonderful color combination's that would brighten any kitchen.


Well, I'm off to set my table for dinner! Enjoy....

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Bedroom of the Week

This beautiful bedroom was designed by the very talented Maura Taft. I love the combination of silks and linens used. To me this bedroom has just the right mix of comfort and luxury.



I usually don't include other images in the bedroom of the week post but her work is so gorgeous I had to share a few more photos.



Delicious! See more here.

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