Book Alert!!
On Monday I attended a preview and discussion of Steven Price’s upcoming coffee table book, Over the Top – The Architectural History of Trousdale Estates, Beverly Hills, as part of Aaroe Architectural’s lecture series at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles. Both in his lecture and in his upcoming book, Steven allows us to take a look into the history of the Estates, past and present, which includes a feature of my very own Trousdale Estate design.
The Trousdale Estates neighborhood weaves A-list architecture and high-end interior design (Harold Levitt, A. Quincy Jones, Marmol-Radziner, Lloyd Wright, Donna Livingston, Kelly Wearstler, and more) with celebrity stardust and scandal (Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Jennifer Aniston, and Simon Cowell). In his book, Price introduces us to the inside scoop of Paul Trousdale’s luxury subdivision through never-before-revealed stories, architectural drawings and floor-plans, insider details, and dramatic images.
The lecture and book both brought back many memories for me and I’m thrilled that Price was able to capture such a spectacular project. I remember when I used to live in Trousdale Estates and would take my early morning walks thinking about who lived behind the doors and gates of the various luxury homes. It was commonplace to see Star Line buses with their megaphones pass by with eager celebrity fans hoping to get a glimpse of Jennifer Aniston, who was my next-door neighbor, or Ringo Starr, who lived two doors down.
The Dramatic Back Yard of Donna Livingston Designed Trousdale Estate
Living Room of the Trousdale Estate Designed by Donna Livingston Design
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of the book. Not only is it an exciting topic, but one of my projects is featured in it! I guess the discussion will have to keep me satisfied for a few months. In the meantime, I’ll plan on attending a few of the other lectures from Aaroe Architectural’s 2012 series. I’ll keep you updated!
All the Best in 2012!
December of 2011 was full of joyous celebrations with family, friends, parties, and laughs. What a truly wonderful way to end an amazing and adventurous year. It is remarkable the amount of things that one can accomplish in a year, and I am blessed to be able to look back at 2011 and have nothing but smiles. I am equally excited to see what accomplishments and memories 2012 will bring.
With such a beautiful end to the year, I couldn’t help but want to share some of it with all of you. The first among my December holiday events was a trip to see the holiday decorations at The Grove with my granddaughter Scarlett.
My granddaughter, Scarlett, admiring the holiday décor at The Grove of Los Angeles.
Here are some close up shots of The Grove’s 110’ annual Christmas tree during assembly. It is quite an extravagant assembly – requiring one very tall, bare tree trunk with large branches “screwed” into the pre-drilled holes along the trunk.
If you have never seen the assembly of the tree, I strongly urge you to try to make it next year to get a real feel of the before and after of the transformation.
The final product -- a dramatic view of The Grove’s 2011 Christmas tree.
I chose to spend Christmas in Aspen this year with some dear friends. My time there was filled with warm, sunny days – on some of which I spotted people wearing shorts! I celebrated Christmas Day with my friends Peter and Patty Findlay in their “Magic Mushroom House.” Built in the early 1970’s by architect Andre Ulrych, the home’s nickname is inspired by the exterior profile, as well as the hallucinogens that were so popular during that era. The architecture of the home consists of strictly organic curves – there is not one angular line! It is definitely something to remember!
A sunken living area in the “Magic Mushroom House.”
Magical forest of trees at the “Magic Mushroom House.”
For Christmas dinner, we feasted on Buffalo and Bordeaux, homemade peach cobbler, and visions of sugar plums danced in our heads…
Friends Peter and Tom slaving away in the kitchen for our Christmas feast!
My time in Aspen seemed to just fly by with so many friends, social events, and – of course – Après Ski at the Terrace Bar of The Little Nell Resort. The spectacular view of Aspen Mountain and unique Global tapas menu make the Terrace Bar the perfect Après Ski scene.
Terrace Bar at The Little Nell, photo courtesy of TheLittleNell.com.
Donna, Marianne, and Catherine Anne at The Little Nell.
In closing, I’d like to say that it has been a pleasure sharing my travels and joyous occasions with you over this past year, and I look forward to many more. All the best to you and yours in 2012!
I Love NY!
While in New York last month, I couldn’t help but go shopping! I went from the West Village to SoHo to TriBeCa – hitting all of the top antique and home décor shops on the East Coast hoping to find a few pieces for a new client. Oh, I just love New York!
First on my list was the Decoration and Design Building (DDB) – the “PDC” of New York. The DDB is a perfect resource for designers, with over 500,000 square feet of exquisite showrooms open exclusively to-the-trade, and ever changing inspiration created by fellow designers in the common areas.
My next stop was Karl Kemp Antiques in the West Village. I have been buying from Karl Kemp for years now and am always excited to visit the showroom and see the new inventory. Karl Kemp is known for his appreciation of the Neo-Classical decorative arts of the early 19th Century – It’s an appreciation we both share and a reason I love shopping with him. I also stopped in at Ritter Antik, also in the West Village. Here I noticed the continuing trend of Parisian pieces from the 1940’s and 1950’s.
A French fine Art Moderne desk designed by André Arbus, c. 1940’s. Karl Kemp.
I have the desk from this beautiful Karl Springer collection in my guest room. Modernist "waterfall" parchment cocktail table, c. 1960’s. Karl Kemp.
This pair of French Art Deco Torcheres - designed by Jean Perzel, c. 1930’s - would be perfect in a library/study. Karl Kemp.
I continued my day making my way down to SoHo and TriBeCa to visit Duane Modern, R. 20th Century and BDDW. One of my favorite pieces from Duane is their Hubert Bench – it just might be the perfect fit for the foot of my client’s master bed!
The Hubert Bench. Duane Modern.
R. 20th Century carries great vintage pieces from 40’s through the 70’s, as well as modern day artists and designers. The showroom has an art gallery feel to it, which is common to the TriBeCa-SoHo area.
Next, I went to see the handmade American furniture at BDDW. BDDW is known for their heirloom, solid wood furniture and they are constantly producing new looks. I particularly went into BDDW because I have recently grown fond of organic-edge slab tables, and that is one of their specialties.
Slab Dining Table and Bronze Trestle Table. BDDW.
When it comes to shopping for clients, New York is a great place to start. The West Village, SoHo, and TriBeCa offer some amazing décor showrooms and are always up on the latest trends. Now I just can’t wait to complete the project and see all of the pieces put together!
Begin Again
There are so many turning points in life when we must “Begin Again” – an act that takes much courage.
A recent turn of events in my life led to just that: beginning again. After spending eighteen months creating a dream home that was published in Architectural Digest’s September 2010 edition, the home was sold lock, stock, and barrel. As I sold my home furnished, I had a short time frame of only three months to create my next nest.
For me, it’s always fun piecing the puzzle together, mixing styles, collections, and bargains. You start out with a blank canvas, get the ball rolling, and suddenly magic happens. Here is a sneak peek into how my team and I worked so hard to “Begin Again.”
Do any of you have a journey that you’d like to share about a time when you had to “Begin Again?” As always, I’d love to hear your stories and inspiration—and this time around, the winner of the best story about starting over will win two of my custom designed crystal glasses so you can raise a toast to your new beginning! Please post a comment on our blog by December 15th for your chance to win!
Connect the Dots…
“Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”
-Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
This quote has been an eye-opening and inspiring set of words for me. It has helped me realize how everything is a “connect the dots” type of process – with each moment, emotion or action being a dot in the process of life leading up to the present. Interior design is a connect the dots process. You begin with a blank floor plan, place in the furniture, choose colors and materials and once all of the dots are connected you have a beautifully finished home. I also saw the reality of connecting the dots in my recent visit to the Steadman Clinic in Vail, where I underwent shoulder surgery by shoulder specialist Dr. Peter Millett.
Room with a View
The Steadman Clinic is known for working with the most elite athletes in the world. The team of doctors and physical therapists at the Howard Head Sports Medicine Center work hand in hand to connect the dots between surgery and therapy. Planning every detail ahead of time, they have a way of making one feel well and healthy rather than sick or wounded.
My cousin Molly, up from Denver with a newly minted nursing degree, was a huge support in my recovery. Here we are in the Hall of Fame at the Steadman Clinic.
These are a few of the athletes’ jerseys in the Hall of Fame. These elite athletes give the clinic signed jerseys as their appreciation for helping them to get back up and running – the clinic is a vital dot in their lives.
Not only did the team at the clinic work to connect the dots to my recovery, but the beauty that was all around me helped in my healing. Vail is such a gorgeous and invigorating town set within a mountainous backdrop just dripping in inspirational fall splendor.
Some Colorful Inspiration for your Next Project
Moosey Goosey!
Staying at the Sonnenalp Resort, just a short shuttle ride away from the clinic, I was the beneficiary of its renowned service which continued in connecting the dots to my recovery. Just like the Steadman Clinic, the resort thought about every little detail – helping before even asked!
The Sonnenalp Resort
My Son, Chris, and I Soaking up the Vail Sun
It’s always uplifting to see the beauty that surrounds us. Remember to connect the dots to appreciate where you are today. If you look for the positive in all situations, you will seldom be disappointed!
