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!

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!

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. 20^th 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. 20^th 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!

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 15^th for your chance to win!

“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!

Me and Jack Durrant, owner of Quadrus~Studio - whose line can be found at the Thomas Lavin showroom. Image from PDC on FaceBook.

Donghia Showroom. Image from PDC on FaceBook.

Pictured above is the discussion with Carolyn Reed, Donghia’s VP of Residential Sales, about new textiles from Donghia, Armani/Casa Exclusive Textiles by Rubelli and Sahco.  This was held in the Donghia showroom at the PDC.  Donghia is one of my favorite sources for unique textiles – you may remember a past post of mine that featured the amazing texture of their Peacock Cloth.

Paul Mathieu’s resin Etoile Side Table.

Also during the Fall Market, Paul Mathieu showcased his first collection for Holly Hunt.  I love Mathieu’s work because his sculptural forms seem to defy gravity – like that of this resin side table, for example.  This is a sensuous and artful collection that seems to marry perfectly with this year’s Fall Market theme of Collaborative Community, bringing together multiple mediums of design.

Some of Martyn Lawrence-Bullards textile collection.

Now available through the Thomas Lavin showroom is Martyn Lawrence-Bullard’s eclectic fabric line.  This collection combines the experience of exotic travels with the luxury of fine upholstery and drapery fabrics, uniquely combining chenille with silk and linen with burlap.  I just love the wide range of exotic colors!

The dancing begins at the Ralph Pucci West Coast reception.

The PDC Fall Market’s closing reception, hosted by Ralph Pucci West Coast, was phenomenal.  Unique sculptures and iron furniture by Jerome Able Sequin were combined with live entertainment from the Lula Washington Dance Theatre.  The event was enchanting and original; another example of how the showrooms stuck true to this year’s theme of Collaborative Community.  Another collaboration at the reception was the live music and performance from Marcus L Miller and the Freedom Jazz Movement.  The entertainment merged perfectly with the aesthetics of the Ralph Pucci showroom and the featured pieces by Jerome Able Sequin.  What a magical way to end the evening!

If you were unable to make if to Fall Market 2011, be sure to come explore the Pacific Design Center and take a look at all the fabulous new showrooms and lines.  And don’t forget, West Week 2012 is right around the corner…

Here is a before and after of the space for the gift lounge…

Before:

A cold, sterile room at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.

After:

The finished lounge features a warm and inviting atmosphere, with furnishings from Caché and area rugs from Amara Rugs.

I introduced the cascading element of the ceiling treatment to create an intimate and inviting mood– hiding the harsh fluorescent light fixtures in the tile ceiling.  The custom wall created the perfect backdrop to the room and allowed us to incorporate the beautiful wallpaper from Arena Design.  Working with Caché, we were able to bring in some wonderful Latin reproductions and antiques to complete the space.

This console table is a reproduction of an antique from the Pyrenees region of Spain, Caché.  A pair of John James reproduction lamps flank the Caché Provence Mirror, a reproduction of an early 19^th century original, Caché.

A 19^th century antique bronze bust of Lucius Maurinas, Caché.

A gorgeous reproduction of a Lisbon chair, with original hand tooling and leather antiquing.  The 19^th century original is thought to be of either Spanish or Moroccan origin, Caché.

I brought this painting from my own home for the gift lounge.  This oil piece – by Argentinian artist Juan M. Sanchez – was a bold statement.  It’s brilliant colors worked perfectly with the rug, throw pillows and other soft elements in the space.

To give you a true sense of the lounge and design process, I created a short webisode that takes a look behind the scenes.  Here is a link to the video (on the DLD homepage); which goes through some of the design install as well as the finished lounge being enjoyed by some of the ALMA celebrities.

It was very rewarding to see the final design come together and how much it was enjoyed by all of those involved in the ALMA Awards show.  The gift lounge was a huge success and the celebrity gifts were fabulous — including such items as fragrances from Shakira and Antonio Banderas, Shuvi-Luna handbags and gift certificates for Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes.  Congratulations to all of the Award nominees and recipients.  What an honor!

Photography by Peter Christiansen Valli.

For information and pricing on all furniture and accessories please contact the Caché showroom in West Hollywood at 310-657-0665.

For Interior Design services, please contact Donna Livingston Design at 310-273-1855.

A few months ago, I came across a showroom at the   that I had not seen yet,  .  I immediately fell in love with it–not only the furniture and fabrics, but the ideals of the showroom as well.  They are one of the few places that give the buyer the opportunity to purchase items directly off of the showroom floor; this includes everything- artwork, furniture, upholstery, rugs and accessories.  This is particularly helpful when you have a rushed project or need a last minute item and are not able to wait for the customary 4-6 week lead-time that it usually takes for production.

Some of the merchandise from Andrew Martin.

Their lines of fabrics include the nice wide stripes that we all love!

They also have a great selection of fun side tables--like these modern letters.

Andrew Martin is a UK-based company with a very eclectic and iconic line of furnishings, fabric and accessories—ranging from pop culture art pieces and 70’s mod to nostalgic Americana.  The global designs and reasonable price points are an exciting addition to the Design Center.

For some reason I have “Let it Be” stuck in my head now!

In collaboration with my recent blog on positive energy and thinking, I wanted to present the opportunity for four of my readers to each win a ticket to The Big Night on September 3^rd.  This is an after-show DJ dance party following the Steely DanConcert at the VIP Patron Tent in Snowmass, Colorado.  The party is to start at approximately 9:30 pm and includes open bars, tasty eats, DJ and Dancing.  It is sure to be a wonderful time with upbeat entertainment and positive company.

Entertainment and Celebration at Last Year’s Event

To win a ticket* for The Big Night, please post your comment to my recent blogon positivity.  Tell us of an uplifting change that has occurred in your life recently, maybe even one that emerged from a negative situation.  The top four inspiring stories will each win a ticket to this entertaining event on September 3^rd.  Feel free to comment directly to the blog or on Facebook, be sure to include you email address so that we can contact you if you win!

I look forward to hearing your tales and spending a positive, charity-driven evening with the lucky winners!

*Tickets do not include travel.  You must provide your own travel (to and from) and accommodations for the event.  For more information please look at Jazz Aspen official event page and/or contact the office of Donna Livingston Design at 310-273-1855.

Entries should be submitted no later than Wednesday, August 31^st.