Why Hire A Designer????

I have been a little consumed this week with work, so I have been a neglectful blogger.

On top of my normal work load, I have been prepping to give a presentation on Friday. Asleigh, another designer at Lee Meier Interiors, and I will be giving a lecture at The Ohio Design Centre on the topic of "Why Hire An Interior Designer When Building or Remodeling Your Home" this Friday, Spet. 10th at noon.

We sort of inherited the topic, so we were tossing around ideas of how to keep our talk light hearted and fun. It is a pretty heavy title, so we decided it would be fun to create a "Client" and we would walk through how we would help said "Client" build her new home. That way we could involve lots of images and details.

Our client's name is Holly.

Holly Golightly, if you must know, and she is leaving her pad in the city and headed to the 'burbs. She has many special quirks we must accommodate like tiara storage and a place for a nameless cat, but we guide her easily through her building process. Come see how Holly's new house turns out....

If you are in the Cleveland area and would like to come see our presentation on Friday, please go to www.ohiodesigncentre.com and click on events or you may call Angela at 216-831-3767 to purchase your $10.00 ticket.

If you are interested in the topic and are not able to make the presentation on Friday, send me a message in the comment section. We will be doing it again in February at the Home and Flower Show at the IX Center. I will also be doing my lecture on Color: Be Not Afraid, so I will keep you posted once I get our dates and times.

Cheers,

BBS

image from Paramount Pictures

Live Like a Rock Star

You often hear the saying, "live like a rock star" and I thought it would be fun to take a peek into what that means in honor of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 15th Anniversary which is this weekend.



I am on the host committee for their big anniversary bash, The Rock Hall Ball, which is being held this Friday, Sept. 3rd, so I am all about Rock and Roll this week.

No photo credit given

What do you think of when you imagine a rock star's home? Crazy colors? Black leather furniture? Zebra carpeting? Naked women everywhere????

Well try to visualize the Material Girl singing away in the pedestal tub above, because this was Madonna's apartment in NYC designed by her brother before their infamous falling out.

interior design: Dilger Gibson photo:Scott Francis

This isn't exactly a "Little Pink House", but it is the home of John Mellencamp and his wife in Indiana. I love that grand window.

Kravitz Design

Now this is what I think of when I think of where a Rock Star lives. This is the epitome of Rock. Because this is the ultimate Rock Star, Lenny Kravitz's New Orleans home that he designed himself. When not writing, singing, touring, or acting, Lenny likes to dabble in interior design. He even started a firm called Kravitz Design.

photo:mhpbooks

Keith Richards fancies himself more of a librarian than a rocker, so this picture is perfect. Not what I imagined for a man who is famous for once joking that he, "snorted his deceased father's ashes", and most everyone took him literally.

interiors:David Dalton, ASID photo:Christopher Dow

You may never guess to whom this stunning home belongs, but it is none other than Meatloaf. I was blown away when I first saw it published in Architectural Digest.

interiors: Alain Mertens photo: Christopher Simon Sykes for Architectural Digest

Any guesses??? "An Englishman in NY"??? This is Sting's abode in England. What an amazing place to rock out and write new songs.

image taken from real estate agents photos on swamplot.com

How about ZZ Top band member Dusty Hill's home in Texas? Pretty subtle and elegant for a long bearded musician with a passion for exotic paint jobs on his cars.

So did these stars live like you thought they would???? Surprised???

image from picoday, no name given

Here is the ultimate house that Rock built. Above is a view from inside the beautiful Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum that was designed by the architect, I.M. Pei.

They party is going to be a blast. I hope to see you there!

If you would like to join me at the party there are still tickets left and it is going to be a fun night. Foxy Shazam, Eli "Paperboy" Reed and DJ Tommie Sunshine are playing and the museum is open for wandering. Go to www.rockhall.com/event/rock-hall-ball/ for more info and to purchase tickets. Use code AMVIP to get a discount off of the $ 65.00 ticket price and come "Rock" with us.

Cheers,

BBS




all images found on google image. Photo credits were given when they were provided.

Oval Office Redux

And here it is.... President Obama's Oval Office....Ta Da......(Yawn), Zzzzzz......

I would like to start by saying this is not, and will never be, a political forum or post. My opinions, take them for what they are worth, are not politically driven and I am not inviting a political battle.

I am underwhelmed and disappointed with the unveiling of the Obama Oval Office. While I respect and appreciate Michael S. Smith's, the Obama's White House designer, talents, I am unimpressed with his redesign of the President's office.

Bark colored solid sofas, leather occasional chairs, tone on tone neutral striped walls, an understated, plain rug....Did Pottery Barn do the Oval Office?????

This is the President of the United State's office. This is where he meets with International Diplomats, Presidents, Kings, and the Pope. This is where he runs our country. It should not look like a Family Room in any suburban town in the Midwest. It should not look like it came from the pages of a catalog.

As W. and Clinton are the other Presidents in recent history who did renovations to their office it seems natural to compare the spaces. ( Again, this is not a political comment....)

Now that is an Oval Office. Stunning. Perfection. I need a little pomp and circumstance. A dash of understated glitz. I expect it to look nicer than anything I might have in my own home.

Look at those lamps, that rug. It should feel sophisticated and grand with a nod to the past. (Please note that in this image President Bush is meeting with the Pope) This is a museum after all.

Here is President Clinton's office as pictured in Life magazine. I love the strength of the colors in his Oval Office and that powerful navy rug. It is regal. This feels like the office of a President.

What do you think of the redecoration of the Obama's Oval Office????

Cheers,

BBS

all images borrowed from Google image and belong to Life Magazine, The White House Museum, and others.