Designers You Should Know: Kelly Wearstler

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There are a great number of designers that I admire and draw inspiration from. Sometimes it's an idea that I haven't thought of before, or simply a color used in a way I haven't yet experienced.
Other times, it's the way that one designer takes every f***ing idea, flips it upside down, slices it in half, and is all "this is good art." And then guess what?

It's really f***ing good art.

The first I heard of Kelly Wearstler, was from a design student I was mentoring, she said:

"Kelly Wearstler is like a celebrity or something... or maybe her husband is. And they're like married and beautiful and she just like designs everything and is sort of her own brand and has shops and stuff. She basically does whatever she wants. I don't even know if she's an interior designer... uh, no. Wait, yeah she is. Sometimes. Whatever, she's supercool."

And I was all: "Oh how nice, I'll have to look her up sometime."

And inside my head I was all {robot voice}: "MUST LIVE THIS LIFE, MUST BECOME SUPERCOOL."

So I did a little fact checking on Wikipedia:

1. She is sort of a celebrity, or celebrity designer anyway, and is really well known in the design community, stemming from her Bravo show "Top Design"
2. Her husband is not a celebrity, but is one of those people who evidently goes to events with paparazzi and is not unattractive and so maybe people sometimes say "Did I see him in an ad for Humira?"
3. They're like, totally married, and and she is even more not-unattractive than he is.
4. She's definitely an interior designer. But she does do a lot of other things too.

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I'll admit, when I first looked through Kelly's work it sort of felt like she was just, trying too hard to be different. Because her work really is, so different from what most designers are doing today. But the more I looked, the more I understood the beauty of it all. This woman takes any material, or any shape, calls it furniture, (or design of some sort) or whatever it is she decides it is, and IT'S ALL WORKING.

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As a designer, one of the most difficult things is bringing a unique idea to life (and getting someone to trust you enough to let you do it). Like, if I came into your home and said  "Hey Karen, instead of painting your bathroom a soft blue, I think we should put black quartz on the walls and then hang a pendant that looks like a spider." You'd be like, "Oh look at the time!... P.S. you're fired."

And what's more, is you wouldn't be wrong. Because it's not only the idea, and the OK from the client, it's that reveal moment .... Because unless you've put 110% of your blood, sweat, tears, and pure-creative-genius into this; then you will wind up with a nightmare, spider bathroom.

What Kelly is doing, is the definition of a true artist. She expresses herself through design, because it is in her, and it has to come out. Clearly she does not give a s*** about your opinion, or mine and she certainly does not sit around going "is this too much blue?" No. She just does it, because she knows what's good in her mind and she trusts in her talent.

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You simply cannot make uncommon, let alone successful, art, unless your whole heart is in it.
And while it may be argued that this mad talent is backed by some very full pocketbooks... I guarantee you that if she only had $10 to her name, she'd be spending it on impractical paint colors.

For more on Kelly, check out her website.

Or just google her, she's everywhere. 

Xxo, L

White Countertops: To Love, or Not to Love?

This week I found myself  (as most designers do) wandering through a warehouse full of slabs.

There were slabs, slabs everywhere! Black, brown, GOLD, grey, silver, RED!, and every blend conceivable of the above. Yet as I walked further I found myself in exclusive groupings of white stone; white quartz, white marble, white granite.... you name the stone, they had it in white, and they had a lot of it.

As I circled around again and again I got to thinking about design trends. Because here I was, staring at some of the most beautiful stone I had ever seen and thinking "Why don't I see this anywhere else?" - At that moment, a Pinterest page flashed before my mind, and I saw it: White... White, e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. And it's not just Pinterest, it's instagram, it's Houzz, it's "fresh" and it's "clean" and its "the look" right now.

 

Look familiar? 

There is of course nothing wrong with using white, and there is nothing wrong with white stones. And Honey, if you want a white house, I will give you a white house. 

But the issue with trends, to me, is that I often wonder if we have stopped thinking for ourselves, and started creating things simply because we've been told to like them. It's a bit, Josie and The Pussycats for me....  

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Do you remember that Movie? Back when Tara Reid was still sober, or mostly sober... it's hard to say really. But essentially, The Pussycats discover that people like their music only because subliminal messages have been sent through the headphones of their fans!

(Of course in the end, because this movie is a happily ever after type, they remove the messaging and people still like their music. Tara Reid is like, really happy, The End.)

So, Question: are we obsessed with white finishes because we've been told to obsess? Or do we truly like them? 

If we take off our "headphones" what will we truly desire?

Below is what happened when I took off my headphones and, my opinion? I still love white finishes, but it's time to shake things up.

 Quartzite, Brazil

Granite, Brazil

Marble, Spain

Granite, Brazil

So, what do you think?

Xxo, L

 

Choosing The Right Hardware for your Cabinets

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Replacing and updating cabinet hardware is a great way to upgrade any kitchen or bathroom. Cabinet hardware is one of those things that often goes unnoticed (as if it's some sort of shiny camouflage hiding in the Jungle that is your home) that is, until you change it.
Suddenly your guests will be all: "something is different, what is different... did you cut your hair? Wait... is this a brand new Kitchen? Where am I?!" 

Don't believe me?
Just try it.
And get back to me (because I love a good "I told you so")

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If you're ready for a change, here are some tips on how to shop for that next set of hardware:

1. Know your center to center dimension(s) on the pulls you currently have. Simply put: this is the measurement in-between the two screws that attach the pull to the door.
   
   Pulls come in all shapes and sizes, so be sure you're shopping for the  right one! Getting the wrong C to C dimension is like buying a beautiful pair shoes... in the wrong size.
   
   
2. Always take home samples and test them out on your cabinets.
   You want to be certain that they not only look great in your space, but also function properly:
• Are the pulls/knobs large enough for your fingers?
• Does the style snag on your clothes when you walk by? 
• Is the product large enough? Small enough? 
• Visually, what is the look and feel in your space?
  
  
3. When you're ready to buy, always buy more than you need. Styles are constantly coming and going, so it's good to keep a few on hand in case something happens over the years.
   
   
4. Speaking of purchasing: The average medium sized kitchen has about 40 pulls and larger kitchens generally have 70 or more. Keep this in mind when you are budgeting for the project:
• ie. Medium sized kitchen, $10 drawer pulls, 40 x 10 = $400
   
5. When you are selecting the finish, take note of anything that collects fingerprints. For example, some chrome options are total Fingerprint-Bandits, while other chrome finishes don't react in the same way. It will vary by brand and how the product is made - but don't overthink it. Just press all over with your fingers and see what happens. It's up to you how much maintenance you want to deal with.

Any Questions? Reach Out here.

Xxo, L

Ceiling Medallions: Fancy AF

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What does the term fancy mean to you?

A nice pair of heels?

Drinking tea with a cup and saucer?

Shopping at Whole Foods?

Those really thin wine glasses that go ‘ting!’ when you tap them with a knife? (AKA. those-really-thin-wine-glasses-that-shatter-when-you-touch-a-knife-to-them)

Winking when you leave a big tip?

Smoking on one of those long cigarette things from old movies?

Serving a dinner where all the plates match and nothing is chipped?

Well to me, it’s Ceiling Medallions. Yes people, if you have a ceiling medallion in your home, I’m gonna be all pinkies up! strutting around and smoking indoors in a fur coat (you’ve been warned).

 

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I've been in love with traditional millwork for as long as I can remember and, Having a Great, and Great-Great Grandfather who helped Pioneer the Victorian Style movement during the early 1900s (much of their work still stands in San Francisco and surrounding areas), I often wonder if it’s literally in my blood.

I also wonder if perhaps I fell for it because I never had it as a kid. Growing up in a small coastal town, we had to drive to the “Big City” (“Big City” being super fancy, in and of itself) to see anything with good millwork. To me it was rare, and special, something to be admired; like a great piece of art.

Whatever it may be, I think millwork is FANCY AF, and ceiling medallions are the cherry on top.

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While I generally recommend hiring out for this kind of work, it certainly isn't impossible to DIY. 

Just take yourself (and your super handy friend, unless that's you *applause*) to Home Depot and pick up one of their shockingly affordable, super fancy, medallions.

If you are local to Portland, be sure to check out the stock at McCoy Millwork. Their staff is super knowledgeable and they may just be able to give you some advice regarding installation.

If you aren't up for a DIY project *raises hand* reach out to me here and we can get this project rolling, together. 

Xxo, L