Lori's List » Furniture

Interior Design Trends 2012-2013

Lori — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:34:58 +0000

Last Week at the Metropolitan Builder’s Association Expo, I revealed the latest and greatest for 2012- 2103 interior design trends.

1. Man Cave moves from the basement and dominates the entire home.

We’re seeing a James Bond sophistication with plenty of menswear inspired fabrics and accessories. The spaces are filled with over-scaled, comfortable furniture upholstered in English styled, cigar leathers.

2. Personalization of a homeowner’s own style is seen in natural curiosities (found objects like bones, animal skins, drift woods), monograms and chalkboard paint. These elements allow a space to reflect the personality, history and daily experiences of its homeowner.

3. Indoor Outdoor continues to thrive. Front yard,edible and roof top gardens are popping up all over urbanity. The line between indoor and outdoor continues to blur with live wall planters and interior planters that occupy entire rooms.

4. Nostalgia via old time transportation(railway, air and ocean liner) reigns supreme in today’s interior. As times have been tough for the last few years, people recall “the good ole days”, when American industry was at it’s zenith.

5. Jewelry expressed in precious metals (gold, silver), gemstones and jewel tones are being used on every space imaginable from fabric to furniture to accessories to wall cover to murals. This trend is the glamorous Yin to the Man Cave’s Yang.

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Barclay’s Brand New Bag

Lori — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:38:06 +0000

Last week Barclay Butera joined design’s uber-elite when he opened his new showroom in the La Cienega Design Quarter- the Champs Elysees of Los Angeles Design. There were swinging tunes, cocktails and canapés as Butera played host to a bevy of A-listers who turned out to view and celebrate the grand opening of his second Los Angeles location.

The atelier concept is a new one for La Cienega showrooms, as Barclay is more interested in bringing in his existing clients for a little “shop time” and is a bit less concerned with retail sales. (I’m not saying you can’t purchase his scrumptious furnishings at the shop, you can. It’s just an amuse bouche, instead of a smorgasbord.)

“Often times with celebrities and moguls there is a demand for the utmost discretion and privacy. These clients will now enjoy a very on-brand setting to meet and review projects. We will have our material at our fingertips, access to internet, samplings of furniture all handy. It’s the quintessential arrangement for both designer and client” said Butera.

With appointments already booked and a staff of capable, design assistants to cater to one’s every need, Barclay is sure to have yet another grandslam.

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Green Day at the WDC by Jennifer Sergent

Lori — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:51:26 +0000

Today we have a special treat, guest blogger Jennifer Sergent. You may know Jennifer from her former positions as senior editor at Washington Spaces and HGTV Magazine. Currently she is the Marketing Director of the Washington DC Design Center and was kind enough to invite me to speak on Green Interior Design and lead a tour through DC’s finest green showrooms.

Take it away Jennifer:

We had the most fun last week when Los Angeles designer Lori Dennis, who has become nationally known for her expertise in green interior design, came for a visit. Her new book, Green Interior Design, will be out later this month:

I knew Lori back when I edited a publication for HGTV, so when she called to say she’d be in town, I invited her to lunch with a few green experts, gathered through builder Mark Turner of Greenspur, who built the CharityWorks GreenHouse in McLean last year.

Left to right: Architect Ernesto Santalla of Studio Santalla, who designed the meditation/spa room in the Green House; Theresa Norton; Mary Anne Duffus, founder of the ultra-green Brooksfield preschool in McLean; Marcia Twomey, president of the McLean Chamber of Commerce; Lori Dennis; Designer Barbara Hawthorn, who designed the outdoor space at the Green House; (me) Jennifer Sergent, Director of Marketing for the WDC; Designer Skip Sroka, one of the design chairmen of the Green House; and Annie O’Connell, manager of the Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman showroom, where the photo was taken

We toured through showrooms with products that Lori writes about in her book, which will be out on Nov. 16. We started at Donghia, where showroom manager Liz Allner welcomed us with coffee and pastries.

Liz had laid out many different fabric lines that are totally green, including Brentano and Pollack. But the coolest show-and-tell examples were the dazzling samples of Maya Romanoff wallpaper:

During the tour, Lori and the showroom managers talked about products that were not only green in and of themselves (Maya Romanoff uses recycled glass for its beads), but also the companies who make them, which practice green standards. Overseas, child labor, too, is a big problem — and these companies try to stay away from factories that are caught using school-age children on their lines.

Next, we went to Farrow & Ball, which is now totally green in all its varieties of paint. They have stopped offering oil-based paint, as well.

Showroom manager Eve Fay describes the green characteristics of Farrow & Ball.

The greatest thing about green products for the home these days (if we haven’t already learned from the stunning CharityWorks GreenHouse), is that going green does not mean sacrificing quality. In Farrow & Ball’s case, it means that their pigmentation is still the best around.

Here’s an example of Rectory Red, on the right, which Eve had “matched” at two other paint companies. Not possible, as you can clearly see.

Moving right along, we went to see the ever-charming and charismatic Brian Benavides at Robert Allen | Beacon Hill, which has an impressive line of green fabrics, from sturdy contract quality to top-of-the-line residential.

Here’s Brian and Lori. Even in a still photo, Brian’s infectious personality comes across.

Jaunty pillows with Robert Allen’s eco-friendly fabric

Robert Allen has an entire green section in the showroom, which Brian pointed out that designers can use to demonstrate to their clients — once again — that the quality of the fabric is never sacrificed just because harmful chemicals aren’t used in the production or milling.

The texture of this fabric is so yummy! The green leaf on the label is a symbol that the fabric is green.

Next, we went to Edelman Leather, where showroom manager Emily Payne not only welcomed us with open arms, but sat us down in the sumptuous (all-leather) sitting area in the front of the showroom.

Emily Payne of Edelman Leather

How is leather green, you ask? Well, for one thing, Edelman uses only leathers produced in Europe, which actually has more stringent green standards than the United States when it comes to using non-toxic chemicals, clean factories, etc.

In addition, no animal is ever killed just for its hide. Emily pointed out that all leather comes from animals in the food industry, where hides are a by-product. So talk about reuse and recycle…

Can you believe this wood-grain pattern on Edelman’s newest leather product? Like, on a wing chair? Amazing. The surface of the cocktail table beneath it, by the way, is also an intricately textured leather.

Emily sent us away with the cutest gifts: small holders for change, credit cards, or business cards. I have already put mine to use!

But probably no one was as thrilled as Mary Anne Duffus, who runs the green Brooksfield School in McLean — Emily gave her a big bag of discontinued leather samples for the toddlers in her preschool to use in their art class. Mary Anne pointed out that no material in their art classes is ever bought new — it’s always reused from something else.

The final stop before our luncheon was Edward Ferrell + Lewis Mittman, where manager Annie O’Connell told us about her company’s “Pure” line of furniture.

Annie O’Connell

Because this was the last stop on our tour, everyone wanted to take some time to sit down and really “try out” the furniture. Not only are the fabrics, but the frames and even springs in the furniture is green: the wood frames are cut from sustainable forests, and the metal in the springs is recycled.

Theresa Norton sits on one of the “Pure” chairs, which was designed so a lady could sit on it, cross her legs, and look sexy. Mission accomplished, right?

Ernesto Santalla’s purple jacket blends wonderfully with the green silk of this sofa — green in color and concept, that is.

Theresa Norton, Mary Anne Duffus (with her art-class samples from Edelman), and Marcia Twomey also try out the sofa.

Two of my favorite designers came along on the tour with us — and they could have helped Lori quote chapter and verse on green interior design: Skip Sroka, whose new house is a poster child for green building, down to the recycled rubber tiles on his roof (see a story and photos of it here), and Barbara Hawthorn, who’s been doing green probably longer than Lori.

Skip Sroka and Barbara Hawthorn

Skip and Barbara have known each other a long time, and their mutual affection is adorable — I love this candid shot:

There are so many green products in our showrooms that we did not have enough time to see them all, but I’ve been talking to Lori about coming back and expanding our little tour to a larger event during our Capital Design Days in the spring. I was so impressed not only with Lori’s command of the subject, but also of our showroom managers’ knowledge, and our guests’ own experience with the green movement. It was an inspiring day, and I can’t wait to read Lori’s book.

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Martyn Lawrence Bullard Wins Big

Lori — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:00:47 +0000

I knew the stakes had been raised at the PDC last Monday night when I walked across the lobby and saw a red carpet with Sharon Osbourne and no less than 20 cameras flashing their bulbs. It was Marty’s big night, DESIGNER OF THE YEAR, hosted by the PDC and brand new Andrew Martin, super chic, buy off the floor showroom.

Everyone was there to congratulate Martyn and PARRRRTEH, including Taylor Dayne (who still has PIPES) and Downtown Julie Brown. I got so excited during Tell It To My Heart, that I jumped on stage with hunky Martyn and boogied my bootie. Bravo’s new show Million Dollar Decorator was filming, so let’s “Watch What Happens” and see if I make it to the episode. Big night, big party, big award and great, big, talented, sweet man. Congrats.

A few days later I spoke at the Solargy showroom opening party in Tarzana. The first of its kind in Los Angeles, it’s a good looking showroom room filled with energy effiicient solutions for residential and commercial buildings. My favorite was the HVAC system that has an automated humidifier for those dry winter nights. And designers, co-owner Gabrielle is quite the charmer. Make sure to book your tour with him.

Immediately after I popped into the Jean De Merrry Party to talk about my book, say hi to everyone and see Mike Ragan’samazing fabric display. The Melrose Place showroom is breathtaking and I love the way they transformed the parking lot into a green paradise complete with fountain, sculpture and exquisite outdoor lanterns. I’d expect nothing less from Jean De Merry.

Rounding out the weekend, the SoCalContractor and I headed over toFabrik Magazine’s Arts District Art Walk and visited the studios of some of LA’s finest. Sculpture by David Hollen, Canvas by Robert Reynolds and Photography by Cyril Helnwein were all fantastic. The experience was entirely surreal going behind the concrete walls into studio spaces that were buzzing with energy and unbridled, urban beauty.

DAVID HOLLEN

ROBERT REYNOLDS

CYRIL HELNWEIN

Beautiful blonde Italian, Gemma Sonego (architect, floral artist, collector of vintage furnishings) and little Elle Bell took a liking to each other and stayed side by side for the better part of our visit. I fell in love with both her and her husband, Robert Renoylds and will be having them soon for a soiree on the West Side.

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Fabulous LUXE Magazine

Lori — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:41:40 +0000

Having spent the last few months promoting my new book, Green Interior Design, I’ve learned a thing or two about PR. Most importantly, magazine editors have the power to turn a designer into a star and stylemaker. LUXE Magazine editor Pam Jaccarino placed me in the exclusive cover club this month, when she green lighted my Blue Jay Way project for the front cover of the Los Angeles issue. She even set my story in between powerhouses David Easton and Kara Mann in the national issue.

Thanks just isn’t enough for something of this magnitude. I need to design a spa pronto and get both Pam and the publisher, Jo Campbell-Fujii comped for a week of massages, facials and great food. Trust me, I’m working on it!

Speaking of Jo Campbell Fujii, I had the pleasure of meeting her at the cocktail and private preview she hosted for the Avenues Design Show House by Billy Rose Design and Assembledge+. The entire experience was a WOW moment from the bus ride up from Skirball, passing through the Bel Air gates, walking up the split stone driveway big enough to park 30 cars and then entering the 8 foot wide solid wood, pivot door.

The eye candy continued with a rustic, but refined, floating stairwell made from entire trunks of bleached oak (FSC certified logs), an exposed wine cellar under the stairs, a media room the size of a small AMC theater(by Innovative), a kitchen that I would kill for, one of the most glamorous master bath suites I’ve ever seen- can you say unlimited material budget?- and my personal favorite an entire wall of Miele washers and dryers in the laundry room.

Oh wait a minute, I forgot to mention the back patio, with not one, but two jacuzzis (seen below) over looking the twinkling lights of the City of Angels. Really it was a” pinch me, I’m dreaming” moment when I looked down and saw my magazine cover sitting on the side table of the outdoor lounge.

Having participated in a few show houses, I realize how much vendors add to the experience. Here’s a shout out to old favorites like Kallista, Vanatage, EcoSmart Fire, Ann Sacks and Samuel Moyer Furniture and new found treasures from artists Daniel Wheeler and Patte Stayrook. Kudos to all, the production was A-list all night and I felt right at home.

Now I’ve got to trot over to the PDC and see what’s going on with Martyn Lawrence-Bullard and his big award.

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Lori Dennis Shop is open for business!

Lori — Sat, 08 May 2010 00:00:13 +0000

For years I’ve been getting calls and emails from around the world asking…”where can I buy this (lamp, rug, throw, pillow, chair, sofa, etc) that I saw in your design. I’ve also received thousands of inquiries from people asking how they can make their rooms look like the ones I’ve designed. When I tell someone what is involved (especially the fees) in putting these rooms together, the average person, understandably, is less than willing to commit. So after decades of reading fashion magazines’, “get the look” sections, a light went off. I’ll offer “get the look” for people who love high design without the high end fees. In the Lori Dennis Shop you can instantly find the treasures that took me an entire career to locate. Everyone who has seen the shop, loves it and People magazine recently featured our sheep throw.

Some of my favorite items are the beeswax candles, which are eco-friendly, 100% beeswax, long burning candles that contain no artificial dyes or fragrances and are made in the USA. Sweet, light honey smells fill the air and the wicks contain no metal or lead.

Since the weather is so nice, I am also loving the outdoor furniture, especially the Maui Bed. There is nothing like getting some fresh air and lounging while returning work emails!

If you have some time, check it out, I’m sure there’s something you’ll love.

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Juan Montoya and His Second Hand Furnishings

Lori — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:46:22 +0000

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a designer series lecture at the Pacific Design Center. AD 100 and Interior Design Hall of Famer Juan Montoya spent an hour dazzling us with images of his work and insider info on how he does what he does so well.

Anytime I have the opportunity to listen to a person who is this successful, I take it. Mr. Montoya is in his 70s and is going strong after decades due to his common sense approach and passion for interior design and architecture.

One of the things I love so much about being an interior designer, is that if you’re good, you get better with age- like a fine wine. It was reassuring to hear someone I hold in such high esteem, espouse the same principle that I hold dear- a green approach to design. No he didn’t use the words “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” or “green” but he practices these things none the less. In most of his designs he uses furniture, art and accessories from the 20s, 30s and 40s, some of my favorites being Jean Michele Frank and Jacques Rhulmann.

(This one is actually one of my projects, but it’s a Rhulmann table and chairs in the Frederick Lowe Estate.)

He rarely uses carpets and instead creates design in a hard (more easily cleaned and longer lasting) surfaces. He is well known for his liberal use of exquiste veneer on columns, walls, ceilings- but always prefers to restore what is there vs. ripping it out and installing new. And the greenest of all is his attitude, his very best advice being to smile a lot.

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Cherokee Studios Rock N Platinum Showcase

Lori — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:40:56 +0000

Alcie Cooper Lyrics

: Platinum records for the Platinum loft

Thursday night, across the street from Genghis Cohen and behind a secretive, black curtain Rethink Development unveiled the rock n’ roll lofts at the Cherokee Recording Studios LEED Platinum Lofts Showcase benefitting Habitat for Humanity. We (Lori Dennis and Brook Casey of the Dennis Design Group) were in charge of the Alice Cooper pad and took our assignment very seriously, literally dressing the part.

Dennis Design Group gettin' down in bed?

Our shock rock loft never could have been possible without the generous donations of our many vendors and time from our interns, Sara, Rob and Natasha. Plus it’s not really a party if Tony of Francois and Roy from the SoCal Contractor aren’t in tow. In the bedroom Heritage Draperies fabricated and installed our padded, chained window treatment and Mike Ragan of Rags put together this amazing patchwork, padded wall with fabric from Jason Asch of Diamond Foam. The stars were out in LA on Thursday night and two showed up at our event: Jodie Sweetin , who we all know and love as the old Stephanie Tanner from Full House and Calico Cooper, Alice’s daughter and former co-star of his stage show.

Calico Cooper representin' for Papa

Looking at these pictures you would never know that a mere 24 hours before the event we had no stairs and were finishing up our super style in a deadly, construction zone! Sparks from the welding were hitting us, the wall, the furniture and Sara even got smacked on the noggin’ pretty good by a wayward steel beam. It’s a good thing she has a better work ethic than that witch who hit her head on the Apprentice and wasted the team’s time going to a hospital. No, not Sara… she just kept on hot glueing those recycled, reclaimed water bottles that we used as wall art in the guest bath. Through it all Brook and I just kept hammering the boxes and boxes of nails into our wall eating snake. Jason Asch over at Diamond also donated this massive amount of rocker, (faux) snake skin fabric.

Lori and Brook Nailing

Still nailing...

and finally it was done.

I was afraid Brook was going to hang himself. But he stuck it out and we even finished the lyrics on the bathroom wall so Tony from Francois could learn them and sing along.

Don't do it Brook!!

When the doors opened at 7PM we all took a shot of Skull Vodka and welcomed our guests to Alice’s Lair. Francois provided the Gothic mantel in the living room, serving as the perfect backdrop to the snake skin bench from Bausman and Co. and upholstered chairs from Cisco Brothers. All the kitchy 60s, 70s and 80s accessories from Retropia and the original props from Alice Cooper’s show gave our loft an authenticity rarely seen in staged showcase homes. Big Red Sun even landscaped our balcony in a true, desert decor representative of the golf courses in Phoenix that Alice so dearly loves.

Alice's Lair

You'll never guess what these balls are for!

Cooper Gang in the Loft

The most shocking thing about our shock rock loft was the dirty, little secret in our turquoise blue, laundry room. Really, how could you not go there in this loft?! Pleasure Chest hooked us up for the event and I’m not going to reveal we did or didn’t use before hanging it on the walls.

Green bondage-stay in and save gas!

All in all the showcase was an event to help the developers sell property in a really tough market. Habitat got more than a few bucks, we had a blast and I heard someone is making an offer on our loft today!

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Fall Market at the Pacific Design Center

Lori — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:38:02 +0000

Badly needing a break from the book writing, I headed over to the festivities at the PDC for some inspiration. I’m currently on the “Living Rooms” Chapter which focuses on maximizing use of space, especially precious outdoor square footage. Luxe Magazine‘s gorgeous, garden party in the lower level lobby featuring stunning vignettes from all our favorite outdoor vendors couldn’t have come at a better time. The wine was delicious and the steel drum band was a breath of fresh air conditioned air from the 102 degree fall weather outside. Michael Wollaeger, the new Luxe Editor at Large, never disappoints.

Christian Liaigre at Holly Hunt

Richard Frinier at Century

Corbin Bronze at Sutherland

Janus Et Cie

Chinoserie at Robert Allen

Janus Et Cie

Richard Schultz at Summit

In a town where we are literally running out of water, it was great to see Synlawnand Astro Chic make a green statement. I’ve noticed about five of these synthetic lawns on my nightly strolls, along with a lot of gravel and succulents. I’d like to say it’s concern for the environment, but it looks like the water bills finally converted a few folks to the sustainable side.

Synlawn at Fall Market

Astro Chic Pillows, Ottoman and Lawn

The first floor gave us a sneak peak of what was to come on the second floor open house. I especially loved these three sculptures made of everything green including cleaners of the kitchen sink.

Cleaning Up at Fall Market

Worm Hole by Lynn Aldrich

A More Combustible Smoke by Greg MacLaughlin

Broken Sofa by Jeremy Everett

DJs were spinning and one piece was more interesting than the next throughout the second floor galleries.

Green Wall at Pucci

Love this Chandelier

How much is that Horsey in the window?-Twentieth

So sad……. mine is even better.

Art by a USC Graduate?

By this time the world’s most stylish builder, Mr. So Cal Contractor, and Junior Designer Elle started getting a little sleepy……

but woke up for a bit more fun in the best installation of the night. Little Miss Elle obviously shares her Designer Mommy’s love for graffiti art!

Bravo to the PDC for another Fall Market success. Take that recession!

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Reinventing the Wheel

Lori — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:13:10 +0000

The only thing better than the original Phillipe Starck Louis Ghost Chair was the introduction of its much more petite version, the Lou Lou Chair. Available in Kartell retail stores the Summer of 2008, the release party for the Mini Ghost Chair drew quite a crowd at the showroom on Robertson Blvd in Beverly Hills.

Our gang had a great time. (from left: Galina, Brook, Lori and Jessica).

The party was awesome and the showroom was filled to the brim with curious (and thirsty) Angelenos. Some even brought their kids, and it was quite fun to see them squeal as they tried the miniature chairs on for size.

Philippe Starck, who never fails to thrill us with his elegant yet simple-minded furniture, has done it again. His furniture, known to be of “indestructible” quality, will last for many many years without having to be replaced (which expends new resources and puts old ones into our already-overflowing landfills). Available in a variety of colors like green, lilac and glossy black, these new chairs are a true crowd-pleaser.

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