2009 Legacy Awards Show

ASID's annual Legacy of Design Awards this last Friday night was a truly remarkable event, as it has been each year since it's initiation. The Legacy Design Awards recognizes talent in the interior design industry in both commercial and residential facets. Each category is then designated by years of practice from veterans to rising stars. It is a great event that brings together practitioners, industry partners, and students alike.

The event was hosted at Studios 1019 at 1019 Monitor down in the industry/design district, where a simple warehouse space has been transformed to a premier event location. Check out the link to see snapshots of their mod "outdoor" interiors. Food and drinks were provided by Don Ross Nabb Products and Twin Liquors Fine Wine & Spirits, valet by Lone Star Valet Parking, and the gorgeous floral arrangements by Freesia.

Of course some of my favorite sponsors include Luxe Interiors magazine, where Dallas Design Group, Interiors will reveal our new ad campaign that myself and Tamra Canoe have been working hard at for the past couple of months. I used clean, simple lines and negative space to simply let our work speak for itself. I have yet to see the final proof before it is released in next month's issue, and can hardly wait to see the finished product! Also, a special mention to Jenny Nofsinger, Regional Account Executive for Luxe magazine who has been a true gem to work with. We learned that Jenny has been stricken with pneumonia this past week and was not able to attend, get well soon Jenny! :)

SPONSORS

Also another favorite sponsor is one of our own accounts, Morrison Group, who is opening an Morrison Supply Showroom in Fort Worth where our design team of myself, Tracy Rasor, Darla Dillon, and Misti Giarratano have been working hard on the past 4 months, finalizing interior architecture plans, finishes & selections, and now we are on the last leg of furnishings and artwork. The building supply showroom is one - or should I say a few - steps above leading building supply showrooms I think anywhere in the region and this will truly be a remarkable one-stop shop for any client. Thanks to Bryce Poole and his wonderful team at Morrison Supply where you can see their passion and enthusiasm for always going the extra mile to take something from simple to spectacular. Be sure to visit Morrison Supply when we finish up the install at the end of next month, for their grand opening of October 12.

Also a special mention to Lucy Lucero at Elegante Iron, who has also been great to work with on many of our custom iron door needs at Dallas Design Group, Interiors. She is always consistent in her follow through and excellent customer service.



And of course - back to the winners, who I will go into much more detail once they are published, as the night went by so fast and I do not wish to make any blunders by misrepresenting anyone, but did notice all of the usual winners were announced again as in years past, such as Sawyer Design Associates, Hayslip Design Associates, and Jonie Wyll to name a few.


And last but not least, we took home 4 awards that night, yeah! Special pat on the back to Lisa Barron, for Goody Goody Liquor Stores, and my design team leader Tracy Rasor for bringing home 2 separate residential spaces and also a commercial showroom space award. Once we get all of the photos up, I will do a "winners blog post" showcasing some of my favorite spaces from our own designers and also of the other winners as well. There is so much talent in Dallas that I am constantly inspired and reminded that I am following my passion, which is the greatest inspiration of all....


A FEW PARTY SNAPSHOTS
Dallas Design Group, Interiors Crew



Christina Garcia, intern, Tracy Rasor,Vice President, Shannon Greene, intern, Me, Senior Designer, Darla Dillon, Junior Designer

Same as above, but we added some Tamra Canoe, Business Manager, Lisa Barron, Senior Designer

Tracy & John Rasor

Tracy & Lisa

CONGRATS GIRLS!

All in all, it was a very fun and worthwhile event and we already have our calenders marked for next year...August 13, 2010.

And don't forget to pick up the newest copy of Luxe Interiors next month showcasing all of the winners!

Daily Dose

IF OPPORTUNITY DOESN'T KNOCK, BUILD A DOOR...

-Milton Berle

MetroCON '09

All practicing and wannabe interior designer's be sure not to miss the annual Metrocon 2009 (click here for all the details) event hosted by ASID, IIDA, & IFMA. There are loads of vendors, new product lines and CEU credits abound. It seems the past few years I have been too busy to go to this noted event, but have enjoyed it in years past, mostly from the keynote speakers and free food (kidding). A note to employer, ahem, one leaves with a sense of new found enthusiasm and energy and also some new business contacts so it is not just a decreased work productivity day...! I will work on the employer before next years event to take a company field trip. It's a small step before the Vegas Builders Show we've been working on! We're so jealous of all of the builders and job supervisors when they tell us all about the new products that they found that WE should be telling them about, ya we're playing that card... But hey, some of us are going to the Legacy Design Awards this Friday as two of our own designer teams where nominated for awards (pat on the back said design team). Future post on that to come...

Antiquated Publishing

Southern Accents announced Thursday that the September/October issue will be it's last. They are just one in the long list of other shelter magazines like Domino, Blueprint, O at Home (even Oprah failed! gasp!) that have folded over the past year, and it is usually seemingly out of no where, with no big announcement a few months in advance, only a brief parting will do. I hate goodbye's so I guess that will suffice. And perhaps it will not be but a brief absence as I sometimes think as finding the selection of home decor magazine dwindling with each trip to the bookstore. What does this mean? A rise of the e-zine, where you must waste 10 seconds of your life listening to an online ad to read an article, I would rather pay $5.95 seeing how 10 seconds can add up fast over a lifetime - time over money any day... Maybe I am just old fashioned but I love shredding my magazines, pulling out pages, and filing them away for future reference. I guess I am a tactile person as are most people who read decor magazines like their Bibles. You can't always have access to a computer - who wants to use a computer on a beach or even out in the hammock in the backyard, or when the captain says "Please turn off all electrical devices" - what are you going to do for that 15 minutes it takes to get to cruising altitude, oh books, ya your right - but they don't have pretty pictures of courtyards flooding with bougainvilleas and groin vaulted ceilings, and draperies with ruched headers that break ever so gently on the floor... Also when your kid has a project at school what are you going to use to cut things out of that start with W out of - wallpaper, Wonderbread, etc...perhaps that is the biggest predicament of all. You will be missed Southern Accents!

Designer Invite: Annual Ebanista Rug Trunk Show

If you are searching for gorgeous rugs for yourself or your clients be sure not to miss the ultra fabulous Ebanista's Annual New & Antique Rug Show on August 11th & 12th at their Dallas Design Center location from 11-2. They will be hosting special guest Jonathan Lewis, connoissuer of fine rugs from the world over. There will also be light hors d'oevres and champagne to tie you over for lunch...RSVP to 214.760.7677

Destination Design: Miami's Vizcaya

Vizcaya Stone Barge

Courtesy Miami/Dade County

I got to take a few days off this past week and traveled down to Miami, one of my favorite destinations, to spend time with family that lives there and of course sit on the beach and do nothing! However at this time of year I did get a few days of rain and got stuck in MIA...but that's a whole other story! At least they have updated the airport and I think I spent more money there than I did anywhere else. (I am sure the airport board loves the rainy season $$$)

I love the rhythm and diversity of the city, coming from a very diversified family myself being Greek and Italian and my step mother and 3 half brothers being Colombian, cousins that are half Cuban and my daughter is half Puerto Rican - did I loose you yet?! Thought so. I love that you can walk down Ocean Drive or Collins and hear about 5 different languages being spoken as there are tons of Europeans that love Miami as well and many holiday there. Anyways I have been to Miami countless times yet always have seemed to miss one of its premier attractions, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens located in the Coconut Grove area. I have a bit of addiction, I have been told, to anything that has do with interior design/architecture and even on vacation have to get my fix!

Some of the photos I have taken and some are from the website, I am sure it won't be too hard for you to decipher between the two! Hey...remember it was raining! Also, they did not allow any photography inside the home, only exterior shots, so please follow the above link to see some of the amazing rooms showcased on their website.

Exterior Shot From the Back (Photo by Me)

(This part looks over Biscayne Bay and the Stone Barge)

The name Vizcaya is derived from the Spanish region of the same name also overlooking the bay of Biscay, hence in Miami, Biscayne Bay. Upon entering Vizcaya you are immersed in a different time and era, and feel as if you are no longer in the city. With its winding roads and dense tropical foliage where trees are covered with orchids in every shape and color imaginable and statues of Greek gods aplenty, the estate is astounding - truly one of America's best examples of early 20th century industry wealth. The estate is much smaller than the original 180 acres with much of it being destroyed in the hurricane of 1926 and then later some of the property being sold to developers.

James Deering

Coutesy Miami/Dade County

James Deering was an industrialist and Vice President of International Harvester Company working under his father where he accumulated a vast fortune to the likes of families such as the Biltmores and DuPont's. Vizcaya was merely his winter home as he was ill much of the time and was advised by his doctors to spend the winters in the humid, warm weather of the Southeast. He lived in the home from 1916-1925. Miami's population was but a mere 10,000 at the time while 1,000 of the workers were employed by Deering for the construction of the property. 10% of the entire population was working on this home!

Perhaps this is where America's fixation began with making "new old" began as the home was made to appear to be 400 years older than it actually was. James enlisted a young painter Paul Chalfin to be the project supervisor, L. Burrall Hoffman as the architect and Diego Suarez as the landscape architect.

Deering and Chalfin spent several years making the purchases in Europe for the home encompassing all eras and styles of European designs. Each room had a specific look and they adhered to strict period detailing and finishes, from Neoclassical to Italian Renaissance and French Directiore to name a few.

Veranda

Photo Miami/Dade County

Above is the outdoor veranda...yes the veranda! It is now glassed in to help perserve as the water is literally less than 30 or so feet from the openings. The floors are done from marble and granite slabs with terrazzo surrounds. The ship hanging was the emblem of the home and is symbolized in many different details, one also being the leaded glass inserts in some of the windows.

Entrance Hall

Photo Miami/Dade County

This room is truly amazing, I could have stayed in there at least an hour looking at the countless details. The walls are upholstered with Scalamandre fabric depicting the scenes "The Rape of Helen" by Francesco Primaticcio where Aprodite uses Helen as currency to entice Trojan Prince Paris so he will appoint her the most beautiful of goddesses. The floor design of alternating square and circles mirror the plaster detailing in the ceiling. The urn pictured on the left is a famous reproduction of the Townley Urn - I have two of these but much smaller scale in my own home. The powder baths are right off of this room as well, and of course, there is a his and hers.

Stairwell (one of many)

Photo Miami/Dade County

There are several stairwells throughout the home, this surprising being the main and largest, perhaps because there was an elaborate elevator and most likely it was the house staff that utilized the stairs. The other stairwells are very narrow and windy - think Sleeping Beauty when she is hypnotized to go up the stairs and prick the spinning wheel (that's what my daughter said anyway, I thought it was a good comparison.) There is also a "Vertigo" stairwell as well, it was neat to go look from the top and see the patterned floor detail below and then from the bottom look up and see the patterned leaded glass transom window above, giving some natural light to the space.

The Bay of Biscayne pictured past the stone barge. You guessed right...picture taken by me.

The barge was used for parties where guests would ride a gondola over to board the party boat. I wish I had better shots of this but is started pouring, I don't mind the rain but my camera does... The barge was also used as a barrier between the water and the home, helping protect the home during hurricane season.

I will for sure be returning to tour the gardens and of course throught the home to see what my eye missed the first time, perhaps in the winter when it is nice and sunny!

DETAIL SHOTS

Intricate wrought iron detail of the entry doors.

I recently used a detail similar to this on a pediment above a formal study doorway, except I turned it the other way and built it up on some back bands. It's under construction now, or else I would put the photo up...

Back on home to Texas...from my flight, until next time Miami...adios!

Ready...set...takeoff - JetLinx Dallas Launch

My friends over at Jet Linx Dallas - Your Personal Jet Company - are launching the opening of their new program and the opening of Dallas Love Field's newest hangar tomorrow night from 6 -9. They pride themselves on servicing their clientele with the utmost in luxurious accouterments while providing "THE most affordable and accessible" private jet experience in Dallas. Enjoy comped cocktails, hors d' oeuvers, and live entertainment. There will also be a drawing for a sweet weekend getaway to one of South Walton's premier beach locations in Florida.