So Haute!

{Haute Designer} Kishani Perera

Kishani Perera is a talented LA based designer that I recently had the pleasure of meeting thanks to an introduction by a mutual friend. I had been a long time fan of hers ever since seeing the homes she designed for model/actress Molly Sims which have been some of her most buzzed about projects.

You've probably seen this photo of Molly's Soho apartment which was featured in a 10 page spread in InStyle Home's Fall/Winter ’07 issue. It’s been published in a few other publications as well and has also made the rounds on the blogosphere.

This insanely beautiful apartment is filled with soothing grey tones and gorgeous antiques that Kishani & Molly picked up at the Paris flea markets. I think there’s really something special about this space. It’s one of my favorite examples of work by any interior designer ever and has a timeless, almost iconic quality that I think future generations of decorators will reference for inspiration.

Above are a couple of photos from the other home Kishani designed for Molly Sims in the Hollywood Hills which was also published in a number of magazines and was featured on MTV Cribs and Access Hollywood. Kishani’s design style is sophisticated and eclectic and her approach is centered on creating spaces that truly reflect the personality and lifestyle of her clients.

Whether she’s designing a modern or traditional space, the result is always fun and fresh…and there’s always something interesting and unexpected thrown in to mix things up. I admire her ability to fuse together a variety of styles and periods in her work. I’m also drawn to the variety of ethnic influences that often permeate her designs.

Kishani has always had a lifelong passion for design. She was one of those kids who constantly rearranging her bedroom and experimented with paint growing up but it wasn’t until her early 20s that she realized that a career in design was her calling. She studied at UCLA’s prestigious Interior Design & Architecture program and then went on to work for a few notable LA designers before launching her own firm, Fuse ID, in 2003.

Since launching her company, Kishani’s work has been featured in such publications as InStyle, California Home & Design, Cosmopolitan, Glamour and O at Home to name a few. She was also featured in a national print and television ad campaign for American Express and now has a high profile roster of clients which includes celebrities like Christine Taylor and Kate Bosworth as well as a number of top film industry execs. In the brief interview below, Kishani shares more about her work and her inspiration. I hope you enjoy!

What’s your favorite aspect of your job as a designer?
Working with clients who are excited to learn, explore and experiment. 

What’s been the most memorable moment of your career thus far?
There have been several, but I’d have to say seeing myself on an American Express commercial along with the gold card, which had mine and my company’s name on it…pretty amazing!

Design your design aesthetic in three words...
Eclectic. Inviting and interesting.

What designers past or present do you admire most?
Hands down, Tony Duquette is my favorite interior designer, past or present.

Are you working on any exciting projects right now that you can share?
I’m working on several fun projects at the moment - a great house in Bel Air, another a massive remodel in the Hollywood Hills, a great game room for another client, and a few other cool things!

What are some of your favorite places to shop for your own home?
eBay, the best one stop shop!

To see more of Kishani's work, click here to view her portfolio on her website. And be sure to check back tomorrow to read Kishani’s top tips for decorating on a budget!

{Haute Hotel} Cabo Azul

If you're looking to plan a little getaway, I'd highly recommend packing your bags and heading South of the border for a relaxing stay at Cabo Azul, a chic luxury resort just outside of San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. When I went to Cabo in Feburary I had the pleasure of staying at Cabo Azul and it was truly one of the most beautiful resorts I've ever visited. Situated at the tip of the Baja Penninsula along a 12 acre stretch of white sand beachfront, Cabo Azul is a luxe oasis with beautifully landscaped grounds, stylish interior spaces and incredible views of the Sea of Cortes.

The interiors were created by renowned hospitality designer Dodd Mitchell who has designed a number of world class hotels and restaraunts including the Hollywood Roosevelt, the Thompson Beverly Hills and the restaraunts Bond Street and Dolce in Los Angeles. I typically prefer smaller boutique hotels and Cabo Azul has 332 rooms. Despite the size of the resort, it's surprisingly quiet and has a peaceful, serene ambiance. Each of the rooms are actually 1, 2 or 3 bedroom villas. The villas are sleek and sophisticated with a light, bright and airy feeling. I love all of the dark wood accents and Spanish and Moroccan influences.

Each villa includes a fully equipped kitchen and the resort has personal chef's on hand to prepare fresh, in-room meals if you desire.

Cabo Azul is full of amenities, one of my favorites being their gourmet market which reminded me of Citarella here in New York. The market offers gourmet selections of your typical groceries including meats, dairy, produce and packaged goods. They also have a great selection of gourmet cheeses, wine and liquor as well as your standard toiletries. If that isn't enough, the resort also has a bakery, a deli a gelateria, an internet cafe and a great fitness center on site.

Flor de Noche and Javier's are the two restaurants at the resort. Flor de Noche is located right on the pool deck and offers casual, open air dining under a palapa covered roof. There's also a swim up bar. This is where I ate most nights during my trip. I loved the fresh fish tacos and other seafood concoctions.

The inside of the palapa roof at Flor de Noche is lined with this incredible pattern of nautical ropes that cascades down a column in the center of the restaurant. Above is a photo taken at night. Javier's offers a more formal dining experience. I didn't eat there at all (stuck to Flor de Noche & room service) but my traveling companions did and they thought the food at Javier's was amazing.

 

The pool area is probably the resort's crowning feature. It includes several connected, multi-level infinity pools which are surrounded by cabanas, stylish chaises and chic bamboo pod lounge beds. The pools are all kept at a warm temperature so you feel as though you're swimming in a pool of warm bathwater. It's divine! The landscaping also features several large flaming fire scluptures which illuminate the grounds at night.

For more information on Cabo Azul, visit their website here. And in case you were interested in seeing some of my personal photos from the trip, below are a few.

_{The bedroom in my villa}

_{The main living area. How fabulous is that Moroccan lantern?!}

 

_{The view of the pool and beach from my room}

_{At the beach}

_{I wish I was back there drinking this!}

Weekend Bloglovin: Good Bones, Great Pieces

 

I'm happy to introduce a new weekly feature here on So Haute: Weekend Bloglovin'. Each weekend I'll be highlighting some of my favorite home-related blogs around the web. This week I bring you Good Bones, Great Pieces, a stylish blog by mother-daughter duo Suzanne and Lauren McGrath. Suzanne is an interior designer and Emmy-award winning former style editor and television producer for Martha Stewart Living Television. Lauren is an editorial assistant at Teen Vogue. A relatively new blog on the scene, Good Bones, Great Pieces takes a fresh approach to style, offering readers everything from Suzanne's DIY decorating tips to Lauren's roundups of her favorite fashion finds. I especially love reading about their weekend excursions to antiques fairs, flea markets and consignment stores all around the New York tri-state area. Suzanne and Lauren are super cute and reading their blog makes me wish my mom lived closer! (She's in Michigan, I'm in New York.) You can check out Good Bones, Great Pieces by clicking here. Happy reading!

<sub>Suzanne & Lauren during a recent antiquing spree along Warren Street in Hudson, NY


Mom & daughter at the New York Gift Fair


Suzanne & Lauren at the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn</sub>

RIP Michael Jackson

I'm still in shock over the passing of Michael Jackson who was such a worldwide pop icon. I grew up on his music and was a true fan. When his music video world premiere prime time specials would air on television, the viewing became a family occasion. I can recall spending hours on end when I was little playing his Smooth Criminal video game on Sega Genesis. We had The Making of Thriller on VHS and my sister and would watch it over and over. Off the Wall is still one of my all time favorite albums. One of my fondest MJ memories was circa 1988 when I went to his Bad World Tour concert at Joe Lewis Arena in Detroit. I was only 7 or so but can still remember the concert vividly. I can see the set and almost still hear the music. My mom who was a pretty connected lady arranged for us to go backstage and meet the King of Pop himself. The picture above was taken that that night. I can still hear him telling me & my sister that he liked our outfits. It was quite a memorable evening. Despite the controversy that surrounded Michael Jackson toward the end of his career, there’s no disputing that he was one of the most brilliant, talented, influential and iconic entertainers of our generation. His lasting legacy will be as the King of Pop and his memory will live on through his music. In tribute, I’ll be listening to this all weekend:

RIP Michael Jackson

A Chic & Family Friendly Summer Home

This family friendly Sag Harbor home which was featured in Town and Country's May issue is a favorite from my inspiration files. Designed for a young family of four, the place feels completely unpretentious with high end new pieces and fine antiques mixed in with lower end and mass produced pieces. Many of the furnishings are from Ruby Beets in Sag Harbor but I also spotted items from places like Jayson Home & Garden and Ikea. This home is exactly how I imagine my ideal country house to look...Light, airy, cool and comfortable!

Before & After: My Louis XV Armchair

I picked up this Louis XV style armchair on eBay about a year ago...

This is what the chair looked like before I worked my magic on it. The photo doesn't quite clearly illustrate what poor condition it was in before I refinished & reupholstered it. The gold paint was chipping, the seat was sagging and coming apart underneath, and the upholstery was completely dirty and dingy looking.

As soon as the chair arrived I got to work, in an attempt to turn this trash into treasure. I decided to refinish the frame myself to save money and I have to admit I took the lazy route! Rather than stripping and priming the chair like a good girl, I simply sanded the gold paint down a bit and then painted right over it using Modern Masters metallic paint in Warm Silver which actually looks more like a light rose gold-ish color. (You can't even tell I half-assed it-ha!) Next I sent the chair off to my trusty upholsterer in Queens who did a superb job on the reupholstery. The fabric I chose is a soft pink metallic linen from Kelly Wearstler's collection for Lee Jofa. I had the fabric teflon coated to protect the light color against stains and spills.

And this is the end result! What a transformation, right? It's probably one of my favorite pieces of furniture and it's the perfect scale for my small space!

{Haute Find} Fabrics from Umbrella Prints

 

A friend of mine sent me a link on Facebook telling me to check out Umbrella Prints, an Australian line of colorful fabrics with fun prints that are hand screened onto 100% organic hemp/cotton. Umbrella Prints fabrics are available on Etsy in 70cm X 70cm pieces (perfect for pillows!), but you can also purchase some of their prints by the meter via their Australian site. I think their fabrics would be super cute in a kid's room, although they really could be applied to any space. I love the Fan Flower print below which to me has a bit of a Florence Broadhurst-ish feel. To see more from Umbrella Prints, check out their etsy shop here.

 

{Haute Finds} Nate Berkus Jute Braid Rug from HSN

So I just bought this jute rug from Nate Berkus' line for HSN. I absolutely love it. I don't think the photo from the HSN site does it justice. It's actually a bit darker and golden. The repeating rectangular pattern of the weave is beautiful and adds so much additional texture to the rug. It's super soft underfoot and looks far more expensive than the $99 I paid for my 5'x8" version. I think it's an exceptional value and is perfect for anyone who loves the look of natural fiber rugs but doesn't want to spend a lot of money. It's also a great piece to help add a bit of texture to your space. I have it in my living room and have layered my tan cowhide on top. Will show photos soon!

Lucas Studio

When I was in LA a few weeks ago I stopped into Harbinger, the design shop in West Hollywood owned by Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat of the boutique design firm Lucas Studio Inc. Both Lucas and Chilcoat are former proteges of Michael S. Smith who teamed up to start their firm in 2005 and are now esteemed designers in their own right. After being inspired by my visit to Harbinger, I went pouring through the Lucas Studio website for more inspiration. I definitely see a bit of Smith's influence in their work but Lucas and Chilcoat are clearly making their own mark. Their work has been featured in a number of top interior and lifestyle publications and they've also participated in a few prestigious and highly publicized showhouses. What I love most is that their work has a timeless appeal, is filled with great style and also posesses a bit of that relaxed, California cool vibe that makes their spaces feel completely unpretentious and approachable. Their portfolio reflects exactly the way I would want to live. 

Tastemaker's Tag Sale Part 2

Mark your calendars! Another tag sale, brought to you by former Domino editors Tom Delevan, Dara Copinigro, Chase Booth and Tori Mellot, is coming next Saturday, June 13...and this time they're setting up shop in the Hamptons! Unless you were living under a rock, you probably heard about the last tag sale held here in New York City a few weeks ago at Delevan's West Village apartment. It was a huge hit. In fact, so many people showed up the line stretched down the block and around 5th Avenue! This time there will be a few new additions to the tastemaker's club selling their goods including Christiane Lemieux, founder and owner of Dwell Studio (who's unloading an entire storeage unit!), fashion PR maven Jennifer Carlston and photographer Matt Albiani. Expect a truckload of new, used and antique items which include furniture home accessories, designer and vintage clothing and to-the-trade fabric yardage. The sale is cash only and judging from the line at the last sale, savvy shoppers should show up early!

Tastemaker's Tage Sale #2
Saturday, June 13
75 Main Street
Amagansett
(on Rt 27, across from La Fondita)
9AM-2PM
Cash only
*Rain date is Sunday, June 14

_{Photo: Michael Falco for NY TImes}

Check out Katie Fine's Blog!

Up and coming LA interior designer Katie Fine is blogging! Beans and Mango (named after her dog and cat) is Katie's daily design journal where she shares her design insights, ideas and inspiration with the world. Check it out here. And in case you were wondering, below is a picture of Beans and Mango chilling out on a Madeline Weinrib rug. Obviously, these pampered pets enjoy lounging in style! Beans also has a custom monogrammed tempur-pedic bed. Where else would the dog of a stylish decorator sleep? Duh!

Givenchy Lust

I need this bag in my life! Sponsors welcome.

Raksha Bella Organic Textiles

A while back I was shopping the organic bedding section at ABC Carpet and Home and I stumbled upon the most beautifully dressed bed covered in Indian paisley printed bedsheets by Raksha Bella--a new brand that I was thrilled to discover. Raksha Bella is an eco-friendly line of 100% certified organic cotton bedding that is hand block printed using non-toxic, low impact dyes. The line is produced by a group of fair trade women workers in India who are recovering from poverty. Raksha Bella was founded by Carrie Peters who is truly passionate about sustainable design and what I love most about the brand she has created is that it embodies the idea of sustainability in every way possible. Even the company's San Francisco Bay office is "green" both in its design and its operations. (The office is run on solar power and includes an organic vegetable garden out back.) I reached out to Carrie recently to learn more about Raksha Bella and she was kind enough to fill me in on how the brand started, where it's going and also share her insights on sustainable design. I hope you enjoy the interview.

What is Raksha Bella in a nutshell?
Our company's name is also its creed- Raksha, pronounced (ra-k-shaw), meaning protection in Sanskrit, and Bella, the Latin classic for beautiful. Appropriately, Raksha Bella's philosophy is to protect what is beautiful with our devotion to hand-made organic textiles.

What inspired you to design a line of bedding?

I was a decorative painter and I started getting concerned about the paints I was using. I began to research and use non VOC paints before they reached the mainstream marketplace. That led me to researching more ‘green” products for the home. Textiles became a main focus for me, especially the plight of organic cotton and what’s happening overseas. I took a trip to India and fell in love with the artisan world there, and saw a great opportunity to heal the planet with my love for pattern, design and color and my passion for sustainability in a place that really needs it.

 

How are your textiles are made?
The cotton is grown in certified organic cotton co-ops in India, milled in a GOTS certified mill in Dehli, then printed by hand with wood blocks in Jaipur with low impact AZO-free dyes, and cut and sewn by women self employed by the Grameen banking system for the poor who are recovering from poverty and empowered by their work.

Why was it important to take this humanitarian approach to your business in addition to simply being “green”?
I believe that eradicating poverty is the next step to sustainability. I believe that empowering women, who are raising the next generation, is a way to make culture changes more sustainable. Women make cultures thrive, vibrant, alive. Without happy women, happier children are fewer. They are our future. They hold the promise to change that is most effective because they grow up with the values needed to full and more long term change.

What does sustainability mean for you?
Sustainability for me means long term, healthy tending, maintenance, adoration and protection of the planet and people. 

How do you practice sustainable design in own life?
Most of my home is painted with non VOC paints, I collect all extra water and pour it onto my potted plants and I have solar panels on my home. I love the Center for Creative Reuse and Recycle—a local favorite--all reused and recycled things people throw out—its so incredibly creative.

Are there any other “green” brands for the home that you love besides your own?
Peace Industry rugs & American Clay.

Do you have plans to introduce any new patterns or products any time soon?
Yes!  We have our new loungewear collection coming this June/July designed in collaboration with Erica Tanov, and our new prints for our bedding line.  For fall we are playing with texture and the ancient and beautiful Japanese dye technique Shibori.
 

A big thanks to Carrie and in case you were curious about the new products, here's a sneak peek at some of Raksha Bella's new bedding patterns and loungewear. These should be available on the Raksha Bella website in a couple of weeks!

_{Photos via Raksha Bella and Eden Home}

A San Francisco Designers' Challenge

I recently came across a cool feature on the website of San Francisco lifestyle magazine 7x7. Three area designers were given 10 days to re-create a room inspired by the work of three of today's top names in the industry. Janelle Lovener, owner of the chic San Francisco home furnishings shop Anthem, was inspired by this living room in an Orlando Diaz-Azcuy designed beach house in East Hampton:

 

And this was her interpretation of the room:

Tyler Dawson loved the look of the library shown below designed by Michael S. Smith:

So she used Smith's room as inspiration to create this stylish living room:

And finally, inspired by the Hollywood Regency vibe of this room by Woodson and Rummerfield...

 

Gabriella Sarlo created the stunning space shown below. (LOVE that tufted sofa and antique mirrored coffee table)

Which designer's room is your favorite? To find out the winner of the challenge, click here to visit 7x7's website!

_{Photos: Susie Tarlton for 7x7}

_{(Sorry for the copy over the photos!)}

DIY Draperies

A couple of weeks ago I embarked on a little DIY drapery project. The windows in my apartment only had solar shades covering them for the longest time and I'd been wanting to soften them up with some fabulous draperies. If I could have things my way I would have had custom draperies made using Suzanne Rheinstein for Lee Jofa's Ikat De Lin, but given how many yards I would have needed that would have far exceeded my budget so I decided to make my own!

My friend Robert gave me this sewing machine as a gift a while back and I had been dying to use it. I hadn't sewed since I was little so I wanted a small project to help me get back into the swing of things and these DIY draperies were perfect!

I bought a couple packs of inexpensive AINA linen drapery panels from Ikea and a gazillion yards of reasonably priced greek key trim from Calico Corners in a bluish color called Mist.

I also bought two inexpensive aged brass curtain rods from Home Depot along with matching rings and these pin-on drapery hooks. The rings and the hooks have such a big impact on the finished product and are the secret to achieving a high-end look.

Next I sewed the trim down the entire length of the panels on each end. I was a little afraid I'd mess up at first, but it was like riding a bike! The panels were a bit long so I also had to hem the bottom so they fell at the perfect length...just at the floor. 

I then attached my drapery hooks to the backs of each panel. I also removed the clips from the drapery rings. (I always think draperies look much more polished with the clips removed.) Next I looped the rings through the rods, hung the rods, then attached the panels to each ring with the drapery hooks.

 

And voila! Simple, custom made draperies with a high-end look for less! Hanging the panels on rings made all the difference in the world. Had I inserted the rod through the pockets on the draperies, they wouldn't have looked the same.

 

Here's a closer look.

Cafiero Select

Cafiero Select is a New York City based antiques shop and design firm led by David Cafiero, whom I've been keeping tabs on since seeing his work featured in House & Garden a couple of years ago. I had the pleasure of meeting him at this year's Design on a Dime event and we talked design, flea markets and he filled me in on some of the projects he's currently working on.

The editorial from the January 2007 issue of House and Garden that caught my eye featured the East Village apartment of actress Chloe Sevigny which was filled with color, pattern and personality as well as amazing vintage and antique pieces from Cafiero's shop where Sevigny was a frequent customer before she tapped him to design her home. I especially love the photo above and the boldness of those two identical sofas covered in Schumacher's Kahn's Park. Sevigny was Cafiero's first big client and it's hard to believe that he had only been designing for two years before this story was published.

Cafiero is definitely one of those fearless designers who's super confident in using bold patterns and color. His aesthetic reflects an eclectic mix of antique and modern and much of his work has a rustic and slightly industrial feeling.

Cafiero's background actually is quite interesting. As he puts it, his path to interior design was a long winding road with many pit stops along the way. Before designing Cafiero owned a cafe, a catering business and was a commercial scallop fisherman. He says the boating aesthetic, which he was surrounded by during his days as a fisherman, definitely influences much of his work. 

 

Cafiero began designing just 5 years ago around the same time he opened his antiques shop in the East Village. When he's not working for his design clients, he's most likely shopping for amazing vintage and antique pieces for his shop at flea markets, antiques shops and with private dealers all around the East Coast. One of his favorite places to shop is The Elephant's Trunk Country Flea Market in New Milford, CT, which is just a couple of hours outside New York.

Currently, Cafiero is working on designing two beach homes as well as the offices of a Brooklyn based record label. He's also finishing up Truffles Tribeca -a huge project which he's been working on for the past year and a half in collaboration with architect Jeffrey Povero.

Truffles Tribeca is a stylish, 291 unit rental apartment building in Tribeca in which Cafiero designed all of the model apartment spaces. The building also houses one of the city's coolest private clubs, Trufflesprive. The ultra chic, member's only club that spans 9,000 square feet was designed entirely by Cafiero and one of his main sources of inspiration for the space La Maison de Verre in Paris. I've included several photos below for your viewing pleasure and I can't wait to see more published work from Cafiero in the future!

_{Photos: Cafiero Select and Bryan Smith for New York Daily News}

What I've Been Up To Lately!

Sorry for the lack of posts! Been insanely busy with work and have been traveling a ton. I've also been making lots of updates to my apartment and on top of that helping my best friend prepare for her wedding which was this past Saturday! It was a beautiful, intimate ceremony here in New York with just 50 people in attendance (Congrats Lizzy & Isa!). The bride and I have known each other sine we were six and have been inseparable best friends since freshman year in high school. I helped the her with much of her planning and also hosted 5 of my closest friends including the bride and my sister at my apartment this weekend which is also where everyone got ready the morning of the wedding. I forgot to mention that I designed all of her floral arrangements for the wedding including her bouquet too! Below are a few photos so you can see everything I've been working on!

Here's the latest incarnation of my living room area. You can see my new lamps (still have to change the shades), my end tables from Craigslist and my new vintage brass and beveled glass coffee table which was an ebay find. On top sits a beautiful bunch of bright pink peonies that I picked up in the flower district when I was hunting for wedding flowers. To soften up the space I added draperies - the result of a little DIY project which I will share tomorrow.  Above the sofa is my Jenny Gage and Tom Betterton photo which I purchased at Design on a Dime. I have 2 more photographs that I may add to the wall (What do you think? Fine as is or no?) Although it's not quite finished, I love how my living room is shaping up and I feel like it has much more character than it did before. Another project I tackled recently was refinishing a set of old beat up Duncan Phyfe lyre back chairs that I scored on craigslist for a steal. I painted them in a Benjamin Moore color called Boothbay Gray that I LOVE and am currently in the process of selecting fabric for the seats. I'm toying with the idea of Peter Dunham's Mattress Ticking or Rajmata in swedish blue. (Any other suggestions?) I also finally hung artwork in my bedroom and installed a pretty bronze and crystal chandelier...another ebay find! I know I've been talking about my bedroom forever but I promise I'll show photos soon!

Here's a look at a couple of floral arrangements I designed for Lizzy's wedding. This photos (taken with my cell phone!) is of the first two "test" arrangements that I sent to the bride for approval and is ultimately what we ended up going with. She wanted everything simple and chic and she wanted subtle pops of yellow throughout the wedding decor. For the reception tables I made a dozen of the arrangement you see on the right...simple white hydrangeas (her favorite flower) in a cylindrical vase with Thai leaves wrapped inside. The arrangement on the left was for the "sweets" table which was filled with all sorts of yellow themed sweet treats. I floated sliced lemons in the vase to tie in with the food theme and add a pop of yellow.

This is the bouquet I designed for Lizzy. Again, very simple arrangement consisting of a dozen white cala lilies with stems wrapped in a yellow satin ribbon.

Saturday before the wedding all of the girls got ready at my place so I fixed a simple continental breakfast for everyone to enjoy. I made hommeade blueberry muffins and also served croissants, english muffisns, bagels and lox, granola and yogurt, lots of fresh fruit and berries and of course, mimosas! It's been a fun, exhausting couple of weeks!