David Phoenix, Does California have its own style?

We fell in love with one of California's designers, David Phoenix.  He has been a designer for 20 years.  House Beautiful recognized his talent, and awarded him the title of one of America’s Top Young Designers.  Do you think California has its own style? 

We are in love with this room he designed.   Cozy and comfortable.  The soft colors of the fabric softens the stone wall. Can't you see your self by the fire, with a cup of coffee and 2 pieces of chocolate! 

He has a versatile and sophisticated style.

Look how he successfully, coordinates the fabric on the pillows and the drapes. He uses a floral,  stripes, a geometric, and the Greek key pattern .We also like how he used the coral on the table. 

Love the white, painted wood walls and the soft beige fabrics. Just a hint of blue in the books. In this setting that little bit of blue is strong.

Loving all the creamy white walls.

Look at the blue Jar...Love!

Casual but formal. Like a pair of jeans, with a dressy shirt and diamond earrings.

Are we ever going to get sick of white kitchens and marble?  Love!

David Phoenix has decorated homes for the Kennedy family, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver, and actor Rob Lowe.  His work has been on the covers of Architectural digest and California homes.

Coastel Homes, California designers.....Gone Surfin!

"If everyone had an ocean.... across the USA..... Then everybody would be surf-in like Califor-i-a "...  Do you remember that famous song by the beach boys? They wrote songs about dreaming, surfing and girls.
(Tim Clarke )

  Southern California has a unique laid back style. Where the ocean and the sand are part of the decor.
(Barbara Grushow)

We love how Kristen Panitch mixes colors.  As though she was painting with oils, mixing the brush strokes to create this casual, lay- ed back feel. It has the colors of an ocean, at sunset!  







 

This home that Chris Barrett designed, opens up right on the sand with a view of the ocean. Like the song goes-...." You'd see em wearing their baggies.... Huarache sandles too..... A bushy bushy blond hairdo."
"SURF-IN USA"

Kristen Panitch design

Chris Barrett












 

A casual, but sophisticated decor
Tim Clarke












 

  David Phoenix, uses whites and light blue to create successfully, a feeling that there are no boundaries between the ocean and the house. It blends right in.
   When you see this view, you wish you did surf!  Shoot! Can we move in! 

 

This dinning room looks  bohemian , casual , yet has a traditional style. Does this decor look like it would be in California?
Kristen Panitch

"Everybody's gone surfing.... Surfing USA"
(Barbara Grushow)

Barbara Grushow

















 

Chris Barrett

I know it is winter, but in southern California the laid back style says......"Everyone has gone surfing....  Surfing USA"... We hope you enjoyed looking at some of our So. California designers.
(Tim Clarke)

We recieved the Versatile blogger Award...and Designer Tammy Connorid.

All designs displayed are from the talented Designer, Tammy Connorid.
  Her work is beautiful and she is very talented.






 
Thank you Wendy, from Classic Chic Home for giving us this award. We are so grateful to you!
Wendy, is a very talented writer.  Her blog is on interiors and design. Please check it out.
















   THE RULES FOR ACCEPTING THIS AWARD ARE AS FOLLOWS:
     Thank the person who gave you the award, and include a link to their blog.
        Select and link to 15 blogs that you love to follow for the award to go to next.
Share 7 things about yourself.

Blogs that we love!

Providence ltd 
      Design Indulgence
    Vignette design    
             Renae Moore design
                 Designing in the woods
verdigris vie
    Polished pebble
Design chic
               Isabella and max rooms
         Classic Casual home
Mix and chic
   Conspicuous style
Greige design
           Color out side the lines
    Decor de provence






 

Here are some things you might not of known about Julie and Danni

Oh dear, 7 things about us!
There are two of us!
Danni and I have been friends since we were in college.
We have never had a fight or have argued about anything. We are the dearest of friends and can say we are sisters. Someone forgot to tell our mothers that there was a mix up! No, we are not telling how old we are.

We both have 3 children. Danni has two daughters and a son.
Julie has two sons and a daughter.
We are both artists and have sold our paintings. We will show you them one day.
Danni paints beautiful landscapes and flowers. She also teaches art in her home. Julie paints people and flowers.

We are both married to artistic husbands.
  Danni's husband is a writer and a director. He is most famous for producing and writing on the show
" Buffy The Vampire Slayer". Danni has read many scripts and has helped to edit them.
Julies hubby is the photographer we posted about his studio.
She also paints his portraits.

Julie, loves to cook and gets together with a friend( April) once a month and they try new recipes.
Her fave thing to do. Julia, eat your heart out!
She is a fabric whore, that's what her mother calls her.
  She has 2 dark Chocolate Reeeses every morning with her coffee.

Danni, loves to knit and makes awesome sweaters.
She also loves to garden. Her garden is amazing.
She also is going to Europe to visit her son who is there going to college.
Poor Danni, has to go all the way to Rome to see her son. Don't you feel sorry for her!


We would like to thank all of you in blog land for welcoming us and leaving such wonderful comments.
Again, we thank you Wendy, from Classic chic home  Blog.

The Blue and White Jar!

Have you noticed that we are seeing more of the Jar! It is sneaking in among us. Quietly, it is stepping into the spot light!
Mary McDonlad

It is used in this soft sandy palette with the Jar taking front stage.
Shannon Bower

The very talented  Mary McDonald adds the Jar in a warm hued decor.  It works well!  

 Love how they can blend in as a rustic or an  elegant design element.
Mayme Baker

Can you guess who this home belongs to?  Our one and only, Joni!

Joni uses it again in her family room.

 Bunny Williams design

Mary, creates a beautiful out door get away with blue and white, you guessed it!  The Jar..

The New Country Kitchen...Meets Industrial.

This feels like a farm kitchen, but look at the windows, contemporary, and a little industrial. Did you notice the hood over the oven? This designer  has successfully balanced a mix of antiques and industrial styles together to create a very interesting and pleasing room.( Steven Gambrel.)

  This is far from the old country kitchens.
Pam Pierce  designed this beautiful kitchen.  She brilliantly mixed a farm table with an industrial island.

A mix of industrial and down home feel..  Paula Deen would love to be in this kitchen!
(Designed by Austen Patterson Architects)

 

Love the pot rack.( Canadian house and home)

(Designer Jackye Lanham)

The copper hood just brings in enough bling to give it a little sparkle. The barn wood top island gives it that old country feel.
(Sergreto designs)

Windsor Smith designed this kitchen with wonderful industrial chairs and a country looking island.  Another mix of Country meets industrial. 

This island was made from old barn wood.
(country Living Magazine)

Jackye Lanham

The bar stools that Karen blake used, in our opinion make this kitchen .They could have easily been in a contemporary room with a more modern influence.  What do you think of the new country kitchen?

A wonderful renovation with a fantastic view.

We wanted to show you this home we worked on. The home was completely renovated including gutting the kitchen. We added maple cabinets and granite.  Sorry, we don't have before pictures of the kitchen... but it had dark oak cabinets with an upper and lower row that cut the rooms in half. It now flows right into the family room.

The renovations took about 11 months.  It has a double wide door Sub Zero refrigerator / freezer . Drawer fridges  and an extra sink in the island. Then there are the double wall ovens and range by Wolf . Wouldn't that be a dream?

This was the before picture of the master bedroom.  It was very dark and out dated.

We added a window seat with beautiful pillows and drapery. 

This was the back yard before landscaping. It had 3 different levels. When the pool was put in, the dirt was used to grade the yard. Creating one big level area with the step down deck.

 The view is gorgeous. You could see the ocean.

 It started out as an old fashioned Tudor with dark wood and dark paint in all the rooms.

  There was a room added above the garage. Then it was lightened up inside and out while keeping it's classic Tudor origins. We would love to hear about your experiences with renovations.