Designer Model Homes at Escala

When I was a child, our family used to tour the latest suburban subdivision's model homes for entertainment....To my young eyes, they were sumptuously decorated and had an almost unattainable aesthetic.

Last week, as a professional interior designer - and adult - I toured Escala at the invitation of Wipliance and previewed five units decorated by local designers: Jeff Lamb, Dixie Stark, Rich Holliday of Masins Furniture, Dana Hamel, and Polina Zaika-Musa.

Escala is a swanky, sophisticated, urban environment.  Many of the finishes are over the top, as evidenced by these photos of the lobby, above and left....













But Dixie Stark's design was warm and welcoming, above....

......and, though this unit was the smallest of the bunch, Musa Design managed a beautiful blend of contemporary and Asian furnishings, above.  (photo courtesy of Musa Design)

I love this remote-controlled entertainment unit by Wipliance - a great space-saving high tech case good, with a luscious finish....

Escala is definitely cool!

The Chronicles of Alliance Chiropractic's fabulous new office - Week 5

Progress report from Alliance Wellness at the Ruby!

We're almost in the middle now, aiming for completion by July 4th.....busy as bees.  Before and After pictures are so dramatic; these are almost like real time, like being there.  Can you smell the sheetrock dust?  It's kind of a mess (not a good idea to wear high heels and black to a job site like this) and not very pretty right now, but trust me - it will be so cool!

The walls are going up, the infrastructure is in, and the ceiling will be painted in a few days.  Here's the eventual reception desk.....

Stay tuned.  Don't touch that dial - it's going  to get very interesting!  (But we still need a coffee place next door.....)

Really cool discoveries.....

I was researching some European antiques for a project recently and came across a treasure trove of absolutely fantastic resources!  It all started with the March issue of House Beautiful.....and the article "Blue as a Titian", featuring the exquisite work of Babs Watkins, Julie Watkins Baker and the amazing Eleanor Cummings, above.

I researched Ms Cummings (who is very difficult to find, by the way) and, in the process, came across a great Houston home decor store and wonderfully amusing blog:  Indulge Decor, (check it out) which, capturing my attention like solving a good mystery, led me to some mouthwatering antique sites:

Kay O'Toole Antiques has some gorgeous, to die-for pieces like the items, above.  (Check out the Indulge Decor blog posting on Kay O'Toole's home!)

Tara Shaw has fabulous things  - true antiques as well as Tara Shaw Maison, a line of reproductions that I lust after.

Then there's Watkins Culver, which had this cabinet published in the April issue of Veranda :

 

And, also Robuck and Co

.......and Jacqueline Adams. 

Makes me want to take a trip down South to go antiquing!

The Chronicles of Alliance Chiropractic's fabulous new office - Weeks 3 & 4

The crew has been busy but changes since the last posting are subtle.

Electrical and plumbing infrastructure is going in now. 

 Tools of the trade, above.

Architect and designer making last minute adjustments to the lighting plan.

.......even the dogs are in on the action!










Soon walls will go up and, like a wonderful working sculpture, the office will emerge..... stay tuned!

The Chronicles of Alliance Chiropractic's fabulous new office - Weeks 1 & 2

So, everything was going so smoothly - until the walls were opened up, that is..... and it was revealed that the floor was two different heights!  Slight delay while more concrete was poured....

Concrete dried, framing went in..... See the future front reception desk, above.....

....and Dr Viv's new office......

Someday soon, there will be an Alliance Healing Arts sign out here, joining Ravish, Sushi Kappo Tamura, and Urban Smiles Family Dentistry - but we're still wishing that a coffee place would take the last remaining space......

The Chronicles of Alliance Chiropractic's fabulous new office - Prologue

My client and friend, Dr Vivian Ledesma, (who also happens to be my chiropractor), bought an office condominium in The Ruby on Eastlake Avenue East in Seattle. 

She asked me to help her design a warm, welcoming space - what fun!  Not only is she a wonderful, caring doctor but the best client ever, so of course I said "Yes!" and started gathering ideas and materials back in December.

There were too many bureaucratic issues to go into but everything came together in the final hours and she closed on April 12th - also her birthday! - then the team met to go over the plan of attack:

Architect:  Keith Smith, General Contractor:  Mike Johnson, Dr Viv......

The Designer.....moi

Great things are coming.....stay tuned!