Architectural Digest interviewed Simon Doonan who explained the steps he undertook with well known American interior and product designer Jonathan Adler in building their island getaway shelter. For the architecture they hired Lisa Gray and Alan Organschi of the Connecticut firm Gray Organschi Architecture, in addition to Hamptons builder Carlos Routh.
Totally independent, the UK and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards is the world’s only concept of its kind dedicated exclusively to hospitality design.
The Awards invites and receives entries from the world’s top architects, designers and hospitality operators.
Entries come from all types of environment including hotels, transport, business, industry, fine dining, education, sports and leisure, healthcare, government, aviation, cruise and retail.
The judges are a highly influential panel of top design, lifestyle & hospitality personalities, whose role is to recognise and reward entrants for design excellence. The winners of the various categories including the best designed restaurant and the best designed bar, will be announced at the RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London on the 6th September 2012. The shortlist was announced on June 20th, 2012 and included from the Middle East Cocteau restauranr designed by one of my favorite designers: Gregory Gatserelia.
The other day, I got to thinking about Interior Design and partial lobotomies. I wondered if there is no rapid surgical procedure to erase from the clients’ memory the house of their neighbors! I know plenty of interior designers that reported the same saying from their clients: I want the same design my neighbor has.
Trust me, for an interior designer, it is like playing professional Russian roulette and here is why; when the designer conceived the neighbor’s apartment, he or she got into the clients’ state of mind and living behaviors. He/ she orchestrated the interior perfectly in harmony with their lifestyle and desire. Thus for the other client to state wanting the same thing, maybe he or she should consider hiring the same designer, and still, the outcome will be different. I mean, it is like saying: I want the same sporty 2 doors car of my childless neighbor but with options to stuff the kids in the back!
When you think of a house or a restaurant or any kind of project, think of it as the theater set reflecting the owner. It is the stage where the action happens. It is the frame for the picture he took and you, as a visitor or customer in this space, are just sharing the experience offered. Let me give you a touch of reality: could the coffee chop designed for the series Friends be used in Sex and the City? It is doable and certainly economical but it doesn’t serve the concept; the first series meant to show the coziness and the personality of the characters, while the other series needed to express glamour.
It is not a vice to be different; Even God conceived sunrise and sunset differently. So the next time you intend to remodel a home or even a room, say I am fashionable, delicate or reserved and leave it to your Interior Designer to make of your Space, your Statement.
The title of the article is a quote by Dolly Parton
Written by: Pascale Azzi – Interior Architect/ DWorkshop
Architectural Digest, one of the world’s top architecture magazines, visited designer May Daouk in Beirut to feature her home. She was kind enough to take the editor on a lovely tour of Beirut and introduce him to some of Lebanon’s skilled crafts people and designers. With pride, I read the article and went through the beautiful slideshow with photos taken by Simon Watson. In the article, he lists the places he visited and includes contact details for the beautiful shops and galleries. I love how Beirut is portrayed this time as a source for art and creativity.To read the article and have access to the full slideshow visit Architectural Digest.
Kia Designs is an award winning, independent Interior Design studio based in London. Many of their projects have gained recognition from various national and international publications as they continue to provide clients with unique designs which reflect their style and needs.
I found this particular project pretty interesting, very calming with subtle use of design elements and beautiful materials such as signature furniture and fine materials.
