I spend a lot of time driving in my car for work. Commutes can be brutally frustrating so often I need something to keep me entertained. Here’s a few podcasts that keep me inspired on the go.

1. KCRW’s Design and Architecture (DNA)

This is probably the most informative and comprehensive 30 minutes on my IPod. Frances Anderton, who is also the L.A. editor for Dwell Magazine,  has covered subjects modern design, the environment and sustainability, as well as branding and  product design mostly with an L.A. spin. It’s helps me remember that I always have  more to learn, when it comes to design.

2. The Skirted Roundtable

On a biweekly schedule interior designers and bloggers, Linda Merrill of Surroundings, Joni Webb of Cote de Texas and Megan Arquette of Beach Bungalow 8 host a podcast that has featured, interior designers, authors and other industry insiders. It’s entertaining and informative and they seem to be a pretty good team.  Also, It’s wonderful to get inside information  and inspiration from designers  and editors that I may not have the opportunity to talk to otherwise. And, being a designer and blogger myself, they definitely touch on topics close to my heart.

3. The Splendid Table

Like DNA this is actually a radio show. While this podcast is not about design, I feel that in many ways it is about the concept of home. Bringing everything back to the dining table,  author and host Lynne Rosetto Kasper touches on subjects that cover the emotional connection with how we nurture ourselves. Kasper has spoken with authors,  historians, interior designers, poets, journalists and restaurateurs to seamlessly weave a show that is humorous, heartfelt and touching. Because food memories have played such an important part of my life, I can’t help but think of family and home whenever I listen. It also helps me remember that  we want clients to build new beautiful memories in the homes we design during the workday.

There are a few more that I listen to on the road.  I think I may need a Part 2 to cover the ones that I listen to that no longer broadcast but,I think this is a good start.  Aside from music,  what do you listen to on your commute?

No that’s not a typo. Recently,  along with Vouge Black, I’ve grown addicted to The New Yooxer,  the design webzine produced by yoox.com. It covers everything art and fashion to architecture. Featured interviews have included Angela Missoni and architect Zaha Hadid.

Currently the site has me obsessed with seeing Chiara Clemente’s film “Our City Dreams“, wherein she tells the story 5 different women artists of different ages, 30-80 and how they come to live and love New York.

Here’s the Trailer:

Hmmm…the city as muse, love it! Plus, the lives of artists completely fascinates me, so you know that this movie is calling my name.

I just put this movie on my Netflix list.

Julius Shulman defined Modernism through his photography. I’m pretty sure that it will have a permanent place in my inspiration library

I stumbled across photographer Iwan Baan’s photos of the Ahmed Baba Center in Timbuktu, Mali. A collaborative design effort by South African-based DHK Architects and Two Think Architecture,  The interior architecture is simply stunning. Take a look at this beauty for yourself.

Ahmed Baba Center, a library and research center was founded by the The Timbuktu Manuscripts Trust to collect thousands of manuscripts from as early as the 12th Century. Today’s Bright Star inspiration came from this interior, but I also love the beautiful vertical elements like the  lovely panels above.

It’s been a great week in Design Wonderland. Last night was our client appreciation day at work, which featured dinner and a concert at Wolf Trap to see Natalie Cole. I admit I slept on her her vocal prowess. I knew a few of her 70’s hits because I listen to a lot of 70’s soul music (right now my mother is probably shaking her head. Hi Mom!). Yesterday,when I heard Ms. Cole live, I was transported to my happy place. Good music, especially, in the summer always makes me feel like I need to be close to the water. Growing up in Maryland, my family would head to the beach in a heartbeat and music was always a necessary element of those trips. Instantly I wanted to beach front in a room like this one, playing my music loud, laughing, and dancing.

Anyhoo, Let me tell you about the Filene Center at Wolf Trap. It is a GORGEOUS wood structure  in a beautiful park  (no water) that has perfect acoustics. There was this amazing breeze , like the warm wind coming off the shore and crazy me, amidst all this good music kept thinking about being waterfront. I’m sure the structure is supposed to be reminiscent of a barn, but all I could think about were boats.

{the filene center at wolf trap}

I always think of these things in reference to the concept of home. Then I saw this waterfront home on Dwell, which recalls the structures of both a barn and boat. Something like this is what I had in mind…

I actually have two dream home fantasies. One is a farmhouse and the other a waterfront home. Did I mention that they need to be in a city? And by city mean bustling metropolis. I know crazy, but that is why they are fantasies. I also daydream about design boat interiors.  In the meantime I’m storing this home in my reference files. I wonder how the acoustics are…hmmm.

If you get a chance, listen to some music that moves you and dream of home. I’m firing up Rufus and Chaka,  Minnie Riperton, classic Pointer Sisters and of course, Natalie Cole.  Happy Weekend!

xoxo, Jessica

Hi everyone! Here we are again at the end of another week. I’ll be travelling next week to meet my brand new nephew. I’m very excited but even though I’ll be away, I’ll be posting. Forgive me if it’s a little irregular.

Anyhoo,  Part 2 of  my photography class started last week. The first assignment was taking photos in black and white, or as my camera calls it, monotone.  Void of color,  I quickly noticed the importance of texture, contrast, pattern, as well as positive and negative space. It was like I was transported to, Michelangelo Antonioni’s L’Eclisse. There’s nothing like 1960’s Italian cinema.  Everything is poetic. In fact, the film, let the interiors, landscape and architecture of Rome communicate the emotions between the main characters. There aren’t many words ; the genius is that you fill in the space between the lines.

{l’eclisse images from chicago sun-times and film log}

My photo assignment also inspired today’s choice of interior which also reminded me of the film. Rich in texture and pattern but void of  hues, the  Dallas loft of Alice Cottrell has a bit of that spare 1960’s cinematic feel. It’s got romance, but a lot of it is left up to you to fill in the blanks.

Having torn down many of the walls to create openness and room to breathe, it doesn’t look like this space could be 700 sq ft does it? According to the Elle Decor article furnishings like the custom 16 ft sofa play with the eye’s spatial perception, also making the room look larger.  Also, I believe the Castiglioni Arco lamp also plays with the eye’s perception of the room. Also I can never get enough of the Womb Chair and that stunning damask wallpaper.

{images from elle decor and alice cottrell interior design; photography: jack thompson}

Cottrell created a poetic dialogue between the building’s 1960’s architecture and the interior space, while keeping it modern and livable with some romance thrown in for good measure.  Luckily she left enough room for us to create the rest of her gorgeous loft’s story.

I’m off to work and get camera happy…

Happy Weekend!!!

xoxo, Jessica

Today’s Theme : I must get back to Paris…soon

The other day, while wandering the the interwebs, I discovered the most gorgeous thing— The Kenzo Concept Store and a stunning video to go with it called Le Renouveau Kenzo (I think renouveau means renewal or revival, please excuse my rusty French and please correct me). Take a peak at the some of loveliness I witnessed.

The video is a beautiful showcase of the store’s unique displays combined with Kenzo’s lovely way with  mixing details and patterns in clothing and furnishings as well as poetic interior design details. See why I must go back (stuff clothes in bag)? If you get minute, check out the video in it’’s entirety and the fabulously worldly bohemian clothes. I guarantee you will be as enthralled (or rather, seduced) as I am.

Renowned artist Sam Gilliam’s home that he shares with gallery owner Annie Gawlak was recently featured in Home and Design Magazine.

I enjoy the mix of eclectic furnishings, a mix of  upholstery, African accents, antiques and modernist pieces juxtaposed against the art-filled home.

Designed by Interior Designer Mary Douglas Drysdale,  she made point to celebrate the home’s architecture by revealing  the  joists, but softened them  from their raw form with a coat of white paint.  To warm up the space color is infused throughout with  furniture and art. The end result: the home as an art gallery. However it isn’t sterile or cold; it manages to celebrate art and still be inviting.

But what do you think? Is it too much like living in an art gallery? Would you want to see more or less color in this home?

As you may  or may not know the Architecture and Design community was hit really hard by the recession. But I’m loving this story about three different architecture studios that sprouted up despite the recession’s nasty gray cloud.

If the fashion fairy was to betow one fashion week wish on me, it would be to stay at the Hotel Missoni in Edinburgh, Scotland. Designed by Rosita Missoni in conjuction with Architect Matteo Thun, they used the hotel’s design as an opportunity to highlight Missoni Home and expand the Missoni brand.

{images via hospitality design}

Pops of energetic color and design materials help to translate the fashion house’s textured geometric knits into interior decor. But it’s those oversized urns and  those fringe drapes that have me swooning (seriously I’m on the verge of passing out- and yes, I’m a tad dramatic).  Anyhoo, Missoni is planning three more hotels in South Africa, Jordan and Brazil, and I can’t wait to get a peak at those interiors. Can you say Hotel Missoni Cape Town? I’m ready to pack my bags!

Have an amazing weekend!

xoxo,

Jessica