Carrie's Design Musings: March 2012

Spotlight On: Alfredo Paredes

Alfredo Paredes is living the Ralph Lauren dream; Hell, he helped create the RL dream! As the executive VP and chief creative officer, Alfredo is responsible for guiding the company's vision of curating the evocative environments that we all want to step into.

He and his partner writer Brad Goldfarb moved into and renovated an East Village loft that was recently featured in Architectural Digest

This magnificent space was a former hospital, and then a music school. Alfredo saw beyond the flaws and challenges, as a creative mind does, and reimagined the 2,500 sq. foot penthouse. The 80's aesthetic was replaced - and with an air of history and a modern quality, an artist garret was born.

I love how you would naturally feel enveloped in warmth, and it has oooh la la, so much style

The couple's last apartment below was featured in Elle Decor some time ago. Have style, will travel. From store design to consistent product presentation, the vision is pure Ralph Lauren. From Madison Avenue to the Mountain Modern collection, I'll dip my toes into this lifestyle anytime.

AD ph: Miguel Flores-Vianna, Elle Decor ph: Pieter Estershon

Dining By Design 2012 ~ Part Deux

HBA

Minimalist zen space by architect David Ling. A clever use of corrugated light boxes and niches. All you have to do is pull up a railroad tie and have a seat

Fine rooftop dining replete with a pigeon or two by another architect, Arpad Baksa. The attention to detail did not go unnoticed.

Libby Langdon for Liebherr combined two of my favorite things ~ great lighting by the way of a wine bottle installation by By Gordon Living and Ikat for a rustic elegant effect. Note to self: find a client who can use this fixture!

And speaking of elegant, Maya Romanoff does what they do best ~ Simply elegant, sophisticated, fashion forward wall coverings rooted in nature, inspiring my favorite table. Their bedazzled paper was the perfect compliment to the melange of elements.

Mark Cunningham's table honoring the Ralph Lauren EVP and chief creative officer Alfredo Paredes.
DIFFA's Dining by Design 2012 was honoring Mr. Paredes for his many years of service as a trustee.

And... the Ralph Lauren room, not just a tablescape, never disappoints. That's what I love about RL, they (he) always want to set the stage for an experience. No matter that is was an unseasonably warm March day. The icicles, frost, and fire made me long for winter to last a little longer.

Let's talk more about Alfredo Paredes next time, shall we?

ph:CLI

Dining By Design 2012

The designers participating in Dining by Design once again wowed me. I love equally the vignettes that inspire and show you something you can do at home and the outrageous, "just for fun" vignettes that are meant to be marveled at

Best use of a slinky goes to Designlush

David Stark for Benjamin Moore created a vignette around their color stories collection. It did not go unnoticed that Shades of Grey was 1 of those stories. Did you see my 50 Shades of Grey post? The stories came to life via the intricate laser cutouts.

Dufner Heighes made their feelings known about same sex marriage via a table top tableau

One of the most fun tables was done by the New York Design Center styled by Alexa Stevenson.

It must be all the people she'd like to have at a dinner party who are no longer with us. Who would you love to have at a dinner party; dead or alive?

Each place setting represented the personality of the deceased guest. I cracked up when I sawBubbles the monkey sitting in Michael Jackson's chair.

And poor Elizabeth Taylor with all those unsightly liquor bottles. That's not how I think of her, but she's with Richard now.

The chair with the now famous red bathing suit draped over it belongs to Farrah Fawcett

Andy Warhol might have been busy painting a portrait of Coco Chanel sitting to the right of him while she was talking shop with Emilio Pucci

come back for part deux next time where elegance is the theme

ph: CLI

No Joke~ Lost Velázquez Found

A man walks into an auction house and says, "I'd like to consign this painting ." The appraiser says, "How much do you think it's worth?" The clueless man says,"I think about $500.00"

Turns out after it was appraised, it was discovered that the portrait was a lost Diego Velázquez. Diego Velázquez was a Spanish master, considered one of the great Baroque style painters; who painted for the royal Spanish court in the 17th C. It sold at Bonhams auction house for $4.7 million dollars and was still considered a steal.

The moral of the story is, "When in doubt, get it appraised"

A Prickly Post

A Cactus trompe l' oeil sofa ~ "Where sitting on thorns becomes playful and ironic." Created by
Maurizo Galante. I'd like to meet the person that owns one of these!

Valentina Gonzalez Wohlers

Digs Digs

A colorful backdrop of cacti sets off Missoni for sure

While most people automatically think "Southwest", it can (and should) be taken out of the desert and into the most modern of settings. The juxtaposition makes it cool!