Posts Tagged Interior Design
Bronx Mowgli and Celebrity Baby Rooms
Welcome to the world, Urban Jungle Simpson-Wentz!
On Thursday, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz became proud parents of a baby boy, whom they named Bronx Mowgli. Yes, Bronx Mowgli. Urban Jungle. Now, this is an interior design blog, so I’ll reserve judgment on this kid’s moniker (see The Daily Beast for hipster names to avoid) and, instead, celebrate little Bronx’s birth with cheers/jeers (or the baby equivalent, gurgle/poop) to the rooms of fellow celebrity babies.
*WARNING: composite photo courtesy of “Mommy, Will I Look Like?” Not actual baby results. Ashlee and Pete have not yet sold the first photos of Bronx Mowgli to People, Us Weekly, OK!, In Touch, or Star (but Papa Joe to has already secured deals for Bronx’s first birthday, potty training, school field trips, awkward puberty phase, and high school graduation)*
*WARNING 2: These “A List” celebrities offer their children’s rooms contingent upon their privacy being kept. That being said, most of these celebrities are not on the “A List”; they’re just begging for attention.*
Jaime Pressly
For her child’s jungle theme, Pressly bought custom pieces and commissioned an artist to paint panels inspired by The Jungle Book. The stuffed giraffe and other stuffed animals are from FAO Schwarz.
Although the room is very heavily themed (talk about beating it into the ground) and the child can enjoy nightmares associated with giant African predators looming over him each night, the sleigh crib seems climb proof, and the slats are close enough together so the baby’s head can’t get stuck.
VERDICT: gurgle
Jessica Alba
Part mod, part Victorian vintage, Alba keeps all that baby stuff to a minimum, and instead, plays up the child’s future cool factor when the crib is no longer needed. Much of the furniture in this room is designed with sustainability in mind.
There sure is a lot of pink in there, but surprisingly, it’s not overly frilly. The juxtaposition of the ornate light fixtures and the British invasion LOVE print make this room just right for a baby who’s a future It-Girl.
VERDICT: gurgle
Brooke Shields
A simple, calm space makes up Shields’ room design, created by Wendy Bellissimo. Not totally made up already, this room can be re-designed as her kid gets her own personality.
Well, it looks like a real (the window), usable (the hamper) room, but SNOOZE…
VERDICT: poop
Jennifer Lopez
For her twins, Lopez mastered a space that is as glamorous as she is. We can’t confirm it, but all of these pieces were probably custom made, hand sewn, and finished with the tears of an angel.
Let’s cut to the chase here, what kind of room is this for a baby (besides baby Liberace)? If I were a kid, I’d be terrified to spit-up in here, and my nanny would probably get fired if J-Lo ever found out I did.
VERDICT: poop
Christina Aguilera
The Nintendo inspired wall decals were Aguilera’s husband’s idea. In this large space, the baby’s crib is front and center, and offers the child a 360 view of all the wonder that’s in the room.
Is that giant moon made of metal? For the child’s safety, I pray not. I get the whole whimsical/celestial thing, but it’s a whole lotta look going on.
VERDICT: gurgle for Jordan Bratman’s input, poop for Christina Aguilera’s design (like I’d ever trust her to dress anything)
Amanda Peet
Peet readily admits she’s a big copycat, but she claims this was all organic inspiration. The “Funny Girl’ poster is the centerpiece for her child’s room, and the textiles, clean lines, and lack of “nursery” elements come from a Scandinavian design aesthetic.
How cute is that owl? This room is perfect for a privileged but street-smart kid from New York who uses only “Toms of Maine” toothpaste.
VERDICT: gurgle
Britney Spears
I got this photo from typing in “Britney Spears nursery” into a search engine, and according to the website, the picture is from a German publication that received a tour of her home. If it’s actually Spears’ nursery for her firstborn, it looks like she bought everything from QVC’s porcelain doll showcase hour.
Scary. Like, on a Michael Jackson level.
VERDICT: poop
Add comment November 26, 2008
Interior Design Presidential Dream
I have a dream. Well, actually, I had a dream last night. Normally I don’t remember my dreams, but something was special about this one. I’ve never put much faith into decoding the meaning behind dreams, but last night’s subconscious journey inspired me enough to share my vision of future interior design horror with everybody.
I found myself at a stairway leading into darkness, greeted by a familiar raging elderly face: Presidential hopeful John McCain.
Dream-induced monsters usually don’t bother me, but McCain’s sinister glance left me anxious and uncomfortable, and I was concerned the stairway would lead me to the gates of hell itself.
I was led somewhere far worse.
Suddenly, I was engulfed by ferocious lipsticked pit bulls. McCain disappeared without a trace.
“Where has he brought me?” I thought, “What is this?” I started to panic. Frantically trying to get my bearings, I came face to face with evil, but instead of fear, all I could think was, “It’s so… tacky???”
I was trapped in a dark room with absolutely no flair and zero class. Palin’s dungeon not only smelled like it needed a visit from MerryMaids, but she had no idea what to do with the place. Her bland personality created the most unimaginative evil lair in history. I felt bad for the pit bulls. No creature should have to exist in such a tepid space.
It seemed like there was no escape from this vapid prison, but without warning my dream shifted into another room, only it seemed that I had been led to another part of Palin’s passé dream habitat.
Is there any room in the campaign budget to give this woman a copy of Home & Design Magazine? Thankfully, rescue wasn’t far away (thanks brain!) and Future President and all around cool-guy Barack Obama swept me off of my feet and onto his dreamy hover board. Soon we were far from Palin’s stink station and seated in one of the most beautifully lavish headquarters I have ever seen.
A 30’ hand crafted Persian rug covered a Greek marble floor, mahogany chairs draped with Moroccan silk, Wilshire alabaster glass pendant hanging light fixtures. Everything was rich and magnificent and fit for a king—a king with style.
As quickly as we arrived, we were gone, off enjoying Obama’s very own library. My dream was really getting into gear now! Pure oak shelves lined with thousands of books from across the globe… and he had read every single one.
After sharing with me secret words I can no longer remember, Obama took my hand, asked if I was hungry, and then we were off to dine in pure elegance and style.
When I woke up, I realized how deeply this presidential campaign had permeated my subconscious. An intensely detailed dream about politics and interior design can’t be healthy.
Poor pit bulls.
2 comments November 3, 2008
Haunted House Interior Design Tips
October unleashes the truly twisted interior designer inside us all. As a kid, my block degenerated into the haunted house World Series every October 31st, as my dad squared off against the neighbors to see who could summon the most frightening haunted creations.
By the time my siblings and I reached high school, the spirit of Halloween had evolved into a serious design competition. Neighbors that were family friends 11 months out of the year became bitter rivals as the haunted house arms race began to escalate each October. Now that I’m older and have my own interior space to play with, I am ready to carry on the family haunted house tradition. I’ve decided to share a few trade secrets I’ve picked up over the years that will help Real Talk readers maximize their frightening designs. Any reader tips would be greatly appreciated!
The first thing to consider is what kind of space you have to work with. If you’re haunting your backyard, it’s obviously going to follow a different plan that an indoor haunted house, the same principle extends to haunting a school or business, you must change your goals depending on where you are decorating. I’ve known plenty of people who get supplies from their local lumber yard or party store and discover they were the wrong dimensions. Measure, measure, and measure… your measurements must be as accurate as possible. Of course, if you are an experienced interior designer, I probably don’t need to tell you that, but it’s always worth noting.
When designing your house keep a specific target audience in mind. My father may have enjoyed his own twisted glee by scaring children (believe me, we got more than a few crying kids escorted out of our backyard by angry parents), but luckily I think we can assume that he is the exception. So if your haunted house is targeted towards children, don’t go over the top with gore. No severed limbs spurting blood, no axe wielding maniacs chasing the patrons. Maybe a Frankenstein with a silly face or a plastic cauldron with dry ice inside to make it look like some kind of witches brew (but dry ice can be dangerous so don’t let kids touch it). Of course, if you do opt for crazy maniacs stalking your house patrons, make sure you advise them to take it easy on the children. Adding a real human touch to the house is a good idea, and its usually really easy to recruit friends and family to run around and scare people in your haunted house, because it’s really fun. Just make sure they don’t get carried away.
One item that is a necessity for any haunted house is the fake gravestone. This is a very simple prop; you can cut them out of Styrofoam or buy them at a party/costume store. Write whatever you want on the front (we all remember the stones from The Simpsons Halloween special with humorous engravings such as “Bambi’s Mom” “Lose Weight Now Ask Me How” “Slapstick” and “American Workmanship”). These fake gravestones are a perfect way to set the mood without spending too much money.
Another essential tool is haunted lighting. There is an infinite number of ways to set up Halloween lighting for your haunted house. Just remember that dark is scarier than light, so you have to be subtle. Use your lights to craft creepy shadows to step up the horror. There is usually a wide array of lights available at any party or costume shop, especially around Halloween time. There are lights shaped like bats, pumpkins or any other creepy element you want. Even department stores like Wal-Mart of Target will carry decorations such as these. To upgrade the fearsome atmosphere, music or ambient scary sounds are a must. Again, most stores will carry Halloween sounds during October and the right sounds in the right parts of your haunted house can really add to the spooky ambiance.
In addition to sounds and lights, a smart ghostly designer never skimps on plastic/rubber creepy crawlies. Buy kilos of fake bats and bugs and place them strategically around the haunted house to add that extra bit of fear and shock to the haunted experience. Another fun ghostly technique is placing a white sheet over a helium balloon, it will look like a ghost is hovering overhead!
Last but not least, consider your budget and be realistic. It’s easy to get excited and go overboard while designing a haunted house because the creative possibilities are endless. If you design a ridiculously scary haunted house but don’t have the money or time to execute it properly your devilish plans could fall apart before your eyes, but don’t let that restrict your ghoulish dreams, get motivated and be creative! There’s no reason you can’t make your neighbors jealous, because creativity and financial resources don’t always have go hand and hand.
2 comments October 15, 2008
Worried about the financial collapse? Learn how to turn your cardboard box into a cardboard home!
Earlier this week the House rejected the Bush Administration’s $700 billion bailout proposal — the always informative and unbiased Wall Street Journal explained it as, “a stunning turn of events that sent the stock market into a tailspin and added to concerns that the U.S. faces a prolonged recession if the legislation isn’t revived.”
Today, after an eternity of contentious and frequently poignant debate, the federal government’s extensive and historic plan to bail out the nation’s financial system was signed into law by the always insightful President Bush. Although this plan is meant to stabilize our economy and build consumer confidence, there is still a great deal of fear and confusion in middle-class America. As this fear spreads across the internet like a pack of drunken wombats ghost-riding through Sydney, everyone is coming up with ideas on how to cope with our new economy. I noticed a post on Yahoo! Answers where a particularly drunken marsupial raised one of the best points I have heard throughout this entire debacle.
The answer to this question is simple: you are going to feel awful. But you will feel better once you’ve upgraded that cardboard box into your personal pimping penthouse. Here are some things to keep in mind when moving into your new cardboard digs:
· Cardboard is versatile. Cut it, shape it, tape it, paint it; you’re the architect of your own dream home.
· Cardboard is environmentally friendly, being made up of about 2/3 recycled fiber and 1/3 virgin fiber.
· You can constantly upgrade your cardboard box home by adding rooms, or ceiling height. Don’t like it? Scrap it and find another box.
Who says that you can’t continue to live the life of style and elegance you were accustom to before our economy fell apart?
Here are some simple ways to turn your cardboard box into a cardboard home.
Step 1 — Find a scheme
You’ll want to consider several different designs to find the scheme that best fits your needs. Schemes are freehand sketches drawn to capture the essence of a plan under consideration, and they can be as simple as paper napkin sketches you designed at your local Yum Yum Donuts (they will gladly lend you a pen). Schemes are valuable tools that will help your initial vision materialize into a magnificent cardboard structure. This process normally takes three to six months, but since our economy is mushroom clouding towards your face, let’s be realistic and say three to six weeks.
Step 3– Develop the design
This is the phase of the process where dimensions are added to your schemes. Everything must be made to fit as you develop your scheme into a firmly dimensioned drawing.
Step 4—Be creative
Your box can be as beautiful/ horrendous as you want it to be. Perhaps you’d like to spice up your bedroom with a jungle theme sure to make your significant other shudders in fear pants with desire. Or maybe you’d like to keep your box simple with a modern minimalist theme of moldy beach towels and garbage. The possibilities are endless. Let your imagination run wild!
Add comment October 3, 2008
Hot or Not – Olympic Furniture
It’s no surprise that the 2008 Olympics are filled with western marketing ploys. The big interior design news is that Staples will be the official furniture provider for the international games. Staples has been much more low key about their Olympic involvement than fellow sponsoring giants McDonalds, but leaked information claims they are coming out with a Special Olympic Edition line of furniture, which brings us to abominations like this Olympic Web Cam.
The Olympic games may be magical, but that doesn’t mean everything they spawn is golden. There’s a fine line between spirited conversation pieces and tacky dust collectors. Staples hasn’t gone public with their Olympic line of furniture yet, but word is it will feature unique table and chair sets inspired by the five ring colors and the steel architecture of Beijing National Stadium (FYI: disillusioned stadium designer Ai Weiwei has a lot to say about the Chinese government).
There’s no telling how this furniture will look, but I think one should purchase furniture pieces that last longer than the next international sporting event. Buying furniture inspired by traditional Chinese design movements, like lacquered chests or shelving, might be a much better way to design with the spirit of the Olympics in mind. Buying a piece of furniture featuring specific 2008 Beijing Olympic themes could get old fast… really fast.
This solid rosewood Mahjong table set is classic and high quality. It would be a great personal reminder of the Olympics and it’s a piece that would last a lifetime.
Real Talk Design Verdict
Even though we haven’t seen it yet, we’re going to assume that Staples sponsored Olympic themed furniture is going to be more gimmick than substance, it’s definitely NOT something to purchase.
I hate to end on a negative note, the internet is filled with enough hate already. So I’ll leave you with this…
The most stunning example of interior design in the Olympics is the wonderful new subway designs created by Professor Song Xiewei, which now grace the Beijing Olympic subway branch line.
3 comments August 5, 2008
Design on Film – Lost in Translation
Last night I decided to take a midweek break and relax with Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation. It wasn’t the first time I had seen it but was the first time I noticed the amazing interior design, most noticeably in Bob Harris’ (Bill Murray) Park Hyatt Hotel room.
I can’t imagine any Tokyo interior style but the ultra-sleek and modern, which was executed marvelously in Bob’s hotel room. Our local surroundings have an obvious effect on how we decide to design and I loved how the cityscape visible through the window popped out from the rest of the room almost like a painting. You can see the immense, bustling city, which is a wonder in and of itself, and the more delicate and quiet room that it inspired in the same field of view. It’s like listening to a piece of music and knowing exactly what the musician was thinking when he or she wrote the song.
I feel quite differently about the bar and lounge area where Bob and Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) meet for drinks. In that room I was struck by the contrast between the cold looking city and the warm, welcoming bar. The deep colors and velvety textures do a lot to warm up the room, and I think the candles placed under the opaque shades add a nice finishing touch.
The design themes presented in these pictures showcase the different ways interior designers can play off the contrast between indoor and outdoor environments. The first room focuses on modern style and the second exudes a more familiar classic approach.
Want to share your favorite design on film? Give it a try over at the RealTalkDesign.com forum.
Add comment July 31, 2008
Hot or Not – Taxidermy
Interior design can communicate feelings and emotions that are hard to explain with mere words. This is a quality I think modern politicians should take advantage of. However, while pursuing this thought process I became helplessly stuck. I thought, “What aspect of interior design could possibly transcend the social and economic boundaries needed to unite voters under a single leader?”
It hit me so suddenly I felt like a deer running across the highway
Taxidermy!
No one would look away from the television while Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union with the head of a Liger mounted on the wall behind him, and thinking about John McCain running his campaign with two majestic grizzly bears posing at his side gives me the chills.
The power of taxidermy was recently exhibited in Dubai, when Pakistani Artist Huma Mulji unveiled her display, “Arabian Delight,” at this year’s Art Dubai festival. The piece was inspired by the smuggling of contraband items through personal luggage and featured a stuffed camel squashed tightly into a suitcase. The piece stood out at the exhibition, and after the first night the display was removed because it portrayed a sacred animal in Indian culture in an offensive way.
Luckily, America’s most valued animals gain their stature by being the tastiest, so I think it’s safe to say that the majority of American’s would have no problem with steer heads mounted in the oval office above McCain’s desk.
If McCain begins a full taxidermy campaign, Obama will have no choice but to counter with an equally powerful strategy. Perhaps he could take Katy McColl’s advice and begin working with New Jersey road kill, which state officials have recently decided to stop collecting off the road. I’m not implying that Obama should don a fluorescent orange vest and scrape deer off the highway… but it couldn’t hurt.
The full power and influence of interior design has yet to be tapped in the realm of politics. I don’t know who will be the next President of the United States, but I do believe that a strong campaign focused on interior design, and specifically taxidermy, could decide Democracy’s next leader. Spread the word America, the future is staring you in the face.
Real Talk Design Verdict
Taxidermy is hot. Get it stuffed or get out.
Trying to decide what dead animal looks best next to your latest Minjun piece? Discuss at the RealTalkDesign.com forum.
3 comments July 29, 2008
Design on Film – The Dark Knight Legacy
This is the first installment of our new weekly series Design on Film, where we look at interior design as portrayed in some of our favorite cinematic adventures
A lot has changed in the past decade, but one thing’s still certain: people love Batman. The 1995 production Batman Forever was hot…when it came out.
A recent look at Bruce Wayne’s (Val Kilmer) Oliver’s People glasses and power ties sent me running back to Christian Bale and The Dark Knight. But not everything is dated; set director Elise ‘Cricket’ Rowland kept Bruce’s office spacious and sleek. Neutral color palettes are the smartest choice for an office, but all the gold shades were a little too glitzy for me. I think the light shades of Bruce’s office and corporate life were meant to contrast with the dark, cavernous bat world. This contrast in interior designs is subtle but important in setting the mood. It’s a little more obvious in the disparity between the ritzy, uptown sections of Gotham and the rundown back alleys: Wayne Enterprises’ ball versus Robin’s joyride and street brawl mishap. All the neon lighting used in the city, especially the glow stick creations that the city-people wore, reinforced the contrast between the uptown corporate and downtown worlds.
In Dark Night they made Gotham look more like normal Chicago, but the design inside Wayne’s inner sanctum had this wonderful minimalist-industrial look that I can’t resist (well done Peter Lando). Batman’s underground equipment room, where all the gadgets came to life, was simply an empty, fluorescent swathed garage. Usually, movie “equipment rooms” are plastered with clutter and animated thingamabobs (think Back to the Future or James Bond films) so the use of empty space in Dark Night was surprisingly effective.
Wayne interiors have this wonderful dark and sophisticated edge. To bad the outside view of Gotham looked so boring.
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11 comments July 26, 2008
