Orient Express Dining Car with Lalique Inlay
Nina Petronzio's Blog
Interior design, furniture, fashion
A new look for the dining room in our Melrose Showroom. Gatsby Chairs and an amazing floral photography collection placed by our fine art curator, Linda Steinberg.
Inspired by the interior of a high-end private jet, I chose a high-polished, medium-warm wood finish with a contrast ebony leather top on our showroom sample of our Carlisle Coffee Table/Ottoman. Fresh out of the factory and now on display at Plush Home on Melrose starting tomorrow...!
The Carlisle Ottoman for Plush Home was designed specifically for a dual purpose as an ottoman/coffee table...and also works great in pairs for those extra large spaces. The removable tray and wood base is available in a large handful of finishes and the glass bottom shelf comes standard with a 1 inch bevel.
Dahlia’s come in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, and colors….all of which never disappoint. I love the dark purple/black color, but they seem to be more rare than not at our local flower shops.
Collecting accessories from our travels and heritage can be super fun in the process, but quickly becomes complicated when it comes time to display them. For a Santa Monica Beachside client, this was process was easy because I had many wonderful pieces from her personal collection to work into a classic-eclectic design scheme.
As a general rule, keeping items clean and organized draws importance to them (think museum...not flea market), and make sure to use pieces where they make sense as a grouping (mixing heights, finishes textures). In the foyer of this project, the antique mirror mixed with the new console and sconces ties together the client's eclectic accessory collection (which were chosen for their theme, materials and sizes).
It is believed that sconces originated in Italy. They consisted of a mirror or shiny pieces of metal that were mounted on a wall and reflected the light of a candle. Since then, the tradition of candelabra bulbs and gas lantern-style outdoor sconces lives on. Yet there are many selections to choose from that the process of selecting the perfect outdoor sconces can often be confusing. Here are some helpful hints to help you narrow down your decision...
1. Make sure that your sconce design works well with the style of your home. Don't place contemporary sconce designs on a Colonial house, or the other way around. Sconces should add a subtle elegance to your space...not stand out like an overly large and shiny piece of jewelry.
2. Keep all of your outdoor sconces consistent. What goes in the front yard, goes in your alley, and goes the back yard. A steady "flow" makes the difference between a finished look and a random one.
3. Keep the lighting subtle. Let your sconces add ambiance. Don't place 100 watt bulbs in them unless you are going for the outdoor mall parking lot vibe. If you have safety concerns, place motion sensitive flood lights were needed, but leave the sconces low (25-40 watt bulbs if you are not using a dimmer).
Kitchens are a design statement, because they are no longer strictly used for cooking. They have become a living, gathering, and social environment for family and guests. So in this new renovation for a Santa Monica ocean view high-rise, my goal was to create a clean and fresh look...without making the space look sterile and charmless.
To counter the parapan acrylic, high-gloss cabinets, I specified Carrera marble slab countertops, natural wood for the cabinet interiors, and Ann Sacks tiles in brick application for the backspalsh.
As manufacturing moves overseas, American jobs go with it. We launched our PLUSH HOME furniture line 8 years ago in Los Angeles and remain committed to keeping our craftsmen and manufacturing here here at home, along with purchasing all our "ingredients" from California vendors.
The Los Angeles Design Trade Registry features a dining room from my Encino project on this years cover (showcasing Carlisle Dining Chairs). You can pick one up at the Pacific Design Center (the Blue Whale).
