Unlike the fixtures or surfaces in the bath that are permanently attached to the wall or floor, wallpaper can inform a fleeting moment in time. Put it up/take it down.

Language and the written word is everywhere….painted on ceramics, stitched into carpets, written in manuscripts illuminated by extraordinary calligraphy. Illustrations of the rich iconic traditions of the Muslim societies are breathtaking.

As you move through the galleries, you travel from dynasty to dynasty. The extraordinary diversity and complexity of patterns, shapes, materials, ornamentation and colors is astounding. All of the objects were produced in the cultural centers of Muslim dominated societies over a period of 1300 years. It is a dynamic presentation, compelling, inspiring and visually resplendent. There are small objects that require a close and intimate look and grand carpets with flowers, figures and abstract shapes. This is a must see and often revisited visited installation.

Personal preferences are expressed in the choice of the unusual chair; its tall t-shaped back and turned legs, the pattern of the soft colored upholstery are subtle while the bright colored robe adds an element of surprise. Leafy green plants and art as well a beautiful natural light fully articulate an expression of style and taste.

I’ve chosen some other tile colors to illustrate the grout color conundrum.The grid, texture and architecture all contribute to the decision about grout color.  I recommend testing the grout by setting a square foot of the material you are installing on a piece of plywood and dusting some of the grout powder into the joints.  The color will be close and make your decision less abstract than holding up a 1/4″ plastic stick or piece of paper that is on the grout chart.

One last piece on grout in general. I highly recommend the smallest possible grout joint. This bit of advice applies to handmade tile, dimensional stone and dust pressed tile.

The bath that Jeff created for Kris Jenner is in the style of an old Hollywood boudoir. It is glamorous and sophisticated and suits her “camera ready” lifestyle. It has a makeup area with custom strip lights and commercial (but attractive) salon chairs to rival the best dressing room. The custom designed black and white floor anchors the room and is softened by the warm color on the walls. The black and white photographs and upholstery ground the room in its’ stark palette but the mirrored front cabinetry adds just the right amount of shimmer. This room has decidedly 1930′s glamour and 21st century comfort. A perfect interpretation of a bold design concept infused with functionality and comfort.

Jeff Andrews – Design
jeffandrews-design.com
@JeffAndrewsDSGN 

100 N. Gardner St. | Los Angeles, CA 90036
info@jeffandrews-design.com | 323-965-9777

In the 1880′s sportsman and boaters began to frequent the island and a small seasonal hotel was built. By the 1890′s Henry Flagler, a Standard Oil entrepreneur transformed the island from a sleepy sportsman’s paradise to a world renowned resort. Local lore has it that the first real house was a cottage built in 1886 by a retired Denver business man with a taste for the pristine hunting and fishing in the area. It is said that it had marble floors, stained glass, a mahogany staircase and a tower with views in every direction. The cottage, a lake to ocean front property, was later purchased by Henry Flagler. It was on this property that the first enormous hotel was built, the Royal Poinciana design by Carrere and Hastings. It became a focal point for Palm Beach social life with gold, tennis, parades, walking and bicycling and the whole island became a world famous destination.

The hotel boom created an opportunity for the development of a residential infrastructure. Subdivisions were laid out and speculative houses were built on interior streets in the Mission influenced Mediterranean style. Addison Mizner designed the first building in Palm Beach: the exclusive Everglades Club.  It set the standard for Mediterranean Revival style for some of the finest homes and clubs. This style features Venetian Gothic windows, Moorish latticed wooden balconies and cupolas from the Spanish missions of the American Southwest. Mizner’s own factories created handmade tiles, wrought iron chandeliers and expansive murals for the clubs and houses he designed.

Mizner created two shopping complexes in the 1920′s in the style of a Mediterranean village complete with tight pedestrian streets, lushly planted courtyards and colonnades of covered arches leading to and from Worth Avenue. You feel completely transported to another time and place dining outdoors in one of the courtyards.

In addition to many large and beautiful residences and the shopping plazas, Addison Mizner designed the Memorial Fountain Plaza near the Town Hall Square Historic District to compliment the shops and apartments on South County Road. Now called mixed use commercial establishments, they occupy the ground floor and offices and apartments on the second floors.

One of my favorite buildings of Addison Mizner’s is the Society of the Four Arts Building built in 1929. Originally built as a private club, the building was bought in 1947 and modified for exhibition galleries and a large auditorium. Mizner was a prolific architect, with countless commissions in a style appropriate for the climate and the grand living that is Palm Beach. His decoration, materials, texture and color are all inspiration for me.

There are so many kinds of stone, but for the purposes of this post I will talk only about the immense stone formations in the  Italian Apuan Alps, discovered by the early Romans who began quarrying it using the most primitive of tools. They used the material for great pieces of art as well as monumental structures. It was not until the 16th century that explosives were used to expose the material and release it from facade of the mountain. As more and more of the material was exposed, it transformed the landscape. If you travel to the area around Forte di Marmi today you can see great formations of white marble for miles and miles.

Different types of striations are found along the mountain range. Only through very careful sorting and selecting can a well blended and highly selective lot be achieved. A highly “select” assortment costs more than a random one, but in the end will cost less in less waste and installer time.

The area has about 275 active quarries. The material from the region has long been prized for its color and texture.  The most well known stone from the region is CARARRA. Its’ undertones are cool white to gray-white with medium to dark gray veins both thick and thin and a few splotches. The surface has elegant “arabesques”.  It is extremely versatile and well known, a classic choice, perhaps used a little too often especially in baths.

But there are a number of other remarkable whites:

CALACATTA : This material has a warm white ground with mottled soft and medium sized streaks in amber, gray and tobacco shades. It is quite inconsistent but a skilled and artistic installer will carefully dry lay the stone prior to installing it. He can then move stones around to elongate the veins and create a more consistent linear installation. It is considered a fine material and should give the impression of having an open vein configuration.

STATUARY: This material has fine to medium sized gray veins which create unique textures. The ground is pure white but like most of the material found in Apuan Alps, there is a lot of variation.  The material has to to managed for the most beautiful installation.

ARABESCATO: Minerals often grow from the impurities within the stone. The result of this recrystalization are veins and colored streaks. This creates a stone like Arabescato; a white ground that is significantly veined and patterned with dark gray elongated and flattened markings that circulate all over the surface. It is a magically aggressive stone that makes for a truly beautiful installation.

I have tried to illustrate all of the materials from this part of Apuan Alps and encourage you to look into the remarkable assortment before making your final selection.

Grand Central is a monumental place with hidden staircases, mysterious underground vaults, cavernous halls and even a secluded platform for arriving Presidents. There are 6 secret staircases, a gigantic 13 foot diameter clock with Tiffany glass that faces 42nd Street as well as limestone sculptures of Minerva, Hercules and Mercury. It is the world’s largest rail terminal with 43 platforms. The grand concourse is a half acre of Tennessee limestone and, if you take a moment to look up,  the constellations are painted on the the vaulted ceiling guiding travelers as they have for centuries.

It took 10 years to construct the terminal after nearly 3 million cubic yards of earth and rock were excavated from the property.  It sits on 48 acres with a  perimiter road that circles it and underground passages that link to the building beyond. Reed & Stem, a St. Paul architectural firm, won the competition to design the building (having designed other stations for the New York Central railroad). The New York firm of Warren & Wetmore, with connections to the buildings’ owner, William Vanderbilt, managed to become the architects along side the St. Paul group. It was not a harmonious relationship but the result was an extraordinary design inside and out.

After a long downward slide the New York Central railroad was virtually bankrupt with no alternatives to generate revenue; the station turned into a media circus with billboards, Muzak and any other commercial potential exploited without regard for architectural integrity of the building. It was not until 1990 after years of legal wrangling that Grand Central became a “Landmark” , thanks to the efforts of Jackie Onassis and many other civic minded New Yorkers.  Metro-North announced a $425 million dollar revitalization plan conceived by the architectural firm of Beyer Blinder Belle to transform the terminal into a destination. As it celebrates its 100th birthday, it looks fabulous.

I am writing about Grand Central for several reasons. It is architecturally outstanding, it has beautiful spatial quality, there are elegant details everywhere, I love the uncluttered walls, the soft palette, the American limestone and the romance of millions of people coming and going every day. It is an inspirational space. Don’t forget to have a look around the next time you pass through.

As a “modern” designer who has a passion for vintage, Thomas combines the practical with innovative, simplicity with sincerity. From raised paneled wall treatments, the traditional, to the slender profile of wood washstands, the modern, it is the architectural details that create his cohesive statement. This includes mixing materials and finishes for a balance that is both crisp and soft.

The use of furniture in the bath is one of Thomas’s trademarks. Not only does it add a personal touch but also a practical accommodation for sitting and storing. Furniture, generally, can convey a point of view.  Its message can be masculine or feminine, formal or casual, country or city and modern or traditional.  In Thomas O’Brien’s interiors, none of the pieces have to be marquee examples, just simply decorative and pleasing to the eye to create a synergy with other objects in the room. He likes pieces of furniture that don’t create a lot of fanfare, just good bones and sincere examples of a cabinetmaker’s best intentions.

A great bath combines beautiful lighting and fittings appropriate for the style of the house, a white and silver color palette, custom woodwork, vintage accessories, a little art and a small amount of upholstery for softness. In Thomas’s capable hands, all of these elements create memorable and comfortable experiences for bathing.