Susan Dunis and Bettie Ward, 7th in a series

Artists either add the jewelry to an interior or they actually set the stage.  I have had projects in the past 25 years that did both.  If I had to say which single element in any given space would separate it from another, it would be the quality and the uniqueness of the artwork.

In my early years as an interior designer, I met two amazingly talented local, San Antonio women artists.  Susan Dunis whose canvas is uniquely glazed tile; and Bettie Ward, who works in color, on whatever medium apparently.

The possibility of using one of these talents to add sass to my interiors meant all difference for me. If my client would consent to Susan’s tile design for her kitchen backsplash or the water line of her pool, I knew we were going to do something unique and special. I loved Susan as a person, and I adored her creative sketches of hummingbirds and horses translated into three dimensional tiles. She was a pioneer in the tile industry, and I often wonder why there has not been more interest taken in her for this reason alone she is a San Antonio treasure.

I loved her tiles so much, when I built my Sunset office, I used all of the control samples from projects we had done together for the break room back splash. It helped remind me to be creative and to think in color, line, form and texture, no matter how dull the project requirements were.And, so many were dull –back then.

With Bettie, her grand paintings in their baroque frames, in my interiors were nothing but a guarantee for the unexpected.  I knew, even back then, they would never grow tired or common-all great colorists live on forever!

It became almost an inevitable token of an interior done by me:a Bettie Ward over the fireplace….so much so, I eventually, in my goal not to become a signature designer, had to refrain from introducing clients to Bettie’s work.

As with Susan’s tiles, I have my 2 Bettie Ward’s-but, at home, where I never grow weary of looking at them. They are like Susan and Bettie to me; old friends who remind me of years past with great memories and gratitude for the paths we crossed together, and the imagined spaces we helped bring into people’s lives –all more robust and abundant with personal style and artistic embraces because these artists cared enough to work with a designer just getting her feet wet in South Texas.

In the world of interior design, it is all about the details.  What better way to bring your tabletop décor full-circle than by a well-selected salt & pepper shaker?  Here we have some of today’s standouts to compliment contemporary, traditional, and whimsical place settings.  Enjoy!

1. 2.

3. 4.

5.6.

7.8.

1. http://www.michaelaram.com/nsite/productlist.aspx?cid=262
2. http://www.l-objet.com/
3. http://www.tonfisk-design.fi/products/salt_pepper.html#
4. http://www.nambe.com
5. http://www.l-objet.com/
6. http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod20340008&eItemId=prod20310053&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentd%253D25700
7. http://www.normann-copenhagen.com/
8. http://www.nambe.com/namb/ctl10101/cp42811/si3705228/cl1/mikko_salt_and_pepper?&path=c10101-def-USD-40604%23%23-1%23%23-1%7E%7Ec10101-def-USD-42811%23%230%23%239i%7E%7Enf156%7C%7C4e&query=Salt+%26+pepper&hits=45&sortby=int1&offset=&CategoryPath=

Rudy DeLeon, 6th in a series

There are some basic needs, in the form of human talent, which a professional interior designer MUST have in order to convert creativity into tangible work. Among these requirements is a top notch master upholsterer with an eye for detail and a propensity for transforming designer ideas into logically proportioned furniture.

When I discovered Rudy DeLeon and his team of well trained craftspeople, I found one major key to my success that has persevered for 25 years.  I have always raved that I have never had to send back anything-either custom or reupholstered-to Rudy’s workshop in all these many years.

I love to work with Rudy on the reincarnation of old pieces and antiques I find along the way.  He understands the integrity of frames, the correct webbing, how to give an older piece a more comfortable “sit”, and why that pitch is not accurate.  All of the engineering that I cannot be bothered with, but know is critical to the outcome, he educates me on.  As BDG designer Meredith Warnock so aptly says it, “working with Rudy is like taking a CEU (continuing ed course) in furniture construction”.

When I decided to remake my original living room sofa into a sectional for my family room last year,  Rudy knew exactly how to do it-he then knew how to add an extra piece when I realized it could have been longer! He is the original “green” furniture maker-re purposing pieces all these years…

Rudy’s wife Anne and he were more than generous with their assistance in re-upholstery work for the SAMM Home we did last year; pro bono.  They gave of their time and talents to help in transforming the dull space into a warm and cozy nest for the less fortunate to aid in getting them back on their feet.

I can tip my hat to Rudy for being one of my 25 Stars, and I can reiterate what I have already said to him many times, when he retires, I might have to as well…..he raised me and he raised the bar so high, I do not think there would be another in this aspect of the interior design business I could trust and lean on so completely.  Bless him!

Rodeo time in San Antonio is all about fun, food, livestock, rides, entertainment and good ole boot wearing, jean styles and cowboy hats galore!  Not to mention, a wonderful place to people watch.

The livestock barns are so fun for the young and the old; to see up close and personal, these ‘not so often seen’ creatures digging in the sand or cuddling their baby, it’s just such a precious site to see!

The biggest decision of the day is deciding on what ride to go on or what game to play first!  It turns out the winners were a spaceship ride and a quick basketball game…we even had some winners!!!

The moment you step out of the carnival section, you feel like you have just left a cartoon.  With so many bright colors and moving rides, it’s somewhat of an overwhelming experience!

And who can resist all the yummy but ‘oh so not good for you’ fair food!  Everything from jumbo corndogs to kettle corn popcorn, you are bound to go home with a semi upset stomach.

All in all, the rodeo is fun for all and every time it ends, I look forward to the next year!

My sweet tooth is relentless!  It is a never-satisfied, always wanting just one more “little” (translation: HUGE) bite of the most decadent concoction I can find.  Though sweets don’t last long enough for a lengthy display in our home, I still love to walk into a kitchen where a sumptuous dessert is beckoning my taste buds.  And while a classic glass-domed cake stand never goes out of style, today there is such a wide range of new and vintage pieces.  You can have as much fun with the stand itself as you will when devouring the sticky toffee pudding & caramel filling between the fluffy cake layers.   Mmmmmm!

The classic cake stand from Williams Sonoma.  Never goes out of style and doubles as a punch bowl.

Nambe is one of my favorite sources for serving pieces because they are so sculptural.  In my home, my Nambe pieces take front and center stage in my kitchen behind glass-front cabinet doors for year-round display.  This is the Nambe Morphik mini 2-tier cake server.

The square shape and simple details offer understated elegance from the Williams-Sonoma Square Cake Stand.

Kate Spade’s June Lane bone china cake plate is simple & elegant.

From Alessi, steel and plastic makes up a playful centerpiece dreamed-up by one of their youngest designers.

From Briggs House Antiques, this Art Deco-era stand circa 1930’s England is made of painted wood and has the original brass screws.

This English 2-tier Victoria cake stand is a beautiful combination of turquoise and gold.  I love the bloated oval shape of the bottom tier.

This vintage Austrian piece is an exquisite combination of cobalt blue and gold with the Royal Vienna Beehive Shield on the base.  The stand features an intricate design of game animals, floral motifs and neoclassical patterns.  See the collector’s website for more photos and picture of the shield.

Michael Aram uses cast metal to create this botanical-inspired cake stand, which reverses to be a pie plate.  Each piece is hand-hammered.

“Designers are only as good as their resources”.  It is an age old quote I have heard throughout my life.  My Grandmother said it about her Dallas decorator, my Mother said it about her West Texas male designer, and I have heard this factoid at cocktail parties from Miami to Madrid.

So, it comes as no surprise I set out, early on, to KNOW my fabrics, furniture, and the people who could access me to them.  Brought to the designer via exclusive showrooms in illusive centers around our country, these dealers became imperative to the establishment and success of my venture.

The Dallas Design District became my laboratory as soon as I set up business in San Antonio 25 years ago. Back in those days, the Design Center consisted of a few tightly bound blocks where the entire pulse of décor and design was contained.  We had no Crate and Barrels, West Elms, Target, or any home furnishing mail order catalogs.  It was either a dreary retail furniture store or the Design district for the furnishing of one’s home.

Because San Antonio had no design center, the showrooms had reps that traveled twice a year to make presentations to the “trade”–I preferred to travel to their showrooms, but did appreciate any rep who considered me important enough to be called on.  And, I have never forgotten …..George Nash was one of those very first traveling reps who called on me, treating me like I was “one of them”.  He now owns one of the country’s most chic and elegant showrooms, and has the finest upholstery line I am so proud to have placed in many beautiful homes these past few years when budgets would allow.

Noel Doniel, my fabric rep for the classic Scalamandre line of fabrics always assisted me in the showroom and called on me here in San Antonio.  He greeted me like I was an old friend, and from my first visit to this exclusive dealer, he helped me navigate the ways of the sample check outs and the finessing of custom trimmings.  He treated me like my business (though so small it was back then) was just as valuable as the big Dallas designer and her 2 assistant she had helped before me.

I did a lot of business with Boyd Levinson as a developing designer.  Most of their lines were “over my head”, but by spending so much time in that showroom and visiting with the owners and personell, I gained tremendous insights into the level of design I was looking to anchor.  After Ken Boyd tragically died, I began a wonderful relationship with Joe Demoruelle who is my precious sales rep to this day.  He always goes the extra yard for me and any of the BDG designers, and we trust him implicitly-plus, he has this amazing temperament!  We know he is pestered beyond the imaginable with questions and information on lead times, quotes, finishes, custom sizing, but he never shows any form of irritation! I think he is near sainthood!!

My life as a designer would never be what it is had I not become so familiar with the EC Dicken showroom and its fabulous lines of furnishings.  This family owned, multi line treasure chest has fulfilled so many, many needs for my project requirements throughout the years.  I rarely make a trip to Dallas that  EC Dicken is not my first stop.  I adore Buzz Dicken, and we have developed a special bond that does not involve the excellent customer service and utterly gorgeous furniture I source from them….he provided the final blessing on our family’s acquisition of our beloved shih tzu, Chully Boy.  Buzz has a pair of these unique breed, and we are now forever bonded through this passion we have for our pups.  We love to show off each others dog photos before we discuss anything so mundane as luxury furniture these days!!

What I love right now is how the butterfly is being presented as chic and sophisticated.

A swarm of black butterflies cut from soda cans look as if they are flying out of a hole in the wall above the upholstered headboard. Seen in March 2010 Traditional Home Magazine

Large butterfly painting mounted on a black wall by Damien Hirst. (http://habituallychic.blogspot.com/search?q=butterfly)

Trompe l’oeil paintings of butterflies envelop the ceiling in Le Bellechasse hotel in Paris.  (http://www.lebellechasse.com/)

Biomimetic  Butterflies.  Laser cut from heavyweight drawing paper. Check out the installation images and video (http://mcleodbutterflies.com/installation/)

Seen in the Met Home January February 2009 Issue, interior designer Darryl Carter clusters butterflies in white frames on a white wall.

Butterflies made from maps.  Brilliant.  (www.Imagesurgery.com)

Cluster of butterflies in an antique glass dome made by the homeowner himself.  http://www.designspongeonline.com/2009/11/sneak-peek-lola-et-moi.html

Butterflies displayed individually can make a nice statement also.  Look at this beautiful bedroom. Need I say more?

Bye-bye cutesy butterfly.

Roy Braswell, 4th in a series

I have always referred to Roy Braswell as “boy genius”.  Because the years have just gone by too quickly, and I have no time to sort out dates, I cannot put the year on paper when I began working with Roy on his magnificent architectural designs, but we did begin a slew of projects together between 1998-1999.  Roy has always had that youthful demeanor, but so much innate sensibility and talent, for someone so much younger than the rest of us practicing at the time!  We are all pretty “seasoned” by now, and the age difference is not so obvious to most (I tell myself!).

The most glorious projects a designer could imagine have been conceived at the hand of Roy.  Working in collaboration with Roy allows me to keep my designs as a response to the architecture rather than as an entity into themselves.  From our early work in builder specs to the most complex, historically correct, and stunningly magnificent homes we have done of late, working with Roy has been a process of gracefully swimming in unison.

Everyone I know loves Roy-they either consider him a kid brother or wish their boyfriend/mate were like him!  Roy possesses that keen ability to maintain composure even when the chips are down and the client does not understand the design, bulks at the budget, or resists the schedule.  He has been an amazing example for me to model my own client interactions after.

One of my most memorable moments of working with Roy involved the office building we designed and built together.  It is one thing to work on other people’s projects as a team, but you really get to know one another when your own assets are at stake.

We were lucky (an understatement) to design a pair of benchmark residential projects for the same clients, a few years apart.  If I had to leave my design career today, I would do so knowing I had been given the opportunity of a lifetime that only a few of the most blessed are given, to have worked hand and hand with Roy on those architectural wonders.

Roy has helped me raise the bar since the day I first started working with him. The uber conservative late 80’s and early 90’s in Texas made me feel I was always “designing on a dime”; when I met Roy, I realized……if you design it really well, they will come.

(Part one of two)

There has been a decorative invasion at The Broadway and BDG is the guilty party.  We were asked to design two of The Broadway’s model units to give prospective condo owners a better idea of how their space can be used.  To showcase the dramatic transformation of going from an empty box to a well-appointed home, I snapped a few before and after shots.  The first of the two model units featured in this series is the Astor floor plan; a 1200 square-foot condo with one bedroom and 1.5 baths.  The scheme is art deco-inspired, flooded with warm, soothing tones, and features custom rugs and vibrant artwork throughout.

Dining Room:

Living Room:

Kitchen:

Master Bedroom:

Master Bathroom:

This model unit may be purchased as well.  For more information, contact The Broadway.

To Be Continued …..

Because I took a spur of the moment trip to Santa Fe last week and need to share the spirit of one of America’s favorite locations for a “get away”.

We were thrilled to be able to fly right into Santa Fe on American Airlines, rather than the rental car ordeal and trek from Albuquerque. The airport is vintage in Santa Fe-even the public restrooms have the fabulous original terra cotta tile with black and turquoise accents.

It was near bitter cold, but the pure, fresh snow covering the Village made it worth suffering the freezing temps.  This is not the “tourist season”, unless you are skiing, so the streets were very quiet and the shopkeepers and restaurateurs were especially thrilled to see us.

The new Auberge de Santa Fe, a few miles outside the center, is a modern interpretation of Santa Fe that was perfectly executed and very contemporary. I would love to be there for a destination wedding or a celebration of sorts.

Even if you are not a fan of the region, one cannot help enjoying the food, shopping, culture, and architecture of Santa Fe.

I hit all my favorite spots, and especially enjoyed the furnishings offered in the cozy setting at the ACC.  I love the antique wall hung medicine cabinet I bought for someone’s future powder room; and the Valentine’s chocolate I am thrilled to being giving away form Todos Santos.

After looking for almost 2 years for an antique Santo to complete the Spanish residence we wrapped up last year, I bought it in Santa Fe!! Camille and I had been communicating with the dealer via email and phone for many months, but I was reluctant to make the deal. When I saw the ancient beauty of St.Jose and learned he was the patron saint of the home, I knew I would find nothing more suitable. I also learned Santo is the generic name for any carved religious icon-the correct term for a figure carved on all sides is a Bulto.

On the final morning of this delightful week end, I celebrated my birthday with great friends and a delicious brunch at the historic La Fonda Hotel. The dining room has been restored to its authentic grandure, and the renewed fireplace was sensational. The original back painted glass had been cleaned, restored, and refreshed-a whimsical, artistic touch of Santa Fe charm.