Thought I would share a custom furniture piece we just had made for a client recently.
The client wanted a piece that would seat a couple of people. Instead of purchasing something new, we decided to use an extra piece the client had leftover from their old sectional. It had just been sitting in storage so we decided to give it a new life.
Here is what the sectional piece looked like before:
And here it is with new skin and a new life:
Sharing experiences with one’s friends makes life fuller and richer, whether sipping the perfect wine, sampling an incredible recipe, sinking into a comfortable sofa or watching American Idol. Whatever the reason, everything is secondary to simply visiting with our friends and enjoying the warm hospitality of their homes.
I have gathered with a small group of friends over the last five years, under the guise of watching American Idol, to plan graduation parties, Fiesta celebrations, trips to Italy and new design schemes. Occasionally, there’s a slight lull in the conversation and we actually glance at the flat screens that have transformed our family rooms into high tech media centers.
However, we do enjoy American Idol and we do take time to appreciate each other’s homes, from the subtle details like the freshly cut zinnias in the foyer to the distinct, but fabulous, new fuchsia chenille sofas in the family room. Coupled with our favorite wines, appetizers and salads, we’re transported to living a modern version of Alexandra Stoddard’s “beautiful life”.
Entertaining friends inspires and motivates us to organize and transform our homes. One of my favorite compliments on my personal decorating style was that my home was fresh, cheerful and inviting….that’s my American idol!
From my perspective, interior design starts from the ground up. The floor covering has to introduce the atmosphere in the space, just as the architecture has to set the style for the whole. Whether the floor is wood, stone, concrete, rubber, or tile, I love to use rugs to create scenes for life!
Basil Scaljon introduced me to the world of beautiful rugs and carpets when I first came to San Antonio. His carefully selected collection of exquisitely hand woven pieces was beyond my wildest imagination. Each and every one was unique, one of a kind, and had heirloom qualities I could only dream about. Basil gave me the faith and confidence to embrace these fine works of art; he showed me catalogues from Christie’s and Sotheby’s auctions and instructed me in the value of these acquisitions.
Through showings at his handsome Monte Vista gallery or on site with my clients, I sharpened my sensitivities and design skills at guiding my clients to invest in antique carpets for a lifetime of beautiful enjoyment. We drug rug after rug to concrete slabs during construction of new homes for my clients to envision in the evolving space. When an antique rug wouldn’t do, Basil could always find a selection of the finest new, handmade varieties or even assist me in having the perfect floor covering custom woven, to my design, in my color palette.
He has come full circle with me; from tentative beginner designer to seasoned, too often demanding perfectionist. But, he never loses patience with me, and continues to embrace our professional relationship with an umbrella of friendship and mutual respect. His annual bottle of Dom Perrignon is a yearly reminder of the paths we have walked together to create beautiful, timeless interior spaces for living.
Through years of lively dialogue and the sharing of stories, both of business and family, Basil has become a dear, dear friend to me. He has been one of the foundations of my success, and he continues to be a favorite reason to shop!
Writing this series of people who played major parts in helping me find solid ground as a professional interior designer in South Texas during the lean years, I am compromised by the simple fact that I do not have digital images of those years. It is a shame! I can only provide images here of like items; Jessica would have selected things even more unique and worldly.
Jessica had an outstanding reputation among all the designers and those interested in fine, interesting furniture. She made regular journeys to France and had established quite a network of dealers there who assisted her in finding just the right pieces for our market. I was always amazed by her “eye”, and it was one of my most pleasurable work days when I knew she was unloading a new shipment or even had crude photos to share of pieces she had bought that were already in transit.
Not only did Jessica have one lovely location for her business after another, she treated budding young designers like me with such respect! I always felt she was foraging a friendship with me over the years and not just cultivating my business. I adored her, and I miss her to this day.
Jessica was one of the early victims of cancer; she fought such a brave battle, but medical technology was not advanced enough to treat her in those years. She worked right up to her passing, even making an exhausting trip to France to buy. I recall worrying so about her, as I had seen her the days leading up to that journey, and she was so very frail.
The partner’s desk she found for me, personally, remains a constant reminder of her attention to her friends and customers. Jessica knew I had a limited budget, but she also knew I had a strong aesthetic and wanted a piece with character and distinction. The day the FedEx envelope arrived with the photo of the desk she had located for me was, in my naïve mind, a miracle. (Remember: this is before email & digital!)This woman had made the long trip to France, picked out a desk for me, taken a photo, had to wait for a lab to develop it, gone to a FedEx station, and mailed it to me. I immediately called her hotel (no cell phones back then!) to say “Yes!”
That very same desk has been modified expertly and now serves as our beautiful, distinctive kitchen island…as well as a daily reminder of a dear, dear friend and business associate who helped me make good design decisions and gave me the best choices for the interiors of others. God Bless Her!
If you cannot keep a plant alive to save your life, then maybe you should consider getting a terrarium. They are beautiful accent pieces in kitchen windows, great centerpieces on dining tables, or can be excellent conversation starters when placed just about anywhere. Just remember, they need sunlight like most living things do.
http://gigegy.blogspot.com/2009/04/terrariums-by-kat-geiger.html
http://www.floragrubb.com
Sometime in the late 1980’s I began hearing the name Roberto Kenigstein around the A&D community. I assumed he and I would get along just great as he was originally from Peru, and Jimmy and I had been in and out of his territory for the past 15 years.
It wasn’t so easy….Roberto was beginning to build some of the city’s best builder homes, but he was on a tight budget, and the last thing he needed was some inexperienced, young interior designer wanting part of the proceeds, meager as the times dictated they be.
I did finally manage to get an introduction to him, and he was beyond engaging in every way. He promised to “be on the lookout” for a client who would appreciate the added value of a well –traveled interior designer, and he never made me feel anything but great about a future here in this market.
That promise came into fruition as Roberto began to drop my name to various custom clients he was to build for. I am forever grateful for those referrals, even though some of them proved to be tests of mental fortitude for me. I often found I was left to sort out a series of building specifications that the customer could not commit to and the project process was bogged down for the builder. I was to jump in there and convince the homeowner of the absolute right selection and clear the way for Roberto and his talented team to get the home completed on time, and on budget. I think of those projects as my “gofer years” of training and of the lessons I learned from them. Some were really hard! But I was so grateful to be working with a true professional.
When the custom home building business eventually boomed in our area, Roberto took advantage of some beautiful home sites, and we worked on some remarkable projects together. That relationship continues on, and I am so proud to see how my proteges at BDG are now working with Roberto and his fine company, Image Homes.
I loved the lunches he and I shared at La Scalla; and I find myself attending industry or partner events these days only if I think Roberto might be in attendance. His ever present smile, tireless energy, and command of the client’s interest are contagious! The teaching moments with him on jobsites from Inverness to the Hill Country have been a big part of my designer education-hands on and for real.
(Part two of two)
Baxter Design Group’s decorative invasion continues at The Broadway!
The second of the two model units featured in this series is the Gershwin; a 2,256 square-foot condo with two bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Located in the southwestern corner of the building, this unit captures striking views of Hill Country in the distance while keeping a pulse on the sights & sounds of the city below.
With bright white walls and dark wood floors, the architectural finishes provide a blank canvas for our designers to inject their creative vision. The result is a clean & contemporary scheme laden with vibrant and high-contrasting colors in the artwork, furnishings, rugs, and drapery throughout. And, as with the Astor model, this unit may be purchased fully-furnished as well. For more information, contact The Broadway.
Dining Room/Entry:
Living Room:
Kitchen:
Powder:
Master Bedroom:
Secondary Bedroom:
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.
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!
