Kelly Wearstler Returns to the Avalon!

Kelly Wearstler is not my obsession, just a passion. In the February 2010 issue of Lonny Magazine, they took an in-depth look at Kelly Wearstler bringing mid-century, Italian flair into the Avalon Hotel. Wearstler did the original interior design when her husband, Brad Korzen, originally redeveloped this 1940's hotel. To celebrate the 10 year anniversary of this Beverly Hills hideaway, Wearstler was back at work updating this chic boutique hotel that originally helped put her on the national interior design map. Check out some of the breathtaking pics as Wearstler weaves her decorating magic.

The blue terrazzo is unbelievably beautiful. The bar stools with the gold plating exude class and sophistication.

Love the chairs.

A lounge seating area that functionally allows every patron to have their own seat.

I just liked how the calm mood is evoked in this setting.


The colors, natural light, and clean decor makes this the ideal place for a cafe.


I'm blown away by the crackled glass base detailing. That is a dining set that I would pay some serious money for.

Lounge chairs that are fully padded in white.

It is amazing how true artist draw their inspiration.

The wallpaper is ridiculously cool. I spy the Cora Floor Lamp in the corner.

Polish Modernism!

This neat little home featured in the New York Times is Swiss inspired architecture located in the midst of a very traditional Polish town. The interior features simple concrete floors and particleboard walls.

The exterior features prominent vertical planks of spruce, instead of the plaster exterior used in most of Poland's "castle" homes. While the planks are more expensive upfront than plaster, the planks will age better than plaster over time and save money in the long run.

Check out the photos below. I know it's not for everyone, but it is cool nonetheless.

New Delhi Masterpiece!

Courtesy of freshome, Morphogenesis, a design and architecture firm, had the task to design a project in New Delhi that could house a multi-generational family.

This house looks like a lit jewel box at night. Most houses neglect the importance of landscape and accent lighting.

The horizontal slats add a warmth to what is a pretty modern structure.

The outdoor patio and green space helps create that sense of place that can bond a family.

The loft style, airiness of the living room/dining room is a great communal, meeting ground for a big household.

Bringing the outdoors indoors with a lot of greenery, natural light, and a zen garden feel.

Now that is a pool! I love the floor to ceiling glass. It creates the indoor/outdoor connectivity.

Stunning Buildings With Whole Trees

This would have been the ultimate house as a kid.

From the NY Times, an unmilled tree can hold 50% more weight than the largest piece of lumber milled from the same tree. The more whole wood is used in place of steel, the less carbon is pumped into the air. By peeling smaller weed trees out of a crowded forest stand, the remaining trees get bigger and healthier. The small diameter trees are useful for rafters and framing. The large trees that were downed by wind or disease make for excellent columns and beams. This low cost, energy efficient structure is from the vision of World Tree Architecture and Construction. Whole Trees can keep construction costs as low as $100 per square foot. There is much to admire about this fantastically, brilliant idea.

I would have actually been excited to go to school every day if that was the bed I woke up from.

This energy efficient building gets the inherent energy benefits of the unmilled wood along with solar panel technology.

Lots of natural light gives this house an sense of nature indoors.

The London Bridge Meets The Shard!

Came across a cool blog from 2modern about the London Bridge Quarter development. The Shard, a 72-story mixed-use skyscraper, will be the centerpiece for the project. The Shard will include residential, hospitality, office, and retail components. Once completed, it'll be the tallest building in Western Europe. Check out some renderings of The Shard and the London skyline.

The Shard might give the London Bridge and the London Eye a run for their money as London's most recognizable symbols.

The Shard will be 1004 feet tall upon completion. In city where most everything is in the 4-10 story scale, The Shard will be quite a site to behold.


Very few cities look as beautiful as London at night.

The Shard is being designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Quite the name for an architecture firm, who just happened to design the Menil Collection Museum in Houston.

These panoramic views of London never get old! Simply breathtaking.

With as much precipitation as London gets, these massive, clear glass canopies offer rain protection, yet preserve maximum sunlight for pedestrians.

World's Most Stunning Skylines: FT

Guess who is on the list? Houston.

If you are like me, I have a great affinity for downtown skylines. Some people prefer great parks or beautiful ocean views. I happen to enjoy staring out onto towering concrete and steel structures. The Forbes Traveler came up with a list of world's most stunning city skylines. Check out eight of the great urban silhouettes.



Chicago: From modern skyscrapers like the John Hancock Center and the Sears Tower—the world’s tallest high-rise building for more than 23 years ending in 1997—to earlier icons such as the 1895 Reliance Tower and 463-foot-tall Chicago Tribune Tower, completed in 1925, Chicago boasts a skyline of monumental proportions.


Sydney: More people recognize the glorious Sydney Opera House than have probably ever been to an opera.


Dubai: It was clear with the erection of the 1,053-foot-tall Burj al Arab Hotel in 1999 that the sheikdom of Dubai was bent on stealing the global skyline spotlight. Lest there be any doubt, consider that this year Dubai will be home to the tallest skyscraper in the world: the 1,900-foot Burj Dubai tower.


Seattle: Seattle’s location between Puget Sound and Lake Washington lends an impressive backdrop to its central skyline, of which the Space Needle has been the most recognizable feature since its completion in 1962.


Paris: It’s an absence of skyscrapers that defines the French capital’s skyline (with no usable surfaces, the Eiffel Tower doesn’t count). Thanks to its concentration of historic slate gray-roofed six and seven-story buildings, many of which date from the mid-19th century and before, Paris has a remarkably uniform skyline for a city of its size.



London: London’s Parliament and Big Ben “were skyscrapers in their time,” say architects Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat. “And today London has some amazing modern buildings, such as The London Eye and the Norman Foster-designed ‘Gherkin’ building, which looks like a giant pickle.


Houston: “Houston has the Transco Tower and also Pennzoil Place, two towers that kiss,” say New York architects Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat, “and all three are Philip Johnson buildings.”


Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh has one of America’s great unsung skylines.

What recession? $150 Million Home On The Market.

This London home located in the prestigious Belgraves Square can be had for $150 million. What does that get you exactly? 21,000 square feet, 8 bedrooms, 20 foot ceiling heights, a huge basement, and a street address that houses "billionaires row." If you quite afford the asking price of this white stucco beauty, their is a much more affordable house on the market across the street. Asking price...$120 million. via-freshome

Green Roofs in NYC: Inhabitat

The Next Big Architecture Trend...

We looked at doing a green roof for High Fashion Home. It's not in the budget currently, but it's definitely in the cards when our roof needs to be replaced. A green roof helps reduce maintenance and energy costs, provides sound insulation and amenity space, and improves air quality.

Ten Arquitectos is designing a mixed use project called Clinton Park, which will incorporate an elaborate green roof design. New York is an incredibly dense city, so any additional green space helps soften their urban grid. In case you never been to the NYC in the summer, it's pretty hot with all the concrete trapping the heat.

Check out the spectactular pictures courtesy of Inhabitat:

Every city is looking to add more green space.

The green roof adds a different dimension to the usual urban skyline.

The step down architectural feature adds to the drama.