All posts by romicortier@yahoo.com

Red Home Accents at Padova

Red Home  Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accent at Padova,, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accent at Padova,, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca. Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca. Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier

Red Home Accents help define an earthy home decor at Padova. Paired with shades of denim blue and soft muted beige tones, the overall vibe is a bit eclectic, especially when mixed with sisal rugs, lamps, and headboards. This particular shade of red feels almost like a tomato with gold undertones, as opposed to a more vibrant blue red such as candy apple red. That’s why this red works so well, it compliments  the gold tones in the sisal rugs as well as the neutral wood tones used in the decor.

Red is tricky when it comes to home decor, and a little bit goes a long way. I’ve often talked about creating a color story when staging a home to sell, or designing a room to live in. These  photos show a model home that has been well put together, exercising a lot of restraint. To much red could overwhelm a potential home buyer and send them running for the hills.

I recently wrote a blog post titled Seeing Red in LA, which talks about the use of red as an exterior color on commercial buildings. This is extremely unusual, but certainly can’t be ignored, especially when done right.  In fact, all of my current trade magazines  are showing a bold use of color as part of the next generation in design trends, so be prepared. Black and White has been the hottest combo over the past few years, but that’s about to change.

Padova

Green is Trending at Padova in Irvine

 Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier

Green. It’s one of the hottest colors trending in Interior design for 2018.

I’ve been shopping at several stores in Los Angeles recently and green is everywhere! Deep emerald green drapes, quilts and pillow shams can be seen at Pottery Barn. West Elm has a fantastic selection of rich green sofas and accent chairs, and Crate and Barrel boast pillows,  ottomans and sofas from shades of pea green to Kelly green. So imagine my surprise when I walked into this model home at Padova near Irvine and saw everything from green tile work to green wall paper.

Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier

I absolutely  loved the choice of stone work in the homes kitchen, which had muted green undertones. The taupe/beige wall color throughout home was the  perfect backdrop for all of the shades of green, and the white accents helped give the home a fresh modern vibe. Kudos to the designers that created this interior, even down to the accent glass.

Green is Trending at Padova, Irvine, Ca., 2018 Photo Romi Cortier
Green is Trending at Padova, Irvine, Ca., 2018 Photo Romi Cortier

Do I get paid for promoting these products? Nope. I simply love watching the evolution of color in the world of design. And I also strongly believe that when these trending colors come around, you should snap them up if they’re in your color wheel. If your favorite dress or shirt is some shade of green, and you get tons of compliments while wearing it, then it just makes that you might want to own a sofa or accent chair in that same color. Imagine hosting a dinner party or baby shower, while sitting in that chair. You’d look effortlessly amazing while holding court.

Most home makeover shows on tv right now are keeping their colors palettes on the neutral side, appealing to the masses. I predict that won’t last long. We’re at a place when every home for sale looks like the other one down the street, and it’s getting a little boring. That’s why I’m loving these model homes at Padova in Irvine. I have a few more model homes that I’ll be sharing soon!

Padova

Altarpieces at the J. Paul Getty Museum

Altarpiece: The Coronation of the Virgin, About 1420, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Coronation of the Virgin, About 1420, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Virgin Mary with Saints Thomas Aquinas and Paul, about 1335, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Virgin Mary with Saints Thomas Aquinas and Paul, about 1335, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint Andrew, 1426, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint Andrew, 1426, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint John the Baptist, About 1542 - 45, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint John the Baptist, About 1542 – 45, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Madonna and Child with Musical Angels, about 1410, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Madonna and Child with Musical Angels, about 1410, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint James Major, the Madonna and jChild, and Various Saints, 1490, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint James Major, the Madonna and jChild, and Various Saints, 1490, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint James Major, the Madonna and Child, and Various Saints, 1490, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: Saint James Major, the Madonna and Child, and Various Saints, 1490, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, 1390's, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, 1390’s, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, 1390's,  J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier
Altarpiece: The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, 1390’s, J. Paul Getty Museum, Photo Romi Cortier

There’s a fantastic collection of Altarpieces at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, including a nearly fully intact altarpiece called The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints.

These works of art came out of christian churches generally in the 14th and 15th centuries, with the tradition beginning during the 11th century. Frequently these paintings were made of multiple panels called diptychs, triptychs or polyptychs. However, fewer and fewer of them remain in tact, as they were broken apart and sold to collectors. The Coronation of the Virgin with Saints, seen above, is quite remarkable because it’s nearly a complete altarpiece.

If religion isn’t your thing, it’s still easy to appreciate the spectacular beauty of these panels. The imagery of the saints are typically painted more flat in nature, as opposed to rounded and three dimensional. This period of art is known as the late Middle Ages and was financed primarily by the church. The purpose of the ‘flat’ image, was to force the viewer to focus on the more godly aspect of the paintings, as opposed to the sexier fleshier painting that would dominate the Renaissance Period that  followed.

One of the more beautiful features of these panels is the gold leaf that has been used over the wood panels, as well as on some portions of the paintings themselves. The fragile gold leaf was applied over a reddish clay that provided an adhesive surface, followed by burnishing (rubbing with a hard tipped instrument). ‘Punches’ (metal rods) were also used to stamp the surface of the gold leaf, giving  additional patterns and textures. This was especially effective when creating the delicate haloes surrounding the heads of holy figures.  It’s difficult to fully appreciate the gold leafing in photos, so if you live in LA, or are here on vacation, be sure to add the J. Paul Getty Museum to your to do list.

J. Paul Getty Museum

Mark Grotjahn: 50 Kitchens at LACMA

Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn: 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn: 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn: 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn: 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018 Photo Romi Cortier... Art Selfie
Mark Grotjahn: 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018 Photo Romi Cortier… Art Selfie

Mark Grotjohn: 50 Kitchens is currently on display at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

When I walked into this massive installation I thought to myself, what cool screen prints. I love Op Art (optical illusion art) and this exhibit was fantastic with its use of color. Then I discovered that these weren’t prints at all, but color pencil drawings… say what! How many hours did it take to create each one of these? I discovered that  these drawings were done over 5 years between 2013 – 2018, which is  about 1 drawing per month. That’s some serious  commitment to your artistic process.

Grotjohn’s created his first Butterly composition to meet the dimensional specifications of a wall in his kitchen. The subsequent 50 chromatic drawings explore pairs of radiating colors, like Grass Green and Canary Yellow, or Tuscan Red and Chartreuse. From an art history point of view, Op Art ( a mid 1960’s artistic movement)  was traditionally created in black and white, giving the viewer the impression of movement, hidden images, flashing and vibrating patterns, or of swelling and warping. These colorful drawings absolutely give the viewer that same experience.

Personally I love a modernist aesthetic, and to see a sterile white room with a stainless steel skylight and ample day light, make for an amazing viewing experience. It forces the viewer to take in the radiating color. That said, I’d love to see a smaller installation of say 3 to five drawings on colorful walls from the opposite end of the color spectrum. What do I mean by that?  Imagine a rich verdigreen wall with orange drawings on it, or a deep purple wall with yellow drawings on it. This contrasting technique would make the drawings absolutely jump off the wall. Would it be a restful experience, no.  On the contrary, all that color would keep your eye moving around the room.

Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
Mark Grotjahn, 50 Kitchens, Color Pencil on Paper, LACMA, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier

There’s only about 2 weeks left to see this installation. If you’d like to learn more about it, click here: LACMA

The Bellagio’s Italian Summer Display

The Bellagio, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display, 2018, Las Vegas, Nevada, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio Hotel, Italian Summer Display,  Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier
The Bellagio, Italian Summer Display, Las Vegas, Nevada, 2018, Photo Romi Cortier

The Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas has an enchanting Italian summer display that’s on view until September 9, 2018.

I was recently on vacation in Las Vegas with my sister and our respective  spouses, and my sis, who  was staying at the Bellagio insisted I come by her hotel and see this brand new installation that had just opened. It was so magical and had everyone oohing and aahing. People were lining up everywhere to have their photos taken, and the soothing sound of the water fountains created an atmosphere that made it hard to leave. All of this was happening under the glass canopy of their Conservatory, which absolutely glowed during our late evening visit.

To quote the Bellagio: Envisioned by designer Ed Libby and Bellagio’s Horticulture team, the seasonal exhibit takes visitors on a tour of Italy with elaborate fountains, ornate crystal chandeliers and trees overflowing with lemons. Titled “That’s Amoré,” the display evokes romance at every turn by paying homage to the captivating beauty that can be found throughout Italy.

The exhibit boasts 57,000 flowers and took 125 team members to build. It  includes a 40 foot long fountain,  a massive 22 foot high vine covered fountain in tribute to the  Fontana dell’Ovato, a four-tiered 8 foot fountain, ornate crystal chandeliers, and trees over flowing with lemons.  All of this magic takes place in the their Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. I’ve seen many installations here, and this is by far one of my favorites.  It’s such a great way to give back to the community, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is visiting Las Vegas.

You can learn more about the Italian inspired exhibit below…

Italian Summer Display