Bar, Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierDining Room, Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierPrivate Dining Booth, Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierPrivate Dining Booth, Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierFormosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierMen’s Restroom, Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierTrain Trolley, Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierFormosa Cafe, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi Cortier
The Formosa officially reopened on Friday June 28th, 2019 after a $2.4 million renovation that took the better part of 2 1/2 years. Restored by Bobby Green and his two partners at Group 1933, the newly revamped interiors are beyond spectacular.
As an interior designer, I practically lost my mind when I saw the glorious red and gold chinoiserie wall paper, paired with tassel laden Chinese lanterns. The trolley car, dating to 1902, has been meticulously restored. You can now see the backside of the trolley which had been hidden for decades. I remember dining in it years ago, and it wasn’t nearly as glamorous and special as it is now. And one of the first things I did when I got to the restaurant was to check out the bathroom… I’m obsessed with bathroom details because it tells you just how much they really care about their establishment. It did not disappoint. The chinoiserie wallpaper trimmed in gold had me drooling, I think it might be time to remodel my own home!
Residential trends over the last decade or so have been about sleek modernism, primarily as a way to minimize costs. It’s beyond thrilling to see a restaurant embrace such luxurious design details. When it’s as well done as this, it makes you want to change how you live. Truly customized interiors like this are life changing because they dazzle your senses. Without a doubt I’ll be returning to the Formosa, not just for the lux trimmings, but because the food is also incredible. I think I had some of the best Spring Rolls and Chinese Chicken Salad I’ve ever had. Thanks chef David Kuo!
Romi Cortier, Formosa Cafe Grand Opening, West Hollywood, Ca. Photo Recio Young
7156 Santa Monica Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 323.850.9050
Cygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal, Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Ca., Photo Romi CortierCygal Art Deco, PDC, West Hollywood, Photo Romi Cortier
When I walked into the Cygal Art Deco showroom at the PDC, it quite literally took my breath away. This showroom is the epitome of what Artful Living is about, because it takes something from our past, and makes it relevant to the world today in a very grand way.
Art Deco began in 1925 at the Paris International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, with the words Art Deco being derived from Arts Decoratifs. The stunning furniture above is handmade in Germany, and follows the same principals that guided the original movement from nearly 100 years ago. Deco represented luxury, glamour, exuberance, and faith in social and technological progress. Cygal’s materials continue the tradition with exotic wood veneers like European Walnut, American Black Walnut, Ziricote, African Mahogany Crotch, Santos Rosewood, Burl Walnut, and Macassar Ebony to name a few. Their upholstery materials include velvets, mohair, shagreen and even crocodile leather. Top it off with exquisite high gloss finishes and traditional deco shapes, and you end up with furniture that is worthy of a gold metal. Yes, you pay a high price for pieces like this, but if you take the long view and purchase one really good piece every year or two, you’ll build a collection over time that will last a lifetime.
I spent nearly an hour in their showroom, and couldn’t get enough. Every time I turned around, looked closer, and snapped a few more photos, I saw another rich detail I’d missed earlier. To be honest, I really didn’t want to leave. I look forward to the day when we’ve sold our tv pilot Artful Living, and can return to Cygal Art Deco with a full on camera crew for an in depth conversation with Catrine Alexandra. She was so gracious with her time and helped me reaffirm my obsession with beautiful objects.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, Photo Romi CortierSpanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Los Angeles, Photo Romi CortierSpanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove,Los Angeles, Photo Romi Cortier
I love this fresh take on Spanish meeting Modernism at 6667 Maryland Blvd, in the Beverly Grove neighborhood of Los Angeles. To be honest, Spanish architecture has never really been my thing, unless it’s elaborate and ornate with a little Churrigueresque (Spanish Baroque) detail. That said, the paired down simplicity of this newly built home with smooth white stucco, black trim details, and matte gold light fixtures, makes a super strong statement. I happened to be walking by while they were wrapping up construction and it stopped me in my tracks. The garden details include black mulch, a large olive tree, and drought resistant xeriscape, keeping the vibe fresh and clean. I made a note to head back on their first open house, and heres some of what I found…
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
A central staircase with mod lighting from Restoration Hardware, connecting all three floors. Yes, this home has a basement, which is highly unusual in the this neighborhood. But, since the building code only allows for the structure to take up about 41 percent of the surface area of the lot, extra square footage can be added via the basement, while keeping the home consistent with the other homes in the neighborhood. This translates to no mansionization. Yay! Scale is everything.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
A beautiful dining room with more smart mod lighting from Restoration Hardware.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
A beautiful sleek high end kitchen with Miele appliances hidden in plain sight behind dark wood veneers.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
That very bright basement with an outdoor patio space and a full on media room.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
Some of the most amazing bathrooms full of texture and warm materials.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
Each bathroom was a little bit different, but still worked as a whole.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
And then there’s the sexiest master bathroom ever, with two separate sides…
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
His and his, hers and hers, his and hers, whatever the case, I’m obsessed and can’t stop thinking about the beautiful simplicity of this room with rich matte gold details.
Spanish meets Modern at 6667 Maryland Blvd, Beverly Grove, Photo Romi Cortier
And of course the massive walk in shower in the master…
I know what you’re thinking, how much will all of this beauty cost? A lot, about 4.3 million. Some of the other features in this home includes: 4 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a pool, a large walk in closet in the master bedroom, a linear fireplace, Restoration Hardware lighting throughout, 4,473 square feet of living space on a 6,100 square foot lot.
Red Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accent at Padova,, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca. Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed Home Accents at Padova, Irvine, Ca., Photo Romi CortierRed 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.
Green is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi CortierGreen is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi CortierGreen is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi CortierGreen is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi CortierGreen is Trending at Padova, Orchard Hills, Ca., Photo Romi CortierGreen 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
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
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!
