The London West Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierThe London West Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierThe London West Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierThe London West Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierThe London West Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierThe London West Hollywood, Photo Romi CortierThe London West Hollywood, Photo Romi Cortier
Friends of mine recently stayed at The London West Hollywood, and I was invited to spend an afternoon in one of the rooftop cabanas. What a blast!
I nabbed my guest card at the front desk to access the elevators, and went straight to the top. I had no idea the hotel had such extraordinary views… it was nearly a 360 degree view. From the Hollywood Hills, to downtown LA, to Century City, the city sparkled in the afternoon sun. The overall vibe was hip, yet relaxing. To be honest, we were probably the rowdiest of the guests with 8 of us sharing two cabanas. That said, the staff was kind and helpful, and kept the beverages and food rolling in for over 5 hours.
Even though I’ve lived in LA for over 20 years, this was a completely new way to experience the city. It’s rare to find a pool with this kind of view. The designer in me has so many engineering questions, such as how much does all of this weigh? A simple gallon of water weighs 8 lbs, multiply that by a full pool, the concrete that supports it, and all of the potted palm trees and you’ve got a whole lot going on. I can’t begin to imagine what it takes to support all of that. Questions aside, I loved swimming laps in the pool. It made me feel like I was back in my massive mid-century pool in the back yard of my Palm Springs home.
I took a stroll around the hotel and found myself completely fascinated by the artwork adorning the elevator doors. My favorite was the woman in the red dress, submerged in water on the rooftop elevator door. I can’t seem to find any information about the artist who created the images, but I think the overall effect is quite fantastic.
If you’re a local Angelino, you should consider making your next vacation a ‘stay-cation’ at the London West Hollywood.
Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier, Right: Suit, Italy, c. 1770Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier Right: Naval Uniform Ensemble, England, c. 1820Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier, Court Suit, France, 1785 – 90Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier. Left: Court Coat and Vest, Italy, c 1800Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier, Suit, England, c. 1780Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier, Riding Coat and Breeches, England or France, 1780 -90Reigning Men, LACMA 2016, Photo Romi Cortier, Coat, France, c 1800
It’s Reigning Men at LACMA! And no I’m not talking about the Weathers Girls song from 1983, but reigning… as in occupying the throne like a King.
With over 300 years of regal wear, it would be hard not to find something to love at this exhibition. I’ve chosen my faves which represent the more genteel of garments from France, England and Italy. However, this show also features everything from a 1952 ‘Aloha Shirt’ to a 2014 Tom Ford Silk Dinner Jacket, to a 1970 Unisex Caftan.
One of the stunning things I truly loved about the exhibit were the meticulously crafted wigs by milliner Deborah Ambrosino. It took her two years to create them, with the help of assistant curator Clarissa Esguerra who did the research. The white wigs are correct for each specific period, without being a distraction to the final presentation of the garment.
When it came to the 131 mannequins required for these three centuries of mens garments, costume and textile specialist Melinda Webber Kerstein took 28 months to laboriously create the proper mens silhouettes from 5 basic mannequins. Over 40 mannequins were cut down and re-sculpted to fit the extant garments. Over 275 yards of batting and 400 yards of tulle were used to pad out the mannequins and mounts in the show, as well as 300 pairs of queen size control-top panty hose.
This exhibit runs until August 21, 2016 at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Click HERE for more info on the show, and click HERE to read more about what it took to bring these Reigning Men to life.
Oh, and in case you have no clue about the Weathers Girls, you can watch their iconic 80’s video below.
Lot 116, Untitled, James Strombotne, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $2,500 – $3,500Lot 9, Untitled from Silver Series, June Harwood, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $12,000 – $18,000Lot 148, Diamond Reflection, Raimonds Staprans, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $6,000 – $9,000Lot 219, Untitled, Ross Bleckner, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $12,000 – $15,000Lot 226, Untitled, Stan Kaplan, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $3,000 – $5,000Lot 275, Cook and Fish, Emerson Woelffer, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $8,000 – $12,000Lot 154, In Vironment, Gordon Onslow Ford, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $20,000 – $30,000Lot 227, Byzantine Windows, Norman Bluhm, Los Angeles Modern Auctions, May 22, 2016, Estimate: $30,000 – $50,000
The preview is on at Los Angeles Modern Auctions! I’ve chosen to showcase a few of my favorite abstract pieces from their online catalogue, but there’s so much more to see.
Imagine an Isamu Noguchi Chess Table with an estimate of $100,000 – $150,000, or a Charles & Ray Eames Shell Armchair with an estimate of $600 – $900. There’s also several pieces of furniture by Frank Lloyd Wright ranging from $6,00 – $20,000, and Post Modern furniture by Ettore Sottsass and Robert Venturi ($4,000 – $6,000 and $3,000 – $5,000 respectively). Photographs by Julius Shulman, pottery, patio furniture, woven wool tapestries… you name it, there’s a little something for everyone at a wide range of price points. It feels like an episode of Ab Fab with Patsy and Edina screaming names, names, names sweetie darling. It’s a veritable who’s who of 20th century modernism. With nearly 25 years in the business, LAMA is the premier auction house on the West Coast to buy and sell Modern Art and Design.
1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills, Photo Romi Cortier
Imagine someone sends you a text and asks you to meet them at 1280 Angelo Drive in Beverly Hills, because they need your help ‘staging’. My mind wanders… is it a photo shoot? A video shoot? Something for TV? Knowing my friends, it could be anything. I happily showed up on the steps of this stunning home, ready for an adventure. Never in my mind did it dawn on me that I’d be helping stage a home for a private VIP Preview that would be happening just a few days later.
Now lets be honest, it was really more about ‘editing’ than it was about staging, because the home was already spectacularly furnished. You know the old saying, less is more, which is what was needed to expose the glorious details of this remodeled modernist compound, complete with 7 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, a pool, 3,000 square feet of patios on multiple levels, and over 7,500 square feet of interior space.
My primary goal in the main living space was to create an opening from the front door, all the way out to the large patio with the panoramic city views, thus drawing the guests right out onto the patio. Normally, this would be a feng shui no no, as it’s important to keep the chi of the home, in the home. A straight path from door to door would allow the chi to keep moving out of the home. But, since the home is for sale, I wanted the guests to be drawn right out to the view with absolutely no obstacles. Therefore, you’ll notice that the two white leather sofas on the ice blue silk rug have been separated and pulled apart. My tweak for the dining room was quite simple. I removed the chairs at either end of the table and placed them in the corner of the room, making the table feel more inviting. Ten high back chairs around a table can be a little bit off putting, making you feel like you’re not welcomed… and we wanted our guests to feel very welcomed.
As for the master suite, the bed had a lot of conflicting patterns going on. I reversed the large pillows to hide the Versace inspired print that was conflicting with the duvet cover, utilizing their softer yellow side. We brought in an ottoman for the foot of the bed, draping it with a faux fur throw and matching pillow, all from the guest bedroom.
As we began rolling up rugs and taking away excess furniture, I noticed how remarkable the floors were. I realized that the same materials had also been used on all of the patios, the only difference being that the exterior surfaces had been honed as opposed to polished. What a superb way to marry the interior spaces with the exterior, especially once the floating glass walls to the patio were rolled away. There’s nothing I love more than cohesive design.
As of May 1, 2016 the home is currently listed with Sotheby’s International Realty. Visit the link below to see current photos, and if you’re in love with the home and would like to make an offer, feel free to contact Ferdinand Prinz von Anhalt at 714.260.7697 or Catherine Marcus at 310.795.8521 of Sotheby’s International Realty. (ferdinand.anhalt@sothebyshomes.com/catherine@catherinemarcus.com) I’m sure they’d be more than happy to arrange a private viewing for you. www.1280angelo.com
Oh, and one last detail… the home is listed for $17,000,000. Welcome to Beverly Hills darling.
Romi Cortier, Skyler Campbell, & Recio Carrington Young at 1280 Angelo Drive, Beverly Hills
I’ve owned this home at 203 N. Monterey Road in Palm Springs for over a decade. When I bought the home it was still reeling from a 1980’s south western themed interior that included a rust and turquoise color palette with saltillo tile, wooden chair rails, and sand textured walls with rope trim. Yep, it was that bad. I mean no disrespect to the previous owner who was into horses and favored a more eclectic vibe, but mid-century is in, big time! It was time for a rescue job.
Exterior renovations included: an entirely new driveway, the replacement of a dilapidated eight foot high wooden fence with chic corrugated metal fencing, the addition of corrugated metal fences where none existed, a pool re-plaster (that included filling in the old ‘pit’ where the pool equipment had been, and relocating the equipment behind the home), a new pool heater, the removal of patio siding that made the home look like it belonged in a trailer park, and lots and lots of landscaping. Colored sand, rocks, trees, bougainvilleas, 3 x 3 concrete pavers, a 12 x 12 concrete pad in the backyard, and a sprinkler system.
203 N. Monterey Road, pre-renovation203 N. Monterey Road, after renovation203 N. Monterey Road, pre-renovation203 N. Monterey Road after renovation
Interior renovations included: new gray tile floors throughout , a new kitchen, a new master bath, the replacement of both sliding glass doors, new interior doors, new closet doors and hardware, new copper plumbing, new gas lines, the removal of a victorian themed front door, the addition of matching metal blinds throughout the home, new ceiling fans, improved lighting, a simple color theme that shifted the focus from the interior to the midcentury pool behind the home with the spectacular San Jacinto Mountain views.
203 N. Monterey Road, living room pre-renovation203 N. Monterey Road, after renovation203 N. Monterey Road, kitchen pre-renovation203 N. Monterey Road, kitchen after renovation (different POV)203 N. Monterey Road, great room after renovation
When I renovated the master bath, I removed what I believed to be the original tub and vanity. In its place, I used the new gray floor tile, cut into thirds to repeat the brick pattern around the fireplace, tiling the wall up to the ceiling so as to accentuate the height of the room. Because the footprint of the room is so small, the only way to make the space feel larger was to play up its verticality.
203 N. Monterey Road, master bath pre-renovation203 N. Monterey Road master bathroom after renovation
One of the bedroom floors was raw concrete, so naturally I carried the new gray tile into that room, to help unify that room with the rest of the home. It also helped to add colorful artwork to the rooms to bring them to life. The Red Ball paintings seen below were inspired by photos I actually took around the pool several summers ago. These paintings can also be seen in my new book The Art of Romi Cortier.
203 N. Monterey Road guest bedroom before renovation203 N. Monterey Road guest bedroom after renovation.203 N. Monterey Road master bedroom before renovation203 N. Monterey Road master bedroom after renovation
Here’s a great shot of the back yard with the mid-century pool. The corrugated metal fence was previously the wooden fence that was literally falling down. It just goes to show how much beauty can be found in the simplest of details.
203 N. Monterey Road pool after renovation
This home has been a labor of love for over a decade, and now it’s time for a new owner to take the helm. If you’re interested in this home please contact Carl Borey at 760 285-1281. The home is currently listed at $579,000.
