Architecture

Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House: Part 1

March 17, 2015 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House, Home Office, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Home Office, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House, Breezeway, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Breezeway, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House, Colonnade, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Breezeway, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House, Master Bedroom Pavilion & Pool, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Master Bedroom Pavilion & Pool, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry's Schnable House, Pool Sculpture, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Pool Sculpture, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry's Schnabel House, Master Bedroom Pavillion & Pool, Photo Romi Cortier — Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House, Master Bedroom Pavillion & Pool, Photo Romi Cortier

Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House is once again for sale. It’s hard to believe that a home listed for nearly $12 Million would actually be open to the public… but it was. I doubt many of us who walked through it’s doors this last Sunday would even qualify for that kind of loan, but who cares. That didn’t stop dozens of architectural enthusiasts like myself from wandering the sprawling Brentwood compound, enjoying the mastery of Post-Modernist architect Frank Gehry. I ended up with so many smashing photos from the public showing, that I’ve chosen to do two blog posts about it. This post focuses primarily on the exterior metal aspects, and the next post will focus on the interior living spaces. When a home has this many spectacular angles and textures, it’s pretty easy to walk away with dozens of amazing photos.

Most of us know Gehry for his commercial structures, such as LA’s Disney Concert Hall, the Experience Music Project in Seattle, and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao Spain. However, he’s also responsible for designing 28 single-family homes, including the Schnabel House above. Built in 1989 for Rockwell Schnabel, a former ambassador to Finland – and his architect wife Marna, the home includes four sections divided up into cubes and pillars. The structure with the sphere on the top is a freestanding office, and was inspired by the Griffith Observatory. Behind it to the left, you’ll catch a glimpse of what appears to be a very long lap pool. The lower level water feature is a reflecting pond that surrounds the master bedroom pavilion. I couldn’t help but wonder what my Fend Shui instructor Dr. Simona Mainini Ph. D. would have to say about a room wrapped in copper, while also being surrounded by water. According to the scientific Feng Shui principles she teaches, those are the two most effective elements that can dramatically influence a home’s electromagnetic field. Water holds chi, thus raising the energy around a home, as does metal.

Good Feng Shui or not, this home continues to appreciate in value. The five-bedroom, five-bathroom structure sold for $9.5 million in 2013 to Film Producer Michael LaFetra. Previously it was owned by Producer Jon Platt, who’d restored and renovated the house with Gehry’s guidance. I was bit surprised when I read that because I was thinking as I walked through the home that the bathrooms could use a little updating. The materials for the cabinets, tile and sinks seemed pretty basic considering todays luxurious aesthetic. But I suppose a home such as this is a work of art in it’s own right, so any alterations have to be done very wisely.

In the event that you’re interested in this home, you can contact realtor Cory Weiss at cory.weiss@elliman.com or contact Douglas Elliman Real Estate.

Architecture, Interior Design

Sol 1 in Palm Springs

March 13, 2015 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

Sol 1, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier — Sol 1, Roof Top Patio, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Sol 1, Patio, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Sol 1 in Palm Springs is part of an Ultra Modern Development in Central Palm Springs.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been watching the development of this complex with great anticipation during the last year. With the majority of the units now in escrow, it’s safe to say that Sol in Palm Springs is a resounding success.

This model home has a simpler vibe than the other town home that I wrote about, however, there’s still so much to like about it. For starters, look at the simple yet effective color palette the designer chose. Turquoise and orange are used very effectively in every room of the home. Orange is used primarily as a ‘spike’ color, while the turquoise/pale blue is used to cover larger volumes, from wall paint to linens. The biggest variable in this equation is the hand painted wall in the dining room, which also uses shades of brown and beige. This mural is one of the first things you see when entering the home from the pool/patio area. Therefore, it has tremendous impact. The other basic principle about this palette that is so easy to overlook, is the fact that blue and orange are opposite each other on the color wheel. This creates a dynamic tension that gives a lot of bang for the buck. When a designer uses a color palette that is analogous, meaning colors side by side on the color wheel with no opposing color, then the vibe created is very calming. Think red, red orange and orange, or blue, blue violet and violet. Regardless of how saturated or diluted these tones are, when they easily flow into one another visually, the overall effect is usually calming. You can see by looking at the photos above how much tension is created when the orange and turquoise are placed next to each other. Thus they’re energizing as opposed to calming.

I LOVE the master bathroom in this home. What you can’t see from my photo is that fact that there’s an outdoor shower that you can access through the indoor shower, just beyond the lux bathtub. There’s nothing more relaxing then taking a shower outdoors once the temperature hits 100 and beyond… and yes, it’s very secluded so you won’t have to worry about the neighbors prying eyes.

As you can also see, this town home has excellent views of the San Jacinto Mountains. Since the living room and kitchen are positioned next to the patio, with doors that slide back like an accordion, you can take full advantage of the indoor outdoor living that Palm Springs is so famous for. There’s nothing like an evening cocktail party in one of these environments as the night sky turns violet blue once the sun has set. And speaking of which, if you’re one of the new home owners at Sol and you’re reading my Design Diary, feel free to send me an invitation to your next soiree.

Art, Automotive

The Art of Chrome

March 10, 2015 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

Chrome Bumper and Grill, 1947 Chrysler New Yorker, Photo Romi Cortier

Chrome, Photo Romi Cortier — Chrome Steering Wheel and Radio, 1947 Chrysler New Yorker, Photo Romi Cortier

Chrome Bumper and Taillight, , Photo Romi Cortier — Chrome Bumper and Taillight, 1958 Mercury Parklane, Photo Romi Cortier

Chrome Window and Roof Trim, 1954 Mercury Monterey, Photo Romi Cortier

Chrome Dashboard and Console, 1964 Ford Thunderbird, Photo Romi Cortier

The Art of Chrome at the Palm Springs Vintage Car Show, wowed car enthusiasts outside the Palm Springs Convention Center. No, this isn’t the official title of the Car Show, but I think it’s very fitting… because as they say, they just don’t make ’em like that anymore.

I just love the wrap around bumper, reminiscent of the streamline modern deco era, on the ’47 Chrysler in the first photo. Combine that with the cars radio, steering wheel and bakelite column shift knob, and you’ve got tons of sex appeal.

Nothing screams mid-century more than the taillights of this ’58 Mercury. The atomic inspired silhouette reminds me of the Jetsons cartoon I watched as a kid growing up in the ’60’s. It also looks like something the Statue of Liberty might brandish over New York’s Harbor, as a beacon of hope for all to see. And get a load of that grill and bumper assembly, it reminds me of the Batmobile. The original Batmobile was built as a concept car in Turin Italy in 1955, for the Lincoln division of the Ford Motor Company. And as you may or may not know, Mercury was also a division of Ford. So it’s not a big stretch to see how the development of the Batmobile could have influenced this striking car.

Cadillac. Who doesn’t love any Cadillac built in the 1950’s. They were like a bigger beefier version of the Chevy your average American drove… like my family. We had a ’56 Chevy Bel-Air, my grandmother a ’57 Chevy Bel-Air with it’s massive tail-fins. But those cars can’t hold a candle to this gorgeous beauty. The grill looks like a great white shark that could swallow you whole, and the wheel wells chrome trim that wraps right into the rear bumper is something I’ve never seen before. Oh, and really big fins… Dare I say Shark again?

I love the floating chrome eyeballs/headlights of the red Chrysler combined with the forward leaning grill. It makes the car looks like it’s moving forward, even when it’s standing still. And all of the chrome window trim intersecting at the red dot on the roof of yet another great Mercury, is just pure simple beauty. And lastly there’s so much to love about the ‘64 T-Bird. Red and Black trimmed out in massive amounts of chrome and brushed metal, makes the wrap around console feel the cockpit of a fighter jet.

These are just a few of the reasons I return every year to the Palm Springs Vintage Car Show during Modernism Week. Besides, it’s a free event, and who doesn’t love free… especially when it’s this cool and artful.

Chrome Trim, 1958 Mercury Parklane, Photo Romi Cortier

Art

Marilyn Monroe’s Hairdresser

March 6, 2015 romicortier@yahoo.com 9 Comments

This blog post is about Marilyn Monroe’s Hairdresser, Mickey Song, who famously styled Marilyn’s hair the night that she performed at Madison Square Garden for President John F. Kennedy’s Birthday.

Marilyn - A Tribute to Mickey Song, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36, Image by Romi Cortier — Marilyn – A Tribute to Mickey Song, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36, Image by Romi Cortier

I painted this portrait of Marilyn over twenty years ago. It took me the better part of a year and a half to create, working from 3 different images. I wanted something original that had never been seen before, an image that wasn’t just a copy of a famous photograph. Little did I know that a decade later I would meet the hairdresser who’d styled Marilyn’s hair for that memorable night at Madison Square Garden.

A client of mine used to go to Mickey’s home studio on Roxbury, just off Pico Boulevard by the Museum of Tolerance. I’d heard rumors around town about some guy who did Marilyn’s hair, but I had no clue who he was, or if he was even still alive. The subject came up with my client because I’d just found out that my painting was going to be published in the book Marilyn in Art by Roger G. Taylor, and I needed a proper title for it. She called him, told him about my painting, and arranged for us to meet.

Marilyn in Art, Compiled by Roger G. Taylor, Chaucer Press, 2006

I arrived at Mickey’s home studio and was a bit stunned. It was crammed with Marilyn memorabilia in a doll museum sort of way… not the way I would expect a guy to live. It was more like the way my late aunt lived, with collectable dolls crammed in every nook and cranny of the house. That said, Mickey was very proud of his collection, and was more than thrilled to tell me about the night he’d met Ms. Monroe. Apparently he’d been John and Bobby Kennedy’s hairdresser, and was flown to New York to style the presidents hair the night of his birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden. He told me that the Kennedy’s had asked him to do Marilyn’s hair, however, online accounts vary as to how it all came about. Mickey told me that if her hair was turned under, then he flipped it up, remolding it into what you’ll see in the video below. You have to remember that in those days women’s hair was done via roller sets on wet hair under a hairdryer. Therefore, women frequently had their hair ‘combed out’ into different looks. It’s very different than today’s blow-out mentality where you start every hairdo from scratch with wet hair.

Mickey told me that the reason Marilyn was late to the stage, was because there were issues with her dress. I believe she’d been sewn into it for starters… but then something happened that created a wet spot on the dress. I’m not sure where the spot was, but it had to be blown dry before she could take the stage. He also mentioned that Jackie Kennedy was not in the audience that night, because she knew that Marilyn would be making an appearance. Mickey told me that after he returned to Los Angeles, Marilyn made contact with him on more than one occasion, trying to find out what was going on with Jack and Bobby because they were starting to shut her out. He told her that his loyalty was to the Kennedy’s and that he really couldn’t help her.

I returned to Mickey’s home for a second visit a few weeks later, after I’d made my decision about what to name the painting. I brought it with me so that he would have the opportunity to see it in person. He was thrilled with the title: Marilyn – A Tribute to Mickey Song. We also discussed Mickey’s weight issue and I told him that I was very concerned for his well being and was afraid that he might suffer a heart attack. Sadly, that’s exactly what happened on May 29th, 2005. He never lived to see the published book, so I’m very grateful that I chose to tell him about the naming of the painting ahead of time instead of trying to surprise him after it was published. I attended his memorial service at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery… just a few yards from where Ms. Monroe was buried. On a side note, It must have been very strange for Mickey in the 1960’s to watch that entire cast of people die within a 6 year period: Marilyn in ’62, JFK in ’63, and RFK in ’68.

I feel so fortunate that I had the opportunity to meet Mickey. He was a kind soul and lived quite a remarkable life in regards to the celebrity clientele he kept. It’s hard to believe that his hands created the flipped up curl that would later define my painting. The painting fittingly resides with a collector in New York City. I’m producing a giclee copy of this painting as a silent auction item for an upcoming event which will be held on March 18th, 2015. It’s the Norma Jean Gala at Hollygrove, the home that Marilyn resided at as a child from 1935-37. If you’d like to learn more about this event, or make a contribution to Hollygrove, please follow the green link.

Marilyn in Art, Page 161 featuring two of my Paintings: Red Marilyn and Marilyn - A Tribute to Mickey Song — Marilyn in Art, Page 161 features two Paintings by Romi Cortier: Red Marilyn and Marilyn – A Tribute to Mickey Song.

Architecture, Interior Design

SOL 2 in Palm Springs

March 2, 2015 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

Sol Exterior, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier — Exterior, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Dining Room, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Kitchen, Sol 2 Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Living Room, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Master Bedroom, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Master Bathroom, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Guest Bathroom, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Rooftop Deck, Sol 2, Palm Springs, Photo Romi Cortier

Sol 2 in Palm Springs is part of a new ultra modern development in Central Palm Springs.

I’ve been watching the construction of this chic new project that sits opposite the Palm Springs Convention Center for the better part of a year. I was beyond thrilled to see that their doors were open to the public, as I was making my way to the Fine Art Fair at the convention center during modernism weekend. The exterior views of the homes remind me of Frank Lloyd Wrights Falling Water, with their elegant overlapping horizontal and vertical planes. They had two home models open: Sol 1 and Sol 2, each with a different floor plan. Todays post is about Sol 2, and I’ll follow up with images from Sol 1 at a later time.

I will tell you right now that this homes kitchen is my dream kitchen. I love everything about it, especially the surface materials. In fact, the overall vibe in this home is spectacular. It’s fresh, modern, tranquil and masculine in an understated way. I’ve been to homes and hotels in the desert that go for an over the top kitschy ‘Palm Springs’ look that can be a bit predictable after awhile. I loved this home so much, that I came back later in the day with a friend and was delighted to meet the designer who’d created the smashing interior. His name is Dino Raimondi.

Dino happily shared his process with me. Since he didn’t have an actual client, he created a fictional character and gave her a remarkable backstory, the same sort of thing an actor does. With her backstory in place, he set out to create the interiors. Muted violet tones are grounded with chocolate brown and gray. He brilliantly mixed multiple patterns that I never would have thought of. The kitchen backsplash has a geometric pattern that reminds me of a Karl Benjamin painting. While it may be hard to see, there’s also a subtle horizontal pattern in the kitchen cabinets, with a completely different pattern on the island where the sink is located. You’ll see that he also used multiple patterns in the master bath, to great affect. And the violet wall treatment in the guest bathroom is something I’ve been dying to do in white, in the entry hall of one of my properties.

Something else that became quite apparent after I examined my photos, was how effortlessly the interior color palette blended with the colors of the San Jacinto Mountains. I don’t know if this was a conscience choice on his part, but it’s super dreamy. And as you can well imagine, this model home is already sold. I wish I could have coaxed the budget out of our designer, but no luck. These properties start in the mid $600,000’s and are well on their way to being sold out.

You can learn more about Sol here

Check out Dino Raimondi’s other projects here

Where Art Inspires Beauty

Frank Gehry’s Schnabel House: Part 1

Sol 1 in Palm Springs

The Art of Chrome

Marilyn Monroe’s Hairdresser

SOL 2 in Palm Springs

A Design Diary by Romi Cortier