Tag Archives: Palm Springs

Artful Living with Romi Cortier is here!

September 21, 2017 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

I’m thrilled to announce the debut of my new TV pilot Artful Living with Romi Cortier! The concept has been years in the making, inspired by my multiple DIY mural making videos on Youtube, of which I have over 1,500,000 views. Yes, that’s 1 1/2 million views!!

Artful Living with Romi Cortier is a celebration of Art, Architecture and Interior Design. As an artist and a purveyor of good taste, I want to focus on what’s right and beautiful in this world. There is so much to be explored, and that’s our concept for this show. Interviews with designers, artists, architects, scholars, all threaded together by the history of the built environment. Art Deco, Hollywood Regency, Post Modernism… they’re all words we’ve heard, but what do they really mean? I’ll help you understand that in my show, and I’ll also show you some fun DIY tricks for things that you can do around your own home.

Romi Cortier and Coco, aka Malibu Pom on the set of Artful Living, Photo Recio Carrington Young

And did I happen to mention that my co-host is the cutest white Pomeranian you’ve ever seen? Her name is Coco, aka Malibu Pom, which is the name of her Instagram page. (Hey, this is Hollywood and all the cool pups here have their own Instagram accounts). But what’s even more fun is that she actually LOVES riding around in the car with the top down, cruising Rodeo Drive and brunching at Villa Blanca. If there’s a camera around you can bet Coco has a smile on her face… and with that cute mug she makes friends everywhere she goes.

Coco, aka Malibu Pom, Rodeo Drive, Photo Jacob Kelso

In this pilot episode you’ll learn a little bit about the history of Palm Springs and some of the hallmarks of mid-century modernism. You’ll also see a beautiful mid-century inspired table setting that I created, which was done in front of a mural that I’d painted earlier that day. The Mural was inspired by the drawings of Saul Lewitt whose work I’d seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I like to think of Op Art (optical illusion art) as an art movement that dovetails nicely with mid-century modernism, because it has it roots in the early 1960’s.

Romi Cortier on the set of Artful Living, Palm Springs, Ca., Photo Recio Carrington Young.

Here’s a close up look at a few of the details on the table. The plates with the platinum dots are from my personal collection of Bernardaud (fine china from France), and the crystal glass is by Reed and Barton available at Bloomingdales.

Table setting for Artful Living with Bernardaud plates and glasses by Reed and Barton. Photos Jacob Kelso

Here are our two cameramen making the magic happen while on set in Palm Springs: Willy Lazlo and Jacob Kelso… it takes a village, especially when it’s over 100 degrees!

Cameramen Willy Lazlo and Jacob Kelso, Romi Cortier, and Coco, Palm Springs, Ca., Photo Recio Carrington Young — Cameramen Willy Lazlo and Jacob Kelso, Romi Cortier, and Coco aka Malibu Pom, Palm Springs, Ca., Photo Recio Carrington Young

And lastly, here’s a great photo from our wrap party with our editors Antone Hammers and Amanda Bliss Taylor. They were hands down an extraordinary duo. Antone was our story editor and created the rough cut, and Amanda created the finished product complete with a final polish. And most importantly, meet our producer Recio Carrington Young of Red Carpet Recio Productions. He pulled together this amazing team, spent countless hours with our editors choosing music, directing cuts, and creating the overall tone of the show.

Antone Hammers, Romi Cortier, Coco aka Malibu Pom, Recio Carrington Young, and Amanda Bliss Taylor. Artful Living wrap party, Beverly Hills, Ca.

We’d really love your support and hope you’ll check out the pilot while it’s available on Go Indie TV. Please follow the link below to watch the entire 22 minute pilot for free.

Artful Living with Romi Cortier

Architecture

A Desert MIRAGE by Doug Aitken

April 7, 2017 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

'MIRAGE' by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi Cortier — MIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Palm Springs, Ca. Photo Romi Cortier

MIRAGE, by Doug Aitken, Photo by Romi Cortier (model unknown)

A spectacular desert MIRAGE, designed by Doug Aitken, sits just above Racquet Club Drive in Palm Springs. Nestled in the foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains, this site specific public art installation is part of a larger project titled Desert X.

I discovered this installation oddly enough on Instagram while searching the hash tag Palm Springs, or #palmsprings. It was one of those… wait, what is this, moments. By the following weekend I’d found it’s location online and made a beeline for it first thing Sunday morning, before the day heated up. It’s remarkable how something so recognizable as a suburban home, can nearly disappear when clad with mirrors. To quote Aitken, I wanted to take that form and drain it… drain it of narrative, drain it of history…. take all of the texture, surface, history. His inspiration for this sculpture is the architecture you don’t remember. I was interested in what you had driven by thousands of times and you don’t even register its presence because it’s just so much a part of the pattern.

For me, it made me think of the sci-fi film Predator, where the invisible villain reflects it’s surroundings, only being visible when it moves. So much of this home simply disappears as you move around it, because it’s reflecting the landscape. And once you’re inside, it becomes a human scale kaleidoscope. It’s quite odd to traverse the interior, not quite sure of what you’re looking at. You have to move slowly and carefully to get your bearings. That said, there was an air of giddiness and complete joy, as people of all ages experienced this space plopped in the middle of a desert oasis. I hope to return again and again, so that I can experience the home in different types of light. That said, the hours are from sun up till sun down, there’s no access after dark. It’s rocky terrain and there are rattlesnakes, so be aware of your surroundings if you choose to visit.

This art installation will be open to the public until October 31, 2017, and is free to the public.

Learn more at HERE

Architecture, Interior Design

Mid Century Restored at 203 N. Monterey Road, Palm Springs, Ca.

April 30, 2016 romicortier@yahoo.com Leave a comment

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.

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-renovation

203 N. Monterey Road, kitchen pre-renovation

203 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-renovation

203 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 North Monterey Road guest bedroom before renovation — 203 N. Monterey Road guest bedroom before renovation

203 North Monterey Road guest bedroom after renovation. — 203 N. Monterey Road guest bedroom after renovation.

203 N. Monterey Road master bedroom before renovation

203 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.

MLS Listing

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.

Where Art Inspires Beauty