Life's a Beach

London Calling

LONDON 2K10

So I am currently planning a little trip over the pond with my sister in the new year and doing hotel research. Of the many many beautiful boutique hotels I have come across, Blakes is at the top of my list FOR SURE.

Anouska Hempel did the design and it is fantastic. Her use of color, texture and scale taps into the fantasy of design and feels like it has the ability to transport you to an old world mentality of design where everything was highly detailed and highly decorated. She has the right amount of "matchy matchy" I can appreciate. I NEED to experience this in person.

Our last trip to London we were lucky enough to stay at the exquisite Lanesborough Hotel where we had a personal butler and proceeded to mingle with the glitterati at The Library Bar which included late night drinks with Courtney Love, Noel Fielding (from the Mighty Boosh) and Drew McConnel from the Baby Shambles. That story deserves it's own post as Courtney spilled strange and personal information to us while the scotch on the rocks kept flowing...

Anyways, I am totally spoiled, but this go-around I still want to find a little taste of that sharp English design... Blakes might be a little more manageable. :)

NEW WORK: gigi rap supahstar launches

Here is a latest branding project from LBR. It's so much fun to be able to work with your friends. The picture below accuratly represents how we get work done... with GIANT glasses of pinot.
More to come...

(new branding for Gigi Ouf)

check out the new blog here:
http://www.gigiouf.blogspot.com/

Where My Mind IS...

Anyone want to make a fort??

THIS IS RAD!

CHECK this out. It has the same style as an iPhone tutorial. LOVE IT.

http://cinegis.com/refracthouse/CineGIS.html

A Model of Sustainable + Holistic Living

2009 Solar Decathalon TEAM CALIFORNIA IS KICKING ASS! 1st Place in Architecture!

The Solar Decathlon is a competition between the top architectural and engineering schools throughout the world challenging students to create the best solar efficient and architecturally functional home. Not only to they design every inch of this home, but they also build a full scale model that competes on “the mall” in Washington DC for the public and judges to tour.

This year, California College of the Arts and Santa Clara University teamed up to tackle to project using the strengths of both schools to create the home. CCA brought the architecture and design, and Santa Clara showed their expertise with the engineering. This combo is proving to be a successful as they took home the First place in architecture and communications beating the likes of Cornell, Germany, Boston and Spain—to name a few. There are a few more categories to be judged, but CCA killed it with the Design/Architecture portion.

As a former student of CCA and a former member of the decathlon team, I am so pumped on the outcome. The amount of time and positive energy put towards this project by Team California was enough to create this innovative and holistic approach to living sustainably!

Great job Team California!
Check out the links here to learn more about the project!

http://www.refracthouse.com/

http://www.solardecathlon.org/

AND i'm back!!

Sorry Kids, I KNOW you missed me. Had to take a little LBR break to focus on launching this-->

http://www.rubiconcollection.com/

Check it out!!

My Home and Lifestyle store in Lake Tahoe is finally online and I am so pumped.

So now that is launched, I will have a little more time between the programming of the new ONLINE STORE that will be a part of the Rubicon Collection Online experience.

Above is an image by Embry Rucker--part of our inspiration for the Look section!

ON HOLD: will return shortly

LBR is content building so please stay tuned and we will be back in action very soon.

FUNK-tional Solution to City Living

It's always fun getting forkedUP in your own home. Check out this new kitchen panel from THOUT design company. I mean, why not store your silverware like this? Drawers are so expected. This little puppy costs around $300...but one could get clever and create their own panel of sorts. It takes the "where's your silverware?" question out of entertaining...and it will be really fun tripping out the drunk kids.
http://www.thout.ca/

New Project: PARKER'S MARINA LAIR

COMIN IN HOT. Stay tuned...working on the first project profile right now: PARKER'S MARINA LAIR (actual name tbd...but my client is a Cal Alumn, so kinda appropriate?)

Should get that up this weekend! GAME ON.

Outdoor Shower Indoors

i had an idea like this in design school; but not nearly as developed. read this about the "phyto purification bathroom" : http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/16/view/7234/jun-yasumoto-phyto-purification-bathroom.html

Curious what codes would apply if one were to actually install...

Monday Morning.

Happy Friday!

This makes me smile. My friends Anya + Charlie are getting married in September and BALLOONS will be a focal point of the design, its going to be capital R-a-d.

"A Skateboarders Dream House"

Check out this article. Neat people, neat story, neat design. AND even a neat custom color of the house. love it.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/04/23/garden/20090423-sanfran-slideshow_index.html

DOT COM comin in HOT.

www.lowbudgetrockstars.com is offically in development, we at least I own the URL.

COCO, the first investor in LOW BUDGET ROCKSTARS...without even trying to be.
Trust me, she didn't try to obtain this role (considering her 'investment' in other aspects of our lifestyle), it came from her shear willingness to be active.

My mother (and boss, Catherine Macfee www.macfeedesign.com ) offered me $5.oo to switch transportation devices to get home. You see, I rode my bike to work and she drove her giant black tank. I first said "no way".... It was a beautiful Tahoe summer evening, I had already changed into my 'riding attire' and I too wanted the exercise after the 2lb bag of trail mix I inhaled hours prior. She asked again, and again I declined the offer. It wasn't until my sister Lindsey (www.legitgypsy.blogspot.com) whispered, "go for 20." that I said, "20 and you have a deal" ...and without her even thinking for a moment she yells "DEAL!" thus funding the DOT COM... clevah.

What the hell else do you have to do?

to INSPIRE-chu

CASUAL COLLECTING: fill your home with eveything that makes you happy. Interesting objects and walls filled with eye candy. This is a neat mix of wood, beautiful brick, color, and odd objects. I love the quaint cottage-y feel to this interior. Functional? Not really. I would probably kick those balls every time I charged the stairs, but the "full-ness" turns this stairway into a space with character and soul. This photo leaves me wanting wanting more... tease.
Source/Designer: unknown.

Things are in the works

A little project Lindsey and I have cooking up. It will make sense soon enough.

Who's Down Wit OPP

OTHER PEOPLES PLACES

This little Mediterranean spread is clean, modern and a display of beautiful architectural detailing. The use of white colors reminds me of my childhood (yes childhood) at the Sky Bar, Or really I mean the OG design of the Mondrian Hotel by Phillipe Stark. My parents would schlep us down their as kids while visiting El Lay.

That hotel design is still among my favorites. The humor of Starks design is fantastic; and not phony.

ohmeeggahh

MASERATI GRANTURISMO S
This is too hot for TV. Watch the "introductions".... Zexy design, but really AD CAMPAIGN??... really? ELEVEN could give them some pointers... cue Joe Walsh.

AYO friday

"Yes, Ketel martini, slightly dirty, 2 olives. pronto."

l' objet fantastique

Elephants are rad. plain and simple.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephant

FUNK-tional Solution to City Living

LET THERE BE LIFE!

Succulents: Beautiful, happy, and easy to maintain. This is a neat solution to concrete living.

Here is a great source and my friendly neighbors at the Zoo: http://www.sloatgardens.com/

to INSPIRE-chu

LIGHT vs DARK

Dark walls, crisp white bedding, reflective surface (mirror) and pop of color. What's UP.
Simple and smart.
Unfortunately living in an apartment with a 200 page lease that CLEARLY states DO NOT PAINT THE WHITE WALLS, makes this exact look hard to achieve. But there are clever ways to take these IDEAS and apply them for a similar feel. stay tuned...

to INSPIRE-chu

HYDE AND SISAL AND PATTERN, OH MY.

I would file this little gem under: Eclectic, Spunky, and Colorful.
There is a certain coziness and "good" clutter aspect to this space. LOVE it. Zebra and all.

An "Ah-Ha" moment...

WTF is "Low Budget Rockstars"?...well, let me explain myself.

I am Justine, a 20-something young professional (interior designer) who is constantly asked by my friends to help them design their place on a stylish livable level, while still being affordable and well...hip n' happenin. Knowing my clever scavenger skills and wacky personal style, I am starting a project to create inspirational living spaces for my friends (and new friends) on a "I'd rather be spending my money on clothes and booze" budget.

There is nothing better than coming home to a beautiful environment that is filled with objects that make you smile, make you laugh and inspire you everyday. Even better is entertaining in that environment and sharing that with your homies. Nothing says "I'm kicking ass and taking names" like a well appointed apartment, even if you're still just a temp.