Sumner Design Studio

So every interior design blogger is writing about this now, but I wanted to point out that the new issue of Lonny is up.

I love that Lonny is trying to fill the void in my heart that Domino left behind, but I must admit that the online format kind of drives me nuts.  I’m sure there’s great content there, but I just won’t sit and read a magazine like I would if it were in print.  With Lonny, I tend to just flip through it quickly, and don’t really absorb much of the content.  Does anyone else have that problem?  Though I do love that if you like something you can click on it to find out where it’s from.  I think my favorite feature from this issue is Laura Day’s Manhattan residence.

Is that a mirrored chevron entertainment center?  I think it is…

From the current issue of Interior Design magazine, this graffiti-ed chest is in the lobby of New York’s Surrey Hotel.  I would love to recreate this with an ugly piece from a thrift store.  Check out the whole slideshow on Interior Design’s website if you have a moment, Rottet Studio did an amazing job with this renovation.

Check out these photos of the Atomic Spa Suisse, designed by Simone Micheli.  The walls and ceiling look like they’re covered in bubbles…

I’m back…  Sorry I have been missing in action.  I just looked at my last post and was shocked to realize that it was a full month ago.  In my defense, I just moved into a new condo.  Have you moved lately?  It’s not fun, and it takes a lot more time than it should.  I will write some posts about my new place, but not until it’s photo-worthy, which may be a few months yet.

It’s December now, which means I can post all the Christmas decor I want to!  I’ll be back next week with more regular posts.  Until then, I leave you with this image from photographer Bruno Suet, via Desire to Inspire.  You know I love me some portraits – I’m loving the cardinal in the modern setting, flanked by the two red pendants.

On Friday night we went to see Regina Spektor at the Fox Theater in Oakland.  It was a great show, and the setting was amazing.  The Fox opened in 1928, as a grand movie palace in downtown Oakland.  It closed in 1966, and narrowly escaped demolition in the 70s (it was slated to be replaced by a parking lot).  After being closed for forty-three years, a newly restored Fox opened in February of this year.  I’ve admired the building’s exterior since moving here twelve years ago, so it was exciting to check out the interior.

Exterior of the Fox Theater

Even during renovation, the exterior is pretty amazing.

This photo, taken from the balcony during construction, gives a glimpse of the grandeur of the interior.  The detail of the ceiling is incredible:

Here is a photo of the stage area after renovation:

sfgate.com

And a close-up of the deitites that flank the stage:

Besides the main theater, the building houses a no-cost performing arts school.  Downtown Oakland has so many gorgeous buildings dating from the 20s and 30s, and it’s amazing to see another one restored so beautifully.  If you live in the Bay Area, I recommend checking out a show at the Fox.

I found this image on Martha Stewart’s website, of all places.  You know I’m a big fan of orange, and I love the shade they’ve used on the walls of this entry.  What really makes this special is the border – they applied brown ribbon around all the edges for an inexpensive custom look:

I was in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago for my brother’s wedding.  He and his bride were savvy enough to choose the Kelly Wearstler-designed Viceroy hotel as the location for their pre-wedding photos.  I’d seen the hotel in Kelly’s book Modern Glamour, but was blown away seeing it in person.

This is the hotel’s bar.  Yes, it’s totally over the top.  But it’s a sophisticated over the top.  In person that rug is amazing.  And she’s totally making me rethink kelly green with these lounge chairs:

I loved this row of alternating patent leather chaises in the lobby:

And this display of plates on a wall outdoors by the pool:

On Friday night we went to a screening of Rear Window at the Paramount Theatre in Oakland.  It’s one of my favorite movies, and seeing it on a big screen with an audience of 2,000 people reacting to it was fantastic.  Also fantastic is getting to see the interior of the Paramount.  The theatre was built in 1931 as an Art Deco movie palace.  It fell into disrepair, and was beautifully restored in the 1970s.  Now it hosts the Oakland East Bay Symphony, as well as concerts and classic movies.

The Paramount's Exterior in 1932

The Lobby of the Paramount

Detail of the Lobby Walls

Interior of the Theatre

It really is an amazing place.  If you live in the Bay Area, I highly recommend visiting.  Besides the many performances at the Paramount, they also offer guided tours the first and third Saturday of every month.

I thought I’d post a living room that I’ve been working on recently.

© Sumner Design Studio

I’m pretty pleased with how it’s turned out.  This client was looking for something neutral, but glamorous.  The curved, tufted sofa with a sleek single seat cushion and curved back chairs with nailhead trim provide neutral, elegant seating.  The dark nesting coffee tables provide a bit of contrast, and their antique mirror tops add a little sparkle.  The white, shapely floor lamp is my favorite lamp right now.  And the trio of throw pillows in shades of aqua add a little color.  There is such a thing as being too neutral, after all.

We recently went on a cruise to Alaska, which got me thinking about interior design of ships.  The vessel we were on was nice, but could have used a little updating decor-wise.  Then a few days ago I was leafing through the latest Architectural Digest and spotted a feature on the Oberoi Zahra, a small luxury ship that cruises the Nile.  It definitely doesn’t need any updating.

I certainly wouldn’t mind hanging out on this pool deck.  The interiors are by Zeiler & Lim Design, and I think they did a beautiful job.  The design is more contemporary and more neutral than I tend to like, but there’s something so simple and luxurious about these spaces:

The Passenger Lounge

Dining Room with Sunset View of the Nile

Cabin

It looks like the area behind the television is upholstered, which is something I’ve never seen before but kind of like.  Now I’m dreaming of cruising the Nile in style…