SoCal Spaces 4

Canyons & Valley Edition

18 Simple ways to liven up your home So Cal So Cool

Local Otis students, the fresh generation of design p16

Cause for Applause Gala at new Calabasas Civic Center raises funds for library p66

September/October 2008

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contents

southern california September/October 2008 spacesmag.com

cover story

42 Keep it Simple

Here’s our list of easy ways to make your home sophisticatedly simple.

38 Kitchen Remodel

Guest columnist Cynthia Pedigo tells us how she used her design know-how to do her own place.

D E PA R T M E N T S

12 So Cal So Cool

The work of both established and fledgling designers is featured in this issue.

20 My Favorite Room

An architect and a designer give us their goods.

32 Something’s in the Kitchen

Monty’s owner Michael Levine invites us to his Woodland Hills house for a BBQ.

55 Unusual Rooms

Unique, inviting and theirs.

60 Home Ec 101

Bottled water is so yesterday. Here’s to the new generation of water vessel.

64 Garden Spaces

Roses and cocktails in Rancho Palos Verdes .

66 Cause for Applause

The party’s at the new Calabasas civic center, and donations are for

In this photo, pet cat, Ralph, relaxes in the Los Feliz home of Erin Zimring and Daniel Pipski.

Our simple cover photo depicts five of our cover story tips: 1) unclutter the space; 2) texture walls; 3) apply fresh paint; 4) change the art around; and 5) use fresh flowers. Original art, “Williamsburg IV”

by Howard Stier; flower arrangement, The Empty Vase, styled by Linda Massarella and Howard Stier.

Photographed by Paul Jonason.

its new library.

70 Historical Spaces

A little white lighthouse that still beckons.

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editor’s letter

The search for simplicity begins at home

W

hen I’m on the trail of a good sto-

ry, I become pretty obsessive. As a

of all our tips was to “get rid of the clutter.”

journalist for 22 years, I’m a self-

confessed nitpicker when it comes to getting

But for me – and everyone else I’ve spoken to – the hardest I am not a pack rat. Still, there were far too many things

hanging around in corners and on bookshelves for no reason.

all the sides and coming up with the truth.

So in addition to losing the side table, I assigned myself the

task of getting rid of one garbage bag of clutter for each of the

During the course of editing and styling

our cover story, 18 Simple Ways to Liven Up

five weeks. It really was sad putting the tattered paperbacks

Your Home, I personally tested nine of these

and old LSAT prep books in the garbage, but much worse was

tips. Within the course of five weeks, I both

saying goodbye to my son’s still muddy and torn baseball

textured (yes, I actually skip-troweled a room)

pants and cleats from his T-ball days. By the time my daugh-

and repainted some walls; installed new

ter happily threw a cardboard box of old yarn and a broken

switch plates; added textiles (blue throw cush-

backpack into the bin, we had officially rid our home of a

ions and new drapes); purchased bathroom

good bit of the clutter.

accessories (towels); changed the art around

– that was so simple, but ended up being one of the more dra-

So it is with good conscience that we present our fourth

issue of Spaces. Here’s to simplicity.

matic changes, by the way; got rid of some clutter by donating a side table to the Salvation Army; purchased a new light fixture; and tried out different colors of fresh flowers every week.

The changes were, indeed, very simple – yet startlingly

dramatic. My place looks completely different, far more lively and, simply, just a lot more hip. For the most part, these things were relatively easy to do.

Please feel free to share your thoughts and contact us at spaceseditor@langnews.com

contributors

M

eredith Grenier may be one of the

F

or this issue, Merrill Shindler, South-

P

amela Bunn wrote this issue’s cover

most hard-driving journalists in the South

ern California’s top rated restaurant critic,

story, and interviewed architect Ed Beall and

Bay area, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t

talk show host and Zagat Survey writer, brings

designer Phil Norman for My Favorite Room.

have a soft side. An avid gardener herself,

Spaces readers into the home of fabled restau-

Bunn’s way to simplify her West Hollywood

Grenier brings us into one of the most aston-

rateur Michael Levine, owner of Monty’s in

home was by wallpapering a few accent

ishing rose gardens in Southern California

Woodland Hills. Shindler’s taste buds zeroed

walls: “I changed the entire vibe of my dining

(p.64) – and tops it off with a rose cocktail.

in on the zesty béarnaise sauce (p.32) and then

room with a wallpaper that looks very 1970s

Cheers to that!

he managed to pry out Levine’s secret recipe.

Palm Springs, and I love it!”

10 spaces september/october 2008

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Volume 1 • Issue 4

spacesmag.com

publisher

Steven Gellman editor

Linda Massarella

art director LeeAnn Nelson

photo editor Paul Jonason

senior editor Jackie Rothenberg national editor Denise Gee

contributing editors Pamela Bunn Patt Diroll Meredith Grenier

contributing writers

Holly Berecz Monika Evans Merrill Shindler Howard Stier

contributing photographer Howard Stier

marketing director Bill Van Laningham research director Liz Hamm

creative services manager Paul Schraeder

advertising account executives Karen Fernandes

Meaghan Miller

office manager Mary Anne Rozinsky

Los Angeles Newspaper Group president & ceo

Edward R. Moss executive vice president & cfo

James Siegrist

contact us editorial: (818) 713-3297

linda.massarella@langnews.com advertising: (818) 713-3294 steven.gellman@langnews.com Copyright 2008 Southern California Spaces Magazine by the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher.

Southern California Spaces magazine is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos or artwork even if accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Comments?

Southern California Spaces welcomes story ideas and comments from our readers. Write to: Spaces, 21221 Oxnard Street, Woodland Hills CA 91367.

september/october 2008 spaces 11

SoCal

so cool

Good design is like James M. Barry’s assessment of charm in a woman: If you have it, you don’t need anything else. But if you don’t, it doesn’t much matter what else you have. While the elements of design might be elusive to the untrained eye, good designers know it instinctively – just the right curve of the line, the luster of the material, the exquisite proportional balance. For the rest of us, it is more a feeling of harmony, a sense of peace. Its sublime simplicity can inspire meditation; its ornate craftsmanship can evoke awe. An Eames chair or a Ming vase – good design is forever.

— By Meredith Grenier

Sainte-Mère-Eglise Mt. Washington-based art-

This 36-by-36-inch acrylic, with

ist Drew Wood draws inspi-

copper wire, mesh, enamel,

ration for his large abstract

pumice and epoxy resin on can-

blends of acrylics, gels and resins from nature, as well as

vas, is from a 2007 series deal-

from references by writers Charles Bukowski and Fried-

ing with contrasts – between

rich Nietzsche, even lyrics by the Beatles. Other themes

the texture, color and depth of

by this self-taught transplant from Missouri draw upon

the painting and the flatness of

cultural and physical anthropology and archaeology,

the metal. The piece is named

along with urban life and pop culture. Since arriving on

for a small town in Normandy

the Los Angeles art scene in 1997, his star has steadily

that was the first in Europe to be

risen with solo and group shows, including his current

liberated by the Allies during the

one-man show at Q Design in El Segundo.

World War II D-Day landings.

Drew Wood www.drewwoodart.com

Design dna

12 spaces september/october 2008

It may have been

The first mirrors were

hard to get a good night’s

pools of water, like the one that

sleep in ancient China, where

enthralled Narcissus as he gazed

pillows were traditionally made

at his own reflection. Ancient

of wood, bronze or porcelain.

civilizations could also see

Dreams were probably a little

themselves in polished stone and

sweeter for the Greeks and

metal. The process of silvering

Romans, whose pillows were

– coating a glass surface with

stuffed with straw and reeds.

metallic silver – was first used

The comfy pillows we lay our

in 1835 by chemist Justus von

heads on nowadays are filled

Liebig, leading to the modern

with polyester, feathers or down.

technique of making mirrors.

Magnetar A magnetar is a neutron star with an extremely

The Taylor Companies www.thetaylorcompanies.com

powerful magnetic field,

As furniture companies go, the Lynwoodbased Taylor Company is legendary. The company’s rich design heritage spans

about a thousand trillion

seven generations in a single family

times stronger than that

– back to 1816. Taylor’s office groups are

of the Earth. Wood drew

all about possibilities.

the inspiration for this 36-by-60-inch oil, acrylic and epoxy resin on canvas from a documentary he saw on star formations and the creation of the universe. It is a stellar explosion of color, traveling out from a fiercely charged center point.

Paull Group Made from the finest Eastern hard maple veneers and solids, the Paull Group offers a system of modular, reconfigurable components. Whether the finish is in dark espresso or a light maple, the system of finely crafted wood cabinetry features functional components in wood, glass and metal – perfect for creating office personalities from contemporary to traditional. For small reception areas to conference rooms, the furniture caters to individual working styles. Mix and match with coordinating desks, filing cabinets and storage units.

Oddly enough, the

Feng shui is

toaster was invented before

a popular trend in

sliced bread. The first electric

interior design today,

models only toasted one side of

but its origin dates back more than

bread at a time. Charles Strite

3,000 years. The concept, based

gave us the pop-up version in

in nature, is an ancient Chinese

1919. Otto Frederick Rohwedder

art of positioning buildings,

designed a machine to slice and

furniture and other objects.

wrap bread in 1928. Two years

The goal is to create balance and

later, Wonder’s pre-sliced bread

harmony in our living space, inviting

hit the market, making toast a

good health, happiness and fortune

permanent breakfast staple.

into our lives. september/october 2008 spaces 13

SoCal so cool A. Rudin www.arudin.com Another Los Angeles tradition, the A. Rudin company has built custom furniture at its family-owned Los Angeles operation for four generations. Its pieces have long been revered for great comfort and design.

Bed A grand night of sleeping won’t be a dream in this contemporary bed. It personifies A. Rudin’s hallmark – simple elegance in balanced scale. With strong shapes and crisp and clean lines, it’s a timeless classic.

Sofa This transitional sofa with its beautifully drawn lines and harmonious proportions whispers good taste. The sophisticated yet comfortable piece fits right in, whether combined in an eclectic mix of antique and modern or used to complete a contemporary ensemble. From its carved hardwood legs to the impeccably finished upholstery, the piece embodies grace and beauty.

Design dna If Willis

Without Albert J. Parkhouse, our clothes wouldn’t hang neatly in the

Haviland Carrier

closet, wrinkle-free. There simply weren’t

hadn’t been such

enough hooks at his workplace for all the

a cool guy, we’d

hats and coats, so he improvised one day in

Window blinds of one sort or another

be wilting as much

1903, twisting a piece of wire into two oblong

have shielded us from both the sun’s rays

indoors as out.

hoops. He angled them slightly upward so

and prying eyes for centuries. The Egyp-

Carrier, an engineer,

a coat would hang just right, creating the

tians strung reeds together, the Chinese hung

came up with the idea for

bamboo, and fine cloth draped windows in

air conditioning in 1902 and his basic formula for controlling

the Middle Ages. While the origin of Venetian

temperature and humidity still keeps us comfortable. Air

blinds is unclear, traders may have brought

conditioners were first used commercially. Blissfully, they

them from Persia to Venice in the 1700s.

made their way into our homes after World War II.

forerunner of today’s hanger.

14 spaces september/october 2008

SoCal so cool

EXCLUSIVE

A sneak peek into a new generation’s vision of design

By Howard Stier

W

e may see high-end folding

Wood bench with planter Inspired by a green worldview, Antonia Martinez brings elements of the outdoors into the living space with her design, a wooden bench with a fabric cushion and an integrated stainless steel planter.

furniture and laser-etched

table surfaces in the home design market a few years down the ing students are already crafting

Laser-cut wood table top with compass

them now.

Kevin Melchiorri’s creation ap-

pears

road, but some forward-think-

Otis College of Art and Design,

handcrafted,

but

the

California’s oldest art academy,

topographical map lines are

has started a product design pro-

the result of an industrial pro-

gram, and housewares manufac-

cess used to cut out or carve

turers such as Target and Moen

intricate

are taking note, looking to the Los

patterns on a variety of building

Angeles school for fresh and excit-

materials.

computer-generated

ing products to develop. “We want students to innovate, to challenge companies with the unexpected,” says Michael Kollins, assistant chairman of the school’s interactive product design department.

Three-legged folding chair – metal and wood

They’re also making a conscious

Looking ahead to the down-

choice to be stewards of the envi-

sized living spaces of a more

ronment. “If you’re using renewable

densely populated America,

materials such as bamboo, then ap-

Otis student Mae Ling Lam is in-

plying toxic finishes and adhesives,

trigued by the folding furniture

you’re not reducing the carbon

that is popular in Asia.

footprint,” Kollins says. In response, students are researching the toxicity of building materials and creating an index that will be a valuable resource for designers of eco-friendly products.

Kollins gave Spaces an ex-

clusive look at the work of some students clearly embracing his philosophy of innovation.

16 spaces september/october 2008

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my favorite room

Two design pros give their clients

Waterside

exactly what they asked for: a family friendly pool cabana and a sitting room with an ocean view.

In one space, it’s the room that catches your eye. In the other, it’s not so much the room itself, but how you get there.

By Pamela Bunn

Edward Carson Beall Edward Carson Beall, AIA, & Associates Torrance Photos: Harriet Robinson/David Adamson, Lone Pine Pictures

A

rchitect Edward Carson Beall has

been transforming residential, public

and commercial spaces since 1966,

when he started Edward Carson Beall, AIA, & Associates. His extensive portfolio includes Whalers Village in Maui and the Redondo Beach Pier. Regardless of the project, Beall remains passionate about creating unique designs that fit his clients and their lifestyles.

When asked to choose a favorite space, he fondly recalls this 1993 French Normandy home, where the challenge was to find a way to give his clients a much-coveted ocean view.

Feast your eyes on his ingenious solution.

Ed, what can you tell us about the property?

The house is located in San Clemente, about CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

20 spaces september/october 2008

Phil Norman Norman Design Group Torrance Photos: Christopher Dow

I

nterior designer Phil Norman grew up in

built as a spec house. When the homeown-

the Midwest watching his mother restore

ers bought it, they really wanted to change it

flea-market antiques in their garage, and

quite a bit. But we didn’t do any remodeling,

says that’s when his love of before-and-after transformations began. After graduating with a BFA in interior architecture and interior design from Iowa State University, Norman moved to California, where he founded the Norman Design Group eight years ago.

He used his expertise to transform this once overlooked space into a cool pool cabana,

just a lot of cosmetic enhancements.

So the cabana was an existing structure?

Yes, but it wasn’t being used at all. When I first saw the space, the couple’s 5-year-old twin daughters essentially used it as a camping room – I think they had a princess-pink tent in there. But it had a lot of great poten-

perfect for a family.

tial, and it has a full kitchen, a fireplace and a

Phil, were you hired to renovate an entire home, or just this pool cabana?

guest house/pool cabana.

full bathroom. It’s really a great stand-alone

We were hired in the spring of 2007 to ren-

How did you approach the redesign?

ovate the house and the pool cabana. The

The idea behind this room, and why I like it

house was four years old, and it had been

a lot, is that it’s a departure from the style of CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

september/october 2008 spaces 21

my favorite room Edward Carson Beall FROM PAGE 20 a block and a half from the beach. It’s about 4,000 square feet, with three bedrooms.

So you designed the house from the ground up?

Yes. And it was difficult because the vacant lot was really narrow and there were a lot of building requirements.

Is this the first time you had worked with this client?

No. I had done a home and interiors on a previous house in Palos Verdes for her and her first husband, who had passed away. This home was for her and her second husband.

They are a really fun couple and kind of carte blanche, which is the type of client all architects want. They just sort of named what they wanted and let me have at it.

Did they have any specific requests?

Yes. They wanted to have at least one room

“ The stairway winds around the fireplace and goes up to this little mezzanine area, which ends at the doorway to the sitting room. It has a little balcony that they can step out on and get a breath of fresh air and ocean breeze.”

—Architect Edward Beall that had a view of the beach. We knew if

st y l i s h l y

we got out there far enough, we could have a little tiny room where they could go up to

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for a glass of wine and see the ocean. The 99

challenge was getting to the room, and that’s where the staircase and the mezzanine balcony came into play. And as a result of that, it gave the house a sensational look, as we knew it would. It did more than just get them to their little view tower; it made the house quite dramatic in that area.

Do you have a photograph of this little sitting room?

I don’t. Since I did this home for them 15 years ago, I don’t have many pictures. But my favorite aspect of the project isn’t the room with the ocean view, but rather how you get there, as you see in these pictures. I know Beige-22

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22 spaces september/october 2008

that’s a little twist from the way you normally do things.

Twists are good! So is that the living room downstairs?

That’s correct. And the stairway winds CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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by James Buttram and Susan Lobue september/october 2008 spaces 23

my favorite room

Edward Carson Beall FROM PAGE 22 around the fireplace and goes up to this little

sign of this house, and the client has a very

mezzanine area, which ends at the doorway

good taste level as well.

to the sitting room. It has a little balcony that they can step out on and get a breath of fresh air and ocean breeze.

Have you kept in touch with the clients over the years?

Yes. And they still love it.

How high is the ceiling in the living room and the mezzanine?

The living room at the peak is 22 feet, and the mezzanine, as it squeaks around the edge there, is 9 feet high.

For a project completed in 1993, the furnishings sure look timeless.

Drywall: Smooth Floors: Oak, stained dark and distressed Light Fixtures: Arte de Mexico

That’s good. My wife, Susie, is a partner in my

Paint: Benjamin Moore & Co. 974

firm and handles the interiors. She had been

Railings: Wrought iron with

very instrumental with the furnishings on this client’s previous home, and I think that a lot of the furniture moved with her to this house. So Susie assisted with the interior de-

24 spaces september/october 2008

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my favorite room PHIL NORMAN FROM PAGE 21 the main house, which has a very Tuscan/ Mediterranean feel – a lot of warm natural wood and really rich colors. Since this is a detached building, I thought it would be cool to give them what they had in their previous home in Manhattan Beach, which is more of a light and airy pool-cabana feel.

Is there only one door that leads to the outside?

No. That one white door is for the closet, which we ignored because of the furniture arrangement. There are a lot of French doors that lead to the pool area.

What material did you use for the window/ French door shades?

Those are grass shades. We like to use those a lot because they have a great inside-out feel to them, and at night they are very warm and textural. And we also put texture on the walls with grass cloth. That helped tremen-

“ It’s a natural stone floor, and then I found a carpet that emulated the washboard-ripple effect the sand at the beach gets when a wave washes out to sea.” —Designer Phil Norman dously with the room’s dimension and feel.

Did you furnish the entire room, top to bottom?

Yes. And all the fabric used on the upholstery and pillows is a Sunbrella-based fabric, which is basically spill- and dirt-proof. We often use this material for families who have children and a lot of fabric, so you can just wipe anything away.

What’s the flooring?

It’s a natural stone floor, and then I found a carpet that emulated the washboard-ripple effect the sand at the beach gets when a wave washes out to sea. So we just bought 12-foot goods and banded the perimeter to make an area rug.

You mentioned that the cabana has a full kitchen. Did you redo that as well?

No, although the cabinet finish wasn’t great, and we were talking about refinishing that.

But my suggestion was, “Let’s finish the room and then see how affected we are by CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

26 spaces september/october 2008

my favorite room PHIL NORMAN FROM PAGE 26 the cabinet color afterward.” Often, when there’s nothing in a room, you focus on the one thing that is in it, which were the cabinets. I wanted to see if it became less of a player as we finished the room, which it definitely did.

Have you been in touch with this family since the redesign?

Oh, yes. Their kids just came to my kid’s birthday party. And we’ve been in touch about the next phase of their renovation – the pool. They’re talking about doing all new hardscape and an in-ground trampoline. Then we’ll be doing all the outdoor areas as well.

I didn’t know there was such a thing as an in-ground trampoline.

Neither did I !

NORMAN BUYING GUIDE: Accessories: Norman Design Group,

multiple resources Carpet: Fabrica, Santa Ana; accent

border with Fabrica accent color Cocktail tables: Custom designed

and manufactured by Norman Design Group End tables: Palecek, L.A. Mart Fabrication: Norman Design Group Lamps: Frederick Cooper Pillows: Custom designed by Norman

Design Group with Sunbrella fabrics Raffia wall covering: Schumacher Rattan chairs: Palecek, L.A. Mart;

fabric by Sunbrella Upholstered swivel chairs: Pacific

Design for Norman Design Group Window coverings: Grass shades by

Mark Window Products; botanical fabric by Schumacher; fabrication by Norman Design Group

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something’s in the kitchen

Prime steaks, personally delivered Chef cooks up family memories along with the food

By Merrill Shindler

M

ichael Levine is a meat-and- potatoes kind of guy. He’s the third generation of Levines who

have made Monty’s not just a place to go for a steak, but a Valley institution where grandparents, parents and children can often be found dining at one table – a restaurant filled with memories of long, leisurely meals served by waiters who know every family member by name. In a world of corporate anonymity, Monty’s offers warm familiarity.

Levine’s house is no more than five minutes from his restaurant. At home, he does his cooking in a functional kitchen that he fills with his natural ebullience. The man is money. He wanted to get out of the busi-

piece of beef on the professional model Frigi-

ness. So Grandfather Monty took over.

daire cooktop and stove in his kitchen, or the

He had grown up on a chicken ranch in

eight-burner gas barbecue from Barbeques

El Monte. Living on the ranch, he learned

Galore on his outdoor patio.

how to barbecue over mesquite. He loved

As he cooks up an order of onion rings (just

to barbecue. So that was the restaurant he

sliced onions dredged in flour, then dropped

opened – steak, baked potato and grand-

in splattering oil till they begin to brown), he

mother’s sour cream garlic dressing and

says, “It all began in 1941 in Pasadena with

cheesecake – both still on the menu today.”

my grandfather and grandmother. He was

the original Monty – Monty Levine. Back

Encino, which moved to the current location

In 1956, his parents opened a branch in

then, he was driving a liquor truck. When

in Woodland Hills in 1990. Levine started

you drove a liquor truck in those days, you

working at Monty’s in 1979, when he was 19.

weren’t just the delivery guy. You were the

He’s been there ever since.

bill collector too.

“As it happened, a guy who owned a bar

says. “I’m going to take a prime culotte, give

in Pasadena owed my grandfather a lot of

it a little sear – and we’ve got beef tataki.

“Tell you what I’m going to make,” he

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

32 spaces september/october 2008

For Michael Levine, owner of Monty’s, meat isn’t just an ingredient — it’s a culinary object of desire.

“ I’m a simple guy.

I love going into the kitchen, looking in the cabinet, turning it into dinner.”

PHOTOS: PAUL JONASON

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something’s in the kitchen Michael Levine FROM PAGE 32 I serve it with some ponzu sauce, some crispy onions. Then, I’ll do a chateaubriand on the outside broiler, with some sautéed spinach. And there’s something special I want you to taste.”

In a foil pan, Levine has placed a wal-

let-sized filet of halibut with sliced red and yellow peppers, diced potatoes, red wine, tarragon, salt and pepper. “I’ve been messing with this to-go idea my wife gave me,” he says. “It doesn’t always work for her to cook for herself and our son. So I figured I’ll make prepared meals that are ready to go. You pick it up at Monty’s, take it home, put the pan in the oven, 400 degrees for 20 minutes. After

Sliced Barbecued Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

I perfect the fish, I’m going to work on steak.

You’ve got to char it raw, then you can throw

16 ounces prime steak (chateaubriand or any cut you prefer)

it in the oven. The key is the char.”

cracked peppercorns

And that’s the secret of Monty’s in a nut-

kosher salt

shell – absolute simplicity, done perfectly.

“I’m a simple guy,” Levine says. “I love going

Rub beef with peppercorns and salt. Let stand for 5 minutes.

into the kitchen, looking in the cabinet, turn-

Cook meat over mesquite charcoals,

ing it into dinner. You’ve got to work with

charring on both sides. Move meat to

what you have … stick to what you know. Just

cooler part of grill, cooking slowly until

try to keep doing it better.”

medium rare. Set aside.

Prepare béarnaise as per following recipe.

restaurant Monty’s Prime Steaks & Seafood

Slice steak, arrange on platter and spoon

5371 Topanga Canyon Boulevard Woodland Hills 818.716.9736

sauce over meat. Serve with garlic toast.

reservations recommended?

dinner

for two

Béarnaise Sauce

Yes About $80

4 egg yolks

1 sprig tarragon, chopped

juice from one whole lemon

1 shallot, finely chopped

Tabasco (three dashes)

½ cup red wine vinegar

Place shallots, tarragon and red wine vinegar in a sauté pan; cook over medium heat until liquid is almost gone, then set aside. In a double boiler (or if you’re brave, a single metal bowl), place eggs, lemon juice and Tabasco. Whisk together over low heat until creamy. Remove from

quick fact

stove. Continue whisking, fold in shallots and tarragon, serve over steak.

Just another packed Tuesday evening, full of regulars and guests.

36 spaces september/october 2008

Chateaubriand was actually a person before becoming popularized as a cut of meat. In the early 1800s, Chef Montmireil created the steak recipe for François René, vicomte de Chateaubriand, a French writer and statesman.

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something’s in the kitchen

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By Cynthia Pedigo

W

hen we remodeled two years ago, we created a classic English country kitchen that has become the heart of our home in Tarzana. We took three walls down and made the kitchen, living room

and dining room into an open, spacious great room for cooking, entertaining and living. The kitchen, which looks out over our rose garden, is a warm and inviting place for family and friends to gather.

The focal point of the room is an elegant, 10-foot island with seating. The

kitchen cabinets are white with antique brown granite counters, and the island’s cabinetry is a rich chocolate, topped with white marble. The more

A new kitchen is your best investment

contrast between the colors, the more dramatic the effect, creating a design in which the island appears more like a piece of furniture.

I always recommend that my clients buy appliances by the same manu-

facturer so the finish, color, handles, knobs and logo will all match. All my appliances are by Viking and include a freestanding Dual Fuel Range; a dish-

A new kitchen will be enjoyed by you, your family and friends for years to come. And it adds tremendous value to your home.

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38 spaces september/october 2008

splash or above your cook-top; the extra faucet makes it easier to fill those heavy pots with water.

Cynthia Pedigo, a lead designer and member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association, specializes in home remodeling and new construction with an emphasis on kitchens, baths, entertainment centers, home offices and other interior spaces. She combines nearly 20 years of experience with an innate artistic ability and passion for detail to create innovative designs that are a study in color contrasts, depths, textures and space utilization.

Home sweeter home If you find yourself standing in your living room thinking, I’m so over it, it’s time to make those much-needed design updates to refresh your home and your psyche. But it’s not always necessary to gut the place. For this redesign, think simple. Interior designer Barbara Brenner, of the Barbara Brenner & Associates design firm in Calabasas, explains: “It’s important to go simple because less is always more. When I go into a home, the first thing I do is take out the clutter and get down to basics.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. So without further ado, here’s our list of ways to renew, revamp and revitalize.

Spruce up your space with ease and elegance

By Pamela Bunn

42 spaces september/october 2008

1 CONFRONT YOUR CLUTTER There’s no time like the present to take Brenner’s advice. Before you start on any other element of your simple redesign, it’s best to reassess your relationship with those knick-knacks peppering every shelf and your collection of mis-

simple things

matched chairs. We know it won’t be easy. According to Brenner, “This is the hardest thing for people to do because they’re attached to their things. There are two kinds of clutter: junk that accumulates, which should be thrown away or given to charity (don’t forget to get a tax receipt), and sentimental clutter.

For the sentimental clutter, I suggest storing it or giving it to a son or a daughter who would appreciate it.”

A P E R S O N A L C A N VAS

2 Paint

4 Wainscoting

No surprise here: If you’re sick of staring at

If your walls are void of wainscoting, that

your white (or gray or yellow) walls, head

doesn’t mean you can’t install it. “Wainscot-

to the paint store and go for a totally differ-

ing is a fantastic way to create impact, espe-

ent color than the one currently surround-

cially on a budget,” says Murdock. “It can be

ing you. If you’re not ready to commit to

traditional or spiced up and dramatized by

an all-over shade, start small. You can paint

using a bright color on the upper part, such

one room, or just an accent wall or ceiling.

as kelly green, or even a bold wallpaper.”

Designer Tracy Murdock, of Tracy Murdock Interior Design in Woodland Hills, suggests this grand opening: “I think painting in entry halls is a great way to get immediate impact and to receive guests.”

3 Texture Maybe you’re a touchy-feely person and would like to add some texture to a room.

Hire a professional to skip-trowel your walls for a cool faux-finish look. “This method is great because it has some highs and lows to it, which can add great depth, and then adding paint and glaze to it gives it highlights,” says West Hollywood designer Philip Nimmo, of the design firm Philip Nimmo & Company and Philip Nimmo Ironworks. Another one of his ideas: “I love using raffia paper (woven sea grass) to add texture to one wall.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Pick your paint You’ve made the commitment to paint a room (or just one wall), but now have to select a color. We asked color expert Jennifer Butler, of Jennifer Butler Living Color, for advice. With decades of experience choosing color palettes for people and their homes, Butler suggests going with colors that represent you – think skin tone and eye and hair color. She explains: “Skin tone is a good color to use in the family room or bedroom because it’s the color of intimacy, and your eye color mirrors your soul.” Butler recommends getting paint swatches and holding them up to your face in a mirror, as “it’s important to get an emotional reaction to the color.” Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, get samples and paint them on the wall to see how the light passes through the room and how the colors change throughout the day.

Then, simply choose the one you like best.

september/october 2008 spaces 43

“Simple changes can be even more important if you’re thinking of putting your home on the market. When staging a home, always think simple: a fresh coat of paint, flowers, lighting and fresh throw pillows go a long, long way.” —Barbara Brenner, designer

simple things

P E R S O N A L C A N VA S

LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43

5 Headboard

7 Fixtures

To give a bedroom a dra-

Of course you want your home to look good,

matic touch with a unique

but you may as well look your best, too. Mur-

and unexpected focal point,

dock suggests getting rid of the canned light-

simply paint a headboard

ing, noting that using lamplight throughout

right onto the wall (be sure

the home creates a softer mood and “is al-

to trace it first), or visit a flea

ways much more flattering on people.” An-

market for a vintage screen

other one of her tips: “I like to use swing arm

to place behind the bed. “A

wall sconces behind sofas and next to or on

friend of mine found some

headboards, creating more space on tables,

great old Indian doors at

not to mention that they are more functional

a flea market, and we just

and you can put special touches on the lamp-

hung them behind the bed,”

shades.”

says Nimmo. Don’t worry if Screens are another innovative way to create a headboard.

This one, called the Barbarella Screen by Plushpod, is made of natural wood and has a cool vibe that definitely says ‘simple’.

the piece looks too vintage, as your favorite paint or fabric will give it new life.

6 Wallpaper

8 Dimmers Nothing changes the feel of a room like the right lighting. Dimmers are a must have, Murdock says. They give you the flexibility to

From faux finishes to bold stripes to com-

control lighting, even at its harshest. You can

plete murals, “There is something for just

turn them up for everyday living or down

about everyone when it comes to wallpaper,”

when you want to unwind after a long day.

Murdock notes. A word of advice: When us-

And of course, you can adjust them just so to

ing a strong pattern, she cautions, go with

set the mood for entertaining or romance.

solid fabrics and window coverings in the room. Conversely, if you’ve chosen a more subtle wallpaper, liven it up with patterns on the window coverings and upholstery.

Wallpaper works just about everywhere, she says, whether on an entire room, single wall or even the ceiling.

9 Switch plates We know you’re thinking, switch plates – nobody notices those. But the fact is, this is one of the easiest design updates, and it packs a big punch. “Switch plates go out of style very quickly, but they are so simple to change,” says Brenner. “Take out the old ones, screw in the new ones and you’ve updated the room in a matter of minutes.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

44 spaces september/october 2008

Homeowners Erin Zimring and Daniel Pipski use lamps, instead of overhead lighting, throughout their Los Feliz home. “Simplicity doesn’t have to mean boring,” says Zimring.

What can be easier than a few turns of the screw to update your home? Pictured is the Modernist Triple Toggle switchplate by Atlas Homewares.

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simple things A D D F L A S H T O YO U R K I T C H E N & B AT H CONTINUED FROM PAGE 44

0 Shower door

= Accessories

Nothing dates a bathroom more than an old,

Updating your kitchen and bathroom acces-

clunky, brass-framed, tinted-glass shower

sories is another simple way to transform the

enclosure, so now’s the time to go seamless

look of these two rooms. Buy a new acces-

and frameless, says Nimmo. Doing so will

sory collection in a style that floats your boat

take years off the room, finally giving it that

– think porcelain, stainless steel or wood. In

“wow” factor it’s been missing. And while

the bathroom, go for new towels in a color

you’re at it, replace the showerhead and fau-

you haven’t used before, and ditch a tradi-

cets. Nimmo adds, “If you’re at the point of

tional bath mat for one made of cool, smooth

updating the look of the room, the faucet

stones.

probably looks tired. It’s amazing what new fixtures can do.”

“When we were redoing our bathroom, it was important for us to keep the shower enclosure simple — we wanted the least amount of hardware possible,” says homeowner Erin Zimring.

- Hardware

It’s anything goes for accessories, as long as they’re stylish. What’s more simple than natural stone?

This White River Stone mat made by Viva Terra serves a dual purpose: it also massages your feet.

48 spaces september/october 2008

You spend so much time slaving away in your kitchen that you deserve a new back-

Don’t think kitchen and bathroom knobs

splash. For added dimension, think about

are important to your redesign? According

mosaic tiles. Since this is a change you prob-

to Brenner, getting new and vibrant replace-

ably won’t be making very often, Nimmo

ments for those old, faux bronze drawer

advises going with a more neutral palate: “I

pulls will “change the whole feel of the cabi-

believe the simpler it is, the more of an ad-

nets. It’s so easy to do, and there are so many

vantage I have when I want to swap out my

nice ones. You don’t need to change all the

accessories.”

cabinets – just change the pulls.”

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simple things FINISHING TOUCHES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 48

w Art Move a piece of artwork from the living room to the bedroom, and take one from the bathroom and put it in the hallway – just shake it up and see how the room is transformed. Says Brenner: “If the same piece of art has been on the same wall for years, you’ll notice it in a different light if you change its location. It really does transform a room and it’s the simplest thing to do.”

e Throw pillows It’s time to retire those pillows that came with your couch and invest in new ones that will add a vibrant touch to your room. “Accent pillows are mandatory,” says Brenner.

“I always suggest people buy a neutral color sofa, and change the throw pillows every couple of years to a current color – same for the bedroom. A couple of pillows in a poppy color will change the entire room.”

r Area rugs Decorating with – or without – an area rug is a quick way to revamp any room. Try going from a solid to a modern printed rug. Area rugs can also be a great seasonal change to any room. Nimmo reveals, “During the winter I use my area rugs, then during the summer I store them.” Or, if you prefer to decorate with rugs year-round, here’s Nimmo’s tip: “In summertime I like more textural rugs, like sea grass, and in wintertime I use a pile or woven rug.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

This original architectural oil painting of a set of windows, “Studio Fire,” by local artist Howard Stier, lends itself to any wall. And when it’s moved around, you see the room — and the art — in a different light.

52 spaces september/october 2008

Toss it up. “Throw pillows are so fun and so easy,” says Woodland Hills designer Tracy Murdock. “They can update a room in an instant.”

simple things FINISHING TOUCHES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

t Accent jewelry It’s time to add an unexpected touch to your home, and a great way to do that is with jewelry. Umano Beads, designed by Barbara Bacigalupi, can be hung on lamps, door handles, vases and drawer pulls, giving your room a meditative and reflective feel. The beautiful beads can express a sentiment you’d like to project, like love, good health, prosperity or tranquility.

They’re also a great conversation piece.

y Flowers You’re done with your redesign, but something’s missing. Ah, nature! Start by adding fresh-cut flowers to your weekly shopping list. “This is the single most important simple way to improve your home,” says Brenner. “It makes your home fresh and alive and lifts the spirits like nothing else.” It’s true, flowers will add a seasonal and creative touch to any room – and you’ll get more compliments than you’ll know what to do with. (You’re welcome.)

It doesn’t clutter, it accentuates, like a simple necklace or bracelet will bring out a smashing outfit. Used sparingly on a simple lamp or plain doorknob, jewelry can make the room “pop.”

54 spaces september/october 2008

Tea and comfort Metamorphosis of a tool shed

By Linda Massarella

R

obert Butler, a violinist with the Moorpark Symphony, had been carrying around the plans for a Japanese teahouse in his head for 30

years. Last year, he decided to do something about it.

The old tool shed in the back yard of his Thousand Oaks

home was fast becoming an eyesore, so he started picking through local lumber yards to find the different types of cedar woods he would need to start building. With the help of a carpenter, Butler turned the 12-by-12 space into the tranquil retreat of his dreams.

The teahouse was carefully designed to support a formal

Japanese tea ceremony, but as a one-time theology student, he also wanted to honor the Zen masters who studied in uncluttered huts with tatami mats.

“I included elements found in 10th and 11th century

teahouse precursors,” says Butler. “But there are also personal statements. I included a full reading and study area, and the alcove post is an oar set in driftwood.”

Butler, who lives with his wife Barbara Friedman, an

Agoura Hills dentist, spends every evening meditating and reading in his space. When the skies open up, he makes it a point to sleep on the small futon in the alcove, where he can drift off to the gentle sounds of rain.

Adds Friedman: “It was astonishing how Bob took an old

shed and made it into this peaceful, beautiful place in just a few short months. He is very, very happy with his space, especially since he built it himself.”

what

Teahouse where Thousand Oaks we need What is your favorite to know type of tea? “ Whipped matcha or a single leaf of choice oolong.”

PHOTOS: PAUL JONASON

who Robert Butler

september/october 2008 spaces 55

un usual rooms

Superhero worship

By Monika Evans

Where no man has gone before

T

here are collectors and then there is

his wife, Joan. “She bought me an incredible

Michael Edell. In a space set up as a

Iron Man #1, which I was missing,” he says.

movie screening room, comic books

“That was the best one anyone ever gave me.”

abound, little green Army men stand poised

for battle, Matchbox cars and trucks are ready

Edell started a successful online business,

With his finger on the comic book pulse,

for a spin, and a full-size Locutus, of Star Trek

Warehouse Auction Centers, which soared

fame, watches over it all.

to the top five in all comic sales nationwide

“I grew up in New Jersey and started col-

at one point, listing an average 20,000 items

lecting comics when I was 5 years old,” Edell

a week – not to mention the personal perks.

says. “I loved the Fantastic Four, Silver Surfer

“I was able to buy hundreds of thousands of

and, of course, Spider-Man.” His collectibles

books and take the cream of the crop for my

expanded to the point that he built a col-

collection,” he says.

lector’s room in his Westlake Village home,

where drawers are filled with preserved comic

encourage everyone to collect something:

books and shelves are home to unique items

“It teaches people how to take care of things

such as a bronze sculpture of the Star Trek en-

they purchase, place value on those items

terprise and the original Tricorder from the

and research those things that they are

sci-fi series. His favorite comic was a gift from

passionate about.”

PHOTOS: PAUL JONASON

56 spaces september/october 2008

If he could leave a legacy, it would be to

who Michael Edell what

Collector’s room where Westlake Village we need Is there one item to know you can’t find? “ No. I can find more than I can afford to have.”

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un usual rooms

Room to play Pick a game, any game

W

hen Marcene and Danny O’Bryen went house hunting in Westlake Village, the expansive game room occupying most of the top floor sealed the

deal. “I pictured all the kids up here playing pool, ping-pong, foosball and poker, while all the adults could belly up to the big bar,” Marcene says with a laugh. That vision became a reality a lot sooner than she anticipated.

Remodeling began immediately after they moved in, and

as remodeling often goes, one room led to another until the

By Monika Evans

entire 7,000-square-foot lower level was under construction, forcing the family of four to move upstairs. “We literally lived in the game room – day and night. Our friends started calling it the ‘only room’ because it was the only room not covered in plastic wrap, dust and painter’s tape for a long, long time,” Marcene recalls. “At least we had a lot to do up there.” They had plenty to do, in fact. The game room houses not only pool and ping-pong tables, but a collector’s American shuffleboard table (one of the last built), a poker corner, antique slot machines, foosball, four flat screen TVs, couches, a furnished outdoor patio and a fantastic bar area with granite counters, swivel leather stools and a stocked refrigerator.

The décor taps into Danny’s background in the music

business, with one-of-a-kind memorabilia signed by the Eagles, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and more. Athletic-themed collectibles include an autographed Andre Agassi racket, Joe DiMaggio baseball and too many basketballs to count.

Though the remodeling is complete and the O’Bryens no

longer have to camp out upstairs, they’re still very much at home there.

Marcene O’Bryen slides the puck perfectly to knock off her opponent.

PHOTOS: PAUL JONASON

who

what

arcene O’Bryen M Game room where Westlake Village we need Do you sneak up here to know and practice?

“ Let’s just say, I’m pretty sharp at shuffleboard.”

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Home Ec 101

By Pamela Bunn

In these times of belt-tightening, it’s out with the old way of carefree spending and in with the new, less-ismore approach to life. We’re here to help with these tips for saving money, gas and water.

HOLD THE WATER

DRINK UP

Did you know that when temperatures go up, outdoor water use increases by up to 50 percent?

Wait until your lawn and garden are actually thirsty before watering. Simply poke a finger about an inch and a half into the soil, and water if dry.

The prime time to give your greens a drink is early morning, when they’ll retain the most water. And while you might feel you’re saving water with a light sprinkle, it will evaporate before it does any good. Let loose with the hose – a good soaking will sink right down into the roots.

Plastic water bottles are so yesterday. Stainless steel water bottles are now the newest trend in saving the planet – and your health. The lightweight, toxin-free steel bottles are inexpensive and can be refilled with our own terrific tap water – in most cases as good as or better than the bottled kind – and rewashed thousands of times. And the steel makes the water taste cool and fresh.

GARDEN SAVER Watering dry soil is great, but adding a layer of mulch around trees and plants will slow moisture evaporation, helping you save even more water. Mulch also protects the soil from erosion and cuts down on weeds, so you can spend more time appreciating your garden, and less maintaining it. Just add 2 to 4 inches of an organic material, such as compost or bark mulch, stand back and admire your work. You are now officially a conservationist!

SENSORY PERCEPTION There’s no time like the present to swap those stay-on-all-night outdoor lights with the someone-just-stepped-onto-my-lawn variety. Installing motion-sensor outdoor lighting has three great advantages: it keeps you feeling safe and saves both energy and money. Wait, there’s a fourth benefit – the instant illumination ensures you’ll catch that mystery neighbor’s dog doing his business on your perfectly manicured front lawn. Priceless.

60 spaces september/october 2008

ROOM FOR ONE MORE Carpooling may have started out as a way of taking the kids and their friends to and from school and practice, but it’s also a means of sharing the skyrocketing cost of gas. Our advice? Choose someone who lives nearby, shares your taste in music and has a personality you can abide during rush-hour traffic. Then you can brag about your good deed at the water cooler and watch it catch on like wildfire. To make your trips even more efficient, be sure to keep your car tuned up and check your tire pressure regularly.

BUY SMALL, THINK BIG Some laundry detergent companies are coming out with concentrated liquids in smaller bottles that not only save space, but use less than half the plastic of others on the market. It may cost more to buy the smaller containers, but it’s money well spent. Think of all the landfill space that will be freed up. Now, if only American companies would follow Europe’s lead and introduce detergent refills (that come in economy-sized pouches and can be poured into the old bottle) to our grocery shelves …

hiGh t ech home Life is hectic. There’s always somewhere to go, someone to see and something to do. Our homes should be our sanctuaries, providing tranquility, comfort and convenience. Here are some of the latest products designed to help you streamline, leaving more room in your busy schedule for that ever-elusive “me time.”

A good call

By Holly Berecz

phone system connects with your Bluetooth

The power of Bluetooth meets high design with the 5.8 GHz digital VTech LS5145. In addition to the sleek line, the feature-rich cell phone and headsets so you can make and receive cellular calls with the ease, comfort and security of your own landline. Priced at $129.95, it includes a color display with animated wallpaper and recordable ring tones. www.vtechphones.com

Touch tunes While iPods eliminate unsightly stacks of CDs from the home, the Sooloos Music System elevates storage to an art form. Browse through thousands of CDs in vivid color easily and instantly on a 17-inch touch screen. Store, source and control all of your music with the one-terabyte hard drive storage unit. Priced at $12,900.

Blu-ray bliss Now that Blu-ray has emerged victorious

www.sooloos.com

over other HD viewing formats, sound and image purists want the ultimate experience. The audio/video experts at Goldmund provide just that with Eidos 20BD, the first high-end Blu-ray player to hit the market.

It offers dramatically improved picture and sound stability, vibration control and reading error reduction. Priced at $16,900. www.goldmund.com

62 spaces september/october 2008

Serving California Since 1969!

Cold cream Literally. The M Series medicine cabinet from Robern offers a cold storage area that keeps beauty products, medications and even beverages at refrigerator-like temperatures. It’s great for extending the life of high-end cosmetics and pharmaceuticals or keeping cool drinks close at hand in a home gym. Prices start at $1,900. www.robern.com

Windows & Shutters Patio, Entry & Interior Doors Shower & Wardrobe Doors

Sweet dreams When your baby gets a good night’s sleep, so do you.

Send your little one off to dreamland with the SoundSpa Lullaby from HoMedics. Six soothing sounds, including popular lullabies and noises of nature, create a relaxing soundtrack. The rotating picture projector is a modernday mobile that transforms walls and ceilings with images of animals, stars and fish. Priced at $29.99. www.homedics.com

Fast food Cook a 12-pound turkey in 42 minutes flat?

Yes, the Speedcook Oven by TurboChef is a dream come true for anyone hosting a holiday dinner.

Patented

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which combines fast-moving hot air and microwaves, cooks up to 15 times faster than conventional ovens. Available in seven striking color options, this is anything but

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spaces

A rose by many other names . . .

I

By Meredith Grenier Photos by Paul Jonason

n Southern California, the rose parade goes on all year long. Just ask Dr. Michael Ishak, who reluctantly prunes blossoms

on his 400 rose bushes every January, knowing the plants will burst forth tenfold come April and last through Christmas. Although he took up rose growing late in life, the retired ob/gyn was a quick study, and today he is the head rose consultant for the South Coast Rose Society. He also plays host to representatives from famed English rose breeder David Austin, who drop by to photograph his beauties for future catalogs.

On his fragrant 4-acre tiered prop-

erty in Rolling Hills are dozens of hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras and climbers. But his climbing roses put on the most breathtaking show as they sprint up into treetops and gallop across a guesthouse roof in gay abandon. “That is Sympathie,” he says, pointing to a prolific red rose covering his roof. “She’s a nonstop bloomer.

Rosarians often call her a house-eater.”

Climbing roses have long been popular in

Europe, where lot sizes are smaller. But now they’ve caught on here as gardeners with shrinking home and condo properties look for vertical growing opportunities. Almost all large roses can be trained to grow vertically, Ishak says. Pillars, climbers, large shrubs and ramblers are excellent candidates for covering arbors, pergolas, roofs and trees.

Climbing Iceberg roses, which turn pink at the end of their blooming cycle, nearly envelop Dr. Ishak’s guest house. Long cherished in Europe, climbers are gaining popularity in the United States.

64 spaces september/october 2008

Madame Alfred Carrière, introduced in

bushes. “That was the beginning of the

1879 and one of the oldest among Ishak’s

end,” he jokes.

wide variety of roses, happily blooms in

cream-colored clusters 25 feet up a Torrey

along with those growing in pots on the pa-

pine. While climbers steal the show, the cut-

tio and near the pool, with help from a trio

ting garden outside his kitchen window has

of gardeners who come weekly for a half-

produced its share of rose show winners and

day. While his roses are remarkably free of

dozens of beautiful bouquets.

black spot, rust, mildew and other problems,

Today he tends two dozen or so rose beds,

But the roses don’t grow alone. They

Ishak doesn’t spray them with chemicals.

share beds with a host of companion plants

Instead, he takes a preventative approach.

such as salvias, hydrangeas, columbines,

After pruning, he sprays them with dormant

dahlias, heliotrope, Lenten rose, lavenders

horticultural oil and sulfur or copper, and re-

and penstemon, creating lush floral beds. “I

peats the process two weeks later. They also

didn’t want to be limited just to roses,” he

enjoy a nice “rose cocktail.” See recipe below.

says. “If you love plants, you want to expand

your horizon a little.”

shares rosarian lore as he makes his garden

Wearing jeans and a baseball cap, Ishak

For all his love of roses, he admits to

rounds. Pointing to a blush pink David Aus-

a prejudice against orange varieties and

tin rose called Sharifa Asma, he confides that

banishes them from his garden. “I love

in 1959, an Arab sheik paid Austin $500,000

reds, pinks, purples, whites and especially

to name it in honor of his wife.

yellows,” he says.

The octogenarian’s interest in grow-

referring to roses in the female gender. But

ing roses began by accident more than 20

then he acknowledges a few male-named

years ago, when a friend who was moving

roses, noting, “Oh yes, we can’t forget Mr.

from a rented house gave him eight rose

Lincoln and Playboy.”

“She’s a beauty,” he says in his habit of

Rosarium Uetersen, with huge pink flowers, is one of the best climbing roses, according to the American Rose Society.

Rose cocktail 1 cup gypsite 1 tablespoon iron chelate 1 tablespoon soil sulfur 1 tablespoon Epsom salt Sprinkle gypsite around each rose bush. Then combine remaining three ingredients and sprinkle mixture around each bush. Work dry ingredients into the soil and water thoroughly.

september/october 2008 spaces 65

cause for applause

An architectural marvel opens for the citizens of Calabasas And a gala benefit raises funds for the new library collection

Left to right: Jill Nevins, who works in the children’s section of the Calabasas Library, civic center designer Alexander P. Lamis, and Calabasas head librarian Barbara Lockwood.

Alexander P. Lamis, the design architect on the civic center project.

Calabasas Mayor Pro Tem Jonathon Wolfson and wife Stephanie.

Story and photos by Howard Stier

A

generation ago, architect Robert Ven-

cino bar, raised over $100,000 for new books

turi remarked that Americans don’t

and audio and visual equipment for the Cala-

need piazzas – they should be home

basas library, a key part of the new center.

watching television. Today, a new civic center

As the agora and forum were central to the

for the City of Calabasas marks a sea change

ancient Greek polis, Calabasas now boasts “a

from that thinking, pointing to a new direc-

place people can use and be a part of the fab-

tion in suburban planning for the Valley.

ric of the city,” said Mayor Pro Tem Jonathon

“We want people to get out of their homes,

Wolfson, rumored to have personally donat-

away from their computer screens and come

ed the lion’s share of the funds for the library.

out to spaces like this,” Alexander P. Lamis, a

partner in Robert A.M. Stern Architects and

plex, situated on a gently sloping site, contains

the design architect on the project, said at

the arcaded library and city hall, along with

the July 12 gala open-

a public plaza and amphitheater. Its broad

ing. The event, featur-

setback from curbside, a shaded arcade and

ing live music, vintage

a court with movable tables and chairs are

wines and a cappuc-

all design elements encouraging library visi-

The $50 million Mediterranean-style com-

City Councilman Barry Groveman with Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Johns.

tors and city workers to use the urbane space.

Librarian Irene Conable, of Riverside, widow of the late Gordon Conable, the City of Calabasas’ first librarian.

66 spaces september/october 2008

Taking in the lavish new council chambers, city Councilman Barry Groveman marveled, “This is going to be the best city ever.”

Southern California Spaces Editor Linda Massarella, also a volunteer commissioner for the City of Calabasas, with Westlake businessman and community leader Sol Soteras.

southern california

Southern California Spaces is available at the following locations: In the South Bay… El Segundo Sleep All Gardenia Maxx Home Improvement 1625 W. 190th St.

Lomita

Coast Cadillac

Andersen’s Decorating Center

Edgewater Spas

2055 Palos Verdes Dr. North

South Bay Design Center

2413 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Hermosa Beach

Long Beach

Bali House

2 BD Living

Stars Antique Market

59001 Gifts, Home Furnishings

600 Pacific Coast Hwy. 526 Pier Ave.

Lakewood Nails & Spa

2664 Carson St.

6511-A Pacific Coast Hwy.

5001 E. Second St.

Audio Concepts

6236 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Circle Audi

1919 N. Lakewood Blvd.

3399 E. Willow St.

Woof & Warp Fabrics 6507 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Marina Del Rey Petals N Wax Home 13455 Maxella Ave.

4000 Cherry Ave.

Los Angeles

Friedmans Appliance Center

Closet Factory

Spa & Skin Care Center

12800 South Broadway

13455 Maxella Ave.

Kitchen Warehouse

Palos Verdes

1827 E. Spring St.

Image

6214 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Nona’s Gallery & Framing 4812 E. 2nd St.

Pacific Coast StyleThe Salon

6232 E. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Tu Casa Furniture 1855 Pacific Ave.

Wall Units Home Furnishings 2198 Lakewood Blvd.

2149 West Washington Blvd.

The Travel Door

Bay Cities Nails & Spa

403 N. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Clark Adams Windows and Doors 2411 Artesia Blvd.

Cop o Tan VII

413 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Door & Deck Store

Wall Units, Inc.

31 Peninsula Center

Equus Gallery

Manhattan Beach

Rancho Palos Verdes

Maison Luxe

Good Night Mattress

Essence of Living

1419 Highland Ave.

28901 S. Western Ave. #139

Supreme Paint Decorating Centers

Redondo Beach

2600 Marine Ave.

2 For 1 Frame Store

Greg’s Carpet One

8855 Venice Blvd.

708 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

1304 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. 1702 S. Pacific Coast Hwy. 1032 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Ferguson

112 N. Catalina Ave.

213 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.

continued

september/october 2008 spaces 67

Southern California Spaces is available at the following locations:

In the South Bay …

In the San Fernando & Conejo Valleys…

continued

Good Night Mattress 2207 Artesia Blvd.

Hardwood Floor Specialties 1022 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Le Garage Home & Garden

717 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.

ML Marble, Inc.

1305 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Salon Constance

1215 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Supreme Paint Decorating Centers 1002 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.

V & J Stairs Corp.

1204 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Vintage Home

350 N. Pacific Coast Hwy.

Rolling Hills Estates

Rosemarie McCaffreyAntiques

American International Tile & Stone

Agoura Hills

Encino Home Design Center

Santa Monica Bay Physicians

Bellagio Nails & Spa

Agoura Home Hardware

29348 Roadside Drive #A

1203 Montana Ave. 804 Seventh Street

Stone Art-Picture Framing Gallery 419 Wilshire Blvd.

Z Gallerie 1426 3rd St.

Ziv Simone & Associates

729 Montana Ave.

Seal Beach Art Images Gallery 119 Main St.

Art On Glass 130.5 Main St.

Gilt Edge

Christine’s Beauty Salon & Spa

Santa Monica

First Team Real Estate

45 Peninsula Center

American Beauty 707 Montana Ave.

123 Main St.

12501 Seal Beach Blvd.

Ocean Stained Glass 322 Main St. #8

112 N. Catalina

21135 Hawthorne Blvd.

Clark Adams Windows and Doors 23841 Hawthorne Blvd.

DoubleTree Hotel 2133 Hawthorne Blvd.

Ed Carson Beall Architecture

23727 Hawthorne Blvd.

Eliopulos Jewelers 24536 Hawthorne Blvd.

Fancy Floors 1101-A 190th Ave.

Fred’s Carpet Plus 2153 W. Torrance Blvd.

Galaxy Tile & Marble 700 W. 190th Ave.

Interior Door & Closet Company 2675 Skypark Dr.

Luxury Nail Spa 4856 190th Ave.

Asian Persuasion Century 21

5683 Kanan Rd.

Estate Diamond Exchange 5017 Kanan Rd.

Leader Flooring 28350 Roadside Dr.

Maria Bella Salon 5015 Cornell Rd., #D

17461 Ventura Blvd.

Land Rover Encino 15800 Ventura Blvd

Status: The Salon 17200 Ventura Blvd.

The Futon Shop 17047 Ventura Blvd.

Unique Home Design 17953 Ventura Blvd.

Velvet Hands Nail Salon & Day Spa 17143 Ventura Blvd.

Pool ‘N’ Spa Emporium 5011 Kanan Rd.

Granada Hills

West Point Furniture & Design Center

M & M Interiors

28505 B Canwood St.

Zandi Rugs & Design 28710 Canwood St, Unit 100

Calabasas Magnolia

23677 Calabasas Rd.

Sperling Nursery

17722 Chatsworth St.

Northridge Beautiful Options Salon 9155 Reseda Blvd.

Brent’s Deli

18565 Parthenia St.

Robertson’s Inc. 18217 Parthenia St.

Old Town Gallery

1302 Santa Monica Blvd.

130 Main St.

Plummer’s Furniture Collection

Berk’s Luxury Outdoor Furniture

Sleep All

Supreme Paint Decorating Centers

Canoga Park

Supreme Paint

7939 Canoga Ave.

Architexture

DOTI — Designs of the Interior

Arte Fina

Bay Cities Kitchen & Appliances

2520 Santa Monica Blvd.

Designs Within Reach 332 Santa Monica Blvd.

Effandi Decorative Antique Rugs 1210-B Montana Ave.

304 Main St.

Sofa-U-Love

770 Pacific Coast Hwy.

The Picture Show Gallery 231 Main St.

Signal Hill

24460 Calabasas Rd.

1361 190th Ave.

708 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

3762 Pacific Coast Hwy.

Torrance Plumbing, Heating & AC 21759 S. Western Ave.

California Furniture Galleries

Body Lounge

2940 Gardena Ave.

23868 Hawthorne Blvd.

7631 Canoga Ave.

Ital Design Inc.

Mercedes-Benz/Shelly Automotive

Venice

Chatsworth

Patio Culture

1612 Abbot Kinney

Omaggio Art Glass & Lighting

Wilmington

Plush Salon

Magnolia Audio 2800 Wilshire Blvd.

Torrance

Paykel Fireplace Fixtures

All Travel

1820 Broadway

21127 Torrance Blvd.

Amore Stone & Tile 24242 Hawthorne Blvd.

68 spaces september/october 2008

Coast Welding 234 Broad Ave.

12232- 1/2 Ventura Blvd.

Westside Tile & Stone

Granite Transformations

2300 E. Spring St.

13736 Ventura Blvd.

13830 Ventura Blvd.

Ferguson Bath & Kitchen Gallery

2102 Wlshire Blvd.

Arch Stone

21723 Vanowen St.

Tru-Source Cabinets

2202 Broadway

Sherman Oaks

9400 Lurline Ave, Unit C 10228 Mason Ave.

Rick Myers Flooring & Design

10316 Topanga Canyon Blvd.

13952 Ventura Blvd.

Carol Todd At Home 13950 Ventura Blvd.

Flooring America 13544 Ventura Blvd.

Furniture Etc.

18525 Ventura Blvd.

Illumination Lighting and Design 13606 Ventura Blvd.

Lene’s Place

13622 Ventura Blvd.

FINALLY, A GUY

WHO’S NOT

Light Bulbs Unlimited

West Hills

Mark’s Garden

8201 Capistrano Ave.

14446 Ventura Blvd.

Sofa Interiors Collection

Ideal Interior Design

12344 Ventura Blvd.

Westlake Village

Sperling Carpet

Brent’s Deli

13960 Ventura Blvd.

The Nail Shop

15030 #3 Ventura Blvd.

Studio City AQ Nail Spa

11239 Ventura Blvd.

Mother of Pearl & Sons Trading Company 12328 Ventura Blvd.

The Crystal Palace

Designer Lighting

ED SANDOVAL HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING

31133 Via Colinas Ste 106

Glabman Home

310-530-8911 www.thecoolguys.us

982 S. Westlake Blvd. #10

Meadow Gardens

31149 Via Colinas, Ste 604

Over 20 Years Experience In The South Bay and Harbor Areas

Pacific Rim Home 31139 Via Colinas, #203

Woodland Hills De Light Ville

Tarzana

Ferguson Kitchen & Bath

18424 Ventura Blvd

Ever meet a guy who couldn’t remember anniversaries? Odds are he didn’t become a Bryant dealer. We not only remember when you bought your furnace or air conditioner - we’ll even send you a friendly reminder when it’s time for service. One more way we’ll always be there for you. Whatever It Takes.SM

2799 Townsgate Rd.

14900 Ventura Blvd.

Architectural Coatings + Design Center

AFRAID OF COMMITMENT.

22766 Ventura Blvd.

6416 Variel Ave

Floor Design Center

coming next issue

22736 Ventura Blvd.

A real home is a place where family and

18752 Ventura Blvd

Glamour Nails

friends can come together to share peaceful

Jennifer Convertibles

Renaissance

Hye Lighting

23170 Ventura Blvd.

and joyous times. Our next issue will give you

18477 Ventura Blvd.

22531 Ventura Blvd.

tips on how you can decorate areas such as the

Sit and Sleep

Shelley’s Stereo

living room, den and kitchen to get the family

19119 Ventura Blvd.

The Cherryl Alan Design Group

6201 Topanga Canyon Blvd

to gather ‘round – rooms that’ll get the kids to

18734 Ventura Blvd.

The Headline Salon

play together and where special guests can be

West Valley Nursery

22705 Ventura Blvd.

entertained in true style. We’ll also give you

Wall Units Inc.

the lowdown on new designs made for and by

19035 Ventura Blvd.

22223 Ventura Blvd.

Thousand Oaks

Paso Robles

Thousand Oaks Fans & Lighting

Opolo Vineyards

1125 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

7110 Vineyard Dr.

Southern California manufacturers, and take you inside the best local parties.

Available October 28

818.713.3294 spacesmag.com Our homes. Ourselves. september/october 2008 spaces 69

historical spaces

Guiding light Shining beacon sends voyagers off and welcomes them home

T

he Point Vicente Lighthouse sits at the edge of a scenic 130-foot cliff on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a majestic concrete tower looking out over the Pacific Ocean and

offering mariners safe passage on their journeys.

The lighthouse was built in 1926, in response to pleas

from shipmasters who faced danger on the rocky shoals of the coastal waters. The landmark structure, first operated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service, has been run by the U.S. Coast Guard since 1939.

The beacon shining from the 67-foot tower can be seen for

20 miles and is one of the brightest lights along California’s coast. The light was dimmed for a time during World War II, to keep the enemy at bay.

Legend has it that a ghost inhabits the lighthouse in the

form of the Lady of the Light, whose sweetheart was lost at sea. She walks the tower each night, awaiting his return.

Point Vicente Lighthouse 31550 Palos Verdes Drive West Rancho Palos Verdes 310.541.0334 Open to the public on the second Saturday of each month, from 10 am to 3 pm.

Admission is free.

The Point Vicente Interpretive Center, a small natural history museum next to the lighthouse, is an ideal spot for watching the annual migration of the Pacific gray whale.

The museum is open daily, year-round, from 10 am to 5 pm.

PHOTO COURTESY U.S. COAST GUARD

70 spaces september/october 2008

Happy 60th Birthday Land Rover

Brand New 2008 Range Rover Sport

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Land Rover Encino 15800 Ventura Blvd 1-800-NEXT-SUV 1-800-639-8788 www.landroverencino.com

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ALL ADveRTISeD PRICeS exCLuDe gOveRNMeNT feeS AND TAxeS, ANy fINANCe ChARgeS, ANy DeALeR DOCuMeNT PRePARATION ChARge, AND ANy eMISSION TeSTINg ChARge. SALe eNDS CLOSe Of buSINeSS 9/30/08. ©1996-2008 AuTONATION, INC.

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Agoura Design Center 28505 Canwood St. 818.991.7447 Santa Monica 2520 Santa Monica Blvd. 310.828.7447