Designing 007

If you find yourself in London this summer with no tickets to the Olympics, be sure and catch Designing 007: Fifty Years of Bond Style at the Barbican. From 1962's Dr. No to the upcoming Skyfall, the exhibit chronicles the incredible evolution of the most famous secret agent in history. It's all here - Sir Ken Adams, Peter Lamont and Syd Cain's fantastical set and production designs, automobiles, gadgets, props, and the costumes and tailored suits (everyone from Armani and Tom Ford contributed to the James Bond look).

The One and Only and Accept No Imitations: Sean Connery
(Pierce Brosnan was a great runner up)

The Car: Aston Martin

The Gadget: Little Nelly helicopter in You Only Live Twice

The Bond Girl: Ursula Andress in Dr. No (and the first)

The Production Design: Ken Adam's sketch for the
Fort Knox "Rumpus Room" in Goldfinger

The  Suit: Pierce Brosnan in Brioni

The Set Decoration: Goldfinger

The Villain: Blofeld (Donald Pleasance) and cat in You Only Live Twice

The Martini and a Bath: Diamonds Are Forever

The Soundtrack

The Barbican exhibit opens July 6th and runs through September 5th. For the Bond aficionado, this is better than a martini shaken not stirred...and beats the penthalon and torch relays any day.

Photo Credits: Danjag/United Artists, Brioni

Out of Africa Style

Perhaps one of my all-time favorite movies is Out of Africa, the 1985 romance/adventure/drama based on the autobiographical book by Danish writer Isak Dinesen (otherwise known as Karen Blixen). The film has it all - epic love story, picturesque landscapes, beautiful soundtrack, incredible interiors, and of course, Redford and Streep.

Blixen house in house in Nairobi

Set in 1914, much of the film takes place at the Blixen home at the foot of the Ngong Hills in Kenya. The late production designer Stephen Grimes and his crew renovated the existing farmhouse (Blixen's original home) along with the designs for the Kikuyu village, Muthaiga Club (where Karen married) and the town of Nairobi. Grimes worked from vintage photographs and original construction plans to authentically construct both interiors and exteriors -- a process that took almost a year.

Set decorator Josie Mac Avin searched the Kenyan countryside for many of Blixen's antiques which were sold at the time of her bankruptcy. Antiques, paintings, and household items from her native Denmark were hard to come by in Africa so items had to be shipped from all over Europe. The result was a wonderful British meets Danish meets shabby chintz and tribal type of look that can only be known as Out of Africa Style.

For your own Out of Africa look, check out Decorative Carpets new Tribal collection, a wonderful line of hand-knotted rugs inspired by organic tribal patterns. Made from wool, hemp, and silk, the line recently launched in May and can be found at their West Hollywood location. Seven styles in all, the versatile rugs can complement just about any style. I am particularly partial to Makeda as it's a nice alternative to traditional leopard patterns.

Makeda

Shaka

Congo

Igarra

Zebrina

Tulu

Streep as Blixen

Photo Credits: Universal Pictures, Decorative Carpets

Classic Hollywood Style

In interior design terms, Hollywood Style can symbolize everything from Dorothy Draper inspired Regency and Art Deco to the classic neutral, light and airy California Style looks made popular by designers Sally Sirkin Lewis and Michael Taylor. In actuality, California has such a wide array of distinctive architecture and interiors ranging from Spanish Mediterranean to California Ranch, and the new book Classic Hollywood Style (Rizzoli, 2012) showcases them all.

The book features the works of architect Paul R. Williams who designed homes for the who's who of Hollywood from the 20s through the 70s. Considered "one of the most celebrated architects of his generation," his clientele included Frank Sinatra, Tyrone Power, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Barbara Stanwyck and Lon Chaney (star of The Wolfman and The Mummy for those of you too young to know) along with numerous California players and power brokers.

Jay Paley (nephew of William Paley) residence in
Holmby Hills, 1936 above and below

Williams has the distinction of being the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects, translating the relaxed California lifestyle to homes through English Tudor, French Normandy, Art Deco, Spanish Mediterranean and American Colonial. Williams was also known for his renovations of the Beverly Hills Hotel and the creative force behind the designs for St. Jude's Hospital in Memphis and Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills. 

Circular art gallery of Toluca Lake residence of
screenwriter Gladys Lehman, 1937

Neoclassical entry hall of Beverly Hills estate, 1955

Written by his granddaughter Karen Hudson with a foreword by LA designer Kelly Wearstler, the book offers never before seen photos and one of my favorite illustrated design books of the year. It's a beautiful body of work made even more incredible by how timeless the interiors are.

Paul Williams suite in Beverly Hills Hotel, 1949 above and below

Outdoor spaces of Los Feliz home, 1927

Arched stairs descend to garden of "La Canada"
estate in Flintridge area of Los Angeles, 1927

Saks Fifth Avenue, Beverly Hills

Photo Credits: Benny Chan

Creating the Period Interior: Hemingway and Gellhorn

Creating a period interior is always a challenge, particularly when you have to design nine countries over several decades. Such was the case for the designers of the HBO film, Hemingway and Gellhorn, starring Nicole Kidman and Clive Owen as the star-crossed lovers.

First, a quick history lesson. While we are all familiar with the life and times of acclaimed Pulitzer Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway, Martha Gellhorn often remains a footnote in history. At a time when women were married and raising families, she became a war correspondent and witness to some of the biggest battles of the past century -- Spanish Civil War, World War II and Vietnam. She was also Hemingway's third wife.

Production designer Geoffrey Kirkland (The Right Stuff) and set decorator Jim Erickson (Water for Elephants) were responsible for the film's 30s and 40s designs that ranged from houses in Key West and Cuba to a war torn hotel turned hospital in Madrid and all shot on location in San Francisco.

You can read more on the period designs for Hemingway and Gellhorn in my article in Architectural Digest. The film premieres Monday, May 28th at 9 PM. Happy Memorial Day and here's to the start of a great summer!

Clive Owen as Hemingway at his home in Key West

The couple's house Finca Viga in Cuba

Photo Credits: Karen Ballard/HBO

Spotlight on Think Like A Man

Comedian Steve Harvey's best selling book Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man was recently made into a movie and follows the lives of four men who take the self-help tome's advice to heart. Under the name Think Like a Man, the battle of the sexes style comedy featured some very attractive interiors designed for some very distinct personalities ranging from a colorful fresh "rocker" palette for Mya (Meagan Good) who is in the music industry to upscale sophistication for Lauren (Taraji P. Henson) who is  the head of Essence Magazine. Production designer Chris Cornwell and set decorator Beth Wooke and had both the luxury and challenge of shooting in mostly empty locations throughout Los Angeles and with a limited budget.

The Culver City apartment of Jerry Ferrara's character Jeremy (you may recall him as Turtle in HBO's hilarious series Entourage) and Kristen (actress Gabrielle Union) gets a redo in the film as the couple are living together and his favorite mementos (comic book hero toys and beat up sofa) are lovingly replaced. HD Buttercup, a Los Angeles home furnishings store, has their moment in the spotlight as Kristen hires a decorator from the store. I particularly like the artwork chosen by Wooke for "its calming cool ocean feel" (think Rothko at the beach) which can be found through Hollywood's Art Pic. The white screen, taupe and blue patterned pillows from Lillian August, floor lamps and most of the contemporary furniture pieces are from HD Buttercup  in Los Angeles.

Lauren's  apartment with its incredible view was staged and filmed on the 44th floor of the Ritz Carlton. The sectional coffee table and lamps along with the faux fur throw from Timothy Oulton can also be found at HD Buttercup. "Lauren is very successful and powerful so we picked furnishing that almost felt masculine at times but with colors that complemented her complexion beautifully (aubergine velvet walls!)" notes Wooke on the set's interior design.

The framed print on the bedroom wall is from New Century's "Tonic Series" and can be purchased at Blueprint Furniture. End tables and acrylic chair are available at HD Buttercup. Calvin Klein and DKNY bed linens are from Macy's and bench from Schumacher. Since the designers were not allowed to paint, they created an 8' by 12' velvet headboard to cover the wall, just one of the many tricks of the set decorator trade. The stunning wood floor is from the Ritz and the and the residence can be yours for a cool 10 million. Here is hoping you purchased Facebook stock.

Photo Credits: Screen Gems

Happy Mother's Day, Cinema Style

Whether your mom cleaned the house and baked cookies in pearls....
or scolded you for wire hangers in your closet....wish her a Happy Mother's Day.

Photo Credits: Universal Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures

Happy Birthday Candice Bergen

She's been an actress, author, photojournalist, mother and style icon since she appeared on the scene in the sixties. At the age of 66, she is still an inspiration. Happy 66th birthday Candice Bergen.

She made her screen debut in the book turned film
 The Group as Lacey

Mike Nichol's controversial film Carnal Knowledge with Art Garfunkel
 and Jack Nicholson  was one of her most important films

Bergen's Swedish genes helped her modeling career

Bergen's autobiography written almost three decades ago.
 Rumor has it she will pen another for publication later this year.

With her late husband French film director Louis Malle at their 1980 wedding in France

With co-star Jacqueline Bisset in Rich and Famous

Bergen in television's eighties sitcom Murphy Brown as a single mother and television reporter

As lawyer Shirley Schmidt on ABC's Boston Legal 

Bergen today at 66

For more on Bergen, check out Stylelist's Candice Bergen Style Evolution: From Model to Murphy Brown.

Hollywood Sets the Scene

I try not to make it a regular practice to cut and paste from the magazines but I suppose it's okay to take the liberty when your work is mentioned. I have been busy on the lecture circuit this month (ten planes and counting) and have not been able to post as usual so I hope you enjoy the lst dibs article on Hollywood Sets the Scene in their Eye on Design article series.

And while I am on the subject of lectures, I will be speaking at New York's Art and Antique Dealers League Show at the Park Avenue Armory this Friday at 3:00 p.m. on Designs on Film and a century of design in the movies (book signing to follow). If you are in the area, hope to see you there!

Many thanks to all of you who attended my lecture in Chicago...SRO! Great show and enjoyed meeting you all. And thank you Mary Ahern for the wonderful luncheon, what a fun group of women!

Photo Credits: AMC/Mad Men