Tuesday

I hope you enjoyed the 3 day weekend as much as I did.  It’s that time of year when you want to spend as much time outside as possible.  That would explain why outdoor living rooms are so popular.

I am grateful for living in a city that offers a lot of outdoor activities.  You can be at the beach one moment and 20 minutes later hiking in the hills.

Lately, I’ve been noticing that my dog Oliver has been putting on some weight so I decided to take him on a hike this weekend.  I don’t think he enjoyed it as much as Benson did.  Benson has always been more active and a lot more thin

Benson and Oliver taking a break during our hike

Along our hike, we had great views of the city and of the Hollywood sign.

Many people ask me what inspires my designs and I often talk about things I find in nature.  I once pulled an entire color palette from the bark of a Sycamore tree.  After spending some time outside this weekend I realized the importance of designing for a healthier environment.  We have all heard about Green Design, which is conforming to environmentally sound principals of building, material and energy use.  But the debate has been, what does green design look like?

I’ve decided to make this one of my goals for the rest of this year: To gain a better understanding of the products and practices I use in my projects.  Many people feel that being Green is a trend, I feel it is more of a resonsibilitly.

I also feel that green designs can still be just as beautiful as the rooms you see in my portfolio.  With a litte research and effort, I plan to bring you more about how design projects can be beautiful and green.  Stay Tuned…......................

Thursday

The most requested room to design at the moment has no walls!  Pick up any catalog or magazine and you will see what I am talking about.  The big trend now is all about outdoor living.  There are so many options when it comes to outdoor furniture, rugs and even art.  Last month, I did an outdoor makeover for the Tyra show.  We took a patio of a condo and created an outdoor retreat for lounging and dining for $1,000.  The show will re-run again soon - I’ll be sure to post the air dates.

Tyra asked me to surprise Jessica with a summer outdoor makeover.

Before and After  We created a lounge area with a futon covered in outdoor fabric and outdoor pillows.  To soften the hard edges of the walls, I placed large plants in front of outdoor sheers.

Before and After  Opposite the lounge area is a dining area.  I re-used Jessica’s existing table but cut 6” off of the legs so that the ottomans could work to create a casual dining experience.  By using ottomans, we were also able to provide for more flexible seating.  Also, the slipcovers on the ottos are washable and weather resistant.  To add a big splash of color, I purchased 12 pieces of the same piece of art (each piece was on sale at IKEA for $2), sealed them with marine varnish and hung them close together to create a larger art piece.  When you hang art on a blank wall, it acts like an additional window with a view allowing the space to appear larger.

Last night, I attended an event at the Pacific Design Center that showcased various outdoor furniture companies.  My favorite was from Century Furniture.  They offer an outdoor table called the endless dining table which allows you to add as many pieces as you need to accomodate a large sit-down dinner party or a small intimate one.

The outdoor endless dining table from Century Furniture  I also love the fret and lattice work they used.  This detail is often seen in classic Chinese Chippendale style furniture.  Check out www.centuryfurniture.com to see more

Director of Merchandising for Century Furniture, John Batchelor, with me at yesterdays event at the Pacific Design Center.  It got a little chilly and all I had in my car was this winter vest - I looked like I was ready to snow ski at this summer event

Tuesday

It is Tuesday, right? Tuesday and Thursday are gym days for me.  I go early in the AM to stay fit mentally and physically.  This morning I couldn’t get out of bed so I slept thru my training session.  Now I feel like my entire week is thrown off.

If you’ve made it this far on my website, you’ve seen the facelift and new features I’ve added.  Keep checking back as we plan to add more layers over time.

After work today I went to a House and Garden event at Richard Shipiro on Melrose.  The topic of discussion was about the state of antiques in today’s design.  Richard’s studio has the best collection I have ever seen.  If you’re ever in the market for the best antiques, this is the place to go and bring your checkbook, chairs can cost over $20,000.  You can see his website at www.rshapiroantiques.com

The more I practice design, the more I appreciate antiques.  I find my style leaning toward an updated traditional style with a nice balance of antique and warm modern pieces.

I also met the Founder of www.1stdibs.com , a dream resource for me.  Michael Bruno started this site 7 years ago and now adds 1000 items every week.  Check it out - an amazing resource for those of us who love to shop from our computer.

Before I go, I have to respond to all of you who wrote in after seeing the photo of me as a kid with my dog down below.  Many of you got a kick out of seeing my real hair color - as a kid in the winter, my hair was dark red, however, during the summer my hair was dirty blonde.  I like to think that since Los Angeles has a constant summer climate, my hair stays dirty blonde year round - are you buying it?

You see, the hair was more blonde a long, long, long time ago.  Yes, that is me in the mud with my brother Phil Jr. in the back.

Thursday - Washington DC

I’m writing from my hotel in DC after a great dinner at the Daughter’s of the Revolution Museum and a night tour of the Monuments around the city.  I often travel to speak to fellow designers about how to tackle design projects and manage clients.  This event was sponsored by Shaw Industries and American Home Fashions - a great group of people that bring designers together to discuss various design topics.

A highlight of the evening was a private tour of the Daughter’s of the Revolution’s Library.  I enjoy collecting books and the opportunity to view their extensive library was a treat.  Stacks and stacks of books dedicated to tracing your family geneology not only held enormous amounts of information but were also incredibly beautiful.  One day I hope to have more time to trace back my family tree here.  I am grateful for these woman who keep this resource institution strong.

A view from the upper halls of the Daughter’s of the Revolution Musuem in DC.  I was in heaven amoung all these books

Tuesday

Over the weekend I was talking to my mom about my new website and how I am incorporating the Ask Kenneth section.  She loved the idea and said she plans to use it often!  (I’m sure she’s going to ask if I am eating healthy and taking my vitamins) My mom has always had a great sense of humor.  We also talked about how many viewers ask about my dogs, Oliver and Benson.  They seem to be more popular than me - maybe they can make cameo’s on my next show.

After my mom and I talked, she sent the picture below.  She said it was taken the day I came home from the hospital after having my tonsils removed…....what I want to know is, who picked out the brown plaid sofa? 

My first dog Greta.  My dogs Oliver and Benson are the same breed.

Friday’s Favorites

The new website is getting very close to launching.  It has a fresh look and will offer a few more ways to get good design info.  The “Ask Kenneth” section will be a great way to get design advice, or just find out who my favorite artist is.  That’s the case today.  Roxanne in Miami wrote in to say she loves the artwork I have on my show and also the pieces seen in my portfolio.

I believe that artwork adds personality to a room.  Your art should have a special meaning, so that when you see it, you feel a connection to it.  As many of you have witnessed, I often have my homeowners paint their own artwork.  It is a great way to add your personal touch and create a one of a kind (while saving lots of money)

Personally, I tend to like modern abstract paintings because a splash of color has a bigger emotional impact than a still life painting would have on me.

  This piece now hangs in the reception of my new offices.  It is over 5’ x 5’ and fills the wall nicely without being overpowering.  I like the neutral colors with the movement and darker colors centering the piece.  This painting is by one of my favorite artist, Sara Stockstill

I’ve had this piece for 9 years and it will always have a special meaning to me.  It took me over 2 years to save enough money to buy it.  Patti Howard is the artist and hangs next to the creative work table in my office.  I can also see it from where I sit and each time I look up and see it, it reminds me that hard work does pay off.

Tuesday

I am getting a kick out of some of the questions you are sending in.  If only I could pose some of the same questions back to you.  This one was kind of interesting.  David from Seattle wanted to know what my desk looks like when I am designing a project.  Excuse the mess - but here it is

Min in my office insisted I take the chocolate cupcake out of the photo - although it is what powers me through the day.

Thursday

Many of you want to know when the new website will be up and running.  The good news is that we are in the testing stage…I hope it is up in the next 2 weeks.  My favorite part of the new site is the Ask Kenneth section where I answer questions you sent in. One question that keeps popping up is “what is your favorite possession?”

Without a doubt, it is the collection of drawings I did as a kid.  My mom saved 6 drawings of different house styles I drew when I was 9 years old. Each one is labeled a particular style - I even signed my name to them.  It is amazing that my passion has been with me since a young age.

This is one of the drawings that I named Country.  All 6 now hang in my conference room. You may be able to see my signature in the bottom right hand corner.