A Fairmont Miramar Weekend of Design

It is always a treat to stay at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows.  It was actually the first place I ever stayed when I made my first trip  to Santa Monica years ago.

The hotel has served as a destination for Hollywood celebrities and a retreat for all guests since 1921, combining historic elegance with modern appointments, all just steps from the Santa Monica oceanfront.

It’s magical and luxurious, and the staff is top-notch (of course). We are thrilled to have them aboard again this year as our WestEdge official hotel partner. The hotel has offered preferred rates for WestEdge guests (rates available October 13 – October 20) starting at $299 (vs the regular $499). Guests must call the hotel directly and reference “WestEdge Design Fair” or can click here to book online.

September 13 is the deadline to qualify for this group rate so hurry and make your travel plans soon. We can’t think of a better spot to enjoy a visit to Santa Monica- other than WestEdge, of course.

And you can also hear from the designers behind the Fairmont’s design. Michael Berman, Lynda Murray and Ocean Home Magazine’s Melissa Gillespie will be talking “Design for Hospitality or Home” as part of a WestEdge panel discussion on Saturday, October 18 from 4-5 PM. See our program schedule for details.

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IIDA SoCal Joins WestEdge with WORK/REST Exhibition

Work-life balance! Something many of us seek and could use a bit more of (at least speaking for myself)…
Not only are workers and employers looking to make the workspace more conducive to productivity and efficiency, but they are also taking a closer look at how to foster a sense of balance, health and overall well-being at the same time.
To that point, we’re thrilled to announce that IIDA Southern California will be at WestEdge Design Fair this October with an exhibition that explores design to help balance the ways we work and live.
This all-new installation and design competition is sponsored  in part by Architonic and pairs A+D firms AECOM, Gensler, HLW, Rapt and Ware Malcomb with teams of leading manufacturers to create unique environments which balance work, rest and play. To coincide with the exhibition’s unveiling on October 16 at WestEdge, the principals of these design firms will share their insight on the topic/challenge in a panel, moderated by Interior Design Magazine
For more information and to learn how your brand can participate and be paired with one of these leading firms, please email troy@westedgedesignfair.com.

LOS ANGELES’ A+D MUSEUM’S GALA FUNDRAISER ‘CELEBRATE: GROUNDSWELL’ THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 28

This Saturday evening, the Los Angeles design community will converge upon the Architecture and Design Museum (A+D) to celebrate its 13th year of cutting edge exhibitions and progressive architecture and design programs with its annual gala and fundraiser, “CELEBRATE: GROUNDSWELL,”.

We spoke with Julie Du Brow. Principal of dubroWorks, and Tibbie Dunbar, Executive Director of the A+D, this week to get a sneak peek of what we can look forward to at this must-attend event.

This year, A+D celebrates California’s beach communities, which have for years been a mecca for—and inspiration to—artists, craftspeople, designers, and architects. Continuing the legendary runway presentations for which A+D’s annual CELEBRATE gala has now become known, the 2014 event will feature custom surfboards, boogie boards, and skateboards created by local and international architects, designers, and artists.

Designers include returning participants Karim Rashid, Richard Meier & Partners, Don Chadwick (Herman Miller’s Aeron Chair designer), Steven Ehrlich, David Hertz, Neil Denari, Minarc, Warner Bros. Studios, and Gensler, among others. In addition A+D welcomes debuts by Arquitectonica, SPF:a, Michael Maltzan, Ogassian partnering with Ann Sacks, Sorensen Architects, Rios Clementi Hale Studios, LA-Más, KMNelson Design Inc., and West of West. For a full list, please click HERE.

The festivities will also include a silent auction, DJ Raul Campos of KCRW, “Facing the Music” live art performance by Gregory Adamson (piece to be auctioned), open bar sponsored by Tito’s Vodka and Asahi Beer, and Southern California cuisine. We already have our eyes on a few of the surf boards; now we just need to learn how to surf! Hoping we can bid on some surf lessons too…

For more information on the A+D Museum gala and to purchase tickets, click here.

 

superPAC makes debut with Design Milk in October

West is Best! Well… we may need to be somewhat careful of choosing sides here given our NY roots (although LA is still riding high with Kings fever and we give them props). BUT, we do, of course, LOVE west coast design and are excited to celebrate it with a special exhibition at this year’s edition of WestEdge. Jaime Derringer, Founder of Design Milk, is curating a must-see exhibition called superPAC featuring several of the best designers from throughout the North American Pacific coast.

The selected designers represent a large range of product categories including furniture, lighting, accessories, carpets and more. Here’s a list of the names you’ll see this October:

100xbetter — Los Angeles, CA
Brendan Ravenhill
— Los Angeles, CA
Brook & Lyn
— Los Angeles, CA
Eric Trine
— Long Beach, CA
Iacoli & McAllister
— Seattle WA
Graypants
— Seattle, WA
Hinterland
— Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada
Ladies & Gentlemen Studio
— Seattle, WA
PECA
— Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico
Phloem Studio
— Portland, OR
Rachel Denny
— Beavercreek, OR
Standard Socket
— Seattle, WA
Aguiniga Design
— Los Angeles, CA
urbancase
— Seattle, WA
Wolfum
— Los Angeles, CA
Zoe Pawlak
— Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Photo gallery above features: Graypants, Zoe Pawlak, urbancase, Iacoli & McAllister and Eric Trine.

Product imagery from all participating brands can be viewed on our WestEdge #superPACdesign Pinterest board
Stay tuned for more from Design Milk and #superPACdesign over the next few months. And we’ll let you be the judge of west coast design in October.

 

We’re Joining Forces with ASID to Celebrate LA Design

The LA Design Festival kicked off in full force last week; over the next several days Los Angeles will be teeming with design happenings and events to celebrate the industry and many people and places that make Los Angeles such a creative and inspiring hub within the design world.

To get in on the event action, we’re pleased to partner with the American Society of Interior Designers (and our WestEdge media partner Angeleno Magazine) to sponsor California Dreaming this Friday, June 20. This party will welcome over 500 ASID members, along with hundreds of other design industry leaders.

The REEF (the cool creative habitat for the culturally diverse, artisanal designers and creators unique to Los Angeles) will be transformed into a retro California beach party, offering a chance to step back into the Los Angeles AM-radio beach scene from the mid-sixties, with a DJ and music from that era. For details about the event, please see below. If you can join us, please RSVP to asidoffice@asidla.org. We’re sponsoring the wine bars so come stop by and see us for a glass of vino; we’ll be sure to keep your glass topped-off!

California Dreaming