Drinks at the Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel

My recent trip to Palm Springs was filled with excitement and one of the things on my list to see was The Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel . It was a glamorous Hollywood hideaway back in the 1930s and was refurbished 4 years ago by Kelly Wearstler of KWID Design Group into a sleek boutique Hotel. Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Joan Crawford, and 32nd President Franklin Delano Roosevelt are a few of the famous past guests that frequented it. The Viceroy Palm Springs has gotten some great reviews and lately some not so great reviews. But I am only going to focus on my good review. It was a perfect afternoon. I was being driven around Palm Springs by my Dad on an Architectural tour of Screen Block Houses. And after a full afternoon we headed to the Viceroy Palm Springs to arrive just in time for our pre-dinner, late afternoon cocktail. I toured the grounds and snapped some pictures while the cocktails were being stirred and shaken.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

We had a hard time finding the Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel as it is tucked away; except that after driving back and forth a few times I glanced up and saw Kelly Wearstler's iconic white porcelain dog statue on a balcony and bingo we were in.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 
The Koi greeted us just inside the shady entrance courtyard. It was very inviting, much like entering a private home.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

The grounds of the Viceroy Palm Springs, house several private Villas dating from the 30's. They had been updated by Kelly Wearstler with black & white awnings, draped verandas, front doors painted orange with shiny new polished chrome hardware.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel

The brick chimneys on some of the Villas had been painted black to match the awnings and a large white medallion was surface applied.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel  
The Villas faced onto a central courtyard complete with a beautiful cabana with a pool in the rear.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel  

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel  
The Hotel was decorated in Yellow, White, Black, and Gray. The only deviation from this scheme was the orange front doors on the Villas

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

Beyond the pool to the rear of the property is the spa with massage tables set up inside of draped cabanas

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 
The outdoor massage tables

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel  

Outdoor Showers Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel

The Citron Dining Room Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

Outdoor dining for the Citron Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

Facing onto the other pool which is behind the Citron Dining Room were outdoor dining cabanas

Dad and Joyce at Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel

My Dad and Joyce patiently waiting for me. Gin and Tonic's were welcome. The sun was low and the purple haze particular to that time of day was casting shadows on the mountains behind the Hotel.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 
The sun was creating a halo effect around the palm trees.

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 

Leaving through the lobby and saying good-bye to the Koi

Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel 
A perfect end to a perfect day

 

Other travel posts you might like:
Palm Springs Modern Architecture and the Use of Screen Block
My Visit to Palm Springs
Drinks at the Viceroy Palm Springs Hotel
Sunday in Milan Venice - The Old and the New
VENICE - Bauer Palladio Hotel & Spa, Giudecca Island, Redentore
ROME - Hotel Mascagni, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Barberini
FLORENCE - Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Uffizi, Accademia Gallery
LA, Dallas, and Meeting Joni

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture,
and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

Happy 50th Barbie

Jonathan Adler Decorates Barbie's Malibu Dream House

Barbie debuted on March 9, 1959 and I can still remember buying my very first 'Barbie'.  I was 10 years old and I saved my quarter weekly allowance until I had enough to buy her.  I remember looking at the rows of available 'models' until I finally chose one, that I think was to resemble Diana Ross of the Supremes.  She had a black Afro haircut and was wearing a long strapless black sequin gown with a fringe of black tulle on the bottom.  I still have her packed away somewhere.  I spent hours making houses for her from the sleeves of my paper cut-out dolls.  That is probably where my passion for Interior Design started.

     
Barbie's living room

Interior Designer, Jonathan Adler has decked out a real-life 3,500-square-foot pad overlooking the Pacific Ocean to look like the blond doll's outrageous home to celebrate her 50th birthday. He was commissioned by Mattel Inc. to decorate the house for today's party.  The installation took six months of planning and a few weeks to install.

I love what Adler said about having Barbie as a client:
"Barbie was a dream client because she doesn't exist as a person, she exists as fantasy and
is the perfect client because she's always happy and fun and loves everything."

He lined Barbie's bedroom with wall-to-wall pink carpeting emblazoned with her initial. Her closet is filled with 50 pairs of pink peep-toe heels while her kitchen is stocked with cupcake-making ingredients. An in-house museum features 25 vintage Barbie dolls on display. In the garage? A pink Volkswagen New Beetle with a motorized pop-up vanity in the trunk. 

So where's Ken?  "Ken's around, but does she need Ken?" said Adler. "No." 

  
                                                                                                                          The Jonathan Adler edition Barbie

 

 
Images from Barbie Collector

Other What's Hot posts you might like:
COCO CHANEL - A New Movie
Modern Interior Design
The Ultimate Flou Beds
What's Hot - Fumed Wood Veneer
My Favourite Curves
What's Hot - McGuire Furniture
Italian Lighting Design
Green Design - Chimo Fireplace
Mural in Men's Restroom

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™

My Visit to Palm Springs

I have just returned from a much needed vacation in Palm Springs. The dry, sunny desert climate was a welcome and refreshing relief from the damp and cold winter we have had in Vancouver. I swam every morning in 94 degree mineral spring pools (plural). Where I was staying had 9 pools in total. The benefits of these naturally occurring mineral pools are many and I felt the stress I had accumulated in my body melting away.

This was a view of the palm trees surrounding the pool. I took this picture while I was floating in the pool.

The mountains in the desert have a beauty all their own. Next time I go, I am inspired to paint them. They are the most beautiful in the early morning and just before sunset when the shadows are the strongest and highlight all the contours.

I picked oranges right off the tree. The taste and smell was the best.

The desert flowers were in full bloom.

I will post more this week on some of the highlights of my trip:

• The BEST shopping in Palm Springs
• Drinks at the Viceroy Hotel
• Mid-Century Modern Architecture and the use of Screen Block
• Palm Springs Images and the Colony Palms Hotel
• Visiting the Anza-Borrego Desert and the Badlands
   
  
  

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design, architecture,
and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog, 2009

My Top 10 New Interior Design Blogs

 

Interior Design Blogs

I am continually amazed at the time spent by talented people sharing their passions with the world around them. It reminds me of a quote by Joseph Campbell that I try to live my life by: "Follow your Bliss." Thank-you all for taking time out of your busy lives and careers to share your Bliss with us in the 'Blogosphere'!

A Schematic Life An Interior Designer from Vancouver 'satisfying her need to make everything about design'.
Brillante Home Decor Discovering trends of Italian Design and writing about Milan.
Design Ties Share their love of all things related to home decor and remodeling.
HD Inspirations Dale is an Interior Designer in Vancouver who explores interesting and new hotel projects and related products.
Meade Design A multidisciplinary design studio in Victoria, BC, Canada that creates interiors and graphics.
Pure Style Home Her design philosophy, "pure style," is based on keeping things simple, beautiful & fun.
Qerat Furniture Designed & Made With Passion in Amman, Jordan.
Renee Finberg Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG of her Adventures in Design.
Tartanscot The musings of an interior designer/stylist living in San Francisco.
Velvet & Linen English fabrics, French and Swedish antiques inspire her.

Patricia Gray writes about 'WHAT'S HOT 'in the world of Interior Design, new and emerging trends, modern design,
architecture, and travel, as well as how your surroundings can influence the world around you.
© 2009 Patricia Gray Interior Design Blog

15 Top Contemporary Staircase Designs

Contemporary or modern stair design can be gloriously simple using clean lines or gracefully curved. Staircases are such an important element in a home as they are usually the first thing that you see when you enter a home and are so frequently used.

Most modern staircase design is meticulously detailed, exposing all the working elements and eschewing trim, moldings, and other decoration. Because this type of stair is meant to be viewed as if it were a piece of sculpture, it looks best in an open space where the entire structure is visible.

I have long had a fascination for staircases. They are one of the most challenging elements I have to deal with in my practice and one of the most expensive to detail correctly. One of my pet peeves is wall to wall carpet on stairs. I prefer to use runners or leave the stairs bare if at all possible. In my last renovation for a client, I removed the carpet on their open staircase and replaced it with 2 inch thick slabs of 100 year old reclaimed Asian teak. The reclaimed teak has a beautiful patina and you see it's solid thickness as you traverse up and down the staircase.

The best reference book I have in my library is Staircase Design. Although it is out of print, there are a few used books available on Amazon. Staircases: Design & Construction and Stairscaping are also noteworthy.

 
This graceful staircase by Armenio Losa (above & below) makes me want to run my hand along the curved hand rail, or slide down it. 

Bo Bedre

 

                                                                                                                 Caldwell Beebe Interiors

The side detailing of this staircase shows off the solid thickness of the treads and risers. David Schefer

 

                                                                                                                 Architectural Stairs Company

David Pontingar Architecture

  

Jennifer Post
 
 

                                                                                                                              Leonie Brown

Living Etc

Living Etc

Magni Design 
 

Renwick above and below

  
  

This is one of my favourite staircases. I love the cantilevered slabs projecting from the rough concrete wall.
Steven Ehrlich


The Blue Fin Restaurant W Times Square Wall Surface Interiors
Interior design Yabu Pushellberg 

PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™