THE GOODY BAG: BEATING THE HEAT

What's a girl to do on a scorching hot LA day when her air conditioner is busted? Head on over to Calypso Home for a furniture launch party, of course! It's Alissa from The Goods Design, with the Goody Bag: the best of Los Angeles' interior design events, people, places and things.

If you haven't heard the news, designer Sean Knibb is now selling his gorgeous indoor/outdoor furniture at Calypso Home, and we got to check out his amazing pieces in person! (But, you can also peruse their goodies online.) Thank goodness they were serving up some cool champagne... and cookies that perfect matched his furniture!

I loved his striped Negril Chair and Boxwood Cube. Great for outdoors - or a sunny inside spot.

And the Picnic set - this table and bench set definitely make me want to fire up the grill and mix up from fresh iced tea!

Some more of his fabulous furniture...

All these bright refreshing colors are really putting me in the mood for a day lounging by the pool (really the best way to beat the heat!). I might just grab one of those towels and go!

THE GOODY BAG: SUMMER PARTY SEASON

Summer party season seems to be in full swing here in Los Angeles! My inbox is overflowing with interior design events. Alissa from The Goods Design here with The Goody Bag, bringing you the best of Los Angeles' interior design events, people, places and things.

Last Thursday night I had a design-party-double-header. First stop: the opening of Rummage, the newest shop to hit the LA scene. The shop is the baby of Kishani Perera - an amazing LA interior designer.

*clockwise from top left - gorgeous pink canopy chair, I got a photo op with the talented owner, a blue armoire that I would have stolen if it fit in my purse.
The shop is just as lovely as Kishani herself. Rummage is filled with treasures that Kishani has picked up from estate sales and other secret sources. All the goodies feel unique and one-of-a-kind. And gorgeous.

Do you spot the celeb party-goer? I'll give you a hint, it's Molly Sims.

Hurry up and visit Rummage before I buy everything in the store.

Rummage: 7374 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, 323.935.5483

My second stop was the Summer Social at Urbanic, the adorable Venice stationary shop. We had lovely drinks (courtesy of Mrs. Lillien), the decor was super cute, and I love our goody bag item - pinwheels we made ourselves at the crafting station!

From left to right that's Alison of Faire Frou Frou (my FAV lingerie boutique), Jessica of Life's Little Jems, and me - all showing off our fancy little pinwheels.

Make your way over to Urbanic for adorable cards, stationary and more.

Urbanic: 1644 Abbot Kinney Blvd. Venice, 310.401.0427

THE GOODY BAG: LESSONS FROM LCDQ

It's Alissa from The Goods Design here with The Goody Bag, bringing you the best of Los Angeles' interior design events, people, places and things! Last week I had the pleasure of attending LCDQ- LA - an annual get together at the La Cienega Design Quarter, where some of the best design shops in town are located. It was two days filled with design panels, fiestas and gorgeous goodies.

While the actual goody bags were a bit lacking (an orange tote and design magazines from all the sponsors,) the real take-away was the amazing lessons about interior design that I learned from the panels...

LESSON #1: BE AUTHENTIC

Whether your style is mixing antique pieces with modern furnishings, or simple and edited interiors, be true to yourself. One of my favorite panels was Style Trumps Trend which included amazing designers Jeff Andrews, Brad Ford and Madeline Stuart. The overall vibe of the panel was about staying timeless and avant garde, something we all strive for. While we've all (including me) been cuckoo for ikat and chevron, how do we keep our interiors from looking dated in another 5 years? Madeline Stuart suggests mixing antiques with more modern pieces, so that you can't pinpoint a room to a specific moment in time. But I thought Brad Ford summed it up well "the best design is authentic design."

A look at some of my favorite panelists...

*clockwise from top left: Madeline Stuart, Jeff Andrews, Gulla Jonsdottir - she spoke on a panel about what "modernism" means today, Brad Ford & Windsor Smith

LESSON #2:
LA DESIGNERS ARE WELL DRESSED.
COME PREPARED.

LESSON #3:
LEARN THE RULES.  THEN BREAK THEM.

Study the masters. At the Style Trumps Trend panel, the amazing designers were constantly referencing the amazing designers who had influenced them. Knowing the history of design can teach you the rules, so you can break them and find a style that's uniquely your own.

Windsor Smith (someone I consider a real design guru) talked about a new Showcase House she's doing with Veranda at the panel Redefining Luxury for Today's Modern Family. She is doing away with the old model for homes and using the showcase house to "reinvent and redefine what we need in a house today." She feels like technology is separating us, so now more than ever we need our homes as a way to keep us connected. No more his/hers master bathrooms. No more prime real estate to formal dining rooms we never use. "The kitchen is our new family room," she says. Her showcase house opens in June 2011 here in LA (cannot WAIT to see it!) and will be featured in the October 2011 issue of Veranda.

I saw lots of bold design throughout the showrooms...

Clockwise from top left:

1. Designers were selected to curate different store windows throughout the event - I loved this one by Ruthie Sommers with the bold red stripes and pops of yellow! Totally unexpected and adorable!
2. Gorgeous brass sunburst light fixture from the Nanz Hardware/Remains Lighting showroom. Would be a gorgeous and bold statement fixture in an entry.
3. Loving these geometric cookies served at Mecox Gardens. The bright color combos were lovely (and they were so cute, I didn't dare take a bite.)
4. I am totally obsessed with this vignette I saw at the Szalon showroom. Hanging a beautiful patterned woven rug on the wall, then hanging a portrait over it? Definitely breaking the rules. In the best way.

See you next year LCDQ-LA!