WHAT IS STYLISH IN LA RIGHT NOW? CHECKING IN WITH THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST DESIGN STARS

Checking in with the LA design tastemakers and influencers Mary McDonald, Martyn Lawrence-Bullard, Leslie Hunt, Hillary Thomas, Windsor Smith, Madeline Stuart, Brooke Gianetti, Katie Leede, Rose Tarlow and Marjorie Skouras, I wanted to get their take on what is hot in LA now. From their favorite coffee spots to antique shopping, I knew I would get a cross section of the best places to go and wanted to share them with you.

MARTYN LAWRENCE - BULLARD:

Photo courtesy Martyn Lawrence-Bullard
Byzantine candle makes a great holiday present-- get yours at his website here.

Here are a few of his favorite things:

-The Anthropology store in Santa Monica is the best and has wonderful home department as does the brand new flag ship that's opened on Beverly drive in Beverly Hills.
-Richard Shapiro's chic gift department within his antique store includes beautiful books , jewels and Armand Diradourian cashmere throws.
-The new Kathryn Ireland showroom in Almont Yard is fab and Nathan Turner's pop up shop in Brentwood is brilliant-- complete with my candles.
-Fave restaurant is Mozza for the best pizza in town and for Sunday lunch, a traditional British style gathering at the Soho house along with the entire Osbourne clan.

LESLIE LOGAN HUNT INTERIORS:

Whatever Leslie does, she does with style. From setting a holiday table to getting designing a whimsical window treatment, her verve comes through. She began her career at Mark Hampton and Scott Snyder, and works with classical design elements creating beautiful rooms. She too has a decorator mom, so she grew up around the business, going to showhouses and antique shops.

Photos by Miguel Flores- Vianna
In a relaxing yet elegant living room, Leslie was creative with the layout, and created an L-shaped banquette for maximum seating, complete with an upholstered ottoman. Whenever I visit her in LA, she fills me in on her favorite haunts since she is a born and raised local.

- Favorite lunch spot with friends is the Thyme Cafe and Market in Santa Monica and Maison Midi on La Brea

- For coffee, Luxxe Cafe in Brentwood is amazing

- My home shopping faves include Big Daddy's Antiques, Almont Yard, JF Chen and everything on La Cienega Blvd.

- For fashion, I love Market in Brentwood and Aura Boutique in Santa Monica

- When I want a night of glam drinks, Tavern Bar in Brentwood fits the bill

- To enjoy the gorgeous California setting I visit The Getty Center gardens

- Growing up here I have places I adore like The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Abbot Kinney anytime, catching summer concert at The Hollywood Bowl, the flea market at the Rose Bowl and hiking Paseo Miramar in Pacific Palisades

HILLARY THOMAS:

Photos courtesy of Hillary Thomas
Designer and lifestyle gal Hillary Thomas has a great new design idea she has just launched on her site called Hillary@home. It is a service for those with a do-it-yourself can do spirit that may not need a soup to nuts renovation or full design services. They put together the color, furniture, fabrics, lighting and accessories schemes and then the client does the leg work, making the purchases and playing and active role in the design installation at their desired pace.

Above, a schematic comes together. This is a great way to access Hillary’s experience and eye, without the issues of time, distance or budget. It is a digital design dream come true.

We grew up in the same town and used to ice skate together, so I knew she was a style maven and a go - to for some good scoop!

Here are her favorite things in LA:

- For lunch with the girls, Soho House. Sitting outside on the roof deck around a Koi pond surrounded by Olive trees is simply heaven!

- For Coffee, it's the Fountain Coffee Shop downstairs at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The BEST!

- For dinner and drinks, I love the Chateau Marmot for the old school feel of the hotel. Very LA! Then there is The Roger Room on La Cienega, a speak easy with a mixologist.

- I get a fashion fix at small boutiques like Church, Curve, and Elyse Walker.

KATIE LEEDE

Photo by Lisa Romerein

With a gorgeous globally tinged collection of printed fabrics and a busy design practice, Katie Leede finds her inspiration her travels to far flung places. She uses ethnic pieces, ancient relics and fine antiques in a varied way, creating truly unique and beautiful interiors.

Here are Katie's favorites:

- My morning: I walk Noodles my Schnoodle to Café Luxxe on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica for a coffee the most scrumptious almond croissant EVER.

-Shopping at L Frank, Liseanne Frankfurt’s jewelry shop

-Casual, cafeteria style lunch at Lemonade or hip Gjelina’s in the garden and If I get really lucky and the stars align with our schedules, I meet the decorator gals Mary McDonald, Lizzie Dinkel, Kim Alexandruick and Molly Isaakson for lunch at the eponymous Polo Lounge

- dinner at a local hideaway for simple Italian fare, Locanda Portofino

- Shopping with clients, I head straight for La Cienega Design Quarter-the stretch of La Cienega between Santa Monica Blvd, and Melrose. You can practically decorate a house in an afternoon by hitting Todd Romano, where I just picked up a zebra rug lined in lime green felt, Hollyhock, Mecox Gardens, Jean de Merry, Paul Marra, Downtown, Lee Stanton for all things English, Hollywood at Home for groovy fabrics,Therien for surprising mid century finds, George Smith, Christopher Farr for contemporary collector carpets, Lucca Antiques, and Pat McGann

GIANNETTI HOME:

Photos courtesy of Giannetti Home
Brooke Giannetti writes the fantastic blog Velvet and Linen, shops for and runs a store, Giannetti Home at 11980 San Vicente Blvd.with her architect husband, Steve and does interior design. How does she do it?

A rustic mix of weathered pieces and re-purposed materials fill Giannetti Home.

Swedish furniture with light finishes and Parisian finds are displayed amidst a great selection of the latest greatest design books.

Some of Brooke and Steve's favorites:

- Dinner at R&D for great burgers and martinis, Blue Plate for yummy American casual dinners

-If we're in the mood for Gnocchi or Ciopino, Spumoni on Montana or San Vicente is the place!

- We also love Babalu for Cuban food with a California twist

- Luxxe Cafe has the best coffee drinks in town!

- For a fashion dose, Rita's Rags on Montana has comfortable classics. I live in their cashmere wraps.

- My favorite place to shop for vintage and great finds are the Rose Bowl, Long Beach Stadium, and Santa Monica Airport flea markets

In product news, there are great designs coming out of LA:

MARY MCDONALD:

Photos courtesy of Robert Abbey
These LA gals are busy-- Mary McDonald has a hot new design tome and a new lighting collection with Robert Abbey , where she re-imagined the glamorous lighting looks from the past and interpreted them for today. The Annika Lamp in a red hot and gold finish.


The Ondine Sconce with crystal ball detail


The statuesque Ondine Floor Lamp with circle detail and ball feet

MARJORIE SKOURAS

Photos courtesy of Marjorie Skouras
Designer and product creator Marjorie Skouras embraces color in everything she does. This San Francisco native spent an inspired year on the island of Corfu, where luxe materials made their mark on her design. In addition to her interior design, she became an editorial darling with her inventive lighting line. The coral chandelier and white sea urchin sconce put her on the map and she continues to amaze with her beautiful pieces in unique materials.
A Malachite Stone Topped Table with skinny hammered gilt legs is like jewelery in a room.
Working with semi precious stone beads, black coral, turquoise, pin jade and red coral has been worked into a single tassel tieback.

MADELINE STUART:

Photos courtesy of Madeline Stuart
A lively library Madeline Stuart designed in a Bel Air Georgian home. Since 1998, she has been doing collection of furniture in classic forms with a modern sensibility, handmade in Los Angeles. The line has grown to include over 70 pieces.
The Fielding Chest of Mahogany is a classic piece, available with brass or nickel banded drawers and hardware.
A cozy sofa, the Burlingame, is worthy of a long Football game watching session.

These are a few of her favorite things:

- Interiors: La Cienega Blvd. and adjacent Melrose Place for great antique shops and fabulous fashion boutiques.

- Breakfast: I’ve been going to Nate ‘n Al’s delicatessen-- it’s still my number one spot for Sunday breakfast. Not hip, not chic and sadly Fred Astaire and Groucho Marx are no longer regulars, but it remains a classic spot for LA locals.

- Drinks: The Roger Room on La Cienega for drinks. The décor is fabulous and the drinks are impeccably made. A very old-fashioned, new fangled place, perfectly realized.

- Dinner: I love Jeff Klein’s Sunset Tower Hotel for dinner. It’s one of the most urbane spots in town and the lighting is incredibly flattering!

- Shopping: This girl can’t help it—I’m still a huge fan of Neiman Marcus for all the right reasons it's gracious and glamorous, with exemplary service and fabulous stuff! But lest I offend my friends at Barney’s, I must quickly add that I divide my loyalties between these two great temples to consumerism on Wilshire Blvd! I adore Mameg for their highly intelligent, exquisitely curated collection of clothes.

- Vintage: The Way We Wore is a haven for those seeking impeccable vintage

- LA stuff: Will Rogers house museum and polo field in Pacific Palisades for a sense of what LA was like in the 20’s. The newly opened Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica for great architecture, Hollywood history and inspiring philanthropy. The beach! Because being 20 minutes away from the ocean is what’s really fantastic about living in LA!

WINDSOR SMITH:

Photo courtesy of Michael Wells
With her successful fabric collection for Kravet and other cool stuff in the works, the bubbly designer Windsor Smith has recently added new classic designs with a twist to her Windsor Smith Home Collection.

Photos courtesy of Windsor Smith
This amazing tufted headboard makes a luxe Marie Antoinette statement in girly pink.

The Colony Breakfront with fretwork detail and mercury glass doors brings the allure of early American antiques into today with a sharp white finish.
Her De'Wolf Double Chaise adds a dose of glamour and the desire to languor.

And honoring those that helped pave the way...

ROSE TARLOW MELROSE HOUSE

Photo courtesy of Rose Tarlow Melrose House
Over the past 35 years, Rose Tarlow has come to represent true California style in her interiors through a combination of furniture with mellow finishes, soft textures and tonal settings. Her new showrooms in LA and the D and D Building signal a renewed interest in her beautiful sense of style and design genius with its mix of art, objects and handmade furnishings and fabrics.
This year, she is being honored by The Los Angeles County Museum of Art's decorative arts and design council with their 3rd annual Design Leadership Award from for her achievements in design. Rose has changed design in LA, raised the bar and followed her passion along the way.