The Chedi Hotel, Muscat

Another amazing hotel that we had the opportunity to stay at was The Chedi in Muscat, Oman. The hotel had the full-on exotic ambiance that you would expect from a beautiful seaside resort in the Middle East. We LOVED Oman, and had such a wonderful time there. The people were so excited to have visitors from the US, and we saw so many wonderful things...But back to the hotel. This tented lobby just is a small taste of the beautiful setting that we were treated to!

Table Tonic Picks William Miller Design!

We were very excited that Louise from Table Tonic has chosen us as a favorite blog! Thanks for the mention, and we love your blog, too!

Tight Timeline Remodel

When a great client comes to you and says "We've bought a new home, can you have it finished by Thanksgiving?" and it's only 8 weeks before the deadline, of course you say "YES!"

This remodel is pretty extensive, however, and it is going to be a push to get it all done. Our scope includes: new floors, reconfiguration of two bathrooms, replacement of sliding doors in casita, all new window treatments (you'll see why), new porcelain tiles to replace wood floors, adding in accent lighting, all new furniture and accessories, and 3 major built in cabinets. Take a look at what we are starting with: it's about a 4000sq ft home in La Quinta, California.

Just Fabulous Barbie Book

We just got back from Just Fabulous in Palm Springs where we picked up our copy of the new limited edition Barbie book from Assouline. Looking forward to reading this, the photos were great, thanks to Stephen, the owner of Just Fabulous for bringing such a great selection of coffeetable books to the desert. I also picked up a copy of "I Loved Lucy" by Lee Tannen...can't wait to start reading about Lucille Ball- his photos are fantastic!

Paris Hotel Boutique

For those of you who are often in San Francisco, be sure to check out Paris Hotel Boutique. It's one of my favorite resale shops in the Bay Area. These are two of my favorites in the recent arrivals: A velvet mid-century bench (we've used these in both mid-century homes as well as contemporary once, it seems to never go out of style). The other photo is an amazingly hip faux bamboo coffee table. I love bamboo so much! This one I can see refinished in a dark coffee bean brown or something lighter and more colorful...depending on what home it is ultimately going to live in....

Kempinski Hotel Dead Sea

One of the coolest locations that I have stayed at this year is the Kempinski Ishtar/Dead Sea. Apart from the amazing Dead Sea Mud/Saltwater massage and being able to float on top of the water, the hotel itself is a beautiful destination. The rooms have a sleek feel while still being warm, thanks to all the wood panelling throughout the rooms as well as the public areas...Loved the whole interior design treatment. Check out the size of the doors from the lobby into the first-floor Thai restaurant!

Trina Turk Residential

Something that is a total flashback for me are these needlepoint Eyeglass cases from Trina Turk Residential. I picked up the "Palm Springs" version to keep on the dashboard of my vintage car. They remind me of my Great Aunt's cigarette case...as always, we love Trina Turk's approach to color and pattern. She also carries a line of residential fabrics and ready-made pillows...

Palm Springs Modernism Week

One of our favorite week-long events is just around the corner, Palm Springs Modernism Week. It's an amazing time of the year to be in the desert, and it's entirely planned around interior design, and design in general. Cocktail parties in amazing homes, a weekend of some of the finest vendors in mid-century modern items, great historical tours, and this year, I am really looking forward to the Airstream Trailer exhibition. Look for me poolside wearing Trina Turk February 17- 27 in Palm Springs!

First Hempcrete Modern Home

Wow!

I am really impressed with the overall look and layout of this house, but it's also got the whole hemp thing going on! Anthony Brenner, the builder of this home wanted to use materials that were earth-friendly, and he turned to hemp-based concrete as the main material used in the construction of this amazing house. This is the first type of construction in the US, hope to see a lot more: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/A8Gxi5/inhabitat.com/2010/09/23/nations-first-hempcrete-house-makes-a-healthy-statement//r:t

These homes would be amazing here in the Desert, I can totally see them in Palm Springs or Palm Desert.

Styling the Look of Things

One of my favorite blogs, Dean's Garage, recently posted a great PDF of a 1955 GM brochure titled "Styling the Look of Things." It is a fascinating read, and has some great graphics and illustrations, and falls somewhere between HGTV and Mad Men. Aside from exploring the design process for cars, it goes into additional household products, as well as interior design, and graphic design. I love finding this kind of ephemera, stuff that was never designed to be around for so long. Enjoy reading it!


http://deansgarage.com/2010/styling-the-look-of-things/

Modernway Palm Springs

I just realized that almost all the things that I have been crazy about this week have been yellow! It could be that I am getting ready for "the season" to start in Palm Springs, and thinking about all sorts of interior design ideas for all the fab desert homes. I love Palm Springs' Modernway. Courtney is great with posting his new arrivals. My favorite is this sherbet-toned sofa from Knoll.

http://www.psmodernway.com/page2.html

Dwell Home Peacock Duvet

Really enjoying some vivid colors this Fall! One of my favorite bedding sets that I've seen is this great Yellow Peacock Print from Dwell Studios. This would look very up-to-the-minute in the interior design of a hip space-age bachelor pad in Palm Springs...http://www.dwellstudio.com/

Simrin Housewares

I could spend all day looking over new things for the kitchen, probably because I love to cook and entertain...One company that I loved this year at the LA Gift Show was Simrin. Some of my favorites were these tall tumblers (in orange, a preferred color) and these bright laminate trays!

http://www.simrininc.com/index.html

Yellow Owl Workshop Camera Prints

I came across Yellow Owl Workshop's fantastic prints of vintage cameras. It totally jogged my memory about two boxes of antique cameras that I hadn't unpacked since I lived in Vermont. I'll have to go get them out and figure out a way to display them. In the meantime, if you don't have a a camera collection of you own, check these out! The also have some cast ceramic pieces of vintage cameras. I like the Argus...now I have something to get to work on in my own home! http://www.yellowowlworkshop.com/prints.htm

Hedge: Hidden Gem in Cathedral City!

One of my favorite things (actually three of them) are these mid-century Blenko art glass owl bookends from Hedge in Cathedral City...Hedge is a great place to browse AND buy! Check them out at the "design" area complex in Cathedral City California...right next door is @Hom, Colin Fisher, and Spaces...

Hedge's website: http://www.hedgepalmsprings.com/

Shine Home Orange Console!

We love bright accent pieces, and this bright orange console from Shine Home is the perfect thing to brighten a foyer or just something to make you smile! Check out their great website...http://www.shinebysho.com/ There are way too many great things on their site, and I get really excited just looking at them!

The Lost Art of Mix-and-Match

Mixing in mid-century modern furniture into a contemporary home is an art. This 1970s Ebonized Buffet is hip, retro and contemporary at the same time.

If You Can't Stand the Heat...

We just got in several of these HOT Angie Thornbury Chaise Lounge Chairs...perfect for fall desert sunbathing!

What's This Going to Cost Me?

More clients than ever are on very limited budgets and want to get the most bang for their buck. While William Miller Design has built its repuation on high-end new construction, we also are an excellent resource for single-room remodels. We've recently completed kitchen and bathroom remodels and reconfigurations on very tight budgets- in households in Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, and La Quinta. Most bathroom remodels can be completed for around $10,000, depending upon your hardware selections as well as floor covering choices. Kitchens, being slightly more complex, are slightly more costly to remodel. Keep in mind, if you hire an interior designer for your bathroom or kitchen remodel, you won't be dealing with contractors and bidding. You will also have the peace of mind knowing that a qualified designer has helped you to make selections for cabinetry, flooring, and wall colors. In addition, the management of your project will be in a professional's hands, and your kitchen or bath remodel can generally be completed in less than four weeks.