Summer Blockbuster! Must-have items for your Desert Home Theater

Summer is nearly over, but think of the cold nights you’ll need to spend indoors entertaining- well, not so cold here in Palm Desert or Rancho Mirage, but it will get a little cooler. These sophisticated accessories and furnishings will help you enjoy your time spent in your own home theater, be it cold or not, indoors or out!

Nile Audio Planter

These planters not only dress up the garden, but also provide outdoor sound with the woofer and tweeter hidden inside. These realistic weatherproof planters are available in terracotta or concrete finish, and will hold live plans or flowers. http://www.nilesaudio.com/


Omnimount Prism Cabinet

With this cabinet, no one will even care what you’re watching, or even if you don’t have a TV! This high-design media cabinet comes in black or white, and gives your flat screen plasma TV a posh place to rest. http://www.omnimount.com/







Salamander Jump Seat Ottoman

These remind me of those great seats in coachbuilt limousines that fold out of sight when not in use- These ottomans open up in rumbleseat fashion into a theatre seat. These are ideal when you have friends over for movie watching or video games. When closed, it functions as an ottoman. http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/


Netgear EVA8000

A complete media bridge that frees up all of your media, including photos, videos, will transpose information on your computer to your video screen- simply choose from your MP3 music and your photos, and you’ve got an instant slide show!







Vantage TPI Screens

Control your home theater lighting, Music, and Temp from one touchscreen remote control with easy to read graphics.

Jet Set Interior Design in Rancho Mirage

William Miller Design in Palm Desert has recently completed the interior design of this stunning 1967 home in Rancho Mirage by noted architect C.H. Barlund. Located in Rancho Mirage. This amazing home features vast expanses of glass and terrazo floors throughout, and is fantastically simple in its mid-century lines. Natural rock is utilized on the fireplaces. As an interior design project, we loved working with the Jet-set color palette of Solar Orange and Kelp Green throughout the house. Earlier this summer, this residence was featured on the Palm Springs Modern Home Tour. Those on the tour ended their day here with a cocktail at this beautiful residence in Rancho Mirage.

Hollywood Regency at Home in the Desert

This glamorous style evades definition. It does so by way of incorporating so many elements of design- but most agree that its origin can be traced to Hollywood style of the 1930s and 1940s; particularly the set designs of the Golden Age of Hollywood.


The popularity of this style is extending itself into the current rage in Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage’s for modern glamour- and so the Hollywood Regency style is gaining popularity once again. Elements and objects found within the Hollywood Regency style are sourced globally: Asian, Moroccan accessories are frequently spotted; English and French Regency furniture which give the rooms their scale and sensibility; Greek Revival elements are certainly always spotted in fabric patterns used; and classic art deco and modern influences are used to bring the look up to date.
Historically, designers such as Billy Haines and Billy Baldwin are credited for the emergency of this style, and their contemporary counterparts are Kelly Wearstler and Jonathan Adler, both of which have completed major hotel projects in Palm Springs for The Viceroy Hotel and The Parker Hotel, respectively.

However, Dorothy Draper defines the Hollywood Regency style and is also credited with being the first successful female interior designer. Her firm was based in New York and she also was a contributing writer to Good Housekeeping magazine. Draper is most famous for her hotels including the Carlyle Hotel in New York, the Arrowhead Spa in San Bernardino, the Greenbrier in West

Virginia. The Museum of the City of New York held a retrospective of her work in 2006- a photo of the entry is featured here.

The Beautiful Arizona Biltmore

We recently spent time at the Arizona Biltmore, which has been a landmark destination since it opened its doors in 1929. Many have mistakenly credited Frank Lloyd Wright as being the architect on this project, although Albert Chase MacArthur, brother of one of the original investors, is the actual architect of record. He was also a student of Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1900’s.

Contributing to most visitor’s confusion are the placements of FLW objects throughout the hotel, such as: the “Sprite” sculptures from Wright’s 1915 Midway Gardens project in Chicago; a stained glass window “Sahuaros” placed in the lobby; and the naming the hotel lobby bar and downstairs café “Wright’s.” This dispute is not anything new. Frank Lloyd Wright himself has previously claimed credit for the building’s design.

It has been claimed that this is the only existing hotel in the world with a Frank Lloyd Wright influenced design, one of the FLW hotels is still in existence, albeit currently in use as a museum. The Imperial Hotel, previously in Tokyo, Japan, is now the Meiji Mura Museum outside of Nagoya. The entire façade, lobby, and pool were moved to their current location and are open to the public. I had the good luck to visit there about eight years ago.

One of the most obvious motifs in the interior design of the Biltmore hotel is the geometric pattern based on the scarring that occurs on palm trees as they are pruned. The “Biltmore Block” is seen throughout the grounds, and the blocks were molded on-site. Other similar patterns were woven into carpets, and the selection of the furniture and fabrics were selected with the integrity of the architecture in mind.


The interior design of this churchlike hotel plays on shadows and rich browns and gold tones. The desert heat seems far removed from the interior as visitors enter the main lobby, although high clerestory windows allow sunlight in, and reflects off the gold-leafed ceilings.

Thanks to owners who are committed to preserving the building’s architectural history, the resort has become more “Wright” than it was when it was originally built. This hotel is a wonderful example of an architectural vernacular that could be built in the California Desert successfully- it would be a wonderful change from the Spanish Colonials in the Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Desert construction. The interior design of this project could equally be adaptable for a residence at Bighorn or another California Country Club as well.

UPDATE: A reader informs me that there is one Frank Lloyd Wright hotel in Mason, Iowa- The Park Inn. It is not currently operating, and seems to be in the process of resoration, and will possibly open within the next two years...

Spice and Sparkle of Green Design

Going green in Palm Desert for your interior design project can be a unique and beautiful choice !

We have found a new product on the market that is almost totally recycled material and here’s the twist: Vetrazzo will document the “story” of where the recycled material came from and send it along with your order. Because of the unique nature of the glass used in the production process, every Vetrazzo surface has its own history. The company tracks that history, and when you purchase Vetrazzo, they provide a Certificate of Transformation that tells you exactly where the glass in your Vetrazzo came from.

This great-looking product can be used for countertops, flooring, fireplace surrounds, shower surrounds and wall cladding. This product is made and cast to your specifications for your job, and mixes in color can vary to your specification. It is highly durable, and is resistant to staining. It can be cut on, but your knife will dull quickly as it is one of the hardest surfaces on the market. It can withstand extreme heat, which is important for durability in outdoor residential uses in Palm Desert and Rancho Mirage. The best part of this surface is that it has no off-gassing or VCO, and is made domestically and responsibly in a sustainable method. Since the raw materials for this product are sourced domestically, it does not require the tremendous energy cost of shipping other surfaces like granite.

All of the glass used in Vetrazzo is “repurposed” and makes up about 85% of the final material by weight. The largest proportion of glass comes from curbside recycling programs. Other glass comes from post industrial usage, windows, dinnerware, stemware, automotive windshields, stained glass, laboratory glass, reclaimed glass from building demolition, and other unusual sources such as decommissioned traffic lights.

Lighting Up The Outdoors

Our interior design firm is seeing an increase of outdoor living spaces that are more like living rooms than patios, and outdoor lighting and lamps have taken on a new look and importance. These functional accessories are practical in outdoor living areas, particularly those with dining areas, where families gather to play games, or watch television.

More unique styles of outdoor lamps are available than ever before, adding to the effect of extending the indoors to the outdoors. This is particularly important in the Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, and Palm Springs areas, as interior design has spread to the great outdoors.

In selecting outdoor lighting, think of what activities you will need to illuminate. Are you dining outside? Are you playing cards? Do you like to read? Are you just curling up in front of your fire ring and watching the stars? You will also need to keep in mind if you outdoor living space is fully exposed to the elements or is under a roof where there will be open shade during the day.

An outdoor lamp base should be made of metal, ceramic, or a durable resin or plastic that can withstand the extremes in temperature, even if the lamp is to be placed under an overhang. Likewise, the shade must have a metal frame that can withstand high temperatures, and should be covered with a sunbrella/outdoor fabric that can also withstand high heat and direct sunlight without fading.

Make sure that the base is heavy enough to stay in place during high winds or is properly secured. Tall outdoor lamps and table lamps are likely to end up in the swimming pool- as items in the yard often do in the Palm Desert/Rancho Mirage area (those windmills are there for a reason, folks!).

Before you purchae a fixture, check that the lamp that you select is UL rated for outdoor use and is waterproof. A lighting store should be able to custom make an outdoor lamp if you cannot find a ready-made lamp for your outdoor living area. If you are using your outdoor lamp for mixed uses, select one that has a dimming switch and a grounded cord.

Perfect Picnic Packing!

With the summer holidays upon us, many of us will be spending time picnicking. Picnics can be very simple or quite elaborate, depending on the occasion. No matter what kind of picnic you are planning this summer, it can be made just right with selecting the right kind of picnic basket.

No matter what the cost of your basket, it should be able to do several things: sturdy enough to hold food, drinks, plates, utensils. It should be able to protect food from being squashed, and should be able to keep food cold or hot. The cool part is especially important if you have food that may spoil in heat- nothing ruins a nice picnic like a case of botchulism!

When you shop for your basket, have in mind what size you’re going to need- if you’re packing meals for two or for a family of eight, be sure what you’ve selected has enough room for all of your supplies.

Likewise, know what you want to bring along- if that means a bottle of champagne, a flower arrangement, china or paper plates, disposable cutlery or silver, make sure your basket has a place for everything.

Also keep in mind where your picnic will be, and select a basket that can get you and your food to the location- if your picnic is going to be somewhere near the summit of Mount Everest, you’ll need to select something that is more backpack-like than you would if your picnic is in the local park.

We have selected several picnic baskets with a variety of prices:

Target features Malibu Rivera insulated shoulder picnic bag for 2 with melamine plates, tumblers, stainless flatware, and a wooden cutting board for $59.99










Kate Spade has a wonderful Hobby Picnic Tote with a cool silk-screened fork, spoon, and knife on the side pocket for $123.00








And, a few baskets at the other end of the spectrum (I can dream, can’t I?)…




Modest Designs features this vintage Gucci Picnic Bag from the 70’s that is perfect for that special polo match! It has his and hers thermos, a biscuit tin, and collapsing bone-handled forks and spoons, and is priced at a breathtaking $1,675.00








Coach can help you plan a perfect day with their coloful logo print lining, logo plates, leather naplin rings, bamboo-handled flatware, priced at $1998.00




My hands-down, wonderfully impractical favorite is from Pinel & Pinel. As soon as I get my private Zeppelin, I will be sure and pack this massive trunk for an alfresco meal in Biarritz. This picnic trunk is finished in brown leather with a red leather lining. It features ten drawers and room for three bottles of champagne, and all the utensils are already packed, down to your truffle slicer (how many times have I been on a picnic and forgotten to pack the truffle slicer?!!) The trunk drawer transforms into a table and two chairs. Is Santa taking early orders? If you need to ask how much this affair costs, you’re at the wrong party, baby.

Some tips for packing are small Tupperware containers for condiments, a portable ice bucket, battery-powered candles (if you’re dining under the stars), some type of ground cover, an umbrella if you need one, some type of bag for trash- I hate to take garbage home in the basket- bring along a plastic grocery bag for this, as well as a few extra plastic bags to wrap up the dirty dishes and cutlery in for the trip home- and some throw pillows are always great if you’re not bringing chairs and a table, and I love to bring along a travel game of some sort or a deck of cards.

No matter what you choose to carry your meal into the great outdoors, you’ll be sure to have a great time if you keep all of this in mind when you choose your picnic basket.