Eye Candy of the Week

Product: The Sabre Table
Designer: Allegra Hicks
Material: Macassar ebony and hand cast metal legs with bronze coating
Size: 56 cm Diameter x 65.5cm
Yummy Factor: Delicately Delicious !

In Conversation with Woodson & Rummerfield's House of Design

Jaime Rummerfield & Ron Woodson

As part of our 100 entries celebrations I am posting a fun and interesting interview from Woodson & Rummerfield's House of Design. Enjoy!

Ron Woodson and Jaime Rummerfield are interior designers, co-owners of the boutique Woodson and Rummerfield's House of Design in Los Angeles, as well as designer of fabrics, furnitures, and home goods. Their interior design clients include The House of Versace, John Travolta and Kelly Preston, Courtney Love, Christina Aguilera and many more.

Ron Woodson, named one of House Beautiful’s Top Young Designers for 2005, is a Los Angeles-based design talent with an unusual mix of skills. He uses both sides of his brain resulting in a unique ability to combine experienced business acumen and a high level of design creativity.

Jaime Rummerfield shines as one of LA’s hottest Interior Design talents. Jaime’s accomplishments have been published extensively in a variety of design magazines. With a Bachelor of Science in Design from Arizona State University’s College of Architecture, Jaime cut her teeth with such renowned clients as Herman Miller, Steelcase and California Bank & Trust.

Opening her boutique design firm, Jaime hit the ground running with several high-end and celebrity clients. With home design shows on MTV, HGTV and the Style Network, she was also named to House Beautiful Magazine’s list of “America’s top 25 young designers.” In 2004, she kicked it up a notch and began the process of merging creative forces with Ron Woodson. In June, 2005 their design partnership expanded into Woodson & Rummerfield’s House of Design, a fabulous retail store and Design Studio on La Cienega Boulevard.

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

Jaime Rummerfield –As a teenageer my bohemian mother let me paint a graffiti mural on my bedroom wall.

Ron Woodson - My design experience goes back to when I was 8 or 9, I would rearrange my room and my parents living room every chance I got.

Micheltrona Silver Lake Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván – Your interiors are not just beautiful and contemporary but they are also very liveable. How do you achieve that?

Jaime – Comfort is a part of living. An inviting room is key to a successful design. We really take into consideration the textures of the fabrics, color, scale and proportions of the elements in a room and create a harmonious balance.

Ron- We also take lots of cues from our clients and what they envision their space to be. Our clients come to us because they know we’re going to give them a cohesive design that will be both aesthetically pleasing and very livable.

Pied-a-terre
Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván – I believe one of your strengths is styling; your vignettes are always exquisitely well done –Any words of styling wisdom? Where do you get your inspiration?

Jaime - A good understanding of composition is important. We gather inspiration from fashion, jewelry, vintage furnishings yet we always mix in a modern element.

Ron - Jaime and I have both studied design and we really take it to heart and we collect inspiration from all of our surroundings i.e. Nature, fashion, and old Hollywood.

Whiteroom
Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván – I read that you have created a new term in interior design “modage” can you elaborate on its meaning?

Jaime – Literally the word just came out when we were admiring an installation — Oh that is so “Modage”! We tend to discuss our process and theories quite a bit and we were examining this hallmark of ours which is the combination of modern and vintage, hence Modage.

Ron – We like to have fun with design and the word came from working on installations and it just stuck. People always try and put us in a category and we generally refute their assumption so modage was also a great way to describe us and our style.

Versace in Beverly Ridge
Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván - Is there any designer and/or architect from the past, you appreciate a lot?

Jaime – Elsa Schiaparelli, Tony Duquette, Charlotte Perriand.

Ron – Paul Williams, David Hicks, Billy Haines, Albert Hadly.

Beverly Hills Landmark Estate

Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván - and those still working?

Jaime – Vivienne Westwood, Jamie Drake, Diamond Baratta, Ron Woodson.

Ron – Oswald Boateng, Vicente Wolf, Jaime Drake and my partner Jaime Rummerfield.

Santa Monica
Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván - What project has given you the most satisfaction?

Jaime – Christina Aguilera’s Estate.

Ron – Christina Aguilera's Estate.

Cristina Aguilera's Nursery

Iván - Who would you like to design something for?

Jaime – Pharrell Williams.

Ron – Tina Turner.

Versace in Beverly Ridge
Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván - How has technology (such as your website) affected your business?

Jaime – Huge — We seem to have a global outreach now.

Ron – technology has allowed our clients and the public to become more savvy about design and it keeps us on our toes to keep design fresh and interesting.

Showroom

Woodson & Rummerfield' House of Design

Iván - What is your newest venture in design?

Jaime – Our coffee table book “High Style” is a delicious diary of us as Los Angeles designers.

Ron – Our new book and our new furniture line that debuts at High Point this fall.

High Style

Iván – What is next on your design journey?

Jaime –We are diving into the world of product design and licensing.

Ron- Boutique hospitality design is something we would really like to embark upon.

Rare Chair by Woodson & Rummerfield

Iván - Lastly, you have already created a stunning body of work with many mediums and styles. What would you like your legacy to be?

Jaime – Tastemaker that made this world a beautiful place in which to live.

Ron – I would like my legacy to be that I left the world with enduring timeless style and elegance that people would talk about for generations.

Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield
Photograph courtesy of Woodson & Rummerfield


WOODSON & RUMMERFIELD'S HOUSE OF DESIGN

Deck the Halls

Last week we decorated our studio for the Christmas season. This year we decided to do a silver, red and white theme. Much like our studio we kept it classic with a modern edge.

Here is Echo hanging the first of many ornaments on the tree.



Here I came to help (this is the proof that I did help! - not only direct)



The ceremonial placement of the star at the top of the tree.



Echo praying the tree doesn't topple over on top of her.

And there it goes! (Echo's praying didn't work) - The top of our tree was in need of some Viagra (lol)

In the words of Mr.Preston Bailey, " more is more" when it comes to my Christmas Trees. Our tree is towering at 9' tall and is filled with over 300 ornaments and 1000 lights.

We caught Miss Bobbie peeking inside her stocking -naughty, naughty girl!



Little chubby birds put the holiday spirit into our lighting.




Some chrome twig - style reindeer adorn our book shelves.



A splash of festive colour in our working space.

The window decals in our work area are reminiscent of our wall vinyl in the meeting room but continue our holiday theme. We were decorating at the same time as the GAP across the street. You can also see the Christmas Village Santa in the upper left corner of this photograph.

Humour Everywhere

In this time of economical uncertanty I have noticed that a sense of humour is constantly appearing as a common topic amongst the new wave of designers. A tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusment in each of the pieces that they create.

According to Wikipedia Humour occurs when:

+ An alternative (or surprising) shift in perception or answer is given that still shows relevance and can explain a situation.

+ Sudden relief occurs from a tense situation. "Humourific" as formerly applied in comedy referred to the interpretation of the sublime and the ridiculous, a relation also known as bathos. In this context, humour is often a subjective experience as it depends on a special mood or perspective from its audience to be effective.

+ Two ideas or things are juxtaposed that are very distant in meaning emotionally or conceptually, that is, having a significant incongruity.

+ We laugh at something that points out another's errors, lack of intelligence, or unfortunate circumstances; granting a sense of superiority.

These are some pieces that will help you keep positive in difficult situations. An accent piece such as one of these are sure to inject a little fun into anyone's home.

Tokujin Yoshioka Bouquet Chairs

Trent Jansen
Pregnant Chair
Moooi

Farm Project
Studio Job

Two Timer
Industrial Facility - Established & Sons



Outraged Identity
Barnaba Fornasetti

Trophy Hanger
Phil Cuttance

Fashion Architecture Taste
Bust of Hercules cast in foam rubber

Patricia Urquiola
Tea Set

David Pompa
Surreal Minimalism

Blaue Blume Teacup
Woodson & Rummerfield's House of Design

Maxim Velcovsky
Ornament & Crime
Bust of Lenin with Delft

Jonathan Adler
Peace Hand

Jaime Hayon
The Fantasy Collection

Maxim Velcovsky
Plate Colection
Ceramics at Mint

Jaime Hayon
The Green Chicken

In Conversation with Preston Bailey

Preston Bailey - Flower Couturier

Iván Meade - What was your first experience with design?

Preston Bailey - My first experience was when I was desperate for a job and my best friend Interior Designer Vicente Wolf suggested I do flowers for some of his clients. I began doing weekly floral arrangements and discovered I really enjoyed it and could do it well. I am self taught so I made plenty of mistakes along the way.

Orchid box

Iván - Who or what has influenced you?

Preston - Nature has been my biggest inspiration if you look at my designs you can see how I try to bring the abundance of nature indoors. I am also lucky enough to travel quite a bit for work and seeing the world really opens your eyes. It is impossible not to be inspired by all the different cultures and landscapes around the world.

Two 25ft (7.6m) peacock sculptures created from flowers by designer Preston Bailey,
stand proudly as part of the Spring Renaissance Event

Iván - How would you describe your sense of style?

Preston - Transforming. I like going into spaces and completely transforming them so much that people don’t even recognize the space.

Melissa Rivers - Wedding

Iván - What is your design process?

Preston - I meet with my clients first for a couple of hours to really understand their vision and likes and more importantly dislikes, then from that meeting I draw up some ideas and send them to my clients. Usually we get the go from there then at this point we create to scale a piece of what the event is going to like and bring them in to see it in person. I don’t like my clients to be surprised the day of the event.

Wedding Arrangement

Iván - Do you have a specific design philosophy or mantra?

Preston - More is better

Flower arrangement in the Caribbean

Iván - Name 5 things you can’t do without...

Preston - My iphone, my journal, my man, my free time, and my music

Flower arrangement in the Caribbean

Iván - How important are trends to you? What is big in your line of work right now? What do you see coming?

Preston - Trends are important to a certain extent for instance fashion is very important because whatever you are seeing on the runway now you know those are the colors people are going to be wanting in 6 months. Jewel tones are coming in more and more in events. I don’t follow event trends because my clients are very specific with what they want and don’t usually come to me with no ideas.

Wedding Arrangement

Iván - What is your favourite flower to work with?

Preston - Orchids, they are very elegant and very hearty

Orchids

Iván - What do you consider to be your greatest strength and weakness?

Preston - Being over the top to both

Wedding Arrangement

Iván - Where would you advise budget conscious clients to invest the majority of their money for the most impact?

Preston - I ask them to figure out what is most important to them for their event it could be the food, the music, the décor, or the after party. I tell them to put the largest chunk towards there.

Dog Topiary

Iván - What would you say is the most important element of any event?

Preston - Lighting! People always forget about it. It really can make or break an event

Iván - What is the strangest request you have received from a client?

Preston - To create a 25 foot floral dinosaur – I love those requests

Tea Party

Iván - What project or piece are you most proud of?

Preston - I can’t even begin to try to pick one out. Too many

Iván - You already create beautiful interiors for temporary events, do you have any plans to progress to interior design and make your designs more permanent?

Preston - Yes we are working on something right now but for now it is shhhhh

Chicks

Iván - You have a great friendship and working relationship with designer Vicente Wolf, what is it like working together and how do your styles complement each other when planning an event?

Preston - Vicente and I have been best friends for years so we completely understand and respect each other. His designs are very clean and classic where mine are abundant and possibly over the top- but somehow we make them work together in harmony.

Tabletop Garden

Iván - You have become a celebrity yourself, a writer, planner, floral designer, public speaker, television host, model and boutique owner. Have you ever been star-struck by any of your clients?

Preston - I always am!

Iván - You have already produced a stunning body of work at an early age; what would you like your legacy to be?

Preston - The early age of almost 60! I have been in this business for over 28 years and to tell you the truth I haven’t even begun so right now I cannot answer this question.

Preston Bailey

Preston Bailey Bio

Preston Bailey was born and raised in the verdant, tropical paradise of Panamá, so it’s little wonder that he is world renowned for his innate sense of style, inspired by the vibrant colors, organic shapes, and lush natural abundance of his homeland.

Preston moved to New York City in 1968 at the age of 19 and began his career in the design world as a fashion model, eventually opening a men’s clothing boutique.

Necessity is the mother of invention: when his store closed in 1980, Preston was in need of a job. His best friend, interior designer Vicente Wolf, suggested that Preston create floral arrangements for the homes of his Park Avenue clients.

This was the modest beginning of Preston’s stellar career as a floral couturier. After several years of building his reputation not only as a brilliant designer, but also for delivering exceptional service to his wellheeled clientele, Preston had the good fortune of meeting Joan Rivers, who has been his mentor & angel eversince. Joan asked him to design and produce her daughter Melissa’s wedding. This extravaganza exploded Preston onto the press circuit and celebrity event designer world.

After 27 years in business, Preston Bailey has become especially renowned for his ability to completely transform raw, ordinary spaces into sumptuous, theatrical environments, translating his clients’ fantasies into awe-inspiring reality.

Preston’s one-of-a-kind events, which include the most extravagant weddings and galas for Royal families across the globe, have earned him a reputation as the world’s preeminent event designer. He has attracted such clients as Donald Trump, Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman, Joan Rivers, Donna Karan, Liza Minnelli, Matt Lauer, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburne, Emmitt Smith, and Bill Cosby.

Preston Bailey’s signature style combines exuberant and harmonious color palettes, sensuous textures, shapes that are both architectural and organic, and modern adaptations of traditional elements to excite the senses in profound ways. Inspired by the simple beauty of the natural world, Preston is known for taking small, simple elements, changing them, reshaping them and repeating them on many layers to create grand, spectacular dramatic statements.

Preston has written three bestselling books, Design for Entertaining, Fantasy Weddings, and his latest, Inspirations.

He is currently working on his fourth book, scheduled to be released in 2008. In addition to his many public speaking engagements, Preston’s numerous television appearances include The Oprah Winfrey Show, Martha Stewart, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, Extra, CBS’s The Early Show, and The Today Show.

In July 2006 he starred in his own show, “Preston Bailey: Mr. Fabulous” which aired on the oh! Oxygen network and was the network’s highest rated program to date. Preston is also on the Advisory Board of Modern Bride Magazine. In 2005, through a partnership with Sandals Resorts, the largest operator of luxury, all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Preston designed four signature wedding collections, available exclusively to Sandals guests, which include beautifully designed wedding settings and décor, bridal flowers, and elegant keepsakes.

Via his 2006 partnership with 1-800-FLOWERS.com, a leading multi-channel retailer, Preston's exquisite, floral creations are now easily accessible to customers everywhere.

To see more work of Preston Bailey please visit:

www.prestonbailey.com
www.prestonbailey.blogspot.com