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DECOR| GARDEN| TRAVEL

APRIL| MAY| 2008o view more beautiful décor and design videos, visit my Web site:

www.YourBDTVAddress.bydesigntv.tv

5ROOMSUNIQUE5UNIQUEROOMS

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NEED TEXT

“Insist on yourself; never

imitate....Every great man

is unique.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Spring brings with it new beginnings, and it is hoped that the

next two months offer you the beauty of nature and warmer

temperatures to enjoy. This refreshing season is an ideal time

to focus on design projects in your home and to create a spaceto house your hobby in one of your favorite areas. Regardless

of your focus, whether a personal hobby or a favorite family

activity, a room with a theme can offer countless hours of

entertainment and leisure.

This issue spotlights unique rooms for your home from

throughout North America, and it is hoped that you will find

inspiration for your own home in one of these designs. Also

featured in this issue are a delectable vegetarian menu and a

feature on adding formality to your garden through the use of

statuary and fountains.

This gift has been sent as a token of appreciation for your

repeated support and friendship. If you know someone who

would like to receive this magazine or if you have any feedback

about the content of the magazine, please do not hesitate to

call. Thank you again, and please remember professional

assistance is just a phone call away.

First Name Last Name

000-000-0000

000-000-0000

name@WebAddress

www.WebAddress.com

www.YourBDTVAddress.bydesigntv.tv

Dear Client,

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MOMENTS

“Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our

lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to

make the whole picture beautiful and unique .~Anonymous ”

U

n u e

“Seize from every moment its

unique novelty,

and do not prepare your joys. ~Andre Gide ”

i q

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FEATURES

5 UNIQUE ROOMS

14 A Worldly Home

18 A Star Is Born

20 Fruitful Transformation

24 Bird Lover’s Retreat

28 Sweet Sanctuary

SPECIAL SECTION

34 Casa Azul: A Love Affair between

a Designer and the Deep Blue Sea

APRIL| MAY| 2008Contents

34

DEPARTMENTS

1 Moments

4 Reading Room

Rooms

5 Lett er from the Editor

6 Cooking

Vegetarian Menu

10 Gardening

Formality in Today’s Gardens

44 Destination

Portland, Oregon

48 Resources

24

62 HOME BY DESIGN| APRIL| MAY 2008

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APRIL| MAY| 2008

EDITOR AMBER LINDROS

DESIGN LINDSAY FOURNIER

GRAPHICS TEAM J ESSI MATTISON, GLENN SANDVOSS

CREATIVE TEAM PAT MONTGOMERY, SHAVAUN REED,

COURTNEY TRUEBENBACH

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS KAREN BUSCEMI, ROBYN ROEHM CANNON,

KIM A. FUQUA, ASHLEY GRIFFIN, CAROLYN M. RUNYON, REBECCA SWEAT,

WENDY TWETEN, J AN WALKER

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MICHAEL BAXTER, TOM BONNER,

FRANCINE KATZ, J OANIE DWYER PHOTOGRAPHY, RAYMOND MARTINOT,

DERRY MOORE, DANIEL NEWCOMB, PAUL S. BARTHOLOMEW PHOTOGRAPHY

INC., BRANDON SAWAYA, TRAVEL PORTLAND

PUBLISHER BY DESIGN PUBLISHING

PRESIDENT BRANDON LEE

V.P. OF OPERATION S BELINDA RICHARDSON

PROGRAMMING BILL BAKER, DAN FRITSCHER, TODD NEUMILLER

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER ESTEE VEDDER

ADVERTISING AN D EDITORIAL OFFICE

11626 Tracey Road, Hayden, ID 83835208-772-8060, FAX 208-772-8061Advertising Inquiries:[email protected] Inquiries or Feedback:[email protected]/Editorial.html

Real-estate agents, mortgage lenders, or anyone interested in usingHome By Design in marketing plans should contact our sales office at 877-423-4567 orvisit our Web site at www.HomeByDesign.com.Home By Design is acompletecustompublisher with many options to help you promote your business. If youare interested in more information about your own customized magazine ormarketing program, please contact us at our sales office.

Copyright 2008Network Communications Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Recipients of Home By Design magazine receive their subscription as afree gift of areal-estate professional, mortgage lender, or other professional service provider. TheHome By Design magazine programis an exclusive marketing programcreated by ByDesign Publishing. By Design Publishing has contracted with its professional clientsto provide this free subscription to you. By Design Publishing has contracted withthese professionals that By Design Publishing will not use the supplied mailing list for

any purposes other than to mail copies of Home By Design magazine and otherHome By Design communication products. Your name and address information will never beleased, sold, traded, or used for any other purposes.

For more information on our mailing list policy or for more information on ByDesign Publishing and ourHome By Design custompublishing program, pleasecontact us at 208-772-8060.

Home By Design magazine is for entertainment purposes only. This magazine is not intended tosolicit other brokers’ listings. If you are currently working with or in contract with anotherbroker, please disregard this information.

HOME BY DESIGN| APRIL| MAY 2008 3

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Rooms celebrates some of the mostluxurious and bold interiors around theglobe and the creative sensibilities of thepeople who inspired them. Sumptuouslypresenting the distinctive photography of DerryMoore, the 12th Earl of Drogheda, and comple-mented by Carl Skoggard’s evocative text, this in-

triguingly designed book captures the aesthetic of style-setting figures like early twentieth-centurydesigner Elsie de Wolfe, contemporary designicon Renzo Mongiardino, and legendary balletdancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Moore’s work is informed by a keen aestheticeye, impeccably good taste, and a technical acuitythat results in extraordinarily rich interiorphotography. His magical way with natural lightturns his photographs of sophisticated, oftenaristocratic interiors into something very like a

well-rendered Dutch still life. Moore says that heexpects to find in a room “wonderful color sense,extraordinary proportions, and sympatheticlight.” He believes that one is both “surprised andsoothed” by a truly remarkable interior.

The book features remarkable interiorsranging from Charleston, the famed haunt of theBloomsbury group, to India’s Falaknuma Palace,Pauline de Rothschild’s London residence, andChatsworth Hall, Derbyshire, the grandestof English country houses. In Moore’s deft hands,

all possess an air of eclectic mystery and a richnessof personal expression.

The photographs in Rooms are presented asthe works of art they are, uncropped, marginless,and free of captions, in the square compositionalformat for which Moore is most celebrated.All photographs are from Moore’s personalphotographic archive and include two dozenhomes dating from1975 to 2005, spanning nearlythe whole of Moore’s distinguished career.

READING ROOM

Hardcover: $55.00

272 pages 225 color il lustrations Publication date: 2006 Publi shed by Rizzoli New York

WRITTEN BY CARL SKOG G ARDREVIEW WRITTEN BY KIM A. FUQUA| PHOTOGRAPHY BY DERRY MOO RE

LEFT: A bay window in

the Garden Room at

Charleston looks out

to the flowers.

BELOW: Duchess

de Mouchy’s largeproperty near Paris

featured rooms

that were both playful

and organic.

Rooms


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IIf you approach the design of your home from a logical standpoint, it makessense to focus on redesigning or perfecting common rooms such askitchens, bathrooms, and gathering areas before even thinking aboutcreating a “Unique Room.” An extra oomph of energy is usually needed tobegin a project to showcase a hobby. You probably have a hobby or a passion, an activitythat you can’t wait to return home to when you are vacationing, or, perhaps, somethingthat dictates what you do on your vacation—wine tasting in Italy, backpacking throughnational parks, or shopping excursions in New York or Paris. My favorite aspect of thisissue of Home By Design is the care taken by each homeowner or designer to create aspaceto house a hobby, in effect making the home a destination in itself.

Especially inspiring to me is “Fruitful Transformations,” the tale of a dark dungeon

of a basement room that was completely renovated to house its owner’s collection of fine red wines (page 20). Wine cellars, which used to be a luxury in a home, are acommon feature in most new construction. The current challenge for any wine con-noisseur is to create a cellar that combines a great style with the best materials in aroom that is suited for storing the wine. This owner has done just that.

Take a moment to read “Portland: A Foodie’s Delight” (page 44), and if you have notyet visited this great city, do so soon. Portland’s restaurant scene is thriving, and eachtime I visit I wish I could call this city my home so that I could experience the cultureand culinary pleasures on a daily basis.

I hope that you enjoy this issue and that the rooms on the following pages willinspire you to incorporate your own hobby or passion into the design of your home.

Please be sure to thank the kind person who sends youHome By Design .

Enjoy!

Greetings! letter from the editor

Amber LindrosEditor,Home By Design


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HHome By Design often gets vegetarian recipe requests, and we’ve been a little lax in providing very manyof them… so this issue we’re offering up a full menu!

Fresh vegetables signal springtime from the produce aisles and the farmers’ markets, showcasing this season of renewal.Utilizing raw, grilled, roasted, and baked vegetables, along with a variety of fresh herbs, Laura Swayne shares with us just asampling of her favorite vegetarian recipes.

Fresh and healthy gazpacho soup does double duty as either a cold soup on a warm spring day or as a hot soup on a chillyspring evening. For an early-spring supper, portabella mushrooms update the classic chicken Parmesan with a vegetarian twist,sided by roasted cauliflower with even more delicious Parmesan cheese. And don’t forget dessert with Swayne’s “best ever”carrot cake recipe!

menuCARROT AND MUSHROO M AND C AULIFLOWER, OH MY!

RECIPES BY LAURA SWAYNE| WRITTEN BY KIM A. FUQUA| PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRAN DON SAWAYA

Ho ney-Roasted Roo t Veggies

Vegetarian

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GAZPACHOWhile gazpacho is typically served cold as a

summer soup, this dish is also delicious as a hot

tomato soup on a chilly evening.

Servings: 6Prep Time: 15 minutesChill Time: 2 hours

3 small fennel bulb s,roughly chopped

4 celery stalks, roughly chopped1 bunch scal lions, roughly chopped1 medium sweet onion,

roughly chopped2 smal l gar lic cloves, chopped3 red bel l peppers, roughly chopped2 large tomatoes, d iced , o r one

14.5-ounce can dicedtomatoes, undrained

½ cup olive oil

1 t ab lespoon kosher salt½ t easpoon black pepper1 32-ounce container t omato or

vegetable juice½ cup fresh lemon juice

celery leaves (optional)fresh dill (optional)

Place fennel, celery stalks, scallions,

onions, garlic, and bell peppers in thebowl of a food processor. Pulse until themixture is finely chopped and combinedbut not pureed. Pour the mixture into alarge glass or plastic bowl. Stir in thetomatoes with their juices, oil, salt,black pepper, tomato or vegetable juice,and lemon juice. Cover and refrigeratefor at least 2 hours. To serve, sprinklewith celery leaves, dill, or both.

PORTABELLA PARMESANPortabellas have a meaty texture, fabulous flavor, and are so easy to prepare. Even the most die-hard carnivore wil l love this

hearty mushroom dish.

Servings: 4Prep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 20 minutes

4 port abella mushrooms,stemmed and wiped clean

3 t ab lespoons olive oil1 cup sp icy t omat o sauce½ cup shredded mozzarel la cheese¼ cup shredded font ina cheese¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat grill or grill pan to high heat.Preheat oven to 400. Brush mushrooms

Roasted Cauliflower with Herbs and Parmesan

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with oil on both sides. Sear mushroomsfor 5 minutes per side. Spread ½ cuptomato sauce in bottom of a 9x13 pan.Place mushrooms in pan, bottoms up.Pour remaining sauce over them.

Combine mozzarella and fontinacheeses and spread evenly over top of mushrooms. Sprinkle Parmesan overentire dish. Bake 15 minutes or untilcheeses are bubbly and golden brown.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWERWITH HERBS AND PARMESANChop your bunches of parsley, thyme, and tarragon for this recipe, and then freeze the remaining fresh herbs in small

Ziploc bags for future use.

Servings: 4Prep Time: 15 minutesBake Time: 25 minutes

6 cups caulif low er floret s(about 1 head)

1 t ab lespoon olive oil2 teaspoons parsley, f inely chopped1 teaspoon thyme, f inely chopped1 teaspoon tar ragon or rosemary,

finely chopped3 cloves gar lic, minced

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated1 t ab lespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper, to t aste

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bakingdish, mix florets with olive oil. Bake 20minutes, stirring every five minutes.Sprinkle with fresh herbs and garlic andbake five minutes more. Add cheese,lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mixgently until well-combined and serve.

HONEY-ROASTED ROOT VEGGIESRoasting brings out great flavors in the

various vegetables in this recipe.

Servings: 4Prep Time: 20 minutesCook Time: 35 minutes

1 cup peeled , chopped sweet potato¾ cup peeled , chopped turnip¾ cup peeled, chopped parsnips

¾ cup peeled, chopped carrot1 shallo t, f inely d iced2 t ablespoons olive oil¼ cup honey

kosher salt, t o t aste

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bakingdish, mix vegetables together. Tosswith olive oil, honey, and salt. Bake35 minutes until tender and brown,stirring halfway through.

BEST-EVER CARROT CAKEWITH CREAM CHEESE ICINGThis version of a classic is moist, simple to

prepare, and beautiful, too!

Servings: 10-12

Prep Time: 30 minutesBake Time: 45-50 minutes

CARROT CAKE:4 cups carrots, peeled and grated1½ cups walnuts or pecans,

coarsely chopped1 cup dark raisins2 cups flour1 t ablesp oon cinnamon1 teaspoon cloves2 t easpoons baking pow der1 t easp oon baking soda1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs1 cup canola oil1 cup sugar1 cup lig ht brown sugar,

firmly packed1 t ablespoon vanilla1 cup walnuts or pecans, f inely

chopped t o cover sides ofcake (optional)

CREAM CHEESE ICING:1 cup but ter, soft ened2 8-ounce packages cream

cheese, soft ened5 cup s p owdered sugar2 tablespoons grated orange zest1 t easpoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour

two 9-inch cake pans. A 9x13 pan couldalso be used for a sheet cake. Mix thecarrots, nuts, and raisins together ina bowl and set aside.

In aseparate bowl, mix together flour, cinna-mon, cloves, baking powder, soda, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, beattogether eggs, oil, sugars, and vanillauntil well-blended.

Slowly fold the flour mixture into theegg mixture, mixing just until allingredients are moistened. Fold in thecarrot mixture until well-combined.Divide batter evenly between pans.Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until cakesprings back to the touch and a knifeinserted in the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pans 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from pans to a cooling rack tocontinue cooling completely. With along serrated knife, trim off roundedportion of each cake layer to create flatsurfaces. Place one cake layer, cut sidedown, on a serving platter. Spread with⅓ of the icing. Top with second layer,cut side down, and spread top withabout ½ of remaining icing. Useremaining icing to cover sides of cake.If using nuts for the side, press these

carefully into the sides, as well.

For the icing:Cream butter andcream cheese together with an electricmixer until light and fluffy. Addpowdered sugar, one cup at a time,beating well after each addition, untilsmooth. Add grated orange zest andvanilla. Continue beating 1 minute tomake the icing very fluffy.


COOKING

WINE TIP:Riesling is anatural

complement to vegetable

dishes due to its mineralflavors.

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pacho Best-Ever Carrot Cake w ith Cream Cheese Icing

abella Parmesan

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As a designer of small formal European-style gardens,my love of symmetry, balance, dramatic scale, and sim-

plicity is what drives my creations.Some people believethat formal gardens are suited only to sites on a grand scale. ButI have found just the opposite. Whether they are intimate andcomplex or simple and streamlined, small formal gardens haveone thing in common: They have a terrific ability to provideyear-round interest and are surprisingly easy to maintain. Theadded bonus: A formal garden transcends the whims of fashion.It never goes out of style.

There are so many options open to those who wish to cre-ate a formal garden today. One of the most exciting is the

opportunity to use garden statuary and water features to pro-vide a focal point or framework for the design and add a feel-

ing of vitality to a garden space.For centuries, statuary and fountains have anchored formal

baroque parterres, intricate herb knots, potagers, topiary, androse gardens throughout Europe, thanks in great part to workdone by statuary makers in the London-area factory of EleanorCoade, which operated from the early 18th century throughthe middle of the 1800s.

Fortunately, today’s landscape architects and designers havemyriad choices for garden art that looks aged, although it isnew. One of the West Coast’s largest suppliers, Lucca Statuary,

formalityin today’sTIMELESS DESIG N FO R YOUR O WN G ARDEN SETTING

WRITTEN BY ROBYN ROEHM CANNON| PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANCINE KATZ

Gardens

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in Seattle, Washington, specializes in hand-cast concrete piecesthat are custom-finished with muriatic-based penetrating stainsoriginally designed for floors.

But it is not enough to have beautiful product from which to

choose. Unless it is carefully and thoughtfully placed, gardenstatuary and fountains can look sorely out of place—like a badcollection from the movie set of My Big Fat Greek Wedding —orworse, like they fell from the sky and landed haphazardly in themiddle of the front yard. Conversely, gardens designed aroundbeautiful statuary are restful places to be, no matter what theseason. Here are few important considerations for using foun-tains and statuary in your garden:

Building a garden without structure is like writinga sentence without punctuation. If you are starting fromscratch, build the bones of your garden before you plant. The

hardscape is the most important element—paved areas on whichto put furnishings and walls to give your garden structure andprivacy. Always pick your fountain and your architectural gardenornament first, and then design your garden around them.

Adopt the European principle of using every inchof space and living in it to the fullest.Look carefully atyour yard. Right now, you have untapped space potential wait-ing to be reclaimed. For example, a narrow side yard can betransformed into a charming classic allee with Italian cypressand roses, with a tiny fountain at the end of a path.

Courtyard gardens emphasize privacy. You may already

have natural hedges or fences that define your space. If not, you’llwant to add hedge material. A soft green wall is the perfect back-drop for a bubbling fountain or an exquisitely planted urn.

Don’t be afraid to place large decorative pieces ina small garden. One magnificent architectural gardenornament used as a focal point is more effective—and moreclassic—than a collection of small unrelated items that add upto a lot of visual clutter and confusion. Edit your garden décorin the same manner as you would edit an interior room. Thinkof statuary as a piece of fine jewelry for your garden. Less ismore—more elegant, more impact to the eye.

If you have a larger piece of property or anexpansive yard, think in terms of unifying your spaceinto a series of garden rooms.Walk your property and de-termine the places from which you are most likely to observeyour garden or a special view—or the place where you wouldlike to entertain guests. Then plan these areas as outdoor rooms,each with its own architectural garden ornament as a focalpoint. Consider using a pair of urns on pedestals to create an en-trance to a space. By connecting the newly defined spaces witha path, you can move from one special venue to another.

Stand in your windows and observe your gardenfrom the inside out.We spend a good deal of time lookingat our garden from inside, during months when it is too cold,rainy, or snowy to enjoy it outdoors. So make every window

view count by creating small vignettes centered on a piece of statuary. The addition of low-voltage lighting will create a dra-matic effect after dark and make your outdoor space seem likean extension of your interior.

Classic garden statuary provides a delightful detail in gardendesign. It makes a small garden space seem important, and itmakes a case for the year-round pleasures of formality, whicheasily can be adapted to a contemporary lifestyle. With carefulselection and placement, and by building your plants aroundyour pieces, your garden can look as though it has been thereforever. That should be inspiration indeed.

GARDENING

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WRITTEN BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN| PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BAXTER

DESIGN FEATURES FROM THEIR TRIPS ABROAD INTERMINGLE

IN THIS ARIZONA COUPLE’S UNIQUE RETREAT

a Worldly Home


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ome travelers bring back trinkets and treasures from trips,others postcards and silly souvenirs from nickel-and-dimeshops. For one retired, Toronto, Canada-based couple, suchsmall, chintzy mementos didn’t seemthe appropriate way

to remember memories made on their frequent trips abroad.So, they blazed a new way of collecting travel mementos,

and brought back a home. They did not, however, transport an entire estate. Instead,

they gathered top-of-the-line finishes and materials while abroad and brought themback to the United States where they used them to build a fully customized Europeanestate. Utilizing both tangible elements—Turkish limestone, Canadian glass, and cus-tom maple doors from Holland—and a wide range of international ideas and design-ers, the couple built a luxurious, contemporary retreat in Fountain Hills, Arizona.

Today, every aspect of the finished 10,800-square-foot home speaks to their hobbyof travel, and also to their appreciation of fine design. “They took all of their experi-

ences and then put the pieces together in their home. The main thing they were look-ing for was the latest out there in design, in cabinetry, in architecture, etc.,” says SandraWilken, owner and designated broker of Sandra Wilken Luxury Properties, who servedas a design consultant for the homeowners. “A lot of times Europe is ahead of us in theirdesign features. These homeowners did all the research and then incorporated every-thing into the design of the house.”

The finished home presents a happy marriage of internationally sourced materialsand cutting-edge designs. The designs mirror those found abroad; the materials wereeach hand-selected from one of the owner’s favorite destinations before the architectbegan working on the home. Inside this glamorous retreat, everything from the wineroom’s custom stained glass door to the powder room’s Venetian plaster finish hints at

the owner’s love of different cultural destinations.Acting as the best representation of their hobby and also as the home’s most

opulent space is an elaborate indoor-outdoor pool designed to replicate the world-renowned spas of Finland. The finished pool is as breathtaking a space as it is afunctional, relaxing retreat. Telescoping doors allow for indoor and outdoorentertainment, and a custom ring above bathes the pool in cobalt blue neon lighting.

Even the entrances to this space are lavish: Guests arrive via either a dynamicglass-enclosed elevator that opens to the expansive pool area or a floating Turkishlimestone staircase. “When the pool lights are on and you walk down the stairs, theeffect is incredible,” says Wilken. “Not only does your eye catch the lighting of thesparkling pool, but also it catches the city lights and the entire Valley.”

Everything in the home’s lower level was designed around this breathtaking pool andthe panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Most notable is the lack of anywalls between the spaces. Instead, the homeowners opted to use glass windows to di-vide the pool from the other areas, giving the lower level a feel of one expansive room.

They also eliminated distractions from the view by using non-reflective glass forthe window walls. “The glass has a reflective coating on it that reduces sun glare andprevents a person standing on the inside of the house from seeing their reflection,”says Wilken. It keeps the reflection or silhouetting of the interior of the house to aminimum, especially at night when the coating assures that the home’s lit interiorwon’t reflect against the window walls.

Everything in the home’s

lower level was designed

around the breathtaking pool

and the panoramic views of

the surrounding mountains.

Telescoping doors allow for

a blending of indoor and

outdoor entertainment.

S


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The window walls also allow the pool to become the striking focal point fromeverydownstairs area. The areas surrounding the pool include an intimate sitting area, a bar

with granite countertops, a “flex” area, a spa zone, and a patio with fire pit and multi-ple cascading water features.

The downstairs bar—complete with a microwave, storage, a fridge, and a wet bar—is most appealing and creates a space for lounging and relaxing with ample seating andcounter spaces for buffets. “This bar area would be ideal for hosting parties,” saysWilken, “and is situated in a way that maximizes both the experience of the indoor pooland allows for views and access to the back patio.”

Further relaxation is found in the spa room, whose steam shower with blue tilingmimics the spa-like pool. This area boasts a dry sauna and an elevated massage and ex-ercise room as well. “After having your relaxing massage, you can either relaxin the steam shower or the sauna,” says Wilken. “The addition of these two features

provides maximum luxury.” The lower floor also houses a “flex” room in which the owner has placed his com-

bination billiard table and shuffleboard to give the room a special flair. He also createda home theater with stadium-style seating and custom upholstered walls and a wineroom with storage for 500-plus bottles. Though these features are impressive, the poolwill always be the home’spièce de résistance . “This is one of the few [areas] where peo-ple are mesmerized when they walk from room to room,” says Wilken.

This unique theme room, conceptualized abroad but realized on Americansoil, truly brings the best designs and materials in the world together to createone stunning showcase.


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OPPOSITE: The low

level also houses t

owner’s combinati

billiard table a

shuffleboa

“When the pool lights are on and you

walk down the stairs, theeffect

is incredible.”


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WRITTEN BY WENDY TWETEN| PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAYMO ND MARTINOT

NO MERE MEDIA ROO M, THIS IN-HO ME MO VIE PALACE

PAYS HO MAG E TO THE G O LDEN AG E O F THE SILVER SCREEN

A Star Is Born


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lthough popcorn and sodapopare the preferred accompani-ment to the typical movieexperience, at the home of

Bruce and Kandi Laughrey,amovie in the mediaroomis

an occasion more suited toChampagne and caviar. With the

grandeur of a motion picture palace of yesteryear—scaled back to private-residence proportions—theLaughreys’ theater roommakes watching ashow morethan apleasant diversion; it’s an opening-night event.

When it came time to plan amediacenter to com-plement their Italian country-style home in CentralFlorida, the couple looked beyond the usual boxy space

with a wide-screen TV at one end and a couch at theother; in fact, they looked back nearly acentury to theglory days of the American cinema. Of course, fitting agrand movie house into the floor plan of aprivate resi-dence would require an experienced architect with morethan apassing understanding of dramatic illusion. So theLaughreys turned to the same firmthat designed theirhome, Terry Irwin Architects, known for high-end cus-tomdesign including theaters for Disney and NASA.

“The clients wanted the theater to be somewhat con-nected to the style of their house, only with the higher

degree of detail found in Italian Renaissance design,”sayscompany founder Terry Irwin. “The challenge was to recre-ate the grandeur and passion of the big movie houses fromatime when going to the pictures was aspecial occasion.”

If Irwin was the set designer, homeowner KandiLaughrey took the role of director. Kandi, aformer in-terior designer, was intimately involved throughout theproject and amajor contributor to the cohesive and op-ulent final product. Bruce Laughrey, an electronics en-thusiast, served as technical consultant, selecting a120-inch Draper screen with aMeridian 861 processorand seven Snell speakers for optimal surround sound.

“The roomwas alabor of love for both of them,”saysIrwin. “It’s so rewarding to see clients enjoying theprocess. We were all traveling on the same journey.”

Lavishly appointed in red, gold, and black, the roompulls off a theatrical magic of its own, presenting thelook and feel of a venerable cathedral of entertainmentwithin a space only 20 feet square. To achieve this ef-fect, Irwin employed a forced perspective with multi-ple wall planes, a dropped floor, and a coved

wall-to-ceiling transition with the ceiling itself dividedinto a grid. A short, raised stage at the base of theprosceniumimplies a grand space lying just beyond.

Black velvet stage curtains, red-lacquered ma-

hogany paneling, and gilded moldings recall thegolden age of the silver screen. Pilasters flank iron fil-igree grills—some with speakers, some cloth-linedacoustical buffers. The nine custom-upholstered, re-clining theater seats are a favorite of Bruce, who ap-preciates ultimate comfort when watching films orIndiana Pacers’ basketball games.

The ceiling presents an ornate mise-en-scène of ebony-stained recessed boxes studded with hand-cast,three-dimensional medallions in gold leaf. Lighting isconcealed within several of the medallions. Aisle light-

ing is provided by lanterns set in arched side niches. Just behind the front row of seats, acentral console holds

the projection system, as well as the control panel for thelighting, curtain, and audio. The acoustics were atest of Irwin’s expertise, as the roomis located on an outside wall.

“The theater is actually a shell that sits within theexterior wall. It’s completely isolated from the out-side structure,” Irwin explains. “The room needed tobe acoustically dead, no echo. That meant no squarecorners and sound-absorbing fabric on the walls andin some of the niches. It’s gratifying to see how well

the spatial and acoustical elements turned out.” The cinematic experience begins outside the the-

ater doors in a foyer that functions as an auditoriumlobby. Here Irwin and his clients exercised the samecareful editing and special effects as within the theateritself. Leading to the lobby, a hallway with limestonepilasters along the walls evokes a city street completewith movie posters and the image of a ticket booth. Awet bar is conveniently close-at-hand. Within thelobby, a round settee upholstered in red velvet appearsto have temporarily mislaid Jean Harlow.

As an occasional member of the audience, Irwinhas had the opportunity to savor the intimate yet epicscope of his residential remake of the classic bijou.

“It has all the earmarks of the first movie theater Iwent to as a kid,” he says. “We all had one: Rememberthe theater downtown with the big marquee? Going tosee a first-run movie was an emotional experience.We went to the movies to lose ourselves for a coupleof hours. Did we succeed in providing that experi-ence? I think we did.”

A


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WRITTEN BY CAROLYN M . RUNYON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOAN DWYER PHOTOGRAPHY

TRADITIONAL STYLE AND INNO VATIVE PRO DUCTS

CREATE A CLASSIC WINE CELLAR

Fruitful Transformation


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hat do you do with an odd-shapedunfinished basement space that hadbeen pretty much neglected in thepast? The current homeowner feltthe naturally cool area was a perfectlocation for his recently acquired

wine collection. His passion for wine,developed over the past five years, re-

sulted in the need for storage space, and the 12-foot-by-15-footroom was able to provide plenty of area for his inventory.

The general contractor for the project had just installed a

wine cellar in his own home, and that became the inspiration forthe color and feel of this one. This renovated room evolved intoa kind of masculine retreat with rich burgundy walls that com-plement the deep mahogany-stained wood shelving. The Pre-mium Redwood shelving was purchased from Wine CellarInnovations. “The Wine Cellar Innovations site offers a varietyof shelving and designs, as well as many hints about theconstruction and location of a wine cellar,” notes thehomeowner. For example, this wine cellar is considered“passive,” or one that does not require any conventionalhumidity or temperature control. Heat, light, and vibration areharmful to the long-term storage of wine, so Wine CellarInnovations advises locating such a wine cellar in the coolestplace of the home, away from windows and excessive noise.

The basement presented an excellent solution.Wine Cellar Innovations maintains a Wine Cellar Prepara-

tion Guidelines section on its site with a number of helpfulquestions and answers for building a wine cellar and 19 pointsregarding construction requirements. “This Prep Guide helpedme decide what I really wanted and how much shelving wasrequired to complete my design,” the homeowner explains.

“WineCellarInnovations.com was really quite helpful. Once Iformulated the plan, we had the whole thing ordered andinstalled within a month.” The homeowner has an appreciationfor red wine and so opted not to install a refrigeration unit forwhite wines now, but he left space for one in the future. WineCellar Innovations Designer Series Collection became the pre-ferred choice for the cellar because it offers a combination of custom amenities with the affordability created by mass pro-duction. The Premium Redwood shelving in the company’sClassic Mahogany stain provided the warm dark-wood accentthat the homeowner was looking for.

The flooring in the room consists of classic slate tiles.“The tiles appropriately provide a cool base floor for the cellar,and the deep blues and red shades blend well with the othertones of the wine cellar, contributing to the overall atmosphere,”explains the homeowner.

The classic tin-style ceiling came from Acoustic CeilingProducts, a company that creates classic tin looks for ceilingsand backsplashes in low-cost thermoplastic panels thatwon’t rust like actual tin. The tiles, which are flexible and light-weight, were relatively easy to install with a variety of beauti-ful designs and finishes from which to pick, according to thehomeowner. The general contractor added coordinating woodtrim to conceal the seams and continue the upscale customfeel of the cellar. The homeowner was thrilled with theresult—both from an aesthetic and an economical standpoint.“The money I saved on the ceiling enabled me to buy morewine,” says the homeowner.

The wine cellar is next to the home gym and sauna. Theowner plans to renovate part of that adjoining roomto allow fora long hallway entrance to the wine cellar. The hall will havethe same floor tile and will lead to a black iron and stained glass

W


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door. “The whole area, defined by the gym and wine cellar, isbecoming a bit of a ‘man’s land’ in our home,” he admits. “Butit will give me a place to replenish in order to be a better hus-band and dad to our four children. My wife helped me a lot inthe design and décor of the wine cellar. The room was part of an overall house remodel that is still going on.”

The current space can accommodate 1,800 bottles of wine.

The storage makes use of both shelving for individual bottlesand shelves that can accommodate boxed cases of wine. Theboxed cases add a decorative accent, with elegant logos of eachvineyard, but they also offer a practical aspect because they canhold more bottles in a specific space than if that space wereoccupied by the individual shelving. The wines are sorted bygrape varietals with areas for Cabernets, Merlots, Pinots,and Zinfandels. There is additional shelving for blends andthen a miscellaneous section for foreign and other grapesthat are not collected in quantity. “I set aside a section for‘everyday wines’ so I don’t accidentally open a fine wine that

I’m saving or that is to be stored for several years before beingopened,” the homeowner adds.

When asked how he decides which wines to collect, he saysthat he tests a lot of wines and then invests in his preferredwines in quantity. “I have a favorite restaurant where I have awine box. I’ve gotten to know the wine stewards, and they helpme learn about new wines and let me test some theythink I will enjoy,” he notes. “My latest kick has been blends thatare under $30.”

The tasting table and chairs, with higher seating, canaccommodate four people for entertaining or tasting and are ina deep wood tone that complements the stained shelving.

The painting above the table helps to tie in all the colors of theroom—the blue-reds of the slate, the mahogany stain of thewoods, the deep tones of the ceiling, and the burgundy walls.“I’m really excited about the final result,” says the homeowner.“I now have a comfortable, organized place to store and enjoymy wine.” Through extensive research and a harmonious designsense, the homeowner combined some of the newest conceptsin décor and construction with traditional elements of the

classic wine cellar to create an inviting environment forentertaining and sharing his love of wine.

“I’m really excited about the final result. I now have a

comfortable, organized place to store and

enjoy my wine.”


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ABOVE: The painting above

the tasting table helps to tie

in the rich colors featured in

the cellar’s design.

LEFT: The ceiling tiles, made

of low-cost thermoplastic,

give the effect of tin and

contribute to the upscale

style of the cellar.


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WRITTEN BY REBECCA SWEAT| PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL S. BARTHOLOMEW PHOTOGRAPHY INC.

Bird Lover’s Retreat


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here aren’t a lot of homes still standingthese days that predate the foundingof the United States. Being involvedin the restoration and redesign of such a house is the chance of a life-time. So when interior designers

William Totten and Linda GuyMcGuirl were given the opportunity to

work on the historic Ross Family Farm, they jumped at it.Set on 61 acres of rolling pasture in Basking Ridge, New

Jersey, this formal manor house was built in 1771 by EliasBoudinot, president of the Continental Congress and signatoryto the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. Today the man-sion belongs to the Somerset County Park Commission. Thispast year, the Commission granted permission to the Women’sAssociation of Morristown Memorial Hospital to use thehome as a designer showhouse as a way to raise funds for thehospital’s new cardiac center.

The Women’s Association enlisted the help of 45 of the area’smost accomplished interior and landscape designers to updateand revitalize the house and gardens. Totten and McGuirl’s jobwas to transform the first-floor lady’s study into a more invit-ing and eye-appealing, yet still very functional, space.

The two designers believed it was important to create aroom that was truly reflective of the period in which the housewas built. “We couldn’t see going into a house that’s over 200years old and doing something very fresh and contemporary,”

says Totten. “Our design for the room really had to reflect thearchitecture and period of the house.”

They also thought their design should build on thespectacular backyard view from the room’s bay window.Much of the property is wetlands, so there is an abundanceof wildlife on the property, especially gulls, herons, storks,

cranes, ducks, geese, and other birds. Totten and McGuirlsuggested the room be turned into a bird enthusiast’s study.“We couldn’t think of a better idea for this room,” McGuirlsays, “than have it be a study for a lady who loves to documentand watch the local birds.”

The Women’s Association put their stamp of approval on Tot-ten and McGuirl’s vision for the room, and the designers gotstarted. Their first step was to remove the built-in bookcases,which were worn-out and warped. Then they added a chair railand crown molding, which were painted in a thick, distressedcoat of muted aqua green paint to give them an old-time look.

The walls were upholstered from the baseboard to the crownmolding in a cotton crewel fabric with a hand-sewn bird motif.

The designers opted to paint the wood floors. First, a basecoat of paint was applied to the floor. On top of that, usinggray-green, cream, and brown paint, Totten hand-painted thefloor in a 17th-century Dutch design, featuring a circular andrectangular pattern. Then the floor was lightly sanded to give ita distressed look. “This made it look like the floor had beenthere from the beginning and kept it in sync with the rest of thehouse,” McGuirl notes.

T

Designers William Totten and

Linda Guy McGuirl

upholstered the walls of t his

bird enthusiast’s study in a

cotton crewel fabric with a

hand-sewn bird motif. The

furniture p ieces selected for

the room are 18th-century

antiques or reproductions,

and most of the accessories

for t he room relate to the

ornithology theme.


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Custom draperies were sewn for the bay window in thesame crewel fabric as was used for the walls. The draperies

were hung by a hand-carved pole that simulates a branch—complete with knot holes and branch-like finials. The bay win-dow is softened by hanging lightweight cotton cafe sheers fromhand-crafted iron rods.

All of the furniture pieces selected for the room are18th-century antiques or reproductions: a painted kneeholedesk with a black Sheraton elbow chair upholstered in a creampatterned velvet. A custom-made small-scale wing chairupholstered in muted aqua-green linen with brown piping.Adjacent to that is an old-fashioned wrought iron bridge lampand a small side table.

“The furniture we chose was all small-scale and did not takeup a lot of space, which was perfect for a lady and for a roomof this size,” McGuirl says. The room’s dimensions are just8 feet by 9.5 feet—not a large space to work with.

Most of the accessories for the room relate in some way tobirds: a set of 18th-century French hand-painted bird printsfor the walls, an antique pheasant painting for the desk, a hand-made desk lamp with a decoupage owl print base, an uphol-stered bulletin board over the desk with a collection of antiquebird postcards, binoculars for bird watching, a set of bird iden-tification guides for the side table, a wrought iron pigeon fig-urine on top of the books, a pair of 18th-century Chineseporcelain cranes sitting on painted bracket shelves, and a hand-painted silk pillow with a bird’s nest motif for the wing chair.

“It’s an ideal room for an amateur or an experienced or-nithologist, perfect for anyone who enjoys observing the birdsoutside in the backyard,” Totten says. “It’s also the perfect roomfor reading, writing letters, or just relaxing and unwinding—a place the lady of the house can go to for some quiet time.” If Hannah Boudinot—wife of the house’s builder—were alivetoday, she probably would wholeheartedly agree.

The designers opted to

hand-paint the wood floors in

a 17th-century Dutch

design, featuring a circular

and rectangular pattern

in gray-green, cream,

and brown paint.


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WRITTEN BY KAREN BUSCEMI| PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM BONNER

THREE C O MBINED PROPERTIES NEAR BEVERLY HILLS ARE

TRANSFO RMED INTO A G ARDEN THAT BEG S TO BE EXPERIENCED

Sweet Sanctuary

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The homeowner’s love fo

his grounds inspired him t

purchase two neighborin

properties and bulldoze th

houses, securing enough lan

to create a multigarden oasi

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pread across 5 acres in the tony townof Holmby Hills, California, wherelegends such as Aaron Spelling, Bar-bara Streisand, and Hugh Hefner

have called home, is a 1950s estateonce owned by Gary Cooper. The

property, however, wasn’t always thisgrand. It took the current homeowner’s

love for his grounds to inspire him to purchase two neighbor-ing properties and bulldoze the houses, securing him enoughland to create a multigarden oasis.

The project, Baroda Garden, was commandeered by MarkRios and his landscape architecture teamat Rios Clementi HaleStudios, based in Los Angeles, and took eight years (as theproperties became available) to complete.

“The goal for the landscape was how to take these addedsites and develop them so that the overall garden design makesthem feel like they’re part of the same place,” says Rios, whonotes that half his company’s current residential work involvesincorporating the purchased land next door into the originallandscape. “We were trying to make a wide range of garden ex-periences so the homeowner would feel as if he’d gone on a

journey as he moved through the property.” That journey begins on the drive up to the house, past a long

retaining wall used as an entry art piece covered with a seriesof abstract sculptures telling the story of the site and the gar-

dens that occupy it. The entire perimeter around the house,which sits transparently on the site, among the design scheme,has this abstract, graphic feel, with a pastoral lawn and definedgardens with minimal plant varieties in geometric forms, a longpool, and two ponds—one with a modern waterfall, the othera smaller-scale koi pond—topped off with a moving sculpturethat allows participation with the artwork. As a completemakeover of the original owner’s gardens, which Rios sayshadn’t been maintained over the years, the designer took careto keep the spirit of the original garden.

“The original idea was about modernism and indoor/ out-door relationships and simple palettes,” says Rios. “There maybe ten different plants and a really controlled palette around thehouse, and then a much more textural palette with as many as200 kinds of plants far away from the house.” It’s in moving far-ther away from the house where the terrain truly begins tochange. “There’s an amazing arroyo that moves through theproperty,” says Rios, who was educated at Harvard, taught atboth USC and UCLA, and started his business in 1985.“The landscape becomes rougher and looser and moreexaggerated. And then you move up to another viewpoint

S


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The more rustic areas of the Baroda Garden have narrow gravel paths,

rocky trails, and winding stairways that guide t he walker around t he

property. Along the way are a number of unique sitt ing areas

where one may spend an afternoon.


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where you can look back over the gardens. The journey has alot of emotional diversity in it.”

The more rustic areas have narrow gravel paths, rocky trails, andwinding stairways that guide the walker around the property, pass-

ing abamboo garden, adense arroyo garden with eucalyptus trees,aCaliforniasucculent garden, acamelliaand azaleagarden, and aCaliforniagrass garden. Along the way are anumber of unique sit-ting areas to spend an afternoon.

A viewing terrace with wood decking hangs over the arroyoand is encased in lush wisteria. The secluded terrace looks backon the house and original gardens.

All the hillsides, which go down to the arroyo, are filled withsucculent gardens, featuring different kinds of native Californiaplant materials. And sitting areas are located here, too, in mini-malistic settings on gravel that lets nature take center stage.

And the surprising leisurely area comes at the gardenfarthest from the house, where a vintage Airstream trailer actsas a garden folly, inviting the walker inside to rest, eat a meal,or enjoy a glass of wine.

Rios says the various resting spots are essential for a garden journey. “For all gardens, whether for a small house or largeestate, you want to have this promenade, this sequence that youcan walk through. And along the way it’s nice to have a placethat you can stop and have different experiences,” explains Rios,who along with his three partners works on both residentialand commercial projects, including many civic gardens andparks. “Whenever we do gardens, we’re always thinking aboutthe garden walk. It’s one of the most important experiences inthe garden. Getting people to get out and walk and participatein the garden is really a design goal.”

Rios says his favorite part of the property is the ability to haveso many varied experiences in one place. “I’mintrigued by thedifferences of places,” he says. “You have to do some regrading,build retaining walls, and such to connect two parcels to eachother, but it lets you have different experiences in different gar-dens. People really fall in love with their gardens.”

“We were trying to make a wide range of

garden experiencesso the

homeowner would feel as if he’d gone on a

journeyas he moved through the property.”

ABOVE: The entire perimeter around the house has an

abstract, g raphic feel, with a pastoral lawn and defined

gardens topped off with a moving sculpture that allows

participation with the artwork.

LEFT: The vintage Airstream trailer is the end reward

of a garden walk around Baroda Garden, providing a

place for walkers to rest and enjoy each other’s

company and a glass of wine.


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Designer Stephen Pararo removed the doors between the living room and dining room and made the former

porch more a part of the home. The area now houses a sitting area (shown below) and small dining area in the

azure tones and shades of white t hat are echoed throughout the house.


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Some of those rooms were very small,” Pararo says. “Of course, that’s how they built them back then.”

While the Craftsman home was an unusual find in aneighborhood filled primarily with 1920s Mediterranean

architecture, it reminded Pararo of the many beautifullyrestored Craftsman houses in Atlanta. He felt so athome there, he bought the house and embarked on anextensive remodel of the inside.

“It was atotal renovation—top to bottom,”Pararo says.“It took about nine months. Essentially, I turned afour-bed-room, one-bath house into athree-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath house, and added some things along the way.”

Extensive interior work brought the home up to datein terms of plumbing, electric, and appliances. A 16-foot-by-30-foot swimming pool and lush landscaping wereadded to the small 50-foot-by-100-foot lot.

“I really studied the pool to get it just the right size,so I could have enough landscaping to give the backyardsome privacy,” Pararo says. “It’s just the right scale forthe house and the yard.”

His attention to detail paid off handsomely. The pool arealooks as if it were part of the original design of the home.

“The entire back of the house is new,” says Pararo, “butit does look like it has always been there.”

When Pararo purchased the home, the front porchhad been enclosed, and perhaps used as a sunroom.

“When I got the house, I took the doors off between theliving roomand dining roomand made the porch more apart of the home,”Pararo says. “It’s all air-conditioned spacenow, with asitting area, television, and small dining area.”

A blue sofa and pair of white chairs introduce visitorsto the theme of azure tones and shades of white thatechoes throughout the house. Sisal rugs add a casual andinviting texture to the sitting area.

The main hallway leads to the living roomon one sideand an elegant dining room on the other.


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Located across the hallway from each other, the living room (left) and the dining room (right) continue the

Casa Azul theme of crisp Aegean blues balanced with shades of white and cream. Bold stripes and geometric

shapes provide visual interest without distracting.

“Half of the downstairs is taken up by the living room,”Pararo says. “It’s a wonderful, elongated space that leads theeye straight out to the pool. It’s very pretty and inviting.”

Four spacious club chairs, with updated Missionstyling, form a conversation area around the fireplace—a rare sight in South Florida—with its classical white woodenmantle and tan marble surround. An oversized ottomandoubles as a coffee table.

“The white chairs and ottoman are covered in a liquidleather upholstery,” says Pararo. “It’s a man-made material that’s

incredibly soft. It’s vinyl, but very supple. It’s slick and cool tothe touch. It almost feels wet.”

The Casa Azul signature colors are introduced in the plushstriped rug in varying tones of deep navy, royal, and palewatery blue. Silk draperies with bold blue stripes anchor thewindows and French doors.

“The stripes were a simple way of using the colorwithout introducing an intricate or distracting pattern,”Pararo says. “All the crisp, bright Aegean shades of blue arethere in the room.”


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Factor in the natural sunlight that floods the room and theview of the pool, and paradise springs to mind.

“There’s so much sunlight filtering in,”says Pararo, “and the poolright outside—it becomes like an oasis in the midst of all that heat.”

Across the hall, two demilune chests flank the entrance tothe dining room. Above them, two specially commissionedpaintings add a watery wash of color to the hallway.

The impressive dining roomtable is 80 inches square. A glasstop seems suspended in mid-air on a clear acrylic base. “It justkind of floats there, in the space,” Pararo says.

The chairs are covered with bold geometric shades of blue, cream, and white.

“The chandelier was one we created,” Pararo says. “Wefound the art glass in the center in a shop in Maryland. It hasbeautiful swirls of green and blue on an amber background.Because of its shape, it catches the air and turns around, sort of like a Calder sculpture would, adding movement to the room.”

Slender blue pendant lights form a cascade of color aroundthe center glass, reflecting on the table below. A pale creamshag rug adds a luxurious touch.


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In the backyard, mango, lemon, lime, Satsuma orange, banana, and

avocado t rees mingle wit h coconut palms, provid ing lush foliage,

shade, and a sense of seclusion.


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ABOVE: The small dining area off the sitting area has a casual feel, with sisal rugs and slipcovered chairs that add an inviting texture.

BELOW: Beneath t he second-floor sleeping porch is a covered patio t hat serves as another spot for outdoor entertaining, with

rattan seating and a ceiling fan to stir the breeze. The patio faces the pool and is a natural gathering place.


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LEFT TO RIGHT: A screen-enclosed sleeping porch, which overlooks the pool and garden, lies just beyond the master bedroom and bath.

A queen-size guest room, in shades of cream, pale orange, and royal blue, has an adjoining bath with a view of the pool. A second, smaller

guest room with a d istinctive cottage chic motif features twin beds and walls draped completely in sheer, embroidered fabric.

Upstairs, like the living room below, the master suite occu-pies the entire left half of the house. One of the home’s mostattractive features lies just beyond the master bedroom andbath. French doors open onto a screen-enclosed sleepingporch, which overlooks the pool and garden.

“It’s wonderful to relax out there, or take a nap, especiallyduring the winter months,” Pararo says.

Across the hall, a queen-size guest room, in shades of cream,pale orange, and royal blue, has an adjoining bath with a view

of the pool. A second, smaller guest room with a distinctivecottage-chic motif features twin beds and walls draped com-pletely in sheer, embroidered fabric. The connecting bath, orig-inal to the home, is done in gleaming white tile.

In the backyard, mango, lemon, lime, Satsuma orange, ba-nana, and avocado trees mingle with coconut palms, providinglush foliage, shade, and a sense of seclusion.

“It’s all fenced in and surrounded with ficus trees,which give it another layer of privacy,” says Pararo,


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“even though it’s right in the middle of the city and very closeto the Intracoastal Waterway.”

Tending the garden and trees is a source of satisfactionfor Pararo when he visits Casa Azul, which is quite oftenthroughout the year.

“I enjoy the feeling of being connected to the environmentand nature when I’m here, so I try to spend a lot of timeoutside,” he says.

Even with the pool and garden, there is ample room for

outdoor entertaining. Below the second-floor sleeping porch isa covered patio with rattan seating and a ceiling fan to stir thebreeze. Trophy game fish add hues of silver and blue to the wall.

The patio faces the pool and is a natural gathering place.When the sun begins to set, the evening breeze sends gen-

tle ripples across the pool. Lights from the house dance acrossthe water. And in the space of time between dusk and dark, thebest blue of the day settles over the house. That’s when theAegean meets the Atlantic in a place called Casa Azul.


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II remember fondly the tastes of the college summer Ispent in Portland, Oregon:a tangy basket of blackberriesfromthe downtown farmer’s market, a hunk of rustic campagnebread from the neighborhood baker, a sip of Pinot Noir from alocal vineyard, and a trio of berry gelatos unsurpassed by anyI’ve had since. These are the flavors that drew me to live inPortland again years later, when I greedily hungered for anothertaste of something fresh and inspiring.

In Portland, this is not hard to find.Often overshadowed by West Coast foodie favorites San

Francisco and Seattle, Portland is the West’s newest culinaryepicenter. Today, trendy Portlanders frequent James Beardaward-winning restaurants, shop a variety of expansive farmers’markets each week, benefit immensely fromtheir proximity tosweeping farmlands and award-winning wineries, and are as foodliterate a population as that of France or New York. As such, itcomes as no surprise that Portland tourists should lead with theirnoses when planning their travel itinerary.

Begin your stay at a local hotel but forgo the chains; Port-land’s indie spirit means there are plenty of boutique hotels to

Delight Portland: a foodie’s

WRITTEN BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN

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DESTINATION

check into. Among them: Hotel Lucia with its sleek lobby andcozy rooms; the glamorous, old Hollywoodesque HoteldeLuxe; Hotel Monaco with its playful décor and complimen-tary evening wine tastings; and the European-style Ace Hotelthat takes up an entire downtown block with an adjacent restau-rant, quaint coffee shop, and authentic New York-style deli.

Whether morning or afternoon, a perfect day exploring inPortland starts with a cup of coffee and a sinful pastry from oneof the many independent bakeries and coffee houses abouttown. The best baked treats are found at one of three spots:

Ken’s Artisan Bakery makes flaky, buttery croissants and rusticbreads; St. Honoré Boulangerie exudes Parisian charm andmakes classic pastries such as brioche chocolat; and Pearl Bak-ery makes a delightful fig-anise roll. You’ll also find these treatsand more at the city’s highly regarded Saturday Farmers’ Mar-ket from April through December in the city’s Park Blocks.

For a rich roast to start or break up your day, visit local fa-vorite Albina Press, whose famous baristas have won multiplecoffee competitions. Stumptown Coffee Roasters are anotherfavorite for coffee connoisseurs who enjoy small-batch roasts,

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French press coffee, and beautiful espresso drinks served in alaid-back setting.

For a casual mid-day activity, wander any of Portland’s fourmajor city quadrants for shopping and, dare I say, more eating.

The quaint streets in the Pearl District house block upon blockof boutiques, eateries, and the famous Powell’s Books. Onecould spend an entire day browsing the shelves at Powell’s, an

expansive warehouse-size store that rumors to house morebooks than Portland does residents.

A popular way to experience some of the Pearl’s culinaryhotspots is by joining Portland Walking Tours for a three-hourEpicurean Excursion tour. You’ll taste wine, local produce, teas,mustards, beer, coffee, sorbettos, chocolate truffles, and artisanbreads, among other treats. While indulging, you’ll also chatwith the artisans themselves and glean a bit of history about thePearl District from your tour guide.

Across the river, Mississippi Avenue provides another, albeitsmaller, area to explore. While wandering this artsy district, be

sure to stop in at The Meadow. This tiny store sells only gour-met finishing salts, flowers, chocolate, and wine, but you’ll bewowed by the selection found in each category. Then, afterbrowsing the other neighborhood boutiques, act like a local andhead to the nearby 820 Lounge, where cocktail maven LucyBrennan invents delightful libations of all sorts.

Have only a pre-dinner drink here, as there are many restau-rants you’ll want to sample during the dinner hour. Portland’smost famous restaurants serve seasonal, locally sourced fare andinclude the venerable Wildwood, Higgins Restaurant and Bar,

and Paley’s Place. Each of these esteemed restaurants has itsown style of décor and cuisine, and none should be skipped overon your tour of Portland.

For many of Portland’s new culinary talents, these estab-lishments served as makeshift cooking schools. Chefs fromeachinstitution have recently opened their own restaurants or havedecided to rule the roost as head chef at another. Chef Adam

Sappington (formerly of Wildwood) opened Country Catto serve regional, American home-style cuisine such asbeer-batter-fried rockfish and bacon-braised collard greens;Chef Gabriel Rucker (formerly of Paley’s Place) took over ashead chef at Le Pigeon. Meals here cater to adventurous eaterswith dishes such as pig’s ear pâté, beef cheek bourguignon, anda dessert of apricot-bacon corn bread crowned with maple icecream and warm bacon bits.

Fortunately, for those of us who enjoy caloric indulgencessuch as these, Portland is also a pedestrian- and bike-friendlycity. Here, you can eschew the use of your car for the weekend

and use either the well-planned public transportation systemor your own two feet to get around. Walking or biking the river-front esplanade in warmer weather (Portland sees its share of rain) is a pleasant activity; for a more strenuous climb, head toForest Park, where thousands of acres of trails mean you’llnever walk the same path twice.

After more than a year in Portland, I’m learning the city’sculinary scene works the same way. As long as Portlandpurveyors, chefs, and foodies continue to reinvent the culinarywheel, I’ll never nibble the same thing twice.

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DESTINATION

An oenophile’s dream daytrip lies just

outside Portland in rural Willamette Valley.

Here, quaint country main streets merge

with rolling landscapes and groves of fruit ,oak, and Douglas fir trees to create

picturesque scenery—and plenty of

wine-tasting opportunities. Here, a few

of our f avorit es.

For Sipping:

Anne Amie Vineyards: This French-style

chateau tasting room offers pastoral

views and exquisite sunsets over the Coast

Range. Purchase a bottle of one of the

winery’s many Pinot Noir blends or a

Viognier and enjoy your selection on t he

tasting room patio.

Domaine Serene: This regal Italian-stylewinery is the most opulent in Oregon wine

country. The staff pours award-winning

Pinot Noir in the handsome tasting

room, complete wit h sleek marble floors,

a cozy fireplace, and high ceilings

adorned with chandeliers.

Erath Vineyards: This scenic winery and

tasting room is nestled in its vineyards high

above the Dundee Hills. Sample the

Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, or

Gewurztraminer paired wit h the selection

of gourmet goodies sold in the tasting

room, in case you forgot your own.

For Eating:

Cuvee: This charming restaurant on

Carlton’s quaint main street calls to mind a

classy French bistro. French t ransplant and

head chef Gilbert Henry has an esteemed

reputation for his prett y presentations and

daily fish specials you won’t want to skip.

La Rambla: This dark, sexy restaurant in

old-town McMinnville serves

Northwest-influenced Spanish cuisine with

dishes like paella, gazpachos, and

batter-fried g reen beans. A 250-plus bott le

wine list featuring both Northwest and

Spanish wines is all the more reason to visit.

The Painted Lady: Perhaps the best place

you’ll eat all t rip—if not all year—The

Painted Lady is sure to delight with it s

award-winning cuisine and magical

ambience. A most professional staff dot es

on diners as they serve Chef Allen Routt’s

refined, modern American cuisine. The

two available tasting menus at this simple

haunt in downtown Newberg change

seasonally and always wow.

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18 A STAR IS BORNTerry Irwin

Terry Irwin Architects

www.irwinarchitects.com

Orlando, Florida

407-876-5353

20 FRUITFUL TRANSFORMATIONAcoustic Ceiling Products

www.acpideas.com

Appleton, Wisconsin

800-434-3750

Wine Cellar Innovations

www.winecellarinnovations.com

Cincinnati, Ohio

800-229-9813

24 BIRD LOVER’S RETREATWilliam Totten and Linda Guy McGuirl

Totten-McGuirl Fine Interiors

www.totten-mcguirl.com

Basking Ridge, New J ersey

908-580-9572

28 SWEET SANCTUARYMark Rios

Rios Clementi Hale Studioswww.rios.com

Los Angeles, California

323-634-9220

34 CASA AZULStephen Pararo

Pineapple House Interior Design

www.pineapplehouse.com

Atlanta, Georgia

404-897-5551

Resources

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