DECOR | GARDEN | TRAVEL APRIL | MAY | 2008

To view more beautiful dcor and design videos, visit my Web site: www.YourBDTVAddress.bydesigntv.tv

UNIQUE
ROOMS

Dear Client,

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 space to 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.

NEED TEXT unique.

~RalphWaldo Emerson

Insist on yourself; never imitate....Every great man is

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

MOMENTS

Seize from every moment its and do not prepare your joys.

unique

novelty,

~Andre Gide

e u q ni
unique
~Anonymous

Some people weave burlap into the fabric of our lives, and some weave gold thread. Both contribute to . make the whole picture beautiful and

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APRIL | MAY | 2008

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Contents
FEATURES
5 UNIQUE ROOMS 14 A Worldly Home 18 A Star Is Born 20 Fruitful Transformation 24 Bird Lovers Retreat 28 Sweet Sanctuary

DEPARTMENTS
1 4 5 6 Moments Reading Room

Rooms
Letter from the Editor Cooking

Vegetarian Menu
10 Gardening

Formality in Todays Gardens

44 Destination

SPECIAL SECTION 34 Casa Azul: A Love Affair between a Designer and the Deep Blue Sea

Portland, Oregon
48 Resources

2 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

APRIL | MAY | 2008

EDITOR AMBER LINDROS DESIGN LINDSAY FOURNIER GRAPHICS TEAM JESSI 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, JAN WALKER CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS MICHAEL BAXTER, TOM BONNER, FRANCINE KATZ, JOANIE 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 OPERATIONS BELINDA RICHARDSON PROGRAMMING BILL BAKER, DAN FRITSCHER, TODD NEUMILLER CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER ESTEE VEDDER

ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL OFFICE

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Real-estate agents, mortgage lenders, or anyone interested in using Home By Design in marketing plans should contact our sales office at 877-423-4567 or visit our Web site at www.HomeByDesign.com. Home By Design is a complete
custom publisher with many options to help you promote your business. If you are interested in more information about your own customized magazine or marketing program, please contact us at our sales office. Copyright 2008 Network Communications Inc., All Rights Reserved. Recipients of Home By Design magazine receive their subscription as a free gift of a real-estate professional, mortgage lender, or other professional service provider.The Home By Design magazine program is an exclusive marketing program created by By Design Publishing. By Design Publishing has contracted with its professional clients to provide this free subscription to you. By Design Publishing has contracted with these 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 other Home By Design communication products.Your name and address information will never be leased, sold, traded, or used for any other purposes. For more information on our mailing list policy or for more information on By Design Publishing and our Home By Design custom publishing program, please contact us at 208-772-8060.
Home By Design magazine is for entertainment purposes only. This magazine is not intended to solicit other brokers listings. If you are currently working with or in contract with another broker, please disregard this information.

HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

READING ROOM

Rooms
WRITTEN BY CARL SKOGGARD
REVIEW WRITTEN BY KIM A. FUQUA|PHOTOGRAPHY BY DERRY MOORE

Rooms celebrates some of the most luxurious and bold interiors around the globe and the creative sensibilities of the people who inspired them. Sumptuously presenting the distinctive photography of Derry Moore, the 12th Earl of Drogheda, and complemented by Carl Skoggards evocative text, this intriguingly designed book captures the aesthetic of style-setting figures like early twentieth-century designer Elsie de Wolfe, contemporary design icon Renzo Mongiardino, and legendary ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev. Moores work is informed by a keen aesthetic eye, impeccably good taste, and a technical acuity that results in extraordinarily rich interior photography. His magical way with natural light turns his photographs of sophisticated, often aristocratic interiors into something very like a well-rendered Dutch still life. Moore says that he expects to find in a room wonderful color sense, extraordinary proportions, and sympathetic light. He believes that one is both surprised and soothed by a truly remarkable interior. The book features remarkable interiors ranging from Charleston, the famed haunt of the Bloomsbury group, to Indias Falaknuma Palace, Pauline de Rothschilds London residence, and Chatsworth Hall, Derbyshire, the grandest of English country houses. In Moores deft hands, all possess an air of eclectic mystery and a richness of personal expression. The photographs in Rooms are presented as the works of art they are, uncropped, marginless, and free of captions, in the square compositional format for which Moore is most celebrated. All photographs are from Moores personal photographic archive and include two dozen homes dating from 1975 to 2005, spanning nearly the whole of Moores distinguished career.
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Hardcover: $55.00 272 pages 225 color illustrations Publication date: 2006 Published by Rizzoli NewYork

LEFT: A bay window in the Garden Room at Charleston looks out to the flowers. BELOW: Duchess de Mouchys large property near Paris featured rooms that were both playful and organic.

Greetings!

letter from the editor

If you approach the design of your home from a logical standpoint, it makes sense to focus on redesigning or perfecting common rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms, and gathering areas before even thinking about creating a Unique Room. An extra oomph of energy is usually needed to begin a project to showcase a hobby.You probably have a hobby or a passion, an activity that you cant wait to return home to when you are vacationing, or, perhaps, something that dictates what you do on your vacationwine tasting in Italy, backpacking through national parks, or shopping excursions in New York or Paris. My favorite aspect of this issue of Home By Design is the care taken by each homeowner or designer to create a space to 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 owners collection of fine red wines (page 20). Wine cellars, which used to be a luxury in a home, are a common feature in most new construction. The current challenge for any wine connoisseur is to create a cellar that combines a great style with the best materials in a room that is suited for storing the wine. This owner has done just that. Take a moment to read Portland: A Foodies Delight (page 44), and if you have not yet visited this great city, do so soon. Portlands restaurant scene is thriving, and each time I visit I wish I could call this city my home so that I could experience the culture and culinary pleasures on a daily basis. I hope that you enjoy this issue and that the rooms on the following pages will inspire you to incorporate your own hobby or passion into the design of your home. Please be sure to thank the kind person who sends you Home By Design.

Enjoy!

Amber Lindros Editor, Home By Design

HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

Honey-Roasted Root Veggies

Vegetarian
CARROT AND MUSHROOM AND CAULIFLOWER, OH MY!
6 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

menu

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

Home By Design often gets vegetarian recipe requests, and weve been a little lax in providing very many of them so this issue were 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 a sampling 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 chilly spring 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 dont forget dessert with Swaynes best ever carrot cake recipe!

Roasted Cauliflower with Herbs and Parmesan

GAZPACHO While gazpacho is typically served cold as a summer soup, this dish is also delicious as a hot tomato soup on a chilly evening.

1 1

Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes Chill Time: 2 hours
3 4 1 1 2 3 2 small fennel bulbs, roughly chopped celery stalks, roughly chopped bunch scallions, roughly chopped medium sweet onion, roughly chopped small garlic cloves, chopped red bell peppers, roughly chopped large tomatoes, diced, or one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained cup olive oil

tablespoon kosher salt teaspoon black pepper 32-ounce container tomato or vegetable juice cup fresh lemon juice celery leaves (optional) fresh dill (optional)

PORTABELLA PARMESAN Portabellas have a meaty texture, fabulous flavor, and are so easy to prepare. Even the most die-hard carnivore will love this hearty mushroom dish.

Place fennel, celery stalks, scallions, onions, garlic, and bell peppers in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and combined but not pureed. Pour the mixture into a large glass or plastic bowl. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, oil, salt, black pepper, tomato or vegetable juice, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. To serve, sprinkle with celery leaves, dill, or both.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes
4 3 1 portabella mushrooms, stemmed and wiped clean tablespoons olive oil cup spicy tomato sauce cup shredded mozzarella cheese cup shredded fontina cheese cup grated Parmesan cheese

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

HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

COOKING
with oil on both sides. Sear mushrooms for 5 minutes per side. Spread cup tomato sauce in bottom of a 9x13 pan. Place mushrooms in pan, bottoms up. Pour remaining sauce over them. Combine mozzarella and fontina cheeses and spread evenly over top of mushrooms. Sprinkle Parmesan over entire dish. Bake 15 minutes or until cheeses are bubbly and golden brown.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH HERBS AND PARMESAN Chop your bunches of parsley, thyme, and tarragon for this recipe, and then freeze the remaining fresh herbs in small Ziploc bags for future use.
1 2 cup peeled, chopped carrot shallot, finely diced tablespoons olive oil cup honey kosher salt, to taste 5 2 1 cheese, softened cups powdered sugar tablespoons grated orange zest teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 450. In a large baking dish, mix vegetables together. Toss with olive oil, honey, and salt. Bake 35 minutes until tender and brown, stirring halfway through.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. A 9x13 pan could also be used for a sheet cake. Mix the carrots, nuts, and raisins together in a bowl and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, soda, and salt.

WINE TIP: Riesling is a natural complement to vegetable dishes due to its mineral flavors.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, oil, sugars, and vanilla until well-blended. Slowly fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture, mixing just until all ingredients are moistened. Fold in the carrot mixture until well-combined. Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in pans 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pans to a cooling rack to continue cooling completely. With a long serrated knife, trim off rounded portion of each cake layer to create flat surfaces. Place one cake layer, cut side down, on a serving platter. Spread with of the icing. Top with second layer, cut side down, and spread top with about of remaining icing. Use remaining 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 and cream cheese together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition, until smooth. Add grated orange zest and vanilla. Continue beating 1 minute to make the icing very fluffy.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes Bake Time: 25 minutes
6 1 2 1 1 3 1 cups cauliflower florets (about 1 head) tablespoon olive oil teaspoons parsley, finely chopped teaspoon thyme, finely chopped teaspoon tarragon or rosemary, finely chopped cloves garlic, minced cup Parmesan cheese, grated tablespoon lemon juice salt and pepper, to taste

BEST-EVER CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING This version of a classic is moist, simple to prepare, and beautiful, too!

Servings: 10-12
Prep Time: 30 minutes Bake Time: 45-50 minutes
CARROT CAKE: 4 cups carrots, peeled and grated 1 cups walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped 1 cup dark raisins 2 cups flour 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs 1 cup canola oil 1 cup sugar 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped to cover sides of cake (optional) CREAM CHEESE ICING: 1 cup butter, softened 2 8-ounce packages cream

Preheat oven to 450. In a large baking dish, mix florets with olive oil. Bake 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and garlic and bake five minutes more. Add cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until well-combined and serve.
HONEY-ROASTED ROOT VEGGIES Roasting brings out great flavors in the various vegetables in this recipe.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes
1 cup peeled, chopped sweet potato cup peeled, chopped turnip cup peeled, chopped parsnips

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Gazpacho

Best-Ever Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

Portabella Parmesan

HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

formality in todays

Gardens
TIMELESS DESIGN FOR YOUR OWN GARDEN SETTING

WRITTEN BY ROBYN ROEHM CANNON|PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANCINE KATZ

As a designer of small formal European-style gardens, my love of symmetry, balance, dramatic scale, and simplicity is what drives my creations. Some people believe that formal gardens are suited only to sites on a grand scale. But I have found just the opposite. Whether they are intimate and complex or simple and streamlined, small formal gardens have one thing in common: They have a terrific ability to provide year-round interest and are surprisingly easy to maintain. The added 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 create a formal garden today. One of the most exciting is the
10 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

opportunity to use garden statuary and water features to provide a focal point or framework for the design and add a feeling of vitality to a garden space. For centuries, statuary and fountains have anchored formal baroque parterres, intricate herb knots, potagers, topiary, and rose gardens throughout Europe, thanks in great part to work done by statuary makers in the London-area factory of Eleanor Coade, which operated from the early 18th century through the middle of the 1800s. Fortunately, todays landscape architects and designers have myriad choices for garden art that looks aged, although it is new. One of the West Coasts largest suppliers, Lucca Statuary,

GARDENING
in Seattle, Washington, specializes in hand-cast concrete pieces that are custom-finished with muriatic-based penetrating stains originally designed for floors. But it is not enough to have beautiful product from which to choose. Unless it is carefully and thoughtfully placed, garden statuary and fountains can look sorely out of placelike a bad collection from the movie set of My Big Fat Greek Weddingor worse, like they fell from the sky and landed haphazardly in the middle of the front yard. Conversely, gardens designed around beautiful statuary are restful places to be, no matter what the season. Here are few important considerations for using fountains and statuary in your garden: Building a garden without structure is like writing a sentence without punctuation. If you are starting from scratch, build the bones of your garden before you plant. The hardscape is the most important elementpaved areas on which to put furnishings and walls to give your garden structure and privacy. Always pick your fountain and your architectural garden ornament first, and then design your garden around them. Adopt the European principle of using every inch of space and living in it to the fullest. Look carefully at your yard. Right now, you have untapped space potential waiting to be reclaimed. For example, a narrow side yard can be transformed into a charming classic allee with Italian cypress and 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, youll want to add hedge material. A soft green wall is the perfect backdrop for a bubbling fountain or an exquisitely planted urn. Dont be afraid to place large decorative pieces in a small garden. One magnificent architectural garden ornament used as a focal point is more effectiveand more classicthan a collection of small unrelated items that add up to a lot of visual clutter and confusion. Edit your garden dcor in the same manner as you would edit an interior room. Think of statuary as a piece of fine jewelry for your garden. Less is moremore elegant, more impact to the eye. If you have a larger piece of property or an expansive yard, think in terms of unifying your space into a series of garden rooms. Walk your property and determine the places from which you are most likely to observe your garden or a special viewor the place where you would like to entertain guests.Then plan these areas as outdoor rooms, each with its own architectural garden ornament as a focal point. Consider using a pair of urns on pedestals to create an entrance to a space. By connecting the newly defined spaces with a path, you can move from one special venue to another. Stand in your windows and observe your garden from the inside out. We spend a good deal of time looking at 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 dramatic effect after dark and make your outdoor space seem like an extension of your interior. Classic garden statuary provides a delightful detail in garden design. It makes a small garden space seem important, and it makes a case for the year-round pleasures of formality, which easily can be adapted to a contemporary lifestyle. With careful selection and placement, and by building your plants around your pieces, your garden can look as though it has been there forever. That should be inspiration indeed.

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a Worldly Home
DESIGN FEATURES FROM THEIR TRIPS ABROAD INTERMINGLE IN THIS ARIZONA COUPLES UNIQUE RETREAT
WRITTEN BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN|PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL BAXTER
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Everything in the homes 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.

ome travelers bring back trinkets and treasures from trips, others postcards and silly souvenirs from nickel-and-dime shops. For one retired, Toronto, Canada-based couple, such small, chintzy mementos didnt seem the 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 them back to the United States where they used them to build a fully customized European estate. Utilizing both tangible elementsTurkish limestone, Canadian glass, and custom maple doors from Hollandand a wide range of international ideas and designers, 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 hobby of travel, and also to their appreciation of fine design. They took all of their experiences and then put the pieces together in their home. The main thing they were looking for was the latest out there in design, in cabinetry, in architecture, etc., says Sandra Wilken, owner and designated broker of Sandra Wilken Luxury Properties, who served as a design consultant for the homeowners. A lot of times Europe is ahead of us in their design features. These homeowners did all the research and then incorporated everything into the design of the house. The finished home presents a happy marriage of internationally sourced materials and cutting-edge designs. The designs mirror those found abroad; the materials were each hand-selected from one of the owners favorite destinations before the architect began working on the home. Inside this glamorous retreat, everything from the wine rooms custom stained glass door to the powder rooms Venetian plaster finish hints at the owners love of different cultural destinations. Acting as the best representation of their hobby and also as the homes most opulent space is an elaborate indoor-outdoor pool designed to replicate the worldrenowned spas of Finland. The finished pool is as breathtaking a space as it is a functional, relaxing retreat. Telescoping doors allow for indoor and outdoor entertainment, 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 dynamic glass-enclosed elevator that opens to the expansive pool area or a floating Turkish limestone staircase. When the pool lights are on and you walk down the stairs, the effect is incredible, says Wilken. Not only does your eye catch the lighting of the sparkling pool, but also it catches the city lights and the entire Valley. Everything in the homes lower level was designed around this breathtaking pool and the panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Most notable is the lack of any walls between the spaces. Instead, the homeowners opted to use glass windows to divide 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 for the window walls. The glass has a reflective coating on it that reduces sun glare and prevents 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 a minimum, especially at night when the coating assures that the homes lit interior wont reflect against the window walls.

HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

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The window walls also allow the pool to become the striking focal point from every downstairs 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 multiple cascading water features. The downstairs barcomplete with a microwave, storage, a fridge, and a wet bar is most appealing and creates a space for lounging and relaxing with ample seating and counter spaces for buffets. This bar area would be ideal for hosting parties, says Wilken, and is situated in a way that maximizes both the experience of the indoor pool and allows for views and access to the back patio. Further relaxation is found in the spa room, whose steam shower with blue tiling mimics the spa-like pool. This area boasts a dry sauna and an elevated massage and exercise room as well. After having your relaxing massage, you can either relax in 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 combination billiard table and shuffleboard to give the room a special flair. He also created a home theater with stadium-style seating and custom upholstered walls and a wine room with storage for 500-plus bottles.Though these features are impressive, the pool will always be the homes pice de rsistance. This is one of the few [areas] where people are mesmerized when they walk from room to room, says Wilken. This unique theme room, conceptualized abroad but realized on American soil, truly brings the best designs and materials in the world together to create one stunning showcase.
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When the pool lights are on and you walk down the stairs, the

effect is incredible.

OPPOSITE: The lower level also houses the owners combination billiard table and shuffleboard.

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A Star Is Born
WRITTEN BY WENDY TWETEN|PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAYMOND MARTINOT
18 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

NO MERE MEDIA ROOM, THIS IN-HOME MOVIE PALACE PAYS HOMAGE TO THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE SILVER SCREEN

lthough popcorn and soda pop are the preferred accompaniment to the typical movie experience, at the home of Bruce and Kandi Laughrey, a movie in the media room is an occasion more suited to Champagne and caviar. With the grandeur of a motion picture palace of yesteryear scaled back to private-residence proportionsthe Laughreys theater room makes watching a show more than a pleasant diversion; its an opening-night event. When it came time to plan a media center to complement their Italian country-style home in Central Florida, the couple looked beyond the usual boxy space with a wide-screen TV at one end and a couch at the other; in fact, they looked back nearly a century to the glory days of the American cinema. Of course, fitting a grand movie house into the floor plan of a private residence would require an experienced architect with more than a passing understanding of dramatic illusion. So the Laughreys turned to the same firm that designed their home, Terry Irwin Architects, known for high-end custom design including theaters for Disney and NASA. The clients wanted the theater to be somewhat connected to the style of their house, only with the higher degree of detail found in Italian Renaissance design, says company founderTerry Irwin. The challenge was to recreate the grandeur and passion of the big movie houses from a time when going to the pictures was a special occasion. If Irwin was the set designer, homeowner Kandi Laughrey took the role of director. Kandi, a former interior designer, was intimately involved throughout the project and a major contributor to the cohesive and opulent final product. Bruce Laughrey, an electronics enthusiast, served as technical consultant, selecting a 120-inch Draper screen with a Meridian 861 processor and seven Snell speakers for optimal surround sound. The room was a labor of love for both of them, says Irwin. Its so rewarding to see clients enjoying the process.We were all traveling on the same journey. Lavishly appointed in red, gold, and black, the room pulls off a theatrical magic of its own, presenting the look and feel of a venerable cathedral of entertainment within a space only 20 feet square. To achieve this effect, Irwin employed a forced perspective with multiple wall planes, a dropped floor, and a coved

wall-to-ceiling transition with the ceiling itself divided into a grid. A short, raised stage at the base of the proscenium implies a grand space lying just beyond. Black velvet stage curtains, red-lacquered mahogany paneling, and gilded moldings recall the golden age of the silver screen. Pilasters flank iron filigree grillssome with speakers, some cloth-lined acoustical buffers. The nine custom-upholstered, reclining theater seats are a favorite of Bruce, who appreciates ultimate comfort when watching films or Indiana Pacers basketball games. The ceiling presents an ornate mise-en-scne of ebony-stained recessed boxes studded with hand-cast, three-dimensional medallions in gold leaf. Lighting is concealed within several of the medallions. Aisle lighting is provided by lanterns set in arched side niches. Just behind the front row of seats, a central console holds the projection system, as well as the control panel for the lighting, curtain, and audio. The acoustics were a test of Irwins expertise, as the room is located on an outside wall. The theater is actually a shell that sits within the exterior wall. Its completely isolated from the outside structure, Irwin explains. The room needed to be acoustically dead, no echo. That meant no square corners and sound-absorbing fabric on the walls and in some of the niches. Its gratifying to see how well the spatial and acoustical elements turned out. The cinematic experience begins outside the theater doors in a foyer that functions as an auditorium lobby. Here Irwin and his clients exercised the same careful editing and special effects as within the theater itself. Leading to the lobby, a hallway with limestone pilasters along the walls evokes a city street complete with movie posters and the image of a ticket booth. A wet bar is conveniently close-at-hand. Within the lobby, a round settee upholstered in red velvet appears to have temporarily mislaid Jean Harlow. As an occasional member of the audience, Irwin has had the opportunity to savor the intimate yet epic scope of his residential remake of the classic bijou. It has all the earmarks of the first movie theater I went to as a kid, he says. We all had one: Remember the theater downtown with the big marquee? Going to see a first-run movie was an emotional experience. We went to the movies to lose ourselves for a couple of hours. Did we succeed in providing that experience? I think we did.
HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008 19

Fruitful Transformation
TRADITIONAL STYLE AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS CREATE A CLASSIC WINE CELLAR
WRITTEN BY CAROLYN M. RUNYON|PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOAN DWYER PHOTOGRAPHY
20 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

hat do you do with an odd-shaped unfinished basement space that had been pretty much neglected in the past? The current homeowner felt the naturally cool area was a perfect location for his recently acquired wine collection. His passion for wine, developed over the past five years, resulted in the need for storage space, and the 12-foot-by-15-foot room 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 for the color and feel of this one.This renovated room evolved into a kind of masculine retreat with rich burgundy walls that complement the deep mahogany-stained wood shelving. The Premium Redwood shelving was purchased from Wine Cellar Innovations. The Wine Cellar Innovations site offers a variety of shelving and designs, as well as many hints about the construction and location of a wine cellar, notes the homeowner. For example, this wine cellar is considered passive, or one that does not require any conventional humidity or temperature control. Heat, light, and vibration are harmful to the long-term storage of wine, so Wine Cellar Innovations advises locating such a wine cellar in the coolest place of the home, away from windows and excessive noise. The basement presented an excellent solution. Wine Cellar Innovations maintains a Wine Cellar Preparation Guidelines section on its site with a number of helpful questions and answers for building a wine cellar and 19 points regarding construction requirements. This Prep Guide helped me decide what I really wanted and how much shelving was required to complete my design, the homeowner explains.

WineCellarInnovations.com was really quite helpful. Once I formulated the plan, we had the whole thing ordered and installed within a month. The homeowner has an appreciation for red wine and so opted not to install a refrigeration unit for white wines now, but he left space for one in the future. Wine Cellar Innovations Designer Series Collection became the preferred choice for the cellar because it offers a combination of custom amenities with the affordability created by mass production. The Premium Redwood shelving in the companys Classic Mahogany stain provided the warm dark-wood accent that 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 other tones of the wine cellar, contributing to the overall atmosphere, explains the homeowner. The classic tin-style ceiling came from Acoustic Ceiling Products, a company that creates classic tin looks for ceilings and backsplashes in low-cost thermoplastic panels that wont rust like actual tin.The tiles, which are flexible and lightweight, were relatively easy to install with a variety of beautiful designs and finishes from which to pick, according to the homeowner. The general contractor added coordinating wood trim to conceal the seams and continue the upscale custom feel of the cellar. The homeowner was thrilled with the resultboth from an aesthetic and an economical standpoint. The money I saved on the ceiling enabled me to buy more wine, says the homeowner. The wine cellar is next to the home gym and sauna. The owner plans to renovate part of that adjoining room to allow for a long hallway entrance to the wine cellar. The hall will have the same floor tile and will lead to a black iron and stained glass
HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008 21

door. The whole area, defined by the gym and wine cellar, is becoming a bit of a mans land in our home, he admits. But it will give me a place to replenish in order to be a better husband and dad to our four children. My wife helped me a lot in the design and dcor 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 bottles and shelves that can accommodate boxed cases of wine. The boxed cases add a decorative accent, with elegant logos of each vineyard, but they also offer a practical aspect because they can hold more bottles in a specific space than if that space were occupied by the individual shelving. The wines are sorted by grape varietals with areas for Cabernets, Merlots, Pinots, and Zinfandels. There is additional shelving for blends and then a miscellaneous section for foreign and other grapes that are not collected in quantity. I set aside a section for everyday wines so I dont accidentally open a fine wine that Im saving or that is to be stored for several years before being opened, the homeowner adds.

When asked how he decides which wines to collect, he says that he tests a lot of wines and then invests in his preferred wines in quantity. I have a favorite restaurant where I have a wine box. Ive gotten to know the wine stewards, and they help me learn about new wines and let me test some they think I will enjoy, he notes. My latest kick has been blends that are under $30. The tasting table and chairs, with higher seating, can accommodate four people for entertaining or tasting and are in a deep wood tone that complements the stained shelving. The painting above the table helps to tie in all the colors of the roomthe blue-reds of the slate, the mahogany stain of the woods, the deep tones of the ceiling, and the burgundy walls. Im really excited about the final result, says the homeowner. I now have a comfortable, organized place to store and enjoy my wine.Through extensive research and a harmonious design sense, the homeowner combined some of the newest concepts in dcor and construction with traditional elements of the classic wine cellar to create an inviting environment for entertaining and sharing his love of wine.

Im really excited about the final result. I now have a

comfortable, organized place to store and enjoy my wine.

22 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

ABOVE: The painting above the tasting table helps to tie in the rich colors featured in the cellars 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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Bird Lovers Retreat

WRITTEN BY REBECCA SWEAT|PHOTOGRAPHY BY PAUL S. BARTHOLOMEW PHOTOGRAPHY INC.
24 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

Designers William Totten and Linda Guy McGuirl upholstered the walls of this bird enthusiasts study in a cotton crewel fabric with a hand-sewn bird motif. The furniture pieces selected for the room are 18th-century antiques or reproductions, and most of the accessories for the room relate to the ornithology theme.

here arent a lot of homes still standing these days that predate the founding of the United States. Being involved in the restoration and redesign of such a house is the chance of a lifetime. So when interior designers William Totten and Linda Guy McGuirl 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 Elias Boudinot, president of the Continental Congress and signatory to the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. Today the mansion belongs to the Somerset County Park Commission. This past year, the Commission granted permission to the Womens Association of Morristown Memorial Hospital to use the home as a designer showhouse as a way to raise funds for the hospitals new cardiac center. The Womens Association enlisted the help of 45 of the areas most accomplished interior and landscape designers to update and revitalize the house and gardens. Totten and McGuirls job was to transform the first-floor ladys study into a more inviting and eye-appealing, yet still very functional, space. The two designers believed it was important to create a room that was truly reflective of the period in which the house was built. We couldnt see going into a house thats over 200 years old and doing something very fresh and contemporary,

says Totten. Our design for the room really had to reflect the architecture and period of the house. They also thought their design should build on the spectacular backyard view from the rooms bay window. Much of the property is wetlands, so there is an abundance of wildlife on the property, especially gulls, herons, storks, cranes, ducks, geese, and other birds. Totten and McGuirl suggested the room be turned into a bird enthusiasts study. We couldnt think of a better idea for this room, McGuirl says, than have it be a study for a lady who loves to document and watch the local birds. The Womens Association put their stamp of approval on Totten and McGuirls vision for the room, and the designers got started. Their first step was to remove the built-in bookcases, which were worn-out and warped. Then they added a chair rail and crown molding, which were painted in a thick, distressed coat of muted aqua green paint to give them an old-time look. The walls were upholstered from the baseboard to the crown molding in a cotton crewel fabric with a hand-sewn bird motif. The designers opted to paint the wood floors. First, a base coat of paint was applied to the floor. On top of that, using gray-green, cream, and brown paint, Totten hand-painted the floor in a 17th-century Dutch design, featuring a circular and rectangular pattern. Then the floor was lightly sanded to give it a distressed look. This made it look like the floor had been there from the beginning and kept it in sync with the rest of the house, McGuirl notes.
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26 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

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.

Custom draperies were sewn for the bay window in the same 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 window is softened by hanging lightweight cotton cafe sheers from hand-crafted iron rods. All of the furniture pieces selected for the room are 18th-century antiques or reproductions: a painted kneehole desk with a black Sheraton elbow chair upholstered in a cream patterned velvet. A custom-made small-scale wing chair upholstered in muted aqua-green linen with brown piping. Adjacent to that is an old-fashioned wrought iron bridge lamp and a small side table. The furniture we chose was all small-scale and did not take up a lot of space, which was perfect for a lady and for a room of this size, McGuirl says. The rooms dimensions are just 8 feet by 9.5 feetnot a large space to work with. Most of the accessories for the room relate in some way to birds: a set of 18th-century French hand-painted bird prints for the walls, an antique pheasant painting for the desk, a handmade desk lamp with a decoupage owl print base, an upholstered bulletin board over the desk with a collection of antique bird postcards, binoculars for bird watching, a set of bird identification guides for the side table, a wrought iron pigeon figurine on top of the books, a pair of 18th-century Chinese porcelain cranes sitting on painted bracket shelves, and a handpainted silk pillow with a birds nest motif for the wing chair. Its an ideal room for an amateur or an experienced ornithologist, perfect for anyone who enjoys observing the birds outside in the backyard,Totten says. Its also the perfect room for reading, writing letters, or just relaxing and unwinding a place the lady of the house can go to for some quiet time. If Hannah Boudinotwife of the houses builderwere alive today, she probably would wholeheartedly agree.
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Sweet Sanctuary
WRITTEN BY KAREN BUSCEMI|PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM BONNER
28 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

THREE COMBINED PROPERTIES NEAR BEVERLY HILLS ARE TRANSFORMED INTO A GARDEN THAT BEGS TO BE EXPERIENCED

The homeowners love for his grounds inspired him to purchase two neighboring properties and bulldoze the houses, securing enough land to create a multigarden oasis.

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pread across 5 acres in the tony town of Holmby Hills, California, where legends such as Aaron Spelling, Barbara Streisand, and Hugh Hefner have called home, is a 1950s estate once owned by Gary Cooper. The property, however, wasnt always this grand. It took the current homeowners love for his grounds to inspire him to purchase two neighboring properties and bulldoze the houses, securing him enough land to create a multigarden oasis. The project, Baroda Garden, was commandeered by Mark Rios and his landscape architecture team at Rios Clementi Hale Studios, based in Los Angeles, and took eight years (as the properties became available) to complete. The goal for the landscape was how to take these added sites and develop them so that the overall garden design makes them feel like theyre part of the same place, says Rios, who notes that half his companys current residential work involves incorporating the purchased land next door into the original landscape. We were trying to make a wide range of garden experiences so the homeowner would feel as if hed 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 series of abstract sculptures telling the story of the site and the gardens 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 defined gardens with minimal plant varieties in geometric forms, a long pool, and two pondsone with a modern waterfall, the other a smaller-scale koi pondtopped off with a moving sculpture that allows participation with the artwork. As a complete makeover of the original owners gardens, which Rios says hadnt been maintained over the years, the designer took care to keep the spirit of the original garden. The original idea was about modernism and indoor/outdoor relationships and simple palettes, says Rios. There may be ten different plants and a really controlled palette around the house, and then a much more textural palette with as many as 200 kinds of plants far away from the house. Its in moving farther away from the house where the terrain truly begins to change. Theres an amazing arroyo that moves through the property, says Rios, who was educated at Harvard, taught at both USC and UCLA, and started his business in 1985. The landscape becomes rougher and looser and more exaggerated. And then you move up to another viewpoint

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The more rustic areas of the Baroda Garden have narrow gravel paths, rocky trails, and winding stairways that guide the walker around the property. Along the way are a number of unique sitting areas where one may spend an afternoon.

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31

32 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

We were trying to make a wide range of

garden experiences so the

homeowner would feel as if hed gone on a

journey as he moved through the property.

where you can look back over the gardens. The journey has a lot of emotional diversity in it. The more rustic areas have narrow gravel paths, rocky trails, and winding stairways that guide the walker around the property, passing a bamboo garden, a dense arroyo garden with eucalyptus trees, a California succulent garden, a camellia and azalea garden, and a California grass garden. Along the way are a number of unique sitting areas to spend an afternoon. A viewing terrace with wood decking hangs over the arroyo and is encased in lush wisteria.The secluded terrace looks back on the house and original gardens. All the hillsides, which go down to the arroyo, are filled with succulent gardens, featuring different kinds of native California plant materials. And sitting areas are located here, too, in minimalistic settings on gravel that lets nature take center stage. And the surprising leisurely area comes at the garden farthest from the house, where a vintage Airstream trailer acts as 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 large estate, you want to have this promenade, this sequence that you can walk through. And along the way its nice to have a place that you can stop and have different experiences, explains Rios, who along with his three partners works on both residential and commercial projects, including many civic gardens and parks. Whenever we do gardens, were always thinking about the garden walk. Its one of the most important experiences in the garden. Getting people to get out and walk and participate in the garden is really a design goal. Rios says his favorite part of the property is the ability to have so many varied experiences in one place. Im intrigued by the differences of places, he says. You have to do some regrading, build retaining walls, and such to connect two parcels to each other, but it lets you have different experiences in different gardens. People really fall in love with their gardens.
HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008 33

ABOVE: The entire perimeter around the house has an abstract, graphic 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 others company and a glass of wine.

34 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

C Azul
asa
A Love Affair between a Designer and the Deep Blue Sea
WRITTEN BY JAN WALKER PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANIEL NEWCOMB

The brilliant blue waters of the Aegean Sea and the sun-bleached architecture of the Greek Islands have inspired artists through the centuries. So it was only natural that the vivid color palette he encountered on a trip to Greece would capture the imagination of Stephen Pararo, owner of Pineapple House Interior Design in Atlanta. And its no surprise that the same striking hues of blue and white illuminate Pararos summer home in West Palm Beach, aptly named Casa Azul. Located in the historic Old Northwood neighborhood, which was developed in the 1920s and home to West Palm Beachs most prominent residents, Casa Azul is a classic Craftsman-style house. When Pararo first saw the home, he was pleasantly surprised to find a large front porch and a living room that ran the entire length of the house on one side, but not quite so impressed with the smallish rooms on the other.
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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 that are echoed throughout the house.

36 HOME BY DESIGN | APRIL | MAY 2008

ome of those rooms were very small, Pararo says. Of course, thats how they built them back then. While the Craftsman home was an unusual find in a neighborhood filled primarily with 1920s Mediterranean architecture, it reminded Pararo of the many beautifully restored Craftsman houses in Atlanta. He felt so at home there, he bought the house and embarked on an extensive remodel of the inside. It was a total renovationtop to bottom, Pararo says. It took about nine months. Essentially, I turned a four-bedroom, one-bath house into a three-bedroom, three-and-ahalf-bath house, and added some things along the way. Extensive interior work brought the home up to date in terms of plumbing, electric, and appliances. A 16-footby-30-foot swimming pool and lush landscaping were added 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 backyard some privacy, Pararo says. Its just the right scale for the house and the yard. His attention to detail paid off handsomely.The pool area looks as if it were part of the original design of the home. The entire back of the house is new, says Pararo, but it does look like it has always been there. When Pararo purchased the home, the front porch had been enclosed, and perhaps used as a sunroom. When I got the house, I took the doors off between the living room and dining room and made the porch more a part of the home, Pararo says. Its all air-conditioned space now, with a sitting area, television, and small dining area. A blue sofa and pair of white chairs introduce visitors to the theme of azure tones and shades of white that echoes throughout the house. Sisal rugs add a casual and inviting texture to the sitting area. The main hallway leads to the living room on one side and 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. Its a wonderful, elongated space that leads the eye straight out to the pool. Its very pretty and inviting. Four spacious club chairs, with updated Mission styling, form a conversation area around the fireplace a rare sight in South Floridawith its classical white wooden mantle and tan marble surround. An oversized ottoman doubles as a coffee table. The white chairs and ottoman are covered in a liquid leather upholstery, says Pararo. Its a man-made material thats
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incredibly soft. Its vinyl, but very supple. Its slick and cool to the touch. It almost feels wet. The Casa Azul signature colors are introduced in the plush striped rug in varying tones of deep navy, royal, and pale watery blue. Silk draperies with bold blue stripes anchor the windows and French doors. The stripes were a simple way of using the color without introducing an intricate or distracting pattern, Pararo says. All the crisp, bright Aegean shades of blue are there in the room.

Factor in the natural sunlight that floods the room and the view of the pool, and paradise springs to mind. Theres so much sunlight filtering in, says Pararo, and the pool right outsideit becomes like an oasis in the midst of all that heat. Across the hall, two demilune chests flank the entrance to the dining room. Above them, two specially commissioned paintings add a watery wash of color to the hallway. The impressive dining room table is 80 inches square. A glass top seems suspended in mid-air on a clear acrylic base. It just kind 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. We found the art glass in the center in a shop in Maryland. It has beautiful 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 around the center glass, reflecting on the table below. A pale cream shag rug adds a luxurious touch.
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In the backyard, mango, lemon, lime, Satsuma orange, banana, and avocado trees mingle with coconut palms, providing 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 the second-floor sleeping porch is a covered patio that 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 distinctive cottage chic motif features twin beds and walls draped completely in sheer, embroidered fabric.

Upstairs, like the living room below, the master suite occupies the entire left half of the house. One of the homes most attractive features lies just beyond the master bedroom and bath. French doors open onto a screen-enclosed sleeping porch, which overlooks the pool and garden. Its wonderful to relax out there, or take a nap, especially during 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
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of the pool. A second, smaller guest room with a distinctive cottage-chic motif features twin beds and walls draped completely in sheer, embroidered fabric.The connecting bath, original to the home, is done in gleaming white tile. In the backyard, mango, lemon, lime, Satsuma orange, banana, and avocado trees mingle with coconut palms, providing lush foliage, shade, and a sense of seclusion. Its all fenced in and surrounded with ficus trees, which give it another layer of privacy, says Pararo,

even though its right in the middle of the city and very close to the Intracoastal Waterway. Tending the garden and trees is a source of satisfaction for Pararo when he visits Casa Azul, which is quite often throughout the year. I enjoy the feeling of being connected to the environment and nature when Im here, so I try to spend a lot of time outside, he says. Even with the pool and garden, there is ample room for

outdoor entertaining. Below the second-floor sleeping porch is a covered patio with rattan seating and a ceiling fan to stir the breeze.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 gentle ripples across the pool. Lights from the house dance across the water. And in the space of time between dusk and dark, the best blue of the day settles over the house. Thats when the Aegean meets the Atlantic in a place called Casa Azul.
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Portland: a foodies

Delight
WRITTEN BY ASHLEY GRIFFIN

I remember fondly the tastes of the college summer I spent in Portland, Oregon: a tangy basket of blackberries from the downtown farmers market, a hunk of rustic campagne bread from the neighborhood baker, a sip of Pinot Noir from a local vineyard, and a trio of berry gelatos unsurpassed by any Ive had since. These are the flavors that drew me to live in Portland again years later, when I greedily hungered for another taste 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 Wests newest culinary epicenter. Today, trendy Portlanders frequent James Beard award-winning restaurants, shop a variety of expansive farmers markets each week, benefit immensely from their proximity to sweeping farmlands and award-winning wineries, and are as food literate a population as that of France or New York. As such, it comes as no surprise that Portland tourists should lead with their noses when planning their travel itinerary. Begin your stay at a local hotel but forgo the chains; Portlands indie spirit means there are plenty of boutique hotels to

DESTINATION

check into. Among them: Hotel Lucia with its sleek lobby and cozy rooms; the glamorous, old Hollywoodesque Hotel deLuxe; Hotel Monaco with its playful dcor and complimentary evening wine tastings; and the European-style Ace Hotel that takes up an entire downtown block with an adjacent restaurant, quaint coffee shop, and authentic New York-style deli. Whether morning or afternoon, a perfect day exploring in Portland starts with a cup of coffee and a sinful pastry from one of the many independent bakeries and coffee houses about town. The best baked treats are found at one of three spots:

Kens Artisan Bakery makes flaky, buttery croissants and rustic breads; St. Honor Boulangerie exudes Parisian charm and makes classic pastries such as brioche chocolat; and Pearl Bakery makes a delightful fig-anise roll.Youll also find these treats and more at the citys highly regarded Saturday Farmers Market from April through December in the citys Park Blocks. For a rich roast to start or break up your day, visit local favorite Albina Press, whose famous baristas have won multiple coffee competitions. Stumptown Coffee Roasters are another favorite for coffee connoisseurs who enjoy small-batch roasts,

French press coffee, and beautiful espresso drinks served in a laid-back setting. For a casual mid-day activity, wander any of Portlands four major city quadrants for shopping and, dare I say, more eating. The quaint streets in the Pearl District house block upon block of boutiques, eateries, and the famous Powells Books. One could spend an entire day browsing the shelves at Powells, an expansive warehouse-size store that rumors to house more books than Portland does residents. A popular way to experience some of the Pearls culinary hotspots is by joining Portland Walking Tours for a three-hour Epicurean Excursion tour.Youll taste wine, local produce, teas, mustards, beer, coffee, sorbettos, chocolate truffles, and artisan breads, among other treats. While indulging, youll also chat with the artisans themselves and glean a bit of history about the Pearl District from your tour guide. Across the river, Mississippi Avenue provides another, albeit smaller, area to explore.While wandering this artsy district, be sure to stop in at The Meadow. This tiny store sells only gourmet finishing salts, flowers, chocolate, and wine, but youll be wowed by the selection found in each category. Then, after browsing the other neighborhood boutiques, act like a local and head to the nearby 820 Lounge, where cocktail maven Lucy Brennan invents delightful libations of all sorts. Have only a pre-dinner drink here, as there are many restaurants youll want to sample during the dinner hour. Portlands most famous restaurants serve seasonal, locally sourced fare and include the venerable Wildwood, Higgins Restaurant and Bar,
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and Paleys Place. Each of these esteemed restaurants has its own style of dcor and cuisine, and none should be skipped over on your tour of Portland. For many of Portlands new culinary talents, these establishments served as makeshift cooking schools. Chefs from each institution have recently opened their own restaurants or have decided to rule the roost as head chef at another. Chef Adam Sappington (formerly of Wildwood) opened Country Cat to serve regional, American home-style cuisine such as beer-batter-fried rockfish and bacon-braised collard greens; Chef Gabriel Rucker (formerly of Paleys Place) took over as head chef at Le Pigeon. Meals here cater to adventurous eaters with dishes such as pigs ear pt, beef cheek bourguignon, and a dessert of apricot-bacon corn bread crowned with maple ice cream and warm bacon bits. Fortunately, for those of us who enjoy caloric indulgences such as these, Portland is also a pedestrian- and bike-friendly city. Here, you can eschew the use of your car for the weekend and use either the well-planned public transportation system or your own two feet to get around.Walking or biking the riverfront esplanade in warmer weather (Portland sees its share of rain) is a pleasant activity; for a more strenuous climb, head to Forest Park, where thousands of acres of trails mean youll never walk the same path twice. After more than a year in Portland, Im learning the citys culinary scene works the same way. As long as Portland purveyors, chefs, and foodies continue to reinvent the culinary wheel, Ill never nibble the same thing twice.

DESTINATION

An oenophiles 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 sceneryand plenty of wine-tasting opportunities. Here, a few of our favorites. 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 winerys many Pinot Noir blends or a Viognier and enjoy your selection on the tasting room patio. Domaine Serene: This regal Italian-style winery is the most opulent in Oregon wine country. The staff pours award-winning Pinot Noir in the handsome tasting room, complete with 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 with the selection of gourmet goodies sold in the tasting room, in case you forgot your own. For Eating: Cuvee: This charming restaurant on Carltons quaint main street calls to mind a classy French bistro. French transplant and head chef Gilbert Henry has an esteemed reputation for his pretty presentations and daily fish specials you wont 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 green beans. A 250-plus bottle wine list featuring both Northwest and Spanish wines is all the more reason to visit.
Courtesy of Travel Portland, Basil Childers, Larry Geddis

The Painted Lady: Perhaps the best place youll eat all tripif not all yearThe Painted Lady is sure to delight with its award-winning cuisine and magical ambience. A most professional staff dotes on diners as they serve Chef Allen Routts 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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Resources
18 A STAR IS BORN
Terry Irwin Terry Irwin Architects www.irwinarchitects.com Orlando, Florida 407-876-5353

20

FRUITFUL TRANSFORMATION
Acoustic Ceiling Products www.acpideas.com Appleton, Wisconsin 800-434-3750 Wine Cellar Innovations www.winecellarinnovations.com Cincinnati, Ohio 800-229-9813

24

BIRD LOVERS RETREAT

William Totten and Linda Guy McGuirl Totten-McGuirl Fine Interiors www.totten-mcguirl.com Basking Ridge, New Jersey 908-580-9572

28

SWEET SANCTUARY
Mark Rios Rios Clementi Hale Studios www.rios.com Los Angeles, California 323-634-9220

34

CASA AZUL
Stephen Pararo Pineapple House Interior Design www.pineapplehouse.com Atlanta, Georgia 404-897-5551

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