What’s Hot and What’s NOT From The Minds and Mouths of Craig and Kendra

In the world of design there are so many trends that come and go.  My sister Kendra and I can be quite the Dynamic Duo and are often referred to as the “Donnie & Marie of Design.”  She’s a little bit country and I am a little bit rock and roll!  You can imagine when we put our head’s together and started talking about all of yesterday’s goods that need to go “Buh-Bye” the list became rather long.

At the top of my personal list: CORAL! Ugh!

I have been asking nicely for years, and ask again, please people NO MORE, send it back to the reef!  While you are at it, box up whatever Monkeys you have, let them be free already!

If you want a new furry creature it is the year of the rabbit (FYI) and they are ready to embrace their newfound place in your space.

Time to get back to America as the wedding is over!  This being said please rid yourself of the British flag draped items.  I admit I was on board, I loved the trend as well but use it as a token.

Diamond tufted sofas, DONE!  French lacquered mirrors need to stay “over there,” especially if they are resin framed, and I know they are!  One more thing, the French Dome Chair, Please go away!  This chair has been SOOOOO over done, it officially died when Ru Paul's Drag Race featured one in gold leather, BYE!!

Kendra’s top item to go: Cube Ottomans!  Kendra says, “I get it, they are easy and cheap, can be picked up almost anywhere for nothing but like halogen floor lamps- they need to be left out on the curb.

Try a new shape like a hexagon, a star or an emerald cut, ANYTHING, just stop being such a square!

Something I really pay attention to is what Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn are doing, why you ask?  Because once it is in Restoration or “The Barn,” It’s over Johnny! It is now being mass-produced and anyone, anywhere can open up their mailer magazine and order it.  Restoration Hardware single handedly ruined the French Industrial look for all of us. The diamond back tufted sofa and the dome chair (recently seen on Ru Pauls drag race in gold-‘nuff said) use to be so chic but they put it in overdrive and burned out the clutch.“

One thing Kendra and I both agree on is our love for Hollywood Noir. Don’t get this confused with Hollywood Regency, which, you will hate to hear it and won’t want to believe it but it is over, done, finito, goodbye.  Hollywood Noir is our new look. To us this embodies all things classic, timeless and fabulous in design.  Style your space with actual vintage studio lighting or large scale vintage movie posters that demand attention just like Joan Crawford did in the 30’s.

We are also loving the functionality and lines of modular furniture. Anything that can change itself to fit your needs is a plus in our swatch book! African textiles, natural woven window treatments, zebra prints on washed linens along with a hounds-tooth anything make a classical statement.

Last but not least let’s talk about colors. Orange and turquoise haven’t worn out their welcome in our showroom and that is fine with us, however, baby blue and chocolate should stay in the nursery. We are coming out of the “beige age” and our clients seem to be splashing a bit more color on their walls and furniture. Find your splash by playing with color on small items such as hand painted fabrics for pillows, lampshades and blankets and accessories that will stand the trend of time.

Stay tuned for the next blog where I will explain the difference between Hollywood Regency and Hollywood Noir.

Not Everything That Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas!!

Kendra’s Blogging this week!

As an interior designer, my  favorite time of year is the International Furniture Show held at the extravagant World Market Center.  This is when designers and shop owners from all over the world travel  to Las Vegas to see what is hot and new in Home Furnishings.    

   WORLD MARKET CENTER-LAS VEGAS, NV.

Okay, okay so it helps it is in Las Vegas,  home of the jackpot party slot machine where you can put in a penny and leave with $900 (I was once so lucky!!!) or put in $900 and leave with a penny (no comment).

          This must have been a good run….

This is a trip my brother and design partner Craig and I make every year. Once we plan our trip and arrive in Vegas we instantly consume the desert air and the excitement of the sparkly city. We make our way to the hotel where we check in and vow to be in bed by 10pm so we can get up bright and early to make the best use of our day at the show. After a small donation to the hotel casino and one cocktail for good measure I make my way to my room and will myself to sleep. I seriously feel like a kid at Christmas, with anticipation of all the new furniture I will soon feast my eyes upon. I am sure somewhere Sarah Jessica Parker is willing herself to sleep in much the same manner in anticipation of Dior’s winter runway show.

The next day we are up and out!! With 3 buildings and 14 floors to each building we have to keep it moving to see it all, and I MUST see it all! Every year we find that gem, that new thing, that must have for our front window and this year was no different. Check out our find below.  We both agreed this fantastic piece of furniture was coming to Los Angeles where it would live at the CRAIG OLSEN showroom on La Brea.

Meet the Bergman sofa below in supple dove grey leather (with many custom leathers to choose from) shown in 3 ways:

Shown here as a 3 cushion 90” long Sofa. This sofa can work in so many different settings from Industrial to Classic.

Shown here as 3 chairs all in one!! Perfect for a family with kids where mom and dad are sick of hearing, “Moooom, her leg is touching my leg, her arm is touching my arm, she won’t scoot over!!!” As a mother, I have heard this sentence in every language possible!

               

Shown here as a small settee and a chair. Can’t you see this in a waiting room or an office?

Isn’t it fabulous?!  This sofa is so smart it can make itself a sofa, 3 chairs or a small settee with chair all in the flip of a small cushion, therefore making it the perfect piece for an office, a TV room, a formal living room, and with its masculine angles I can even see it in a man cave!

    To purchase one of these gems contact the CRAIG OLSEN showroom at 130 N. La Brea in Los Angeles or visit our website at http://www.craig-olsen.com/

 Stay tuned for the next blog which will be about Craig and Kendra's LIST of WHAT'S HOT and WHAT'S NOT in design today!

Meet the REAL Modern Family Behind CRAIG OLSEN

CRAIG OLSEN is more than a beautiful showroom offering full design services, we're a family.  Those who know me well know my family is of utmost importance, followed by my business.

If you've had the opportunity to visit my showroom on La Brea you more than likely have met my beautiful and extremely talented sister Kendra Kay.

Kendra has been creating beautiful spaces and bringing new and exciting furniture design concepts to the business for years!  She is married to Shane Pahukoa (former NFL player) and has three amazing children.  Her husband Shane is also in the furniture design world, creating furniture concepts for a design showroom I partnered and launched years ago. Kendra's personality is sure to win anyone over and the dynamic between the two of us is undeniable, and very entertaining I'm told!

This is what happens when we don't see eye-to-eye on a design concept, of course I always win, LOL!

Meet "Girl Saturday," AKA Mom Pat. Without her, none of this madness would have been possible :D

If you happen to be shopping in my showroom on a Saturday you will more than likely have had the pleasure of meeting Girl Saturday.  Girl Saturday is here to lend a hand, chat with cliental and if you're lucky she may even sing you a little tune! :D

Having had several successful design businesses over the last 15 years, I have had my share of great assistants.  I take much pride in my previous assistants as many of them have become great designers opening showrooms of their own and continuing on in other design related endeavors, successfully!  My latest assistant, Daniel Paulson, is a budding designer continuing his design education at the Design Academy of Craig Olsen :D 

Visit our showroom on La Brea and let Team CRAIG OLSEN help make your Interior Design DREAMS a REALITY!

Lighting Up Drai's - Hollywood and Vegas!

Aside from creating beautiful residential interiors, we at CRAIG OLSEN also pride ourselves in the many posh commercial spaces we've designed over the years.  When working on a nightclub nobody does it better than my friend Victor Drai. 

I recently had the pleasure of creating custom lamps for the exclusive Drai's Nightclub at the W Hotel in Hollywood and the newly re-modeled Drai's Afterhours Club in Vegas.


The challenge was to design and produce a bulk order of custom lamps from the ground up in a very short time frame.  Creating such a piece requires working with several skilled craftsman as well as Victor to turn a vision into a reality!

The first step in the process is sketching the vision and reviewing it with the client.  After a vision is agreed upon, a sample is produced and presented. The design concept was a wood turned base with an antique gold leafed finish which would later be electrified by another party (as shown in the photo below.) 

A beautiful lamp base requires an equally stunning shade!  In this case, a red silk shade was designed and brought to life to compliment the shape of the antique gold leafed base.

Since every shade needs a harp to prop itself on, custom harps and hardware were also created.  I then consulted another skilled craftsman to produce acrylic diffusers to be fitted on top and bottom of the shade to create illumination fit for Hollywood and Vegas' hottest clubs!

Last but not least, my Girl Saturday (my mom Pat) assists me in carefully wrapping each lamp to be shipped away...and my work is complete:)

You too can have one of these beautiful custom lamps in your own home! Stop by our showroom on La Brea or give us a call to place an order. Different shade colors and finishes are also available!


Craig-Olsen
130 N La Brea Ave
Los Angeles, CA  90036


323.677.2111

Creating Quality Couture Pays off - We're #1!

Creating Quality Couture for The People has really paid off as we've just been voted #1 Best Furniture/Showroom in LA!

I wanted to thank all who voted and assure you I will continue to create beautiful Quality Couture for YOU in the years to come!!

Let's face it, we all need change in our lives from time to time.  I'm always changing my showroom to give it a new feel and keep things fresh.  Over the last couple of weeks I decided to capture my entrance vignette to show how easy it can be to give your own home a new look and feel by simply changing out pillows and accessories!

The following photos show by keeping your main furniture pieces neutral and classic you can easily re-create an entire new look! 

This Classic Style Sofa, which can be either contemporary or traditional, is shown in a neutral off-white washed linen.  The sofa is dressed in cool spring and summer blues and greens and accessorized the same in the photo below.

The next photo shows a more neutral dressing and we've added a pair French Bergere Chairs on either side.

See how we changed out the rug in the following set, added mosaic panels on either side to frame up the vignette.  The lamps, accessories and pillows were also swapped out to create balance.

Last but not least, I've changed the coffee table with this fabulous vintage goatskin table by Karl Springer.  Again, the lamps and accessories were swapped to pull the gold, blue and purple tones out of the mosaic panels.  

I hope this gives you an idea to freshen up your own space.

Thank You again for voting CRAIG OLSEN #1 for 2011!

Furniture Follows Fashion

We had a very exciting weekend at our furniture and design showroom on La Brea as we proudly hosted the 2011 fall line for LA fashion designer, ANTHONY FRANCO.

Anthony Franco - Fashion Designer,  Craig Olsen & Kendra Kay - Interior Designers

The showroom floor was cleared out to make way for the 400 plus guests and media that attended the event, minus a few fashion forward seating vignettes of course!

The show opened with a stunning Winter White Cashmere Tux.

This chair, an original design of mine was inspired by the classic 40's Klismo's chair and mimics the strength and flow of this pants suit.  

What I love about Anthony Franco's clothing designs is the details and the journey each piece takes you on.  When you see his clothing you know this is somebody who has power, style and confidence.  

When I'm designing a piece of furniture or a complete space I adhere to that very same philosophy...

Anthony Franco gives us something different, exciting and whimsical in every design he creates.  For example the cashmere sweater pants (Tony, send me a pair - size small of course!)

Layers of texture create the room, and create the man.  

Bold style and design in fashion and interiors go hand-in-hand, if you see it on the runway one season, you're sitting on it the next!

Something Strong...

Something Bold...

Something Sexy...

Creates a successful silhouette in interiors and fashion design.  

BRAVO, Anthony Franco!!

To see more press on the show check out the Los Angeles Times blog or google Anthony Franco 2011 Fashion Event.  

Special thanks to Henri Myers from EM Productions and one of my favorite photographers Brian To for photographing the event!

Craig Olsen

130 N La Brea

Los Angeles, CA 90036

323.677.2111

Just Add BABY!

I have designed more bedrooms than I can even remember in a myriad of different styles, but the one room I've always shied away from is the nursery. It's always seemed a challenge to me possibly because of my own fear of children...although I know I'd make a wonderful father:) I love the mommies, but babies have always intimidated me. Lately though it seems one of the biggest requests I'm asked is to design "the nursery." I faced my fears and began exploring BABY-LAND! Special thanks to a few of my VIC's (Very Important Clients) for allowing me to take you inside a couple of Couture Baby Rooms I've had the pleasure of decorating!

Billy's room was decorated around the custom orange area rug. Blues, browns and oranges will take Billy through the first decade of his life and easily transition him to the second!

For example, if Billy were to become a young adult tomorrow you could swap out the crib for a bed, change out the baby accessories and possibly paint the walls a shade of gray. A few small changes and Billy's room screams "Next stop, COLLEGE!"

The same rules apply when putting together a baby girls room, be sure to keep functionality and future in mind! In this room I've achieved a modern princess vibe that's sure to grow with the evolving taste of "The Princess" inhabiting this space:)

For our Princess' room I chose a playful color pallet that will grow with her in the years to come by simply changing the soft pink to fuschia.

I've truly conquered my intimidation of children and am now confident to take on any nursery, possibly even my own one day;)

Stop by and visit my design showroom anytime for ideas to get you and baby started off in style! For other great baby resources check out Bel Bambini and Serena and Lily.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Ray Valdez

Craig Olsen

130 N La Brea Ave

Los Angeles, CA 90036

323.677.2111