Seeing Design Posts

Luxury Hotel design--marina bay sandsThe largest hotel in Singapore opened last week with 2,560 rooms, 50+ dining venues, 800,000 square feet of retail space, but what impresses me most about the Marina Bay Sands? My best friend staffed it. Through many a long-distance phone call over the past seven months, she’s given me a look (in the most professional director-of-HR-kind-of way) into what it takes to build a hotel of this magnitude and I couldn’t be more impressed.

Marina Bay Sands rooftopThe Sands SkyPark®
Designed by architecture firm Moshe Safdie and Associates, the 55-story hotel is comprised of three sweeping towers but what really makes the threesome a knockout is the 133,000 square-foot-rooftop garden that connects them. The lush landscape with its infinity pool, restaurants, bars and observation deck set high above Singapore has got to take your breath away. The SkyPark is slated to open this summer.

Marina Bay Sands' Rise-loungeThe Atrium
Dripping with vines, teeming with trees, and clad with designer seating, the Rise Lounge is one of the central meeting points in the Marina Bay Sands. The space offers a champagne bar, restaurant, and turns into a casual tea room in the afternoon.

Marina Bay Sands Cut restaurant
Wolfgang Puck’s Cut Steakhouse

The Restaurants
This hotel may be halfway around the world but plenty of top chefs were willing to make the trek. Daniel Boulud, Wolfgang Puck, Guy Savoy amongst other culinary greats have opened restaurants on the property. Fancy or casual, French or Indian, the hotel sounds like it has every corner of cuisine covered.

sands-luxury-hotel-designThe Rooms
Executive Director of Interior Design Samantha Drummond created 18 different room types all with either a view of the sea or city skyline. I like that the decoration of the various spaces feels crisp and contemporary without trying too hard.

I cannot wait to visit!

Places

vt-wedding-venue-tentIt’s official. We are having our winter wedding at the Mountaintop Inn! We looked at number of fancy and fabulous places around Vermont but this Chittenden resort just said Mike and Anne. Set on 350 acres of forest overlooking a massive reservoir, this venue feeds our love for the Green Mountains and all the activities they have to offer: snowshoeing, cross country skiing, sledding, lounging by the fireplace, and stargazing from the hot tub.

To us, Vermont is prettiest under a blanket of snow so when it came to choosing our ceremony spot, the mountain-facing patio was the only choice. This outdoor location may sound crazy for a wedding in early March (especially to my Southern Californian family members) but it’s that little bit of insanity mixed with extreme beauty that will make this wedding memorable and uniquely ours.

vt-wedding-venue-cermonyThe Ceremony
This photo was one of the few examples the Mountaintop Inn had of an outdoor winter ceremony (go figure), but seeing these huge smiles set against snow-covered mountains was the only example we needed.

vt-wedding-venue-tent-interiorThe Reception
I’d take a tent over a ballroom any day. Never doubling as a conference room or a tradeshow floor, tents only go up on special occasions. And this one is particularly lovely with its draped-fabric ceilings, arched windows, parquet floors, and winter-ready heat system.

vt-wedding-venue-cabinThe Accommodations
For weddings over 100 people, the entire property automatically closes to the public and becomes reserved for our family and friends.  Guests can choose to stay in one of the quaint rooms at the inn or for something a bit more secluded, they can rent one of the chalet homes. These houses sleep anywhere from 4-18 people so it’s conducive to a couples retreat or a slumber party with old friends.

Next on the wedding to-do list: pick a photographer.

Etc Places

design-schools-umbra-adSo flattered…this week I was apart of the judges panel for the Sixth Annual Umbra/Pratt Design Competition. To enter, these New York design students had to create products in the spirit of the modern home accessories firm that are innovative, useful, and feasible for production. To see the top three designs, you’ll have to wait for the unveiling at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair but to give you a sense of the talent that was in the running, here are my picks for runners-up.

design-school- flat-pack stoolsFlat Pack Stools by Alexis Liu (1st Year Graduate Student)
Efficient shipping is an obvious selling point for these stools but trompe l’oeil foot rungs make these a whimsical option for extra seating.

design-school-zapZap Bookshelf by Jesse Trentadue (1st Year Graduate Student)
Shaped like a lightening bolt, this decorative shelf will make any book collection look super-hero cool. (It would be so adorable in a little boy’s room.)
design-school easy organizerEasy Wall Organizer by Yoon Jung Heo (Senior Undergraduate student)
I’ve always wanted the Vitra Utensilo Wall Organizer but it’s pricey and, frankly, too large for my needs. This student’s design has similar qualities but I love its slim shape and pared-down compartments.

design-schools--Ray tea cup and saucerRay Tea Cup and Saucer by Suzanne Chang (Senior Undergraduate Student)
Solving the little annoyances in life, this saucer was designed in prevention of soggy crumpets! The raised spoke pattern keeps your cookie out of any Earl Grey puddles and brings modern texture to the typically smooth dish.

If you could send one of these designs to the winner’s circle, which would it be?

Etc

bedding-ideas-duvetsIt’s time to pack up your winter bedding and pull out your lightweight set—but you hesitate. Last year’s quilt doesn’t look as inviting anymore (especially with those storage-induced wrinkles). You think, before I swaddle myself in this cotton raisin, maybe I’ll just do a bit of virtual window shopping. You stumble upon BlissLivingHome.com and see a bright blooming chrysanthemum on a lightweight cotton duvet and immediately forget about that crinkled heap on your floor. The credit card starts to creep out of your wallet and before you know it—you have bedding you don’t need, but find you are so much happier. Retail therapy, its a beautiful thing.

Ashley Citron Duvet, $275 (that’s not too bad, right?)

Finds