This hotel is just what I would conjure up as a chic, classically Parisian retreat. The Left Bank hotel exudes Old World charm with a sophisticated Parisian twist. It’s seen many celebrities and dignitaries walk through its doors, including Salvador Dali, Princess Grace and Elizabeth Taylor. Oscar Wilde even took up residence there when he claimed to be “living above his means.”

The hotel was lavishly renovated by French designer Jacques Garcia who won many awards for his work on the project. Mr. Garcia is also responsible for renovating other venerable French hotels, such as the Costes Hotel and the Hôtel Fouquet’s Barrière. These are some of the gorgeous scenes from L’Hotel . . .

A charming entrance to a decidedly grand hotel.

This is what I would call the wow factor!

Lush color and rich textures abound in the bar.

Which bedroom would you choose?

The private pool and steam room are available to hotel guests.

I can easily see myself enjoying my morning coffee on the deck.

Have you been to L’Hotel? I would love to hear about your experience. Please leave a comment or send me a tweet.

Patti Austin

Grammy winner Patti Austin and the Poggenpohl Boston Kitchen Design Studio will be hosting an evening of cooking in support of the Over My Shoulder Foundation on Tuesday, June 19, 2012.

Patti Austin loves to cook almost as much as she likes to sing and entertain, so it’s only fitting that she will be working with Poggenpohl’s showroom chef Kurt von Kahle to whip up some delicacies for the evening. While Patti may not be singing, she will certainly be entertaining the crowd!

The Foundation’s goal is to raise awareness of the impact of mentoring both cross-culturally and cross-generationally. Patti Austin was profoundly influenced by mentors throughout her life, and now she mentors young, talented artists in return.

As an active supporter of the Over My Shoulder Foundation, I am happy to be offering two pairs of VIP tickets to this June 19 fundraiser. All you have to do is visit the Leslie Fine Interiors Facebook page to enter.  Contest winners will be able to enjoy the cooking demonstration seated right at the island while interacting with Patti and Kurt. It’s sure to be a wonderful evening. The Poggenpohl showroom is nestled in the heart of Boston’s Back Bay at Poggenpohl’s Boston Kitchen Design Studio, located at 135 Newbury Street, Boston, MA.

Leslie Fine Interiors will be donating to the Over My Shoulder Foundation for every Facebook “Like” we get during the contest time frame, so you have extra incentive to join the fan page and keep up to date on the latest in the New England interior design scene! Please visit the Leslie Fine Interiors Facebook page for details.

This is a clever use of the normally wasted space under the stairs.

Funk Design via Attic Mag

This doggy nook looks like it was fashioned out of an existing closet.

Via Absolutely Beautiful Things

It’s not easy to find space for three dogs, but this mudroom accommodates them beautifully. The design is especially practical since it doesn’t have to be exclusively for dogs. Thenooks could easily house boots or backpacks as well.

Blueprint Bliss

Dogs love to be near their owners, and this charming nook allows dogs to see all the action in the kitchen without being underfoot.

Via Pinterest

This photo demonstrates how easy it can be to create built-in dog beds with simple base cabinets – a good idea for retrofitting cabinetry you already have. All you need to do is remove a cabinet door and paint the interior if it’s unfinished.

Attic Mag

Are you looking to design a home for both you and your pets? Please give me a call at 617-236-2286 to schedule a consultation or click here to send an email.

A bathroom renovation is a big undertaking. Take the stress out of the process by hiring the right people and carefully thinking about your needs and goals for the project. Here are a few things to consider before you take the plunge and renovate a bathroom:

• Who will be using the bathroom on a regular basis? A bathroom designed for three children will need to function differently than one designed for a couple. Who will be using this bathroom and when? For example, do you really need double sinks, or is the bathroom only being used by one person at a time? Functionality will dictate the bathroom’s layout, so take time to consider how you really use the space.

• Are you a bath or shower person? I love my evening soak, but many people never use their bathtub. If you don’t think the tub will get much use and you’re tight on space, why not just indulge in a large shower?  A bathroom renovation often requires making choices.

• What is the look/feel you’re going for? Do your research by combing through magazines, books and blogs so you clearly define the look you want to create. Do you want your bathroom to feel like a spa or an old-world men’s club? If you have a clear vision, it will be much easier to select the different components of the bathroom.

• Finally, what is your budget? Bathroom renovations tend to be costly because they’re labor-intensive and utilize many different trades. Many selections need to be made – tile, stone, plumbing fixtures and lighting – so it is important to have a good sense of your budget so that you chose wisely.

Leslie Fine Interiors, Inc.

 

 

Leslie Fine Interiors, Inc.

 

 

Leslie Fine Interiors, Inc.

Leslie Fine Interiors has extensive experience in bathroom design and remodeling. Our construction phase design process guides you through every aspect of your renovation, from hiring a builder to adding the final decorative touches to the bathroom. Please give us a call at 617-236-2286 to schedule a consultation, or you can send us an email.

The bench is made of 100% teak with stainless steel accents, both of which are durable materials in a bathroom. Teak, traditionally used for outdoor furniture and boat trim, is perfect for standing up to the moisture and humidity of a shower or bath environment.

It’s nice to be able to incorporate furnishings in your bathroom if you have the space. I often see homeowners who focus on the basics of a bathroom—such as plumbing fixtures, tiles and lighting—and then consider their work done. However, adding finishing touches like this is important in making the space more comfortable and giving it added personality.

This bench can also be used outdoors, making it a great option for an outdoor shower. The stool can be moved around easily, so you could use it for storing your towel and toiletries while you bathe, or move it close to the water stream if you want a place to rest your leg when shaving. Versatility, function and style—what more could you want from a bench?

Throughout all of the years that I’ve been involved in the interior design field, I’ve always been hesitant to pay much attention to trends – what’s “in” and what’s “out”, what colors are popular and which patterns and materials are in vogue.

In lieu of these concerns, I feel that you should make choices and surround yourself in your home with colors, patterns and objects that make you feel good, bring you comfort and that you find beautiful.

The late design icon Albert Hadley said it well:

“Decoration is really about creating a quality of life, and a beauty in that life that nourishes the soul, that makes life beautiful. That’s what all this is about, not just what’s in and what’s out.”

When I meet with new clients, my number one goal is to ascertain what they LOVE to surround themselves with – what colors appeal to them, what patterns they are drawn to and what items they want in their home to create an oasis from the world. During these discussions, I never talk about what’s “in” and what’s “trendy” – those words are not in my design vocabulary.

If you want to create an environment that is uniquely you, please call me at 617-236-2286.

The debut of #DesignBizChat in March was a huge success with 93 participants and a lively and informative discussion on “Qualifying a Potential Client.”

The next #DesignBizChat is scheduled for Wednesday, April 11th at 10:00 am ET.

The topic of April 11th’s Twitter chat, the most requested based on a survey taken by participants, is:

“Marketing and Promoting Your Business.”

For those of you who have not participated in a Twitter chat, here are the basics:

• A monthly chat to discuss different aspects of running a successful design business.

•  The chat is open to all interior designers, architects, vendors, manufacturers and anyone in the residential design industry.

•  The chat will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 10 a.m. ET.

•  Use the Twitter hashtag: #DesignBizChat

I was asked by the M-Geough showroom in the Boston Design Center to do a presentation to other designers called, “Using Social Media to Grow Your Design Business,” and I was so happy to participate! Yesterday morning, about a dozen of my colleagues attended, and it was quite a successful event based on the enthusiasm of the participants!

Thank you to Jody Seivert who, soon after the presentation, put up a lovely post on her blog about the event – click here to read it.

I’m passionate about interior design, but I am equally as passionate about learning about and implementing ways to grow my design business. Social media has given me so many tools to communicate and interact with others. It’s very exciting, and I love speaking about it!

If you are interested in having me speak on this subject to your group or on a one-on-one basis, please contact me at 617-236-2286 or via email at lesliefine@lesliefineinteriors.com.

Photo via East Bay Homework Blog

You’ve decided to take the plunge and finally get some expert advice on renovating and decorating your home. (See my previous post on Five Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer.) You’ve selected the interior designer who will be creating and executing your design. So what now?

If you want to get the most out of the design process and create a home that truly reflects your style and meets your goals, you need to do your homework.

Here are my tips for prepping for your first design consultation:

Observe

Look at other people’s homes with a critical eye and an open mind. Love a friend’s home? Take note of why that house speaks to you. Is it the color, architectural details or the style of decorating? Is layered and cozy your style? Or, do you prefer a clean and streamlined look? Sometimes it’s hard to really know why a home “feels right” to you, but if you take a scholarly approach, you should be able to hone in on what works for you and what doesn’t.

Research, Research, Research

• Start a notebook and create a computer file of all your design ideas.
• Collect pages from magazines of rooms you love.
• Flag pages of a book with great ideas.
• Take photographs of places that interest you.
• Take advantage of online resources such as Pinterest, blogs and Houzz and start a digital file of favorite spaces.

Revisit Your Budget

Take a long, hard look at your budget and know what you realistically can and want to spend. Large or small, every project has a budget. Your interior designer will help you to ascertain whether your budget and expectations for the project are compatible.

I would love to talk to you about your next design project. Please contact me via email or give my Boston office a call at 617-236-2286 to schedule a consultation.

#DESIGNBIZCHAT

The first #DesignBizChat took place last Wednesday (March 7th) at 10:00 am ET, and it was a huge success! There was a fabulous turnout – 93 participants – and the conversation was lively, informative and entertaining!  Click here to see the transcript.

For those of you who are just tuning in, you might ask, “What is #DesignBizChat??”

 #DesignBizChat is a monthly chat on Twitter (2nd Wednesday of each month at 10 am ET). The chat is not about design but about the design business. Each month we will discuss different topics pertaining to running a successful interior design business. We welcome participants from all areas of design – designers, architects, builders, vendors, manufacturers, etc. Not only is #DesignBizChat a great place to learn and share, but it is also a great place to network!

What is a Twitter chat?

A Twitter chat is a conversation that occurs on Twitter at a designated time. In order for each tweet to be followed by the others in the conversation, a hashtag (ie, #DesignBizChat) must be used within each tweet. There are several platforms that can be used to make it easier to follow a Twitter chat; my preference is TweetDeck (www.tweetdeck.com), but maybe it’s just because it’s what I’ve gotten used to. There are other platforms available (ie, TweetChat).

For those of you who participated in the first #DesignBizChat AND for those of you who did not but are interested in future chats, I encourage you to take this very short survey about topics that are of interest to you:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DJVTZQT

The next #DesignBizChat is on Wednesday, April 11th at 10:00 am ET.  The topic will be announced as the date nears. If you have any questions about #DesignBizChat, how to participate or any other inquires, please send me an email, a tweet, a DM or whatever!!

Hope to tweet with you then!!