Jake Sandoval

Though  Jackie Funkhouser and Karen Clothier aren’t desert natives, the two partners of the exciting new Scottsdale Interior Design Group are both
dedicated to illuminating and beautifying their adopted home. We are incredibly
excited to introduce these talented women as the third design team to join us
for the Luxury Designer Showcase. Scottsdale Interior Design Group is a recent partnership, but Funkhouser and Clothier each bring a lifetime of experience to
the table—Funkhouser through her years of providing designers with curated
European antiques, Clothier through the successive remodels of every home she’s
owned. Not to mention, both women are Honors graduates from the American
Institute of Interior Design.

Looking for a unique
statement piece or artisan good to add to your living room? Trying to find the
right creative mind for your next improvement project? Join us at the inaugural
Luxury Designer Showcase and see why Phoenix is one of the most innovative and
diverse design destinations. Experience a stunning showcase of established
talents and rising stars in the world of home design.

We are thrilled to announce  RoomService LLC as the next of our collaborators
for the upcoming Luxury Designer Showcase, an exciting event produced in partnership with Phoenix Home & Garden. The genius behind RoomService comes from a dynastic designing duo: mother-daughter team Mary Ann and Joy Hopkins. With over two decades of
experience between them, the Hopkins women specialize in clean, crisp designs with
a modern flair—perfect for re-imagining an old kitchen or breathing new life
into a tired living space.

Mary Ann earned degrees from the Kansas City Art Institute
before leaving the country to continue studying design in France and to explore
Europe, and her daughter Joy shares her passion for travel, connection, and aesthetics. Together,
these talented professionals strive to create “meaningful dialogue and trust
between the interior designer and client” in order to achieve the perfect
balance between fulfilling the desires of their clientele and executing a
winning vision born from their joint experience. 

 Looking for a unique statement piece or artisan good to add to your living room? Trying to find the right creative mind for your next improvement project? Join us at the inaugural Luxury Designer Showcase and see why Phoenix is one of the most innovative and diverse design destinations. Experience a stunning showcase of established talents and rising stars in the world of home design.

Images source.

In anticipation of our upcoming Luxury Designer Showcase next month we will be shining a light on all of the talented professionals who will be featured at our exciting event—a creative melding of the design, real estate, and art communities, in partnership with Phoenix Home & Garden.

First in line is the brilliant team at 7 Dimensions LLC, helmed by founder Sujaya Reddy. A well-travelled and multi-talented woman, Reddy is also a notable alumna of Mesa Community College. At 7 Dimensions, she strives “to [help] others improve their living spaces to better match their lifestyles, delivering functionality with an unexpected twist.”

 It was precisely this skill for matching luxury and practicality and her eye for reinvention that earned Reddy the prestigious first place Design Excellence Award in the Emerging Professional Category for 2016. In her winning entry, Reddy masterfully reimagined a closed 90s floor plan into a stunning contemporary space which effortlessly flows from one room to another. As her portfolio demonstrates, her use of muted colors and high-quality materials allow for flexibility and adaptability while making an impression all their own. 7 Dimensions’ website proclaims: “We love to mix styles like modern and classic or industrial and glam-chic to give you a design that compliments your lifestyle and interests.”

Looking for a unique statement piece or artisan good to add to your living room? Trying to find the right creative mind for your next improvement project? Join us at the inaugural Luxury Designer Showcase and see why Phoenix is one of the most innovative and diverse design destinations. Experience a stunning showcase of established talents and rising stars in the world of home design.

Quote source. 

With temperatures finally dipping below the 80s, it feels like summer is loosening its hold and the fall is returning at last—and as always, with colder weather, the season of home and home furnishing sales has arrived again.

Events such as the Dallas and High Point Markets are on the horizon, aiming to capitalize on the swell of interest that comes with the final few months of the year. In a recent analysis from High Point Market Authority, it seems that all signs point to the housing market finishing strong in 2017. In the Phoenix area, new home sales rose over 20% this spring—and this boom in realty was seen in more places around the United States than the Valley alone. National Association of Realtor’s chief economist, Lawrence Yun, was quoted in an April report saying,“[H]ome sales are up convincingly from a year ago nationally and in all four major regions despite the fact that buying a home has gotten more expensive over the past year.”

High Point Market indicates that the coming-of-(homeowning)-age of many Millennials may have more than a little to do with the increase in business. “Many millennials are coming from the rental market, and want and need more and nicer furniture for their new homes,” says Ken Smith, Audit Partner with Smith Leonard Accountants and Consultants and publisher of Furniture Insights. These young adults are on the hunt for pieces with individual flair and character; they’re seeking to distinguish themselves and their tastes from the previous generation, as seen in the rise in demand for handmade goods. This—coupled with a financial consciousness born from living through a series of minor depressions and booms—leads them to tend toward thrifting or reclaiming furniture and other accents. Smaller retailers can capitalize on this trend by emphasizing their selection of pieces that cannot be acquired anywhere else and drumming up attention for those pieces in upcoming markets and showcases season.

In his report for High Point Market, Jerry Epperson, industry analyst, predicts a powerful finish in the last few months of the year: “Historically, 55 percent of home furnishings spending takes place in the second half of the year,” said Epperson. “In the last two years, it’s been closer to 57 percent. We’ve taught the American public to wait for big promotions and they’ve come to expect it. There are more holiday sales. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now stealing from October.” In other words, there is no better time than now for home furnishers to advertise their matchless products and selections, and for consumers to take advantage of all the benefits of the busiest shopping season.

Full Report at High Point Market.

Internal image from Bench Accounting via Free Design Resources.

Every city started somewhere—like the classic, quirky song Istanbul goes, “Even old New York was once New Amsterdam”—whether it can trace its ancestry as far back as ancient Londinium or only to the comparative upstarts of our Western homesteads. Historic homes or heritage sites (such as the grand Ellis-Shackelford House, featured previously) are vital parts of the character and soul of our city, and they can provide much-needed oases of quietude in the rush of modern life. However, it can be difficult to find these remnants of older days in the surge of urbanization. It’s even more challenging to ensure that these pieces of history survive for future generations. Turning an antiquated structure designed for family use into a space which can accommodate modern visitors is a beast of a task, as any renovator can tell you. So, what are the main concerns when preserving and/or repurposing a historic building?

Accuracy

Of course, one of the most important things to keep in mind is the value of maintaining the integrity of the building’s origin. With a historic home, this often translates into a significant amount of time and energy spent tracking down and procuring materials or furniture pieces that correctly mirror what the house may have looked like in its original state. The restoration of the Rosson House in Heritage Square is an excellent example; in an interview with Thomas Walsh, late former mayor John Driggs recalls how they removed the old and damaged wallpaper from all of the rooms, saved and sent samples to manufacturers in New York, and then re-papered the walls with exact replicas of the original designs. He went on:

“[I]n almost every case we had to literally duplicate and replicate pieces of hardware, doorknobs, and latches for the screen doors…I did not want to ship it. So I took it all over in a motor home to California to a place where they cleaned up all the hardware and replicated door knobs and everything else we needed.”

The Rosson House took years to restore, but because of the dedication and attention to detail of Driggs and the rest of the team it stands now as a gem of the Queen Anne Victorian style, and consequently one of the most engaging destinations in downtown Phoenix.

Accessibility

Another major consideration is respect for and compliance with modern ADA codes—the history of a city is something which all of her citizens share in and contribute to, so it should be available to all of them alike. One must balance, then, a dedication to accuracy with the necessary alterations and accommodations which make an area a truly public space. A brief released by the Technical Preservation Services (a branch of the National Park Service) lists these as the central priorities of restoration with an eye to accessibility:

• Making the main or a prominent public entrance and primary public spaces accessible, including a path to the entrance;
• Providing access to goods, services, and programs;
• Providing accessible restroom facilities; and,
• Creating access to amenities and secondary spaces.

In our conversation with Missy Shackelford, she mentioned that the attic space of the Ellis-Shackelford House was originally used for parties and receptions; it would have been accurate to restore the room to its former glory and make it a centerpiece of the tour, but it also would have been impossible for visitors in wheelchairs to experience. Instead, they converted the room into a storage space, and it now houses various hardware for modern utilities. Compromises such as these demonstrate that it is possible to retain the feel of the original building while also improving upon its design. In this day and age, one should not have to suffer historic inequalities in order to appreciate and learn from a historic space.

Appeal

One must keep in mind, however, that all the historical accuracy and physical accessibility in the world won’t matter unless people want to come. The space must be appealing.

Catering to the need for a pleasing aesthetic for contemporary visitors may mean you have to sacrifice a little in both of the previous respects, but it also allows room for creative interpretation. In the official informational video on the Petersen House in Tempe, it is noted that the house had two major periods of habitation, in the late 1800s and the 1930s. Thus, when converting it into a museum the restoration team made the choice to exhibit both styles of interior design, one on each floor of the house.

The emphasis on the appeal of a historic building can become even more prominent when engaging in adaptive reuse as opposed to restoration. The rehabilitation of the old DeSoto dealership building, now home to the DeSoto Central Market, is a prime example of this. Owner Ken Cook and manager Shawn Connelly both wanted to honor its roots and capitalize on the vintage aesthetic, while also making it new and exciting. They focused on exposing and preserving the original brick walls and creating a floor plan which would make good use of the huge open space without taking too much of it away.

The vintage craze may have its downfalls—cheesy, mass-produced facsimiles of retro features being one of them—but it has done the service of encouraging a much-needed revival of popular interest in our precious historic spaces. Whether it comes in the form of restoration of re-purposing, it is vital that we, as a community, take advantage of this interest and continue to shine a light on our past.

In celebration of the start of autumn and a new issue release, Luxe Magazine and Expressions Home Gallery come together to put on a smashing success of a night.

As you cross the threshold, the first thing to greet your eyes are the stacks of the latest issue of Luxe Interiors + Design—full of the latest trends and news of the design world—and the smiling server carrying a welcome tray of champagne. Moving forward, the gallery unfolding before you, along the left-hand side there appears a feast of small delights prepared in live demonstrations, the sizzle of cooking breathing life into the typically dormant and cold display kitchens. Beyond that, sleek modern designs glint alongside colonial flourishes in rows of stoves and sinks one after the other, a luxuriant excess of choice. Everything glows with promise and potential.

This night, however, is more than just a mixer—it is a celebration of the turning seasons, of diving headfirst into September, that month of too-early Halloween décor, store mannequins swaddled in sweaters, and an inexplicable urge to listen to more folk music. More importantly, fall is the season when holidays abound, houses are on the market, and social and promotional events of all kinds are in full swing. If there is any time of year when the organization and presentation of one’s home is on the mind, it is now. What better way to remind clients of the unmatched appeal and comfort of a well-furbished space than to invite them to mingle in the smorgasbord of high-quality appliances at the Expressions Home Gallery?

Industry professionals, media partners, and community members alike mingled throughout the expansive gallery, conversations shifting from the latest design trends and events—such as lost month’s ASID Design Excellence Gala—to the culinary offerings of that night. The consensus appeared to be that the Asian-inspired noodle salad and lettuce wraps were the most delicious, followed close behind by the melt-in-your-mouth, chocolate Kohler turtles and terrapins.

With thanks to Luxe and publisher Adrienne Honig, home improvement gifts such as a state-of-the-art robot floor vacuum and an Amazon Echo Dot (snagged by none other than our very own Susan Solliday!) were given out in a business-card drawing as the evening came to a close. The night ended on a note of joy and plenty—even those who failed to leave with a prize went home full of good food and drink and warmed by pleasant company. The Launch Into Fall event was a success in every dimension, sparking the seasonal urge to host and to gather, to redecorate and renew, and, as the outside world gradually shifts into dormancy, to appreciate the beauty of a vibrant interior.

It seems the buzz word of 2017 has been “design innovation.” We hear it in technology, business, research, as well as in interior design. Is design innovation just another fleeting trend or hashtag? With many design-led companies like Apple, Airbnb, and Pinterest seeing remarkable success rates, innovation from the user’s experience seems to be the big pay-off.

Client after client design mavens are tasked with achieving the space the client dreams of, within the allotted space of the project, and at a price they want to spend. A recipe requiring an artful blend of strategy, principals, and of course, design innovation. Being so uniquely called upon to consistently create bespoke interiors, we asked Sujaya Reddy, Allied ASID, 7 Dimensions, identified as an up and coming designer to watch here in the Valley. Sujaya not only brings her design innovation to the table, but she also brings a unique viewpoint. Before interior design became her passion, Sujaya had a career as a Software Information Technology Professional, another creative field well-known for innovation. Let’s see what she has to say about design innovation and how she uses technology to her advantage.

Sujaya Reddy (left)

How do you create a strategy for guaranteeing that design innovation and creativity flourish in your firm?

Creativity is thinking outside the box, to solve problems, that automatically gives rise to innovation. I always like to come up with something new, that has never been tried. If a client gives me the opportunity, then I usually take my innovation all the way in my projects. I must admit, a lot of times, clients are wary about what they have never seen. With today’s 3D tools, it makes it possible for a designer to show what is in their head in a picture, that may lead to client’s buy-in to a new idea or design. Using tools from simple PowerPoint to sophisticated 3D Software like Revit, help me get my ideas across to be both innovative and creative.

Where do you find the greatest opportunity to transform and disrupt how you use space?

I look at walls as my greatest opportunity to transform a space. Sometimes, the wall becomes my canvas, whether it is in 3D tiles, paint, wallpaper, large-scale art, trim work, and all forms of wall decor that can cohesively form the statement piece that keeps people looking at the wall. Sometimes, I simply remove the walls to open it up visually stunning spaces, like kitchens with large islands, with interesting backsplashes, or large-scale lighting that capture one’s attention.

Beyond innovating for limited spaces, designers look to the physiological relationship between people and how they relate to space. How do you go about redefining the form, function, and feel of a room to accommodate for psychological well-being?

To me, any space should have both form and function. For example, a bedroom should have a bed to function as a sleeping space, and the walls are the form that protects you. The feel of the space becomes the most important aspect that ties both form and function to make one enjoy the space. The feeling can be in bedding, soothing colors, rustic touches, a plant, or even a book by the bed. I strive for a clean minimalist look and prefer not to accessorize too much. Simple meaningful touches are just as important to everyday life, looking at a bedside candle can bring back nice memories or a smile, looking at a painting, can transport you to another place.

Thank you Sujaya!

The world of art is so often glamourized and mysticized by entertainment and media—full of heists, tragedy, intrigue, forgery, and high stakes gambles.But the truth is that fine art, like any creative product, is made to be experienced and appreciated, and it’s important that we continue to engage with all the arts if we hope to see them survive. On a more practical note, however, if you do your research and choose well, art can have the compound benefit of accumulating value over time, doing double duty as both a stunning addition to your home and a smart money investment. But where to start? The sheer volume and variety of the art market can be intimidating to someone with little to no prior knowledge or experience, and that alone can be enough to dissuade many from getting their feet wet.

To help us gain some insight into this industry, we have a conversation with someone who was a beginner herself when she first became involved: Gillian Blitch.

Could you give us a quick overview of what you do, in your own words?

I’m an Art & Business Consultant, specializing in collection management (which covers, for example, acquisitions, sales, curatorial services, art market research, financial records and reporting) and largely focused on Fine Art of the American West.

How would an outsider go about getting involved in investing art and the art world?

Start with thinking about what you like! Visit local museums, move on to local galleries. When you see something you like, find out about the artist and how this artwork might be classified: is it Modern? Representational? Abstract? Find some more examples of the artist’s work, and look for examples by other artists who fit that definition or “school.” There are amazing on-line resources in the art world today, allowing you to explore exhibitions all over the world, and most galleries now have a virtual presence in addition to retail space. A growing number are only virtual galleries, and all the major auction houses (Sotheby’s, Christies, Bonham’s) and many local auctions can be accessed on-line too. Make friends with the gallery staff whether you’re in person or on-line; don’t be afraid to ask questions! They are there to help and happy to provide background on an artist, their market prices, and what that artwork might represent. The more expensive the artwork, like any other investment, the more important it becomes to understand how it relates to the market for that artist’s work (Picasso produced pencil drawings, sketches on paper, ceramic items as well as magnificent oil paintings!) and where it falls in the scope of the artist’s career. There are usually options for many budget levels, starting with prints, more valuable if they are one of a limited edition (say, only 200 were ever produced), and/or signed by the artist, other works on paper, working up to paintings.

For an example case, let’s take a look at Ed Mell, an active, living artist. His work appears in museum collections as well as high-profile private collections, so the market for his work is well-established at the very least. Works can be bought directly through galleries that represent the artist, but you can also find them on the “secondary market”—at auction or from galleries that don’t necessarily have a contractual relationship with him. For instance, the gallery that Gillian directs, Mitchell Brown Fine Art, has several of his paintings right now.

ED MELL, Lifting Clouds (2013) and Canted Storm (2013)

Mell’s works—as with many contemporary artists—can also be found in a variety of mediums and sizes, including limited edition lithographs (prints) as well as both small and large-scale oil paintings; the range means that you can be sure to find one that suits both your taste and your budget.

Of course, despite the accessibility of the contemporary art world, choosing art as more than just objects of beauty and decoration can be a complicated process. As Diana Britton says in her piece exploring the issue, “Not only that, often what makes one piece any more “valuable” than another is up to subjective judgement and changing tastes—so, why take the risk? In an article for her clients at Mitchell Brown, Gillian writes: “[A]rt has proven over the generations to be a tangible object which can offer many people more peace-of-mind than securities, stocks and bonds. If the stock market fails, the money may be lost forever, but even though a painting may diminish in value, unless it is physically destroyed, it is probable the value will eventually go back up given a long-enough time frame. An engaging work can provide its owner with a lifetime of visual pleasure.” You can own one piece for years and still discover something new every time you look at it—that is something that can’t be priced, something that can be passed to your children, and their children after them.

Her article closes with a quote from Warren Buffet himself to keep in mind:

• Specialize. Define your circle of competence and collect inside it.

• Buy the very best piece(s) you can. It’s better to buy a great piece at a fair price than a fair piece at a great price.

• Work only with dealers you like and trust.

A good, trustworthy dealer or consultant can be as priceless as the work they curate, when it comes to navigating the art world. Especially if you’re only getting started, it’s important to have research and experience behind any decisions or commitments you make; while you can do some of the legwork on your own, it helps to have someone in your network who can guide you through the process.

So, ready to jump in?

What are some good resources for people looking to become more familiar with prices, value, quality, etc.?

Many gallery websites will provide biographies of an artist whose work they carry. ArtNet is a great resource for many aspects of the global art world, and AskArt is another, more focused on American Art. Auction prices are usually only available with a subscription, but all the more reason to communicate with a gallerist or art advisor who will gladly provide background information. Artsy is a great resource for beginning art collectors and education. Most importantly, again, find a gallerist/advisor you like and trust, explore likes, dislikes, size, budget. Buying art is an emotional investment before it is a financial investment!

You can follow Gillian at @mitchellbrownfineart on Instagram, or look through the art she works with at www.mitchellbrownfineart.com.

You can find the work of Ed Mell directly at www.edmellgallery.com.

Featured header image Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington.