Good Shepherd Charity Design Project Wrap Up

Thats a wrap!

Thanks to everyone for all of their help. The Good Shepherd Charity Design project was something amazing to do, and I’m so happy and thankful to be involved. Thanks to Vanessa De Vargas and Vanessa Kogevinas for putting everything together.

That’s Janice, the resident of our room. She’s an incredibly sweet woman, and was so thankful and proud to be living in what she called her “princesses room”. We’re glad she loves it!

We want to give a special thanks to all of our favorite vendors who helped us out along the way:

Jonathan Adler

Vivre Luxe

Freyda Miller

Wilton and Cordeaux

Universal Art Gallery

Here are some quick snapshots of our room. We’ll post the rest soon!

 Shooting our room!

 The photographer had to get into a tricky space under the sink to get a perfect shot.

We can’t wait to show you all of the final press photos from the photo shoot. As soon as we get them we’ll be sure you see them first!

Thanks again!

Xo

Jen

You’re Invited!

I’d love to invite all of my friends and readers to The Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children on Saturday and Sunday, July 23rd and 24th for the viewing of the Good Shepherd Charity Design Project. You’ll get to see the rooms that myself and 29 other fabulous interior designers designed for the homeless women and children at the shelter. Take a look at the invite below and let me know in a comment if you’ll be attending!

Hope to see you there!

xo

Jen

Good Shepherd Charity Design Project Interview

Hi everyone!

You can see our interview and learn more about the Good Shepherd Charity Design Project on the official blog. Just click HERE to go to the page!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend!

Xo

Jen

Good Shepherd Design Project Update!

Hi everyone! Thanks for ALL of your support with the Good Shepherd Charity Design Project. I’d especially like to thank the following people for helping to make this happen:

Sam & Arleen Bachner

Laurie Cole

Bob & Reggie Fisher

Tracy Forester

David & Deborah Fried

Dana Gluckstein

Marvin & Anette Levine

Jennifer Maclaughlin

Steve Mackall Family

David Mark

Nina  Quaranta

Rick & Dana Rivera

Wendy Snyder

Gil Tepper

Debbie Nathan

Mike, Laurie & Natasha Nathan

Barry & Ellie Weinstock

Debbie Wisse

We’d like to give you a little insight about the center and show you some “before” pictures of the room. This room in Historic Filipinotown is the room a homeless woman will be spending most of her time while she’s trying to get back on her feet. Its here that she’ll regain the strength she needs to make it back into the world. I want to make this room a home.

As you can see, this small room needs a lot of help. With inspiration taken from the views of Downtown and the East Hills, we are creating a safe haven for a woman that needs our help.

We had a small get together at my families house to benefit the project on June 2. Check out two videos below! You’ll hear speeches made by myself and Heidi Bendetson (a friend and another designer in the project) and hear my daughter Bella sing.

You can check out pictures of our progress at the Chic Living LA Facebook Page! We’re looking forward to showing you the completed project towards the end of July.

Keep checking back for updates, and thanks for being a part of this project!

Xo

-Jen

Check Us Out in Ivy & Piper Online Magazine!

We’re delighted to be featured in the latest issue of Ivy & Piper Online Magazine. It’s one of our favorites, and we’re happy to share it with you!

Our home feature starts on page 115. Check it out here!

xo

-Jen

Chic Living LA Teams Up with the Good Shepherd Charity Design Project

I am pleased to announce my newest collaboration with the Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children Design Project! The Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women and Children is a fantastic new women’s housing facility located in Los Angeles that helps women and children of all ages get back on their feet. 26 interior designers will participate in this new project which will run for three months until the end of July. Each room will be decorated using the finest furnishings for each resident of the Good Shepherd Center.

The project is pro-bono, and as such, we are asking for all types of donations. Gift cards (Pier 1, Target, Crate and Barrel, etc), small monetary donations of $20-$50, and any furniture in good condition would be greatly appreciated. All donations are tax deductible and a receipt will be provided.

Furniture items, new or vintage, must be in good condition and free of stains or damage. Please feel free to contact me if you can donate the following:

- Twin headboards
- Desk charis
- Bed side tables
- Table lamps
- Sheet sets
- Blankets
- Duvets
- Decorative pillows
- Artwork (large or small)
- Large coffee table
- Books
- Wallpaper rolls (even small remnants can be framed)
- Paint or paint supplies

If you would like to donate a piece of furniture, home decor item, or money/gift cards for my project, please e-mail me at jen@chiclivingLA.com to make arrangements for pickup and delivery.

We’ve also put lots of our merchandise up for sale in our Chic Living LA eBay store. All items are 50% off CLLA Store prices, and proceeds go to this great cause.

Thanks in advance for all of your support. Feel free to forward this link to your friends! Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Make sure to check back here for updates and sneak peaks. We look forward to showing you our process along the way!

xo

-Jen

LA Living – The Bohemian Style of VENICE – Part II

Welcome back! Today we’ll finish up Part 2 of our “Living in LA: VENICE” segment. We went over interior design last week, but this week we want to do something a little different.

As you know, I’m not only an interior designer but also a stylist. Fashion is one of my favorite things, and I’m always looking (and shopping) for the newest styles. We’ve found BoHo to be very in style in the neighborhood of Venice!

One of our favorite BoHo beauties is Sienna Miller. She knows exactly how to mix and match different styles for a very Bohemian look.

Here are some of our favorite Spring Picks for BoHo Spring 2011! Don’t forget, you can shop online for the picks at www.chiclivingLA.com!

This Temperley London dress is a great day OR night dress. It’s flowy and comfortable, but not too casual to wear out to dinner at your favorite Beverly Hills restaurant. Make sure to accessorize with lots of golden jewelry, and a great bag to fit the day or the event.

This gorgeous bag will really class up and simplify any BoHo outfit. At night, however, we’d go with this JJ Winters clutch in the green OR the orange color (one of our customers just said this would be a summer staple!) All bags are available through Chic Living LA!

For other options in bags, we LOVE (and carry in the Chic Living LA Shop) J.J. Winters fringe bags! Check out Kate Hudson above with one of the Fringe choices.

These bags are a celebrity favorite, and have been seen on celebs like Vanessa Hudgens as well as Nicole Richie, and Adriana Lima just to name a few.

Our good friend Whitney Chase designs the most gorgeous jewelry. We love the versatility of her bracelets. They really can go with anything, and they’re great for mixing and matching with other pieces. Mix and match or pile em’ on, you really can’t go wrong here!

And speaking of friends, another friend of ours Leah Antoinio-Ketcham just launched KrkT, a GORGEOUS line that really puts the funk back into chic style. We’re in love with their bags and dresses. Take a look below!

And just for a fun little extra… check out this gorgeous sundress below and matching JJ Winters Yellow Croco Clutch to match!

So that’s our BoHo wrap up! Comfortable, yet fashionable is what BoHo is all about. Leave us a comment and let us know what you thought and what your favorite BoHo items are. We’re always looking for more, and we just might feature you in our next blog! If you want to check out the shop, just click here or e-mail me at Jen@ChicLivingLA.com.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our first “Living in LA” segment, and make sure you check back for more!

-Jenifer and Chic Living LA.

LA Living – The Bohemian Style of VENICE – Part 1

Welcome back to Chic Living LA! We’re glad you’ve come back for our second post.

Today starts the start of a new series of posts we’re starting. Los Angeles is a diverse place. It’s often been called the melting pot of America, and Frank Lloyd Wright (architect) once said, “Tip the world over on it’s side and everything loose will land in Los Angeles.” That is so, so true. Any kind of person could find a home in one of LA’s many different neighborhoods, and these neighborhoods are what we want to showcase. “Living LA” will take each neighborhood and show you their personality through interior design and fashion. What better way to get to know a personality through their surroundings?

This week, we’ve decided to focus on the incredible style of Venice. Known for it’s boho-chic style, Venice is a gorgeous beach neighborhood just south of Santa Monica. The neighborhood is home to famed Abbot Kinney road, where you can find vintage stores and designer showrooms alike.

We’ve always been a huge fan of rockstar Lindsay Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) and his wife Kristen. You already know that their home is going to be a little edgy! Their home’s spread in the March 2009 issue of Elle Decor had us spinning! They really know how to make a home unique, but still keep the chic-ness in check. Take a look at their gorgeous living room, and let’s dissect!

Bohemian style is all about mixing and matching different pieces. Between the eclectic collection of art on the back wall to the custom designed Ikat patterned couch (and don’t forget that gorgeous Victorian chandelier and mirror!) their house is the perfect mix.

The custom made couch is a great piece. One would think that the pattern would be too loud and almost take over the room, but with all of the other aesthetics its really great. In fact, we might tone down the pattern a little bit to look something like the couch we’ve posted above, or even take it down a little more with this gorgeous pattern:

We love the light red color, and something more simple, like this, would make the couch pop a little more in the room.

The wooden two-toned cocktail table is great, but we think BoHo is all about making things different. This specific coffee table is great! It still has the distressed looking top, but the iron on the bottom makes a little more edgy. Instead of having two tables (as seen in the photos above), we’d stick with just one interesting piece.

As for a flower piece, we’d go with these great vases and dramatic flower arrangements. The vases really speak for themselves, and you can get an assortment of colors and put them all around the living space.

We’re loving the use of bright and bold lamps this Spring, and this lamp is one of our favorites. This gorgeous blue color and interesting patterned shade would be a great addition to the room.

While on the hunt for the perfect Victorian style mirror, we came across this beauty. It’s inspired by a French antique piece, and we can’t get over the beautiful Abalone shell overlay on the serpentine mirror. It’s definitely a conversation starter, and a unique piece goes great in any BoHo style room.

The chandelier piece is an essential part to this room. A chandelier alone can make or break a room, so it’s important to choose a great one. We were inspired by the shades over the lights in the main picture and came across this. The beads and beaded chains are all made out of wood and create a lovely silhouette.

As you can see, Venice is all about a unique mix-and-match sort of style. By bringing unique products and patterns together, you can create a beautiful and comfortable home.

Check back next week for Part 2 when we dive into the fashion of Venice. We’ll take looks and show you how to recreate the perfect BoHo style. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Also, congratulations to Freyda Miller! We picked your name out of our large, beachy hat to win our Ikat pillows. Be expecting an e-mail soon so we can get them to you!

Thanks for reading. Leave a comment and let us know what you think! And as always, if you’re interested in any of the pieces we’ve highlighted above, just contact Jenifer at jen@chiclivingLA.com!

- Jenifer and Chic Living LA

Spring into Spring! (And a Warm Welcome from Chic Living LA)

Welcome to the newly renovated Chic Living LA! Here you’ll find the latest in all things design, fashion, and all that Chic Los Angeles has to offer. I’m Jenifer Porter, interior designer and style enthusiast. I’ve spent years studying design and fashion, and it’s from my passion and expertise that this blog comes from. As an LA native, I know tons about everything about West Coast style and design, and here in LA there’s a lot of ways to do it. From the beaches of Malibu to the glitz of Beverly Hills to the hip and fresh Los Feliz, I’ve learned about not only the amazing people of this city, but the very different styles and design that they all love. I’m here to give YOU the scoop on Chic Living in LA, and I hope you’ll enjoy the stay.

Incase you’re new to us, Chic Living LA is a full service design firm. We specialize in interior design and fashion styling, among other things. Here are just a few of the many services we offer:

1) Interior Design – We offer 3 different packages for interior design, ranging from a simply done “Inspiration Board” for you to start from, to color consultations, to complete redesign of your home. If you’re living a little too far away from Los Angeles, we can still help you out. Chic Living LA offers all of these services online!

2) Event Planning – Whether you’re planning your wedding or your child’s fifth birthday, Chic Living LA is here to help you plan the perfect event! We offer you a design session if you’re feeling like you just don’t know where to start. If you’ve already got a great idea but aren’t sure of the details, we can help you out there too. The little details are our specialty!

3) Personal Styling – We LOVE fashion at Chic Living LA, so it’s no question that we offer a styling service. If you’re looking for that perfect dress for an event or some great jewelry for a vacation in Europe, we’ve got all the right knowledge to get you exactly what you’re looking for.

To get more detailed information about the services we offer, just click “Services” at the top of this page.

Now lets get to the good stuff! To start things off, I’d like to show you a room I’ve been loving since I first saw it. I love the gorgeous Ikat detailing, and the overall feel is so warm. Moroccan styling is HUGE this season!

So how do you get this perfect entryway? Lets dissect!

Lets start with the gorgeous bench. We found this one and just about died! We love the back detail, and the the height of the bench makes it feel a little more dramatic. It’s really a great piece.

This Ikat pillow is a great one for the cushion. The brown, red, green, and yellow colors mesh so well together, and it fits perfectly with the next two.

We loved the black and walnut color Ikat, and the circular patterns of the second pillow offset the intensity of the more complicated patterns of the other two.

It’s nice to have a simple, sleek table lamp with all of the complicated Ikat’s. It’s just what this room needed!

We liked the antique looking wood piece, but felt a mirror might bring more life into the room. We chose a wonderful shell patterned mirror. The colors are great and it goes perfect with the pillows.

If you look towards the top of the original photo, you’ll a great item for the season – the lantern chandelier! These go great in entryways and, again, it’s the simplicity of this specific one we love.

When you’re designing a Moroccan themed room, it’s important to let the patterns speak for themselves and stick to less complicated furniture and lighting. The beautiful Ikat’s make everything in this room!

And there you have it! A complete room dissection by Chic Living LA. And here’s a special surprise: We’re giving one of our readers a chance to win some of our favorite Ikat pillows! Designed by yours truly, these pillows are complete Ikat perfection. Just leave a comment below and a winner will be selected at random!

Thanks for reading, and make sure to tell us what you think of our pick. Come back soon for a special “Living in LA” segment – designs by neighborhood!

-Jenifer and Chic Living LA

PS: If you’re interested in a Moroccan styled room or want information about the products we’ve selected, contact me at jen@chiclivingLA.com.