Every day the clock turns midnight the world progresses and in a design sense that usually driven by the latest and greatest, more contemporary, more modern.
The Mediterranean Exterior
Today we head to Santa Monica, California to throwback to a more traditional time in interiors and see a Meditteranean transformation by Joani Stewart-Georgi of Montana Ave Interiors.
Joani Stewart-Georgi
With a style that originated in countries north of the Mediterranean Sea (think Spain, Greece and Italy) you may commonly hear this style referred to as Spanish modern. Any way you cut it, the results are more formal and coloring echo the sea and sky. The furnishings are generally short with ornately turned legs and feet; tiles mosaic; walls glazed; hardware heavy and often burnished; and walls are predominantly textured.
The Entry BEFORE
Passionate about a transformation and armed with excitement Joani’s first trip into this mediterranean abode looks promising but inside it was empty, cold and dreary; totally not in line with sunny Los Angeles!
The Family Room BEFORE
Granted, it was uninhabited; a single male has just moved out (go figure). The tour ensued …
The Dining Room BEFORE
Great bones indeed and characteristics in line with mediterranean style, but as she looked at one room after the next a few design challenges became apparent …
The Living Room BEFORE
There were columns everywhere!
Living Room Columns!
As she went from room to room the words “female touch” was the first notation; she did after all have a single female executive as a client!
The Master Bedroom BEFORE
Her client wanted warmth and coziness. A rather large house for one person as it was, the most important thing to her was that the house not overwhelm her. Joani’s mission became to deliver class and elegance, all the while making it casual and comfortable. Like every design project there is always an unforeseen stumbling block come reno time; the biggest one in this house made itself known right away but the solution wasn’t such a piece of cake. Look VERY closely ….
Breakfast Room BEFORE
See it? Ok try again – middle window.
As zoomed in as we can!
Only in LA!! Yes that is a TREE growing THROUGH the window and out the skyligh. Leave it to the ladies to figure out that you can save the tree but amputate the arm that protrudes through your breakfast area (brilliant right?!). With the ironies table holding court and the coordinated window treatments, chair seats and rug the end result was much brighter.
Breakfast Room AFTER (Post Amputation)
The first piece selected for the new look were the painted panels on either side of the fireplace. In a design fluke, Joani discovered them in Rosemary McCafferey Antiques in Santa Monica and went back to the house and measured the space and they were the exact dimensions needed. Clearly meant to be, they purchased them immediately and painted the living room walls to match the background of the panels.
Living Room AFTER (Painted Panels to the Right)
That set the tone for the room. Recall the pillars; they created a natural seating area with beautiful French Doors to the front patio and the stone fireplace as a focal point. There was so much stone in this house, with the pillars, floor and fireplace that softening it was in order. Faux painting and covering the Mimi London sofa’s in chenille then adding Nancy Corzine pillows and Aga John rugs helped to give the space warmth.
Living Dining AFTER
What was Joani’s favorite piece in the house? The Robert Graham sculpture (above) sourced from Carl Schlosberg Fine Art (likewise the rest of the art).
A famed California sculptor, now deceased, Graham’s monumental bronzes commemorate the human figure and are featured in public places across America like Windward Circle in Venice, the bronze doors for Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral and the torso on Rodeo Drive.
Robert Graham Sculpture
The feature that turned out far better than expected were the stained glass windows in the dining room (shown below). They needed the light in the room but had bad neighbors and could see their mess; the stained glass solved that problem and created the idea of a leaf motif in the room.
Dining Room AFTER
There is a hidden door to the basement that Joani didn’t want to see (above left), so it was faux painted it with leaves to camouflage it. The Pindler tapestry fabric on the dining chairs coordinates with the garden feel and stencils of leaves were also painted under the rooms arches.
Fixing up the fireplace area was a challenge. Next to the fireplace on the same wall is a cabinet for the TV and stereo and while the previous male occupant had no problem with it staring him in the face, ladies generally like to hide things – creatively. Joan custom designed the fire screen and kept that same design for doors in front of the equipment, making a perfect and complementary camouflage.
Family Room AFTER
The brick walls of the family room were drywalled over and painted a warmer color; slight off white with a hint of grey. Add in a custom design sectional and tables from Artifacts International and a large custom built armoire that incorporated a large TV, and the room started to come together.
Custom Built TV Cabinet
Across the room a mosaic fireplace like no other created a statement focal piece. Joani choose the tiles herself and the artist who created it broke them to create a one-off design.
Mosaic Fireplace
Just outside the door sits a fabulous outdoor dining alcove with a mirror that Joani designed and had made by Jerry Solomon. The chandeliers hanging overhead were inspired by a trip to New Orleans, where Joani spotted similar which were not only too expensive but too big for the area. She snapped a photo and had the appropriate size built back in California instead!
Mediterranean Outdoor Dining
Back inside, in the alcove an altar and mirror were added with the antique Bhudda showing the way.
Alcove AFTER
As for that drab entry; it was transformed by replacing the inner design of the iron stairway railing, adding a deco table from Tom Corbin and then beautiful art over the staircase.
The Entry AFTER
A truly warm and inviting welcome to this fabulous house indeed. Major shoutout to faux painter Carol Free, Design Assistant Jumi Yang and Contractor Kane Sickner for their contributions.
