The World’s Best Interior Design Job
I have to admit, my favorite project is always the last one completed! But our latest project is very special for SO many reasons.
We first met Amy and Pat in 2008 when they contacted us to design and help them remodel their condominium in Regency Towers. Their primary residence is in Texas and has a very Tuscan/traditional style, so for their “Las Vegas Getaway” condo, they asked for a “sexy James Bond Look!” The original condition of the condo was HORRIFIC with pink and yellow draperies and gold foil wallpaper! I have rarely seen an uglier “before” opportunity – so turning this into a James Bond getaway (or anything that could be described as “sexy”) was going to be a MAJOR transformation!
Except for one Peter Max painting that they wanted featured, we had total say in the furniture and finishes. On top of that, Amy and Pat are tons of fun to be with, and we became great friends along the way… In short: a designer’s dream!!!
Fast-Forward 5 Years….
Someone made Amy and Pat an offer they couldn’t refuse for their condo. With no plans to sell – but a great love for the view at the Regency – they decided to sell and then upgrade to another condo in the building on a higher floor to get an even BETTER view. The fun thing is, they bought basically the same floor plan – only this one had a small extra room off of the main living area.
Now that we are all great friends, the pressure and challenge to TOP MYSELF was even GREATER than normal!! But of course, I love a challenge, as every designer does!
This time around, the style was going to be industrial, but with a touch of our famous glam.
During a trip to Paris, we saw a dazzling chair that served as the inspiration for the couch here (if you’ve never been, here are some amazing Parisian door pictures to feast your eyes on, too), and also found inspiration for the incredible wall sconces. They are so elegant yet look like they came right out of the 30’s. (And the pulley mechanism works! Truly a work of art!!!)
These were essential, as we had to find ways to install lighting and power outlets without impeding the incredible view – made even more difficult by the cement construction!
After the sconces were installed – I started to worry that it wasn’t “industrial” enough. So we contacted one of our favorite local faux artists and she produced a FANTASTIC sample of Faux Cement! The result was just what it needed! I ended up LOVING the juxtaposition of the crushed gray velvet sofa, the elegant sconces and the mirrored cocktail table against a CEMENT wall… And our clients went NUTS over it too!
Pat wants to add “Cement” everywhere! But I said, “Easy, cowboy!!” Just kidding… I am way more diplomatic than that. But we probably will add more of this effect to the soffits over the windows and down one side of the hallway to tie into the wall we already started. The cement that we did apply so far cost $2600 – a bit of a splurge but worth every penny!
Instead of a formal dining space as we did before, this time we decided to make the kitchen island 14 feet long with plenty of space for informal dining, and the set of 4 swivel chairs relates to the kitchen space as well.
These are people who love hosting and entertaining with cocktail nights, so setting up their “fun house” for events like this was ideal for this floor plan.
Some challenges we ran into here were incorporating the AC vents in the kitchen and the very large column that was discovered AFTER we did the demo and had already designed everything! The very top cabinets that housed the vents were outfitted with a chrome mesh that hid the vents behind and also added a bit of sparkle! Always a good thing in my book!
An extra bedroom was “hidden” behind the kitchen, and since no one would be needing it, it became the “underwater room.” They love to go fishing in Mexico, so they loved these “faux fish!”
With a Super Bowl party deadline, we needed every last minute to be ready for the final reveal (everyone’s favorite part of the project!). It was a WILD ride getting everything in place (see what I’m talking about with these interior design challenges), but they were thrilled with the results!
Pat had already “seen” the place when he dropped in early, but it was SOOOO much more finished and complete that he couldn’t believe it. And Amy was smitten from the first look! They also had two friends from Texas with them and their dear friend and realtor Mark. They all Ooohed and Awhhhed their way through the condo with me trailing behind with a HUGE smile on my face! Lauren had an engagement and had to leave before their arrival – but literally, our entire office was installing up until one hour before their arrival, so we decided to enjoy our own handiwork and sit in the swivel chairs and have cocktails until they got there!!! Amy’s Facebook post the next day said it all and reminded me WHY I LOVE MY JOB SO MUCH!!
Totaling It Up
The total spend on the last unit was $550, and the realtor thinks he could re-sell it immediately for $775,000… the last unit we remodeled for them sold at an all-time-high price for anything ever sold in the building, and the only difference was the interior remodeling and furnishings 🙂 But for comparable high-rises with NO custom designing and remodeling, this is still a great price, and they got exactly what they wanted!!
For a job like this, you have to have understanding clients. Working in a high-rise always takes SOOO much longer than a home. First, you can only work from 9-4 on the weekdays, and they are closed for every possible holiday reason! Also, it takes a lot more time to haul materials in and out via a fairly small elevator.
There is no way the subcontractors can bring all the equipment upstairs that you normally need in a remodeling project, so there is a lot of UP and DOWN, UP and DOWN. Honestly, there are a lot of subcontractors that won’t even consider working in the high-rises because of the additional time it takes. All of this computes to extra costs and our clients don’t always understand this. It’s our job to educate them and to try to keep them calm and happy while they are waiting for the job to be completed.
Jobs like this couldn’t come from better people. They even offer up their little Vegas getaway to their employees as bonus perks… wish I could work for them – oh wait, I do!
Thank you Amy and Pat for your amazing support and the opportunity to do this again with you!
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