Simeone Deary Design Group

Last week I went on my first grad school field trip. My class had the pleasure of visiting Simeone Deary Design Group for a tour of their office and a huge dose of inspiration from the principals Lisa Simeone and Gina Deary.

Simeone Deary is a firm that focuses in hospitality, restaurant, and some residential design. We had the honor of listening to Lisa and Gina walk us through a slideshow of some of their most prominent work, including the Elysian Hotel, the JW Marriott Indianapolis, Brush Creek Ranch, Santi restaurant at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and some private residences here in Chicago. With each project they discussed their inspiration, their approach of concept design, what it was like to work with the clients, and also the realistic aspect of sometimes having to modify your ideal design to fit within the budgets and expectations of the client.

Lisa and Gina were so generous with their time with us... they answered questions, gave us advice, and most importantly shared their infectious love of design and passion for what they do. Our visit to Simeone Deary was a refreshing reminder that it IS possible to be successful AND love what you do- a balance that oftentimes seem unattainable.

Some of Simeone Deary's work here in Chicago:

The Elysian Hotel

Spiaggia

SpyBar

M.I.A.

I can't believe it's been over 2 months since I last posted! My blog has definitely been at the bottom of my list of priorities, as the last two months have been absolutely crazy!

In that time I've moved apartments, started a new job, and begun classes at Harrington College of Design here in Chicago to receive my Masters of Arts in Interior Design... needless to say it's been a hectic but exciting time in my life!

I've decided to pursue my dream career in interior design, starting with the education. The Masters program at Harrington is 2 years of intensive work, but I've already learned so much and I'm confident that I made the right choice in going back to school.

My goal is to use this blog as a place to document my work as well as the work of others who inspire and motivate me. I hope you'll enjoy!

Anantara Seminyak Bali Resort & Spa

This never-ending winter here in Chicago has me constantly daydreaming of a tropical vacation. The Anantara Resort in Bali, Indonesia is a pretty lofty expectation of a trip, but I can't stop thinking about the sleek design of this hotel combined with the magical sunsets of Bali. The photos of this place are what I would literally define as "paradise." Hopefully, thoughts of al fresco dining on the beach and soaking up the Indonesian sun on my own private balcony will be enough to get me through these last few cold weeks!

Finding Vivian Maier

This past weekend, my roommates and I went to an exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center that I had been wanting to check out for some time. "Finding Vivian Maier" is a captivating collection of street style photography from an artist whose work was not discovered until after her death.

Born in New York to Austrian and French immigrant parents, and spending some of her formative years in France, [Vivian Maier] eventually ended up in Chicago as a nanny to wealthy North Shore clients, but her passions ran much deeper. Over 100,000 negatives and more than 3,000 prints of her massive body of work were discovered [by writer John Maloof] in an estate auction shortly before her death in 2009.

While not much is known about Maier herself or her reasons for keeping her photographs hidden, this first exhibition of her work reveals a keen eye for observing the people and fashions of Chicago in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.

-explorechicago.org

Maloof now chronicles his adventures through a blog as he develops her film and uncovers pieces of the mysterious puzzzle that was Vivian's life. Keep up with his discoveries by following his blog here. But, if you can make it to the exhibit before it ends on April 3, I'd highly recommend it.

Dreaming of... Perfect Powder Rooms

There's something very intriguing about powder rooms that I just can't put my finger on. I think I like the idea of having a little jewel box in a home where you can experiment with (and indulge in) bold colors, textures, and fixtures that you might otherwise be hesitant to use in a larger room. Because the surface area is minimal, you can splurge on decadent wallpaper, or try out an intricate painting technique or pattern. I also LOVE the impact a small chandelier makes in a powder room- what a pleasant surprise for guests to walk into! Decorating the powder room is a quick and affordable way to add some personality and design to your home and explore your own creativity and aesthetic.

Images via 1/2/3/4/5