Peek of the Week « Lookiloos

Peek of the Week

Pop Diva Christina Aguilera’s House

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

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christinabhillshomekitchen Christina Aguilera is unquestionably one of today’s hottest pop stars. Her style on stage is a mix of cutting edge, classic and vampy all at once. I wondered what that meant for her home. Would it reflect her performance costumes or something totally different?

Her 5 bedroom bedroom, 11,000 square-foot Beverly Hills home was previously owned by the Osbourne’s. Yes, Ozzy Osbourne! Aguilera reportedly fell in love with the kitchen while watching the Osbournes’ reality show on MTV, so when it hit the market after the show was cancelled, she swooped in. In pure rock star fashion, the home is a mix of Mediterranean, Chinois accents and Gothic. It is as spunky and eclectic as she is.

Some highlights:

Shoe closet: “Everything on my shoe wall is grouped by designer — Louboutin, McQueen, YSL — all in their own little family,” notes Aguilera. “And there’s room for boots up top.” You have to love that it also features a chandelier and leopard-print rug.

Game Room: Pink and black pool table, full size arcade games and bright rugs bring FUN to this play room for adults.

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Baby Room: Christina showed off where the real master of the house slept, Baby Max. That is one big Moon! (Photo from people.com)

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Bedroom: “I wanted a grand bed — to feel like a queen on a throne,” says the singer of her extravagant four-poster bed. I think you got that.

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These photos are from a shoot she did for InStyle Magazine in 2009. Photos by Douglas Friedman.

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Posted in Celebrity Homes, Featured, Peek of the Week, Sheila | 1 Comment »

Ellen DeGeneres’ Santa Ynez Country Home Tour

Friday, February 12th, 2010

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Comedienne and the newest judge on American Idol, Ellen DeGeneres gives viewers a tour of her country home in the tiny town of Santa Ynez, CA. According to other online sources, Ellen and Portia (her wife) are huge real estate fiends, so it is a bit unclear if they still own it. Regardless, this weekend spot seems perfect for time away from the chaos of Hollywood.

Ellen shares where she’d hide out in case of nuclear war and gives advice on looking at the potential of homes before you buy. Hilarious.

Photos from RealEstalker.com

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Posted in Celebrity Homes, Featured, Peek of the Week, Sheila | 4 Comments »

Modern Living in a 1927 Spanish Colonial

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010

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When my contractor invited me to an open house to view his latest
project–a renovation and addition to a 1927 Spanish Colonial home in Palm
Haven –I jumped at the chance to legitimately snoop around one of the most
historic, eclectic neighborhoods in San Jose.

009 A neglected two-bedroom one bath in disrepair when acquired by John
Ammirato of Ammirato Construction is now a four bedroom, two and half bath
dream home. While it has all the modern creature comforts, including an impressive
master suite, renewable resource cabinets, solar panels, and data networking
throughout, painful efforts were made to preserve the home’s original
architecture.
Like re-roofing the composite roof with reclaimed vintage clay tiles.
And keeping many of the home’s original features: the living room sconces,
fireplace mantel, arched doorways, built-in hutch, and coved ceilings.

“The living room hasn’t changed,” said Rita Strena, whose family owned
the home for more than 60 years before selling it to Ammirato. “But John
improved it. It has a new life now.”

Ammirato worked extensively with Stonelite Tile–which has been in
business in San Jose since the 1920s–to design the detailed tile work 023
throughout the house. Some of it was hand pressed and painted using
original plates and molds from the early 1900s.
Ammirato, who has built several Spanish-style homes in Palm Haven, made
design decisions along with his wife, Linda, referencing books like Red Tile
Style, California Romantica, Casa California, and George Washington Smith:
An Architect’s Scrap Book.
The result is modern, stylish living while honoring the home¹s historic
past down to the gutters and porch brackets.

By Kim Kooyers, a freelance writer and blogs at gratitude365 and SpiroChicks.

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Posted in Antiques, Architecture, Bathroom, Bedroom, Dining Room, Featured, Green Design, Historic, Home and Garden, Kitchen, Landscape, Living Room, Peek of the Week, Remodel, San Jose | 2 Comments »

Prairie-Style House Gets Modern Makeover

Friday, January 29th, 2010

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Hillary Fox and Matt Jacobs had lived in their 1920s Prairie-style home in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood for eight years before they remodeled. They loved the bones of the house, but they had to walk through a warren of rooms to get to the dark, galley kitchen.

4171100966_8a3c11ea47_b “We wanted to open it up with more light,” Hillary said. And she wanted it to be more modern, “but consistent with the principles of the house.”

Two years ago, they started the remodel. With two living rooms, they turned one into a dining room.

In the kitchen, they opened walls and added a new family room that stepped up their hillside lot. That gave them more space for their growing family.

4170346307_1d0a84c2a8_b The couple love clean lines and neutral colors. In the kitchen, they installed white Caesarstone countertops with translucent, white glass subway tiles, then added red-topped stools for a splash of color. They opened their home to the Rockridge Kitchen Tour last fall.

The family decorated with Matt’s original paintings, inspired by Modigliani.

Julia Looking Left - Lookiloos

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Posted in Architecture, Art, Decorating, Dining Room, Family Room, Featured, Historic, Home Decor, Home and Garden, House Tours, Julia, Painting, Peek of the Week, Remodel | 5 Comments »

Original artwork adds zest to decor

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010

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Catherine Richardson is a former editor at Architectural Digest with a penchant for interior design and decorative objects. Erin Lee Gafill is an artist from Big Sur who paints impressionist landscapes along the California coastline. When Catherine discovered Erin’s artwork at a gallery of the famed Nepenthe restaurant, which Erin’s family has owned since it opened in the late 1940s, a creative collaboration began. Red-Wall

“I wanted to incorporate beautiful works of art along with beautiful objects to place in people’s homes,” said Catherine, whose design business is called “For Love of Home.” (www.forloveofhome.net) When she came up with the idea to have seasonal shows in the backyard and tiny cottage of her southern California home, showcasing vignettes of antiques and vintage pieces she had collected, she called Erin for help.

“I told her my theme and the colors I was using and asked her if she wanted to send beautiful little artworks,” she said.

And that’s when the fun begins. Together, they place Erin’s work in groupings on tabletops or a ladie’s desk, for instance, “that best show the quality of her work and work with interior spaces and sacred vignettes we’ve created,” Catherine said.

Orchid With Erin’s paintings, she artfully arranges Chinese and French porcelain, mid-centery Italian artglass, special Buddahs and other decorative pieces. She invites her friends and clients, who often are so inspired they want to bring home the entire vignette.

“It’s joyful. We love what we work with,” Catherine said. “It’s a labor of love.”

(to see more of Erin’s work, go to www.eringafill.com Photos by Tom Birmingham.)

Celebrity Home Tour – American Idol’s Simon Cowell Bachelor Pad

Sunday, January 17th, 2010

American Idol’s 2010 season has begun. So in honor of one of my favorite guilty pleasures, here are a few sneak peaks into the home of everyone’s “favorite” AI judge Simon Cowell.

This $27 million ultra modern home took five years to build, according to an Extra show interview. Decorated primarily in black and white, it is the ultimate bachelor pad. The 12,000 square foot home has 5 bedrooms, a state of the art gym, cinema, lap pool, and a garage full of luxury cars. It is rumored that he has also installed his own tanning bed. (Of course he would, why not?! )

During his MTV Cribs interview, Simon shares his thoughts on the various artwork he hates in his own home (described as “flowers and strips of bacon” by Simon), the contents of his fridge and his vitamin collection. (Why didn’t this place come with a medicine cabinet?)

The home is gorgeous with soaring ceilings and clean lines. I think America would vote that it was well worth the money.

This video is from Simon’s appearance on MTV Cribs.

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Posted in Celebrity Homes, Featured, Peek of the Week, Sheila | 4 Comments »

Lookiloos: A Peek Back at 2009

Thursday, December 31st, 2009

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Looking back over the year I have taken thousands of photos. Lookiloos loves getting to peek inside homes big and small. I created a slide show using some of my favorite shots. The only problem—my little slide show isn’t so little!

Desiree Looking Left - Lookiloos

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Posted in Desiree, Featured, Home and Garden, Peek of the Week | 3 Comments »

Vicki Does Christmas with Succulents, Cabbages and Magnolia

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

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Vicki Petulla likes to call her California decor “Donner Party Chic” for her penchant for mounted antlers, magnolia leaves and willow branches. But she has a knack for reinventing her home every season so old things looks new again and hidden pieces are brought out of the shadows.

4207145081_8f469cba13_o “You know me, I get so bored, it’s sad,” she joked. Before Thanksgiving had even arrived, she was already anxious to start her Christmas decor.

In her living room, she added rich foliage and pomegranates into vintage cement urns she picked up at the Alameda Antique Fair that is open the first Sunday of each month. She drapes a male portrait with fresh cedar. And on her chair, which until recently was red velvet, she rerecovered with an old white linen table cloth.

4207904770_3ff909f958_o In her dining room, leave it to Vicki – the daughter of a decorator — to turn a liquor basket she keeps on the side board into a Christmas floral display with succulents, pink cabbages, white hydrangeas and lemons on the branch. It’s an unexpected display with surprising bits of sparkle as she tucks in vintage ornaments here and there.

From the chains of her dining room chandeliers, she hung eucalytus leaves and berries. A bay wreath hangs from the mirror.

4207929590_c821922b58_o Visiting Vicki’s home is always a treat, no matter the season. Thanks Vicki for opening up to us again! We want to come back! Julia Looking Left - Lookiloos

For more of Vicki’s Vignettes — and to see how her house looked in the fall — please read these stories and check out the gorgeous photos:

Fall Decorating Ideas, with Vicki’s Vignettes

A Decorator’s Daughter

Before and After:An outdoor Fireplace Transformation

Vicki’s Vintage-Inspired Holiday Party Favors

Here’s the complete slideshow:

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Posted in Books, Decorating, Dining Room, Featured, Garden, Home Decor, Home and Garden, Julia, Living Room, Painting, Peek of the Week, Rose Garden, San Jose | 5 Comments »

Tween Room Inspired by Audrey Hepburn Style

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

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Ashleen Cummins was tired of her room with the pink, green and yellow garden theme. She was 12 now and wanted a more sophisticated look that reflected her passions.

“I wanted it to be Audrey Hepburn — kind of French looking,” said Ashleen, standing in her bedroom overlooking the Rockridge neighborhood in Oakland. 3991515431_c0be59eae3_b

Her parents had fun remodeling the kitchen downstairs in the French country style (which will be featured on Lookiloos soon). So it was Ashleen’s turn to make her room her own. With the classic black and white photo of Hepburn on her wall and a palette of pink, black and white, she created a room perfect for her.

“She was very picky about the drapes,” her mother, Clarice Cummins said. The black and white swirling fabric was actually tablecloths from Home Good that she converted to drapes.

3991515779_3cf05487f4_b Ashleen also wanted an antique, vintage feel. She asked her grandmother if she was willing to part with her crystal chandelier. “My grandmother took it off her ceiling,” Ashleen said.

Julia Looking Left - Lookiloos And in her room, it looks right at home. 3991515223_f10b057cb5_b

To take a peek at a couple of other Tween Rooms, check these out:

From Little Girl To Tween Room;

Downsizing and Restyling from French Country to Modern Neutral

And a lovely nursery: Modern Nursery with Vintage Flair

Posted in Antiques, Art, Bedroom, Decorating, Featured, Home and Garden, House Tours, Interior Design, Julia, Lighting, Peek of the Week, Wall Decor | 5 Comments »

Vintage Garden Statuary of Carmel: Just Perfect

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

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While wandering through the sidestreets of Carmel, I came upon a lovely little tudor home — a house that was obviously new, but doing its best to look old. What captured my eye more than the architecture, though, was the vintage garden statuary in the front courtyard. Entwined with flowers and vines, the statues gave this new house had been here a long, long time.

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The courtyard, even on this tiny scale, reminded me a bit of some of the tricks of the famous 18th century English landscape designer “Capability Brown.” Although he was known for his naturalistic landscapes surrounding the finest castles, what I remember most about his work were the little “surprises” found at the end of walkways and curving paths. Brown would often punctuate hidden spots with garden statuary so the wanderer might happen upon something unexpected. That’s the way I felt as I passed this Carmel gem — a statue here, a bird bath-turned-urn there. carmel statuary 007