DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: HONORING THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN ARCHITECT/DESIGNER: PAUL R. WILLIAMS

In honor of Black History Month, I present to some and introduce to others Mr. Paul R. Williams, the first African-American Architect/Designer. 

Paul R. Williams
(1894 - 1980)

Paul Revere Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1894. When Paul was 2 years old, his father died and 2 years later his mother died. He and his brother were placed in separate foster homes. Paul was fortunate to grow up in the home of a foster mother who devoted herself to his education and to the development of his artistic talent.

Williams studied at the Los Angeles School of Art and Design and at the LA branch of the New York Beaux-Arts Institute of Design Atelier. He went on to attend the University of Southern California School of Engineering, designing several residential buildings while still a student there.  Williams became the first African American certified architect in 1921.

Young Williams c. 1920s

During the 20s and 30s, his great success was in designing homes for wealthy clients in the elite hillside subdivisions like Bel Air, Brentwood and Beverly Hills.  Sought by entertainment industry leaders, Williams became known as "Architect to the Hollywood Stars."

Williams' Residence in Los Angeles 

Interior of Williams' Residence

Interior Architecture

Although residential design remained an important aspect of his practice, commercial and institutional commissions became increasingly significant. Over the course of his five decade career, Williams designed approximately 3,000 buildings including the Hollywood YMCA, The Golden State Mutual Insurance Building and the Theme Building at the LA Airport.

Hollywood YMCA built in 1928

Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Building built in 1949

Theme Building at LA International Airport built in 1961

In 1957, he was the first African American elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects.  He ran his practice until he retired in 1973. He died in 1980 leaving a rich history of amazing architecture as his legacy.

Great work, Mr. Williams...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: MALENE BARNETT OF MALENE B CARPETS...

Today's Designer Highlight is on Malene Barnett of Malene b Carpets. Malene is a Brooklyn based carpet designer with a multi-disciplinary background in textile arts, painting and illustration and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Textile Surface Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. For more than a decade, she has created carpets for industry professionals and private label brands such as Nicole Miller, Martha Stewart, Nautica, Liz Claiborne, Nate Berkus and others. She launched her first collection at the Boutique Design NY Trade Show in 2009. 

Malene's designs are inspired by international travels, rituals and landscapes conveyed in her own fresh and personal way.  Her passion for all things cultural stems from world travels to places like Dakar, Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur, as well as her own African-Caribbean heritage. Each carpet is made from 100% natural materials such as wool, silk, and hemp and available in hand-knotted, hand-tufted or broadloom options. Malene specializes in creating custom handmade carpets perfectly suited for any residential, commercial or hospitality project. She works directly with artisans in Nepal, Thailand and India who carefully craft each carpet to a specific size, shape or color scheme.

The collections in Malene b carpets are known by travel related themes such as Transitions, Native, and Heirloom, with carpets dubbed Murano, Kyoto, Calabash, Marrakesh and St. Vincent. Some of my favorite designs are:

Fresco



Body Art

Chiapas

Moorea

Wolof

Amharic

Tap Tap

Mendhi

Masks

Malene b carpets are available through interior designers and architects and select showrooms throughout the US and Canada.  Click here for more information on Malene and Malene b Carpets.

Keep up the great work, girlfriend...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: DIVERSITY IN DESIGN SYMPOSIUM...

The NY Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers recently held its first "Diversity in Design" Symposium at the NY School of Interior Design located on the Upper Eastside in Manhattan.

The panel consisted of Robin Wilson of Robin Wilson Home (via video message as she was due to give birth at any moment), Anisha Clarke of Ishka Designs, Joy Moyler of Joy Moyler Interiors, Freeform & Deform Creative Collaboration, and Michel Boyd of Smith Boyd Interiors. Among other design luminaries in attendance were Malene Barnett of Malene B Carpets, Orlando Dominquez of GIN Designs and Karen Young of Hammocks and High Tea.

 (L TO R) JOY MOYLER, MICHEL BOYD, MODERATOR, ANISHA CLARKE, ARCHITECT, ARCHITECT, AND MALENE BARNETT

The panel displayed examples of their work and discussed the important role of designers of color.  During the Q&A session, the common theme communicated was (1) build your brand, (2) collaborate with like minded individuals and (3) always be prepared. I was extremely pleased that ASID recognized the need to emphasize the role of designers and architects of color in the industry. Bringing a broad perspective to design ignites creativity for all the enjoy.

I'm looking forward to future discussions of the same...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: TRACY REESE, A MICHELLE OBAMA FAVORITE...

Most people from either side of the political fence will agree that First Lady Michelle Obama looked stunning during her DNC speech in Charlotte a few weeks ago. Aside from her outer beauty (awesome guns, notwithstanding),  that gorgeous dress commanded a presence on its own.



First Lady Michelle Obama at the 2012 DNC

Tracy Reese is the amazing designer responsible for that creation. Reese, who launched her first collection in 1998, has been flying just slightly under the radar for some, until then. The dress, made of a raw silk jacquard in a luminescent mix of hot pink, rust and copper with an accent hemline of silver and blue, was a showstopper.

Her clothes are aimed at women with a similar sense of strength and femininity as Mrs. Obama. "She's got a clear vision of how she wants to look," says Reese. The FLOTUS is a big fan of the designer having been spotted in several of her creations over the years.

In the spring of 2006, Reese opened her first flagship boutique in NYC’s Meatpacking District. The 2200 sf space reflects her colorful and feminine design sensibility and offers the full Tracy Reese experience including her apparel lines, accessories and home goods.

For her farmhouse getaway in upstate New York, Tracy's personal style is quite evident in her design choices.  Her flair for feminine strength is also displayed in her choice of strong yet girly color palettes and textural furniture and accents like wicker and antiques.







For more information on Tracy Reese and her amazing work, click here.  Welcome to the spotlight, Tracy. You so deserve it, girlfriend...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

Photos courtesy of TracyReese.com, Reuters.com, CountryLiving.com, and NYMag.com

DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: AND THE WINNER IS...DANIELLE COLDING!

Danielle Colding, HGTV's Design Star

Danielle Colding, an interior designer from Brooklyn, NY, has been crowned this year's HGTV DESIGN STAR. (BTW, she was my pick from day one.)  During the season finale, the judges delivered the life-changing news to Danielle that she had won a contract for her own show on HGTV. 

Danielle was in a fierce competition against eleven other talented designers, with Britany Simon as the last to beat.  With this win, she will star in her own series called SHOP THIS ROOM.  See some of Danielle's designs that made her the winner:

Great Room Challenge

White Room Challenge

The Kitchen of the Kardashians' Office Challenge

Hollywood's 125th Birthday Bash Challenge

Kitchen Makeover Challenge

To learn more about Danielle Colding, click here.  Congratulations - you rocked it, girlfriend!!  All the best to you, Danielle!

Happy designing...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

Photos courtesy of HGTV.com

DESIGNER HIGHLIGHT: TOP 20 AFRICAN-AMERICAN INTERIOR DESIGNERS

Welcome to the inaugural entry for the 'The Bold and the Beautiful', a lifestyle blog by me for you, featuring my favorite things from the world of design, art, fashion, food and travel - but mostly interior design, of course.

This first post is old news but I would be remiss if I did not give kudos to the Top 20 African American Interior Designers.  This list was compiled by Kimberly Ward of the design blog, Pink Eggshell.  She hosted a fabulous event last month at the 40/40 Club in NYC to announce this prestigious group of "artists."  So here they are (in alphabetical order)...

 Marian Akinloye of MA Design Studio in New York 

Helen Bailey of Urban Living in Chicago

Michel Boyd of Smith Boyd Interiors in Atlanta

 Keitha Brathwaite of Contrast Design Group in Chicago 

 Sheila Bridges of Sheila Bridges Design in New York

 Howard Brown of Howard Brown Design in Atlanta

Darryl Carter of Darryl Carter, Inc. in Washington, DC

 Anishka Clarke of Ishka Designs, Inc. in Brooklyn, NY
 Joan Goodwin of Verandah Interiors in Columbia, SC
Elaine Griffin of Elaine Griffin Interior Design in New York
Cecil Hayes of Cecil's Designers Unlimited in Miami
Alicia LaMar of Alicia LaMar Home in Los Angeles
Joy Moyler of Joy Moyler Interiors in New York
Janice Palmer of Palmer Design LLC in Atlanta
Roderick Shade of Roderick N. Shade Interior Design in New York
Erin Shakoor of Shakoor Interiors in Chicago
Courtney Sloane of Courtney Sloane Design in New Jersey
Lisa Turner of Interior Obsessions in Los Angeles
Robin Wilson of Robin Wilson Home in New York
Ron Woodson of Woodson and Rum in Los Angeles 

Seated from left: Erin Shakoor, Lisa Turner, Anishka Clarke, Janice Palmer, Michel Boyd,
Ron Woodson, Howard Brown and Joan Goodwin.  Standing from left: Alicia LaMar,
Joy Moyler, Robin Wilson, Kimberly Ward and Elaine Griffin

My GOAL: To be on this list within five years...

Peace and Blessings,

Tammy

Photo courtesy of PinkEggshell.com