La Cienega Legends 2014 (Part #1)

Legends of La Cienega 2014 Social Media Ambassadors:  Julie Carlson of Remodelista, Marisa Marcantnio ofStylebeat, Paloma Contreras of La Dolce Vita, Ronda Carman of All the Best, Jason Oliver Nixon of Madcap Cottage, Stacey Bewkes ofQuintessence, Nicole Cohen of Sketch42, and me.

Last week, I traveled to Los Angeles as a social media ambassador for the Legends of La Cienega 2014 Event.   I was so honored to be among these fabulous  social media gurus, shown above, for the glamorous west coast design event.  It was an amazing whirlwind week of design related activity.  I have so much to share, there is no way I can write one post about the three days of design Heaven I experienced while in LA.   Get ready for a chain of posts, that will make you wish you were at LCDQLA.   If you are a designer or in the design industry and haven't attended a Legends event, you must put it on your bucket list immediately.  The who's who of the interior design world was in attendance.  The Legends Event for designers is equivalent to the Oscars for actors or Sundance for filmmakers. Red carpets were rolled out on the streets of the design district and we were made to feel like celebrities.  

One of the most honored activities of the event is the designer decorated windows of the shops in this legendary design mecca.   49 top designers from across the country received coveted invitations to design windows in this years event.   The theme of the event was "Novel Interiors, " Story Telling by Design."  The designers chose a novel as the inspiration for their window designs.  It was exciting to see the creativity of each designer on display.  I can't wait to share my top 10 windows, but I'm saving that for another post. It was a fascinating week of design panels, cocktail parties, power lunches, celebrity designer spotting and more! I hope you will enjoy reading more about the events of the week.  I have so much to share!     

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The Legends La Cienega 2014  gala was held at Therien & Co and sponsored by 1st Dibs and CB Previews.  If you would like to know the history of Therien & Co, visit their website to learn more here.  I was at Therion earlier in the afternoon, before the party began, with friend and fellow designer, Brad Clifford of Bradley Clifford Design, Portland, Oregon.  We wanted to see the showroom before it became a sea of people.  I'm so glad we did.   Here are some photos I took on our visit along with some from the event photographers.

 

The courtyard's location is between the two buildings which house the showroom's collection.  It is such a lovely space.  I could tell it would be perfect for the nights festivities.

 

This beautiful statue greeted upon our arrival to the courtyard.  The garden statues and furniture are all available through Therien & Co.

Italian cast iron pinecone finial.  Dating back to

 the Roman Empire, the pinecone represents rebirth.

Handsome faux bois table and chairs

Therien has something for everyone.   Therien & Co built it's reputation from specializing in the finest period antiques, but has since expanded their offerings to include three other divisions which address a broad range of design styles. They have added Therien 20th Century, Studio Workshops and Quatrain, each of which have their own showroom space within the Therien & Co complex. 

   

This dolphin commode made of lacewood and parcel

 gilt with greek key frieze caught my eye the minute

 I entered the showroom. 

This Italian Rococo style wood and tole chandelier

 had real wax drippings on the candle sleeves. 

We loved the Italian Neoclassic style gilt wall sconce

 with whimsically carved lion face and laurel leaf

 bobeche and garland. 

The branching wall lights made of black silk 

cocoons created an interesting sculpture on the wall.  

I think this guy was blinded by the light as he sits atop this gorgeous brazilian rosewood veneer serpentine credenza? What do you think?

This Empire period Bibliotheque with masculine

 lines in beautiful mahogany wood, was worthy of 

ownership by Napoleon himself.

The antiques were incredible. 

These are the quality of antiques Therien has

 built its reputation on providing for the world of design.

Exquisite pieces just waiting to be discovered

 by an appreciative, discerning eye.

This lovely Portuguese Baroque Rosewood

 Mesa Bufeta shown here later became a

 bar for the gala. 

The lighting in this showroom is amazing as shown

 by the sculpture of the gentleman standing in the window.

The Serpertine arm chair with gilt wrought iron legs looks more like a sculpture than something you would sit upon, doesn't it?

Amazing art...

I especially was drawn to the abstract, but unfortunately cannot remember the name of the artist. If interested contact Therien they could provide you with details. 

 Italian neoclassical Dolphin candlesticks anyone?  

Statement Empire style jardiniere with feet...

 Regency Style gilt wood and mahogany sofa

Rococo style bracket in the manner of Grinling Gibbons

 were beautiful displayed on the walls in a set of six.  

No words for this but amazing!

Tell tale signs the party was getting ready to start began appearing around the shop, so we knew it was time to head back to get dressed ourselves. 

Meanwhile, guests begin forming a line on the street along La Cienega Boulevard waiting to enter Therien for the Opening Night Gala.   My friend Amy Meier joked on her instagram that it looked more like a nightclub scene than people going to a party in an antiques shop.   

In a matter of hours, this serene showroom made the transformation into a bustling, energetic cocktail party packed to the brim with chic guests from the design community.

  The details of the evening referenced the Legend's 2014 theme of "Novel Interiors" with a nod to books whenever possible.

Delicious hors d'oeuvres were served upon books

 by servers floating amongst the crowd.

 

 Brad and I had our picture made at the step and repeat 1st Dibs, CBPreviews, and La Cienega backdrop on the way in.   

It was a great event for people watching and fashion gazing. Men and women alike adorned their chicest attire for the event.  Here are a few of my favorite people captured on film.

Tamar Mashigian, PR for LaCienega Legends with designer Daelen Cory of L'Esperance (Designer of "The Picture of Dorain Cray"  window at Mehraban Oriental Rugs) and Valerie Sobel, artist and designer who displayed her mixed media sculptures at Janet Yonaty.

Christian May of Maison21 (Designer of "1001 Nights" at Woven Accents & debuting his new rug line) with Corey Damen Jenkins of Design With A Vision.

Newell Turner of Hearst 

The lovely ladies of Cloth and Kind, Krista Nye Schwartz

and Tami Ramsay. (Designers the amazing Sydney Harbour Paints window "Goldfinger". 

The dynamic duo of Woodson & Rummerfield

Beth Martin of Elizabeth Martin Design and

 Grant Gibson of Grant K. Gibson Design

Scenes from the packed courtyard at Therien & Co.

 What an amazing kickoff for a grand week of 

design in the La Cienega Design Quarter!

Thank you to 1st Dibs, CB Previews, Therien & Co Inc and LCDQLA for a fabulous event.  I truly felt like Cinderella at the ball!  It was a night to remember!

A special thanks to Tamar Mashigian and Rich Pedine, Legends of La Cienega PR & Social Media

All photography courtesy of JL Photography or Lisa Mende Design please do not use without written permission.

Next up....The Windows of La Cienega Legends Event 2014!

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