Riviera View

Cruise down Pier Avenue in Hermosa Beach and you may catch a glimpse of Chris Coakley creating the second in a series of ten murals for the City of Hermosa Beach Murals Project . The mural is a compilation of historic buildings and street scenes from Hermosa Beach circa 1909. Look closely to see Hermosa's first residence, the Hill House mingling with the Cross Church and the Red Car Depot. detailed section coming soon...the return of the the Red Car detailed section The man behind the brush, Chris Coakley Back to work A long-time HB resident, Coakley, who is also a fine artist and film studio muralist, has spent the past three weeks blocking in and painting the design. He says it'll take a month before it's a wrap. To see more of Coakley's amazing set work click here and here .

The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles Chapter held a tour of contemporary style homes this past weekend. Four homes built or remodeled between 1950 and the present were open to the public. Each home had its distinct appeal but my favorite was the smallest -- a remodeled Los Feliz, Mid Century dwelling originally built in the 1950's. The home, re-designed by Rebecca Rudolph and Linda Taalman of Taalman Koch Architecture , seemed filled with light, love and happiness. (It sounds so corny but it was true. I promise.) According to the AIA tour guide, "...the renovation opens up the living spaces and reorganized the parent's and children's zones, creating a larger multipurpose play area for the family and a more private adult area that connects to a new outdoor space." They weren't kidding. These two architects created something that is rarely experienced in family homes; a sort of zen, blend where both the adults and kids can live harmoniously w...

This week's American Made Monday features Alicia Adams Alpaca throws. Here's a bit about the family business based in New York from their website. "Alicia Adams Alpaca Inc. raises and manages its own herd of over 200 suri alpacas at the family farm in New York’s Hudson Valley. The farm is comprised of 80 acres of rolling meadows, dense woods and beautiful ponds, and is also home to Alicia Adams and her family." all photos from Alicia Adams website baby blankets alpaca stuffed toys To see a full line of home living and fashion products from this entrepreneurial outpost, click here .

Don't know about you but I spend the majority of my weekends catching up on laundry. Come Sunday, I try to be finished but usually the weekly accumulation of socks, shirts and unmentionables have won the battle and I'm still at it; bleaching, washing, and shouting things out. Is it possible these groovy and Made-in-America laundry carts might make the chore a bit more pleasurable? From none other than Restoration Hardware , the set of three carts shown above will run about you about $600. Yes, I just said $600, and don't forget the tax. As cute as they are, and as willing as I am to spend more for U.S.-made products, even I think this is a bit of a stretch. The Restoration buyers must have just returned from a week of drinking Painkillers in the BVI when they made this executive decision. But still, they are kind of cool in a, "For the girl who has everything..." kind of way. Would your laundry fluff and fold itself any faster if it were housed in a room li...

Fall is coming and the acorns are dropping from the California oak trees. From tiny acorns come...great furniture design. For this week's American Made Monday, I'm writing about this beautiful bedroom chest by Guy Chaddock, based in Morganton, North Carolina. The dresser is shown with acorn drawer pulls and brass leaf hardware. Something about this piece makes me a bit nostalgic for my parent's matching bedroom set -- with a little bit of an Asian flair added in (notice the base and legs). The acorn pulls add some whimsy and showcase the overall craftsmanship. The clean lines lend this chest to different interiors: Danish, Asian, Traditional or even Modern. Can you think of another interior where you might use it? I can't quite explain why this chest calls out to me, other than the fact that it reminds me of my mom and her 1960's country style. It makes me feel good just to look at the photo. Which is why I write about objects in the first place. Certain o...

Strata Rug photo - Riviera View Want the look of sisal with the softness of silk and wool? The hand-knotted 'Strata' rug from Quatrine in Manhattan Beach might fit the bill. The rug has the casual look associated with sisals and seagrass without the scratchy 'hand' underfoot. The silk-fringed-threads give Strata a little shine and softness, while the contrasting wool knots keep things natural and even somewhat therapeutic. Imagine feeling a mini foot massage while walking barefoot through your living room and you'll understand part of this rug's allure. photo - Riviera View Not all shopkeepers like to reveal their vendor sources so what I do know is that the rug is made, "...somewhere on the East Coast." The Strata comes in at least two color ways: beige-ivory (shown above) and a darker beige-brown. If you desire durability (who doesn't?), Quatrine's design consultant Kristin Schwab says that over the past few ...

Walking down the street in Beverly Hills today, I ran across this drop-dead, traffic-stopping, red dress at Pol Atteu. And from the back, even better. So beautiful. According to Mr. Atteu, at the upcoming September 18th Emmy Awards, a certain television star may be wearing something very similar to this dress. Keep your eyes on the runway. To see more designs from Pol Atteu, click here .