Stronger Together

I am proud to introduce a guest blogger, Barclay Butera, to Randy Fifield Modern Living this week!

While I am usually writing about our projects and interiors,  we thought it would be interesting to give you a sneak peek at how we collaborate with others to make those interiors a reality. A huge thank you to Laiza, Dennis Stovall, the manager at La Cienga , Drew Lage, designer, and Christina Woodward, designer, and especially for Barclay Butera; who believes clients are FOREVER and grows with them through time!

Collaboration makes sense because we are stronger together! We learn from each other, share data and design ideas, sometimes it even makes dollars and sense! Collaboration can drive your leverage, opportunity, build brand awareness, grow your audience and increase your SEO.

I hope you enjoy their perspective in this post in Randy Fifield Modern Living!

We are stronger together….

When luxury apartment builder, Randy Fifield, approached us to design a model unit for her new development in Santa Monica, California, we knew it would be a striking project that we had to be a part of. Best known for her urban residential skyscrapers in Chicago, Randy was building a four-story apartment building in the heart of Santa Monica. Her Jewel of Santa Monica is located steps from the beach, near some of the best restaurants in town and also close to public transportation. Randy wanted to create a destination for empty nesters and those single people that prefer to live, work, and play overlooking the ocean in Santa Monica, or millennials seeking to live close to work and pleasure while providing luxury lifestyle amenities.

Randy and her team did an amazing job with the construction and finishing of the units, including flooring and fixtures, state-of-the-art kitchens and built-in technology. Now it was our turn to design the space and put the Barclay touch into the unit.

From our first meeting with Randy, it was an instant connection and we were already on the same page on what we wanted the unit to convey. Randy wanted to create a functional, sustainable and luxurious rental in an underserved market, due to rapid housing demands and expansion of the city of Santa Monica.

The design direction we took was a luxurious, oceanside, bohemian Mediterranean apartment that was approachable, comfortable and with an emphasis on spaces for gathering and entertaining. We wanted it to feel like a high-end hotel but with comfort and individuality of a home well lived in. We used blues in a less traditional way such as incorporating indigos and patch work.

Some of our favorite elements incorporated into the apartment where the natural subliminal ocean pieces like the pebble aqua marine Aerin Lauder table lamps, the custom oversized gelatin Slim Aarons print of a poolside home in Marbella Spain 1971, and the various pieces of natural white coral, jute rugs layered with plush white sheep skin.

Interpreting the developers concept of luxury living in Santa Monica and helping her materialize what she envisioned was special for us. And the grand reveal was very exciting as it was during the opening night party for the Chelsea building where many locals and designers walked through the unit, and yes, even the Mayor. We all got to celebrate and toast to the success of the Jewel of Santa Monica.