Orange County Register, October 2009

Source: Orange County Register

Author: By Cindy McNatt

Casa California Design House ideas BY CINDY MCNATT Use some of the tips at this year's event to spruce up your space. It feels familiar - the boxy white plastered exterior, red tile roof, the ubiquitous arches, soaring ceilings and foot-thick interior walls. Wallace Neff didn't build the house in Shady Canyon, but he was the inspiration for the Casa California architecture designed by John Henderson and built by Finton Construction and then styled to the nines by 17 area interior designers. Think hacienda meets Hollywood in this year's Philharmonic house, open to the public until Nov. 8, since Neff homes are all the rage among Hollywood elites such as Douglas Fairbanks, Groucho Marks, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. While the rooms flow from one to the next, there is certainly personality in each. Timothy Corrigan, named one of the top 100 interior designers in the world by Architectural Digest, and Julie Fulman used soft silk blues in the sun-filled living room with light streaming in from two sides. John Wallace Benecke infused the guest room with modern sheers in soft orange, yellow and blue. Candy colored, yes, but eye-candy for design addicts. Harte Brownlee made personal space the theme in the family room with twin chaise lounges in front of two flat-screen TVs, and a comfy group couch in front of the fireplace. If uber-sleek is your style, you will love the stainless kitchen designed by Haefele Design, highly modern but softened with the breakfast nook by Bliss Design. For warmer looks, don't miss the formal dining room by David Phoenix, the downstairs lounge by Magni Design, or the wine cellar by SLS Designs. And get a peek at the massage room. Design houses are a great way to get ideas - even if they are the small touches such as the art gallery in the guest bathroom, or the plump over-stuffed color combinations in the library. What's more, if you've never been able to get past the gates at Shady Canyon, here's your chance.

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