My firm partnered with Porch, the newest kid on the block of design-related apps, which will officially launch in June.  I was impressed by the drive and passion this group of young tech geniuses brought to our industry by developing a brand new way of connecting home owners with professionals.

I am honored that they chose me for the first “Pro Spotlight” on their blog.  Check it out and look out for Porch on your smartphone in June.  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cheers,

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The post Pro Spotlight on Porch appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

 ”The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.”

Honoré de Balzac

I would to wish all of you loving and hardworking moms a very Happy Mother’s Day!

Cheers,

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The post Happy Mother’s Day Ladies! appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

Kaffee mit Schlag (coffee with whipped cream) at the historic Café Tomaselli in Salzburg

I have been MIA because I just returned from visiting my homeland Austria, and as always it of course feels too short.  As I review some of the images I want to book another ticket and fly right back.  I always have a wonderful time enjoying the incredible scenery and a slower pace of life filled with lingering hours in a café, a garden, by a lake, in a field overlooking the mountains or enjoying a leisurely meal with friends and family.

On this visit I spent most of my time in and around Salzburg, as well as in Vienna.  I wanted to share some of my visual memories with all of you.  Here goes:

Horse fountain at the “Residenz Platz” (archbishop’s residence square) in Salzburg

Courtyard of a shop in the old town of Salzburg

Leopoldskron Schrebergarten (rental garden) at the Almkanal in Salzburg

Road through the Eichelwald forest in Salzburg

Bronze “Tor der Hoffnung” (door of hope) by Ewald Matareronze added in 1958 to the Dom, Salzburg’s cathedral built in 1628

The coat of arms of Salzburg at the “Alte fürst-erzbischöfliche Hofapotheke” (old archbishop’s court apothecary) in Salzburg

View of the catacombs and fortress from the St. Peter’s graveyard in Salzburg

The mill at the bakery of the St. Peter’s monastery in Salzburg

Staircase at the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg

Marble Hall at the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg

View of the fortress from the gardens at the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg

Ornate iron door at Mozartplatz 4 in Salzburg

Floating bar atop Red Bull’s Hangar 7

Duck floating amongst the water lilies on the Mattsee (lake) in the Salzkammergut

View of the river in Bad Ischl in the Salzkammergut

Hallstatt lake in the Salzkammergut

View of the Wolfgangsee (lake) from St. Gilgen in the Salzkammergut

Double-headed eagle, the symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, on a building in Vienna

Ornate façade in Vienna

Spices and nuts at the “Naschmarkt” in Vienna

Schönbicher tea and liquor shop in Vienna

Blackamoor, the symbol of the Meindl gourmet store in Vienna

Bakery at Meindl gourmet store in Vienna

A warm evening at the Graben in Vienna

 Palais in Vienna with dance music sounding from its gates

All photos by Claudia Juestel

If you have not been to Austria yet I hope you will get a chance soon.  Every time I realize how lucky I am to have spent my childhood in such a wonderful country.

Cheers,

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The post Impressions from Austria appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

Bamboo MacBook Pro case by Silva (Photo: courtesy of Silva)

In another installment of chic designs that are also sustainable I wanted share gadgets whose inventors also keep our environment in mind.  From cases and stands for lap tops to TVs, clocks and radios options keep growing.  Here are some of my favorites:

Ergonomic Vool wooden laptop stand made from pine from an eco farm near the Finnish/Russian border (Photo: courtesy of Vool)

“Eco TV” by Philips with power-saving features (Photo: courtesy of Philips)

Squirt Bedol Alarm Water Clock powered by water (Photo: courtesy of Bedoll)

Waterpebble senses water usage in the shower (Photo: courtesy of Waterpebble)

Chemical-free Pureliving sanitizing light wand (Photo: courtesy of Pureliving)

Solar-powered and splash-proof Soulra XL radio by Eton (Photo: courtesy of Eton)

“Sunny Song” solar-powered Bluetooth speaker system by Altec Lansing (Photo: courtesy of Altec Lansing)

It is nice to know that new designs keep coming.  Please drop me a line if you come across a stylish and sustainable invention.

Cheers,

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The post Go Chartreuse Green: Eco Chic Gadgets appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

Shamrock game board (Photo: courtesy of Just Folk on 1stdibs)

Oddly enough I often get asked if I am Irish, mostly because of my accent.  But none of the Irish I know agree.  I do love my chartreuse green though.  Irish or not, I would like to wish you all a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

I case you are planning a list minute celebration here are some ideas for setting the table.

Green and white tablescape on the Bridal Guide (Photo: Thuss + Farrell)

Eco chic tablescape created by JL Designs (Photo: courtesy of Jasmin Star)

St. Patrick’s Day place-setting by Joni of Red Couch Recipes (Photo: courtesy of Red Couch Recipes)

Green desserts on All In The Invite (Photo: courtesy of All In The Invite)

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
Irish Blessing

Cheers,

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The post Happy St. Patrick’s Day appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

We have been a vendor of Vintage & Market Finds on One Kings Lane since last Spring and have sold hundreds of vintage and antique accessories, light fixtures, and table top items since then.  A number of my colleagues have also had a one time Tastemaker Tag Sale, a great opportunity to get your hands on these amazing designers’ unique collections and finds.

This week Renaissance woman, bonne vivante, and my dear friend Candace Barnes is selling one-of-a-kind treasures from her personal collection gathered over many years.  We all love and admire Candace for her many talents, exquisite taste and lighthearted spirit.  Her interiors, whether at the San Francisco Decorator Showcase, the Marin Designers Showcase in Belvedere or at Veranda’s House of Windsor in Los Angeles, her understated yet beautifully detailed design is always memorable. If you have been to one of these designer showcase, her elegant showroom or her glamourous home you understand that this is a great opportunity to snatch up some stunning pieces for a great deal.

Living room at the San Francisco Decorator Showcase (Photo: courtesy of Candace Barnes)

The dining room at the Marin Designer Showcase (Photo: Matt McCourtney)

The master bedroom at the House of Windsor (Photo: Max Kim-Bee for Veranda)

The master bathroom at the House of Windsor (Photo: Max Kim-Bee for Veranda)

The Candace Barnes’ Tastemaker Tag Sale sale starts Thursday at 6:00pm PT.  So set your alarm, as you won’t want to miss this!  And if you get your hands on one her gems please do let me know.

Cheers,

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The post Candace Barnes’ Tastemaker Sale on One Kings Lane appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.

I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

Cheers,

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The post Happy Valentine’s Day! appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

After dipping their espresso spoons into San Francisco’s coffee culture with a small boutique in Bloomingdales Nespresso has gone full force with their first large boutique in California. The 7,400 square foot two-level space on Grant Street was designed by Italian architect Aldo Parisotto and Futurebrand Paris. The generous and open space with jewel-like pods in rainbow colors and stylish machines displayed like pieces of art exudes the kind of luxury that is both inviting and sensuous. Videos of Nespresso’s captivating commercials featuring Penelope Cruz and George Clooney play on large screens, and the product itself becomes video art along the staircase connecting the two levels.

For my complete article please visit SFLuxe.

Cheers,

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The post SFLuxe: Nespresso Boutique and Lounge Opens at Union Square appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

Casadei tiger and patent leather pumps resting comfortably on New Paris Style, David Hicks and Fortuny Interiors

I love gorgeous design and coffee table books, and my addiction is as serious as the one I have for shoes.  Pumps or sandals, high heels, ballerinas, loafers or boots, is the kind of eye candy this girl lives for.  I believe I chose my apartment over the other two available at the time because it had a larger walk-in closet that included built-in shoe shelves.  How could I resist?!  I know I am not alone in either passion.  Most designers I know not only love fashion, but they also like me have an extensive collection of design and architecture books.  It is always fun to browse a colleague’s library.

With my interview series “Tea With Claudia” I have had the wonderful opportunity to spend time with interior designers and architects who are not only some of the best in the country, but have also had a number of books published about their work.  Among my illustrious guests John Saladino has “Monochrome”, “Style by Saladino” and “Villa” out, Bunny Williams authored “On Garden Style”, “An Affair with a House”, and “Bunny Williams’ Scrapbook for Living”, Jamie Drake got “Jamie Drake’s New American Glamour”, David Easton “Timeless Elegance: The Houses of David Easton” and Geoffrey Bradfield “Geoffrey Bradfield: Defining Millenium Modern”, “Geoffrey Bradfield Ex Arte” and “A 21st Century Palace”.  Of course I own them all, and I would highly recommend you checking them out too.

My latest obsessions are “New Paris Style”, “David Hicks: A Life of Design” and “Fortuny Interiors”.  Also look out for the upcoming “Luxurious Minimalism: Elegant Interiors” scheduled for March 5th, “Designers at Home: Personal Reflections on Stylish Living: Inside the Lives of Leading Tastemakers” by super lifestyle blogger Ronda Rice Carman, to be released on April 9th, “Shelton, Mindel & Associates: Architecture and Design”, going on sale April 16th, and  “Michael S. Smith: Building Beauty: The Alchemy of Design” available on May 14th.

Happy reading!  And pleas drop me a line to let my about your favorite design and architecture books.

Cheers,

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The post Fabulous books to add to your library appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.

View of downtown Salzburg from the Mönchsberg (Photo: Herbert Alg)

I have happily lived in the United States for 29 years now, but I will always be a proud Austrian, and I consider myself extremely lucky to have grown up in one of the most beautiful places in the world.  For someone as visual as me to have been surrounded by the amazing scenery of gorgeously detailed buildings enveloped by rolling green meadows, soft-flowing rivers and soaring waterfalls, stunning lakes, and breathtaking snow-topped mountains was an incredible treat, and it continues to be a source of inspiration for me.

Gmunden at the Traunsee (Traun lake) in Upper Austria (Photo: Claudia Juestel)

Waterfall in the historic spa town of Bad Gastein south of Salzburg (Photo: courtesy of Gasteinertal.com)

“Almsee” (alpine lake) near Grünau in the “Salzkammergut”, Austria’s lake district (Photo: courtesy of Reginalmanagement Oberösterreich)

Whether you are in the middle of the big city of Vienna or towns like Salzburg and Innsbruck and all the small villages that dot the countryside, the captivating architecture of various centuries always has a close connection to its gorgeous natural backdrop.

The Gloriette at Vienna’s Schönbrunn palace (Photo: Dutei Catalin-Andrei)

Innsbruck (Photo: courtesy of 10best.com)

Hellbrunn palace in Salzburg (Photo: Jordan VanHartingsveldt)

View of Eastern Salzburg from the fortress (Photo: courtesy of Wordalldetails.com)

Cruising up the Salzach river south of Salzburg (Photo: Claudia Juestel)

Keltenallee with a view of the Untersberg in Salzburg (Photo: Claudia Juestel)

Chinese real estate developers were so captivated by the small village of Hallstatt at the Hallstätter See (Hallstatt Lake) in the Salzkammergut region, the lake district near Salzburg, that they attempted to replicate the picturesque hamlet in an area 60 miles northeast of Hongkong.  They did a decent job recreating the façades of the buildings, but how could anyone achieve anything close to the original with its ancient history dating back to the 2nd century BC, natural lakeside charm, and the majestic mountains surrounding it?

Hallstatt (Photo: Mario Maindl)

I have the most wonderful childhood memories of the Austrian countryside,   I was part of a hiking group and got to experience some of the most wonderful places around Salzburg.  But every time I visit now I can’t get enough, wanting to explore all the other beautiful places Austria has to offer.

Großglockner high alpine road south of Salzburg (Photo: courtesy of wallpaperswiki.org)

Waterfall in Gradental, a valley in the Carinthian part of the Hohen Tauern mountains (Photo: Arnold Schaffer)

“Mitterberg Alm” below the “Hochkönig” (high king, named after its crown-like peaks), a place I have hiked to many times (Photo: courtesy of Night Sky)

I cannot wait to visit in April and revisit all my favorite places!  Have you been to Austria?  I would love to hear your impressions.  And if you are planning of going Salzburg any time soon check out my insider guide to Salzburg on THE ADRESS on tips for hotels, restaurants, shopping etc.

Cheers,

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The post What I love about Austria: Chapter 1 Scenery appeared first on Adeeni Design Group.