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Sunday, December 20, 2009

One Fabulous Sober House At Christmas

'
Pete Hathaway has turned his Litchfield County home into a luxurious sober house
"Mr. Hathaway, born Phillips Hathaway, a scion of an old Maryland family, was also emblematic of a time and place in Manhattan’s cultural history, a gatekeeper, as William Norwich, a contributing editor at Vogue, described him, to New York’s halls of power. “ ‘Everything discreetly for sale’ was how Pete operated when he became a big star at Sotheby’s,” said Mr. Norwich, who covered society news for The Daily News in the 1980s"

" Mr. Hathaway’s department at Sotheby’s was responsible for four or five huge sales each year, bringing in at least $20 million annually, he said, from blockbusters like the Versacesale  in 2001 (which brought $10 million for the contents of the murdered designer’s South Beach mansion) to the Duke and Duchess of Wndsor sale in 1998 (which brought over $23 million for the contents of their Paris villa, which had been bought by Mohamed al-Fayed in 1986)."

" Welcome to Mr. Hathaway’s “boutique three-quarter house,” as one friend described the facility that Mr. Hathaway, once a fixture of Manhattan’s social scene, has made of his home here. It’s a six-bed, men-only, “step down” retreat — that is, a residential treatment environment for those who have already completed a 28-day rehab program but, vulnerable to relapse, are encouraged to follow some sort of “stepped down” care. "

" Called Enterprise New Life, “it’s for men like me who aren’t ready to go home yet,” Mr. Hathaway said. The Wednesday dinner, to which Mr. Hathaway invites neighbors in recovery and even some “normies,” is its semi-public face. "

" This is a third act for Mr. Hathaway, who was for two decades a director of European furniture at Sotheby’s. Six-foot-five, wickedly charming and patricianly handsome, he had been the consummate “extra man,” a skilled practitioner of “the night shift,” as he called his after-hours life on the benefit, dinner party and opera circuit, which he pursued full-throttle, as his employers encouraged him to do, for the connections he made there brought the auction house some of its best sales. "

I say,  there comes a time in a rocovery that one has to view alcohol as poison.
The skull and cross bones speak volumes.

His home is obviously decorated with bits and pieces from Sothoby's and Christies.
Just imagine, everything has it's own little story.

A Recovering  man.
With a beautiful and safe place to RECOVER.

This is a recent article out off the N.Y.T.
I just feel that this is just 
so much of the Christmas Spirit.
( that's probably why the N.Y.T. did this article...ya' think?)



This is a cozy pile of patterns.
I would be very comfortable sharing my thoughts and feelings here.
Would You?

The NYT article:click here

Do you think we have enough good places for recovering alcoholics to heal ?
Each one of us has been touched by alcoholism in some way. Whether we realize it or not.
Sometimes it is a co-worker.....
Maybe someone close to you is suffering, or just can't stop drinking when they promise they will.
Maybe you wonder if you are an alcoholic.


This Season Is The hardest Time Of Year For Alcoholics and Recovering Alcoholics.


What are your thoughts on this subject?


After reading this article, and giving it some thought......
I would love to put a huge house together for young woman. 
A beautiful, safe, and loving place for young woman to start over.
How cool would it be if?....... 
WE became the traveling DESIGN BLOGGERS 
taking big old houses, giving them a makeover, (we would need a Huge GRANT of course) and turned them over to the community or town to use for their recovering drug addicts and alcoholics?What a great way to change a life for the better!!!




Oh Look!!!
It is the DESIGN BLOGGERS and their ' Hugh GRANT ' after a ribbon cutting at one of their finished community homes. The Press loves them!!!  

It would be a great thing to do. 
Just one little town at time.
And helping to change one persons 'path' at a time.


Merry Christmas to all my friends XXXX'x

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
credits: listal.com,daily mail co. uk
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A., Sober House
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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Who Really Cares About the Bond Boy Rejects?


Well I care about most things from the 60's.
And BOND is a big part of it.

(daanemartina) Play the song to feel the campy mood we are working on here

These are the BOND REJECTS
Who Would Be James Bond?In the early '60s, movie producers adapting Ian Fleming's novels about a suave British spy named James Bond plucked a relative unknown, Sean Connery, out of obscurity and offered him the role of a lifetime. And when Connery left the franchise after five movies, the hunt for Bond was on again. 

Is it any wonder how this guy didn't cut the mustard?
Hmmmmm?
I think is chest is hairy enough, it is just CONCAVE.
Not very sexy.

What would YOU say he is trying to say in his
Head Shot here?

Then there was this hottie.
Yes. I think he could have pulled it off.
You will see in the next few stills of him in action.

YUMMO

I might let him kiss me.
Would you?

Yes, he would have worked just fine.

Definitely not this guy.
No way, with those shifty eyes!!
 
I think this one might have given
Captain Kangaroo a run for his money.
There is one more shot of this guy that I thought was amusing
.
Yes. This is the one.
I don't know why but I get a kick out of it.
Maybe because he is just so ' striking a pose.'
(my brother will like this post and be giggling along with me)

I can't really do a post without discussing 
a little bit of design. Right?
So, what do you think 
about a mirror, on an angle above the bed ?
*As shown here 
with Sean Connery in bed with a sexy spy girl.
In a million years I would NEVER EVER 
have a mirror over my bed 
unless it was a skinny mirror!!!
And any of you ladies who have tried on a 
bathing suit in a dressing room 
and looked fabulous?.....
...that was one of those special magic skinny mirrors.
I have been searching for the source all my life.
My lady clients would adore me 
if I could supply them with skinny mirrors.
Don't you think?
You know you want one.



With the famous Pussy Galore character.

The first crush that I had on a movie star was Sean Connery.
I was in elementary school, I didn't know I had a crush on him.
All I knew was that I wanted to change my name to Sean.
He did set the style
of man I would be drawn to for the rest of my life.

I thought he was darling from every angle.

How did you feel about him?
Who was your favorite Bond and why?
XXXX's rf  
Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
credit from LIFE click here to see more
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A.,James Bond, Mirrors over beds
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

A Swedish Vacation House

Okay my peeps, 
I know we mostly like 'traditional' .
But it is important 
to be able to take away just 
one good idea 
from a design we may not be crazy about.

You can never have enough glass.
Right ?

COLD.

BUT, I like any kitchen that opens to an outdoor area.
Mine does....and I love it.
You don't ever feel claustrophobic.



I think the butcher block stairs and counter tops are an interesting idea.
I would like it in walnut or in limed oak.
 The stainless drawers are a great look.

The stairs have so much work in them.
I can appreciate the workmanship.
(but I would still like it better in walnut)
But I know they had their reasons.
This is supposed to be a Swedish Family home
where they take saunas together and then jump in a cold body of water.
Which happens to be right outside.
I love to do that too!!!

The glass fireplace is fabulous.
The glass walls are fabulous.
This space is fabulous.
But.....
I would do it differently.
Would you?

Oh look!
So that's where you place those floor lamps!!!
Click here to know more.
What did you 
come away with that you liked?
"The large old farm  house converted into vacation house for a family located at the nearby city of Malmo. The house especially designed to create a manifestation of the Swedish ritual of sauna and bathing. Apart from the sauna and attendant space for undressing, washing and relaxing , the mill house is also small dwelling. Surrounded by the beautiful natural garden while also appreciating the Japanese Zen master’s approach to finding the simple live. The traditional rite of sauna involves baking together and dashing out for an invigorating dip in a cold stream. See all photos, site plan and floor plan after the jump. Developer: Winggardhs"   




Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A., one good idea,sweden,glass
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Tuesday, December 15, 2009

I Wish I Had A River ...

I could skate away on.



river - joni mitchell

It’s coming on christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
But it don’t snow here
It stays pretty green
I’m going to make a lot of money
Then I’m going to quit this crazy scene
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly



( you tube  MademoiselleNobs1973)
*My Christmas Song.
During my young adolescents
I was ALWAYS listening to Joni Mitchell.
Her words and music saved my life
on more days and nights than I can count.
I was a sad kid who spent all her time
trying to mentally escape through writing,
*and other typical ways in the 1970's.

Yes. I thought I might be a writer of sorts.
But, that was all way before I found out where my true talent would lead me.
But, I would like to know.....
Is there some singer - songwriter who touched you deeply ?
If so, would you share with me who it is?
Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,Joni Mitchell singing 'River'
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A.
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Monday, December 14, 2009

A French Artist's Studio


How is it ?

Why is it ?

They just can pull it off......with such ease.

Style.
As only the French can do!
I mean this is an artist's studio,
and their living space.
It is divine.
Especially the 1st picture and the last (bedroom).
This is a regular/normal ( as normal as an artist can be) person.


Don't you agree that Jean Paul 
from 21 Rue Jacob, Paris Fr.
can pull off something that William Butler 
from Little Rock Arkansas can not?

Are you confident 
that if you were an artist 
with no interior design experience...
that your place would look this cool?

credits: www.marieclairemaison.com
Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Ft.Lauderdale,Design Service, Window Treatments, TurnKey Interior Design Service,Paint selection, Floor-Plans,Online Interior Design,
Design Center of The Americas, D.C.O.T.A.,style, the french,an artist's studio,
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About Renée Finberg

I have been in this business since the age of 22.

I love what I do and cannot imagine my life without Design.

Design Challenges are great.

And because of those challenges

I have imported fine antique pieces from Paris,

Designed and Manufactured Furniture,

Created Fantastic Window Treatments,

And solved all kinds of spatial & architectural issues

With my unique style.

If I can't find it, I create it.

My rooms would make excellent movie sets.

I am a visual, tactile and audio sensitive individual.

Creating is what I live for, not math, not spelling, not science.

Just Great Design.

Just imagine how it would be if each of us,

If only for a few hours of everyday,We could be in a space that is our very own.A place that is exactly the way we want it to be

Surrounded by all the things we wanted to see,

The atmosphere we wanted feel, smell and the sound we wanted to listen to.

Private Paradise

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Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her Adventures in Design by Renee Finberg is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.reneefinberg.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at reneefinberg@gmail.ocm.

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