ORIENT EXPRESS:
La Jolla Home Reflects Love Of Asian Art And Antiques

“I strive for an equilibrium of old and new. I love the contrast,” says designer Helene Ziman, ASID, president of Helen Ziman & Associates in San Diego.

Ziman combined Asian antiques, Oriental art, and contemporary furnishings in a La Jolla residence, transforming a former French country-style residence into a home with an Asian fusion motif – and an abundance of artistic flair.

“My objective is to create a timeless design that has classic sophisticated touches and that is comfortable,” adds the designer, who holds a masters degree in art history from the University of Southern California. Her artistic eye was later enhanced through internships at the Getty Museum and Sotheby’s. Incorporating Asian antiques and art from her clients’ travels, as well as scouring galleries and shops locally served as “icing on the cake,” says Ziman.

“We fell in love with the house,” recalls the homeowner, who asks not to be identified.

He and his wife appreciate the tranquility of Asian design. “I loved the light, peace and serenity that the house demonstrated,” she says. “Our ideal plan was to reflect our love of Oriental art.”

Doors of carved wood and seeded water glass reflect a circle of life motif, heralding entry into the remodeled home. Antique Chinese heads atop an ornately carved table in the foyer represent longevity, prosperity, and wisdom.

The expansive entry opens into a dining room, where removal of walls and doors provides ample space to entertain guests in style. A corner fireplace refaced in granite provides both warmth and beauty.

Ziman designed a circular dining table of crackled glass with an ebony-hued wenge wood base, fabricated by Ultimate Furniture. Silk draperies by Levas & Sons give additional touches of elegance. A circular chandelier from Simos illuminates the dining area, while halogen lighting highlights art.

Custom cabinetry by Westworld displays a collection of 18 porcelain Chinese gods, each representing a facet of personality. A central figure, Kuan Yin, symbolizes creation.

“We brought back this screen from China,” the homeowner says, gesturing toward a century-old artifact that now serves as a dramatic focal point on the living room wall.

“It’s the epitome of the home,” Ziman says of the screen, which features carved jade wildlife, flowers, and trees in rich jade, gold, crimson, rust and sage hues.

On the opposite wall, a fireplace features a dramatic new surround of green granite, evoking a rainforest ambience. Custom cabinets flanking the fireplace display art glass and crystal. Neutral-toned furnishings combine contemporary Donghia pieces with Ziman’s original designs. Glass doors provide unobstructed views of the backyard, replacing multi-paned French windows.

Murano glass statues from Italy depict Asian peasants in a sleek, contemporary style, providing striking contrast to a textural bronze sculpture by Richard McDonald titled Diana and the Hunt.

A library off the living room features floor-to-ceiling wood bookshelves and a built-in bar created by Kitchen Expo. Ziman designed custom-scaled his-and-her reading chairs and a plush ottoman.

“Before, this was dry-walled. It was a nothing room,” recalls the homeowner, adding that the room formerly led to a bathroom.

The library also doubles as a gallery, displaying artworks including Rainpillar, a bronze sculpture by M.L. Snowden that illustrates the life-sustaining force of nature.

Inside the master suite, silk-quilted bed linens, wenge wood furnishings, and wall trim serve as backdrops to an impressive array of Oriental art and artifacts.

“Buddha is our protector,” Ziman says of a bronze statue seated atop a built-in bureau. Statues of temple chow dogs stand guard atop nightstands, while a hand-stitched silk scene of Chinese musicians hangs above the bed. The piece, along with other artwork in the home, was framed by JAG art. The room’s most striking focal points, however, are a pair of ornately carved, antique ivory tusks.

An angled spa tub nestles beside a fireplace with mirrors inset in the master bath, which was completely remodeled. His-and-her glass sinks, lit from beneath, glow softly amid sage green granite countertops. Above, a quartet of skylights fills the bath with sunlight. Glass shelves display collections of perfume bottles and Asian snuff bottles.

Vibrant paintings by Betty Borkin, the homeowner’s aunt, adorn a hall leading to the kitchen, enhancing of the home’s Asian motif. “She started painting at 65 and stopped at 95,” the homeowner’s wife reflects.
Ziman designed a table of crackled evergreen glass and twig-carved chairs for a breakfast nook in a bay window overlooking the pool.

Kitchen Expo fabricated the home’s remodeled kitchen, where additional upper cabinets and a large island with storage have been added. Lacquered laminate cabinetry of birdseye maple features a lustrous red hue, providing colorful counterpoint to deep green granite counters with reversed beveled edges. Davis Stone served up a hand-hewn, stone tile backsplash for additional pizzazz.

“We both love to cook,” says the homeowner, who appreciates the new kitchen’s prep sink, double convection oven, and six-burner gas stove by Dacor. The room also includes a Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer as well as a large wine cooler cabinet.

The owners, who serve on numerous charity boards, enjoy entertaining. “We had the cast over from the Old Globe play Take Me Out,” the homeowner recalls. “Thirty people were comfortably standing around in the kitchen without bumping into each other.”

The homeowners are so enthralled with their home’s remodeled interior that they’re now planning a new project, he confides. “We’re going to do the outside of the house in an Asian theme.” — Miriam Raftery,
Photography by Vincent Knakal

Rejuvenate The Home
What if a New Year’s resolution was just as much about instant gratification as the holidays? Sure, we could always cut back on those green and red sugar cookies that seem to follow us home from holiday parties, but this January, celebrate the New Year with a new look for your home.

Designer Jeannie Brown of Diva Interior Design states that “it is not always easy to see what could be changed to bring a fresh look to a lived-in space.” Often, we would never think to change the most impacting element of a room or area. Brown continues, “It’s important to consider the whole picture and not just a part of it. Some things need a cosmetic facelift whereas others take a huge undertaking.” Brown suggests making a master plan and identifying what would make each room come alive.

Sometimes the hardest step is knowing where to start. Designer Elizabeth Byron of Elizabeth Byron Home Couture has a few suggestions. “There is a shifting emphasis on the bedroom space,” she says. “Designers are looking at new ways to make the bedroom a beautiful, intimate space, a place of refuge, and a place to relax.”

Byron notes that treating yourself to luxury high thread count sheets is now more affordable than ever before and will help to complete a newly designed room, perfect for pampering yourself. “Consider specialty lighting like a unique soft illuminated lamp for the bedside table. Adding fun accessories, like a vintage vanity set to a dressing table, can also inspire the room.”

And don’t forget the patio. “Extending the living space outside lets us live bigger,” Byron continues. “With new outdoor textiles, you can create a dynamic inside/outside space by coordinating your interior color scheme with new outdoor accessories.” In honor of a year-round poolside climate, consider repaving with natural stone such as travertine or marble, or adding a tiled mosaic to the lining of your pool. Ali Shapouri of California Marble notes, “Unlike concrete, natural stone stays cool to the touch in direct sunlight and has a higher slip resistance, but is comparable in cost.” These pages highlight some great ideas to help you renew your home.
— Lauren Bender

Don’t Want To Design? Then Re-Design
When it comes to interior design, stripping the canvas clean and starting from scratch might be the last thing you are prepared to do. Rosemarie Houston of Bon Bon in Solana Beach says that sometimes the relocation of existing items in a home, and the addition of a few new, special things, can make a room entirely new. “It is better to keep a part of what you like and have lived with,“ she says. “This approach to design is more challenging and a lot more fun.” Consider bringing together three of your favorite pieces that are spread in various rooms around your house. The rarely used lamp that sits in your bedroom might bring out the color hues of a painting just purchased for the family room. Pamper yourself by adding a new vanity to your favorite antique chair. Moving a couch and adding the right lighting and throw pillows can make an instant reading nook and a new place to spend time. Objects from different time periods work well together when they share a similar quality such as color or texture. Don’t be afraid to mix things up. And if you can’t decide for yourself, Houston and her team are a good bet. (858/792-1668) — Lauren Bender, photo by Vincent Knakal

Objects Of Desire
A room can be greatly transformed without major redecoration with simply the addition of an elegant accent piece like a beautiful lamp or rug. By incorporating a unique and voguish one-of-a-kind item, any space can take on a refreshed and distinguished style. Graysonpilar Design Lounge challenges the confines of traditional décor through the marriage of modern form and classic design. Distinctively designed lighting using Murano glass, semi-antique Persian rugs, fine art, and handcrafted mid-century furniture abound. Owner Caryn Anderton explains that the showroom is “a working design lounge and a valuable resource in finding all types of antique, custom, and vintage items for the home.” By combining inspiration from different eras, Anderton has created an original style of supreme quality that is sure to add flair to any room. The showroom in Solana Beach is open seven days a week or a private showing can be reserved. (858/481-0334, www.graysonpilar.com)
— Kaila Lee, photo by Vincent Knakal

Optically Clear And Technically Superior Window Films From 3M (Above)
A new window film program has been launched by 3M, available exclusively through 3M Prestige Window Film dealers. 3M’s Prestige Window Films use no metal. This premium line offers window films that have less interior reflectivity than the glass they cover, which is important when considering San Diego’s nighttime views. These spectrally-selective films reject up to 97 percent of the sun’s infrared light to help keep your home or building cool and lower energy costs. They will also block up to 99 percent of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, which are the single largest cause of fading. Creating a clear window film with all these advantages wasn’t easy. It required the world’s leading nano-technology laboratories of 3M. This cutting edge nano-technology has allowed 3M to create a film that delivers the highest performance possible without metal. What’s more, 3M Prestige Window Films has one of the most comprehensive warranties in the industry, backed by a company you know and trust. Because of the advancements involved, 3M has selected specific Prestige Window Film dealers based on their ability to offer quality workmanship, their extensive product knowledge, and their ability to serve their customers to the highest standards, including Stop the Sun/Sun Protective Glass Tinting in San Diego County. (858/527-0432) — Alicia Garcia

Mirror, Mirror, On The Wall
Ninety percent of San Diegans live in tract homes, many of which are aging and in need of a little design sprucing. Quite often taken for granted, mirrors can reflect more than just your face while walking thru the entryway or brushing your teeth in the master bath. They reflect the image of your home as well.

“When I looked at my home mirrors, I thought, ‘Wow, boring.’ But the thought of complete mirror replacement was way too overwhelming,” says Terri Martin, founder of Mirror Makeovers. “I am an artisan at heart, so I got busy, and thus, Mirror Makeovers was born.”

The diverse line of mouldings contains many styles from which to choose — Renaissance to Rococo, Old World Spanish to modern art. Variations in distressed, richly colored, or hand painted woods as well as warm patinas, gold leaf, silvers, coppers, or faux slate inlays offer so many possibilities for converting an ordinary mirror into a work of art. Playful colors for children’s rooms are also available. “It is easy to transform your plain bathroom, vanity, and entryway mirrors into beautifully custom-crafted, eye-catching masterpieces,” adds Martin. “If there isn’t already a mirror where they need one, we also specialize in custom-made mirrors.”

The simple process begins with a home consultation where measurements are taken. Once the designer mouldings have been chosen, installers return with the assembled frames, ready to complete the transformation to instant works of art on the wall. All the better to be found fairest of them all. (858/794-9195, www.mirrormakeovers.com) — Ann Radcliffe

A Growing Passion (Above)
Beautiful gardens do not appear overnight — they evolve over years of careful observation and tending, by passionate gardeners. A new TV series, A Growing Passion, recently debuted on KPBS-TV, where real gardens, created by ordinary people who just happen to be extraordinary gardeners, are showcased. Produced in San Diego, the show is hosted by San Diego-based garden writer and expert, Nan Sterman, who visits gardeners and their gardens. “We explore more than just the mechanics of gardening. We hear the gardener’s perspective about the larger benefits of gardening, the physical, the psychological, the spiritual, and the emotional benefits,” explains Sterman. The next episode will air on January 8 at 10:30pm. (www.agrowingpassion.com) — Mia Stefanko

Garden With Ease
Not everyone has a green thumb — but this should not keep fans of homegrown produce from having their own personal garden. In a single day, Gardens to Gro converts an ordinary sunny spot in a yard into a lush garden that can produce enough fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs for the entire family. The Redwood design accommodates multiple species of plants in as little as a 64-square-foot space. There are many attractive features to these contained gardens including raised beds to keep away gophers, rabbit-proof fencing, and automatic watering systems allowing the garden to be basically self-sufficient. The innovative design of Gardens to Gro makes gardening fun, convenient, and nearly effortless. (858/278-0650, www.gardenstogro.com) — Kaila Lee

Bella Fiore Blossoms
Coastal dwellers can rejoice now that the luxurious styling of Bella Fiore in the Ranch has grown a sister location, Bella Fiore on Cedros. With the new addition, the original location will take on a shop identity where beautiful florals, blooming and exotic plants, and high-end gifts can be found, while Bella Fiore on Cedros will serve as the center for event planning needs — as owner Leanne Michael will be available by appointment to conduct creative meetings and show samples. Additionally, the Cedros location will sell new and consignment furniture, as well as custom-designed pieces. (858/481-5930, www.bellafiorersf.com) — Jane Shiomi, photo by Vincent Knakal