Capistrano Insider Writes about Being Named "Best Place to Live" by Orange Coast

In the May issue of Orange Coast magazine, Steven M. Thomas writes about Orange County's best places to live in an articled title 'The Simple Life". San Juan Capistrano is one of the cities mentioned.

See Capistrano Insider's take on the article here:
http://capistranoinsider.typepad.com/capistrano_insider/2009/05/orange-coast-magazine-takes-notice-of-capistrano.html

ASID 2009 Design Tour - Extended by Popular Demand Until May 22

The ASID 2009 Design Tour has just been extended. Due to popular demand to tour the 6 penthouses at Astoria, located in Central Park West, the Design Tour will now be open until May 22.

Sponsored by Orange Coast magazine, the event benefits the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

This year marks the first Tour of its kind for ASID. 37 designers created an urban, contemporary haven at Astoria. If you are looking for design ideas and want to be inspired, you MUST see this Tour.

LA Times.com Features ASID 2009 Design Tour!

Thanks to Lisa Boone and Craig Nakano at the always on trend - LA Times Home section. They recently posted a sneak peak slideshow of the ASID 2009 Design Tour - Urban Living at Astoria to their website. Check it out the article "The American Society of Interior Designers’ annual Orange County home tour" here:

http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-asid09-pg,0,5766043.photogallery

Below are the designer's spaces that were featured in the article.

Bunny Sutherland -- Kitchen




Taylor LeClaire with Joan Wilson
Tak O Designs
Tamra Mundia - Master Bedroom
Tamara Shermer - Terrace
OC Interiors

Sue Rexroth - Master Bedroom
Sue Rexroth Interiors

Samantha Gorrell and Megan Myers - Study


Robert Esterley - Study
Esterley Designs

Rick Thompson - Guest Bedroom

Keir: Interior Design

Frank Pitman - Kitchen

Kimberly Franzen - Guest Bedroom

Joyce Elizabeth Byrd - Downstairs Bath
J. Elizabeth Interiors

Deirdre Eagles - Downstairs Bath
Deirdre Eagles Interior Design

Beverly Stadler - Dining Room

Barbara Coulter Phillips - Guest Bedroom

Fumiko Faiman - Master Bedroom

International Custom Designs

Sponored by Orange Coast magazine, the Design Tour benefits the Orange County Performing Arts Center. The event will run through May 22.

Urban Mushing in Orange County? Check out Orange Coast's May Issue

Ever heard of Urban Mushing? If you are looking for adventure but can't make it to Alaska there is a new sport for you.
Check out the full story in Orange Coast's May issue or click here: http://www.orangecoastmagazine.com/article2.aspx?id=14850

Or see Three Dog Bakery's post (in San Clemente):http://threedogsanclemente.blogspot.com/2009/04/born-to-run.html

ASID 2009 Design Tour on Greer's OC

Check out today's Greer's OC. There is a an awesome post about the ASID 2009 Design Tour 0- Urban Living at Astoria.

Click here for the full story and photos. http://www.greersoc.com/ Or see what she says below.

Thanks Greer!

04.29.09ROOMS WITH A VIEW!
If you're anything like us, you're behind on remodeling. It's been awhile. Not so long ago that your appliances are avocado green, but you don't have recycled leather walls (so hot right now) and modern art glass fireplaces that can move from room to room. Now you can see the latest and best in interior design at the 2009 ASID/OCC Design Tour benefiting the Orange County Performing Arts Center. This is the first design tour of its kind, showcasing an urban contemporary setting in OC known as Astoria at Central Park West in Irvine. Thirty-seven of Orange County's hottest designers show off the latest trends, colors, styles, home technology, green living and more.The tour includes four penthouse lofts and two flats. The floor-to-ceiling windows and vast outdoor spaces provide the perfect backdrop for the designers to showcase their talents.On Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m. (through May 17), it's "Meet the Designers Night" where you can meet the designers. Friday night guests can sample wine and dessert at the café and later enjoy a discounted meal at participating restaurants at The District in Tustin, so save your ticket stubs! Tickets cost $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Available online (see above link), through the Orange County Performing Arts Center Box Office (714.556.2787) or at Whole Foods in The District at Tustin Legacy.If you can't make it on a Friday, the tour is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.). 405 Rockefeller Drive, at Central Park West in Irvine.www.asidocc.org

One2BOND's Room at The ASID Design Tour

Who doesn't love a "before" and "after"? I thought this room by One2BOND on the ASID 2009 Design Tour was fun to see with the "before" drawing and the "after" photo. Before


After

The One 2 BOND designers include: Jolene Ballard, Amanda Malson and David A. Romero. http://www.one2bond.com/

Everyone who tours their room is crazy about the wood carved doors, the custom side tables with nail heads and the orange accent wall that was carried up onto the ceiling. My other favorite idea from this room are the framed wall paper panels -- that is an easy way to try the wall paper trend without committing to it fully.

Here are their tips on easy ways to freshen up your home:
1) Reupholster a piece that already exists in your collection at home. Cost effective AND green.
3) Light, neutral flooring with a darker accent rug will keep the room from feeling too heavy.
4) Reframe your existing artwork. It's easy and inexpensive.
The ASID Design Tour is open now and runs through May 17. It is sposored by Orange Coast and benefits Orange County Performing Arts Center. www.asidocc.org

ASID 2009 Design Tour - By The Numbers

What does it take to put on a Design Tour? From witnessing it first hand, it takes more than a village.

Here are some fun numbers from the ASID 2009 Design Tour at Astoria, which is sponsored by Orange Coast magazine and benefitting the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

2009 ASID/OCC DESIGN TOUR
BY THE NUMBERS

4 penthouses
2 flats
40 designers
80 docents a day
4700 square feet of patio space
3 custom kitchens
38 floor material changes
467 gallons of Dunn Edwards paint
1 resin floor
9 wine chillers
3 Two-Way Mirror Flat Screens
16 pieces of found driftwood from local beaches
100’s of custom furniture pieces
2 crocodile embossed leather floor
1 $38,000 Lalique chandelier
Over $1 million of Lalique exclusive products
Dozens of faucets from Brizo and Fine Faucets
1 cutting-edge Green Energy electrical monitoring system from Pacific Digital Home
2 $10,000 chairs
$195,000 worth of audio from Audio Visions
15 Plasma TV’s
2 custom 8 foot mosaic murals
12 beds from Custom Comfort Mattress
2 pairs of designer shoes ruined
1 fabulous Super to get the job done!

The Design Tour is now open and runs through May 17th.

Drew Brophy Talks About Orange Coast's Article on Surf Artists


Lauren and I talk about the surf/skate industry all the time. From houses to luggage, all of our clients seem to be shaped by the surf industry in some way, shape or form. At heart, I think they are a creative, entrepreneurial group. So it is no surprise to me that there is a crop of OC artists that have surf/skate roots.
Drew Brophy, an artist for Sector 9 Skateboards, Liquid Force Wakeboards and Nirve bicycles is one of the artists featured in Orange Coast's May issue in the article titled "Avant Board".

Check out his post about the article and more about his work here: http://drewbrophy.com/orange-coast-mag-covers-surf-artists/

PR Firm in Orange County Makes National Impact For Clients

No wondering we are smiling! Allison Olmstead and Lauren Townsend of TO Media Co.

To keep you updated with the PR side of things -- I was just writing our monthly reports for our clients when I realized that we have had an amazing couple of months. At TO Media Co, we really try to give personalized attention while seeking stories in the press on a local and national level.

Within the last couple of months, we have worked with the following media outlets about our clients. Some stories have already ran and some will be coming out shortly. Here are our recent successes:

People Magazine – Style Watch
Travel + Leisure
The Today Show
InStyle
Associated Press
KTLA
Better Homes & Gardens
Family Cirlce
Orlando Sentinel
Girlfriend Getaways
Coastal Living

OK Magazine
Orange Coast
Cosmopolitan
Cooking with Paula Deen
Hyatt Magazine
Orange County Register

Examiner
Interior Design Magazine
+ More!

Stacy McCallum of Pixie Dust Decor Featured In The Orlando Sentinel


Stacy McCallum of Pixie Dust Decor, a playfully chic children's fabric and decor company, was just featured in the Orlando Sentinel. It is a great article - you've got to check it out.




Thanks Jean Patteson of the Orlando Sentinel!!

ASID 2009 Design Tour - Urban Living at Astoria Video

For those of you who want to get sneak peak at the ASID 2009 Design Tour - Urban Living at Astoria and learn about the events and all of the happens on the Tour, here is a video that we thought you might like.

The Tour benefits arts education at the Orange County Performing Arts Center and is sponsored by Orange Coast magazine.

ASID 2009 Design Tour in OC Register!


Orange County Register just posted a story about the ASID 2009 Design Tour - Urban Living at Astoria in their Home section called Tips From Loft-Style Living. It is a great story about living at the super-chic Astoria and the incredible design on the Tour, complete with tips from some of the designers and a 55-photo slide show.


http://www.ocregister.com/articles/designers-living-loft-2373441-center-room

The story will run in the paper tomorrow- April 25 - so be sure to get it.

Thanks Cindy McNatt, the fearless leader of the Home section at the Orange County Register!

Interior Design Tips from Rick Campos - A Designer Featured at The 2009 ASID Design Tour - Urban Living At Astoria

Rick Campos of Christopher Tracy Interiors proves that you don't need a big space to make a big impression.

He is responsible for three spaces (the foyer, the staircase and the landing at the top) at the ASID 2009 Design Tour - Urban Living at Astoria, all of which welcome you into the home. I love his choice of art for each space. It is bold, colorful and really makes a statement.

After spending some time with Rick on the Tour he was kind enough to give us some design tips to freshen up our own homes.


Rick Campos' landing on the ASID Design Tour

Tips from RICK CAMPOS – Christopher Tracy Interiors www.christophertracyinteriors.com
1) Add reflective elements like a mirror or mercury glass
2) Art books, the bigger and chunkier the better, one or three, meticulously placed.
3) Rotate art to give new life to a space.

Surfer Girls Do A Shoot For Coastal Living

Yesterday was a fun day at TO Media Co. We got to head to the beach for a photo shoot with Coastal Living about surfer girls and their beauty routine.

Our California surfer girls featured were Oleema Miller, Veronica Baker and Luann Petix, who were photographed in super cute bikinis with their surfboards (you've got to check out the amazing new surfboard by Halsea. It will be luanched to the public soon.)

Below are some shots (taken on my iphone so sorry about the quality and the lighting) of the crew in action. Thanks Lindsey Ellis and Kristen Shelton of Coastal Living and the photographer David Tsay. Look for the story in the July/August issue which will hit stands towards the end of June.