While soaking up the sun poolside in Palm Springs this past spring, I planned an afternoon of furniture and home accessory shopping on North Palm Canyon Drive. Many vintage, retro and mid-century shops are located on North Palm Canyon Drive's uptown design district located between Alejo and Tachevah Streets.
{Via Odi et Amo; Designer: David Jimenez; Photo: Stephanie Diani for The New York Times}
Not far from Trina Turk's home store, is a delightful and unique furniture store called Art Style Innovation or ASI. Just as it's name suggests, it's filled with re-invented vintage pieces updated using materials such as acrylic, bold fabrics and high gloss lacquer paint. Many of the whimsical pieces are one-of-a-kind.
{image via Oprah.com}
ASI was created by Larry Abel and Raymond McCallister. The talented duo also owns larry abel / de-signs, vb., LLC a successful event production company with offices in Los Angeles and New York City. Their A-list clients include People Magazine, Elle and Bravo TV. Larry and Raymond have been swarming busy this year after designing Oprah's first edible set, made from pure Godiva Chocolate. Yum. The details are simply spectacular, take a look here.
In addition to planning lavish productions, Larry & Raymond are busy designing and putting an ASI twist on statement home furnishings and accessories. In the vignette above, ASI took a traditional shape of a bombay chest and added some fun and whimsy to it by making the shelves out of neon green acrylic. Atop the chest are clear candelabras inspired by the large candelabras Raymond's Grandmother displayed in her entry hallway. The pair of vintage chairs are a re-invention by ASI and were painted a high-gloss orange, reupholstered the seats with fun fabric and removed the wooden back replacing it with a hand carved back to mimic the original. The giant clock was originally a numbers panel , but with the ASI touch it now makes a great piece of art that is also functional.
ASI designs are inspired by just about anything. The legs of the long acrylic coffee table above were inspired by an urn found at an estate sale. The red sofa in the image above, was also re-invented by ASI. The arms of the sofa were streamlined, the legs were lacquered and it was reupholstered in a cherry red crocodile vinyl. The vintage chairs were also updated with an ASI point of view. The frames were painted in a modern high-gloss white, the seats were reupholstered with black patent leather, while frosted acrylic was an added detail to the back. The art above the sofa is by a local artist and also available at ASI.
ASI designed a series of playful and functional silhouette bookends that include roosters, sexy legs, and a pair of stilettos. The shadow images really pop on the bookshelf that was given an updated ASI look with white lacquer paint.
If you are looking for a touch of whimsy in your space, be sure to drop by ASI 's online store or visit them in sunny Palm Springs.
xo,
*all photos used with permission from ASI or otherwise mentioned.
