Decorating Guides
Open House: Designers Create Uplifting Sanctuaries
Good Shepherd Charity Project creates welcoming, multi-functional living spaces for women and children in transition
The Good Shepherd Center for Homeless Women & Children in Los Angeles opened its doors last summer to tours of 30 rooms beautifully decorated by top designers in Los Angeles. These designers worked pro bono with the donations of countless interior design companies to create beautiful environments.
The Good Shepherd Charity Project was managed by the talented Vanessa De Vargas and Vanessa Kogevinas, who plan to organize a similar charity project every year. Erika Bierman and Laure Joliet donated their professional photography services. Join the tour virtually and hear about the rooms from each of the designers.
The Good Shepherd Charity Project was managed by the talented Vanessa De Vargas and Vanessa Kogevinas, who plan to organize a similar charity project every year. Erika Bierman and Laure Joliet donated their professional photography services. Join the tour virtually and hear about the rooms from each of the designers.
Islas needed the furniture to be multi-functional in the small space and to add some architectural detailing and texture. Using burlap with semi-gloss paint, the delicate sleek wood of the desk mixed with acrylic/metal chair, the rich organic woods at the vanity with the shimmer of mirror give the room a timeless, organic, and effortless feel.
Trying to find a spot for all the donations received was challenging! There was a lot of donated items that she was not able to use and was constantly editing. In the end, it all came together and Islas was thrilled be a part of this and always ready to give back.
Kelly Schandel of Think Pure: "The design intent was to create a cheerful yet equally calming sanctuary that also reflects my design style: clean, contemporary, warm and inviting. With two large windows in the small (12’ x 14’) room, positioning the bed was crucial. I decided to place the headboard in front of one of the windows to allow the room’s new resident to enjoy some of the skyline views of Los Angeles’ downtown high rises through the other window. Placing film over the bottom half of the windows obscured the less inviting view directly outside. Two blown glass lampshades from Neptina in Venice, CA. helped determine the color scheme.
"Attention to detail is important in small rooms because the details are more noticeable — they have to co-exist," Schandel says. Making the details multi-use makes sense too: the ribbon look wall sculpture is actually a coat hook." Holly Hunt donated the Christian Liaigre high-backed armchair. Minotti donated the slim, elegant table lamps. Classic Design made the ultra-suede platform bed. The fabric of the drapes, which came from Diamond Foam & Fabric in LA. The Parsons desk from West Elm is stunning finished in high gloss white lacquer. And two different wallpapers were donated.
"Attention to detail is important in small rooms because the details are more noticeable — they have to co-exist," Schandel says. Making the details multi-use makes sense too: the ribbon look wall sculpture is actually a coat hook." Holly Hunt donated the Christian Liaigre high-backed armchair. Minotti donated the slim, elegant table lamps. Classic Design made the ultra-suede platform bed. The fabric of the drapes, which came from Diamond Foam & Fabric in LA. The Parsons desk from West Elm is stunning finished in high gloss white lacquer. And two different wallpapers were donated.
"Mixing high design items with pieces from IKEA and West Elm is part of the fun," Schandel says. "It’s something I do with my own home, and with the clothes I wear. The IKEA Malm dresser is almost a design classic."
Jen Porter of Chic Living LA: "My idea for designing my room at Good Shepard was to create a monochromatic classic sanctuary. A room with soothing taupe color, warm textures of silk, and a sprinkle of vintage chic. I wanted the room to have a luxurious feeling of Eloise At The Plaza."
"I incorporated a draped canopy bed made of silk, a vintage French chandelier and a shagrin desk," Porter says. "I wanted the women who stayed in this room to be inspired by beauty and serenity."
Shirry Dolgin of ASD Interiors: "The most exciting part about designing a room for the shelter was fantasizing about who the woman would be that would get the room. I came to the conclusion that the most important thing would be that she feels the love and care I put into this room. I wanted her to walk in and feel like this is a space she could feel completely safe in and I wanted it to warm her heart! My plan was to transform this uninviting dorm that every detail would make her feel like she was in another place and in another country. I chose to make a headboard in a romantic green fabric with a soft shape and very sweet feminine bedding. I contrasted this with very rich drapery in an aubergine color. After the color was decided, it was important for me to create a space plan that was symmetrical in order to emphasize a hotel feel."
"I didn’t want everything to be made of the same material," Dolgin says. "This is why the headboard is made of fabric, the dresser is whicker, the chair is covered in linen, and the writing desk has a white painted finish. Last, my approach in providing comfort and a feeling of warmth was to incorporate items in the design that a woman would love to surround herself with, such as beautiful stationery, chocolates and candy, scented candles, and a beautiful collection of perfume bottles which were all donated by friends and family."
Jessica Bennet of Jessica Bennet Interiors: "The moment I knew what the project was all about, I knew I wanted to create a sanctuary for the women who would be calling the room home for years to come. It had to be light and airy, bright and peaceful. As people walked through during the open house, the word overheard most often was, 'It’s so fresh!' Hearing that, I knew my goal was accomplished. We created a little slice of heaven that the residents of the Good Shepherd Center could go to to find refuge and comfort from an otherwise crazy life."
"I had over a dozen friends and family members donate over $3,000 to furnish the room as well as very generous donations from my family business, Ebanista and my long-time drapery source, Hyatt Custom Draperies," Bennet says. "The paint was donated by Lowe's and the custom artwork was painted specifically for this room by Jordan Thomas Art."
Charmean Neithart at Charmean Neithart Interiors: "We aim to create a space that is a union of function and beauty. In this breezy corner bedroom, our aim was to design a peaceful retreat that was both cozy and calming, a place where its resident could feel relaxed, pampered and empowered. The lovely bedding graciously donated by Serena and Lily served as our color inspiration with its gorgeous combination of coral and turquoise. When Charmean discovered the treasured vintage flamingo artwork at a local antique shop, the space took off and we were soon transported to the beaches of south Florida. The woven basket light-fixture complements this seaside look. Two stunning Roman shades donated by Fine Draperies add dimension and purpose to the bedroom, while the luxurious decorative pillows provide a touch of elegance and sophistication."
According to Lewis and Neithart, "Our attempt at whimsy is seen in the fun papier-mache zebra head by Anthropologie which keeps watch over the woven cane-paneled bed from Restoration Hardware Baby and Child. Our intent was to fashion a cheerful haven in the center of downtown Los Angeles that would serve as a refuge for a brave woman attempting to make positive changes in her life."
Kelly Edwards: "I was so in love with the idea of creating a room that felt comfortable and unassuming. Since we weren’t told who was going to have our room ahead of time I wanted it to appeal to everyone, kind-of like a small vacation suite."
"Using plants, natural textures like the Cliff Spencer wood table and a mixture of soft and vibrant colors was exactly what I wanted," Edwards says. "I opted to use Lucite and mirrored furniture pieces from Z Gallerie to make the room feel light and airy while the plants made the room feel more alive (I believe every room should have one thing that’s “alive”)."
"A soft gray on the walls from Glidden, comfy bedding from Dwell and pops of color in the throw pillows, rug and artwork was intended to create an inspiring, yet relaxing home away from home," Edwards says.
Tamara Honey of House of Honey: "Girlie glamour meets modern whimsy! The space is an artful mix of old and new. In true House of Honey style, the space juxtaposes ornate lines with modern textiles and sparkles with metallic paint and dangling lucite. The feel is sophisticated and timeless with bold wallpapers and playful with vintage portraits and busts. Ladies are always pretty in pink, and this was a great opportunity to use the glowing blush color in a fun and unexpected manner," Honey says.
"We were fortunate enough to receive gorgeous donations from Decorative Carpets, Osborne & Little, Cole & Son, Bungelow 5, Serena & Lily as well as many vintage finds directly from the House Of Honey showroom."
More: Fantasy dining rooms raise funds for a good cause
"We were fortunate enough to receive gorgeous donations from Decorative Carpets, Osborne & Little, Cole & Son, Bungelow 5, Serena & Lily as well as many vintage finds directly from the House Of Honey showroom."
More: Fantasy dining rooms raise funds for a good cause
space was to create a fresh, organic, uplifting space that felt like a home for the resident of this room at Good Shepherd, instead of just a room. It was also important to keep in mind that this room would need to hold up the test of time since it is transitional housing and many women would use the space."