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Scottsdale’s new establishment The Saguaro Hotel may be Arizona’s freshest and most vibrant place for a weekend respite. More destination than staycation, the hotel, which was designed by New York-based architectures Stamberg Aferiat, is a vivid tribute to the colorful sights and animated settings of the Southwest, with a color palette of tangerine, buttery yellow, magenta and bright, rich green. If the atmosphere and welcoming spa isn’t enough to bring you out, however, perhaps the restaurants will – most notably, modern Mexican eatery Distrito, the sibling of Iron Chef’s Jose Garces’ celebrated Philadelphia dig of the same name.

Stemming from the hotel’s southwestern shades, the delicious interior design of Distrito is energetic and contemporary, based upon the brilliant, spirited hues of Mexican culture. Designer Jun Aizaki, who hailed from Brooklyn, New York’s Crème Design Collective, was inspired by the landscapes of the region and created the restaurant’s interior to feel both traditional and fresh. A colorful skull feature by the lobby entrance, for example, is celebratory of Mexico’s Day of the Dead; a backlit resin bar counter with butterfly embeds, a mosaic felt ball feature wall resembling bright gumballs and a woven flat elastic screen wall at the banquettes are novel, modern and invigorating. Clothespin chandeliers and table tops sprinkled with pink and gold glitter add a further funky edge to the restaurant’s style. Guests can order Hamachi tacos fresh off the skillet, a variety of Barbacoa, margaritas from over 100 varieties of tequila at the margarita bar and the tortilla and guacamole station, where tortillas are made-to-order on a quilted stainless steel food-vendor-style post, are authentically delicious by chef’s design.

Distrito at The Saguaro | 4000 Drinkwater Boulevard | Scottsdale, AZ | 480-970-4444

It’s a little late to get this baby shipped over to the house for the Super Bowl but for you grilling experts this here beauty might be your next purchase.   The Bob Grillson BBQ uses traditional power to burn up wooden pellets that give your steaks a unique flavor. It also sports an oiled bamboo tray for chopping, prepping, and beer-holding, a sleek modern design, golf caddy wheels, cast-iron, porcelain enameled grates, an electronic temperature control, and an integrated thermometer.

zBe Mine Designz

Alessi’s “Big Love” Ice Cream bowl and spoon, $56, alessi.com; “Hugs” Salt & Pepper Set $29.99, nova68.com; Dci Heart Measuring Spoons (pack of 4), $10.49, overstock.com; Heart Keychain Bottle Opener, $8, urbanoutfitters.com.

PLYprints Love Heart, Deisgned by Alexander Girard, $95, modernfurnitureshop.net; Diamond Ring Red Acrylic, Designed by Alissia Melka-Teichroew, $12, momastore.org; "FLW Architect's Mechanical Pencil Set", Architect Pencil Set w/ Eraser, Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, $60, acmestudio.com; Panton Heart Chair, $3,670, danishdesignstore.com.

Fatboy- the Original, $239, 2modern.com; “Neo” Rocking Chair Armchair arms in Matt Brushed Aluminum, $2,620, ligne-roset usa.com; Eloise Candy Heart Bed in pink size large, $155.81, theuncommondog.com; “Angles” Card case, Designed by Karim Rashid, $37, acmestudio.com.

"Lovers", Roller ball Pen, Designed by Billy Dee Williams, $73, acmestudio.com; Vitra Miniature Studio 65 Bocca Sofa, $245, vertigohome.us; Le Creuset 2-Quart Heart Casserole in Cherry, $159.95, allmodern.com; Dollhouse Brush & Dustpan Set, $15, fredflare.com.

1Be Mine Design1

Be mine, Be mine, o’ Valentine of luxury and design.  Take a peek at our special guide to a Valentine’s Day filled with love and design.

Looking for something fun to do in mid February? Why not check Palm Spring’s Modernism Week. Taking place February 16-26, this 11 day event has plenty to offer the modern design and architecture lover. The event celebrates mid-century modern design, architecture, and culture in Palm Springs.

Taking inspiration from the style of the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, Modernism Week will include architectural tours, films, lectures, and educational events. But wait there’s more. Chic parties will also be going down in mid-century modern homes and boutique hotels all week.

For a complete schedule of the events click here.

Image via Modernism Week

Maybe it’s our desire to spend lazy days curled up on the couch that is inspiring all of these DIY Pillow posts, but it also could be that these ideas are great and pillows are an affordable way to change a room without buying new furniture.  Double props when you can make them yourself and use what you have. This Quote pillow is from the charming DIY blog Wit & Whistle and is inspired by a similar, pricier one ($149) from Vivaterra, but encourages creativity in picking a quote all by yourself. You just need a blank pillow, a ruler, a letter stencil, a pencil and a fabric marker to turn your couch into a literary oasis. Follow all the directions here. Maybe write a little love note to your Valentine this year, quote your favorite song or line from a movie. The ideas are endless.

Image via Wit & Whistle

As chosen by you, here are the top stories of ALL TIME aka last week, just in case you missed them.

What do you get when you mix an accessories designer, an architect and an Al Beadle condo remodel project? You get a “fashterior” aka a unique and quirky modern space inspired by fashion (btw – we just coined that word). Equally intriguing as the space itself is the owner Jennifer Paige Boonlorn, the accessories designer behind Soul Carrier, a unique brand that takes interesting materials, like recycled seat belts, and turns them into fashion accessories.

Jennifer’s remodeled Beadle Box, on the southside of Camelback, is a product of her passion for fashion, modern design and her friendship with architect Bob Wilkinson “I worked with Bob Wilkinson to completely renovate my Beadle Box. Bob and I were college friends, and I was his first client after he left Construction Zone last year to form his own company Worksite,” says Jennifer. »READ MORE

Designer-collaboration king Target will debut the ultimate colab series May 6 with The Shops at Target, a partnership with the owners of specialty shops and boutiques around the country to co-create affordable, limited-edition collections for shoppers. The first collection, which will be at all Target stores and their website, will feature five exclusive lines with nearly 400 exclusive products from specialty shops The Candy Store, Cos Bar, Polka Dog Bakery, Privet House and The Webster. Each line will reflect each shop owner’s unique aesthetic, from kitschy nail files for $1 to funky dog collars to drool-worthy swagger for the home for $160. Have we forgotten Jason Wu already? No way. Mark your calendars.

Another company has stopped the senseless killing of trees by shifting the way they ship. Red Clay Home, artisans of modern pottery and textiles, can opt to keep the material mailer for $12 when their textiles shipment reaches them. Or send it back to be reused for the next shipment. It’s a pretty cool bonus to your order. Shop here to find something fancy for the shipping.

What do you get when you mix an accessories designer, an architect and an Al Beadle condo remodel project? You get a “fashterior” aka a unique and quirky modern space inspired by fashion (btw – we just coined that word). Equally intriguing as the space itself is the owner Jennifer Paige Boonlorn, the accessories designer behind Soul Carrier, a unique brand that takes interesting materials, like recycled seat belts, and turns them into fashion accessories.

Jennifer’s remodeled Beadle Box, on the southside of Camelback, is a product of her passion for fashion, modern design and her friendship with architect Bob Wilkinson “I worked with Bob Wilkinson to completely renovate my Beadle Box. Bob and I were college friends, and I was his first client after he left Construction Zone last year to form his own company Worksite,” says Jennifer. »READ MORE

Not that you can really call this heavenly weather we experience “winter”, but the dry climate around these cooler months can really take its toll on the skin. That is why we jumped all over another DIY body scrub to exfoliate away all the dead (skin) of winter. You can get the ingredients at Whole Foods while picking up your weekly groceries and the directions are on BLDG 25 courtesy of blogger, Naomi. Great smells and a cute mason jar presentation, you can give this away as a great New Year gift to all those friends you may have accidentally left off your list. Whoops, at least they’ll remember you….

image via BLDG 25

This too-hard-to-try-at-home idea has us making our 2012 holiday gift list already.

Rewined Candles from South Carolina is upcycling empty bottles of Berringer and more with hand-poured soy wax candles, filled with the scents of your favorite glass of vino. Bottles are collected from a couple of local wine bars then re-wined into fancy wax candles with flavors including Cabernet, Champagne, Sauvignon Blanc and more. Each wine candle with a wick is $27 and can be ordered by clicking here.

A previous studio tour

Architecture and art buffs, get ready to get low. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will present a personal tour of rammed-earth residence “Low Compound” in Cave Creek January 18. Architect Eddie Jones will lead the tour, which is slated for 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.  The tour will be part of a selection of artists’ and architects’ studio visits led by Ace Bailey of Ultimate Art & Cultural Tours.

A bus will pick up guests at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. from the front parking lot next to the museum.

To buy tickets for the tour or sign up for whole series, call 480-499-8587.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art | 7374 East Second Street |Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Photo via SMoCA

Before your roll your eyes at the thought of another reality show that “fixes” someone’s home, we promise this one is worth watching. This new show brings us everything we love about reality television – a young, stylish and beautiful OCD star, whose perfectionist tendencies has led her to build a successful organizing empire in Style Network’s new show, The Amandas, airing on Monday, January 30 at 8:00 pm ET/PT.

The star of the show, Amanda LeBlanc is a mom, wife, business owner and Hurricane Katrina survivor. Just to give you an idea, when we think of Amanda, we think of the movie “I Don’t Know How She Does It” mixed with Martha Stewart with a sprinkle of Bree Van de Kamp topped with “The Devil Wears Prada.” Intrigued yet?

Amanda, and her trained team of organizers “The Amandas”, change lives and attack client’s projects including NeNe from Housewives of Atlanta, one room at a time. However, dealing with Amanda’s perfectionism isn’t always easy, as you’ll see in each episode. In one scene, Amanda finds a smudge on a window and literally can’t concentrate until it’s gone.

We had the pleasure of getting an exclusive with Style Network star on how to keep our desert digs organized in 2012: »READ MORE

Sorry for the total shock and complete reworking of your daily Desert Living Today routine, but DIY Fridays has changed days. Before you panic, take a look at this awesome DIY project we found by literally googling “awesome DIY projects.” Sure, it took a little hunting, but for all the closet cleaning we know you’ve done in the past weeks, here is a project for those clothing articles you know you can’t sell and just can’t stand to part with. Clothes pillows are just that, pillows made out of your old clothes! Sweaters, sparkles, sequins and even graphic tees will add a personal touch to whatever room and will “funkify” the space in the best way possible. Get the 10 easy steps to make these amazing pillows here.

Image via fayedodgeszombie.com

If you’ve resolved to be more crafty in the new year, then why not start by thanking everyone who made 2011 so great by showering you with piles of presents (or love and support blah, blah, blah)? We are in love with this hand made thank you note idea from Because I’m Addicted Blogger, Geri Hirsch. While it may seem the tradition of handwritten gone by the wayside with the younger generation, Hirsch takes it a step further by painting them herself to add even more of personal touch…and to save money in post-holiday penny pinching times. It does require a little more time and effort that the cards you churned out your the elementary school days, but creative freedom is up to you. Read how to make them Geri style here.

Photo via Because I’m Addicted

It’s back to the drawing board this First Friday at Modified Arts for their “Drawing from Reference” opening reception. On January 6 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Modified Arts will unveil a new exhibition of works that explore new contexts, methods, and materials related to the process of drawing. Participating artists include Angel Chen, Ed Gomez, Alicia Gorecki, Luis Hernandez, Jonathan Howard, Caroline Maxwell, Dominic Miller, Lauren Strohacker, Tessa Sutton and Jen Urson.

Modified Arts | 407 E. Roosevelt Street | Phoenix, AZ 85004 | (480) 823-8236

If you have yet to discover the wonders of chalkboard paint, allow DIY blog Wit & Whistle  to introduce you with this easy step-by-step guide to making a personalized mug. Plus, it is an easy solution for a last minute stocking stuffer that shows real heart….especially if you use the chalk to draw one right on there. You will just need a porcelain mug, Pebo porcelaine chalkboard paint (the special kind that works for this project), a soft bristle brush and some painter’s tape. For the full directions, click here and find out how to make your morning coffee even more personal than Starbucks.

Your modern kiddos will love the circle playhouse from Modern Playhouse.com. Fitting for the modern family in the modern home, the Circle Playhouse will keep your kids busy in the sustainable and non-toxic house that’s way cooler than any cardboard box you ever played in. $1,299. For more gift ideas, check our The Gifted 2001 Guide.

Pluck from our gift guide “The Gifted 2011“, we’re lusting for the Lytro Camera the only camera that catches “life in living pictures.” The company states, “Unlike a conventional camera that captures a single plane of light, the Lytro camera captures the entire light field, which is all the light traveling in every direction in every point in space.” Awesome. Our favorite feature – focus after the fact. Focus and re-focus your image after you’ve taken it. Stuff one in our stockings please Santa. $499

Brightly colored pillows brighten up a bed, chair or sofa in an instant. We loved these shag pillows by V & Co. the sense of accomplishment we know you’ll enjoy after sewing such fine pillows yourselves. So drag out that old Singer and let your friends and family sing your praises when they see a couple of these chic shag pillows on your couch or favorite chair. For complete project details, click here.

Local award-winning interior design company Est Est, offers their simple tips on how to update your home for the holidays.

Stick to one theme and keep it congruent with the overall design scheme of your home. Try different, simple color combinations like white and silver or red and gold, and avoid mixing them all together which can create too busy of a space.

Some decorations never go out of style and often bring back warm, holiday memories. Adding the family stockings, sparkling white lights, and plenty of candles help to fill the room of holiday cheer. Think twice before discarding an heirloom wreath and try adding a decorative bow, or sprigs of holly berries to add a refreshing look to an old decoration.

Think outside the box and completely change the look of your room by rearranging the furniture to create more intimate spaces around the fire place or tree. Creating these spaces make for wonderful memories when opening up presents or enjoying a cup of hot cocoa with family and loved ones.

We’ve assembled a view modernist ideas from around the web to update your home for the holidays. Check out our picks after the jump:

»READ MORE

Easy, thoughtful and impressive as all hell, we were sent this DIY Holiday Body Scrub recipe by Erika Katz and just had to share it with you. Who would’ve thought you could bypass the trip to Bath and Bodyworks completely and concoct a delicious smelling scrub in your own kitchen to give away to all your friends. The recipe was featured in a recent issue of Girl’s Life Magazine and accompanies a whole book of equally crafty ideas from Katz’s book, Bonding Over Beauty: A Mother Daughter Beauty Guide to Foster Self Esteem, Confidence and Trust (say that ten times fast). Find out how to make the sugary-cinnamony concoction after the jump.  »READ MORE

Pretty amazing. The 20 foot tree from the London Design Museum is a mess-less, recyclable Christmas creation. No need to worry about pesky ornaments or watering the darn thing.  The Design Museum calls the creation by Giles Miller bespoke (aka super fancy) and smaller versions of the trees are available for purchase from the museum shop. Place your order by December 9 to ensure it makes it across the pond in time for the holidays. Click here for more information.

As chosen by you, here are the most popular stories OF ALL TIME (aka last week). Just in case you missed it.

The Green Schoolhouse Series will break ground on the first of 18 environmentally friendly and LEED Platinum-certified for Title 1, low-income public schools built entirely by community volunteers Thursday, December 1 at 9:00 a.m. Roadrunner Elementary School in Phoenix will be the first of its kind in the Valley adding the new 6,000 square foot state-of-the-art schoolhouse named “Safari”, with select campuses in Phoenix to follow in its carbon-reducing footsteps in 2012 including Orangewood Middle School and the Green Phoenix Learning Center on the Rio Salado Community College Campus.

Not only is the facility going green, but Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona (BCBSAZ) is partnering with the school to offer a healthy living curriculum and sustainable green gardens on each campus, making the campus an unique opportunity for students to live a healthier lifestyle. BCBSAZ employee volunteers will take a hands-on approach, caring for the vegetable gardens at each Green Schoolhouse campus which will serve as a student-parent healthy-lifestyle learning center. Arizona ranks 25th in the nation for childhood obesity, and nearly 29 percent of low-income children ages two to five in Arizona are either overweight or obese. »READ MORE

Decking the halls is so much easier when you actually have halls to deck, but to all of us living in a 900 square foot world, delusions of winter wonderland grandeur are just a little out of reach. But hey, at least not having a chimney to hang your stockings with care is not a problem thanks to this great idea from Earth First. The do-it-yourself “mantel” is easy to accomplish and your ROI is tenfold if you consider all of the envious looks from friends and winter visitors. Just find a branch, spray paint it your desired hue and hang whatever holiday inspired ornaments your see fit. Twinkly lights? Dancing reindeer? Dreidels? The branch has no preference and will compliment any room desperately seeking a little holiday cheer.