Linda Allen Designs / Live Anywhere Outdoor Wireless Lighting

There's another story to be told. Designing for clients with stories to tell through design is my passion. This Thai-fusion restaurant is now on my plate. I get to help this Michelin-inspired chef and his wife who have journeyed from Thailand to the States design their new boutique restaurant and brand. I'm stretching my storytelling, lighting, and design skills once again on CAD and rendering programs. Yes, I do all of this on my own, so I can control my designs. I'm such a geek.

Happy summer! Speaking of summer, I created a blog on how bird inspired elements ca. enhance your well being. Check out my blog. Please subscribe for my insight design elements to enhance your well being . https://lindaallendesigns.com/mental-well-being/

More exciting projects ahead and getting ready for another launch with Teddy. I keep going…thank my ancestors . Happy !

Here I filled the volume of an Entry design with a cascade of statement lights for this project. Part of the process was navigating and numbering each light and the lengths. There was a lot of math and drawings with these lights before ordering . I love this project. The before photo is included at the end. Table by

Shape and Movement - These serpentine walls I designed to update this pool really add that...and privacy. I made the pool color a lagoon blue that contrasts with the lava black slate, Then added the water high enough to give a waterfall effect and an island feel.

Wine Room/lounge- I created to replace an otherwise living room for my clients. It was a great opportunity to design and customize an internally illuminated wine wall with custom handles. Details like this create a signature look for my clients that no one else has!..😁

Asymmetry - Walnut unit I designed for a client that studies balance with accessories and light - a reminder that we naturally strive to balance our life in some way, form, or fashion.

The Essence of March:
Here’s my take on the essence of March —a time when winter starts to give way to the first hint of spring. This generated artwork blends new beginnings with nostalgia.
A less-known fact is that the use of these colors also aligned with the principles of color theory promoted by the Bauhaus movement in the 1920s and were used during and after world war 2 in textiles and design.

* Pastel colors symbolize fresh optimism
* Red hints at strength and determination
* White tulips signify renewal and fresh starts.
* The pink flower on the plate adds a touch of vintage elegance.
* The image blends new beginnings with nostalgic warmth.

Resilience - Rarely do I give myself enough credit for being resilient. But, this is Not without celebrating my mentor and figure skating coach , inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, as the first African American and the . I can't close out Black History Month without acknowledging her.

She helped me with resilience; how to get up when I fell, and to love myself. I was one of her skating kids. She never talked about color being an excuse for not winning. This stuck with me not only through skating but also helped me in my design and lighting careers - both skating and design were predominately White and wealthy.

I’m very hard on myself. But, as a hidden figure who has also broken barriers, a lot has to do with my parents and Mabel. (See my blog). So, I’m thanking ME for being resilient when I wanted to give up. Instead, I looked to pivot. For those of you in the 1st few chapters of your career (I stopped counting) the chapters don’t stop unless you do.

All of us are amazing and unique inside, no matter what color, gender, or age. Resilience is about inner strength. It doesn’t come being fed. You have to feed yourself positive words to keep going!

So, this post is about acknowledging our wins, whether big or small, and whoever and whatever you are. Every morning I have a wake-up journal that now starts with “ I did that”…..
Thanks, Mabel ❤️

Check out my Blog above in my IG feed or on Blog my website - “Being Resilient with Impermanence in Design & in Life”.

To Mabel's other kids and my childhood skating friends who were resilient and broke barriers Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner McCladdie & Richard Ewell , and anyone else I missed, you know who you are ❤️

Check out this LA Times film narrated by my World champion friend, Tai about Mabel ❤️

https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2020-08-21/racism-mabel-fairbanks-figure-skater-telling-her-story

A composition that represents Balance - History of meets Modern - Curves transcend time. I love how the elegant, classic curves silk Scheherazade multi-tiered fixture. compliment the curves of the Amelia Lounge Chair Green Apls by Jerome Bulgara at . The chandelier by Mariano Fortuny (late 1800's) was multi-disciplinary, some of them including inventing, painting, photography, sculpting, architecture, etching and theatrical stage lighting re-creating himself as also a lighting artist. My latest blog is on impermanence and resilience - which is a trait developed when we re-create ourselves (in link above).

Concept Bedroom for fab client's ocean front condo - One day soon!

When I was at the High Point Furniture Trade Show this last year, I ventured to the Carolina A &T State University and Woolworth's Store that is now the . You can't take photos inside, but part of the original counter is still there. So, the story goes that 4 Black students (the A & T Four) noticed that even if Blacks purchased items from the front part of the store, they still could not sit at the counter to get served food. So, the sit-in began, which sparked other students to sit in as time went on which got National news and played a pivotal role in advancing the Civil Rights Movement. The owner/manager gave in eventually because he was losing so much profit, and decided to desegregate. The museum not only touches on this but leaves empty spots on the walls for us (yes, you and me) to not sit back. We can all make a difference. I saw a 2-sided Coke machine for Whites that was less money than for Blacks to purchase a Coke. The stories I saw and heard were so inhumane. The museum goes through multiple periods that make you stop and think. I don't get it, though. Inside, I've never felt different than anyone else. It's others that view me as different, even being light-skinned...So, going through this museum is eye-opening - to see the accomplishments that those before us have accomplished despite the horrific barriers is mind-boggling. If I can make a difference in giving a child hope and letting them know to keep reaching despite the odds, I would be that person. I wish the World were color-blind which would have beautiful ripple effects on this earth. One of my favorite color-blind movies is Cinderella with Brandy and Whitney Houston - such a beautiful dream. Sometimes it takes a village to make a positive difference to push through the barriers of history. I'm doing my part. So, if anyone hasn't seen the , Please do it. It will pivot your perspective on where we are in 2024.

I'm saddened with the passing of of Lisa Hunt. I remember my collaboration with Lisa on the virtual Concept House in the Artist Gardens which I had the task of designing , which was about Reflection and Self-Love. There was this serpentine retaining wall I didn't know what to do with. So, I added greenery to it as camouflage. Then, enter Lisa...She added her eye-catching Love and Arrows in Corten-treated steel that patinas over time as an overlay. Yes, she was that detailed for a Virtual project. She introduced such a graphic, textural, and emotional layer that turned an otherwise background wall into a featured, anchor wall highlighting the gardens, and connecting the other designers' spaces. The wall spoke directly to "shared dreams, ancestral futures, and creative expressions of Black Family Life" which was the brand message for the Obsidian Concept House. Her Love and Arrows in her words "symbolize movement, cultural migrations, and directional magnetism".

Here are some visual perspectives from .renders that include Lisa's Love and Arrows wall with custom lamp and chair, paired with my lamp. But, I'm especially including Lisa's concept presentation which shows her thought process and talent. This all happened during the pandemic, so I never had the opportunity to meet her in person. Also, I live on the West Coast. But, we exchanged multiple phone and Zoom calls, as well as emails. I'm so fortunate to have met her that way. Thanks, who brought us together as collaborators. Lisa, you will be missed. But, know you have made an indelible mark with me through this project.
I feel fortunate to have witnessed her talent directly.

My doggy, Teddy soaking up the sun- He makes me take breaks. ❤️

My client loves horses and the beach...Rendering that shows what Art can do to set the tone at the entry for my fab client's Ocean front condo.

Speaking of Pantone Peach 2024; My interview with Business of Home that just came out talked about how I added a peach mirror to compliment skin tones - Here's the project - this Ingenues room from the Pasadena Showcase House I designed a while back was all about the Nostalgia of peach. I actually called this color "blush". Here are 4 photos that give a glimpse into this Department Store heyday vintage-inspired room. You can see my grandmother's slipper chair I reupholstered in "peach" with an actual woman's vintage slip used as the under-liner. You'll see the peach mirror insets in the custom screen I designed. Actually, almost everything I touched in there was custom-designed and fabricated in this bedroom. In person, it was such a romantic and enchanting room. I used peach as a neutral to soften tones and make you smile. Peach is emotional, and can make us feel like everything is going to be ok...it's very healing. I can see why Post-WW2 used lots of peach. The Business of Home article "Does the Color of the Year Influence Your Work" I was interviewed for is in my bio above. Very fun! Ok, the room was really a lot of work. But now I can say it was a fun project!

Wall treatments don't have to be terminated at corners. Here's where I stopped the wallpaper at the beginning of the staircase that made so much sense. It draws a connection to that art wall! A large photo was installed of a vintage spectator can be seen from the entry picture window. Love this project! com

Who knew this Indian/Moroccan-inspired powder room mirror wall for my artist client could be a Holiday post!

Bedroom just installed for great clients. Warm, comfortable and fits beautifully with the home’s spirit and their personality. I got to use this stunning fabric thanks

Embroidered Drapery fabric I used by for the interiors of my clients’ a Mission styled bedroom. Texture and colors give an authentic, historical character.

I paired my parents’ wheat dishes collected one by one as they could afford from a local gas station back in the early 1960's with saved up complemented with today’s Flatware by Cutipol. I use them every Thanksgiving. Wheat signifies Abundance. Check out my blog on "Using Silverware for Versatile and Meaningful Dining". https://lindaallendesigns.com/using-silverware-for-versatile-and-meaningful-dining/

When a cloud meets a tree. I caught this photo at the right moment. Always learning and seeking beauty from nature.





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A Nook wall for a fabulous dual-purpose dining/living room. I designed a wood swoop, creating an elegant illusion of draped curtains. One of my favorite designs. Nooks are also a great place to cuddle and feel protected from the outside world.

Tone on tone - using quiet elegance with natural elements for this main bedroom design with beautiful hanging pendants that remind me of dangle earrings

sculpture

Study - How Sunlight Warms Pink...
Blog coming soon.

Trusting in myself has been a long journey in design, and I have discovered that you have to trust your gut. Everyone has an opinion. I wrote this blog "Incorporating a new element in Design" because making design decisions can be difficult, especially when there's not a road map to the best way. As a creator, it can even be more scrutinizing. But believing and recognizing who you really are inside, is really the best way to understand what you want. It's a process in Life. Link in my bio.
1st day of Fall Vibrant Sunset

Detail of Flower Niche -Vintage fabric shower curtain in my prior vintage home. I love creating a design dialogue with shapes Linda Allen Designs / Live Anywhere Outdoor Wireless Lighting

Still love this installation "Absorbed by Light" an installation by designer Gali May Lucas and sculptor Karoline Hinz - . Three figures sitting side by side show the typical characteristics of smartphone users: their bodies are physically present while their minds are elsewhere. More than ever today, this is what we see all around us. Are we mostly never present in the moment, anymore?…and is our mental health affected from our experiences through social media and our devices?