NEWS ALERT!! I Squared Times Two!

The second installment of the I Squared brand expansion has officially begun last week and will be ready to open its doors September 1st!  A brand new I Squared store is going into the famous Edgemar building designed by Frank Gehry located at 2447 Main Street in South Santa Monica. The location is incredible, and the local business scene is bustling with cool shops, great restaurants and an awesome beach vibe.

Our decision to expand the I Squared brand into this part of Venice-adjacent Santa Monica was due to the great feedback we've been getting about I Squared.  People tell us how well it would translate in that environment, so we listened.   It is hip and urban on top of being a beachy and laid back community, and the residents are all about having fun while enjoying the fruits of their labors.  I Squared was targeted to these shoppers specifically when we launched our downtown store in 2009.  Since then we have forged I Squared even harder as the go-to source for top-notch modern, fun, and democratic design for all.

Naturally, we will be bringing all the native I Squared inventory and exclusive brands, but now with the advent of the expansion, our buyers have gone wild with additional product to bring in.  With all the new things that you won't find anywhere else, shopping for your home at I Squared will be a must regardless of how much or how little you plan on spending.  We hope to see you there soon!

Mike Valles and Interior Illusions Develops New Luxury Homes in The Desert

One of our latest endeavours has been in the works now for a few months and is now buzz ready of announcement.  For some time how we have been working with Beverly Hills based construction firm Alta Verde Group, to design their latest three project developments in the Palm Springs area.

First, let's mention Alta Verde Group.  They are a very impressive and unique company with some major minds running the show.  CEO Andrew Adler has won multiple Pillar Awards, and the prestigeous Builder of The Year Award as well as The Developer of The Year Award from The National Association of Home Builders, or NAHB.  Anthony Poon is the lead architect and also a major award winning professional in his field.

The latest addition to the Alta Verde Group's arsenal of secret weaponry is our very own Mike Valles, who has become the spearhead of design for all three of the exclusive communities.  Mike will be bringing along his personal design tailoring kit, otherwise know as Interior Illusions, to outfit these homes with multiple luxury design packages for new home owners.

The combustion of modern desert homes fused with 21st century ecological technologies is already an inescapably attractive prospect, but adding the element of personally chosen environmental design that is sleek, sexy, sophisticated and even glamorous; is a fabulous idea whose time has come.  Why build the life without the lifestyle?  Why buy the house without the haus?  Mr Adler seems to know what people have wanted, and these three new desert developments will be the next frontier of giving buyers a concierge home and lifestyle service.

The story will unfold here, so stay tuned for the latest in these new designs as they develop.

Here are some of our preliminary renderings.  They will be close in idea to the finished product.

Designer Sale! Gus Summer Sale Going on Now at Both Interior Illusions and I Squared!

Having just started yesterday, and going on til the 19th of August, the GUS Modern sale is offering up some tremendous savings of 20% off on sectionals, sofas, chairs and ottomans.  The deal is going on at all of our locations so either come in to place your order or call us at 1-888-GO-DESIGN.  Also, the Gus collection is available for inspection at our I Squared store located in awesomely urban downtown Los Angeles.  Take advantage of these once-a-year factory authorized savings while you can!

Matthew Morrison and Adam Levine in Capitol Record's Interior Illusions Lounge

After our lengthy remodel of the famous Capitol Records Building in Hollywood, the new Interior Illusions Lounge located just upstairs from the recording bays, is ready to receive the likes of these two musical hotties.  More story is coming about the remodel and pictures of its revealing.  In the meantime, you can get a taste from this interview.

Parking Lot Sale 2012

Get ready ya'll.  It is here this June 22nd, 23rd, and 24th; and it will be the biggest and best we've ever had.  Last year we didn't have a regular parking lot sale, but rather a moving sale at our old West Hollywood location.  Now -over a year later- that we have settled into our new Weho digs, we are ready to get the sale underway with an extra years worth of surplus inventory to sell along with our regular annual excess.  What that basically means is that the price reductions will be super aggressive, and your savings will be higher than previous years.  We will have all kinds of furniture to choose from, and of course, almost everything inside the showroom will be deeply discounted as well.  We will also be offering a cafe with sandwiches, coffee, and lemonade to help keep you refreshed and energized to shop.  It will be a destination event for you to schedule into your busy weekend, and it will be well worth it if you are looking for anything new for your home this summer.

Designer Movies: The Hunger Games Featuring The Phillips Collection

Okay, so by now The Hunger Games have left us with a belly full of entertainment, and an even bigger fill of social commentary about the films believe-ability and execution.  Whatever the formula, the film did satisfy the studio's hunger with a whopping 155 million dollars in opening weekend revenue.  That's like the 3rd highest in history for a non-sequel right?  All this exposure has created quite a few new stars, not the least of which would be some pretty notable chairs from the penthouse scene.

 
These green chairs come from The Phillips Collection, and are part of Interior Illusions' exclusive line-up of manufacturers.  Feature film set designer Margaret Hungerford purchased these chairs for the movie.  They are made from industrial grade seat belt material that is hand woven across a wood frame.  The artistic vision is somewhere between futuristic and pop, and its visual presence will definitely not go unnoticed.  They are for-certain conversation starters, and actually much more comfortable than most dining chairs.  They come in few different colors as well as chair styles.  

Designer Deeds: The ASID Dream House Benefiting Multiple Sclerosis

This year's ASID Dream Home in Costa Mesa is benefiting The National Multiple Sclerosis Society of America, and Interior Illusions is proud to be a partner on the endeavour.  Having been going on since the beginning of the month, it will come to a close after this weekend.  If you have the chance and are in/passing through Orange County, please make it a point to stop by and see all the great designs.

Located at the South Coast Collection, a 10,000 square foot store front has been converted into a mock dream home consisting of "dream" rooms that you could want for your very own home, or draw some amazing inspiration from.  The South Coast Collection, or "SoCo Collection," is the Orange County equivalent of the Pacific Design Center located in West Hollywood, but is located only minutes from South Coast Plaza (the nation's highest grossing shopping mall), and serves some of the nation's wealthiest demographics.  Regardless of income, it is great to see and be inspired by all the impressive pieces that have been brought in.  We are very proud to have contributed as well!

Photos are not encouraged, but I managed to sneak these anyways even though they don't do the space justice:

These chairs are in the Lobby Area when you first enter, but there is much much more to be seen as you travel throughout the entire space.  Definitely try to make it down if you can!  

  

Designer House: The Dirickz House for Alivar in Belgium

Located in Brussels, Belgium, this haute house was originally constructed in 1929 and completed in 1933 by Marcel Leborgne, who was a famous Belgian architect and a pioneer of contemporary architecture.  He was one of the founders of Modernism in Belgium who built this home for Mr. Dirickz, who was a steel tycoon and industrialist.  It has an interesting flow of geometry with some touches of Art Deco that give it an unique identity.   It had fallen into a state of disrepair and was purchased in 2007 by developer Alexander Cambron.  He renovated the home for a couple years and it is currently for sale at an undisclosed price.

Because minimalism and modernism have typically gone hand in had, Alivar Furniture from Italy has been brought in to stylize the home with their minimal and non-frivolous designs.  Alivar uses this home as part of its comprehensive portfolio of showcase homes and media masterpieces.  The Dirickz home is in itself a destination for Architecture buffs and tourists.   Alivar was founded in 1984 in order to create replicas of modern furniture icons using high quality parts and meticulous manufacturing processes.  They have since grown and are creating their own designs to augment their portfolio.  They are an exclusive of ours at Interior Illusions, and the feel you get from their pieces is amazing.  Sitting in one of their chairs feels like sitting in a super luxury car that is so refined and made from the finest materials.