British designer Tom Dixon made his grand return to the West Coast for the first time in two years to unveil key pieces of his 2019 collection in a prequel to the official launch at Mlan's Furniture and Designer Fair Salone del Mobile in April. While stopping at the Tom Dixon Studio at Platform, he shared some of the lessons learned in the rock’n’roll business and simultaneously unveiled never-before-seen FAT furniture and OPAL lighting.

Here, he discusses FAT, his new upholstery range designed to hug the body and allow for multiple sitting positions—available as a dining chair, barstool and lounge chair, made from molded foam with metal legs, launching in high gloss black lacquer and made to order upholstery—and OPAL, a family of translucent globes using tinted white Opalescent polycarbonate, as well as how his business has evolved over time.

Photo Credit: Tom Dixon

We were excited to get a look at your new FAT Collection, Opal Lighting and Swirl collections. Can you tell us about your design process? How has this process changed over the years?

In French they say "Le plus ca change le plus c’est la meme chose"—meaning, it’s always changing but it’s still the same thing, a fascination with materials and processes from craft to industry. We design by making full-size mockups and prototypes, and then we work hard to get them made to a price and quality that makes them desirable.

The Tom Dixon brand is well known for cutting edge production and the incorporation of new technology methods into the production of your offerings. What are some key design and production development trends you are most excited about?

I think it’s an exciting time in lighting technology right now with innovative light sources and low energy changing and improving all the time. for the designer, the digitalization of manufacturing industry opens up all kinds of opportunity to experiment and get involved in flexible small batch production.

Photo Credit: Tom Dixon

In what ways do you see the Tom Dixon brand growing in the future? And with further technological production advances?

We have spent the last 15 years building an infrastructure for design, development and distribution of our products, and it almost still feels like a startup! We are getting more involved in complementary categories of perfumes and restaurants and textiles and electronics, we are partnering with other companies in associated fields, and hoping to stay innovative and restless. The whole industry remains to be disrupted in the way that music and transport and publishing has been, so we hope to be part of that.

If you had to choose just three of your favorite Tom Dixon items to furnish your home what would they include?

I’m only interested in the latest thing that we have just launched, so one high one dining and one low-fat chair please!

The post Tom Dixon Discusses His Innovative New Fat Furniture Collection + The Evolution Of His Brand appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

In addition to the hotel takeover, Monopoly and the hotel will be debuting a limited edition capsule collection including Alec’s first ever Art Toy, a trio of skateboard decks, Nick Fouquet top hats, and a Modernica fiberglass chair. The collection will range from $500 – $2K and will be available through artlife.com and in extremely limited quantities at the Beverly Hills Hotel. We chatted with the world-renowned graffiti king about his Pink Palace collaboration, his love of Beverly Hills and his favorite 90210 hot spots.

Photo Credit: Tony Kelly

How did this partnership come about?

My house is just down the street from The Beverly Hills Hotel, and I am there constantly for lunches, brunches and dinner meetings. The hotel truly inspired me with its beautiful colors and landscape … it’s honestly a sanctuary of peace and happiness! I created my first work on canvas inspired by the hotel 3 years ago and it caught the attention of Kristy Whitford who handles the hotel retail shop. After some great meetings and lots of hard work and preparations, my dreams are finally coming true!

What was your inspiration behind the art you are installing on the property?

My inspiration for the works you will see installed at The Beverly Hills Hotel is from my positive experiences staying at the hotel and the idyllic Beverly Hills lifestyle. You will see in my works symbols of success, happiness and prosperity … truly a celebration of life.

Photo Credit: Tony Kelly

How did you decide on what brands you wanted to collaborate with for this particular collection?

For this collection, we decided to focus on pieces that would be unique and timeless, works they would want to keep in their family art collections for generations to come.

How do you feel about doing an installation at such an iconic location, such as the Beverly Hills Hotel?

It is a dream come true showing my works at The Beverly Hills hotel. It’s a truly magical place with such iconic history; it’s an honor to be adding to this legacy.

Photo Credit: Tony Kelly

Why do you think Richie Rich speaks to your brand and the hotel itself so perfectly? 

Richie Rich for me is a symbol of success, prosperity and happiness. The character evokes a smile from anyone that looks at him. Even his colorway matches perfectly with the hotels light pinks and greens. He is a character that truly looks as if he belongs at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Tell us about the capsule collection you’re debuting and the inspiration/idea behind it. 

I created this small limited collection for the hotel with passion and love because this is such an honor to be working with a brand that I do truly admire and is such a big part of my life. Each piece has been years in the making from inception to production.

Photo Credit: Tony Kelly

You’re also debuting the first-ever Art Toy. Tell us about that, and the idea behind it? 

Releasing Collectible Art Toys has been a dream of mine for years! Production of something like this is quite challenging for a graffiti artist like myself, my manager actually flew all the way to Hong Kong to find the highest quality toy manufacturer.

Tell us about your favorite spots in LA. Where do you hang out while you’re in town? 

I have to say Beverly Hills hotel is my go to at least 3 or 4 times a week. I will hit the Fountain Coffee Shop for breakfast or lunch by the pool or a drink at the famous Polo Lounge. I also love getting truffles at Il Pastaio and sushi at Matsuhisa.

Does the Beverly Hills Hotel hold special memories for you or a special place in your heart? How, if so? 

I have so many memories here at the hotel. I remember one of my favorite birthdays was after I finished a huge mural on Sunset Boulevard, I came to the hotel covered in paint to relax and get a room. My friend Brandon at Guest Services set me up with an amazing suite. I felt so at home and relaxed the second I got there. The next day my girlfriend and I spent the entire day poolside. I even bought a surfboard from the gift shop and was paddling around. Such good times I will never forget!

Photo Credit: Tony Kelly

The post Alec Monopoly On His Haute Art Collaboration With The Beverly Hills Hotel appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Myra Nourmand, Joyce Rey and Stephen Shapiro

Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Haute Living

The young guns, power brokers and Southern California's real estate all-stars all came together for the Zenith-presented Los Angeles launch of Hauteresidence.com on October 6. The elite event kicked off HauteResidence.com’s month-long global launch as an exclusive, membership-driven luxury real estate portal, featuring one leading real estate agent in each top market across the globe. Offering clients a unique convenience, the newly revamped site provides homebuyers the opportunity to find their dream havens with the help of some of the world’s leading real estate professionals.

Chris Crocker and Frank Symons

The event was moderated by Zillow.com's Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Chris Crocker, Frank Symons, Executive Vice President and Managing Broker of the Sotheby's International Realty Beverly Hills and Malibu offices, and Tim Lappen, a partner at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell; it was hosted by Haute Living and Haute Time publisher Seth Semilof. 

Tim Lappen, Randy Solakian, Matthew Altman, Aaron Kirman, Josh Flagg and Chris Crocker

The first panel focused on the "Next Generation," featuring Million Dollar Listing stars Matthew Altman and Josh Flagg as well as Aaron Kirman of the John Aaroe Group and Randy Solakian of Coldwell Banker International, who filled in for daughter Deanna. 

The conversation was lively thanks to the panelist's opposing viewpoints: while Altman and Flagg were all for the exposure of television, Solakian maintained that his clientele wanted their listings kept private. "I’m not a star or an entertainer," he said. "Deanna and I try to create a strong balance building our brand with ultra confidentiality and ultra professionalism. We don’t want to be part of the entertainment business. A very small percentage of people can afford the places we sell, and we don’t want to expose our clients: we shield them from overexposure. We offer minimum exposure for maximum results."

Countered Altman, "[TV] is an incredible opportunity. It's the best way to get our names out, period. [But think about it]—if you were taped for eight months every two days, you’re going to do something stupid. My brother is the villain on the show, but the business we get [makes it] all worth it. You have to take a step back and see the bigger picture. Our first year we sold one house for $5 million, the second year we sold $30 million and the third year $80 million. Thanks to the show we're making $250 million a year. You take the good with the bad."

Frank Symons, Rob Giem, Suzanne Perkins, Stephen Shapiro, Myra Nourmand, Joyce Rey, Jeff Hyland

Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Haute Living 

After a lunch catered by Mr. C Beverly Hills, the power brokers took their place at the podium. The group included Rob Giem of Sotheby's International Realty in Orange County, Suzanne Perkins of Sotheby's International Realty in Santa Barbara, Stephen Shapiro of Westside Estate Agency, Myra Nourmand of Nourmand & Associates, Joyce Rey of Coldwell Banker and Jeff Hyland of Hilton & Hyland.

These power players have been in the game for a long time and know all the tricks and trades. Though they all offered similar advice (have a mentor and start small), some folks did disagree about their motivation for getting into the business.

Said Hyland, "It's safe to say that everyone is not in for the money. It’s a passion, and we all have our reasons for that passion—it's why we love what we’re doing. If you love what you’re doing it shows."

Countered Shapiro, "Unlike Jeff, I'm still doing it for the money! The money is the end result; you don’t look to the money first. We’re lucky that our job is different every day. Everyone has different clients and different transactions. It's invigorating, exciting, and rewarding."

Linda May, Irene Dazzan-Palmer, Marcy Weinstein, Drew Mandile, Tami Pardee and Tim Smith

Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Haute Living

Finally, the Southern California All-Stars closed out the day, who included Linda May of Coldwell Banker Previews International, Irene Dazzan-Palmer, also of Coldwell Banker Previews International, Marcy Weinstein of Surterre Properties, Drew Mandile of Sotheby's International Realty, Tami Pardee of Pardee Properties and Tim Smith of Smith Group Real Estate.

Pardee was in favor of giving back, noting that the high-priced housing market was driving residents towards east LA, while May noted that Holmby Hills is the hautest up and coming neighborhood. "One of the things that we’re seeing on the Westside is that sales in Holmby have doubled in the last 18 months. Six years ago, I was showing listings in Holmby Hills [to Chinese buyers] and they had never heard of it and wanted to leave. That has completely changed. The brand of Beverly hills and the name of Bel-Air [are still there], but Holmby is our most exclusive neighborhood on the Westside. Values have accelerated tremendously. Downtown is hot. The city has a lot more growth to it. Residential, compositional change."

Added Weinstein, " Land is going to be your biggest motivator for the future. People on the Newport coast should be looking at older homes in custom neighborhoods. We’re already having tear downs In Pelican Hill, and it’s only a 20-year-old neighborhood."

Seth Semilof and Josh Flagg

Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Haute Living

Zenith watches

Photo Credit: Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Haute Living

The post HauteResidence.com Launches in Los Angeles with Luxury Real Estate Summit appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The media mogul's plan to purchase the Moraga vineyard in Bel-Air was put on hold because he was waiting for approval from the ABC on a liquor license.

However, the deal finally went through on Tuesday, which means that Murdoch can immediately realize his dream.

The News Corp. founder purchased the vineyard for $28.8 million, $.7 million cheaper than the asking price of $29.5 million.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the 13-acre property has a 7,500-square-foot main home with three bedrooms, four bathrooms, an octagonal dressing room and maid’s quarters. A guesthouse across a large lawn has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Hollywood director Victor Fleming, known for Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, built the home in the 1930s.

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Photos courtesy of trulia

The post Rupert Murdoch Gets Approval for Bel-Air Winery appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

According to Coldwell Banker’s Luxury Market Report, Beverly Hills ranked number one for the most luxury home sales at the price of $10 million and over.

“In Beverly Hills, location is typically worth about 35% of a home’s value,” explains Coldwell Banker Previews International’s Executive Director Joyce Rey.  Irreplaceability and privacy are also factors.

Beverly Hills isn’t the only SoCal city that topped this list:  Montecito (#3), Bel Air (#4), Brentwood (#6) and Malibu (#7) also made the cut.

View the full list here 

The post 90210 Named Wealthiest Zip Code in America appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.