Nova Color Paint

This is A Little Find.

I have gone to this factory warehouse for many years, and each and every time I am as excited to go as the last time.  It is in Los Angeles – the Culver City area, not far from Santa Monica.  You drive to the address which feels like an alley instead of a real street.  You park, and you knock on the door.  You are welcomed in, and then it happens.  You are looking at what looks like a grocery store in the canned goods aisle – only instead of peas and beets, you are looking at this feast of gorgeous color.  Row upon row, top to bottom.  I like to just stand there and have a moment.  Drinking in all this wonderfulness.  I believe these to be some of the best pigments around.  The palette is fabulous. The prices are discounted.  And the containers hold ample amounts in their own little lidded cups.  They also have artist tools – brushes, Gesso, glazes, emulsions.  I believe you can call them and they will send you a hand made (like a glop of finger paint on a poster) sampler to see the real colors.  You could order on line, but you would be missing this delicious chance to be surrounded by this stuff. 

Nova Color Paint

5894 Blackwelder Street, Culver City

Come back often...

Bonnie

Cota Street Studios and El Andaluz

This is a Grab Your Keys field trip.

While in Santa Barbara, I took a field trip to Cota Street Studios and El Andaluz, both designed by architect, Jeff Shelton.

To see these housing communities in person makes you feel like you have walked straight into a real life Dr. Seuss book.

A wonderful enclave of meandering stairs and wonky hand rails, and wide, round entry doors, and turrets and windows that look like it would be impossible to have a crummy day while living there.

I am a big believer that our dwelling place can offer up fun and happiness if we create an environment that bouys us up. A real head start with this kind of architecture! Wonderful. Wonderful.

Cota Street Studios 225 E. Cota Street, Santa Barbara
El Andaluz 231 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara

Come back often...Bonnie

Welcome to the Design Motel

Greetings and Welcome to the first posting of

Vacancy at the Design Motel

THE ARTY ADVENTURE HIGHWAY

Grab Your Keys

(local to southern CA - aka - south of Santa Barbara and north of Mexico)

A Little Find

(arty objects and design)

Road Trip

(outside of southern CA)

I am a Mid Century Design

(growing up in the 50s/60’s design culture)

Rolling Down the Windows and Noticing the Good

(in people and ideas and projects)

These will be our markers along the journey.  I look forward to searching out some special "finds" to share...come back often!

Bonnie