LIGHT X DESIGN: The Magic of Bentley Meeker

From the moment I glimpsed an advance cover of Bentley Meeker’s Light X Design: 20 Years of Lighting I not only wanted to review the book, but to develop a series of stories around it.  Light has such a profound effect on our surroundings, our moods, our memories-- our lives.  And yet it's so often an afterthought, or not thought of at all.  But for decades it has been thought about, played with, produced by Bentley Meeker.  He and his firm, Bentley Meeker Lighting & Staging Inc., have created the ambiances for celebrity weddings (Michael Douglas & Catherine Zeta Jones, Billy Joel & Katie Lee), luxury brand launches (Christian Dior's J’Adore perfume, Blackberry Bold), superstar charity fundraisers (with Elton John at the piano), extravagant bar mitzvahs (one recreated the Las Vegas strip), and much more.

When my review copy of Light X Design arrived, it delivered, at first glance, just what I expected: page after oversized page of lavish photos, a kaleidoscope of eye candy.  At second glance, I noticed that someone had wisely arranged the book not by event type or chronology but by venue.  And so you realize that the electric blue fairy tale forest of Melissa Rivers’ wedding existed in the same Terrace Room of the Plaza Hotel as a wedding that seems to float on clouds of soft candlelight.  Or that a dizzying two-page spread features 36 shots of the exact same space lit 36 completely different ways.  And yet despite the technical complexity that must go into these projects, according to Meeker the heart of every design--no matter what the occasion, the budget, the client—is to achieve one goal: Make the space and the people in it look and feel incredible.

Frankly, I had not expected to find such straight talk in a coffee table book.  And so I decided to head to New York City for the Light X Design book launch and see for myself just how this mix of simplicity and spectacle worked in real life.  And perhaps see if  Bentley would have a chat. How fabulous would it be to glimpse into the mind of this star lighting designer and translate some of his magic for our everyday lives?

Turns out, pretty fabulous.  

(to be continued ...)

Light X Design: 20 Years of Lighting by Bentley Meeker.  Published by Glitterati Incorporated.   Cover photo of a Cynthia Rowley fashion show by Roger Dong.

THE RED LIST: From Cute to Clever to Couture

From couture to clever to cute, here are a few more delights on my hot list this month:  

The Spring 2011 collection from Christian Dior.  Inspired by the drawings of Rene Gruau, stunning, sublime and yet wearable, too.  The New Look in a whole New Way.  (See the runway show, here.) .... Someone at Swanson Vineyards has a delightful sense of humor, adding clever names and bold, witty packaging to tasty wines.  The series includes choices for various holidays, but the "Expensive" Christmas Wine remains my fave .... When my 10-year-old niece, who devours books like candy, spied Henley: A New York Tail by Julie Muszynski amongst a stack of review titles in my office she immediately snatched it up.  We both agreed:  thumbs up for the cute tale of a prince of a pup living the good life in New York City.  With charming illustrations and interactive elements.  Yes, you could call it Puppy Love.

Christian Dior collection first spied on Nicolette Mason.  "Expensive" wine bottle image by John McJunkin courtesy Swanson Vineyards.  Henley: A New York Tail available through Glitterati Incorporated and Amazon.

CHIC TREAT: Stylish Blogger Award

What a wonderful way to start the new year: a Stylish Blogger Award bestowed on Style Maniac by the charming mother/daughter team of Beth and Kristy at Design Chic and also by the sweet Danielle of Fresh Quince!  Thank you, ladies, this is truly a chic treat.

Along with the award comes the request to pay the compliment forward as follows:  {1} Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award. {2} Reveal seven things about yourself. {3} Bestow the award on ten great bloggers you have recently discovered. {4} Contact those bloggers and tell them about the award.
And so ...


7 THINGS you may not know about me: As a little girl I kissed anything purple ... Sappy commercials, cheesy TV moments, sad movies, poignant novels: I cry at all of 'em ... When absorbed in a book, blog or design project I can go hours without food, drink or sleep and not even notice ... Often when I smile I have lipstick on my teeth ... A career test once advised "General in the Army" as my ideal profession ... I'd rather eat French Fries than cake ... I'm continually surprised and delighted to find my obsession for words, images and all things lovely shared with so many fabulous women  around the globe.

10 STYLISH BLOGGERS all highlighted on Style Maniac for the first time and each with her own unique sense of style.  Listed in no order other than how the photos looked pretty one after the other.

You all probably know of The Decorista. But I'm giving this award to 

Ashlina's Decorista Daydreams on Tumblr. Chock full of glamour.

Preppy + Hippy = The Prippy Handbook. TG's always smart, always fun.

Oscar PR Girl.  Can you say dream job?

 The pretty posts by Beth & Kristy from Design Chic would have put them on

my list if they hadn't sent me the award, so I just had to include them.  

{don't expect you ladies to repeat the post, though!}

Danielle at Fresh Quince.  As above already on my list, for her knack at 

uncovering stylish treasures at rock-bottom prices.

Maria at Design Elements imbues modern design and
dramatic travel shots with warmth and soul.

On Pinterest, my newest way to spend a snowy Sunday,
Eve Wang curates the most fabulous photos.

Eleni of My Paradissi always features something fresh and lovely under that gorgeous logo. 

Plus she lives and works on the isle of Crete. Le sigh.

Elizabeth is an event planner whose own wedding is one of the prettiest I've seen. 

The definition of Boho Chic ... just like her blog, Peacock Feathers.

Jessica at My Vintage Vogue has gathered an incredible collection of vintage fashion images.  That's where I found the 1960s Mark Shaw/Vogue photo at the top of this post.

Hope you enjoy visiting all these Stylish Bloggers and exploring their lovely sites.

BEAUTIFUL BOOKS: What's On Your Coffee Table?

"The best decoration in the world is a roomful of books." 

-- Billy Baldwin

Sometimes, I admit, I do judge a book by a cover.  Whether art, photography, fashion, food, design, "coffee table" books can add spectacular color, life and interest to your home, for a smidgen of what real art would cost. In keeping with this month's theme, and continuing our seasonal series of reader's favorites, please share in the Comments section some of the beautiful books you display in your home. I'll then list your pretty picks, along with your blog link if you have one, in the Style Maniac Amazon Boutique (if offered direct by Amazon).  Looking forward to meeting some gorgeous new selections.

Currently on my table: Degas by Robert Gordon & Andrew Forge

OPERATION BEAUTIFUL

When Domino Magazine unexpectedly closed, Conde Nast mystified design-crazy subscribers even more by fulfilling the remainder of our subscriptions with Glamour magazine. Huh?  Though an avid Glamour reader in my teens and twenties, I've long since passed the point of needing boyfriend advice.  Still, I'll give any magazine a try, and I do find at least a few features a month that make it worth reading.  The best of those finds: Operation Beautiful.  No, not beautiful homes, but beautiful you.

Founded by Caitlin Boyle to end negative self-talk, Operation Beautiful has grown from one "YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL" message on a public restroom mirror to a website, book and nationwide movement of utter simplicity: a pen, a post-it and a random act of encouragement.  To find out more visit OperationBeautiful.com  Then, go ahead, tell a stranger she's gorgeous.

Brooke McCallion's New York City message via Glamour Magazine, September 2010