Hammering Out the Details

Saturday, November 7th

proved to be an eventful day indeed

for P&H's Michele Sommers

and yours truly, Anne Scott-Brown.

The two of us volunteered with

Habitat for Humanity South Palm Beach County

at their Women Build Day.

Habitat's noble mission is to provide simple,

decent, affordable housing for those in need,

working in partnership with them

to make it all possible.

Dozens of ladies reported for duty at the residential construction site in Boynton Beach.

When we weren't busy dodging the airborne sand and sawdust from the gloriously windy day, we assisted in building the support system that would eventually sustain the second floor trusses for the new house.

With hammers and nails, measuring tapes and circular saws, we performed our tasks with little skill but boundless energy.

We must make note of the tremendous patience and expertise displayed by our supervisors (George and Patrick), because without them to lead the way, this enormous undertaking would never have been possible!

They maintained their professionalism during every challenging phase, and managed to keep their cool when everything didn't go just exactly as planned (hey ... we women can't be perfect at absolutely everything now, can we?!?).

For those of us who participated in the May 2009 Women Build, it was great to see some familiar faces again this time around.

I can't wait to attend the dedication of the home that we helped to construct!

The dedication ceremony is always beautiful,

and it's very heartwarming to see

the homeowner receive the keys to the home

they assisted in building

with their own two hands ... literally!

Excellence Beyond Expectations

Royal Palm Way

at the Royal Palm Yacht Club in Boca Raton
is home to another P&H Interiors masterpiece.

This 8,200 sf residence was done in traditional style.
We ensured that the requested color palette
of beige, coral and gray tones
remained warm and inviting
by selecting beautiful carved furnishings
and elaborate iron rail and stained glass details.

The overall appearance is one of
opulence and grandeur.
Classic, rich wood tones and
heavily detailed architectural enhancements
complement the polished marble floors.

Impressive balconies off of the Master Bedroom
overlook the first floor Living Room and Dining areas.
From the dramatic entrance of the Theater Room,
to the Guest Rooms personalized
for either masculine or feminine inhabitants –
every detail exudes a complex sophistication
befitting to a home of this stature.
But don’t take our word for it –
below is an excerpt from the client’s letter to us:

“There are no words that can truly express
how thrilled we are with our beautiful new home.
You and your team achieved
excellence beyond our expectations.
The attention to detail is something
that we have never experienced before
and it really stands out in each and every room.
…We have a showplace
that we are very proud of
and I am sure that you are proud
of your accomplishments as well.
Also, we are very thankful to SRD
for making the introduction to P&H…
Again, thank you for all of your
professional attention to the design and décor
of our new home. We both wish you
much success in the future.”

Good As Gold

We don't mean to brag, BUT ...
P&H did it again by winning two Gold PRISM Awards
at the Gold Coast Builders Association August 22nd ceremony.
The "PRISM" (Professional Recognition In Sales and Marketing)
recognizes excellence in design for
the building and design industries.
P&H brought home the Gold for
"Overall Interior Design for a Custom Single Family Home"
and for
"Specialty Room (for the Butler's Pantry) in a
Custom Single Family Home" --
both of the awards were presented for
SRD's model project located at
181 W. Coconut Palm Road
at the Royal Palm Yacht Club in Boca Raton.

This immense 7,746-square foot charmer
includes a sweeping staircase and its own elevator!
The transitional design features clean-lined moldings
with impressive ceiling and tile details throughout.
Inlayed wood border details provide a
visually magnificent floor for the dining room,
which nicely complements the buffet cabinet's
inset stone teakwood top. This same "wood look" stone
is used for the detail surrounding the fireplace.

The family room offers an attractive contrast of
painted and stained wood paired with light fabrics and trim.

The very impressive and spacious Butler's Pantry
is made even more unique with a barrel ceiling,

curved bar sink, and antique mirrored backsplash.

The rich finishes and architectural detailing
transform this space into an unexpected surprise
that's worthy of its Specialty Room award!

The predominance of natural elements,

as found in the Club Room with its

leaf patterned wallcovering,

painted millwork and stained ceiling,

melds for a comfortably warm

and earthy atmosphere.

And if these exclusive elements

aren't quite enough to get your full attention ...

the second floor living room boasts built-in cabinetry,

walls in mossy shades of green,

and has been designed to incorporate

a place for a working desk, cozy TV viewing,

and serves as a card room as well.

To paraphrase a message received

from Scott Dingle, president of SRD Building Corp.,

"We are thrilled with the way

(the) home at 181 Coconut Palm

has turned out. As usual,

it was a pleasure working with

the entire staff at P&H."

This truly beautiful home is a must-see

for those interested in luxury living at its best.

If you're ready for the royal treatment,

and an interior that's as Good as Gold (TWICE)

this is the home for you!

In The City

When an existing client

requested P&H to provide

the interior design services

for their third contract with us,

we were thrilled to make the trek

to Boston for the planning of their condo.

The client wanted something "chic-chic",

something different ... something befitting of

the Boston downtown lifestyle.

Well ... we nailed it!

The clean lined, transitional styling

of our design creates an atmosphere

of quiet sophistication. By introducing

elegant onyx elements combined with

graphic art and contemporary furnishings,

a peaceful, easy feeling

emanates from every room.

This is perfect for the Boston condo

that features an actual framed guitar

signed by the legendary Eagles band!

The welcoming environment created by

the award-winning design team at P&H

invites you to take it easy

while enjoying a great view of the city below.

Having a Blast

Following the announcement of our
4 Aurora Awards on a P&H email blast
(see previous blog entitled “Northern Lights”),
we became inundated with emails
from our past and present clients –
all of whom are bubbling over
with excitement and well wishes!
So much so, that we felt the need to share
some of their comments with our readers:

From Karen & Jerry in Parkland:
“Dear Susan, Thank you for sharing
the pictures of you & your staff
receiving those most memorable awards.
Karen & I knew from day one that you would be
exceptionally successful. You are bright,
beautiful & charming & have an outstanding
talented staff. Much continued success…”

From Joe & Bonnie in Boca
“Looks great.”

From Vicki in Parkland
“Please send our Congrats to
Susan & staff – they did it AGAIN”

From Gail in Coral Springs
“Congratulations. Well deserved!”

From Howard in Boca
“Susan, Congratulations on the awards
you received at the Aurora Awards
ceremony !! That is awesome..However,
you do not have to convince me of the
great job P&H does…I saw the house on
West Coconut Palm a few weeks ago and
you guys did a fantastic job on that one.
Look forward to our next “project” in the years ahead…”

Who says that technology is cold and impersonal?
Receiving these sincere sentiments has left us
all warm & fuzzy inside. We’re just doing
what we love to do, and having a blast while doing it!

Northern Lights

Just as the aurora borealis
lights up the northern hemisphere,
P&H Interiors lit up Orlando
this past weekend
at the 30th Annual Aurora Awards.

Our “Rosewood Model” design entry
received a total of 4 awards
during the prestigious gala.

In addition to winning for
Detached Single Family Home
and for Interior Detailing in its price range,
this exceptionally unique model
won 2 Grand Aurora Awards
for the top of its class in both categories again!

Known as “The Grammy’s of the
Home Building Industry,” the nationally
recognized Aurora Awards competition
is open to home building professionals
in a 12-state southeast region plus

the Caribbean. The awards honor builders,
designers, architects and other
industry professionals for design excellence,
new home construction, remodeling,
and commercial/mixed use.

The 5-hour awards ceremony was attended
by P&H’s president Susan Connor, VP and director
of the firm’s model design division Pam Dortch,
and P&H designer Aeron Knutson with his wife Nellie.
The firm took inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright,
and included many eye-catching features
such as an expansive sandstone wall.
This model was featured in our
August 2008 blog entitled “Triple Crown”
and has remained a favorite among homebuyers
since its debut last year.

According to 2009 Aurora Award Chair
Stephanie Henley, “The Aurora symbolizes
tremendous achievement, honor and
distinction among building industry professionals.
This year, the awards drew a record 350 entries.
Leading industry professionals judged the contenders,
selecting the best in new home construction
and design in the southeast.”

GIRL POWER

P&H Interiors was treated to some
very special guests this week.
Our office hosted a Career Day tour
for 10 girls from the Sheridan House.

The focus of the tour was to spark
the students’ interest in the Creative Arts,
and to expose them to different professions
available to them as they look toward the future.

If they can remain motivated to stay in school
and assume responsibility for their own destinies,
they can accomplish great things
as independent, successful women.

Susan Connor and Marisa Leibmann
headed the event by providing
the complete P&H headquarters tour,
explaining the need for our individual departments,
and emphasizing the importance of
how the contributions of every team member
influence the success of each project.

The girls also engaged in
a space planning activity
that incorporated the concepts
of square footage and scale.
Each student was provided
a sample 16x16 room “blueprint”,
and was instructed to plan the interior
using templates. Some very clever designs
were created which included pianos,
additional bathrooms within the allotted space,
and even a walk-in closet!

All in all, we felt a very positive connection
with these career-minded young ladies.
It is our hope that we have contributed
to planting the seeds of inspiration
for their future achievements … and, who knows?
Maybe we have planted the seed
for a future interior designer!

North, East, South and Weston

The first substantial installation

for our new Evolution Design
division

took place just last week.

This residential project in Weston

required a traditional flair

with an emphasis on the dramatic.

The unique assortment of

magnificently ornate light fixtures

includes a black Swarovski crystal chandelier

above the kitchen island.

Breathtaking crystal handles

included on the kitchen cabinetry

add a “wow factor” that is often desired

but seldom seen in everyday homes.

Practical motorized drapes were

added to the Family Room,

and the Sitting Area offers a special place

to curl up with a good book.

The Gaming Area created for the family

features a stunning poker table.

Family photos were arranged into a

gorgeous display for the family gallery.

All furniture and accessory pieces

were specially selected for a

glorious blending of function and beauty.

Golden accents incorporated into

many areas of the home

allow for a very rich feel

that is supreme in elegance.