The Dapper Du Bois Great Room
PROJECT REVEAL:
KEITH'S DAPPER HOME
In March, we announced our next Showcase Home, The Dapper Du Bois, the "new" home of our firm's Creative Director, Keith Fortner, and Dr. Todd Tibbs. Built in 1976 and designed by famed Southern California architect Charles Du Bois, it sits in the Twin Palms neighborhood of south Palm Springs.
Keith left us all with a cliffhanger that day: Would the mirrors go, or would they stay? Today, you finally get your answer.
As promised, I sat down with Keith for cocktails at his sunken bar to talk through every detail of the great room's transformation.
I mean, hello gorgeous! Read on as I ask Keith to spill all the tea...
CK: Tell us about your decision to move and how you found this house. Your last home was so beautiful...what made made you decide to make a move and take on a new project?
KF: In truth, we weren't looking. It was after a Sunday brunch. Todd was visiting, and we were looking for a way to fill the afternoon, so he suggested visiting some Open Houses. As we were buckling up, I saw a sign across the street and said, “Let’s just do the one that’s right here."
CK: Some people leave brunch with a hangover. You left with a mortgage.
KF: Best brunch of my life. (Raises glass)
CK: What attracted you to this house?
KF: Well, you and I have worked on several iterations of this floor plan in the past, so I immediately knew what was possible. The fact that it was basically untouched would mean not having to pay for someone else’s idea of a remodel. Though it only has two bedrooms, it is quite spacious with generous ensuite bathrooms. It also had a proper laundry room and large garage, which many of these early units did not. And, really, many of the pedigreed midcentury homes that we work on do not have those "amenities."
Even though it checked all those boxes, Todd and I had not discussed moving or purchasing another place -- but, as we toured it that first time, I could see the gears turning in his mind...
CK: I was definitely shocked when you told me that you were considering moving. But when I saw the actual property, I may have audibly gasped.
KF: You did. Loudly.
CK: Did you immediately have a vision?
KF: Some of it, right away. I knew the beams and the sunken bar were the stars, and that the bar would get the gentlest update in the house. I had a vision for how I wanted it furnished, but didn’t think I would be able make that happen. But we'll get to that on the second cocktail.
Great Room: Before + After
CK: What were the must-haves and the must-go's?
KF: Let's do the must-haves first. Honor the architecture, so the beams and clerestories stay the stars. Keep the parquet floor if it was salvageable, and the sunken bar. You’d be surprised how many people raise the bar floor or even eliminate the bar altogether.
CK: Sacrilege! (Clutches pearls that aren't there.)
KF: I know, right? As far as the must-go’s: all of the walls were covered in old wallpaper that had been painted over. It was peeling at every seam, and the carpet had been there at least 30 years.
CK: I remember that carpet. I think it remembers me.
KF: Then the iron chandelier with the amber glass shades had to go, and the laminate bar front. The bones were incredible. The finishes were... very committed to a moment. Which moment, I don't know.
CK: Every era deserves its moment. That one had a long run.
Above: The sunken bar today, with the Helsinki Flush Mount by Corbett Lighting and Acrobat downlights by CSL.
CK: And now, the question everyone has been waiting for. The mirrors: must-have or must-go?
KF: MUST HAVE!
CK: Obviously. Well, obvious to me, anyway. But then again, I am very vain.
KF: I know. (Eye roll) Anyway, all of the mirrors at the bar stayed, because that is where they do their best work: bouncing light around and making every bottle sparkle. The rest... well, you can see for yourself.
KF: The mirrors were a non-negotiable for Todd. They had to stay: that was practically his only stipulation. That and sticking to budget.
CK: Oops.
KF: I know....but he has forgiven me. He sees the value.
CK: For sure. And you definitely made lots of of really smart choices that stretched the budget.
And what about the hint you gave our readers? "The Christopher Kennedy Compound 2016...If you know, you."
KF: When I envisioned the furnishings , my mind immediately went to Michael Berman’s Living Room design for our 2016 Show House.
I knew it would be perfect but I certainly didn’t have the budget to recreate it. Nevertheless, I couldn’t seem to picture anything else.
CK: Are you saying you manifested it? You know how woo-woo I am.
KF: Oh, I know. I still have the books you gave me. In a drawer, somewhere.
CK: I would say the woo-woo worked. (Takes a drink, leans back, swivels dramatically in his chair, and makes a grand sweeping gesture towards the living room.)
KF: I prefer to say that fate intervened. Our dear friends and clients from that show house decided to sell that property and downsize, right about the time that I moved in here.
They had already rented multiple storage units but still didn’t have space to store their beautiful living room furnishings and lamps so I “volunteered “ my house as a perfect temporary solution. They gladly agreed, so I knew I would get to enjoy that vision for at least a few months.
As it turns out, they found a new home quickly -- and immediately realized that their new space would not accommodate furniture of this scale. Rather than consigning it for a fraction of its worth, they graciously offered it to us and agreed that it was too perfect to be anywhere else.
CK: I am still recovering.
KF: Right? Me too. I still get goosebumps when I think of how it all worked out. That generosity will NEVER be forgotten.
CK: I mean, those lamps!!
KF: We had to cut a couple of feet off them, but don't they look amazing? Again, Michael is brilliant. I will never forget the day that those arrived at our 2016 Show House.
CK: Neither will I. It's truly perfect and feels very meant-to-be. Not unlike the story of my own new home, but that's a subject for another time. Right now, I am just in awe of this living room. And I'm a little teary-eyed. We truly have amazing clients.
KF: We really do. Here's to them. (They clink glasses)
The Dining Area
CK: Let's talk about the dining area. I love the art.
KF: Of course you do; it's yours.
CK: It's ours.
KF: Thank you for that. The art is from our collection for Wendover Art Group. After we launched it, I bought the piece because I loved it so much; before I even had a concept for the rest of the house.
CK: Really, but it's so colorful?!? And I know how committed you are to your neutrals. KF: Stop it. That joke is tired.
But as it turns out, it does fit right in. It perfectly complements the blue color of the Michael Berman swivel chairs.
CK: That chandelier is a showstopper.
KF: It had to be. The vaulted ceiling let us think big, and the lighting had to honor the architecture. The Cassian chandelier from Hudson Valley Lighting is inspired by Parisian design, and it brings that glamour right down to the dinner table. The table and chairs are actually from CB2. We mix high and "low" in our projects, so it made sense to do it here, too.
CK: Very chic, all around!
The Sunken Bar
CK: Okay, now we are getting to my favorite part of the house: this bar that we are sitting at right now. Can we talk about these bar stools? How many good times have we had in these?
KF: So many. So much good energy and many good memories. They are my favorite, too. They swivel, and they have those little cutout handles on the back. Again, part of the Michael Berman Collection and originally from the 2016 Christopher Kennedy Compound.
Many of my favorite times in Palm Springs have been spent at the sunken bars of our wonderful clients, and now I finally have my own sunken bar.
CK: I love it. You will have to throw me out, because I never want to leave.
KF: One more "beige and boring" joke and it will be just like 2am at the club, with the lights suddenly turned on bright.
CK: Hateful.
KF: Honest.
CK: Can we talk about the new material cladding the wall below the bar counter?
KF: That wall is called a "bar die" -- we learned that when we were designing Canopy Wine Lounge.
CK: I don't like saying "bar die." It's my greatest fear that I will die in a bar -- you know, being Irish and all. Anyway, this wall below the Ceasarstone countertop. It was laminate before. And I think now I am beginning to understand why you made me swap my shoes for these cozy blue slippers... did you replace the durable (but ugly) laminate with... white fabric wallcovering? KF: I did! Isn't it beautiful? It's a acoustical fabric wallcovering from Arte. You know I am not the most "retro" guy in Palm Springs, when it comes to my personal style. The pattern of this wallcovering gives just the right amount of midentury vibes.
CK: You are a braver man than I am.
KF: Maybe not braver; perhaps just more discerning with whom I invite over. I won't let just anyone put their feet up close to my bar die wall.
CK: I'm glad I made the cut.
KF: It really depends on the day.
CK: Let's talk about your ceilings choices! The dropped ceiling over this sunken bar is a classic Charles Du Bois detail that you have certainly highlighted, and your choices are giving full on 70s glamour.
KF: I thought you would like it. I clad the ceiling in an iridescent mica wallcovering for a glam retro feel. The light fixture is the Helsinki by Corbett Lighting. It is 1970s inspired, so it feels right at home in a house built in 1976. Clear, light bronze and smoke glass pieces really shimmer against the mirrored bar. The CSL Acrobat downlight sits right over the glass shelves, so every bottle glows.
CK: I may have to stop saying that designers hate "can" lights. But that Acrobat is no ordinary can. You know I love a good glow.
KF: Everyone looks good in my bar. That's the whole point.
Also, we replaced the original laminate countertop with a much more practical Caesarstone countertop that looks as if it was always there. It’s one of those upgrades you don’t spot right away but certainly elevates the room.
CK: And do I spy a Brizo faucet?
KF: Of course! They have been such a loyal brand partner to you and since we use them on almost every project anyway, I thought it would be nice to have for myself.
CK: We do Love us some Brizo.
The Tricky Parts
CK: What were the tricky parts?
KF: What fought back? Two of the bar mirrors broke when we removed the old laminate countertop. That was not a fun day. There may have been a few expletives!
CK: Only a few? Are you learning restraint?
KF: No comment.
Also, updating the bar without losing what made it great. Keeping the updates subtle was the key here.
CK: Any surprises?
KF: Yes, it's the one detail that no one can quite put their finger on…..
People have commented on how cozy and almost nostalgic the room feels though it is also grand. And they aren’t sure what it is. Almost everyone misses that it’s the wall to wall carpeting. That’s what we all had in our childhood and it’s so rarely seen anymore outside of bedrooms. I always ask “ What did broadloom ever do to anybody?”
Mark my words, you’ll be seeing it more often. We have all been tiled and wood-floored to death.
Last Call
CK: So, describe the response. What do people say when they walk in?
KF: It exceeds my own expectations and Todd and I have already hosted a few people at the bar. We have yet to enjoy a dinner under that magnificent chandelier but he is a great cook and ready to get that new Bertazzoni range cranking out some delicious food.
Everyone has been so complimentary about grand yet livable the room is and that is a huge compliment.
CK: It is gorgeous. Truly. Now, about that refill...
KF: The bar is open.
Resources:
Photography: Public 311 Design
Design: Keith Fortner for Christopher Kennedy Inc.
Lighting: Hudson Valley Lighting Group: Cassian Chandelier, Corbett Lighting Helsinki Flush Mount, and CSL Acrobat down lights
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