Take Notes, Design Star Contestants

Needing a place to stay while shooting a film in Nashville, Gwenyth Paltrow lucks out by getting hooked up with designer Annette Joseph.  

In a mere TEN DAYS,  Annette takes this dumpy loft apartment and transforms it; 

from this:

To this: 

[I repeat:  TEN DAYS!!]

Annette describes their meeting:

“I had put together a large stack of ideas, everything from furniture, color palette, fixtures, fabrics, appliances, lighting and photos of original artwork for Gwyneth to sort through, our meeting consisted of yes’s and no’s. She motored through about 200 choices in an hour. She knew the color palette and the style she wanted, modern yet comfortable, no autumnal color ways, and no sharp edges for safety of the children. When we finished we shook hands at the door, and said good bye and she thanked me again, and we both went off to work, she to the set, and me to my desk to pull an all-nighter.”

 And the only request, according to Annette, was for "a proper bathtub, as she loves to bathe her kids at night." 

Sometimes it's truly not what you know, but who you know -- Annette said she could not have done it without the relationships she has with vendors, and at one point she counted 30 people furiously working all at the same time.

I could go on and on.....but if you want the whole story (loving the bathroom marble-tile from Italy tip...) go to GOOP and read all about it.

And the award for "best blog title" documenting this loft transformation goes to:

for the hilarious title:

"Kelly Bensimon's Friend Gwenyth's Nashville Pad"

hee hee.

photos from:  Chateau de Lu and GOOP
Annette Joseph's website HERE