Fall Market with Mary McDonald

Fall Market this year was amazing. Whether it's WestWeek or Fall Market, Market days have always been such a great opportunity for us to spread our wings and show the industry something new and exciting. This year, we invited Mary McDonald to our showroom for a presentation on the happenings in her design universe. From filming Bravo's Million Dollar Decorators to traveling the world working on amazing projects, Mary was kind enough to put some time aside to not only give us an insider scoop on her life, but also help us revamp our front showcase window! At first glance, many of our clients always felt that Moura Starr is about the glitz and the glam. Though it is partially true, we love our crystals and high gloss, the furniture still has the unique ability of smoothly melting into any interior design style. With different finishes and textiles, the furniture takes on an entirely different personality. Working with Mary was an opportunity for us to show everyone another side of Moura Starr. Like many of our clients, they love Moura Starr furniture's shapes, profiles, and craftsmanship. We LOVE IT when they put their own twist to the furniture.

Here, Shelley and Mary decided to go with the Herrera Table (preview from the Shelley Starr Home collection) featuring an stainless steel trimmed acrylic base with a golden ceruse top. This game table is paired with the Luna Chair in a rich linen blend (and the chair swivels!)

Our Galliano Cabinet is showcased here in a custom champagne base lacquer with an opal high gloss finish.

The Romanee Coffee Table was debuted with pour glass shelves and a stainless steel frame. This Fall Market, we debuted the new bronze frame with a combination of a shagreen leather top shelf and a deep brown ceruse base shelf.

These FANTASTIC accessories were brought in by Mary McDonald herself! We actually have a picture of Mary with the carved wood glasses frame - we will upload that soon enough! Overall, Fall Market was wonderful and we couldn't ask for a better turn out. The showroom was packed and there was such a great energy there with Mary. Couldn't ask for a better PDC Fall Market event!

Esquire Apartment 2011 | Shelley Starr for HUGO BOSS

Esquire Apartment 2011 from Esquire Apartment on Vimeo.

Last year, the Esquire Bachelor settled in the Hollywood Hills with panoramic views of Los Angeles. Though the the 60 mile-radius views of Los Angeles provided a vast and glamorous backdrop to star-studded events, this year, the Esquire Bachelor decided to settle down in a more understated and rooted neighborhood - New York City. In hopes of finding a unique venue for hosting his guests for various charitable causes, the Esquire Bachelor found his new home in Brooklyn's DUMBO neighborhood. Centered in a historical yet emerging neighborhood, the $25 million penthouse of the DUMBO ClockTower Building is now home to Esquire's Ultimate Bachelor Pad for 2011. Since 1993, the magic of the Esquire Apartment has been the result of bringing together a wide range of expert designers and craftsmen. Esquire pairs world-class interior designers with its advertisers to create unique rooms that not only bring the brand to life, but also infuse the Esquire spirit and philosophy of Man at His Best into each space.



Our very own Creative Director, Shelley Starr, was invited to design the Great Room for HUGO BOSS, a loyal Esquire Signature Space sponsor. The great room, on the primary floor of the loft, was a challenge. The design had to be elegant and luxurious, but it had to show restraint and focus to balance out the strong architectural elements."When I first walked into the loft, my first impression was that the space is very theatrical," continues Starr," Although it is extremely modern with 16-foot ceilings, the clocks give the place the feeling of an era gone by." Shelley brought life to this space by dividing it into three living areas with a central seating area that grounds and serves as a focal point for the space.


Central Seating Area - features the Be Look Sectionals, Romanee Coffee Table, Lily Side Tables, and Kudu Table Lamps



Music/ Entertainment Lounge Seating Area - features the Epoca Floor Lamp, Kalup Chaise, and Custom Silk Rugs from Aga John Carpets


Tequila Bar Lounge - features a custom designed tequila bar for Don Julio Tequila, Art Deco arm chairs and cocktail table from Anna Hauck

In contrast to the hard angles of the space, Starr chose round sectionals that are low in profile to allow views through the space and the clock windows to the New York skyline. Materials include soft taupe suedes, dark gray mohair on Art Deco chairs, exotic Macassar ebony wood, ivory details, and rugs that are as silky as a mink coat. Over-scaled blinds outline the awe-striking height of the space and clock windows, while minimizing the existing low windows.

"More than just the sum of its collections, the brand embodies a lifestyle," says Mark Brashear, Chairman and CEO of HUGO BOSS, the Americas," HUGO BOSS encompasses adventurous, spirited, international high fashion while being grounded in exquisite tailoring, materials, and classic styling, particularly in its men's suiting. Starr's design for the great room succeeds in bringing the HUGO BOSS brand to life for just that reason: it is appropriately elegant and understated, while incorporating unexpected and exotic details." 

Moura Starr's Rising Star

A shared vision to provide definitive singular furniture for every living space in the home breathes life into the partnership between a talented Brazilian design team and manufacturer, and an American distributor.

After spending eight years building her upscale home furnishings retail and manufacturing business into a highly successful enterprise, Shelley Badauy just naturally assumed that she'd reached the top of her game: stores on both U.S. coasts, a factory producing top-notch, high-end, much in demand furniture and a loyal client following.

That is until she took a stroll down a street in Sao Paulo, Brazil one day.

What she saw was innovative, perfectly crafted furniture that would become the new heart of her business.

"I'm one of those types who only wants to deal with the best," Badauy, thefounder of Atmosphere (today Moura Starr), notes. "And this furniture definitely fit that description. It was very different from what I'd been doing up until that point, but in the few minutes it took for me to go into that store in Sao Paulo and see these pieces, I knew my whole business model would be taking a new turn."

In short order, Badauy tracked down the design team responsible for the furniture. Graca Kazan and Luis Mario Moura, who together had been running their own furniture manufacturing interest M. Brazil - for 6 1/2 years. The gifted designers were virtually unknown outside of their country.

For Moura Starr it was a winning partnership. To take their business to the next level, Kazan and Moura needed a business partner to steer them in marketing and distribution. Because M. Brazil had its own factory, as well as products destined to become spectacular hits with Moura Starr's upscale U.S. audience, the outlook for a winning partnership couldn't have been brighter.

The Perfect Partnership
Moura Starr is the now exclusive distributor for the M. Brazil line in the U.S. in its stores in New York and Los Angeles.

Visit www.mourastarr.com to view gallery or products.

Getting to Know: Shelly Starr

By Boutique Design News


Shelly Starr is a young and innovative entrepreneur and the brain behind the Moura Starr brand. Moura Starr is an international furniture and manufacturing company that has the unique distinction of being completely green. With environmental soundness such as that, it’s no surprise that the brand attracts celebrity fans like Jennifer Aniston and Queen Latifah. Shelly’s company is a testament to her quality of work and here we’ve got the inside scoop of the woman heading this successful, international company of her own.


Q&A

What do you do?I run five companies. I am the creative director and head of product development for Moura Starr and I oversee all aspects of the company.It was a chaise lounge.


What was the first thing that you designed?
It was a chaise lounge.

Who are your idols?They always have been and never can read enough about:Jackie Kennedy OnassisCoco ChanelGrace KellyAudrey Hepburn

If you could do anything else other than design, what would it be? I would love to open a small restaurant and be head chef. If I could sit and cook for people all day that would be my dream.

Where do you go for inspiration? I go home with my family and go for drives with my husband and wherever we are, I pull my inspiration from the talks we have. It’s really internal and about what is going on inside of us.

What do you love about your life? 
I am a mother of a 3-year-old and love to spend every extra moment with her. I love how hard she can make me laugh. I love being a mother.

Promo

Shelley Starr Post Card with Sophia 

Bar for Montage Project

Shelley Starr is designing the Bar for Montage Project

Montage Entertainment Area Down Stairs

More coming soon...

Moura Starr is Shelley Starr Design

 

The most stunning showroom was Moura Starr. This showed furniture, lighting, wallpaper, and fine art. Moura Starr designs, engineers and hand crafts every piece of furniture in their collection.-by John Shelburne

The Woman Behind the Company - Moura Starr

Shelley Starr

Welcome to Moura Starr and our pursuit of excellence in design. For years I have traveled the world, exploring and discovering the art and design of countless countries and cultures. It is from these journeys that I find endless inspiration and creativity.

By blending my passion for interior design, fashion and architecture, I have created a company that pushes the boundaries of the luxury home furnishings market. Each piece by Moura Starr is crafted by hand and custom made to become one-of-a-kind. Each design is driven by perfection; to use only the world's most luxurious fabrics and woods resulting in the ultimate expression of modern elegance.


Welcome to Moura Starr and my passion.

Shelley Starr 

Shelley Starr is Moura Starr

 

Luxury Furniture and Lighting | Timeless Design | Elegant Modern Furniture | High end Home Fabrics, Leather, Wallpaper | Exotic Sustainable Woods.-Designed by Shelley Starr

Shelley Starr Press Photos

 

Margaret Russel from Elle Decor magazine and Shelley Starr

 Margaret Russel from Elle Decor magazine, Shelley Starr, Barbara Friedmann, Ann Gish