The Lan Club in Beijing is an artistic masterpiece that took my breath away and left me in awe. Opened in 2006, the interior was designed by French-born Philippe Stark. 

Man’s endless search for beauty is only matched by his seemingly boundless creativity. People’s ability to creatively express emotions through their art is truly a gift. 

Great art draws you in, captivates, and awakens feelings from within.  Even if your feelings are negative, the artist has done his or her job by triggering deep emotional responses.

Room by room, this restaurant challenges even the toughest critics to ask, “What is intriguing, appealing and ultimately beautiful?”

Celebrating with me are my Beijing design partners and my son at the completion of one of our projects.  And who says experiencing great art can’t be fun?

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.

India is a fascinating and colorful country of contrasts. Take a moment to reflect on these two divergent dwellings.

She spent days building this home and clearly has taken great pride in her cow dung creation. Notice the beautiful hand-embossed striped motif on the walls and the meticulously placed roof tiles that create a unique design motif overhead. This home is used for protection from the northern Indian rainy season and rest.


In contrast, the Ambani Family spent four years and nearly $2 billion to build the world’s largest and most expensive single family home. Called Antilla, it's a 27-story skyscraper in downtown Mumbai with 400,000 square feet of interior space designed by Hirsch Bedner Associates, the designers behind the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. With amenities of a hotel the home is occasionally used to entertain business guests. No two floors are alike, and it has a look and feel that is distinctly Indian.

How do you feel about your own home now? Are you “house proud"?

Lisa Stewart is an Interior Designer in Raleigh, NC.