showroom top picks
destination:
LONDON
a diamond in the rough
By Kelly Sweeney
More than 35 years ago, design icon Mimi London was inspired to
create furniture from logs and tree trunks. Today Mimi London, Inc. is
still producing handmade, custom furnishings, fabrics and accessories
and displaying them in their atelier-like showroom at the Pacific Design
Center in West Hollywood, as well as in showrooms across the country.
The company prides itself on offering unique, original concepts and
products. At Mimi London, custom requests are not only welcomed,
but encouraged.
Mark Boone, president of Mimi London, Inc., has been intrigued
by design since his childhood. A native of Virginia, Boone received a
design degree from Virginia Tech before moving to Chicago to design
showrooms for Baker Knapp & Tubbs. While designing a Baker show-
room in Los Angeles, Boone fell in love with the city and moved shortly
thereafter. In 1989, while job-hunting in L.A., Boone met London, who
hired him to work in the showroom.
After working closely with London designing furniture and interiors,
Boone became her business partner and president of the firm in 1997. In
addition to the showroom, the two operate an interior design firm named
London Boone, which has been included on Architectural Digest’s AD
100, a listing of the world’s top design firms, since its inception.
Last year Boone accepted the prestigious honor of designing the Ar-
chitectural Digest Green Room for the Primetime Emmy Awards. As it
was the 60th anniversary for the awards, Boone chose a diamond theme
and designed a space that “embodied the characteristics of diamonds.”
The focal point of the room was a diamond and platinum chandelier
designed by Hearts on Fire, valued at more than $10 million. After com-
pleting this daunting task, Boone took a few moments to enjoy his work
and accolades before taking time to talk with DTM about his showroom
top picks.
Boone’s Top Picks
Le Gracieux Hand-screened Textiles: “Hand-screened on hemp, Le
Gracieux fabrics are as beautiful as they are environmentally respon-
sible,” remarks Boone. “Featuring original designs by artisan Doug
rade
T
Funkhouser, they embody the exotic, easy sophistication of Italy and
Morocco.” Boone also commented on the versatility of the textiles. “The
esign wonderful pattern and palette range allows use in both more formal, tra-
D
ditional settings as well as ‘drop-shouldered’ casual applications.”
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