Thank You
Thanks to everyone who attended or supported the Design Opening Of Makeup Mania. And a special thanks to our movie and celebrity makeup artists for their attendance. Designing our first makeup store ever was a great experience. You asked for pics, well here they are.
WillDuBoseDesign looks forward to serving all of your interior design, interior architecture and architectural needs. Residential and commercial.
We also urge you to experience our design for the showroom apartment of Magic Johnson's Brooklyn Clock Tower. Tell them willdubosedesign sent you.
BEFORE
AFTER
His Home: $15million+
His Family: One Tight Bunch
His Design Skill: Priceless
“I
bought the block, no really.” Bob said as he
explained to us his vision 3 years ago. “I am
designing this home for a restaurateur, this one
for a producer, one’s for
myself...”
His
Home: $15million+
His Family: One Tight Bunch
His
Design Skill: Priceless
Meet Bob Novogratz, the brilliant designer,
entrepreneur and family man who is living the
American dream. Owning a fabulous home in Nolita,
filled with some of the most impressive artwork and
design on the East Coast, this young entrepreneur
shares his story with STRIVE on how he lives so well
and manages to design, build and raise a family.
STRIVE:
Tell
us a little about yourself and where you are
from?
BobNov:
I
come from a very close family. All of my six
brothers
and sisters live in the city. We grew
up in Alexandria,
Virginia. My sister,
Jacueline, is a trailblazer in the
Philanthropy
world as the founder and president of the
Acumen fund. My younger brother, Mike, is the
president
and partner of Fortress, which is the
mega hedgefund
that is the 1st hedgefund to go
public. My younger bros
and sisters are kicking
butt in their worlds and you
will be hearing
from them soon as well. We all watch each
other’s backs and like to have a good time with
each
other. My parents are my heroes, not as
much for what
they have achieved, but how they
live. My wife, Cortney,
and I have six kids
under the age of 9.They are the
joys of my
life.
STRIVE:
How did
you find your passion and get started in your career?
BobNov:
I got
started in design when I
bought my first Brownstone
11 years ago in Chelsea. My
wife and I, who are a
team, put everything we had into
the place and
basically learned on the job. We did
everything from
design to construction. I was always
somewhat
creative and I found my outlet.
STRIVE:
What were
you doing before you became a designer?
BobNov:
At the
time I was working as a stockbroker hating what I was
doing. I also promoted huge parties on the side
STRIVE:
Who has
been the biggest influence on your career/ life?
BobNov:
My wife is
my greatest influence on me. She is extremely
positive and a big thinker. She is one of those
people
who makes you feel like you can run through
walls. If you
ever meet someone like that, hang out.
STRIVE:
What makes
you original and puts you at the top of your game?
BobNov:
What makes
me standout is that I always try to be different. I
try to
take chances constantly. You can look at
every project
we have done and realize that.
Recently
Bob’s home inspired the biggest hip-hop mogul in
America to say “I want this.”
STRIVE:
Do you see
any changes or patterns in the industry and what is
your opinion of that? What is the insider perspective
on getting ahead in your industry?
BobNov:
The Design
industry is changing rapidly toward modernism. What a
designer should try to achieve is timelessness, not
the newest trend. I would advise people to be
original and think big.
STRIVE:
What is the first thing you think of when you wake up
in the morning and what is the last thing you think
of at night?
BobNov:
I wake up
every morning thankful for my
family, health, and
being paid for what I love to do.
STRIVE:
Any last
overall advice?
BobNov:
My advice
would be to live with dignity and don’t take yourself
to seriously.
The basketball court shown sits atop the townhouse. Bob plays there with his son Wolfie, who recently won, alongside the Riverside Hawks, the prestigious Gaucho Roundball Tournament. Wolfie is easily ranked nationwide as one of the best ballplayers in his age group. Check more of Robert’s work at www.sixxdesign.com also contact Robert for his design and advice
Interior Designer Henry Mitchell (a long-time friend of STRIVE) recently took time to discuss with us his NEW design for a fashion-forward store in the heart of Harlem, "N"; as well the career he has built designing some of the most fabulous spaces in New York and trhoughout the country.
It's actually the perfect store for the "STRIVER" crowd. the new york times will have a blurb about it in today's (3/30/06) Thursday styles section...N a new upscale boutique at 116th and Lennox Ave carriesmens and womens wear, skincare, housewares, bags and jewelry... some brands they carry: tracey reese, byron lars, denim factory, siatta styles, g star, hugo boss, juicy couture, velvet - it is a beutiful store - the hours areSu & M 12 - 6, T - Th 11:30 - 8:30, F & Sa 11:30 - 9pm. come be a part of the renaissance.
| Harlem's N Store: |
On Henry: AN ADMIRER OF ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL, HENRY FIRST EXPRESSED HIS INTEREST IN DESIGN AT THE AGE OF 16 BY PAINTING HIS BEDROOM AND ALL OF ITS CONTENTS bLACK, MUCH TO HIS MOTHERS DISMAY. HE BEGAN HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER AT JACK tRAVIS aRCHITECTS AND IN 1995 OPENED HIS OWN PRACTICE , HENRY MITCHELL iNTERIOR ARCHITECTURE. QUITE RELIEVED, HIS MOTHER CELEBRATED WHEN NEW YORK MAGAZINE LISTED HIM AS ONE OF NEW YORK’S 100 "BEST" INTERIOR DESIGNERS. HENRY MITCHELL INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE ESTABLISHED IN 1995 IS A RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL DESIGN FIRM. AT THE HEART OF OUR PHILOSOPHY IS THE TENET THAT DESIGN IS LESS ABOUT IMPOSING DESIGN CONCEPTS ON A CLIENT, AND MORE ABOUT TRANSLATING EACH INDIVIDUAL’S VISION OF THEIR PERFECT ENVIRONS INTO ITS MATCHING PHYSICAL MANIFESTATION. THROUGH THIS PHILOSOPHY WE PRODUCE SPACES THAT ARE NOT ONLY BEAUTIFUL TO LOOK AT, BUT THAT ARE ALSO A PLEASURE TO BE IN ADDING TO OUR CLIENTS QUALITY OF LIFE. HENRY MITCHELL INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE’S DIVERSE AND DISCERNING CLIENTELE RELY ON OUR PROFICIENCY IN INTERIOR AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AS WELL AS EXPERTISE IN THE CUSTOM DESIGN OF FURNITURE, LIGHTING AND SITE-SPECIFIC HARDWARE. OUR DESIGN AESTHETIC SKILLFULLY BLENDS ELEMENTS OF CONTEMPORARY DESIGN WITH ELEMENTS OF CLASSIC DESIGN. HENRY MITCHELL INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS DETAILED SIMPLICITY, FUNCTIONALITY, AND ELEGANCE AS WE STRIVES TO RENDER INTERIORS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE, RATIONAL, AND PURE. OUR CREATIVE PROCESS INCORPORATES THE CONCEPTS OF MASTERFUL SPACE PLANNING AND AN INSISTENCE THAT THE INDIVIDUAL BE REFLECTED IN THEIR OWN ENVIRONMENT. HENRY HAS BEEN FEATURED ON tHE OPRAH SHOW, HE REGULARLY SERVES AS A DESIGN CRITIC AND JUROR FOR STUDENTS AT THE PRATT INSTITUTE, FIT, AND PARSON’S SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND IS A CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AT BUDGET LIVING MAGAZINE. HIS WORK HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN DESIGN BOOKS AND PROFILED IN NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS. HENRY EARNED HIS BFA IN INTERIOR DESIGN FROM THE FASHION INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (FIT). HENRY LIVES AND WORK IN NEW YORK CITY. HE NOW ONLY OCCASIONALLY PAINTS A ROOM BLACK.
STRIVE: What is success to you?
HM: Success is identifying your niche and honing it to
the point where it is not only marketable but also
profitable. It is of paramount importance that in
addition to identifying your strong suit that you also
identify areas where you are weak - fill those gaps
with strong people and you willl certainly get in the
"stride" for success.
STRIVE: What do you do in your spare time?
HM: I work hard and therefore I play hard. Usually I
simply enjoy the offerings of NYC; concerts,
lounges, restaurants, galleries, plays. But i have
no problem taking a quick trip to south beach, a
weekend in the country, a plane ride to the carribean
for a few days or hell... even an trip to europe.
STRIVE: What's your definition of a STRIVER?
HM: A striver is someone who refuses to let a "no" stop
them.
STRIVE: Who has influenced you the most during your career?
HM: Jack Travis (professor, practitioner, consulant on Spike's
Jungle Fever) influenced me the most.
STRIVE:What's your advice to those in puruit of their dreams?
HM: My advice to those in persuit of thier dreams is to
never quit. And when you fall (because you will)
DUST YOURSELF OFF and try AGAIN!
STRIVE:When will you consider yourself having made it.
HM: I will consider that i've made it when my money starts
working for me and I'm not working for my money.
STRIVE: When hiring new talent what do you look for in a person?
HM:When hiring new talent, I look First for talent and
skill set - and how well the person will fit into the
scheme of Henry Mitchell Interior Architecture
STRIVE: What's the first thing on your mind in the morning
and the last thing on your mind at night?
HM:The first thing I think of in the morning is "my thanks
for being given another day." the last thought of the
day is "what lessons did i learn in hopes of becoming a
better person.
STRIVE:What do you know for sure?
HM:I know for sure that caring about people and humanity
is more important than anyrthing.
STRIVE: Where are you from?
HM: I'm from Oakland, CA. I come from a large family; 4 brothers
and 4 sisters. I've always been creative and a go
getter. You have to be when you are from a large
family, otherwise you get lost.
STRIVE: Who do you look up to?
HM: I admire the routes taken by Reginald Lewis, Bob
Johnson, Sean Combs, Russell Simmons, Jay-Z; brothers
who persued thier passion to profitablity.
STRIVE: What sets you apart in your industry?
HM: I'm set apart from the crowd because
architects/designers are known for pushing thier style
onto a client... my works are always collaborations
with the clients and that's why I'm on top of my
game... when you do that folks seek you out... that's
why oprah came calling.
Henry's work, in order of appearance:
The New "N" Store in Harlem (116 and Lennox),
Gordon Chambers residence Bath,
Gordon Chambers residence Kitchen.
Nook Will DuBose A Designer on His Way
I recently caught up with Nook to interview him in the midst of his Herculean schedule as a teacher, designer, entrepreneur and mentor. For those of you that read every week and do not know Nook, he is the man behind STRIVE. He hails from Chicago and the University of Michigan. Strangers are drawn to him because of his infectious smile and sense of humor. His friends love him because he is so generous and so humble. I love him because he let me sleep on his couch before I had a place to stay in New York.
He has been an architect, teacher, promoter, t-shirt salesman, stand-up comedian, interior designer, calendar model, and magazine founder just to name a few of his occupations. However, there is so much more to him, so that is why I was excited that he was finally ready to sit down and do an interview. Studies at Oxford, Professor at Pratt, practicing designer, now television. Mr. DuBose tells us how it all happened.
STRIVE: What are your 3 lessons for success? Or what is your recipe for success? NOOK: My recipe for success consists of: continuous effort and unshakeable persistence. You may not know how to do it. You may even be the worse. But I have seen folks try hard at something for years and they always come out with unbelievable skill and know how. STRIVE: How do you enjoy your days off when you’re not "striving"? NOOK: as Dhani Jones noted, there never is a day off. Whether it’s a thought, intention, or an action, I will not stop STRIVING, I will not stop the flow. Even while I sleep, good comes my way. I have been fortunate to have countless blessings. Would not want to stop that. STRIVE: What signifies a Striver to you? NOOK: A person who wants more and acts on it. STRIVE: Who influenced you the most in your career/life when you were starting out? NOOK: My family is amazing. My mother’s creativity, honesty and spirituality influenced me to want to do right, do more and be my best ME every minute, every hour. STRIVE: What jobs did you hold before you became successful? NOOK: I was always successful. However, I did work at Burger King in high school, the mall shoe store, I drew pictures for money in the park.
STRIVE: What is success to you? NOOK: It’s waking up everyday. That’s where it starts for me. STRIVE: What advice would you give others attempting to make their dreams come true? NOOK: Never stop, never get tired. STRIVE: "Making IT" is not definitive, yet when will you consider yourself as having made it? NOOK: Every night when I go to bed, every morning when I awake I feel like I have made it. STRIVE: When you are hiring new talent, what do you look for? NOOK: Honesty Eagerness And Determination of Self (only a few will know what this means) STRIVE: What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning and what is the last thing you think of at night. NOOK: When I awake I think of the day that I will be creating for myself: I ask God for my miracles and I ask that he brings them in such a way that I am amazed when it happens. When I go to sleep I think about some of what I intend to do and all the good that's happened in the last day. STRIVE: What do you know for Sure about life? NOOK: Based on everything I know… Life is Energy. I pray that everyday I tap into that energy to stay alive. STRIVE: What role do relationships play in success? NOOK: A major role. With positive relationships you can do anything. My girl Teja has been a major help in giving me the support, the love and motivating words to keep pushing. STRIVE: How did you get started? Is this something that you always wanted to do? NOOK: Started drawing as a little boy and learned that I was good at illustrating my thoughts. Next thing you know I am walking across the stage as the only African American, Master's Graduate in Architecture (in a school of 40,000 plus students). STRIVE: Do you see any changes or patterns in the industry and what is your opinion of that? NOOK: I’d rather show you the changes rather than just tell. Stay tuned to what STRIVE will be bringing to you in the next few months. Our staff is bananas with talent. article by Jibreel Lockhart jibreel@strivemagazine.com