>>> meet the designers behind projects featured in this issue
Tim Castor
Interior designer Tim Castor can easily differentiate between designing clubhouses in the West versus in the East. “In the West, we pay a lot of money for things to look old,” says the principal of Highlands Ranch, Colorado-based Castor Design Associates. “In the East, they pay a lot of money to make things look new.” Castor’s humorous assessment summarizes his 25-plus years of creating elegant clubhouse interiors both in the East and West, a niche he stepped into when he went to work for the architecture and interiors firm Chambers in Baltimore, Maryland. “Chambers did just about every country club along the Eastern Seaboard,” explains Castor, who received his interior design degree from Maryland Institute College of Art. But after 16 years there, Castor longed for something different and relocated to Colorado where he launched his own seven-member firm in 1998. These days, Castor works on clubhouses in Denver, Palm Springs, Scottsdale, Las Vegas, San Francisco and beyond, creating styles from sleekly contemporary to richly traditional. “The one thing I try to do with each clubhouse is to tie in some elements from its natural setting,” Castor explains. “My wife is always finding sticks or leaves or rocks in my suitcase when I come back from the start of a new project.” One of Castor’s newest projects, The Club at Morningside in Rancho Mirage, California, is featured in this issue.
Donna Figg, ASID, LEED AP
We last caught up with interior designer Donna Figg not long after she had completed work on The Arrabelle at Vail Square, a luxe boutique hotel for the fabled Colorado ski town. As director of hospitality for Slifer Designs in Edwards, Colorado, she done her share of luxurious hotel, clubhouse and restaurant designs, and is currently working on a fractional-ownership residential project in Alberta, Canada and a condominium complex at the base of the ski resort in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. “We’re still busy,” says Figg of the current economic climate, “but we’re working to maintain our relationships and give clients the same level of quality they would expect from us.” Figg’s own level of quality took a leap earlier this year when she received her LEED accreditation to keep up on the firm’s numerous green projects. One of her most recent projects that has some green elements, the Cast-Off Cabin clubhouse in Gypsum, Colorado, is featured in this issue.
Lawrence Lake, ASID
Lawrence Lake is on to new things. After 22 years as principal of Scottsdale, Arizona’s Inter Plan Design Group, the interior designer has launched a new practice, Lawrence Lake Interiors, and plans to devote time to creating new product. “I still plan to do residential, hospitality and commercial interiors,” says Lake, whose projects have won scores of design awards, “but I want to do upholstered furniture, rugs, lighting and accessories, to be available to multiple showrooms.” Lake’s penchant for product design began years ago, when he started drawing up custom pieces for clients, and developed a line of outdoor furniture. “Right now, I’m developing products for showrooms at the Arizona Design Center in Scottsdale that will meet the needs of local designers,” Lake explains, “including pieces such as value-priced upholstery. I’m trying to be smart about it.” In this issue, you can tour Lake’s latest smart (and award-winning) project, the Edge at Grayhawk clubhouse in Scottsdale.
Interior designer Tim Castor can easily differentiate between designing clubhouses in the West versus in the East. “In the West, we pay a lot of money for things to look old,” says the principal of Highlands Ranch, Colorado-based Castor Design Associates. “In the East, they pay a lot of money to make things look new.” Castor’s humorous assessment summarizes his 25-plus years of creating elegant clubhouse interiors both in the East and West, a niche he stepped into when he went to work for the architecture and interiors firm Chambers in Baltimore, Maryland. “Chambers did just about every country club along the Eastern Seaboard,” explains Castor, who received his interior design degree from Maryland Institute College of Art. But after 16 years there, Castor longed for something different and relocated to Colorado where he launched his own seven-member firm in 1998. These days, Castor works on clubhouses in Denver, Palm Springs, Scottsdale, Las Vegas, San Francisco and beyond, creating styles from sleekly contemporary to richly traditional. “The one thing I try to do with each clubhouse is to tie in some elements from its natural setting,” Castor explains. “My wife is always finding sticks or leaves or rocks in my suitcase when I come back from the start of a new project.” One of Castor’s newest projects, The Club at Morningside in Rancho Mirage, California, is featured in this issue.
We last caught up with interior designer Donna Figg not long after she had completed work on The Arrabelle at Vail Square, a luxe boutique hotel for the fabled Colorado ski town. As director of hospitality for Slifer Designs in Edwards, Colorado, she done her share of luxurious hotel, clubhouse and restaurant designs, and is currently working on a fractional-ownership residential project in Alberta, Canada and a condominium complex at the base of the ski resort in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. “We’re still busy,” says Figg of the current economic climate, “but we’re working to maintain our relationships and give clients the same level of quality they would expect from us.” Figg’s own level of quality took a leap earlier this year when she received her LEED accreditation to keep up on the firm’s numerous green projects. One of her most recent projects that has some green elements, the Cast-Off Cabin clubhouse in Gypsum, Colorado, is featured in this issue.
Lawrence Lake is on to new things. After 22 years as principal of Scottsdale, Arizona’s Inter Plan Design Group, the interior designer has launched a new practice, Lawrence Lake Interiors, and plans to devote time to creating new product. “I still plan to do residential, hospitality and commercial interiors,” says Lake, whose projects have won scores of design awards, “but I want to do upholstered furniture, rugs, lighting and accessories, to be available to multiple showrooms.” Lake’s penchant for product design began years ago, when he started drawing up custom pieces for clients, and developed a line of outdoor furniture. “Right now, I’m developing products for showrooms at the Arizona Design Center in Scottsdale that will meet the needs of local designers,” Lake explains, “including pieces such as value-priced upholstery. I’m trying to be smart about it.” In this issue, you can tour Lake’s latest smart (and award-winning) project, the Edge at Grayhawk clubhouse in Scottsdale.