Vit

S

OUR RE -1 AIL ROUNDUP

EYE-CATCHING
SETTING

Trying on glasses at Shades in
downtown Birmingham is like
shopping for art at a gallery. The
store is a high-tech emporium
which showcases frames from
Matsuda, Calvin Klein, Armani
and other designers. "When you
sell creative and different eye-
wear, you can't put the frames
into just any setting. You need to
set the stage," says William Kop-
pin, optometrist.
Koppin set the stage by select-
ing Keith Johnson of Urban Ar-

HOUSE CALLS

THE NATURAL

Barbara Mazer and Marilyn Ross
of House Fitness make house calls
to refresh and reorganize your
home. "Nothing can replace your
favorite things, but some things
can improve them," reads their
business card. They will re-
arrange your furniture and add
some elegant and warm accents.
They are expert shoppers and
sewers. For this client, they kept
the rose carpeting and found the
bed frame in an antique shop in
Charlevoix for the daughter's
room. "The owner did not want to
change the blinds, so we added
the fabric for the window treat-
ment," says Mazer. They pur-
chased a feminine, lace tablecloth
from T.J. Maxx and used it for the
window treatment, skirting, pil-
lows and dust ruffle. The room is
sophisticated yet within a reason-
able budget.

Hair stylist Eric Bitonti of Mari-
omax Salon in West Bloomfield
says the natural look is in vogue
this season for men and women.
Longer tops, shorter sides and
free-flowing curls are in style.
"We are staying away from the
gel look," says Bitonti. In this
style, the hair is parted in the
middle and the curls are natural.

For more information about House
Fitness, call 423-6402.

Hair stylist Eric Bitonti of Mari-
omax Salon, Crosswinds Mall,
West Bloomfield. Photography by S.
Kay Young.

chitecture in Detroit. Johnson
suggested using poetry to serve
as a design influence. "I was in-
trigued by this intellectual and
philosophic approach to design-
ing a space," adds Koppin.
Local poet Chris Tysh corn-
posed six poems which are subtly
displayed in white on black on the
walls in Shades. The Flos lighting
is theatrical, while the Memphis
chairs and design are dramatic
and stylish. The soft color
scheme is the perfect contrast to
the industrial design.

Photography by Beth Singer.

