World's Largest Rock Crystal Obelisk Unveiled

WORLD’S LARGEST ROCK CRYSTAL OBELISK UNVEILED AT ENTRANCE OF THE NEW SPA TOWER AT THE BELLAGIO RESORT & CASINO.

The Bellagio Resort and Casino unveils an 18-ft tall, two-ton, rock crystal obelisk …the only one of its kind in the world!
Pharaohs of Egypt originally constructed the obelisk form which the Roman Emperors later replicated. Now a sleek, rock crystal, monolithic obelisk graces the entrance of the new Spa Tower, a luxurious 928 hotel room and spa facility expansion to the popular Bellagio Resort & Casino.

At the geneses of this project designer Stephen Stefanou enlisted the expertise of Dr. Keith Critchlow of the Royal College in London, the world’s leading expert in Sacred Geometry. “It was very important to me to employ Sacred Geometry in the design of this unique project” says Stefanou, designer of the crystal obelisk and president of Design Solutions of Dallas, TX, an international visual display company.

“Sacred geometry”, Stefanou noted, “is the ancient art and science which reveals the nature of our relationship to the cosmos. For many the obelisk form, like the great pyramids, possesses a strange power, some believe even the key to life. Historically, there has been a passionate attraction to this form by many…. the Masons, Napoleon, the Vatican, etc., all had a high regard for the obelisk. Even our forefathers, as a tribute to the founder of our country, chose to erect an obelisk which we, of course, know as the Washington Monument.” Stefanou says.

Stefanou collaborated with world-renowned Zadora whose gemstone sculptures are compared to the work of Peter Carl Faberge. Andreas von Zadora-Gerlof is the leading gemstone artist of our time who now leads a world-class workshop that makes everything form fine jewelry to large sculptures. Zadora’s work is included in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, South America, the Middle and Far East.

An obelisk form, a slightly tapered quadrangular solid which tapers into a pointed pyramid top, is typically carved of stone. “Bellagio wanted an exquisite icon for the new conservatory entrance. We chose rock crystal because of its inherent luxurious qualities and because rock crystal is the only semi-precious gemstone that occurs large enough in nature to allow an architectural application.” Stefanou stated.

“In fact, we are currently working on other projects using crystal as the artistic medium. One concept I am particularly excited about is a rock crystal winding staircase. I think you are only seeing the beginning of rock crystal used in architectural design.”

Forbes Magazine:

The Battle of the Christmas Trees

"We had to make First Union's (Wachovia's) decorations look better than its competition," says Stephen Stefanou, whose Dallas-based Design Solutions created elaborate Christmas decorations for the southeast's second-largest bank as well as for Manhattan's Rockefeller Center. "We made number two look better than number one."

Stefanou also helped Atlanta's Lenox Square shopping center lure shoppers with a $2 million display encompassing an automated, lighted, Fantasia-esque fairies, and a kickoff party with costumed paratroopers enacting Santa's arrival at the mall.

New York Times: Pa-Rum-Pum-Pum-Pum

Works in Progress by Bruce Weber

If there's a hub of the annual whirlwind that is Christmas in New York, it's probably Rockefeller Center -- the famous tree, the skating rink, the strolling carolers and brass , not to mention the likelihood that more tourists carrying more gift-wrapped packages toddle through there than any other place on earth. This season, amid the regular hoopla, there'll be, literally, a different drummer. Two, actually, each made out of fiberglass and standing 10-5-ft tall ( not including plumes in their hats0> Plus two equally out-sized buglers , a flutist and a cymbalist.

The six Christmas cadets, as they're being called by Rockefeller Center Management Corporation, are to be installed on November 28th and 29th, on the esplanade above the skating rink, three each on the north and south sides.

The figures are custom designed and fabricated by Dallas-based company, Design Solutions, owned and operated by Stephen Stefanou.

M Magazine : How the Garden Grows

Back of House: by Jacqueline Y. Metcalfe

Among the many sights and sounds of the Las Vegas strip, few have captured the hearts and imaginations of locals and tourists alike as Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens.

Even with its entertainment, sumptuous culinary delights and voluptuous Tuscan architecture, the claim to fame of Bellagio seems to be its emphasis on the intrinsic pleasure of nature's beauty.

The crowning achievement is the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. One not be a plant lover or flower expert to appreciate and be seduced by the beauty and artistry of these gardens. this is the height of nature, theatre and art coming together to form a completely soul-stirring experience. The mastermind behind this masterpiece is Audra Danzak, Director of Horticulture for Bellagio who collaborates with Stephen Stefanou of Design Solutions of Dallas, TX.

"People are amazed by the sheer abundance of flowers," Danzak hypothesizes. "It's so much more than just a lot of flowers though. It's the way they're selected, the way they're designed, the different texture, color--again, it's what you're trying to say." When all is said and done, Bellagio's Conservatory & botanical Gardens set the stage for a show filled with the art, beauty, theatrics and sensory-pleasing kind of entertainment that only nature can provide.

Martha Stewart: Christmas How-To's from Fine Living Network

Martha Stewart: How-to for Christmas

There's something comforting about seeing quiet neighborhoods alive with Christmas lights on frosty December evenings, but careful planning is necessary to create a safe and attractive lighting arrangement. For advice on smart and beautiful ways to illuminate the outside of her house during the holiday season, Martha calls upon Stephen Stefanou of Design Solutions in Dallas. Stephen and his colleagues are renowned for design projects, which include the grand holiday decorations at New York City's Rockefeller Center and those at Union Station in Washington, D.C.
Rather than winding a string of Christmas lights around the thatched columns on Martha's front porch, Stephen opts for light netting. These nets eliminate the need to individually place every light, and are available in various sizes. Stephen uses a net made up of 150 lights, wraps it around the column, and hides its wires in nearby greenery. Plastic cable ties are used to secure the net in place. Light netting is effective for hedges, trees, or other large areas since multiple nets can be connected to each other. Stephen recommends arranging the lights while they are lit so that you can see exactly where you are placing them.
Stephen then illuminates the front door wreath with two spotlights, set atop each column. He uses light sockets and bulbs that are weatherproof and waterproof, made specifically for outdoor use. Each of the spotlights holds a 40-watt bulb, clips easily into place, and their wires can be hidden in nearby greenery.
Safety note: Use lights that are made for outdoor use and that are approved by the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL). All light strands should have fuses, so if one strand overloads, the fuse will blow and the lights will go out. If an overload occurs on an unfused strand, there is a chance of overloading circuits in your house. Never leave a bulb socket empty; if you want to black out a particular light, cover it with electrical tape. Also, always use heavy-duty, UL-listed exterior extension cords to power your outdoor lighting displays, and try to use an outlet with its own circuit, such as a little-used garage outlet, to avoid overloading the circuitry in the house.
From Martha Stewart Living Television

Review Journal: Room of Blooms, Summer Celebration

Seasons change in a big way at Bellagio Conservatory by Sonya Padgett May 23, 2004

Audra Danzak gestures toward a section of the Bellagio Conservatory filled , at the moment, with nothing but potential. Danzak ( Director of Horticulture) and a host of floral designer, contractors, hotel workers and others undertake this process five times a year, stripping the conservatory to the bottom of its beds, then rebuilding it into a magical world that delights and enthralls visitors with nothing more than flowers, props and a few special effects. (Danzak collaborates with Stephen Stefanou of Design Solutions in Dallas, TX )

"The show is summer, Americana, patriotic but not too patriotic," Danzak says. "It's all subtle. I don't want people to think of war when they see the show but people are patriotic. We live in America and I want to celebrate that in the right way," Danzak says.

DuPont Magazine: Making Seasons Shine

Making Seasons Shine: Tradition, whimsy and DuPont finishes help Design Solutions turn holiday decor into destination presentations. December 2004

In November, cherry pickers, scaffolding, and yards of black plastic adorned the lobbies of some of the best-known addresses in America. After Thanksgiving, however, the curtains lifted on exquisite seasonal tableaux that ushered in the holidays season.

Stephen Stefanou is founder, president and lead designer at Design Solutions which decorates corporate interiors for the holidays. Clients include Boston's Prudential Center and the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, where Design Solutions formed a 34-ft tree from 68 giant gold-leafed ornaments.

Stefanou also strives to increase a property's intangible value, that certain something that makes visitors choose to visit one location over another. "in today's hospitality and retail market, being a must-see attraction is a competitive advantage," he says.

Design Solutions offers no catalog , no stock items. Each project is conceived and scaled to site conditions. Stefanou works with several different artists to conceptualize treatments based on each client's marketing objectives budget as well as the aesthetic direction established by the property's original architect during design and construction.