Happy Holidays From The Lunada Team

Best Wishes & Happy Holidays!

Sneak Peek!

Lunada, literally, just finished a bathroom remodel and couldn't wait to show off some of the pictures.  We couldn't be happier, and I can't wait to go back and shoot some real photos with the right staging and lighting!

Before:




















After:

Check back after to holiday to see more photos!!

Lunada's Favorites!

Lunada has recently installed El Dorado Stone Veneer at a job site and couldn't be happier with the results.  It's lighter, thinner and cheaper than real stone and can be installed in any location.  There is also much less waste than natural stone, contributes to the thermal mass of walls (green!), contains recycled content (green!) and comes in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes which helps with achieving a natural and varied look. You will not believe your eyes when you see and feel this stone veneer.!

Installation at a job to be completed 12/10!!

Concept for a new client's shower wall, instead small openings for candles, create larger and longer niches for bath products! So versatile!

For more product information visit their website: http://www.eldoradostone.com/flashsite/

Lunada's Favorites!

Trough sinks!  Old concept, modern application.  Are you having flashbacks to the sinks in your grade school classroom?  Don't worry, the designs have evolved beyond the huge white porcelain monstrosities;  undermount, flush or vessel, these sinks add nostalgia with a sleek and sexy twist to any bathroom whether it's traditional, transitional or modern.  The design is elevated when you install 2 faucets, but if large scale is what you desire, 1 faucet per trough sink is very dramatic!  Lunada might have finally found the perfect client to install one, so let's keep our fingers crossed!  Here are some images to inspire...

I had a "trough" time (sorry, that was horrible) during my initial research of the product, but my plumbing rep pointed me in the direction of Lacava and Duravit as great products at good price points.  But I have to say, the sinks from a company called Wet Style are so beautiful, by far my favorite.  Made is Canada, eh.

Interior Design Magazine & Electrolux Competition

Recently Lunada entered Interior Design Magazine & Electrolux Kitchen Design Competition. Without boring you with design statements and goals, I will just give you some pretty pictures to look at and you can draw your own conclusions!

Requirements:
-20'x30' in size
-Use of at least 5 Electrolux Icon Appliances
-$100,000 budget, including materials
-Incorporate typical kitchen elements (but is not limited to)

Judging Criteria:
-How thoughtuflly & boldly the kitchen meets the needs of modern families
-Visual appeal
-Creativity
-Elements/principals of kitchen design
-Innovative integration of appliances

Design Adaptations

This happens all the time in home remodels/new construction; items get placed on back order, get lost or even worse - discontinued or arrive damaged.  In Lunada's most recent project, a bath tub of ours was delivered 3 weeks late and with so much damage to the exterior enamel that we had to reject it at delivery!  This was an especially sad realization because this tub is what sparked an entire bathroom remodel for our client.  The tub I am speaking of is the Kohler Highbridge, a beautiful fixture.  It has a finished apron recessed about 6" improving the accessibility of the tub by allowing the user to step closer to the basin or the space can be used for custom cabinetry, which is what Lunada decided to do. Lunada planned to highlight the tub's finished apron (let's get the most bang for the buck since the tub is pricier than a regular drop-in) by building an open shelf where the client could place decorative soaps, towels, what have you.

 

 This design was so thought out and happily embraced by our client, it was heartbreaking to think that we would have to reselect another tub that really wasn't comparable to the Highbridge. (You might be thinking to yourself, "Why not just order another one?" Well, lead time on a new Highbridge was 28 days, and we certainly couldn't allow our client to wait that long after the original 3 week delay.  This project should have been finishing up by now!!) Eventually the damaged tub was installed and the design was changed eliminating the open shelf and adding cabinets all the way across similar to this image:

Another option: tiling the front of the tub takes advantage of the 6" under the ledge increasing accessibility to the tub.

My point is, that even when there are setbacks within of home remodels and design, it isn't the end of the world. Good designers are all about adapting to situations that are out of their control and still producing beautiful design that their clients will love.  It's also about having good plumbing reps who will take care of you in times of minor crises like this. Check our website www.lunadaconsulting.com for progress pictures!

Lunada's Favorites!

When you think of a fireplace screen, what do you think of?  3 panels, metal (brass-yikes!), mesh? There aren't really that many options out there for unique and functional fireplace screens.  See, this is one of the things that, as a designer, I appreciate.  Everyday, designers are faced with the challenges of needing or wanting something that doesn't exist (don't even get me started on tile lines that don't offer trim pieces, ah!).  For L.A. based designer Philip Nimmo, he decided to take action by designing a line of screens that has since evolved into furniture and lighting lines.  Every piece is hand-made and offered in a variety of finishes, materials and sizes, hence the steep price, but beautiful none the less. And when paired with the perfect client in the perfect room, these fireplace screens can really stand alone as works of art! 

For more information visit the website: www.philipnimmoironworks.com

Last Minute Tax Credits!

All of the great tax credits that we have been hearing about are going to expire at the end of the year which is why it is a great time to take advantage of these projects now and not later.  All of these changes will pay for themselves over time, you will literally be paying less for energy with these changes and the govt. will most likely cover almost 30% of the costs!!! 

1. Get an energy audit - this can target problem areas and sometimes are required in order to take advantage of certain energy audits.
2. Re-Insulate - help keep cool air in and hot air out.....or vice versa depending on the time of year.  If you use insulation approved by the Energy Conservation Code the you can have 30% or up to $1,500 off 2010 taxes.
3. Replace old windows & doors - same as insulation, keep what you want in and what you don't wan out. This is a more expensive project but think of it as adding to your home's aesthetics as well as your pocket book.
4. Replace old appliances - Cash for clunkers isn't just for your old cars, check for these deals and always buy Energy Star Rated Appliances.  New energy saving appliances can qualify for a tax credit that is equal to 30% of the cost up to $1,500.
5. Re-Roof - a new roof is one of the best investments you can make for your home. In addition to appliances, there are also Energy Star rated metal roofs.  These roofs have "cooling granules" that help reflect the sun's heat rather than absorb it. 
6. Plan to install a solar water heater - Solar credits were extended to 2016, so if you can't afford it now, don't worry but don't put it off either! 
7. Install a smart meter - By showing you data in real time, you can monitor your usage more effectively.  This will also tell you when it is the best time to run certain appliances when the cost of electricity is low. 

Read a more comprehensive summary on The Daily Green.

Lunada Trend Alert!

Working on "the hill" as locals call it, I feel that we are always aware of peacock design motifs.  Confused?  For some reason that I do not know, there are wild peacocks roaming all around Rancho Palos Verdes and the Rolling Hills areas.  You can't deny their grace and beauty, but they sure do leave a mess and their cries and squawks are so loud!!! (I was even chased around my bosses car by one early last year.......my life is a cartoon.) Like I said, Lunada always seems to take notice whenever we see peacocks used as a design motif and lately we have been seeing it much more often. Another design motif we have been noticing a lot is coral.  (I've been told that yellow is out and coral is in, but I am not fully convinced.) Now when I say coral, I don't necessarily mean the color, but the organism. Used minimally and usually for a pop of color, I have taken notice of coral mostly in textiles and accessories.  I came to these conclusions yesterday down at the Fall Market in Laguna Niguel as the next hot things.

Trends are always different depending on the region but seeing tons of coral and peacocks in both the L.A Area and Orange County Area confirms it. Keep your eyes peeled for these colorful and textural design motifs that can be both scenic and graphic.

Electrolux Icon Competition

Lunada has entered a new contest sponsored by Electrolux to design a kitchen for today's modern family using their newest line of ICON Appliances.  The new line is very contemporary, all stainless steel and offers a Designer Series and also a Professional Series.  The line is very attractive and Lunada has always had great luck installing Electrolux appliances.  Our favorite new product is their Microwave & Oven combo (see below in designer series images)!!  It's very sleek looking and so practical!! 

Both lines offer the same products, but I just included a select few from each series to show the different sytles.  Take a look and check back for what Lunada designs for the new Electrolux ICON Kitchen Competition!!

Designer Series

Professional Series

Love Letter from Lunada

It's hard to put something out there and find that's the end of it.  For a small design firm in PV, it's easy to feel that way sometimes. Lunada recently asked for your support by casting your vote for a kitchen of ours in the TRENDS Remodeling Design Awards Contest and your support was so overwhelming!  It was so lovely to getting all of your responses and it gives us hope that our small firm could have a really great chance at winning this thing.  (The winner receives a free spread in TRENDS Magazine worth $25,000!!!)  Not only could this bring notoriety to Lunada, but it would be a great confirmation that what we are doing is significant in the very large world of residential design.

So, Lunada would just like to say thanks for your support and in case you didn't get a chance to vote, there is still time!  Voting doesn't close until this Friday (9/10).  

Simply cast your vote for #19 by following this link TRENDS or by entering this address http://nkba.tmsreview.com/trendsrda.aspx

Cast your vote for #19 by following this link TRENDS or by entering this address: http://nkba.tmsreview.com/trendsrda.aspx

Local Iconic Home in Danger of Demolition

Southern California has been blessed with the existence of so many post-war and post-modern architecture, sometimes I think we take it a little for granted.  Who can not recognize the famous Chemosphere or Case Study House #22?  You may not know the names of these homes, (they were of course committed to my brain early in my design education) but you know their faces. 

Hugging the hills above Malaga Cove in Palos Verdes, CA sits the Moore House.  Other than obviously standing out amongst the ranch homes and Mediterranean revivals that are so prominent in the area this home was the brainchild of Architect Lloyd Wright.  Sound familiar? Lloyd Wright is the son of a man who needs no introduction, Frank Lloyd Wright.  Unlike his father's buildings that are scattered across the country, Lloyd Wright's architecture was mostly concentrated in Southern California.  Palos Verdes is home to another one of his structures, the beloved Wayfarer's Chapel that overlooks Portuguese Bend. I could go on and on about the significant structures this architect has contributed to the landscape that is Southern California, but that is not the intention of this blog.  The potential demolition of the Moore House is what I would like to bring to your attention and I feel is my responsibility being a designer of a firm that is literally down the street from this home.

The current owners purchased the home in 2004 with the intention of demolishing it and building new.  I can't imagine that they weren't aware of the home's famous past and they believe it to be "unfair that I would be asked to preserve the home at my cost for everyone else's benefit." Unfortunately Palos Verdes doesn't have a historical preservation society, and technically the home wasn't considered historic at the time of purchase.  Recently inspected by an independent consultant it was determined the home was historically significant and more reports are being conducted.   The point is, this house is an important piece of Southern California Architecture and History and should be treated with respect.  I understand that this type of architecture isn't for everyone.  But if history has taught us anything, there is a trickling effect and subsequently effects the place we find ourselves in today.  This demo was initially brought to the resident's attention because what the owners wanted to replace it with would grossly obstruct the neighbor's views because of it's size.

In a location and city where there is a tear-down mentality, and rightfully so, I wish that this one structure would be allowed to remain and if treated correctly, could bring positive attention to the city and owners instead of the opposite.  Architecture is art: a statement and fact that is easily forgotten in Southern California.

Lloyd Wright's Moore House or "Bird of Paradise" House.

Lloyd Wright's Wayfarer's Chapel

Other Iconic Post-Modern Homes: Chemosphere & Case Study #22

You don't have to like Post Modern Architecture, but you can't deny it's power.