Lunada's Favorites

Lunada's favorite pick this time around are Terra Cotta Tiles. They are beautifully rustic without being over the top.  Tile manufacturers are also playing with glazes, stains and etchings to update the earthy feeling that is synonymous with terra cotta.  I'm actually working right now to find the perfect terra cotta tiles for a backs splash in a Lunada project.  Here are some inspirational images of these great tiles that are making a big comeback.

Ann Sacks Cotto Antiqua Line

 Here is a Lunada project that utilized terra cotta tiles on the floor and back splash.  The back splash was actually a custom design that took a smaller tile design and blew it up to make a mosaic design comprised of 4 tiles.

Have design questions or interested in starting a project with Lunada?  Visit our website www.lunadaconsulting.com to schedule a consultation or call 310.544.1895

South Bay Interior Design meets the Mid-West.

One of the things that I think is truly unique to Lunada is our enthusiastic approach to BASEMENTS!  Lunada's founder is actually from the mid-west and she has always said how weird it was that no one out here has basements.  Basements are totally functional by offering additional storage easily accessed as opposed to crawling up into the attic. Basements also allows you to actually store your cars in your garage rather than all your junk!

One of the greatest benefits to moving all of your storage downstairs is the simple fact that once you get rid of your attic, you can now have higher ceilings! One of the most dramatic changes anyone can make in their home is the addition of natural light.  By removing that huge roadblock, you can now add skylights, vaulted ceilings, suspended lighting and ceiling fans that don't make you feel like your head is about to be chopped off it is so low.

Basements are great locations for wine cellars, which are always at the top of homeowner's lists when doing a remodels, which benefit from the cooler and more consistent temperatures.  They are also great locations for home offices -- you can have all the space you need and at the end of the day, closing that door allows you to 100% clock out.  Laundry rooms are also great down there to save on space, noise and mess.  Have a big family or shop at Costco?   Basements are great locations to store your 48 count toilet paper, 100 bottles of Coca-Cola, and bulk root vegetables.

Now, you may be thinking, "Can a basement be added to an existing house?  Or do I have to scrape my lot and start from scratch?"  The answer is both and luckily, Lunada has done both!  Now this storage solution can't be applied to just any home.  Of course you lucky beachcombers with the sand 20 ft. from your door can't due to the high water table and sandy soil, but those of you living in Palos Verdes, Rolling, Hills, San Pedro area.....definitely a realistic possibility.  Throw out your misconceptions of basements and realize that they can be totally functional for California living, they can be beautiful, and they can dramatically change your home.


Think all basements are dark and scary?  Think again.

Want to know if you can add a basement to your home?  Schedule a consultation with Lunada by visiting www.lunadaconsulting.com or calling 310.544.1895.

Hmmm....let me zinc.

A while back, Lunada spec'd a zinc countertop out for a client.  Being a young designer and at that point, still in school, I had never heard of using zinc for countertops.  My boss (who pretty much knows everything about anything and it is amazing!) told me that it is similar to stainless steel in properties.  It's non-porous but can be scratched, great if you want a different look. Over time it will patina and develop more depth of color.  Well, we ended up going in a different direction for that client and it was never fabricated so that I could see one in person.  But, ever since then, I have been on the lookout for zinc countertops and along the way found all kinds of different furniture pieces that I think are absolutely gorgeous.  I even found a dresser on Restoration Hardware's website.  I don't know if I would trust it not to snag my sweaters or other pieces of clothes, but it looks rad and isn't that what's most important? Just kidding.

Lunada Trend Alert!

My roomate always teases me whenever we pass by objects in the stores that look like raw or untreated wood.  She says that is all I like, and well--I do, but she doesn't know me that well!  Personal stories aside, there is a trend that has seemed to be gathering speed over the past year or so, and that is using plywood, peg boards, etc. as wall coverings.  I think that it is a great application that is unexpected and above all...cheap!  Take a look at some of these images, maybe a few will inspire you.  This is a great idea for apartment dwellers who feel like they can never to anything to their walls without paying the price when they move out. 

Need some design inspiration? Schedule a consultation with Lunada www.lunadaconsulting.com

Off The Wall - Take 2!

So, for some of our new readers, you may not remember the original Off The Wall.  No, not your old Michael Jackson record, Lunada's blog about 3D wall treatments and tiles.  (In case you need a refresher follow this link Off The Wall)  Well, I was just on one of my favorite design blogs, Design*Sponge and saw these fun tiles! Fish scales, stacked stones, shingles, oh my!

Unlike many of the products that I already covered, these are actually concrete tiles!  They are manufactured by a company called Portland Cement Co. and come in a wide variety of colors and shapes. Check out their website to find vendors and have some fun!

To see some on Lunada's uses of 3D wall tiles or to schedule a consultation visit: www.lunadaconsulting.com

Lunada's Favorites

This week, Lunada has chosen BR-111 flooring as our favorite pick.  These solid and engineered floors come in a variety of colors, tones, and patterns that are sure to become one of your favorite things in your home or office.  We are even going to use them in our Lunada Office!!!  And if any of you have picked up the latest Architectural Digest, they were featured in the spread of celebrity Jennifer Aniston's home.  Just gorgeous!

To check out some of Lunada's projects or schedule a consultation visit: www.lunadaconsulting.com