Monday, August 30, 2010

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.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

TRENDS Remodeling Design Awards

Lunada has recently entered TRENDS Remodeling Design Awards in hopes of winning a spread in an upcoming issue.  TRENDS Magazine is a highly respected publication issued by the NKBA (National Kitchen & Bath Association) and would be a great opportunity for Lunada.

Please help support Lunada by casting your vote for #19 by following this link: TRENDS
--Click "Vote Now" and select Entry #19 - Jane Biggeln.


















Vote for #19 by following this link: TRENDS
--Click "Vote Now" and select Entry #19 - Jane Biggeln.


Thank you so much for all of your support, we appreciate it so much!

Monday, August 9, 2010

Lunada's Favorites

I just found my new favorite Green design blog! The Daily Green is a website dedicated to the latest green news, products and trends that I just spent the last hour on and could have stayed on for another!  I just read this great article about Natural Swimming Pools, here is an excerpt from their article:

"Chlorine's damaging effects on hair are well known, but few people realize that a number of studies have linked inhalation of the chemical by swimmers to increased asthma rates (in fact a new Irish study published this April reported a significant link between the number of years a boy had been swimming and the likelihood of the child being wheezy in the past year.) A Norwegian study also documented an increased risk of wheezing among children who swim in pools before 6 months of age. Further, in an unpleasant reaction, pee and sweat in water can react with chlorine to form toxic breakdown products known as chloramines.

For health, environmental and aesthetic reasons, a lot of people have expressed interest in alternatives to chlorine pools, and luckily there are more and more options to get wet without smelling like cleaning products. A company called TechnoPure offers alternative pool systems that treat water by pumping it through a chamber containing coated titanium plates and copper and zinc ions. The units cost a relatively affordable $5,500. DEL Ozone makes ozone injectors that can reduce the need for chlorine up to 90% -- there's been one installed at the White House for years! Some systems rely on a combination of ozone and copper and silver ions, while others are saline, though saltwater pools result in the formation of chlorine in the water.

Managed properly, natural swimming pools have crystal clear water and require no chemicals to maintain, as they are self-cleaning mini-ecosystems. "You can drink the water if you want to, and you don't necessarily have to take a shower," says Morgan Brown of Idaho-based Whole Water Systems, LLC. The natural pools designer says the systems also have lower maintenance costs than conventional pools, and their installation costs are not much more than standard designs.

I'm a total city girl and yes, these look just like huge ponds but I would jump into any of them in a heartbeat. Look at these photos!! Beautiful!















For more ideas on green alternatives in your home, schedule a consultation with Lunada or call our offices 310.544.1895!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Lunada Kitchen!

This kitchen was photographed earlier today in Palos Verdes Estates.  The list of special features goes on and on but here are some of my top 5 favorites:
  • The custom gray and black finish on the cabinets.
  • The fact that there are ZERO upper cabinets.
  • The butternut squash colored range hood.
  • The wine bar with butcher block top.
  • The mix and match cabinet hardware that is pulled together through the antique pewter finish.
Now all that is left is window treatment and those are coming soon!!!!! I can't wait, the fabric selections are so unexpected and fun, you will be surprised that's for sure.


Want ideas or to schedule a consultation with Lunada, visit our website! And don't forget to follow us on Twitter!