Thursday, October 28, 2010

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