Phasing Your Home Remodel with Lunada

Many of our clients come to us with a simple kitchen remodel, and then soon after talking to them and working to find out what their big picture is, most people want to remodel their entire home AND landscape.  Of course not many clients can't afford such a financial undertaking such as a whole home remodel but want the same results.  The best way to achieve a whole house remodel with a limited budget is phasing the construction.  

Lunada always suggests remodeling your interior before moving onto your exterior.  

With construction comes a lot of mess.  Not only are there numerous crew members involved in demo, construction, and finish carpentry, there are dumpsters, materials being delivered and stored, appliances, furniture, and you are probably still living there too!  Now, backyards are important -- we live in Southern California after all!  You wouldn't want your new pool and grass to be trampled on or take the risk of ruining it with all of the commotion of a construction site. 

A client's best bet is to start with something the entire household uses on a daily basis: the kitchen.  This is where the most dramatic difference and most practical investment can be made through cabinetry, lighting, new appliances, and flooring.  Then, after saving up for a few months, it is a good idea to move into the dining room, living room, and entry and the bedrooms and private bathrooms.  This allows for minimal disruption to the homeowners during the construction process.  After your home is perfect, move outside to add that new pool or outdoor kitchen transforming your backyard into an outdoor retreat!  

The most important part about phasing a construction project is planning.  If you thoroughly plan the phases of your construction and time them with deliveries, payments, and personal calendars, a whole home remodel can be relatively painless.  Remember, Lunada is here for you and we can help you plan your project through a simple consultation.  Check out our website www.lunadaconsulting.com to fill out a contact sheet and we will get back to you as soon as possible.  Now is the time to start planning, summer is just around the corner!

Investing in your home with Lunada

For those who have been able to weather the storm on the housing market, there is no time like the present to invest in your largest asset: your home.  Better Homes and Gardens just published an article talking about the top 20 small remodeling projects that will increase the value of your home and I thought they had some great points. (I won't list all of them, but the top 10)

1. Add a fireplace

       -Everyone loves them, they add warmth and a natural focal point to any space.

2. Install a bay window

       -In case you missed our breakfast nook blog (see below) window seats are great architectural elements that add square footage without effecting your floor plan!

3. Replace windows and doors

       -This will save you tons of money on your energy bills and add curb appeal!

4. Refinish wood floors

       -A messy job that can be done on your own, but we suggest using professionals to get a big impact that will make you fall in love all over with your wood floors.

5. Add a bathroom

       -Buyers often feel that older homes don't have enough bathrooms and can be a deal breaker!

6.Replace old plumbing fixtures with new ones (and they don't have to be the most expensive)

       -Faucets, showerheads, tub fillers, etc can be a weekend project and make all the difference.  Go with a finish like a Brushed Nickel, it always looks great and will prevent dating your home. 

7. Create a master bath suite

      -By adding a second sink, closing off that toilet to create a water closet, converting your shower so that it can be a steam shower, are all easy solutions to create a master suite in a snap.

8. Replace countertops

      -Nothing looks dingier than an old crusty countertop.  The kitchen is the heart of the house and the Rep. your local stone yard can be your most valuable asset. They will do all the work for you!

9. Upgrade appliances

      -2 words: stainless steel. OK 4 words: stainless steel, Energy Star. Done.

10. Create a backyard oaisis

      -We are lucky enough to live in Southern California and the weather has started to get nicer.  Grab some new patio furniture, a fire pit (those can be found for as little as $50), replace those old light fixtures (or string up those white X-Mas lights that are sitting in the attic anyways) and clean up the old BBQ to create a beautiful space to spend time with family and friends.

In the end, all of these small projects will create drama and put money in your pocket.  Most of these you can do yourself, but if you start to feel overwhelmed, just know Lunada is here for you!

To read the entire article go to Better Homes and Gardens

To get a little inspiration, be sure to visit Lunada's Website.

Lunada and ASID Los Angeles

The American Society of Interior Designers is a professional organization that helps organize and bring the design community together through education and community service with the goal of uplifting the practices of interior design.  Jane Biggeln, Lunada Consulting and Design's owner and Principal, has been a dedicated member of ASID (Los Angeles Chapter) for a number of years.  Jane has also always been an active member of her community participating and organizing numerous events, fundraisers, and community outreach programs.  Last year, the ASID Los Angeles Chapter, with the help of Jane, participated in a program called Aging in Place that helps improve the homes of the elderly increasing their mobility and level of comfort.  It is programs like this that help people understand that interior design is more than pillows and paint, it effects the way people live. Below is the article that was posted on the ASID website:

When a House Is Not a Home
ASID Los Angeles Chapter and Kiwanis Partner Gives Senior Owner a Barrier-Free Future
Thirty years ago, Hugh Finlay suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on his right side and unable to speak more than a few words at a time.  In all but one respect, he was able to move about the condominium he had purchased in the New Horizons retirement community in Torrance, Calif.:  He could not take a shower because the tub was too high for him to step over safely.  So for many years Hugh grabbed his cane and walked to the local YMCA to use the showers or visited the clubhouse pool showers once or twice a week on the days his friend, Jack Rennie, would pick him up and drive him there.
Today, Hugh no longer has to leave his home just to take a shower.  He has a newly universally designed bathroom, thanks to a cooperative effort of the ASID Los Angeles Chapter and the Torrance Kiwanis Foundation. Evelyn Grodan, CAPS, of Design That Works, a consultancy specializing in building modifications for seniors and people with special needs, served as project manager and accessibility consultant for the project. Their combined efforts, along with generous donations from local vendors and contractors, allowed them to remodel not just Hugh’s bathroom but the entire condo.  The project employed universal design, sustainable and accessibility principles to create a space that is healthy, safe and barrier-free.
The project expanded beyond the bathroom, as more vendors and people heard about it and wanted to get involved.  The kitchen cabinets were refaced and new appliances, countertops and lighting were added in the kitchen.  The doors and windows were replaced with easier-to-open, lighter weight vinyl models.  Donations included new furniture, built-in closets and window treatments.
Other improvements were made to create a healthier environment and enhance ease of use.  All the door knobs throughout the condo were replaced with lever-style handles, and all closet hardware was changed to large pulls.  The carpet was removed and replaced with a wood-look vinyl flooring that is easier to keep clean and makes for a smoother transition from room to room.  The walls were given a fresh coat of low-VOC paint.  New thermostats with auto control and larger number pads were installed, as were two HEPA air purifiers.  All the light bulbs were changed to energy-efficient, longer-life fluorescent bulbs. To top things off, the address numbers on the outside of the building were replaced with larger ones and properly lighted. 
“It’s amazing, the support we’ve gotten,” says Ellen Cantor, ASID, CID, the chairperson for the chapter’s Aging in Place program.  “The positive reaction from the neighborhood has been very encouraging.  We are eager to get started on our next project.”

--The original article can be found at http://www.asidla.org/news_events/public_service

Lunada Before & After

Sometimes when Lunada is done with a project, it is so hard to imagine what we started with.  For this Lunada Before & After we will look at what was once the ONLY full bathroom in this house for 3.  Originally, due to the fact that Lunada would be adding 2 bathrooms to this home, the owner felt that they could save some time and money by just leaving it the way it was.  Well after watching the transformation of their home, the owner decided to just go for it and do just a face-lift to the bathroom.  To all of our surprise, the results are NIGHT AND DAY.  All of the plumbing fixtures are original (faucets, shower head, tub spout, tub, sink, etc.) and so are the windows, but everything else is new. The majority of the tiles are ceramic including the white subway tiles which are always a cost effective and clean looking solution. The backsplash is made of glass and marble tiles, a more expensive material but considering the small amount that was needed, it all balanced out in the end. By adding more counter space, cabinets, and 2 other bathrooms, the original clutter was eliminated naturally and the client and Lunada couldn't be happier with the results.

Before

After

 

 

For more great designs be sure to check out our website: www.lunadaconsulting.com

Lunada's Favorites

Lunada's new favorite product is a line of glass tiles by Italian company Evit. It seems that there is always a need for new product and this seems to satisfy the glass tile niche by offering these two great variations on bubbles. They can either go ultra modern or playful and fun depending on the color choice and they add a level of dimensionality. Interested in dimensional tiles? Check out Lunada's blog on 3D tiles!





Lunada loves to use glass tiles so check out our website to see some great examples: www.lunadaconsulting.com

Breakfast Nooks

One of the things that Jane always talks about with clients is that they should be honest about the way they live. When people hire designers, they have the opportunity to design their home for the way they live. For example, formal dinners are things that are now done only a couple times a year, and people's formal dining rooms are collecting dust and taking up valuable real estate. Now I am not proposing that homes be built without dining rooms, but instead of families eating around the TV every night breakfast nooks are a great alternative for everyday dining. Located conveniently off of the kitchen you are able to sit across the table from your family as opposed to next to them at island seating or in separate rooms. Moving even further into breakfast nooks, you can add a bench seating that offers hidden storage beneath the cushions or even a window seat. Window seats are great opportunities for increasing your space without affecting the square footage!! You can also add elements like a butlers pantry, skylights, pantry, etc. Casual dining is realistic. And just because you just redesigned your formal dining room doesn't mean you are going to use it more. Don't feel guilty, just realize the potential for other rooms in your home, like your breakfast nook.

Here are 2 great examples of Lunada breakfast nooks:








Be sure to check out Lunada's website to view more projects: www.lunadaconsulting.com

Fireplace Facelifts

A major selling point for homes has always been fireplaces. People love them for the cozy atmosphere they add to a chilly winter night but they may not always love the way they look. As the largest architectural feature in your living/family room the dated brick or old fashioned mantle might be hindering you from achieving your design aesthetic. Home owners are usually wary of proclaimed "weekend projects" or "easy fixes" due to the fact that they normally drag on longer than expected and can become an even bigger headache than originally so. Well, have no fear Lunada will show you the way to give your fireplace an quick and easy face-lift that will drastically improve it's look and your entire room's look.

First of all brick is easily painted. Old red brick can be painted any color for a clean and fresh look in about an hour. Today, consumers can easily benefit from pre-fab items such as mantles. You can pick up a new mantle at Home Depot and install it yourself in a weekend for a dramatic new look. Or you can always cover up that old brick with a new stone. You can find a great stone slab at your local stone yard where they can then measure, fabricate (a.k.a. cut and fit) and install it for you. Stone is so beautiful and can be so inspiring. You may think that sounds so lame but I am serious -- throw out your preconceived notions of stone: is not made equal. Don't be scared to ask for help from the pros, they are the pros for a reason. Bring pictures of your room and maybe even some inspiration from the pages of a design magazine. Don't let that ugly fireplace stand in the way of having your dream living room!

Here are some examples of quick fixes to some Lunada fireplaces.

Before & After:


Before & After


These are more contemporary solutions, but add a wood mantle and you have a completely different look. And don't forget to take some notes from our Color Series of blogs, mantles don't always have to be white!

Be sure to check out more Lunada projects on our website: www.lunadaconsulting.com

Lunada's Favorites

Ikea. Ikea, Ikea, Ikea. You have reached the masses with your flat packed, allen wrench required "Swedish" furniture and basically the only reason why college students don't live in total squalor anymore. Over the past few years you have managed to refine your designs and improve your quality thus allowing real adults to not feel so guilty when they purchase your products. And now you've really done it...........you are now offering solar lighting. Ta da!! SOLIG: the new line of solar lighting offered by Ikea includes outdoor lighting with a few table lamps that would probably work if placed next to a sunny windows. Although they are only offered in 4 colors: red, blue, white and black, and the designs are nothing special, they are affordable (gasp!). So, thanks Ikea, I appreciate what you are doing and keep offering those delicious $1 ice cream cones that always seem to get me on the way out.

Color Series: Trends

As with all things that deal with artistic expression, interior design seems to run parallel with other disciplines when it comes to trends. One of the most obvious and influential is fashion design. Like fashion, interior design deals with fabrics, colors, textures, and patterns so it seems natural that the two would go hand in hand.

Every decade can be identified by it's trend and when something can't be defined originally, it becomes defined as "a take on something", a revival, __nouveau, or -ish. Well, COLOR has come back in a big way and I believe that it has been influenced by revival of design cues in our wardrobe. Did you really ever think that hammer pants or dayglow Raybans would come back in style? Neither did I, but here I stand corrected. People are going all out with bold patterns and graphics, colors, textures, you name it and it has now spread to interiors. In the late 90s blue was the new black, then it was purple, then green, and here we actually find ourselves at my favorite color.....yellow. Yellow is everywhere if you open your eyes. Fashion is currently favoring mustard, interiors: canary. I for one couldn't be more thrilled, but to each their own.

So the point of this blog is to say, when looking for inspiration for your home or remodel don't be afraid to let yourself be influenced by other disciplines. Design your living room around your favorite sculpture or piece of art. Something that Lunada did very recently was abstract an L.A. King's jersey onto the walls of a client's bedroom who is a huge fan.





So get out there and splash some color on. It will do you some good. The right color can add sophistication or a touch of whimsy to any space. To get you started here are some colorful examples where you can start thanks to sherwinwilliams.com

Color Series: Color 101

Color Theory 101, I had to take it my first year of design school. Granted it was a fun and easy class filled with craft projects that resembled the one's you made for mom and dad when you were 4. But hidden underneath the craft projects was a philosophy/psychology class that begged you to ask "How RED is this red?".
Before I get ahead of myself, let's start by talking about the color wheel.

Comprised of 12 colors that can be broken down in a number of ways, but we will just stick to the 3 most common.


Primary Colors: yellow, red and blue. You remember them, right?



Secondary Colors: orange, purple and green; colors created by mixing a PRIMARY with it's PRIMARY neighbor. (yellow+red=orange, red+blue=purple, blue+yellow=green)


Tertiary Colors: colors created by mixing the PRIMARY and SECONDARY. (yellow+orange=yellow-orange, red+orange+=red-orange. The marriages go on and on to create red-violet, blue-violet, blue-green, yellow-green.)

The End.......j/k


Now that we have refreshed ourselves on the basic color wheel, let's see what we can come up with when we get a little creative.


Monochromatic: use of 1 color that varies from light to dark or in other words saturation.
(Brown/Taupe)

Here is an example of how color wheels represent saturation.



Complimentary: use of 2 colors on opposite ends of the color wheel.
(Red & Green/Pink & Lime)

Triadic: use of 3 colors that create a triangle on the color wheel.
(Red, yellow, blue)



Analogous: use of 3 or more colors next to each other on the color wheel.
(Green tones)
(I know the graphic only shows 2 colors but 3 always looks better).



Class dismissed!