Well the countdown is on. In five days I will be heading to Manhattan for #BlogTourNYC where I will meet and greet the brilliant Veronika Miller,CEO and Founder of Modenus and the creator of BlogTour, along with all the incredible Sponsors who have made this event possible.  Sharing this experience with 13 other design bloggers from around the globe will no doubt leave an indelible mark and I’m truly honored to be among such creative and talented designers and bloggers.  Thank you Veronika!

As an interior designer I’m constantly on the hunt for new and exciting materials and products that are innovative, strikingly beautiful and take some fresh angles on design. Introducing these unique elements into my design and renovation projects pleases my clients and sets their home apart from the rest.

One of the product Sponsors I’m looking forward to meeting and experiencing first hand at the Architectural Digest Home Show is Victoria + Albert, a British Company specializing in creating stunning free standing bathtubs and basins.

They will be featuring the Cabrits bath at the show and I’m ready to take it for a test drive. The organic shape of this tub is delightfully modern and its contours are designed for comfort regardless of your height.  A gently sloping bottom supports your body and a swooping, tall headrest area gives you the perfect place to relax your head during a long soak.

Another bathtub I love: the Ravello.  This bath glows with elegance and sophistication.  Its clean lines and gentle sloping symmetry make it a beautiful and unique element to any design style.

One of the most interesting aspects about the Victoria + Albert baths goes beyond their innovative style. They are fabricated from a material that is unique to them and their brand. It’s called ENGLISHCAST®, and it is made from a combination of resin and volcanic limestone. This unique material allows them to cast their tubs in a single piece, and the final product is stain resistant, extremely strong, and long-lasting.  Its insulating properties make it warm to the touch, and it can even be painted for a customized look.

I’m very much looking forward to experiencing these products first hand.  Incorporating one of these spectacular pieces into a bathroom renovation project would be the ultimate in quality and style.  I’d love to hear your thoughts on them in the comments or on my Facebook page!

Stay Inspired!

Images Courtesy of: Modenus,  Victoria + Albert 

If you take the time and energy to plan a home renovation, make sure it is designed to last.  While new paint and accessories are a great way to update a space with a fresh new look, more extensive architectural interior design changes should be made with an eye toward the future.

Answering a few important questions about how you really live will help you develop important design decisions and features within your home. Considering your future plans for more children, an aging parent or a returning college student will help guide your design strategy to add functionality, expand, or repurpose rooms. Looking forward and anticipating the long-term needs of your family will help you enjoy your home and neighborhood for years to come.

It goes without saying that home with a bonus room or a basement is the ideal spot for a children’s playroom- but design it with some flexibility in mind.  Once the children have grown out of that “playroom” the space should easily be repurposed and used as a home office for homework and provide those teens (and parents) with a great living space to hang out with family and friends. If that space includes a full bath…then you’re well on the way to transforming it into a suite for returning college students.

Always invest in the highest quality materials and furnishings your budget will allow!. Avoid trendy items and fads that will undoubtedly become outdated. Instead, purchase quality pieces that get better with age. Investing in quality furniture with classic lines will stand the test of time. And when it comes to colors, select a foundation of neutral on the big ticket items which are then be easily updated with interchangeable accessories in highlighting colors and patterns.

Designing a home to last a lifetime can help homeowners create the ideal spaces to raise children and enjoy their retirement years. For more tips for designing a timeless interior, contact me at Interior Makeovers, Inc. by calling 310-788-0990. I’d also be thrilled to hear about your future plans for your home on Facebook!

 Stay Inspired!

Photo Credits:

1.) Windsor Smith

2.)  Barbara Barry

3.) Apartment Therapy

It’s been about a month now since I began a weekly “World Tour of Design” series and if I’m lucky I just might be able to tour a country myself soon….and I’ll take you with me.   I recently entered the Tile of Spain: Passport to Creativity 2013 contest to win an architectural trip to Spain!  It’s been way too long since I last visited the country and I would LOVE to get back there!  So why not enter a contest….right?   This contest, is open to accredited architects and interior designers from across the country and like most contests we needed to answer a series of questions and submit a photo of ourselves somehow involved with Spanish Tile.

As you can see from these photos, the product line is absolutely stunning.  Materials are available in a variety of striking graphic patterns, sizes and finishes.   There is no shortage of gorgeous applications for these tile products, some of which you can see in the project portfolio at Porcelanosa, one of the largest tile distributors in the United States. These state-of-the-art porcelain tiles  integrate beautifully into any design style.

If I am one of the lucky ones chosen for this tour of Spain, I will have the opportunity to immerse myself in the local culture, learn firsthand about the architecture, design, and cuisine, and learn so much more about this innovative porcelain product and how it can impact our design vision and inspire us for future projects .  I would also attend the International Ceramic Tile and Bath Furnishings Show, which is bound to be full of inspiration.

I would love to help you design your home and incorporate sleek Spanish Tile into your home renovation project!  Feel free to contact me at Interior Makeovers Inc. by calling 310-788-0990 or emailing Lori@InteriorMakeovers.com!

Stay Inspired!

I was recently privileged to attend the grand opening of the new Stark Carpet & Home Showroom in Los Angeles.  The showroom has over 9,000 square feet of custom-designed carpets and rugs that designers like myself can sample for our clients, and it also introduces an exciting new division for retail customers called Stark Home.

From the moment you enter the showroom you are hit with inspiration at every turn.  From contemporary to traditional and wools to silks, there is no shortage of styles and patterns to choose from.  For those certain design projects that require specific sizes, shapes, colors and patterns – Stark’s custom designed rugs are a specialty .

There are thousands of carpets and rugs available at Stark Carpet & Home, from exclusives designed by Alexa Hampton, Sherrill Canet, Charlotte Moss, and more to the incredibly popular Darius Antique Rugs.

In the Stark Home section, you can find a huge array of area rugs, fabrics, wall coverings and gorgeous home accessories to complete your home decor.

You can find the newly opened Stark Carpet & Home Showroom at 805 N. La Cienega Boulevard, right in the middle of the Los Angeles design district.  The selection is truly impressive and worthy of a visit.

I would love to help you design your home with the incredible rugs, carpets, and accessories from Stark.  Just contact me at Interior Makeovers Inc. by calling 310-788-0990 or emailing Lori@InteriorMakeovers.com.

Stay Inspired!

We all love high ceilings!  They make a room feel spacious, bright, and open, which is why so many homes feature an impressive two-story living or family room.  Tall windows flood the space with plenty of natural light, and two-story fireplaces can make a gorgeous impact on your home.  Unfortunately, there are times these two-story spaces can come with a two-story blank wall that can seem overwhelming in its size and emptiness.  These tall and massive walls can present a major design challenge at times, but there are ways to handle these large blank canvases to make them a beautiful feature and focal point within your home.

Add Moldings

Moldings,wainscoting and beefy trims can add instant detail and architectural interest to the walls, at the same time anchoring and framing decorative additions, like the large sconces and the art in this room.  Applying these details creates instant character and more intimacy to an otherwise lofty space.

Create Recessed Niches

Carving out  niches into your wall with recessed lighting provides a spectacular setting for highlighting art, flower arrangements, or your priceless collections.

Large-Scale Art Arrangements

You can either find a single large-scale piece of art to fill the wall or several pieces that can be artfully arranged within its own vignette.  Lay out a template in advance to ensure the scale of the pieces you’re using for your wall collage are proportionate to the volume of the space it occupies.

I would love to help you handle any major design challenges in your home!  Feel free to contact me at Interior Makeovers Inc. by calling 310-788-0990 if you have a design dilemma that needs solving.

Stay Inspired!

Photos via Houzz

When designing an interior, deciding on wall decor is often a matter of choosing a paint color or perhaps a wallpaper and then picking out items to hang around the room.  Sometimes wall design can get fairly intricate with patterns or even elaborate murals, but homeowners also have the option of branching out past two-dimensional design with the increasingly wide variety of textured wall coverings available.

I am currently working with a client who adores texture on her walls.  We are in the process of redesigning several rooms in her home, most notably her expansive foyer.  As the room that gives the first impression to guests in her home, we want to make sure the foyer is a particularly remarkable space when we’re finished with it.  Our first step will be removing the thirty-year-old troweled plaster from the walls; its heavy texture reminds me of meringue on a lemon pie.

We’ve been sourcing some gorgeous wall textures to use in the foyer as well as a powder room, which we will be presenting to our client at our next meeting.  We’ve found a nice variety from both Maya Romanoff and Phillip Jeffries.  From Maya Romanoff, we’ve picked out the Mother of Pearl, Bedazzled Geode in Metallic Taupe, and Remember Paris in Silver Birch.  From Phillip Jeffries we particularly like the Granite Stone in Platino.

As you can see from these samples, we are leaning heavily toward neutral tones for the walls.  While bolder colors are certainly an option, textured walls make a dramatic statement in any room on their own merits.  Combining the texture with saturated hues runs the risk of becoming overwhelming, but neutrals can lend an understated elegance to the striking element of texture.

How do you feel about textured walls?  Feel free to share your opinions with us in the comments!  Regardless of whether you love them or shy from them, I would love to help you design a unique space that reflects your own personal tastes.  Contact us at Interior Makeovers Inc. by calling 310-788-0990 or emailing Lori@InteriorMakeovers.com.

Do you live in a home that’s a little tight, compartmentalized and short on floor space?

Compared to an open and more free flowing floor plan, compartmentalized homes tend to have a myriad of doors that swing in to one space and out from another – wasting some valuable floor space.  Typically a standard door occupies anywhere from 7.5 – 9 square feet of floor space – and upwards of 18 square feet of clearance needed for a French door application.  Door swings can inhibit traffic flow and often times impede on the placement of furniture.

Don’t get me wrong. Privacy is a necessity – particularly in bedrooms – baths – and offices.  Incorporating pocket doors into your plans would do the trick, but some demo and construction is required to re-frame of a portion of the wall to accommodate the concealed pocket door itself.

Sliding doors or barn doors are a great way to grab some extra square footage, and at the same time instantly infuse character into your home.  No construction is necessary. They are hung on a surface mounted rail system above the original opening (can be exposed or concealed behind a valence) and slides to one side leaving the entryway free and clear.   The best part is it’s only a few inches thick and every inch counts.

You may even want to take the time to enlarge the opening of your space slightly to improve traffic flow and increase the convenience from room to room – as the doors can be manufactured in custom sizes.

These sliders can be re-claimed, rustic, contemporary or custom.  They can be installed in hallways, kitchens, baths, family rooms, bedrooms and closets – anywhere!

Create a beautiful detail and focal point to your space.

Here are just a few fabulous ideas.

These custom floor-ceiling sliding doors cleverly conceal the washer and dryer in the kitchen.  They provide such great texture to this space.

With two different entry points into this sunken living room space, the barn doors close off the corner in a very clean and unobtrusive way.  Doors swinging into the space would be very inefficient – particularly when floating off the floor.  A great solution!

This reclaimed door closing off the pantry in this kitchen is a perfect example of infusing “instant” character into a space!  Particularly with the chalkboard painted walls.  How fun.

A more contemporary door design in a loft-like space provides an interesting juxtaposition between the materials.  A crisp and clean finish – don’t you think?

This serene bedroom utilizes the sliding louvered doors to create a sense of separation and privacy between the sleep and lounge area of the space and conceals the rail system beneath a custom valence.

How great is this?  This antique barn door has found the perfect place to rest – transitioning the bedroom to the bath.

What do you think?

Stay Inspired!

I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation”

Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2011 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

As an Architectural Interior Designer keeping abreast of the new trends, materials and products entering the marketplace, keeps me inspired on a daily basis. One of my favorite materials to incorporate into my designs is glass.  The reflective features of glass will expand your space, refract light, and blurs the line between your home and its natural environment.

On large renovation projects, I love to expand the existing space by adding window-walled rooms.  Glass doors (French, retractable or pockets), floor to ceiling windows and skylights integrate the interior with the exterior, flood these spaces with natural light and heal the senses.  It immediately transforms a space and changes your relationship with the natural world.

If you’re in the midst of redesigning your kitchen or bath, rather than specifying the usual “builder special” granite or stone countertops, why not combine function with beauty and design a unique and stunning glass countertop.  Like any other material, you can customize the piece to suit your needs by selecting the texture, color and finish and edging to provide you with a one of a kind art piece.

Glass countertops are:

• As durable as common natural stone.
• Non-porous and impermeable, which makes it the most hygienic countertop material available for kitchens.
• Are naturally heat resistant and can withstand high heat without cracking or scorching the material.
• Stain proof.
• When textured on the underside will camouflage fingerprints and any fine scratches.
• Very simple to maintain and keep clean.
• Can be lit at the edges to create a floating sensation and are spectacular in powder rooms.

If a glass countertop isn’t for you, consider introducing a glass backsplash in your kitchen or bath – available in tiles, sheets or custom panels.  And to complete your project install hand-blown art glass door knobs and pulls for that extra touch of glass. Set your home apart from the rest.

I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation”

Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

Whether you’re planning to renovate your two-story home, adding on a second floor or just revamping your main floor entrance/foyer, your staircase becomes the focal point and a main architectural feature of the space it occupies.

While planning the Brown’s renovation and addition, it becomes clear that the run, shape, style and details of the staircase, is incredibly important to the overall style of their home.  While access to the second floor’s master suite is not accessible from the main entry – but off the children’s lounge – it  will act as a focal point, invite us up to the master suite and highlight the space it occupies. The main objective here is to incorporate Liz’s storage needs beneath the stairs, and customize the design to reflect the true style of their home.

Before you begin styling your stairs you first need to determine the run or stair type that best fits into your floor plan.  And ask yourself – how much space you have to work with?

Typically there are 5 Stair Types to consider when planning or renovating your home.

Which type fits your home best?

1.  Straight Run Stair:

Straight run stairs are typically used in new home construction where space is at a premium and budget a consideration.  There are no turns or landings on this stair type as the name implies.

2.  L-Shaped Stair:

The L-shaped stair has a 90-degree turn at the landing.  Depending on the space you’re working with, this shape could use long or short legs, and occupies about the same amount of space as a curved staircase.  A variation of this type is the L-Shape with winders which when short on space takes the typical landing area and adds angled treads to ascend in a shorter run.  (Make sure these winders comply with local building codes).

3.   U-Shaped Stair:

Either a wide or narrow U-Shape can be designed for your space.  As the stairs ascend, they switch back from the landing headed in the direction of the run below.  This stair design is quite useful in tighter floor plans and can be stacked for multi-level structures.

4.  Spiral Stair:

Everyone loves a spiral staircase – and at its best – it occupies a minimal amount of space.  The treads radiate out from a center pole, with a curving center support and are often used as a secondary stair in a family home. If you’re space is limited, position the spiral in the corner of your room and reserve it for low-traffic areas.  Since each tread is tapered, it makes climbing a bit tricky.

5.  Curved stair:

The curved stair or winder can be contoured in multiple shapes, and ascends in a broader curve from level to level.  It typically has a more open center diameter than the spiral stair. Therefore the treads are more generously dimensioned and proportioned qualifying it to serve as your home’s main staircase.  This type of design is spectacular free standing on its own – or nestled in to a curved wall.

These are just a few of basics.  Keep in mind that each and every one of these 5 stair types can be customized and modified to fit right into your home’s personality.

I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “How to Avoid the 15 Most Common Decorating Mistakes”

Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca. © 2010 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc.

Whether you’re renovating, remodeling or re-decorating your home, sometimes the toughest part is actually taking that first step and coming up with a concept or idea – that suits you and the way your family lives.  When you draw a blank, consult with the experts for inspiration.  By that I mean the dozens of design magazines out there on the market today that can help you with your design dilemma.

More often than not I’ve heard clients say, “I know what I don’t like”. So, now begins your quest to search for some kind of inspiration – something that speaks to you, and trust me you’ll start to see a pattern of what you do like emerge.

Do you gravitate toward French provincial or Country Chic? Maybe you’re the type who favors modernism or an eclectic feel to your home.  Whatever your tastes, there is definitely a magazine out there for you to get you headed in the right direction. But, remember a few things when choosing a magazine for inspiration.

1. Choose a publication that reflects your style and budget.  Some of the very high-end magazines depict very high-end concepts, materials and furnishings.  You may not be able to replicate exactly what you see on those pages, but why not take away some great inspirational ideas and make them your own.
2. If your home is large and spacious, flipping through a magazine that features small space solutions will not be the right publication for you.  The same applies for smaller spaces.  It helps to know what framework you’re working within.
3. Choose the design style you’re most drawn to, or at least one that reflects the architecture of your home, then select the magazines based on that similarity.
4. Don’t judge a magazine by its cover.  That image is on a front page for a reason – to catch your eye and sell the issue.  What you’re interested in is also the content on the inside.  Does this issue offer you insightful and helpful articles that will help you with your design projects?  Are there resource lists or how-to articles to get you started?  That’s what you want to look for – not only the pretty pictures.
5. Which rooms or spaces are you redecorating or renovating?  There are space specific design magazines out there targeting different rooms throughout the home.  Obviously you’ll find more specific information on Kitchens and Baths special interest publications, than you would in a Metropolitan Home issue.
6. Finally look online!  There are online resources that you can easily save, link and bookmark for later.

Inspiration is endless – and magazines are a great place to start – you just need to know where to look.

I encourage you leave questions or comments below this post, and fill out the form on the right hand side of this page to receive your free copy of my special report: “How to Avoid the 15 Most Common Decorating Mistakes”

Article by Lori Gilder, Architectural Interior Designer, Los Angeles, Ca.
© 2009 Lori Gilder. Interior Makeovers Inc