Press
At Home with Barbie and Dan Spinazzola
Legends of La Cienega 2015
ASID DESIGNER SHOWCASE THE REINCARNATION PROJECT DOWNTOWN
Minding the House
Beauty in the Bath
From Formal to Fun
Fall Interior Design Report
FROM COUNTRY TO CONTEMPORARY
FASHIONABLE FURNISHINGS
Home of the Year
CHICKEN PICCATA
ON THE SCENE
MAKING A LIST
GREEN DESIGN
African Sheen
Guest Bedroom
Jewel Box
Red Hot Lofts
Homescape
Interior Design Guide
Bedroom - Sitting Room
Designers Showcase '92
Lamps Plus Announces 2016 Lighting and Decor Trend Forecast
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At Home with Barbie and Dan Spinazzola
Their Fairbanks Ranch home, decorated with the help of Robbie Interiors, is both elegant and comfortable. "Everything in the home has a family memory or a connection," says Barbie. "Everything has meaning." Treasures include an antique wooden cross that belonged to Dan's parents, who emigrated from Italy. Barbie's English-born mother met her American husband during World War II, and later immigrated to New York through Ellis Island. Dan and Barbie were close to their parents, whom they consider to have been proud Americans, no matter where they were born. "I think Thanksgiving is a time when we need to be grateful for the many things that have happened in our lives," says Dan, quietly, "the country we live in, and blessings we give and receive." -
Legends of La Cienega 2015
One of the most well-attended events of Legends of La Cienega 2015 took place at Janet Yonaty's elegant Melrose Avenue showroom on Friday afternoon when designer Kathryn M. Ireland, president of Snyder Diamond Russ Diamond and caterer Lulu Powers discussed everyone's favorite summertime topic: entertaining in the home. Hosted by California Homes Magazine, the keynote panel offered attendees samples of Lulu's signature champagne cocktail as they listened to Moderator Susan McFadden ask the panelists to share their insight into formal dining rooms, catered menus, and new outdoor kitchen appliances. Among the many designers and bloggers who joined in the whimsical and lively panel were Timothy Corrigan, Ryan Saghian and Amy Meier. Delicious Persian treats courtesy of Janet Yonaty were a delightful complement to Saghian's eye-catching Iran-themed window design. -
ASID DESIGNER SHOWCASE THE REINCARNATION PROJECT DOWNTOWN
Loft 3, Manhattan Style
ROBBIE HARBERT, ASID
BARBARA ZIEBARTH, ASID
Ten years ago loft living was somewhat new to downtown. Hot colors, Italian furniture and new ways to deal with open floor space inspired these designers on a living/dining and sleeping area. -
Minding the House
The design industry and homeowners pay attention to where products come from and what's in them
One word comprises an instantly classic movie line: "Plastics." After this pronouncement, Mr. McGuire then goes on to tell recent college grad Benjamin that there's a great future in synthetic products. That may have been true when The Graduate came out in 1967; but in time, plastics became the enemy.
Solana Beach-based interior designer Robbie Maynard offers a two-word replacement: "organic modern." That's what she calls the prevailing style trend.
"Nurturing, earth-inspired forms and hues include natural, sustainable and green materials, in line with many West Coast inhabitants' beliefs in the importance of nurturing your body and soul and preserving our Earth," she says. "Reclaimed wood-plank floorboards and double-story glass walls make us feel as one with the Earth. These forms encompass echoes of modern history with green-minded materials." -
Beauty in the Bath
Fabric whirled with purples, pinks, and teals inspired the decor of this remodeled bathroom for a teenage girl. Interior designer Robbie Harbert used color to put a contemporary twist on this bathroom in a San Diego home built in 1917. The design not only bridges a time gap, it helps bridge "the transition from childhood to adulthood with sophisticated lines and vibrant colors," according to the designer.
Harbert fashioned the colorful fabric into draperies that frame the glass-enclosed tub/shower, then matched paint, ceramic tile, and fixtures . "[ like to mix interesting patterns and textures," she says. "When you do that, contrast of pattern and scale is very important. I have five different patterns going on here: fabric, tile, floor, stained glass, and walls."
Although the stained-glass window looks as though it dates back to the early 1900s, it's new, tailored to the decorative scheme. The stately pedestal sink and the tub, however, are original to the bath. They were refinished to match the new toilet. Harbert had the diamond-shape decorative ti les that band the walls and accent the tub/shower enclosure hand-painted to "bring all the design elements together."
The design plan, says Harbert, "creates a tranquil, personal retreat as a counterpoint to a hectic, activity-filled teenage lifestyle." -
From Formal to Fun
Dining Rooms Still Have Many Uses
Are dining rooms going the way of the outdated parlor? Recent articles in design magazines and online publication have indicated as much. But Robbie Harbert Maynard of the American Society of Interior Designers in San Diego doesn't think so. And, as the principal of Robbie Interiors in Solana Beach, she helps many of her clients update their dining rooms.
Q: With people's hectic lives and with the kitchen becoming more of a gathering place, is the dining room obsolete?
A: No, I don't think it is. I feel like the dining room is definitely important. It's used more for socializing. The kitchen is more of a day-to-day social area. Larger homes would have a great room, a nook, a large family room, and a formal dining room. In smaller houses, the great room is the only eating area, and it's becoming more formal. If somebody doesn't have a large enough house for a dining room, they would have a breakfast nook. In the past, someone maybe would have a kitchen set there, but now they're putting something nicer in their nook, like a round, trestle wooden table with comfortable upholstered seat chairs - a little fancier.
Q: What do you see as trends when it comes to dining rooms?
A: I see the trends going in two directions. Today's young millennial homeowners have been heavily influenced by (the PBS TV series) 'Downton Abbey.' They have the desire to entertain in their dining rooms beautifully and formally.
Q: Andthe second direction?
A: Many homeowners who are over 50 years old are right-sizing their homes for the stage in their lives that often includes grandchildren. They want to redesign formal dining rooms into multifunctional spaces.
Q: Tell us what a formal dining Room entails for your millennial clients.
A: Many use long, chic and formal tablecloths, monogrammed linens and bar carts of all types for drinks and desserts. Some go estate-sale shopping for vintage sterling silver, china and crystal. They'll have chandeliers not with old-fashioned crystals, but with natural crystals or shells or onyx or glass. They want ambient lighting that casts intriguing shadows and makes their guests look their most glamorous.
Q: It sounds like you have affluent young clients.
A: Most people who hire interior designers have money. These are young professional couples who can afford a home and want a beautiful dining room to entertain. They entertain a lot, at least once a month.
Q: How about the second direction in dining rooms, for the 50-plus clients?
A: As they retire, they want their dining rooms more multifunctional. We'll use slipcovers to cover up nicely upholstered chairs and make the space usable for grandkid projects. Lighting should be on dimmers, so you can go formal with low lights and have higher lights for projects. People are tending to use a combination of chairs and benches. Benches are more casual, and it's easier for children to sit on your lap when you're on a bench. The older or more elderly are making it more casual. They want a room that's fun for the grandchildren to use.
Q: Do multigenerational or aging-in-place issues come into play?
A: Yes. They'll want lighter chairs to move around and arms that make a chair easy to get in and out of. They might have two different tables, closer so you can hear each other. Nobody can really hear very well at a long rectangular table.
Q: Any commonality between the two groups?
A: Maybe they aren't going out as much and like to entertain at home, which might be more affordable. Everyone is spending money more carefully.
Q: Are there ways to keep one part of the room a dining area and utilize the other part for an office, or does that defeat the purpose?
A: I would make sure that the desk was in a piece of furniture that could conceal it. A drop-leaf secretary desk might be good, or a Murphy desk - like a Murphy bed - or a desk hidden away in an armoire.
Q: What colors are currently popular for dining rooms?
A: I'm seeing a lot of blues and greens. Blue and white is very popular. So is painted cabinetry and woodwork. I've seen wood paneled walls and built-in wood cabinetry painted with a color. I've seen that done in deep aqua blue or deep pink. Sometimes grays, purples, lavenders. People want a calming palette for the dining room.
Q: Anything you'd like to add?
A: A professional interior designer can help homeowners reimagine their dining room into the perfect, personalized space for their needs, while still retaining the walls and structure needed for possible resale. -
Fall Interior Design Report
Interior design involves a multitude of elements coming together - harmoniously in successful cases. Three basic categories cover the realm of everything from walls to throw pillows: shape, color and texture.
We're happy to report that fall trends indicate a common thread among these umbrella groups: They're encouraging us to venture boldly - in our own space.
The tried and true will always be around; after all, that's why it's called "the tried and true:· However, once in a while, we need to shake things up; and this fall appears to be a good time to do just that. Shape, color and texture are taking decided upswings in derring-do straying from the safe pathways of the ... tried and true.
One of the gratifying aspects of interior design is how easily it can be changed. Walls can be repainted or papered, furnishings and fixtures can be replaced. You don't have to move out of your home to gain new surroundings. All it takes is a spirit of adventure - and it looks like we're headed for a fun one. - Janice Kleinschmidt, Editor
... "Subtle gradient shadings that create movement and contrast are an exciting addition to the design outlook for fall," he says.
Whatever colors paint companies throw at us, homeowners need not feel compelled to hew to bolder hues. Rick Hess, for one, is a stalwart proponent of white. "If white is used, you then have versatility and can work with almost any tone around it," he asserts. Though Rick and other designers remain committed to neutrality, they're shying away from pale brown shades.
"Make way, tans and beiges of the last decade," Megan Pucak decrees. "Gray is holding strong as the primary neutral to use. It makes everything else pop."
Corine Maggio sees social media sites reflecting the popularity of white subway tile, but notes that designers are showing creativity by "jazzing it up" with colored grout.
Although white and gray retain their status as colors that play well with others, there are plenty of palette pleasers out there to embolden those looking for a little excitement.
"When I incorporate color, there is an overwhelming chance that there will be blue: indigo, cobalt, navy, royal," Megan says. "Blues also figure stron gly as an accent in Scandinavian design. From the lightest sky tint to the deepest indigo, it looks stunning against an otherwise white space."
"Blue is always huge in San Diego," Brian says. "Indigo is a huge color trend now, a nd navy is always a staple."
Robbie Maynard, who traveled to London and Paris this summer after visiting La Cienega Design Quarter's Legends event in Los Angeles, expects hot hues of pink, red and orange to gain momentum this fall. She further reports a trend toward vivid combinations like teal and tangerine or magenta and kiwi.
"For a bold statement, use these colors on everything in your space," Robbie suggests. "To play it safe, use a palette of hot pink, magenta, teal and kiwi in accents, art and accessories."
Wherever your tendencies lead - toward the bold, the safe or somewhere in between, let color rule.
THE FINAL TOUCHES
Tactile finishes applied to walls, furniture and accessories regain favor BY NICOLE BOYNTON
Every surface in the home adds another layer of texture to our lives. Frequently overshadowed by brilliant, bold colors and dramatic shapes, texture no longer takes the back seat in design schemes . It is becoming a driving force - even the star of a room.
Beverly Hills and London based interior designer Birgit Klein is a fan.
"A major texture trend we employ a lot is utilizing a monochromatic color scheme but creating variety through different textures," she says. "A room might be done entirely in creams, but a silk paper on the walls, a chair upholstered in Tibetan goat hair, a bamboo rug, a mohair sofa, and a shagreen and lacquered console bring in interest through texture."
As trends shift from bare minimalism toward more natural, romantic and vintage styles, look for accessories with pearlescent finishes, feathers and fossilized surfaces. Boxes made from shell or bone are no longer merely old fashioned relics. Local designers are taking notice.
"Furniture can be wrapped in shagreen, inlaid with shells or cloaked in stone," says designer Susan Spath, who layers interiors with shagreen, linens and natural fibers such as raffia and sea grass.
Complete this season's study in natural science with intriguing zoological panels, botanical prints or even a taxidermy collection.
"I went to the Los Angeles Modernism Show this year and kept seeing feathers and rope," Molly Luetkemeyer says. "I love both, but hadn't realized they had broken out of their place in the passementerie department and were now claiming center stage."
Designers welcome the changing tides and embrace the season's throwback finishes and materials.
"Overall," Andrea May says, "I see some not-so-trendy things trending: romantic botanicals and florals; glamorous silhouettes and detailing from bygone eras; elegant surface treatments; and classic metals like brass, gold and copper.
Fabrics that are pleasing to the touch, such as heavier velvets and luxurious silks are reclaiming th eir rightful place under the roof, as are opulent details, including tufting and channel-backed upholstery.
Kim Nadel notices luxur starting to trend outside the home too, from velvet upholstery to outdoor chandeliers.
"There is a buzz about luxury," she says. "There's no need not to feel luxurious just because you aren't inside, especially in Southern California."
Despite luxe in fluences, unearthing that one-of-a-kind, handcrafted piece with authentic character is still the Holy Grail for designers. "There is a resurgence of raw, primitive materials like wood, metals and stone used in new, creative and functional ways," Robbie Maynard says. "The artisan's hand is showing more and more, and the result is pieces that feel quirky." -
FROM COUNTRY TO CONTEMPORARY
DINING ROOM WITH A WESTERN TWANG SADDLES UP TO A MORE MODERN STYLE
PINEWOOD CLADDING for an interior wall was one of the ways Del Mar condo owners conjured up a country look for their dining room. However, when a more-citified owner moved in, he asked designer Robbie Maynard to craft a room more in keeping with his contemporary taste.
"The old dining room was very dated and needed some major upgrading," Robbie says. "The client asked me to replace windows, furnishings and flooring. He wanted a very natural and knotty-ooking floor, so we switched out carpeting with hickory hardwood flooring, which also happened to be the right fit with the condo's natural cedar shingle siding."
Also natural are the new wood-framed sliding doors that the designer had stained a custom color to complement other wood tones in the room. "We added motorized Roman shades that tuck under an upholstered cornice box valance. The shades are extremely easy to operate with the touch of a button," Robbie says.
A mirror stretching along the width of the pine wall dominated the original room. Robbie replaced it with a vertical, curvy mirror that put a fresh spin on the room's focal point. Other freewheeling curves were added with a granite-topped breakfast bar, faux-snakeskin bar stools, a track light that matches the curve of the mirror, rounded maple cabinetry and a ceiling soffit.
"When we removed the kitchen's drop ceiling and lights, we discovered the ceiling had a 5-inch height variation from one side of the room to the other," Robbie says. "I seized the opportunity to create an interesting details in the room by designing the curved soffit to accommodate the ceiling height difference."
The generous helping of curves along with new materials and furnishings invigorate the room with a modern, sleek style that's quite a departure from its earlier country interpretation. -
FASHIONABLE FURNISHINGS
TODAY'S LOOKS INCLUDE MIXING STYLES, MODERNIZING CLASSICS
BETH WOOD
SPECIAL TO THE U-T
Whether you're buying furniture for a new home or searching for a single piece to complete a room, it's good to know what's new in home decor. We asked Robbie Harbert-Maynard, principal of Robbie Interiors in Solana Beach, for insider information.
Q: Please tell us about a major trend in furniture these days.
A: Mixing styles together. For example, you have modern pieces with Country French pieces. The key is to mix the pieces well; otherwise, it can look chaotic. I try to coordinate the color scheme, and the wood and metal tones. A bronze-y brown and a green-and-turquoise color scheme will help give it a cohesive feel. The other way to tie pieces from different styles together is repetition. For example, put circles on light fixtures and in the upholstery fabric and maybe in a detail. Repeating that throughout the room gives it a flow.
Q: Is there another style that stands out?
A: Yes, I call it 'the creation of new classics.' It's re-creating iconic pieces. It's updating, modernizing and putting little twists on them. Picture a traditional carved mirror in a metallic gold finish. Take that and refinish it in high-gloss in black, pink or purple. It gives antiques a different kind of look.
Q: That brings us to colors and finishes.
A:. Home color decor is highly influenced by fashion colors. Home furnishing trends typically last three to seven years. So we can look to fashion for future trends. I do more timeless work. But with the art and pillows, you can be trendy because they can be switched out easily. Blue and white is super popular; almost any shade of blue is popular right now. The fall trends seem to be sea motifs. I'm noticing ocean themes with coral and starfish. Other color schemes are red, brown, black and ivory. With that, you'd want some of the bigger pieces to be ivory. Maybe a red chair, a black coffee table with those colors combined in the artwork. I'm doing a gray leather chair with a yellow, gray and ivory pillow. A formal scheme of black, gray and white with a mixture of metals on a mirror or coffee table can look good together. Gray is very popular but may be going out of style - I think it has maybe two more years.
Q: Any other color trends?
A: Reclaimed wood industrial consists of finishes and antique metals that are not shiny. Restoration Hardware made that popular with charcoals and sun-bleached wood. Then there is what I call fresh and pretty. You can have a green glossy mirror and geometric prints on a white background - sort of like lattice. Citrus colors are good for this - green or yellow or orange mixed with cobalt or turquoise. It's almost the opposite of industrial. Fresh and pretty can be simultaneously traditional and contemporary. It's a transitional style; the pieces are not quite as clean and straight as contemporary, but not as ornate as traditional. A good example is a modern version of a wing chair. I am using a transitional- style chair like that right now. Some of the transitional styles are part of the new classics.
Q: What furniture do you recommend for our various electronic devices and toys?
A: Now we mount large TVs on the wall. If we do have an entertainment center, it is not as deep. We use a credenza to hold a DVD or Blu-ray player. The credenza sits under the TV so you don't have a blank space under the TV and it looks pretty. We've been putting TVs over fireplaces. You just have to have long enough wiring to put the cabinet right next to the fireplace. One media center we just built was very large. It was a cabinet below the TV and above it were a couple of shelves. On the cabinet doors, we have a woven mesh fabric and then the remote can work through that. You can use linen or burlap fabric on the doors so there would be a frame that would allow the remote rays to go through it.
Q: When it comes to interior design, is San Diego much like the rest of the country?
A:. San Diego is a unique market. It's a big beach town. People care about recreation, having a good quality of life, exercising. They want their homes to be California casual - to look nice, but to be livable. Not as many people here are as concerned about impressing the Joneses as they are in Los Angeles and New York. They want their homes attractive and functional for their lifestyles. I work a lot in Rancho Santa Fe - it's affluent, but people spend their money wisely and want a comfortable environment. People in that area still want to live in their home and not feel that they can't touch the couch. For example, some have no living room. I just did a very large house in Santaluz (just east of Rancho Santa Fe) that has a great room but not a formal living room. San Diego is more informal than other cities. Anyone near the coast is more focused on sun, beach, jogging. I think it's good - we can dress up and go out to the opera once in a while, but everyday living is casual. -
Home of the Year
San Diego Magazine's contest showcases remarkable homes and sensational settings
By Thomas Shess
Interior Designer Division
Mountain Modern
Solana Beach designer Robbie Maynard, ASID, of Robbie Interiors, was brought in at the blueprint stage to plan the interior design for Kevin and Jacee Slatnick's Rancho Bernardo home. Despite the excellent design by noted architect Dale Ponser (who drew plans for many homes in the Regatta Point neighborhood) , contractor improvisations to the home's four levels were called for because the site was literally carved out of a mountain slope . The finished house has sweeping, curved walls, 20-foot ceilings and etched-glass railings.
The Slatnicks got a graceful, minimalist look for their 5,000-square-foot contemporary home by incorporating a black-and-maple theme. Flooring is maple with black granite inlays. That color scheme carries throughout the house . The powder room is semicircular, with a custom-designed three-level vanity. The vanity's maple doors feature ebony detailing. The ebony was purchased in Kenya by the Slatnicks. Other furnishings are modern, by makers like DellaRobbia, Lazar and DIA. -
CHICKEN PICCATA
Ingredients
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tea spoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 boneless. skinless chicken breast halves, about 6 ounces each
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butler
2 tablespoons drained bottled capers. rinsed
Garnish: Thin slices lemon and chopped fresh parsley leaves
Preparation
Mix the flour with the salt and pepper in a shallow plate. Heat half of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heal until almost smoking. Working in 2 batches, place the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat on all sides. Shake off the excess flour and add to the skillet. Cook until lightly browned and cooked through. 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate or plotter and cover loosely with foil. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken.
In the some skillet add the chicken stock and lemon juice. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring to pick up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer, turning often, until warmed through and the sauce is thickened, about 2 minutes. Add the butter and the capers. Season to taste with salt and pepper and heat just until the butler has melted. Serve on warmed plates with a spoonful of the skillet sauce, topped with lemon slices and parsley.
Robbie Interiors was brought in at the blueprint stage to plan the interior of this custom Southern California home. The kitchen highlights include maple cabinets, granite counter tops and limestone flooring. The center island features a unique glass top breakfast bar and cobalt blue pendant light fixtures. The minimal contemporary home won the Home-of-the-Year award in San Diego Magazine. Photo by Scott McKay. -
ON THE SCENE
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MAKING A LIST
6 top designers offer holiday ideas
ADD A VINTAGE TOUCH to your giftwrap using sheet music, a brown paper bag stamped with a festive rubber stamp or newsprint. Tie with a knot using mesh or netting and dip on a piece of costume jewelry you've found at a garage sale or thrift store.
It also is special to give a gift within a gift. Put your gift in an unusual container, a decorative bucket, flowerpot, canvas bag, canister or basket. Add some lovely ribbon, holly, bells or a sprig of greenery along with the gift tag.
ROBBIE HARBERT MAYNARD, ASID, CID
ROBBIE INTERIORS -
GREEN DESIGN
Five top designers share the latest for 2012
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN is all about what's good or bad for our health and for the environment. The main concern is to source products that are free of chemicals that pollute and/or potentially make people sick and harm the planet. It's important to replace VOCs (volatile organic compounds) with safe alternatives.
The demand for green products is increasing as the public becomes more aware of the damaging effects of VOCs.
A simple way to adapt green design includes using reclaimed wood flooring from old buildings. You conserve trees and add character to your home. Wool carpeting is a great option for it is completely biodegradable, virtually hypoallergenic and a renewable resource. Look for low- or zero-VOC paints. Recycle by shopping at antique and consignment shops for furniture and accessories.
ROBBIE HARBERT MAYNARD, ASID, CID
ROBBIE INTERIORS
858-755-7467
robbieinteriors.com -
African Sheen
Best Powder Room
Designer: Robbie Harbert Maynard, ASID, CID
Robbie Interiors
In Rancho Bernardo, interior designer Robbie Harbert Maynard designed a minimalist powder room in a semicircular space that incorporates the new home's architectural details and reflects the homeowners' travels. Focal point is a sculptural three-level vanity with maple doors inlaid with stripe details made from ebony that homeowners Kevin and Jacee Slamick found in Kenya.
To complement the inlaid maple cabinets, Maynard chose polished black granite for the center cabinets and stainless steel for the sink and fixtures. The floor's black granite is detailed with pewter.
"This is an outstanding use of the owner's treasured ebony wood from Kenya," says Baths of the Year juror Lee Hawley, an interior designer. "The vertical inlays in the cabinetry accentuate the center sink column, making a great backdrop for the stainless-steel sink and wall-mounted faucet." -
Guest Bedroom
Robbie Harbert Maynard, ASID
One of the three guest rooms in this house is an octagon shape. Maynard furnished it in mid-19th-century Empire style embellished with beads and fringe. To accommodate the odd room configuration and capture the view out the window, she placed a grandiose tufted sleigh bed right in the center of the room. It is upholstered in taupe-gold suede with damask bed dressing. Silky pleated window coverings are a copper-gold with swag valances and cascades on each side ending in amber beads. A three-legged table with a distressed crackle finish holds a crystal lamp with gold-leaf shade. The adjoining bathroom features rustic tumbled Crema Marfil marble and a cabinet with a warm-brown crackled finish. The most elegant highlight of the bath is the elaborately carved antique gold mirror. -
Jewel Box
Editor's Choice Merit Award
Robbie Harbert Maynard, ASID,
Robbie Interiors
The spun-glass vessel lavatory nestled on a slab of iridescent-flecked black granite highlights the moss green, bronze, burnt-orange and harvest-gold colors of this jewel box of a powder room by interior designer Robbie Harbert Maynard.
Swirls in Martha Channer's Gustav-Klimt-inspired wall mural visually enlarge the Olivenhain space while the rich hues add warmth. -
Red Hot Lofts
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Homescape
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Interior Design Guide
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An adjacent wall is dominated by the second of Lumiere's murals - a large, framed, plein-air style work depicting a pastoral scene typical of the Rancho Santa Fe area. "It's not really trompe l'oeil but it gives one the feeling of looking outside at an idyllic natural setting, such as the one surrounding this house," Kaufman says.
Embellishing the outdoor theme, designer Michelle Fuller asked artists Nancy Isbell and Luan Knotts to paint tropical birds, flowering bougainvillea and even a waterfall on patio walls and pillars. "When you look out here, you see every kind of plant and tree in the world," Isbell says of the gardens bordering the patio. "We're picking up that same feel."
Cathy Gill and Maura Johnson drew inspiration from the home's Spanish-style architecture to create a wine room and adjacent hall rich in Old-World ambience. Hall walls appear flaked from centuries of aging, the result of frescoes painstakingly applied by artisans Albert and Holmes. Above the wine room's arched entrance, the words La Cueva (the cave) appear to be carved from s tone. Inside the wine room - a space once occupied by a closet - a trompe l'oeil iron chair and urn create the illusion of an open area beyond. "It appears there is daylight coming through," says Gill, who invites visitors to imagine stepping out "al fresco to enjoy a glass of wine ."
Left: This masculine sitting room, designed by Robbie Harbert, utilizes ostrich fabric, leather hide and other exotic elements. -
Bedroom - Sitting Room
Bold fabrics, hard metal and wood set the masculine tone of the sitting room. With the backdrop of a gorgeous decorative folding screen, a curving custom daybed sits angled in the room in full comman of a garden view. Inspired by the existing dark wood, Robbie Harbert has gone for a European Colonial style, using a color palette of brown, copper, gold and black. Subtle iridescence in the beige wall treatment and draperies of a sheer pleated fabric shimmering with gold and purple give the darkness a definite lift. Playing on one of the dominant themes this year, traceries of leaf motifs can be found in the metal accent tables and decorative screen. A blend of Craftsman style and East Indian colonial comfort, the lounge chair underlines the masculine mood. Access to the patio, gardens and pool beyond is a luxury for any occupant of the room. Harbert, who has run her own design business for six years, studied at San Diego State University and garnered her experience with J. Birkett Interiors and the Alpha Design Group in San Diego. -
Designers Showcase '92
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Lamps Plus Announces 2016 Lighting and Decor Trend Forecast
Nation’s Largest Lighting Retailer Projects Year’s Must-Know Home Design Trends
from PRWEB's website
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) February 09, 2016
This year marks 40 years in business for Lamps Plus, the nation’s largest lighting retailer. For its anniversary year, the company offers a 2016 lighting and decor trend forecast revealing the latest crazes like customization, LED, matte black and mixed finishes, plus a new twist on the industrial look that consumers and decorators can expect to see in showrooms across the country in 2016.
The Lamps Plus design team identified the following trends for 2016 and spoke with a handful of design industry veterans about them at the recent Kitchen and Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas.
Making Purchases Personal
With ever-evolving advancements in custom manufacturing, there is an upswing in the kinds of products that can be designed by customers. Lamps Plus Interior Design and Trends Producer noticed this interest in personalization at the recent KBIS. "Customers are demanding unique products that allow them to put a personal stamp on their homes," said Murphy. "And the industry is beginning to respond."
Robbie Maynard, an interior designer from the San Diego neighborhood of Solana Beach, California, also noted the trend. "While touring KBIS with the Modenus Blog Tour I noticed a trend toward customization. As a luxury interior designer, my clients are very interested in custom products."
In keeping with this trend, Lamps Plus offers a selection of custom designs produced on demand in their California workshops: the art shade lighting program allows shoppers to customize a variety of lamp shades, pillows and wall art; the Color+Plus program allows consumers to create custom color lighting from over 150+ colors and has been featured in publications like Good Housekeeping and HGTV Magazine.
The Big (Mixed) Finish and Matte Black
Designers and decorators are always looking for ways to create arresting contrasts and intriguing complements when outfitting a space, and 2016 looks to be a year of continued experimentation. "Matte, polished, and brushed finishes add texture and visual excitement and can be seen integrated into one dynamic design," observed Laura Muller, a Los Angeles interior designer. Muller also highlighted the heightened use of matte black: "Very popular and trending aggressively is the stunning matte finish. In high contrasting tones like black, graphite, and ultra-white, this trend is just getting started."
Industrial Gets an Upgrade
Followers of design trends will not be surprised to see the word "industrial" blip on the interior decorating radar. However, the warehouse-inspired movement-cum-mainstream design staple is seeing a bit of refinement. Laura Muller describes the push as "going glam." According to Muller, "With stunning details, cool shapes, and elegant lines, rugged and raw industrial style has become intricate and the finishes are diverse, with integrated details such as teak, colorful rubber, and brass with beautiful patinas … Totally chic!"
LED Takes the Lead
While LED lighting has always been considered "high-tech," and certainly energy-efficient, it is safe to say that the LED trend is no longer in the future¬—it has fully arrived. Their small size allows for integration in a variety of forms, shapes, and surfaces. Robbie Maynard, in a reaction to the 2016 trends on display at KBIS, observed, "… The new products are stylish, sleek and beautiful in conjunction with being extremely functional." Modern design elements like the Ozone Ceiling Fan by Possini Euro Design from Lamps Plus exhibit this contemporary blend of efficiency without aesthetic compromise.
Brass and Gold Stay Strong
Metallic finishes like brass and gold stepped into the spotlight last year, but the trend has only continued to move further in their direction. Dubbed "vintage brass" by some manufacturers, a new design contribution that gives decor a warm and soft appearance has taken center stage, and warm gold finishes have come to outshine silvers. Baton Rouge based interior designer Arianne Bellizaire reflected, "As I toured the booths at KBIS this year, I noticed that there were more brass finish offerings in several different tones and sheens." Lamps Plus, in anticipation of this popular trend, offers a plethora of new brass lighting and furnishings.
For those interested in exploring the trends but unsure where to begin, Lamps Plus offers in-home lighting and decorating consultations through American Lighting Association-certified designers and installation services by expert, licensed electricians. For more 2016 style trends and the latest in lighting and furniture design, consumers can visit LampsPlus.com.
About Lamps Plus
Established in 1976, Lamps Plus is the nation’s largest lighting retailer, and 2016 marks the company’s 40th anniversary of providing customers a leading combination of selection, service and value. Lamps plus operates more than three dozen retail showrooms across the western United States and upholds a thriving online presence. In addition, Lamps Plus designs, manufactures and distributes a wide range of exclusive and patented products, offering functional and decorative lighting fixtures, furniture, accessories and home decor. In 2014, LampsPlus.com was named a Top 10 Housewares/Home Furnishing e-tailer and a "Hot 100" world’s best retail site by Internet Retailer Magazine. The Lamps Plus family of websites also includes 55DowningStreet.com and LampsPlusOpenBox.com.