Did you see the Wall Street Journal article about Opulent Closets? If you haven’t read you should check it out.

I learned that closet spending is up and they aren’t called closets any more. They are “dressing rooms.” I think the article is encouraging news. While I suspect the average designer is not going to land $50,000 remodeling projects for a single dressing room, knowing that there is interest in this new trophy room can increase sales.

So if a potential client walks into your showroom or calls you on the phone asking for a new Master Closet do you have product to show them?

—Do you have jewelry accessories or know anything about watch winders?

—Do you have examples of LED lighting or lighted clothes rods that illuminate the garments hanging below?

—Can you discuss UV protection on widows to keep clothes from fading or how to integrate the A/V components and Security system?

Winona Solutions + Light

October Company

—Ann Porter

Attending the International Builder’s Show this year in Las Vegas is always fun, and I’m constantly on the prowl for new products and ideas that can stimulate me and get my design juices flowing. It’s not always easy to get jazzed about building materials, but there were some pretty neat things happening at the FORMICA booth.

First of all, the company was introducing its new line of ANNIVERSARY collection patterns, all of which have a great “retro” vibe…here’s what they look like. It’s a new twist on the old “boomerang” and speckled patterns of the 1950s with a gorgeous color palette.

But it didn’t stop there. Formica has just introduced a new process for fabricating edge details on countertops called IdealEdge. It’s a detached, pre-formed edge made in two shapes: ogee and bullnose which is applied separately, creating a fluid transition between top and front. What this does is eliminate any “black line,” which I like on retro-type installs, but not when a stone or a more natural look is called for.

Formica has also reduced the size of the front edge to 1 1/4 in. from the conventional 1 1/2 in., which makes it the size of a natural slab of stone. Also, let’s not forget that it’s now possible to undermount a sink into the laminate !

Now, you may not think this is such a big deal, but for a designer who’s constantly honing her craft, it’s given me a lot to think about. How many clients do you have who insist that granite countertops are the holy grail? Can’t there be something else besides that boring old slab of stone? Between the retro patterns and the new edges, I can think of hundreds of fresh new possibilities in kitchen design that I’m itching to do. Also bathrooms, kid’s rooms, laundry rooms, bars, offices, and so much more. Thanks, Formica, for giving me a much needed design boost.

Repurposing old elements to create a fresh design approach

I just spent a solid hour browsing through Pinterest looking at pictures of gorgeous rooms using salvaged materials. I “pinned” some of them and will share some of my favorite images with you. But first, here’s a couple of photos from a house I designed in Orlando for GreenBuilder Magazine a couple of years ago.

As a “green” designer, I love using anything I can to create the look I want while also being low-impact. Using salvaged materials isn’t just for us “greenies”; it also creates a one-of-a-kind custom look that will always please your customers. Sometimes I’m lucky enough to use stuff that’s already in my client’s home, which I then try to find new and different ways to display. For example, I had these shelves made from shipping pallets that were used to ship ceramic tile to the house I was working on. The mantle on the left was made from a scrap of leftover micro-lam lying around the job site.

The dining room table top was made from salvaged bleacher seats!

Here are some awesome images from Pinterest from various sources showcasing salvaged design
at its best:

When this homeowner discovered 100 years worth of linoleum and sailcloth under the kitchen floor, he salvaged enough to cover one stair with each layer.

Italian marble tops the kitchen’s custom cabinetry, while salvaged Victorian corbels serve as distinctive brackets for the stove’s hood.

Adding character to a kitchen with a salvaged sink

Island corbels from salvaged Victorian porch

 

Shelving ideas…

Here’s a salvaged headboard turned chalkboard:

So pretty !

—Patricia Gaylor

We love Design. Our work is about visualizing the next best space. It isn’t about racking up as much volume as possible. That’s very obvious when you look at the sum of our never realized projects from the past few years.

Love of Design is why we persevere when specifications are incorrect, materials come in damaged or warped, the completion date gets pushed and clients declare bankruptcy. When we are passionate about our clients and our work, we take the nuggets of information we learn from designing the custom wine room that was scrapped or the efficiencies gained when aiming to meet the modest budget of a dreamer.

So we keep designing and hope that our work resonates with our client’s passions and we are thankful when it aligns with budgets, lead times and personalities.

When the destination we create with our Design path is successful, we like to humbly point to it with Pride, but of more importance, it fills our sails and helps us navigate trouble times.




May your Season be bright with Success and your New Year be warm with Joy!


—Ann Porter