We loved this photo from the Hinkley website, since it could be our own Lisa McDennon modeling!

Remember earlier this year when we announced Lisa McDennon’s inclusion in Hinkley Lighting’s website and nationwide catalog? Lisa was extremely flattered to be chosen as one of their top picks for giving “Lighting Style Tips and Ideas from Fabulous Designers“, and was even quoted in the blog as saying she looked forward to a long relationship with the distinguished brand.

And that turns out to have been quite the prediction—we don’t want to spill the beans, but keep your eye out for some exciting news here on the LRM Interior Design blog about that very thing! In the meantime, we wanted to talk a little bit about why Lisa felt so privileged to be included in Hinkley’s cadre of favorite designers.

Hinkley Lighting has been in existence for almost 90 years, and still holds a strong reputation for quality in construction, superb functionality and beauty in design. Phil R. Hinkley founded the company in Cleveland, Ohio in 1922, and the first catalog did not feature any designer style tips, only fourteen copper light fixtures made for both indoor and outdoor use.

In the 1930s, the Hinkley company started moving from copper fixtures into specially treated steel and copper plating. They also started to include crystal moss, amber cathedral and amber opal glass into their pieces. During the 40s, like many manufacturers, Hinkley Lighting’s new owner Stanley Wiedemer shipped his sons off to the war and started making airplane parts for the government. They reverted to lighting after the war, when the need for residential housing skyrocketed.

The 50s and 60s were great times for innovation both in technology and design, and in the 80s launched their landscape lighting division, which is going strong today. We’re happy that it’s still a family business after all these years, and continues to succeed based on those same values the company was founded on. We also love Hinkley Lighting’s dedication to reducing their eco-impact, with teams dedicated to creating lighting that are more efficient and less harmful to the environment, while still embodying the styling we expect. Their outdoor lighting conforms to almost every Dark Sky requirement that exists, and they continue to provide LED conversions and fixtures for fluorescent bulbs.

At LRM Interior Design, we know how a single lamp can not only transform a room, but anchor the entire design. Lighting should be something that complements, that wows, that delights—but always provides the right quality of lighting for the room’s purpose. Interior designers like the LRM team are experts at lighting, and would love to talk to you about a lighting makeover. Call (949) 497-6806 for a consultation today!

Lisa McDennon

We’re very proud to announce that Lisa McDennon and LRM Interior Design is featured in Hinkley Lighting‘s latest catalog feature “Lighting Style Tips and Ideas from Fabulous Designers“.

In a series featuring renowned interior designers from across the country, Hinkley Lighting composes a simple yet articulate guide on how to properly utilize lighting, both natural and artificial, as an essential component in designing interior and exterior spaces.  Lisa McDennon has lent her impeccable eye for design to this guide, offering stylish tips on how to maximize the effectiveness of lighting in order to create the perfect ambiance.

Hinkley Lighting actively sought out our fearless leader for this feature, after monitoring her rise in the interior design world after she was named one of the Top 20 to Watch by House Beautiful.  McDennon, who has always admired Hinkley Lighting for their craftsmanship, was thrilled to be invited to work on the Lighting Style Tips & Ideas guide for Hinkley Lighting’s website and print magazine.

“It’s always an honor to be recognized,” says Lisa. “But to be honored by and aligned with a brand that I admire is even more exciting! I look forward to a long relationship with Hinkley Lighting.”

Hinkley Lighting has been illuminating the world one lighting fixture at a time since 1922.  Starting out as a small family company, Hinkley Lighting quickly grew to become one of the most respected designers and manufacturers of beautiful lighting fixtures in the world.  Hinkley Lighting prides on constructing, with superior craftsmanship, their products from the finest material available, to create lighting fixtures that blend both design and functionality.

Not only is Hinkley Lighting committed to creating beautiful lighting fixtures and keeping “Life Aglow”, but they also seek to shed light upon national and local level organizations striving to make a difference in the world. As part of their on-going commitment to the community, Hinkley Lighting continuously collaborates with numerous organizations, providing sponsorship and funding to help raise awareness on various issues.  Some of the organizations include: Flashes of Hope (raising funds for pediatric cancer), Goombay Bash (non-profit lighting industry charity whose funds go to cancer research), Habitat for Humanity and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

Hinkley Lighting’s Lighting Style Tips & Ideas is another subset of their Life Aglow campaign, which they hope will kindle an inspiration of creatively using light to create, enhance, or complete a beautiful design.

Our luxury Newport Beach bachelor pad took Gold in Home of the Year Award! (over 3,500 sq. ft.)

This year’s ASID OC Design Awards took a nautical turn, as they were held aboard the Endeavor as it cruised through Newport Harbor. “It was a beautiful night,” recalls Lisa McDennon, who attended the awards with her husband Kevin, Senior Designer Jan Smith and new design staff member Melissa Morgan. “It was lovely to glide through the harbor and sip cocktails on the deck while mixing with some of Orange County’s top people in the industry!”

Before the evening’s events got started, Lisa, Jan and Melissa had the pleasure of chatting with the owners of Del Mar Lighting, a Tustin company that they’d had a chance to work with in the past. In a stroke of fate, Lisa, Kevin and the couple from Del Mar Lighting were seated at the same table, and they carried on their conversation as the event started.

Lisa also met Charise Buckley, another member of the interior design and ASID community, who had entered in the competition this year. Although she’d been a member of ASID for 20 years, this was the first time she’d entered a project. Lisa was especially happy to meet her because Charise lives and works in both Orange County and Colorado, and will be introducing Lisa to some great suppliers at the Denver Design Center. After scouring the OC for the right fabrics for her mountain home project, Lisa was happy at the prospect of a new trove of vendors in just the right market.

And then the ceremony started. The first award was for Best Living Room, and LRM had decided to enter this category at the last minute, but unfortunately, we didn’t win. “After that, I was too nervous to eat my dinner!” says Lisa. “I was on the edge of my seat during the entire dinner, waiting for the second to last award.”

That award was for Home of the Year over 3,500 sq. ft., and LRM had entered one of our luxury bachelor home projects that we had poured our heart and soul into. The minutes ticked on…the moment finally arrived.

And yes, we won! LRM Interior Design took the Gold award for Home of the Year over 3,500 sq. ft.!

“It means so much to receive such a prestigious award for this project, especially from my peers in the industry,” said Lisa after accepting the award for the team. “This project’s win reflects more than just the creativity and effort we put into it; it illustrates our design aesthetic and the height at which we place the bar for each of our projects.”

Of course, this follows our first-prize win at the popular ASID Designer Extravaganza event this summer, plus two awards last year at the ASID OC Design Awards 2009. The first was for Best Living Room and the second was for Best Special Room.

Lisa McDennon has also been recognized by House Beautiful magazine as one of their “Top Designers to Watch in 2010”—and what an accurate prediction that was on the part of the House Beautiful editors.

Are you ready to have your home transformed by award-winning design? Do you want to have a home that’s worthy of being featured in a national magazine? There’s no two ways about it—call LRM Interior Design for a complimentary consultation. Start with one room, or change the entire house! Arrange your appointment by calling (949) 497-6806 or via email.

Please vote for design #20!

LRM Interior Design is up for the People’s Choice Award for the 2010 ASID OC Design Awards! Please help us by voting—it’s simple. All you have to do is click here, scroll to Design #20 and vote. The photo should look like the one to the left.

Vote now! Tell your friends and family! The awards are this Saturday night, so please vote right away.

For 2010, LRM Interior Design has entered two projects in to the ASID competition, and both are upscale bachelor residences. The People’s Choice Award is a separate category, and we would certainly love to get that kudos!

Last year, in 2009, you may remember that it was LRM Interior Design’s first time up to bat in the ASID OC Design Awards. For the first time, LRM Interior Design entered the competition in two categories. Our fearless leader, Lisa McDennon, barely had time to sit down before she was called up to receive her first award. And if you think she was floored by that one, you should have seen her when they called her name for the second time!

Then there was the win for the Designer Runway Extravaganza and, although not technically an interior design award, it showed Lisa and her team’s ability to adapt, roll with the punches and show grace under pressure.

So for the 2010 ASID OC Design Awards, we expect nothing but the highest marks and to take home all the awards we can. So keep your fingers crossed on Saturday night, when Lisa McDennon and Senior Designer Jan Smith will be at the ceremony, sailing Newport Harbor on The Endeavor. And keep your eyes peeled for an update after the event! Best of luck!

Kari Seydewitz, aka The Mad Hatter, on the final catwalk run for the ASID Designer Runway Extravaganza 2010

We prepped. We planned. We found out what TO do and what NOT to do. Kari worked on her makeup for hours. We built the maddest top hat outside of Disney. And we frantically worked for 90 full minutes at the Fremarc showroom on Wednesday night turning designer Kari Seydewitz into the Mad Hatter.

With seconds to spare we got Kari to the “green room” behind the stage’s curtain. LRMID was number 10 in a total of 15 teams, and it was more than a little nervewracking to hear the judges fawn over the other designs while we waited. The judges were definitely qualified to speak about these runway designs: Cheryl Tiegs was there, although as a rep for Cambria Stone, and she knows a thing or two about runways; Kelly Persellin, who Lisa met with a few weeks ago, is the publisher of the west coast version of LUXE Magazine; Michael Berman, an interior designer of such a high caliber who needs no introduction; Alexis Bellino, one of the Real Housewives of Orange County who makes a living out of being glamorous; and finally, fashion designer Oday Shakar, whose most recent stunning black-sequinned dress was not only seen on Sandra Bullock at the MTV 2010 Movie Awards, but also on Cheryl Tiegs during the ASID event!

The time came–we held our collective breath. The music started; Kari made an awesome entrance onto the catwalk. By the time she came out onto the stage, we knew we had the audience hooked. A man we didn’t even know stood up in the front row for a standing ovation! By the time Kari, aka the Mad Hatter, had finished her awesome strut down and back on the catwalk, all that could be heard was Oday Shakar saying “O-M-G!!!!”" over and over. Check out the video: Kari Seydewitz rocks the catwalk as the Mad Hatter during ASID OC\’s Designer Runway Extravaganza

With the judges comments, we knew we’d done well, but there was stiff competition from the other contestants, who had come up with some astounding outfits too. Team 15 made trousers. TROUSERS. Without a sewing machine!

They announced third place: we didn’t get it. We tried not to be disappointed or too hopeful. Second place: didn’t get that either. Now we’re really worried! First place: could it be? YES! WE WON!

It was such a great feeling, and such an honor. I’m so happy about how our team really worked together well to create this amazing outfit in 90 minutes. Another ASID win– even though it’s not for interior design, it’s for design, and it feels wonderful! Thank you to my team: Jan Smith, Kristen Rusert and of course, our lovely model, Kari Seydewitz!

Ready to hit the catwalk!

Kristen Rusert shows off her work on the Mad Hatter's hat

Lisa McDennon works on the jacket for the outfit, using an iron and many, many safety pins.

Kari applies her dramatic makeup and feathered false eyelashes

Kari, as the Mad Hatter, faces the judges

Lisa McDennon

This year Lisa McDennon and the team at LRM Interior Design will be participating in the 4th Annual Designer Runway show. This event is like a combination of Project Runway and Divine Design, but even more challenging. Teams of four will have 90 minutes, seven yards of fabric and one sewing machine, and their task is to create a couture outfit for the Laguna Design Center‘s runway.

Forgive us for being biased, but we already think that Lisa McDennon looks like she’s just stepped off a runway most days. Hopefully she’ll be the one to shimmy her way down the Designer Runway next month, after giving her superb fashion advice to the others on her team.If so, the other teams won’t have a chance!

There will be martinis, wine and hors d’oeuvres for the audience to enjoy while the evening’s events transpire. The team’s outfits will be judged: not by Heidi Klum, but by a panel of celebrity judges hand picked for the occasion.

Tickets are on sale now! Prices start at $35 for general admission, and $75 for VIPs. Join us at the Laguna Design Center on June 16th at 5:30PM to cheer on LRM Interior Design as they strut their stuff down the runway at this exciting event.

Christian Horan and his assistant Scott line up the living room shot

Last Thursday the setup started early, with accessories and home goods being carefully unpacked and unwrapped after a week of shopping. Hours of arranging, rearranging and careful placement followed. Finally, one of LRM Interior Design’s Newport Beach bachelor projects was, shall we say, ready for its close up.

It wasn’t just the LRM team that was involved in setting up the shoot, there was help from the outside. For the green touches that bring an almost unconscious beauty to a room, Instant Jungle was called in for their expert eye and green thumb. Lisa McDennon uses no one but Instant Jungle for all of her plant needs, both internal and external. Greg Wallace, owner, was on site to make sure everything looked perfect—and he should know, as he’s been supplying plants for gardens, interiors, and home staging for 30 years.

Another integral part of the team was our favorite photographer Christian Horan, whose eye for detail, light and composition beautifully complements Lisa’s interior design. He and his assistant Scott moved furniture, helped style tabletops, climbed up and down ladders like monkeys to get the perfect shot every time. Catching Christian between his international shoots in Mexico and the Caribbean was tricky, and we were lucky to get him—and his special blend of energy, humor and talent—on the shoot.

It was an exhausting day, but it will be worth it when we see those photos of the house in print….hopefully soon! In the meantime, check out Lisa McDennon’s work and Christian’s photos in the upcoming August issue of Romantic Homes magazine.

Lisa McDennon, Principal of LRM Interior Design

Tomorrow at 10AM, students of interior design will be crowding around a podium at the Laguna Design Center, waiting for the keynote speaker. Seeing how the event, the Second Annual ASID OC Student Career Day, is co-sponsored by House Beautiful magazine, it’s no surprise that the keynote speaker is our own Lisa Rachelle McDennon.

Students will have the opportunity to have their portfolio reviewed, and learn about all aspects of interior design from Lisa and other award-winning designers attending the event. Topics of discussion and presentation include model home design; restaurant and hotel design; high-end custom home design; corporate spaces; oceanfront and estate property design; kitchen and bath design; yacht and small space design; and even landscape design.

Students can learn a great deal from the course that Lisa chartered, back before she was published in House Beautiful magazine and was a mere student herself, earning a degree in Fine Art at the University of Irvine.

Even though she was specializing in Drawing and Painting, Lisa realized that she never wanted the term “starving artist” to apply to her. Practicality set in, and Lisa began taking every architecture class, eventually signing up for an unpaid summer internship with an Orange County architect.

After four weeks, the architect was so impressed with her work and enthusiasm that he offered Lisa a salaried full-time position. Over the next four years, Lisa every aspect of drafting and planning for the company’s commercial clients. Just like her employer, Lisa was surprised to discover her aptitude for this “interior design” aspect of architecture.

Lisa found Newport Beach’s Interior Design Institute (IDI) in her own backyard, and after only one week knew she had found her true love. Three and a half years later, Lisa graduated as the class valedictorian, and gained her second bachelor’s degree.
During her time at IDI, Lisa supplemented her coursework by working for Orange County’s leading designers, and learned as much about her chosen field as she did about how a design studio should not be run. This unofficial training became critical sooner than she thought: after an unsuccessful two months hunting for the perfect job, her family encouraged her to start her own studio.

Only one week after giving her two weeks’ notice, she landed her first client—a private resort in Fiji. Over ten years later, Lisa runs her own successful studio in downtown Laguna Beach with three full-time design assistants, each contributing their own special talents and energy to every project.

Lisa continues to use her original background in art and architecture to provide clients with unique, hand-drawn renderings alongside architectural drawings, helping a client see their dream realized before the project begins. This process, along with knowing the value of listening to clients’ needs, creates exceptional designs, builds strong, long-term relationships with not only clients, but also with architects, contractors and developers.

For more information on the event, visit www.asidocc.org. For more information on Lisa McDennon and her design studio, visit www.lrmdesign.com.

LRM Interior Design Featured in House Beautiful Magazine

Between ASID Design Awards and being named as one of the top designers to watch in 2010, it was time for LRM Interior Design to launch a Press page on their website.

Over the last three months, Lisa McDennon and LRM Interior Design have been showcased in three publications. The first was in Orange County’s premier magazine, Orange Coast magazine, after she was the only entrant to win two ASID 2009 Design Awards in September.

The second, and potentially most exciting, was House Beautiful’s first issue of 2010, announcing their top 20 interior designers to watch across the country.

Thirdly, Victorian Homes Magazine interviewed Lisa as an expert in her field, asking for her recommendations on the best door hardware for an authentic or vintage look in a home.

Continue to check back on the Press page for new media coverage of Lisa McDennon and LRM Interior Design—there’s more in the pipeline…

The finished table at the client's home

After attending the Christofle event on etiquette, a LRM Interior Design client asked Lisa if she was interested in a new project.

“He said that the event at Christofle was very timely, as he would be entertaining a special guest at his home, and wanted to host a few parties. He’s a bachelor, and confessed that he had nothing appropriate to serve dinner with or on,” Lisa remembers. “He owned some casualware, but wanted to create the right atmosphere with new silverware, glassware, china, and linens.”

Even with less than two weeks to the party date, Lisa wasn’t worried, just excited at this fantastic project. After going to the house to assess what the client had—which was practically nothing—Lisa and senior designer Jan Smith were on a mission, gallivanting around Orange County to find the best tableware and accessories to go with his home.

“It wasn’t just “shopping,” explains Lisa. “We completely designed the table around the client’s décor, and even took fabric swatches with us.”

For the first, less formal event, Lisa and Jan were able to use the client’s existing blue and brown stoneware to great effect. She alternated plates and bowls in each color, and reversed it on the next place setting, and then added in the new Christofle stemware and silverware on top of the new linens.

The client's home, before the event

Overall, the look created by LRM Interior Design matched the house’s décor, the casual tone of the event, and even the rustic Italian food that the client served.

Three nights later came the formal event, which called for place cards, tablecloths and fine china. Even the food and wine were elevated, with Jan’s husband Troy cooking the meal at the client’s home, and their friend Dave Wallace assisting with the drinks and wine. Both men work at the Montage hotels as sommeliers.

“One thing we had learned from the first party was that our client didn’t even own a spatula or salt and pepper shakers,” smiles Lisa. “We had to outfit the house with serving dishes, candleholders, vases, bowls and throw blankets for the chaise longues. We even had to install artwork on the day of the party!”

There were some small touches added by the team from LRM Interior Design that made for an extra special event, and things that even an experienced host doesn’t always think of.

Lisa made sure that there was a piece of felt cut to the exact size of the glass dining table. This way if a guest accidentally knocked over a piece of  stemware, it wouldn’t break when hitting the tabletop. She also designed and made the name cards herself, using Christofle place card holders.

Lisa's handmade name cards

“I love these place card holders,” Lisa enthuses. “They can also be used as napkin rings, and are classic in design. They are perfect for people who have little space, as they do ‘double-duty’ on the table.”

The design started in the center, with three separate floral arrangements clustered to add texture and height to the table. Lisa then added cut-rock crystal votives to add illumination, and scattered pretty, iridescent and silver pebbles  over the table. Several brands of china were mixed and matched to create a beautiful table, including a starburst salad plate that set off the whole formal arrangement.

The champagne glasses, also by Christofle, are unique, as the glass vessel separates from the silver stem and base. “This way, if you were serving a chilled beverage, you could set the glass vessels in a bucket or bowl of ice,” explains Lisa.

Both parties were a resounding success; the client was happy not only with how everything looked, but with the elegant tableware and accessories that Lisa and Jan chose for his home. It’s just another way that LRM Interior Design can help make their clients’ lives better.

Christofle champagne stemware

The formal party's finished table setting

Lisa adds the finishing touch: the iridescent pebbles

A view of the centerpiece and votives