Top Five Faves: Unusual Wallcoverings

July 1st, 2010 by jennifermyers

First confession: this week we fudged. Just a little bit. We were beat at our task by the multitude of wonderful, exquisite and downright fantastical wallpapers on the market, and we could only narrow our Faves down to seven. Don’t hate us because they’re so beautiful!

Second confession: we couldn’t even fit all of our favorite wallpapers into one Faves blog! So watch out for part two, when we present our favorite patterned wallpapers.

But now, for our favorite—shall we say off the wall?—choices:

Schumacher Kyoko Mica

Schumacher Kyoko Mica

1. Schumacher Kyoko Mica in Silver: Jan Smith wowed us with this one, especially since we have used it in one of our high-end bachelor pad guest bathrooms. “For that project, we used a bronze colorway of this paper, and in the small bathroom, it added sparkle, texture and a much-needed presence,” Jan explains. “It is the first thing you notice when you enter the room, and the impact of it stays with you after you leave.” It’s a lot to ask from a wallpaper, Jan admits, “but it delivers!” (read the rest of this post…)

ASID OC Designer Runway Extravaganza: OMG We WON!

June 18th, 2010 by lisa
Kari Seydewitz, aka The Mad Hatter, on the final catwalk run for the ASID Designer Runway Extravaganza 2010

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. (read the rest of this post…)

Top Five Faves: Chandeliers

May 28th, 2010 by jennifermyers

Chandeliers are the cream of the lighting crop, adding elegance to the practical nature of room lighting. Even the sound of the name sounds highbrow and expensive, and we at LRM Interior Design love the many different styles and materials that chandeliers are made of. As usual, it was very difficult to narrow down our list to just five, but here they are.

Jaeger 6-Tier Horn Chandelier

Jaeger 6-Tier Horn Chandelier

1. Jaeger 6-Tiered Horn Chandelier: Our love affair with capiz-shell chandeliers is still strong, don’t worry—after all, they helped us win one of our ASID awards! But it will have to share our hearts with this Jaeger horn chandelier, as the color and shape of the horn pieces are gorgeous. The hammered antique brass canopy is beautiful, as is the light diffused by the polished pieces of horn. This is a light fixture that does not melt into the background, but is rather more of an attention-getter—we must feel like it’s one of the LRM gang… (read the rest of this post…)

Support LRMID at the 4th Annual Designer Runway Extravaganza!

May 21st, 2010 by jennifermyers
Lisa McDennon

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.

Lights, Camera and Action for LRM Interior Design!

May 18th, 2010 by jennifermyers
Christian Horan and his assistant Scott line up the living room shot

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.

Top Five Faves: Accessories

April 30th, 2010 by jennifermyers

All of the designers at LRM Interior Design love to accessorize, and there’s never a room that wasn’t improved by their confident style touches, whether it be on the floor, on tables or on shelves.

This month’s Top Five Faves capitalizes on those elegant pieces that accessorize a room. As always, it was tough to narrow them down to just five, but we managed to…

Sea Urchins from Oly Studios

Sea Urchins from Oly Studios

1. Sea Urchins in cast resin from Oly Studio

Lisa McDennon chose these from many wonderful accessories and gift items at Oly Studio. “I like the depth. It makes them interesting and eye catching,” remarks Lisa. “They are chalky and organic, but very modern.” The three sizes are unusual and make them fun to use; there’s a 10-inch, a 11-inch and a 25-inch version. “Two large sea urchins would look great under a console, while a smaller one would be perfect on a small bookcase shelf.”

Black Stallion sculptures from Gump's San Francisco

Black Stallion sculptures from Gump's San Francisco

2. Black Stallions from Gump’s

Both the style and the terra-cotta composition make these complementary stallions look like they were recovered from Ancient Rome. Made entirely by hand using techniques by Tang-era artisans, these pieces have a washed and distressed black glaze that allows glimpses of the clay beneath to shine through. “These are fantastic accent items for shelves or consoles,” says Jan Smith, senior designer at LRM Interior Design. “They are neutral, interesting and masculine—without being offensive.”

Manzanita branches can be made into a beautiful jewelry tree, like this one from Viva Terra.

Manzanita branches can be made into a beautiful jewelry tree, like this one from Viva Terra.

3. Manzanita Branches from Gold Leaf Design Group

Lisa loves the twisted branches of the manzanita tree as a decorative item. “They work so well as a room divider, or just as a sculptural accent,” says Lisa. “I’ve even used smaller ones in tabletop floral designs.” Manzanita branches are very versatile, and can be painted using any type of paint and transformed into almost any type of decor. They look great in a planter, combined with succulents, as a retail or home display of jewelry and even as contemporary holiday decor, whether it be Christmas or Easter.

One of three sizes of horn boxes from Roost Co.

One of three sizes of horn boxes from Roost Co.

4. Horn boxes from Roost

“These boxes’ laquered finish is absolutely beautiful, the interior is crafted from natural wood—and they make perfect gifts,” comments Lisa. Choose from three sizes to add to a desk, a coffee table, bookshelves or even a chest of drawers. “I keep paperclips in one of the small sizes on my desk, and they are perfect for hiding the remote control in a nice family room or game room.” These boxes are a firm favorite with the entire LRM Interior Design staff.

Corsage Vintage Brass Accessory from Arteriors Home

Corsage Vintage Brass Accessory from Arteriors Home

5. Vintage Brass Corsage from Arteriors Home

Arteriors Home has brought on board their first branded signature collection with Laura Kirar, a noted interior and product designer known for being inspired by nature. These brass flowers look like gardenia dipped in metal, and are perfect for a coffee table. “Coffee tables need a hint of glamour,” says Jan Smith. “And, if the item is from a top-rated designer, that helps too!” The flowers come in two sizes: a 5″ x 4.5″ and a 7″ x 6″. Pair them on a coffee table for a double dose of glamour.

Focus on Furnishings: Part Two

April 25th, 2010 by lisa
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LRMID makes sure that the furniture's size fits the room and complements the style, but most importantly we make sure it fits within your budget.

Today we will be discussing how to maximize your cost savings without having to compromise quality.  There are many intricacies of the interior design industry, so even though you might be the savviest and most economic shopper at your local mall, chances are the trade secrets of designing are hovering just below your radar, consequently costing you hundreds.

Where do you begin to save money?  For starters, your very own designer could be hindering your chances of executing an affordable house renovation.  A designer might know which color towels will complement your bathroom tiles or can expertly match a leather ottoman to your couch, but what makes a good designer? A good designer will have mastered buying power, or as I would like to say, “trimming the fat”.  To put it simply, it means that your designer should be adept at the art of penny-pinching and saving you every last dime possible, all the while maintaining quality. (read the rest of this post…)

Lisa McDennon is Keynote Speaker Tomorrow at the Laguna Design Center

February 4th, 2010 by jennifermyers
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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.

(read the rest of this post…)

Don’t Miss LRM Interior Design at Pelican Hill

September 14th, 2009 by jennifermyers

Next Saturday, September 19th, don’t miss your chance to see an example of the skill and flair of Lisa McDennon, principal of LRM Interior Design. You can celebrate California Wine Month at The Resort at Pelican Hill, in Southern California’s Newport Coast, while exploring the work of Orange County’s top designers, including Lisa Rachelle McDennon. The exclusive event will feature four of the most elite wineries in California and will be held at sunset so that guests can enjoy the 180° views of The Resort at Pelican Hill and Crystal Cove’s stunning coastline. (read the rest of this post…)

West Week: Trina Turk & David Dalton Talk

April 7th, 2009 by lisa

I was so happy to be able to make Trina Turk’s talk at the Laguna Design Center’s West Week. I was even happier to find out that David Dalton was joining her! I wanted to share some of the important points I picked up from them, as I was inspired and excited by hearing about their rise to fame:
Trina feels that the Elle Décor spread featuring her home launched her into the spotlight, and gave her the most publicity and feedback she’s ever received. As for David Dalton, his collaboration with another type of artist – the singer Meatloaf – proved enjoyable and promotional: Meatloaf’s redesigned home was featured in Architectural Digest. Dalton’s own home was featured in Western Interiors, Loft, Dwell, Shelter and Angelino magazines, which helped propel him into the public eye. Dalton spoke of how easy it was to design – the empty space itself was unbelievably inspiring! (read the rest of this post…)