But the month that really gets us fired up is December, where we have Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve, and that means decorating for family gatherings, cocktail soirées and friendly parties. Stuck for new ways to get the house—or office—festive this season? Read on, dear friend, and see what ideas LRM has for this most wonderful time of the year.

1. Garland, Traditional: Designer Kari Seydewitz loves how garlands look in the house during the month of December. She says that they “spruce up a room”, and we all agree. Whether they are over the mantelpiece or up the staircase, garlands made of pine bring the holidays into the house, especially in places where palm trees are more prevalent than pine trees. Add a little sparkle with ornaments and leaves spray-painted silver, which will reflect the light around the room and make everyone feel happy and bright.

2. Garland, Unique: This garland that uses feathers for attention caught Lisa McDennon’s eye, and inspired another version. She found this on the House Beautiful website, and she loves the vibrant colors. “I suggest tweaking the feather colors to match your décor,” says Lisa. Another idea she recommends is that those by the beach, either here in her hometown of Laguna Beach or across the country in Miami, should try using shades of turquoise and blue to reflect the colors of the ocean. “Or, use all white and dapple antique silver ornaments throughout,” adds Lisa. “If you’re really crafty, get your silver spray paint and glitter, and spray some holiday berry branches to tuck in for an added touch of sparkle and texture.”

3. A Recycled Tree: No, it’s not what you’re thinking. It’s not the pine tree from last year you carefully nurtured in a pot and brought back in after Thanksgiving, but a tree created from driftwood found on the beach. And yes, you guessed it, it’s perfect for celebrations on the coast! “I love the organic aspect of this tree, which can come in a multitude of sizes from 8 inches to 8 feet,” says Jan Smith, Senior Designer. “Beachside homes will rejoice at finally having a tree that represents the sea.” This one is available from 1st Dibs.

4. Unique Ornamental Placement: We love how Royal Copenhagen treated ornaments in this photo. This is a perfect use for ornaments that are too fragile and too special to place on the tree. This way you have a sturdy display for the ornaments that allows you to use sturdy material for attach the ornaments. By hanging them from your chandelier, you’re not only creating a stunning centerpiece for your holiday meal that shimmers with the chandelier’s light, but you’re also showcasing your precious ornaments from years past. Throw in some new ones to complete the display and to match your color scheme for the event.

5. Let There Be Light: Everyone loves candlelight, especially us ladies. It adds warmth to a room and a special light that cannot be recreated artificially. Jan loved these tea light holders from West Elm, and no surprise—they look amazing grouped together, and Jan’s a fan of grouping items to beautiful effect. Jan recommends to “mix holiday candle holders with everyday holders to create more interest and that dreamy glow to any room or festive event you have this season.”

Are you ready for the holidays? Perhaps your gift to yourself is to have your living room, master bedroom or bathroom redecorated in the new year? Call LRM Interior Designs, Orange County’s premiere and award-winning design firm, for all of your interior design needs, from window treatments to full home remodel, residential and commercial projects: (949) 497-6806

1. London Calling: Make a statement in the living room, but keep everyone guessing what exactly it was you changed. Was it the sofa? No. Was it that painting? No. It was the amazing rug from Luke Irwin, with its rich color and subtle geometric pattern. Changing an area rug can be a great way to alter the tone and feel of the room without breaking the bank. Of course, this rug, called Hex 2, comes from London, is hand knotted to order and made from wool, silk and cashmere. You can have it in any “colour” or size you’d like, so be creative!

2. Top Me Up: Let’s face it: When relatives come to stay, sometimes a drink is just what the doctor ordered. Make sure they know that you respect your alcohol by rolling out this delightful faux-shagreen bar cart that is just to die for. Why faux shagreen? Because you would not want to be setting anything containing liquid down on real shagreen—it’s just too precious. And, as our fearless leader Lisa McDennon says: “Who does not love faux shagreen and chrome together?” Enough said. The is custom made from SkateModerne.

3. Behind Closed Doors: Now, we don’t always discuss this part of the bathroom, but we just couldn’t resist—this product is about as space-age, high-tech as it gets. It’s a delicate area, literally, but you must be told about the NUMI toilet from Kohler. Listen to the list of features—wait, there’s a list of features for a toilet? Yes, we know. That’s how cool this is: Motion activated lid and seat, advanced bidet functionality, integrated air dryer, deodorizer, heated seat, feet warming, illuminated panels and—wait for it…..music. We’re thinking that the heated seats and feet warming alone could give us a wonderful new reason to linger in the ladies room….

There you have it. Three lovely, quick ways to wow your guests with simple upgrades. Call us, LRM Interior Design, for more information about these products, how to get them delivered before Christmas or Hanukkah, and how to get them expertly installed, in the case of the toilet. Orange County’s award-winning design team is at your service: (949) 497-6806.

The main lobby for Golden Comm, an website design firm in Irvine.

We are officially over the moon! For the third year running, our bustling design firm, LRM Interior Design, has taken home awards from the ASID OC’s annual Design Awards! This year’s was held on September 11, 2011 at the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano. Although Lisa McDennon, our esteemed leader, has always had a bit of a competitive streak, she only entered our work for the first time three years ago, and has won a total of four Gold awards during that time.

This year we took home the Gold Award in the Commercial category—for the first time. Our previous three awards were for residential projects, so it means a lot. The winning project we entered was for the offices of Golden Comm in Irvine, where we created bright and modern interiors that matched the web design company’s technological arena.

“Competition in the Commercial category was fierce this year,” commented Lisa on the award. “We were up against all types of commercial designs, including restaurants and other corporate offices, and we are so honored to have won the Gold Award. It is a phenomenal feeling to be recognized in this way by my peers in the industry!”

Last year’s Gold Award in the prestigious Home of the Year category showcased our work on one of Lisa’s luxury bachelor residence projects in Newport Beach, and the previous year’s awards were for Best Living Room and Best Special Room, and both properties were in our home town of Laguna Beach.

This year’s award in the Commercial category tracks the progression of both Lisa and the design firm, as she has been taking on as many commercial projects as residential over the last year. One such project is for acclaimed lighting company Hinkley Lighting, who has hired us to redesign their national showroom in Dallas, plus we’ve also been hired for special projects by luxury Orange County resorts such as the Montage and Pacific Edge.

You may remember last year how Lisa McDennon was recognized by House Beautiful magazine as one of their Top 20 Designers to Watch and was named Top 20 Women To Watch by OC Metro magazine—obviously an accurate prediction by both publications. Lisa (and, of course, her firm!) has continued her trajectory of success in 2011, and she has no intention of slowing down in 2012 and beyond!

Are you ready for award-winning design in your home? Have you been searching for the right interior designer to take on your new office space, or redesign your restaurant? Call Lisa McDennon and her team of talented designers on 949-497-6806 now to schedule an appointment.

For some young adults, this will be the first time they really have a place to themselves. Yes, they’ll still be surrounded by tens or even hundreds of other students, but they won’t be surrounded by family. So make it nice for them! But a word to the wise—don’t take over. Let them personalize the space and make it their own. We’ve compiled some of our favorite items we think would look great and be useful in a small space.

1. 10-Hook Overdoor Hanger: Umbra’s® Birdie hanger allows for hanging bookbags, purses, hats, scarves and coats on the back of a door and voila, there’s more space in the closet! And less clutter on the floor, which makes for better relations if your child is sharing a dorm room. We also like the matching Birdie wastebasket too, all available at The Container Store.

2. Pomeroy Dream Turquoise Reed Diffuser: Our young ladies aren’t as odiferous, shall we say, as their male counterparts, but that doesn’t mean that a few all-nighters with pizza boxes and way too many Starbucks cups in the trash won’t make the dorm room smell a bit. And that’s why Mom bought them a reed diffuser that looks, like, cool and stuff and not like yours. Especially not like yours.

3. BURSJÖN Stool with Storage: We think this would be a fantastic hamper, as it hides the dirty clothes (that’s if somebody bothers to put the clothes in there), has vents at the top, but is also a stool! It can be tucked in the corner most of the time, but if a fellow student comes over and seating is at a premium, they’ll be happy this stool has a dual purpose.

4. Tvilum Blink Bookcase: This compact bookshelf is 30″ square, which means you can stack two or more side by side or on top of each other to fit your small space! We love that the shelves are not evenly sized, and that there’s a wee drawer in the middle that gives not just a pop of color (it’s reversible and has a different color on the back), but also a little hidey-hole. Note: If you do stack these shelving units, please attach them to the walls so they don’t fall on someone during a “rager”—oops, we mean small get-together with tea and cakes, Mom.

5. Large Tint Stacking Drawers: These are seriously awesome, and not your regular stacking drawers. They come in six colors, plus boring “clear”, and they are perfect for clothes, stationery or any other item that you don’t mind having a little on show. If you can’t tuck these away in a closet (which would be a shame to hide them!), we recommend choosing two colors, like your son’s favorite sporting team colors, and alternate colors on the stack. We’d choose purple and gold, naturally.

Need any other tips for your young college student’s dream dorm room? How about remodeling their old room at home into that spare bedroom, office or home gym you’ve always wanted? Call LRM Interior Design now to arrange your free consultation: 949-497-6806.

It's him! Jonathan Adler!

Frankly, we’re surprised that those fashionable, stylish Brits haven’t jumped on Jonathan Adler, bundled him up and taken him off to their damp but decadent wilds of London. Luckily they haven’t, because we feel, here at LRM Interior Design, that he’s a national treasure. And he’s all ours.

Although, of course, we will allow him to have a store there, on the ever-so-posh Sloane Avenue in South Kensington, or “South Ken” to locals and those in the know. He’ll be hobnobbing with all the top names there—Paul Smith and Joseph, two of the UK’s top clothing brands—plus be right around the corner from Sloane Square and all the fab shops down the King’s Road. But don’t get us started; we’ll be booking tickets on British Airways in a minute if we keep going on about it!

It’s not opening til next month, but to give you a preview, we wanted to show you some of our top faves from the glorious Mr. Adler. So, as the Brits say, let’s get on with it, then!

1. The iPad Cover: First of all, it’s LRM policy that everyone has some form of Jonathan Adler stationery at work, be it file folders, pencil cases or a notebook. We’ll be surprised if Jan Smith, Senior Designer and recent recipient of an iPad2 for her birthday, isn’t sporting one of these very soon. For $30, you’ll have the most stylish iPad ever made because it’s covered in one of Jonathan Adler’s signature bold designs. Don’t ever let anyone borrow it; they’ll steal the cover even if they can’t steal the iPad!

2. The Adler App: What else would you have on your Adler-covered iPad but the Jonathan Adler app? Unfortunately it cannot summon the man himself, but you get all sorts of amazing, interactive goodies, from a gift finder and the “Product du Jour” to inspirations, photos and comments from fans. It’s all kinds of wonderful, and frankly, we can’t get enough!!

3. Horse: No, not the playground game, but this midnight-glazed horse head sculpture. We love horses as a masculine décor accessory, and this one has the cleanest of lines with an unusually gorgeous color. This high-fired stoneware piece is over a foot high and just over 10″ wide, and is part of the Menagerie collection. Each prototype is hand carved, then made by a studio in Peru, which Adler found through Aid to Artisans, a non-profit organization that links American designers to artisans in developing countries. Nice!

4. Bedding: Live in Hollywood wherever you are in the world with Adler’s stunning Hollywood bedding set. We can’t decide between the simpler embroidered design or the full on grey-and-white patterned version. Of course the sheets are made of 100% cotton percale and even the duvet cover has a 400 thread count. Who wouldn’t want to sleep surrounded by a Jonathan Adler pattern?

5. Ventana Mirror: Mirrors are an essential part of a home’s décor, in our opinion, and Mr. Adler certainly has a few that make our pulses race. This Ventana mirror being one of them. It comes in brass and black—perfect for our luxury bachelor pads— and nickel and white, which will fit nicely in our contemporary designs. We certainly can’t wait to use either of them. Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the best OC designer of all? LRM Interior Design? We thought so.

If you need help accessorizing your home, we can help. We are constantly on the lookout for the perfect pieces for our clients’ homes, scouring physical and online sources to bring them the best pieces on their budget. Call (949) 497-6806 to arrange a complimentary consultation with Lisa McDennon, our fearless, and fiercely talented, leader. Or click here to send her an email directly.

We design the whole area and make our tile suggestions that fit within the client’s budget, of course. Then we go through all the tile selections with the client, either at their residence, business or at the showroom, whichever is most appropriate for the client and the size and quantity of the tile.

Then we create a detailed CAD drawing that measures out every little thing, down to the millimeter, down to the space for the grout. We leave no room for chance at LRM Interior Design; we want that tile installer to know exactly what we want him to do. We even make up styleboards that show each type of tile that will go in a certain area. And yes, the contractors love working with us for just this kind of attention to detail, because we help them get the job done right the first time.

But we digress. Today’s blog is not just about tile, but about cool, decorative metal tiles. Tile doesn’t just have to be ceramic, or even glass. The tile in a room, shower, backsplash or floor doesn’t have to be made from all one material. We love to mix it up!

And by metal tiles, we don’t mean those crazy tin ceiling tiles that you see in restored Victorian homes and buildings. Oh no, these are much more exciting…

Diamond Tech Tile

1. Round It Up: These metal tiles from Diamond Tech Tiles’ Metal Series™ are uber-modern and sleek, and we’d love to use them in a bathroom or kitchen backsplash in a luxury bachelor pad or other contemporary home. Unfortunately, they can’t actually be used IN the shower, which we’re trying not to be upset about. We’d love it if someone else will come up with a rust-proof version. Titanium, perhaps?

Westminster Verdigris Field Tile

2. Aged to Perfection: What’s better than copper? Verdigris copper. And Westminster Tile has this beautiful, 4″ x 4″ patinaed field tile, perfect for bathroom accents, powder rooms and kitchens. Especially kitchens—can you imagine how cozy and welcoming a kitchen would be with these tiles in it? We can. Let us show you how wonderful it would be in your kitchen.

Creative Metal Tiles

3. Waves of Water: These stunning tiles evoke the image of a clear stream, rain down a windowpane, or a waterfall, all wonderful images that make them a perfect addition to a master bathroom. They are versatile enough to be used in a traditional or contemporary setting, and if that wasn’t enough, they’re also made out of 50% post-consumer recycled content. Creative Metal Tile, we thank you.

Arizona Hot Dots

4. Straight to the Point: Don’t feel like getting all heavy metal in your interior design? Sometimes less is more, a philosophy we truly believe in. Arizona Hot Dots® have created bronze metal tile liners in a stunning Antique Brown finish. We could match these with the perfect non-metal tile for a design that you would fall in love with!

Crossville's Mixology Collection

5. Star-Crossed: For over 25 years, Crossville has created some of the most innovative tiles on the market, and their latest collection keeps to their tradition of breaking the industry mold. Their Mixology collection features seven designs in two sizes, 4″ x 4″ and 6″ x 6″, plus 10 trim options and two random mosaics  available in four distinctive finishes, providing 98 pieces to “mix” and match for commercial or residential installations. These also contain 50% post-consumer recycled content, continuing Crossville’s commitment to sustainability.

Looking to refresh the tile in your kitchen or bath? Want to create a statement with a beautiful tile design, or just need help with tile selection? Give LRM Interior Design a call to set up a complimentary consultation: (949) 497-6806.

The neutral color palette is perfect for relaxing and unwinding.

We were captivated by the clean lines and organic materials at the Spa Cidade Jardim, a spa hidden on the fifth floor of the Shopping Cidade Jardim mall in Brazil’s bustling São Paulo. We’re not suggesting you get an entire spa installed into your home, nor jump on a plane to Brazil tomorrow to visit this delectable sanctum of relaxation, but we can help you take some of these beautiful ideas and incorporate them into your master bath at home.

The similarities we find between the hectic energy of Orange County life (busy parents with active, social kids to ferry around, the highest concentration of entrepreneurs in the country, great dining and lounging venues, stunning natural beauty) with the busting, expanding city of São Paulo is the need to escape once in a while. And not necessarily get out of town, but escape in your OWN town. Did you know that the traffic is so bad in Såo Paulo that the wealthy commute by helicopter? Doesn’t that make your crosstown journey sound a lot easier?

One thing we’d love to see Orange County take from the Cidade Jardim building is the combination of retail, residences and relaxation all in one place. It’s a cosmopolitan idea to provide community for city life, and it would be great to mix up the OC’s urban and suburban areas to create a more European feel to our Southern California enclave.

This VIP bathing area's tub would be a wonderful addition to a master bath.

But—on to the design. We love the neutral palette chosen by Studio Arthur Casas for the spa, especially tying the copious amount of blond wood into the color scheme. Creating a soothing effect should always be paramount when designing any kind of relaxation area, whether it’s a 10,700-square-foot spa or your own bathtime escape.

Showerheads are mounted on the ceiling, echoing the country’s infamous rainforests, and plenty of custom beds and benches are placed throughout the space to provide places for lounging or conversing.The private VIP bathing areas at the Spa Cidade Jardim could double as a master bath; imagine your calm-inducing view of the Pacific ocean from your window as you soak in this extra-deep oval jacuzzi tub with freestanding faucets.

Read the full article from Interior Design magazine here, and peruse the fantastic details, fabrics and design by Studio Arthur Casas. We know of so many ways to bring these touches into your master bath to create your own relaxing sanctuary. If you are ready to change your tired master bath into your own personal spa, call LRM Interior Design today for a consultation: (949) 497-6806.

We can’t put every one of our favorite light fixtures on the blog, but we’ve decided to round up some of the modern, edgy light fixtures that have caught our eye recently; there’s a lot of organic shapes, spaceship influences and mixed media here to be inspired by. We certainly were!

And yes, there’s more to come about our new project with Hinkley…be patient!

Box Light

1. Box Light—Design House Stockholm:”Everyday objects can be sculptural, too,” says Jan Smith, Senior Designer at LRM Interior Design. What looks like a simple, powder-coated aluminum rectangular container actually slides open to reveal a lamp. Slides open? Oh, yes. That means that you can actually control the illumination, almost like a dimmer switch, but more like an Aladdin’s lamp! Thank you to designer Jonas Hakaniemi—we love the Swedes for their design sensibility. The lamp stands 3/4-inches in height, uses an incandescent bulb and can be laid on a surface or suspended like a pendant lamp. Group two or more together for a dynamic lighting display.

Caviar Cluster

2. Caviar Cluster Chandelier—Arteriors Home: Beautiful glass globes encase what looks like illuminated, polished nickel trumpets in this dramatic chandelier. It would be like having delicate bubbles suspended permanently in your home! The organic shapes do not detract from the intrinsically elegant nature of this ceiling light fixture, and we think that it could be used to great effect in a contemporary home, or even as a surprising accent in a more traditionally styled home. Caviar is always a sign of good taste and luxury…

Infinity Pendant

3. Infinity Pendant—John Pomp Studios: How can something almost invisible pack so much punch? We’re not sure, but we think it’s the simplicity that does it. This hand-blown glass is the epitome of organic shaping, and has a slight iridescence to it, making it almost ethereal. Can you even really call it a “shade”? The pendant is delicate but stunning, and we can see a row of them over a long dining table or a single one over a contemporary round dining table. What a perfect lamp—it’s shade goes with every color and pattern!

Ice Block Pendant

4. Ice Block—Conant Metal & Lighting: This lamp perfectly blends vintage with contemporary; an old-fashioned set of ice tongs holding a lamp shade made to look like a block of ice! Our mind is spinning thinking of the fun ways you can use this lamp. Restaurant, historic property, or even a mountain lodge-style home, like the project we’re finishing up in June Lake—all would be great places to install this hand-crafted light fixture. Did we mention the glass is recycled?

Atlantis

5. Atlantis—Hinkley Lighting: We couldn’t leave off Hinkley, what with a new project in the works. This lamp is made for the outdoors, one of the more recent collections that Hinkley has released. We loved how sleek these wall sconces were, and the subtlety of the light itself, perfect for gently guiding people through a garden or outdoor space. Choose from aluminum or bronze to accent your landscaping, and Hinkley provides many variations in the Atlantis collection, including post lighting and pocket lamps.

If you are interested in any of these light fixtures, or need a consultation on your home’s lighting needs, please contact LRM Interior Design by calling (949) 497-6806 or click here to use our online contact form.

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!

Here you can have breakfast surrounded by Tiffany blue.

We didn’t think it was possible. How could one of the most glamorous cities in the United States—nay, the world!—become even more glamorous?

We have the St. Regis New York to thank for this addition of elegance to the Big Apple. NYC is home to many wonderful delights, but one of us girls’ favorite things comes in a little blue box….with a white bow. Know what it is yet?

That’s right, it’s Tiffany & Co. And there’s not many glamorous girls alive who have not swooned over the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s with Audrey Hepburn, one of the most beautiful leading ladies the world has ever seen.

So what does Tiffany’s have to do with the St. Regis? Only a brand new suite not only named after it, but decorated with the help of Tiffany & Co.’s Design Director Emeritus John Loring. That means the suite is full of sophistication and subtle neutral colors, with the signature Tiffany blue as an accent color throughout.

The entry—stunning!

Delectable. Delightful. Drop-dead gorgeous! The suite features impressive views of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street from it’s 14th floor perch, and combines a wonderful balance between opulence and whimsy. At 1,700 square feet, if you have to ask how much it runs a night, you might not be able to foot the bill. But luckily, these photos (kindly provided by the St. Regis New York) give us a taste of the suite’s beauty.

Tiffany blue accents are dotted throughout the suite.

What we want to know is: what other famous brand would you want to see a room or home designed in? Check back—we might have a few ideas of our own…

The elegant living room.