Top Five Faves: Metal Tiles

August 23rd, 2011 by jennifermyers

Designing tile for kitchens, bathrooms, indoor rooms, outdoor spaces—wherever you want to put it—is one of our favorite things. And we don’t just make up a nice little picture to show the tile installer, we go through a complete process with our client.

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. (read the rest of this post…)

Blissful Brazilian Spa

August 18th, 2011 by jennifermyers

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? (read the rest of this post…)

Top Five Faves: Modern Lighting

August 12th, 2011 by jennifermyers

With last week’s special on Hinkley Lighting, we’ve gotten a bit light-fixture obsessed. It’s not a bad thing, for sure, in our business—as you keep hearing us say, the right lighting can transform a room!

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.

Hinkley Lighting Strikes Again

August 3rd, 2011 by jennifermyers

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. (read the rest of this post…)

New York City is Even More Glamorous!

July 29th, 2011 by jennifermyers

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. (read the rest of this post…)

Get Smart! And Beautiful Custom Furniture Can Be Yours

July 18th, 2011 by jennifermyers

Ooh la la! Designer furniture at a price everyone can afford.

If you think that affordable furniture can only be found at Ikea, and that any piece of furniture you get through an interior designer is overpriced—we’re happy to inform you that you’re wrong!

Ikea furniture might have some cool, European styling, but it’s not built to last. And let’s be honest: you’re not in college anymore, right? But with everyone feeling the crunch of the economy, LRM Interior Design wants to remind everyone about a product line from one of our favorite furniture and fabric companies: Kravet.

Look at the photos on this blog post. Do they look “affordable” to you? Do they look “budget”? Do they look like they come from a do-it-yourself store? No, we don’t think so either. These are all examples from Kravet’s Kravetsmart line, which we can’t get enough of.

What’s to love? What’s NOT to love! (read the rest of this post…)

Glamour: It’s Bold, It’s Beautiful

July 6th, 2011 by jennifermyers

Khloe Kardashian applied a glamourous touch to her office.

What’s glamour all about? It’s about making a statement. For instance: an actress like Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn or (more recently) Gwyneth Paltrow would be called “elegant” rather than glamorous. So which actresses would sum up the definition of glamour?? Think Rita Hayworth, Sophia Loren or our modern siren Angelina Jolie—even Joan Collins says she’s the only leading lady of today to stand up to the glamorous beauties of her time.

But we digress. What makes an interior glamorous? It’s definitely not gingham curtains, beige carpet or heavy, dark antiques. Our Project Manager, Kristen Rusert, has a few ideas. (read the rest of this post…)

Whether It’s a Little or a Lot, LRMID Can Make Homes Beautiful

June 27th, 2011 by jennifermyers

Lisa's inimitable style can be seen on the landing of the large, custom-built home.

Recently the home developer Terra Bella came to Lisa McDennon, principal of LRM Interior Design, and asked her to help with one of their “spec” homes in Covenant Hills. Covenant Hills is the area of Ladera Ranch where homes are exclusively custom built, and this one is on one of the best lots in the development with stunning views over Orange County.

A “spec” home is a custom home built by a developer or investor, not by an actual homeowner. In order to show the beautiful home in its full glory, Terra Bella knew they needed the deft touch of Lisa McDennon and her team.

Since it was more of a staging than a home remodel, Terra Bella did not want to spend the money for the LRM team to design the entire property, but they knew that any additions she made would add that perfect touch. They asked Lisa to focus on architectural details, one of her specialties, plus items such as advising on flooring choices, wall finishes, lighting, and the tile work on the pool and the master bath. (read the rest of this post…)

Soak Up Total Glamour

June 13th, 2011 by jennifermyers

This classic design has been updated for the 21st century

June is all about glamour at LRM Interior Design. Wait—it’s always all about glamour at LRM Interior Design! But this month we’re really going to highlight it.

Senior Designer Jan Smith starts us off with glamour in an unexpected place. Yes, it’s where we go to transform ourselves from ho-hum to va-va-voom, but can it be glamorous in the bathroom?

Absolutely! “Focal freestanding bathtubs are luxurious and can make or break a bathroom,” explains Jan. “The sky is the limit when you’re choosing a style direction, and the current market has a plethora of choices for even the most discerning bather.” (read the rest of this post…)

Missoni: It’s not just for your wardrobe

May 31st, 2011 by jennifermyers

Just try to get us out of this Missoni deck chair!

Ah, Missoni. The name itself sounds like a breezy, beautiful day on the Italian coast, perhaps in Amalfi. With Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses to block out the sun bouncing off the Mediteranean, the wind stirs the multi-colored folds of our Missoni dress…

Okay, so perhaps not everyone has dreamt that dream, but if you love the fashion of Missoni as much as we do, you’ll love Kristen Rusert’s inspiration for this week.

Missoni has taken their trademark knitted weaves and put them on outdoor furniture. Yes, it’s true! Missoni teamed up with T&J Vestor in 1983 to start the home line, which has continued to expand over the years, to great success. And no wonder! Who wouldn’t want to have these sleek, colorful pieces of furniture gracing their outdoor living area? Our only worry is that every guest would be green with envy…

(read the rest of this post…)