Top Five Faves: Non-Traditional Holiday Decorating

December 17th, 2010 by jennifermyers

Today the weather outside in Southern California is frightful, but luckily inside it’s so delightful, thanks to some beautiful ideas on decorating your home that aren’t mass produced or seen on every street. What do we mean by that? Well, the best way is to clear your table, enlist family and/or friends, get the glue and pretty paper out, and get creating! But it could also just be getting away from the standard red and green colors for the holiday and mix it up a bit. Here’s some tips from Senior Designer Jan Smith and Design Assistant Melissa Morgan.

Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House in gingerbread

1. Gingerbread Modern Houses: You don’t need to throw tradition out the window; that’s not what we’re saying! But how about getting a little creative with the spiced-and-baked architecture? Gingerbread houses can easily be built from using a kit that you buy at the store, but that’s too easy. How about a gingerbread house inspired by Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House? Before you think you need to be an Ace of Cakes—oh wait, yes you do. This one was created by April Reed Cake design and took over 25 hours to make! And you don’t even want to know how much it cost….but 15% of the proceeds went to the restoration project in the works for Farnsworth House when it was damaged in a flood a few years ago. (read the rest of this post…)

We Like to Rock and Roll

September 17th, 2010 by jennifermyers
Even bachelor pads deserve to shine.

Even bachelor pads deserve to shine.

As you know, we at LRM Interior Design love a little sparkle, whether it’s sinks, wallpaper or chandeliers. We like to add it somewhere in most of our designs. Hmmm…you may think. Isn’t LRM Interior Design known for designing Orange County’s best luxury bachelor pads? Well, yes we are. So how do you get sparkle in a gentleman’s home?

Sparkle can be masculine too, especially when it is in rock form—agate geodes, specifically. “Agate and other geodes are nature’s sculpture,” says Jan Smith, Senior Designer at LRM Interior Design. “We like to include them in rooms, as they are great for added abstract shapes and color.”

In LRMID’s Newport Beach luxury bachelor pad, which just won the 2010 ASID Award for Best O.C. Home Design over 3,500 sq. ft. (don’t worry, more on that soon!), an agate geode mounted on a stand creates a wonderful accent for the powder bathroom on the ground floor. The metal veins running through the agate are brought out by the organically shaped, solid bronze sink and faucets, and creates a look that is elegant—but not girly in any way. (read the rest of this post…)

Top Five Faves: Bedside Tables

September 3rd, 2010 by jennifermyers

It may seem like a simple thing to source, but good bedside tables are hard to find, believe it or not. We decided to help everyone out with our Five Faves and highlight some of the best on the market—even if they weren’t labeled “bedside tables.” A good designer knows how to convince a piece to do something it wasn’t made to do, and do it well. This month’s selections are no exceptions. So with no further ado, here are our Top Five Fave bedside tables:

Oly Studio's Jackson Chest of Drawers

Oly Studio's Jackson Chest of Drawers

1. Oly Studios Jackson Chest of Drawers: “Many companies make a chest similar to this, but no-one does it with the same panache as Oly,” says Lisa McDennon. “The lacquered wood looks amazing in white, but I like it in the dark colors, too.” Lisa also likes that this chest fits well as a bedside table in rooms that are contemporary, Asian or traditional, dressed up or down—it’s so versatile and practical at the same time. Talk about making a piece of furniture work well in many settings: Lisa also suggests that this white, lacquered-wood chest could look stunning in an entryway, or be a changing table for baby that will grow with them as they leave the nursery. (read the rest of this post…)

Color Trend Predictions for 2010

February 19th, 2010 by jennifermyers
Turquoise: The color of 2010

Turquoise: The color of 2010

Jan Smith, LRM Interior Design’s Senior Designer, lets our readers in on a fantastic Insider Tip: “Various interior design sources agree that the main color palettes being used today in home interiors are one of the following three trends.”

“Trend number one: Anything eco-friendly involving ‘nature’ or ‘going green,’” explains Jan.  “Using an ecologically conscious color scheme is still very prevalent in today’s market, as are furniture and accessories, and how you apply or install the décor in your home.” (read the rest of this post…)

New Project For the New Year

January 10th, 2010 by lisa
View from jobsite

View from jobsite

In early December, Senior Designer Jan Smith and I headed up to June Lake to meet with a client at the site where construction has begun on their mountain home.

We had worked for this Orange County-based client a few years ago, doing the remodel for their primary home. I was happy to hear from them recently, especially when they told me that they wanted me to design the lodge they were currently building. I was excited to hear that they had only started framing the 5,000 sq. ft. property, which meant that they called at the right time. So many people are unaware that it is best to get the interior designer involved before construction has been completed, but this couple knew what they were doing. (read the rest of this post…)