Deb Reinhart Interior Design Group Inc.

Monthly Archives: February 2012

Reaching New Heights with Ceiling Design

I have been working on the office of a client that is currently a simple, rather dull space.  It does have one beautiful architectural detail- the ceiling!  It is amazing the difference a ceiling can make to the overall feel of a room.  If you take a simple room and do a special detailing on the ceiling, like add molding or beams, a wallpaper treatment, or even a cool paint treatment, you instantly turn an average room into something special.

 

The cool office ceiling. I can't wait to make it pop!

Here, I created a ton of visual interest in this hallway by creating a lighted cove ceiling and placing not only beautiful lighting, but a great piece of wood to create layers of color and texture.

For this installation, I created a cove and put an amazing slice of a live edge tree trunk and did cut outs for the lights.

To add additional texture and color and tie the natural wood of the lower cabinets in, I selected a beautiful piece of wood for the ceiling and inserted it into a cove.

Here, I created different ceiling heights and did a beautiful paint treatment plus a sparkling chandelier that creates a cool light effect on the walls and ceiling.

As a designer, I am constantly scanning design mags and websites for inspiration and to learn about new products.  I saw these beautiful rooms on Houzz and was impressed by the beauty of the ceilings in these spaces.

The ceiling in this room is amazing. It is wonderful how the designer (PPDS from Austin, TX) was able to create such a dazzling effect just by using a few pieces of molding.

Local designer Michael Abrams created this magnificent ceiling. The furnishings of this room are so simple and it is unfinished without any art or accessories, but with the amazing ceiling, the room really stands out.

This amazing ceiling really brings this room into a new level of design. Imagine the same room with a plain white ceiling instead of the magnificent moldings and wood paneling. Design by Murphy and Co. of Buffalo, MN.

This ceiling, designed by Hugh Jefferson Randolph Architects, uses simple mdf panels arranged in a cool way and painted to create a modern beamed ceiling.

The criss cross beams of this "coffered" ceiling by Gaile Guevara makes this otherwise very simple and neutral room look very cool and modern.

This dining room ceiling reminds me of the office project I am working on. This architectural element turned this super simple dining room into a really beautiful space. Design by Enviable Designs, Vancouver, BC.

This ceiling is gorgeous! LA based designer Elizabeth Gordon wallpapered the ceiling then anchored a beautiful sunburst mirror in the center to create incredible visual interest. Bravo for taking a big design risk!

Creating a "headboard" that continues across the room adds drama and elegance to this cool bedroom by B+G Designs in Hollywood Florida. I also love the amazing cube chandelier.

The other view of this room. Super cool.

I could truly go on all day with more amazing shots of beautifully designed ceilings and the spaces that exist beneath them, but I will leave you with just one more….

This ceiling has a great dark paint treatment. I love how they stopped the wallpaper just short of the ceiling and applied molding as though it were crown to separate the wallpaper from the black ceiling. Such a cool room. Love the amazing sputnik chandelier as well!

Montage Collection from Pindler & Pindler

Pindler & Pindler has a beautiful fabric collection that has recently been released, Signature Exclusive Montage Collection.  This fabric collection is full of vibrant colors & fashion forward patterns.

“The Montage Collection is a “montage” of simple modern and transitional contemporary fabrics with a “World Traveler” feel, which coordinate to create an exciting atmosphere that is modern and edgy.” – Pindler & Pindler

Not only is this collection beautiful but is also very durable.  All fabrics have minimum of 30,000 double rubs and some are even finished with Teflon for extra durability.  These luxurious fabrics will meet your need for style and wear well, in your busy life.

Please contact us at Deb Reinhart Interior Design Group for pricing and other information on these fabrics,  info@debreinhart.com (847) 256-9510

Left to Right: Simpatico (7 colorways available), Zigzag (5 colorways available) & IKat Dot (9 colorways available). All of these patterns are over 30,0000 double rubs and are finished with Teflon for extra durability.

Top to Bottom: IKat Dot (9 color ways available), Nairobi (9 colorways available) has 51,000 double rubs & washed in a eco-wash, Simpatico (7 colorways available)

 

Left to Right: Visage is a drapery silk solid (25 color ways available!), Mustique is a large scale stylized modern Ukbeki floral vine (4 colorways available), IKat Dot (9 color ways available)

Nairobi is a ethnic chenille washed damask design. Colors shown from left to right Greystone, Morocco, and Mocha

Simple Kitchen Design Updates

Are you looking for some simple changes that will help update your kitchen without doing a entire rehab?  Here are 4 tips from  House Beautiful that will improve your kitchen for your use as well as improve with resale value.

 

Tip # 1:  Add or Replace a Back splash

A simple back splash update can bring energy, color & a more modern feel to a kitchen without requiring a huge budget.  Back splash tile could either be a simple subway tile or a detailed mosaic.  House Beautiful even suggests you could simply add decals to your existing tile.

 

Mosaic Tile by Ann Sacks with Precious Stones

This Ann Sacks mosaic tile adds lots of bold color to a simple galley kitchen design.

Be Creative! Our client fell in love with these charming "bug tiles" so we incorporated them into different areas of the back splash. Here the dragonfly is inset in glass mosaic.

In this House Beautiful image, decals where applied to the existing back splash.

 

Tip # 2: Update Lighting

Updating lighting in a kitchen can make a enormous difference in design and function. Here are some suggestions for simple kitchen lighting updates:

  • Pendant lighting to a bar or island
  • Under cabinet lighting
  • Extra recessed or spot lighting

Crystal pendants coordinate with the semi-flush crystal fixtures in our clients "City Beach House" kitchen.

A simple pendant & recessed spots add plenty of useful lighting to our clients modern kitchen design.

 

Tip 3:  Replace Hardware

Replacing cabinet hardware can really help update your kitchen as well as tie together a theme.   Here are some tips to choosing the right hardware.

  • Do you prefer a pull or a handle?
  • Think about proportion based on your cabinet size
  • Match finishes to existing finishes in your kitchen (fixtures & lighting)

 

Oil Rubbed Hardware was chosen for our clients' "Lincoln Park Townhome"

For this client at "City Beach House" we chose a 1.25" crystal knob.

Crystal Hardware in "City Beach House" kitchen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Restoration Hardware offers timeless hardware options for reasonable prices.

Tip 4:  Reface Your Cabinets

Instead of replacing your cabinets you could replace the fronts completely or reface them (by repainting or restraining).

 

 

The before image of a drastic transformation by refacing cabinets.

By refacing these cabinets for our client, this kitchen was dramatically changed. The white makes the kitchen feel airy & open.

This kitchen with refaced cabinets by Deb Reinhart Interior Design Group was featured in Better Homes & Gardens magazine.

This kitchen cabinet refacing by House Beautiful did the unexpected by not only painting the outside of the cabinets but also painted the inside a lime green for a added pop of color.



A Private Throne

I have spent the last couple weeks comparing ancient man to modern man and referencing my trip to see the remains of the ancient world.  I have spoken about how we use many of the same products and design principals today as our ancestors did in ancient times.  One place where this is not so true… the bathroom.

While there were certainly private baths in the ancient world, many in the Roman empire (which incidentally was way ahead of other civilizations) used public bathrooms which usually required payed admission and were just that- public.  At Ephesus, I saw an area that had lines of squat toilets carved into a long stone bench with an ancient form of plumbing underneath- basically a big public port-o-potty!

Dozens of holes in a long bench fed to a trough underneath that fed into rivers. People would pay to use these public toilets, and while it is believed by Westerners that people sat on these toilets, they are actually squat toilets, still used by over half the world.

We have come a long way since then, and even in the last few years.  Manufacturers are now making toilets at seat height to make it more comfortable to sit on, are paying attention to the shape of the seat and are using air and water pressure to ensure everything stays clean and fresh.  Due to the recent water conservation legislation put into effect, manufacturers are being challenged to create toilets with maximum flush impact using less and less water and energy.  One very cool piece of technology is the dual flush toilet.  These toilets first showed up in public restrooms a few years ago but have been streamlined and made more attractive and appealing to a residential clientele.  It has two flush settings based on what you are flushing, and uses less water and energy when less is required.

You may have seen these toilets in public restrooms with the water saving handle. Luckily, this technology is available for residential use with attractive flushing mechanisms.

Although we have learned so much from our ancient counterparts, I am delighted this is one area where we continued to evolve and can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Close-ups of the toilets at Ephesus. The hole in the front was so people could splash water to cleanse themselves after using the toilets, sort of like a primitive bidet.

This illustration from Kohler shows the technology of their new dual flush toilets.

Kohler's K-3654 Persuade Toilet with dual flush technology. Modern luxury and beauty with great new technology.

This painted room housed the latrine used by the Emperor of Rome, Nero. While painted with lovely colors and embellished, it still had no way of closing off the waste beneath the hole and was therefore a similar experience to having a private porto-potty!

The actual "toilet" area of Emperor Nero's bathroom

Benjamin Moore Paint Trends for 2012

Benjamin Moore does a wonderful job with paint color trends for the year.  The 2012 color palette focuses on natural & earth tones (blues, browns, tans & grays) mixed with splashes of warm hues (berry & citrus colors).  This “nature” theme of color is evident in Benjamin Moore’s color of the year selection, which is a blue.

COLOR OF THE YEAR

Color of the Year, Wrythe Blue: HC-143

Wrythe Blue, Used in a Dining Room

Wythe Blue: “It evokes the sea and sky, physically calms us and symbolizes trust and commitment”. – Benjamin Moore

 

Benjamin Moore has put together these four great palettes, they are wonderful inspiration for your painting project.

Electric Elegance : Blues are a tranquil & feel timeless.  This palette can be used as a monochromatic tone-on-tone for a more modern & sophisticated treatment.  Colors Include:
  • Stardust
  • Gypsy Love
  • White Dove
  • Nymbus Gray
  • Farm Fresh

Electric Elegance Color Palette

Electric Elegance

Earth & Sky: Blue as a anchor & earthy natural tones for a palette VERY close to nature.
  • Skarkskin
  • Fresh olive
  • Battenberg
  • Storm Cloud Gray
  • Wythe Blue (COLOR OF THE YEAR!)

Earth & Sky Color Palette

Earth & Sky

Sense & Sensibility: Copper-orange is rich & bold while the cool hues add a calming tone.
  • Ballet White
  • Masada
  • Dunmore Cream
  • Pashmina
  • Montpelier

Sense & Sensability Color Palette

Sense & Sensability

Spiced Life: The warm accent color adds a feminine touch to a very masculine palette of blues, gray & brown.
  • French Press
  • Revere Pewter
  • Persimmon
  • Redefined
  • Amethyst Shadow

Spiced Life Color Palette

Spiced Life

You can try any of these colors in your space with the Benjamin Moore personal paint viewer. This online painting tool allows you can upload a photo of your room and sample paint options virtually.