Deb Reinhart

Exquisite Powder Rooms

admin — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:05:33 +0000

People often ask me as a designer what they should do to add a unique touch to their homes when they are nervous to use bold colors or wall treatments in their spaces. The answer- the powder room.

Powder rooms are typically small spaces so they are a perfect place to test out an exciting wallpaper, a bright color and a bold vanity. Because they are always defined with their own door, powder rooms do not need to match the rest of the rooms in the house.

Take a look at some cool powder rooms we love. Maybe it will help you to get some inspiration for your home!

The antique chest turned vanity with cool metal vessel sink and wall mounted faucet make our City Beach House powder room really pop.

The amazing dresser turned vanity, mixed with the amazing mirror and luxe marble make a bold statement in this beautiful powder room. Houzz.com

A super modern vanity with whimsical wallpaper and pops of bling make this a fun, eclectic powder room. Houzz.com

Without the stripes in this powder room, it would be plain and boring. Here, the designer chose to bring in a cool, bold statement and make this a show piece. Houzz.com

The cool asian inspired vanity and fun, graphic wallpaper make this powder room a delightful statement. Houzz.com

The cool trellis wallpaper and funky mirror add some fun to this little room. Houzz.com

Are you feeling inspired? Tell us what you think!

Hot New Trends in Bathroom Design

admin — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:29:31 +0000

This past week we had the privilege of attending the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show. It was great to see the hot new trends in plumbing, tile and cabinetry. We saw everything from 3D tiles from Ann Sacks, to amazing new quartz products from Cambria.

Cool 3D tiles from Ann Sacks

Cambria quartz slabs look like granite- some of the newest patterns now look so much like natural stone it is nearly impossible to tell they are man made!

One trend that we noticed repeatedly was the addition of an LED light bar in bathroom vanities. Aside from its cool appearance, this is also a functional element, acting like a night light for those middle of the night trips to the bathroom. In the past, this would have been hard to do as traditional light sources can be large or get very hot, creating a fire hazard. Now with the new LED lighting technology, the components are small and the diodes emit almost no heat, allowing the electrical components to be buried. This eliminates that danger of being near water as well as they are able to remain completely separate.

Check out the cool ways they are incorporating lights into vanities below.

This gorgeous vanity not only has the cool light bar, but also has a gorgeous wood veneer pattern, cool hardware and a cool, solid surface sink/top. Love it!

This cool vanity mixes the modern LED lighting and wall mounted feel with the carved leg for a fun balance.

Super cool double vanity- so modern and sleek!

Love the wall mount of these vanities for a modern feel

This vanity is made entirely of metal and glass, for a cool and "green" product. The glass fronts come in a variety of finishes, including this great sparkling gray.

Streeterville Urban Townhome

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 21:24:13 +0000

LXTV Open House- April 2012

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:30:32 +0000

Real Kitchens, 2012 Premier Issue

admin — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:53:19 +0000

Designing Cool Kid’s Spaces That Parents Will Love

admin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:04:59 +0000

One of the big challenges in the interior design world is designing gorgeous spaces in homes that are occupied by young children. Between sticky fingers, crayons and markers, and messy spills, it is hard enough to design grown up spaces the whole family can enjoy. For many the design savvy client, good design must continue into kid’s only zones like playrooms and bedrooms. So many of the kid-focused products on the market are cheesy and too childish or colorful for a sophisticated home. So what is a design minded person to do?

Cedarworks, a custom wood playground company located in Rockport, Maine, has come up with the perfect solution with their rhapsody line of products. Featuring indoor playgrounds, play houses and cool beds that double as interactive play areas, these are sure to be loved by children. The natural wood, beautiful carvings and whimsical designs will appeal to their stylish parents. By incorporating slides, artist easels, chalk boards and educational toys into the design of these wood pieces, there is no need for the brightly colored plastic products.

Check out some of the fun options!

A sweet playhouse for the elegant, traditional home.

A play house for the lover of modern design

This is so cool! With drawers for storage and interactive games, this bunk bed is a great alternative to traditional bunk beds.

How to get down from the top bunk? A slide!!

Not only is this beautiful with the carved panels, but could this look more fun?!

A neat indoor playground for a fabulous playroom!

This sure beats the forts I used to build in my bedroom as a child!

“Hot” Fireplace Designs!

admin — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 18:08:33 +0000

As a designer, I get emails from vendors trying to sell me their wares on a daily basis. Much of what I see are different versions of the same thing, but once in awhile something very special and unique comes through that I have to share. Today, I received an email from Focus Contemporary Fireplaces showcasing their incredibly special and unique fireplaces. Focus is the brainchild of Dominique Imbert, a French chef, ethnologist and literature professor turned sculptor and fireplace designer. After many different career attempts, Imbert settled on designing these unique pieces after he created a fireplace for himself and quickly received commissions to create more.

I have seen tons of cool fireplaces that are made to look like art or that seem to defy gravity; but while they all use an electric or gas flame, many of these are actually wood burning!

Check out the wonderful images of these amazing fireplaces.

This fireplace was Imbert's original design, created in 1968. It is wood burning (with a gas option) and is designed to swivel 360 degrees so it can be seen from any vantage point in the room.

This fireplace is actually covered in leather! Such a gorgeous statement in a contemporary and elegant room.

This cool fireplace is designed to look like a rip in the wall and is wood burning (gas option). What a cool alternative to a traditional surround!

This is absolutely amazing. Reminiscent of paintings by Mondrian, this unique fireplace is a bold statement piece!

This fireplace almost looks like a flat screen tv suspended in mid-air but is actually a full wood-burning fireplace!

This cool hanging fireplace is more transitional and would look great with everything from rustic, traditional decor to uber modern designs.

Another out of the "rip" line, this custom designed fireplace features a cool metal surround that is ripped in the center to create an incredible focal point in the room.

I look forward to incorporating one of these special pieces in my designs in the near future!

Celebrating Incredible Artistry

admin — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 20:51:09 +0000

Last night I attended a party at the magnificent Waldorf Astoria Chicago hotel to showcase the incredible works of R&B Faux Studio, Inc. The artists Renata and Bozena create magnificent faux finishes using cool textures, bold colors and great finishes. Below are some pics of the party as well as some of my favorite boards. Enjoy!

This finish was created using different textures and building up patterns around various stencils and then doing a painted finish over the plasters.

This textures mimics that dotted effect of Shagreen (sting ray skin)

This one has a super smooth, shiny finish. It is best used for table tops or to create panels on a wall.

This finish is created using rows of tapes that are then plastered over with shimmering Venetian plaster. Reminiscent of capiz shells or mother of pearl. Gorgeous.

This one made us swoon. It has a chunky linen texture that was then painted in a stunning metallic silver and highlighted with a glaze treatment to give it some low-lights. Stunning.

The breathtaking lobby of the Waldorf! The sculptures are a bit bizarre, but just adds to the overall eclectic design.

A larger album will be posted on our facebook page. Be sure to check it out and “like” our page!

Amazing Pillows Inspired by Nature’s Hardest Materials

admin — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:21:33 +0000

While looking through all the beautiful images on Houzz, I stumbled upon these cool pillows/ottomans and had to share! A rock is most certainly an odd inspiration for these soft, wooly pillows. Maybe that is what makes them so cool? The natural, organic shapes and neutral colors are perfect with many design styles. Check out some great images of these fun pillows and ottomans!

These amazing rock cushions by Smarin are beyond cool!

This looks fun!

They look amazing in this room!

What was old is new again- Timeless elegance at a Chicago landmark

admin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:31:07 +0000

As I discussed in a recent blog, sometimes the most beautiful aspects of interior design aren’t the ones you see straight ahead, but rather, above you. A beautiful ceiling can be the difference between an average room and a magnificent one. Take for example, this incredible Chicago landmark.

The gorgeous Tiffany glass mosaic ceiling

The Tiffany glass mosaic ceiling was the first iridescent glass dome and remains the largest glass mosaic ceiling in the world at over 6,000 square feet.

Can you guess where this beautiful ceiling is? It is the Macy’s on State Street! Housed in the former Marshall Field’s building, the space has undergone many transformations over the nearly 150 years since it was built, but some of the original beautiful elements remain in tact. Next time you are browsing through the racks of clothes or grabbing a sandwich at the marketplace, be sure to look up at the beautiful ceiling created in a different era, when shopping was a special and formal experience and stores were filled with grandeur.