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Creating an Outdoor Living Space

6/8/2015

Being that we live in California, we're lucky to be able to live outside almost year round. One of the things I strive to do in my designs, especially if I'm involved in a project early on, is to encourage my clients to create an outdoor living space as part of their new home.

Design by Rich Starley Interior Design Studio

The areas that we design can have a wide variety in the way they are executed. To create a full on indoor-outdoor feel we would create a loggia, an outdoor covered living space like this one we designed for a client in Pasa Del Mar.

Design by Rich Starley Interior Design Studio

Another way of developing an outdoor living space is to develop the space entirely outdoors. Then provide umbrellas or optional awnings to give sun shading like this uncovered outdoor patio we created for a client in Newport Coast.

Outdoor Furniture

Features for an outdoor living space can include an outdoor fireplace, kitchen, or outdoor barbecue area. New technology developments mean we can now have a TV outdoors along with a music system incorporated into an outdoor living space.

Most important though is comfortable seating and a place to eat. For the last 5 years I have represented a line of outdoor furniture by Summer Classics. I encourage you to take a look at their website www.summerclassics.com The furniture below is from Summer Classics' Sedona series. This is just one of many venders I represent when it comes to outdoor furniture.

In addition to the great resources I have for outdoor furniture, my Designer Fabric Lines now carry outdoor fabrics which are hard to tell from the regular indoor fabrics. The applications go from draperies, to furniture upholstery, and more. The range has grown tremendously in the last 5 years.

Hardscape, Softscape, and Water Conservation

Design by Rich Starley Interior Design Studio

In any outdoor living space you have your hardscape surrounded by softscape, which is your planting materials and/or lawn.

Now that we are becoming more conscious of our environment and more water conscious, a great way to finish any outdoor living space is to use a variety of potted plants. These require considerably less water and can be changed seasonally. Drought tolerant planting can also be used.

When it comes to hardscape for an exterior, we have a tremendous variety of materials like natural stone, concrete or concrete products for pavers and for hard surface materials. There are concrete tiles as well as some ceramics which are suitable for outdoors. Then we have natural materials like compacted granite, gravel and of course natural rocks. Don't forget, we haven't even talked about the products we have for wood decks and/or patios which we can discuss if you are interested in that kind of material for your outdoor living space.

Design by Rich Starley Interior Design Studio

Noted in this design, we literally brought the inside material outside to give the client a truly indoor-outdoor feel. We also included a vary unusual water feature that was produced from one solid slab of granite.

A variety of natural materials can be used for walkways, paths and seating areas. For someone who really wants the look of grass, but not the expense of the water bill, there are great looking artificial turfs too.

Time to Update Your Exterior Space

I encourage my readers to take a look at the Summer Classics website and contact me to design a new outdoor living space or update the one you have. Please make a point to call us at the Design Center so we can come and take a look at your space and give you our suggestions. (562) 987-3738.

As always your comments and questions are very welcome.

New Colors And Textures For 2015

3/20/2015

It's the beginning of a new year and I hope you've had a prosperous first quarter.

With spring just around the corner, this would be a good time to freshen up the home. A makeover for the over-tired guest bedroom, new draperies, or new covers for furniture can change your look economically.

New Fabric Colors and Textures

This is the time of year when new fabrics are being launched. Here, at the Design Studio, we have over 15 major fabric lines that are exclusive to the trade, so there's lots of fabulous new fabrics to choose from.

The trend for contemporary fabric is getting much stronger and we have lots of great new products for contemporary application. Silver and grey colors are popular.

Another look that many fabrics are enhanced with is embroidery. It's been part of the textile industry for hundreds of years and it's a great way to introduce pattern and texture, giving your home a textured quality that many regular fabrics don"t accomplish as well.

Maybe it's time to take your more traditional home and move it into a contemporary direction to give it a fresh new look.

We have many fabrics that go beautifully with a traditional or contemporary home like this tribal reference showcased here.

We sometimes refer to these types of fabrics as Transitional.

And, if you want to make a dramatic
statement, don't be afraid to use strong color - it's a great way to do it.

New Textures in Carpeting

There are lots of new textures in the way of carpeting this spring.

An old favorite is now being reintroduced - shag carpeting.

It's great for wall to wall or if you have hardwood or stone floors and want to do a cost effective area rug, it's perfectly nice on a reasonable budget.

Try A Complimentary Consultation

Remember, my first consultation is free and I'd be happy to come to your home or apartment to see the project. Just give me a call at (562) 987 - 3787 and we'll arrange a time so you can take advantage of all the wonderful new colors and textures this spring.

Upcoming Projects

In the coming months we'll be working on a new home that's being built in Palos Verdes and we'll keep you updated on our progress.

As a reminder, in case you didn't know, the Design Studio can make all of your design drawings available on CAD.

We'll be posting more pictures of the new fabrics on facebook over the next month. So please fell free to like our page if you are interested in seeing more.

How to select an interior designer

1/15/2015

Selecting the right interior designer for your home will make all the difference in the success of your project. In this article we’ve put together 6 vital decision points on how to select the very best interior designer:

Choose a designer with the ability to understand your lifestyle and turn your design concept it into a reality that enhances it:

Your lifestyle in your home is as unique as you are and many important factors must be identified. For example, do you have kids? and/or pets? Do you enjoy entertaining often?… There are many important lifestyle questions to be answered, each of which will have an impact on your design project.

A great designer is able to identify your lifestyle, and will then show you how to pick elements and products which will enhance the enjoyment of your home according to your specific desires. He will adhere to the rule ‘form follows function’ and select elements which fit your lifestyle and the space they’re working in.

Furthermore, identification of your lifestyle works its way into each aspect of the project, starting with a proper space plan, all the way through coordinating each step, so that the finished product not only fits your lifestyle, but enhances it as well.

Don’t choose a designer based on lowest cost:

They say “Things are cheap for a reason” – and it is just as true with interior design as it is with other things.

A great designer helps you develop a budget upfront so you know where you want to go with the end project. The process of creating a budget for your project is best done by a designer with many years experience, and who also has strong relationships with suppliers and other contractors who can fulfill orders on-time and within budget.

Select a designer who can educate you on the multitude of options available:

A great designer will educate and inform to help you make the right decisions on products, which ultimately leads to a long term solution for your interior design. Did you know that most design projects have a 10-15 year life span? For this reason, it’s critical to choose an interior designer who will guide you through each option so you’ll have maximum length of return on your design investment. He will help you make selections that will hold their age and are timeless and classic.

A great designer is aware of home fashion trends:

Home fashion trends are important in every project, but your interior designer should also keep you from making the mistake of being “too trendy” and should have a critical mind about the end use of the elements in your design project.

You don’t want to get so caught up in creating a look, that you forget about the end use, and you should choose a designer who keeps this in mind at all times.

Choose a designer who understands the importance of the right finishing elements:

A great designer knows how to get you a successful outcome in the final critical step of choosing accessories. For example, when you buy a new suit or outfit, the accessories are key elements that really finish the project well! And so it is with great interior design too.

Choose a designer who can make the project fun!

Interior design does not have to be stressful. A great designer can make the decision making process easy and fun while keeping the project on track, and managing the process so that it is enjoyable and rewarding to you.

If you’d like more information about choosing a great interior designer, Rich Starley is always here to help. Call the design studio at any time: (562) 987-3787

Completed Project: Before & After Photos in laguna Hills

11/10/2014

We're ready to unveil our finished project for our client in Laguna Hills. There were multiple changes throughout the whole house, however the biggest was bringing the look from a very tired 30 year old home, up to a fresher traditional look; updated with current fabrics, color trends in terms of our finishes, current stone, and other materials for our finished products.

The entry hall was an expansive area with a very traditional staircase, iron railing and wood handrail. My client didn't want to change this, but from a design standpoint it felt large, uninteresting and rather cold. Our solution was to bring in new wall covering and a new lighting fixture; making a dramatic impact when you first come in to the home.

Above Photo: Entry before with large mirror above the front door.

Right photo: Entry after project completion.

Our next biggest transition area was our kitchen where we had to work with 1930s style construction cabinetry. Since the client did not want to replace these, but did want a new look, we accomplished this by using a faux finish - ('faux' meaning a technique designed to replicate real wood or other material but done with paint in this particular case).

The new countertops were in granite, and the backsplash was a copper tile. We also provided new paint and furnishings.

Above Photo: Kitchen before

Right photo: Kitchen after project completion.

In our family room we provided a new entertainment area which we incorporated a built-in fireplace, new furnishings, and the complete refinish and reface of the existing bar. We used a lot of the client's personal art and accessories to give this room a very comfortable lived-in look. (Left photo)

Next, in the upstairs master suite, the master bath required the largest portion of construction for the project. Here, we were able to demo the entire bathroom and start fresh. We took a very old 1930's style bathroom and removed a very large jacuzzi bathtub that didn't function properly and was much too large (right photo), as well as a shower that was way too small (left photo below).

Removal of the jacuzzi bathtub allowed us to put in a brand new spa tub and gave us room to work with to double the size of the shower. The shower now has a comfortable seating area, built in steam unit, and multiple shower heads, including a rain head. In addition to the changes to shower and tub, we provided a large double vanity with sinks, ionized water system for the client's personal use and a separate sit down vanity in the changing area directly off the master closet; giving the entire bathroom a spa-like feel (right photo below).

From start to finish the entire project took a little over 3 months, and our finished product speaks for itself in that we created a space that was very much the needs and wants of the individual client.

We hope you enjoy these final photos, and the before and after comparisons. Please feel free to comment or contact us to offer feedback or discuss an design idea of your own.

Invisible wiring: how We accomplished it for our client

10/8/2014

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Fireplace, before installation

My client in Laguna Hills had 2 primary locations for televisions in the house. The first one was in the family room, and above the fireplace was the best location in relation to the room layout. (Important design footnote: in creating a good functional design for a room it’s important not to have opposing viewpoints. In other words, a room must have a single focal point, not multiple focal points. Having opposing focal points can create a feeling of confusion when in the actual space. If the primary focus of the room were a view (i.e. of the ocean) you would not want to take away from that view. Placement of furniture and other items needs to take this into consideration. This could also be true for TVs, fireplaces or any other elements that may be a focal point.)

The client wanted a large flat screen TV that needed to be mounted on top of the fireplace. In addition he wanted surround sound, which meant some sort of speaker application. In a surround sound situation you have 3 channels: left and right front channels, a center channel for voice, and rear channels for effects. We had an unusual situation with the fireplace being brick and also not having walls on either side for us to use in-wall speakers. So, the first part of our solution was to put the front sound effects on either side of the TV using a specific product called a speaker bar that does left, right and center channels. We did our rear effects in the ceiling.

Interior Design Fireplace with TV mounted

The real challenge was to get all of the required wiring to run from the TV over to the cabinetry where the equipment was housed, and keep it invisible. My solution was to design a façade of wood on the fireplace to house all of the wiring so you wouldn’t see it. We ran the wiring down the leg of this façade to the outlet on the wall. It was a seamless installation giving the impression that the TV and speakers had no wiring.

Our 2nd TV location was over the fireplace in master bedroom. Here our installation was a little easier because we had conventional stud and drywall construction. This allowed us to bring all the wiring for the TV and sound through with minimal repairs needed.

For this TV, my client had an unusual request in that he did not want to see the TV on a regular basis. We used a product called Visionart – which allows you to have the look of a piece of art with the function of TV; simultaneously in one place.

The client selected a Giclée for the art; a form of limited edition artwork. This was mounted on the Visionart special apparatus, allowing it to be rolled up inside a decorative frame, exposing the TV when desired. When finished watching, the art can return to its original position.

The music for the main part of the house was 2 part – one tied to the system in the family room, one tied to a control in the master bedroom. In the master we used a wireless system called Sonos which allows you to stream music from multiple sources wirelessly.

Up next, we’ll present our finished project with excellent photos of my client’s completed home. As always, feel free to comment and ask questions about the work and thank you for taking the time to read about our latest project.

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Progress In Laguna Hills

9/6/2014

In this next series of images you’ll see the progress we’ve made in the kitchen: our completed faux finish, granite countertops and new window installed. At this point the client decided he didn’t need the 2 ovens and preferred a microwave and oven combination instead. (Click any photo to view larger)

Moving on to the master bathroom we begin our tiling process. The material we’ve chosen is a form a travertine, but it’s not your run-of-the-mill coloring and is very unique.

I’ve chosen a running bond (or brick) pattern to give the shower a more contemporary feel. We’ve also included a stone liner to give us the ability to create some pattern and design for the stone inside. In the photo below you can see we’re also creating a shower niche for the bath products.

The ceiling is being prepped for tiling, also done in the running bond pattern. (click any image below to view larger)

The tub is being tiled in, so now you can see how clean the under mount tub is as it’s getting closer to completion.

The bar’s finish was also fully addressed – here is a photo now of the bar after stripping and sanding with it’s new finish, we’ve kept it lighter to accentuate the burl wood top.

This brings us to about 7 weeks into the project – the next 2 weeks will be finalizing all of the details we’ve outline in the previous blog posts. What’s left are the backsplashes for both the kitchen and master bath countertops which have already been installed, setting all of our final fixtures for our new sinks and shower, as well as our new lighting fixtures. I convinced the client to change the entry fixture to one that is more updated and suitable to the overall design.

We’ll also look at the final designs of our 2 fireplace details, one of which allowed us to mount a new flatscreen tv on an existing brick fireplace. This provided a unique challenge in that the client wanted surround sound for the room too, requiring the TV and sound on the fireplace. The sound is part of the whole-house music system that required multiple wiring to be brought to a central location on the fireplace. Since it’s fully brick, it could not be drilled through, thus the wiring had to be mounted on the front of façade of the fireplace. Our next blog post will show you how we accomplished the client’s goals while maintaining integrity of our design, overcoming the challenge of automation in a 30 year old home.

Thank you for reading the blog post this month. As always, your feedback, comments and questions are more than welcome!

Update: Transformation Of a Laguna Hills home

8/1/2014

In this post we’re going more in depth with parts of the project we discussed previously: the kitchen, the entryway and the master spa bath.

(Click any image to view larger)

Starting with the kitchen, we’ve removed old countertops, backsplashes, and the window and we’re prepping for our new finish as well as installing a new window.

There’s also a bar in the family room that needs to be addressed, and we’re stripping off the old finish (a dark stain that was poorly executed), sanding it and getting it ready for the new.

In the kitchen we’re using a faux finish designed to look more like a real wood finish, though done on materials that are typically suited for paint, not stain.

Next, we’ve removed the mirror in the entry, and created a new panel based on my design for the client. The panel you see in the photo will be stained to the match front doors, and a faux finish will go on the window frames around the 2 sidelights – giving the front entry a uniform look.

Through all of this, while in production and we have multiple crews there on a daily basis and we manage them to successfully execute each phase of the project.

In the master bath upstairs we’ve abandoned the old tub completely because it was so dated, and the client wanted a more spa like bathroom. By doing this, it allowed us to increase the size of the shower, which will now be a spa-like feature with multiple shower heads, and a steam bath. Take a look at the new framing in the photo to the left to accommodate the new tub and shower layout.

The spa tub that we’ve now dropped in is an air bath system designed to push warm air through small holes at the base of the tub so the whole experience becomes a warm bubbly sensation. In the photo above it’s being prepped and made ready for undermount installation. (With an undermounted tub (or sink), you see only the bowl or vessel portion, but you don’t see any of the support. It’s done to give it more custom look.)

This brings us up to date so far as to where the project currently stands.

In the next blog we’ll be showing more of the finished product being worked on here, including: countertops, stonework produced for master spa bath, cabinets for the master spa bath, stages of our new finish for the kitchen.

Your comments and feedback are always appreciated, so please let us know what you think!

The transformation of a Laguna Hills home

7/15/2014

We’re midway thru the year and this is typically the time of year people start projects in anticipation of the fall season. Our new blog series is going to show how we can take an older home and bring it up to current standards. This home is located in Laguna Hills and was built in 1981.

I’m going to be sharing with you before and after photos, in addition to photos that illustrate the process of what we do to transform an older home.

Take a look at the sketches we've created to help the client visualize the changes.

One of the first things we do is to sit down with the client and create a wish list or direction of where the client wants to take the home. In this particular project, they didn’t want to do a complete renovation on the kitchen, so the next option would be to provide a face-lift for the kitchen.

This is the kitchen in it's current state before the facelift.

The facelift will consist of new counters and backsplash, and for now we’re doing to do a re-finish of existing cabinets. However, we’re designing them in a way that if the client decides they want to do new cabinets down the road, we’re leaving that door open.

We’d be able to keep the original bodies of the cabinets and they will have new faces put on them, and all new doors and drawers, essentially giving the kitchen a brand new look.

The 2nd major portion of this remodel is the master suite where we are doing a complete renovation of the master bathroom. In this part of the project, I’ll show pictures of what the bathroom looks like in its current state, and drawings of what the proposed remodel will look like. Take a look at the actual photos before construction and during the process below.

This is going to be a step-by-step process where we take you through entire project of taking an older home and transforming it into today’s standards.

Above: Original entryway with the mirror.

Right: Entryway in progress, after removal of the mirror.

There are existing difficulties in this house when it comes to technology, however we have a few creative solutions to work around them and provide the client with the same finished look as if this home were being built in today’s standards to include wiring for computers, home automation, flat screen TVs, etc.

I'm looking forward to sharing more photos with you as the project progresses, so check back soon.

Rich's latest Project: Before & After

6/9/2014

Last year Rich was contracted to design the interior and exterior of a client’s beach home. The highly organized contractor on this project was able to move forward quickly, and construction was done in a very good time frame; from start to finish in about 8 months. We wanted you to see the final finished project with a few before and after photos.

As a part of any interior design project you have several stages: the rough stage (which is the very beginning of any project including the foundation, framing, rough in plumbing, drywall or plaster, etc.), the finish stage (cabinetry, finish carpentry, painting, carpeting), and once that is complete, we’re then ready to stage the house with furniture and accessories. Check out the before and after photos that first show the finish stage of the project, followed by the inclusion of furniture and accessories:

Before & After

Also, take a look at photos of a few of the other rooms in the house:

In addition to the furnishings, Rich made each bedroom with a unique design at the request of the client. Since this is a second home at the beach to be used by the immediate & extended family, (and not a primary residence), the client wanted it to be more of a fun place with character in each bedroom.

Accessories

5/19/2014

The final stage of our ongoing client project is to choose the accessories. Previously, we added the final fabric for pillows to give the client’s room a unique feel. The fabric we chose for pillows really qualifies as an accessory. The direction for the accessories is two-fold; one to echo the contemporary feel of the furniture, and also to introduce pieces that had a unique or classic feel to them.

In starting an accessory project, I start with an idea in my mind in terms of it’s final look. The right accessories are very similar to dressing properly. In buying a beautiful suite, what makes that suite even nicer are the finishing touches – such as a great pair of shoes, a belt, handbag, briefcase, watch or other accessories.

I start with a visit to my suppliers who are part of my extensive library of resources. Most of these resources are exclusive to the design trade, not open to the general public and are suppliers of unique, one-of-a-kind products.
(Click any photo below to view a larger version)

I chose accessories with finishes that would enhance and dramatize our fabric selection and other materials. In this case, these finishes are antique bronze, hammered or burnished metals, warm rich, dark woods, and other materials with an earthy, natural feel to them. I selected antique pieces over new pieces with the exception of the large piece of contemporary art that went over the fireplace (seen in the center image above). I used rustic finishes for the lamps in our required lighting locations.

The cocktail table will be fairly clean and open, using an antique box for the centerpiece along with some artificial succulents. The client wanted the greenery, but didn’t want the maintenance of live plants. The artificial plants we use today are extremely life-like.

I also picked an antique water pot and will use a pair of those on either side of the fireplace to anchor the opening of the fireplace.

The finished product, when it’s put together, gives us an overall contemporary feel to the room with the simplicity of a few unique pieces that become the jewelry for the room.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this walkthrough blog series of our design project from start to finish. We’d be delighted to hear your feedback and comments!

Note: This is our final post in the our series that walks you through Rich's steps of project management. Thanks for following, and we're looking forward to bringing you more valuable design information in the months ahead!

<<Previous

Creating an Outdoor Living Space

New Colors And Textures For 2015

How to select an interior designer

Completed Project: Before & After Photos in laguna Hills

Invisible wiring: how We accomplished it for our client

Progress In Laguna Hills

Update: Transformation Of a Laguna Hills home

The transformation of a Laguna Hills home

Rich's latest Project: Before & After

Before & After

Accessories

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