Less is always more!

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in Inspiration on February 27th, 2012 , tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , .

My favorite interior design trend for Spring 2012 is the “less is more” ideology.  Adopting the notion from Mies van der Rohe that clarity and simplicity leads to good design is always in fashion for me as a designer, but is especially trendy now.

The economy drives this principle since most everyone is watching how their dollars are spent.  Each piece in any room must and has to work really hard in the space.  There are no more throw-away items in a room.  Each piece has to have multiple uses and serve the client in aesthetic, function, and now, price point.

The less is more concept also refers to the not-so-big-house.  McMansions are in the near-past and people are following the less is more approach.  Living with less and still feeling more.

Lastly, a huge Spring 2012 trend is clean lines.  Gone are the days of overly ornamented furniture.  (Thank God!)  I’m all for the historical periods of rococo and baroque, but not every piece of furniture in one space should be embellished and fussy.  Less is always more.

This Just In…

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in news on February 25th, 2012 , tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , .

Riviera Magazine’s March issue is now on news stands featuring Lindsay Espinoza of Lulu Designs.  Please click the link for my Spring 2012 design trend on page 48.

 

I am tickled pink to have the opportunity to give my Spring 2012 trend to this issue.  What an honor to be included in this magazine.

 

Showhouse Showdown airs starting Saturday, March 3rd at 1:30 pm.  Insider scoop: May 19th you’ll see my episode.  I am cautiously optimistic since I have not seen it nor will not get to see it before all of America gets to see it.    Terrifyingly frightening!

Please note that the photo above was from the premiere episode when it aired in September 2011.  Design tip: I have never and will not ever  have a rooster center stage in a Dining Room.

The time has come! for clocks

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in Love this vendor!, One-of-a-kind on February 15th, 2012 , tagged with , , , , , , , .

 

Today’s addiction to cell phones has proven that it’s no longer just a send and end gadget. With all this rushing around, but still needing to keep time, cell phones have become the object of necessity replacing the watch and clock.  The clock is now the electronic of the past.

As such, alarm clocks are obsolete.  It is no longer the trusty fixture on your night stand, nor are clocks strategically placed for those non-wrist-watch wearers around the home.  The clock in some garden applications has actually lost its hands.  The clock is becoming a thing of the past much like the roman numerals that once so elegantly decorated its face.

I lean to the practical end of the interior designer spectrum. Practicality doesn’t trump creativity, but merely suggests that I will put items in your home selectively to meet functionality.  This way, your home suits your needs and aesthetic.

The clock is a fairly traditional item in the home, yet I feel despite the growing epidemic of cell phone anonymous, I feel that the beauty and practicality of a clock is necessary and warranted in the right places on the walls.  Change is a gradual thing, so let’s embrace it but never forget the old, trusty, tride and true clock.

 

Here are some I have found lately, that are artful, sophisticated and demand a presence on your wall despite its de-motion in use.

Ballard Designs mirrored antique clock at 30” in diameter adds a little glam to any space needing reflection, with a clean and sleek transitional style.  $299

 

Home Decorators Collection remakes this 1940’s clock for a steal for $280.  Great retro clock with handsome metal hands.

 

 

This underground subway clock with the 24-hour number configurations adds a bit of nostalgia.  Couple it with vibrant art or black and white family photographs, and it’s an instant hit on any wall.  Design tip:  I tend to shy away from any manufacturers’ names that are large or called it in color on the face, but the 24-hour numbers surpassed this normally gauche detail.  20” round clock for $80 at Home Decorators Collection.

 

The most practical watch in the house used to be a pocket watch.  Why not hang an oversized one on the wall?  Napa Stylemakes this clock 27” in diameter with vintage distressing and the winder on top.  Yours for $259.

This hand-painted Parisian clock is my favorite.  I have a secret obsession with Wisteria.  This looks like it was picked up off the streets in Paris. At 27” around, this clock looks like it should be way more than $149.

 

 

 

 

I give it a Ten!

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in news on January 17th, 2012 , tagged with , , , .

I get an MLS listing every morning and really enjoy perusing the homes for sale during my morning coffee.  Today, I was so excited to see a new cluster neighborhood that is now open to the public on the west side in Costa Mesa.

This area is undergoing a whole new wave of development from the already popular Gulf Stream Way Bungalows to the new developement coming by Waterpointe Homes and now, Madison 10.

It is ten attached homes starting in the low $500,000.  They are more creative let’s just say than the standard developements to date in Costa Mesa and I’d venture to say ever in the OC area.  Finally, some forward thinking developers who are going out on a limb creatively.

The homes are open to the public starting this weekend for normal Open House hours.  Stop on by even to just gawk at the interior design of the one model by Pal + Smith.

 

Wise old bird in my car seat!

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in Inspiration, One-of-Lulu-Designs on January 12th, 2012 , tagged with , , , , , , , , , .

I was driving in the car with Cash, my quiet, shy, pensive four-year old, and he was mumbling in his car seat.  I was trying to make out his muffled sounds over the radio and was probably veering into on-coming traffic or merging unknowingly into the lane next to me or doing both at the same time, who knows, when I quickly turned the radio off and begged him to repeat it.  Parents know how that goes asking a child to do something he was already doing is well, boring to him and he’s on to the next thing.  But, after bribery, (No, I’m not above it. Anymore that is.) it was so worth it for this little nugget he was reciting.

A wise old owl sat in an oak.  The more he heard, the less he spoke;

The less he spoke, the more he heard.  

Why aren’t we all like that wise old bird?

First, I was so impressed at his memorization.  The private school is working.  My little man is getting so big.  Secondly, hearing the message he was saying was so fitting for how I try to be in my own life as a wife, parent, friend and designer, that I had what we call a “happy-sad moment”.  This is the moment you are happy you have sunglasses on because, yes, you weep at happiness in wonderment of your own off-spring.  I had him repeat it so many times so I could learn it.  The message was so simple.  ”Why aren’t we all like that wise old bird?”

As an interior designer, my first rule of thumb is to always listen to my clients.  I can design the most spectacular, magazine-worthy room, but if it isn’t what the client asked for, well then, who really cares if it’s beautiful.  I truly listen to my clients needs and wants from the very first preliminary consultation.  I have all clients fill out an in-depth lifestyle questionaire in order to really focus thoughts on actual needs and wants and how the space should function when finished.  I strive to be that wise old owl in my day-to-day professional life.

I had a potential client call me yesterday in fact and she was so thrilled that I didn’t cut her off after she said what her needs were.  The designer she called before me after she googled “interior designer orange county”, hung up on her after saying “we are booked til April.  Sorry, call back then.”  I am resolved to change the myths of designers.  I think I just found my next blog topic.  ’Til, then, try and remember this sweet little message as told by one truly special four-year old.

 

 

Lulu Designs creates sets for OC photography studio, Brystan Studios.

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in Love this vendor! on January 6th, 2012 , tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , .

I love designing… I love creating a beautiful space and I love creating new different things that no one has seen, ever!

Lulu Designs designs homes, doctors offices, boutiques and now sets.  I have had the pleasure to help Brystan Studios with a mini facelift and now helping with up to 7 different sets within her studio.  About a year ago, I had the pleasure to meet Lori when she took my photos and was instantly attracted to her eye for detail and how comfortable she makes her subjects.

Designing sets within a 1000 square foot studio is challenging because of the need to make the sets limitless.  It’s exciting to create in my mind and visualize the space 20 different ways given one photo or frame of photography.

Brystan Studios specializes in Boudoir Photography which is a great present for the upcoming Valentine’s Day. She has plenty of sets to choose from and will be offering many more very soon.  Call her for your session.

 

Brystan Studios

27001 Moulton Parway

Aliso Viejo, Ca 92653

949 831-3774

 

To slipcover or upholster, that is the question?

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in Do's and Don'ts, One-of-Lulu-Designs on January 5th, 2012 , tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

My brain has been picked by many over the holidays concerning many topics related to interior design.  I guess when I walk into people’s homes, it is free game to ask me those burning questions even though it’s off the clock at say, a holiday party.  I am happy to help but I am also happy to provide a bill for my services.

I am just wondering: If you went to get your hair done, would you sit down for the service and after they washed, cut and dried your hair, would you just simply say thank you and be on your merry way?  The services I provide are no different.

 

For those of you loyal readers, I truly am happy to help and this blog provides you with free information.  Comment on my blog in order to get that free information rather than taking advantage when I stop by to see you for personal reasons.  I always need new content and will help in this forum, my blog.

So, ranting is over and after taking a much needed break after the busy 2011 Lulu Designs had, I am here to break down the age-old topic of  slipcovers vs. upholstery.

Basically, there is no real answer of what is better until you ask yourself the following questions in order to make an educated decision.  You have to get real with your lifestyle, your house maintenance budget and your personal aesthetic.

How often is this room used?  If it is a high traffic sofa or chair, then you need to make sure that it is cleaned regularly.  Or is slipcovered so you can clean it yourself.  If it is never sat in or is a ‘looking-at-ya chair’, then upholster it with something decadent.  It’ll never get dirty.

Is leather upholstery a suitable option since it wipes clean and is more user-friendly?  It is more expensive so this should be budgeted for if leather is the right decision for you.

Is the look of a slip cover even acceptable to your aesthetic?

Are children the culprits for the question to begin with?

Are allergies prevalent in your home?

As a designer, working with all different clients, there is a right answer for each and every piece of upholstered item in the house.  Just go down the checklist and truthfully ask yourself the questions.  Aesthetic comes after the functionality of a piece is met.  Not until you get real with the use, can you know what’s best for each piece in your home.  Then, it looks good no matter if it’s slipped or upholstered.

Here is my thought process on how I decided given my lifestyle if slipcover or upholstery is right for me.

I am surrounded by three busy, messy boys (husband included, sorry honey).  I carry an Epi pen and am constantly needing my house to look good even when I haven’t fussed over it.  I am practical with my money and spend it like it’s the last sofa I want to buy, ever.

Conclusion: I am a slip cover-lover.  I wash them weekly to keep allergies and dirt at bay.  They fit snugly and even though slipcover twister is a weekly game at our house, I love them and will as long as I have men in my life.  I have the ability to bleach the week’s dirt away.

Also, I am all about the element of surprise with my tight-fitting slipcover designs that no one really knows it is slipcovered.  I love the element of shock and awe when people ask me how my white sofas with three boys stay clean.

I also love upholstered patterns on sofas and chairs in order to hide the mess if slipcovers are not for you.

There is not one right answer.  The answer is in the use of the piece.

This same fundamental philosophy is true for every aspect of interior design.  How do you use the space?  Ask the questions, don’t just do what’s in the magazines.  Or, you’ll be sorry Charlie!

 

 

What’s your style?

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in One-of-Lulu-Designs on January 1st, 2012 , tagged with , , .

What’s your style?  Oh, the question that has left me a wounded animal hobbling through the Serengeti, just waiting to be devoured in the circle of life.

My clients are usually word-of-mouth referrals.  Many prospective clients come to me with a personal feeling about a space that they have been in that I have designed.   It might not necessarily be the style they want, but if you have seen my website, proficiency of any style is my strength.  I design to evoke emotion, give the client the style they want cost-effectively while navigating through the interior design process having some fun along the way.

Most prospective clients have had a testimonial of my work and my business practices and are ready to roll with me as their designer.  So you can imagine my dismay as I have been treading water these last few weeks given a few new experiences.

I have been getting a lot of phone calls to come and interview to be an interior designer amongst many others vying for the job for families and households who have not heard of me, but were referred by developers, architects or contractors who have worked with me in the past.  Although I am so pleased and excited to have a broader pool to swim in, it feels a little like swimming with sharks.

The economy has really helped weed out a lot of the decorators in the area, yet it seems as though the heads of household want to see their exact style on my website in order to feel like I’m the designer for them.

I believe: Every home is as unique as the person who lives in it.  I am no Mies van de Rohe who’ll tell you what to wear to sit on a sofa I choose for your home.  I want my client’s home to reflect their style, lifestyle and aesthetic and not be something I’m copying from another client on my website.

I don’t have one style; I have a great eye, talent and an education that makes any style work.   In any design business class, (I know sounds like an oxymoron having been to business school and interior design school.) the instructors tell you to establish a niche for yourself as a designer that sets you apart from the crowd.

I just happen to be proficient at the basic design principles so can design to any style; that is my niche.  How many other designers do you know that have a Tuscan home, a contemporary home and a charming historical preservation on the same site from the same designer, designed in the same year.  Yes, I am that anomaly.

I am the right designer for you if:

You value the services an interior designer brings to your home.

You understand that interior design is a collaborative process and should be fun.

You believe that your vision can become your reality using Lindsay of LULU DESIGNS as your designer.

You seek out ethical business practices from those you hire.

You hire based on skills and talents, personality and organization, practicality and affordability.

You dream of a home, not a house, that has character, warmth and originality.

You need a talented designer to tell you where the sofa should really go.

Myth: Talented interior designers are a dime a dozen.

Fact: 95% of my clients over 9 years have fired 1-2 designers before finding me.

 

Lulu Designs to be featured on HGTV in January!

2 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in One-of-Lulu-Designs on December 15th, 2011 , tagged with , , , , , , .

Finally, received word from the network, that my episode of Showhouse Showdown will air in January.  Of course, no exact date and time yet, but I’ll send that info out as soon as I hear.  It is surely going to be so strange to see myself on tv since I’m the first to shy away from even a photo.  Here’s to hoping that most of me is not lost to editing.  Stay tuned…

Microwaves are all the same.

0 comments on this article Posted by luludesign in Do's and Don'ts on December 15th, 2011 , tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

If you are out and about shopping for a microwave, keep the following in mind:

  1. Microwaves are considered the throw-away item in the kitchen.
  2. Don’t buy the Viking.  Mine broke just after the three-year warranty expired.  Sharp makes all Viking products so get the affordable option.
  3. Build-it in and get a trim kit.  Yes, as #1 stated it’s not in every kitchen, but at least make it look like you care about it.  Don’t just set it on the counter, c’mon.  Put a little thought into this red-headed step-child.
  4. All are hinged on the same side: on the left.  So, make sure that when you do build it in, that you are aware of which way it is opening.  Only one European company makes one hinged on the right, but see #2 above.
  5. Microwaves are all considered equal.  One is not better than the other so stick with your price point and hope it lasts for 3+ years.
Happy Shopping!   Oh, and try not to look like you cut in line, ’tis the Season for grumpy shoppers who are fist fighting people who they think are cutting in line.  Yep, that happened to me.
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