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Summer Trends with Julie Richard

Interior expert, Julie Richard

Interior expert, Julie Richard

Interior design expert Julie Richard dishes on summer color trends and what goes into the choosing of superior shades. by Kiley Jacques

When it comes to paint colors for that long-overdue interior makeover, consider those hand-selected by Julie Richard, owner of Shelter Interior Design (shelterinteriordesign.com) in Salem, MA, has much to say on the subject of “color concepts.”

Describing the process by which she and a panel of experts chose Ace Hardware’s Clark+Kensington 2013 summer color palette, Richard points to a number of determinants. Client input and color forecasting from Pantone—a recognized authority on color—as well as what is occurring culturally and creatively in the world all factored in to the panel’s choices. Lifestyle trends often influence a palette’s appeal, as do design styles.

Richard notes a few accent shades usually join the ranks for “a bit of drama and contrast.” Her personal color preferences are inspired, in part, by fashion trends. “What is fresh and new in theatre, Hollywood, and the fashion world often trickles down to home décor,” she says, predicting that Pantone’s choice for color of the year will be a hot hue.

No matter the source for its inspiration, a winning color deck ultimately comprises colors that include varying shades and values of classic neutrals, as well as updated accent colors. “The [current] overall design trend,” says Richard, “is to paint rooms with livable neutral shades. Tans were more popular a few years ago, but shades with gray undertones are now in the forefront.” She sees colors inspired by the ocean—like warm greys, blues, and emerald green—as well as Art Deco neutrals making their way into people’s homes this summer.

Color trends, in general, seem to follow a pattern, says Richard. “Often, I find clients desire cooler colors in the summer and warmer tones in fall and winter.” In fact, the season has great bearing on what’s in vogue in the color kingdom. “I [see] clients go into a nesting mode in the cooler months,” says Richard, “[and] they crave richer, cozier spaces. In the summer, [they] tend to want to keep their spaces light, fresh, and fun.”

Richard demonstrates a successful color combination or, as she calls it, a “cohesive interior color story,” by way of example. She says, “Mixing shades of blue, gray, and green [like] Clark+Kensington’s Apple Grove, Crisp Linen, Beach House, and Sapphire create a serene palette. The Sapphire shade would add just the right amount of contrast and depth to the mix.”

As to how she determines successful unions, Richard explains, “I really don’t follow too many rules while designing spaces.” She does, however stick to some basics, using one primary color, one secondary, and a third to serve as a complementary accent shade. With neutral tones as the base, incorporating “pops of color” readily reflects seasonal changes. Richard suggests using trendy hues for easily altered design elements, like a front door. Throw pillows, window treatments, and other fabrics also lend themselves to quick changes that can have a powerful effect on the mood a room evokes. For somewhat more permanent statements, Richard suggests opting for crisp white walls that are accented with colorful pieces of furniture.

People are creatures of habit, so they generally gravitate toward certain shades. Richard has seen a definite preference for the “safer” calming shades belonging to the family of earth tones. “Neutral colors,” she says, “[that are] inspired by nature are always a favorite.” Of bolder, more unusual choices, Richard says, “A fresh, unexpected paint color is truly transformative.”

 

Rooms painted with Clark+Kensington Lamp Shade #3046. Richard says favorite objects and destinations should serve as inspiration when choosing paints.

 

To combat the tendency toward traditional colors, Richard encourages her clients to explore unchartered waters. “I ask my clients to look to what they love for inspiration. I suggest choosing objects or destinations [that] they are drawn to when [picking] paint colors. I also [talk about] the importance of taking risks; 90 percent of the time they find [the] risk was worth it.”

Before dipping a brush, however, interior makeovers should include considerations like the type of lighting used in the space, the room’s location in the home, and the amount of “traffic” to be expected. “I’d approach a playroom differently than [I would] a master bedroom,” says Richard. Sun exposure, too, plays a hand in color selection; shades will appear cooler in north-facing rooms and warmer in those facing south. And, of course, a room’s function matters. Kitchens and living rooms, for instance, tend to be highly active spaces and require particularly careful planning. Richard says, “High traffic areas obviously take more abuse…that’s a good place to consider not only the color for the space but also the finish.”

Taking notes and thinking hard about all such matters is commendable, but in the end, committing color to walls takes guts. Fear can prove a debilitating obstacle, but Richard proffers a solution: “I always suggest painting a two-foot-by-two-foot sample swatch on a wall before painting an entire room. Live with this color for a few days. It’s amazing how the shade will change in different light and at various times of the day. It’s really the best way to make the right choice.”

Of how to use colors most effectively Richard says, “I try to vary the shades. I’ll pair a bright, high-gloss object next to something quieter and lighter.” She also suggests playing up contrasts, no matter how slight. The variations in texture of materials, for example, can be the starting point for color choices. That same subtlety exists in the ceiling. Richard regards it as “a fifth wall” and says, “It doesn’t always have to be white; even if you slightly tint a white shade with a complementary color…or paint it a few shades lighter than the wall color, it will feel as if you’ve considered the entire environment, and it will add a beautiful sense of depth to the space.”

Color is a complex décor component, but following seasonal trends and giving thought to a few key design concepts can yield a surprisingly pleasant pick from the old box of crayons.  

The Dos and Don’ts of Choosing Color

Do

  • Devise a color palette that feels fresh and complements the season
  • Look for inspiration in cultural/lifestyle trends, favorite objects, and destinations
  • Consider lighting, sun exposure, function, and traffic volume in a space
  • Play up contrasts
  • Vary the shades
  • Use trendy colors in easy-to-change elements, like throw pillows and window treatments
  • Test colors with small sample swatches left on the wall for a few days
  • Take chances

Don’t

  • Use predictable thematic schemes
  • Forget the ceiling
  • Choose colors only viewed in a store
  • Dismiss nearby colors and patterns

Eco-friendly Pools

New swim technology is tapping into the environment’s existing methods for filtration and sustainability, creating eco-friendly pools so beautiful you’d swear mother nature built them herself. By Jenna Birch 

Americans are conditioned to think of swimming pools as man-made water dwellings, complete with blue-tinged tiles and chlorine. In Europe, however, that idea has been evolving steadily over the past couple of decades to include pools that look more like extensions of natural surroundings, adapting existing terrestrial methodology for filtration and sustainability. Simply put: Natural swimming pools (NSPs) are eco-friendly, intuitive aquatic innovations. On top of that, they’re finally traveling across the pond and into backyards in the United States.

“It’s new technology, which is why people are skeptical. It’s really the difference between sterile water and natural water,” says Alan Weene, from BioNova Natural Swimming Pools, a global network leading the charge in designing and streamlining NSPs. “Naturally existing bacteria is not necessarily something we should be killing, though. Mother Nature already knows how to purify water. Natural swimming pools are like hybrid vehicles used to be. When people started to understand them, they caught on. We expect the same thing to happen.”

 

A pool built by BioNova Natural Swimming Pools at a residence on Nantucket

 

That understanding of NSPs will come with time, and more exposure to the technology in the U.S. Now that BioNova is working on North America’s first public natural swimming pool, to debut at Minneapolis’s Webber Park in spring 2014, don’t be shocked if NSPs catch on in eco culture. What makes them so great? The constructed pools are ecologically harmonious, enhancing nature’s design for swimming instead of developing completely new techniques, which often work against it.

All purification of NSP water is biological, meaning it’s entirely chemical-free—no chlorine, no bromine, no synthetic additions whatsoever. Here’s how the pools work instead: The water is divided into zones with specific plants in each, helping clean and maintain the pool with an optimal cocktail of microorganisms. The plants dwell in gravel, water is pumped through each of the zones, and the tiny life forms become permanent fixtures that are continually cleaning the water. Unlike a traditional swimming pool, filtration plays off the environment, involving biological elements like special grasses and reeds planted at one end of a pool. As with a regular pool, you clean surface water by hand with skimming devices.

Weene says that if you can get used to the natural look and feel of the pool, there are enormous benefits. “It’s chemical-free, so it’s healthier and safer,” he explains. “It helps restore habitats, and it’s a lot like caring for a terrestrial garden.”

That comparison means you’re likely familiar with all the NSP’s upkeep. If you’re looking to become a pool owner but don’t like the thought of maintaining a traditional pool season after season, NSPs might be your best bet. Once the pool is installed, as long as you care for the plants and use basic sediment-removal practices, the chemical-free setup is a gift. Additionally, smaller pumps use less energy, reducing the carbon footprint. And eliminating chemicals also means maintenance costs are nonexistent, whereas traditional chlorinated pools can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars per season to maintain.

“The theory of a natural pool is very appealing,” says green-clean expert Leslie Reichert, author of The Joy of Green Cleaning. “They are easier and cheaper to maintain since you don’t use any chemicals. The only real maintenance is vacuuming the sediment. They do not need to be emptied or covered in the winter, and there’s just an initial break-in time where the filtering process would remove algae and let the natural filtration take place.” After that [two-week] delay before each season, you’re free to swim.

However, the downside is you may have to get used to a different kind of swim. While natural swimming pools are pretty to look at, as they often seamlessly meld into the environment, the water isn’t the crystal-clear kind you’d find in a sterilized pool. According to Weene, NSP waters tend to be “moody.” That’s the nature of biology, so to speak. “They’re not going to look the same everyday,” Weene says. “But you will be able to see to the bottom, so that’s still okay. There’s all-natural water in there, and the appearance is telling you that something is out of whack.” Not necessarily wrong, but off—and when you notice changes, nature should make the necessary adjustments to self-correct the issue and stabilize. Cloudy water might signal excess algae growth, for instance, and the aquatic plants serve to perform necessary functions, like nutrient extraction.

 

 

Weene insists the pools are “always safe and healthy to swim in” while the habitat returns to an even keel. However, you may have to ride out those inevitable bumps in the road. “No two pools are exactly the same,” he says. And that can be a positive. The pools are not just different in water behavior, but in look as well, so each design is unique. With NSPs, you can dream up a roadmap for any layout, depending on how exactly you’d like to use the pool and how much space you have.

Take it from Chris Rawlings, founder of Water House Pools. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Rawlings creates natural swimming pools centered around stonework. He constructs ecological wonders in the Northeast, ranging from small to large. Sometimes it’s a plunge pool for one or two people to utilize at a time; other times it’s a super-sized pool for extra functionality, like the one he created for a community-supported agriculture farm in Massachusetts that doubles as a water-retention pond. Every project is different, so prices and specifications fall everywhere across the board.

“It’s really site specific,” Rawlings says. “All my pools have had a specific set of requirements from the owners. We try to make them as energy efficient and maintenance efficient as possible, but other than that, it’s their pool. I try to include the client as much as I can in the design process, so they have a sense of ownership.” Rawlings’s designs, in particular, focus on stones, to further accentuate the natural allure of NSPs. “There’s such an energy that stones give to a constructed landscape,” he says. “It’s a real sense of timelessness, like the design has been there forever.”

So what’s not to love about natural swimming pools? “They’re not for everyone,” Rawlings admits, although he thinks they will make sense for a lot of would-be pool owners in these  more eco-friendly times.

Three Key Benefits of NSPs

Alan Weene of BioNova highlights these NSP advantages:

1. They’re chemical-free With the natural purification, your family won’t be exposed to chemicals like they would with a traditional chlorinated pool.

2. Less energy Lower flow rates and a lack of chemicals contribute to less energy use, helping to reduce the pool’s carbon footprint.

3. Lower maintenance You don’t need to rely on chemicals to maintain and purify water, so taking care of the NSP is more like taking care of a garden–trim and groom plants, and get rid of debris and sediment.

 

Architect Mark Singer Shows Off Laguna’s Finest Views

Laguna, Architect Mark Singer

The house’s courtyard centers around a contemporary-style pool and spa.

A new home on the Pacific designed by veteran oceanfront architect Mark Singer balances privacy with wide-open vistas of sea, sand, and sunsets. by J. Michael Welton

As far as walls go, this one, at 992 Oceanfront in Laguna Beach, CA, is a monument to multi-tasking.

This wall doesn’t merely support the roof above. It serves as a shield from surfers and beachgoers hustling along a heavily traveled walkway to the south. It creates a comforting enclosure for a private courtyard with an infinity pool and spa, all tucked in between a garage to the east and living quarters to the west. Its windows above open up to the courtyard and pool below. And best of all, it’s a foil to some of the finest ocean views on this planet.

Stone masons built the wall using rough-cut, buff-toned Texas limestone, carefully eschewing the traditional use of grout between joints. It runs perpendicular to the Pacific Ocean for 126 feet east to west, along the southern elevation of the new home there. Directly opposite it are the wide-open views that make this home, priced at $15 million, even more memorable.

“It’s simply breathtaking,” says realtor Jacqueline Thompson. “From almost every angle in every room, you can see straight to the ocean and to the crashing waves. But there’s a lot of privacy.”

“It’s only steps to the ocean,” says architect Mark Singer, who designed and built it last year. “You can go down for a swim and come back for a shower—or go for a swim, ocean to pool.”

This is a home that’s simple and clean in its celebration of what’s outside, and like its long-running wall, it’s happy to play second fiddle to its place in the sun. The entire design is dedicated to the concept of creating privacy while organizing and capitalizing on open space to the west and north.

“When you have a painting on your wall, the frame around it enhances it,” Singer says. “This house enhances the ocean experience by framing it in its simplicity.”

Inside the home’s 4,300 square feet, the look is stripped-down and contemporary, allowing sunlight to dominate during the day. Even the fireplace in the master suite, where the limestone wall comes to its end, is low-key, encouraging the play of natural light and shadows upon it.

 

 

Singer, who’s been specializing in oceanfront architecture for 30 years, likes to juxtapose the contemporary and the antique in his designs. He deliberately limited his material palette in this home to enhance its sense of elegance. Aiming for a look that is peaceful and sculptural, he splurged only on items like a primitive, Spanish-style garage door made of cedar imported from the forests of western Canada.

It’s all sited on a steep lot, with a house that moves in sections down to the ocean. It starts with the garage standing 52 feet above sea level, then the courtyard at 35 feet, and then sloping down to the living quarters at 23 feet. The lot is 50 feet wide, and the home itself is 40.

“The public spaces are wide and flow very well,” Singer says. “It’s a perpetuating experience that pulls you through. And as you move through, your questions [about the design] get answered, so that you understand the whole thing.”

That limestone wall serves as guide and interpreter all along the way, until your eyes arrive at the sun setting over Catalina Island. “People’s mouths drop,” says Thompson.

And for good reason.

 

Prime Finds For Your Garden

Use containers with unconventional shapes to turn your greenery into art. by Kiley Jacques

 

Inner Gardens "Handkerchief", bronze platter

Inner Gardens “Handkerchief” bronze platter, $2,150

 

 

Inner Gardens “Handkerchief” bronze planter, $2,150

Inner Gardens faceted cast bronze planter, $765

Marie Khouri Design planter, $2,600

Yard Art “Arrow” container, $825 each

Gabriella Asztalos “The Floating Garden” planters, $645 (set of five)

 

 

 

Saltwater Versus Chlorine Pools

Saltwater swimming pool, Aquatic Consultants, Ponte Vedra, Florida.

A saltwater swimming pool by Aquatic Consultants at a home in Ponte Vedra, FL.

Choosing between chlorine and saltwater pools may seem like a no-brainer to the eco-minded, but the choice is not as clear as the waters surrounding it. by Kiley Jacques

In lieu of a day at the beach, private pools are terrific stand-ins. However, not all pools are created equal. Or are they? A quick comparison of traditional chlorine-treated pools and those boasting salt water exposes some surprising truths.

Developed in the 1960s in Australia, saltwater pools quickly achieved a measure of popularity. The idea caught on in the U.S. in the ’80s, and by the mid ’90s, they were all the rage. As a feel-good amenity, they began popping up at resorts and spas and became a selling point with homeowners.

This wildfire enthusiasm, however, partially stemmed from a few misconceptions that still exist today. Chief among them is the idea that saltwater pools are chemical-free, natural, and eco-friendly. While it is true that chemicals are not added to the water, they are, nonetheless, part of its composition—as is chlorine. Additionally, salt is often thought to have disinfecting properties, as well as the ability to improve water buoyancy; wrong again. As for the idea that salt pools feel, look, and taste better, that is only true when they are compared to poorly maintained traditional pools. But when compared to those that are properly treated, the two stand on par.

Saltwater pool, Aquatic Consultants, Rene Gonzalez Architects, Miami, Florida

Saltwater pool by Aquatic Consultants at a Miami home, designed by Rene Gonzalez Architects

Despite their quasi-ocean lure, saltwater pools are genetically more like their chlorinated cousins. Both use chlorine to sanitize the water; the difference is that salt pools use a generator to produce natural chlorine by separating salt molecules into their component parts: chloride and sodium. This chlorine has the identical chemical structure of store-bought chlorine; it offers the same benefits and poses the same problems. Once the chlorine has sanitized (and oxidized) the water within the generator, it is converted back to salt and returned to the pool. The system, therefore, is self-perpetuating and, as such, conserves salt and balances sanitizer levels.

Surprising truths aside, there are still some very good reasons to go with a saltwater pool. Whereas traditional pools require the addition of chlorine and other chemicals, salt pools are chlorine generators; pool owners need not buy, transport, store, or handle hazardous materials, which makes salt systems a little friendlier toward the environment. Additionally, according to Miami-based Brian Van Bower, president of Aquatic Consultants, Inc., “The constant pH factor…coupled with the minimal chlorine level…creates an extremely eye-friendly environment.”  Furthermore, though there are significant costs associated with the installation of a generator, maintenance of salt pools is more cost efficient, and the systems see fewer incidents of the eye, nose, skin, and lung irritations that are often associated with traditional pools. As a result, Van Bower praises the alternative, saying, “…water chemistry is easy with excellent water quality. It is what I use for my own pool.”

The next wave of eco-conscious pools may be ultraviolet disinfection systems, which harness light energy to eliminate microorganisms, lower chemical usage, and eliminate toxic by-products—a sustainable design sure to please the forward-moving swimmer. spectralightuv.com.

Rimbou Lotus Shade, Frontgate

Rimbou Lotus Shade

THE GET – Shade Style

Contemporary chic best describes this 100% Sunbrella® solution-dyed Rimbou Lotus Shade from Frontgate. The leaf-inspired shade pivots 360° atop a galvanized stainless steel base, and it is compact enough to work in challenging spaces while providing individual shade for a chaise or lounge chair. Ideal are the acrylic furniture-grade fabric and decorative anodized aluminum base cover plate for adding a sleek element to poolside décor. Imported and available in two colors, Aruba and Canvas, the unit lists for $1,845 (protection cover included). 

Prime Finds Inside

The objects in your home can be cool and hip—and have a conscience at the same time. by David Eisen

 

Switch Lighting, LED bulbs

Switch Lighting LED bulbs $40-$60 per bulb.

 

 

CFC Furniture “Bryon” sideboard from reclaimed Douglas Fir, with gray wash finish, $4,250

Claudia Raimondo “Joy n.1” embossed stainless steel bowl, $205

Switch Lighting LED bulbs offer 80 percent less energy consumption, $40-$60 per bulb

Anglers Art driftwood swan from weathered wood collected from tree stumps, $1,250

Rolf Glass “Glacier Glass” tumblers from recycled wine bottles, $59.99/set of four

Architect Christopher Sorensen

Asian-style landscaping, Christopher Sorensen

Asian-style landscaping

In Santa Monica Canyon, architect Christopher Sorensen has merged Western design with Eastern influence to create a Zen-like compound where inside and outside mesh seamlessly. By Michael J. Welton

Sam Francis’s Santa Monica Canyon residence is one where respect for the past has inspired a new vision for the future. From the early 1960s until 1994, it served as both home and studio for this noted American abstract expressionist, who in 1956 was what TIME called “the hottest American painter in Paris,” just a few years before he bought this canyon lot (from Charlie Chaplin, according to some).

Francis’s work now hangs in both the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Many of his paintings were created at his California home, influenced by the colors of Matisse, the symbols of Carl Jung, and the religions of the Far East. Even though the home itself was a Craftsman bungalow, it hinted at Eastern influence.

“[Francis’s] wife was Japanese,” explains architect Christopher Sorensen, who took most of his cues for reinventing the property from the original structures he found here. “Craftsman bungalows were inspired by Asian design, so our initial inspiration was a very Zen feeling about the property.” Sorensen took that feeling and sprinted with it, completely renovating Francis’s studio and transforming it into a 4,000-square-foot guest house. On the footprint of the original house, he created a 9,000-square-foot space that merges the inside with the landscape outside.

“I used that inspiration to reinterpret what properly could be Asian [style], bringing in furnishings and art from Southeast Asia—Indonesia in particular,” Sorensen says. He called for reclaimed teak for floors and ceilings, and he imported sculptures and wall hangings, not to mention the two 1.5-ton bathtubs, both carved from granite.

The lot comprises two-thirds of an acre nestled between the Pacific Palisades and the Pacific Ocean (just a four-minute walk away). Although there are neighbors on the left and right, one still has unobstructed views of the distant Santa Monica Mountains.

“The house blocks the view of the adjacent houses,” Sorensen says. “We’ve been able to create an experience with the land and the home, so that 85 to 95 percent of it is the compound and the sky. There are mature trees, and we created a courtyard and a deck for every room in the house. It’s truly a rustic oasis.”

Dining area, Christopher Sorensen

Dining area

It is a home, according to Sorensen, for someone who loves nature. Most of its walls open up completely to the outdoors, so it’s light, airy, and voluminous. “It’s like living outside with a roof overhead,” says real estate broker Carol Bird.

A roof overhead yes, but with an appearance of nothing below. Sorensen’s design managed to cantilever a corner of the kitchen, made of bulletproof glass, out over the swimming pool snugged up to the house. Then he stacked the master bedroom deck above the kitchen, so that it hovers over the glass floor below. “You’re literally walking on water,” he says. “It’s quite a dramatic experience.”

For all its awe-inspiring design features, this is a home for someone who requires a large house, but one that is not ostentatious; it’s perfect for someone who’s comfortable with his place in the world.

“We played down the massing,” Sorensen says. “You could put it next to a big mansion with the same square footage, and you wouldn’t believe they were the same [size].” Only the price tag—a cool $18.75 million—could give that secret away.

Landscape Architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith

Landscape architect Jeffrey Gordon Smith sees beyond the bloom straight to his clients’ hearts, minds, and wide-lens landscapes. by Kiley Jacques

Jeffery Gordon Smith, Landscape Architect

Pulling inspiration from the landscape

Jeffrey Gordon Smith spends a good deal of his time analyzing everything from the exact color of sand to the dimensions of his dinner plate. As a man driven by the pursuit of aesthetic perfection, this constant state of scrutiny is beneficial to his chosen profession. Carefully considered representations of big-picture ideas and supporting details are imperative for a designer’s success. “It’s like looking through many different lenses,” says Smith, “…like zooming in and stepping way back and going wide.” It is this telescopic approach that enables the landscape architect to cull from a site its inherent nature and unique appeal.

With offices in California’s Baywood Park, Smith is well versed in coastal architecture and conditions. His residential, commercial, and institutional projects all illustrate what he calls “informative landscape designs,” which result from the thorough exploration of a property and its geographic location. Smith values three-dimensional interpretations of sites, which allow him to understand both the existing and possible connections between place, architecture, and client. “Seventy percent of design is on paper,” he says, adding, “30 percent is in the field. There is such insight in being on site.”  For Smith, this close-up investigation of a landscape, its established structures, and a client’s own story all play essential roles in his design process, as he works to wed all three in such a way as to blur their lines, thereby weaving together the physical and the psychological, the visible and the private. He describes his Jewel Box Design project as one such example; drawing ideas from a client’s recent loss of a spouse and her penchant for sea glass, Smith turned a tight, unused corridor between her garage and home that had previously collected trashcans, ladders, and the like into an element-rich, restorative space.

Exploring clients’ homes and hearing their ideas help Smith gain a sense of who they are, which provides information that can be used to flesh out a design concept. “I try to open up a dialogue,” says Smith, “to get into their thinking [and] understand how they view the landscape.” People, he has learned, have strong associations with their surroundings and interpret the environment through a very subjective lens—their personal sense of place. Smith sees clients attempting to impose on landscapes an appreciation for other regions, though no relationship exists between those places and the properties on which they live. He cites the example of a client native to Sweden who envisioned the grasses of his homeland thriving in his serpentine, rock-riddled soils. “It’s human nature to want what you can’t have,” he says. “That’s the bane of all gardeners.” His work includes helping clients be more connected to their present environments and to value their regions’ unique characteristics; people, he feels, need to understand where they are, what they have, and how to use it. This idea, sometimes termed “regionalism,” entails developing a cohesive design that melds with a site’s wider context, and it is part and parcel of Smith’s success. “I am very passionate about what I do, and I think that passion comes through,” he says. “Clients start picking up my enthusiasm for the particular specialness of their place and [they] start to understand that they need to work with it.”

Smith is a valuable designer; to each new project he brings with him an arsenal of information about plants that cannot be gleaned from books. “You start picking up these notes and carrying them along the way,” he says. “That’s why, I think, they call it ‘practice.’” These “notes” are compiled from years of planning, installing, and revisiting landscapes, both after installation and many years later. “You have to step back and be critical of your [designs],” Smith says. “If clients are going to hire me, they are going to hire me for the life of the garden.” It is this vested interest in his landscapes, combined with his sensitivity to site and client, that lead his ideas to successful fruition time and again. The gardens he orchestrates are thoughtful, well planned, and inspired. More importantly, they belong—to both client and place.

Jeffrey Gordon Smith, Landscape Architect

Muted tones borrowed from the surrounding seascape

While still a student at California Polytechnic State University, Smith became fascinated with the concept of genius loci, or “the spirit of a place.” The idea took root and bloomed into the central theory now behind his work. “People try to re-interpret nature and replicate it,” he says, “but [we] can’t compete…if you try, you are just planting seeds and staging it, but nature will eventually take over.” Instead, Smith says, “I try to abstract it as a painting,” which may be an approach influenced, in part, by his admiration for the work of British artist Andy Goldsworthy. Part sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist, Goldsworthy produces site-specific “land art” in natural and urban settings that Smith describes as “poetry.” “[Goldsworthy] synthesizes something out of the landscape [that’s] so simple, so articulate. I’m painting with different materials…I like to step back and ask, ‘What feels native, or what feels of the place?’” By doing so, he says, his palette widens to include a much larger group of plants and possibilities.

In addition to ideas mined from his clients’ lives, the pre-existing site conditions, and other artists’ works, narratives often drive Smith’s designs. A commission for his alma mater’s engineering department plaza, for example, was a $1 million project based on Fibonacci’s mathematical algorithm—the consequence of which is the infinite spiral. “I don’t like to get too artsy on people,” says Smith, “[or] to go too far out there, but I think sometimes you have to go out there to sympathize with the bigger idea and make a connection to that place.” For this project, Fibonacci’s “story” steered the entire design, right down to plant choices. It was Smith’s intent that current engineering, botany, and horticulture students study the plaza from their different academic perspectives, and that generations of students’ stories emerge from use of the space. “In the way that the spiral continues to expand,” says Smith, “so does the story. It’s an ever-giving, ever-expanding concept [with a] strong connection to all things natural. Nature is not chaotic, it is mathematical.” It is this appreciation for logic’s influence on nature that inspired the plaza’s sound design and allegory at its center.

Sculpting landscapes in accordance with contextual conditions and clients’ demands presents some challenges. Imposing architecture, for example, or code restrictions can greatly affect design choices, development, and execution. “Trying to make coastal interpretations without crossing any lines is [difficult],” says Smith, who notes the strict regulations for building seawalls as particularly difficult to hurdle. Determining sightlines that clients wish to block and those they’d like to “borrow,” as in the case of desirable views, requires good strategic planning. Transitioning from outer to more intimate settings demands great skill. “I’m always squinting to find the natural cues and to see what connects a property to the larger landscape,” he says, “clues [like] escaped colors and plants from outside that can be used to bleed out from a home’s own landscape.” According to Smith, if the connection between home and place is not made seamlessly, “it [looks] like a fabric [is] sewn onto another fabric with a pattern change made by an ugly suture.” No matter the obstacles, he prefers some kind of springboard from which to begin a new project. Whether a disagreeable architectural style, a client’s insistence on pink pavers, or a site’s overabundance of serpentine rock, Smith feels ideas are more easily generated when there are a few constants in the mix. His wide-lens approach ensures there is always something at the ready. “The blank slate is the hardest to work with,” says Smith. “It’s the ultimate challenge.”

Though conscious of the many details that go into a winning design, Smith’s primary aim is to get the most impact from the “big idea”—the overriding concept is what he wants felt, if not cerebrally understood. “I think of myself as a temporary artist,” he says. “Landscapes are going to fail, they are totally contrived pieces of nature…always evolving and changing.” To connect clients with their environment in an intimate and meaningful way, Smith pushes them to revisit their perceptions of what “landscape” is. “Right now it’s all about man controlling nature,” he says. “But, I think in the future it will be about man living with nature and having more of a connection to it.” It’s this vision that has Smith carefully stitching private gardens together with their surrounding environs. He uses choice materials, a practice hand, and a laser-sharp eye. The results are seamless.  

Glass Wall Systems For Your Ocean Home

Glass wall systems aren’t just a trend; they’re a no-brainer. Experts explain why. by David Eisen

LaCantina Doors' glass wall system

LaCantina Doors’ glass wall system

In theatre and film, “breaking the fourth wall” describes when an actor speaks directly to the audience. In many ways, adding a glass wall system to a house achieves the same effect: It allows homeowners to interact with what they very well could not before.

A glass wall transforms an outside space into an extension of the inside, so for owners of oceanfront homes, including a glass wall system should be a given, particularly if the wall is contiguous to a patio area. The trend is maturing for both modern and more traditional homes, says Matt Thomas of Corte Madera, CA-based NanaWall Systems. “The kind of system is dependent on where your home is,” he says. “We have systems better [attuned] to warmer climates [or] extremely cold climates.”

Beachfront properties deal not just with wind, but also with wind elements. For instance, in Southern California or Gulf Coast climates, the air is heavy in moisture and salt content, so a stainless-steel system is preferable. “The hinges and handles resist the elements, plus, our seals keep the elements out of the house and protect the hardwood in the jambs of each panel,” Thomas says.

Hans Galutera, a designer at New York’s BG Studio International, employs glass wall systems, which can be framed in aluminum or wood, whenever possible. “It’s like a big accordion that unfolds,” he says. “It’s so flexible.”

Cost is the only concern. “A French door would cost half the amount,” Galutera says, though he makes a good point: Who wants to see moldings, structure, and columns? “A wall that can open 20 feet across is a no-brainer,” he says. “It makes a room feel bigger—like you’re outdoors.” (Galutera says glass wall system pricing is around $600 per lineal foot, but varies depending on product.)

LaCantina Doors in San Diego is another manufacturer of glass wall systems, and Lee Maughan, its general manager, says the product is all about a certain lifestyle, about open living. “It can make an indoor space feel bigger and make a deck part of the living space.”

Glass walls run on track systems, which make them a snap to slide open and closed, and while some homeowners might think a glass wall could lend itself to draftiness, there’s actually little cause for concern.

“[The doors] are really insulated and protected with gaskets,” Galutera says.

They’re also a way to cut down on utilities, explains Thomas. “When it’s warm out, you can cool the home by opening the panels and flushing the entire home very quickly, but when closed, the outside element is sealed off,” he says.

“It creates natural air flow through the home,” adds Maughan.

The NanaWall Kitchen Transition

The NanaWall Wood Framed Folding System WD66 Window/Door Combination combines NanaWall folding glass window and folding glass wall systems, seamlessly turning an existing kitchen into an indoor/outdoor entertainment space. NanaWall has certified installers, and when a contractor or homeowner chooses the company’s installation team, the warranty is doubled. Pricing is on a customized basis. 

NanaWall Wood Framed Folding System WD66 Windor/Door Combination

NanaWall Wood Framed Folding System WD66 Windor/Door Combination

Inside Style

Subtle accents that will make a big impact in your home. by David Eisen

DNA 11 DNA Portraits

DNA 11 DNA Portraits (“Fingerprint,” “Kiss,” also available), from $199, dna11.com

 

 

Prime Finds: Outside

Transform your outdoor space into a decadent retreat with comfy, high-style pieces that truly bring the inside out. by Deborah Geiger

Neoteric Luxury, XL Daybed

Neoteric Luxury XL Daybed

 

 

 

Seaside Landscaping 101

Debora Carl, of the eponymous landscape firm based in Encinitas, CA, breaks down coastal landscaping, from objectives to optimum plant choices.

Debora Carl

A wall blocks the sea wind from this cozy courtyard.

Site Considerations

1. Retain sight lines to desirable views.

2. Maintain privacy while protecting sight lines (plants that give privacy may obscure a homeowner’s or neighbors’ views).

3. Establish barriers against cold coastal winds—glass railings or screens, plant material, low masonry walls, and “sunken areas” all offer some protection.

4. Create warmer, cozier areas like sheltered courtyards on “non-view” areas of the property.

5. Protect plants from salt spray (physically block salt-laden wind with buildings, fences, and other structures; irrigate often to wash off salt; use salt-tolerant plants).

6. Consider sun and wind exposure (pick hardy plants that withstand coastal conditions).

7. Test soil pH and select plants accordingly.

8. Know soil type (sandy soils lack nutrients and the ability to hold moisture).

Aspects of Waterfront Landscapes

1. Cool night temperatures (include outdoor fire elements, fireplaces, gas or propane-fueled heaters)

2. Cold coastal winds (establish barriers)

3. Corrosion (protect metal furniture with a powder-coat finish; use high-quality slings and fabrics, like Crypton or Sunbrella; choose Marine-grade stainless steel)

4. Poor Soil (amend with organic compost and yearly applications of organic mulch)

Debora Carl, Landscape Greens

Succulents, Acacia, and grasses

Foolproof coastal plants

1. Most succulents (agave, aeonium, aloe)

2. Ornamental grasses (carex, New Zealand wind grass, pheasant’s tail grass)

3. Common rosemary (Rosemary officinalis) and coastal rosemary (Westringa fruiticosa)

5. Japanese mock orange (Pittosporum crassifolium ‘Nana’)

6. Perez’s sea lavender (Limonium perezii)

7. New Zealand cabbage palm (Coryline australis)

Helpful Hints

1. Plant health comes first; an unhealthy garden detracts from the overall landscape.

2. Do not use plants that need coddling; choose plants suited for coastal climates.

3. Check with local planning agencies to find out about restrictions for installing gas lines, irrigation, pergolas, plantings, etc., near buffs and beaches.

4. Install an outdoor shower to wash off sandy beachgoers and pets.

5. Provide storage for surfboards and other beach-related toys.

6. Don’t ignore the perimeter; the walls of your garden need to look finished.

Point Of View – Corona del Mar

Corona del Mar, California

Corona del Mar, California

“We purchased our 1980s-era townhouse-style condo overlooking Newport Harbor and the Pacific Ocean, believing that it had great unrealized potential to take full advantage of the spectacular views, and we decided to do a total reconstruction of the property.” – Jeffrey Beck, Homeowner

Location: Corona del Mar, CA

Completed: 2007

Builder: Prestige Builders, Newport Beach, CA

Architect: Horst Architects, Laguna Beach, CA

Interior designer: Aria Design, Laguna Beach, CA

Style: Soft Contemporary

Cliff Dweller in Sausalito

Mike Welton, Sausalito, NanaWalls, Michael Rex

The perfectly perched Sausalito home.

First, consider the site:

It was a geologically unstable, two-story cliffside in Sausalito that required mountain-climbing gear for an inspection by architect Michael Rex and his structural engineer, chosen for his conservative nature. He nearly lost the engineer when a rope snapped.

Luckily, he did not.  And the engineer eventually came up with an ingenious solution for placing a residence on top of the cliff with a tendency toward rockslides.

“It required easements for drilling horizontally under other people’s houses,” Rex says.  “He designed a concrete grid of beams four feet apart, horizontally and vertically.”

The concrete was poured in place.  Where horizontal and vertical beams crossed, a steel rod was drilled in at an angle.  Engineers pulled on them in a test of stability, then bolted them and epoxied them in place.

In essence it’s a grid laid out and sewn into the hill.  Every eight feet, there’s a vertical pier to carry the load.  The biggest challenge lay in bringing rigs in to drill horizontally into the cliff.

“It was very adventurous, and very expensive,” the architect says of his $1 million foundation.

But then there’s the view.

His client now enjoys an extraordinarily sweeping, 180-degree vista of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge and Sausalito itself from each of the home’s three levels.

The residence is layered because of the topography, with living areas on the first level, guest space and balcony on the second, and master bed and bath, along with kitchen, on top.  NanaWalls throughout open out to the environment, even in the master bath, which opens to a terrace, since there are no neighbors within view.

To avoid a sterile feel, the architect softened its modern steel and glass materials with wood for floors and ceilings, and a stone wall that extends from inside to out.

“It’s all instantly quiet and peaceful,” he says.  “There are quiet spaces and comfortable spaces.  There’s a sense of indoor and outdoor flowing together.”

It’s a house with a view that’s worth the price of its foundation.

For more on Michael Rex, go to http://www.rexassoc.com. by Mike Welton

Luxe Floor Lamps

Bold shapes, extreme sizes, and edgy materials define a new age of high-style floor lamps. by Deborah Geiger

Elizabeth Polish's Foglia light.

Elizabeth Polish’s Foglia light.

“Instead of looking at the light, I like people to look into it,” says Long Island City, NY-based lighting designer Elizabeth Polish. Utilizing innovative materials in designing and constructing her lamps—such as painted paper, aluminum, and rubber—while working with local welders and fabricators, the results are truly one-of-a-kind works of fine art.

So what is behind the Pratt-trained designer’s inspiration? “I apply or keep [the traditional] silhouette, but make a small twist or update,” she says. The Foglia, her translucent floor lamp design of paper, aluminium, and rubber materials, features draped rubber strips near to the light source, emanating a translucent glow. The six-foot Moonglow floor lamp is crafted from airbrushed organza on Plexitube mounted over a stained wooden oak base, making for high-style mood lighting.

MacMaster's Iris floor lamp.

MacMaster’s Iris floor lamp.

Borrowing from nature, London-based Alex MacMaster creates unique lighting pieces from wood that can truly make over an entire room. Employing bold sizes—some of his pieces are over six feet tall—and integrating organic shapes and features, the studio utilizes curved laminations of eco-friendly structural plywood, along with solid wood veneers in oak, walnut, maple, and cherry finishes.

“Furniture should be [as much of] an artistic statement as it is functional,” MacMaster says. “I design to make a visual impact.” One piece that makes a statement is his 56-inch-tall Cocoon floor light, comprising eight wooden “leaves” in a kind of cylindrical twist presented on a floor stand. Another bright idea is the Iris floor lamp, an organic design that mimics flower petals and stands over 76 inches.

Catellina & Smith's Terra wire sphere light (contact for pricing).

Catellani & Smith’s Terra wire sphere light (contact for pricing).

Who can forget the old floor lamp “tree”? Thankfully, Catellani & Smith have brought their Wa Wa Terra Flex rendition into 2013 with a 6.2-foot-tall nickel-plated metal structure complete with five LEDs offering either neutral white or warm white lighting shades. Additionally, the PK LED Gigante Standing Lamp features a nickel-plated metal base and structure juxtaposed with a fiberglass shade lined with gold- or silver-colored leaf or painted white. Summoning images of half-moons in the night sky, these moody and iconic pieces can create a focal point and have you looking at your room in a whole new light.

Mood Lighting: Indoor Fireplace

Want to both lighten and brighten while creating a focal point? That’s a tall order, but here’s the answer: “Spark Modern Fires Vent Free Vu Thru gas fireplace offers a stunning fire for two rooms at once without blocking the ocean view,” says Tom Healy of Spark Modern Fires. The fireplace can accommodate decorative elements, such as stones and glass, and the ventless approach allows more design flexibility and creativity.

Spark Modern Fires

Spark Modern Fires

Beautiful Basics

Fundamental furnishings whose looks are anything but ordinary.

Savoir Beds "Savoir No. 1" bed, $72,000, savoirbeds.com

Savoir Beds “Savoir No. 1″ bed, $72,000, savoirbeds.com

 

 

Visit the stores: Savoir Beds – James DeWulf – Fritz Hansen – Reagan Hayes – Fritz Hansen

Prime Find: Aluminum Allure

Inspired by the female form, royal botania’s d-lux line is soft, strong, and sexy.

Royal Bontania D-Lux lounger, $4,839, royalbontania.com

Royal Bontania D-Lux lounger, $4,839, royalbontania.com

 

 

Get the look: Royal Botania

Personal Space in Ponte Vedra Beach

The house's clapboard siding and wood features evoke a New England style, while clean lines balance the look.

The house’s clapboard siding and wood features evoke a New England style, while clean lines balance the look.

At one family’s Ponte Vedra Beach vacation home, crisp design and ocean views are the perfect backdrop for an active lifestyle. by Regina Cole // photographs by Adam Cohen

When Michelle Balfoort, principal of the eponymous Florida architectural firm, designed this 6,000-square-foot Ponte Vedra Beach vacation house, she found herself negotiating common clichés and typical shortcomings of the beachside home.

“We wanted to evoke the sense of the beach, but not with seashells everywhere,” she says. “Also, the homeowners are an active young family that entertains a lot; we wanted to create a house that would comfortably hold lots of people and host several families at once, but still have private, intimate-feeling spaces.” The desired result needed to combine a traditional style with a modern and functional interior.

A native Floridian, Balfoort is well versed in coastal architecture. For over 12 years, she and a partner successfully ran a boutique firm, Balfoort Finnvold Architecture, with projects in locations from the Florida Keys to North Carolina. While specializing in high-end residential design, they also worked on commercial projects, neighborhood and town planning, and historic preservation work in Delray Beach and Boca Raton. In 2012, Balfoort established Balfoort Architecture in Stuart, FL.

For this summer home, she looked to the traditional roots of Florida architecture. “The houses in this neighborhood evoke New England,” Balfoort says. “So we used clapboard siding and a lot of wood features.”

 

The house, which includes a guest suite, features deeply bracketed eaves and luxurious balconies with sumptuous views opening from all the rooms on two stories. A covered second-story breezeway connects the guest quarters located above the garage to the main part of the house, which includes four bedrooms, an informal den, a large open space comprising the kitchen and dining room, and a living room with a cypress vaulted ceiling two stories high. A dramatic curved wall encloses the staircase, which is sheathed in marble with the texture and fluid pattern of sea grass.

“Instead of an obvious beach décor, we focused on the light; the way it plays against the sand and the water,” Balfoort explains. “We accomplished that by designing spaces that let in the light all day long as the sun clocks around, and we used a lot of textures that speak of waves, stones, and sand.” Also noteworthy is the curving stair hall that “brings a wonderful shaft of light as you go in,” says Balfoort, as well as the stainless steel stair railing, like one aboard a ship.

Glass plays a starring role on the interior, both as tile on bathroom walls and as a glass-and-marble mosaic backsplash in the kitchen. “In this house, the surfaces are all about reflective qualities,” Balfoort explains.

The exterior drove the interior design in other ways, too. The dining room table, for example, is higher than standard height, so that the family can enjoy the view while eating. Each guest room features different wall paneling, all evocative of seaside traditions.

Balfoort’s favorite place in her creation isn’t one particular nook or cranny, but somewhere between indoors and out.

“I love the way you can sit on all the porches, between [inside] and [outside],” she says. “They extend the functional living space all around the house.”

Exterior Lighting for Your Outdoor Space

Lighting by Pinnacle Lighting Group

Lighting by Pinnacle Lighting Group

With exterior lighting, any outdoor space becomes usable—day or night. by David Eisen

As the old proverb goes, it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. Thankfully for lighting designers, most homeowners follow this advice when it comes to the outdoors.
A great outside space should be enjoyed equally during the day and night. Homeowners can achieve this with the strategic placement of outdoor lighting.

“As beautiful and comforting as daylight and sunlight are, when we’re outdoors, we have very little control over [the light], but once the sun goes down, candlelight and artificial lighting allow us to create beautifully dramatic effects around our homes and gardens,” says Alfredo Zaparolli, principal of Techlinea, a San Francisco design studio that provides lighting design, electronic architecture, and project management. “With exterior lighting, we can highlight things we like and obscure into darkness and shadow things we don’t like.”

Think of lighting as makeup for the outside, accentuating the good stuff and hiding any blemishes. Claudia Juestel, principal of Adeeni Design Group, also based in San Francisco, treats outdoor spaces similar to interiors by creating areas for entertaining, eating, resting, and transition. “We look to create evening environments that are equally pleasant to be in as interior rooms,” she says. “But it is important that landscape lighting is well balanced with ambient lighting.”

Ambient lighting is key in lounge areas. A portico, gazebo, or pergola allows for overhead and wall or column lighting, but an uncovered space will require a combination of floor lamps and table lamps. Selections may be still somewhat more limited compared to indoor decorative lighting, but options can be found for both traditional and modern styles.

However, exterior lighting isn’t just for aesthetics; it’s also for safety. “Illuminating your property’s boundaries will make you and your guests feel more secure,” says Jim Burks, president of Atlanta-based Pinnacle Lighting Group, which specializes in architectural, landscape, residential, commercial, and security lighting. “It will also make any potential intruders feel insecure.”

Similar to interior spaces, LED is the biggest trend in exterior lighting due to its low wattage, long lamp life, miniaturized size, and ease of use. However, Zaparolli does say there are things to consider with LED lighting, including the fact that not all drivers are dimmable. Burks offers similar hesitancy. “Because LEDs are expensive when compared to other light sources, you may not recoup your investment if you’re planning to move within a short period of time,” he says. “Still, they are very popular.”

Kichler Lighting's South Hope Outdoor Wall Light

Kichler Lighting’s South Hope Outdoor Wall Light

The Get: Kichler Lighting’s South Hope Outdoor Wall Light

Mimicking old, classic lanterns with its box-like shape and handle accent atop each fixture, Kichler Lighting’s South Hope collection blends a mix of traditional and transitional elements for an eye-catching yet simple design. A hollowed frame featuring a rubbed bronze finish encloses a satin-etched opal glass shade. The four-piece collection includes a post lantern and wall lanterns in three sizes. From $150 (width: 5.5”; height: 11.75”) to $387 (width: 9”; height: 19.75”).

AnnMaria Baldine’s Newest Collection: INTERPRETATIONS

INTERPRETATIONS, the newest collection from internationally published artist/designer AnnMaria Baldine, offers a stunning visual palette of emotions. Inspired by reflections, visions, encounters and experiences which touched her deeply, she shares the journey in her visual interpretation, playing with light, color, shape, and texture to evoke those same emotions in her viewer.

AnnMaria loves color and uses it confidently but this time she uses it to take us places she has never taken us before, with dazzling color palettes. For the not quite so adventurous, the same designs create contemplative moods in soft neutral tones.

“I’ve been a doodler and a dreamer since childhood, a prerequisite to my life today as an artist/designer. Recently I experienced a liberating transformation of growth and self-expression through my chosen art form,” she says. This evolution is most evident in the abstract expressionistic collections she introduced at the Architectural Digest Home and Design Show 2012 and the forthcoming INTERPRETATIONS.

These images may be even better than the memories that inspired them, but clearly neither compare to the satisfaction AnnMaria feels in knowing people will enjoy living with her functional art for years to come.

 

(All designs are the exclusive copyright of AnnMaria Baldine and cannot be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the artist.)

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