Thrilled to Announce: Design Talk

First of all I have to apologise to my friends over at Design Talk. At the end of last week they posted an interview that I did with them, and in the rush of the last few days, I had completely forgotten to mention it. For anyone who is interested in knowing a bit more about the way I tick, you should check it out, here is the link:

http://designtalk.homevisions.com/2007/07/27/designtalk-interview-mark-cutler-mark-cutler-design/

For the rest of you with even just a passing interest in Design, you should also check out their website. I love this site because they always have interesting things to say, and they have a lot of Guest Bloggers who come and give some great advice on a variety of subjects that are their specialty, such as Kitchen Design etc.

So thanks to everyone over at Design Talk, for all your support, and I hope you will all go over and check out whats going on over there.

Before and After: Fireplace

I don't do a lot of Before and After posts, and I am thinking that I will try and do more. I like them because a lot of what I do as a designer is really pretty simple, it just relies on a good idea that is well implemented, and I think today's posting is a prime example of that.

This is a house that I worked on in Montecito, in Southern California. It had been renovated once before, only a few years ago, but the fireplace in the Family Room, still felt a little bland to me. It's a big room that required something of this scale, but all the plain drywall felt like a missed opportunity. I suggested that we case the top part in a nice stained wood and revisit all the bleached wood that was there already. Ultimately we stained the travertine a little as well, so that it would look a bit richer, but that's just me being a little obsessive. But I think the overall effect was terrific, and I am very happy with the results.

Here are some things to consider when starting a renovation of a room:

• Look around and try to determine the things that you like about the room. Whether it's the scale of the windows, the fireplace or even just the shape of the room.
• Once you have determined what you like, you need to find ways of accentuating that, whether its covering it in wood, painting it a color, facing the furniture arrangement to see it etc.
• On the other hand, determine what you do not like about the room, then do what you can to disguise it. Poorly proportioned windows can be helped by window treatments, color on the walls can really change the way you feel about a space. The same can be said about lighting.
• Do not go overboard, a few simple changes is often all you need to bring a space to life.
• Take your time, if at all possible do not rush in and start pulling things out. It took a couple of weeks to really work out what to do with this place, the first few ideas got presented then changed, and i think the design is better for it.

The important thing, is have fun with your room, and remember to play up the strengths, you will be amazed the changes you can make.

Making the Kitchen, the Heart of the House

I REALLY love to cook, and for me one of the best things about cooking is the gathering together of friends and sharing the experience. The image above is one of the favorite kitchens I have ever designed. The owner was a retired chef and he would through the most terrific parties, where he would invite tons of friends over and we would all sit around the island (it sat 12) and he would cook and talk, and we would all eat and drink, it really was a magical place. Now, not all of us have a place where we can sit 12 people and cook at the same time, but I think there are some lessons that can be learned none the less. Here are some of my thoughts on how you might go about making the Kitchen feel more like the heart of the home:

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  Start with the backgrounds, paint the kitchen a warm, inviting color. Try to stay away from colors that are too cool, like blues and use earth tones, it will give the room an inviting feeling that will encourage people to linger.


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  It doesn't matter if its a modern or traditional Kitchen, the idea about colors apply to both.


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  Make a spot to sit for your visitors, it doesn't matter if its a chair or a stool, just make sure that they can sit comfortably and not feel that they are constantly in your way. So maybe put them on the other side of the island , but just be sure you can go from refrigerator, to sink to stove without asking them to move.


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  I am not a big fan of TV's in the Kitchen. They generate a huge amount of noise in an already hectic spot, at most some background music would be nice.


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  Try keeping either fresh flowers or living herbs in the Kitchen, its amazing what a difference this small gesture will do. Its a way of showing people that you care about the details.
  

Monday is Answer Day: Color

Today's question comes from a reader in Miami, who, ironically has an all white apartment. The reader tells me that while the apartment is a modest size, that the all white scheme feels too antiseptic. Originally he thought that it would make the space feel cleaner and more spacious, but now feels like it is dull and lacks any punch, what should he do? He had the idea of buying some new furniture or repainting his whole home, I think this might be a little drastic.

It is my feeling when working on a place, to try and bring out the personality of the people who live there. If your concern is light and cleanliness then maybe an all white scheme will work for you. The thing to remember though, is that an all white scheme does not necessarily mean that EVERYTHING has to be all white. I suggest that you take a look at one of the major walls in each room and give it a shot of color. Often one concentrated injection of color will make the white brighter and give a lot more depth to the scheme that you have going on.

As far as what kind of colors to use, as a rule of thumb, I think that stronger colors would work in the main living space, maybe a deep bronze color, that way the scheme can still stay pretty neutral, or if you want something a bit more daring try paprika or a pepper red. I would suggest staying away from sage and other muted tones, you run the risk of it getting to look like a bad office scheme.

In the bedroom, try something that is soothing, what about a very soft pale blue, or even a very very light camel could be pretty too. I think that a warm dusty pink, could also be great, but some guys may be a bit shy about using that. The point is, in the bedroom, use a quiet, soothing color that will encourage quietness and romance.

I hope that this was helpful, let me know how it works out. Remember, each Monday is answer day, so if you have any questions about your decor, write and let me know.

5 Favorite Books: Palm Springs

While I am not convinced that the middle of summer is the best time to visit, that is exactly what I did. I was in Palm Springs this week, for a few meetings etc. It had been several years since I had visited and it reminded me just how much I love the desert. The thing that I think I like about Palm Springs though is definitely the architecture. Unlike a lot of other desert communities, such as Las Vegas or Phoenix, Palm Springs embraced the idea of modernism with a fervour that few communities have. What you can see now is one of the best collections of modern architecture, in a condensed place, as well as a community that has taken this identity and created a town that celebrates this style and continues on the vanguard of modern design.

This week I have selected a few books from my collection about Palm Springs, some talk about its history others it's style, but they are all entertaining books in their own right. I hope you pick up one or two, and let me know what you think.

Celebrating the weekend retreat, this book is a great starter book,,,, great images and some terrific examples of beautiful homes.

I am a big fan of all the books that Dianne Saeks does on design, and this is no different, if you were to have only one book on Palm Springs, this would be a tough one to pass up.

Another great volume on Palm Springs Architecture. Adele Cygelman has worked at some of the finest architectural magazines in the world, and brings her trained on to bear this brand of modernism. She has gained access into some of the finest homes in the desert and presents them with stunning photography.

Often regarded as the man who started the modern craze in Palm Springs. The houses of Albert Frey were some of the first to marry modernism with a desert context. His houses remain the benchmark of style even today.

This book looks at the Palm Springs of today, its a great insight to what is happening now, as people buy and renovate, or build from scratch, and how they are managing to capture the spirit of a very special place.

Thursday is Resource Day: California Faucets

Today for the Thursday Resource, I have decided to post about a great company, California Faucets. So many of my projects are new construction or remodels, and one of the things I am always looking for is stylish, well priced, quality plumbing fixtures. This I think you can find with California Faucets (www.calfaucets.com).

I have been using this company for years now, and in that time there line has extended broadly to incorporate everything from very traditional, to cleaner more modern designs. With an inspiring range of finishes you can achieve a very custom look easily.

Everyone who reads this blog knows too, that I am always especially keen if they have a great web site too, and this company sure does.

So keep them in mind on your next project, I think you will be happy with the results.

Happy Birthday Gilena!

Today is a very special post for me, it is the birthday of one of my best friends, Gilena. She and her husband, were two of my earliest clients, almost 10 years ago, and since then they have come to mean a lot to me. But does that justify a posting? Probably not, the reason why I wanted to post for her birthday, is because she is the one who has almost single handedly taught me about how design can create meaning in peoples lives.

It's an interesting story, both her and Gary were married to other people, tragically, they both passed suddenly and they met in a bereavement support group called "Our House". After dating a while they decided to get married and build a new home together. That is the home I designed with them.

For them, the house became a way to honor the memories of their previous spouses, as well as a symbol of their new life together. This idea of a home being a symbol like this really brought home to me a whole new way of looking at what I do.

Gilena, went on to write a book about the experience, she posts it on her blog bit by bit, and is really an inspiring story, if you get a chance you should check it out www.alifeimagined.com .

So anyway, happy birthday to my friend, and thank you for opening my eyes to the possibilities of my vocation.