Search results for "Criticism" in Home Design Ideas
David Lund Design
Like most kitchens, this basement bar kitchenette was all about the materials. Making the right selections is critical to a project's success, especially a kitchen, so how does that work?
To make sure we get the selections right, we follow a plan, or more accurately, a selection sequence, that ensures we make the right selections in the right order.
For kitchens and bathrooms, material selections follow a simple cadence - one, two, three. First countertops and tile, then plumbing fixtures, and, finally, hardware and accessories.
So, why countertops and tile first?
Simple, they have the greatest impact on the look, color, and mood of a room, and, much like the foundation, they are critical to the stability of a house. Selecting the right countertops (and corresponding tile) is critical to the aesthetic stability of a space.
In our three step process, the selection of countertops is intricately linked to the selection of tile. Yes, we begin with the countertops, but tile selection is only a half step behind. The two materials work in tandem given their proximity to each other ( often they actually touch each other).
Another consideration is selection flexibility. There are literally hundreds of thousands of tile options, making it easier to find the right tile to match the chosen countertops than it is to find countertops to match a specific tile.
To the cool and creamy quartzite countertop, we added a dark, rich counterpart - walnut. The elevated countertop, the one where friends sit and upon which drinks are set is warm and welcoming.
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The owner of this stunning Victorian terrace in tranquil Toorak purchased the property intending to renovate it. Equally entranced by modern design and heritage architecture, she wanted to create a space that married both worlds and truly felt her own.
Our brief was to transform her home into a modern, light-filled city dwelling that paid homage to the terrace’s original charm. To achieve this, we worked collaboratively with the client from the very beginning. Every decision was carefully considered to meet her vision, and no detail was left to chance.
The existing kitchen was dark and pokey, with a powder room and laundry that took up a lot of the footprint. Our client wanted to get rid of these internal walls and open up the back of the house, creating one ample space that integrated the kitchen and dining areas.
Our client also wanted a seamless indoor-outdoor connection that would invite plenty of natural light in. As she loved steel doors and windows, we proposed a big floor-to-ceiling steel opening.
There was a French door on one side and a small passage door on the right-hand side, which we filled in and then created props on either side with needles punching through the brickwork at certain distances to hold the weight up above. Then we had to implement a new steel beam across for support.
A non-negotiable in the brief was the inclusion of steel doors and windows, which the client loved and wanted to have in abundance through the house. She also wanted a beautiful steel curved arch, which ended up serving as a catalyst for the rest of the design. In the vein of trying to marry old and new, the arch retains the home’s original architraves on one side, while the other has been updated to showcase clean, modern lines.
Because the house was so dark when re-designing the kitchen, one of the top priorities was to improve natural lighting. For example, including two big mirrors and a blackened mirror splashback helped get the outside in. And once the outdoor area is landscaped, it will all be about the greenery and getting it into the home.
The client loves cooking, but she wasn’t cooking at all because her existing kitchen wasn’t functional and lacked efficient storage. We solved the lack of functionality and storage by creating a super functional, true galley style kitchen.
We designed a galley style kitchen for ease of movement and flow, with two clear entry points and no corners. We made sure there was a door to the exterior where the kitchen ends so when the client came in from the back of the house, she could plonk her shopping on the island benchtop and then put it away in the pantry and the fridge. We didn’t want the refrigerator on display, so we enclosed it in the cabinetry next to the pantry.
The curves in the hallways’ arched steel door are replicated in the VJ panelling of the island, the curved tapware and the circular black timber handles.
For the benchtops, we used Caesarstone Excava for its beautiful pattern and highly tactile quality. Here it works beautifully paired with a copper sink and copper tapware.
One detail our client loves about her kitchen is the pantry with retractable doors, which allows her to have appliances neatly tucked away or on display as needed. The pantry also has drawers underneath for easy access to the pantry staples she reaches for every day.
To get the lighting right, we collaborated with a lighting designer. We made sure there were plenty of standard downlights for task lighting, and we included a beautiful pendant light above the island bench for mood lighting. There’s plenty of mood lighting via wall lights strategically positioned all around the open living area.
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Showing Results for "Criticism"
FormLA Landscaping
It is not foliage that presents the greatest ignition danger to homes. Creature comforts like cushions, umbrellas, some furnishings and artwork, toys and tools pose can be highly flammable and pose the most hazard. It is critical to store these items when they are not in active use. Having storage close makes it easier to get in the habit of doing so. Photo: Lesly Hall Photography
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