Children’s waiting room interior design project at Princeton University. I was beyond thrilled when contacted by a team of scientists ( psychologists and neurologists ) at Princeton University. This group of professors and graduate students from the Turk-Brown Laboratory are conducting research on the infant’s brain by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (or fMRI), to see how they learn, remember and think. My job was to turn a tiny 7’x10′ windowless study room into an inviting but not too “clinical” waiting room for the mothers or fathers and siblings of the babies being studied. We needed to ensure a comfortable place for parents to rock and feed their babies while waiting their turn to go back to the laboratory, as well as a place to change the babies if needed. We wanted to stock some shelves with good books and while the room looks complete, we’re still sourcing something interactive to mount to the wall to help entertain toddlers who want something more active than reading or building blocks. Since there are no windows, I wanted to bring the outdoors inside. Princeton University‘s colors are orange, gray and black and the history behind those colors is very interesting. It seems there are a lot of squirrels on campus and these colors were selected for the three colors of squirrels often seem scampering around the university grounds. The orange squirrels are now extinct, but the gray and black squirrels are abundant, as I found when touring the campus with my son on installation day. Therefore we wanted to reflect this history in the room and decided to paint silhouettes of squirrels in these three colors throughout the room. While the ceilings are 10′ high in this tiny room, they’re very drab and boring. Given that it’s a drop ceiling, we can’t paint it a fun color as I typically do in my nurseries and kids’ rooms. To distract from the ugly ceiling, I contacted My Custom Creation through their Etsy shop and commissioned them to create a custom butterfly mobile to suspend from the ceiling to create a swath of butterflies moving across the room. Their customer service was impeccable and the end product was exactly what we wanted! The flooring in the space was simply coated concrete so I decided to use Flor carpet tiles to give it warmth and a grass-like appeal. These tiles are super easy to install and can easily be removed without any residual on the floor. I’ll be using them more often for sure! See more photos of our commercial interior design job below and contact us if you need a unique space designed for children. We don’t just design nurseries and bedrooms! We’re game for anything!

Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in St Louis

For today's Friday Feature we wanted to show off a really cool living room remodel that we did. The homeowners are both professors and avid bookworms. They wanted room to store shelves and shelves of books while creating a livable space. These Custom Wood Products (CWP) natural oak cabinets provide a ton of storage space... even behind the TV!

For today's Friday Feature we wanted to show off a really cool living room remodel that we did. The homeowners are both professors and avid bookworms. They wanted room to store shelves and shelves of books while creating a livable space. These Custom Wood Products (CWP) natural oak cabinets provide a ton of storage space... even behind the TV!

cgaribaldi
Inspiration for an eclectic bedroom remodel in New York

The Henriksen Residence was an amazing project. The owner Jorgen Henriksen, who is a retired Art Professor from the Boston University and a painter, had very clear ideas about which colors to use. The problem for TRC was the amount…there were 5-different color hardeners broadcast onto the slabs and a week later we were acid staining those floors with 3-different acid stains. At one point we pulled out our power trowels to assist with the color lay down because there was just far too much color to handle by hand. Later Jorgen added colorful concrete countertops and a shower with an exposed Mexican pebble floor.

I designed and assisted the homeowners with the materials, and finish choices for this project while working at Corvallis Custom Kitchens and Baths. Our client (and my former professor at OSU) wanted to have her basement finished. CCKB had competed a basement guest suite a few years prior and now it was time to finish the remaining space. She wanted an organized area with lots of storage for her fabrics and sewing supplies, as well as a large area to set up a table for cutting fabric and laying out patterns. The basement also needed to house all of their camping and seasonal gear, as well as a workshop area for her husband. The basement needed to have flooring that was not going to be damaged during the winters when the basement can become moist from rainfall. Out clients chose to have the cement floor painted with an epoxy material that would be easy to clean and impervious to water. An update to the laundry area included replacing the window and re-routing the piping. Additional shelving was added for more storage. Finally a walk-in closet was created to house our homeowners incredible vintage clothing collection away from any moisture. LED lighting was installed in the ceiling and used for the scones. Our drywall team did an amazing job boxing in and finishing the ceiling which had numerous obstacles hanging from it and kept the ceiling to a height that was comfortable for all who come into the basement. Our client is thrilled with the final project and has been enjoying her new sewing area.

Vaulted ceilings and natural cedar sided walls were all preserved from the original, award-winning design done in 1965 by the Lifetime Achievement AIA Gold Medal Award winner, Architect Joseph Esherick. Professor Esherick was my instructor at UC Berkeley when he was designing this home. Photo by Tim Maloney

Matthew Millman Photography
Kitchen/dining room combo - contemporary concrete floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in San Francisco with green walls

The Roxbury Motel "Maryann or Ginger? The age-old question. C’mon, you know you have a preference. Doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, we’re all drawn to one maybe a tad more than the other. As far as coconut cream pies go, Maryann HAD to have been the better cook. But could she have constructed an entire room that makes you feel like you’re actually INSIDE of a pie? Complete with pie crust crown molding and a circular bed? The professor maybe, but Maryann? Doubtful. For more photos and info, check out the ‘hotel info’ link on The Roxbury's facebook page."

For today's Friday Feature we wanted to show off a really cool living room remodel that we did. The homeowners are both professors and avid bookworms. They wanted room to store shelves and shelves of books while creating a livable space. These Custom Wood Products (CWP) natural oak cabinets provide a ton of storage space... even behind the TV!

Tasoulla Hadjiyanni
Open concept kitchen - mid-sized craftsman l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Slab style doors in shades of gray lend drama to this landscape architecture professor/artist’s kitchen. Special heights and depths culminate in a top alignment that defines a visual upper plane extending from the kitchen to the great room (at the tops of the windows and doors) creating a unified interior horizon. On a more prosaic front, the upper cabinets were held somewhat low to be easier to reach for a shortish cook. Differing cabinet depths allow for a structural post to be integrated through the island cabinetry; the oven cabinet is held forward to align with a full depth refrigerator; and depth was added at the washer/dryer surround for needed ventilation. Also, the base cabinets were pulled forward for deeper counters to accommodate several small appliances and still allow for work area. In addition, the client wanted a built-in shelf unit to blend with existing rough hewn paneling in which to display objets d’art. An organically shaped island breaks with tradition and softens the otherwise linear nature of the room. A unique sweeping curve expands and defines the bar seating -- the wall beneath is lined with an accent stripe of cork (same materials as in the flooring) to act as a shoe-scuff deterrent for the wall. A small but significant detail - the upper doors and side of the tall microwave cabinet had to be finished Silvermist (light) while the interior, edge banding and bottom drawerhead needed to be finished in the darker Slate to continue the color theme of the kitchen. Integrated lighting was also a mandatory component of this kitchen - indirect top, bottom, picture and toe lights can all be adjusted myriad ways; and we can’t forget the very unique undulating pendant lighting at the island.

This 3 bedroom condo was staged by Showhomes and went under contract within 1 week. We staged with transitional/traditional style furnishings and accessories to appeal to buyers for this particular building and location. This location serves professors and professionals needing to be closely located to the University of Colorado or downtown Denver.

With children raised and the work of establishing a career behind them, Dennis and Helene Liotta decided it was time to simplify life and downsize—by moving up. They sold their 5,000 sq. ft. family home (complete with the requisite pool and expansive yard), in favor of a 3,600 sq. ft. residence on the 47th floor of The Sovereign, a sleek mixed-use tower located in Atlanta’s Buckhead district. Realizing they wanted to enlist a talented decorative collaborator for all phases of the project, the couple sought the assistance of Mercedes Williams, design consultant at Cantoni Atlanta. Having helped the couple’s sons with purchases in the past, he came highly recommended. “I know the Liotta’s were thrilled to have the opportunity to personally conceptualize their new home,” recalls Mercedes. “They wanted my input to customize the space—confirming paint, tile, flooring, and finish choices—and they wanted help choosing furniture that would create an elegant yet warm and comfortable living environment.” “Dennis and Helene also had a vision for how they wanted the space to flow,” he explains. “The large, open floor plan for the main living room included the kitchen and dining areas, so we had to delineate the spaces while creating visual interest…without using a lot of furniture.” Choosing pieces with impact, and looks that simultaneously celebrated texture, scale, finish, and color, was the key to success. The dining table and large wool rug were custom-made by Cantoni and colored to coordinate with some of the couple’s key glass collectibles. “We also made the salt water aquarium a focal point in the living area because Dennis and Helene love the beach and ocean,” explains Mercedes. Along with additional new furnishings from Cantoni the couple wanted to incorporate other existing pieces from their extensive art and glass collection. Given the size of their former residence, an editing session was in order, so the Liotta’s took a novel approach to the task at hand. “We had a huge ‘Sovereign’ moving party and let friends and family take some of the things we knew we could part with,” says Helene. Dennis and Helene have been settled into their new digs since November. He continues to work as a professor at Emory University, and she enjoys searching for premium wines sold at Wine Gallery + Market, a family-owned gourmet emporium in Atlanta. With two bedrooms and a study, there remains room enough for the grandkids to sleep over—and a large dining table was selected so the couple could continue to accommodate multi-generational gatherings. “This project was a dream job for me,” reflects Mercedes, with enthusiasm. “The Liotta’s have excellent taste and wanted to create a fun and inviting environment that evokes luxury without stuffiness. They knew what they wanted, but needed a little help getting there. I’m flattered they chose me and Cantoni to help them realize the life they dreamed of living at The Sovereign.”

Home office for a busy professor
Home office - small 1960s freestanding desk medium tone wood floor and brown floor home office idea in Philadelphia with white walls

14' 2" x 13' 17" bedroom to Home office. IT focused with a collegiate professor / Library world.
Example of a trendy home design design in Portland

ELITE DESIGN AWARD WINNER 2016: This academic professor works from home, and decided to come up from the basement to take advantage of the natural light on the main floor. We turned this playroom into a fully functioning multi-person office space that allows customization and flexibility no matter the task. His research is far from square and boring – so we came up with a unique curvilinear countertop design using Maple desktops from Décor Cabinets, which truly add a touch of whimsy to the everyday. Against his wife’s preference, his creative process requires access to many types of material at once, so solutions like bi-fold cabinets and the large aluminum tambour doors allow him to organize loose papers, but shut away the mess when the day is done. Mixing a few different finishes creates enough interest so that staying in the same room for long periods is far from boring, and the acid etch mirror inserts give a frosted glass look without showing any of the mess inside. With this design, the move upstairs was a benefit for everyone.

Trendy kitchen photo in Melbourne