Why Wallcoverings Work!

Innovative beyond measure, for the renter, nature enthusiast, and the tiny artists who prefer crayons as their artistic medium. Wall-coverings are making a major come-back. Designs now vary from simple black and while mod prints to experimental negative-film images.  We’ve devoted this post to giving you an update on all the types of chic wallcoverings that currently exist and how to implement them into your interior design experiments.

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The Kitchen Remodel Low-down

Ahh, the kitchen.  Possibly one of the hardest places to remodel in your entire home.  It comes with its challenges but when done right, can be a complete game changer for the way you live.  Peppered in this remodel journal are some guiding tips we hope will inspire you to create the kitchen you desire, without the headache.

We had the privilege of working closely with our clients, who dreamt of free flowing space for their remodeled abode.  Early on we established the kitchen as the power place of hearth and home.  And we all know in most homes the kitchen coincidentally happens to be where the organic alchemy takes place, where guests gather in gang-like numbers, so why not ensure that it’s an open and joyful place to gather?

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The Integration of MLK and Design

London! the source for design inspiration

There’s nothing like a little travel to motivate our inner designer.  Whilst away on holiday, I had the chance to see London in all of its holiday glory.  Come along for a private peek into some of the sites and sounds I came across on my travels…

Since we stayed on the west side of town, our first stop was Liberty, an institution in the UK.  Each level was filled with beautiful objects, inspiring and inciting, expertly layered to delight the senses with scale and sparkle.  True to form, the Brits do style with just a hint of humor.

Liberty of London - lights and witty conversation starter plates

Our next stop was Kate Spade. I love the kelly green desk chair and the gallery wall in the office display. Another huge hit was the large floral wallpaper in the stairwell.  Almost every pub we came across showed botanical prints- whether juxtaposed with traditional chandeliers, or modernized with bronze glowing Kenneth Weingard’esk starburst lights, it’s hard to go wrong when adding this dramatic statement.

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Last Minute Holiday Crafting – The Living Wall

Call it telepathy, but I get the strange feeling that you still haven’t completed your holiday shopping. Well, you’re in luck.  I spent yesterday afternoon with a local green craft artisan, Lavinia Lindsay, and have a DIY holiday project to share.  Perhaps this will inspire you to check off your shopping list with a sustainable, handmade gift to graciously give.  Living walls have grown a lot of popularity in the Bay Area.  I saw one the other day outside of the Center City Hospitality House on Market street.  It was filled with succulents, tropical greenery and native California ornamental grass varieties.  It’s an amazing alternative to artwork, or painting that bland wall in your home.  Utilizing living objects, like plants for a craft project, is both functional and eco-friendly.  It filters the air and adds charm for as long as their kept alive!

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Your Table of Abundance

Despite what the mainstream media may be telling us, abundance is all around.  With the holiday in full swing, no matter what you’re celebrating, the dining area will be the nucleus of your home. Let’s talk about what’s happening in the Bay Area holiday scene: what types of food trends will find their place on the table, which wines will fill glasses half full, and most importantly we’ll share some of the most inspiring dining areas we’ve transformed.

The quaint eat-in above was an easy place to cheer up with a professional paint job, uplifting the overall energy of the entire dining area.  With plenty of natural lighting, we added some additional fixtures to extend the brightness throughout the evening hours and snagged a few West Elm seat cushions to compliment the bold batik pillows the home-owner brought back from one of her many trips to Africa.  Next time you’re in the mood for a little pick-me-up, try swapping out your pillows for a fresh new look. Read the rest of this entry »

Art, Gallery Walls and an Optical Illusion

Vintage Shop Stops

I hear you, you’re tired of IKEA, but you don’t want to settle with the fluffy florally couch you inherited from your grandmother.  I sat down with Paige Loczi and chatted about the abundance of local, vintage furniture stores—we had a lot to talk about so let’s just get right down to our favorites. Read the rest of this entry »

Intimate Sustainability

Let’s face it, it’s your own little sanctuary—your bathroom. A place where you remove the impurities of the day, primp, hastily get ready for work, or have the occasional pep talk in front of your mirror. It may be decadent with a jacuzzi and three shower heads. Or windowless with nothing more than a narrow stand-in shower. Either way it’s where you let go and bare it all to return to your natural state.

Why not make now the perfect time to let serenity, functionality, and sustainability encompass you in your private bath? Here at LOCZIdesign, we’ve explored some of our transformations and share with you some easy green tips for designing your dream latrine, or sprucing up the powder room you already have.

Clean clear spaces and lines

Much like in photography, lines can draw the eye in many directions, creating an optical illusion. In the transformation above, the shower wall was replaced with glass and the horizontal layout of natural tile from wall to wall visibly expands the narrowness of the room.

It’s sometimes hard to put awkward stuff like blow-dryers and the dreadful bulk of toilet paper in its right place—especially with no under-the-sink cabinet space. An aesthetically pleasing and sustainable fix could be to install custom renewable cabinetry—the folks at Woodshanti really did it up for us in this remodel. Read the rest of this entry »

What a difference a Remodel makes!

Good Lord, what a coat of paint, new counters and some tile can do to spruce up an existing space! Sometimes, it just takes some new furniture…Check out these recent trips into designReMIX & Remodels from LOCZIdesign!  We sure love what we do, and hopefully, it shows!