A YEAR in The Life of an Interior Designer -reflection on 2013

Take a peek into my interior design adventures of 2013... It was an incredible Year filled with great moments.  I traveled a lot and met a lot of wonderful people.  I am so grateful to everyone in this book and others who I don't have pictures of , who made such an impact on my life this past year.   I put this album together for me as a keepsake but then I thought... why not share it.  So here it is .

Click here to view this photo book larger

Best of KBIS 2013

My 5 Favorites from KBIS

1. BRIZO - Freestanding Tub Faucets

2. TOTO - Air Injection and Sana GLoss glaze 

3. Silestone -Eco and Nebula

4. Kohler - Moxie !

5 . Wilsonart -Faux wood grain counter top material

BRIZO's display stopped me in my tracks.... it was spectacular !  More spectacular though was their awesome freestanding tub faucets.

“Extreme attention to detail was taken in the development of Brizo freestanding tub fillers,” said Laura Brooks, Brizo senior brand manager. “Not only do they blend well with our existing bath collections, but our freestanding tub fillers incorporate design innovations to help ease installation and improve functionality for a true statement in the bath.”

Additionally, Brizo freestanding tub fillers flow at 10.5-15 gpm, depending on the trim and rough selected, which is significantly higher than many standard counterparts that flow between six and eight gpm.

I will be designing a bathroom around this Siderna Black matte free standing faucet .

Silestone and ECO by Cosentino - Quartz Surface

New Nebula Code Series.

We got a special SNEAK PEEK of their newest product in development and it is gorgeous.....

 .... Can't show you a photo of the product but I can tell you it's name and features.......it is Really cool !  It is Called Dekton. 

TOTO

Toto's patented Sana Gloss glaze is awesome !

It prevents debris and mold from sticking to porous, ceramic surfaces.  So that means it keeps your toilet bowl cleaner longer which means fewer chemicals in the environment and less water used for cleaning.

ALMES series if one of my FAV's

TOTO has always been a favorite.  Love their innovation and their pride in sustainability !

PEOPLE, PLANET,WATER - Toto's Motto

The innovation of their new air injection shower systems are very impressive too! 

Wilsonart - Faux Wood CounterTop

A year in Review 2012

I am very thankful for every moment I experienced this year as it has not only made me grow, but it has also motivated me to do more, bigger and better... here's a year in review of 2012.

PHOTO by : David Young-Wolff-  Custom Design wall unit with intersecting desk design by Erica Islas. 

January 2012 started off with a bang with an amazing feature In Real Kitchens - and we landed a great renovation project because of it which we just completed and getting ready to photograph.

In February I was invited to Fashion week with Brizo , which has turned out to be one of the best business trips of my life .  I met some amazing designers on this trip and have made great friendships.  THANK YOU Brizo for this amazing opportunity .  Thank you Christian May & Brandon Smith for the nomination.

In March we received recognition : "Best of remodeling 2012 bathrooms in Los Angeles" from Houzz.com

In April Worked we worked on an Hgtv episode of House Hunter Renovations , where we used the NEW Black Matte Touch Faucet by Brizo and joined the Decor Mentor group.


In June we were featured in Small Room Decorating... Our client's home office / guest room project and started a couple new projects.

The summer was fun!  Fun filled with projects , and juggling the home life with kids beign off of school... Lucky for them they had Art Camp at the LACMA, otherwise they might of been interning at EMI Interior Design all summer long :) 

In October the HHR Episode aired  and went to I High Point Market with my amazing designer friends Michelle Workman & Shirry Dolgin.  These two woman are incredibly talented and inspiring. Very Thankful to have them in my life. 

We (EMI Interior Design Team) are very blessed and thankful to have about 14 running projects on the boards.  They are all at different stages, and as one finishes another one starts.  Some are big some are small. Some new clients and a lot of repeat clients.  

We are ending the year with a featured in Small Room Decorating -Spring 2013 issue , a perfect way to end December.

This has been an amazing year and I am thankful for all the connections I made this year with everyone, too many to name, but you all know who you are.  I am grateful.  It has been an eventful year. 

Cheers to a fabulous New year !   Excited to see what 2013 has in store.

House Hunters Renovation Kitchen

Working on House Hunters Renovation was a blast! I am thrilled to finally be able to show you what we did ! 

BEFORE PHOTO

The Black Matte touch faucet was one of my Favorite features.

We also used black matte pulls and knobs to tie it all together.

We used a glass backsplash with a random pattern to incorporate  warm tones while we used cooler tones on the cabinets and walls.

DEMO ! MY FAVORITE PART!

BEFORE - DATED KITCHEN

AFTER - Opening up the kitchen

Ta' da ! 

Opened up the kitchen to the dining room and selected a glass island hood

We also Demo'd that awful unusable pantry and gave the client a new functional pantry with pull-out  shelves .  A counter depth fridge for a streamline look. 

Cozy Little Breakfast nook

We chose a school house pendant to add some vintage charm .  We used Sunbrella Fabric for the custom bench cushion, for easy maintenance.  Mid Century accents .

Chalk Board wall for the client who is an artist.

All "After" photos By David Young-Wolff

We picked a bevel counter edge detail for the White Quartz counter top.
The frosted glass inserts on top cabinets lighten up the space.

Hope you enjoyed watching the renovation unfold on HGTV's House Hunters Renovation.  We had a blast filming !  SHOP THE LOOK HERE!

Next Month : Fashion Week in NY with Brizo & Jason Wu

Brizo, the faucet brand for the fashion forward, invited me and 19 other designers, architects and social media mavens to be their guests in New York to see it's newest products and attend an exclusive design- focused event during Fashion Week next month!  That's Right! Fashion Week in New York ! 

I am absolutely thrilled and honored to be invited to attend this event all courtesy of Brizo. 

(Photo Courtesy of Brizo)

During the trip, Brizo will give us a sneak peeks at their upcoming products and we'll have the opportunity to share our feedback on concept pieces to help influence their design.  This is an incredible opportunity that every designer dreams of !  To top it all off , we will also be attending Jason Wu's fashion show !

I look forward to learning more about Brizo's collaboration with renowned fashion designer Jason Wu.  They both encompass what I find to be the key ingredients in all design: they are timeless with modern sensibilities. They are both classic, yet edgy! They are "Two young fashion brands, one shared aesthetic".  I believe I'm in for a real treat , because their design philosophy is right up my alley !

It's going to be So Fun meeting the 19 others on the trip and Mr. Jason Wu himself and all the creative geniuses behind Brizo's innovative products. I can't wait to be in the middle of all that creativity! Excited to be in the heart of Fashion Week in New York where the trends are set and the latest styles are born.

So be sure to tune in next month in February if you love design, fashion and adventure! I'll be sharing  adventures from my trip with you through Facebook and Twitter so be sure to follow us , if you don't already!  I will keep you posted with lots of photos and posts as its' all happening .
I HEART NEW YORK !