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2007 Fall Home and Garden Show at Del Mar |
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Designer:
Ricarda Lopez
Project Description:
The objective was to create a warm, transitional space
that invited you in. The mood of this space was created by blending
traditional and contemporary pieces and keeping a warm neutral color palette.
Solution:
The painting over the sofa is contemporary and by local
artist. The painting was used to fill-in the blank space of a 20 foot wall.
The large piece was chosen because it worked well with the color palette
and the walls. The subject matter of the piece reflected the essence of the
Pakistani rug while still maintaining a contemporary, abstract foundation to
create an updated look.
The area rug is Pakistani. It gives the room an exotic and traditional spirit.
The faux plant was used as a visual divider between the living room group and
the dinette. Its’ appeal is both striking and natural in form.
The faux finish on the walls gives an updated look and adds interest and warmth
to the space. A touch of metallic adds a subtle sheen to draw in the viewer.
The upholstered pieces are transitional in their form and materials used. The slight
curved arm is contemporary, yet the leather used in the upholstery is very traditional.
The chenille sofa cushion adds softness and a contrast to the leather.
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Jamul Residence: Fireplace Wall Unit (Oct. 2007 - work in progress) |
(Fireplace Wall Unit - Before)
(Fireplace Wall Unit - After)
(Family Room - Before)
(Family Room - After)
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Designer:
Ricarda Lopez
Project Description:
The client wanted a wall unit that would better display her cherished items.
The current unit wasn’t meeting her needs and she wanted something that matched the architecture
of her home.
Solution:
A drywall unit creates a custom look that reflects the existing
interior walls. The previous wall unit felt out of scale in proportion to the wall and created
a long and narrow blank wall space above. The new unit makes better use of the space by creating
shelves that extend to the ceiling. The scale of the drywall unit feels right at home in this
large family room. A custom fireplace mantel with legs is being made to finish off the look of
this wall unit.
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Encinitas Exterior Entertainment Area – Encinitas, Ca |
( Blueprint for Elkayam Design )
( Firepit - Before )
( Firepit - After )
( Fireplace - After )
( BBQ - Before )
( BBQ - After )
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Designer:
Ricarda Lopez for Elkayam Design - Client Project
Project Description:
The clients would like to use the backyard to entertain guest. The
barbque and sauna need to be updated and unified with new materials. The pergola is not
functional with an oversized concrete structure used as a countertop and centered in the
space. They would like a fire pit and a fireplace in the backyard. The husband likes
moder design and the wife favors a more traditional style.
Solution:
Design a fireplace that combines both their tastes. A 6x8 stone
face slate is used on the left and right side walls and a 12x12 honed slate is used
on the front and sides of the fireplace. The contrast in pattern and texture created
by the difference in tile size and texture creates a focal point in the pergola area.
The smaller, rough-textured stone has a more traditional feel. While the larger,
smooth-textured tiles suggest a more modern style.
I used the somewhat circular outline of the paved flooring to establish the form of
the fire pit. I chose to use a half octagon instead of a half circle because of the
limitations of the 6x8 stone face tile to form a smooth half circle within the
restricted space. The sharp edges of an octagon better accommodated the stone and
area. I chose to use a polished concrete top on the fire pit, barbeque countertop,
and the surrounding hearth to bring a modern finish to those areas and to appeal to
the clients taste for modern design.
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Rancho Del Ray Townhouse – Chula Vista, Ca |
(Blueprint:
Rancho Del Ray Townhouse)
(Blueprint: Rancho Del Ray Townhouse)
(Blueprint: Rancho Del Ray Townhouse)
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Designer:
Ricarda Lopez
Project Description:
A U-shaped kitchen in a townhouse located in a master planned community.
The clients have to get on their hands and knees in order to locate items in the lower cabinets
that have been pushed to the back. The kitchens’ appliances are basic white, inexpensive
builder specified and the white on the appliances are turning yellow. The client rarely used
the countertop next to the refrigerator. The countertop area next to the stove housed a
microwave in the corner which cut down on available work space near the stove The clients
would like nicer appliances; warm, rich wood cabinets instead of laminate and for the kitchen
to function better by having better access to everything.
Solution:
Design new cabinetry with drawers instead of doors in the lower cabinets.
It’s much easier to find and organize kitchen tools in drawers and it makes better use of the
space. Half the space is lost or unusable with a door system. Replace the stove with a cook-top
to allow room for cabinet drawers to be placed below the cook-top. Pot and pans, and their lids
are conveniently located in these drawers.
A wall-oven with a microwave above is built into the cabinetry next to the refrigerator. An
efficient and concentrated cooking area is created on the left side of the kitchen. The cook-top,
wall-oven and the microwave are all within an arm’s reach. The dishwasher has also been replaced
with a drawer system to make washing dishes more convenient and accessible. The dishwasher drawer
allows for each drawer to be used independently eliminating having to wait for a full load.
A stone tile in a herringbone pattern is used to add character and interest to the backsplash.
The backsplash adds a slightly tropical feel to the kitchen without making it theme based. A
similar stone will be used in a 12X12 honed stone tile.
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La Mesa Residence Home Office |
( Blueprint for La Mesa Home Office)
( Before )
( In Progress )
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Designer:
Ricarda Lopez
Project Description:
The client’s run a home-based business. They use a room in their
home as their office. Unfortunately, the room became overwhelmed by business related
paperwork and personal items. Everything from art supplies to Christmas related items,
to archival client files that were rarely needed were being thrown into this space.
The clutter was so overwhelming that the client could no longer work in the office.
She began bring her work to the dining table and it became cluttered as well.
Solution:
The goal was to create zones in the office to better define each
function or task. Create an energetic, organized and appealing environment to promote
productivity and make the space inviting to the client. The first step, to remove all
personal items not related to their business. Closed-out client files that were rarely
accessed took up too much valuable storage space in the home office. They were removed
from the office and stored in the closet of an adjacent room. The office furniture was
rearranged to accommodate two desks. Previously, one desk was used as a return for a
larger desk. The wife handled the bookkeeping portion of the business and spent a lot
of time at her desk. Her desk was placed in the center of the room to allow her visual
and physical access to key elements in the room like the oversized monthly schedule on
the wall. The founder of the company used his desk primarily for writing-up bids and
unloading any paperwork from the day. His smaller desk was placed at the entrance wall
and wall pockets were added to store any paperwork from the day. The second step was to
add bright, energetic paint to the walls to promote a happy and productive mood. At the
end of this step, the client noted to me that she was really happy with the orange paint
and was enjoying the space even though there was still more work to be done. The third
and current step is to find storage containers/solutions that accommodate the clients
taste and is easy for them to incorporate into their daily tasks. The clients are currently
sorting through all their paperwork to determine what can be tossed, archived and filed
(in a more efficient way). Once this is resolve we can look at different storage
containers/systems. Beyond that we will address the window treatments, lighting and any
other finishing touches. Our primary objective was to remove the clutter in the space and
encourage this couple to think and function in an organized way. Changing habits can take
time but this couple is slowly on its’ way.
Testimonial:
"Ricarda Design made it possible for me to want to go into my home
office and work. The colors & new layout invite and energize me!"
Eternally Grateful,
Lorena Guerrero de Campillo, V.P.
Audrey Fence Co., Inc.
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Harbor House Resident – San Diego, CA |
( Blueprints for Harbor House Resident )
( Finishes and Selections)
( Project Test File)
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Designer:
Ricarda Lopez
Project Description:
The client a young, single aerospace engineer wanted a space which
reflected his lifestyle, interests and entertainment needs. He wanted his home to
accommodate entertaining friends and family that allowed a lot of movement within the
space. He also wanted a space that provided a private, quiet refuge from the rest of
the home. This portion of the home needed to integrate a home office for the occasional
times that he needed to work from home as well as a master bedroom suite.
Solution:
The solution was to create zones through out the home. Two-thirds would be dedicated to entertainment and that portion would be further broken down into specific areas depending on their function. A billiard area, home theater, gaming room and outdoor kitchen defined this portion of the home. One-third would be a private master suite accessible only through a hidden door off the main entry.
In the kitchen, cabinets and refrigeration units were installed under-counter to maintain a modern, minimalist appearance. Specially designed casement windows were used above the sink to act as a pass-through for food.
Motorized black-out shades were used to cover windows on two walls in the home theater. This allowed the room to be darkened enough to view the projection screen. The motorized screen was hidden away in a recessed area of the ceiling until needed, which allowed a full view to the city architecture and bay.
The master suite was designed to reflect the clients’ profession in aerospace. Titanium was inlaid into the custom cabinetry to echo aerospace materials. The stationary, angled transom windows were replace with skylight windows that opened to let in fresh air and resembled the airfoils on an airplane.
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