Monday, March 11, 2024

The Three Mistakes Everyone Makes When Planning Their Own Remodel

In my nearly two decades of being an interior designer, I have heard my share of stories of remodels that went quickly and efficiently, but I have heard many horror stories of remodels that went down in flames. The difference? Before you begin thinking about your remodel, you need to read about these three common mistakes and how to avoid them.

Starting your remodel without a physical plan
Whether you want to remodel your home or a room within it, especially a kitchen or bathroom where every inch of space matters, you need a clear plan of action: what will be remodeled, what will change or be replaced and what will stay (if anything), and where will it all go? Often a bathroom’s footprint cannot change due to plumbing line locations, but you should still review any item you are installing. Will your new vanity fit the old spot? Is it higher? Is it a wall mounted vanity or will it sit on the floor? Do you want a wall mounted or deck mounted faucet? Your contractor will want to know these things so she or he can make sure to include the work in the quote, but also plan for whatever extra work those decisions might entail: for example a floating vanity requires extra wood reinforcements in the wall and a wall mounted faucet requires in-wall plumbing. As you can imagine, a kitchen can be much more complicated simply because it features more cabinetry and appliances. Working without a plan set for your contractor to refer to while installing elements in any space can result in costly errors.

Primary Bathroom design by Fiorito Interior Design
Primary Bathroom design by Fiorito Interior Design
Primary Bathroom design by Fiorito Interior Design
Kitchen design by Fiorito Interior Design
Kitchen design by Fiorito Interior Design
Kitchen design by Fiorito Interior Design
Primary Suite Bathroom/Closet design by Fiorito Interior Design
Primary Suite Bathroom/Closet design by Fiorito Interior Design
Primary Suite Bathroom/Closet design by Fiorito Interior Design

Expecting A Completed Remodel In An Unrealistic Timeframe
Remodels in the real world are not like the remodel shows you see on home and garden television shows. A kitchen or bathroom cannot be ripped down to the studs, installed, and completed in a week or two. Renovation work is a complicated process in which your contractor needs to “stack the subs” or in lay terms, hire the correct professionals for each phase of work when they are needed. Your work will most likely require not only your contractor but also a plumber, an electrician, a tile setter, a sheet rocker, a plasterer, a painter, and in the case of a bathroom, a glazier for the shower enclosure. All these experts are booked in turns as each aspect of the installation comes up. I have often heard potential clients say they need the bathroom done in two or three weeks in time for some special event, a request which is totally unrealistic. Even before the pandemic, it took some time for materials to be ordered, shipped, and delivered. We have still not completely recovered from the pandemic and lead times remain a little long for some materials and furnishings.

Family Room/Kitchen design by Fiorito Interior Design

Underestimating The Cost Of Your Remodel
This one derails homeowners the most. Before the pandemic, a remodel was always a pricey exercise. But since then, the cost of materials has skyrocketed, the cost of transportation and delivery has skyrocketed, and as the cost of living has increased so has the cost of labor. What used to seem like a nice-sized savings to pay for a bathroom, kitchen, or partial or whole house remodel is no longer sufficient. But one thing has not changed and that is that remodels are always more expensive than you think they should or will be.
 
Custom-built condo design by Fiorito Interior Design
Custom-built condo design by Fiorito Interior Design
Custom-built condo design by Fiorito Interior Design
Custom-built condo design by Fiorito Interior Design

The best way to do avoid these three mistakes is, of course, to hire a professional who can guide you through all the steps and even create a paper plan for the contractor and sub-contractors to see and use as a road map for what will be done, and how it will be installed. One of the valuable features of planning ahead is being able to spot problems and issues before they arise and plotting it out on paper is essential, and a good way to spot potential sticking points like, for example, not enough room between a vanity and a door for moulding. A set of renderings that show a plan view and elevations are useful for everyone to visualize what the new space will look like. I work in a 3D program to illustrate the concept of the space and give clients an idea of what the proposed space will feel like.

Kitchen ceiling treatment mirrors the shape of  the island by Fiorito Interior Design

I also have clients approve the final design for the space(s), then have all elements purchased from my network of vendors and, if possible, on site before work begins (this always makes contractors very happy). Design is a process and should be navigated judiciously. Lead times can be complicated and if you have someone looking out for pitfalls, you can rest assured that things will go smoothly. However, there can always be unexpected problems, and this is where my network of vendors comes in handy. Instead of calling some 800 number from a website and getting a frustrating run around causing even more delays, I can have problems solved by a vendor or product rep the same day.

Luxury bathroom design by Fiorito Interior Design

Finally, as a result of price increases, the total cost of a remodel has skyrocketed but once I see a space and can judge how much will be needed given a client’s scope of service, I can give homeowners a much better idea of a final cost. Having said that, it is always wise to keep a reserve for unforeseen issues like dry rot or mold mitigation…you never know what is lurking in the walls until they are opened up and examined.

Exotic home theatre design by Fiorito Interior Design

I act as your advocate and guide, presenting you with products and materials you may not have seen before, and preventing mistakes that can cost time and money. It is worth it to hire an interior designer to preserve your money, time, and sanity.

Primary bathroom design by Fiorito Interior Design
Bathroom design by Fiorito Interior Design
Powder room design by Fiorito Interior Design

Happy designing!

Monday, February 26, 2024

New Patterns From Porter Teleo!

I have been enchanted by the glorious handmade, handpainted wallcoverings made by Porter Teleo for many years now. And they have introduced three new patterns that are just as gorgeous as their classics.

Emergence is a pattern of soft water lily leaves. Porter Teleo describes it: "This pattern draws inspiration from the profound symbolism of water lilies in Buddhism and Hinduism, where they represent spiritual rebirth. The large-scale botanical subjects highlight the fascinating structural beauty of lily pads that allows their leaves to float gracefully on water, presenting a unique blend of abstraction and mathematical precision."

In four colorways: Platinum, Argent, Lilac, and Charcoal.

Emergence in Platinum installation
Emergence in Platinum detail
Emergence in Argent installation
Emergence in Argent detail
Emergence in Lilac installation
Emergence in Lilac detail
Emergence in Charcoal installation
Emergence in Charcoal detail

Next is an origami-like pattern called Kimono. "The juxtaposition of the natural, mottled backgrounds and the bright, metallic linework creates a crisp, modern all-over pattern. This striking contrast pays homage to the meticulous craftsmanship of kimonos, celebrating the thoughtful selection of materials for their distinct qualities."

In four colorways: Copper, Gold, Pale, and Pewter.

Kimono in Copper installation
Kimono in Copper detail
Kimono in Gold installation
Kimono in Gold detail
Kimono in Pale installation
Kimono in Pale detail
Kimono in Pewter installation
Kimono in Pewter detail

I am most excited about Mariposa, inspired by the line work found on the wings of butterflies. "MARIPOSA’s muralistic composition is an exaggerated and zoomed-in interpretation of the beauty found all around us in nature." I am in love with the shapes of this one.

In four colorways: Argent, Bleu Pale, Mauve, and Verdatre.

Mariposa in Argent installation
Mariposa in Argent detail
Mariposa in Bleu Pale installation
Mariposa in Bleu Pale detail
Mariposa in Mauve installation
Mariposa in Mauve detail
Mariposa in Verdatre installation
Mariposa in Verdatre detail

If you love the exquisite products from Porter Teleo like I do, give me a call. I am sure we can find a wall for one of these beauties!

Happy designing!

Monday, February 12, 2024

History of Furniture: Vienna Secession

Furniture movements and styles in history have never been clear cut, starting precisely on a day or month of a certain year...or for that matter ending when another style came long. No, movements and styles bleed into each other and overlap. Many influence each other, and we can find traces of elements and details from one style in the elements and details of another.

This is the case with a rather murky period of artistic influences from around the mid to the late 1800s. Swirling around this period is the Aesthetic Movement (~1860 - 1880), Art Nouveau (~1890 - 1910), and Arts and Crafts and Mission Style (~1880 - 1920). And mixed in there is a glorious moment known as the Vienna Secessionist Movement which took place, naturally, in Vienna. All these styles have elements that overlap but for now we are going to examine the Secessionists.

I realize I started this post by saying that movements and styles don't have precise starting or ending dates, but the Vienna Secessionists prove this idea wrong: the Vienna Secession started quite precisely on April 3, 1897. A group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Hoffman, Koloman Moser, Otto Wagner and Gustav Klimt resigned from the Association of Austrian Artists in protest at what they saw as a staid and stale traditionalism that resulted in a rigid approach to what art could be. They envisioned an art movement that would combine all the disciplines into one unified artistic expression, called "Gesamtkunstwerk" or a "total art work". In Gabriel Fahr-Becker's book L'ART NOUVEAU, Secessionist member and literary critic Hermann Bahr wrote in the first issue of the new journal begun by the group, called Ver Sacrum ("Sacred Spring"),"Our art is not a combat of modern artists against those of the past, but the promotion of the arts against the peddlers who pose as artists and who have a commercial interest in not letting art bloom. The choice between commerce and art is the issue at stake in our Secession. It is not a debate over aesthetics, but a confrontation between two different spiritual states."

The Vienna Secession (specified as Vienna to differentiate it from other Secessionist art movements like the one a few years earlier in Munich) members built themselves a spectacular building that served as a sort of headquarters as well as the physical embodiment of their manifesto. Designed by architect Joseph Maria Olbrich to look like a temple, the stunning façade is mostly smooth and devoid of detail. The Latin words "VER SACRUM" appear to the left of the entrance, referencing the "Sacred Spring" idea. Above the doors are three gorgons representing painting, sculpture, and architecture. But certainly the most striking feature is the incredible dome made of wrought iron in the shape of laurel leaves and berries, in gold leaf. It is truly breathtaking.

Vienna Secession by Jorit Aust

The first acting president of the Secessionists was the painter Gustav Klimt who created for the 14th Secessionist exhibition a room-sized mural inspired by Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Simply called The Beethoven Frieze, it was removed from the original exhibition space, shuttled around from location to location but is finally on permanent display in a dedicated space at the Secession building which is still open as a gallery space, run by the Secessionists since 1897!




In terms of interiors, Secessionist furniture feels like a bridge between the organic, flowing, tendril-like lines of Art Nouveau and the sleeker, more sober silhouettes of Art Deco, and even foreshadowed Streamline Moderne a bit. Original Secession member Josef Hoffmann was an architect and designer, and created some of the most important furniture pieces and objects to come out of this period. His Sitzmaschine or "Machine For Sitting" is a classic of Secessionist design and exemplifies the development of more geometric shapes and forms. The chair was made for his Hoffmann's Purkersdorf Sanatorium in Vienna. The sanatorium was one of the first important commissions given to the Wiener Werkstätte, a collaborative workshop founded in 1903 by Hoffmann and Koloman Moser. The Werkstätte was aligned with much of what the English Arts and Crafts movement was creating and indeed, it seems like a cousin of something Charles Rennie Mackintosh, previously here, would have made.


Hoffmann also created a café set for the Fledermaus Cabaret: simple lines with sphere details...along with the Sitting Machine, it is still in production from Austrian furniture manufacturer Wittmann.


Other exemplary pieces were created by designers, architects, and artists such as Joseph Maria Olbrich, Anton Pospischil, and Koloman Moser.


Happy designing!