5 Ways You Could Transform Your Grad's Empty Room

Create your own art studio

  Photo: Houzz

This can be a space where you can explore your creative side. Picture a painting corner, DIY craft table with supplies, and cabinets to store your wrapping paper, cards, ribbons, and bows.

Turn it into a cozy guest room

Photo: LCD, Inc.

When family and friends from out of town come to visit they'll love staying in the newly renovated guest room plus the convenience of hassle free check-ins. As a special touch, prepare a tray of essentials for their stay.

Make it into a home gym

 Photo: Houzz

For all the times you couldn't make your yoga or barre class, your personalized workout studio will be conveniently available at all times. Adding full-length mirrors to check your form, a yoga mat, free weights, ballet bar, or treadmill are just a few ideas of how to customize the space for your own workout needs. Don't forget to add speakers to listen to your favorite workout playlist! 

Convert it into a home office

Photo: LCD, Inc.

Own your own business? Thinking of starting one? Or just need a space for your computer and the stack of mail piling up on the kitchen table? Turn the disused room into a home office and customize it to your liking. By adding a desk, computer, task lighting and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, you'll be all set. 

Create the ultimate walk-in closet

Photo: MyDomaine

Transform the empty room into the closet you've always dreamed of which will accommodate all of your clothes, shoes and accessories. With a full-length mirror, sitting area, ambient lighting, and various sized shelves for display opportunities, getting ready will feel like a luxury every day. 

Or leave it as is, because your grad will be back and it's always great when your family is all together under one roof - Just like old times :)

Transform Your Travel Photos into Beautiful Watercolors with this App

Summer vacation may be coming to an end, but the memories from your summer excursions will last forever. Whether you visited a destination you had never been before or revisited one of your favorites, the images you took along the way can bring you back to some of your best moments there.

What better way to reminisce of Summer ‘16 than by turning your travel photos into painterly works of art. Here’s one way you can convert your vacation snapshots into a watercolor masterpiece (no painting experience needed :) ).

1. Download the App: Waterlogue - Our favorite watercolor rendering app (available for your iPhone or iPad)

2. Choose a Photo & Start Creating your Watercolor Painting: Select one of 12 photo filters and customize to your liking.

*Pro Tip: LCD’s favorite filter is “Vibrant” – The color scheme is bright, lively, and crisp – Perfect to brighten up any room!

3. Print: Set your watercolor image to save as “JPEG” and “Original” under image settings (located in the bottom right hand corner of the app), email the image to yourself, and then easily upload and order your painting from an Internet-based image publishing service (our go-to is Shutterfly).

4. Place your art: Think of a room in your home that could benefit from an update, such as replacing an existing piece of art to give the room a fresh look. Any blank walls that could use some love? If you need a visual to help you imagine the art piece in the room and to select a canvas size, grab some painters tape and create an outline the size of the canvas on the wall of your choice (or simply mark out the canvas size with a tape measure). This is a great way to see how the scale of your painting works in the space.

5. Lastly, hang your masterpiece!

5 Tips on What to do with Your Blank Wall

Blank walls can be intimidating, but once tackled, they can be a great way to add personality and the perfect finishing touch to your space.  So get inspired and give your bare wall a makeover with our 5 Tips on What to do with Your Blank Wall.

1.  Lean it.

                

Contemporary Interior Designs

Savvy Home

Leaning your art is a great alternative to hanging it.  Not only does it give you the flexibility to swap your décor out as often as you like, but you can also display it in unexpected places, such as on the fireplace, piano, or even the floor!  Try showcasing multiple pieces for a layered look, or lean just one or two to make a statement. 

2.  Show off your collection.

Bly

Alt for Demern

Don’t let your beloved collections gather dust, but instead display them for all to see!  Display objects that are unique to you, such as things you’ve gathered from your travels or items relating to a hobby of yours.  Shadowboxes and shelving can be a great way to achieve this, or you can simply mount your collection directly to the wall such as with these beautiful handmade African baskets.  Not only will this add dimension to your wall, but it will be a great conversation starter!

3.  Bring in the green.                 

Home Designing

Home My Design

Refresh your space by bringing the outdoors in!  This can be a great solution if you don’t have any outdoor garden space of your own.  Mount plants such as orchids and staghorn ferns on the wall, place potted plants on shelves, or have a whole wall of green!  Even putting a tall potted plant on the floor can effectively fill empty wall space.  Just remember that  different plants need varying degrees of sunlight and maintanance, so choose what’s best for you and your space.

4.  Add shelves.
                                

Old Brand New

C-More

If you’re the type of person that wants more functionality from you blank wall, then shelving is the perfect choice for you.  Not only does it give you the flexibility to have an array of items displayed, but it can act as a storage solution for books or any small trinkets you might have.  Try floating shelves for a clean, modern look, or something like this stylish mid-century inspired bracket shelving and desk for a more functional approach.        

5.  Handmade hangings.

Oleander and Palm

Chelcie by the Sea

Add an organic touch to your blank wall with handmade wall hangings.  They’re a great way to add a pop of color and texture to a wall without taking up too much space.  Featured is one of our own design assistants here at Lunada, Chelcie, and her beautiful creations.  Check out her locally sourced driftwood hangings here and get inspired to add a bit of nature to your blank wall!

Outdoor Living - Get the Look

Who doesn’t love the great outdoors especially when it’s your own backyard. Whether you have a patio, backyard, or rooftop garden by adding the finishing touches of outdoor furniture and landscaping you’re ready to embrace Southern California living.

When our clients were ready to tackle the exterior and landscaping of their home (see interior photos here) they called us back, and we couldn’t wait! We were already dreaming of earth tones, natural stone, and flowering drought tolerant landscape. The design came together to create a backyard fit for family, friends and entertaining. 

The first step was to add architectural details to the exterior facade (see exterior home photos here). LCD proposed keeping the original frame of the house and adding a portico to create a detailed front entrance. For their backyard LCD included a fireplace, barbecue, water feature as well as dining, lounge and workout locale. LCD’s goal was to create an outdoor space that was low maintenance, functional, and that had great style; reflecting our client’s personality and becoming an extension of the interior living space.

Here’s the LCD results:

Brimming with the elements found inside our client's home, LCD continued the warm tonal color palette and ample natural stacked stone throughout the space. In addition the water feature consists of over sized boulders and a dry stream bed. These details come together to create our client's backyard haven. 

To get this outdoor living look, we put together a few key items 

for you below – Happy styling!

1. St. Tropez Teak Outdoor Club Chair | 2. Albee Indoor/Outdoor Pillow, Orange | 3. Alta Pitcher | 4. Kate Spade New York Seaport Tassel Throw, Red | 5. Pillow Perfect Aspidoras Coral Outdoor Decorative Pillow Set - Orange | 6. Crescent 6 oz. Juice Glass | 7. Ike Tray | 8. St. Tropez Teak Outdoor Loveseat | 9. Malta Lantern - Bronze Finish | 10. St. Tropez Rectangle Teak Coffee Table | 11. Fringed Linen Knotted Runner | 12. Cameron Brown Flagstone | 13. Sunbrella Solid Indoor/Outdoor Pillow | 14. Petra Wicker Dining Arm Chair (Kubu) | 15. Bowback 2-Seater Teak Outdoor Bench | 16. Honeycomb Faux Fiber Indoor/Outdoor Lumbar Pillow | 17. Trestle Dining Table (Reclaimed Teak)

3 Home Improvements that will Pay Off

Have you ever wondered if your home improvement will pay off? This is a great question to consider when thinking of renovating your home, embarking on your next home project, or when considering selling your home.  While there are many opinions and answers, we’ve put together a few great key points to help you along the way. 

Curb Appeal Is Key

The biggest returns are on exterior improvements, kitchens, and baths (according to a cost versus value report).  For the exterior, anything from adding decks, replacing siding, and adding new doors and windows are among the projects that recoup the most money when reselling a home*. 

Take for example one of LCD's home renovations.  By updating the exterior stucco color, garage doors, windows, entryway, and landscape, this gorgeous Mediterranean-style home was transformed by the added curb appeal. After a complete home remodel (interior and exterior) this home was recently sold at a 140% increase of the original purchase price. 

Interior Renovations Sell
To create a cohesive style throughout the house, LCD continued the exterior finishes inside.  For this stunning foyer, the wood floor was updated to natural stone; while detailed wrought iron railing and hardwood floor were added to the staircase as well.  The front entrance was transformed with a rustic solid wood door and two sidelights. 

For the master bedroom, adding a window revealed the gorgeous ocean view.  A high-beamed ceiling, custom plastered walls, and a natural stacked stone recessed headboard give an old-world Mediterranean-style feel.

These functional and beautiful updates create a move in ready home for future buyers.

Updated Homes Sell Faster

No matter what home renovation you choose, updated homes pay off in the long run. Regardless of the market, a large percentage of buyers are looking for a move-in ready home with curb appeal*.  Because of this, your renovated home will often have an advantage over an outdated home on the market.

To see more photos of this beautiful Mediterranean-style home click here or here.

*athomesense.com
*realtor.com

Transitional Mid-Century Home Before & After

Everyone loves before and after renovation photos. It’s always surprising how quickly one forgets the details from the before photos. LCD’s most recent project is no exception. When this transitional mid-century home project was begun it was brimming with potential. 

As was standard when this home was built the rooms were all compartmentalized and enclosed. The design removed four walls which opened the kitchen, dining, and living rooms to create an open floor plan. In addition, the ceiling was removed to create a cathedral ceiling with exposed beams and tongue and groove and providing a space with a bright airy feel.

The design mixes transitional elements, such as the stainless steel backsplash in the kitchen, with walnut and cherry which keep the space feeling warm and inviting.  LCD kept the palette neutral with subtle pop of color at the entry accent wall in light blue. The clean-lined tulip table and molded plastic Eames style chairs for the banquette add a playfulness to the space and tie directly to the homes mid-century modern roots. The completed design creates a comfortable and relaxing space for the home owners to enjoy.

So without further ado, enjoy the before and after photos of LCD’s Transitional Mid-Century Home design.

BEFORE

AFTER

This living room was transformed by removing a wall to create an open floor plan.

BEFORE

AFTER

The kitchen wall was also removed and now opens up into the new cathedral ceiling.

BEFORE

AFTER

The new continuous oak flooring flows throughout the open floor plan.

BEFORE

AFTER

At the entrance an added skylight provides ample natural light to the space.

BEFORE

AFTER

This fun banquet creates the perfect area for casual dining.

Check out more 'After' photos here or here.

Best of Houzz 2016

This past year we have worked with amazing clients, subcontractors, and vendors. With their help and our LCD, Inc. Team we have won the Best of Houzz 2016 award in Design! This means that our work was selected as most popular among the more than 35 million monthly users on Houzz, earning the LCD, Inc. Team a Best of Houzz 2016 award in Design. We are so thankful for the hard work each and every one puts into creating a beautiful design from beginning to end. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for us this year; it sure has been a great start!

Best of Houzz Badge

 

 

LCD, Inc.'s winning design!

 

 

Visit LCD, Inc.'s Houzz Profile

 

 

LCD Team at KBIS 2016

 

 

For more pictures of our winning design visit the Modern Seaside Home project on Houzz.

 

Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity

Here at Lunada, we love getting the chance to help out our community as much as we can. So, on May 8, we got the exciting chance to participate in the Habitat for Humanity sponsored by XCIP (Xerox) event. Once our Principal Designer, Jane Biggeln, found out about the opportunity to volunteer she immediately spread the word to all of us at the office and there was no turning back. Of course we wanted to help out!

The Habitat for Humanity volunteer project consisted of the last 4 homes of a 7 home project in Lynwood, CA. Previous volunteers had made a lot of progress on this project throughout the year before we arrived. The homes were almost ready to move in leaving some things to help wrap up. We were assigned jobs by our Habitat for Humanity construction supervisor and crew leaders. Who by the way were so welcoming and helpful! They were always willing to answer any questions we had or do a demonstration for us. We helped out by cutting and laying tiles, painting doors and baseboards, caulking, installing a closet door, sanding stair railings, and more.    

Going into this experience some of us didn’t know what to expect or what Habitat for Humanity was all about. The families that will be moving into these homes are required to put in a certain number of hours to help build their future home with Habitat for Humanity. So not only were they working to build their home from scratch they were also building a community together at the same time. So, when move-in time came around they already knew who their neighbors were and had a sense of comradery and family.

Helping to create homes for the families and the volunteer experience in itself was amazing! The leaders and participants truly made this experience one to never forget.

Check out some of our memories from volunteering with Habitat for Humanity below.

The Habitat for Humanity Magnolia project

in Lynwood, CA.

 

Even on this rainy day the bright

color palette shined through!

 

From left to right: Lunada Consulting & Design, Inc. staff,

Mayra, Lauren and friend Sara chatting before

being assigned their job for the day.

 

The home to the right where LCD, Inc. and

Xerox volunteers helped install a closet

door, patch up holes, paint base

molding and a bedroom door,

and the stair railing

and more!

 

The home where LCD, Inc. and Xerox volunteers

helped cut and lay tile, install blinds,

and more!

 

Xerox and Lunada Consulting & Design, Inc. group photo

after an amazing day working together on the

Habitat for Humanity Magnolia project

in Lynwood, CA.