Design Spotlight Debuts

May 14, 2014
3 min read
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Great design starts at the high end of the market, and that is the rarified air in which custom and luxury home builders work. If a no-step shower with 12 body spray heads, slim sink for the kitchen, or wine bar is on their clients’ wish lists, these builders are going to embrace it.

But even better than items on an opulent wish-list are innovations that produce a smart use of space or make specific tasks easier. Such features that come to mind are a bookcase niche tucked under a stairway, a towel rack installed below the bathroom sink, and cabinets with pull-down shelving. In this issue, Custom Builder is launching a regular feature called “Design Spotlight.”

Each month we’ll ask designers and architects to provide photos and explain how they approach a particular concept; our first topic is lighting. In subsequent issues, we’ll invite contributors to share their ideas on a wide range of custom home design, from ceilings and fireplace mantels to water or pool features and exterior detailing.

The inaugural article features three award-winning designers who explain how they approach lighting essentials for a custom-home bathroom, powder room, kitchen, and closet.
 
“A structure or interior space can be thoughtfully and beautifully designed, but if it is not properly illuminated, it is all for naught,” says Molly McCabe, principal designer and project manager for A Kitchen That Works, Bainbridge Island, Wash. “I love lighting. From creating just the right mood with light to accessorizing with fantastic fixtures, lighting is the maraschino cherry on every design project.”
 
Lori Carroll, of Lori Carroll & Associates, Tucson, Ariz., says, “There are thousands of residential lighting options on the market today from vintage-inspired reproductions to ultra-contemporary, customizable lighting systems. Choosing fixtures that will be functional as well as aesthetically pleasing is important when drawing up a home lighting plan.”
 
Debra Robinson, of Kitchen Expressions, Sheffield, Ala., recalls her college days and advice from a lighting class professor about aging that she always incorporates into  her projects. “She said to think of lighting as a 60-watt light bulb. At 20 years of age, we need one to see, at 40 we need two, 60 we need three, and so on. All just to make up for that one 60-watt light bulb we used as a 20-year-old.”
 
We hope Custom Builder’s newest feature will keep you informed about the latest design trends, smart ideas, and even provide some inspiration. At the very least, our designers’ observations and photos may affirm some of the high design ideals that your company is already executing.
 
Photo courtesy of Westsound Home & Garden/Tom Woltjer, photographer

About the Author

Mike Beirne

Mike Beirne is a former editor of Custom Builder magazine. A Jesse H. Neal Award winner, Mike has tallied 26 years of journalism experience plus numerous news and feature writing awards, including honors from the Society of Professional Journalists, Hoosier State Press Association, and Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors. He also operated a masonry restoration business for more than two decades,

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