National residential interior design contest winners
January, 2009 | Photographed by Roger Davies
Kitchens as well-furnished as a living room or that seem to disappear altogether; baths that are luxurious and spacious but not over-the-top; living rooms that make neutrals interesting; a certain shade of pale gray-blue; and rooms that prove that eco-friendly can also be design-friendly. These are some of the trends we saw in this year’s entries for the Southern Accents ASID residential design competition. This year for the first time we included a green-design category: acknowledging the increasing awareness of the environmental impact of interior design and we were happy to see strong entries that suggest more and more designers and clients are learning to think green. As you page through the award winning rooms you’ll see design ideas with staying power—evidence that in these challenging economic times the best designs for both the wallet and the planet are those that mull still love nest year and even five years from now. Good design is a good investment as our 12 winners illustrate quite well.
Green Design Winner
Lori Dennis, ASID, LEED AP, Los Angeles
“One of the best areas to focus on green design is in the bedroom,” says designer Lori Dennis, “because of the importance of indoor air quality in a place where you spend so much time.” When a young family moved into this house near Los Angeles, they wanted to give it more character and create a healthy environment in which to raise their children. One issue was that the bedrooms were already carpeted. “As a rule, we don’t install wall to wall carpet, but instead of sending it to a landfill and purchasing something new, “ says Dennis, “we compromised by fully ventilating the bedrooms by opening the windows and running full air-condition for at least 48 hours.” Dennis added drama by installing a wall of engineered stone behind the bed and wove in subtler texture on the other wall with an organic wall covering that’s grayish blue with ta hint of metallic sheen. “what’s also important is how the wallpaper is installed, using low VOC glue,” says Dennis. The custom bed features a headboards and side tables built into a panel of wood that runs the length of the wall: like all wood furnishings in the room, it is FSC certified and treated with a low VOC stain. In the sitting area, the custom upholstery employs soy-based foam cushion, engineered FSC wood panels and recycled content fabric in soothing hues. As judge Susan Smith notes, “Green design can also be pretty and Dennis accomplished that in this room.”
Award winning interior designer, Lori Dennis, and our interior design partner is named the national residential interior design contest winner. The project is for a young technology executive and includes a smart home system.