Big Ideas for Tiny Homes Get Attention at Dwell On Design Show in LA

Don’t suggest to Kim Lewis that tiny homes might be just a trend.

This “Little Lady with Big Ideas” has enough faith in the staying power of this movement that she is partnering with Cavco Industries to develop her line of stylish tiny homes that meet most budgets.

She unveiled her new Joshua Tree Tiny Home June 23-25 at the annual Dwell on Design trade show in Los Angeles, and likes this 560-square-foot double trailer unit so much she plans to make it her primary residence in Austin, Texas.

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Dwell on Design: Day 1

The first official day of Dwell on Design flew by in a whirl. The minute the doors opened at the Los Angeles Convention Center slightly before 10 AM, the energy levels were through the roof.

Throughout the first day, the House Tipster media team browsed over 200 exhibits, listened to guest speakers (including the phenomenally talented Sir David Adjaye), and learned about the newest designs you’ll be seeing in magazines, your neighborhood, and possibly even your own home!

Now, not only do we have information regarding the latest and greatest modern design trends that matter to YOU, we’re also in the process of meeting and interviewing some of the best designers and brands in the industry.

Some folks we met on Day 1 truly blew us away, not just with their work, but with their passion for their craft and business.

Indira Lourenco: I. LOU CORP & 45 Degrees

Although she’s based out of New York, Indira Lourenco is making waves worldwide because of her sought-after design services and her swoon-worthy, innovative luxury furniture brand: 45 Degrees.

From the lightweight and ultra-comfortable lounge chair design to the truly perfect Soulfull Shades table lamps, Indira’s work epitomizes the modern design of the future. We love her mix of bold colors such as gold and black, which transform her work from functional furniture to true pieces of artwork.

From our great conversation, it was evident that Indira loves her art. Guess what? We do too!

For more information on Indira Lourenco’s design services and furniture line, check out here.

Daniel Aleksander of Riviera Bronze

For over 15 years, Riviera Bronze has been creating custom stainless steel and bronze windows and doors out of their southern California headquarters. We spoke with Daniel Aleksander, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, who let us in on all the exciting work of the company.

Besides offering a truly top-notch product using old-world manufacturing and design techniques, the team at Riviera Bronze works with their clients from start to finish. They’re on-hand throughout the entire process, from the design of your custom doors and windows to the fabrication and finally, installation.

A whopping 85% of their sales are from residential customers, but they also work with boutique hotels and businesses interested in a unique entryway or a one-of-a-kind shower door.

They collaborate with homeowners, builders, business owners, and architects located anywhere, from their home base in Ventura, CA to South America, Asia, and Europe.

Meelena Oleksiuk Turkel: Turkel Designs & Axiom

If you browse the pages of Dwell as often as we do here at House Tipster, then this name may be very familiar to you. That’s because Meelena Oleksiuk Turkel, her husband Joel Turkel, and their team at Turkel Designs are the brains behind many homes featured in Dwell’s magazine and website.

Meelena’s newest design focus is related to her close working relationship with Dwell. Their collaboration has resulted in the Axiom Series, a distinctive prefabricated home series that uses minimum materials and is highly energy-efficient.

We’re really impressed by Turkel Design’s attention to detail, which is evident when browsing the Axiom exhibit. We loved speaking with Meelena and hearing all about the inception of this exciting project.

 

Mitchell Slater: Brown Jordan

Modern designers are always finding ways to incorporate the outdoors inside. However, it’s also important to pay some attention to beautifying outdoor areas as well, which is why we were so excited to chat with Mitch from Brown Jordan.

Brown Jordan is a leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of outdoor furniture. But this isn’t your grandma’s patio chair (you know, the kind that sticks to your legs and gets a little too hot for comfort in those warm summer months).

No way!

Brown Jordan’s furniture is constructed from high-quality aluminum, which stays cool and comfortable regardless of the weather. Plus, the styles are classic yet modern and their collections are vast.

Whether you’re looking for outdoor sofas, tables, fire pits, or this amazing outdoor kitchen area they displayed, chances are Brown Jordan has something you’ll love.

 

Brad Hintze: Control4

Here at House Tipster, we get entirely too giddy when we encounter people as passionate as we are about emerging home technologies, which is why our conversation with Brad Hintze from Control4 was one for the books.

Brad loves the capabilities afforded by Control4’s amazing line of personal automation and he filled us in on all his favorite features. With their products, a homeowner can control his/her home automatically. The best part? It’s all in one place! Using either a custom interface or the app feature, you can turn on your lights, lock your doors, close your garage, or blast your favorite jams.

Control4 products are sold by thousands of distributors across 91 countries, meaning that these products are likely available and ready to install in your area.

The Team at Dunn Edwards Paints

When you think of the highest quality paints on the market, it’s likely that Dunn Edwards paints come to mind. This painting institution, which has been in the wall-covering business since 1925, is still making waves today from their manufacturing and distribution site in Phoenix, Arizona.

Over the past 90 years, Dunn Edwards has provided premium architectural coatings for residential, commercial, and the hospitality industries. We talked with a team from Dunn Edwards at Dwell on Design about how they’ve become the ‘go-to’ brand for professionals, including builders, designers, and architects.

If you’re a fan of bright, fresh neutrals, look no further than Dunn Edwards’ color of the year: Honey Glow.

Matteo & Vince: Livello/Affordable Sliding Door

Can doors and windows be sexy? Absolutely! In fact, Matteo and Vince from Livello let us in on a little secret: sliding windows and doors make all the difference in the world if you’re looking to upgrade your home.

Livello does it all, from traditional sliding french doors to ultra-chic windows and garage doors. They gave us a taste of what they’re capable of with their beautiful, remarkably quiet retractable door.

These guys are your go-to source for the installation of new doors and windows if you live in and around Los Angeles.

Kim Lewis: Tiny Homes

The tiny home phenomenon isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and that’s because of great designers like Kim Lewis who make tiny home living luxurious and worthwhile.

You remember Kim Lewis, right? She’s the lead designer behind “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and she’s been on HGTV more times than you can count. Her latest design foray is in tiny home living, which is awesome if this is your “thing.”

Kim is currently working with Austin-based here.

This collaboration between Lewis and Sett Studio is just getting started, which means there’s a lot more to look forward to in the coming months. Keep up with this project by signing up for updates on Kim Lewis’ website.

And this is all just day 1!

Stay tuned to our Facebook page as we bring you more useful takeaways from Dwell on Design 2017.

Minarc: The Gold-Standard in Modern Sustainable Design

Two Iceland natives are working to shake up the way people think about construction in the United States with their creative minimalist approach to architecture.

Due to the couple’s amazing creative spirit, there are no typical homes with Minarc, an architectural firm founded by Erla Dögg and her husband Tryggvi in 1999 and based in Santa Monica, CA.

Yet there’s a common earth-friendly theme, that less can, and should, be more in both new construction and remodeling.

“The whole industry is about using less,” said Tryggvi in an interview with House Tipster during the Meet the Architects portion of the Dwell on Design show held June 23-25 in Los Angeles, CA.

Whether they are designing a residential, commercial, or public setting, the firm is known for its careful choice of materials, such as the absence of paint, tiles, and carpeting.

“We brought a lot of things from Iceland and our upbringing to our work,” Erla told House Tipster.

Their hallmark is designing homes to be energy conscious, which means less air-conditioning and more natural features like cross-ventilation. Their holistic and environmentally aware approach to home design is aimed at eliminating waste during construction.

Sending a Message

But this couple is also known for making a statement about the environment in their designs.

Take the GRASSsit barstools they sat on during this interview. Blanketed with synthetic turf for the look of green grass, the chairs highlight the waste that happens when schools replace this turf on their athletic fields every few years.

A TV show about a rubber mountain of old tires in California sparked other ideas, leading up to the rubber sink they first experimented with in their own home.

“Since then we have numerous clients using it, and everyone seems to be liking it,” Tryggvi said.

Minarc has won numerous awards and accolades for its use of innovative materials and sustainable practices. For its founders, the work is all about having fun and sending a message that makes others think about the environment.

“That’s our directive – to educate people, and have people understand,” he said.

Always taking the needs and desires of clients into consideration, Minarc can create a traditional country cottage or that modern dream house.

Ultra-modern is how folks are describing two of its projects, the Sherbourne Residence, located in Culver City, CA, and the Drexel home situated in the Hollywood Hills, chosen to be showcased during Dwell on Design’s annual Home Tours event in June.

These properties aren’t just eco-friendly and ultra-modern, they were also hand-selected by Dwell, a magazine devoted to the art and function of contemporary design as a representation of its brand.

Holistic-Building: It’s Important

We love how Minarc incorporates holistic-building practices into all of their builds and renovations, from small residences to large-scale commercial properties. These are just some of the ways they put thought—and heart—into their creations.

  • Using natural light whenever possible. This translates into big windows, which means a great transition from the inside to the outside.
  • Focusing on outdoor living spaces. This is another way to bring the inside out and vice versa. The less time you spend indoors, the less energy you’re using.
  • Choosing eco-friendly materials. Say goodbye to chemical-laden carpets and inorganic tiles. Instead, Minarc helps you find materials that are locally sourced or recycled such as reclaimed wood, recycled tires, and renewable woods like walnut or ipe.
  • Incorporating modern design principles. Clean lines and functional spaces are intentional yet simple.

Regardless of whether you’re building new construction or renovating, you may want to consider using some of these holistic-building ideas in your own home.

Action-Packed Days 2 & 3 at Dwell on Design 2017

Dwell on Design 2017, an annual event showcasing the best in modern architecture, design, and technologies, featured an array of 200+ vendors, guest speakers, continuing education, thought sessions, and more. And our House Tipster team was on-site throughout the event looking for the trends that matter to YOU.

After Day 1’s exciting start, we were beyond pumped to wake up and meet and greet even more exhibitors on the floor of the Los Angeles Convention Center for Days 2 and 3 of the weekend-long event.

Remember how we mentioned how passionate the brand representatives, designers, and architects were on Day 1? Well, things didn’t change much throughout the rest of the event. The common consensus here is that everyone at Dwell on Design cares an awful lot about modern design.

All the vendors had great products they wanted to share with the world, but here are some that stood out to us, and we think you’ll love them too!

Jonathan Brill: Infinity Drain

Infinity Drain, a drain company based out of New York, is the brainchild of Jonathan Brill. And boy, does Jonathan appreciate a good drain! Since 2009, he’s been designing and overseeing the fabrication of his line of American-made drains.

But these aren’t just any drains. Infinity Drain specializes in shower, pool, and balcony drains with linear and center-based designs. What sets Jonathan’s company apart from others is the site-sizeable install, meaning that everything is cut to size right then and there.

If you’re looking for a complete shower system, Infinity Drain handles that too. In collaboration with USG Durock, the entire system takes only 90 minutes to install and includes drains, waterproof floor and walls, and all shower accessories.

For a sleek, streamlined drain, go “linear” with Infinity Drain.

Dondi & Kris: Marvin Doors

Marvin Windows and Doors makes every window and door to order out of their Warroad, Minnesota home. Thankfully, Dondi and Kris, representatives from Marvin Doors were eager to talk with us about their entire contemporary line.

Regardless of where people live, it seems like everyone, everywhere is looking to incorporate modern design elements into their homes — and one of the easiest ways to do this is by upgrading the windows and doors.

According to Kris, social media has standardized the styles homeowners are looking for, meaning that what’s popular in California may also jive in Minnesota, Maine, and Florida. Of course, there are regional preferences, but advances in material technology have made glass styles available to anyone, even if you live in sub-zero temperatures!

Basically, no matter where you live, people want glass, including bigger windows and doors. If you’re dying to bring the outdoors inside (like so many of us, nowadays), then think about adding more glass to your home with Marvin Doors.

Robert Lemke & Kate Weiss: Saroyan

Robert Lemke, vice president at Saroyan in Huntington Park, CA, presented us with some great information on the hardwood molding and flooring created by this 70-year-old company.

In fact, all of Saroyan’s hardwoods, from ash to douglas fir, mahogany, maple, and even European white oak, are manufactured at their facilities in California, Kentucky, and Indiana. Aside from their natural hardwoods, Saroyan also creates engineered hardwoods.

We definitely like our parquet here at House Tipster, so you know we flipped when we got a chance to browse Saroyan’s popular parquet panel line. It comes in a variety of sizes, colors, and woods, providing that perfectly unique classic European-look.

Saroyan produces a great product, whether you’re interested in lumber, moldings, or custom millwork.

Lisa Kruger & Ryan Hughes: Stepstone

Dwell-veterans Lisa Kruger and Ryan Hughes feel at home representing their 60-year-old Los Angeles-based concrete company, Stepstone. While you may not have ever given two thoughts about precast concrete, it’s everywhere, and you definitely need it!

Stepstone’s a cut above the rest because all their products are completely cast and finished by hand. We couldn’t help but love how excited Lisa was about the entire production experience. Unlike other similar companies, employees at Stepstone are given some creative liberties during the manufacturing process. How cool is that?

You’re bound to fall in love with Stepstone’s Linearity Series, including their popular Diamond Pavers which are more durable than traditional pavers and come in several sizes, patterns, and colors.

Jeremiah Rice: Sun Valley Bronze

You can browse Sun Valley Bronze’s website all you want, but you’re going to have to visit a showroom to get your hands on some of their stunning products. Jeremiah Rice from Sun Valley Bronze gave us the inside scoop on his family-owned and operated business, which has been in operation since 1992.

Everything made by Sun Valley Bronze, from kitchen and bath accessories to door handles and hinges are sand-cast in Sun Valley, Idaho. They work with white bronze, silicone bronze, and the ever-popular brass. According to Jeremiah, people are raving about Sun Valley Bronze’s brass products. Another popular product is the barn-track sliding door hardware, which is durable and can handle a door weighing up to 700 pounds.

Regardless of what material you choose, the products you get from this special company are truly refined. Most touch around 50 pairs of hands before reaching the end-user.

Paul, Derick, & Carlos: Wickham Hardwood Flooring

Lastly, we chatted it up with Paul, Derick, and Carlos from Wickham Hardwood Flooring of Canada. Just recently, Wickham partnered with California Granite & Flooring to break into the US’ West Coast market, and they were definitely enthusiastic to be here at Dwell on Design.

Wickham manufactures both solid and engineered hardwoods, featured in four main collections. Their premier line, “Mountain Home Collection,” is hand-scraped and finished in natural hardwoods. If you decide to go the engineered hardwood route, rest assured you’re getting a great product with a Baltic birch core with a 4mm veneer.

As a bonus, since everything is hand-made, no two Wickham Hardwood Flooring planks are alike.

We know you have lots of new brands and products to explore after this action-packed day.