Custom adjustable picture lights by Phoenix Day Company subtly offer additional illumination for the paintings by Marianne Kolb. The box beams visually float down from the ceiling to allow indirect light for the room

As more people select high-rise living in cities across the country, they are facing the tremendous challenge of how to get lighting where they want it, when the construction is primarily concrete. Often they are given a few junction boxes from which to draw power for their lighting needs. Sometimes they don’t even have that.

For example, the dining room in this luxurious 52nd story condominium at the Millennium Tower in San Francisco had little for the lighting designer, Randall Whitehead and interior designer, Michael Merrill to work with. Even though they had ten foot ceilings there wasn’t even a junction box in the ceiling for a power source.

The two designers worked together to come up with a solution that provided both ambient light and accent light for the space. They decided on the concept of fabricating of a series of box beams. The only power source they had to work with was a power feed for motor controlled blinds located in the upper corner of one wall near the ceiling line. A soffit was created along the wall to allow power to be run seamlessly from one beam to the next. The new soffit also helped balance the boxed-in HVAC ducting on the opposite wall.

Two stone figures from the Philippines draw focus towards the view of downtown San Francisco. The richly colored wall help minimize the reflections in the glass. White walls would have obstructed the view.

The beams are open at the top and float down from the ceiling six inches. This space allows two parallel runs of LED strip lighting by Edge Lighting to bounce illumination off the ceiling. This adds a layer of gentle fill light for the space, softening the shadows in the room and gently drawing visual attention to the high ceiling. Normal beams, installed flush to the ceiling, would have made the ceiling feel lower.

These beams also house recessed adjustable low voltage fixtures made by Lucifer Lighting that provide focus for the art, art objects and the table settings. These luminaires are using dimmable LED MR16 lamps, available through Focus Industries. The warm color temperature of both of these sources gives the feel of incandescent light from an energy efficient, low maintenance source.

The two paintings by Marianne Kolb were further enhanced with a pair of custom picture lights fabricated by Phoenix Day Company. The electrical contractor, Schulkamp Electric, used a radio controlled dimming system by Lutron to dim the lighting. Whitehead notes the lighting strategies that help complete the look of the room: ” Silver Candelabras by George Jensen from the 1930’s and a table lamp create the illusion of providing the room’s illumination. Recesses adjustable fixtures help to highlight the table setting and console.”

The end result is both architectural and subtly alluring. Guests are drawn into the room by the juxtaposition of the modern art and antiques. The illusion is that that the candles are creating the ambience, while in fact it is the well integrated lighting that paints the room with lush illumination.

by Randall Whitehead, IALD, Contributing Editor

Credits:

Lighting Design: Randall Whitehead IALD, Randall Whitehead Lighting Inc

Interior Design: Michael Merrill ASID, Michael Merrill Design Studio

General Contractor: Muratore Corporation

Electrical Contractor: Schulkamp Electric

 Window Technology: The two most important terms to know when buying windows are the U-Factor and Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient; both are measures of the window’s energy efficiency. The U-factor rates heat loss. The lower the U-Factor, the better the rating. The Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient measures heat gain by how much UVA and UVB light can pass through the window. Generally, the lower the number, the better the rating – depending on where you live.

While the Energy Star rating of a window starts at a U-Factor of .35, the current tax stimulus credit is for a U-Factor of .30 or less and a Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient of .30 or less. Those lower numbers are best in warmer climates. But in the Northeast, a Solar Heat Gain Co-efficient of .35 is more cost-effective because the cold-weather season is longer than the warm-weather season. In turn, more heat gain equals lower heating costs.

The construction material of the window is also important. The most energy efficient material is fiberglass because of its inherent ability to be a non-conductive material. The next best material is natural wood. Avoid vinyl and aluminum products, which transmit temperatures directly through their materials.

The type of window, whether encasement or double hung, contributes to energy efficiency. Encasement windows have a better seal than double hung windows.

Window Film: Window films block up to 99% of UV light that comes through windows, helping to cut down on heat gain. In summer, the ambient inside temperature can be up to 15 degrees cooler with treated windows. In winter, the window surface remains warmer, reducing the amount of heat lost through convection. Depending on the window film, there is a 15 – 25% difference in heat loss.

Window films can be tinted or clear, giving them the ability to block heat without blocking light.

Window Coverings: Like windows, window coverings have a rating value. The energy efficiency of window coverings is measured in R-value, like insulation. The higher the R-value, the more it will protect your home from heat loss in the winter. Shading Co-efficient is an important measurement for summer cooling, and it indicates the window covering’s ability to shade against heat gain. The lower the number, the more effective the shade.

Draperies and fabric Roman Shades create thermal resistance, with R-values ranging from 3.0 to 6.0. The R-values depend on fabric, lining, pleating and fit. For fabric, look for a tighter weave and thicker fabrics. Also, certain materials are inherently better at insulating. For example, wool insulates better than sheer fabric or cotton. Adding lining and interlining can significantly increase a shade or drape’s energy efficiency. There are many lining options, but thermal lining is created for energy efficiency. With a layer of acrylic foam, thermal lining keeps rooms warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Some thermal linings are also UV resistant and provide a degree of opacity to block sunlight. Consider pleating the curtains. The closer the pleats, the better insulation.

Finally, custom-fitted or air-tight shades and draperies are more effective because they create a dead air space between themselves and the glass.

Whether you plan on using window technology, film or coverings to reduce energy costs, consulting a professional will help you make the right decision for you and your home.

by Carrie Purcell, Contributing Writer

Special thanks:

Regina Sirico from Essential Glass Coatings, LLC,

www.essentialglass.com 866.264.8468

Matt Schardan from A.W. Hastings & Co.,

www.mschardan@awhastings.com 203.814.2236

Grace Horelik, from Window Expressions by Grace, LLC., 860.674.0587

Things To Know About Energy Efficiency

Understanding these common terms will help you select the right windows and doors.

U-factor – This measures the rate of heat loss and how well a product insulates. The lower the number, the better a product is at keeping heat inside a building. The U-factor is key in the winter months, and important to consider in choosing a window.

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) – This measures how well a product blocks heat from the sun. The lower the number, the better. In southern climates or high sun intensity areas, you might actually want to keep the sun’s heat out of your house. Windows can help do that.

R-value – This measures resistance to heat loss. Many people are familiar with the R-value because of its use in home insulation. But actually, for windows and doors, U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient are more important measurements.

Design Pressure Rating – The “DP” measures the amount of pressure a door or window will withstand when closed and locked. Each DP rating also establishes other performance factors such as water penetration; air infiltration; structural pressure; forced entry; and operational force. The higher the DP numbers, the better the performance. Look for the certified hallmark of the Window and Door Manufacturers Association.

Thanks to Marvin Windows at www.marvin.com and A.W. Hastings for the images used in this story and for this list of terms.

Bringing color to life and life to color in the fascinating world of color planning

Leslie Harrington wants you to believe.

As a color expert, she sees the difficulties people have in putting color into their lives. “It’s a risk to move in the direction of bold or lively colors,” she says, “because color can be intimidating. Many couples come to my studio having reached an impasse—particularly older couples. Because they can’t agree, they reach a compromise—a non-color for the walls or fabrics in a room.”

Leslie observes that younger couples and individuals (under 40) have less difficulty making color choices. “They see color commitment like so many other aspects of their lives—dealing with constant flux in their careers and living situations means they are more comfortable with a risky color choice because it can always be replaced. Twenty-to-forty percent of all paint is purchased to cover a mistake,” she explains.

Leslie is no stranger to the world of color planning. Working with her mother in an Ontario, Canada, Benjamin Moore paint store, she can call herself a second-generation paint and color specialist. She went on to become Benjamin Moore’s director of color for the company, where she redesigned their entire paint line to make it more reflective of current tastes and trends. In addition to her color studio in Greenwich, CT, Leslie also heads the Color Association of the United States (CAUS). “We are thought leaders for home design, fashion and manufacturing organizations,” she explains. “This commercial side of my business takes me to drug, car, packaging, furniture and other corporations, to help them contextualize color choices with their design teams. By this, I mean fusing product ideas with function and helping them choose the right colors to enhance and ultimately sell the product.”

“[For corporations, I fuse] product ideas with function [to help] them
choose the right colors to enhance and ultimately sell the product.”

Benjamin Moore color samples. "Learning to live with color is the first challenge"

Color matters in durable products, too. The Color Association works with catalogue furniture companies to develop more evolutionary, rather than revolutionary color stories for their interior palettes; since new furniture-buy decisions are anchored in past purchases which may remain in the home for years, in some cases. “Other products, like cell phones,” she says, “are more ‘throw-away’ and so can be marketed using more current color trends, without fear of a major fashion error on the part of a buyer. The right color choice, at the right time, for the right product, might mean that it will either sell briskly or languish on the retail shelf. Millions of dollars are at stake in many cases.”

“[Color choice] is a complex process that involves both psychology and science.”

But caveat emptor! A bright yellow laptop computer may not sell well, but a canary yellow off-road vehicle may. How to decide what market forces drive the ‘buy’ decision on each side of the product equation is the job of the team of experts who confer frequently under the banner of the CAUS to offer their carefully-considered forcasts on the topic. “Color is contextual,” Leslie explains, “We ask ourselves: How does this product function in the lives of its user and what trends and brand identity issues are going to come into play. It is a complex process that involves both psychology and science.

Returning to her role as a consultant for individuals and couples making color decisions, she points out that, “Color choice should be a process of elimination, not selection. It is important to know what room is being considered, since color affects behavior and attitude in that space (e.g.- red for a dining room stimulates appetite; red in a bedroom may produce tension). Color choice should be a strategic, as well as an aesthetic one, since the uses and mood of a room help to guide the color-choice process. In my work with clients, I often help them move from an emotional connection to a color to an objective decision about what color will be best for that space. A client may ‘like’ a certain color for all the wrong reasons. In my role as a color consultant, like is not part of the equation.”

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To learn more about Leslie Harrington’s work, go to http://www.lhcolor.com

For architects and designers (and others!), download a Benjamin Moore color palette or order Color Pulse 2010 at: http://www.bejaminmoore.com

To learn more about the work of the CAUS, go to: http://www.colorassociation.com

Right: Bronze sconces, classic wall covering and period art help to preserve the Art Deco feel in the lobby leading to the penthouse of this 1930s structure.

My destination was the penthouse of a classic, mid-30s Art Deco gem that stands just a few blocks from, and in the imposing shadow of, The Empire State Building.  Dwarfed by its neighbor, its 17-storied yellow-glazed brick and stone facade holds its own in the balanced geometric simplicity and attention to architectural detail of that period. The building’s footprint is broad and solid; its lobby with original architectural detailing intact, hallways and multi-level rooftop gardens evoking a time in our history when luxurious urban living could be surprisingly modest yet well-thought out and elegant.

Once in the lobby, I met interior designer and my personal guide for the afternoon, Patricia Herson, ASID.  A short, express elevator ride brought us to the rooftop and just a few more steps to the entrance of the building’s penthouse unit.  Measuring jut 1200 square feet in total, the concise floor plan is laid out on two levels. Trish explains that she began her planning with the new owners when the unit’s layout was still as it had been for several decades.   To meet the new owners’ objectives, it was clear that the space had to be totally reconfigured.  That meant removing walls, re-purposing existing spaces; opening long-sealed-over windows, creating new rooms and generally redesigning light and traffic flow within the space.

To meet the new owners’ objectives, it was clear that the space had to be totally reconfigured.
None is better suited to the task than Trish Herson.  With a broad background in media planning, executive placement, product sales and facilities’ management and planning, she fell in love with design when calling on a commercial fabric client.  With an undergraduate degree in business, she pursued her new-found passion with coursework at the New York School of Interior Design. With all of that business background and real-life experience, she seems to possess an ability to remember where all the loose pieces are stored and a kind of X-Ray vision that allows her to see through walls and around corners and ask herself (and her client),”What if?”

Trish Herson, InteriorDesigner, takes a moment in the redesigned foyer of the apartment. She dramatized the once-small entrance by creating a circular motif reflected in the stairrail, floor tile pattern and surrounding walls.

Before she was done, not a single nook or cranny of this space had not been reconfigured.  The completion of the penthouse took almost a year and ultimately required removing walls, relocating other walls and reshaping certain spaces to better accommodate their intended purpose.

Trish calls her interior design approach, ‘value engineering’.  “When I first entered the space, I was struck by how dark and plain it was.  I knew that light would be an important part of my design solution.  I fell in love with the working fireplaces and the outdoor patios that can be accessed from both levels, so I had my starting point”, she says.  Her eclectic design style and keen instincts for detail allowed her to furnish and appoint the space with an eye toward budget, elegance, functionality and the occasional visual surprise thrown in for drama. “In a small space like this, it is important to keep colors and shapes toned down to make the space look larger and to reduce visual chaos,” Herson points out, “but to play with texture and the occasional bold design highlight to add drama.”
before and after kitchen After photo by Patricia Herson

Herson removed walls (below left) and opened up space to create a funtcional kitchen and island that tied to the larger living area, optimizing storage and making it ideal for entertaining.

The structural element of a working fireplace (rare in the city in an older building) and the need to bring more light into the living room/dining area were inspirations for Herson in planning for this space.

Here again, the work of a good designer is one who can gather disparate elements together and create a unified statement once the interior space is put together.
“When I first entered the space, I was struck by how dark and plain it was, I knew that light would be an important part of my design.”

A good designer is equally astute when it comes to finding real value for her clients in the marketplace. “All those years in retail sales and I know how to seek out the best product within our budget”, she states with pride. “I can save money for the client when and where I can so that we can decide to splurge on that special object or finish detail that will make the difference. For example, the sparkling Ellen Blakely tile in the kitchen was an important part of the finished look of the space for my planning, so corners were cut in areas of the project that would be less apparent, in order to realize that goal,” Herson explains. She also wanted me to understand that, “It is important to recognize the vital role that the general contractor, engineers and architect played in bringing this project to fruition. They are key to the kinds of radical remodeling decisions were necessary to reach the owners’ goals for the space.”
shells

A fusion of natural and manmade: beach shells and glass tiles share a soft blue-gray message in a master bath that was created from that had formerly been a closet.

I got the feeling as I moved through this elegant penthouse, with all of its space saving and multi-purposing so beautifully accomplished, that I was visiting some version of SpaceLab, where NASA had relinquished its final design decisions to an interior designer, rather than a group of engineers. The views from the surrounding patios were certainly dramatic. I left feeling satisfied that I had seen an exquisite example of the design and lifestyle possibilities that can come from the hands of a skilled professional designer in an elegant and timeless location.

Go To:
http://www.patriciahersondesign.com
http://www.ellenblakely.com  for more tile ideas.