LA Design Magazine Winter, 2010

Celebrity Los Angeles Interior Designer Lori Dennis LA Design Magazine Winter, 2010

Celebrity Los Angeles Interior Designer Lori Dennis LA Design Magazine Winter, 2010

Celebrity Los Angeles Interior Designer Lori Dennis LA Design Magazine Summer 2008

GREEN LUXURY: BUILDING & DESIGNING GREEN CAN EXPRESS LUXURY & HIGH STYLE

Winter, 2010 | By Lori Dennis, ASID

The kind of sustainable thinking we have all heard is the limited client understanding of what “green” really means — and how seldom we actually get to practice it. We are flooded with images of recycled materials and composites which do not fit with the high-style standards many clients demand. Finding and winning-over a client with the resources to make it “right”, and with a budget to make it happen, was a dream come true. This Hollywood Hills home is a mix of rustic and modem design elements that include floor to ceiling windows, a media room, showcase bar with a 200-bottle wine cellar, limestone floors and more. The property also boasts panoramic city and ocean views, and focuses on indoor/outdoor living. While not completely LEED Certified, we were able to achieve a much higher standard of sustainability throughout without compromising its finely tuned contemporary style.

Making the home “eco-friendly” was the challenge, which called for surfaces, fixtures and materials that met sustainable criteria. The kitchen incorporates quartz countertops made from recycled content, and features composting and recycling bins, built-in, and fixtures which exceed new flow restrictions. Exotic woods used throughout as panelling and a surround for the bar is all actually FSC Certified. The Caesarstone bartop also maintains the eco-friendly philosophy.

The house was designed in an open plan, to enable a clear view from many vantage points in the residence, while taking advantage of the dramatic views from the floor-to-ceiling windows made with thermal-reduction, reflective glass panels. Even the infinity pool has special recycling features to ensure less water waste.

While every client may desire to be as green as possible, I also know that in practice it can be hard to achieve. I hope that this home demonstrates that a true sense of luxury can be reached while maintaining a concerted effort to be sustainable.