Let's Have a Pattern Party

If there is one thing I truly love about design, it's the use of pattern. Not overt and in your face, but subtle, and well placed. The beautiful thing about  pattern is its versatility. It can be monotone or eclectic and can be used on any element. Here are some of our favorite patterns.

Firstly, the Hex. Also known as the Honeycomb. Fun fact, a hexagon is a shape that can provide the most strength with the least amount of material and weight! Here we have the infamous carpet from the set of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining and also a gold porcelain tile by Merola.

 

Up next, our friend Herringbone. Named for it's rectangular layout similar to that of a Herring. Yes. The fish. Thank you, fish brother. Here is a tile that is actually available through Home Depot via online ordering. Also very popular in fashion trends every now and again.

Jeez louise. This next guy I have seen in everything from Kleenex boxes to cathedrals: the quatrefoil  The word itself mean "four leaves" and is essentially made up of four slightly over lapping circle. This pattern can vary in shape, and it also comes in a "barbed" version, that has small points where the circles meet.

I've noticed Aztec prints a lot in fashion recently, and I hope to see it used in design as well. Here it is in a pillow. I think it gives a designer a great opportunity to change it up. It essentially mixes a few different patterns.  

And oh my jeez louise, how could we not talk about the phenomenon that is the Chevron stripe. It was an over night explosion to me. This pattern is everywhere and on almost every product known to womankind. 

Chevron and Herringbone are very similar. However, upon close inspection, a Chevron stripe creates several single zig zags as their ends line up to meet perfectly. The Herringbone is more of a staggered approach at a zig zag effect. 

Our friend Ikat has many variations because it is based off a weaving technique where the threads are dyed before they are woven, but this top one is what I've always seen in home decor. There is also the lovely blurred tie dyed look!

And then. There is the animal print, which really deserves its own blog. 

-sarah reuther

20 questions with Sarah....

Hey some of y'all may not know that we went and hired us one creative little lady in January of this year!  Since joining the Red River Remodelers team  as a design assistant Sarah Reuther has helped us in just about every facet of our daily routine. So here's 20 questions so you can get to know her a little better.  No food questions, but I'm sure her answer would have been cheese stix!

"Where do you come from?" Give us some back ground -

I was born in Spring, Texas. I’ve lived in Bossier since I was 3. I went to school at ULL for Hospitality Management, then transferred to LA Tech to get a legit Bachelor’s of Interior Design. Finally got that degree in 2012. I’ve been doing some different design things for the past several years, in addition to being pretty active in the music scene. 

"What’s your favorite room to decorate?" -

My own bedroom is my favorite space to add to. Because I start and end my day in there, I like to make it the best room. It is currently filled with an antique metal bed, super modern chartreuse dresser from cb2 and TONS of framed show posters. 

"If you could throw a parade of any caliber through the RRR office what type of parade would it be?" 

A parade of rock and roll and pizza rolls would be really great. Also, I would want Mardi Gras beads. Because who doesn’t love catching beads?!

"If you could sing one song on American Idol, what would it be?" – 

Van Halen’s “Runnin with the Devil” only because I was obsessed with it as a child.

"Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?" -

Huntress!

"If you were a box of cereal, what would you be and why?" –

Totally Cookie Crisp. Or maybe not, because everyone would try to eat me. So maybe Raisin Bran. I don’t think anyone actually eats that. 

 "What’s the one store you could spend hours browsing?" -
Me and cb2 are best friends.

"Do you believe in Big Foot?" – 

Who doesn’t?!

"If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you, and why?"– 

Amy Poehler. Because she is always about helping people out and being hilarious.

"What was the last gift you gave someone?" – 

I sent out some guitar picks and set lists from The Sword to some fans for winning a contest on a page I manage! I love giving gifts!

"You're a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?"–
Electric Plum.  Because I love purple, and that just sounds like a color I would love.

"What do you say when someone asks, what color should I paint my walls?" -  (Or something about paint color)

In my mind I think purple, because purple rules. But it’s always a good idea to ask “What do you want to see as soon as you walk into this space?” Every space is so different. But in all honesty, it is hard to go wrong with a cool gray.

"What is your road trip essential snack?" -

Fruit Roll Ups. Hands down.

"You've been handed two free round-trip tickets...who are you taking and where are you going?"

I am using them both for me and I would go to Sweden and then where ever the best rock and roll show is happening! 

"What was your high school jam?" -

Oh man. I had a super obsession with Styx for almost all of middle school and high school. Other than that, a lot of embarrassing music, I’m sure.

"What shows are you ashamed to admit are on your DVR?" -

I don’t even have a DVR! But I watch Frasier and Golden Girls every single night. And Golden Girls is still on in the morning while I get ready for work.

"What's your ringtone?" -

If I could figure out how to change it, I would totally make it something like “I’m Your Boogie Man” by KC and the Sunshine Band.

"Where do you look for an obscure source of inspiration?" -

I like to get ideas from album art and show posters. It doesn’t just help with color selection. The layout can translate into many different forms of design. Sometimes you just need to think about something totally unrelated and let your subconscious figure it out. 

"If one song could be the soundtrack to your life, what would it be?" -

This is such an outrageously difficult question to answer. I could never pick one. I’ll just say the entire Warp Riders album by The Sword. It’s conceptual and filled with adventure and awesome. I feel like so far that has been my life. Last minute change of answer to...."Too Hot to Stop" by the Bar-Keys.

Finish this sentence: Every room needs....

     Every room needs some sort of animal. Whether it’s a bronze giraffe or a cow hide or a  taxidermy bison head, you gotta  have something!

Best of houzz 2014

Red River Remodelers is excited to be awarded a Best of houzz Badge by houzz.com for the second year in a row for Customer Satisfaction! Not too shabby for only being listed on the website for two years.  If you're not on houzz yet, you should be.  The site is full of incredible remodeling and new construction projects and ideas!

Best of Houzz 2014 - Client Satisfaction

Red River Remodelers was rated at the highest level for client satisfaction by the Houzz community.

Awarded on January 30, 2014

Best of Houzz 2013 - Client Satisfaction

Red River Remodelers was rated at the highest level for client satisfaction by the Houzz community.

Awarded on January 19, 2013

Please follow us at http://houzz.com to see all our latest work!

Cross Lake House - Living Room Remodel

This lake house in Shreveport, La has fantastic original features, so we decided to play up a few key elements: the floor, the beams, and the fire place. 

Before:

We tore out the old floor and original fire place to make room for something a little more contemporary. 

The carpet was replaced with Yacht Club Glazed Porcelain in Sea Anchor by Daltile, thanks to our friends at River Cities Floors in Bossier City, Louisiana. The upper floor and steps received the Daltile treatment as well, with Santino Glazed Porcelain in Chiaro. Glazed porcelain is incredibly durable, so it's great for high traffic areas like a living room. 

The new fire place was provided by SimpliFire. This 58", LED, wall mounted piece of the future of the fire place looks like it was born to be in this home. These come standard with two flame colors, blue and orange, and 14 LED back lighting colors. 

The beams got a new look that really ties the room together, thanks to our main man Benjamin Moore and his Kendall Charcoal. The walls also got a fresh coat thanks to Sherwin Williams' Classic Grey.

 The end result is nothing short of fabulous with the home owner's furniture in place. Stay tuned for even more photos of this project!

After photography courtesy of Alec Mccommon.

Cross Lake House - Guest Bath Renovation

We have a ton of photos from our recent remodel at a home in Shreveport, La on Cross Lake, but for now we will start with the guest bathroom! 

Before, this bathroom was cramped, cluttered, generic and dated:

 

Our client wanted something a little more contemporary. Okay, a lot more contemporary. We opted for a glass panel, instead of a shower door, to keep the space open. The pre-existing seamless shower incorporated nicely into this open bathroom plan; which created a roll-in shower that is wheelchair accessible. So we updated the tile, thanks to our friends over at River Cities Floors in Bossier City, LA. We staggered 13" x 13" Orion Cosmos on the shower walls, laid 2" x 2" noce on the shower floor and caddy, and 18" x 18" Orion Cosmos on the bathroom floor:

The next step was to bring in new fixtures. We put in a toilet by EAGO and a Delta Angular Modern In2ition Shower. The wall mounted sink with extra storage is by Sigma, which we got for next to nothing over at Apex Plumbing in Shreveport, LA. Also, note the Kohler square shower drain, which we are all about.

  

We would also like to thank Alec Mccommon for taking our after photography!

What's With All These Light Bulbs?

The light bulb aisle is not what it used to be. That is a fact of life. It isn't just, "Oh, I'm going to pop in for a replacement bulb for my mother's old table lamp," anymore. There are so many choices. One could be stuck in that light bulb aisle, face filled with confusion and frustration, trying to decipher what all those weird new shapes are; typically waiting on a sales associate that will never show up. One might ask, "Why does this swirly light bulb cost $29?!" Do not fret, readers, because with this blog I will attempt to clear the air. 

First of all! We are not limited to Lowe's and Home Depot. Many fine retailers, such as Crate and Barrel, carry bulbs. Now, if they carry light fixtures, chances are they also carry bulbs to properly fit.

These bad boys are the Plumen 001 Original 11W CFL Light Bulb at $29.95 a piece. An 11 Watt CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) puts out around 550 Lumens (measurement of light as opposed to the Watt, which measures energy) and lasts for 8,000 hours. A typical incandescent bulb would take 40 Watts to distribute the same amount of Lumens and only last 1,000 hours.    

There are also Halogen bulbs, which are more efficient versions of the typical incandescent bulb. They can save up to 25% more energy than their predecessors by putting off less heat. A Philips EcoVantage 72-Watt Halogen A19 Soft White Dimmable Light Bulb (4-Pack) will only run $5.97 at Home Depot. Each bulb will have about 1,000 hours of life. 

LEDs (light emitting diodes) are the most energy saving lighting option. These use around 75% less energy than our favorite old school incandescent friends. This Ledare LED Bulb from IKEA costs $9.99 per bulb, gives out 600 Lumens (equivalent to a 60 Watt incandescent), and lasts for about 25,000 hours. 

There is an attempt to phase out incandescent bulbs all together, however it is not that simple. Currently, there are no more 40 Watt or 60 Watt incandescent bulbs in production. It is not illegal to stock or to purchase these, but they will only last for as long as we have a supply of previously manufactured product. For more information on this legislature and other ways to save on energy in your home, visit Energy.gov.

The Perfect Door Hardware

What is the first thing you do when you enter a building? Open the door, of course! First impressions are important and choosing the right door hardware is the perfect opportunity to make a statement. Rocky Mountain Hardware is one of our favorite vendors. Here are a few different styles that we love.

Entry Set

We like the elongated back plate and modern look on this residential entry piece. A thumblatch with mortise lock makes for a safe and secure front door.



Rectangular Push/Pull Set

Push/Pull sets are great for high traffic areas. They may be accompanied by a deadbolt lock, as shown here for a retail space, or for interior spaces with no lock.



Interior Door Set

A passage set is ideal for interior doors that do not require privacy. Door hardware isn't simply for looks, spaces can be differentiated from each other by using a variety of finishes, sizes, or style.



Screen Door Set

A lever handle with no lock is great and they are scaled for the smaller confines your screen doors.



Sliding Door Set

These modern sliding door sets may be customized to lock with any locking mechanism for secure exterior use.



All products shown here are available in a variety of finishes and almost every product Rocky Mountain Hardware offers is up for customization.