Today I would love to share some new lighting fixtures for commercial interiors that I am looking at for my new projects. This hair salon complemented by almost paper like fixtures.  The black wall paper helps to complete this sophisticated interior. These red light fixtures add fun and much needed contrast to this all wood […]

Read the original text HERE. Hotel La Quinta’s logo on the hotels’ website. Design Elements to Make Hotel La Quinta Shine! Hotel La Quinta in San Diego, CA is one of those buildings that cannot go unnoticed simply because of its color scheme on top of not such a bad-looking (cross of craftsman and Spanish […]

  Review By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting Today I would love to share images of this elegant and sophisticated jewelry store located in Kuwait. Octium is a new concept jewelry store opened its doors in October 2009. Located in 360º mall in Kuwait, Octium displays the work of various talented jewelry designers from […]

By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting. We can’t deny that scale plays a big role as an influential element in a building design.  Finding yourself inside of enormous Notre-Dame cathedral makes you feel very small and unimportant. Grandiose buildings have an ability to shock us by their scale and to make us feel miniature.  […]

One-way vision graphics have been used as vehicle wraps for years.  We see it all around us on buses or cars. Using the same graphic film on buildings is becoming something very trendy in resent years. On this image you can see one-way vision window graphic film.  Left side is the view from the inside […]

Glass has been an inspiration for many architects and designers.  Take a look at some of the amazing solutions using glass as art at the same time creating useful architectural elements.  All projects samples are provided by Glass Inspiration. A Whirlpool outdoors needed a windscreen to provide a separate area as well as to protect […]

By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting Have you ever walked into a business space and were shocked by the gloomy, uninviting surrounding created by bad lighting, crazy colors or even smell? What about those times you entered a business and felt like your mood improved, as if you were uplifted and inspired?  Consider the […]

Corporate Office Rebranding (Read the original text HERE.) A lot of large offices are in the process of rebranding their images at the same time as reorganizing and restructuring their companies. The economy has been tough on all of us, and one of the best ways to show everyone the wiliness to overcome the challenges […]

From all the recommendations on how to update your business space or your home, one of the most dramatic and quickest techniques would be to update your lighting fixtures. Lighting fixtures actually are not as hard to replace as you may think and they can add a distinctive character to your space instantly. Besides, most […]

Have you ever considered decorating your home for Halloween? On this controversial Holiday it is a great opportunity to go crazy and bring some joy and fun to your neighborhood! It doesn’t matter if it’s your home or your business location, on this holiday any outrageous idea can be forgiven! Halloween doesn’t have to be […]

As a commercial interior designer I often get a number of interesting e-mail offers from various artists and vendors.  But this is something I would definitely like to share with all of you.  It’s a company that designs and installs water art pieces.  These images are really inspiring and make you believe that we are […]

Check out this really creative paint job in the parking garage of the Eureka Tower in Melbourne, Australia.  This work was inspired by Swiss artist Felice Varini and created using a projection technique to apply the words on walls. Only when you are at the correct vantage point do the words snap into alignment and become […]

Review By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting It is really exciting to see more architectural projects creating interactive spaces. These projects react to surrounding sounds, touch and temperature changes around them.  I truthfully think that interaction will become one of the widely used aspects for future architecture.  Right now these types of projects reach […]

Man playing guitar

Many store’s sound consultants suggest creating a “permanent party atmosphere” to attract younger crowds to shop. Now you can learn about some sounds that have been proven to affect us in certain ways and can be used by you in your business as desired. Read more in this article.

By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting When another earthquake hit San Diego last month, it was an unforgettable experience. It was not just because some members of my family were helplessly screaming in horror and dropping to the floor. What was more shocking to me was my calm reaction and my absence of fear. […]

By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting How many of you would love to see some changes done to the building you live in or to the inside of your favorite coffee shop or a hair salon? There are a few businesses in town that grab my attention because of their bad design. Today I […]

We’ve been approved by the Health Department and are ready to submit drawings for the Building Permit. We are also in a process of selecting colors and materials. This project is coming to life! To see this project from the beginning click HERE and HERE.

Who said there is no life after death? UK-based Lazerian Studio transforms simple sheets of recycled cardboard into beautiful furnishings, giving the material a new lease of life. A collaboration between furniture designer Liam Hopkins and artist Richard Sweeney, the duo showcased several stunning projects at Milan Design Week, including their Radioleria sofa, which is […]

Last month several people have asked me to define the latest trends in architectural design. I am not an expert on architecture history or on different movements in architecture, but I do practice design on ongoing bases. Constant research on the world’s greatest projects is a must for me while working on my projects. It’s […]

See full version is at: Mindful Design Consulting When designers think about a comfortable office environment, we usually take into consideration such elements as: 1) Physical comfort – the quality of light, temperature, sound and ergonomics; 2) Functional comfort – the ability of workers to interact effectively with the environment they are in; 3) Psychological […]

We’ve measured the space and I finished some preliminary studies. To see progress of this project click HERE.

Colors in Interior

Colors in Commercial Interior.  Seldom, surely, is the psychological part of an appearance in nature so great as it is in the case of color.  No one can encounter it and stay neutral.  We are immediately, instinctively, and emotionally moved.  We have sympathy or antipathy, pleasure or disapproval within us as soon as we perceive […]

I recently started this project in Los Angeles, CA.  It’s an existing Car Wash and the owner wants to add a cafe shop into the existing small shop space.  Let’s see how we can spice it up!  The building is older than I am and is in pretty bad shape.  The client is on a […]

A Chair Made Of 100{7f6b511118f3db1a05f160455b7bc2b69710387d1f828e7e1b6a763a6e34bbc4} Recycled Materials Including the Screws. I found this amazing chair for all you Green Fans out there! The chair’s seat and back are made from 100{7f6b511118f3db1a05f160455b7bc2b69710387d1f828e7e1b6a763a6e34bbc4} recycled newspapers and corrugated cardboard. The frame is cast aluminum made of 100{7f6b511118f3db1a05f160455b7bc2b69710387d1f828e7e1b6a763a6e34bbc4} recycled automotive rims. The screws came from a project site. (I […]

Take advantage of our hourly consultations! We can help you with small but important design decisions such as: wall colors selection, furniture selection, custom cabinetry drawings, materials, finishes and more. Just ask! This is a great way to test how you will like to work with us before getting into larger projects. Read more on […]

Did you know that it is a misdemeanor violation to begin operation without obtaining a valid Public Health or a Building Permit for your business? If you open your business prior to obtaining all the required permits, you will be subject to closure and other legal actions. Even though you’ll be eager to get on […]

Healthy potted plants are not just a good decoration touch. Plants clean our air and connect us to nature, providing a nourishing feeling and thus relaxing us. Here are some psychological benefits of having plants in your house or office noted by professionals: • Instill a feeling of well being • Help to reduce stress […]

By Ekaterina Kohlwes – Mindful Design Consulting This small salon needed not only a new facelift, it desperately needed a business identity! The salon’s overall floor plan was unnecessarily divided into a few small rooms, making the space look small. The walls were painted into a wild pallet of colors. The salon’s space was not […]

Most of us have become quite familiar with the Law of Attraction or “The Secret” (book and movie.) The theory of creating a “visualization board” which will bring all your wishes to life has become almost a well-known and accepted fact. It’s as simple as this: whatever you place in front of you every day […]

Custom Furniture Design

Original Interview by Ekaterina Kohlwes with John Dufficy Custom Furniture Designer And Builder is HERE. How many of you have a piece of furniture in your house that you absolutely love? And how many times have you tried to find something to match it or to even get close to its quality and were not […]