Black Forrest Residence | Heidi Mendoza

Project Description: 6,000 sqf remodel - Highlights Custom Kitchen designed by Heidi Mendoza Built-in shelving and custom fireplace designed by Heidi Mendoza GREAT ROOM: Originally The Great Room had a standard size fireplace with shelving on both sides, which I though was a wrong scale for a large, two stories high space. We tore out the existing fireplace and I designed a new 21 feet high fireplace / media compartment with niches on both size to display the art that the owners have collected from their travel around the world. The fireplace was built of beautiful tile from Porcelanosa (with accent chrome strips). The fireplace has a built-in compartment that hides the TV when not being watched (stylish leather pulls installed on tiles reveal a hidden TV, and when not watched TV is hidden behind the tiles that seamlessly blend in to rest of the tiled fireplace). Niches on both sides have hidden strip lighting to illuminate the displayed artwork that sit on glass shelving. Above the Le Corbusier seating, I selected a cluster of Nelson Pendants. KITCHEN: I designed a brand new, modern and more functional Kitchen for the client. Kitchen was hand built in Texas by two Italian craftsmen from ARTE Design per my drawings and plans, so it is one of a kind, custom kitchen. We took down one of the walls between the kitchen and butler's pantry to add more counter space and natural light to the kitchen. I configured the space plan and added some vertical storage. For the breakfast nook I had ARTE Design build a little bench with storage and corner tables on both sides. This serves as a spot for the client to browse one of his many cook books, or enjoy coffee in the morning. One of the things I paid particular attention to in this space was light layering by strategically placing lighting in various areas of a space. General Lighting via can lighting, table lamps and pendants above the kitchen island Task Lighting via under cabinet lighting Accent Lighting via uplights, downlights, lighting on toe kicks operating on a dimmer switch. LOFT FAMILY ROOM: This space was a challenge because of the linear windows covering the wall. We used scrap wood from the project and built panels with floating shelves around those windows. These custom floating shelves have under mount strip lighting. One of the biggest wow factor of this space is custom bubble pendant extending 3 levels down on the staircase, starting from the upstairs ceiling, traveling through 1st floor and the bottom of the fixture almost touching the lower level floor. This fixture was built per my specs and drawings To learn more about this project and see BEFORE & PROGRESS & AFTER photos, go to http://www.iredzine.com/baldwin-residence---remodel.html