Page 56 - Lighting Magazine October 2019

Jeremy Bauer and Jason Clifton of Bauer Clifton Interiors
retail spotlight
54 enLIGHTenment Magazine | october 2019
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it’s new construction with built-ins or a remodel where you’re bringing in new furniture,” Bauer noted. “In the past, children were sent off to a ‘playroom,’ but maybe now it’s having an art easel built into a wall. Today’s design is about creating solutions for those types of activities.”
The blurring of lines between the outdoors and inside also calls for versatility. “In [many coastal projects], the whole first floor is an indoor/out- door space,” Ramso stated. “You have to do your research of how they are going to be using that area.” If sand and dirt will easily come in from outside, the flooring and rug choices need careful consideration.
“A core group of our clientele live in southern Alaska, where families are endlessly doing activi- ties like kayaking and hunting, plus there are kids and dogs around,” Clifton said. Bauer added, “Our biggest challenge is to use materials that can hold up to the environment.”
“If we’re able to get down to the details, we can make sure the design is more everlasting.”
– Jason Clifton
Ramso finds the Nevada desert is hard on interiors as well as exterior structures like the playhouses she has built. “We treat outdoors and indoors in the same way. Even if you spend a lot of money on materials, you probably won’t get more than three years before you start seeing fading and cracking,” she remarked. For that reason, the selection of materials is critical.
Lester is a fan of FLOR carpet tiles for flexibility. “The tiles can be configured however you like, and you can pull out a tile and replace it easily if need- ed,” she said. “Just because something is beautiful doesn’t mean that it can’t be durable. Ask ques- tions of your manufacturers. We have to be the advocate for our clients and be the expert they’re paying us to be. Read your labels. If something is delicate, only use it in an area where it won’t get as worn.”
As for trends, these designers point to built-in breakfast nooks as gaining popularity in the kitch- en. “They want the kids to be doing something nearby while they’re cleaning the kitchen or cook- ing,” Lester remarked.
“Parents also want a space designed for open- ended play,” Ramso added. “One of my clients recently wanted a ‘performance area’ incorpo- rated into the living space for the children.”
Clifton noted that air quality is becoming more important to their clients. “We’re seeing requests for more air-purifying products and appliances. We also want to incorporate live plants into the living space instead of just sticking them in a cor- ner,” he said.
In all, creating spaces for clients that can be eas- ily adapted for different uses is a skill that will not go out of style for the foreseeable future. 