KBB - August 2008 - (Page 90)

Favorites 1 2 Erinn Valencich’s Top Product Picks With a contractor for a grandfather and a mom who ran her own painting business for 30 years and is the “ultimate do-it-yourselfer,” that Erinn Valencich became an interior designer is perhaps not all that surprising. “I love building homes,” said the Los Angeles-based designer and founder of Omniarte Design. “Every house I’ve ever lived in has been a ﬁxer, so I can’t imagine buying one that’s completely done.” True to her words, Valencich is currently remodeling her own home, which she rebuilt after gutting nearly 95 percent of it. This she does while juggling the manifold demands of a white-hot career. Her hefty portfolio includes not only high-proﬁle event and residential design work for such notable clients as Jaime Pressly, Antonio Sabato, Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt, but also a home accessories line, as well as a cable series under development on design and home entertaining. No stranger to the small screen, Valencich has appeared on HGTV, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood and The View. A fan of diverse styles and inspirations, Valencich describes her approach to design as “a mix of Hollywood glamour and modern touches with a little ethnic ﬂair.” “I love pattern and color,” she said. “At the end of the day, I think every room should be fun, playful, elegant and creative. Why be safe in your design?” No doubt Valencich’s own home, when ﬁnished, will showcase her unique sensibility, as well as a few of her favorite products, such as Electrolux’s induction hybrid cooktop (2), which gets her nod for its easy maintenance, quick-heating properties and its sleek package, a plus for island applications. “It’s so low-proﬁle that it just kind of disappears,” she said. Also ﬁnding a place in her home is the Octagon series dual-control thermostatic shower diverter from Rohl (5). Available in a variety of finishes, the diverter comes with lever handles offered in porcelain or solid metal and is “so gorgeous,” said Valencich. For a bit of “modern pop” in the kitchen, Kohler’s new Karbon faucet (3) more than ﬁts the bill. “It’s got so much pizzazz,” noted Valencich, who also loves the folding design for its reach and space-saving convenience. “It would be awesome with an entertainment sink.” A ﬁrm believer in spending a little extra on tile (“it’s the most permanent installation in your home”), Valencich is “obsessed” with Ann Sacks’ Mirrored Mosaics by Erin Adams (4), a hip option for adding sparkle to a room and creating the illusion of more space. She explained, “I always try to use the mosaics opposite a window because suddenly, you’re doubling your view.” To take the industrial edge off a kitchen and lend it more warmth and personality, Valencich often turns to chandeliers and pendant lighting from Ballard Designs (1). She said, “They’re super affordable, which makes them great for kitchens and bathrooms, where you might not want to buy a $3,000 chandelier.” Among her tried and true models is a white coral chandelier, which retails for less than $300 and “is pretty hot.” “The kitchen is really the heart of the home,” said Valencich. “It’s where everyone gathers, so you might as well dress it up.” s —Alice Liao 3 4 5 90 + K BB August 2008 / www.kbbonline.com / The Ofﬁcial Sponsor of K/BIS www.kbis.com http://www.kbbonline.com http://www.kbis.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of KBB - August 2008

KBB - August 2008
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KBB - August 2008