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Architects and Designers: Who does what and how do they work together?

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The field of home building and remodeling has a clear path from design to construction, then on to “the finishes,” and lastly, the furnishings. After the initial design plans are complete, architects can and often do play a role throughout the construction of the project.

But, when do interior designers get involved? And can architects and interior designers ever coexist on a project?

We sat down with interior designer Vaughan Woodson of Woodson & Woodson Interiors and architect Rebecca Amato of Amato Architecture and asked them to share with us how they work — together, and separately — to help homeowners make optimal design choices for their homes.

“Often the overlap occurs in the finishes,” Amato explains. “When a client asks me if I can provide design services, I say yes, but up to a point. I will specify anything that stays attached or needs to be attached to the house, i.e.: cabinetry, tile, flooring, paint colors, lighting, plumbing fixtures. Where I draw the line is a whole other area of expertise: soft furnishings, window treatments, and accessories.”

(Featured image of project at top of article: design by Amato Architecture, build by McCutcheon Construction.)

Design by Woodson & Woodson Interiors

Woodson agrees, “When I work with an architect on a project, I appreciate being able to collaborate — with the client’s use of the space as the number-one end goal. Fortunately I’ve been doing this work for a long time and I have zero ego about it, and I think that makes me nice to collaborate with — or so I’ve been told! I have no interest in making a mark on my clients’ home other than my client saying, ‘Vaughan taught me so much about what my style is; I never would have chosen this; she pushed the envelope!’”

Design by Woodson & Woodson Interiors

Both professionals describe a clear dividing line as being about structure. Here, instead of overlapping, their skill sets complement one-another, and mutually affect the results.

Design by Amato Architecture

As an architect, structure is Amato’s passion. As she describes her thought process: “How do I move walls and create a floor plan that is functional and flows? That showcases the focal point of each room, such as art placement, or a big beautiful fireplace? If I get to do that and then the client says, ‘Okay, now I want to bring in an interior designer,’ that’s great. I love, love, love partnering with interior designers! Working with a designer, I can communicate my vision, how I’m thinking about views, where I am creating seating areas and moments, and then pass the baton.”

Both agree that it is best to bring in an interior designer early in the planning phase. As Woodson describes, if she wants to specify a particularly spectacular sofa, she may share the measurements with the architect, who might look at shifting the location of a door to optimize wall placement for it.

Or the two might have a conversation about window treatments — Will they be minimal? Will allowance be needed to create a pocket for roller shades? — If the client wants curtain panels to soften the room, space between the window casing and the crown molding will be included in the plans.

Design by Woodson & Woodson Interiors

At the most basic level, Amato’s expertise as an architect is required when drawings are needed, especially when desired changes to the home trigger a call for permits. Woodson notes that while she, and most interior designers, have their own subcontractors they work with for cosmetic changes, “as soon as the client says, we are looking to renovate our kitchen, add a sliding door, that’s when I would bring in Rebecca.”

Amato describes the flip side, when she refers potential clients to Woodson: “Sometimes, someone calls and says they are remodeling, but they are not moving any walls — that’s probably not a good fit for me. I tell them, ‘You’d be better off working with a designer.’”

Architect Rebecca Amato

There are design firms that have an in-house interior architecture department and per Amato, some building department staff will allow a person who doesn’t have a license to prepare drawings — although in that case it is helpful if the drawings are combined with a report from a structural engineer.

Another way to look at how design and architecture interact is around furniture. Do you, as a homeowner, know what pieces you want to replace or hold onto?

For her clients, Woodson likes to determine at the outset which pieces are worth keeping. “I’m a preservationist at heart,” she says. “I prefer to try to use what we have — if it works with the design direction we are going in. Sometimes really great design comes from using the clients’ own pieces, because that way, we are putting their story in.”

Interior Designer Vaughan Woodson

When you come at interior space design from this angle, Woodson explains, “maybe the dining room gets bigger, and in the laundry you don’t end up with a counter — because those decisions accommodate the story and the richness.”

Amato agrees, “I think about the furniture in the room. I will ask them, ‘Are you planning on purchasing a new dining room table, or using one you’ve inherited from your grandmother? And I will take those dimensions into account.”

“We want to know, what’s the pain point of your home now? And does this table not seat enough people, and you always wish that you could seat 8 because you have a family of 4 and you would like to have another family of 4 over and you can never do it? What are we solving — and spending all this money on with design services? Good design comes from that,” Woodson adds.

“Yes, that’s critical,” agrees Amato.

When a designer and architect collaborate, Amato says, “we are sharing as much information about the client as we can, from what’s important to them, to what their styles for decision making are. What are their hopes, and what may be some of their limitations. Maybe they’re doing work in phases because of a budget or they’ve got kids going off to school or they’re pregnant…. On a deeper level, it’s not just about the facts of life, but really, what their emotional experience is going to be.”

Ultimately, “we are following the client’s lead,” says Woodson, “and trying to make the most stylish product from that.”

Cabinet Refinishing Process: Quick and Easy Kitchen Refresh

Cabinet Refinishing Process: Quick and Easy Kitchen Refresh

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Cabinet painting is the easiest way to create a major change in your kitchen without demolition, dust, and downtime. You don’t have to break through walls or change out cabinets in order to experience a complete refresh and transformation of your space. It’s also an economical and eco-friendly choice, preserving our forests (and budgets) by re-using existing wood rather than replacing with new.

The photos we are sharing in today’s article are from a client’s gorgeous Mediterranean mansion in Piedmont. The kitchen cabinets were a combination of painted (olive) and a serviceable blond-wood stain. Taking them to the next level with a refinish and paint, and choosing to unify the look with a single cabinet color, utterly transformed the room.

The Process: After carefully removing all of the cabinet doors and drawers, every surface has to be thoroughly sanded, and any needed cosmetic repairs are made to the underlying wood at this stage. And then we apply a stain-blocking primer to prevent the color of the original wood from bleeding through the layers of new paint, which is the last step.

For the painting industry nerds among us: this project features Renner paint (www.rennerwoodcoatings.com) — a product we have been working with more recently that we are really liking. It has more urethane than similar finishes, which means it dries a little harder and is potentially longer-lasting.

While repainting is a much cheaper option than tearing out the old and installing brand-new factory-painted-and-baked cabinets, we like to make sure our clients understand that new cabinets would be more resilient than refinished ones.

Given the beating that all kitchens take, especially in the higher traffic areas — around the sink and silverware drawer, and on the side of the island or countertop that hosts tall stools, the need for touch-ups with refinished cabinets will be more likely. This is a very important factor to consider. Thus, if you are a DIY-type, or not too finicky about scuff marks, refinishing rather than replacing might work well for you.

Kitchen Cabinets Refreshed — Examples from our Portfolio

Kitchen Cabinets Refreshed — Examples from our Portfolio

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What a Difference Paint Makes!

A question we get a lot at Arana is, “What can I do to refresh my kitchen, without going into a full-scale remodel?”

Of course, our answer is, “New paint colors!”

Also hanging new wallpaper (a service we provide) can add layers of interest to a space. Changing the colors of just your cabinets can make a space feel personalized and make it come alive.

Some of our favorite collaborations with interior designers and contractors in our portfolio focus on cabinet colors. In this first example, on a project designed by LMB Interiors, painting the cabinets, changing out the hardware, and wallpapering one wall, all made a revolutionary change in the feel of this room:

Design credit: LMB Interiors. View more photos, here.

Granted the new tile and countertops also helped. But it is noteworthy that there were no structural changes to the room. A refresh, rather than a remodel.

This next kitchen received more of a design-build treatment. But what we want to highlight for you is how the specified cabinet color, an unlikely taupe tone, personalized the space, added drama, and beautifully grounded the other details of the design (also by LMB Interiors), including new tile, drawer pulls and plumbing fixtures, and the family’s collection of ceramic jugs.

And then, for this Rockridge classic turn-of-the-century Craftsman-style home, we were tasked with the job of painting ever-so-carefully around the gorgeous factory-finished blue cabinets. We were so pleased that the homeowner agreed to a high-gloss, oil-based white. We loved the choice to paint the rest of the cabinets a different color, and how each color and finish highlights the distinctive grain of the wood top on the island.

This kitchen is part of a wonderful indoor-outdoor project we did with McCutcheon Construction. We also painted the exterior of the home and the new, expansive, back entrance.

Save Some Green with a Kitchen Cabinet Repaint

Save Some Green with a Kitchen Cabinet Repaint

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After several years of living in that beautiful home of yours, the natural processes of wear and tear have taken a toll on some of the fixtures inside your home. Chief among these is the cabinets in your kitchen, they’re literally an eyesore, what with the discolorations and the general lack of interest they add to your kitchen. It’s time for a change.

That change though will usually mean you have to spend some green, to get some new green into your kitchen. You could surely do something else with that green; probably reinvest it in your 401 (K) or other useful venture. With that money saved, a forest somewhere doesn’t have to lose a beloved member of the community of oxygen providers for the planet.

What’s the solution? Repainting your old cabinet and giving it a new lease on life. But why would that be better than, say, refacing, or even replacing them?

Benefits of repainting the cabinet

  1. Economical

The main point of repainting your cabinets is to save you some serious green, as well as keep the oxygen makers right in the place where they’re needed most. Replacing the cabinets requires a lot of wood that as you know, costs a pretty penny. Aside from this, the accessories that go with it are also quite expensive.

A team of professionals who will assess your cabinets and then come up with a plan to clean, sand down, and then repaint them, and repaint the surrounding features, is actually a fraction of the cost of refacing and replacement.

  1. Convenience

Your home is usually the place where you feel most at ease after a long day of work. Imagine having to be without it for several weeks. That’s exactly what happens when a replacement of kitchen cabinets is going on. You will lose the ability to use your kitchen for a minimum of three weeks. Depending on the amount of work needed to be done, this period can increase to over eight weeks.

Repainting is the most convenient and least time-consuming option. In one week, you have a gleaming kitchen in colors and patterns of your choice, ready for you to use.

  1. Face Lift.

Ever had to work in an environment that wasn’t in the least bit appealing? Yes, that’s the same environment that has developed in your own kitchen. A drab, discolored, and worn kitchen will just suck the life out of the activities you undertake in the kitchen. A spot of repainting the cabinets will help inject life back into not only the cabinets but the kitchen as a whole.

From the improved look to the freshness that the repainting will add, your kitchen will become lively, and an excellent place to have a discussion with your spouse or child while you work. The beauty and the magic of the spruced-up kitchen will make the heavy conversations easier to tolerate.

If your kitchen cabinets don’t need to be completely broken down for a new one, then a repaint is the only thing you will need to inject life into the once drab kitchen.

For A Free Cabinet Painting Estimate Call 510-567-9559

Oakland painters Arana Craftsman Painters

What Is Pantone’s Color of the Year?

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What is the color of the year and why is it relevant? Is there just one? Under the heading of nothing is as simple as it sounds, there are multiple answers to these questions. Color of the Year, as announced by the Pantone company annually in December, is a relatively new phenomenon that began in the year 2000.

The Pantone announcement doesn’t just relate to house painting, but rather is an analysis of past color trends in industries including fashion, marketing, and business, as well as the mood of the culture, influences in the environment, for products and design, and a prediction (although some would say, this announcement drives the market) of what color will be relevant for the following year.

This annual event originated as a way to generate excitement about color. And the paint companies soon followed suit, announcing their own colors of the year. Basically, it’s all about marketing and P.R. But it’s also A LOT of fun to witness the reveals.

We also want to direct you to herein to projects in our portfolio that are similar to the selections being highlighted by Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore this year.

Note that the paint company colors tend to have almost no relation to Pantone’s announcement, visually, but rather are relevant to what has been trending in the design industry, specifically. Pantone’s color choice tends to have a direct bearing on consumer goods and fashion, including what colors the iPhone will be available in, for each year.

We like to use the annual announcements as an opportunity to reflect on the jobs in our portfolio where that color has been successful for us in the past.

Sherwin Williams selected a shade of teal (“Agean Teal”) that is somewhat similar to this very popular kitchen cabinet project, color specification and interior design by LMB Interiors: Hillsborough Kitchen Remodel

And Benjamin Moore’s “Urbane Bronze” is quite close to the colors famed designer John Wheatman selected for the exterior and basement of this august, North Berkeley home: Berkeley Basement Dig-Out

For our designer colleagues and for our homeowner clients, we see the annual announcement as a point of consideration — to explore the different feelings that the color might evoke, and a point of inspiration, an opportunity to make changes — as a professional retiring an old stand-by go-to color, or as a homeowner deciding to refresh a space.

Did you know? Arana puts together a book for interior designers each year about the paint companies’ announcements and the impact, which is available for download on our website in the resources section.

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Pantone’s Color(s) of the Year for 2021: Illuminating and Ultimate Gray

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For 2021, for only the second time in its 20-year tradition of choosing the color of the year, Pantone selected a duo: gray and yellow. Their explanation is, as always, epic poetry:

“Ultimate Gray + Illuminating, two independent colors that highlight how different elements come together to support one another, best express the mood for Pantone Color of the Year 2021. Practical and rock-solid but at the same time warming and optimistic, the union of Ultimate Gray + Illuminating is one of strength and positivity. It is a story of color that encapsulates deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly.

“A message of happiness supported by fortitude, the combination of Ultimate Gray + Illuminating is aspirational and gives us hope. We need to feel that everything is going to get brighter – this is essential to the human spirit.

“As people look for ways to fortify themselves with energy, clarity, and hope to overcome the continuing uncertainty, spirited and emboldening shades satisfy our quest for vitality. Illuminating is a bright and cheerful yellow sparkling with vivacity, a warming yellow shade imbued with solar power. Ultimate Gray is emblematic of solid and dependable elements which are everlasting and provide a firm foundation. The colors of pebbles on the beach and natural elements whose weathered appearance highlights an ability to stand the test of time, Ultimate Gray quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure, steadiness and resilience.

“Emboldening the spirit, the pairing of Ultimate Gray + Illuminating highlights our innate need to be seen, to be visible, to be recognized, to have our voices heard. A combination of color whose ties to insight, innovation and intuition, and respect for wisdom, experience, and intelligence inspires regeneration, pressing us forward toward new ways of thinking and concepts.”

From www.pantone.com

kitchen painting in Oakland

The Best Colors For Your Kitchen

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Next to your living room, your home’s kitchen gets the most use. It’s also an area visitors tend to visit frequently and immediately upon entering your home. Being such an important part of your home, your kitchen should not only be spacious and well organized but should look great too. Part of making and keeping a kitchen looking good is its paint. Over time, a kitchen’s paint can dull and become stained by smoke. It can also hold onto the hundreds of different smells that have originated from your stove, oven, fridge, and even food and drink left out on the counter.

In order to remedy all of the aforementioned new paint is needed. Some homeowners elect to have their kitchens painted as part of a larger redesign project while others use only paint in order to revitalize their kitchens. No matter why a homeowner chooses to repaint their kitchen, they face a number of different options and hard choices. Everything from choosing the right shade, pattern, and brand will determine just how happy a homeowner is at the conclusion of their project.

Help From Professionals
Making choices that carry the biggest benefits to a kitchen is no easy task and the sheer number of wildly different options can be confusing and maddening. When a homeowner hires a professional painting firm however a talented staff of artisans will take what a homeowner has envisioned and bring it to life. When first consulting with a professional, a homeowner will be presented with color charts, color placement counseling, and will work with test samples so that they can see their choices come to life. Moreover, professional painters will listen to and seriously consider the needs and demands of a homeowner when devising a plan of action.

Colors Galore
There is virtually no color of paint that can not be created. While this may initially sound wonderful, having too many choices often breeds indecision and regret. While a homeowner can most certainly use any color they like when repainting their kitchen, many colors simply don’t work or fit in a kitchen environment. Conversely, there are a number of colors that work exceedingly well in kitchens; making them not only stand out but fit in as part of a home.

Harbor Gray Ac-25 – A great deal of homeowners love using white or some type of off-white in their kitchen. While this is certainly understandable, white shows everything as it becomes dirty and stained. To avoid the discoloring of white paint in a kitchen, this paint is often presented by professional painters to homeowners whom want to go as white as possible. This gray is considered a neutral that pairs tremendously with brass, marble, and many other colors.

Galápagos Green 475 – This green is a deliciously deep and rich shade of green. Kitchens with a large number of pantries and cupboards look fantastic with this green surrounding them. The savory look of this green can create a dramatic look in a kitchen and will look fantastic for long periods of time.

Moore Ice Blue 2052-70 – Ice blue paint makes a kitchen look and feel as crisp as a pre-sunrise September morning. The pale blue of this shade exudes warmth and freshness while it creates a soothing kitchen atmosphere. Those homeowners whom love a white kitchen but want a bit of added color will find that Moore Ice Blue satiates quite nicely.

Farrow & Ball Pegnoir No. 286 – Homeowners looking to add a bit of fun to their kitchen will adore this color. Its delicate lavender and slight gray mix makes kitchens look modern and warm. This color can be used on ceilings and matches well with cupboards and pantries no matter their finish.

Farrow & Ball All White No. 2005 – This shade of white is perfect for homeowners whom want to go all white but don’t want a glaring white that comes off as too bright. Professional painters can use this shade of slightly muted white to create both modern and retro kitchen vibes. This white is a wonderful companion to marble counter tops too.

Benjamin Moore Raccoon Fur 2126-20 – Kitchens with elevated ceilings and plentiful wood will benefit greatly from this color. This color doesn’t scratch or bite as its name might suggest but it will bring kitchens to life with its rustic, homey outdoorsy, and slightly chalky look.

Farrow & Ball Mizzle No. 266 – This dusty grey green color is extremely versatile and can be used to create a multitude of different atmospheres within a kitchen. Being a “flexible” color means it sits well with different types of wood finishes and counter tops. Homeowners that desire a timeless look can use this color all throughout their kitchen to satisfy that need.

Benjamin Moore Revere Pewter Hc-172 – Homeowners that have kitchens full of brass and marble will find this shade of pewter to be exactly what their kitchen needs to be reinvigorated. Being a popular alternative to plain white paint, this pewter is a muted albeit bright color that manages to make kitchens feel fresh.

Benjamin Moore Lucerne Af-530 – When white paint or some variant of it isn’t enough for a homeowner, they’ll want something with much more color. Blue is always a comforting color and one that can really bring a kitchen to life. It is also a stark and joyfully jarring change to kitchens that where previously white. This blue pairs exceptionally well with black and brass accents as well.

Farrow & Ball Breakfast Room Green No. 81 – In order to liven up and make a kitchen vivacious, homeowners will want to add some real color to the walls of their galley. This particular shade of green is colorful enough to add vibrancy to any kitchen without being so overwhelming that it detracts from counter tops, cupboards, and the like. Additionally, this green works in tandem with various browns to create something truly special.

Endless Colors And Choices
The aforementioned are but a few of the choices homeowners have when they set out to redecorate, repaint, and/or re-imagine their kitchens. Depending on the kitchen, a homeowner’s personal likes/dislikes, the needs of their home, their budgets, and a whole host of other variables, professional painters might recommend reds, browns, purples, pinks, and other colors that aren’t traditionally associated with kitchens. Professionals can also create custom colors for homeowners allowing them to concoct a customer’s favorite color or something that they can only see in their mind but can’t verbally describe. The choices are virtually endless when it comes to repainting a kitchen so it behooves homeowners to take their time and work closely with the professionals they have hired in order to create the perfect color for their kitchen.

Arana Craftsman Philosophy

Loving care of your home is your first and most economical line of defense for your family’s biggest investment.

Our mission is to serve homeowners by preserving the structure that provides warmth and sustenance for their families.

We believe that Bay Area families deserve the finest work at a fair price. We work with you to protect and extend the life of your home. Your satisfaction is guaranteed.

The difference is clear when choosing Arana as your professional house painting experts in Oakland.

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Arana’s Participation in 4 Years of CSL Tours + 1 More To Come

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For 31 years now, the Children’s Support League has raised money for East Bay agencies that serve children in need, by spearheading the annual Heart of the Home tour in Piedmont and the Oakland Hills.

In that time, the organization has raised over 4 million dollars, distributed via grants to over 100 local service organizations.

Under the motto of “Have fun and do good!,” CSL tours have been a way for homeowners to share the beauty of their spaces with crowds of appreciators, all for a great cause. The event features a curated tour and a catered lunch.

What it takes to make this all happen includes the pro-bono contributions of contractors and interior designers, as homeowners spruce up in order to participate in the big event.

This is often a great opportunity for us in the design-build trades to show off what we do while giving back to our community by donating our services to support the fundraiser. In this post are photos from CSL Tours ARANA has participated in, in four previous years.

This year, ARANA is again involved. We are staining and finishing wood for the backyard of one of the featured homes — with Buestad Construction. See our Instagram for images of beautiful fence boards!

For more information about the 2020 Heart of the Home tour, visit www.wehelpkids.org.

by Catherine Baldi and Julie Feinstein Adams