It all started with two client-selected petrified zebrawood sinks and a request to create an oasis for two; a bright mission to design a spa-like master bath for 'her' and a "man bath" for 'him', which also would serve as a splendid guest bath for the client's frequent visitors.  The palette reads modern, transitional and sophisticated, coupled with unusual details from existing artwork and fixtures (note:monkey towel holder), bright was given carte blanche on developing the theatrics of subtle sensory delights - meaning, the way every tile has texture compelling you to run your hand along, and how the rhythm of the cabinet handle metals play off of the striations in the wood.  The master bath walls are in ann sacks Koi shibo tiles in a bittersweet "iron rod" color, the Kohler tea for two bath has a full spectrum of bubbling chromatherapy, and the mirrors are back-lit; the zebrawood custom vanity and linen cabinet has cold rolled steel doors -  fabricated by our own collaborative at the retail studio with Hammer & Hand.  And the unseen detail so luxurious -  heated Pental porcelain tile floors, and if you have ever set foot on a heated tile floor, I needn't say more.

The "man bath" is complete with a charcoal tiled steam shower, copper sink and leather handles.

Here's a peek at these two modern Pearl condo baths in our photo gallery!

Portland Real Estate Design

Admit it... you love to peruse the Zillow maps... and now you can review us too. Hopefully we have done good things to your home and you want to share it with the world.  

-alissa

-Leela

Cheers!

- Leela

The front of the building, I love how the window in the cantilever reflects the classic roman buildings in the area.This is what makes me love concrete.yes these are my shoes! you can see through the stair to the floor 30' belowwalking through a gallery that curves around above the entry courtyard.one of the most fabulous stairs I have ever seen - linking the galleries on 5 floors, need I say more?

Imbue was born of rigorous collaboration between interior designers (us!) at bright designlab and builders (them!) at Hammer & Hand. We draw on eclectic influences: Bauhaus and NW Modern design, age-old traditions of artisanship and craft, contemporary product design and manufacture,and the celebrated creative dynamism of Portland, Oregon.  We playfully named our cabinet "personalities" to represent different finish levels - from the glossy face of Jasper and the slick laminates of Talia, to the warm wood of Jett and sustainable grains of Pippi.

As interior designers who work on kitchens on a day-to-day basis, it wasn't easy deciding what we wanted to put in OUR studio kitchen. I'm pretty sure the only way we were able to convince ourselves to land on something was with the promise that we would change it later (I guess we are afraid of commitment!). Being minimalists and modernists at heart, we wanted to start with something that had a clean simple palette with just a pop of color. In an old loft space, such as our studio, we love having a open feel to the kitchen without upper cabinets weighing it down. So we chose to add an accent shelf - in walnut - for display and storage, but also to contrast the stark white cabinets and bring in an element of warmth and texture. We tied this in with walnut bar seating that wraps the island. The gray counters and rectangular glass tile backspash, add just enough contrast and add to the visual feast. The kitchen is, of course, complemented by the stunning SMEG appliances from the Piano collection, which are available at the Retail Studio.  The appliances are cleanly detailed, and some have a sculptural element to them which is almost mid-century in styling.  One of our favorite design details in the kitchen is the counter that waterfalls from the oven along the twelve foot counter and all the way to the floor on the right.  We took great care in the alignment of colors, the dark wrapping the light, as if the kitchen was unfolding to show us its gray middle.  Often times we approach the challenge of kitchen design as we would solving the Rubix cube or playing Tetris...needless to say we had a lot of fun dreaming this one up!

- Leela

gray Chroma counter waterfall, and walnut accent shelf.walnut accent shelf and bar.pullouts, with dovetail and interior silverware drawer keep the cabinet fronts uniform.full kitchen in retail studio.

girls like big machines too!Tessa checking out the view.

views out of future windows!Detail of wood ceiling. Ceiling designed by Scott Edwards Architecture.

The home is propped atop a hill above a gorgeous young vineyard property with 360-degree views. For this ground-up family retreat we are developing the interior finish palette, lighting selections, kitchen design, two bathrooms, and designing furniture utilizing upcycled wood from an old barn deconstructed on the property.  The premise for the design is for the structure to last for centuries and to be passed down through the generations.

We recently had the opportunity to work with Nuvrei (Yumm!) on the interior design for their first Patisserie and Cafe retail location in Portland, OR. They were looking for a modern, yet warm and approachable interior that really highlighted their product. They had a lot to fit into a small space, but we always enjoy a design challenge! (see project photo gallery here)

We decided to keep the palette simple and work with the natural characteristics of the space (brick walls, wood ceiling) and used those textures to contrast with some of the more modern elements. To bring in some of the french flair (which Nuvrei is known for), we selected the Marais chair in a bright yellow - which is a classic french industrial design, and industrial inspired pendants. We hope you enjoy!

- Leela

yellow marais chairs, Carrara marble bistro tables, and industrial inspired light fixtures, contrast with the textural elements of the space.custom display integrated into existing window.

French macaron, pastries and sandwich prep line the front counter.

The counter is wrapped in recalimed barnwood, to contrast the clean white countertop.bar seating and custom steel newpaper racks, make a little nook to settle into with coffee and a treat!

sandwich prep station, a myriad of food textures.

custom steel product displays to tie into the materiality of the interior.

-leela

One of our favorite finds are the colorful NUD Collection lighting cords (yes pronounced NUDE!). The company is based in Sweden, and offers a stunning array of 44 different colored fabric cords that are connected to either a white or black socket. We currently have 13 colors in stock at the studio, and can special order a specific color if you fall in love with it! (it's hard not to...)

They look fantastic clumped together filled with retro bulbs (you can see and example of this in our studio!), as well as on their own, or as an unexpected accent to a favorite shade.

I think I just want a nest of them on my wall! LOVE IT!

-leela

Photo courtesy of NUD Collection.