Berlin Designs, Inc. Blog: Design Rituals

... a passionate revelation of my design rituals ...
a passionate account from a South Florida award-wining interior designer who is blessed to celebrate her 20th year anniversary of designing "interiors that lift your spirit™"
Welcome! The search is finally over. That perfect marriage of understanding without words:one look, one image, a breathtaking view... Someone who will know how to interpret her client's wishes by listening to all the unsaid words, seeing the cues, perceiving the feelings with a simple gaze.
I am the lucky designer who will get to go into the personal spaces in your life, your office or home. That place you call your own, where you can be you. Your surroundings matter to me, my passion is to let the best of you shine through the space you occupy. No antiseptic rooms, catalog photo-shoot ready, rather the elegant comfort of a back porch at sunset is the feeling I want in the interior of your private spaces. The sink-down comfort of being in your OWN space.
Let your smile shine as you enjoy learning about my passion for design. Then, you will see why we say: experience Interiors that lift your spirit™.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Cancer Centers: A Design Model in Patient Care

Cancer centers are quickly evolving into symbols of medical prestige and excellence. Driven by an unfortunately growing market of patients, institutions are busily bringing in experienced designers to turn these sterile, medical environments into homey, relaxing settings. Consequently, things like natural materials, full spectrum lighting, warm woods, nicer finishes, natural light, soothing colors, aquariums, and fireplaces are headlining the spec sheets of architects and interior designers.
“Patients want to be reminded of the good things in life,” this being the case, inspirational-type spaces such as “healing gardens,” water features, atriums and outside views are key. Connecting cancer patients to nature has been proven to be a powerful component of healing. In addition, with patients spending extended periods of time for treatment inside the facility, as well as returning for multiple visits, it is important to provide cancer patients with control of their environment and to incorporate positive distractions into the design, for example, artwork, colors, patterns, and unique murals lighting ceiling panels.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Holiday deadlines driving you to drink...

I have been threatening (much too often lately) that I will start drinking VODKA very soon...
Michael's Genuine Food and Drink in the Miami Design District shared their recipe for their holiday martini
The Interpretation
1.5 oz. Smirnoff blueberry vodka
.5 oz Frangelico
1 splash of dry vermouth
1 strawberry, muddled with 1/4oz. pure maple syrup
1 splash of cream or half & half
Combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass with a nutmeg and sugar rim.
For a lactose-free variation substitute the cream with a splash of fresh lemon juice. Serve on the rocks with either club soda or (my favorite) Champagne.

Monday, December 10, 2007

20th Anniversary of Berlin Designs, Inc.

"Party - time" = paella party time
OLE!
Well, we got December's holiday season off to the right start with our
20th Anniversary of Berlin Designs, Inc.

Clients, family and friends honored us at our home as we celebrated in a very Spanish style. My mom flew in from Spain for a great surprise and the weather cooperated with a star-studded sky.
We are looking forward to many more wonderful years creating Interiors that lift your spirit. Specially if the sangria keeps flowing. Cheers! Salud! L'hayim!

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Wynwood warehouse gallery district

For the locals, in Miami this is where we feel at home. Local representation at it's best, alleys, and off the beaten path galleries not to be missed.
This year Art Miami takes place in two locations simultaneously, including an exciting new event located in a warehouse in the Wynwood gallery district, just a few blocks from the Rubell Collection, and close to other important venues such as the Margulies Collection and the MOCA Goldman warehouse, and a number of other satellite fairs including NADA, Pulse, Scope Miami, Art Miami, Photo Miami, and The Photography Show. Off the beaten path yet not to be missed!

Art is everywhere

Happy Hanukkah!
Get ready, pack your bags, here in Miami, Art is everywhere this week!
Across my desk and my inbox there must be, oh about 100++ invites to attend the parties and after parties, the openings and the previews to the art explosion we encounter every year when Art Basel opens in Miami.
Art Basel Miami Beach takes place December 6 - 9, 2007.

Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art show in the United States, a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. As the sister event of Switzerland's Art Basel, the most prestigious art show worldwide for the past 38 years, Art Basel Miami Beach combines an international selection of top galleries with an exciting program of special exhibitions, parties and crossover events featuring music, film, architecture and design.
Artists and galleries from across the world flock to South Florida and welcome the New Year in grand style.