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™.

Monday, September 29, 2008

A sweet New Year


We are so blessed and thankful for what we have. We cherish our time with the boys this past summer in Beaver Creek, Colorado. We wish for you a year full of health, happiness and laughter.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Tank-less Water Heaters

Mobius T-M1 by Takagi.com
About the size of a medicine cabinet, tankless water heaters can easily be wall-mounted indoors, or depending on the climate, there is even a recessed outdoor installation option. Some models are available with digital wall-mounted controls and even waterproof remote controls that make it easy for users to adjust the temperature as often as they wish for convenience as well as safety. If you're designing luxury bathrooms, it's good to know the basics about tankless water heaters, because you're likely to get a lot of questions.
Following are some that are most frequently asked and their responses: Q: Will a tankless water heater save on my clients' energy bills? Is it expensive to install? A: Tank and tankless water heaters do their jobs differently. One of the most prized benefits of tankless heaters is that users are purposely matching the use of energy to the use of hot water. It's pretty much pay as they go. Average annual operating costs for a tankless unit are about $165 to $170, or roughly half the annual operating cost of tank heaters.

Q: Will a tankless water heater bring hot water to my clients' showers faster? A: Regardless of whether it is a tank, tankless or solar-type water heater, delays in hot water delivery have to do with how far the water heater is located from the hot water outlet, not the type of water heater. Tankless water heaters often do solve this issue because of their smaller size, which enables them to be located closer to the point of use. Another solution is a point-of-use water heater. Point-of-use heaters are actually smaller tank units that are located near the hot-water outlet, such as under a sink. They are often used to augment larger tank-type water heaters that are located far from the point of use. A recirculating system is another option to discuss with your plumber partner.

Q: What is the payoff for kitchen and bath designers who learn to stop worrying and love water heaters? A: Ask Marcio Decker, winner of the Smartest Hot Water Use Award in the National Kitchen & Bath Association's 2008 Design Competition. "We are moving more and more into what is hidden behind the walls," he explained. "Now, more than ever, there is the need to create environments that are eco-friendly. Water use in the bath, and water heating specifically, are very important. We designers should collaborate with other professionals to make sure that energy efficiency is part of every project."