Pro Spotlight: How to Get a Home With Effortless Flow (Draft)
Create welcoming, cohesive spaces using these tips from a Southern California designer
Who: Claudia Kazachinsky of CEK Design
Where: Redondo Beach, California
In her own words: “I choose color palettes that will flow without being boring; I like using a color in different shades with maybe an accent hue or two.”
Sometimes you walk into a home and you see that everything just works. The colors and patterns create a symphony of style, flowing beautifully from one room to the next, and the atmosphere is irresistibly inviting. Claudia Kazachinsky, who owns CEK Design — a full-service design studio in Redondo Beach — strives to create these types of spaces for her clients. “Your flooring and color palette are the most important elements; jumping from color to color won’t give you the continuity you want,” she says.
Where: Redondo Beach, California
In her own words: “I choose color palettes that will flow without being boring; I like using a color in different shades with maybe an accent hue or two.”
Sometimes you walk into a home and you see that everything just works. The colors and patterns create a symphony of style, flowing beautifully from one room to the next, and the atmosphere is irresistibly inviting. Claudia Kazachinsky, who owns CEK Design — a full-service design studio in Redondo Beach — strives to create these types of spaces for her clients. “Your flooring and color palette are the most important elements; jumping from color to color won’t give you the continuity you want,” she says.
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A career of many colors. Born in Brazil, Kazachinsky moved to Israel as a child, and later studied set and costume design and art history at Tel Aviv University. She parlayed this into interior design and completed a degree while in the Israeli army.
Kazachinsky is also a watercolor artist. “My forte is atmospheric landscapes,” she says, adding that she draws inspiration from the Manhattan Beach coastline. Her art background helps her understand color undertones and pick the right palette when designing her clients’ homes.
Kazachinsky is also a watercolor artist. “My forte is atmospheric landscapes,” she says, adding that she draws inspiration from the Manhattan Beach coastline. Her art background helps her understand color undertones and pick the right palette when designing her clients’ homes.
Creative instincts. “I began painting when I was 3 or 4 years old and started collecting interior design magazines when I was 7 or 8,” Kazachinsky says. “I learned how to do a floor plan and place furniture before I was 10.” She opened CEK Design in 1995, and furthered her interior design and architecture studies at UCLA and Cal Poly Pomona.
Want a home with harmony? Read Kazachinsky’s tips below.
Want a home with harmony? Read Kazachinsky’s tips below.
1. Create a Master Plan
Even if you’re starting with just a room or two, establish the look and purpose of your home’s entire design before you begin. Think about your lifestyle and interests to determine each space’s functionality. “If you can’t do it all at once, it’s important to know the design stages; lots of things hinge on one another,” Kazachinsky says.
She took this approach when a Manhattan Beach client asked her to redesign a Mediterranean-style home in stages. “My thought was to do the necessary changes to get away from the Mediterranean look,” Kazachinsky says. The team updated the floors, wall colors and fireplace first, which acted as the foundation for the rest of the contemporary, beach-inspired remodel.
See more of this project
Even if you’re starting with just a room or two, establish the look and purpose of your home’s entire design before you begin. Think about your lifestyle and interests to determine each space’s functionality. “If you can’t do it all at once, it’s important to know the design stages; lots of things hinge on one another,” Kazachinsky says.
She took this approach when a Manhattan Beach client asked her to redesign a Mediterranean-style home in stages. “My thought was to do the necessary changes to get away from the Mediterranean look,” Kazachinsky says. The team updated the floors, wall colors and fireplace first, which acted as the foundation for the rest of the contemporary, beach-inspired remodel.
See more of this project
2. Set a Layout Strategy
Determine the floor plan of each space to ensure proper traffic flow and avoid disproportionate elements. “Space planning is crucial and needs to be addressed before anything else,” Kazachinsky says.
Updating the layout in this Rolling Hills kitchen transformed the cooking experience for the homeowner, a professional chef. The team moved his cooktop from the wall to the island, allowing him to socialize with friends and family while cooking. “It also gave him storage for oils and spices on specialty pullouts, as well as plenty of workspace,” Kazachinsky says.
See more of this project
Determine the floor plan of each space to ensure proper traffic flow and avoid disproportionate elements. “Space planning is crucial and needs to be addressed before anything else,” Kazachinsky says.
Updating the layout in this Rolling Hills kitchen transformed the cooking experience for the homeowner, a professional chef. The team moved his cooktop from the wall to the island, allowing him to socialize with friends and family while cooking. “It also gave him storage for oils and spices on specialty pullouts, as well as plenty of workspace,” Kazachinsky says.
See more of this project
3. Determine Your Aesthetic
Pull together your favorite interior design images and look for a pattern, such as a color palette, architectural features or furniture styles. “These pictures will really help your designer develop the look you’re after and make sure it flows throughout your house,” Kazachinsky says.
After looking through pictures, she chose a clean-lined contemporary aesthetic for the Redondo Beach bathroom seen here. The large-format tile and blue-gray color scheme create a serene oasis. “The look is based on elegant simplicity,” Kazachinsky says. “I especially like the look and functionality of the large drawers, instead of doors, for the cabinets.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on Claudia Kazachinsky and examples of her work, visit CEK Design’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Pull together your favorite interior design images and look for a pattern, such as a color palette, architectural features or furniture styles. “These pictures will really help your designer develop the look you’re after and make sure it flows throughout your house,” Kazachinsky says.
After looking through pictures, she chose a clean-lined contemporary aesthetic for the Redondo Beach bathroom seen here. The large-format tile and blue-gray color scheme create a serene oasis. “The look is based on elegant simplicity,” Kazachinsky says. “I especially like the look and functionality of the large drawers, instead of doors, for the cabinets.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on Claudia Kazachinsky and examples of her work, visit CEK Design’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.