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Kinyan Blog

When it comes to a client’s home or workplace, BiglarKinyan Design Partnership (BKDP) Inc. is focused on providing what it calls “universal” design to appeal to a wide range of consumers. The company both designs the interiors and manages the construction of its projects, using a holistic approach that enables it to deliver economical, adaptable and timeless results.

“We control the design and construction phases to maintain design integrity and excellent quality,” Partner Fardid Biglar says.”We manage the different parts of construction to yield better efficiency.” Fardid says BKDP provides a one-stop shop service, which both its clients and contractors appreciate. “We have a bit more of the inside scoop as to how the industry works,” Partner Kenneth Ho says.

“That makes implementing interior design projects more successful.”

“The contractors that work for our firm often enjoy working with us because our designs are pragmatic and simply implemented.”

CONSCIENTIOUS DESIGN
Kenneth says one of the most common mistakes design firms make is assuming they know their clients’ needs.

“Recently, there was a project we were working on; a very contemporary loft in a fairly historic building here in Toronto,” Kenneth recalls

“Our client had very specific requirements for how they wanted to live. These particular clients described their dream space as cold and institutional.”

While the description was unanticipated BKDP listened. Not only did the firm deliver a space that met the clients’ needs BKDP did so with its signature universal approach.

It utilized high-quality materials with “an intrinsic beauty” to withstand time and trends.
The client was also on a budget, so BKDP mixed and matched materials to value engineer, the company says.

The result was a luxurious gray limestone floor with a “tone-on-tone look,” custom matched charcoal paint for the cabinets, “with a form that could be dressed up or down to respond to mainstream trends if they decide to sell the space,” Biglar notes.

The company used plenty of stainless steel because it picks up the tones of the surrounding materials.

DESIGN GUIDANCE
BKDP says it guides clients through the design process, because although “they often already know what they want to achieve, they just don’t know how to express it visually,” Biglar says.
“The design process is a two-way process,” he continues. “we put ourselves in our clients’ shoes to make realistic choices.”

“Whatever we present to clients, we expect to get a certain amount of feedback to ultimately realise their dream space.”

CONSISTENT PRINCIPLES
Most of BKDP’s projects maintain a sense of symmetry and utilize high-quality, value-oriented materials, Biglar notes.

“We try to design so that no matter what your budget is, the results are visually appealing in ters of proportions and sensibilities,” he says.

“Also, everything is fairly pragmatic. We don’t do anything for the sake of just making a statement everything has a reason for being there.”

LISTENING TO CLIENTS
BKDP says its strength lies in listening to its clients’ needs and developing and architecture that is an expression of their lifestyle and stylistic preferences combined with BKDP’s own unique design sense.

In addition to its diverse accumulation of suppliers and products, BKDP says it pushes the envelope, striving to design in an inventive and creative way.

It says it provides solutions that are “unexpected and refreshing, while keeping within realistic budgets and timelines.”

The company says that its partners “carry distinctive personalities and innate abilities to envision styles, concepts and trends”

In addition, they are members of the Association of Registered Interior Designers of Ontario and hold degrees in architecture.

FUTURE PROJECTS
Biglar sees more commercial projects in BKDP’s future. “They’re a little bit more of a fun challenge,” he explains.

“At our firm, we like to deal with new adventures and we really enjoy opportunities to push our creativity further.”

“Larger commercial projects will give us an opportunity to really demonstrate that to a larger audience.”

When someone describes a home as “sexy”, what would be the first impression that comes to your mind? Elegance and grace have a lot to do with design and it’s a matter of a good composition with harmony and totality of the many elements that make up a home’s architecture, furnishings, and interior. The concept of a home being sexy is related to a composition of elements that are highly appealing, streamlined and graceful – making them attractive. Combining volumes, textures and colours that you would not usually see in a normal home makes a sexy home unique.

To better understand it let’s look at some examples of different areas that contribute to a sexy home such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

Kitchen
As we may all know, the kitchen is considered to be the heart of a home. It is a social space, where you, your family and your friends often spend time cooking, snacking, and chatting, but it is also a space that gives people a strong impression of who you are.

Most often the look of the kitchen depends on the detailing. A sleek and streamlined kitchen has unique cabinets and finishing that tie in with all of the other elements of the room such as the countertop profile, backsplash pattern and texture, as well as knobs and pulls. It’s important that the layout of your kitchen also has to be harmonious with its style, so a European kitchen needs to pay particular attention to the composition of the elements in symmetry or asymmetry.

Some trendy design directions for sexy and sleek kitchens are:
1) Contemporary slab door cabinets in vivid high gloss finishing or matte wood vaneer with horizontal grain, with aluminum door edges,
2) Stainless steel appliances and countertops to reflect the high-tech and modern,
3) Low-voltage halogen pot lights, strategically placed to create a colour-wash on the cabinet doors when lights are dimmed,
4) Hardware such as soft-close drawer system to make the kitchen operate as gracefully as it looks.

Bathroom
Same as the kitchen, bathroom design has come a long way. Current trend is to create a spa-like bathroom, with fixtures that are poetic and hi-tech. Design tends to be more clean-lined and emphasis is put on the overall ambiance to create a relaxing space. Types of materials used are usually subtle and natural: imported river stone tiles, lightly honed marbles, and rich woods. It’s important to keep in mind that the style that you choose and the materials used should be consistent with the overall theme of your house interior and its architecture.

Besides the aesthetic elements, it is also important to consider the comfort factor that fixtures bring into a bathroom. There are different types of bathtub: pedestal, slipper, whirlpool, and more. To complement the spa theme, a tub with heated air jets would definitely provide relaxation and comfort of a spa; under-mounting the tub with a perimeter of marble or granite adds to the look we love. Besides the shape, bathtubs are also offered in different materials and colours, but it is suggested to choose something that would not only complement the overall design of the room, but as well as easy to clean and to maintain. And of course, wherever you can, hang or integrate a LCD TV in front of the soaker tub to up the cool factor to the bathroom and make taking long relaxing baths more enjoyable and practical.

Bedroom
After enjoying a delicious meal in the kitchen and taking a relaxing bath in your soaker tub, your typical day would end in your bedroom. Getting the right bed and bedding for your bedroom is the key because it not only is the focal point of the bedroom, but it is also the first thing that you would most likely see when you walk in, not to mention comfort and practicality. It is not, however, enough to make a bedroom sexy by just having the right bed. A sexy bedroom would also need elements such as lighting, wall colours, bed linens, and some furniture to bring out a romantic and relaxing atmosphere that would make you forget all your stresses and anxieties from the very first step into the room.

1) Choose a bed that works with the scale of the room. If you love modern design, a low platform bed always looks good.
2) Comfort is very important; therefore get the best mattress you can afford!
3) Use sheets and pillowcases that are made with silk or satin, or something that you would know immediately if it feels comfortable against your skin by just looking at it.
4) Use lighting that is soft, subtle, and localized. It would help in creating a relaxing atmosphere.
5) Walls with vivid hues are also the key in making the bedroom sexy, and it is very economical. If you don’t like strong colours, then use an earthy material palate with softer, neutral wall colours and use furniture’s colours and design to support that look.
6) Use curtains that would complement the bedding materials and colours. It’s important to choose curtains that hang or operate gracefully.
7) Use decorative elements such as flowers and candles, to appeal to all 5 senses.

A sexy home is about a combination of elements that are highly appealing, streamlined and graceful to create a relaxed ambiance. Volumes, textures and colours all come together in a well designed home to portray an image of who you are and how you want to live. Formal or informal, sophisticated or casual there are materials, textures, and designer furniture that are out there and a professional designer can help you bring it all together, giving you the home of your dreams.

Kenneth Ho is partner at the design and construction firm, Biglar Kinyan Design Partnership. For more information about the work of BKDP, please visit their website at www.BKDP.ca

You sit down with your travel agent to book your dream vacation. There are two key things that he or she needs to know from you: the destination & your budget. You’ve always dreamed of visiting the vineyards of Bordeaux in France, but your budget may only get you a trip to the wineries of the Niagara region.

If your travel agent knows that you want to visit the vineyards of France and you’ve been open about how much money you want to spend, then there is often a package that your travel agent can recommend that suits your wants and needs. You may not be drinking wine at the wineries of Bordeaux, but wine tasting on a tour to the French Basque Country may be just as good.

It’s a similar concept in interior design. In most cases, homeowners start renovations by hiring a design or architect to draw up plans. They then call contractors and hope that their estimates are in line with what they can afford. Most people are hesitant to tell their designer what they can afford to spend on their project. When it comes to the budget question, some homeowners tell their designer a budget that is less than what they really have in mind with hopes of getting a better deal or out of fear that they may end up splurging and using up the full budget. The fact is that your designer can design to your budget, balancing what you want with what you can afford.

It is important to understand that “budget” and “life savings” are two different things and that you should never get confused with these two words. Your budget is a realistic amount that you are happy and comfortable to spend to make your dream space a reality. That’s why it’s very important for you as a client to have a clear idea about your budget before you start looking for a designer. Remember, interior design is a two-way process and not a poker game; it requires honest inputs from both parties in for the best outcome.

A trusted designer knowing your budget, wants, and needs often means that they are able to make better decisions on choosing the right materials and fixtures to effectively create your dream space. On the other hand if your designer doesn’t know your budget and is forced to guess, it may mean that their recommendations are above and beyond your reach and as a result you may not be satisfied with his or her work. Inversely, you may not get the quality that you want and expect out of materials and design. You should always give specific information and instruction to your designer so that they can fulfill all of your requirements. Vagueness will result in many assumptions, and that brews disaster, unless a surprise is what you really want, then you should say ‘surprise me!’

Your designer is also there to help you allocate your budget to different parts of the scope such as carpentry, flooring, cabinets, electronics, and so on. For example, if having European faucets in your kitchen is important to you, then you should definitely inform your designer so that he or she could allocate and manage your budget accordingly. Their experience in construction and value-added home improvements often means that they know a diverse range of suppliers that carry the perfect product for your project for the right price. When you hire a designer, you are paying for their design expertise, ability to source materials and fixtures, as well as their ability to administer a project to save you from having to find, research, coordinate, and supervise trades people. Some design firms also have specialized project managers that can oversee your project and that is a plus if your project has got numerous elements or is complex in nature. 

Clear budget information is a real time saver for both you and your designer. It is also the key to getting exactly what you want out of your project. Depending on the scope of your project, budget information is also a helpful way for designers to allocate a percentage for any surprises that may pop up. When the project progresses smoothly and on budget, you should definitely celebrate your dream space with a bottle of French wine!

I became involved with Habitat for Humanity just as I graduated from the University of Toronto Architectural Studies program, a little late for my own liking. My impression of the foundation was one that I had acquired from what I had seen on the television and newspaper coverage. I decided to get my feet wet in Habitat by jumping right into the construction.

My first build experience was anything but ordinary. I expected a construction site crowded with volunteers, like what I had seen on television, but instead I found myself in front of a couple of house foundations and a muddy construction site on a cold and cloudy April morning. Dave, who was the construction manager for the Toronto Affiliate at the time, showed up at 7:30 a.m. with a cup of warm and much needed coffee for me to start off my first day as a Habitat volunteer. My first task was to move water pumps out to the houses, connect all of the hoses, and pump out water that had been collecting around the newly poured foundations.

Most people don’t realize how many different tasks there are and that need completing in order to construct a house. I didn’t like my task, but as a team player, I lugged a mammoth gas pump behind me into the trench that was dug around a newly poured foundation. This was my first time working on site as a construction worker and not a designer or managers, dressed in a black suit. I was learning what it’s like to actually do the work; the cherry on top was stepping knee deep into quick sand (which was another interesting discovery… the existence of quick sand here in Canada). Fourth year lectures on Romanesque architecture definitely had not prepared me for that, but thank goodness for all of those hours spent watching the discovery channel.

My day was filled with many challenges that were definitely humbling. On many occasions, veteran volunteers who saw my struggles would walk over, likely out of embarrassment for me, and tell a trade trick.

I was humbled and encouraged by the fact that the majority of Habitat volunteers were middle aged adults who somehow found the energy and time to help this great cause.

It was a great first day! I learned that even though we may know a lot, with a great education and with many successes, there is a world of knowledge and experience that we have yet to discover. Through a day of working hands-on in construction, I learnt trade secrets that I would’ve never known by watching contractors work on site. Hopefully we will all continue to experience these new lessons throughout our lives.

Since my first build experience with Habitat, I’ve continued to volunteer on other build sites and have served on various Habitat committees for the Toronto Affiliate and the University of Toronto Chapter. I have learned much from the amazing volunteers who I had the privilege of meeting through Habitat for Humanity.

Forming Biglar Kinyan Design Partnership, a design and construction firm, I couldn’t forget the experiences gained and people met at Habitat for Humanity. At BKDP, we continued to appreciate the work and mission of Habitat by supporting its cause. We donate all of our salvageable construction materials such as old kitchen cabinets to Habitat for Humanity ReStore and we strongly encourage you and everyone else you know to do the same.

If Habitat for Humanity is to continue helping good people around the world, we must all take a foot forward to make Habitat a part of our everyday lives.

The LCD TV is becoming a popular part of most homes, not only because they create brighter, crisper, and higher contrast images, but when they are mounted on a wall, they become part of a room instead of part of the furniture. This provides a greater flexibility in organizing and designing spaces, but it also adds a couple of square feet where it would otherwise be lost.

The quality of early LCD TVs was horrible although the technology was revolutionary and rapidly improving. Most people didn’t think that they would be worth the investment especially considering that they used to have a $30,000 – $40,000 price tag. In larger versions, faster moving images were harder to see than other types of televisions although in recent years the technology of LCD’s has improved dramatically. In 2004, television manufacturers Sony and Samsung collaborated to build a factory that would produce upwards of 60,000 screens for the LCD TV industry. This showed their confidence in the LCD TV market. Other competitors tried to disprove the quality of these televisions but they eventually succumbed and created their own models.

A technological marvel for our times, the LCD Television solves space problems brought forth by new urban housing designs. As a result of space limitations in heavily developed areas of the city, such as downtown Toronto, more and more developers have been using house and condo designs inspired by Japanese and European models of efficient living. This means that rooms are small and spaces are tight and as a result have to be utilized well with flexible and space saving furniture. A large rear projection or common picture tube television would simply not fit due to its depth and bulk. The last thing you want to see when you enter your 600 sq ft condo would be the side profile of a 51 inch rear projection TV; imagine putting two fridges in your living room. It’s somewhat of a similar effect. A good design would also consider how you would interact with the designed elements.

In small condominium and odd shaped rooms, the LCD or plasma TV becomes a solution due to its low profile, allowing for design freedom as it can be placed where traditional TVs cannot, such as above a fireplace, inside shallow cabinets, or on a narrow room wall. Its display allows viewing angles of up to 160 ° which means that you can watch TV from anywhere in the room, unlike with traditional rear projection TVs.

We are seeing ourselves and other designers plan spaces with the television set in mind. In an article written by Fardid Biglar for Asian Wave Magazine, he outlines how LCD TVs can be hidden behind screens in multifunctional rooms. When formal, the television is hidden from view and when guests leave and it’s time to relax, the screens slide open and the room changes from a formal space to an informal place of relaxation where you, your family, and your friends can lounge, watch TV or play your favorite video game.

Last year for the Interior Design show, Kenneth Ho surprised the kitchen industry by designing a modern kitchen with a 42″ Panasonic Plasma TV integrated right into a shallow contemporary hutch. Wood trim matching the cabinets created a seamless integration of the television and cabinetry. As the kitchen becomes more and more a contemporary gathering space for friends and family, the TV becomes increasingly an important part of it. It’s great when having company as well as when spending hours preparing a gourmet meal.

A well designed room not only looks good, but is a pleasure to live in and work in.