Big changes here at NYC Interior Design Firm Nirmada - we have a new name and are soon to have a new address. Nirmada Interior Architectural Design is now....KATI CURTIS DESIGN. Our new branding was designed by the incredibly talented Cooper House, and it couldn't be more perfect. Personally, I am having a hard time with the name change, but everyone else seems to think it's long overdue. Of course, we have to thank Strohl and Co., our PR Firm extraordinaire for the nudge. Apparently I am the brand - so the interior design firm has to have my name... Well, I might be the brand  - but I certainly couldn't do it alone and I have to give a shout out of thanks to Carolyn, Ira, Walter, Todd, and Anne for their brilliance and support. It's a team effort. Other than the name, you can still expect the same professional, high end design services we've always provided. That will NEVER change! We will also be moving to new digs in May, so update your address books accordingly. If you haven't changed over to our new email, don't worry - everything will be forwarded thanks to the super-intelligent coding done by Tim Cooper at Cooper House. We'd love to hear your thoughts about our new brand and look! xo, KC

We're starting out the new year with a fantastic LEED GOLD penthouse project in an NYC new construction residential building in the Flatiron District. One would think a new construction project would be fairly straight forward and simple - but it's actually not. Developers design these buildings so they can make fast money, and don't always take in to consideration the real users of the space. While wowing you with high end appliances and modern amenities, sometimes things like lighting and AV could be left up to the new owner. Here are 10 things to ask your real estate broker before purchasing a new construction apartment in NYC: 1. Is there accommodation for lighting in the ceiling? This seems like a no-brainer, but in NYC it's all about square footage. New construction is usually concrete slab and the floor to floor heights are often as tight as possible so the developer can squeeze more units out of a lot. By not dropping portions of the ceiling to add electrical, plumbing and HVAC, they can give the new owner a higher ceiling height, but sometimes no accommodation for lighting! The new owner won't be able to add it in later either, because making modifications in the slab could compromise it's structural stability. Make sure your new home at least has junction boxes in the ceiling to accommodate lighting where you need it.   2. What is the ceiling height? It seems...

Over the past two weeks, we've been wrapping up the NYC West Village townhouse interior design and renovation we began last November.

As a lot of you will be heading "out east" to the Hamptons for what might be a long weekend, we'll be hard at work on wrapping up a Hamptons beach house design we began last October. The Client is scheduled to move in July 15th and the Contractor is working around the clock to make it happen. The project was a complete gut renovation of a 1920's ranch style home with a 1980's addition. We have brought it into the 21st Century for a young modern family. Here are some sneak peeks of our design: We removed the existing roof adding a roof deck with views of the bay and the ocean. A skylight brings more natural light into the interior. New Open Kitchen Design: Living and Dining Area: Family Room: Home Office: Baby's Room: Girls' Room:   The push is on to have things ready when they're summer rental is up on July 15th!  

In NYC interior design love your art and allow it to give you pleasure every day. If dollar signs are all you think about, it's not good for your soul.

Mistakes are costly, and the designer is the only one on the project team with the complete vision. Good planning is the only hedge against wasting money.

As in everything we do the "yogic" way is of course, to consider the environment first. What are some necessities you will need for your yoga studio?

How much carpet goes to landfill? It is estimated 5 billion pounds of carpet was sent to the landfill in 2003. The previous year, The Carpet America Recovery Effort was formed and the numbers have been decreasing every since. But there is still a lot of work to do to truly eliminate this global dilemma.

A Certified Interior Designer (CID) licensed in New York plans, designs, supervises and/or consults on various aspects of interior spaces including: * layouts and planning of interior construction * furnishings and fixtures * cabinetry, lighting and finishes * other aspects of interior construction not materially related to the main structural building components or systems To safeguard people and property, certified interior designers incorporate construction, fire, safety and accessibility codes and data into their design services.

Is the designer qualified to practice? Make sure the interior designer is properly licensed by New York State. Ask your Designer for their NYS license number or go to the New York State office of Professions to check if the designer is on the list.