Gaston Galella, Norma Galella, Chloe Swain

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

With Springtime well underway and most of the country looking forward to the sunny summer months, Duoma Atelier spoke to Haute Design about the principles to good outdoor design.

Haute Design: How important is outdoor residential design for your clients?

Norma Galella: Because South Florida's weather is great all year long, a thoughtfully designed outdoor living area is just as important as the interior design of a home. Our clients are always asking us to come up with innovative solutions that provide the best use of their backyards, and in this market, every square foot is prime real estate.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

HD: What are some of the most important aspects of outdoor design?

Gaston Galella: The most important is designing beautiful and functional spaces based on the client's needs. We start by asking some important questions: 'Is there a need for a separate multipurpose house for guests or other uses? What is your entertaining style? Do you want a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen or just a small kitchenette? What kind of landscaping do you prefer? How many shaded areas will you need for outdoor dining and lounging?' And the list goes on.Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

HD: Does the exterior of a home need to match the interior? If so, how is this done?

NG: We approach the outdoor design in the same way we approach interior design - by getting to know the client and letting their style and experience guide us. The interior of a home needs to express a cohesive story, but each space can have its own personality. This same concept applies for outdoor areas. Nature plays a big role, but you should still bring some of your interior style, colors and textures for a seamless transition.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

HD: What is your favorite aspect of outdoor design?

NG: We love to provide a comprehensive design package. To have the opportunity to marry our interiors with exteriors is exciting. Our clients benefit tremendously, not only by hiring our full concierge turnkey services, but also by allowing us to design their entire home. This way, all they have to do is relax and enjoy their beautiful spaces.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

HD: What are some tips to have in mind when designing outdoor spaces?

GG: The type of materials for outdoor spaces are very different from indoor spaces. That's the first thing to keep in mind while selecting furniture and finishes. Always ask if the material you are considering is suitable for outdoor use. This will depend whether pieces or materials are under shade or completely exposed to the elements.

The post Duoma Atelier is Ready for South Florida Outdoor Living and Entertaining appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Photo Credit: Leandro Lujan

Duoma Atelier recently shared a wellness study regarding the increasingly normal trend for companies to allow (sometimes prefer) employees to work from home. The following are some of the key concepts that promote a healthy home office with wellness at the forefront.

Air

Since we spend most of our time indoors, the air quality of our buildings is extremely important. There are easy ways to improve the quality of the air you breathe at home. A good place to start would be to make sure that the HVAC unit filter has a high MERV rating. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value is a measurement scale which reports the effectiveness of air filters.

Other than that, the next course of action would be to add an air purifier to rooms which you use most, including bedrooms, and in this case, home offices. Adding indoor plants also contributes to air purification.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Comfort

Above all else, your home office should be a comfortable environment which allows you to work in peace. It's recommended to invest in a good pair of noise-cancelling headphones - you won't regret it. If you share a home office, or if your home office is located near a space in the house which tends to be noisy, a great idea would be to add materials such as carpet, felt or fabric-wrapped panels in order to absorb sound.

When it comes to lighting, it's a good idea to have a variety based on different uses and needs. General lighting ought to be considered as the first layer, accompanied by individual desk lamps for personal use. When taking zoom meetings into consideration, good illumination is a huge facet of any great home office.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Mind

Mental wellness and physical wellness are equally important and they go hand in hand. Natural light should be at the top of the list when it comes to working from home. Try incorporating views to the outside or at least set up your office in a room that has windows to help with your circadian rhythm.

Next, add items that stimulate the senses. This can be through aromatherapy, a speaker which can emit sounds of nature in the background, or even some form of a miniature Zen Garden. The idea is to provide your mind with sensory cues to remember to breathe and relax from time to time.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Water

Hydration is key to your overall health. However, drinking the appropriate amount of water for your body can be easier said than done. While a brief walk to the kitchen can be a good break from work and good way to avoid staying stationary for too long, it's a good idea to keep a water station nearby within your home office. Consider it a visual cue to remind you to stay hydrated.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

Movement

There are several ways in which your home office can be designed to promote wellness. Investing in a good ergonomic chair is a good place to start in order to promote good posture when you work.

But it doesn't stop there. Research shows that remaining seated for extended periods of time is just as dangerous as smoking. An adjustable standing desk has become popular for good reason. They have been proven to promote mobility, aid prevention of back pain and regulate blood flow.

Photo Credit: Unsplash

The post Duoma Atelier Designs Wellness in the Work From Home Era appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

The Rodriguez-Cheney renovation project is a great example of the amazing work done by Duoma Atelier on a regular and consistent basis.

For this renovation, Norma was inspired by the clients' inclination for hosting as well as their modern aesthetic taste. The clients' desire was for her to create a sophisticated and functional home that would feel modern and inviting. They wanted their home to meet at the intersection between moody and airy. The result presented itself as a muted palette with delicate touches of black, green and blue accents, warm metals, woods and rich textures.

The Duoma Atelier team created a floor-to-ceiling slatted wood wall at the entrance which serves as an open “mud room” on the foyer side, dividing it from the new living room. As soon as guests enter the space, they can appreciate their hosts' art collection on the gallery wall, which was designed with track-lighting and custom placards.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

While the home living spaces have beautiful high vaulted ceilings, it was originally divided by the existing kitchen, located directly at the center of the space, blocking all the wonderful natural light. By relocating it to one side and creating an open-style concept, the new kitchen became the heart of the home, drawing all eyes to its simplicity and elegance. Norma played with proportions and materials in order to create a one-of-a kind kitchen with ample room for entertaining.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

The powder room, truly a hidden gem of this project, became one of the clients' favorite spaces. Norma combined dark materials and patterns to create a moody and boutique look.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

Finally, the Master Bathroom was design to be a Zen-contemporary retreat with a soft palette, free standing bathtub, floating vanity, and LED-mirror. The wood floors coming into the room and changing to modern hexagon gray tiles brings a touch of playfulness and interest.

The post Duoma Atelier Renovation Project Creates Sophisticated Yet Functional Home appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

Norma and Gaston Galella, co-founders of Duoma Atelier, recently explained their design firm's philosophy and attributes with Haute Design.

Haute Design: As we have previously noted, Duoma Atelier is comprised of two main components. How do the two of you divide work flows for each project? Do both of you interact with the client?

Norma Galella: It's very important for us to listen to our clients from every perspective, whether that be design or constructibility. While I direct the design process and Gaston directs the construction process, we are constantly consulting with each other. We both interact with the client at all stages of each project, allowing for our corresponding expertise to inform each other and to brainstorm for better solutions in order to fulfill our clients' needs.

HD: What is the best service Duoma offers to its clients?

Gaston Galella: We can't really pinpoint a specific service. We believe our clients benefit the most when they hire us for our design and construction turnkey services. This is when you will truly experience peace of mind through our concierge practice.

HD: What is your design style?

NG: We all have personal styles, and believe it or not, it evolves throughout the years. However, what is truly different about our studio is that we try not to impose our style and trends onto our clients. Instead, we go through a rigorous discovery session with questionnaires and visuals to uncover their own style, which then informs our design process. Our clients don't come to us for a certain 'look.' The result is a truly customized project that fits each client individually, supporting their aesthetics, needs and wants.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

HD: How do you bring peace of mind to your clients?

GG: In a traditional design and construction process, the client is the project manager for their home project and it can easily become a full-time job. The client would have to hire and supervise the design team and the consultants while providing construction documents for permits. The client would then have to oversee permitting and hire a general contractor for quotes. More often than not, price estimations come back higher than anticipated and initial design plans must be tweaked and adapted, not to mention permit drawings would need to be revised as well.

We have heard horror stories from clients who have gone through this lengthy and painful process only to realize their project was not feasible and they had to abandon their plans for their dream home.

At Duoma, the client only has to interact with us and we act as their representative throughout the entire process. We hire and manage all necessary consultants and subcontractors. We will establish the clients' goals and needs from the beginning of the design process accordingly, so the entire process is streamlined and more efficient. We always keep the client informed and we work with them as one team.

HD: How did the name for the firm come to be? Who came up with 'Duoma?'

NG: Duoma stems from the word 'duo' and signifies the expertise duality on which our studio is founded. The 'o' in Duoma creates the center and balance of our logo and is composed of two floating symmetrical shapes. Each shape represents each discipline constantly pulling and pushing each other, creating a holistic approach in design and construction.

We worked with a branding company called Panamera. They're a very creative group who helped us develop a bespoke brand to represent our aesthetics and what we stand for.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

HD: Describe Duoma's design philosophy in three words. 

GG: Bespoke, mindful, functional.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Canto

The post Duoma Atelier Offers Peace of Mind appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.