Designing a Room For...

Every so often I come across an idea. piece of art, or some sort of inspiration that I would love to design a room for. Today, it was a bedroom based off of the illustrations of Robert Samuel Hanson:

I love the geometric shapes, soothing, yet saturated color scheme, and the quirky personality it carries.

Thinking Out of the Box

This is the background on my computer:

Thanks, you.

This background sustained me though my final weeks of design school. It kept me willing to think of and try new things within my final projects. Now, with the phrase running through my mind every day, I'm discovering more out-of-the-box designs. Here's a look at a couple that have caught my attention.

Thanks, Contemporist

CUBE Architects designed the bookshelves for a book store in the Netherlands.  What most impresses me about this is that CUBE maintained the practical needs of a bookstore within and still managed to shine a creative (and bright!) light on the bookshelves. They certainly reinvented a magnificent wheel.

Thanks, Anna Kern

The stark contrast of black to white has its edge taken off by the natural materials in this loft. And anyone who can feel secure painting a wall black deserves a round of applause.

Jonathan Alder has intrigued me for years. Though he is a world-renowned creator of pottery, fabrics, and interiors, his designs remain...graspable. That is a made up word, I know. They look as if they are filled with collections of pieces purchased because the owner loved them and the thought of "where will this go?" and "what does this go with?" was thought about after the fact. 

"I think a room should be 95 percent chic. There needs to be a solid 

foundation of good design, functionality, and harmony. Then you 

have the remaining 5 percent to layer on a playful vibe. 

If a room is merely playful it's usually wildly unchic. Conversely, if it's 

too chic it's dry and off-putting. I try to strike the perfect balance of 

chic and cheeky — an inclusive, unsnobby sort of buoyant spirit." 

Jonathan Alder

Craigslist Lovin'

Despite my somewhat abusive relationship with Craigslist (notably called Tedslist, as in Ted Bundy, by my brother) I can't stop searching it's unorganized pages full of usually ugly items and always misspelled words. My latest fiasco has been in the pages of CL Worldwide, where I peek through the doors of available rooms in London and Paris and South Africa. Feel free to leave comments telling me how stupid I am, but not until you look at this:

 If I were living here I'd probably add a few rugs to ground the furnishings into place and create spaces that look intentionally separated rather than their current sparse feel, but I'll let it slide this time.

Yeah right. Good luck trying to sell a room with that pathetic view...

I love the quirkiness of this apartment and the character that is visible everywhere you look. What I've discovered is that the items with character generally don't cost much more, but they are more difficult to find. Creating a home that is uniquely you takes a lot of time and even more patience but the end result will be something you will love far longer than some run of the mill furnishing. For as long as I remember my mom has told me that you can't finish your home in one weekend. My parents have lived in their home for nine years now and it's still a work in progress (my dad loves that, don't you dad). But that search for the right piece and the patience of waiting for an item to go on sale has resulted in a beautiful home that so many visitors admire. Stick it out people. Wait for the charming armchair like the one above to finally grace your presence, keep searching for the perfect mirror for above your fireplace. And for heaven sakes, if you learn nothing from this and the past post, let your character ooze into every corner of your home. Including your floors. (those floors!)

Final Rose of the Night

Editors Note: I apologize if this post brings back tender emotions for any of you. I also apologize if you lose any respect for me and the fact that I watch this show. Diligently.

I know I was supposed to be focusing on the fact that Brad let Shawntel go just a few days after she told him she loved him this season of The Bachelor, but during their long walk through the Gansevoort Hotel in New York City I kept pausing, rewinding, and taking snapshots on my computer screen. Why?

Those floors! Do you see them? Whoever designed this hotel thought the plans all the way through at an early stage. Floors often become a last minute thought in a space that result in the most budget-friendly option, but think of how far less exciting this lobby would be without the chevron pattern on the flooring.  In fact, after watching this scene (over and over and over again) I hopped back onto AutoCAD and redid part of the design for one of my school projects to add a little spice. While some of the other features in this lobby are a little tasteless in my opinion, those floors stand well on their own. How timeless! How innovative! Bravo expensive Gansevoort budget, bravo.

Spicing up forgotten spaces

This.

Thanks, Country Living / Victoria Pearson

This hallway. The frames, the chandelier, the out-of-place chair, and, of course, the walls! This hallway has been stuck in my head for nearly my entire school career.

Speaking of which,

Nailed it. 

Now back to the stripes. I love the way the homeowners applied their personality into such a small and generally forgotten space. I have wanted to do something like this for so long, but none of my "clients" had the personality for it. I'd be curious to try it with the glossiest paint finish in the business and in a space, like this hallway or a guest bathroom, that could use a little sprucing and can handle an overwhelmingly noticeable finish like this. I will continue to wait until someone has the gusto to live in such a stripy wonderland.

The Importance of Character

I had a free morning today (you know, because I'm graduating tomorrow so most of my classes were already done. Because I'm graduating) and decided to spend time going fake house shopping.  My neck is constantly twisting and turning as I drive around Salt Lake City admiring all the adorable architecture and store fronts that surround the streets.  Usually when I'm in the car I am on my way to something and don't have the ability to stop and wander, but not this morning. This morning I was on my way to 9th east to walk the streets and snap a few pictures. I think they call this "free time." So I thoughtlessly put on my most uncomfortable pair of shoes and started walking. Take a gander at what I discovered.

Mind you, these were all found in about 5 blocks of one another.  One thing I love about Salt Lake is all of the character - it's everywhere.  This city has been around for about 150 years, and it still holds a many original buildings and homes.  The residence work hard to maintain the charm of the olden days in both interiors and exteriors, and though there comes additional maintenance and cost with living in an older home, I think most people can see the attraction that people like my new friend Charlie and his puppy, Jimmy, have in living in these colorful and unique places. Charlie and Jimmy have lived in the the third home on the top row for "way too long" but Charlie loves it.  When I walked by he was digging for a new walkway in his front yard and told me of his plans to paint the exterior soon. In the meantime, Jimmy was running through all of Charlie's dirt piles getting flecks of soil all over his long coat. He's going to be a sad pup when he discovers Charlie's plan to give him a big haircut tomorrow.

Interior Design Portfolio Event

In just a few days I have this thing called my college graduation. Hold on, I'm going to faint from excitement just one more time.

In preparation for that, my school held it's Portfolio Event for all the graduating girls. Twenty-three girls put months of hard work, few showers, accidental diets and many sleepless nights into their work and now it was time to display it.  We each created portfolios to hold our 5-10 projects and "homes" to showcase a featured project. Within our binders were projects assigned to us throughout our time at school along with a few extra-curricular projects assigned to ourselves. It was incredibly inspiring to see the final product of my fellow student's and see their humility in all that they had created. I found myself grabbing their business cards (despite already having their contact info, but the cards were too stylish to pass up) and thinking "I want her to do my house when I grow up!" One might think that twenty-three girls spending so much time in classroom 802 would become caddy and difficult, especially in such a high stress major, but it is the polar opposite. Each girl is so supportive and excited for the next girl and has the highest hopes for where she may end up. It has been a pleasure going through school with each of them.

May the angels above bless my mother for selflessly coming to Utah to help me set this up. I would have DIED without her. I am one lucky girl.

I embraced the quirkiness of my initials and happily displayed them as part of my official logo.

A look inside my portfolio
Hotel 8649 - A San Francisco Hotel styled for men - simple, timeless, and industrial
Cresthaven Apartment Lobby - Welcoming residence into a Utah apartment complex with natural elements and modern sophistication
Tingey & Tingey Law Firm - An appropriate marriage of comfort and professionalism
Arch - Using colors, textures and a timeless back-in-the-day feel to create successful, detailed renderings
Oceanside Condo - A mix of old detail and modern clarity
In Motion Dance Studio - Inviting the sumptuous Baroque style into an elegant dance studio

And now, sit back, relax, and think about a company who will hire me as I present to you: my portfolio.