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from Scandinavia with love
color at ikea family live
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Steve Jobs on Design
I love this quote by Steve Jobs.
What do you think? Is good design more than just looking pretty?
Join the discussion by leaving a comment.
PATRICIA GRAY INC is an award winning interior design firm writing about lifestyle and
WHAT'S HOT in the world of interior design, architecture, art and travel.
2011 © Patricia Gray | Interior Design Blog™
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Inspiration
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Inspirational Quotes
Vicente Wolf and Inuit Art in Vancouver
I had the pleasure of spending time with Vicente Wolf on his trip to Vancouver where he spoke at the Buildex convention. Albarosa Simonetti had put together an itinerary of Native Art Galleries and we spent the afternoon looking for Inuit dolls made of Caribou antler for Vicente’s private collection. As well as showing Vicente the sights of Vancouver we had lots of time to talk about design, travel, photography and share stories.
Patricia Gray, Vicente Wolfe, Albarosa Simonetti at Buildex Vancouver
Patricia Gray, Vicente Wolf at Inuit Gallery Vancouver
These Inuit dolls carved from Caribou antler which is a renewable resource, shed by the animal annually, have the arms and legs attached with sinew. Their antecedence is in ancient Inuit history, and were often the only toy that a small girl would have. They are absolutely charming in their simplicity. I would not have known about them were it not for Vicente’s passion for collecting.
Top 2 photos: Albarosa Simonetti
Photo 3 Photo Credit
Bottom Photo Credit
Home Design Ideas - 3 Tier Kitchen Island
A 3 Tier Kitchen Island is a simple Home Design Idea I have used many times over the years. Most kitchen islands tend to be one tier or two. On a single tier island one counter provides kitchen prep and eating / serving purposes. On a two tier island one tier is the cooking counter and the second tier is the eating / serving counter. I like to add a third tier because it adds another dimension and offers more storage possibilities. See below for a few examples.
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| Three tiers - one for kitchen prep, one for eating and serving and one for storage. Here we used glass doors for display. I like the way the taller tier "anchors" the other two counters. It also helps to define the edge of the kitchen from the hallway which is to the left. |
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| Here (in our Excelsior Farmhouse) tiers on both ends "capture" the kitchen and eating counters. The eating counter is highlighted with a natural walnut surface. The taller end cabinets also provide another display surface. |
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| Another simple example (from our Midwest Living Farmhouse) with a curved serving counter. The taller end cabinets also help to conceal kitchen clutter from the living room beyond. This is a good design strategy within an open floor plan. |
The Value of an Architect 2 - Architects have great Tools!
A recent project I am working on at Ron Brenner Architects gives me another example of how a good designer can add value to a project. The home is in the Design Development stage, so the basic form and plan have been finalized but the details are still being adjusted. The images below illustrate how Brenner utilizes 3d visualization tools (in this case Google Sketchup) to study variations in design to communication options to the client. With better visualization the client is able to make more informed decisions.
The image above depicts the completed Schematic Design - a classic midwestern farmhouse exterior. Narrow gable forms, 1 1/2 story height, shed porches and box out bays, white clapboard siding, black shingle primary roof and galvanized metal porch roof.
This image depicts a taller plate height and a modification of the roof eave detail to provide more of a midwestern greek revival aesthetic.
Image above represents mostly a color study variation of the original farmhouse vernacular design but also makes subtle adjustments to column sizes and porch beam detail.
This last image depicts the concept of an "original" brick farmhouse being added on to with subsequent white clapboard additions.
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The Value of an Architect
While at my regular job - Ron Brenner Architects - I received a phone call a few days ago. It was from someone who had been designing their own cabin. Subsequently the design was given to a builder who's draftsman tried to complete the design and drawings. Well it turns out that he did not like the design. He was still enamored with the floor plans, but not the exterior appearance. The image below is of the original design.
I was asked to see if I could take a shot at improving the appearance of the home without significantly altering the floor plans. He also wanted to maintain the basic chalet style roof line that he had started with. I agreed to work on an hourly rate basis to provide the services. I modeled the plan quickly in Sketchup and did several minor alternatives. In the end we landed on the final solution as shown below.
Hopefully this is illustrative of a little bit of value an Architect can bring to a project. They can turn an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. Good design is not easy. It takes training, creativity and experience. There are many aspects of design that need to be considered including:
- form
- scale
- proportion
- rhythm
- pattern
- texture
- shade and shadow
- color
- spatial qualities
- quality of light
- function
- circulation patterns
- furniture placement
- construction related issues
- cost / budget
A good experienced Architect will be considering all of the above while creating beautiful design solutions for you. So next time you decide to build a new home, or remodel an existing one; you really ought to consider hiring a design professional. Your project will be better off for it.
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architect
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cool
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cora
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cottage
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country
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green
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home designs
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home plans
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house designs
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house plan
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modern
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