THE BLOG

05
Mar

SCALE

In all practices of design there is function and form.  The function is the practicality of the object, what we need it for, and the form is what makes us desire it.  An important element of form is scale.  We are drawn to furnishings because of their acuteness to our personal style, but if they are not the appropriately sized it will look awkward.  You can enter a space that is not your personal style and if it is scaled correctly it is not offensive.

You can see in the first few shots of this entry that it is a combination of a high ceiling and an open railing staircase, leaving us with a cold, vast area.  In order to make this space more intimate we need to fill it.  The easiest rule of thumb to find the correct size fixture is to measure the width and length of the room in feet and then convert the sum of the two numbers to inches. This dictates the minimum diameter of your light fixture.  The entry featured in the picture was 16’x14’, so we needed at least a 30” diameter fixture.  The height of the fixture is determined not only by your ceiling height, but also the scenery you are trying to create.  This particular ceiling is 22’ high.  We wanted to draw the eye up, so we went with a very tall fixture of 11’H x 3’W.  Injunction with the sloped ceiling we dropped our canopy 12” from the ceiling allowing it to hang true.  This brought our fixture to about 10’ off the floor, giving us enough room to walk underneath it without feeling crowded.

Depending on your personal style and space the rule of design can be bent or even broken, but like every great recipe you have to start somewhere.  Please feel free to contact me with particular questions and remember to always leave a space more beautiful than the way you found it!

04
Feb

GOING GREEN?

So many of my clients tell me they want green design, without knowing what that means or entails. The government has come up with a system to not only make the consumer aware, but also to make sure that all architects, builders and designers congruently responsible. This method of Building called Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, or better known as LEED has 4 levels of classification. You can learn more about these levels at http://www.usgbc.org/leed. I encourage all potential clients to visit this website to see if this type of building is right for you.

Many assume that if it is a recycled or renewable surfacing products must cost less, but on the contrary green products are usually on the high end of the price spectrum. So how can you be green with out breaking the bank? I say, save something from the landfill! So many of my favorite pieces have come from thrift stores, flea markets, Consignment shops and Craigslist.

When accessorizing a project that needs a special piece I tend to visit thrift stores and flea markets. They both carry a wide variety of unique items. It is very easy to be distracted by the diverse selections, but if you go there with a particular space in mind that needs to be filled, it can be fun. Believe me when I say that you may have to sort through a lot of junk to find your treasure, but chances are if you find an item interesting, it is. I have scored countless vases, art, purses, crystal, etc.…over the years.

Consignment shops and Craigslist has become wonderful places to not only resource items you may need, but also sell. Consignment stores are a magnificent resource for gently used furniture at a reduced price. It has been my experience that consignment shops have high standards. They are looking for high quality with show little wear and tear. They will start pricing at 50% of the original price and then continue to reduce if it does not sell. Once the item sells the store will share the agreed upon amount. When remodeling a Kitchen you may consider selling the existing kitchen on Craigslist. You would be surprised with how many items in your kitchen are resalable. Cabinets, counters, hardware, appliances, furniture, and lighting fixtures are all great items to resell and recycle. Take pictures of the kitchen while still intact from several viewpoints. Be as descriptive as possible about your product and offer dimensions and a list of materials in your ad to deter anything but serious offers.

LEED is not mandatory in this country yet, but it does not mean that you can’t be aware of it. When planning your next project consider your options that can have a minimal negative impact on your environment. Try to buy local when possible, use local contractors, reuse and recycle.