Journal

Celebrating the lounge chair

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:54:04 +0000

I really enjoy chairs...the more original the better. A well-placed, unexpected chair and ottoman can be a work of art or centerpiece of a room.

Comfort oriented

Sculpturally inspired

And some that bridge both ideas

Recent work

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:21:00 +0000

Clean, simple, functional: the goals of a recent kitchen and basement remodel. Many thanks to Vujovich and Twist Interior Design for a job well done!

The value of an architect...

[Your Name Here] — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:31:05 +0000

One of the many reasons to hire an architect can simply be that he/she brings vision to a project.

A store front nearby White Space HQ has been empty now for a while, and since it feels like 'my' neighborhood I would like to see something great fill that space. Plus it would be nice if the property was improved, upgrading the aesthetic expectations of the business node. I believe that one reason it has not yet been leased is the difficulty in seeing beyond the initial appearance:

I took it upon myself to 'envision' what would be possible with the store front and came up with this:

Using simple materials, minimal forms, and clean details, it becomes an inviting face, drawing in the potential customer. Clearly, aesthetic improvements can be good for business.

Cool Stuff

[Your Name Here] — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 20:29:03 +0000

Came across these lovely Judy Ross pillows --I find the vivid colors and bold patterns to be fresh and inspiring:

Color Personality

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 20 May 2010 19:01:35 +0000

When I think about selecting color, either interior or exterior, many factors come into play. What does a color represent—individually as well as universally? What is the desired outcome and how does the homeowner want the space to feel—light and airy, fresh and fun, cozy and warm, elegant and dramatic? These answers start to form a person’s color personality. Each person will have their own associations to what a color means to them, but there are universal associations that we hold in common. Here are some basic associations, calling out both the positive and negative sides of each:

Reds +Courage, power, energy, passion

-restlessness, aggression, too much power

Blues +Relaxed, peaceful, truthful, wisdom

-cold, depressed

Yellows +Cheerful, optimism, clarity

-Over stimulation, sharpness, anxiety

Greens +Soothing, balance, healing, wealth

-Greed, dissatisfaction

Oranges +Creative, curiosity, youthful, celebration

-Fiery, ungrounded

Purples +Dynamic, imaginative, spiritual

-Wishful thinking, ungrounded

Whites +Clean, pure, feminine, elemental

-Sterile, plain

Browns +Earthy, grounded, practical, rich, growth

-Dirty, boring

Blacks +Dramatic, elegant, richness, bold

-Dark, sinister

Grays +Serene, reserved, wise, elemental

-Lifeless, dingy, dreary

The really fun part is when you come across a color, such as teal or turquoise, which is a mix of several colors, bringing with it more associations. Combining the calming qualities of blue and the expansive qualities of green, these tones are inspiring yet flexible. My personal association with these two colors makes me think of the tropics and blissful beach vacations…obviously positive. But it can be over-done. Too much of a good thing always is. I like the idea of pairing teal with tan to bring in a light and grounding compliment.

Right now I’m really attracted to teal which may be a reaction to the color I had previously been obsessed with: yellow. I just may have had too much of a good thing. My kitchen walls were yellow for many years, and it’s been a long-time favorite of mine. But when I added a golden yellow writing desk to my entry along with a few other yellow accents, it was ‘yellow overload’ and the space felt over-stimulated. Now that my kitchen walls are an off-white that coordinates very well with my Carrara marble backsplash and island countertop, I plan to have both yellow and teal represented in artwork. Already the space feels calmer, and so do I.

Add some color to your life...

[Your Name Here] — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:06:00 +0000

Have a long list of home improvements but a short budget? Color can change how your space feels with a smaller investment. Painting walls or trim, new accent pillows or throws, a new lamp shade...the little things can really add up to a big difference. Don't know where to start? Here's a quick 'primer' (pun intended) on choosing new paint colors for your space:

Purpose: what do you want to say with your color, what words would you use to describe the feeling you want to create
Personality: color is full of symbolism--match your perceptions about hues with your 'self'--orange is creative and energizing, blue is calming and subdued, yellow is cheerful and hopeful
Balance: think about your home as a whole--coordinate from one room to the next, consider natural and artificial light sources, and the big picture of how your home feels
Benefits: what colors make you happy? If a color doesn't make you happy, maybe it's just not the right one

Here are a few recent favorites I've used with wonderful results:

Color direction

[Your Name Here] — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:00:00 +0000

Turquoise is Pantone's color of the year, The Sherwin Williams ColorMix showcases fresh & bright colors, earthy tribals, and subdued tones. Benjamin Moore's Color Pulse 2010 highlights trends in earthy yellows, warm whites, monochromatic naturals, nature-inspired purples, and translucent teals. Here are a few of White Space's Fresh Picks:

Green Trends

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:59:44 +0000

A growing awareness of what it means to be sustainable is creating a more 'green' savvy culture, but there is still a lot of information to disseminate. In the midst of a slow building economy we still find a big push to improve the environment, which contributes to a micro-trend of homeowners looking for ways of 'improving' their home without taking on a big renovation. Sort of like a grass roots approach to green. But I also found this article to be interesting regarding trends in the industry:

Seven Green Trends for 2010
So not all 'green' trends are cut and dried. Preservationists would argue that repairing your old windows may be better: window replacement has over a 100 year payback period in terms of energy savings and restored windows can be 85-90% as efficient as new ones.

http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/sustainability/additional-resources/July2008WindowsTipSheet.pdf

http://www.preservationnation.org/issues/weatherization/windows/

http://www.windowrestorationne.org/topten.pdf

Either way, it's nice to see so many arguments for improving our built environment...

Close to home

[Your Name Here] — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:57:38 +0000

I have personally been affected by the removal of an epic dutch elm from the boulevard right in front of White Space's headquarters. The hole left in in the scenery is not only visual, but emotional--the tree canopy sheltered us from too much sun, provided relief of a starkly landscaped yard, and created a feeling of being rooted in the character-rich history of our neighborhood. So to find something good to come out of such a loss warms the heart. Natural Built Home offers 'Wood from the Hood'--dutch elm hardwood flooring milled from diseased Minneapolis trees. Who knows, maybe even my tree...

Eye candy...

[Your Name Here] — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 00:34:52 +0000

I don't know about you but the recent warm weather has me looking forward to spending time outdoors. Which of course, makes me think of outdoor living environments! Here's some spaces and furnishings that caught my eye... (click on image for link)

Acapulco chairIlluminated plantersFloat lounge chair Halo chaise loungeSunbrella Java pavilion mosquito curtainsSoji lantern Swell chair