Designing spaces and making things makes me happy...

Friday, February 22, 2008

Origami Tables

I love these new origami tables by mio. The wallpaper in the background is pretty cool too.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

New Soul by Nael Naim

I'm usually not one to write about songs, but ever since Apple's Macbook Air came out, I've had Apple's TV commercial song in my head. Thanks to NPR, I now know who sings it. Nael Naim's video is a treat for any nature-loving, interior designer/artist. I just love the photographic mural in her music video. Her album will be released in the states next month. Watch the video here.

Monday, February 11, 2008

Window coverings are like marriage.

Selecting the right window coverings for my bedroom has been a dating vs. marriage experience. I've been searching for a long time and was seduced by a number of modern graphic contenders. If it wasn't for the exchange rate (about $2 USD = $1 UK), I surely would have gone with these gorgeous graphic shades by Love is Blind. Get them from Bodie and Fou:


I also considered these lovely Chilewich woodgrain roller shades and ruled them out because vinyl is just so toxically bad for the environment. Besides, I also didn't want to have to deal with any potential off-gassing smells in the room where I sleep. I also liked the idea behind Elina Aalto's city silhouette blackout shades, and ruled those out as well because of the vinyl-factor:


In the end, I decided to go with a much more classic solution that still has a clean look to it: Hunter Douglas Duettes with a top-down-bottom up option. While it didn't initially look as snazzy, these honeycombs offer a whole lot more flexibility when it comes to controlling light and with various choices for single, double, or triple-cell construction, will also reduce energy bills and offer some sound absorption. There's also an Architella version that's super energy-efficient. And there are some cord options like UltraGlide or LiteRise, which will either retract or eliminate dangling cords for households with children and pets. A number of places online sells these and I found the best prices for mine at Shades Shutters Blinds.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Not-So-Neutral Bathrooms

It's been awhile since my last post because fall is always so busy when it comes to building projects for my clients. Everyone makes a mad rush to complete construction before the rains start and then move in before the holiday entertaining begins. Here are a couple of recently completed modern bathrooms I designed:




I really believe in adding color and texture to utilitarian spaces like bath and powder rooms. It's a great way to add some indulgence into a room that everyone has to use.