Forget Mars. Most men must be from Pluto. That’s pretty much the only way I can explain today’s “chair” of the day. Only a man would look at a perfectly functional toilet seat and come to the conclusion that it would be improved if only it had LED lights embedded in it.
It fits the following manly definitions of a good idea. 1) It’s ‘inventive’. 2) It solves a heretofore unrecognized problem - finding the toilet in the dark. 3) It’s ‘different’. 4) It wastes energy. (Men like things that use batteries or plug into the wall.)
Best of all, it’s available in more than one color.
Wouldn’t the green model be perfect for Christmas or St. Patrick’s Day? The scariest thing about this item, from our friends at Best Lighting Solutions, is that I bet many men, upon installing this nifty item, would actually look forward with pride to introducing some fellow males to their ‘discovery’.
For my own part, I’d rather not be sitting on a source of live electricity. My life is exciting enough as it is.
The winners of Dwell and AIA’s “How Green Are You” contest have been announced. Inhabitat had a great write up yesterday. So, as I’m trying not to move too much (amazing how difficult that is even with everything off the schedule), I thought I’d let them do the work for me:
Dwell and AIA teamed up to host the How Green Are You? Contest, meant to showcase green homes and renovations. As AIA says, the contest was meant to highlight the design innovations and sustainable strategies used to reduce carbon emissions, energy consumption and improve building functionality. Contest winners were recently announced and there are some beautiful home renovations. The winner of this competition was Ryan Walsh, of DRW Design Build, with his beautiful 1925 bungalow remodel called Recycled Aesthetic.
To read the rest of Habitat’s article, go here.
I thought I’d focus on office chairs for a few days. I don’t know about you, but I like one that’s really inviting. Not necessarily those chunky things. Blue Dot’s Buttercup Rocker is a nice blend of feminine curves and masculine chrome.
The buttercup shape cradles you in a wonderful, swiveling recline. The seat is made of bent plywood and the base is done in satin plated steel. It comes in several finishes, and sells for $649 at Velocity.
Design Hole reader, Rachel, wrote to me asking for help with her kitchen design. She’s received some professional advice from Home Depot, but wants more input on her space plan. “The room is a big rectangle,” she says. “It’s divided into two squares by entries facing each other on the long walls. One square is the workspace. The other square is the eating area, which includes the refrigerator, a small table, and a wall of ugly pantry cupboards. What I want is to bring the seating as close as possible to the workspace, for a cozier room to sit and chat in, but the two entry doors get in the way. Can you help?”
Certainly! But this week I have an even better idea. Since I’m still recovering from last Friday’s surgery and need to rest, I thought I’d hand the dilemma over to fellow Detroiter and kitchen design professional, Kristen Shellenbarger.
Design Envy to the Rescue
Kristen’s blog, Design Envy, is all about kitchens and features lots of photos from her projects. If you’re looking for some great ideas, stop by to check out her work. And now, here’s Kristen with her design solution.
Kitchen Design Solution
Rachel is asking for help on her kitchen’s layout. I’ve been given a general description, but no measurements. Keeping that in mind, I attempted to re-create her described space on my CAD program and come up some solutions to her questions. I hope they’ll be helpful. Here we go!
First, Rachel is thinking of replacing her glass doors, which lead to a screened porch, with a window. She also wants a more comfortable eating area.
This would allow her to add a window seat. I think that’s a good idea. Here’s what it would look like.
I’m showing a built-in bench that fits underneath the new window. Add an antique farmhouse table and she’ll have seating for 8-10 (depending on table length, etc). Add some cushions on the bench and the dining space will practically scream, “Come sit down and have a glass of wine.”
But the dining space isn’t just an inviting place to eat. This solution pulls the separated areas together. By playing with the space where your current pantries are, Rachel can gain a ton of storage, plus an area for a buffet. The space can do duty as a drink, coffee or dessert section when entertaining. Opening up the pantry wall with different depths and heights of cabinetry will lighten the space - it won’t look too overwhelming or ominous.
I couldn’t tell from Rachel’s photos, but I’m assuming the space has soffits, as most kitchens do. If that’s so, I highly recommend removing them completely and having the cabinetry uppers reach for the sky… er, ceilings. This design will gain space in storage (approximately a foot high at each section). More importantly, the visual impact created by the height will totally modernize your kitchen.
Trust me, it’s worth investigating. The kitchen appears to have a standard 8’ ceiling. If so, Rachel may be able to use 42” high upper. This means she’ll be moving from a 30” upper. She can now say, “Storage-a-lujah!”
Hiding the Fridge & Dealing with the Microwave
Now lets turn to the refrigerator. Here are some things to consider. It appears that it’s currently located to the left of the range. I suggest using wide fillers to completely encase the fridge, like I am showing on either side here. It lends a uniform look to the kitchen.
Voila, the fridge will look like a built-in without having to spend thousands on one.
I also suggest a new location for the worst appliance (design wise) out there… the dreaded microwave. Put it in a base cabinet, to the right of your range area. This way it’s near the fridge, allowing for better cooking function, but it’s out of eye’s view. Keeping it low is actually much safer than over range because you’re lifting up instead of pulling down. You can see that hot soup.
I think we’ve got the space plan tackled. So here are some more things to consider in your design.
Mixing Materials for a Refined Look
First the hood. This is becoming more of a design statement. And they work much better than they used to. They can now vent out or recirculate. Some brands to consider are Kenmore, Zephyr, and Jasmine Hood (some choices are less than $800).
Using different materials in your kitchen (wood cabinetry, metal finishes, stone tops/backsplashes, etc) will make your kitchen much more unique and pleasing to the eye. Rachel is leaning towards cherry cabinetry and doesn’t have a lot of natural light. Breaking up the cabinetry heights will help keep the space more open. Take a look at some of the cabinet lines I work with, such as Quality and Medallion.
As for a dark kitchen, it’s a common worry that a darker cabinet will make the room look dark. Have no fear. I mean it – no fear! The first plane of visual impact one is actually the countertops. So, Rachel, if you stay with light colored Corian (or natural stone), not only will it contrast beautifully with your cabinets, it will lighten up your space. Add a few under cabinet lights and, voila… no more dark concerns.
That’s it! I hope I was able to help Rachel with her kitchen space plan. I’ve included a few resources for everyone’s consideration. Be sure to stop by my blog if you have more questions.
When I first saw this chair I thought, “Ugh.” But now it’s growing on me. Too bad Misterarthur is out of town. We need his opinion here, since it seems to me that this is a Manly Chair, and he’s the Master of Man Decorating.
Tricot was designed by Dominique Perrault and Gaëlle Lauriot-Prévost for Poltrona Frau. It’s a sort of bean bag (no beans though) covered with a wonderful, leather mesh.
I think this chair would look great in a masculine environment. A gladiator’s house? Or a minimalist space with this as the soft offering.
What do you think?
Yay! Three cheers for Diane. She’s the first Design Hole reader to send me the After photos from her Design Dilemma.
Last March, Diane asked me for help. She wanted to paint her daughter’s furniture and was looking for instructions. The tricky part was that the tops were laminate, while the rest was wood. She was looking for special instructions for painting over a laminated surface. You can read the entire post here.
I gave her my instructions and off she went to tackle the project. But then she got nervous about tackling a paint job with lots of steps and a glaze. So she went to an expert. James Keith to be precise. He did such a wonderful job I asked him for his technique and he was kind enough to share it with me.
How To Paint Laminated Furniture - by James Keith
- Sand the entire surface of the furniture with 80 grit sandpaper.
- Patch, as needed, with wood filler.
- Sand again with 120 grit sandpaper.
- Wash the surface with mineral spirits, Paso or other grease removing solvent.
- Seal with Vinyl Sealer VS-190.
- Sand with 150 grit sandpaper.
- Undercoat by brushing on two coats of white lacquer undercoater (such as Nitro). Sand between coats with 150 grit sandpaper.
- Sand with 180 grit sandpaper. Remove all residue with a tack cloth.
- Spray two coats of base color (Farmhouse Blue on this project). I use lacquer, some people use latex. If you do, you’ll have to apply a coat of Vinyl Sealer before glazing.
- Then, glaze (I use oil glaze on furniture – Van Dyke Brown in this project) by applying a thin film with a brush and either hand rub with a soft cloth. Or use a brush for a burnished look.
- Seal again with Vinyl Sealer.
- Sand with 220 grit sandpaper.
- Apply 2 coats of Pre-Catalyzed Lacquer. You can choose the sheen: flat, rubbed effect, eggshell, semi-gloss or glossy.
Diane adds that she painted the hardware herself starting with three coats of a clear spray primer - drying between coats. Then she used several light coats of Rustoleum metal spray paint in “Matte Nickel”. James finished it by brushing on VanDyke brown glaze to give the hardware an aged finish. He then sprayed with a clear sealer. using a nickel finish spray paint. She saved a bundle on new hardware by painting. Bravo!
I’d like to add that some of these materials are toxic, so make sure you use proper ventilation and safety equipment.
Big thanks again to Diane for sending me these photos, and to James for sharing his technique. They’re now sporting Design Hole T-Shirts.
Resources
Nitro
I had exploratory surgery on my hip yesterday. It went very well and was over quickly. I need a few days to recover, so I’ve invited some guest bloggers to help me out for the first few days of the week. But posts will be fewer than usual. I’ll try my best to keep the ball rolling. I’ll also have Misterarthur write up some Man Decorating tips.
Enjoy your weekend.
I like this stool. I’m thinking it could be used for a lot more than just sitting. Stack some books on it and top it with a lamp. It would make a nice bedside table that way. Just make sure you’ve already read the books. :)
A plant would look nice. That bust of Aunt Maude? (Maybe not - she left her money to the dogs - all that time spent sucking up wasted).
You can find the Lismer Stool at Design Public where it sells for $225 - a deal for such a nice item if you ask me. It comes in two finishes.
How many uses can you come up with for a stool?
One of the more difficult things to find, when in comes to finishing a design job, is interesting lamps and lampshades. This was so very true before companies discovered the power of the Internet and started making their products available online. Perhaps I’m lazy (not) but it got very tiring having to fly to Chicago to go lamp shopping. Or New York. And even then, good lighting seemed to be hiding.
Vintage Murano Lamps from Swank
Which brings me to the subject at hand - Swank Lighting. The company is just one of many lighting firms that I’m so happy to have at my Internet fingertips. I was lucky to discover them just after they opened their online door over a year ago. They began by selling vintage Murano lamps from the 1950’s. The lamps have a beautiful, sophisticated look that’s exactly the kind of thing a designer needs to have in their arsenal.
New Lamps by Joe Cariati for Swank
Why? Because they’re different. They have a Unique Factor - something worth its weight in gold.
I often say that a well decorated home needs to look unique - not decorated. You don’t want your client’s friends admiring their new home only to point out that they saw everything in the last Pottery Barn catalog. You don’t want the paintings to match the wall color. Those kinds of homes looks more like hotels. It’s important to have the home look personal and lived in (for lack of a better descriptor). Even if everything is brand new. I know I’ve done my job well when my clients says they feel like they’ve come home every time they walk in the door.
As I said, initially, Swank sold only vintage, rewired lamps. (They still do.) Now they have something more to offer. They’ve teamed with American glass blowing artist Joe Cariati to create a line of American blown glass lamps at a more affordable price than the vintage Murano. Most will sell for about $800. The lamps are signed and dated by the artist and will go on sale in mid-September. I’ve pictured a few here.
They make a great pair
Again, what really makes them great (besides the fact that they’re beautiful) is their Unique Factor. If you can afford it, they’re well worth the price.
Today I’m highlighting student designer, Elliott Smith. Specifically the chair from his Layered Series.
Elliott graduated from The College for Creative Studies this past May, and the chair was shown at their year-end Spring Show. Elliott was a product design major.
In keeping with today’s theme of Interesting Things for Design Students, I thought everyone would enjoy reading this article from Materia’s site about a student exhibition involving thousands of cable ties. It looks like The Cotton Swab That Ate Munich. Enjoy!
“Something like a birds-nest of cable ties. That’s what the artwork of 1.3 million cable ties is, created by students of the Academy of Arts in Munich. The students transformed space into an amorphous landscape by weaving and lashing thousands and thousands of cable ties.”
Continue reading here.
Here’s something for all you design enthusiasts out there who use Google’s SketchUp program to create 3-D images of your design work. Dwell has partnered with Google to hold “a residential design competition that empowers readers to interpret the modern home.” The Design Your Dwelling competition challenges you to create a virtual model of your ideal home on a predetermined site location. (Hint: There’s an iconic bridge in the background).
Design Hole Tip: Keep It Modern
Designs will be judged on basic principles such as sustainability, cost-efficiency, and interior and exterior design.
The award is pretty cool. The grand prize winner will be flown to San Francisco for an awards lunch at the Dwell headquarters, an in-person tour of the design site, and an AIA/Dwell architectural home tour. In addition, a physical 3D model of your prize-winning home will be created and displayed at Dwell, and then gifted to the winner.
For full details and to enter the competition, visit: Dwell here. All entries must be in by August 31st at 11 p.m. PST. Also, you can download SketchUp for free, but there’s a pro version, too. Good luck!
RSS Feed
