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Miami Gym designed by William Sofield
Let’s all go to Miami right now! I need to move there actually. Because I know my new hip would feel oh so much better if I were toning up at the David Barton Gym.
This photo essay is from last month’s issue of Interior Design magazine. I’m generally in love with all things Moroccan and mid-Asian things these days. Though it’s not residential, there’s still a lot to learn here, in my humble opinion – beginning with the lighting. As you look through the photos, try to imagine how different the space would look without the atmosphere created by the marvelous lighting.
Let’s go!
A pendant globe creates movement on the wall that leads to the locker rooms. Movement in a gym – there’s an idea.
Everything in the reception area is authentically Moroccan. Color is the star here. Deep indigo. And the mix of materials – woods, fabrics, and metals. It has the feel of a seraglio as opposed to a gym. Nice atmosphere.
Above the reception area, the star-sparkled ceiling takes my breath away. Again, this is a total light show. So the next time you think about overhauling your space, think about lighting first.
Again, recycled glass in the spheres create a graphic shape on the walls. It recreates the stained glass shapes of Morocco. Pretty cool, huh? The place to do this at home is a powder room. That’s the place to go over the top with drama.
Hey, this actually is a gym! Funny, this doesn’t look like the YMCA, where I work out (and I think they did a great job on that). Three cheers for designer Sofield’s team.
This is close to one of my favorite parts – the women’s locker room. How cool is this? See what a little rope lighting tucked behind those lockers does to the room? Awesome!
This is my second favorite area – the women’s locker room. How cool are those stencils? Very. The colors, the lighting – it all makes you feel so good you won’t care how many pounds you need to lose. Try this look in your bedroom or dining room. These are good rooms for drama.
The spa lounge gets its sense of movement from the different sizes of the colorful lanterns.
Men, how do you feel about the locker room’s entrance here? Masculinely understated, but it maintains the look. I guess men are embarrassed by drama in the lockers?
Here we see the spa area. I really need to be on that table right now. The tables are arranged in a row (next photo). The only I don’t like is the proximity to each other. I want to feel aloooone during my massage.
The look here is fantastic. Love the tents. Love the rugs. Love the tables and candles. It’s perfection. Just whisper. Shhhhh!
Has anyone been here? Make us jealous and speak. I also want to hear reviews on the design. Fire away.
images: eric laignet
Character – Recycling typography
Misterarthur ran across this cool post on Design Boom. I thought I’d share it with you. A Finnish company, Character, is taking old neon signs and recycling them as decorative objects.
Character should come to Detroit and clean up. To see more images, and read the post, follow this link.
Balcones del Atlántico
A new planned residential resort, Balcones del Atlántico, is opening this summer in the Dominican Republic.
The homes and townhouses come furnished. Here’s a sneak peek at the interior designs by Patricia Reid Baquero.
Natural materials were used throughout. Spots of color come from the accessories and plants. I love the arrangement of plants and dishes set atop the hand-carved coffee table in the top-most photo. Not so great are the seashells on the oars. But the burst of blue is a hit with me.
I always like looking at beds for new ideas on how to dress them. I think I like the style on top the most. What do you think of the teal?
I’m a sucker for a beautiful beach sprinkled with palm trees.
Have you been the the Dominican Republic? And, who’s up for buying a beach house?
Friday Favorite: DalNaturel Rubber Flooring
British synthetic rubber flooring manufacturer, Dalsouple, recently retooled a factory to accommodate a back-to-the future type of floor tile called DalNaturel. It’s worth getting excited about. Their new product is made of 100% genuine rubber.
Most vinyl flooring is made from petrochemicals rather than rubber – the real thing. Dalsouple harvests its rubber from Hevea trees in South America. The trees are highly efficient at extracting carbon monoxide. This off-sets the emissions created in the manufacturing process. And the end result is a natural product with the same durability as synthetic alternatives.
That’s all good. But while you can make the greenest product in the land, if it’s ugly no one will buy it. Designers won’t specify it. What I really like about this green product is the color selection. Along with the standard muted tones, DalNaturel comes in real brights that are wonderfully eye-popping.
Don’t think of this as a commercial product. These would look fantastic in a home. How about a beach house, a basement, kitchen, laundry room or bathroom? They’re easy to install, too. With some careful measuring you can do it yourself.
You can find DalNaturel via Kasthall, their US distributor. Or contact your favorite designer.
PS: Dalsouple is holding a design competition for students and designers. To find out more, click on this link.
The American Brewery
The American Brewery is an East Baltimore icon that many despaired would fall down. My brother, Stephen Hulse, has had “the great privilege,” as he said, “of being the Project Executive on the building’s restoration.” Last Fall, Steve gave me a tour of the scaffolded building. Now, the scaffolding is down, and this architectural masterpiece is smiling once again in my home town.
History
Built in 1887 by John Frederick Wiessner, a German immigrant, the American Brewery was one of the largest breweries in the state of Maryland. At its peak, the brewery employed 61 workers.
Prohibition forced the facility to shut down in 1920. The brewery was sold to the American Malt Company in 1931, who modernized the interior equipment and operated the brewery until 1973. The building was listed that year in the National Registry of Historic Sites and has been vacant ever since.
Humanim hires Struever Brothers, Eccles & Rouse
Humanim, a non-profit organization, is restoring the building and is planning to house employment programs and clinical support services for the residents of this poverty stricken community.
Baltimore Architects, Cho Benn Holback & Assoc. were hired to plan the restoration. Because the building is historic, restoration (as opposed to renovation) is required. In short, that means lots of “do’s and don’ts regarding exactly what changes can be made to the building. Its historic integrity had to be maintained.
Struever Bros., Eccles & Rouse (the company Steve works for) was, in turn, hired to redevelop the building. If, like me, you have a passion for historic architecture, I know you’ll enjoy this photographic essay.
Restoring A Baltimore Jewel: A Photo Essay
The asymmetrical nature of the building is what makes it so singular. The assortment of windows, combined with the brickwork and wooden buttresses work together in such a perfect way…
It’s like looking at a piece of music transcribed into bricks and mortar.
The Mansard roofs! I’m speechless.
The back end has a new addition. Strict rules had to be followed to maintain the historic nature of the property.
These buttresses are made entirely of wood. The pitch of the roof, and the fact that the roof shielded the buttresses underneath, spared the building, and the extraordinary architectural details like these, from collapse.
This is a shot of the interior Mansard roof. The huge beams were steamed to form the curve of the roof. The windows lie underneath. This room will become a conference area.
I can’t wait to see The American Brewery once the interiors are completed. Much of the brewery’s machinery has been saved in order to incorporate the metalwork into walls and furniture.
I’m homesick now!
Are you from Baltimore? Sadly, here in Detroit, much of our history has been torn down. What’s your opinion of the importance of historic preservation?
Union Prime
You be the judge
CEO of the iconic Dorothy Draper Company, Carleton Varney, has put his unique touch on Union Prime, a soon to be opened “steak house for ladies” located in New York City.
As he says, “The design takes all the hallmarks of Draper’s historic work, with its scrolling cartouches and blooming “Princess Grace” rose motif and magnifies them to grandiose proportions, evoking a chic sensuality in a glorious and fashionable backdrop.”
Phew! I need a T-Bone after reading such a long sentence. Make mine rare. Hold your horses! There’s more…
“The femininity of the space compliments the “steakhouse for ladies” feel with a Contemporary American menu fused of steak and sushi.” Hmmm. Reminds me of Jeff Goldblum in The Fly. Or, does that mean I can get a Teriyaki Sirloin Roll with Texas Toast on the side? As long as it comes with a six-pack of lady beer, I’m there.
Truthfully, I don’t get it. This just looks silly. It feels like a saloon at a theme park. Where’s Minnie? I just hope the vittles are palette pleasin’.
What’s your opinion?
Nobraincellz’s Splice Bar
Lighting is the orphan child of the design world. Few of my clients understand, at first, the importance of it. And the thousand and one ways in which a great lighting design can alter a space.
Welcome to The Splice Bar, designed by the Greek design firm, Nobraincellz.
Nobraincellz are smart! They take a multimedia approach to design by using interior design, architecture, 3-D animation, etc., to create awesome environments.
Their approach to The Splice Bar was to start with bold, grafitti images repeated throughtout the space. Then, they lit it to perfection.
The daylight version is wonderfully graphic. But at night, Splice comes out to play.
Have some fun and take a good look at the various ways Nobraincellz thought of lighting the space. A table lamp on the floor? All the vibrant colors that emphasize the graphic nature of the daytime themes.
Dining Design Inspiration
We’ve seen benches used in place of dining chairs for a while. I suppose we could say sofas aren’t really a totally new idea either. But, I like the way the sofa was used at Bourbon Steak, in Miami, Florida. It got me thinking that this would work really well in a residential setting as well – especially one in which space is limited.
The space was designed by Tony Chi Architects. I like the way they used Moroso’s Newtone sofa as an alternative to a banquette. The curved lines create the suggestion of the old classic style of restaurant seating. The sofa sort of hugs the customer – making the space more private than it would otherwise feel if the seating were more open.
There’s no reason why this look couldn’t be recreated in a residential space where the sofa backs up to a wall. Or, the sofa could act as a room divider.
How would you use this idea?
Convention Design Thoughts
The Democratic National Convention has just ended. Unusually, the Democrats chose two venues for the event. First, the traditional “convention hall”. I have to say, I was pretty underwhelmed by it. Kind of groovy, the requisite red, white, and blue, stylized American Flag motifs, etc. Honestly, it looks like any generic convention (albeit a big convention) display design. (At least that’s what I think). You? Here it is, for your reference:
See what I mean? It may have changed in tonality once the room was filled with politicos and people wearing silly hats. But really, quite expected and nothing particularly new. Or thoughtful.
However, Barack Obama’s acceptance speech was delivered outside at the second venue, Invesco Field. To most, that seemed both a risk and a nod to the last candidate who delivered an outdoor speech of that magnitude, John F. Kennedy.
The design itself (before the event) took some heat from the opposition, who likened it to a greek temple. I think that missed the point entirely, which became clear during Obama’s acceptance speech.
Take a look (I couldn’t find a better photo, sorry), and remember the date of Obama’s speech. (Hint: It’s the anniversary of another famous American speech.)
The speech I was referring to was, of course, Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, which took place at the Lincoln Memorial.
That’s what the columns were supposed to evoke.Very clever, I think.
What do you think? Let me know. And I’ll follow up after the Republican National Convention this week.
Motel 6 Makeover
Keeping The Light On In Style
Motel 6 is the largest corporate-owned hotel chain on the North American continent. They specialize in ultra-low budget hotel rooms with gas station styling to match. That’s about to change next year when the corporation will begin offering a new design concept to its franchise owners.
London-based design firm, Priestman Goode, was hired to come up with a more appealing boutique look. This follows in the wake of other budget hotels trying the same concept, such as Indigo, a chain owned by Holiday Inn.
The new look is available in several color schemes that rely on color blocks and the creative use of space to create a crisp, modern look. Most of the room’s elements do double duty, such as the entertainment unit with storage behind it. Likewise, vomit-proof patterned carpet is gone – replaced by wood-veneered floors. They’re much easier to clean and look a hell of a lot nicer.
Those buzzing fluorescent lights (you know – the one above the bed with the yellowed plastic cover clinging precariously to the wall) are also gone, having been replaced with more energy efficient, skin-tone friendly ambient lights.
All of which begs the question: Why can’t all hotels look like this?
Really! Why is it harder to create a room like this than the typical Colonial style Sheraton? My answer is that, barring clients who’ve undergone cryogenic freezing, there is no excuse. On the other hand, perhaps I’m living in my own private Idaho and think this is great, while most Americans would see this room and wonder where the quilted floral bedspread went.
Help me out here.
images
Design Dilemma: Hawaiian Nighclub
Here is a real dilemma for a designer. I was contacted by Kristen, the manager of Thirty Nine Hotel, an art gallery/nightclub located in Honolulu, Hawaii. The nightclub is one of the first clubs to open in an area that had seen better days, but is now enjoying a renaissance.
Thirty Nine Hotel has the red doorsKristen had a specific problem. Accessing the club requires climbing 32 steps. You enter the front door and start hiking. Was there some way I could visually shorten the hike, or simply improve the stair-climbing experience? Kristen told me they’d budgeted $8,000 to $10,000 for the stairs. What could I come up with?
Looking up and down the staircase My first thought was, “Yikes!” There were so many issues, the first of which was the fact that those stairs no longer meet code. Any modern staircase requires a landing after a certain number of stairs (usually 13). This gives people a little rest as they climb. It also breaks their fall if they slip. They’ll stop plummeting after 13 steps instead of 32. Since the building wasn’t new, they were able to bypass those codes. But slippage would still be an issue.
The gallery/club looks nice once you’re upstairsSecond issue – I couldn’t do anything that would decrease the width of the stairs, basically for the same reason. People need to walk up and down those same stairs. Since they’re only 38 inches wide, I needed every inch of space. That ruled out any wall treatments that had any thickness to them.
I also needed to do something with the steps themselves, as the concrete stairs were chipped and cracked.
The lighting was insufficient.
Finally, the owner liked red. Well, at least that wouldn’t be a problem for me. Red is my fave.
Here’s what I came up with.
Stained concrete has infinite design possibilities
A reverse “arrow” with backlit railing
The colorways are red and blue. The walls are painted white (to blend with the club) with either a red or blue “arrow.” Why? Read on.
Blue colorwayBecause of all the constraints, I decided to focus most of the fun on the ceiling using one of my favorite secret weapons – lighting. (Thank GOD for whoever invented LEDs. They’re a little expensive, but are so versatile, emit little heat, and best of all, last 8 years.)
Okay, so what am I lighting? I came up with 2 versions of the same, basic idea, which called for suspending panels of an eco-friendly product called 3-Form and back-lighting it with the LEDs. 3-Form comes in 4′ x 8′ panels in varying thicknesses and about a zillion styles. These can be combined with colors to create just about anything.
Panels of Cirque + Pure Red backlit with yellow LEDsThe first option was to hang straight panels that follow the square edges of the ceiling. I specified a red 3-Form embedded with a metal cutout. Back-lighting the red with a yellow LED creates a brilliant, eye-popping effect. Very bold. During the day, with more daylight, the effect is beautiful but more in keeping with an art gallery.
Dyptic 3-Form in Lunar colorwayThe second option was to bend panels of Dyptic 3-Form. This product changes color as it’s bent. Backlighting with white LEDs would be less eye-popping, but really fun and hip and cool. Maybe a little more island-like. I wasn’t able to fly to Hawaii to look at the space, which is why I came up with two ideas.
So how does it look? The world may never know. The owner decided to postpone the $70,000 renovations. Ah well, this happens all too often in my world. But it was a fun project to work on. And maybe one day the owner will come to her senses and bring my vision to life.