Category: Fireplaces

As the world participates with cheer over the start of the Olympic games, I thought I would collect a few London homes that score high when it comes to home design. With these two modern spaces, a minimalist contemporary shed/office and a couple eclectic row homes, London is showing in more ways than just one that it’s a town teeming with winning imagination — particularly in regards to the home. See for yourself below.

Contemporary Bath in West London

This luxury bathroom is situated on peak of a four-story home. Its most striking feature is that a wood-trimmed curved wall. The partition splits the space in 2; on one side is the sink and vanity, along with a full-height shower unit and steam space (left curved wall).

On the opposite side of the wall is a soaking tub that is used by the woman of the house.

A wider perspective of the toilet from the opposite side of the curved wall shows a heated towel rack, ample bench space and, in the background, a part of the glass device that comprises the full-height shower unit.

Hint: When it comes to making a statement, think outside the box. Here, the trailer is equally a partial wall and a sculptural statement bit.

Office Sian Architecture & Design

Shed/Office in East London

This 150-square-foot home office belongs to freelancers who wanted to feel a strong connection to their own garden space and the outdoors from within the office.

The builder used easy and durable materials sourced in the local and sustainable companies. He also made sure that the substances maximized insulation levels within the shed to keep energy costs as low as possible.

Office Sian Architecture & Design

Hint: Contemplate fully retractable doors for outdoor sheds and home offices that are different from the main property. These doors allow the homeowners to fully enjoy their backyard from within the shed and enable them to entertain from the shed throughout the winter months.

Beccy Smart Photography

Attic Bedroom in Southwest London

This boy’s room is just one of 2 rooms that was a top-floor attic in this terrace home. The mom had the smart idea of dividing the attic into two different bedrooms so that each of her childrend could have his own space to sleep and play.

Beccy Smart Photography

Hint: The homeowners maximized the light coming in by the bedside window by simply maintaining the room’s furnishings and walls in a crisp white with bright squares, creating a bright, light-filled interior.

Beccy Smart Photography

Eclectic East London Master Bath

This year, originally from Canada, saved space in their Victorian home by putting their cupboard in the same place as their toilet; it made complete sense to them to have the dressing room in which they began and ended every day.

Beccy Smart Photography

Hint: Take dangers on your toilet furnishings. Do not be scared to put on your master bathroom a contemporary light pendant usually found above kitchen islands or even a hide slipper seat from an entryway.

Increation

Contemporary Riverside Kitchen in the Docklands

rather than feeling helpless by the huge pillar in this modern home, the designer simply worked about it. He took focus away from the visual interruption by creating a stunning blue backsplash that immediately draws the attention and provides the neutral space a welcome punch of color.

Hint: Personalizing your home can go beyond family photos on the wall and monogrammed pillowcases. This homeowner requested the designer to match the hue of the backsplash for her son’s eye color — now that is personal.

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Anthracnose is a fungal disease which affects plants of all types. Infected plants have stunted growth, leaf discoloration, and dark and brown lesions on stems. The lesions also influence and destroy food crops. Salmon-colored fruiting spores may develop around the lesions during humid, warm weather, and also plants heavily contaminated with anthracnose might fall. Anthracnose is a soil-borne disease that thrives under particular conditions. Although removing the disease’s dander from polluted soil is almost impossible, you can take a number of measures to prevent, treat or control the fungus.

Ample and Rapid Spread

Anthracnose spores move through ground and also spread by means of water, such as raindrops, runoff, irrigation and dew. The spores spread rapidly, germinating in no more than two to four hours when conditions are favorable. Anthracnose feeds on a server, however, the spores can live in the soil three to nine months, even when a host plant is not present. Commercial farmers frequently treat anthracnose with methods such as fumigation, harsh chemicals and solarization, which applies sunlight to heat ground around 122 degrees Fahrenheit to a depth of 14 inches. Those methods are impractical or dangerous for home gardeners to use, however. The very best at-home remedy for anthracnose is to starve the inoculum and lessen the spore inhabitants.

Removal of Infected Plants

If you see signs of anthracnose, remove each contaminated plant and all surrounding plant debris instantly. The spores reproduce on diseased plant tissue for as many as six days. Spores will also be able to overwinter in the ground and on infected plant debris, resulting in additional infection the next growing season. Remove, bag and toss away all infected plant debris to cut the fungi’s food resource. Don’t compost contaminated plant material since your compost pile might not be warm enough to kill the fungal spores. The spores may survive up to fourteen days on lawn tools as well as gloves and clothing stored in room temperature. So, wash your gloves and other gardening clothing, and disinfect your lawn tools to stop additional plant and soil contamination.

Cultural Practices

Following good cultural practices is the best method to keep anthracnose-infected soil from harming plants. Because anthracnose can survive for extended intervals and overwinter in soil, prevent planting new plants in which plants were previously contaminated. Place mulch around the ground surface around existing plants to keep the fungal spores from splashing out of the soil and onto plant tissue; however, ensure the mulch does not sit straight against plants’ stems or bases. Plant each kind of plant at its proper thickness to guarantee plant leaves do not touch with the soil. Heavy or fruit-bearing plants ought to be caged and staked to prevent their contact with soil. Crop rotation as well as proper air flow and sunlight lessen the case of anthracnose fungus. It’s also important to water plants in morning, which allows them a lot of drying period, reducing the case of respiratory disorders.

Preventive Environment

The very best method to keep anthracnose fungal spores at bay is to provide unfavorable conditions for fungus to develop. Anthracnose grows in soil during periods of high rainfall and moist or humid conditions. Dry conditions with plenty of air flow are unfavorable for it. The fungal spores which stay in the soil after contaminated crops have been eliminated are asexual. If, however, the soil does not provide favorable conditions for the spores to reproduce, the spore population slowly decreases.

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Lathyrus latifolius, commonly known as perennial sweet pea, sweet pea, perennial pea and everlasting pea, is a herbaceous perennial plant in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8. Although the peas of the plant resemble those of the garden pea plant (Pisum sativum), that is an annual, the perennial sweet pea plant along with its own peas can be toxic when eaten in huge quantities.

Perennial Sweet Pea Not So Sweet

Perennial sweet pea produces showy flowers in shades of pink, red and white. Unfortunately, those blooms, the plant pea pods and its seeds — that are the peas inside the pods — could be toxic if ingested. Eating them can cause a condition called lathyrism, which was named for its plant. Lathyrism causes trouble breathing, a weak, slow pulse, convulsions and paralysis, as stated by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension site. That source says the very young pods can be harvested in early summer and the peas harvested somewhat later for eating and cooking, but that consuming large amounts of them can be toxic.

Toxic to People and Animals

Perennial sweet pea contains oxalyldiaminopropionic acid, an amino acid that is poisonous to people and creatures. Besides humans, it can poison cats, dogs, horses, cattle and sheep. After ingesting parts of a perennial sweet pea plant, animals can experience symptoms like tiredness and diarrhea, and they might die, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ site.

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Being an antiques dealer’s daughter subjected me to the attractiveness of old-world design from a really young age. Growing up, I had been surrounded by 19th-century wall clocks, sterling silver trays and crystal. Naturally, as I developed (along with my design taste), I decided to rebel against my upbringing and be a lover of this intense minimalist design movement. However as more time passed, I discovered that beauty can be found in the ability to combine opposing design styles into one lively interior. So I was inspired to share with my fellow ers several interiors that signify an outstanding job of bridging the best of both worlds.

The designers of this gorgeous interior allowed the classical architectural details of this room to set the stage for its few well-selected modern treasures. A fantastic rule of thumb when dealing with more than 1 style in an area is to pick a dominant fashion along with a complementary accent design.

LDa Interiors & Architecture

This dining room showcases how the mostly modern style of the furnishings may contrast beautifully against the conventional feel of this fireplace and moldings.

Watch the rest of this home

Peter A. Sellar – Architectural Photographer

When it comes to kitchens, you could go in two distinct directions: select conventional cabinetry to contrast with a couple of modern accents (such as the lamps at the interior above) or…

Elad Gonen

… select ultrasleek and modern cabinetry to contrast with a rustic dresser-turned-island. No matter which style dominates, pick contrasting colors which are few but have a large impact.

Neuhaus Design Architecture, P.C.

When it comes to living spaces, ensure your design plays against the architectural details you already have from the room. As an example, this space boasts incredible details from the crown moldings, crystal chandelier and fireplace remedies. The designers have offset the classical background with a few very modern and minimalist pieces of furniture.

NICOLEHOLLIS

In case you have a modern room to start with, purchase one or two antique pieces with a lot of detail work. They will contrast beautifully against the surfaces of your modern design, as showcased by the picture above.

Watch the rest of this home

Neuhaus Design Architecture, P.C.

Another room that greatly benefit from the juxtaposition of old and new is your bathroom. The very same rules apply: be certain you use the architectural details of this room to your advantage. In this case, the designer has been able to decide on an ultramodern tub and chandelier to contrast the rest of the traditional decor.

Watch the rest of this home

Jane Kim Design

If, however, you weren’t blessed with architectural information from the 1800s, you may always complement your sleek and modern bathroom with a classic iron-claw bathtub.

Watch the rest of this home

LDa Interiors & Architecture

An extra method of bringing old-versus-new contrast to your space is by way of storage. In this case, the conventional architectural details of this foyer are paired with the modern horizontal grain and minimalist design of this built-ins.

Erdreich Architecture, P.C.

On the other hand, the modern lines of this room are a beautiful and uncluttered background for the elaborate armoire and chairs, attaining an ideal balance of textures.

Tell us Have you used an old-new interior design in your interiors? What practical advice can you give your fellow ers on successfully developing a cohesive space? Share below.

Find your design style

More:
Relax and Enjoy an Extreme Style Mix
Home Styles: New Traditional Design

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The fifth annual Architecture & Design Film Festival returns to New York City this month (October 16-20 in Tribeca Cinema), viewing 25 brief and feature-length films exploring the connection between film and architecture.

At first blush, the idea of a film festival on architecture and design seems a little strange. Granted, it’s difficult to deny the role of design — known or unknown, existing or set design — in providing sometimes transcendent places for films. But films about design do not tend to be as engrossing as their fictional counterparts.

Happily, festival co-directors Kyle Bergman and Laura Cardello have the ability to choose films from a far larger pool, presenting the highlights that profile legendary architects, walk us through buildings, show us a different side of a building’s occupants, or even reveal the joys of cities. The films do a lot more, but Bergman told me this season’s event will be more about urbanism, tapping into that last theme. Additionally, there are several films on houses and housing, the focus of this ideabook.

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The Oyler House: Richard Neutra’s Desert Retreat
Directed by Mike Dorsey
2012 / 46 min / USA

The Oyler House is “a beautiful movie,” Bergman told me, about a working-class guy named Richard Oyler who grew up in Southern California, headed off to war and returned to work a government job.

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Having a desire to construct a modest household but no comprehension of structure, Oyler has been granted some books on design from a librarian. He proceeded to fall in love with all the buildings of Richard Neutra, an Austrian emigre who played a large part in the explosion of contemporary architecture in the area in the middle of last century.

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Oyler did not need to convince Neutra much, for it had been the breathtaking desert locale that made the improbable pairing happen. In this sketch by Neutra, it’s clear he piled the home in its site and oriented it toward the distant mountains, as seen in the previous photo.

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The home is currently owned by actress Kelly Lynch and her husband, producer Mitch Glazer, that are interviewed in the movie. (The “archiphiles” also have a home designed by John Lautner, another famous L.A. architect.) Oyler is also interviewed, as are two of Neutra’s sons.

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The Barragán House. A Universal Value
Directed by Tufic Makhlouf Akl
2011 / 30 min / Mexico

Mexican architect Luis Barragán’s own home is one of the most celebrated contemporary houses (it’s on the UNESCO World Heritage list), albeit one that departs from what’s usually considered contemporary.

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Yes, the partitions are planar and kept free from decoration, but colour is used generously — nonetheless carefully.

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The landscape is also an integral component of the home, if in carefully framed views or as an expansion of the home’s functions into courtyards.

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Constructed on Narrow Land
Directed by Malachi Connolly
2013 / 64 min / USA

This movie tells two tales: how contemporary architects like Walter Gropius managed to construct contemporary, Bauhaus-esque cottages in conservative Cape Cod; and what happened to the houses after the property became a part of Cape Cod National Seashore at 1959. Upon the passing of the houses’ owners, the buildings became National Parks property and very few remain.

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The multifaceted story looks at a few issues that are firmly contested in the United States: how to build on and also with character (it’s precarious, if this photograph is any indication), and the value of personal property when eminent domain rolls about.

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The Absent Column
Directed by Nathan Eddy
2013 / 8 min / USA

Two or Three non-residential films in ADFF of attention (at least to me) include one on Bertrand Goldberg’s Prentice Women’s Hospital at Chicago. Preservationists fought the city and unfortunately lost a concrete concrete construction by the architect of the famous Marina City (aka “corn cob towers”).

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The Human Scale
Directed by Andreas Dalsgaard
2012 / 77 min / Denmark

The influential Danish architect and urban planner Jan Gehl is in the heart of this movie about what happens when the concentrate on building cities would be the “life between buildings,” each title of one of Gehl’s famous books. Gehl is responsible for a lot of the pedestrianization of Copenhagen’s roads (pictured here), and he brought that exact same thinking to New York City to make areas such as Times Square better spaces for people rather than cars.

Info: The Architecture & Design Film Festival, founded in 2009, occurs from October 16-20, 2013, in Tribeca Cinemas, 54 Varick St., New York City. The festival then plays in Los Angeles (March 12-16, 2014) and Chicago (April 24-28, 2014).

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You are probably anxious to leave the workplace as soon as your work day is finished, but an office remodel can make your workday more efficient and pleasant. To get the most bang for your buck, office remodeling should be decorative and functional. If you’re unable to pay for the entire remodel at the same time, make an inventory and update things as you’ve got the funds.

Paint

Among the least expensive things you can do that will make the most visual effect would be to paint the workplace. If you are a hyper worker who jumps from item to item, select a fiery colour to match your energy level. In case you’ve got a stressful job, select cool colours to help calm frayed nerves.

Lighting

A dim workplace makes reading paperwork difficult and might even encourage you to doze off in case your work is not particularly riveting. Update old lighting fittings with options that create a natural light effect inside the room and give your eyes a rest. Remove heavy, drab curtains and cover windows with blinds that open easily to allow sun to enter.

Built-In Bookcases

The most frequent obstacle in any workplace is insufficient company, which means that your remodeling effort must include furniture that offers plenty of opportunity for organizing and storing business documents. Adding filing cabinets and bookcases into an office are certainly options, but for a luxury end, consider a wall of built-in bookcases for an upscale appearance that others will envy. The best part isthat, making a wall of built-ins does not absolutely want a carpenter or cost a good deal of money. You’re able to line a wall with stained stained bookcases, then cover the top, bottom and gaps between the bookcases with molding so that the bookcases give the look of a single unit.

Dual-Use Filing Cabinets

Instead of purchasing regular, tall metal filing cabinets, then purchase lower-sitting lateral components and put them behind your desk instead of a credenza. This gives you simple access to your important files, and also the wider surface provides an excellent place to put scanners, printers and other peripherals in reach of your office chair. Expand your storage space more by hanging shelves over the metal filing cabinets. You are able to opt for plain wood shelves or a more decorative type with finish molding for a luxury appearance. Make sure you save a little space on the shelves and bookshelves to personalize your office with pictures, art objects and other trinkets that include colour and personality.

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Many of us have learned valuable life skills from our moms. From day one Mother taught us how to take care of ourselves. From feeding us to instructing us how to cook ; from cleaning up after us to creating us clean in our own; from repairing our broken messes into instructing us to fix ourselves, moms have helped us to have our very own houses.

For this Mother’s Day, please tell us what particular thing — large or small — your mom taught you about making a more welcoming, practical home. Post a photo if you can. Your comment may end up in an upcoming showcased ideabook.

Here is my own mother, Carrie, with my sister, Emily, and me.

My mother had me and my three siblings throwing on housework back when the broom was taller than I was. Although we complained bitterly at the time, I’m so grateful to her for stoking my affection for a neat and clean household — especially her handy tip of crossing dust from hardwood flooring onto the carpeting and vacuuming everything up in one fell swoop — and helping me find the sweet pride in a clean house.

Rain or shine, the answer to “I am tired” in my childhood house was, “Go outside and play” Mother believed in clean air, sun and playing living things — and I owe my love of nature, gardening and being outdoors to her continuous prodding. Oh, yes, you will find many Saturdays spent weeding, moving stones and planting flowers — and yes, I hated it. But now I would kill for a garden to muck around in.

Both gardeners in this picture are not related to me, but it seems we all share a love of nature.

decordemon

Obviously, sometimes our mothers teach us what not to do, and we can be grateful for this, also. Hey, nobody’s ideal, and a few of us may owe a specific strength to a mother’s minor flaws.

My mother are the first to admit that fixing things — jiggly doorknobs, clogged toilets and broken dishwashers — isn’t her forte. OK, it is not my forte either, but the fact that both of my little brothers are whizzes using a hammer and a screwdriver helps compensate for it.

Inform us What has your mom taught you to do at home? How has she helped you to make your property what it is today? See a picture of your mother and we’d love to hear your story and you in the home.

More: Time Travel into ers’ Childhood Homes

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There’s something about a home at night, glowing from inside, that beckons you home. Translate that impact to your yard and you can gain extra outdoor rooms all night long.

Start with the front door to welcome people at night, include a few lights to your garden or backyard patio, or perhaps spice up a few trees using some uplighting. Lighting can be minimal and economical as a few solar lights out of a house improvement store or may get complicated and expensive with setups that are designed. Whether you choose to invest a lot or a little, the tiniest bit of lighting can go a very long way in the dark.

Have a glimpse into a few homes at night, lit from within and without in varying degrees of brightness. Exotic patios, glittering fountains and sculptural trees all get a boost out of a little mild. Where would you add a little glow to your house at night?

Kristi Spouse Interiors

A Well-Lit Welcome

Everything begins at the front door. Simple sconces flanking the door can add sufficient lighting for people, while uplighting along posts and a warm glow from inside are even more inviting.

Carson Poetzl, Inc..

Ensure people don’t visit by illuminating the road to the front door. Lighting the road and the door itself is the priority with night light.

FORMA Design

Lighting Paths

When paths and steps cut trails through the garden during the night, light can be useful. Dangerous when dim, paths become a design feature with the inclusion of night lights.

Noel Cross+Architects

Start with just a few lights and add additional to amp up the intensity as guests get closer to the front door. Welcome them with a strong glowing front porch lighting.

Kevin akey – azd associates – michigan

Lighting Art

Beautiful sculptural pieces could get lost in the dark with no lighting. Lighting the house behind the sculpture provides an art installation depth and presence.

Viewpoint Lighting

Lighting Up the Trees

Uplighting trees may add drama to a night garden, particularly when the tree has a striking form. Huge, twisting branches look living when lit from within and beneath.

Try placing uplighting under trees and bushes to create cool shadows during the night. Assessing the lights during the night, or just experimenting with a flashlight prior to installing, permits you to see precisely how the shadows will perform at night.

McKay Landscape Lighting

Another choice is to uplight the tree to revolve around the contour as a whole instead of concentrating on darkness. Extra lighting below the bench seating in this photograph permits the region to operate at night instead of disappearing into the shadow.

Exteriors From Chad Robert

Lighting Up the Waters

Water features gain additional drama when illuminated at night.

D-CRAIN Design and Construction

Illuminating a swimming pool is a classic use of outdoor night lighting. Few things are bewitching.

Illuminated fountains seem to glitter through the night as the water and light bounce off each other to beautiful effect.

Wheeler Kearns Architects

Tame the Light

Lighting doesn’t have to be brilliant to create effect. Subtle light that peeks out from wall slats gives enough shine to make this backyard patio romantic and cozy.

McKay Landscape Lighting

Subtle lighting around the front door may also be powerful without going over the surface. A few spotlights give depth to a blank wall, while strip light highlights the linear structure.

Possidento Lightscapes LLC

Whether you are light human-made art or the extraordinary lines of character, pathways throughout the backyard or the plants inside, lights can alter the night landscape in beautiful ways.

More: The Top 3 Ways to Light Up Your Landscape

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In the first part of our series relating to this Florida ranch home renovation, we found the way Mike and Leann Rowe discovered a 1970s home with great bones and built a team to help them turn it into their dream home on the water. In this event, we’ll follow the design and drawing portion of the project.

In a project in this way, design and construction are intertwined. The team assembled by Mike and Leann included me as the architect, builder John Prahl and Jimmy Temple of Canco General Contractors. Collectively, John, Jimmy and I will help the Rowes evaluate design options and keep the project on track. This team approach should save Mike and Leann time, money and aggravation as most of us have input into developing the design and drawings.

Here are the first steps we are taking to find the drawings below way.

Watch Part 1 of this Renovation Diary

AIA, Bud Dietrich

1. Create a budget and a wish list. The first step in any endeavor is to establish exactly what you want, what you want and exactly what you can afford. So developing a budget and a wish list — something builders call a “program” — is equally vital.

That is exactly what Mike and Leann’s new home looks like now. They want three bedrooms (one of which is a home office/guest space) and at least 2 full bathrooms. They both like to cook so they will require a kitchen large enough for the both of them. And they want the kitchen open into the views and situated in the center of the home.

Phil Kean Designs

2. Define your story. In addition to the practical necessities and functional needs, your home should tell your story. So when starting out to the design, it’s important to define what that story is.

This photo of some other home provides an idea of exactly what Mike and Leann are searching for. For them, the story is about having immediate access to the gulf waters (Mike and Leann are enthusiastic boaters) and observing the casual, inside-outside Florida lifestyle. Big openings with walls of glass which may be pushed out of the way are essential. But because this is Florida, a means to keep out flying insects is also essential. Something clever, like these retractable screens that fill in massive openings, is what we’ll be opting for.

Olga Adler

3. Find inspiration. While not long ago you needed to purchase those magazines, tear out the a couple of pictures that inspired you and then toss away the magazine, now you can simply browse and save inspirational pictures in an ideabook. And while before you needed to keep all those bits of paper in a folder someplace (“Which are those clippings? I know they are around here someplace“), now you can e-mail a URL to a photo or collection of photos to your architect.

That brings us to the wonderful ceiling. Mike and Leann would enjoy a tall, vaulted ceiling. While browsing , Leann came across this picture and sent me the link. She loves the feeling of space the ceiling generates and the painted wood finish. So if the budget (there is that pesky financial issue again) and other issues allow, we’ll develop a ceiling very similar to this one.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

4. Research the codes, ordinances and regulations. From earthquake immunity in California to impact immunity in coastal Florida, just about every city, village and city has a particular and unique set of construction codes, ordinances and regulations which any project is going to need to comply with.

Though all of these principles will occasionally make us desire to moan and whine, they exist to protect life and property. Remember the May 2008 earthquake in China that toppled many buildings, such as schools, that price many individuals, including children, their lives? This was a disaster that would have been avoidable with the occurrence of better construction codes rigorously enforced. So let us remember this earthquake and its disastrous results every time we want to whine about “onerous” construction codes and regulations.

Since our project is situated in coastal Florida, we are going to have to mitigate the effects of hurricanes. Above all, we are going to need to ensure our brand new windows and doors meet or surpass the appropriate design pressure (DP) rating (a variable of wind speed, size and place). And there are strict regulations by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who will most likely need to be taken care of.

All this won’t be easy or inexpensive, but the resulting safer construction will be well worth it.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

5. Document what is. Whether building new or renovating an existing structure, a thorough understanding of the existing requirements is essential. After all, it’s not like we begin with a completely blank slate. There are existing walls, roofs, windows and structures, as well as site features like solar orientation, sight lines and landscape features. Getting a handle on all this and making sure we understand the site and our current structure will help us as we navigate the design of a home which Mike and Leann will cherish for a lifetime.

Two tasks most frequently utilized to record the current conditions: 1). Taking a great deal of photos, and two) carefully measuring each wall, ceiling height, door opening, window location, electric device place and so on. All this information is then placed into a computer-aided design (CAD) document as a baseline from which we develop our design.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

6. Grow some basic sketches. My favorite question to ask as we brainstorm design ideas is “What should we … ?” With Mike and Leann, we explored how best to organize the interior spaces to match their needs. Each time we had develop an idea, we’d develop a 3-D sketch (using Sketch Up, my favorite drawing program) so we could see the implications of this idea and weigh its pros and cons.

Because creating an open floor plan with a kitchen in its centre is a critical part in our endeavor, having sketches like this helps us envision that open plan. The sketch also lets us see how we can incorporate a large, wide opening in the rear of the home.

Importantly, sketches like these may be carried out quickly and relatively inexpensively. Let’s face it, moving walls onto a bit of paper is a great deal easier than shifting walls which have been constructed.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

7. Start Looking for possibilities. The plan of each project is the process of finding the inherent possibilities of the site and existing structure while considering your needs, wants and budget. So architects like to ask questions like “What does it want to be?”

With all the intercoastal waterway and bridge to the mainland forming the background, Mike’s and Leann’s new home wishes to become open to the view out into the water and the bridge and up into the sky.

The brand new home wants all the blue sky and blue water to infuse the inside with light and space. So we’ll consider raising the ceiling to get views up and out and make that major opening to catch perspectives of the water and across the waterway into the bridge and the mainland.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

8. Record the choices. During the process of designing the project, Mike and Leann have made a whole bunch of choices: space dimensions, furniture placement, floor finishes, light areas and much more. The way the final project will look, feel and function is going to get listed on the building drawings. These construction drawings will then be used to convey our decisions to the St. Pete Beach construction official as well regarding the builder and all the other contractors and suppliers who will work on the project. Obviously, the further choices made, the more complete the drawings will be all of that is going to lead to better communication which will save time, money and aggravation as the project gets built.

Next: Securing the permit and starting demolition

More:
How to See a Floor Plan
8 Ways to Follow Your Budget
Remodeling Guides

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“Hidden pockets and key passages have always intrigued me,” says Susannah Devine. Though her projects lean more toward a modern fashion, Devine’s imagination is often triggered by mechanical artisans of the 17th and 18th centuries. This unexpected passion is one of many that creates her refreshing appearance.

The Houston interior designer is half of RD Architecture, a firm that specializes in LEED-certified jobs. Though Devine has a passion for all things green, her objective is to split the misconception that designing and building green has a certain appearance. “Material selection is a variable, but green design is based more on the way you construct than what you build,” she states.

profile: RD Architecture LLC | Locate a interior designer or builder

RD Architecture, LLC

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What is the most fascinating thing you are working on now?
I love the diversity of styles. Our remodels utilize the existing style of the home and unite it with the distinctive person style of the homeowner. Not one of our jobs can be described accurately with a single word. The terms “contemporary” and “traditional” alone are very obsolete.

What is a fresh way you are using a fresh color or substance now?
I’d like to start using more dual-functioning materials, such as cork. A cork wall covering kids’ playrooms, music rooms or home offices provides some benefits. It functions as a tack wall for artwork or work in advance. In addition, it’s regarded as a renewable source.

RD Architecture, LLC

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The most significant thing on your desk is …
Oh, that’s easy! My earbuds. Music is a link to the soul — and of course my work mode. The type of songs I listen to depends on what I am working on — classical, rock-and-roll, country, rap and everything in between.

My ideal client is … A homeowner that knows and appreciates the elements and principles of design. One who challenges us to push those boundaries and functions with us collaboratively to create that particular haven they call home.

Where on earth do you wish to go next? I’m working on a project with a local artist to record the neighborhood around our office. A number of the amazing 1940s houses have fallen into disrepair, and a number are marked for demolition. These older houses have more character and presence than many new houses. It is tragic that many will not survive. I am hoping that our locality has a renaissance and we can get involved in the restoration of some of those architectural treasures.

RD Architecture, LLC

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Do you still draw, or is everything on the computer now?
We use CAD for the practice of producing and documenting a design. To exemplify volume and mass, Google SketchUp is a great tool. RD uses that with great success to help clients understand the human scale and points of view within a design. However, I favor quick hand sketches in perspective to identify the three-dimensional aspects of details for cabinetry and custom furniture. I also do color studies of exterior and interior elevations. Ink renderings and photography are also private hobbies of mine.

Which famous architects could you love a chance to utilize?
Frank Lloyd Wright comes to mind first. His style is beautiful and timeless, but it’s his approach to design and his philosophy of natural architecture that’s most in line with my own views. He exploded the “box” of traditional idas. Instead, he confessed the way the home responds to the environment along with the spirit and psychological well-being of its occupants.

Above: One of Davis’ fireplace designs for a client, installed just recently.

RD Architecture, LLC

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What inspires your designs?
Each client brings her or his own nature and eyesight once we start a job, and we draw for inspiration. We’re the firm you hire to realizeyour particular style. Designing this manner requires an open minded, out-of-the-box, problem-solving style to discover the right solution for each design problem.

Favourite traditional furniture bit?
Midcentury furniture designers had the right idea about the stability of form and function. I love Saarinen’s Womb Chair.

Who is one of your favourite artists?
There is a local Houston artist who has recently come to be a popular. Justin Garcia’s art actually moves me. His paintings have a silent strength, a soothing voice with something real to say.

Where’s your go-to location for inspiration?
— and I am not just saying that. You men are the very first place we go along with the very first place we recommend for clients to go to gather images for inspiration. Your site is extremely user friendly. Please don’t ever make it complex. Simple is sometimes better and more effective. And that goes for design as well.

More designer sketches:
Jean Dufrense | Danielle Wallinger | Lea Hein | Noel Cross

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