Happy Holidays.

Front Bathroom

This summer has largely been spent siding the house and building our garage - both are now just about done. I have put the painting of the house on hold until spring as it is too cold to paint outside any more this year. I will paint the final coat in the spring. The garage is just about done. We are waiting on the arrival of the garage doors until we can do much more there. In the mean time I am starting to think about winter projects for the house.

I am getting a bit tired of the light gray walls that we have thru most of our hose. I figure starting with the quickest room will give me the push that i need to be inspired for the rest of the house. Hopefully by spring there will be some big progress here.

The front bathroom is the bathroom used by our visitors and is adjacent to our office and the main entry to the house.



The pedistal sink in the photo below will remain as will the toilet. The shower has not been tiled yet - that will receive a 2x2 white tile finish.



I am not a wallpaper person. In the case of this bathroom, i think that the wallpaper will add a bit of the unexpected as well as just be fun. i had thought about painting a black & white floral detail on the wall, but in the end decided that the wallpaper would yield a better result in the end. Now, the only question is which one...

Option 1: Floral - Gray & Silver

Option 2: Floral - Black & Silver

This is the mirror (which was made from a window) from my Great-Grandmother's house which we will be using over the sink.

I have finally found the 'right' light fixture for the space. I would have loved for it to be brushed metal but the chrome will work just fine.

Color

A friend of mine is getting ready to paint her new home office and is having a very difficult time deciding what color it should be. Her whole decision making process/indecision got me thinking about color - why we select it and how.

My personal process is so random. The selection of a color is usually is derived from a passing thought or a glimpse of a part of an image that strikes me just so.

The interior of our new house does not have a color scheme yet - That is, unless, light gray is a color scheme. I was so busy and so stressed when we were painting that I gave up and just painted everything the same color. Where I did select a color, I really regretted it. Once we get the outside of the house done this summer, the interior of our house needs a new paint scheme - Something that gives our house some kind of character. I am not trying to implu that I am going to paint everything a color, but what I am intending is that there will to be lots of color somewhere in each of the spaces.

In a little aside, I found this little narrative on colors and color therapy. It is entertaining and fun...enjoy!

Copied from Biopulse.org

RED stimulates brain wave activity, increases heart rate, respirations and blood pressure, excites sexual glands. It energizes the first chakra (coccyx). It warms us and awakens us physically and energizes our blood. It is a good color to wear when we have colds and poor circulation. Too much red can over stimulate and make some illnesses worse. High blood pressure is an indicator of too much red energy in the body. It is a color for war, prosperity, fire, and rising sun. Spiritually it is the root color of fire and connects us to our physical self. ORANGE is the color of joy and wisdom. It affects the second chakra (sacral). It gives an energy, stimulates appetite and it is a good color for illnesses of the colon and digestion. Spiritually it is the color of joy. It connects us to our emotional self. YELLOW is the solar plexus chakra. It energizes, relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite and helps in digestive problems. Spiritually it is the color of wisdom and connects us to our mental self. GREEN affects the heart chakra. It has a calming effect and balances the nervous system. Green color is soothing, relaxing mentally as well as physically, helps those suffering from depression, anxiety, nervousness. It is a good color for cardiac conditions, high blood pressure and ulcers. Since green stimulates growth, it should be avoided in cancers and other tumors. Spiritually it is the color of love and connects us to perfect love. BLUE is the color for the throat chakra. It is a good color in respiratory illness or throat infections. Blue is calming and cooling to our system and hence, a good color to counteract hypertension. Spiritually it is the color of health and connects us to holistic thought. INDIGO is the color for healing of the brow chakra. It is a good color for sinusitis, immunity problems, and all face problems. Too much of this color can cause depression. Spiritually it is the color of intuition and connects us to our unconscious self. VIOLET is the color of the crown chakra. It is cleansing, strengthening, and awakening, suppresses appetite, provides a peaceful environment. It affects the skeletal system of the body. It is a good color for improving immunity, cancerous conditions, and arthritis. It also purifies the system and is an excellent color for headaches and migrains. Spiritually it is the color of faith and connects us to our spiritual self.

U-G-L-Y

When we combined households 6 years ago, this bed found its way into our bedroom! I am not in love! It is U-G-L-Y! I have hated this thing since the moment that I first laid eyes on it.

The bed (and kitty).

I have plans to make matching nightstands similar to this only the bottom will have two pull-out drawers then three shelves above it:

For the foreseeable future we won't have the cash to replace pieces that we already have. So, I am looking for suggestions as to what can be done with this terrible thing to make it not so terrible . I am thinking at least, paint and remove the metal piece at the headboard. Maybe add an upolstered panel at the headboard? Please excuse the un-humg photos in the box in the background - I am still having serious heartburn about putting holes in our new walls....

**The trunk is also on the list to be refurbished. We got it for free, so i guess that we shouldn't complain... any suggestions with that would be much appreciated too....

Lighting

Lighting in our house has been a huge issue. I have been very hesitant to select lighting that is too industrial or too Fru-Fru. I really want just simple fixtures that light the space and offer some kind of good even lighting.

I have now settled on the following fixtures. They will be replacing bare bulbs in white ceramic fixtures - AMEN!


New Kitchen Island Lights on order:


New Bathroom Lights on order:

Still to be determined:

1. Dining Room Lighting
2. Guest & Master Bathroom Lights
3. Foyer Light

Lots of Work Little Motivation...

I know that 'in this economy', for a person to have more work than they can handle, is rare.

Last week I had a not so nice experience with a client (we will call them 'The Greedy Gimmies'). I gave them A+ service, went the extra mile with design, gave them a discount from my normal rate, jumped them in line because of their construction schedule and availability of their contractor, etc. Long story short, there are just some people who, no matter how good you are or how hard you try, they will not be satisfied.

So, where am I going with all of this? Since the little issue with 'The Greedy Gimmies' I have not really been all that motivated to do work. I should not complain that I am swamped with work. I should take it like a trooper and be grateful that I am not scrounging - living hand to mouth. I have deadlines looming for many projects, I have new work coming in the door, so why is it that I can not make myself motivated to get it done?

I need a reset. A couple of hours away, something to clear my head and refocus. I think a nice drive over to the electrical surplus store, via the fabric store would help.

Seriously, I have allowed myself to be affected by the negativity of the experience with one client. I in disbelief of the fact that I have allowed this experience to affect my other projects and the fact that I allowed the situation with 'The Gimmies' to get to the point that it did. I know better for next time and won't let it happen again.

I know that I have rambled here, I think that I need to go to bed, clear my head and tomorrow I am going to embrace my good fortune. And the great projects that it has brought me.

On a very positive note... Tomorrow is the 'Grand Re-Opening Party' for my very first large project. I love the way it has come out and can't wait for my parents (and everyone else in the community) to shop there.

House Numbers

I have been largely disappointed with the available options for house numbers. So, each time, we have moved into a new house, I have made the house numbers.

This time will be no different... Black Painted wood numbers with metal standoffs.

The current options (I am leaning toward one of the bottom two):

5+ years and I never noticed.

This weekend the husband and I went out to dinner. We decided to go into 'the big city' for dinner. We went to a great Indian Restaurant. When we were walking back to our car, we noticed this sad old building behind the terrible storefronts on the main street on the university hill. I can't believe in the 5 years that I was in school, that I never noticed this sad old building.

What were they thinking??

Who are you?

What one thing do you do? Make? Say? Advocate? -- What is your 'thing'? The thing that makes you who you are? The thing that people come to you for help with?

I read an article a couple of weeks ago that made me start thinking about this. The author made a passing statement that her 'thing' was closet organization. I immediately thought 'I don't have a 'thing' that I do.' - Or do I?

My husband says:
Great at starting projects for me to finish.

My kids say:
1) Really good at figuring out when I haven't done my homework
2) Nagging me to keep my room clean.
3) Making my cereal...and being the best mom.

My friends say:
Her eye is her thing. She takes information - shapes forms, textures, colors, etc to creatively apply them to any situation

She goes 100 miles per hour, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

She designs - everything.

She is adaptable.

I say:
I love projects (any kind). I will do anything for my family. I look for opportunities to design. I am passionate about whatever it is that I am doing. I mentor. I am Energetic.


Bottom line:

I have come to the conclusion that it is just too limiting for me to have just one thing that defines who I am or what I do. I am many things to many people - and glad for it.



So, what is/are your thing(s)?

Thought for the day....

I have been having one of those weeks. Nothing bad has happened per se but I have just been a bit frustrated. So, this afternoon, I made this image hoping to remind myself that things will work out.

House Exterior & Painting Progress

I started the weekend out on fire and fizzled a bit on Sunday. Today we kicked it into gear and got some work done. We have been working on siding and finishing the exterior of our house on and off between projects for almost a year. Today, we finally checked a task off our list. The metal siding is 100% done.

Listing of items completed this weekend:

1. Planted remainder of garden
   
2. Husband drove to Himrod, NY to pick up rough cut trim wood from Amish mill
   
3. Painted house red
4. Finished metal siding
5. Finished wood door and window jamb extensions.
6. cleaned up yard (a bit).
7. kids planted a tree - only one more left to plant.

Left to do this week:
1. Paint window and door Jamb extensions
2. Order Cap flashing metal
3. Plant last tree.

View of house from driveway - waited too late to snap a picture.

View of kids bedroom windows


View of house from the roadNew tree (and beginnings of garage in background)


Our road (with a kitty sitting in the middle of it) .

3/50 Project

I have seen this now in a couple of places and thought it was my turn to make a note of it. It is a great concept... and a great way to live. Support your local economy...

Research: Lake Cottage - Wrought Iron Railings

I am currently working on a Lake Cottage for a client. This client has given me the freedom design every aspect of their house - in short, I am detailing everything from the foundations to the door knobs. This is a dream job. This weekend's projects are to start refining the exterior detailing and come up with a preliminary design for the porch and stair railings. The cottage will be a modern twist on the Upstate New York lake cottage.

I am looking at the railings to be open enough that they do not obstruct the views to the lake, and have clean lines to reflect the modern nature of the house. The railings should also have a softness (I know that his is a bit oxymoronic when we are talking about wrought iron) to them.


I am leaning very heavily toward a combination of the styling of these:

I really like the idea of adding depth to the railing and eliminating the flatness of it:

Simple Rail - but quite harsh:

I like the regularized slender vertical elements of this gate with the applied medallions:

These organic railings just caught my attention - beautiful. I am going to try to incorporate some kind of organic elements into the design of the rail for this project.

Windows

Our house sits in the middle of an open field with great views all around. There is no reason to have window coverings for privacy unless, that is, we are concerned with the deer and rabbits watching us. We are all early risers so there is no need for room darkening. The largest reason that i haven't gotten into having treatments in our house is that have a huge fear of them. I can't ever find the right fabric or pattern or style or hardware. I ultimately end up with a simple panel that looks like junk.

So, with that said, the only place where I even remotely am considering putting in any kind of window covering or obscuring device is in the master bathroom. It looks out onto the back yard, where the kids will eventually play with their friends. Not necessarily the best place to have a clear view of a bathroom with a large window. So, our thought is to have a piece of stained glass made. I have been playing with the actual design of it for quite some time (since before we started building our house over 2 years ago), collecting images, examples, etc.


This image is the latest rendition of the window (two panels 30"x30"). It will be largely composed of clear, white, frosted and patterned clear glass. The remainder of the glass will be black and gray as shown below. The panels will be hinged at the top and center and will be able to be folded up out of the window should we want it to be opened. I won't get into the meaning of the design, but I will gladly take any comments or constructive criticism that anyone is willing to offer.

Energy

I read a many blogs daily to trend watch. Today, I stumbled upon another , design & inredingsbloggen, the blogger has a fantastic eye, and a way with words (although i used the google translator to read the blog and I am not sure that it does the best job with true translations).

There was a quote in one of the author's posts; "Energy flows where attention goes." It got me thinking that it would not hurt if I started to focus on living by those words. My energy (and focus) have been scattered and, as a result my business, family, home, life, health have all been suffering. Today, I resolve to focus my energy (only positive), and find the places where my efforts needed and wanted.

House Color

We just ordered the remaining materials required to 'finish' the exterior siding on our house. I can't wait for it to finally be done. Our house looks so unkempt as it sits now. It needs the batten strips to be added over the cement board siding and the parapet metal cap flashing.

My husband is very eager to remind me that I can very easily choose finishes and colors for other people's offices and homes, but when it comes to my own, I hem and haw over them, choose one, then choose again. I admit it is very frustrating and time consuming and generally a waste of time, because I end up back at my first choice in the end - perfect example - the paint scheme for the exterior of our house...

Last summer in a fit of desperation, I chose to paint the cement board sided portions of our house dark gray. I loved the color when it went up and into the fall. By mid-winter I started disliking the color and by the end of winter I absolutely could not stand it. Driving over the hill to see a gray house, in a gray field, under mostly gray skies with a backdrop of gray trees was really a bit much.

So, enough of the narrative on the gray. I have purchased beautiful barn red paint. This weekend, our house will change again. The red will look so beautiful against the corrugated metal siding(not shown in the picture above), the gray windows and black front door. I can hardly wait.

Chocolate

Warning - This post has very little to do with architecture or design.

Things have been a bit crazy here so, my intentions of keeping this blog kind of went on the wayside for a couple of weeks. So, I am going to try to make nice by offering chocolate (this is what i give my husband to smooth things over when i have neglected him or my responsibilities to my family). Maybe it will work here too...

Over the last several years there has been much discussion about chocolate and its favorable qualities and health benefits. In our house chocolate is supreme. There is nothing better or more coveted... We are not chocolate snobs by any means and we don't turn down chocolate just because of who makes it. My husband and I do have a Favorite it is by Equal Exchange Organic Fair-Trade Chocolate - Their Organic Dark Chocolate with Pure Cocoa Nibs is just heavenly.

Little M and I took the opportunity to check out The Chocolate Pizza Company on one of our adventures delivering drawings to a client last week. We decided to give the Pizza Co. 'Lots of Stars' for both their ability to accommodate Little M, provide wonderful service and A+ chocolate. Their 'Pizza' is the best. Not to mention that they ship all over the world too!

Coop Design (first run)...

I have decided to model our coop design after the one that the Eastside Egg Co-operative ( Zenger Farm in SE Portland) came up with. Ours is modified in a couple of ways to allow for the floors to be removable and the walls and doors to be insulated. In the end, I really liked the idea that they had of being able to open the roof and multiple doors so that the coop could be well ventilated or sealed up depending on the weather. We will be using plastic plywood so that the whole thing can be hosed down regularly. The supports for the roof were also modified so that they could be pinned open or closed. The stacked doors on the end of the coope are intended to allow access to the nesting boxes and will not be open very much. I have a couple of details to resolve such as how to level to coop as we move it around and how to insulate the floor and still have it removable...

Time for Chickens

I hesitated to make this my first post as it seemed a bit cliche given the name of the blog. So, after much deliberation on my part, i have decided to go ahead with the post regardless.

I have always wanted to live on a farm, and now that we have the land, I have convinced my husband that we should have chickens (for eggs not meat). Well, the time of year has come that we need to get the chicks and we have no house for them. In two weeks we will have half a dozen Rhode Island Red pullets at our house and hopefully by then have a place to keep them.

I have been struggling for the last several months with how to design and build a chicken coop that compliments the style of our home. Since our house is non-traditional, I think it is only appropriate that the coop mirror that and be out of the ordinary as well, at the same time I really do not want it to push my neighbors over the edge (they have been so accepting of us to this point).

These are a couple of great resources that I found for keeping chickens : The Country Chicken , Operation Coop Coup

The chicken coop with an enclosed 'play' area:

A bit out of the box:







This just may be taking things a bit too far. This coop has a green roof:



photo by mipsy6



I am loving just about everything about this coop by by hen power; it is made of easy to use materials, funky and functional all at the same time! how cool!





...And in a pinch we could always go this direction temporarily:




Hopefully by the end of the weekend, I will have a design to post.