Posted in Design Projects, Found Objects, tagged Berkeley, color, details, fun, historical styles, house, Sun Rays, sunrays, trim details, whimsy on July 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »
We stole this detail from the Victorians for two projects underway in Inverness, California and North Berkeley, California.
Here are a few of the inspirations, mostly from the early 1900s in Berkeley & San Francisco:
Someone else was recently inspired by the sun rays –
Posted in Design Projects, Found Objects, tagged green building, lanterns, lighting design, Rockridge, vine curtains on June 30, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I have been sorting through old photos this week and was reminded of these cool lanterns by Coe Studios used on a Rockridge project.
I also came upon this picture of vine curtains that I took in western Massachusetts a while back.
Posted in Found Objects, Information, tagged birds, curtains, Dark Sky, green building, insects, lighting design, stars on May 9, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I was admiring the artistic way these rafter tails wrap around the corner at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley when I noticed the dark sky protection measures they implemented very economically with cut off black plastic waste bins. (and look at that black sky!) I recently updated my education on dark sky protection. I already knew that bright exterior lights are annoying to neighbors and that it would be nicer to see more stars at night, but I learned a few more reasons to avoid light pollution. So many nocturnal animals have their normal patterns disrupted by bright night time lights. Birds and insects in particular. I have a new love for curtains on windows to keep the interior lights from lighting up the outdoors. I had considered curtains mainly for privacy and keeping the sunshine out, but hadn’t worried about all the light that can spill out of a house when lights are on at night. Because LED lights use so little electricity the Earth’s light pollution problem is getting worse. It doesn’t cost very much to leave exterior lights on all night and this sometimes seems simpler than fancy lighting controls. Now I will be thinking of the nocturnal creatures as I plan my architectural lighting.
Posted in Found Objects, tagged lanterns, lighting design, petrolia, redwood, shingles on March 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »
I was hunting for these pictures from 2018 and realized I never saved them to my blog. Super inspiring redwood shingles and other custom details in redwood and metal. (love the lights)
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Albany, historical styles, houses, humor, whimsy on July 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Berkeley, dormer, houses, humor, whimsy on February 18, 2021| 1 Comment »
Posted in Found Objects, Information, tagged Cranbrook, Eliel Saarinen, green building, lantern, lighting design, living architecture, plants, vines, W.T. Kirkman on June 1, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Cranbrook House Dining room light that can shine up and down or both. (Probably a custom design by Eliel Saarinen) Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Posted in Found Objects, tagged color, mexico city, patterns on October 29, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Last year I spent a week in Mexico City with my aunt, a retired Mexican history professor. What an architectural treat! I’m finally getting a chance to share a few of the highlights.
Palacio de Bellas Artes- Inside this recently restored, golden-topped, art nouveau building are several spectacular murals by Diego Riviera
Casa de los Azulejos- This is the dining court inside a department store in the Centro Historico. The mural wraps around all sides of the light-filled courtyard. I don’t have a photo of the outside of the building, and old palace covered in blue and white tiles
Bold red-orange facade in Centro Historico
Another facade in the Centro Historico, this one a bit less flashy, but has a variety of artful details
Aunt Susan at the giant sundial at UNAM
Approaching the Biblioteca Central UNAM – This walkway seemed a bit out of scale, but the shade was nice
Biblioteca Central – UNAM – The Central​ Library at UNAM was built in 1948, a collaboration between artist and architect Juan O’Gorman, and Architects​ Gustavo Saavedra and Juan Martinez de Velasco. The exterior is covered in murals depicting the history of Mexico and made out of stones collected from around the country.
Around the Biblioteca Central was a grid of grass squares and concrete pathways that seemed like they could be a giant board for a game. Â The simple white painted arrows on some of the paths direct bikers properly through the maze.
Grid of lawn squares and concrete paths
The graphic simplicity of bike path through UNAM
Zona Rosa Art Deco Industrial
Zona Rosa greenery
Zona Rosa Glass and Steel
Fuente de la Diana Cazadora
Amber Dome- Museo de Arte Moderno de Mexico
Living Roof – Jardin Botanico, Chapultapec
National Museum of Anthropology Fountain Column
Marquee – Polanco
Mural and Fountain in Los Danzantes Coyoacan
Posted in Found Objects, Information, tagged Art Deco, Florida, historical styles, Miami Beach on July 6, 2017| Leave a Comment »
Posted in Found Objects, tagged curiosities, humor, kitchen, lighting design, whimsy on January 16, 2017| Leave a Comment »
I saw this unique kitchen lighting solution in Baja recently while house shopping with a friend.
Posted in Found Objects, tagged color, details, houses, Oakland, whimsy on January 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »
Not long ago I was checking out a house in the Oakland hills that caught my client’s fancy – 
I’d call it rustic modern with a bit of whimsy. I like it. I also like that it was surrounded by trees and shrubs so that I had trouble getting a good photo of the whole building. I noticed one nice detail that is daring and unusual. 
If you look closely you will see that the post bases and the other structural connectors are blue! Here is a close up: 
Even closer:
Posted in Found Objects, tagged blacksmith, botanical, curves, curvy, handrail, metal, whimsy on November 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Last week I visited these guys to check out their work. One of my clients needs a handrail.
Nice to see what an artist can do with traditional blacksmithing.
deedsdesign 