I was doing research in the neighborhood of a new second floor addition project (looking at details on similar houses) and I encountered this gem. It reminded me of an earlier post Dormer Extravaganza in Berkeley.
Archive for the ‘Found Objects’ Category
Another Extravaganza
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Albany, curiosities, dormers, houses, humor, roof, roof design on November 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »
A Few Architectural Highlights of Yosemite National Park
Posted in Found Objects, tagged ahwahnee, furniture, historical styles, interiors, kitch, lighting, lighting design, national park architecture, paint, patterns, rustic, Wawona, whimsey, yosemite on November 5, 2012| 1 Comment »
I just returned from a weekend at Yosemite National Park. We enjoyed the fall colors and the stunning natural beauty, but there are also some nice architectural details in the park. The Ahwahnee Hotel is full of decoration and geometric designs. Painted decoration, upholstery, and patterns made of wood and steel are everywhere. The Wawona Hotel, at the other end of the park is a timepiece from the early 1900s with simple white-painted buildings and cute pine cone chandeliers in the dining room.
Skinny House
Posted in Found Objects, tagged houses, small buildings on October 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »
If you haven’t used up all of your NYT articles for the week, take a look at this article about a very slender house in Warsaw. I would love to go inside and see how it feels to be in such a tall, narrow space. (4′ at the widest)
Kitchen Chart Table
Posted in Found Objects, tagged chart table, kitchen, kitchen desk, nautical on September 28, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My friend Andy sent this picture from his parents’ kitchen remodel a while back. They are sailors and the inspiration is a sailboat’s chart table. It seems like a great place to store the laptop and some pencils and paper and keep them safe from countertop spills, although you need enough counter space to have room to spare.
Research Trip in the Berkeley Hills – Arbors, Trellises, Pergolas, Gates & Fences
Posted in Found Objects, tagged arbor, Berkeley, curves, fence, garden, gate, Maybeck, pergola, railing, railings, trellis, wood on September 21, 2012| 3 Comments »
- Ches Pannise
- delicate fence – square entry door- square fence
Iron Works
Posted in Design Projects, Found Objects on August 9, 2012| 2 Comments »
This afternoon I visited Alberto Jauregui’s Iron Works with my client with orange painted toenails. She is shopping for an elegant steel railing.
Fancy & Sparkly & Shimmery
Posted in Found Objects, tagged bathroom, desert architecture, Las Vegas, patterns, sparkle on May 11, 2012| 4 Comments »
I met up with an old friend in Las Vegas last week. Her employer always puts her up in very nice hotels. I enjoy seeing the details of the rooms and lobbies. This time it was The Cosmopolitan, one of the newer hotels on the strip. Here is a photo of the west tower only. I like the of blue linear lights on the façade. There are also big private balconies attached to most of the rooms.
Here are three photos of the hotel room. Nice how the vanity and tub area is open to the room, making the space feel bigger.
The next few photos are all taken on the main floor – casino, bars, and lobby. It is quite spectacular really, but it is the opposite of restrained. Everything shimmers and sparkles and there is a dazzling array of patterns, lights, mirrors, and colors. The aura throughout is opulence and extravagance. It felt strange to walk these halls in flip flops and cotton. Diamonds and pearls would be right at home. Sequins and rhinestones would fit in too.
Julia Morgan Bench!
Posted in Found Objects, tagged furniture, holes, Julia Morgan, whimsy, wood on April 24, 2012| 4 Comments »
I am so excited about this bench that I can’t wait for better photos. I’ll add some later. My friends Jim and Treacy Malloy bought it for me at an auction at the YWCA. It is originally from the Oakland YWCA, designed by Julia Morgan and completed in 1915. It is perfect in my rustic kitchen. You will see this better when I add some photos not taken with my phone. (although this photo does have my cat Frodo’s tail, which is hard to beat.)
A Few More Nice Details from Bisbee
Posted in Found Objects, tagged color, desert architecture, neon, patterns, salvaged, turquoise, wood on April 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »
- Neon Turquoise!
- rocket sign
- curly black painted handrail
- Scrapwood Fort
- Japanese birdhouse
- I like the decorative piece near the ridge and also the gate below
- Nice pattens in this brick building
Bargains to be had in Detroit
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Detroit, historical styles, houses, stone on April 9, 2012| Leave a Comment »
My Detroit, Michigan correspondent just sent me these photos of a stone house for sale.
Here is an article with more photos of the house from the local paper.
Some of the details include carved wooden heads of Tigers baseball players decorating the mantle.
It looks like it has been well maintained. Move right in!
Bisbee Landscape
Posted in Found Objects, tagged desert architecture, historical styles, houses, landscape, prospect & refuge, urban design on April 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Built into a valley with steep hills all around, Bisbee has very interesting sectional properties (archi-speak for lots of level changes and three dimensional relationships between structures and spaces.) Every view is slightly different and the absence of significant trees makes the effects of the topography more dramatic. In addition to the elevation changes the curving streets make things even more picturesque.
- Brew Pub with Curves and Slopes
- Dramatic Landscape
- Street View
- Curving Street
- multiple levels
- Sun and Shadow
- houses sprinkled in the valley
- View from the road above the town




































































































