Posted in Found Objects, tagged Alvar Aalto, Brooklyn, color, exposed pipes, industrial chic, interiors, New York, painted pipes, pipes, plumbing, restaurant, utilitarian, value, whimsy on November 25, 2012| Leave a Comment »
This cafe in Brooklyn, NY has done a good job of turning what would usually be considered a highly undesirable feature into what almost might be considered an asset. (Sorry that all I have are quick snap shots with my phone.)
Plumbing waste line painted and wrapped in rope ala Alvar Aalto’s Villa Mairea
Plumbing wasteline continues
more pipes
Cheerful blue pipes
Posted in Found Objects, tagged Albany, curiosities, dormers, houses, humor, roof, roof design on November 11, 2012| Leave a Comment »
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.
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.
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)
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.
Posted in Found Objects, tagged arbor, Berkeley, curves, fence, garden, gate, Maybeck, pergola, railing, railings, trellis, wood on September 21, 2012| 3 Comments »
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.
Posted in Found Objects, tagged colorado, cottages, green, houses, metal, painted columns, porches, small buildings, whimsy on July 31, 2012| Leave a Comment »
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 is a less glamorous photo in daylight that shows both towers
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.
Hotel room – there is a huge balcony on the other end of the room.
sparkly light fixture
sparkly light fixture and wall paper
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.
opulence and sparkle in the casino & lobby
more shimmer and sparkle
another shot of the main floor
casino glamor
The Chandelier Bar
Even the bathroom signage is shimmery and fancy
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.)
Posted in Found Objects, tagged color, desert architecture, neon, patterns, salvaged, turquoise, wood on April 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »
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!
deedsdesign 