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Posts Tagged ‘lighting design’

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.

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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.

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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)

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This was a remodel and tune-up of an existing music studio and adjacent decks and stairs

Bent copper rooflet and extra large craftsman sconce
The builder (for scale)
pathway lighting
Stone steps to lower deck (In process)

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I went up to check out the lighting installation at the little music studio. Cable lighting can look very 80s…but sometimes it works well and allows for a very flexible solution. Exterior lights are large arts and crafts lanterns. No photo of the pathway lighting…stay tuned for a few more photos soon.

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First here is a 3d model we built as a schematic design tool. A few things changed and not all the details are there, but you can get a sense of the overall layout.

This one was a rebuild of an existing garage. (We had to rebuild it to meet the energy standards for habitable space, but we had to keep it the same as the garage in footprint, height, and roofline. ) The owners wanted to keep it simple…and kind of traditional. We think it turned out well.

The heating is a Fujitsu minisplit, the insulation is beyond code including slab edge insulation, lighting is all LED, high efficacy, & high CRI. A spot HRV keeps the air fresh even when the owners are out of town.

Big doors to the patio open wide on a nice day

We kept a flat ceiling and a traditional attic for simplicity
A wall of cabinets on the property line side…120 Volt LED track lighting
McBride construction planned ahead and added flat blocks for mounting all the exterior electrical and plumbing
Very durable solid oak counter and painted cabinets and shelving
Kitchenette – induction cooktop with a toaster oven and microwave covers most cooking needs..and a remote fan in the ceiling
The back side patio
The electrical panel got a little roof and side screens
efficient full bathroom
My helper, Éowyn, enjoying the cool tiled shower

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This one, built by Canivet Construction, was for a pair of architects. The design was driven more in the modern direction by their sensibilities.

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This kitchen was my first blog post, back in 2010.  I still employ many of these ideas. I revisited it because I was trying to talk a current 2020 client into laminate counters (with metal edge) instead of solid surface. It’s nice to remember this project.

I was hired to do a partial, tight-budget upgrade to this kitchen:

Alameda Kitchen before

This side of the kitchen we didnt change much.

This side of the kitchen we didnt change much. We did add a dishwasher…and the client took away one curtain ruffle.  The client wanted to keep the half of the kitchen with the sink, but tear out a wall and add some new cabinets and a laundry area on the other side.

We did add a dishwasher...and the client took away one curtain ruffle

Glowing Orb

The lighting in the kitchen consisted of one big light in the middle. This used to be standard, but most people these days have a lot of different lights in their kitchens.  I came to love this glowing orb.   It is sort of like a sun shining in the middle of the room.

this is the laundry center...with folding counter on top

this is the laundry center…with folding counter on top. Im not as in love with the metal edge on the splash as on the counter edge.

Another important feature came late in the design process.  As was normal for 1898, the kitchen was walled off and disconnected from the rest of the house.  The client didn’t think it was in their budget to make the changes necessary to rearrange the entire first floor, so we focused on making the kitchen nicer. Then we realized that it would be a pretty simple (low-cost)  and easily reversible change to cut a window in the wall separating dining  room and kitchen. This way food could be passed through and  communication could happen without killing the formality of the dining room.  Southern light from the kitchen window is an added feature in the dining room.looking through towards dinner

Happy client peeps through the new opening

Happy client peeps through the new opening

Other features of affordability and style are the colorful plastic laminate counter tops with 50s style metal edge banding,  the beautiful green Marmoleum floor (you’ll have to just believe me because you can’t really see it  in the photos, & the open space for art that is available because the client didn’t squeeze in as many upper cabinets as they possibly could.

Of course keeping half of the old kitchen was a big cost savings. The new part looks different, but complimentary.  Palimpsest architecture is the word for this sort of layering and leaving ghosts of the past rather than tearing out everything and starting over. .  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palimpsest

Contractor: Guillaume Canivet

Cabinetmaker: Rusty Dobbs

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W.T. Kirkman lantern style light (Near Flathead Lake MT)
Vine porch curtain (North Hampton MA)

Cranbrook House Dining room light that can shine up and down or both. (Probably a custom design by Eliel Saarinen) Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

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This recent full house remodel and additions in Berkeley turned out great. I don’t usually use so much wood, but it makes this house very cozy. More photos soon!

 

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Photo credit: Sita Rupe, Builder: McBride Construction

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palino-light

Photo Credit – Sita Rupe

Builder – John McBride

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