Circles!

I love circles, I love the shape and I think they have come a long way since polka-dots. Below are some super cool applications of circles as floor rugs, killer fabric, and my favorite--wallpaper in the laundry room (they reminded me of bubbles!)

Rug application from FLOR

Decorators Walk Fabric, "Bubbles" I think it would be amazing drapery!

This is the laundry room I designed at Kennesaw State University for their New Freshman Housing Building. The wallpaper is from Maharam and I love it!

Studying...yes that's right...

I am so sorry that I haven't been so good about posting lately. I have been studying, that's right people, I have been studying. I am taking the NCIDQ exam in October. The NCIDQ stands for The National Council of Interior Design Qualification and it is an exam that designers take to get licensed with the state (sort of like an architect) It is a huge 3 day test and I have been studying for weeks and I am beginning the cram portion since the test is only like 8 weeks away. I pretty much have to re-educate myself on everything that I learned in college. This exam covers everything from programming and client interviews to building & life safety codes. So please pardon me if my postings are a little less frequent between now and then!

Park Here!

While sitting at the stop light on West Peachtree & 14th Street I looked to my right and noticed the parking lot on the corner. I didn't really think anything of it, until I noticed this funny looking terminal. When I looked closed I realized that it was an electronic "pay-to-park-here" machine (yes I do believe that is the technical term.) In my head I was thinking how clever that was, as opposed to those big metal things that you have to shove your money into. Then I realized that it was Solar Powered!!!! Even better!!!! I was so excited I grabbed my camera and took a snapshot. The fact that whoever owns the lot thought enough to not only use a more convienent and less frustrating form of collecting money, but they also made is powered by solar energy makes me want to park there even more! Thanks parking lot owner, way to do your part!

Whaaaaaaaaat?!?!?!

While in San Francisco I stayed at the Hyatt at the Embarcadero for part of my trip. My dad had a suite and I was very very excited when I stopped by his room to drop something off. It was lovely really, until he showed me something (I believe his exact words were "you're husband is going to love this...") It was a TV that was integrated into the mirror of the powder room!!!! Forget my husband, I wanted to hang out and watch cartoons! As a designer we have integrated televisions for clients into lots of areas, kitchens, showers, etc. but I have never seen one that was literally a part of the mirror! It was a full assembly where the televsion was completely flush with the rest of mirror and it did sit off the wall a bit (with lovely back lighting) most likely to accomodate some part of the television's parts & pieces. But I was so excited and I have to find this product so that I can use it, I thought it was awesome!

SF Chinatown

I love Chinatown in San Francisco! I have to restrain myself from buying random things I don't need, like Buddha sculptures carved out of "jade" and those crazy firecracker things you throw on the ground. Something I love, and I know everyone does, is the amazing architectural details you can find in San Francisco. There are so many different styles blending together and it all seems to fit seamlessly. One thing I love about Chinatown are the details up and down the street. Like the street signs being written in English and Chinese, the lamp posts are decorated, and even the level of detail and relief on the design of the Chinatown gate. It's details like that which make San Francisco special and Chinatown is no exception. My favorite thing about Chinatown is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. I remember being a little girl and walking through Chinatown with my dad and walking down this creepy alley (Ross Alley). I was so scared but then I could smell the aroma of fresh fortune cookies. I walked in and the owner handed me a warm cookie, but it was flat. I thought that was so strange...there was no fortune. Well I have come to love those flat cookies and crave them regularly (I brought back 6 bags with me...don't judge!) They bag and sell the flat cookies, they are the ones that cool too quickly before they can be folded, and they are just as tasty, minus the fortune.

Chinatown Gate

Detail on the Chinatown Gate

Lanterns!

Folding Fortune Cookies...yumm....

The operation at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory

Public Art

I have always admired cities that appreciate public art. It allows something beautiful to be admired by the public. Right now there is a public display all over the city called the "Hearts in San Francisco" which is a project benefiting San Francisco General Hospital. This project is similar to Chicago's "Cows on Parade", the symbol of the heart was chosen for San Francisco as a symbol of the city's acceptance and tolerance as well as being "perennially open-hearted." Emerging and recognized local artists have transformed these giant hearts all over the city. They were installed in parks, on street corners, and various locations throughout the city. These are some that I saw in Union Square.

Bath of the Year!

I am so excited and so proud that one of our projects won the Bath of the Year contest put on by Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles! This was actually the very first project that Mark really let me work on with him. I did all of the construction documents, selections, and managed the process. I am really so proud of this project because it was my first that I felt like was really mine. We really wanted to create a space that our clients could enjoy and if you were to have seen it before it was just hideous--it was very out dated, poorly planned out and didn't meet any of they needs. We wanted to create a spa-like retreat that still felt masculine with some very specific and personalized touches. For example, all of the dark wood millwork was designed custom for the client to meet their storage needs. This client also cultivates orchids and we created an orchid bath for them between the shower and the bathtub. Here the orchids can get the filtered light they crave and they can be watered and maintained easily by the hand shower right around the corner. This project was really all about the client, and of course it always is, but because their space was so unfortunate to begin with we really wanted to make this a beautiful place for them. Like Mark says in the article, "it was the space the couple liked least but had to use the most, with simple reorientation of space, it is their favorite now." Anyway, pick up a copy of the July Issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and flip to page 22 to see the article! You can also flip to page 27 to see a little blurb about a bath we designed at Plaza Towers, and you can flip to page 47 to see me!

I left my heart in San Francisco (or at least a piece of it for sure...)

I'm back. Trip was fantastic, got to catch up with old friends and family and has such a blast climbing and roaming all over the city. I have some great photos that I am sure I will be posting and blogging about, for now, here is a taste of why I love this place (architecturally speaking...)