They say first impressions are everything. From nailing a job interview to rubbing elbows at a cocktail party, first impressions make an impactand your home is no exception. Dont believe it? Consider the significance of curb appeal. Regardless of whether or not youre selling your house, everyone wants a home that turns heads and fetches compliments.

Not only does curb appeal increase the value of your house, but its a reflection of the people who live there, says Michael G. Davis. As owner, designer and project manager of Milwaukee landscape group Emerald Gardens, Davis is well aware of the value of curbside charm. The front of a home shows a bit of what its like inside. It offers a hint about the personality of the family that lives there.

Looking to up your curb-appeal game? Doing so doesnt necessarily mean monopolizing your time or breaking the bank. There are lots of easy ideas that spruce things up a bit.

Look at the front of your house and determine what can quickly be removed, fixed or hidden. Pull weeds from the walkway, adjust the crooked shutter, stash the garden hose in a decorative pot and tell the kids to put away their bikes (again).

Davis also suggests creating a budget as this helps prioritize tasks. For instance, if you cant afford to paint the house right now, power wash it instead. Budget your time, too, he adds. You can do more in the front yard if you have time to tend to it.

An easy way to achieve an eye-fetching landscape comes in the form of symmetry. Balancing key elements gives the eye a place to rest. If you have a large picture window, frame it with arborvitaes or flowering clematis perennials. Try setting identical planters on opposite sides of your entryway.

Planters are the perfect way to spruce up the front of a home, Davis explains. Best of all, they can be changed with the seasons. Switch out the flowers for plants that tolerate frost such as mums or kale grasses in late summer or early fall. Thats also a great time to plant trees and woody bushes, the designer says. During winter, plan which flowers and delicate plants youll buy in spring to keep your curbside appeal intact all year long.

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When it comes to curb appeal, the entryway is key. Always accentuate the front door, Davis suggests, not the driveway or garage. Painting the front door in a unique color anchors the entryway while adding a touch of whimsy. Citrus colors are hot right now, while blues and greens complement colors found in shade gardens. Light pinks and corals work well with Lannon stone and Cream City brick.

Dress up your front porch with a bench or rocking chairs, adding matching pillows and an outdoor rug for texture. A new welcome mat, updated light fixtures and a bold address plate also make for easy improvements.

Milwaukee is loaded with homes that feature inspiring details. Illuminate columns, arches and gables so your home shines well into the wee hours. Its easy with todays solar-powered LED options. Pay attention to the style of the house, Davis notes. With a Victorian, use the light to enhance the details of the architecture. You can have a bit more fun with a ranch or a saltbox.

A little goes a long way when it comes to curb appeal. Mulch the front gardens, trim the bushes and edge the sidewalk. Add a few extras such as a decorative lantern on a shepherds hook, a front-door wreath or an interesting piece of yard art. Simply try not to overdo it, Davis says. If you add too much, the front yard loses appeal because nothing is special. Think cute and clean, not crazy and cluttered, and your curb appeal will go through the roof.

To learn more about Michael G. Davis design and landscape company, visit the Emerald Gardens page on Facebook or email Michael at emeraldgardensmgd@gmail.com.

Mark Hagen is an award-winning gardener, former caterer and Milwaukee lover. His work has appeared in Birds & Blooms and Home and Your Family magazines.

To read more articles by Mark Hagen, click here.

Mark Hagen is an award-winning gardener, former caterer and Milwaukee lover. His work has appeared in Birds & Blooms and Home and Your Family magazines.

Aug. 19, 2020

9:33 a.m.

Continued here:
Amp Up Your Abode with Easy Curb Appeal - Shepherd Express

The Lexus Design Awards are one of the worlds most uniquely structured design competition formats. Targeted around embracing new ideas that create a positive impact on the world, the Lexus Design Awards pride themselves on being a journey, rather than a process. This journey involves thousands of entries from around the world, 6 chosen finalists, 4 world-class design mentors, 4 elite judges, and a process that aims at nurturing and evolving the 6 design entries. The mentors, chosen for their expertise in their individual fields, guide participants through an intense 2-day Mentoring Workshop in New York City followed by one-on-one online sessions bringing their concept to its full potential. Lexus helps fund the production and prototyping expenses for all 6 finalist entries (to the tune of 3 million Yen), and a panel of elite judges choose a Grand Prix winner which will be announced on September 1st. This process is unique to the Lexus Design Award. Its mentoring system helps designers get critical exposure to the industry while getting the undivided attention of 4 industry-leading mentors. Yanko Design had the opportunity to speak to one of them Joe Doucet, of the Brooklyn-based design studio Joe Doucet x Partners.

After exchanging pleasantries and asking each other how we were coping with the pandemic, we spoke in detail about the Lexus Design Award 2020, Joes involvement as a mentor, and what I expected would be a simple 20-30 minute interview went into nearly an 80-minute long conversation on the design profession, Joes approach to designing and mentoring, on awards in general, designer ethics, and whether AI could threaten the creative profession (short answer: Yes, AI can definitely replace designers. The ones that survive will be the ones that embrace AI as a tool to empower their design abilities). Here are a few excerpts from our conversation.

Yanko Design: Hey Joe! Weve been long-time fans of your work (we even recently featured a futuristic face-shield you designed), but for the people who arent familiar with your work, do let our readers know a bit about you and what you do.

Joe Doucet: Hey! Thanks for this opportunity. Im Joe Doucet, designer and founder of Joe Doucet x Partners, a design studio based out of Brooklyn, New York. Were an award-winning design studio that handles a wide variety of projects spanning different categories. We pride ourselves in diving deep into understanding the product, the solution, and all ends of the process. JDxP works on a gamut of design solutions internally as well as in a consultary capacity for outside clients. We recently designed a luxury face shield that had the good fortune of being featured on your platform! A lot of companies have expressed interest in the design since the publication and were actually working on a product launch pretty soon! Im also a mentor for the Lexus Design Awards, providing guidance to the finalists and helping them evolve their concepts and turn them into truly world-class design solutions.

YD: That sounds pretty cool! How did this mentorship opportunity materialize? Whats the mentorship process like?

JD: The people at Lexus Design Award were kind enough to approach me. Whats really unique about the Lexus Design Awards is the fact that you get to be mentored by a group of designers, rather than just having a jury panel look at your design and pass judgment on it. Ive participated in my fair share of awards and been a jury on a few of them too, and theres a mechanical process that isnt true for LDA. The Lexus Design Award really embraces the idea of growing and nurturing designs that have the ability to impact the world. It all ties into the way Lexus values the power of design. The process starts with evaluating designs based on the kind of impact their underlying ideas have. These designs become a part of the finalists, and each final entry is individually coached by a set of mentors who help designers evolve their concepts into a proper, fleshed-out design solution. Finalists get the benefit of interacting with leaders in their field (Im honored to be a part of this roster too), and having their evolved work then judged by stalwarts like John Maeda, Paola Antonelli, Jeanne Gang, and Simon Humphries. Given that only a few designs make it to the Grand Prix Selection round, the judges really spend a lot of time understanding and scrutinizing the designs before evaluating them.

YD: Not many people know this, but you switched from being a graphic designer to a multidisciplinary designer. What sort of expertise do you bring to the table when it comes to mentorship? Are the mentors selected based on a set of criteria?

JD: Haha! Im surprised you know about me being a graphic design graduate! Well, ever since we started JDxP, Ive always involved myself in every aspect of the process, so I dont really limit myself just to one discipline. In fact, my area of expertise as a mentor for the Lexus Design Award is innovation. The Lexus team carefully curates their mentors to cover most aspects of the design world, so finalists get a different perspective from each mentor, and that way theres never really a clash of advice or of interest. Each mentor provides their own facet of advice and growth so the process is truly holistic. There isnt any other award program that approaches the judging process with this unique perspective. Lexus even provides financial assistance to help turn the concepts into proper prototypes. In the end, designers dont just win an award, they really learn a lot along the way.

YD: Does that mean a lot of the participants are design learners, students, or young designers? In this process of mentoring do their designs often change drastically?

JD: Oh yes, the award program sees a healthy set of entries from design students and young designers in general. A lot of young designers find the mentorship angle really lucrative, and its a great way to take your design concept and incubate it. Besides, the competition doesnt levy an entry fee and Lexus sponsors production and prototyping costs for the finalists, making it a great accelerator for design ideas. When were selecting the finalists, we usually look at the designs impact rather than just superficially analyzing the design. This helps us decide which design entries have true potential to live up to the award brief so yes, a lot of times the designs go through a dramatic makeover. Sometimes theyre purely conceptual, so in the process of making them real, the design does have to evolve and change. In the end, we retain the designs intent and impact, but help evolve the solution into something better.

YD: A lot of designs we see (even some finalists of this years award) exist as concepts that ignore real-world constraints but hold promise in a much more feasible future. Is it important to only design products/services that can be realized in the immediate future? What are your thoughts on conceptual designs?

JD: This is something I hold dear to my heart. I truly believe concepts are a window into the future and there really is no future without concepts, so I definitely believe in the power of creating something that doesnt or cant exist. Its what drives innovation! Concepts are a very important segment of the automotive industry too. Car companies use concepts as a tool to test features and gauge the markets response towards them. Those concepts never see the light of day, but their role in the design process is extremely important. In fact, concepts are one of the reasons I love Yanko Design so much too because I believe you were probably the first blog to focus so heavily on concepts that showed promise. Its remarkable that you guys still have such a heavy focus on conceptual designs. I disagree with the people who claim that designs should be rooted in reality because thats a very one-dimensional way of approaching anything. When we see an award entry thats conceptual, we always measure its impact and intent. The design goes through iterations thereafter.

YD: The Guiding Principle for Lexus Design Award is Designing for a better tomorrow. What are your thoughts on it? Is it a complicated process, navigating sustainability and making designs future-friendly?

JD: Its perhaps the single most important call-to-action for every designer today. We as designers often dont have that clarity thats needed when were designing products that will enter the world and probably stay there for years or even centuries to come. Its not about making better things, its about making things better. In fact, there was a study that was conducted close to 12-13 years ago that said 70-80% of the environmental impact of a product is determined in its design phase, so we as designers really have a responsibility to really think ahead about every aspect of what we make, how it affects people emotionally, how it affects production lines, what its afterlife is, what happens when it breaks, what happens when it needs to be replaced oh it definitely is complicated to navigate, but that should never be a reason to overlook it.

YD: I couldnt agree more. Im reading Ruined by Design by Mike Monteiro and he mentioned how design is one of the most impactful professions without an ethical code. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, they all have a code of conduct. Even crime is more organized than design is! How do you navigate this responsibility in the professional world when a client needs something that goes against your beliefs?

JD: We refuse. If theres a client thats dead set on asking for a product that they know has a net negative impact on the world, and theyre fine with it, we dont take them up. Eventually, it means one less bad product in this world, and thats a good thing.

YD: Getting back to the Lexus Design Awards The process of designing/mentoring obviously leads to a valuable exchange of ideas and information. Is there anything youve learned from your fellow mentors or from the 6 finalists?

JD: Oh absolutely! Im always thrilled to see the kind of problems these designers are trying to solve. This young crop of designers has such a unique life-perspective too, its always great to interact with them to see their fresh take on the problems theyre looking at solving. Its no secret that the younger generation is also more focused on sustainability and impact because it has consequences that will affect them in their lifetime, so thats amazing too. I often find that they end up inspiring me too!

YD: Are there any design values that the Lexus organization brings to the table in this competition?

JD: I think the awards theme speaks to this. Designing for a better tomorrow I believe is a value thats inherent to Lexus, and thats why theyre so incredibly invested in this new award format, where they bring mentors and judges to uplift designs and designers rather than just simply reward them. In their own way, theyre pushing for a better tomorrow too and for such a massive multibillion-dollar company to embrace this agenda of nurturing good design and dedicate time, money, resources, and efforts towards it each year, its truly remarkable.

YD: Alright, Joe! This was wonderful! Im honestly quite pumped to see that theres a massive multibillion-dollar company out there thats so invested in redeeming the design profession and actually doing something for the greater good! I hope our readers will be inspired enough to send in their designs too in the future! To wrap this interview up If you had to explain your design process/mantra in a few words, what would they be?

JD: This was really great! Thanks for reaching out, its an honor to play my part as a mentor of the Lexus Design Awards. As for my design mantra, its something Ive said earlier. Its not about making better things, its about making things better!

Click Here to Know More About the Lexus Design Award 2020 Finalists competing for the Grand Prix that will be announced on September 1st, 2020.

Think of the Feltscape as an isolation chamber that imitates the feeling of being within a womb. Designed by UK-based Thophile Peju & Salvatore Cicero, the Feltscape is a breathing cloud made of felt and recycled bio-plastic with an innovative robotic fabrication process. Equipped with sensors and kinetic mechanisms, the Feltscape can sense a users breathing patterns, allowing the isolation chambers smart membrane to react to its users breath. Creating a perfect atmosphere for reflection, meditation, and an escape from the immediate world, Feltscape provides a cocoon-like isolation experience that helps slowly and surely calm people down. Its organic design reflects inspiration from cocoons too!

The Pursewit is uniquely positioned to help the visually impaired not just be independent, but also develop vocational skills that help them make a living. Designed by Pakistan-based designer, Aqsa Ajmal, after her friend lost her vision in an accident, the Pursewit makes sewing more accessible with a design thats built around ease-of-use with an approach thats immediately intuitive and with a relatively shallow learning curve. The design scales the form of the sewing machine down, making it less cumbersome while also being simpler and safer. Ajmal hopes that the Pursewit will go beyond just helping the visually impaired be more independent by sewing or fixing their clothes, by also allowing them to take on a skill set that helps them earn a daily wage and be financially independent too.

Biocraft attempts at transforming mundane objects into living ones that interact with the environment. Originally named Bio.Scales, the Biocraft is a revolutionary material that combines natural biopolymers with emerging technology to create a new material that possesses capabilities like being able to extract CO2 from the air, rid the ambient environment of pollutants, or even disseminate nutrients into the atmosphere. Created by Paul and Garrett Sutherlin Santo from Los Angeles, Biocraft hopes to eventually replace materials like thermoplastics, eventually creating regular products that dont just exist to solve a problem, but rather serve a higher purpose by being living entities that have a positive impact on human health and the environment.

Akin to having a fire-extinguisher mounted on the walls of buildings, Flash Pak by Yaokun Wu of China aims at providing flood-prone areas with instant access to life-jackets. Designed to be attached to lamp-poles in areas susceptible to flash floods, the FlashPak sits in its protective housing at regular times, but in the event of a flood, naturally rises to the surface thanks to the life-jackets innate buoyancy. Floods, now an unfortunately common by-product of climate change, displaces millions each year, resulting in thousands of deaths annually. Solutions like the Flash Pak can turn a lamp-post (or any regular post) into a potential life-saving zone, giving people instant access to life-saving jackets during times of need. New jackets can easily be placed back in their housing once the flood subsides, and the Flash Paks automatic deployment during a flash flood makes it an incredibly effective, life-changing solution.

A quirky example of biomimicry, the L.I.C.K. by Irina Samoilova from Russia is a portable body cleaner that takes inspiration from the way felines clean themselves. The L.I.C.K. is modeled on a cats tongue, with a soft cleaning surface with unique papillae that helps people who are unable to have a bath to clean themselves. Designed for people with no immediate access to water, or with injuries/bandages/casts that require being kept away from water, the L.I.C.K. provides a unique tactile experience that helps keep the body clean. Designed to work just the way a cats tongue does, the L.I.C.K. can simply be run across the body while its specially designed papillae and U-shaped cavities help lift dirt off the body (while feeling great to the touch too!)

What if architecture, like software, could be open-sourced so that people can collectively develop something better together? The Open Source Communities, a Grand Prix finalist from Kenya-based BellTower, hopes to create universally available open-source home-design plans that can be used to design communities in developing and underdeveloped countries. These open-sourced homes can help provide a safe and secure haven for people in developing areas, while helping designers leverage the power of open-source planning to effectively allocate resources, allowing communities to even be sustainable, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly by design!

Click Here to Know More About the Lexus Design Award 2020 Finalists competing for the Grand Prix that will be announced on September 1st, 2020.

Excerpt from:
Exclusive Interview with Joe Doucet: Designer + Mentor of the Lexus Design Awards 2020 - Yanko Design

Adrianna Boris JackYou may have seen Adrianna on the LSC stage as Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, or around town as Rizzo in Grease at Mariemont and Footlighters. Other favorite roles have included Julia in The Wedding Singer, Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest, and the Witch in Into the Woods. Thanks to Micheal and the whole team at LSC for bringing us together for this project!Carissa Griffith-Sloan Foley ArtistCarissa is no stranger to the LSC stage. She has appeared onstage in a number of LSC productions including The Drowsy Chaperone(u/s Drowsy),White Christmas (Martha), Young Frankenstein (Frau Blucher), and many others. Another favorite role was Grempkin in Peter and the Starcatcherat Footlighters. Carissa would like to thank her husband, John, for always being her favorite scene partner, and everyone involved with putting this production together.David Taylor Composer, PianoDavid is a keyboard player who enjoys the challenge of creating great sounds and performing. He has performed for many community theatre companies and high school drama productions in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky areas including several CMT productions. Favorite shows he has performed in and created the sounds for include The Producers, Young Frankenstein, The Toxic Avenger, Seussical the Musical, Big Fish, and Shrek. By day, David is a Financial Analyst for Coesia managing the forecasts and budgets for all of the North America, Mexico, and South America regions. Jacqlyn Schott AlgernonTheres magic in the number three and Jacqlyn couldnt be more elated to return to Lovelands stage for the third time as a part of such a fun trio! Three of her favorite past credits include Spider (James and the Giant Peach), Caroline Bramble (Enchanted April), and directing Ordinary Days. This fall, Jacqlyn will be reprising the role of director for Little Shop of Horrorsand hopes youre already planning on return visits to LSC so you too can be a star! As always, she thanks her loved ones for their never-ending support.Jill Gornet Lane/MerrimanJill is excited to be co-producing Gypsy, which is one of her favorite musicals. She was co-producer for Bugsy Malone, Jr., Dont Drink the Water and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Jill won an Orchid as the producer of The Drowsy Chaperone. She was last seen on-stage at LSC in Memphis (Clara/ensemble), White Christmas (quintet/ensemble), Will Rogers Follies (quartet) and Fiddler on the Roof (Rifke/ensemble). Retired from USPS, she sings with Sharonville Chorus at retirement/assisted living homes. Jill would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support.John Sloan GwendolenJohn is back once more at Loveland Stage Company. He has appeared in too many LSC shows to list them all, but favorites include: Young Frankenstein (Igor), Oklahoma! (Jud Fry), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Ching-Ho), and The Producers. He last appeared in The Drowsy Chaperone(Gangster #1) which was directed by his lovely wife, Carissa, and has directed the recent LSC productions of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum andDont Drink the Water. Thanks to Micheal for this opportunity. Enjoy the show and thank you for supporting the arts!Joshua Marcus Miss PrismThis is Joshuas first performance with Loveland Radio, but has previously been seen on stage in, The Drowsy Chaperone (George) and Cole, An Entertainment (Performer). He is excited to be a part of another amazing Loveland production. Joshua would like to thank his wife, Leah, and his children, Hanna and Samuel, for their love, support.Melinda Murray-Hubbard ChausibleMelinda is glad to be back once again with LSC after performances in Cole, An Entertainment andThe Drowsy Chaperone. She has also recently been seen as Sponge in Barts BardsJames and the Giant Peach,and was a costume assistant for the LSC production ofBugsy Malone, Jr. Dr. Hubbard is always up for something new, and this show fits the bill! She thanks her incredible family for supporting her and the amazing folks at LSC for this opportunity. Ya gotta get a gimmick!Thomas Cavano Lady BracknellTom has been involved with community theater in the Cincinnati area for over 30 years. He first performed with LSC in 2008 (The King and I). Since then, he has performed in numerous LSC productions, directed three award-winning shows (Spelling Bee, The Producers, and Young Frankenstein), co-produced many shows, the most recent being Memphis, and has taken an active role in off stage work including set construction, design, decor and stage crew.Vincent Eldridge CecilyVincent has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this genderswapped version of The Importance of Being Earnest. He has been seen on stage as Gangster #2 in The Drowsy Chaperone at LSC, as part of the Octet in Sweeney Todd with Queen City Productions, as was in the Gender Bender last October with Mason Community Players. When hes not on stage, he enjoys learning the art of lighting and was the lighting designer for The Little Mermaid and Sorry, Wrong Number/The Hitch-Hiker. Outside of theatre he spends his free time painting and trying his best at woodworking. Hed like to give a shout out to the rest of the cast, the crew, and the director for making this a wonderfully fun experience!Bob Kessler Tech DirectorBob works as both a Director of Photography in the regional video community, and as an artist at Kessler Studios, a Loveland-based stained glass and mosaic firm. Bob has served as the Lighting Chair for the Loveland Stage Company since 2013, and has volunteered as Lighting Director on many plays at LSC: Cole: An Entertainment, Memphis, 9 to 5, Jekyll & Hyde, Fiddler On The Roof, I Remember Mama, Oklahoma!, and The Producers.Charlie Rader Camera OperatorDave Bauer Audio DirectorThe webmaster of LSCs award-winning website, Dave brings a lifetime of passion for all things music, sound and photography. By day, Dave works in schools in Southwest Ohio maintaining computer systems and making sure teachers have the technology they need. By nights and weekends, Dave is the owner of Technology Concierge Services and is the sound designer for two local bands. This is Daves first involvement in an LSC production.Greg Smith Lighting DesignAn Orchid award-winning Lighting Designer, Set Designer and Producer, Greg always enjoys doing lighting design for a musical at LSC. The opportunities for creativity are endless when working with such a talented cast and crew. Micheal Harris-Kiser DirectorMicheal is a multiple award-winning director, actor, and set designer. Studying acting at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Micheal has pursued his passion for theatre in various fields. He is co-founder of Stage and Steel in Pittsburgh, PA. He has performed with many groups throughout the city. His set designs have graced many a stage. He serves as secretary for the LSC board, as well as secretary for The Greater Cincinnati ACT board. He is extremely happy to bring this great musical to you.Nancy Hartman-Downing Camera OperatorNancy has been Owner/President of Cleveland Specialties Company since 1986, which designs and manufactures paperboard and plastic packaging products for the food and dairy industry. Her experience is in administration, sales, accounting and computer technology. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Baldwin-Wallace College. She currently serves as President for Loveland Womans Club. Nancy has been involved with LSC since 2006 doing fundraising, photography, publicity, ticket sales, program ad sales, as well as serving on the Board of Directors as Treasurer. She enjoys working with such a talented group and looks forward to continuing her involvement into the future.

More here:
Act 3 of the Importance of being Earnest - Loveland Magazine

Kitchen wallpaper ideas might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to a quick kitchen update, but we are here to change your mind about that. Wallpaper, much like paint, is actually such an easy way to add colour and pattern to your space, plus it can be super affordable too! You just have to be careful about where you hang it, avoid places that will get wet like behind a sink or areas where you cook, but apart from that there are no rules!

Keep scrolling to get inspired and for more inspiring kitchen ideas head over to our huge feature you will find plenty more looks to copy over there.

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

When your kitchen is predominantly white and sleek to boot, choosing a wallpaper is actually a dream. Why? Because a white kitchen is a blank canvas and therefore pretty much anything goes. What we love about this kitchen is that the chosen wallpaper Gable by Farrow & Ball shows village and farmhouse scenes which at first thought may not match due to being quite trad, yet the stylised design works really well in this modern kitchen.

(Image credit: Miss Print)

The inspiration for this Skylark wallpaper design from Miss Print is a birds eye view of our landscape. The lines represent the abstract shapes and patterns that can be found in our cities and the countryside that we know and love so much. The simplicity of the design and colour makes it ideal for a kitchen, especially one with contemporary units and accessories.

(Image credit: Little Green)

Although this Pomegranate Bazaar design by Little Greene is Baroque, the original was uncovered by the National Trust hiding beneath wall-hung tapestries in Wales. This particular colourway has a hint of seventies design to it. The cheerful colours mean you can have fun matching units and accessories to create a cohesive scheme throughout the kitchen and it looks fab with rustic wood too!

(Image credit: Elizabeth Ockford)

This stunning Bahama wallpaper from Elizabeth Ockford is so eye catching and therefore will really act as a focal point for your kitchen and will most certainly become the star of the show so to speak. When you choose a wallpaper as busy as this, keep the rest of the scheme simple. You could have white units as shown here, but equally, painted units in a colour pulled from the wallpaper would look as fabulous the green, pink, blue or orange would all work. Team with brass and wood accessories to add depth.

Interior designer, broadcaster and colour expert, Sophie Robinson, adores colour check out her IG feed for oodles of inspo! So when it came to decorating her kitchen, Sophie chose this bright and cheery Rabarber wallpaper. Designed on a dark background, the colours of the floral pattern really sing and it looks eye catching in Sophies country kitchen. The units are painted in Huntsmen Green by Zoffany that matches the wallpaper perfectly, and the dark wood worktop and floor both add a rustic element.

Read the original post:
5 kitchen wallpaper ideas to inspire a quick and easy makeover - Real Homes

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Will Morgan, Architecture Critic

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Extra Space Storage, 145 Corliss Street. PHOTO Will Morgan

The egregious leviathan of Extra Space Storage on Corliss Street best demonstrates the jarring trend towards constructional obesity. The 1,905th facility of the second largest self-storage company in the country is a six-story tall block of aggressive blandness, displacing over 100,000 square feet.

This unwelcome giant is the most prominent landmark as travelers approach Providence on I-95 from the north. Extra Space is illuminated at night, so that the building can be seen from much of the city, competing for attention with our noble State House.

Does the city really need a lot of new storage space on the edge of downtown? While an ugly and intrusive element on the skyline, the Extra Space container might be somewhat less objectionable if placed out on a suburban wasteland.

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Extra Space Storage. To quote Cat Stevens, "Where do the children play? "PHOTO Will Morgan

The construction of new buildings that are outsized for their locations is reaching a crisis point, especially on the East Side. Tall buildings may make sense for a concentrated business district downtown. But as the Fane Tower proposal amply illustrates, the day of stand-alone skyscrapers ought to be thing of the past. The problem is equally acute with smaller size projects that upset the balance between people, amenities, and civic responsibilities as opposed to expansion for its own sake.

The hotel proposed for the corner of Angell and Brook Streets illustrates this.

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Hotel proposed for Angell and Brook Streets. ZDS Architecture & Interiors

No matter how many stylistic adjustments are made, the hostelry's envelope is out of scale with the houses of the neighborhood, not to mention that constructing the hotel will mean razing of three handsome and substantial houses.

Brown is currently riding a building boom that threatens the very neighborhood that makes the school one of the most attractive campuses anywhere. Already in the late 1960s the construction of the skyline-despoiling Sciences Tower was an all-too-obvious indication of Brown's existential conflict of wanting to grow within a constricted College Hill.

The Watson Center, on the other hand, shows how to add needed facilities in three buildings while still maintaining a relatable ambience. The brilliant design of the Engineering Research Center ameliorates its otherwise bulky presence, and its thoughtful siting provides a park-like setback.

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This misleading rendering of the Brown dorms and wellness center suggests un-menacing coziness. William Rawn Associates

The chipping away of the city's premier historic neighborhood continues apace. Remember the half dozen Victorian homes that Brown tore down to make way for their new dormitory and wellness complex? (The university did move two significant mansions to make way for the totally out-of-scale Performing Arts Center, yet some older houses will be destroyed for another dorm on Brook Street).)

The health and residential group designed by the popular but often disappointing campus architect William Rawn is just another behemoth turning the Thayer Street area into an overcrowded urban mlange. What possibly might be acceptable if under-achieving structure on an empty lot near the medical school becomes a real assault when shoehorned into College Hill.

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Brown University dorms and wellness center, under construction, Brook Street. PHOTO Will Morgan

Perhaps the tendency to build according to appetite rather than digestive ability will abate with the coronavirus. Yet the East Side is being made over by a seeming disregard for what really makes a community work. Although not large blocks per se, the new housing at the corners of Angell and Butler, Hope and Wickenden, and Waterman and Wayland are simply too big for their streetscapes, and thus erode a vital townscape.

One of the worst cases of apartment house elephantiasis is being erected at the corner of South Water and Tockwotton Streets. Architect Eric Zuena (designer of the Angell Street hotel and the Homewood Suites downtown) has simply decorated a giant hunk of sellable space with some different surfaces and colors, plus Zuena's signature Mansard roof.

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Apartment block, South Water and Tockwotten Streets. PHOTO Will Morgan

But the real shortcoming of this urban disaster is it size. It is humongous, it dominates the waterfront, and it says nothing positive about Providence. Something that is this much of a hog of prime real estate needs to be better, much better.

To begin with, the skyline could be more distinctive, offering an identifiable silhouette that is more than just a horizontal line. The chintzy, lowest-common-denominator footprint could be broken up and offer more setbacks and terraces. Materials could be upgraded to make this more than just the usual developer's trope.

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What is so special about this chunky, clunky block? Was this design ever actually reviewed? PHOTO Will Morgan

An earlier scheme for this site envisioned by Kite Architects was also out of scale, but at least it was architecturally aspirational, more fitting of a purportedly visually literate city.

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Proposed development at Pike and South Water Streets. COURTESY Kite Architects

Why should we continue to encourage new buildings predicated on enriching development and real estate interests rather than for what they could contribute to the commonweal? These over-scaled intrusive buildings might force us to consider the kind of city we really want.

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The Invasion of the Over-Scaled BuildingsArchitecture Critic Will Morgan - GoLocalProv

Palm Desert | $449,000A midcentury-modern ranch house with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, on a 0.2-acre lot

Just over two hours east of Los Angeles, Palm Desert is a city in the Coachella Valley popular with fans of midcentury-modern aesthetics. In addition to its plentiful midcentury homes, the area (along with nearby Palm Springs) is home to a number of antiques stores specializing in 1950s and 1960s furnishings.

This home, built in 1957, was remodeled in 2015. To retain a midcentury look and feel, the sellers worked with Moderne Builders, whose president and principal designer, Avian Rogers, specializes in midcentury renovations. The house comes furnished in a period-appropriate style.

The Shops on El Paseo, an outdoor dining and shopping area, is a five-minute drive from the property, and downtown Palm Springs is about half an hour away.

Size: 1,152 square feet

Price per square foot: $390

Indoors: Like many desert houses of the mid-20th century, this home has a glass-walled entrance shielded from the street by a privacy wall in this case, one rendered in lime-green and white stucco.

The main living area is open plan. To the left of the entrance is the kitchen, with teak cabinets and Caesarstone counters.

A block wall runs along the right side of the house, topped with triangular windows that let light into the dining space. Floors in this room, and throughout the house, are concrete.

The living room is open to the kitchen and dining area, with sliding-glass doors that open to the patio for an indoor-outdoor feel.

A hallway leads from the living room to the two bedrooms and bathrooms. Nearest to the living spaces is a guest room, with access to a side patio, and a guest bathroom with a walk-in shower tiled in shades of blue.

At the end of the hallway is the master suite, which also has access to the outdoor spaces. The en suite bathroom is tiled in bright green and orange.

Outdoor space: The living room opens to a covered patio, large enough to hold a dining table and chairs. Surrounding the oval-shaped pool and hot tub is concrete paving with plenty of room for lounge chairs. To the left of the pool, the sellers installed an artificial grass bocce court. The attached garage holds two cars.

Taxes: $5,747 (estimated)

Contact: Laurie Ridgeway, HomeSmart Professionals, 760-272-6142; palmspringsathome.com

Tulare is a small city in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley, roughly 200 miles from San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles, making it a transport hub for the agriculture-based economy of central California. In February, the city plays host to the World Ag Expo, one of the worlds largest agricultural expositions. The area is also near Californias national parks: Sequoia National Park is an hours drive, while Yosemite is about three hours away.

Tulare has its own small downtown, complete with a historical museum, while the larger shopping and dining districts of Visalia are a 20-minute drive away.

Size: 2,548 square feet

Price per square foot: $176

Indoors: This house is on a cul-de-sac, with a wide driveway that leads to the front door. Built in the 1950s, the home originally had a flat roof, but the facade and roofline were reimagined by a previous owner.

The front door opens to a tiled foyer. To the right is the kitchen, which has custom cabinets and stainless steel appliances, and is open to the dining room.

To the left of the dining room is a formal living room, brightened by a wall of windows, with glass doors that open to the swimming pool. The seller, a designer, chose the custom light fixtures and the stone fireplace that runs the length of one wall.

The windows continue around the corner to a family room with exposed beams and a built-in entertainment center.

The family room and the kitchen connect to a hallway that runs along the right side of the house. At one end is a guest bedroom with a window overlooking the pool and space for a queen-size bed. Toward the front of the house are two additional bedrooms; one has an en suite bathroom, while the other has access to a hallway bathroom with a combination tub and shower. Along the hallway are a built-in desk and laundry facilities.

The master suite is to the immediate left of the front door. It has clerestory windows and a private entrance to the side yard; the en suite bathroom has a double vanity and a marble walk-in shower.

Outdoor space: The formal living room opens to a covered outdoor patio equipped with a ceiling fan. Concrete paving surrounds the swimming pool, and a grass yard extends along the side of the house. A two-car garage is attached.

Surrounded by similar early-20th-century-era bungalows in the citys South Side Historic District, this home is within easy walking distance of commercial districts and outdoor space. The state capitol building is about 15 minutes away on foot, while Southside Park, with its man-made lake and regular farmers markets, is a five-minute walk. A number of museums and cultural landmarks, including the Crocker Art Museum, the Leland Stanford Mansion and the Old Sacramento Waterfront District, are a 20-minute walk or a five-minute drive.

Size: 924 square feet

Price per square foot: $486

Indoors: A red picket fence shields the front yard from the sidewalk. A wooden stoop, also accented in red, leads to the front door, which opens directly into a living area, with a sitting room on one side and a dining space on the other.

Directly off the sitting area is one of the homes three bedrooms, which can also be entered through a rear hallway.

The dining area is partially open to the kitchen, which has granite countertops and gets plenty of natural light, thanks to a large window facing a garden on the side of the house.

Beyond the kitchen is a hallway connecting the bedrooms and the bathroom. At the far end are two bedrooms, equal in size, set across from each other. One has a side-facing window, while the other has one side-facing window and another window that looks out to the backyard. Each has its own closet.

The bathroom was refreshed by the sellers, who added a new vanity and a light fixture, but retained was the original claw-foot tub.

The third bedroom, next to the bathroom, is currently used as a home office. It has a door to the deck and backyard, as well as a closet concealed by shutter-style doors.

The basement has a small laundry area and unfinished space the sellers have used as an art studio.

Outdoor space: The backyard has a sizable deck with a built-in barbecue and space for outdoor furniture. A path lined with decorative rocks and bamboo leads to space on the side of the house that could be used as a dog run.

Taxes: $5,208 (estimated)

Contact: Christina Ellermeyer, Coldwell Banker, 916-548-2053; ellermeyergroup.com

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$450,000 Homes in California - The New York Times

For the Italian-born, London-based artist and designer Viola Lanari, creativity is often fueled by a hunt for solutions. When she moved into her two-bedroom apartment on the top floor of a handsome Victorian terrace house in Earls Court in 2011, she discovered two unappealing brushed-metal table lamps that had been wired into the fitted alcove cabinets of her living room by a previous owner. Rather than reaching for a screwdriver, she set about reinventing them with a cache of plaster strips left over from an art project shed completed during her time at the London College of Communication. Inspired first by the Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacomettis 1930s Tte de Femme lamps, shaped like semi-abstracted female figures, and later by the idea of a fragile flower, she began layering the nondescript bases with the soft, water-soaked gauze. The resulting sculptures are nave and enchanting: One depicts a womans face, its features smoothed and barely discernible, like those of a timeworn marble sculpture; the other evokes a bloom with delicately layered petals, their alabaster white surface mottled by the marks of the artists hand.

It was just for fun, says Lanari, 32, when I visit her home in early March. She gestures to the two pieces, which now flank the simple white-painted wood fireplace in her living room. I remember thinking, Its not bad for a first attempt. But I never imagined anything would come of it. When she showed the lamps to friends and design editors, though, they soon commissioned her to make similar creations for their own homes and professional projects. Now, these sculptures which, depending on the hour, cast dramatic shadows across the wooden floorboards and plum, emerald and tawny brown walls of her apartment are the foundation of her practice. Each morning, Lanari makes the 20-minute trip across the city in her 1980s Volkswagen Polo to her studio in Clapham, South London, a diminutive, 345-square-foot stone-floored Victorian outbuilding part of a larger warehouse complex now occupied by artists work spaces whose weathered yellow-brick facade is obscured by a profusion of climbing ivy. Here, she strives to keep pace with the demand for her growing collection of plaster lighting and furniture, which she makes for both private clients and collaborators, including the interior decorator Beata Heuman, the antique and design gallery 8 Holland Street and the luxury bathroom specialists Balineum.

Apart from that original pair of spontaneously executed lamps, few objects in Lanaris charmingly ad hoc, ever-changing home are anchored in place. I rarely hang things, she says, referring to the unframed found canvases of daffodils, roses and pastoral scenes that lean precariously against walls, door frames and even the back of the living rooms dusty blue sofa, itself a chaotic patchwork of leopard-print, floral-patterned and embroidered cushions and throws. Nothing is fixed, she says, which allows me to swap things around easily and play. Its an interior thats never going to be finished. Indeed, Lanaris home is a living scrapbook of materials and inspirations. On every surface are assemblages of objects and ephemera that she has collected on her travels and on weekly pilgrimages to Portobello Market, from a wicker Kenyan tea set that now rests on a round end table of her own design by the fireplace to the beaded turn-of-the-20th-century macram samples she won at an auction and now displays over the backs of two Victorian nursing chairs. Such habitual sourcing is a throwback to her previous job as a stylist and assistant shoot producer for decorating magazines and provides a rich stream of ideas for her plaster art.

I like looking at objects and materials and thinking about their possibilities, she says. Its research you note the proportion of things, the color, the texture, and it all gradually builds up in your mind. One disc-shaped mirror she picked up at a flea market has found its way into her latest work; it forms the bold centerpiece of a thick, textured rectangular console, built from a chicken-wire base covered with discarded scraps of fabric many of them donated by her friend, the textile designer Kirsten Hecktermann dipped into hard plaster and carefully molded and carved to create a raw, unfinished texture. Its like a collage, she says of the piece, which currently sits in her living room and is offset by a dark brown hand-painted devor velvet Japanese wall hanging discovered at a Swiss brocante by her mother. Next fall, this creation, along with a series of other new works Lanari is producing, is scheduled to go on display in a solo exhibition at the Lant Street design showroom in South London. Shes also developing new objects, including a floor lamp and a mirror frame, to add to her white-plaster collection of lighting, consoles and side tables for the British design company Porta Romana.

These projects are encouraging Lanari to experiment with new ways of working: Shes exploring the illuminating effects of adding metal oxides and stained glass to plaster, and plans to create some terra-cotta sculptures (she recently inherited a kiln from a neighboring studio). Yet five years after her first endeavors with plaster, the powdery, malleable material still captivates her more than any other. Its so full of soul, she says. It can be shiny, like Venetian plaster, or rough; its supple but strong, fragile but sturdy. Its so generous in its uses. And so, for now at least, she will continue to fill her studio, and her home, with the luminous, unmistakably handcrafted forms that only plaster could produce, layer by gloopy layer.

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A Designer Whose Home Is as Fanciful as Her Plaster Creations - The New York Times

(CNN) For many visitors to the Netherlands, one of the great discoveries when wandering through the streets of Amsterdam or other towns and cities is that you can often take a look inside people's homes when it gets dark.

That's because many Dutch people never close their curtains or blinds. Often, people don't even have curtains or blinds.

At a time when coronavirus restrictions are confining people all over the world to their homes -- with only a window for contact to the outside world -- this national quirk seems even more intriguing.

The Dutch themselves don't think it unusual. It's so interwoven in their culture that researchers have struggled to figure out exactly why people in the Netherlands care so little about their privacy.

Those who look for an explanation for this rather curious exhibitionism quickly get caught up in major sociological tangles.

Is it an "I've-got-nothing-to-hide" or a "look-what-I've-got" mentality? Or both?

The most popular explanation stems from the Protestant religious tradition of Calvinism, which insists that honest citizens have nothing to hide.

Closing the curtains could indicate otherwise. And by letting people have a look inside, you let them know: Look, I'm a decent person!

A desire to show off possessions could also be an explanation.

As standards of living have risen over time, materials and interiors have become more luxurious and opulent. And even now people like to show off their custom-made open kitchens, designer couches or latest-model flat-screen TVs.

Some city guides explain the openness as a way that business was done in the old days. People would leave curtains open to show off a room full of the finest of furniture, decorations and art as a way of proving to merchants that they were trustworthy.

Others say it's a tradition that only really dates back to the 1950s, and has already begun to change.

Open culture

Windows help foster the open culture for which the Dutch are known.

Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images

Anthropologists Hilje van der Horst and Jantine Messing researched the phenomenon in 2006 and observed that people in tight-knit neighborhoods were more likely to leave their curtain open -- and more likely to decorate their windows with statues, vases, and (fake) flowers.

Another reason, of course, is the desire of residents to watch the world go by. It's fair to say that Dutch people typically like to look outside and see the lights, the hustle and bustle of the streets, and people walking by.

The interaction between inside and outside helps foster the open culture for which the Dutch are well known.

As a Dutch citizen, I grew up in houses without curtains.

And when I moved out, I didn't use them for the first 10 years. I have them now because I have a bigger home and they bother me less.

My mother, Astrid (interviewed below) still has no curtains, which is common in De Jordaan, the now gentrified working-class district of Amsterdam that I grew up in and where she still lives.

Here, five Dutch residents with no curtains tell CNN Travel about why they still like to peek and be peeked at through their unadorned windows.

Astrid Brokke, 68, lives on the first floor

Astrid Brokke: Curtains are too bourgeois.

Katja Brokke

When I moved to live here in 1987 I tried curtains, but I found them smothering and removed them. My street is quite narrow, but until 10 years ago I had no neighbors opposite. Only a garage in a low-rise building and a company building in the distance. So there was no need. Besides, I don't like them.

Ten years ago they started to build apartments just across the street and I had to get used to close neighbors, about 10 meters from window to window. Soon it became clear that my closest neighbors had roller blinds which they shut down day and night, so the need for me to get something in front of my windows wasn't very urgent.

Why I don't like curtains, I'm not sure. I never had them apart from for a short time in the '80s. Maybe I don't like the bourgeois side of it. Maybe because I'm too lazy to do anything about it, but I don't care on the other hand.

Until a year ago I had neighbors next to me who were real Jordanesen [original residents from the the Jordaan]. They lived on the ground floor and liked showing everybody their knick-knacks, porcelain figurines and cozy lights. Especially during the holidays their house was filled with colorful fairy lights and other Christmas decorations. Even guides with groups of tourists stopped by to have a look.

A lot of the original inhabitants of De Jordaan like to showcase their interior. Sadly most of them have passed away or were forced to move because of the rental and house prices going through the roof.

Since there's been an increase of outsiders -- mostly expats -- more and more curtains close. Also young people tend to want to have more privacy. Unfortunately the openness disappears; the lights in the streets coming from the living rooms, the social control that comes with it and the gezelligheid [a Dutch concept meaning conviviality, coziness or fun]. It's getting darker every year.

Jan Willem van Hofwegen, 41, lives on the third floor

Jan Willem van Hofwegen: Curtains are too stuffy.

Michel Schnater

For the past five years I'm living in this house, on the third floor -- so pretty high -- and I always thought people couldn't look into my living room which is in the front part facing the street and the apartments opposite. From across the street it's too far away and from the street it's too high. I thought.

Then I was buying groceries across the street and my partner turned on the lights. I looked up and realized people passing by could see everything happening.

I wasn't aware of this, but it will not make me use any blinds or curtains. I never have, primarily because of aesthetic reasons. I don't like blinds and they are not practical since my windows open inward. Curtains I find a bit stuffy and they don't match my modern interior.

Jan Willem van Hofwegen

Besides the aesthetics and stuffiness I like to see the outside lights when it's dark. I don't mind neighbors looking into my living room. It's quite a distance and I've never seen anyone with binoculars lurking outside my house, so I don't care.

I think a lot of Dutch people don't use curtains because we like the light and we don't have anything to hide.

When I was a kid I delivered the mail as a side job and during my shifts I could follow popular TV shows by riding my bike from house to house. I like peeking in people's homes at night, especially the canal houses in Amsterdam with their beautiful ceilings, paintings and closets. I'm not staring or anything, just peeking inside while walking by.

Marianna Beets, 51 lives on the ground floor

Marianna Beets: Most of the time people smile and wave back.

Puk Beets

I have lived here for over 25 years, but it's only for the last 13 years I've not had anything to cover my windows.

Thirteen years ago I demolished my old house and built the one I live in now. Buying curtains was on my to-do list, like hundreds of other things, and apparently the curtain part wasn't that urgent since I still have uncovered windows in the living room.

The room is located directly on a street and canal in Edam, a touristy fishing village next to Volendam, where I'm originally from.

There are always people walking by. Sometimes they stop and stare. When I wave they get shy, promptly aware of what they were doing, but most of the time they smile and wave back. I don't mind.

I like watching tourists and the interaction. I think otherwise I might feel secluded and this way I am always in contact with the outside world. It's an extension of my house. It's gezellig.

Marianna Beets

I understand why people peek inside, I enjoy it too. Other people's interiors inspire me and the best time to do so is at night when it's dark and the lights are on.

When I was living in Amsterdam I had neighbors who were not aware of the possibility they could be seen because they lived on the fifth floor, but I saw things that did not belong to my eyes!

I have no problem walking through the house in only my sleeping shirt and undies. Only on Sunday morning, during the Sunday Mass in the church across the canal, I make sure I'm more covered.

In the end I do want curtains, for sure. It's on my list again now I have more time due to corona. Why? Because I want to have a choice. To close them, or keep them open.

Natasja Wielandt, 34, lives on the second floor

Natasja Wielandt: I don't want to block that view with any curtain or blinds.

Fay van den Bos

In December 2016 I moved from the city center of Amsterdam to IJburg, a relatively new suburban area with lots of space and nature around.

My house is located next to a big lake called IJmeer so the views from the front of the house are spectacular. One side of my house borders several walking paths and the other side a courtyard and some apartment complexes, but not close by.

I have a panoramic view on the water and a city beach and I don't want to block that view with any curtain or blinds. Day or night.

The view during sunsets are amazing and I get very happy waking up and walking into the living room with my coffee and looking outside. It creates a feeling of calmness and freedom and with the city life continuing outside it gives that city feeling I need.

I can't imagine living somewhere secluded on a meadow. I like the wideness and the water in particular. The view is a very pivotal part of the reason I'm living here.

To create some privacy I placed my couch in a way I can relax and lay down without people noticing.

At my grandparents' house the curtains were always open too. I think they didn't mind people looking inside. Their generation was more open and more social anyway. Everybody was always welcome.

I myself only look at people's houses when I see something I like or that inspires me, like a beautiful furnished room or a beautiful garden. I have no need to watch people eating or sitting on the couch watching television.

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'We have nothing to hide' -- Why Dutch people don't mind you peering into their homes - CNN

The 50 States Project is a yearlong series of candid conversations with interior designers we admire, state by state. Today, were chatting with Tiffany Skilling, who founded her Indianapolis-based firm in 2015 and gained early clients by leading tours of her own home on the local neighborhood associations house walk. In addition to sharing the renovation of her house and home office, she talks about seeing the potential in old homes, the in-person design activity she misses most during quarantine, and why she doesnt want her firm to grow much bigger.

Tell me a little bit about the design scene in Indianapolisthe types of clients and size of the projects youre working on.The firm started out with just me five years ago. I did small projects, one room at a timeId do a kitchen, or a living rooms furnishings, and a half-bath or a master bath. Now, it's evolved. We really like to focus on whole houses, and specifically in the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood and the surrounding area in midtown Indianapolis. And we like to focus on renovating historic homes.

How did you focus in on that niche specifically?Ive always loved historic homes. Im originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan. My husband and I lived in Cold Spring, New York, for a while before moving back to the Midwest. We lived in Grand Rapids for a year in an old farmhouseit was the first house [built] in that area, and then all these larger, beautiful historic homes popped up over time. We got our first taste of old houses there, and then four and a half years ago we moved to the Meridian-Kessler area of Indianapolis and bought a fixer-upper. Its been a labor of love, this house. But moving into this area brought me my clients. I was lucky enough to be on the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood association home tour right after we finished the house, so several thousand people went through it, and my businessI wouldnt say it exploded, but I really started to gain interest.

So, on the house tour, were you also saying, Im a designer and you can hire me to do this?Yes. You had an option to be at the home during the tour, and I was so proud of it that I wanted to be one of the docents. I hung out there, answered questions and shamelessly handed out my business card. If you want something, you gotta make it happen.

Since then, its all been word of mouth, and Ive had amazing opportunity after amazing opportunityand wonderful clients who believe in us, who Im now on second and third projects with. At this point, we really are focusing on whole houses, which is super fun. I mean, its kind of crazy right now. Some of our houses have been halted; some are still under construction.

The kitchen Skilling designed for her own homeAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

What are you working on right now?Whole-house wise, we have a refresh thats underwaywe went in and changed the exterior, including paint colors, windows, lighting, and then new wood floors, paint, trim and lighting inside, and we redid their master bath. Thats almost done. And then we have another house, a large Tudor that weve completely transformed. We changed the entire floor plan but kept all of the beautiful elements. And then were transforming a large Greek Revival home too, and it also has an addition. Those are our big projects, and then we have all kinds of little ones going on in between.

How many projects are you typically working on at one time?Large-scale, I would say three to five. Smaller-scale, probably 10 to 15. And then we have our repeat clients who will say, Hey, I need a lighting update, or I need some new art, or I need a new sofa. We always have them coming back, so we have to have room for them too.

What does your team look like now?Well, right this minute, its a little different because were all in the shelter-in-place atmosphere. But in general, Kelly Colby is our director of operations; she handles billing clients and doing all of our QuickBooks along with assisting me with design. And then Donna Porter is our design coordinator. She just joined usshe was actually a client of ours, and we just finished their whole house in January, but she started working with us in September because she loved the process so much and I was like, Ooh! We need you! She works for us about 15 hours a week, keeping the office in shape by making sure that samples go in and out properly and that our crazy library of samples is always in order.

Your own sample librarian!She is. Shes amazing. And shes kind of my mom too. She always takes care of me. She makes sure that the printer has ink and orders us new business cards, that kind of stuff. And then we work the Ashlee Kindred on our photography and social media.

Skilling's living room, which helped her net early clientsAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Youre all working out of an office in your home, right?So, this house that we bought, were the third owners. It was a Lutheran parsonage, and then this other family bought it and owned it for 40 years. It hadnt been touched besides a 1960s renovation to the kitchen. It was a three-bedroom house with a bunch of small, compartmentalized rooms, but a huge dining room because it was a place for the clergy to meet. Only the main floor was finished, but the attic was huge. It had 9-foot ceilings, and the floor joists supported a second floor. We knew that before we bought the house.

We did a renovation in two phases: First, we did the main floor. At the time, one of the bedrooms that was off the kitchen and made that into our laundry room and also my office. But we knew that there was always going to be a phase two for the attic, which we finished a year and a half ago. We added three bedrooms and two baths upstairs, which completely transformed how this house worked. Our old master bedroom became my office. I was like, Oh, my gosh, I have my own space now. Because for the first couple of years, my office was in the laundry room but I really worked at our kitchen island. I had crap there all day, every day, and it drove everyone crazy.

Did you have a team at that point, or did you have your own dedicated space by the time you had a team?Kelly and I worked together at my kitchen island for a year and a half. She just went along with it, and it was great. She and I laugh about it nowwhen the major construction was going on upstairs, adding plumbing lines and electrical to this empty shell of a space, it was so loud we couldnt even hear anything. So its funny to look back and remember that. Now were bursting at the seams in this office!

The first-floor home office where Skilling and her team workAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Where do you typically shop?We have a lot of direct relationships with reps, so I dont go to the design center [in Indianapolis] a lot. There are times that we do get there, and theyre a fantastic resource. But I find that for where we are located, how we work, and the efficiencies for our business, having reps come right to us when there are new products, its sometimes more efficient to work [with them] directly.

For fabrics and wallcoverings, I love Thibaut, Schumacher, Phillip Jeffries and Quadrille. I love Stark for carpet, and we also work with a local company called Blakeleys that carries a lot of different carpet brands. I like DuChateau for hardwood flooring; for tile, I have a special place in my heart for Rookwood Tiletheyre an amazing, small, historic tile company. Theyve been around since the late 1800s and are a women-owned company, and 80 percent of their employees are women too. They also do really beautiful ceramics. We also work with The Tile Shop, Louisville Tile and another local tile company called Architectural Brick & Tile. And for lighting, we tend to use Visual Comfort in most of our projects, as well as Currey & Company, Urban Electric Co., and Arteriors. Whoever is really easy to work with, theyre the ones who are kind of our tried-and-true.

You studied textile and apparel design and then worked as a fashion designer and clothing production manager. How did you get your start in design, and what was your journey to launching your own firm?I had stopped working [as a stylist] at Anthropologie and took a little time off. I had our second child and really just didnt know what I wanted to do anymore. We were renovating a house in Carmel, Indiana. I knew I really loved interior design, and I could take the skill sets I had through fashion design and the different industries Ive been in and create a business. The big step was right before we moved [from Carmel] to this home in the Meridian-Kessler area. I just took the leap [in 2015], and people started hiring me.

With the shelter-in-place order, how much work is on hold for you right now, and how are you approaching that pause?For the first couple weeks, some projects were still going pretty heavy. I was finalizing whole-house lighting plans in two different homes and a couple other large-scale deliverables that I needed to give to some contractors who are still moving forward. Construction in Indiana is still essential, for the most part, so those projects kept me busy for the first couple of weeks. Last week was slower, but in a good waymy kids were technically on spring break. Then this week has kind of been like, What do I do next?

Last Friday, I had a potential client contact me through Instagram, saying that they have a new build that they wanted to talk to me about, so now I have a call with them tomorrow. Thats starting in the fall. Then I have two other future new-builds happening. One is slated to start in the fall, so were working on exterior renderings right now. People are still thinking about the future, so things are still going on. And then I have another new client that we just signed that wants to do two furnishing projects and she is OK with doing them virtually. So we had a FaceTime call last week, and then she uploaded photos and video of the two rooms she wants to work on, and did a little walkthrough for me, and shes providing me with measurements, and were moving forward.

So its a little slower, and there are some things that are on pauselike a couple of stair-runners that we havent installed because the clients dont want people in their houses. Our amazing workroom that does all of our custom draperies is on pause right now. But you know what? Its fine. You know? We are where we are right now. We also canceled a couple of photo shoots. Im kind of sad that we cant show our work on those right now, but were just trying to do our part.

Skilling's officeAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

The home's master bedroomAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Left: Skilling's office Ashlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative | Right: The home's master bedroom Ashlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Before the coronavirus, what was the biggest challenge you were looking at in the business, and how were you thinking about opportunities to grow?Last year, our goal was to rebrand. We revised the website and did a new logo. This year, its really about refinement and trying to do all of our processes better, be more efficient. But growth-wise, I dont necessarily want [the firm] to get bigger. I know that thats crazy.

No, I think thats really interesting.The workload we have is a lot for our small company. My biggest challenge is that sometimes Ive taken on too much and not known when to say no. But in the end, the only people hurt by it are me and my family because Im working too much. This year is about knowing when to say no and knowing when to work smarter, not harder.

How do you start to do that? I feel like thats something thats so much easier to recognize in hindsight.For me, its after so many times of doing it and then realizing, Oh, why did I take that? Ive done it so many times now, that its just [making myself] pause for a second and really think, Is this a project that will bring me growth and positivity?

Sometimes you look at a project and youre like, Nope, red flag. Its not going to be a good fit. Not because its not a great project, its just not a project for my firm. Ive taken thinking about those things to heartreflecting on previous jobs and knowing if something would be good or not. And Kelly, who works with me, is an amazing voice of reason too. Shes like, Tiffany, are you sure thats one you want to do? She makes me think a little deeper sometimes instead of just saying yes all the time. And its hard to say noit really is! But we do it a lot now.

Is it about saying no to projects, or is it about adjusting timelines until youre available for those projects?If clients are willing to wait for us, then we absolutely will put them on schedule when we think that we can fit that project in. Like, if its a kitchenkitchens arent crazy anymore for us, so usually those will be two months out, depending on our schedule. But we have really overcommitted in the last couple of years, [to the point] that I found myself constantly gasping for air because I just said yes all the time. I feel like we have just come out of that in the last couple of months, and now that I am on the other side of itthere was a great project [recently], a new build that was right down the street from me, so easy to do. But they wanted to meet right away and to make these selections immediately. They had this timeline that I could not, with my current capacity of clients, there was no way that I could make it work unless I bent over backwards, so I had to say no! It was not fun.

The home's denAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Saying no to things means less revenue. How do you balance the health of the firm versus the revenue side of the decision?It could mean more revenue, but then were not supporting our current clients and working to their full capacity, so then I might not be billing the hours that I really should be for them. So I feel like it kind of evens out. Now if I wanted to grow more and hire another designer, we could take more, but then theres a whole other aspect to that too. Im trying to figure out where we really want to be in the scheme of things and right now, I like being [small] and not taking on too much anymore.

I love that. Its so refreshing, because I feel like the external pressure is to always get bigger, to grow, to take on more. Yeah, and you know, I felt that.

I would like to get bigger in terms of gaining more of a following on Instagram. But in regards to overwhelming ourselves with projects, I think if people want to work with us, I would hope that theyre willing to wait. And if not, then its not meant to be.

How do you approach billing?Our design agreement says that we bill by the hour, in 15-minute increments for everything that we do for the project, and that we bill at the end of every month. Now, of course, if Im just doing a quick text to someone, I dont bill my clients for that. But anything from doing actual project work, making selections, renderings, space plansif were on a call, if someday we meet in person againwe bill for that time.

Has there ever been pushback around that? I would say, one in 50 clients question it.

How have you managed that? Thats amazing.Theres always going to be that one person who challenges you. But our clients really respect us and the work we do. I mean, they dont even flinch at what we're billing at the end of the month. Were very thorough in what we say that we do. I have my billable hours in front of me right now: For one client, a 15-minute FaceTime call. Another client, hardware schedule, 1 hour. Im really old-school, so I have a pen and a pad of paper and I write my billable hours as Im going through. I dont have any crazy program that I use, I just write them down as I go. I could be losing hours doing it that way, but I feel I've gotten really good at it, for the most part. Then I take a picture of my pad of paper and send it to Kelly, who enters it into Ivy.

The open dining area offers views into the kitchenAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

A breakfast table in the kitchenAshlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Left: The open dining area offers views into the kitchen Ashlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative | Right: A breakfast table in the kitchen Ashlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

Speaking of Ivy, what tech has been essential to make the firm run?We really like Ivy. It integrates really well with QuickBooks, so we use those two hand in hand. I probably dont use Ivy to its full capacityI still do my mood boards in Pages. I like doing them that way, its easy, it doesnt take too long. I do all of my space plans in AutoCAD. And I still do a lot of hand drafting. I did take a lot of classeswhile I do not have an interior design degree, I have taken a lot of classes at IUPUI. It was almost to get an associates, but then I decided to quit because I just couldnt handle it anymore. Going to school full-time, working full-time, and with the kids, it was too much! I was like, What am I doing?

When did you do that?I did that the first couple of years of having my firm. It was insane. I do not recommend it.

Thats a lot all at once. What made you want to start?The first drive for that was because I felt that I needed itbut I only felt that I needed it because I didnt believe in myself enough. My husband always told me, You do not need to do this. People do need to go to school, dont get me wrong, and I feel like in the end, it was invaluable. I learned so much. And I needed that for my story. I love that Steve Jobs quote, You can't connect the dots moving forward, only looking back. I know that I needed to do that. But I also knew there was a time when I needed to be done.

What were the most useful elements of those courses?AutoCAD. I took several AutoCAD classes and a couple of Revit classes, though I dont use Revit because its a little more robust than what I really need. I took several classes on lighting design, a ton of space planning classes, some mechanical design, an introduction to building construction. It was enough for me to learn what I needed to understand about how the trades and construction work. I wouldnt say I have formal training, but weve done enough projects now that I think Im kind of there.

Though the upstairs of the home was immense, the second story had never been built. Skilling had to add a staircase for access when she renovated.Ashlee Kindred, Ash and Co. Creative

What shaped your aesthetic, and what are the influences that have informed the look and feel of what you do?I think the most beautiful designs are ones that have this rich layering to them. I am a very avid antiquer. Its killing me right now that I cant. I mean, I antique weekly. Im always going to junk shops and antique shops and finding treasuresthats what I call them. On any given day, theres a bunch of what my husband calls crap in my office. My mother-in-law and I started antiquing together years ago, and she taught me a lot too. She has a really great eye. Also, my background in the fashion industry [has influenced me]its a lot of things rolled up into one.

When youre antiquing, are you buying with a client or a place for that piece in mind? Or are you buying because you know it's a good piece and youll find a place for it?Both! I have a running list right now of clients who want specific things. Actually, right before all of this happened, I found this beautiful wardrobe for a clientI had the dimensions with me in a Google doc of exactly what could fit in this space. We took away their foyer closet when we renovated their kitchen, so they still needed a place to put coats. I came upon this beautiful armoire, and it fit perfectly for them. I found several sets of antique corbels a couple months ago, and I only have one set left. They found homes in different projects, but when I bought them, I had no idea where they were going.

Is there risk in that, or has that worked out well for you historically?To me theres no risk, because we are always using what I am sourcing in staging for photo shoots, and most of the time, whatever we stage, clients will buy some of it. So its always rotating. One client recently said, Hey, I need something for my dining table. So I was like, Lets go shopping with Tiffany, and I texted her all of these pictures of things that I had that would work. Then I walked down the street with this antique foot bath and dropped it off on her porch yesterday. And she sent me a picture of it this morning!

Are you optimistic about what the next, two, three, five years hold? Where do you hope to be? I hope to continue working on these beautiful old homes, telling the story of these homes for our clients. I feel like its so special to be a part of, and you really develop these rich relationships with people, and I hope people continue to want to do that with us. I would love to start designing some furnishings, whether its tabletop, decorlike vases or objectsor I really love doing custom artwork. Now that were in this slow time, I have a bunch of custom artwork, some original pieces by me that Im going to upload to our e-commerce site. I hope maybe that evolves a little bit. I would love to design wallcoverings and maybe some textiles. Things like that. I would love to grow in that way. In regard to home design, I dont know if I want to be any bigger than we are.

To learn more about Tiffany Skilling, visit her website or find her on Instagram.

Homepage photo: Tiffany Skilling | Chloe Lane Photography

Originally posted here:
How this Indiana designer used her own home to nab clients - Business of Home

Toward the end of March, designer Eny Lee Parker posed a challenge on Instagram: Create your dream home in miniature using polymer clay.

Parker is a ceramics artist known for her spherical furniture and jewelry designs, many of which are inspired by the natural world. She recorded her own room-making process on Instagram Stories in hopes of inspiring others to participate in the event, dubbed Clay Play.

I started three weeks ago when New York City started to quarantine, Parker tells Eleanor Gibson of Dezeen. I knew that for me, I'd have to keep myself busy so my mind wouldn't focus on the bad news happening everywhere. You need a balance of being well-informed while finding positivity to stay sane and safe.

Viewers can watch Parkers process via Instagram, from the textures she adds to a miniature chair and sofa to her development of a tiny version of a lamp seen in the videos background. The artists final design features a checkered rug, blue double doors and a wavy coffee table set in the center of the room.

Semi-transparent sconces appear flanked by black polymer clay chain links that resemble the ceramic chains frequently seen in Parkers work; in real life, the motif adorns vases, dangles from earrings and dots entire curtains. A vase of tulips is the designers favorite part of the room, she says in her Instagram Story.

I thought of ways to start a challenge that people could do while being home, Parker tells Dezeen. Polymer clay was my go-to since I focus on ceramics, and creating an ideal room seemed fitting since we are all in our homes.

Parkers designs are based on natural shapes ranging from the beach to, most recently, individual brain cells. As the New York Times Lizzie Feidelson reported in March, the artists latest collection of 11 lamps was inspired by 20th-century Spanish scientist Santiago Ramn y Cajals pen-and-ink drawings, which she stumbled upon while exploring a secondhand book store.

To share the fun and encourage participation in the Clay Play challenge, Parker sent materials to seven fans who didnt have them on hand. By the contest deadline of April 2, 46 artists, architects and designers had sent in submissions.

Entries feature stained glass, elaborate fireplaces, multiple levels and sunsets in the background, among other creative touches. One finalist recreated a Pablo Picasso mural on their ideal rooms wall, while another used mirrors to create the illusion of an infinite space. The clay miniatures made use of furnishings from favorite designers, including several of Parkers own creations.

Four days ago, the artist shared snapshots of the nine finalists on Instagram and put the final decision to a vote. The poll has since garnered more than 7,500 comments. Parker has yet to announce the contests winner and runner-up (who will receive a small Oo lamp and daisy sconce, respectively, as prizes), but in the meantime, those interested can scroll through the dozens of submissions to see where artists wish they were spending their stay-at-home periods.

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Read the original post:
These Artists Used Clay to Build Their Dream Homes in Miniature - Smithsonian.com