A Designer Looks at Art, Architecture and Everything
My last post featured a significant modernist house, available for hire, located about 45 minutes outside of Melbourne.
Here’s another interesting hideaway: The Japanese Mountain Retreat
The retreat is only 45 minutes outside of Melbourne in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. The optional Japanese set banquet looks like a must; the miso is making my mouth water.
I’ve been meaning to stay here, but sadly I haven’t found the time, -yet! See their website for rates and reservation.
While on a 50 mile bike ride along Lake Washington last weekend, a house caught my eye. Lake Washington Residence, designed by Johnston Architects.
I like the way the roof material folds down to coat the facade. Note the unique gutter details. Great setting, great house.
Meyer Wells builds furniture from reclaimed urban trees. Many of their designs incorporate live edge and exhibit a warm natural look. Be sure to review the finishes to see their entire range.
I enjoy the designs Antonio Citterio has created for Maxalto, B&B Italia, Flos, Kartell and other leading Italian and European manufacturers. He also creates stunning architecture in a rigorous and minimal vocabulary. Here are a few projects from his company, Antonio Citterio and Partners, portfolio.
Architecture: Commercial: Zegna Group Headquarters and Showroom
Architecture: Residential: Private House, Basel
Villa
Interiors: Fashion: Alberto Aspesi Showroom
De Beers: London
Seattle based artist Roy McMakin makes sculptural objects and architecture. McMakin’s unique style comes together in the professional services side of his company called, Domestic Architecture. What sets the architecture apart is his ability to construct a whimsical personality with common architectural elements like material, walls, doors, windows and stairs. Building materials and color play an important role in his interiors, consequently quirky details abound within McMakin’s mannered designs. Contrasts in scale and proportion create a sublime effect; McMakin knows the rules and enjoys manipulating the rules. Looking at his projects you realize every architectural detail has been carefully designed.
Vashon Island, WA Residence
37th Avenue Residence
The henrybuilt hb20 kitchen features beautiful materials and minimal detailing. This modern furniture manufacturer started in Seattle, and now with showrooms in New York and Los Angeles (coming soon).
Seattle Showroom
Hours: Tues – Sat 12-5:45
913 Western Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
206.624.9270 tel
Obakki describes itself as “Canada’s premier fashion house”. They have a modern store interior designed by mcfarlane | green | biggar with assistance from Brent Comber on the interior wood details.
The architect created dramatic details like concrete walls with formwork impressions meeting polished concrete floors, white corian objects connected to Comber’s wooden bar and polished stainless steel clothing racks suspended from the ceiling.
A number of objects appear to hover (the corian cash register, stainless steel clothing racks). These floating elements add even more drama and give the impression of lightness and openness.
I liked the story at Comber’s site that described him needing to rent a sawmill for an entire afternoon to cut 30″ square spruce blocks. “It was a little scary but also fun.”
Images courtesy of mgb architecture + design.
I get a little claustrophobic in my 1958 Rambler when I look over the work of Seattle architect Eric Cobb. On the outside his residential architecture design is all about sculptural exterior massing and optimizing the particulars of a given site. On the inside, his designs feature modern space and meticulous detailing.
I hope to have an interview from Eric for I, Wanderer soon … in the meantime enjoy some images from his portfolio of work.
I posted a story about the graphic identity for Melbourne cafe, Mr Tulk a little while ago. I found some interior shots I had taken on a recent visit.
Great space. Great coffee.
The wispy lines and swirly shapes of the Mr Tulk identity get applied all over the interior walls of the cafe. Graffiti meets wallpaper; there’s always something new for your eye to take in. I like the green fixture – the scale of that light is really unique and unexpected. The look of the light is slightly retro but the color and proportion make it feel modern.
Pick up your drinks at the copper bar.
One of the seating arrangements features a communal bar along the wall and a tall table. Note the exposed bulb fixtures dangling overhead. The spare black lines formed by the cords pick up on the wall treatments.
The main room at Mr Tulk features additional table seating along the wall, a large communal work table with red stools and unique lamps and a tiny table with a couple of brown metal stools in the foreground. Double-height windows saturate the space in natural light. Note the additional future-retro fixture attached to the wall in the upper left of the picture, this one is black. Adding the two steps up makes a nice division to the space.
Roy McMakin’s has a one-person exhibition at Matthew Marks Gallery in New York which features a number of the artist’s sculptures and photographs.
Exhibition images.
McMakin continues his familiar vernacular of manipulating mundane objects, or pieces of furniture, by tweaking material, scale, proportion and function. The artist has a knack for taking advantage of the mundane in everyday objects; when a furniture archetype gets a McMakin-remix you know it’s going to have a unique personality, with even more quirks.
Official artist site here.
Roy McMakin: For, at Matthew Marks Gallery.
While I was at the Matthew Marks site, I saw these interesting pieces from the Selected Works section.
Love these patchwork details.
The Chicago Spire, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
01 Editions created their first boxed set edition focusing on the work of Australian architect, Glenn Murcutt. There are 1000 numbered copies of this large format collectors volume available. Each volume set includes: a hard cover book, eight project folders of photographs and architects drawings at original size.
There are only a few places where you can actually view this edition; one of those places is Peter Miller Books, located in Seattle.
Gulassa & Company has been in business since 1990 in Seattle providing comprehensive design and fabrication. They work out of a shop in Queen Anne – but don’t knock on their door thinking it’s a showroom – it’s a production facility. Contact your interior designer to see their work in person. This description is from their website: “We are wood workers, metal workers, glass artists, upholsterers, architectural and graphic designers. By collaborating with clients, architects, contractors, and designers, Gulassa & Company is able to successfully resolve the most complex design issues.”
Here are a few of my favorite pieces from their website.
Japanese Stool. Handcrafted from blackened and oxidized steel using an English Wheel
Stitched Table. Bog Oak and blackened steel
Sculpture Base: Short, Blow-Down Oxidized Douglas Fir & Blackened Steel. Also available in Tall, Olive Ceruse Oak & Blackened Steel. A special sculpture or object would look amazing on one of these bases.
Steel Flooring. Each piece is 24″ x 24″ and has 4 countersunk holes w/screws. I’d imagine you could use this system for walls as well. Check that with your architect.
Be sure to visit the custom work section to see more from the talented artisans at Gulassa. It’s clear that Seattle Architects/Clients enjoy collaborating with them to produce unique details.
Sydney based Greg Natale Design is known for using bold patterns and inspiring designs.
So serene. The beautiful view and gently blowing sheer curtains add to the drama. I can smell the eucalyptus trees. Nice blues trickling out the window to that ocean view.
There are a few things I liked about this bedroom. The scale of the artwork works really well and I like the way its positioned within the darker background on the wall. I like the strip of wood above the headboard and the lights. The lights are discrete; nice to see a less-technical-looking reading light above a bed. The height of the headboard seems really functional; not too high, not too low.
The blue/white theme continues around the corner in a dressing area. Natale uses a lot of rich woods; I like the amount of deep brown wood used here in this example. The amount of light pouring in through those windows would make dressing a pleasure.
Natale is known for a bold use of patterned wall coverings however I favor his interiors that speak a little bit softer, as shown in this kitchen. The exaggerated proportion of that very tall door is great.
Natale also uses dramatic lighting fixtures throughout his designs. I like the fixture used in this kitchen. the photographer did a great job setting up this shot — do you see how the line of the tall cabinets continues in the glossy finish of the cabinets above to the left.
I’m not so sure about the tub sitting flush with the floor. I definitely appreciate the capability of opening the windows to the private courtyard to let the natural light into the space. I like the light fixture above the tub; kinda quirky with some personality.
The Greg Natale Design website is a really well conceived extension of their brand. All the elements are there: drama, pattern and materials.
If you’re an architect, or even the slightest bit interested in architecture or interior design, you need to make the pilgrimage to see the Farnsworth House. The residence is located about 2 hours south and west of Chicago in Plano, Illinois. Farnsworth is now A National Trust Historic Site however when I booked a tour it was still owned by Lord Peter Palumbo.
The site is slightly rolling with Fox River close by. The house is tucked in amongst trees with the focus on the river view. There is a large swatch of green space behind the house.
There was myself and two family members, plus our guide, booked on the tour. We organized the tour several months in advance since tours were strictly limited as Farnsworth was the personal home of Lord Palumbo and his family. Not his only home, one of his homes. Our guide told us Lord Palumbo “collected” architecture the way some of us collect art. In addition to Farnsworth House he owned a Le Corbusier designed residence, among other modernist architects. While he was telling us this we were strolling down the path from the entry/gift shop to the house.
Check out all the patio furniture Lord and Lady Palumbo had on the upper terrace.
It was brilliant to see the white steel amongst the lush green of the trees. If you’ve studied the house you know how the structure of the base is subverted giving the house a lightness and appearance of floating in the landscape. I clicked a few images of the exterior knowing this would be the only chance I could take images as no photos were allowed within the private residence. Stepping up onto the first terrace was like entering another world; you immediately perceived the change underfoot from soft earth to rigid qualities of the stone and steel platform. The Palumbo’s had a number of patio furniture pieces on the upper terrace which set the ‘family’ tone and provided a less sterile first impression. We slipped on some shoe protectors and headed inside.
Every part of the ‘front’ door and hardware was unique. Upon touching the door you knew you were entering an environment where everything had been thoroughly considered and purposefully designed. Beautiful details everywhere you look. The quantity and shape of windows was sublime. The central living space felt perfectly proportioned; it felt like this was the original ‘open plan’. Lord Palumbo had a desk positioned right inside the front door — probably a place to toss his keys when entering. The only problem was there was no space for anything on the desk surface because every square inch was taken up with dozens of personal family photos. One false move or a knock of the desk would cause the frames to topple like dominoes. Careful! Our guide reminded us. We took our time here, enjoying this special peak into the life and experiences of Lord Palumbo.
Our tour continued through the living area where we were able to see a couple of the original Brno chairs Lord Palumbo had used to furnish the interior. Of course they looked perfectly at home in this space. We moved through the bedroom and bathroom. More personal pictures here, given the lack of wall area you have to use every bit of available wall wherever you can find it. The house is small. This house has a tangible intimacy about it. Through to the kitchen – very tidy. Nothing special. Our Guide told us it’s got the efficiency of a ships galley. The kitchen is located along the back of the house facing the large green lawn.
Once again outside we enjoyed more time with our expert Guide while ambling around the grounds. He told us he was an artist — specializing in scrimshaw. Bizarre. We were given as much time as we wanted to explore a series of walks with numerous sculptures. Lord Palumbo had a significant collection of sculptures dotted in the landscape. It was amazing to stumble upon these three dimensional treasures.
The New York Times has a great article with Lady Palumbo describing her families predilection for architecture and how a home should be lived in rather than considered a shrine.
For directions on getting there, details on opening times, more details of the house’s history, and to book a tour, visit www.farnsworthhouse.org.
Resolute lighting features clean lines and fastidious details. Their fixtures are designed and manufactured in Seattle. They have a showroom for designers and customers located downtown; stop in and get inspired for your next project.
One of my favorites (it’s hard to choose because there are so many great designs) is the “quietly elegant” Cloud 2 pendant.