A really cool concept by Dutch designer, Lucas Maassen and his three sons. His Furniture Factory Collection is a fresh collaboration, Maassen employed his sons Julian, Maris and Thijme to paint the pine wood furniture in their factory.
Don’t be outraged or be alarmed about this if you are a parent because as noted in the contract between the boys and their father, they may only work three hours per week as allowed by Dutch child labor laws. I would also like to think that this helps them learn about the concept of hard work and dabble in their creativity.
I’d love to participate in something like this. Paints, brushes and leave me in the Studio – awesome! Check out a cool video about it below.
Film by: Mike Roelofs
Every cafe or hotel owner wants their establishment to be the eating place of choice for all the trendiest customers. They want to be known for their top notch service, serene ambience and sumptuous food, among many other things. This, in the eyes of many, may look like a tall order to fulfill because it all reeks of money. In our current recessionary times, nobody wants to spend money on things that they may still be unsure about. In the hospitality industry, it may not be about the money but about combining creativity with the little things that say a lot.
Tasteful comfortable furniture
Although this may look like an obvious choice, it is often taken for granted and overlooked. This is because; the type of cafe furniture that an eating establishment has can attract or repel customers. Despite limitations in budgeting, if a cafe owner is willing to look around they can be able to find just the right kind of furniture they are looking for and at the right price. The main idea is not to be in a great hurry in this area. The furniture must also be suitable for the space provided to ensure easy movement for both the cafe staff and their many customers.
Targeting a specific niche
When opening a cafe, it is essential to have the ideal customer in mind. This is the person who will be able to appreciate the cafe surroundings and service enough to be able to afford to keep patronizing the cafe at will. The quality and quantity of the offerings at the cafe should be affordable and economical to their ideal customers. They should also be in a geographical location that is easily accessible by many of their niche customers. In the hospitality industry, it is easier to focus on acquiring business from a specific niche customer class than targeting all customers in general.
Interior design
The layout of the cafe chairs and cafe tables is very important in determining whether a first time customer becomes a repeat customer. This is because, many cafes are rather cramped and this impedes movement and compromises on personal privacy. This problem can be forestalled by using a creative layout for the furniture keeping in mind easy access to and from the establishment, easy access to and from the sanitation facilities, and easy access for waiter movement between their many customers. Since space is a premium when it comes to cafe layout, creativity is a bonus when it comes to cafe design.
Color selection
Colors say a lot about the personal taste of the cafe owner. A beautifully designed cafe with special emphasis on color co-ordination talks about an owner who takes the time to create an unforgettable setting for his current and future customers. It also talks volumes about the quality of food that will be served at the cafe. Although the main objective of visiting a cafe is to eat and drink, it is also important to do so in settings that are comfortable and visually aesthetically appealing.
Lighting choices
Cafes ideally should operate virtually around the clock and the type of lighting provided can make them habitable or not. This becomes apparent during the night time because being a public place, the ability to see clearly becomes very important. On top of seeing the kind of food served to them, customers also like to be able to see their surroundings clearly. Lighting can also make a cafe appear cozy and comfortable or shabby and drab depending on the type of lighting devices and their positioning within the cafe.
Samantha Devlin is an interior designer working within the hospitality management industry. She advises her many clients in the hospitality industry on the most fashionable designs for cafe furniture. These include the proper settings for specific styles of cafe tables and matching the most suitable cafe chairs.
P.S. Thank you very much to Sachin of Adage Furniture for sharing this to us and to Samantha for her tips. I hope you found this article helpful (for any of your present and future design endeavours). Have an awesome week everyone! 
Your dining room is a place where you and your family will be spending some time each day. This area is also going to be used when you entertain guests or invite family over for a holiday. So the kind of dining room furniture you buy is important.
Here are some tips to help you get started decorating your dining room-
What type of dining room table will you require? You have to decide whether it is a glass topped one, a regular wood table or whether wrought iron can make more sense. Decide on the shape and the size – round, square or rectangular?
Depending upon the dimensions of your dining area and the size of your family and other requirements, you will also have to decide whether you want a regular 6 seater, a smaller 4 seater or a larger table. Also consider extendable dining tables that can be increased in size when required to accommodate more people or guests.
Consider your chairs – Your chairs don’t have to match your dining room table slavishly. In fact you can create some interesting contrast and combinations using different materials and textures. For instance you may well have a modern looking glass topped table and then team it effectively with more traditional chairs.
Or you can decide whether you want a plain and simple dining table teamed with futuristic chairs of a minimalist aspect. Mixing and matching the dining room furniture in this way can be fun and will offer a highly individualistic and eclectic result.
Consider whether you want stark looking, contemporary designs or whether you want traditional types of chairs. You will also have to decide whether it is armchairs that you want, whether you need them upholstered or not and so on.
What other dining room furniture do you need? Ideally you should pick out the other bits of furniture after you’ve decided on the table and chairs. Because this will inform you how much space you have left over in the dining area, and will also help you create a central theme for your dining room if you so wish.
Hutches are popular options when buying furniture for the dining room. Again here you need not match the hutch or the side board to the table and chairs, rather try and create interesting combinations. Here as well there are several practical aspects to consider – do you need pull out drawers or cabinets / doors and do the doors have to be wooden or glass paned?
Make sure that the sideboards or the hutches you consider are suitable in size and proportion for the area. Also consider whether you will be using it for laying out dishes, for displaying photos, china or artifacts or whether you want it principally for storage of crockery, cutlery, dining linen such as napkins, tablecloths and so on.
Also consider whether you will need dining table furniture accessories such as a table pad, which can help to protect the table surface from heat, dust, spillage and regular wear and tear.
Author bio:
Sarika Periwal represents Amish Furniture Home, a hardwood furniture store where you can buy authentic Amish furniture handcrafted by Amish craftsmen, both online and offline. It is one of the premier furniture stores in Michigan.
P.S. A big thank you to Sarika for providing all these important tips for all of us, they certainly come in handy when you are starting out or doing your own dining room project. On a related note, my family and I love to eat and we spend a great deal of time in our dining area. How about you?
P.P.S. I love putting together and designing dining rooms. Sarika was kind enough to let me pick out the pictures for this post. I definitely had a ball with that and ended up making a sort of collage. Haha.
A Funky Tuesday to Everyone!
To continue on with the “funkiness” of this post, here are a couple of pieces which I am in love with at the moment (I want one of each please. Haha.)
Dubbed as the “Trip Collection” by Italian lifestyle brand Seletti (who came up with the designs as well), this furniture collection actually does a reinterpretation of classic pieces – adding an edgy/funky modern touch. Definitely eye-catching pieces made from MDF with silkscreen prints. The prints include trendy pied-de-poules and polka dots.
This brings two words in mind – Baroque and Versailles.
“(R)evolution is the only solution”
P.S. These pieces made me think of Marie Antoinette (for some weird reason) as well. I am definitely doing a post on her too!
P.P.S. My new favorite drink at the moment is Aloe Vera juice. It’s light and refreshing. I love it ♥! By the way, Georgia is due for a haircut and I hope to be able to bring her to the groomers this week.
I have always loved anything Mediterranean – the cuisine (I even love watching cooking shows with amazing ingredients influenced by cultures near the Mediterranean Sea), the details in the design style (Sparkling sunny days, vibrant produce, vivid turquoise waters), it is basically relaxed design and nature is quite apparent in the architectural elements.
I will expound more on Mediterranean design in a separate post for those of you who wish to know more about it or wish to incorporate in your interiors.
A good example of an interior concept that I am especially in love with right now is the Blanc Restaurant and Lounge of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona. It exhibits a settle Mediterranean feel in a more contemporary setting (I love it! ♥).
Patricia Urquiola, the brilliant designer for the space, made use of creative spatial layouts and a dramatic openess through the ceiling decorations. The palette is mainly neutral and oh so refreshing (to the point of making me gush even. Haha.).
P.S. Yup, having lunch here someday is definitely in my bucket list. (Lunch is between 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Noted. Haha.)
(Steak Salad Photo Credit – Thomas J. Story)
Do you by any chance have a “chair question” ?
I wanted to do something fun with this post and thus will present a couple of stuff to inspire you (design-wise) and give you some ideas. Any element can change an interior’s atmosphere – for this particular post, the element at hand would be furniture, more specifically chairs.
What sort of flashed in my head was the word “Stereotypes”. We basically define stereotypes as fixed and most of the time oversimplified images of a particular thing or even person. Chairs have their own stereotypes too (i.e. Classical Chairs are to be utilized for formal dining settings, Outdoor chairs are strictly for outdoors, etc). I can go on and on but basically people have this preconceived notion of furniture and their (very very limited) limitations in terms of usage. Most people would base it on the look (ex. They would think that minimal/streamlined furniture are solely for contemporary or modern concepts), or material (ex. They would think that metal furniture would work best solely for a dentist’s office or a factory) – you get the idea.
From my personal design preference and how I do spaces, I don’t like to limit myself nor do I like to limit the possibilities – I like to play around more with design, which is probably why I love art and making art as well.
I got thinking and decided to give you a couple of ideas for the question below.
The answer to said question is a very big YES and since I love you all and I love what I do, I decided to not only answer this question in writing but decided to do so as well by showing you. (Wow, clever. Haha.)
I randomly picked out five, very different (in material, shape, style) chairs – so they sort of represent random stereotypes and will show you how you can incorporate them in five corresponding spaces as well. I created a couple of design concepts that will hopefully inspire you and give you ideas and options for your own chairs and spaces. Enjoy!
1. Random Chair No. 1
First up is a Classic Dining Chair with Windsor Arched Seatback and Turned legs (in Whitewood finish). How can you possibly utilize this particular piece besides buying a couple and using them for your dining table you ask?
Well, as a possible option for you , I decided to utilize this chair for either a home office or even a design office. This piece would greatly add a dash of creativity in your work space and it’s not your conventional office chair either. Don’t worry, it has a good back support system and the wood seat would be just as comfy for those long hours (if not, a neutral seat cover can be added).
I usually go for interesting pieces, some good color (this will bring some zest in spite of the work load) and some good storage of course. Check out how I designed the envisioned space below.
2. Random Chair No. 2
How about a vivid-colored chair in red? Would you love to get a couple of Verner Panton S Chairs? To answer the latter – If they are too expensive for you, a couple of not as expensive alternatives would be the Reno Chair Set by Target. To answer the former – don’t be afraid of strong colored chairs. You can definitely utilize them in any space, trust me.
Verner Panton is one of my favorite designers (I remember sketching his chairs for my furniture design class a couple of years back). His S chairs are classic pieces and are stackable and made out of plastic (a new material then). For the design concept below, I decided to use two of the pieces for a unique breakfast space.
Light and easily moveable, these pieces are not solely limited as accent pieces and are definitely not just limited for more modern concepts. I decided to do a fun mix and I must say, I’d love to eat breakfast in the interior below.
Those are my first two looks/concepts and I hope I was able to inspire you in some way and was able to provide you with information you can utilize for your own design needs. Interested to see the rest of the spaces I designed utilizing the other three chairs?
If yes, then definitely stay tuned. I’ll post “Part Two” soon. Have a good weekend!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Yup, I am indeed destined to do a post related to this 1961 romantic comedy film starring Audrey Hepburn. I enjoy watching the movie, I love her, I love Tiffany blue (the color) and I love her classy outfits in the film. This post is simply inevitable.
I am not doing a movie review actually but am talking about a particular space/interior inspired by the film. It is awesome and I’d love to stay there myself
This gem is at the fourteenth floor of the St. Regis Hotel in New York which they aptly named as their “Tiffany Suite”. It has just been revamped recently – the old suite in 1991 then described to be corporate and “imperial”. A couple of specifics include the sizes being 1, 700 square feet (for the one bedroom) and 2, 300 square feet (for the two bedroom), a dining area that sits ten, a view that faces Central Park. A sample floor plan below.
Design-wise, the interior lends a whimsical yet opulent feel to it (with it’s crystal decanters, silver, streaming pearls) and utilizes a timeless color palette of neutrals (such as charcoal, whites, creams, silver) with Tiffany and Co.’s signature Tiffany color as the accent color. A couple of pictures of the beautiful suite below.
I definitely fell in love with this space and I love the lovely mounted wall ornaments (they look so delicate and feminine). I love the Barbara Barry Fretwork Lounge Chairs (with mirror finishes and lacquer)by Barbara Berry for Mcguire.
The person responsible for this is John Loring (Design Director Emeritus of Tiffany and Co.). He wanted to redesign the suite for a young and fashion conscious audience. As quoted, “The style of New York (in the late 80′s and early 90′s) was anything but young, and fresh, and hip. It was rather ponderous and the suite was aimed at a very different audience than today”.
Definitely taking the Tiffany experience to another level!
P.S. With regards to the movie, I definitely love this iconic dress, especially the back detail ♥
The Queen of Love Armchair by Linvin. I want one. Actually, I want a couple. (Haha)
If I have somehow piqued your curiosity about it, this cool armchair which I love is made out of recyclable linear polyethylene – it is thus suitable for both indoors and outdoors (!). I love it for three reasons – 1. The Louis XV style of the design (“An ironic revisiting” as quoted), 2. For a million more reasons which will comprise a paragraph or this entire post itself (haha), 3. For the simple reason that I can’t seem to explain why I love it point-blank. Yes, I am confusing.
I like the whimsical aspect it projects and at the same time I like the fact that it can be a really good statement piece for any décor – simply put, it is surprisingly versatile. Surprising in the sense that it does possess intricate detailing and exaggerated contouring. To add more to it’s amazingness, it is seamless, it resists color fading, it is scratch, shock and weather resistant. It’s composition makes it eco-friendly too.
Gah, there’s more?! (Haha)
Yup, it comes in all these fun colors ♥
I know, I know – all those words for just an armchair. I mean it’s not just any armchair – it’s an awweesssomme chair. (Haha.)
As quoted from the designer, “Linvin’s The Love Collection was born from a simple idea, aiming to become a symbol of positive and free way of being. These beautiful designs project you into the future while remembering the past; a prism in which the light goes through and turns into a rainbow of colors, becoming itself the energy that it’s a symbol of LOVE.”
A couple of these babies it is (and Georgia can have one too if they have a baby version – how cute!). I rest my case
Now, back to my essay. Eep.
As quoted from the CFIF (Cebu Furniture Industries Foundation, Inc.), “Responsible for over 60% of the Philippine exports, Cebu is recognized as the furniture capital of the Philippines. To date, the Philippine furniture export industry, with Cebu as its biggest contributor, ranks among the top ten import source countries of the USA. A big 70% of the total furniture products of the country are exported to the US, and the remaining 30% distributed to the European, Middle Eastern and Asian markets.”
I have always taken great pride in the amazing designers we have here in Cebu – I get inspired by how they have gravitated towards pushing the envelope in design limitations and the innovations they constantly come up with. Being in the interior design field, I had always been exposed to this even when I was still a student in university and my fascination hasn’t wavered even up to now.
Cebu designers and manufacturers make use of indigenous materials such as arorog and butay (coconut twig), rattan, bamboo, sea grass, abaca (manila hemp), tree bark and even termite mounds – I’m telling you, it’s amazing!
A good example of a furniture company – I was able to drop by for a visit to Murillo’s showroom (they have a really cool one) not too long ago. I have always found a liking to their pieces and I love (the opportunity of ) being able to drop by different Cebuano furniture showrooms – I could spend the entire day just ogling their pieces. (True story. Haha.)
Looks cool doesn’t it?
Quick Details about Murillo’s Export International -
1. They define their brand as – “Innovative ways of interpreting tradition”. This company is engaged in design and manufacture of high quality furniture and accessories.
2. Murillo furniture, accessories and art works are hand made inside their factory in Cebu, Philippines.
3. They utilize rattan, wicker, leather, iron, aluminum, wood, abaca, sea grass and other natural materials mixed with man-made ones. They like to play around with subtle contrasts on colors and textures and they lean on clean fluid lines and excellent details.
They were nice enough (and super cool!) to lend us some of their pieces and they have really good service. (Big thanks to Sir Allan Murillo and Lorelyn!)
I will definitely post more about other furniture designers here in Cebu in the future and a big kudos to the Cebu and Philippine Furniture Industry! Let us all show our support
I love going over the results of interior design awards. The winning designs/interiors and the designers themselves are very inspiring. I enjoy going over the creative outputs that they come up with and I learn a great deal from them too!
Big congratulations to this year’s IIDA Interior Design Competition winners. (IIDA stands for International Interior Design Association and this year’s competition is their 38th.)
To quote Sara Robertson (in her More Than Meets the Eye article), “Interior design competitions are far more than mere beauty pageants – they involve a complex system of entry and judgement and lead to much more than an award in name for all those involved.”
I agree with her statement that there’s no refuting that interior design is a visual profession BUT that it is not just limited to that. Aesthetics are considered (surely) but what they focus more is the idea being presented and the quality of it’s execution. It is a learning opportunity for everyone involved.
Here are a couple of pictures of some of the winning entries. Enjoy!
Project Title: One Shelley Street
Project Location: Sydney, Australia
Firm: Clive Wilkinson Architects, West Hollywood, CA
Project Title: Nokia
Project Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Firm: Gensler, San Francisco, CA
Project Title: Bar Agricole
Project Location: San Francisco, CA
Firm: Aidlin Darling Design, San Francisco, CA
Those are just three of the six award winners. The Best of Competition winner will be announced in June. Mehrdad Yazdani, the Principal Interior Designer of Los Angeles-based Yazdani Studio of Cannon Design and a winner of the IIDA’s 36th Annual Competition, says that one has to be “simple, powerful and concise for a judge who only has a few minutes to grasp your project.” Submissions have to be as effective as possible and it should be conveyed a strong manner.
To inspire you, I end this post by quoting D.B. Kim (an independent designer in New York and has judged several competitions) – “It’s not just about mimicries of the trends. The competition is all about the details – I’m looking at the future.”
P.S. I am also including a picture of a dish I have great affection for particularly (I mean I love food a great deal ♥ Haha.). I am most certainly a risotto girl and the one below is a really good one – it was creamy and had just the right consistency (the mushrooms were juicy and flavorful as well). A very good meal for a busy day
Sprinkle a bit of pepper and introduce to your tastebuds. Yum ♥
P.P.S. Before March officially comes to an end, I just wanted to say that The Sea Green Journal is already seven months old. Yey! To the upcoming months and more posts – cheers!
There is no typical day for an interior designer (you learn something new or get exposed to something different every single day). Yes, you will deal with the “usual” – floor plans, technical drawings, furniture, sourcing and they might seem to be the same thing over and over again for some people but they don’t for me (for the most part). I am still venturing out and I believe I still have a lot to learn and discover out there – but I find it very exciting and its something I look forward to constantly. (Yes, I am weird.)
This day is something I would like to share because it’s a sample of how my day, as an interior designer, is like (to a certain extent). It’s fun and I love it (In spite of extreme heat exposure at times, the dust – Ok, I’ll stop. Haha.)
We decided to get something to eat first (and continue our discussion on the things we needed to get done), we initially thought this would be a more laid back day. I didn’t want something that resembled breakfast during this particular breakfast (I have those days). I had the adobo flakes/adobo rice (Adobo is a popular dish in the Philippine cuisine. You basically marinate and cook meat in a sauce of vinegar, garlic and soy sauce and then simmer it said sauce after. Yup, this is typically yummy.) The one I had was alright after some doctoring, I added pepper (I put pepper in everything these days. Haha.) and some sauce. I also had a glass of their frozen lemonade.
We stopped by to inspect and check on the paneling and bookcase – to check on how they are turning out and discuss painting stuff. They turned out quite nicely. I fell in love with the furniture and the shop – their wood was beautiful period and were also beautifully made. They had really cool pieces that I wanted to get for myself (Haha) – the chairs above are good examples. I love furniture shops (and not just showrooms but the actual shop where pieces are made and you see saw dust and hear tools whizzing).
We went to two different plant/landscaping centers to check out the plants they have and decide on which ones we will need. It was quite hot and a bit muddy but amazing nevertheless. There were some really pretty ones and it’s amazing to see so much green in just one setting. We dropped by a home building center before this to look for some paint and check on some lighting fixtures.
We decided to take a short break at some point and went to this cool cafe for lunch. I will never get tired of this particular dish at all. I love food breaks – I always look forward to it (haha). Energized and well regrouped (we made calls to coordinate with deliveries and specifications), we continued on to our day and tasks.
This picture was taken for my friend, Pongee (haha). By this time, we had already dropped by three fabric stores and another hardware store to look for the ever elusive paint color we wanted (they didn’t have it) and thus we had to drive to two more different hardware stores after this.
By the end of the day – I was tired, looked like a wilted flower and in pain. (Ok, that was an exaggeration. Haha. Or not.) For fortunate days such as this, I am very grateful. Keep them coming.
P.S. Georgia news – her right eyelid is slightly swollen and I am freaking out (or was freaking out). Most likely an insect bite, worrying that she might be uncomfortable and dealing with the unknown made me quite teary. I gave her a bath right way (a couple of hours before this post was up) and used some of her skin treatment shampoo on the affected area in the hopes that it will relieve the spot. Georgia doesn’t look uncomfortable thankfully and has slept right after her bath which has calmed me a bit already. Off to the vet as soon as possible and here are a couple of pictures of her after said unplanned bath time.
I love you, little Georgia ♥
P.P.S. If you have time on your hands and would like to read something design-related/design project – Click here, here and here (in said order please). Haha. Thanks!
Have a good week ahead, everyone!
I love tea ♥
This is the last part of my “Launch and Gallery” post/series (Reader – Thank God!, Pau – *sad face* Haha). This post will feature more pictures design-wise and just show bits and pieces of the exhibit. We officially ended today in terms of egress and it was a good one(both the egress and the exhibit). Feel free to go over the pictures below. Enjoy!
Have a good week, everybody!
P.S. Yup, that about sums it up (haha) – they left me alone with my camera. If you wish to check out part 1 of the Launch and Gallery, you may do so here. Curious about how this came together and would like to view some behind the scenes snippets, do a clicky here.
P.P.S. I had to get a souvenir shot. (Come on, dude. Haha.)
A new twist – we have heard about this before or have seen in a movie or perhaps have experienced it or are experiencing it at the moment. I basically associate “new twists” as something fresh to bring to the table, something different to fuel up your creativity or something that makes things simply interesting.
It could be something as simple as a new ingredient in your usual ice cream order (Chocolate chili ice cream?) for example or even a little umbrella or some watermelon flavored ice cubes in your lemonade (What am I saying exactly? Haha). As always, this is not just limited to drinks or movie plots but it does materialize (a lot of times) in the design world – may it be the use of new material for a lighting fixture or a different interpretation of design styles.
Here are a couple of kids (to preteens) rooms (and kids furniture) that I love at the moment and are good examples.
Look A
Look B
A play on kids rooms and furniture has happening for some time now (awhile now actually) and I have taken a liking for the ones above because of their baroque feel – I love all things baroque! (Haha)
This particular line was a collaboration of Di Liddo & Perego with Naj-Oleari for the latter’s 2009 Spring-Summer Collection. They wanted something young, fresh and extremely colorful. I love the romanticism feel that the line exudes and wouldn’t mind having a few of these pieces in my own room (they are quite pretty!).
P.S. I have been experiencing “new twists” of my own at present and it can be scary when you have no control over the outcome/s but it’s alright. I try to take things in stride and do what is best for the situation. Wish me luck!
P.P.S. Georgia’s new twist at the moment – sipping/licking fresh fruit juice (we put fresh fruit in the juicer) from her green bowl and I have to say she likes it and she looks really cute! (Haha).
I’ve been up for a few hours now (Good Morning!) and let me tell you that it’s still quite early (and I’m not even a grandparent yet! I kid. Haha.)
The little one (Georgia) is awake now as well – I just hand fed her, gave her some vitamins and some water. She just needs to do her morning poop and weewee before we are good to go (I apologize for even discussing this. I guess it’s still too early for my brain to work. Haha). Basically she’s settled and good which is great since I have an appointment in a few hours and this will be a crazy (good crazy and busy) day for me so I want her to be comfortable while I’m gone for the day.
Back to business/ serious mode on
This post will include snippets about how the design concept for the gallery exhibit took shape. Let’s get into everything. I sort of did an outline so that it’ll be more comprehensive. Enjoy!
Design Concept Options
Here are a couple of options that we initially came up with. You will get a clear picture of how the design played out and evolved.
We provided two color options for our own consideration – You can see the effect of color and how it projects a certain feel/atmosphere (For this particular example, it’s settle but it’s there.)
These are more recent revisions made by taking certain aspects into consideration (ex. availability of resources, budget, art center management requirements, what would really work for the space and it’s intended use, etc.)
Prior to Ingress
While securing everything and making sure all the necessary parts comes together (amazingly of course – we had our fingers crossed). This involved lots of long hours, meetings, sun/the elements/heat exposure, meal deprivation, coordination, etc. We also had to work with the management and the hours the mall keeps – this translates to paint works being done after mall hours (think 9 pm to beyond 2 am and a few more hours for drying) and installations done before mall hours (think 6 am to before 10 am).
When working on things like these (or being in this profession in general), you (have to) expect that a lot of things will definitely go wrong (it might even be frustrating to a certain extent) before it’ll be alright. Things will definitely go wrong – only cream benches are available at the last minute instead of the black ones you requested and one of those is at a really far away branch, wines weren’t coordinated properly with catering, lighting fixtures aren’t available, no delivery truck for the freestanding lamp, lettering in the wrong color, you have to pick up platforms and be back in time to see to another delivery (this time for the console table, the plants, etc.) – I can go on (haha) but we’ll end there for now. You just have to take things in stride, squeeze in a meal at some point and focus on what can be done – on how problems can be solved.
Exhibit Floor Plan
Painting customized wall panel installations in the shop with brushes on hand (Original Artwork by Paula and Bernie – haha.) This was definitely messy – paint in your hair, everywhere (but a fun stress reliever). I am very proud of how the wall paneling turned out, they are definitely awwesssooommee *surfer dude accent* (Haha)
After sixteen hours – you can definitely do some smiling already because things are starting to come together quite nicely. Haha.
Above all, this is an entirely amazing profession and the exhibit was great. I felt a sense of fulfillment watching the gallery (and your design concepts in general) take shape and seeing the potential of the space being brought out and executed – interior design and all it entails amazes me still and I think it always will. It is possibly the nearest thing to giving birth we suppose (for Bernie and myself that is. Haha). I am also very grateful to everyone who helped out one way or another. Thank you!
If you wish to see pictures of the launching and exhibit (part one), you can find it here. If you have time, do drop by for a visit. The exhibit runs until today. Cheers!
I love doing gallery/exhibit design.
In my previous post, I mentioned an exhibit that we are having at the moment (it’s still ongoing) and I’m providing details (and pictures) in this post and the upcoming posts as well. Bernie (another interior designer and a good friend) and I are the gallery design and launching coordinators. We were basically swamped (we did the interior design for the gallery, sourcing, customized paneling which we painted ourselves, etc. – basically everything down to the execution) and this does take a good amount of preparation, people. It was a lot of fun though. (haha. it’s true!)
Cocktails Night
To formally launch the gallery, we had cocktails night which included the ribbon cutting ceremony and blessing and a formal program. Have fun viewing the pictures below.
If you have time, do drop by for a visit. The exhibit/gallery is at SM Cebu’s Art Center from the 6th of March until the 19th (don’t forget to sign the guestbook).
Please stay tuned for part two! I’ll discuss design details and feature some behind the scenes insight. Rock mode (translation: stay put please).
P.S. A couple of pictures with me in them (i.e. work mode and cocktail night pretty mode. haha.). Balancing – there is a certain art to it.
Note: Bernie and I have been working on ingress for 16 hours already when this picture was taken. We don’t look too shabby if I may say so myself. (haha)
P.P.S. Our launch advertisement in the local paper.
I (have been and) am loving Tortie Hoare’s furniture pieces. I love the fact that her pieces are handmade and that she takes a lot of effort to research ways on how to create her pieces (and their structures) in an environmentally conscious manner.
Dubbed as Designer of the Year 2010 by New Designers, her motivation in coming up with her furniture pieces is something she considers as simple. It’s all about being ergonomic, durable and being aesthetically pleasing.
I love natural furniture that focuses on the materials and acknowledging that form of beauty. Here are a couple of her pieces (below) that I am in love with in particular.
Butterfly Chair
Dimensions – 0.76 x 0.78 x 0.50 meters
The said chair is made out of aero ply (a quick definition – made from three thin layers of birch and is only one mm thick when bonded together; was designed to be used on aeroplane wings as it can be curved so effectively), hessian (a quick definition – a strong, coarse fabric made from jute) and resin (a quick definition – a solid or liquid polymer used as a basis of plastics, adhesives and other related products).
The main traits that the designer wanted to express through the design was “fun, environmentally conscious and intelligent design which is educational”.
Seat
Dimensions – 0.61 x 0.38 x 0.43 meters
This furniture piece wasn’t named as specifically as the piece above (I can’t be sure what its name is but its simply cool). It is made out of oak and boiled leather – I love the “natural” feel it exudes. It is said to be extremely comfortable and is quite light and versatile. It comes in a limited edition of 30.
Can I have both pieces please? I love the uniqueness of the first piece and the print. I love the leather craftsmanship of the second one.
P.S. I am reading a good book. I’m thinking about drinking some tea at the moment. I have yet to confirm if we have the lounge chairs (in mustard – color) that we want for the gallery. I am quite random and I am a bit under the weather (i.e. snot and feeling a bit feverish). But it’s alright.
P.P.S. Does the sneezing count as exercise? Haha. I kid.
Yup, I always take pictures of pretty flowers. I love them.
Belated Happy Valentines day! Yup, quite a late greeting (Haha). Pictures from the other week (below). Bernie and I went sourcing for the gallery launching which will be in a few more weeks. We have been attending to a lot of things for the said event (coordinating with installations, choosing and looking for pieces, taking measurements, brainstorming, etc.).
But I love it – I love my profession and the complexities it entails. I hope I get to do more and explore (said profession) further in the years to come. Cheers.
P.S. We also look forward to lunch time (sounds like school. Haha) and enjoy eating good food. Yey! With regards to the food below (in case you are curious), the shrimp was amazing. I loved my peppered steak (Yup, I love chips a great deal) and Bernie said her cream dory was good too.
P.P.S. Even though it’s that time of the month, try to persist and don’t let said predicament hinder you. Quick Tip: Brush your hair and wear a pretty dress (and some color) and you’ll be set. At least that’s how I did it. Haha.
I hope we all have a good and productive week!
It’s funny how time flies by so fast and October will be at my doorstep in just a couple more hours. I will be “traveling” in a few more weeks and I have things to attend to before then. By the way, here are two of my well-liked furniture pieces for today – they have the international contemporary feel going.
Pleats (Stephen Burks)
This furniture piece by (acclaimed industrial designer) Stephen Burks has a three-dimensional quality about it (due to the pleated fabric upholstery). It utilizes traditional steam plating techniques and has a powder coated steel base plate. It comes in two sizes as a sofa and fabric choices are down to plain, untextured wools. (More images of Pleats below.)
Drop Stool (Monica Förster)
This furniture piece by Monica Förster (creator of some of the well-known objects in contemporary Swedish design today) is about clean lines and smooth contours. Organic (in shape), it is made from polyurethane foam with a technical woven stretch cover.
Examples of the Technical Knit Cover Swatches
P.S. Yep, I am drawn to color and furniture with color (I love color! ). I am also drawn to good design too! (Haha.)
Hi Everyone!
It has been a good few days since my last post (I think this post makes up for it since it’s quite a long one). Things that happened since then – 1. Our Exhibit for Philconstruct, 2. Whirlwind Egress, 3. Weekend Remnants and Shawarma Craving, 4. I got sick (I’m not sure but I’ve narrowed the culprits/suspects to the following: honey stars, dumplings and my aunt’s beef soup. Thus I’ve been avoiding those and I hope I do feel better soon).
On to what this post is all about – the Philconstruct Visayas 2010. I did say that I will write about (and provide pictures) in this post. Were some of you able to go? If there are a couple of yeses, thanks a lot! (and I hope you had fun ). I certainly did since I love doing exhibits (more specifically interior mock-ups) and I love construction shows.
For those who weren’t able to go, this post can help you out.
Beautiful Flower Arrangement (We had this at our dining set-up)
Overview
“PHILCONSTRUCT Visayas 2010″ is a construction show which features the latest in building and construction in terms of both technology and design. It brings together engineers, construction companies, contractors, builders, developers, interior designers and architects – as well as general spectators who are interested in such fields or those who wish to view the exhibits.
It is the first of its kind to be held in Cebu since it was held only in Manila for the last 20 years (By the way, a separate show was also feature in Mindanao last July). There were 300 booths during the event and product varieties were aplenty.
Philconstruct Visayas 2010 was organized by the Philippine Contractors Association, Inc. (PCA) and the Cebu Contractors Association, Inc. (CCA). It was held on September 9-11, 2010 at the Pacific Ballroom of Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino.
Philconstruct Visayas 2010 Poster (Here you go.)
As always, I took a gazillion pictures and you can peruse over them below. By the way, if you wish to view more pictures of our interior mock-ups (and I mean all of them) – they are in this post. Have fun!
Launch Day (September 9, 2010)
Quick Perfomance during the Opening and Blessing of Philconstruct Visayas 2010
Organizers and other Contractors with Mayor Rama (Cebu City Mayor)
The Contractors used jackhammers during the “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony” (Coolio!)
Kitchen and Dining (Modern Classic)
(We got to choose which booths we wanted to design and conceptualize – I joined this and it was amazing. )
I had to get the ornamental metal flowers – they contrasted nicely with the red wooden plate.
I had to get these jars (they were a pair) as well. I love patterns.
This was simply beautiful – it added a touch of elegance to our dining area. One would think that it is an origami creation.
Our Beautiful Modern Classic Kitchen and Dining Exhibit
Condo Living (Contemporary)
I love their graceful swan ornament. The red candle holder adds a punch of color.
I like this printed metal bowl (We were supposed to have one in the Kitchen and Dining area as well).
Hotel Suite (Post Modern)
These prints are simply classy.
Toilet and Bath (Indoor | Outdoor)
I love the rawness of the untreated wood panels.
Other Exhibits and Exhibitors
These models were displayed at the UAP Exhibit Booths (All of their chapters had a booth). I love models and had been fascinated by them since I was small.
Cupcake Time!
Can I have a whole tray to myself please?
For all those who have been reading The Sea Green Journal, you would know by now that I absolutely love cupcakes. The Häfele booth was definitely coolio. They featured a real modern kitchen and they had Chef Kim baking all sort of treats there throughout the duration of the construction show. They invited us over and I was over the moon (haha). The cupcakes and cookies were delicious!
By the way, in case you wanted more information about Häfele (sans baked treats) – Häfele Philippines Inc. is a subsidiary of the German based Hafele Group. They are a supplier of Furniture Fittings, Architectural Hardware and Electronic Locking Systems.
P.S. Here are a couple of pictures with me in them.
With Pol and Ann a few hours before Egress.
P.P.S. I ate a lot during the duration of the exhibit.
Yum! I love you too.
(Photo Credits – Paula Cañete)
This is just a quick post and will just feature more pictures of the Interior Mock-ups we did during the Philconstruct Visayas 2010. The pictures I posted in the main post are more of my “artsy shots” and I thought these pictures (below) will be supplemental and will greatly help out those who wanted to see the exhibit but weren’t able to.
By the way, for the main and proper post on the Philconstruct Visayas 2010 – you can find it in this post.
Interior Design Mock-ups
(Photo Credits – PIID Cebu Chapter)
It’s already the middle of the week and things have been amazing so far. The days passed by in a blur (sort of) – scurrying to get this and that, supervising construction parts, errands, everyday obstacles, securing furniture, dealing with “we have a situation” scenarios, meeting deadlines, a bit of drama (But it’s all good. We just have to take them in stride and if we can’t, we try still), etc. Being an Interior Designer is the best thing in the world in my opinion (as weird as it may sound, correlating the above).
I mentioned the exhibit we are having for Philconstruct in my last post and everyone has been buzzing with activity and dealing with preparations since the beginning of the week. I got home late tonight feeling sleepy and a bit fuzzy as the adrenaline bits have started to wear off but I am happy and excited – I love doing exhibits! (haha).
Here are a few pictures of the construction part, sort of the behind the scenes portion. By the way, the exhibit will formally open tomorrow and things are already shaping up. Enjoy!
That was basically it – for now. I need to go to bed now since I have to wake up early to check on the “retoucher person” for our accent wall, he’ll be there by 7:30 in the morning (eep) and I am sort of pooped as well. But indeed it is a lot of fun. (Righhhhht Pau. Haha.)
Wish us luck during the formal opening. Thanks!
P.S. I gave the little one a bath a few days ago. By the way, Georgia doesn’t really enjoy baths – she gets scared of the water. It stresses us both in a sense (her stress factors – being bathed, her fear of water; my stress factors – her being stressed and agitated during bath time. It breaks my heart to see her so distressed). I love you, Georgia!
Sad face, Georgy Porgy? It breaks mummy’s heart 
Let’s give you a big cuddle and some treats for being such a good sport during bath time.
P.P.S. Thank you very much, Mr. Wonderful! You are the bestest.
Hello Everyone! (I don’t know. I just wanted to say that. Haha.)
Like what I mentioned in my previous post, I am doing a post about “Flower Chairs” (i.e. this post). Yep, “Flower Chairs” – that’s how I refer to them in a sense, it’s how I like to call them.
These interesting and very pretty chairs are from Floral Art. Their designs are inspired by fashion, architecture and interior design – the designer’s signature is “fresh, innovative aesthetic”. On a side note, I have big plans for these chairs (haha). I can picture a million ways on how to incorporate them in the interiors I’m doing. There are certain pieces that just make me itch (figuratively speaking) and quite excited to design an interior around them or incorporating them – these chairs are very good examples.
Fuchsia Peony Floret
This chair’s back and legs are of Clear Lucite, the chair frame is of a white wood finish (high gloss) and it has white faux leather upholstery. It features a peony design for the backrest.
Succulent Floret (Armless)
This chair is made out of Clear Lucite, it has a white wood finish (high gloss) and white faux leather upholstery. It features a succulent (sempervivum) design on the backrest.
Orchid Floret
This chair has Clear Lucite back and and legs, a white wood finish frame (high gloss) and white faux upholstery. It features an orchid design for the backrest.
P.S. Lucite is a solid transparent plastic material. It is made out of polymethyl methacrylate (Basically the same material as plexiglass or perspex. Trivia – Perspex can be used for the bodies of electric bass guitars).
I definitely want to channel subtleness right about now, slowing things down and making way for the weekend (one more day to go). Channeling subtleness to me consists of two words (and I love these words!) at the moment – 1. Pretty, 2. Romantic.
You might wonder, is there such a thing as romantic interiors? I mean, pretty? yes. But romantic?
I love pretty things!
Of course, there most definitely is (Lo and behold, one of the “many wonders of Interior Design” – from both a biased and unbiased perspective). Idealistic and in the “head-in-the-clouds” fashion – such interiors (the ones in particular that I am referring to are the ones featured in this post) remind me of ballerinas, elegant china, the beauty of worn furniture, lace, the “aged” appeal, pieces with stories, delicate roses, mismatched and well-loved furniture.
Have fun looking over these pretty pictures and pretty interiors.
P.S. An ideal lazy sunday afternoon (my personal preference; don’t forget naps).
With some lemonade – how lovely. Sigh.
P.P.S. A big hello to Rachell Ashwell – from the girl who is in love with you (for more than a decade now) and what you bring to design.
Earlier today, I was able to go (squeeze in some time) and check out the One Cebu Expo 2010. It is one of the featured activities for the 441st Founding Anniversary of the Cebu Province. Local products from the different towns of Cebu (examples include Dumanjug, Carcar, etc.) are on display as well as furniture and various world-class products.
Pretty Flowers
The said Expo is also expected to strengthen relations (in trade) with participating countries and Cebu’s local business (helping out our local business is a plus). Delegates from other countries such as China, Malaysia and Vietnam are expected to attend.
The Expo aims to – 1. Highlight Cebu as a tourist destination, 2. More importantly, as a place of creativity (as expressed through the various products of our manufacturing industries).
The first level features stalls with local delicacies, locally made soaps and even fresh produce. There is an events display as well – with table setting and couture cakes. There is an art gallery featuring paintings for local well-known artists – my art professor from our fine arts department in college had his amazing paintings there as well.
The second level features furniture (their usual protocol is that picture taking is not allowed – especially for furniture companies displaying their designs), home accessories, jewelry and mixed knick knacks – like a bazaar. Participants to the One Cebu Business and Sustainability Summit for 2010 were there - their convention was taking place at the second level.
Once again, a gazillion pictures (haha. I love taking pictures.) to show you what the Expo is like. Have fun!
At the Exhibit
Snack Time
Congratulations to all the participants and the people behind the One Cebu Expo. I for one appreciated all the hard work you guys had contributed for the event. The Expo is at the CICC (Cebu International Convention Center) from the 7th of August to the 16th.
My friend, Pongee, (and their furniture company) is one of the exhibitors as well. Please drop by Clear Export’s Display if you can.
P.S. Too much stuff for such a petite person. The mirror was quite dusty (very random).
There I am. Hello!
P.P.S. I just wanted to let you know that I had dessert as well (finished all of it). It is the most important part of any meal (in my opinion).
Yum. I love you.
This is one of my ultimate obsessions and one of my forever favorite things – quilted/patchwork furniture. Since I can remember, I always had this preference for quilted things and patchwork. The bags I buy (most of them as of late) are quilted or are of a patchwork design. (Mental note to self – I need to get at least one solid colored one at present.)
A very good example of said furniture are those by Squint – they make such amazing pieces! As quoted (though not word for word), each piece they make is unique and a “testament to the nature of couture craftsmanship”.
Owned by British Designer, Lisa Whatmough (who had delved into painting and sculpting as well), the pretty furniture pieces are a good collaboration of period furniture and textiles. Each piece is unique since the fabrics are from Lisa’s antique collection with a mash-up of modern ones.
The Heritage Collection
Georgian Wing Chair
This collection is Squint’s interpretation of “looking back to the very finest of historical English design” – think of elegance. The pieces are made with hardwood (constructed by hand) and mahogany legs which are carved (by hand as well). Damasks and satins are used, as well as appliqué and gold thread.
Bawburgh Sofa
The Bespoke Collection
Chippendale Stool
The Bespoke Collection is an incorporation of vintage and contemporary fabrics. They are upholstered traditionally with hand stitched seams.
The Pebbles
Squint’s latest release is the Shoreditch Collection which they say is part of their contemporary range. The first two styles are sectional pieces.
The 46
Indeed such exquisite pieces and I am very much in love with all of them. Squint also has other furniture pieces in their collections such as chaises, dining chairs, lighting and accessories.
Someday, I hope I get to buy one (or two, or three, or…) of Squint’s pieces since I have always (always) envisioned having quilted furniture pieces for my home in the future.
I hope this is something bold and bright to add to your weekend!
P.S. Without question, I plan to get a quilted furniture piece for the little one too! Something similar to this or whatnot (haha) –
