Balance, Design, Products, Technology
November 4, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Where we’ve been this week…
1. Four – as in four-legged friends. It takes a lot to get me to linger on a pet’s site so this wonderfully designed doggy destination was a surprise. Check out their post on Kuntzel+Deygas who painted the Eames chair below.
2. Designer Alvin Aronson’s site for this cool prototype of a perfectly white digital clock.
3. Design Milk for their post on this pencil holder from Giha Woo.
4. Swissmiss for her post on Instagram – an obsession I share. It’s a lithe little bit of social media perfect for capturing just about everything and now it looks like the pics can be accessed more easily, making it an even better work tool.
5. Cool Hunting for the story on all-natural cleaning porducts. Perfect for getting that desktop sparkling.
6. Wallpaper magazine for their lovely “Letter from Japan” architecture update. Below – House in Seya, Kanagawa, by Suppose Design Office.
7. Design Applause’s coverage of Belkin’s green power strip.
8. Dwell’s excellent “Small Spaces” series (the house below is the most recent addition to the series).
9. A Brief Message for Hugh Graham’s short essay on design – “We have the opportunity and the responsibility to create a world where each object and experience is filled with value, where living with less but better is both joyful and meaningful.” We couldn’t agree more.
10. Field Notes new red notebooks. I use these little notebooks in the car and always have one on hand in my purse. Nicely designed, small and light weight.
Balance, Design
November 3, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Lloyd Alter has taken a rather circutious route to his current job as design editor of Treehugger (which has just undergone a wonderful redesign). He is trained as an architect, worked as a real estate developer, became disillusioned with that process and began promoting green prefab housing in 2001. He was one of the first bloggers to write about modern prefab. The home above is an award winning modular design that Alter was key in commissioning (you can read more about it here). He joined Treehugger in 2004 and today covers issues around land use, urban planning, design and architecture. Where does this busy man work? When I skyped recently with Lloyd I got a peek at his office. Here it is in a bit more detail.
“OK here it is, I cleaned it up and cannot believe I left a beer bottle on the counter…Oh well, it is craft beer. I have a Herman Miller Executive Series desk that I use as a side table, because I really work at my old drafting table, set level as a standing desk. At 42″ it is just a bit narrow for my Macbook and 24 inch monitor, along with Joey Roth’s ceramic speakers (below left). On the side is my beloved 1968 Contempra phone in bright orange, designed by John Tyson and a Canadian classic (below right). On the shelf to the side is part of my camera collection; I tried to sell my six polaroids on eBay and couldn’t get fifty bucks. The Nelson perch chair in front is really for show; when I have to sit I use the hard metal drafting chair to the right, it is more comfortable.
Next time: no beer, and some wire management work.”
Credit: Portrait of Lloyd Alter Chris Young for The New York Times
Technology
November 1, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
We attended the April EcoFocus event in New York where various companies display their new green technology. Here is roundup of eight pieces that caught out eye.
1. Samsung Replenish: At the Sprint table several devices were displayed showing off the new Green ID pack including the new Samsung Replenish.
2. SodaStream: We enjoyed sipping some delicious pear soda from the new Fizz machine from SodaStream. How is SodaStream green? All SodaStream soda makers come with reusable bottles that last up to 3 years! Great for staying hydrated at your desk.
3. HP EliteBook Notebook Computers: These unibody aluminum laptops with built in energy monitoring software cut a sharp figure and reminded us of a more boxy MacBook Pro.
4. The 4th Bin: We’re not going to lie, it was the vintage mobile phone that brought us to The 4th Bin table to learn about their electronic recycling services they offer in NYC.
5. Philips LED Lighting: At Philips we checked out the Imageo CandleLights and the new color changing lights.
6. ThinkEco Modlet: The Modlet by ThinkEco helps you to be aware of your energy consumption by simply plugging your electronics into the Modlet device and using the PC software to track and monitor (Mac software is coming soon).
7. Camileo BW10: In addition to showing off their laptops and mobile monitor, Toshiba also had the new Camileo BW10 on display, a tiny waterproof HD camcorder that records in full 1080p.
8. Pixi Lighting: These LED lights offered quite a soft glow which reminded us of the warm glow of incandescent bulbs.
By Joelle Alcaidinho.
This story appears in partnership with Unplggd, a site for people who embrace technology and design in their home.
Balance, Design, Products, Technology
October 28, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Where we’ve been this week…
1. Poketo’s blog for their day-in-the-life story on artist Karolin Schnoor. Includes some interesting workspace shots.
2. Eastern Design Studios for their incredible residential work.
3. Monocole’s new radio station. Streams great music while you work (above).
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Balance, Design
October 24, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
We came across Elizabeth Roberts, who runs her design practice from her home in Brooklyn, on Remodelista back in February. Here Roberts talks about her work, how she found herself studying architecture at Berkeley to opening up her own practice after working at William Turnbull in Northern California and Beyer Blinder Belle in New York.
1. You are a designer based in New York. Tell us about your background. What led you into this field? In high school I thought about going into architecture. A friend of my mother’s who was an enviably strong woman and feminist suggested that it was a great field for women. Everyone in my family were doctors so in my sophomore year in college I told my mother I’d finally decided to declare my major as “pre-med”. She was silent and finally she blurted out that she’d hoped I would do something with my creative abilities. That summer I spent as an intern at an architecture firm and I studied art in Paris during my Junior year. When I finally decided to study architecture my mother was the one who helped me apply to transfer to UC Berkeley while I was in Paris –I will always appreciate that encouragement from her!
After I graduated I ended up in New York City. It was a recession and there weren’t many jobs out there. One of my professors who I had worked with at William Turnbull Associates suggested that I specialize in Historic Preservation. It made sense. I had spent a few summers as a “site architect” at a dig in Crete and was interested in architectural history. I’m glad that I followed his advice, mostly because I ended up in New York and haven’t left ever since…
2. Your work exudes a warm minimalism and I think part of that is your use of timber in your projects -whether it be a beautiful wood dining table or kitchen island. How would you describe your style? Are you conscious of keeping spaces spare but soft-edged? Yes, I think one of the things that is very important to me is to “showcase” certain elements in a space –to allow enough space and “quiet” around an object for it to be seen. That often translates into wood against a painted surface, or a colorful item beside a white surface.
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Balance, Design
September 29, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
David Airey is a graphic designer, author and since going out on his own in 2005 he’s become a touchstone for people working outside of the office. His post on how to transition to a life as a self-employed designer caught my attention in March of last year. Looking back through emails we’ve been dancing around this interview for a while now. I’ve reposted some of his writings here on Lifework but now we get a tour of his home workspace in Northern Ireland. And we’re not alone in our admiration of this designer – his design blogs Logo Design Love, davidairey.com and brand identity showcase Identity Designed attract more than one million monthly Pageviews.
Above: The view from Airey’s home office in Northern Ireland.
You’ve undergone major changes in your worklife – first when you moved from working in an office to basing yourself out of your home and then again when you moved homes. Can you tell us about those transitions? The first change (switching from an office to working from home) was in 2005 when I chose to become self-employed. My past employer became my first retainer client, giving me two or three days of contracted work per week (for 18 months or so). Because of which, I can’t remember too many nerves about going it alone.
People ask if it’s hard to motivate myself. I mean, there are always plenty of distractions when your home doubles as your workspace. Thankfully, I’ve never had much trouble. Maybe it was my upbringing — my dad made me appreciate the value of hard work.
What do I miss? Walking to work. I used to walk through the centre of Edinburgh each morning and evening. Loved it. Nowadays my daily commute takes five seconds. 10 if you count both ways.
Moving house is something I’m used to. Since first leaving my parent’s home when I was 19 I’ve lived at about 15 different addresses. That’ll be why there’s not a lot in my office — you tend to shed the junk each time you move.
You’ve set up a home workspace twice now – what did you do differently the second time? It’s six times. Six house moves since 2005. Each time for the better, though, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be completely happy with how my workspace looks (typical designer).
How does working from home impact your work? It’s hard to say. The work I produce now is of a much higher standard to what I was doing in my office days, but I’ve learned a hell of a lot along the way. Maybe if I stayed in an office, with more ease of receiving feedback from others, I’d be doing better. I don’t know.
You’re not only running a successful design business you also manage regularly post insightful pieces on your blog. How do you manage your time? I just do one thing at a time, whether it’s working on a client project, publishing a blog post, replying to emails, spending time with friends and family. But I limit the number of clients I work with at once, and each of my three blogs are only updated once or twice a week, so I’m probably not as busy as it might seem.
What inspires you in your work? Inspiration isn’t easy to pin down. I don’t think it’s necessary for the work I do. For me, what’s more important is motivation, and there’s one main aspect that keeps me going: I hope that one day I can fully support a family of my own, and if I’m to do that, I know I need to keep improving, keep streamlining my process, keep learning new skills, new approaches. The fact that I love my job and have a passion for design is a big motivator, too.
Balance, Design
September 19, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Magdalena Keck’s interior design work spans retail, commercial and residential spaces and also moves up and down the east coast from Miami to New York. The homes she works on for her clients inevitably include a home office. Here the designer talks about a signature style and what inspires her.
You’ve been working as an interior designer for over a decade now and we see your work published widely. Do you have a signature look that typifies what you are trying to achieve with your residential work? I strive to create more space and light then the spaces have in actuality. I like a good functional use of space and an easy flow with one or two interesting pieces. No fuss really, but elegant simplicity and comfort. I love a really light or a really dark palette, you will not see much of in between in my projects. I am drawn to colors that are hard to define: blue grays, brown grays, black browns, brown aubergine etc.
Looking through the homes you’ve worked on I see a common thread of clean-lined simplicity and restrained color schemes. There’s a real serenity to your work. Is that a conscious choice on your part? I think it is subconscious, but I do believe we have enough stimulation in the “outside world”.
Tell us about some of the favorite home workspaces you’ve created. Do you find people ask for similar things in a home office? People want home work space to be integrated well into the home instead of being some forgotten isolated corner.The home office of Upper East Side Residence is one of my favorites (pictured below). I love the huge window one can look out from at NYC from 34th floor. It’s dark: a combination of browns, grays and aubergine, which I think it makes it sophisticated and warm at the same time.
How do you strike a balance between work and home life? Do you find yourself designing at your kitchen table or are your work hours clearly defined and contained to an office space? I like what I do, so I have no problem working at home when inspiration strikes. I do quite a lot of research in the evening if nothing else is going on. I think as a designer one never really stops working, the wheels are always turning.
What inspires you in your design? Many different things: it sounds like a cliché, but one of them is Nature. She has it all figured out: the light, the darkness, the textures and colors. I am drawn to “found objects” in nature as well as made man. Art history and European renaissance and baroque architecture are beginning to play a significant role as well.
Design, Products, Technology
September 13, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Having a multi-functional home office is always a bonus, especially when it can be used as a guest room, living room, and also an office for two. This usually requires space, which is why Garrett Murray turned his master bedroom into a home office for two. The added square footage allowed him to make an expansive setup, for both himself and his wife.
The last time we mentioned Garrett Murray, a mobile app developer, and his setup, he was living in Brooklyn. It’s been about 7 months and he relocated in Los Angeles with his wife Stacey. The most intriguing part of their setup is that they decided to turn the master bedroom of their new place into a home office for two, allowing both husband and wife ample space to work in. Garrett’s Airia desk and Mirra chair now share space with his wife’s office setup. That combined with the tasteful decor, makes this an impressive home office, one that most likely everyone can enjoy.
For more details and shots of this space click here.
By Range Govindan
This story appears in partnership with Unplggd, a site for people who embrace technology and design in their home.
Balance, Design, Products, Technology
September 9, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Where we’ve been this week…
1. Abitare for its interview with Julius Iacchetti who designed Moleskine’s new line of pens and pencils (above). Just click translate – unless of course your Italian is up to speed.
2. Design*Sponge for their post on how to get organized online. Lots of helpful info here.
3. Designboom for their design coverage. They always find the most interesting homes – like this one in Salentina, Italy (below).
4. T Magazine’s blog ran a great piece on Steve Jobs where they had the design community weigh in on Jobs’ contribution.
5. Modern House for their post on quirky wooden computer accessories.
6. Design Spotter covers a cool clock for the iPhone (below).
7. Three by Three sells all things magnetic including cool new round magnetic balls. Perfect for keeping your office papers organized.
8.Wallcandy Arts for their newly patented chalk board decals. Clever.
9. Core77 Design Awards has its very own site. Lots of amazing designs here including our own SAYL chair.
10. You Are The River because sometimes its nice to let someone else pick through all the dross on the internet and find the good stuff. You’ll find lots of beautiful interiors here including the author’s own home (below).
Balance, Design, Products, Technology
July 29, 2011
By Cerentha Harris
Where we’ve been this week…
1. Fast Company for Alissa Walker’s insightful piece on designing through a downturn.
2. Designspiration for its cool collection of home office images. A new image site that will only get better as it grows. A photo from the home office collection above features our Mirra chair and Airia desk.
3. Home Designing for a strong mix of interiors including home offices.
4. Designwire Daily for the post on the Ennis House (above). This gem in Los Angeles designed by Frank Lloyd Wright finally sold for $4.5 million. It was on the market for 2 years.
5. Remodelista for the best screened-in porch I’ve seen in a long time. The perfect semi-outdoor office?
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