Building A Home – A Long, Layered Approach.

Posted on May 7, 2022 by tina

*Room designed by Lassel Fragtrup. The focus is on the entire space. The furniture melts into the room so that the fireplace and coffee table take centre stage.*

“Ornament is Crime” Adolph Loos

Architects are not decorative. Our focus is on the spatial. That is, how can we make our spaces better. How can we make them appealing without any decoration at all. While part of an architect’s practice absolutely focuses on dressing interiors and adding finishing touches for clients (myself included!) there is always an eye fixed on the bigger picture. The form, the function, the relationship of built areas and voids, each space as it relates to and works with the other spaces– it’s always there in the back of my mind. The dip into some HGTV buzz words, the bones of the house are equally important (and influential on the space) as the finishing touches to make a space feel yours, feel authentic. And, any decoration that is added to a space has a reason to be there. It is meaningful.

A ‘decorated’ room by Sarah Richardson. The symmetrical end tables, lamps and pictures and the matchy-matchy accessories make the room feel decorated rather than evolved. The carpet is the most spectacular thing in the room and gives some hints about the owner’s personality. I’d like to see more personal items in the space to make it feel more authentic.

*This room feel more authentic. There is no symmetry or matchy-matchy in the space. The neutral backdrop allows the owner’s of objects of art to speak on behalf of the owner.*

Speaking of HGTV– I’ve been thinking a lot about the many, many, interior design shows that have been on in the last 10 or 20 years. For a lot of people, either design lovers, the design curious, and (before Netflix and Hulu… HGTV is vintage!) those stuck watching TV on the couch at 2pm when sick and nothing else in on… these design shows are the first taste of ‘interior design’.

The shows typically all work the same. You get a tour of a home that the owners love, but it needs a ‘refresh’. The TV design team comes in and whirls around with tape measures, fabric samples, a carpenter with a pencil behind their ear, and an interior designer with fantastic hair. Then, the house is a construction zone and everyone wears a hardhat (can it even be done in time?!). When the paint is dry (our first glimpse into the “makeover”) we get a lot of short and quick shots of people bringing in furniture, a pillow gets fluffed and placed just so, maybe some new candlesticks are tastefully added to a mantel or bookcase (perfectly styled), and usually a photo of the couple/family is placed somewhere with a wink and the host exclaiming ‘time to show the homeowners!’. Then we have the REVEAL. The home owners see their new home and often it’s a lot of ‘oh wow!’.

*From Youtube to exemplify the idea of the ‘reveal’*

I really dislike the reveal. Also called the ‘install’ by Interior Designers.

Think of it this way: It’s difficult to smooth a layer of textiles and trendy furniture (we cannot forget the ultimate trendy Matisse print!, framed or unframed, you know the one) over a room and expect it to work. It’s like trying to ice a cake in delicious home-made buttercream when the cake itself is half-cooked or tastes like cardboard. It just won’t taste the way you want it to, nor will it last (will you think back and say, hey– that cake worked great last time, let’s do it again with a bigger budget?).

The ‘install’ feels a little like this cake. Homes feel staged. Inauthentic. Devoid of personality. The owners are presented with an ‘instant’ room. Over time I have come to learn to treat interiors with as much consideration and thought for the occupants/owners as we do the structure. It is difficult to go down a checklist of what is popular now and build a room that both feels like you and will still look good and still feel authentic in 5 or 10 years. There is a focus to make this transformation instant and exciting (which makes for good TV…) rather than considered and layered. How many people really fit and love the current trends of shiplap, a sheepskin throw, muted neutrals, and an abstract painting that a consultant selected without input? You deserve a home beyond trendy and decorative.

*A room we have seen over and over. Shaker cabinets with sheepskin and lemons. Styled to offend no one.*

Your home should feel relevant. Truly, the only way to make your home more authentically you and different from everyone else’s is to have your home evolve from your experiences, history, culture etc… The most interesting and exciting homes are those that display these unique aspects and spark questions and interests and can be the basis for a great story.

As I said, architects are not decorative. Certainly, one thing may be chosen over another for aesthetics or great lines (we all have our weaknesses), but the idea of pure decoration is a classic architectural no-go. I love homes where people have a really good foundation (great space, good colour palette, wonderful furniture– think a great cake recipe) and over time layer it with all those finishing touches a la HGTV that come from family, travels, art that you picked because you loved it– not the closest Ikea or Target (a good icing).

Everything has a connection and a story. The lamp was found next to a garbage bin in New Delhi. The sculpture is by an Indian artist found in a gallery in Varanasi.

In my own home, things are a bit idiosyncratic. But it works. We have a mix of collected ceramics, art, family photos that blend with a modern home because we made space to highlight the things that are important to us. Our personal touches get pride of place and everything has a story and a connection to my family.

*Slow collecting over years from our travels. Put collections on trays to frame them.*

Consider the Eames Case Study house in the Pacific Palisades– a completely modern home, an absolute machine for living. And yet, it feels lived in and loved because it is filled with personal items and things from the Eames’ travels. A classic modern box dressed with absolute personality.

*Inside the Eames Case Study House in Pacific Palisades*

*A great example of how this couple has added their personality to their home.*

Another family friend has an equally striking home– lots of white and neutrals and softness that complement the taste of the owners, but the entire space is punctuated with objects they find beautiful.They set a strong foundation that showcase the things they love.

It bears repeating, architects are not decorative. We can’t help but see the relationship between everything in a space, it’s what we’re trained to do! To really build a space that works, it is a slow and involved process that should feel like you each step of the way.

The obsession with instant fixes and trendy makeovers that build up to a ‘big reveal’ might make a space feel fresh, but does it really work? Do you really love it? Do you feel like you’re living in a magazine shoot that wasn’t built for you?

In summary, your home does not need to be perfect from the get-go. There is no downside to taking your time and layering yourself into a space with colours you like and things you love. It may not happen over a weekend, or make for great TV– but you will slowly build a space that reflects your taste, your experiences, your story.

How To Travel Like A Designer: Curated Trips For You

Posted on June 2, 2021 by tina

Who doesn’t want to travel like a designer? Especially when a designer has selected, curated, and culled the experiences. This means all you have to do is book your hotel, make those dinner reservations and enjoy the experience. We are so pleased to announce that our Curated City Guides for the Visually Minded are ready for you just in time to start traveling again. So why our guides? Well these highly curated itineraries are put together by two traveling architects, myself and my husband, Graham. We present those must-see places through our design-oriented eyes (and our limited budget). As creatives (and partners) we have curated the best design and lifestyle tours to inspire you and spark your creativity.

*Sitting in front of the ‘Taj’. Backdrop by Artist and Art Director, Aradhana Seth*

These are practical itineraries combining the best of our travels with an acutely design-focused exploration. Itâ€™s the best in creative travel, without the hassles that come with trip-planning or getting lost. We think there is always a good return when you invest in experiences. That is how we approach travel, as an opportunity to collect experiences and curate memories and pieces of art for our lives and homes.

Travel Like A Designer to the Vatican by Rome in Italy. — *At the Vatican Museum in Italy*

You Travel Differently Than The Average Tourist, We Have That In Common

Our curated city guides help you to develop your ability to find inspiration, see beauty, and appreciate life with a designer’s eye. So, essential travel and design, curated by experts, experienced your way. If you want to travel differently than the average tourist give our guides a shot!

Why Have We Designed These Curated Experiences For You?

*Vancouver, BC. Our Curated Guide is on its way*

Because weâ€™ve had some really incredible opportunities on our travels and want to share what weâ€™ve learned with you. Weâ€™ve done the hard work (and fun) of sifting through massive amounts of information and distilled the best of our experiences to make it easy for you. We gathered suggestions from our extensive social network of creatives and adventurers (our friends), plus a few of our own mistakes, following (or straying from) pre-planned routes, and discovering incredible places on the fly. Follow the full itineraries or just include some of our picks in your day because our destinations are organized into travel zones so you can easily plan transportation and discover your own fave spots. The Guides are formatted to easily blend with your travel style. They are simple to use because all you do is download and store them on your smartphone or print out the pages you need. All digital versions have links to more information for diving deeper as the need or mood strikes you. We link to google maps so directions are clear and you no longer need to worry about which way to go!

How To Approach Travel in Los Angeles

Our first two guides are for Los Angeles. LA, the city of stars & instagramable moments is a wonderful city to visit if you know how to explore it. In the words of Burt Bacharach, â€œLA is a great big freewayâ€. And it really isâ€¦ so you have to approach Los Angeles quite differently than most cities and see it as a series of discreet smaller towns- like jewels on a necklace with the freeway as itâ€™s chain. We learned that to truly explore this city you need a good PLAN. Our curated city guides do this for you.

Downtown Los Angeles: East of the 110 Freeway

Downtown LA is a faded diamond regaining its sparkle. It is reinvention in the most community minded, progressive way and deserves recognition PLUS its own guide. Once a place nobody went to, DTLA is now a shining star in Southern California. This guide mixes classic with contemporary and goes beyond conventional tourism. We take you to those thought-leading places that give hope and inspiration for a better tomorrow. Highlights include the new cultural/arts hub, the Arts District, revived theatres in high Deco style as well as the new green architecture that is part of Los Angelesâ€™ rebranding. We focus on walking to really get a â€˜boots on the groundâ€™ feel for the downtown. The tour is part eduction, part stimulation and part indulgence. All in byte-sized, digital pieces to keep you engaged and on track.

Los Angeles West of the 110 Freeway

Our other Los Angeles guide focuses on the neighbourhoods west of the 110 Freeway. Our insiderâ€™s, curated, 5 day city guide for West Los Angeles will take you to 5 neighbourhoods that lead the world in creative impact. Day one we start in West Hollywood; followed by Day 2 at Pacific Palisades and Venice Beach; on day 3 we hit Los Feliz and Silverlake, day 4 itâ€™s Beverly Hills (the high life) and finally, on day 5, we slide over to South Bay. Each dayâ€™s excursion will immerse you in culture, history, shopping, food, coffee, nightlife and more. Stops include Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Richard Meier, Morphosis, Pierre Koenig and more. Weâ€™ll hit a few art museums, not all widely known, iconic restaurants and, of course, the beach.Â

*Los Angeles must have more instagramable spots than anywhere else*. *So be an instagram star here.*

*Everyone is a star at Paul Smith’s ‘pink building’ in Los Angeles*

What Our Readers Are Saying

â€œA great read- informative, not too much info, not too little. A nice balance. Enjoyed the â€œtid bitsâ€ to break it up a bit. Itâ€™s a well curated tour. LA is presented as a dynamic, visually and historically interesting urban environment and by the end I wanted to put it on my list of to doâ€™s…” (Leslie Sengara, Vancouver, BC)

â€œThe guide is comprehensive and fun. Itâ€™s a docent in my pocket. I can imagine standing on the sidewalk and reading aloud to my travel companions. It provides a launch into discussions of design history and city planning and culture and art and why our public spaces are mirrors of our best and worst traits. I do like that this is something I can download and use when I donâ€™t have roaming dataâ€“something I can access easily. The photography is absolutely smashing…” (Mithra Ballesteros, Mequon, Wisconsin)

*Clotted cream and scones in the Cotswolds*

Take A Trip The Easy Way With Us

Want to try one of our Curated City Guides for the Visually Minded? Why not take a trip with us. We promise you will have fun! Link here: Studio Do Curated City Guides.

Local Is the New Black: ADDRESS for a Fine Home

Posted on May 26, 2014 by tina

Sorry I’ve been MIA, but I’ve been busy working on a number of different projects that I hope to share with you soon.

Today I did some design sleuthing. The Chinatown Experiment showed up on my Instagram feed so I headed down to 434 Columbia street to see ‘ADDRESS’ an assembly of fine furniture and home accessories put together by Kate Duncan. ADDRESS is a carefully curated display of locally designed and crafted furniture, lighting, textiles, artwork, as well as natural and sculptural home accents.

I met Kate and was very impressed by the wood furniture and accents which she personally designed and made. There were beds, coffee tables, cutting boards, dressers, and an amazing bathroom cabinet made from a number of different maple finishes.

The lighting here by made by Alex Kyriazis out of plumbing pipe, wood and a very good looking bulb. Ceramics are by Golem Designs. The knit blankets are by Hendrik Lou, Painting by Derek Dix

Maple bathroom vanity by Kate Duncan. Terrarium by Green with Envy.

Cutting board by Kate Duncan, owls on cutting board by Amanda Parker, ceramics by Golem Design, Terrarium by Green with Envy. Textiles by Le Fil Rouge. Hanging sculpture is by Justina Yang of Fiber Lab. Justina is a one-time structural engineer who “uses math and science to create beautiful things.”

The watercolour effect pillows are byÂ Le Fil Rouge Textiles, terrarium by Green with Envy, ceramics by by Golem Designs.

Kate showing me the quality of the metal work on the maple coffee tables she has made. Painting below is by Derek Dix and is a collage of evocative outdoor images.

ADDRESS is at the Chinatown Experiment until June 3. Come down, have a look and support our local artisans and craftspeople. The work is so impressive!

Designing the Gingerbread House

Posted on December 19, 2012 by tina

Got an invitation to make gingerbread houses at a friend’s. What fun! So many decorating options and so much pressure being the only Architect in the room. So I decided to just let my instincts and fingers do the designing and not think about the result at all. So here it is:

Constructing the house:

gingerbread 2

Decorating my ‘house.’ Â A fun and original way to express yourself, and have some holiday fun!

Whatâ€™s Behind the Sticky Fingers Zipper?

Posted on October 19, 2012 by tina

Whatâ€™s behind the Sticky Fingers zipper?

Everyone from my generation remembers the original Rolling Stones ‘Sticky Fingers’ album. The photograph is of a male in tight jeans with a working real zipper that you could unzip to reveal a mystery.

(photo fromÂ http://garyrocks.wordpress.com)

Meet designer, Junie Osaki. Junie lives in a charming, and oh-so-fascinating cottage in the LA area.Â Itâ€™s the kind of place you want to spend some time snooping because everything she has collected, and has hanging on her walls, has incredible music history attached to it. Her place really resonated with me because I remember being a 14 year old obsessed with â€˜rock and rollâ€™ and Rolling Stone Magazine. Junie shared with me the story of the RollingÂ Stones, Stickey Fingers record Album.

Junie is a graphic designer who worked in the music industry in its heyday. She is an award-winning designer for the work she did on Art Direction and Design for TARANTELLA By Chuck Mangione for A&M Records. I met Junie through our mutual friend, Ann, and had an opportunity to connect with her on my last trip to Los Angeles. I have never met anyone like Junie. She has so much energy and has an incredible memory that can recount every detail of an event that happened years ago. Junieâ€™s involvement in the recording industry enriches her stories as well her personal spaces as you will see. Before we take a tour of Junieâ€™s place I wanted to share a very interesting piece of history I learned from Junie.

Junie is a close friend of Craig Braun, the Art Director who was involved in the design of the iconic Rolling Stones ‘lips and tongue’ logo and the famous album cover art of Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers in 1971. Craig Braun, Inc, created and produced an exclusive line of jewelry, and promotional items, that he named “LICKS” based on the album’s logo and was the official licensee for Musidor, the licensing company for the Rolling Stones. To coincide with the recordâ€™s release, an entire package of â€œLips & Tongueâ€-based merchandise hit the stores.

Junie told me the story of the design behind the Rolling stones Sticky Fingers album. This is my interpretation of her story. I hope I have it right!.

The album’s artwork shows a close-up of a jeans-clad male crotch. The cover of the original (vinyl) release featured a working zipper and mock belt buckle that opened to reveal cotton briefs. Behind the zipper, the white briefs were rubber-stamped in gold with the name of American pop artist Andy Warhol. Junie informed me that while Warhol conceived the artwork, the design and concept was by Craig Braun, an Art Director in the music industry. Craig also developed the concept behind Alice Cooper’s School’s Out album, and a number of other concept albums.

The crotch shot was not Mick Jagger, but an artist from Andy Warholâ€™s Factory. The album was the firstÂ time the Rolling Stoneâ€™s used their new “tongue & lips” logo. There is some controversy as to who actually designed the logo but according to Wikipedia the logo was originally designed by Ernie Cefalu and it was this version that was used for much of the merchandising, and Â the design that wasÂ originally shown to the band by Craig Braun. The design used for the album was a further refinement, and was done by John Pasche, who Craig Braun actually credits for designing the logo. Craig does not endorse the idea that Cefalu was the logo’s designer.Â What is interesting is the coming together of talents in the production of one rock n roll artifact. Like rock n roll itself, it is not a one person proposition, it takes a team.Â The same can be said for ‘design.’

Junieâ€™s design sensibility goes further than the recording industry. Her cottage is charming and so full of iconic American rock and roll history. Have a look for yourself.

Limited edition print of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ hand written out by Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary.

Limited edition print of ‘Our House’ hand written out by Graham Nash, of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.

Junie’s cottage is small so she has moved her ‘living space’ outdoors. Her outdoor room is beautiful and totally appropriate for the warm weather of California.

Junie’s cottage is an example of one of those hidden gems that are tucked in amongst conventional suburban landscapes all over North America, and especially in artistic communities like Los Angeles. I have learned that many of us have remarkable stories under seemingly conventional facades.

Vintage Love: Vancouver

Posted on May 30, 2011 by tina

If you read my last blog you will know that I love buying vintage.Â This includes clothing, jewelry, home furnishings or interesting chachkas. These two items came from a great shop on the west side of Vancouver. The punchbowl, made of turquoise milk glass, is probably from the 30s but I have been told it could be a late as the 40’s or 50s.Â Â The punch bowl has a grapevine pattern and comes with 10 matching cups. AlthoughÂ I am very drawn to the colour and shape of the bowl, I can’t justify paying the hefty $750 price tag.Â When I shop vintage I am looking for really good deals!

The ï»¿ï»¿ï»¿chandelier has hanging crystal golf balls mixed with circular chrome details giving the light aÂ modernist look. This light would definitely add some sparkle to any modernÂ room.Â What do you think?

Had any interesting vintage buys lately? Â I’d love to hear about them!

Vintage Love: The Tourist

Posted on May 26, 2011 by tina

One of Graham’s and my favourite things to do when we travel is to visit flea markets, vintage shops and thrift stores.Â We have visited these in Santa Barbara, Berkeley, Los Angeles, and Seattle as well as many Canadian cities.Â In Europe, we have been to the famous Amsterdam flea market, the seemingly endless Portobello Road in London and riverside markets by the Seine in Paris, to name a few.Â You may well wonder WHY do we do this.Â Well, I think it is part of our tourist curiosity. It is part of really exploring a place in that it tells us something about the city we are visiting.Â There is something intimate and unique about looking through peoples discarded treasures. You learn something about the place and the people who live there that conventional retail just doesn’t offer.Â The Good Will in Santa Barbara was full of designer clothes and wet suits.Â I bought my favourite vase for $5.00 from here.Â Graham was not keen on traveling with glass but I told him I would put it in my carry on and would not leave the store without it.Â I use that vase regularly and always think about Santa Barbara and how I must get back to that Good Will soon.Â

We also bought a pair of beautiful oriental figurines from an antique store in Berkeley, California.Â They were $25.00 and I had to have them.Â I love these Kitschy Chinoiserie figurines from the late 50’s with their incredible verdigris green and gold colour combination. In Paris we bought vintage keys in a used building supply yard and old pocket watch faces in the riverside market in London.

Of course, the main reason we love vintage shopping is the treasure hunt. We secretly hope we are smarter than the average local and will cleverly discover an unrecognized, unappreciated treasure. Or, we imagine that others may find the activity unsavory yet we will sally forth and heroically find the treasure. At any rate, travel is not about consuming generic, prefab souvenirs (Did I get this at the Chicago or San Francisco Macyâ€™s?) Authentic tourist-vintage-love is about bringing home a unique item that is specific to its place.Â Letâ€™s face it, a chain store item can be found almost anywhere but a vintage piece from a quirky, backstreet shop is a one-of-a-kind memento.

Itâ€™s also a great way to meet interesting people, either shoppers or shopkeepers who share your interest in the unusual, esoteric world of vintage.Â They often have a sophisticated appreciation of a pieceâ€™s history and origins and this inevitably leads to a bit of local lore – sometimes even a touch of celebrity â€“ like when we happened upon Leonard Cohenâ€™s daughterâ€™s shop in L.A.Â So next time you travel be bold and venture off the main drag.Â Look for that charming down-market area, with that dowdy/funky little shop to discover something unexpected, fun and most likely affordable.Â Youâ€™ll find yourself with a cool souvenir plus a great story to go with it.

Chinatown Zeitgeist: From Wing Sang to Burlesque; Art imitating Art.

Posted on March 13, 2011 by tina

Our trip to Wing Sang to see Amy Bessone and Thomas Houseago.

I am very fortuante to have a group of friends that meet once a month or so to share ideas and thoughts. Â This month’s get together was to see the new art collection at Bob Rennie’sÂ Wing Sang Gallery. The exhibition was of Los Angeles-based artists Thomas Houseago and Amy Bessone, who both deal with the figure and representations of the figure in a contemporary and insightful manner.

Amy Bessone’s work is evocative, and is described asÂ often translating porcelain figurines into 2D. Many of the paintings on display reference the traditional female nude, both in her representations of porcelain figurines and in more recent paintings that simply allude to the nude. “Since her student days, she has been interested in the idea of a painting of a sculpture or a painting of a painting, much like the Shakespearean idea of a play within a play. She is influenced by the theatre, and the sculptors with whom she surrounds herself.”

Bessone applies paint thinly, allowing the white of the gesso’d canvas to show through to depict the highlights of the porcelain as the light falls over the figurine. The Narcissist (2007) is a classic example of this effect, creating a sense of both knowing what something is and not knowing – is it a portrait? Is it a still-life? Or is she a lifeless object, objectified for her sexuality? Her more recent paintings like 80s Life (2010) seems to remove this passive male objectification by swift and economic painting over the canvas, eschewing the gaudiness excessive paint can provide. Bessone has brought the female figure back to life through the act of painting.” (From the Wing Sang brochure)

Back to my evening with the girls;

As I revisit our tour of the show I realize there is a connection between Amy Bessone’s work and the rest of our evening. Â After our tour of Wing Sang we ended up around the corner at The Keefer. Â As the hours passed our numbers dwindled leaving only 4 of us for what turned out to be Burlesque night at the Keefer. Â What immediately struck me was the Zeitgeist of the evening; that is, the cultural connection between the Burlesque and Amy Bessone’s show at Wing Sang.

Both genres are evocative of the kitschÂ ‘pin-up’ girls of the past. Pin-up artwork, depicting idealized versions of particularly beautiful or attractive woman from a manâ€™s perspective clearly parallels the sexualized vision of womanhood displayed in Burlesque.

In 2008, The New York Times noted that Burlesque had made a comeback in the city’s art performance scene. Â Today Neo-Burlesque has taken many forms, but all have the common trait of honoring one or more of burlesque’s previous incarnations, with acts including striptease, expensive costumes, bawdy humor, cabaretÂ and more.

Derived from literature and theatre, ‘burlesque’ is used in classical music to indicate a bright or high-spirited mood, sometimes as counterpoint to seriousness. In burlesque, performers, usually female, often create elaborate sets with lush, colorful costumes, mood-appropriate music, and dramatic lighting, and may even include novelty actsÂ to enhance the impact of their performance. The striptease element of burlesque became subject to extensive local legislation, leading to a theatrical form that titillated without falling foul of censors.

Clearly the post modern descendants of Burlesque and Pin Up Art enjoy some of the same sensuality and titillation as their original forms, made that much more of a guilty pleasure in the current climate of political correctness. This same contrast also adds a layer of self-conscious, retro sophistication to these pieces where we simultaneously laugh at their relatively modest sexuality while yearning for the simpler times when a flash of skin was considered scandalous.