A Dream Realized

So you could have read that title and came here to read considering this post was something Large. Like dreams typical folks have…a trip overseas. Or a new auto. World peace. (Um, me too.) My dream? It is usually been a window seat. Each and every given that I was a wee one at 20 years of age – I’ve looked at them in magazines and on Television and I. loved. them.

I have a couple spots in our house where we could potentially build a seat a single day, but when we changed items about during our household room reno last year I discovered a spot that would function even much better. I knew it would be best and would be additional seating and would look like it was always meant to be there.

Our bay window in the kitchen was that ideal spot. The very first phase was to take away the old back door that utilized to be in among the windows. Whilst they had been at it I had some lights added considering that that area can get genuinely dark:

bay window in kitchen

It sat like that for the previous 3 months. I didn’t even paint the trim simply because I was so busy. I lie…I knew it was going to take forever so I ignored it. 🙂

But final week I finally began the painting and then at the end of the week this started as properly:

building a window seat

If you don’t forget I pointed out final week that our plans for the kitchen island changed a bit. Those adjustments resulted in a Large savings – the spending budget for the island was reduce in about a third.

So when the handymen stated they would build the seat for \$300, I mentioned DO IT:

building a bay window seat

And yes, I paid them on the last day of the no invest month. 🙂

I planned to do this myself but I am hosting a shower this weekend (the additional seating will be wonderful!!), I do not have a table saw and it would take me about a month to do this on my own. And goodness…sometimes it’s nice to have aid. So I hired this element out. They framed it and place the face on – and have been done in significantly less than a day.

We utilized scrap two by fours that I had for the frame and some other scrap wood I had for the inside of the seat. I also had them extend the outlet so we could still use it.

Most of it wasn’t as well complex – but the leading piece did take some precise cutting. I was impressed that they got the front perfectly flush with the wall so the baseboard flows seamlessly. And they had to construct up the inside of the bench so the lid would support a handful of human beings. 🙂

When they left my work began. Here’s how it looked (I had currently started all the trim and painting on the walls last week:

window seat framing

I added the beefed up baseboard 1st – I do it this way so the vertical boards (the board and batten about the area) have some thing flush to sit on. I also added a board across the top on the front of the bench:

Next up came quarter round and primer:

building a window seat

It was starting to come together!

I finished up the NINE coats of paint on the windows (three per window – I in fact want to do one much more quick coat on the fronts of the trim):

DIY craftsman window trim

Subsequent I sanded and caulked everything and did a coat of semi gloss white all over the seat. The last step was to add the rest of the trim to the front and along the leading of the white on the walls:

white window seat

I really have one a lot more coat to do on every little thing and a small far more caulking but I was pooped at midnight final evening and had to quit. I threw some pillows on right here just to show how Wonderful that white will look with some color!:

window seat in kitchen

Oh, and I still need to place some trim around the edges on prime to hide the modest gap along the walls. I am making myself finish all these information before I can start on the island. 🙂

And of course ultimately there will be a large cushion on right here as effectively! It will take me some time to figure out what fabric and colors I want to go with right here so that will not happen for a bit:

metal outdoor lights inside

It will absolutely incorporate some colour though! Due to the fact this location gets so significantly sun I’m thinking I’ll have to go with an outside fabric.

But for now…isn’t it beautiful?? Sing it to your self:

bay window seat

Every night this previous weekend I would stand right here before going to bed and just stare at it. I’m not gonna lie, I got a small teary at one point. Goofy I know, but sometimes it hits me difficult that I get to do this stuff in our house. Far better than I deserve.

Here is it is at evening with the lights on:

outdoor lights inside

1 much more point to add to my list – a dimmer. Oh yes.

Of course in this house I need to have factors to be functional as well as pretty, so the very best element is hiding under that prime:

window seat in bay window

BOOM. (Fist pump and explode):

storage inside window seat

I’ve had my supplies in right here for now but ultimately a spot for all of the basketballs!! Is this heaven??&#160

Actually I do not know what we’ll keep in here. It may possibly really well be the basketballs. I can also see maintaining the big kitchen stuff like the crock pot and drink dispensers in right here. Oh my goodness…the possibilities. I do require to add some hinges that will hold up the heavy door though – I think I may have to get something online because nothing at all I’ve identified at the retailer is powerful adequate.

There you go…a dream realized. It does not take significantly for me people. 🙂 As I pointed out, I hope to get all the little stuff carried out on the seat this week and then I will commence on the island. I will be creating the extension for that myself and I’m so excited about my final minute addition! Crossing my fingers it all performs out.

After the island is done I’ll be taking a break from the kitchen to save up for the subsequent phase, building an enclosure for the fridge. Thanks again for coming along for my house projects! It’s fun to share this with you all. 🙂

Thrifty Decor Chick

MSDS Studio Presents Simple Furniture And Lighting Collection In Stockholm

Stockholm 2015: Canadian design firm MSDS Studio is launching a collection of wooden furniture and metal lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair today .

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Futon Daybed

Designers Jessica Nakanishi and Jonathan Sabine of MSDS Studio are debuting a range of products at Stockholm this year.


Related story: Shopify offices by MSDS Studio feature meeting rooms designed to look like shipping containers


The collection includes the Futon Daybed, characterised by folds in the quilted mattress at one end, which form an integrated bolster pillow.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Half Cab

The upholstered cushion rests on a simple wooden frame, lifted off the ground with four inverted V-shaped legs.

“This daybed combines construction site vernacular – moving blankets, trestles – with the Japanese futon,” said the designers.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Half Cab

A cabinet is named Half Cab as its front is equally covered with aluminium panels and open sections.

These panels are folded over at the top so they slide along the horizontal elements of the wooden frame, which provides three layers of storage.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair A-Frame Chair

“The painted aluminium doors drape over and slide easily along the scaffolding-like frame,” MSDS Studio said.

Also in wood, the A-Frame Chair is designed to be viewed from the back – as it would be seen while tucked beneath a table.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair A-Frame Chair

“In use, chairs are most often seen in multiples from the rear elevation, so special attention was paid to the A-Frame Chair from this point of view,” said the designers.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair A-Frame Chair

The stackable design features a simple backrest that forms an A shape with the seat, which crosses in the centre.

Lighting in the collection includes the Kokeshi Table Light, made from machined aluminium.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Kokeshi Table Light

Its LED source is held with a vertical cylinder, shining up at a circular flat cap above that reflects and spreads the light back downward.

The cap can be adjusted to angle the light to one side or another using a thin aluminium peg that holds it in place.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Kokeshi Table Light

Formed from two concentric spun-metal cones, the Annular Pendant lamps are also new to the collection.

A strip of LEDs is located in the gap between the smaller inner shape and the larger piece over the top, covered with a ring-shaped diffuser.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Kokeshi Table Light

“The cone-shaped Annular Pendant began as an exploration of spun-metal lights with multiple diffusers – think [Danish architect] Poul Henningsen – but with relatively recent LED technology incorporated in order to open up the possibility of forms that wouldn’t previously have been achievable,” said Nakanishi and Sabine.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Annular Pendant

MSDS Studio is also showing a ladder-shaped light that provides illumination from within its wooden rungs, which was first designed in 2013.

The collection is on show at the Greenhouse area for young and emerging designers at this year’s Stockholm Furniture Fair, which opens today and continues until 7 February.

MSDS Studio furniture and lighting in the Greenhouse area of Stockholm Furniture Fair Annular Pendant

Other designs launching at the event include a set of acoustic panels that feature geometric patterns, lamps that provide power from multiple USB outlets and a wooden chair created for use in a Tanzanian orphanage.

Photography is by Shanghoon.

Dezeen

“Why Should The Rich Be The Only People To Enjoy Style And Design In Their Home?”

Panton chair by Vitra

Comments update: the debate over copyright for furniture designs raged on this week, after the managing director of replica company Voga argued that his firm was making good design affordable for the masses.

“Our number one aim is to make great design accessible again, as it was always supposed to be,” wrote Voga’s Chris Diemer in response to Vitra’s Tony Ash, who had claimed that copyists were “eating away at the creativity of our industry”.

A number of readers sided with Diemer. “I’m all for good quality copies. Why should the rich be the only people to enjoy style and design in their home?” wrote feral.

But others felt there was no good argument for producing unauthorised copies of designer’s work.

“Unauthorised reproduction of any designer’s work is the ultimate disrespect,” argued NYC, while Peterbookworm said that cheap copies of classics were distracting customers who might otherwise buy more affordable pieces from contemporary designers.

Replica furniture not only robs the original designers/license payers, but also the designers of our time who lose out to another shoddy replica,” he wrote. Read the comments on this story »

RIBA Appointments survey on British architecture students

Bad education: are architecture schools failing to teach students the skills they really need to work?

Research suggesting that architecture students in the UK were not being taught enough practical skills resonated around the world – with readers joining the debate from countries including Mexico, Italy and Holland.

Sam was one of a number of commenters who felt that schools focused too much on theory and not enough on practical skills, “leaving students woefully unprepared for the real world”.

Chris Parrott agreed: “Architects are leaving education with a great knowledge of how to make amazing CGI sci-fi films and no knowledge of how to make a building.”

But John was baffled by the comments. “People who study medicine at university are not trained to be doctors, they learn this in their foundation years and law students complete training contracts before becoming solicitors,” he wrote. “Why should architectural education be any different?” Read the comments on this story »

Mons-International-Congress-Centre-by-Daniel-Libeskind_Hufton-Crow_dezeen_sq

On point: Daniel Libeskind’s latest building, the Mons International Congress Centre in Belgium, completed last week and was surprisingly well received by Dezeen’s critical audience.

“Usually his buildings are harsh and artificial. This effort is refined and poetic. The first Libeskind I have liked in years,” wrote christopher, congratulating local architecture firm H2A, who collaborated on the project.

But others suggested that the building’s finesse was as much thanks to the contractors as the architects. “He was much better as a paper architect, and his best physical work still remains in Berlin,” added spadestick. Read the comments on this story »

Viktor&Rolf haute couture Spring Summer 2015 Paris Fashion Week

Haute culture: Dutch fashion house Viktor & Rolf’s latest haute-couture collection drew some abstract inspiration from Vincent Van Gogh’s landscape paintings, with huge floral appliqués and intricate straw head dresses.

“These designs are mad. Are all fashion designers on crack?” asked James, prompting a discussion on the function of haute couture as a showcase for designers to demonstrate their technical abilities.

“It’s love of fashion made visible,” explained thepixinator. “The shock of runway is really meant to convey a mood, to be a fantastical reward for the designer’s efforts spent slaving away over spec sheets and lab dips for four months, to create drama around a collection that spurs sales, publicity, and keeps the buyers going in an arduous fashion week, and to simply be Why We Do It.” Read the comments on this story »

Dezeen

Frank Gehry’s “paper Bag” Business School Opens In Sydney

News: Frank Gehry’s new teaching and research facility for Sydney’s University of Technology has now opened, and has been described as “the most stunning squashed brown paper bag” .

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

The Dr Chau Chak Wing facility for UTS Organization School is the first creating the 85-year-old Los Angeles-primarily based architect has completed in Australia, and is situated on the university’s city campus, just south of Sydney’s Central Organization District.


Connected story: “98% of what gets built nowadays is shit” says Frank Gehry


UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

The building’s curvy structure – created making use of 320,000 custom-designed bricks – had prompted critics to evaluate it to a crumpled paper bag. But at the opening ceremony yesterday Australia’s governor general Peter Cosgrove introduced it as “the most lovely squashed brown paper bag I’ve ever noticed”.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

Gehry is very best identified for buildings with fluid shapes, from the Walt Disney Concert Hall to the Guggenheim Bilbao, but he has described this project as unique. “I won’t do this constructing anyplace else,” he mentioned for the duration of the opening.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

This sandstone-coloured curving brickwork, all laid by hand, is intended to reference Sydney’s architectural heritage.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

In contrast, the angular west-facing elevation is produced up of shards of glass, designed to supply fractured reflections of neighbouring buildings.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

According to Gehry, the design was inspired by a treehouse. The expressive external kind was a result of the complicated internal layout, described by the architect as “a expanding studying organism with several branches of thought, some robust and some ephemeral and delicate”.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

The centrepiece of the principal lobby characteristics a sculptural staircase made from polished stainless steel, while elsewhere on the ground floor is a cafe that opens out to the street.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

Two oval-shaped classrooms are framed by 150 large timber beams. A staircase constructed from Victorian ash wraps around a single of these, major up to a student lounge on the floor above.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

Other facilities incorporate a theatre developed for technology-supported interaction, as well as a variety of classroom varieties to suit postgraduate students.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

A total of 160 bicycle parking spaces are supplied, as effectively as lockers, changing places and showers, expected to encourage students and employees to cycle more.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

Due to welcome its 1st students later this month, the UTS Business School was completed as portion of £612 million overhaul of the university’s facilities. It accompanies Denton Corker Marshall’s not too long ago completed engineering faculty, and will be joined later this year by a new graduate wellness and science building.

UTS Business School by Frank Gehry

Photography is by Peter Bennetts.

UTS Business School by Frank GehrySite plan UTS Business School by Frank GehryLevel two floor program UTS Business School by Frank GehryLevel three floor program UTS Business School by Frank GehryLevel 4 floor strategy UTS Business School by Frank GehryLevel five floor program UTS Business School by Frank GehryLevel eight floor strategy UTS Business School by Frank GehrySection 1 UTS Business School by Frank GehrySection two UTS Business School by Frank GehrySection three
Dezeen

Valentine’s Day Raspberry Heart Wine Cubes

DIY Valentine's Day Raspberry Heart Wine Cubes | Dream Green DIY

This time of year, if you don&#8217t place a heart on it, you&#8217re not performing it appropriate. So, in preparation for the kick off to February, I took factors to an totally new level in the DGD studio—and it all came down to a small heart-shaped ice cube tray from IKEA.

The notion? Heart-shaped ice cubes, of course. The catch? I decided to go all out by incorporating pretty pink berries, too. Read on for fairly possibly the easiest DIY tutorial/recipe of all time.

Raspberry-Wine-Cubes-01

To make, just drop a raspberry into each and every of the heart-shaped ice cube indentions, and then fill to the best with water. For a tiny added touch, I spooned a handful of of the more than-ripe berries into a small bowl, mashed them with a fork, added water and then strained it all into a measuring cup. Then, I poured the naturally dyed pink water into the cube indentions, covering the berries. This further step gave the cubes a bit a lot more of a pink-ish hue—because you can in no way truly have also considerably pink.

Raspberry-Wine-Cubes-08

Let the cubes set for many hours and then plop a single or two into every single wine glass and finish by filling them with your preferred white wine or champagne. It&#8217s a basic detail, but a single that tends to make all the difference when it comes time to celebrate this lovely, rose-colored vacation.

DIY Valentine's Day Raspberry Heart Wine Cubes | Dream Green DIY

P.S. Have you entered however?? We&#8217re giving away a craft box from Darby Smart (contest can be identified here), and also a custom subway date art print from Sweet Sycamore—find specifics for that one particular correct here.

Dream Green DIY

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