365 Day Challenge

So, as I expected, I have already missed quite a few days in my challenge. I guess it will end up being more like a 52 week challenge

I love this loft. The photograph is nice and balanced and works well with the design. I like the unique features like th eceiling fan and the fireplace. I love wood, and the wood here goes well with the white shag rug that repeated in the white HVAC. It's akso always nice to see greenery in the house. Maybe some bohemian blinds or roman shades would be nice in this room or some added color in the shag rug.

365 Day Challenge

Day 1:

I want to post a new picture about design everyday (or every week probably when I get back to being busy with school). Here's the first one:

Likes: the simplicity, the originality of the stairs, the repetition of the stairs with the shelves, the earth tone color palette, the asymmetrical balance, the color of the wood stain in the whole room

Dislikes: It reminds me of Eva from Wall-E. Seriously. It's innovative, but TOO clean. I would be afraid to let even a speck of dirt to fall in this room or accidentally smudge a plant leaf into the white shag area rug.

College Career

I have one more class to take this fall (History of Interiors II), and I will have a B.S. in Interior Design from Georgia Southern Univeristy (GSU).

I have been so happy with the program here. The teachers are all experienced and knowledgeable in their fields, and I feel like I learned LOTS. Even when I went to product expos and designer conferences, I would talk to students in interior design programs as SCAD, UGA, etc. and felt like I knew tons more then them ( and they were almost done with their program at the time). I would recommend anybody wanting to be a professional interior designer to take the program at Georgia Southern University. It's a HARD program and you have to really want it, but when you finish and realize how much you've learned, it's very rewarding.

I'm glad I came here to GSU, and I will send everyone wanting to do interior design (INDS) here. Also, when I have my own business, I will personally ask for graduate students from GSU because I know that they were taught well, and I have high expectations for them.

I'll miss my fellow studio ladies, and I wish them well in their design fields. I have another two years left because I am also working towards my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, but I will join them eventually.

My dream job is to one day open my own Wedding Planning/ Interior Design business with one of my best friends and fellow Interior Design graduates, Cory Morgan. We both love the organized chaos that both fields will bring, and we have so much to offer as well. By doing both, we hope to always have some business and to combine our knowledge and personal experiences together to make a solid, long-lasting business.

Pinterest Design Board

This is my Pinterest board on Design. I like to put pictures here that I find all over Pinterest that strike my fancy when I see anything about interior design and occasional graphic design. I tend to write what I like and don't like about each picture. If you want to know more of my opinion on a space, comment on the picture or ask me here, and I can give insight as to why I think it is/isn't good design based off of my education.


http://pinterest.com/mangomama39/design/

A Beautiful Woman

I absolutely LOVE this photo of Monroe. I think she looks gorgeous, and this photo is my goal :)

Layla Grace

I was looking for furniture for one of my projects and came across this site. I love all of the furniture, and I want to put it in my own house :)

http://www.laylagrayce.com/Departments/Shop-by-Brand/European-Classics.aspx

I Love this Furniture!

I had to put this link up here because I love the furniture. I came across it while looking for items in my jazz club, and I didn't want to forget about it

Reclaimed Furniture

Olioboard - Jazz Club

My friend Ruthie introduced me to this amazing site called Olioboard. It's like making a mood board for my projects and keeping track of the specs at the same time. AMAZING! This is the board I came up with for my jazz club. Each section on the board represents a different part of the club. The blues and oranges are spread out throughout the club, so one area of the space isn't too heavy with one color. Also, the lighting will be fairly dark like an upscale restaurant, so the vibrant colors are necessary as they will be slightly muted in the lighting.

Let me know what you think!

Top Left: typical dining seats. 4 top tables - open space. The paint swatch and wallpaper is for an accent wall on the other side of the restroom. The wallpaper will be on top separated by the chair rail, so it doesn't get damaged.

Top Right: Banquette seating in 2 areas of club. The chair will be seated opposite the bench

Bottom Left: The bar items. The wood is the floor in the restaurant, the blue floor is cork tile flooring for behind the bar, the black/blue tile is the custom bar wall, and the grey is a laminate bar top from Formica

Bottom Right: This is an area behind the banquette for high tops. The light green is the paint color and the blue fabric will be on the bar stool. There will also be orange curtains in this area

Custom Banquette

So, I found this and loved it! I am going to slightly modify my jazz club banquette seating to include this curved end. So excited...

Venturing into the Real World...

I am finally done with my portfolio! Well, at least until I finish my Studio V project and update it just before I graduate.

Here is my portfolio: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64976849/portfolio%20slides.pptx

I love my new portfolio much more than my first one. My first portfolio, now, seems like I just put a bunch of projects together to show people because it was a ton of work gathering all of my work together and scanning it into a digital format. This time, I was able to focus on my layouts more because most of the work (scanning in my early projects) was already done. I chose a color block layout because it looks chic and clean with the added bonus that the style is "in" right now. I also chose my colors green and brown because they are without a doubt my style. I love earth tones, and those colors are exhibited in a lot of my work allowing the layout to complement my projects. The colors are muted and neutral enough to not draw attention away from my work, and the different color block layouts actually help emphasize certain projects.

My favorite project is my internship project. I liked the projects in did in hospitality and commercial design, but my special project I did on my internship was more important to me because of what it symbolized. For my project, my employer gave me a list of clients to choose from, and I chose a Rape & Abuse Crisis Center in Pennsylvania. I wanted them to be my client because it was going to be a charity project. I picked the room I wanted to design in the center; I selected the common room because I wanted everyone in the building - clients and workers alike - to enjoy my design.

Portfolio Page introducing my internship project

For the special project, there was no budget because it was completely for charity. I had to go knock on local businesses' doors personally to ask for donations, arrange for furniture pick-ups, write letters and thank you notes, and I was a part of the project from conception to completion. I designed the room based on the shelter's needs, picked the colors and furniture, and I did all the manual labor with help from some friends and family. I was so proud of that room, and it made me remember why I want to be an interior designer. My employer even encouraged me to call a press release to show off my design in the local newspaper. I did get the local paper out to the shelter to interview me and take pictures, which made me feel amazing.  I absolutely loved doing all that work for them because they were truly grateful for my work.

My employer put together a SmileBox of all the work I put into the project. Thanks, Deb!
http://secure.smilebox.com/ecom/openTheBox?sendevent=4d6a55314e544d324d544d3d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link&playAgain=true

I would love to work in hospitality design because it's a blend between residential design, which is very much what the client wants, and commercial design, which is very creatively limiting from my point of view. No matter what design field I end up working in, I know from experience that it's very important to listen to the client. Even if the client says that whatever you like is fine, it's not. A good designer looks for hints or clues as to what the client really wants like showing pictures of other rooms and gauging the client's reaction or simply observing what the client already has in the home. I'm sure I'll have a whole list of Do's and Don't when I get out into the real world and work with real clients on designs. I can't wait to get out there and design.

Sustainable Solutions

Sustainability has always been a part of my life. My mother is an Environmental Engineer at Dobbins Air Reserve Base and is in charge of all hazardous waste as a small part of her job duties. She has been doing this job for 20+ years, so we have always recycled our trash at home because she saw the impact it made on the base. I guess my mother was used to it anyways because in NY you have to recycle, and a truck comes by to pick it up just like the garbage man.

I'm sure if every state did this, people would be more likely to recycle because that's the number one reason people don't recycle. It is inconvenient. I'm even a culprit of not recycling due to laziness. I've tried to recycle the past 3 years, but it never works out for multiple reasons. Last year, it was because neither my roommate nor I ever drove past the recycling center to drop off our recyclables.

Now that I'm thinking about it, I would like to look into what kind of services Bulloch county offers for picking up recycling. I know there are multiple recycling centers, but I would like for somebody to come pick it up for me because I never have time to drive out of my way or think about dropping it off. I could even start a program that picks up recycling if I find that there are no such programs in place.

After a fellow interior design student put recycling bags in the studio lab next to the trash can, I saw just how much our small studio classes can recycle on our own. I alone filled up half of the aluminum can bag with my Dr. Pepper cans...

Maybe I can recycle at home then bring my bags to campus and dump them in the school's recycling bins. Georgia Southern University has them all over campus, being an environmentally conscious school, and I go to campus every day. It would be very convenient.

The Art of Color

I love pops of colors. Whether it's design or fashion, I think it makes any ensemble look chic and well-put-together.

My favorite color combos: 

purple/silver or gray/black

aqua/coral/cream

black/white/sage green

light blue/brown/cream

I also love all earth tone colors; my design portfolio emphasizes this tremendously with my main colors being muted greens and browns. As for "painting the town red" - I'd prefer green J

When it comes to clothing, I love to layer up, accessorize, and add bright pops of colors; the little girl in the red shoes shares my style. 

In terms of interior design, I like to keep pops of color minimal but strong. I like to put them in places I want a lot of focus in a room like above a mantel, near windows with gorgeous views, or even in pillow/throws that emphasize carefully selected furniture. I like neutral wall colors for the most part (tan, grays, and cream/light yellow), so I can accent them with awesome accessories like I do with my clothing. I especially like to break up a wall with chair railing or throw in an accent wall in large spaces because it makes you look everywhere. Why just make the furniture look good when you have a 20' ft. high room? utilize the space and leave people gawking at your incredibly designed room because they can't decide what they like the most about your space. When designing, you should lead the eye in a fluid motion around the entire room, including all levels (floor, eye, and ceiling). 

I use the same principle with my outfits, which is the law of 3's. Not only is 3 a fantastic number, but it makes a room/outfit feel complete. I think it has to do with the golden mean with a perfect ratio revolving around 3. I use this law of 3's in interior design by putting whatever pop of color I want on all three levels. For example, in a cream beach house, I might use oranges and corals in the furniture and paint colors with pops of aqua in the rug (floor), the pillows (eye), and artwork or draperies (leads the eye to ceiling). In fashion, I would use the same concept with a cream dress with say aqua pumps, bracelets and a barrette. 

Popping design with colors makes me feel well-dressed/well-designed, confident, happy, and beautiful. I love how my fashion style inspires my interior design style...

College Education

I hope my college education is worth it. I've always been told to go, and it's been expected of me to go to college. My parents always said that you go to college to have a good future; a college diploma allows you to get a better job and a bigger salary. So, like a good girl, I go to college. I get there, and I have to take out loans to pay (thankfully I had HOPE to help pay), I change my major and my mind a few times, I pull all-nighters to finish projects, I study hard, and I get to my last semester of college. Now what? Some professors help us out by telling us about job postings, but applying for 100 jobs and only hearing from 2 can be quite demoralizing. 

Didn't my parents tell me that having a college diploma was like having a golden ticket to Willie Wonka's Factory?! What did you say? A Bachelor's degree is no longer good enough anymore, and I have to have a Master's degree now? Oh, goody.

I love college. It's been the best experience of my life, and I'm not ready to leave yet. I figured that while I am enjoying college, I might as well stay until I can't stand it anymore, and then, maybe, I might have a high enough degree to resemble a "golden ticket". I am about to graduate this semester with a BS in Interior Design, and I want to go to graduate school, but I want to go back to engineering for my Master's degree. Unfortunately, the master's program won't take me unless I have a BS in engineering or a related science field, so I'm getting my second BS in Mechanical Engineering, which will add another 2.5 years onto my schooling before I can go to graduate school. I don't think I'll mind spending another couple years doing math and engineering because I'm tired of being creative anyways; it's time for a new path.

Now, that I think about it, I might just be a professional student. There's so much that I want to do in life, and I feel like I have to have a degree to do any of it. Is that me wanting to be excellent at what I do, or is that society saying that you are nothing without a degree? 

Well, at the moment, all I have to show for 4 years of a college education is over $20k in debt, no job, and more schooling that will put me further in debt and postpone my career search. This college education had better be worth it.

Jazz Club Sketch

This is a preliminary sketch for part of my jazz club. It's in a corner of the club with a wooden stage. The seats around the front of the stage are lower than normal, but not so low it's uncomfortable to get out of (I'll put tables in front of them). The seats will move away so you can get under the stage. There will be normal height tables behind this lounge area (you can see on the right side of the sketch), and there will be high tops behind them. The bar is located directly across from the stage on the other side of the club.

Let me know what you think! This is all in theory at the moment, so it's all very adaptable. Let me know if you think I should change something, add something, or if you have an idea you'd like to see here that you've seen elsewhere!

Senior Project Ideas

I'm working on a senior project right now, and my main focus is a jazz club. I'm so excited because I've wanted to do one for a long time, and it's going to look amazing when I am done. Where are some of your favorite places to go? Do you go to a club, poetry corner, or a coffee house? Why do you keep going back? I need some feedback about why one likes a space (comfy seating, good lighting, good acoustics, delicious food, beautifully designed interior, etc.)

I'll post some sketches soon of what I was thinking for portions of the jazz club. I have an idea of the bar I want to design, but I'm sure it will change drastically before I'm done. In the meantime, the picture to the right is the kind of atmosphere I want it to exhibit:

This is Jacques Cousteau the Sock Monkey. He travels with me when I go on trips and does some pretty creative things.

This is his snowman swimming from sharks he made out of sand at the beach last Christmas.

And here he is taking an art painting class.

Lesson: Anyone can be creative.

Quote:

"There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns."
 - Edward de Bono

Taking Stock

An attribute I value highly in myself is creativity. My upbringing has allowed me to be able to use my imagination and express myself freely stimulating my right-brain, but children these days seem to be missing out on such wonders. Yes, technology can be used as another medium to express creativity as opposed to sidewalk chalk and finger paint, but children should be exposed to all sorts of mediums with which to express their creativity. I even read a couple years ago that schools cutting budget expenses cut the music and art programs first! Children don't just need to have book knowledge and be able to regurgitate memorized information; they need to explore their creative side as well to be a well-rounded person.

I was never one to keep up with a diary or journal as a teenager, but I did keep a small journal with blank, unlined pages that I used to write down my stream of consciousnesses. It has sketches, pictures, poems, rants, and just about everything that popped into my head. It was a good outlet for me, and I kept it for years. Now, I refer back to it for inspiration for some of my designs. See? Being creative as a child can be beneficial in one's adult life.

I understand people who say, "I can't draw!" or "I don't have a creative bone in my body!" because I'm sure it's true for some people, but creativity is so much more than just art. Music, for one, can be very creative whether it's playing an instrument, composing, or singing. Even designing websites, creating html, writing, and graffiti can be seen as inventive. 

Creativity should be encouraged, not cut out of school budgets or put on a lower pedestal because it isn't on the SAT. Everyone should exercise their right brain occasionally; one might be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.