High Design, Low Blah.

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#UnBlah

Typical problem, unblah solution:

Remember that amazing Helsinki tile we posted waaaaaa-ay back  (http://moodandspace.tumblr.com/post/1168548369/these-marble-chevron-tiles-from-walker-zanger-are)?  Well, we finally got the chance to specify them for a client - and this time in chevron orientation!  Double “yay”.  Pitched them for a client for their fantastic mid-century inspired kitchen. They loved it.

Luxe marble with dramatic oversized scale…clients are on board…what could be the problem?  Well…Walker Zanger just sold the extra few square feet that the tile contractor requested above our original hold.  Oh no!  A tile with this amount of unblah-factor just is not available anywhere else at the clients’ budget.  Of course we had backup options, but they paled in comparison as the whole team was already desperately in love with this specific design. 

What is a stubborn team to do?  I was hell-bent to make this longtime marbley-chevron dream come to fruition.  I thought…why not cut regular square tiles into a chevron?  Resourceful idea, if I do say so myself, but as with all things chic and forward, this has enormous potential - to be very pricey.  Solution: the team went out and sourced a less-dramatic marble, which saved the client $2000 (!), and now we have the budget for the cuts. Yay.  But we’re not past the concerns yet…

Since the tile (although beautiful) is not as dramatic in coloration as the first tile, we run the risk of losing some of it’s edgy impact.  Tony’s brilliance now takes a turn.  Why don’t we lay the tile in a grey grout instead of the rote white?  This way we are emphasizing the chevron pattern and over-sized scale of the tile instead of the coloration, and doing it in a design-forward way.  

Problem solved!  Go team Mood and Space!  The result of our collaboration (and also the fab work of an excellent tile contractor - thanks, Brett!) we have an  even better (certainly more creative) plan for the kitchen than the original concept. 

What a fun ride, this design life is taking us on!  Can’t wait to show you the final result once it is installed.  (Attached is a sample board).  We’re taking the backsplash all the way to the ceiling in another unconventional twist.  Hold on to your seats….

Collaboration.  Inspiration.  Beauty.  Creativity.  This is what it’s about. 

#UnBlah  #Unconventional  #Uncommon #UnderstatedNope

On our way home from our last client meeting today, we drove past this work in progress.  Graffiti in broad daylight is bold…we wanted to get the scoop.  We introduced ourselves to this charming British man named Lawrence who was, “using up some leftover paint”.  Wish we could send him the blog post, but since he lives in a tent right here in Oakland, that’s just a bit irrelevant to him, it seemed.  Can’t wait to see the finished piece!  (If you click on the photoset, you can see Lawrence’s detailed plans.)  

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Please take a moment to check out our newest design, “Luxe-Vintage: Bringing the Garden In”.  Vintage gone luxe, with an edge.  Huh?  Check it out to understand:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150194491367032.308862.110059257031#!/media/set/?set=a.10150194491367032.308862.110059257031

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Hey!  Guess who’s in CA Home + Design this edition (May/June 2011)?  The text reads:

Mood and Space Design is an up-and-coming design firm out of Oakland
who is changing the way interiors are done.  Coming from the
perspective that tasteful design does not have to be boring, the team
carves out spaces that have a feel all their own.  Your home should be
an expression of who you are, and Mood and Space Design is focused on
creating interiors that allow their clients to live, relax, thrive.
The Bay Area has embraced the new designers who bring an edge to what
can be a rote process. Their work is design-forward and sophisticated,
but also allows one to experience it in a visceral - and even an
emotional - way.  “What we try to create in our work is a mashup of
space and style.  Personalized interiors are collaborations, really,
between the design team and the client.  We tend to create very
personal relationships with our clients because we get to know and
celebrate them so well in this process.  It is really an amazing
experience to be able to change the way people live.” You are going to
want to keep an eye on this design duo as they establish their vibe in
Bay Area Design.

For more, visit:
www.moodandspace.com

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We were introduced to Brandon Morrison through his feature in California Home + Design.  We called him to talk about customizing a piece for a client and had an amazing conversation about design and his story.

Actor turned furniture maker, this guy is no act. His furniture is organic and sculptural in a way that’s refined and contemporary. It’s old-school artisan craftsmanship meets new school ideas and finishes.

Don’t forget to check out videos of Brandon in his element creating these immaculate pieces.

http://www.whyrhymer.com/film.html

The future is clear.  Or near?  In this case, both.  The Invisio flatscreen by Michael Friebe is on its way!  It does not pretend to completely hide the television, but it does at the very least allow it to act as a glass sculpture, and I personally think it also succeeds at being inconspicuous.  For a designer like myself that lives for the juxtaposition of raw and refined, it allows for exciting design possibilities.  A textured stacked-stone wall or original concrete would be enhanced (even confronted!) by Invisio’s clean lines.  I love that for once, high-tech design does not try to be flashy, but rather to be absent…quiet.  I can’t think of a better way to look at it. 

Or not look at it, in this case.  (Couldn’t help myself).

Photo credit: CA Home + Design

FRACTALS!  (Wish I could type in a nerdy lisp).

“Fractales” Lamps by Dario Stanziano and Batti is an ingenius design inspired by math and fine tailoring.  I have always been a sucker for the well-dressed, nerdy type, this being no exception.  Loving the tactile result of the mathematical research that went into this project.  Not to mention sacred geometry, or the fact that each lamp is meticulously crafted and sewn entirely by hand.  Say the designers, “Textile objects establish an intrinsic relationship between user and the context in which they are used. Chairs, blankets, clothing or curtains transmit different sensations of warmth, softness, transparency, flexibility and lightness.” Yeah, ok, whatever works, (frivolous hair flip).  Just keep great designs like this coming! And remember, us nerd-lovers will be here long after the “nerd-chic” trend has passed.

(Source: mocoloco.com)

We stumbled upon this cute idea on the fashion/design blog http://www.a212.com.

It is a wearable planter!  Colleen Jordan (http://www.colleenjordan.com), who also has a shop on Etsy, came up with this project (amongst others) in her study of Material Perception.  In a nutshell, she is studying the way we perceive materials in an attempt to re-shape our perceptions and (ultimately, I project) create a more sustainable and thoughtful relationship to them.  

By creating products such as these adorable wearable planters, she is shaping our perception of plastic.  A product that is perceived as ugly and temporary, now transforms into one that is beautiful and cherished (and re-usable).  

Aside from this provocative study, Colleen has managed to create a product for consumers that not only alters our perception, but by design is also innovative, graceful, and thoughtful.  Creating intention in the consumer market is not an easy thing to do.  I adore the simplicity of the forms she has created.  The angular planter balances the sweetness of the plant with just a little edge, which this design deserves. Digging it!  Pun intended.  

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Gore Design Co. has made a name for itself since its 2004 inception by creating design-forward, environmentally responsible products for residential and commercial application. I love the use of contour lines to step down the elevation of this sink! The concrete design is “organic, timeless, a true reflection of nature’s beauty.” Completely agree.  (Now if only Tony hadn’t mentioned how incredibly hard it would be to clean…stupid function.)

Simple, sculptural, elegant use of LEDs.  Not much else needs to be said.  Stick light by NYC designer Tod Bracher. 

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I enjoy this take on the Edison bulb by Scott, Rich and Victoria out of London.  With all the examples of the filament revival I have been seeing around, it is great to see a bit of whimsy with the free-form filaments and the contemporary spin contrasting the filaments and the hand-blown bulbs.  A good idea taken one step further.  Me likey.

If you like this, check out the Plumen bulb by the Plumen Project.  Their goal was to create an attractive energy-saving bulb that will inspire people to buy it out of appreciation rather than moral obligation.  But you still get your 80% energy saving.  Sweet.

“Proof that energy-saving light bulbs no longer need to be lame”.

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Soooo…we finished Phase One of the coffee shop!  It was a local project with some wonderful clients, loosely based on industry and the history that the Tribune Building (where the shop resides) provided.  We juxtaposed the historical references with contemporary lines for a cool, unique, but approachable space.  Goes great with the cool, unique and approachable folks who run the company!

In this photo, check out the salvaged bowling alley bar (more of this amazing bar on our Facebook page), our great stools that we powder coated red, and some of the custom wood work we added to the space.

Please click on the photo to view the entire, epic album!  Or at least we think it is epic.  We had fun! ;)  Thanks to Nina Fry for the fantastic photos.

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“Reality turned upside down”?  Do tell…

This bed designed by architect  Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architects was inspired by the architect’s desire to break out of the confines imposed on architecture…um…BY GRAVITY! This incredible design employs the sophisticated strength of magnets in the bed frame and the floor that push away from each other, creating a feeling of it “floating”.  By tethering it to the ground, Ruijssenaars has managed to create a truly floating bed, strong enough to hold a truck. It took him seven years to perfect the technology behind the bed, and we think it was well worth the wait. 

So yes; if you defy gravity you will likely make it into one of my posts.

*Design swoon* …Gotta love a rebel.

These marble chevron tiles from Walker Zanger are inspired by mid-century modernists’ minimalism; improved upon with the warmth of natural stone.  A la Barcelona Pavillion by my favorite, Mies van der Rohe.  These are done in a modern and elegant way. Simplicity at its finest. Just…drool.