Design IN Concept

Project Description:

Two sets of fireplace tools – an integral hanger, shovel and poker – were custom designed as part of larger architectural services for a residential project.

The heads of the shovel and poker are inspired by nature. They are meant to appear as if they grew organically – almost blossoming out of the handle. A local blacksmith fabricated the wrought iron tools.

Project Description:

Decorative Arts House was designed for clients who possess one of the most extensive decorative arts collections in the world. The goal was a single, unified creation which simultaneously creates a backdrop for and highlights each unique piece – a home in which art and living are indistinguishable.
The house is bisected by a central gallery spine which delineates public and private areas. Casework displaying small items is integrated into this space. The three pieces in this furniture suite are located in the central gallery and designed to be artistic pieces. 

The custom furniture is designed to respond to the collection – including pieces by Frank Lloyd Wright, Josef Hoffman, and Charles Renee MacKintosh. The suite also responds to the larger architectural vision, incorporating details – like double columns – that appear in the structural design of the home, as well as corresponding to the soft, warm palette of the house’s finishes.
The Gallery Table sits at the center of the gallery, and the central axis of the house. The table is designed as a stand for a Frank Lloyd Wright vitrine, using a residential language (table) rather than the expected museum language (unadorned column). Four separate pieces of solid burled western walnut – consecutive logs cut from the same tree— form the table’s top. The table’s base plate and cross pedestal are oil rubbed silicon bronze. The cross pedestal’s double plates echo the gallery’s structural columns. The table measures six feet in diameter.

The Bronze Chairs and Console Table are located in an alcove off the gallery, adjacent to the main staircase. The chairs’ frames are solid steel with bronze plating, and the upholstery is two-toned bronze-colored silk. The table’s top and spine are western walnut plain-sawn planks. “Fin” table legs are solid silicon bronze, and carry on the theme of the double-columns.  The Console Table is eight feet long, thirty inches deep and thirty inches tall.
 

Project Description:

    Tangerine is a small women's clothing boutique in Spokane, Washington located at 1019 W. 1st Avenue.  Albert Held designed the building in 1909, and the International Order of Odd Fellows occupied it for many years.  Many lodge rooms, including the dance halls, remain.  Patricia Sampson, a downtown real estate specialist, opened the boutique in July of 2008.  Located in the Davenport Arts District, the 789 square foot space is "…an artistic expression…a kind of girls club," according to Sampson.  It features arty accessories and limited-edition clothing from local and international designers.
   

   Tangerine meets the need for affordable, contemporary clothing in downtown Spokane with an emphasis on the local scene.  By developing close relationships with vendors, Tangerine provides individualistic and contemporary styles for the urban woman aged 30-50.  Their exceptional customer service, special events and quality merchandise appeal to women who are looking to stand apart. In-store events, personal shopping and trunk shows are just some of the ways Tangerine goes 'above and beyond' for their customers.  It is the 'ultimate closet for women.'       
   

   Sampson has never been completely satisfied with the design of the space and is seeking to remodel.  The redesign is a physical manifestation of Tangerine's branding image: fresh and contemporary but, with a decidedly residential feel.  Fixtures are flexible to accommodate after-hours events.  Seating encourages lingering and conversation.  Lighting design brings brightness and sparkle, to adjust for low natural light levels.