i am never one to shy away from color, and just recently i was in Dusseldorf, Germany (reviewing bathroom fixtures for the project i am working on) and happened upon these little gems in the Grohe showroom:
Grohe has been adding color to people's bathrooms for a couple of years now, and they just keeps adding colors (they just released an earthtone range as well) and bonus: they have a handy plus/minus button for water conservation. pretty + smart = love
i find myself telling people that i'm not a "pink" person quite often, but for some reason my actions have been to the contrary lately, and i brought home a pink one...
you know good design when you see it, you know because every time you see it you can't help but smile :)
lately, my job has been rather intense. construction keeps moving. sometimes i feel like i am being put through one of those dog agility obstacle courses, only when i get to the end there is no treat... just someone telling me to run it again. when i leave at the end of the day, i just feel exhausted. i know i should go to the gym when all i really want to do is go lounge on my sofa with a glass of wine.
don't get me wrong, the end goal is worth it; a sparkly new building where there used to be a plot of white sand!
so how do you fight the little cocktail devil sitting on one shoulder and go for the gym angel sitting on the other? well... it isn't easy, but a good friend and colleague of mine once put that into perspective for me at the end of one particularly exhausting day. he said to me:
you are mentally tired. you are not physically tired. think about what you did all day...
if you are like a majority of people, your job involves sitting, a lot of sitting. sitting in your car on the way to the office. sitting at your desk. sitting in meetings. sitting, sitting, sitting.
when you look at it from this perspective, it makes it hard to argue with the gym. mental exhaustion can trick you into believing that you are physically tired.
i used to be a long distance swimmer. i got some sort of high from really intense practices. after what felt like a "long day at school" (if i only knew what hard work was then)... i'd go straight to the pool, no time to think about how "tired" i felt, and with a coach expecting me on the deck and in the water stat. i would leave feeling exhausted, but on top of the world at the same time.
i've been adhering to this state of mind lately, i leave work, lace up my new balance and head directly to the gym regardless of how "tired" i am feeling, and for some reason lately, i have been running. for those of you that know me you probably just fell off of your chair because i, in the past, have declared an absolute disdain for running! elliptical definitely, weights sure, swimming, spinning, aerobics, you name it... but running was the last thing i would even consider doing. seriously, my friends in school called me "track star" because they knew how little i enjoyed this activity.
i never thought i'd see the day, but i actually look forward to it! it is like an eraser for the days events, a rewind, an undo button. i leave with that same feeling i used to get from swimming... exhausted, but on top of the world at the same time.
check out these new kicks, a collaboration by new balance and j.crew... cute huh?!...
sorry ladies, they only made them for the men this time!
i came across this contest by CB2 in my email today... somehow i think taking a photo of my hotel room at Aloft would be some sort of rule-breaker. SO, i know all of you creative friends of mine back in the US already have amazing apartments! all you have to do is photograph them and you could win $10,000 to spend at CB2...get out the camera and get shooting!
don't pretend you haven't been dying to move some things around and buy new stuff for the last 2 years. after the toll this recession has taken on our industry, i don't know who wouldn't want 10k to blow on their home!
well, me this time, and 17 other fabulous designers across the "good old US and A"
I was honored to be in Vegas for an award party thrown by Boutique Design magazine in honor of this year's Boutique 18, up and coming designers in the hospitality industry!
They put on a fabulous party in full vegas style: Tao: Opium Room: photographers: champagne: and good friends and family!
They also gave us a little ink in the latest issue of their magazine...
(of course to fit all of our greatness into one magazine they had to edit... so see my uncut answers below)
1.Briefly, tell us about your background.
As the daughter of an architect, I grew up around design. I did have a pink plastic miniature mayline at the age of six, so I’ll leave it to you to argue nature vs. nurture… I attended Miami University of Ohio from 2000-2004. I fell in love with their program because of the way it was created; the interior design, architecture, and graphic design disciplines were always collaborating. This kind of “design is design” thought process led me to my first design job in Scottsdale, Arizona as a designer for my father’s architecture firm, Callahan Studios, LLC. As I began to explore the industry a bit more, I took a huge liking to hospitality design. Then I discovered BBG-BBGM’s Scottsdale location and have been in hospitality design ever since. I love that our industry covers so many different genres of design: restaurants, lobbies, spas, guestrooms, how could I ever get bored!? Two years ago, Ifelt inspired to change up my location,so I transferred to the BBG-BBGM office in New York City where I’ve been working on the Rosewood Abu Dhabi Hotel. Most recently, I have accepted an on-site position in Abu Dhabi to oversee the interiors portion of the construction; an opportunity that designers rarely have and of which I am greatly looking forward to.
2.What are your goals as a designer and how do you work those goals into your design?
I love interior design because through it I have an opportunity to interact with people in a unique way by shaping the spaces that surround them every day.
My goals as a designer are to:
inspire people: help them to see the world, or even just their lobby in a way that they might not have otherwise before.
be poetic: give a space depth and meaning, something that goes beyond the magazine photo, full of intimate touches, local style, and a story that guests want to know more about.
be collaborative: in the world of design two heads are always better than one.
be purposeful: create beautiful usable spaces.
travel: I’ve always been an adventurous type, and I love to travel. I think it opens you up as a person and enriches the depth of what you can offer as an interior designer.
3.How has the design industry changed for you and the world in the last year?
Design is creative, but it is also a business. For designers that began their careers post 9-11, this is the first time we are seeing any sort of economic downturn from a professional perspective. It has been extremely eye opening for me to see a design world that is struggling and the way in which we have responded. As a creative individual, I believe that forced change is one of the biggest catalysts for creativity. When you can’t continue doing what you’ve always done, you have to jump off the wheel and ask yourself “what are we really trying to accomplish?” While not every moment in this last year has been pleasant, I think our industry will come out stronger, more efficient, and more creative than ever.
4.What are the biggest challenges young designers face today?
WORKING TOO HARD – Your time is valuable. People will respect your time if you respect yourself. There will always be times where the extra mile requires the extra time, but it shouldn’t be on a regular basis. The last thing you want to do is burn out on something you love
ASK QUESTIONS - If you don’t feel like you know what you are doing, try first and then ask for help. Your team will see you as a proactive member and that you are willing to ask questions and learn.
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR TALENTS – You wouldn’t have gotten this far without it – believe in yourself, and your designs, and people will listen.
TRAVEL - Find time to travel and open yourself up to new experiences, cultures, and activities. Each one adds a layer to the development of your own unique design style. (Although, as my mentor once told me, “As a designer, you might not like every design style, but a good designer should be capable of designing in any style.”)
KNOW THE BUSINESS - If I were to do anything differently, I would have also minored in Business. I think design programs largely under-value the business aspect of design, and thanks to our right brained nature, most designers could use business knowledge more than anything.
5.If you could create anything at all, what would it be?
The most amazing design studio ever known to man…and more time! (double yellow to the max!)
