Happy Independence Day!

Modern Delta lighting and Poliform cabinet showroom visit

Recently a few of us from my office visited an interesting new concept of a showroom here in Georgetown: Sagartstudio.

The interesting thing about the showroom is that it's actually a townhouse that has been expertly renovated as if it's a real house, utilizing many interesting products. No one lives here but you can bring your clients to see different items 'in use'.

They pride themselves that it shows how even an older traditional Washington rowhouse can incorporate modern design and the latest conveniences.

The house is branded as a Poliform showroom but all of the lighting is from my new favorite lighting company, Delta Lighting, along with other European brands furnishing the rest of the house.

 As I was saying the house was beautiful renovated, even to this architect's eye; "No expense was spared".  The nice thing is that one can bring a client to a high-level project to see items in situ and not a bland showroom:  Very little imagination is needed here!

 Everyone wants a bathtub in the master bedroom, right? Ok maybe not, but it makes for a nice picture.

The owner was telling us the house was completely gutted and basically rebuilt.  In general I cannot stand recessed lighting (loathe it actually) but these small modern fixtures disappear nicely in a way that works in both modern and traditional environments.

 Love this cute little reading sconce.

Generally nicer recessed architectural fixtures like these are many times more the cost than the average recessed can from home depot but the Delta lighting is actually pretty reasonable and definitely affordable.

 These small recessed spots are great.

 Another great product is this recessed track system into which many types of fixtures can fit.

I love the adjustable lights which pull down from the track (or recess) so that you can aim them at artwork.

These recessed floor lights work well in a bathroom or anywhere you need a little extra night-lighting; hallways perhaps?

Also featured are trufig recessed electrical outlets which are a nice minimal approach. Here Sagartstudio used them in black as a contrast to the white walls.  Generally I have spec'd them in the wall color so they disappear but this is a nice look too.

I love these kitchens that sort of fold away when not in use which are great for city apartments; looking like a built-in wardrobe system or paneled wall when not in use.

Another interesting product were these adjustable recessed lights that were small enough to fit into the stair carriage.

 These lit the exposed brick wall nicely; stair lighting is always tricky!

 Another interesting sconce that doubles as an art piece are these flat light fixtures which appear to be 3-d,  rather like Sol LeWitt.

And who says plumbing fixtures can't be fun colors? I forget the Italian company who makes these but rather fun for a child's bath.

Believe it or not this is not a sponsored post (other than the glass  or two of champagne I enjoyed...ok 3) but I wanted to share some fun new products. If you're in the DC area I highly recommend a visit to the Sargartstudio to see these products for yourself -tell them ArchitectDesignblog sent you!

Happy Halloween!

Do you decorate for Halloween? I've never been interested in the holiday other than the candy (and I don't even have much of a sweet tooth!) but I do enjoy seeing how people have fun decorating their houses. This house above in the Kalorama neighborhood of Washington (recently renovated by BarnesVanze Architects) got into the spirit with this spooky ghost in the vestibule.

Georgetown is particularly spooky over Halloween with many houses decorating their front yards. Trick or treating in Georgetown is INSANE. I loved this corrugated plastic BOO! along O street in the East Village. Don't forget to brush your teeth!

Those fine 'Fine Paints of Europe'

As an architect you constantly find yourself specifying interesting and beautiful products but how does one get to make an educated decision over which products to use? I decided to try one out myself - Fine Paints of Europe. Fine Paints of Europe, or FPE as I'll call it in this post, is an oil based paint renowned for its glossy, almost glass-like appearance. To achieve this shine a rather detailed process is involved and on a recent project I decided to try it myself rather than leave it to the painters so that I could really get to understand the process.

Lets start at the very beginning shall we?  The project was an old and rather, lets say, 'dated' townhouse in Georgetown.  Above you can see the 100 year old door forlornly hidden behind an ugly security gate and layers of pink paint.

The first step was to get the house right. Painters were brought in to banish the pink and white scheme and new landscaping was installed. Dated storm doors in the city? No thanks, rip that out! Much better already, no?  After the long missing shutters were re-installed the only thing remaining on the street front was how to make that front door a focal point. It had to be something really special I felt - a bold color - and a shiny finish would be the finishing touch. Rather than a traditional red or green accent door, purple was decided upon. Yes - PURPLE. If you're gonna go for it - GO FOR IT!

Picking up my paint brush I was careful to follow the FPE instructions. After removing all of the brass hardware (to be thoroughly polished) and sanding the door (a very important step as the high gloss would show any imperfection), a specialty primer by FPE was used. This primer was so thick and rigid, like super glue, that it created a smooth surface to work on; not an easy feat on a rough old Victorian door! This took about 3 HOURS!! The 3 day holiday weekend was a perfect time for this as it took an entire day for the door to be sanded, primed, and then dry. The 2nd day was the 1st coat of paint.  The paint was also thick, although not as rigid as the primer. It went on smoothly and after very careful brush strokes, miraculously produced a perfect glossy surface!

The first coat dried perfectly and I was tempted to leave well enough alone but the directions said to apply a second coat. So the 3rd day I woke up early and did as directed. The 2nd coat was somewhat difficult as the paint dries as glossy as it is while wet so making sure I was achieving even coverage was a bit of a chore (viewing the door sideways helped). After drying for 12 hours I was able to re-install the now gleaming brass hardware and voila!

I was so happy with the end result and think it puts the finishing touch on this lovely Georgetown townhouse. On future projects I'll now be able to instruct painters with assurance having tried the product myself.  Lesson learned: follow the directions, they're there for a reason!
I received no compensation for this post but rather I wanted to share my experience with a great product!

Let there be light

One of the most underrated light fixtures in my humble opinion is the sconce. Mounted at eye level sconces create flattering light unlike the shadow lines created on ones' face from overhead lighting. Also, they don't take up precious table space like lamps or clutter a room like floorlamps.

This weekend I helped a friend install some antique sconces we had picked out at Artisan Lamp (my favorite lighting source here in DC) onto some existing built-in bookshelves in his den. The effect is magical particularly in this small room without any existing lighting!

Not only are they the jewels of the room, the warm light cast by them is ultimately flattering and practical. Don't forget sconces in your next project!

Hidden from view

I came across this identical row of townhouses on a side street in Georgetown recently which I had never noticed before. They're fairly nondescript row-houses of the type to be found all over the city but it's interesting to see how they have changed in the past century. All have been painted and one in particular has a sort of 'Grey Gardens' vibe to it. While I think this is rather wonderful in its way I'm sure the neighbors don't think so! While I work on lengthier posts while life continually gets in the way, what do you think of this type of 'garden' or lack of gardening?

Merry Christmas!

"May Peace and Plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and may happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas" 

From ArchitectDesign to you, may you have a very Merry Christmas! Stefan

That touch of black

I'm a firm believer in the design principal that every room needs to have a touch of black; it grounds the space. Recently I helped a friend add a touch of black to his own living room in one of my favorite spots - the fireplace surround.

Before the fireplace lacked presence in the room. It also unfortunately had been rebuilt at some point and featured a very new, ugly brick surround in contrast to the original antique brick hearth (floor). Ignore the unpainted trim to the right, I also helped redesign the trim throughout the room and it hasn't been painted yet!

While my cell phone snaps don't do it justice, the new painted brick surround is a great focal point, won't show soot stains if the fire smokes, and now pairs nicely with the untouched antique brick hearth. Small changes can make such a large difference. 

I did the same in my own home. The fireplaces in my old COOP building are no longer functioning for insurance reasons but the fireplace remains a focal point in my living room. Above you can see how I painted the interior and the surround black.

Before (on a walk through with my Realtor before purchasing the apartment) you can see the surround painted white with no contrast to the mantel (and the hideously old wall to wall carpeting). What do you think of adding a touch of black to a space?

Halloween or Fall decorating

To get you into the 'holiday' spirit here are 2 townhouses in Georgetown featuring some festive decor. The house above has a collection of unusual pumpkins decorating their front stoop (notice the gas lantern!). Discreet and charming, these gourds will last as decorations all fall.

This rather spooky house features some cackling Jack o'lanterns to get passersby into the spirit! Have you decorated your house for Halloween or will you be hiding in the basement away from trick-or-treaters like me?!

2 notable houses of stucco

This weekend while walking around Georgetown I noticed 2 unusual stucco houses. Now just in passing (or from a car window) they might not strike you as anything but ordinary but lets look closer.

This stucco house which appears to have been put together from at least 2 or 3 brick houses at some point reminds me of something from Rosemary's Beach in Florida, especially the side elevation. See what I mean?

 Don't you love how the tall planted trees make it look like Greek Revival columns on the front facade?

 The second house appears to be another white painted stucco house until you look closer.  Do you see it?

 Look beyond the lovely details such as double porches, symmetrical brick stairs, (a vintage Porsche under wraps), and the Chippendale rail.

All of the trim is painted the same white as the facade but with a navy blue highlighted line of trim.  Lovely, fresh, and so 'French' somehow.
I took all of these images with a new app I discovered somewhere called "Dynamic Light" - a sort of instant photoshop for your smartphone! Hope you can tell a difference in the picture quality.

Good fences make good neighbors

According to Robert Frost's 1914 poem 'Mending wall', "Good fences make good neighbors"; so I wonder what he would think of these neighbors in Georgetown who share a front porch? While walking around this weekend I noticed these adjoining townhouses with side entrances sharing a beautiful iron gate and front door canopy. I think the change in door heights helps them feel private but what do you think about this setup? Could you share a front porch with your neighbor?

Confusing weather

While I chug away at deadlines I thought I would share with you a scene from the Georgetown canal where Forsythia seems to be confused by our unseasonably warm weather.  Hopeful signs of spring!