creativity|design|life

There are many life changing events in our lives, events that really mark a rite of passage.  Going to your first dance, a first kiss, getting married and having kids.  But one that many of us go through is purchasing our first home.  A friend of mine, Lester, recently just purchased his first place and asked for my help putting it together.

Picking out paints, and furniture is fun for me, but the real design challenge comes in really making those pieces work together to give you a picture of the person living in that space.  Furniture, much like clothes really help define who we are, and what we stand for.  At our initial meeting I asked Lester how he saw his place.  He had seen what I done with my friend Jason’s place and liked it and wanted it to feel similar to that: clean, simple and modern.  But he also talked about how he loved nature, enjoying the outdoors and also enjoying the city and the vibe that it generates.  He pointed out the fact that he was tired of being in rooms that were just white and stressed colors.

After our meeting, I began to see a lot of interest with his love of the city and nature especially with the juxtaposition of them together.  In recent times it seems like we’re trying to find a balance between what’s been built on top of what was there before us.  People today are beginning to see the value of nature and the damage that could result if we’re not careful with our resources.  Lester is one of those people that really sees this and has began incorporating earth friendly behaviors into his lifestyle by recycling and reducing his carbon foot print by driving a hybrid.  When picking out furniture I really wanted to go to places that are being environmentally responsible and are using materials that using sustainable materials.  Lester had defined the living area, which included the kitchen and dining area, as a green colored space, so I expanded on that by incorporating more natural elements in those spaces.  Using the sun setting on green fields began to define the color palette of green, grays, warm toned wood (like walnut) accented with oranges and chrome plated materials.

For the rest of the space that included the bedrooms and bathrooms, a subdued palette was used taking cues from the city of Los Angeles at night.  Steel blues, grays, yellows, aluminums and creams.  For the bedrooms, more structural pieces like a metal framed bed help to get the point of the steel structures that define the city skyline.  Also incorporating more glass surfaces for tables helps to develop the idea of buildings.  Although the city can be a very stark, incorporating softer materials like woods help to take off the edge.

The boards created here really help to create a mood for Lester’s new place.  It’s a map to follow!

I look forward to putting some after pics when the project is done!

Thanks Les for giving me the opportunity to define your space!