September 28 - What a Find

The clients found these wood screens at a store that is closing next month. Perfect diamonds in the rough. We can remove the wood backing and unhinge the leaves so that they stand as independent see-through panels. Then we can mount each leaf within a clean, minimal, dark-stained wood frame (as a "new" counterpoint to the "old"), and secure each wood frame to the ceiling and floor independently, so that there are clean gaps in between.

September 28 - Living Room Concept

My clients and I agree that the living room has two primary features: fireplace, built-in bookshelf (complete with a rolling ladder), and one problem: an ambivalent relationship with the adjacent entry. Currently there is only a dated railing separating the rooms. The height is awkward from either room, and leaves both spaces feeling incomplete.

One solution that we will pursue is to install a full-height but see-through wood screen (supported at both the raised floor and the ceiling) to separate the two rooms. There are two ways of going about this: build new or find old wood screens that we can refurbish and customize to fit the available height and width. The entry can transform into a dramatic room of its own if we paint the wood screens (or the mounting supports) a dark stain or even a lacquered black. Then, we can install the same wood material (or a matching material) over at the coat closet, replacing the current mirrored surfaces. To cohere the space, we can find floor tiles that match what is existing, to cover the currently carpeted stair and landing.

September 26 - Kitchen Concept

Using the project matrix as a guide, we reviewed some images of products that I had gathered, starting with the kitchen. It seems like the main question for the project comes down to this. Assuming the kitchen cabinets are the big ticket item (both in terms of schedule and budget,) should we put all our time and money into the cabinets and refrain from making major changes in the rest of the kitchen and the main living spaces? Or, should we try to save money on the cabinets in order to afford basic accents throughout both the kitchen and the living spaces?


Here is a photo of a friend's recently installed Ikea cabinets. It actually fits with the the look that my clients are interested in. A light-reflecting, off-white with a simple profile. After some analysis, my clients are I decided to give the Ikea option a try (but still leave the custom option open as construction costs permit.)

September 26 - Project Matrix

The clients were beaming when I met them for our second design meeting - they did their "homework" of filling out the Phase 1 portion of the project matrix, and had it ready in their hands. The process prompted the clients to make certain preliminary design decisions, especially at transitional spaces between rooms (for example, where the entry turns into the living area.) As we continue to make design decisions, we will incrementally refine this matrix until it can be used as a firm guide for estimating construction costs and specifying products.

September 23 - The Fun Began

This was when the fun part of the project began: design!

To kick off the meeting, I gave my clients an exercise to get their reactions on both functional needs and personal style. 7 questions, 7 minutes. Here are their responses.











We discussed certain elements and adjectives that recurred in their answers. Fireplace, windows, fireplace, windows! Open, simple, traditional, comfortable, yet eclectic. "Not starck," the husband explained, "but not extravagant either." "Like Banana Republic," the wife added, "but not Brooks Brothers." We laughed. I said, I've got to write that down. Fashion brands as architectural descriptions. I like that.

After that, we looked through some magazines together in order to assign some pictures to these verbal descriptions. Through some brainstorming, a design concept began to emerge: a series of earth-toned rooms throughout the house, with each room defined by one or two accented elements (esp. fireplace and built-in bookshelf in the living room and giant window in the kitchen). The accents can be accomplished by the use of warm materials or colors, along with the proper lighting. In addition, at a finer scale, we can also have brighter hits of colors within each room. This can be accomplished at a later phase with furnishings and accessories. We also talked about the possibility of replacing the current railing at the entry (which separates the entry with the adjacent living room) with a dramatic wooden screen. The material and finish of the screen can be echoed at the coat closet and the wall that the fireplace is set into.

At the end of the meeting, I gave my clients a project matrix to fill out, which I had prepared based on our recent house visit. The matrix includes all the rooms and features of the house, so that based on our conversations so far, they can write down what they would like to see as a minimal remodel and an upgraded remodel.

September 16 - House Tour

September 16 was a big day. It was the first time I saw the house with my clients. (They had to find a time that worked for the current owner.)

The brick house is part of a row. The three-story brick facade spans the entire block, and is filled with a subtle rhythm of vertical openings and indents. The clients brought me to the other side of the street to get a better view.

They told me that everyone else has done some amount of renovation work here, and some owners have made structural additions. When I asked how they knew, they said, see, for example, the floor plate there extends to the front of the house. I was impressed by their observations. We also talked about the metalwork some owners have installed to increase curb appeal. Again, these are items that we can tackle in upcoming phases.

Nothings beats a real visit. Photos gave me an idea of the house, but being there was when I discovered the comfortable proportions of the rooms. That, I would say, was the unifying characteristic I experienced in all the rooms - from the entry, living room, stair, dining, kitchen, to the bedrooms, there was this balance of spaciousness (high ceilings in some rooms, view overlooking other rooms, wide and tall windows, etc.) yet intimacy (small nooks, subtle height changes, etc.)

My clients and I took rough dimensions of all the rooms, especially of the living room and kitchen. As we walked through, we also discussed the functions that they hoped to accommodate in each room in the house. The kitchen was, well, quite a wallpapered surprise. Here are some photos from that day:

September 9 - Phasing

Some more photos, showing the current conditions of the master bedroom and bathroom. The current owner is an elderly woman who lives by herself.

The clients are interested in something altogether different. More urban yet calmer, with earthy colors and cozy textures. Looking ahead into Phase 2, we talked about the possibility of opening up the attic above to create a dramatic high-ceiling bedroom.

On a practical note, the bathroom will require some fundamental reconfiguration and plumbing work in Phase 2. Right now only the toilet and shower are enclosed. The bathroom feels more utilitarian than relaxing. Also, the sink is in an awkward area, along a carpeted hallway between the bedroom and bathroom.

September 9 - Meet and Greet

In early September, after a series of emails, I invited the clients over to my condo to get to know them more and listen to their needs. This was still before the clients' closing date of the house, so I hadn't seen the house, but we were able to discuss budget and schedule feasibility in generic terms. I proposed bringing a contractor on board by the first week of October and taking a collaborative approach to Phase 1 in order to expedite design decisions and ensure that we leave adequate time for proper construction (especially for the ordering and/or fabrication of kitchen cabinets.) Here are more photos of the house that the clients took. Most of these spaces, we agreed, could be taken care of in Phases 2 and 3 of the project.

August - 3000 SF, 3 Phases, and a Baby!

August was when the clients first reached out to me by email. The clients are a couple who are closing on their house in September, expecting a baby in October, and hoping to move in by Christmas time - an ambitious schedule. (In their own words, "Yes, we ARE crazy!") They suggested organizing the project into three phases, with phase 1 being everything it takes to get the house into a move-in condition that meets their needs and lifestyles. I couldn't agree more. I liked my clients already - ambitious yet clear-headed!

Phase 1: Total kitchen remodel and refinishing of main living spaces
Phase 2: Total remodel of master bedroom and bathroom, and upstairs bathroom, including possible structural work
Phase 3: Total fitout and finishing of basement

The three-story house is about 3000 SF excluding what is currently an unfinished basement. It is 30 years old and has never been renovated. When I saw the photos that the clients sent, I got very excited. I was particularly attracted to the sectional changes (height changes) in the house - it feels both spacious and cozy - and the way daylight comes through wide, generous windows.