I tend to think that loft renovations I see in magazines and newspapers are all more or less the same, but this one really struck a cord with me - last Thursday The NYimes featured the mega renovation of Billy Morrissette’s SoHo loft, filling the story with analogies about moving back to NYC from L.A., darkness in the original space and Morrissette’s status as recently divorced and depressed, etc. etc. In spite of all that, what I really liked about the story was the collaborative relationship he had with his architect, and that even though he was spending hundreds of thousands on the reno, he was not above building a dining room table out of poplar and IKEA legs, turning an old suitcase into a table, or using soundproofing material to make a headboard. You could really see this guy’s personality through his place; I know I’d walk in and say “I want to get to know the person who lives here.” Check out the full article and slideshow here.
Whoa. Imagine going nearly two months living in a loft (aka a box) with only one floor lamp and some lighting from the kitchen. Let me tell ya, these were two months of very long and dark nights, especially now that the sun sets at 5pm. But as of this past weekend we have light! (excuse the mess)
We had to get our electrical setup figured out before we could install the Lights Up! Deco Deluxe Pendant Lamps over our “dining” and “living” spaces. We actually decided to use just the two big sections of the pendants…after playing with the various pieces to the lamp we liked the simplicity of the two pieces. What is great though is if we ever want to change it up we can add the rest of the shades to the pendant and we’ve got a new lamp!
While going through this lighting process/challenge I have learned a bit about what it takes to give a home the right lighting. I’ve collected all of my findings in our lighting guide, but if you see anything missing or have additional insight, please share!
Loft progress installment #3. I finally had a weekend open to put away a grand total of 7 boxes. We still have about 3214564 boxes (actually more like 17) left to unpack, a trip to Mexico and company coming for Thanksgiving (aka those boxes will never be touched!). Aye! With the time I did have available I was able to take the Flickr photos I promised of all of our furniture. This way you can get a sense as to what we are working with, our style, and our challenge!
Interior designer Murphy Moon passed along three floor plan suggestions which I have been eager to share:
I love the way Murphy encourages a distinct separation of work and living space…I never would have thought to create a platform for the office space. If we can only make the separation of work/life happen! Cooper’s photography business is a work from home job so he likes to have either music or the TV on during the day to ease the silence. At the moment the TV is within easy eye distance to his desk but this just may have to change. Here is a glimpse into Cooper’s “office” with the “his and hers” Steelcase desks:
Hopefully you can sense that we are still a ways off from having the place as we vision it…currently we are living in “survival mode.” We need more lighting, a few rugs, and dining chairs. But, we are getting there. If you have suggestions on how we should arrange things, bring it!
I’m in! I moved! I know there is major love right now for small spaces and I do appreciate how small places limit your material world to only the items you need/love, but I have to admit that having a bit more leg room feels really really good. I have to go against the norm, right?! The biggest factor for me was having a photography business in addition to trying to live in a 502 sq ft cozy corner with odd angles (and two people). The photo gear became a third wheel/roommate.
Anyhow, I managed to throw out my back on after lifting the fourth box that I packed (weak!) so the rest of the weekend was super slow going, but we had amazing movers who piled the heaviest boxes on top of one another and carried them away without breaking more than two sweat drops (per square centimeter). We’ve been in the space for a week and three days now and still have a lot to unpack (which is why I have not shared many photos yet), but I’ve actually had a little fun living amongst the boxes…take a look (and crank up your volume!):
A couple of folks inquired about the general floor plan of the living space so I drafted a very basic layout (I am not an architect or graphic designer, unfortunately). If you have ideas as to how I could arrange things, have at it! So far we have gone through three different setups and liked them all for different reasons. I promise to post more photos next week so you can get a better sense as to what I am really working with. Until then, use your imagination!
I am moving to a new space and I know I am going to need some mental support. I know, people move every day so it is not a big deal, but because moving is such a source of stress I think there should be a support group out there to help us who are feeling crazed (as I am). I’ve been bugging the folks in my office about the move for long enough that I now need a new outlet (aka the blog and you!).
The move is a totally great thing as we’ll be upgrading from 502 square feet to nearly 1200 square feet, but when you go from a cozy small craftsman style apartment to a spacious loft the headache in figuring out how best to use the space (let alone the moving process) is a little overwhelming.
Here is a photo of the space from the loft/bedroom area:
To give you an idea as to what I am working with
It is a corner unit so there are two walls of windows.
The red industrial beam going across the theater curtains is about 17 feet high from the floor. From floor to ceiling we’re talking about 30+ feet.
The theater curtains (although not the most attractive) are staying which while keeping the sun out of our eyes also saves us from paying $283795729385 for fabric.
Maria Beatrice and Leonardo Ferragamo’s Villa Le Rose
Oh how I want to be Margaret Russell, the Editor of ELLE DECOR. In addition to her unparalleled editorial skills, she must have about 8,000 cocktail dresses that look fabulous on her. In the foreward to my new favorite book, So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces, she defines what makes a space chic:
But what exactly is chic? Webster’s defines the word as “cleverly stylish; smart; a woman who adapts fashion to her own personality.” When it comes to interiors, chic is that and far more. A chic space can be razzle-dazzle glamorous or quietly unpretentious, seriously sophisticated or unapologetically bohemian. The unifying thread is indisutabley confidence, no doubt boosted by splashes of joie de vivre and flair.
Jaouad Kadiri’s Moroccan Country House
Kenneth Jay Lane’s Stanford White Designed Park Avenue Townhouse
This is a really good way to describe ELLE DECOR. They offer a wide range of styles in their spreads unlike any other magazine, from over-the-top opulence of say, Kenneth Jay Lane, to the lived-in rustic look of Ralph Lauren; from the eclectic vibe of Anh Duong to the elegant Grey Gardens-esque decay of John Derian; from the vintage but modernly crisp Thomas O’Brien to the exotic shapes and textures used by Jaouad Kadiri. This book culls the best examples from the magazine’s archives, and the range of styles is remarkable. The common thread is that they are all, undoubtedly chic due to the designers’ individual styles, whether they be influenced by the Ottoman empire, mid-century modern, vintage, Hollywood Regency, Morocco, the eclectic mix, et. al. (more…)
Sorry this post is so late. I had so much to tell you from the weekend break that I lost track of time today! How was everyone’s weekend? Mine was mixed - on the sad news front, my iPod bit the dust. It is so outdated that it’s hard to even find on the website - it looks like an antique compared to all of the new ones!
•On happier notes, Sex and the City is worth the price of admission just for the fashion. What did you all think of
(SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT: DON’T READ THE NEXT FEW PARAGRAPH IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT YET AND WANT IT ALL TO BE FRESH)
Carrie’s apartment makeover? It seemed like good Apartment Therapy philosophy to me - clearing out Aidan’s heavy chair (it was literally weighing down the room), getting some bright new color and prints (I loved the blue), getting rid of the wedding gifts, clearing out so many books and magazines (something I am completely unable to do), arranging all the artwork on the walls instead of leaning it up against the walls. I also enjoyed all of Patricia Fields’ color combos on the clothes - the raspberry pink and red; red and purple; taxicab yellow, black, and white, et. al.
OK SPOILER OVER!
•I’d like to thank my blogger pal Holly over at decor8 for inviting me to dish about design reality television shows. A few of them are gearing up to start this month, like Design Star and Top Design. Holly let me introduce myself to her readers by introducing my block in the Virginia-Highland neighborhood in the city of Atlanta. After journeying out to the ‘burbs for the flick last night, I appreciate my ‘hood all the more!
•Thanks to my neighbor Lily for inviting me over to see her amazing home. Lily saw the blog post I wrote and invited me to come see the inside. I cannot wait, and I’ll be sure to share the experience with you here as soon as I do!
•Thanks to commenter Charlie for giving me the heads up on another fire station renovation (the first post on this topic is here). Engine No. 44 Firehouse is completely renovated and available for the low-low price of $6,375,000. This was one of, if not the first, fire station renovations, originally bought and used in 1959 by an artist couple. Built in 1910, the firehouse included a stable for the horses that pulled their fire wagon. Check out all the photos of this remarkable property here. (more…)
 Who doesn’t love a firehouse? It seems they are truly en fuego right now as a trend. Perhaps it started with this house, where the Ghostbusters had their headquarters:
Then there was The Real World: Boston, where a charming firehouse was renovated to house seven self-important, immature strangers. This was one cool renovation:
A few weeks ago I was in a bad car accident in Cabbagetown. After I pulled over and was starting to sob, a couple of guys came running up to make sure everyone was alright. They had heard the wreck from a park about three blocks away. It calmed me down immediately and made me feel so much better. These are the kind of folks that live in Cabbagetown. In fact, one of them, Ziggy, was quoted in the paper talking about the neighborhood yesterday - I had been thinking of him this week, because this weekend, his neighborhood was ravaged by a tornado. It’s been wonderful to see how this tight-knit community is pulling together to help each other.
I love slideshow-ing through eyewash designs’ photos over at flickr. WARNING: Do not go check out her flickr account unless you can afford to burn some serious time. You will be spending a long time there once you are sucked in! Anyway, here’s a recent favorite:
eyewash design is Alane Golden, a true renaissance woman who also has a fabulous blog right here.  Thanks Alane!
I tend to think that loft renovations I see in magazines and newspapers are all more or less the same, but this one really struck a cord with me - last Thursday The NYimes featured the mega renovation of Billy Morrissette’s SoHo loft, filling the story with analogies about moving back to NYC from L.A., darkness in the original space and Morrissette’s status as recently divorced and depressed, etc. etc. In spite of all that, what I really liked about the story was the collaborative relationship he had with his architect, and that even though he was spending hundreds of thousands on the reno, he was not above building a dining room table out of poplar and IKEA legs, turning an old suitcase into a table, or using soundproofing material to make a headboard. You could really see this guy’s personality through his place; I know I’d walk in and say “I want to get to know the person who lives here.” Check out the full article and slideshow here.
