I'm going to Portland to take a class at Brush & Trowel about changing the look of formica countertops to an organic appearance and texture akin to venetian plaster – with depth of color and distictive appearance. (SkimStone is a hybridized portland cement which is tough and durable, and can be made up in unique designer colors.)

I like the concept of using what you have and making it better. Bye-bye formica, hello gorgeous!

Fall continues to be a time of learning for me. I'll be attending this seminar today...

Work is progressing on the office space - the latest renderings by Doug Wagner of ModernFab are below. 

Besides reusing shipping containers, the windows and doors are salvaged, the wood for the mezzanine decking is reclaimed, the infill for the guardrails will be a 65% recycled stainless steel cable system, and the steel purchased for the doors, windows, stairs, rails and mezzanine joists are all made from recycled steel.  A huge thanks to Doug for the design layout and all the work on gathering materials as well as the project management.

A couple years ago, I stumbled across an article regarding shipping containers converted into offices. The idea fermented and sparked a conversation between colleagues earlier this year. The conversation has turned into reality (thanks to Bayard Fox who is bankrolling it). A group of design associates (ironically, mostly members of the High Desert Design Council) are making private offices out of used shipping containers in a shared warehouse space. We will each have privacy in a creative hub.

The exteriors of each container will be uniform, but we all get to design our own interior. My mind is swirling with ideas...

I cannot wait for fall when I will be able to move in!

"We are not to throw away those things which can benefit our neighbor. Goods are called good because they can be used for good: they are instruments for good, in the hands of those who use them properly."
- Clement of Alexandria (150-220 A.D.)

Building and remodeling creates waste - no getting around it. How one handles the waste is key. From the Deschutes County Rethink Waste Guide: "The EPA estimates the total building related construction and demolition (C&D) waste to be over 135 million tons per year, and the average new construction project creates 3.9 pounds of waste per square foot."

What can you do? Learn what your local recycling options are, and learn from others who have gone through the process. 

Here's what  my husband and I did during our own remodel: We gutted the entire inside of the home we purchased…We salvaged sinks, faucets, toilets, shower stalls, light fixtures, switch plates, mirrors, cabinets (anything we could) and donated them all to ReStore: The Habitat for Humanity resale shop. We took two pickup loads and a trailer full of wood scraps to our local recycling center. We tore out (and recycled) aluminum slider windows and replaced them with energy efficient ones. We repurposed antique furniture into a vanity sink cabinet, and two linen closets rather than buying new pieces. 

New kitchen cabinets were purchased from a company who offered a green line of cabinetry; the old cabinets were donated to Habitat. Ten of the light fixtures we installed were found at second hand stores or purchased off Craigslist. We coated the walls and ceilings with both low VOC (Devine) and zero VOC (Yolo) paints. 

We took a pickup bed of aluminum, and a trailer load of iron to the metal scrap yard, and came away with $47 in our pockets! Much better than taking it to the dump! Ultimately, we salvaged, reused and repurposed many items making our remodel as green as we could afford, and as beautiful as possible. 

Inspired? It just takes a little time to help save the planet. Do your part.

My kitchen has been selected for Apartment Therapy's Small Cool Kitchens Contest. 

You can view it here (the URL is http://community.apartmenttherapy.com/contests/smallcoolkitchens/2011/entries/2913). 

Readers have the opportunity to choose this entry as a "favorite" through noon (EST) on Monday July 25, 2011. The two top entries (receiving the highest number of "favorites") will become semi-finalists and will move on to the next round of voting to determine the Grand Prize winner.  

Feel free to share this with the world through email, Facebook and Twitter!
Thanks!

I recently submitted my own kitchen to Apartment Therapy's online small cool kitchen contest. Kitchens must be 120 square feet or less to qualify...mine comes in at 106 sq. ft. Let's hope it gets included!

Thanks to kmpphotography.com for the photos!

The Wesson's Barn Loft kitchen is complete! Such a fun project. Great do-it-yourself clients who were willing to be bold with color and materials. The finished look is stunning! And, since the cabinets are from Ikea, the kitchen wasn't terribly expensive.

Without a doubt, one of my favorite projects to date!

A couple months ago, I found an accordion sconce I liked, but couldn't afford. So I came up with an Ikea hack. I purchased two Ikea stand-bys for a total of $15 and came up with my own version. Perfect for reading in bed!

The functionality is great. But I believe in things being beautiful as well as useful. My plan is to spray the shade with high heat gold paint, and then add this vintage decorative metal flower trim to the base. This will help glam it up a bit to tie in with the room decor.

Looking forward to a class on Design Practice Management & Marketing. Learn, learn, learn...