Designing in 3D

One of the challenges designers and architects face has always been how to give their clients a true feeling for the spaces they are designing. It's difficult for most people to envision a house and its rooms from flat images on a screen or paper. To show them the spaces in 3D is much more meaningful.

In the past, that meant real scale models--beautiful handcrafted representations of the proposed house made of wood, metal, and plastic. Architectural models are an artwork all to themselves--but very time intensive. They simply aren't feasible for the average renovation or even practical on a multi-million dollar custom house.

For years, there have been programs (AutoCAD architectural desktop, Revit, etc.) that could be used to generate accurate and meaningful computerized models of spaces. But those programs are relatively complex, and again, the time required to use them properly is prohibitively expensive on most residential projects.

Enter Sketch Up, a Google product that has relatively quickly become an indispensable tool for designers. A free version that offers most of the programs capabilities can be downloaded by anyone. Relatively intuitive, with online guides that easily explain the more complex commands, the program offers the benefits of 3-D design in a fraction of the time other methods take. The professional version is very reasonably priced, and offers added goodies and compatibility with autoCAD (the standard program for design and drafting). Users of either version can take advantage of Google's 3D Warehouse--where virtually any item you might find in a home is available for download.

The uses of Sketch Up are many--the entire house can be drawn in 3D, right down to the door casings and sink faucets, or it can be used to quickly explore massing, or to figure out a tricky roof intersection. Here are some examples of how I've used it:

A fully detailed Sketch Up model, complete with all the trimwork and landscaping.

The real house for comparison.

3D image of my foyer

and the real foyer, from a slightly different angle.

Here, I wanted to get a feel for what a few changes to a set of plans I was working on was going to do to the "look" of the house. A few hours time gave me this "quick and dirty" 3D model. No interior on this one, and the other sides of the house aren't detailed, but this was a great tool for getting the scale of a few features right.

Here's a fully detailed interior space. While not useful for deciding between subtly different shades, models like these are perfect for getting a feel for the general direction of a color scheme.

And thanks to the library of items in the 3D Warehouse, rooms can be quickly furnished.

Look intriguing? Well head over to Google and download your free version of Sketch Up...it's easy to learn, fun to play with, and will prove itself useful for a variety of projects around the house.

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Good Eats: Feta-Avocado Salsa

 Last night we hosted a fundraising dinner that is part of a local charity's annual "Dining With Friends" drive. The idea, at least originally, was that groups of friends would get together at each others homes for dinner and then all of the individual dinner parties would come together at one final party, The Red Party, for desserts, drinks, and dancing. As the event has grown, many people host their dinners ahead of the main event, which is what we opted to do. The theme for this year's Red Party is "Salsa!" (as in the dance, not the dish.) We played off of that theme and had an entree bar with various meats, cheeses, and shells, Spanish rice, re-fried and black beans, and a host of Mexican appetizers. One of the biggest "hits" was this super easy dish, that is great with pita triangles or plain old tortilla chips. Thanks go to one of my neighbors for sharing this recipe with me a while back! The amount here is perfect for dinner with a few couples, and can easily be multiplied for larger gatherings.

Feta-Avocado Salsa

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

2 Tablespoons Red Onion, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

4 oz. crumbled feta cheese

½ Teaspoon salt

½ Teaspoon oregano

2 avocados, chopped

Mix all ingredients except avocado together. Just before serving, add the avocado.

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The Houses of GCB

Have you seen ABC's new comedy, GCB? It's a hilarious romp through the high falutin and high drama lives of a group of Dallas ladies. High school mean girl Amanda Vaughn (Leslie Bibb) returns to Dallas following the death of her husband, a ponzi scheme crook. Annie Potts, who I grew up loving as the secretary in the "Ghostbusters" movies and as lovable divorcee Mary Jo on "Designing Women", plays Amanda's perfectly coifed, richer than rich, mother GiGi Stopper.

Neighbors and former classmates Sharon (Jennifer Aspen), Carlene (the incomparable Kristin Chenoweth), Cricket (Miriam Shor), and Heather (Marisol Nichols) round out the talented cast. The show is set in Dallas' Highland Park neighborhood, and all the ladies live in houses the size of a boutique hotel.

The sets were designed by Denny Dugally and Bryan Venegas, the duo responsible for the sublime Walker residence on the sadly defunct "Brothers and Sisters" that previously held "GCB's" time slot. While none of the GCB sets speak to me the way Nora Walker's Pasadena mansion did, the team did a fantastic job on them. Let's take a look:

Gigi's foyer is the size of most suburban homes. The dramatic stairs, acres of marble, and of course a larger than life oil painting of the lady of the house, make it an entrance to remember.

Gigi's trophy room. The armory of guns make sure she isn't afraid of "a damn thing."

Carlene's living room is gorgeous. Dramatic dark walls serve as a backdrop for pops of vibrant red.

And Carlene's bedroom is equally striking, with its eggplant walls, high canopied bed, and family-room sized sitting area.

Sharon has recently started a food company that specializes in Bible-based cuisine. No surprise then that her southern kitchen is a gourmet's dream come true.

Tough as nails Cricket gets a Texas modern retreat from her corporate world. Her bed is enormous! (She and her hunky hubby probably aren't spending much time cuddled up in it.)

The sitting area of Cricket's bedroom. Stone and storefront glass combine for a sleek but comfortable look.

And her office has a telling set of framed shark jaws above the desk. Cool, slick, and tailored, just like the character it was designed for.

We've yet to see down-to-earth Heather's house. I picture her living in a comfortable contemporary loft or a transitional styled townhome. Of course, she hopes to snag herself a deep-pocketed husband, so we might see her moving into a Highland Park mansion too.

So, whose house is your favorite? Do you think the designers did the characters justice with these sets?

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In The Works

I'm working with a repeat client on the interiors of a newly purchased condo at the beach. First up are the two guest rooms, which we have outfitted with pieces from Lexington's Tommy Bahama collections.

In one guest room, we picked this bed and nightstands, from the Ocean Club collection:

The tall headboard makes quite a statement, so my thought is that there won't be a need for much pattern or color. The sheeting and top of bed coverlet will likely be white. When the owner's parents visit, this will be their room, and they like yellows. So here are a few choices for fabrics:

The top image shows one fabric in it's full width. Beautiful colors and depth of pattern, but may be too much for this space, even if we used it just for a couple of shams. The lower image is a cabana stripe with cording that repeats the reds and blues in the print. I imagine using it for the drapery.

An alternate for the same room would be to go even less bold. Crisp white bedding, a solid but textural fabric for the drapes (such as the nubby deliciousness on the left) and a small geometric for pillows and banding (either of the choices on the right). I'm leaning in this directon versus the top choices.

The second guest room has the opportunity for more pattern and color. We'll do an upholstered headboard in there, paired with these nightstands and a similar dresser from Tommy Bahama's Beach House collection for Lexington:

For that room, I pulled together these three fabrics that I am absolutely in love with:

Forgive that my camera "muddied" the colors a bit. The large, crisp, print has an apple green background with pops of teal. My thought is to do the drapes for the wall of glass with this, adding some luxurious trim at the leading edge. The upholstered headboard would then be covered in the silk textured apple green, and piped with teal. The nubby plaid would be perfect for the bedskirt and pillows. I plan to band a white duvet with apple green ribbon detail and pair that with white sheets and coverlet.

Both of these rooms have light carpeting, and we plan on keeping the walls white as well--crisp and clean is the idea here! What do you think?

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Brandon's Rules of Design-It is NEVER OK to Carpet Your Toilet

I made a tongue-in-cheek comment on Facebook the other night regarding my "Rules of Decorating" that generated a great little conversation among my friends. So, I've decided to add these to the blog. Be warned, most of them are things no design afficianado would even deign to give thought to. But, I can guarantee, there are homes across the world that will benefit from hearing this.

And, so, Brandon's Rule of Decorating Number One:

It is NEVER. EVER. NEVER EVER EVER, ok to carpet any portion of your toilet. Not only does the idea make the clean freak within me convulse, but it just looks awful. Why do this? If it's to cover a damaged toilet seat or time-worn toilet tank, whatever investment is made in these carpet accoutrements could be applied to replacement plumbing. If anyone out there is laboring under the delusion that this looks good, let me assure you that it does not. So if you are reading this and have, for whatever reason, carpeted your toilet, RUN to get your rubber gloves, peel that cholera infested mistake off your potty, and throw it out!

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On The Boards--An In-Town Complex

Historically, this time of year has been my busiest, as people hustle to get plans ready for spring ground breakings. This year has been no exception--I've recently finalized two sets of custom plans, worked on two collaborations with a colleague for more custom designs, and have two more custom homes in their final stages.

Some time back, I shared a courtyard style house that I designed on the site of a tear-down in the heart of downtown Greenville, SC (take a look HERE) That house is moving right along:

An inset balcony overlooks the courtyard.

The front of the house doesn't hint at it's true size. I'm disappointed to see that the deep cornice fell under the budget hatchet, but overall the house is looking just as I imagined.

Just behind this house is another lot, owner by friends of these clients. I actually started working with them several years ago. They planned to tear down another small, characterless house, and build a small compound comprised of main house, oversized garage with apartment above, and a pool. The project was put on hold while they sold their previous residence, but came back to life a month or so ago, and it has been full steam ahead.

The main house is a simply detailed European country style. The painted brick corbels at the gable ends, and cast stone lintels highlight the entrance and porte-cochere. Clipped gables soften the roofline.

The client's had a great attitude about this house--all of the rooms and spaces are "just right" sized. The master suite, on the ground floor, is small by today's standards, but more than adequate for the owner's needs. They tossed out the formal dining room, resisted the temptation to do a big showy foyer, and instead created spaces that they will use daily. The biggest space splurge is a large family room, big enough for a pool table and wet bar, that their extended family will gather in. When the couple is home alone, they'll cozy up in the front living room--warmed by a fireplace flanked by walls of books. While the house is just over 3,000 square feet--every one of them was carefully considered.

Out back, a series of porches hug around a small splash pool. We used every bit of the property...an appropriate thing to do here, as most neighboring houses sit on the setbacks of their narrow lots. The owners will be able to enjoy the downtown lifestyle on weekends rather than spend their time tending the lawn.

We have many special touches planned for this house--I look forward to sharing them with you as construction begins!

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Making the Most of Your Space--Look Under the Stairs!

A while back, I asked those of you who follow me on Facebook (www.facebook.com/southgateresidential) for some ideas for my 100th post. Well, scatter brained as I am, the 100th post came and went over the holidays. But there were several requests for ideas about decorating and organizing smaller spaces--appropriate as many of us are seeking ways to better use the space we have, and a renewed interest in quality spaces versus the "quantity" spaces of the McMansion era.

One thing small space dwellers have to do is make use of every nook and cranny. One of the most under utilized areas is the space under stairs. That odd little triangle often becomes a burial ground for "stuff" that gets shoved into the back never to be seen again. But a little creativity can make that space some of the most useful in your house. Check out these ideas:

 This great built in bench is perfect for putting on shoes as you head out the door.

This one has been a favorite on Pinterest, a fully functioning home office tucked in under the stairs!

 How cute would this be in a back staircase? An adorable little playhouse for the kids.

 Built in shelves beneath the stair can house books, a collection, or become a great "drop zone".

Or how about this? A series of pullouts makes the most of ever inch--use them for linen, games, or arts and crafts supplies.

Friends of mine converted the low space under a landing into a "house" for their beloved Golden Retriever, and the space under stairs can also be used in a pinch for a powder room. What other ideas have you seen for this overlooked area?