Fiction Mirror!?!?!

Designed by Jean-Marie Massaud, these are images of "fiction mirrors" that are made in extralight glass with degraded silver shading. Just ran across them today while looking up stuff to use in my last studio project and I think they are really fascinating! Kind of mysterious what with the reflective qualities of the silvered portion while the transparent glass sections reveal what is underneath.

Homework Update

Studio presentation went well yesterday, as did the Art History test. We got to watch Casablanca and then write about that. Since I hadn't seen Casablanca, but have been meaning to, it was perfect.

Right now I'm on break checking email. Just finished my interior design history test which I certainly didn't ace, but also didn't bomb. Considering I missed the last class and only studied for 30 minutes before class, I'll take it. Now I have to go back and turn in my hastily written research paper and give my last presentation of the week (about my research topic).

If I liked Art Deco when I decided to write about it, I'm sure ready to move on to something else at this point.

Forty-Hate Hours of Homework

It has been a WEEKEND! Spent all day Thursday finishing my Environmental Design project/presentation and did that on Friday. I was totally wiped out afterwards, but wait, there was more! We got out of class at 4pm and then I had to quickly come up with a 5-8 minute presentation about Georgia O'Keeffe (luckily, I had already gathered some research materials a few days ago) and get to the Seattle Art Museum by 5pm where our class gave individual presentations about specific works that were hanging there. That lasted until 8 and then I came home and crashed.

Saturday I started working on my Interior Studio project/presentation and ended up missing out on a bday party I'd planned on going to (heartfelt apologies to the Esquire and Snotty) and was up working until 6am. Slept for five hours and then was at it again today all day. Finally got my presentation ready and then spent a couple hours building a model and I'm done before midnight!

Now I just need to find time to write my research paper, put together a presentation on my research subject, and study for the essay test that are all due on Tuesday afternoon in my History of Interior Design class. And did I mention that I have classes all day tomorrow from 9am until 8:20pm? I'm sensing another all-nighter coming up. Feels like this should be finals... Oh well.

I posted some of the stuff I was working on today. Not sure how I feel about the interior renderings, I may have gone a little overboard with the Gaussian Blur in Photoshop! I was trying for a less stiff approach than my usual digital work. You wouldn't necessarily think so, but I did ALL of that stuff on the computer, the renderings, stair drawing, and floorplan diagrams.

Even though I'm exhausted and still have a ton of work to do, I feel really good for having gotten so much done. And it didn't hurt that Bryn was cooking up a test turkey with dressing tonight in anticipation for Thanksgiving next week (he's cooking). I'd never had a brine-soaked turkey before and it was seriously, hands-down the best turkey I've ever tasted. He also baked his own bread for the dressing/stuffing. Snacktacular!

New Throw Pillows for the White House?

I found an interesting blurb about the White House in a "Design Daily" news briefing email I receive from ASID. It is interesting because another article I read talked about how there probably wouldn't be any extensive White House renovations due to the economy, and yet this article says that there is a $100,000 budget every four years! Which makes sense considering the size, function, and historical value of the property. Text below is copied from the email:

Barack and Michelle Obama have many design choices to make as part of their transition into the White House.

In the second installment of a series titled "Obama Chic: The Changing Face of the White House," FOX News (11/12, Corbin) reported on its website that, as part of the transition to the new President-elect, Barack and Michelle Obama will "transform the 208-year-old White House into the place they call home -- all while considering the historical preservation of times past. As have all the First Families before them, the President-elect and future first lady will supervise the refurbishing and redecorating of the White House residence -- working closely with a team of interior designers." They can redesign their personal space, and "have the authority to restore...public spaces, like the State Dining Room," as well as the White House grounds. The budget, appropriated by Congress "for the furniture and decor of the residence... was set at $100,000 for President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush," and is "allocated every four years."

"Pioneer Lounge" Concept

Above are some images I used in my Interior Studio project that I just presented/turned in on Moday. The concept was a small private space in Pioneer Square owned by a pair of DJs. I wanted to create a place that was intimate for them to hang out in and listen to music, either alone or with friends--sort of the antithesis of a huge club or super-trendy bar. More like a basement den. These are the images I was working on this weekend when I wasn't doing laundry or loading the dishwasher. And I'm happy that it all came together well enough, although I wish I hadn't been so behind on it and had been able to spend more time focusing on the materials.