The Official Royal Baby China is revealed

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/sites/royalcollection.org.uk/files/styles/inline_large/public/Prince_group_3pieces.jpg?itok=TsSKip-7" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/sites/royalcollection.org.uk/files/styles/inline_large/public/Prince_group_3pieces.jpg?itok=TsSKip-7" /></a></div><br />Royal Collection Trust has produced the <a href="http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/news/official-commemorative-royal-baby-china-goes-on-sale" target="_blank">official range of china</a> to celebrate the birth of His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT7VAS-3BzMypioYShASbLGlcubclhLIynC2UujdDOlAKYzj_3JwTU3cqdri2IDR0laXOGM0zgNTz3R62NsKewxHsKfUc55FITHHSsh7gZxd56RqGVFegYEl4-7fzvSyim8PKf4Xb2rw/s1600/prince-george--z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT7VAS-3BzMypioYShASbLGlcubclhLIynC2UujdDOlAKYzj_3JwTU3cqdri2IDR0laXOGM0zgNTz3R62NsKewxHsKfUc55FITHHSsh7gZxd56RqGVFegYEl4-7fzvSyim8PKf4Xb2rw/s1600/prince-george--z.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The future monarch seen here perfecting his royal wave. </div><br /> The exclusively designed commemorative china is decorated with TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s coronet, supported by the unicorn and lion, which are featured on the Royal Arms.  Oak leaves, taken from the Middleton coat of arms, surround the coronet.  The chinaware designs will also include gold-edged scrolls bearing the full name and birth date of HRH Prince George of Cambridge.<br /> The official china range is made in Stoke-on-Trent by the same potteries that produced the official range of china celebrating the marriage of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011.  More recently, the potteries have produced the commemorative china to mark the Diamond Jubilee and the 60th anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.  Using techniques that have remained unchanged for more than two centuries, every item is hand-made from fine bone china and gilded in 22-carat gold before being gift-wrapped in tissue paper and boxes designed especially for the occasion.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Royal_Baby_Group_Shot_for_Web.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" src="http://www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk/media/wysiwyg/Royal_Baby_Group_Shot_for_Web.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />I've not done any posting on the royal birth yet, but thought this is a really sweet collection and I love the description of the design. I'm not sure I would purchase anything if I were visiting, but I'm sure many will and it appears the royal baby souvenir booklet is already <a href="http://www.royalcollectionshop.co.uk/royal-baby/exclusive-souvenirs/the-royal-baby-book-a-souvenir-album-hardback.html" target="_blank">sold out</a>. <br /><br />I'm always amazed when people (American's and other non-Brits) start yipping about the the royal family being an outdated institution and that they are really just living off the dole. Firstly because I don't think it's anyone's place to tell another country how to run itself, but mostly because of the money the British monarchy brings into the country. I think I read they receive somewhere between 50-80 Million Pounds annually. However, I also heard that it's estimated that wee Prince Georgie alone will bring in over 200 million Pounds in revenue fairly quickly in terms of tourist dollars and souvenirs. And who benefits from tourist dollars and sales of tchotchkes? Regular working people in hotels, restaurants, shops, cabbies, etc. Okay, off the soapbox now!<br /><br />Welcome Prince Georgie!!<br /><br /><br /><br />If you would like my help on your design project, I would love to chat with you! Please <a href="mailto:linda.m.merrill@gmail.com">email me</a>. Thanks!<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0; vertical-align: middle;" /></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EQjz" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">Subscribe to ::Surroundings::</a>

The Official Royal Baby China is revealed

Royal Collection Trust has produced the official range of china to celebrate the birth of His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge.  ...

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Space planning in a tiny home

<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p-kQIiH1FFTHMfB83u_U9uXid5TgiFk10vA_AgELdiDLQonGpaAuneZDazDZTDuvVh30eHQ8nkCijFpRvoeoq_THnlaZF4TIXMzSbGzYPIKCNnRI2zw9sr5DG4V3g6stXT2JMZvjHWM/s1600/Housefront.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8p-kQIiH1FFTHMfB83u_U9uXid5TgiFk10vA_AgELdiDLQonGpaAuneZDazDZTDuvVh30eHQ8nkCijFpRvoeoq_THnlaZF4TIXMzSbGzYPIKCNnRI2zw9sr5DG4V3g6stXT2JMZvjHWM/s640/Housefront.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Last winter, I did a small bit of work on the floor plan layout for a back yard garden house renovation in Charleston, SC. Unlike the usual e-design/decorating project, this project was strictly to create a plan for the functional layout of the small space for the builder to go by. The client's originally contacted an architect colleague of mine and due to her time constraints, she referred me. As I am more often than not the last person called on a job, it was a lot of fun for me to really start with an empty shell and create something with it that met the needs of the clients.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI3pM_rB-NDirDDrxJHhSc2J69H_hzMSlj6yISqlECNMu0Sp0_5m_dHAlUzazvLEC5IzXlROPsR-lAjsKiu3uTxJhKMXgqpkrKrtg0B2jHbWwmzU-4aJDTBw79c4zAOprFSgl0BPjVrE/s1600/Floorplan+sketch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI3pM_rB-NDirDDrxJHhSc2J69H_hzMSlj6yISqlECNMu0Sp0_5m_dHAlUzazvLEC5IzXlROPsR-lAjsKiu3uTxJhKMXgqpkrKrtg0B2jHbWwmzU-4aJDTBw79c4zAOprFSgl0BPjVrE/s640/Floorplan+sketch.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />The building is approximately 450 sq. ft. and this floor plan (with measurements confirmed by the clients) was what I had to go by. Oh, and these "before" photos:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8AjIbqjKl7l-2LFpvRuubwoksywJy5-Pr9BEorNpNb6Ryt56natYjEgIM6hPNHmPmr6wiO3e0sQnWnCr1yAFoOMcp2pOCaIEj2eFP1pxtQLDIuSZQ-QxRYgTHACOdFsLM1u_55Yuh7A/s1600/before+montage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8AjIbqjKl7l-2LFpvRuubwoksywJy5-Pr9BEorNpNb6Ryt56natYjEgIM6hPNHmPmr6wiO3e0sQnWnCr1yAFoOMcp2pOCaIEj2eFP1pxtQLDIuSZQ-QxRYgTHACOdFsLM1u_55Yuh7A/s640/before+montage.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />Top left: is the front right side of the house, top/bottom right the bathroom, bottom left the back end of the left side of the building. (hope that all made sense)<br /><br />The program for the project called for: a kitchen with cook top, refrigerator, dishwasher and microwave; living/dining area; bedroom; a washer/dryer; lockable storage closet; clothes closet. The house would be used by the family at times, and also be available for rental, which was the reason for the lockable closet. They also wanted to do the project in as efficient manner as possible, so all the plumbing had to stay where it was - in the back of the building with as little change as possible.<br /><br />Below are some of the various versions of the plan I came up with on the way to the final plan: <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRVU9ZPtgB6bXLUtlVBeoTthB_QUfs33WOKKKtn1Ku3rXPkPTfqwGtXR5jlF1yruA0DLHcl2UtcCdirJxTGR81odbe7pipjKJoWswR6QGT8TMl6u768YIyyvrk_JajrAhDUTOLunHEpY/s1600/Ross+FP1+birdseye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirRVU9ZPtgB6bXLUtlVBeoTthB_QUfs33WOKKKtn1Ku3rXPkPTfqwGtXR5jlF1yruA0DLHcl2UtcCdirJxTGR81odbe7pipjKJoWswR6QGT8TMl6u768YIyyvrk_JajrAhDUTOLunHEpY/s640/Ross+FP1+birdseye.jpg" width="624" /></a></div><br />One thing to note, since I am not familiar with South Carolina building codes, my plan had to leave room for the builder to follow existing code requirements. Additionally, the company providing the kitchen cabinets would have to do their own final plan based on the client's cabinetry selections. So, there were some parts of the plan that were left intentionally vague, or even blank.  <br /><br />The above plan was my initial attempt to keep all plumbing against the back wall of the structure, which made for an uncomfortable placement of the sink. I also tried to maintain as much option for privacy in the small space should two (or more) people be there at the same time. This is the reason for the closets and laundry to be separate from the bedroom. Of course, this really made the rooms very small... <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSHMLfKCUUqpwAKrUJSyI23CkT-cbl7iM7Y22p9vhpd1imJwEAf9gkYhCQv0VZFT2BfGl-V1Ys_H6nlzM0A9ulCMmHnDzSj5xZnJMqr2piDkhxtKjRcmmD_w-MEe4Uc8I6jNlE1f6hgI/s1600/Ross+FP1a+Birdseye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHQjwU4XG4ACzjWMbIfStBZ1-AzIg0cB908KdY-O5u5uLHDblmASb3zYq4i1sQliP54qktVwD74OW4zMbU9UOdh5LNR2OYM29tSNJROtM2h7RUwK5SrI1_yNxRUBq75e9rOhRbEVNVb4/s1600/Ross+FP2+Birdseye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="622" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHQjwU4XG4ACzjWMbIfStBZ1-AzIg0cB908KdY-O5u5uLHDblmASb3zYq4i1sQliP54qktVwD74OW4zMbU9UOdh5LNR2OYM29tSNJROtM2h7RUwK5SrI1_yNxRUBq75e9rOhRbEVNVb4/s640/Ross+FP2+Birdseye.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />This next version (above) is where I tried to flip flop the space giving as much room to the living/kitchen area as possible. It's not bad and I liked that the bathroom was not right off the public space,  but that's more kitchen than was needed and the closets were very cramped. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSHMLfKCUUqpwAKrUJSyI23CkT-cbl7iM7Y22p9vhpd1imJwEAf9gkYhCQv0VZFT2BfGl-V1Ys_H6nlzM0A9ulCMmHnDzSj5xZnJMqr2piDkhxtKjRcmmD_w-MEe4Uc8I6jNlE1f6hgI/s1600/Ross+FP1a+Birdseye.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSHMLfKCUUqpwAKrUJSyI23CkT-cbl7iM7Y22p9vhpd1imJwEAf9gkYhCQv0VZFT2BfGl-V1Ys_H6nlzM0A9ulCMmHnDzSj5xZnJMqr2piDkhxtKjRcmmD_w-MEe4Uc8I6jNlE1f6hgI/s640/Ross+FP1a+Birdseye.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />This view shows that we were getting there. The original general layout was back. We were looking at how much counter space was possible, though it's obvious this wasn't a great idea. I was also still trying to maintain a more private bedroom by keeping a diving wall with the laundry closet and storage closets. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG2pHtYD2JIIPjcJjj00eKAIHicqlv9s8MEKJ5aQMgAV6jqfooY9USSTQ_U2wkDcAJombHYpQttBiGwdEKg1bEfzw2oth9yCvFOEY6mMwpfNENVd1XryZnn277HGTkOm2_2C5bGQa7Mk/s1600/Ross+final+birdseye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="616" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG2pHtYD2JIIPjcJjj00eKAIHicqlv9s8MEKJ5aQMgAV6jqfooY9USSTQ_U2wkDcAJombHYpQttBiGwdEKg1bEfzw2oth9yCvFOEY6mMwpfNENVd1XryZnn277HGTkOm2_2C5bGQa7Mk/s640/Ross+final+birdseye.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It was the clients who felt that they didn't need that diving wall, which makes the bedroom feel much more spacious. And let's face it, when you're dealing with such a small overall space, every inch matters. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu9AcpwdmQGNGGKHuADxjhr3O_NyJQE44bCzOZd1YH-Shuj3HxwYXM7oj1Au6RoJteY0dy1cXkF7tJBtwluYLk8pTmCUxTtZG8keV05dztqQitjvmpXjnoGpdFwD1__e-gKGB5EOoYzE/s1600/Floorplan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKu9AcpwdmQGNGGKHuADxjhr3O_NyJQE44bCzOZd1YH-Shuj3HxwYXM7oj1Au6RoJteY0dy1cXkF7tJBtwluYLk8pTmCUxTtZG8keV05dztqQitjvmpXjnoGpdFwD1__e-gKGB5EOoYzE/s640/Floorplan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />This is the final floor plan above. The attic was opened up with the center wall diving the two halves of the space. Skylights were added, as were windows high up on the diving wall to let in light and air and add to a sense of spaciousness.<br /><br />And how the space is now:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtcDtviN5cMkCXWNNricaiF6H1PX2nQ51m23l-SJ0YKfYwEqd7819d4ojgubimzpzv4k4BRl_JzvIB82MMMJK68UmkWCHw6TZ37SkEOahK9ykPQzIDjnn08Js8nmk5mn7zT5yrG5ATHA/s1600/Living+Area.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtcDtviN5cMkCXWNNricaiF6H1PX2nQ51m23l-SJ0YKfYwEqd7819d4ojgubimzpzv4k4BRl_JzvIB82MMMJK68UmkWCHw6TZ37SkEOahK9ykPQzIDjnn08Js8nmk5mn7zT5yrG5ATHA/s640/Living+Area.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpFoN_pGLcMjxW62suW0QvbtyZ1Drm778ZxDP3MyJ6Yz8-9qh54FQcFq-_4_S00omTPc5uY5o4w_tKJvV7nVS7YO1FbKtwl2sHQwZjhz_mUTUKmyxmA4drWuE4tA_r2UbnbjK0G1irOo/s1600/Living+Area+2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpFoN_pGLcMjxW62suW0QvbtyZ1Drm778ZxDP3MyJ6Yz8-9qh54FQcFq-_4_S00omTPc5uY5o4w_tKJvV7nVS7YO1FbKtwl2sHQwZjhz_mUTUKmyxmA4drWuE4tA_r2UbnbjK0G1irOo/s640/Living+Area+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UwrmveOg_OrfgO8J6kG70XU8hblaMC3x-00qM3CmKS7-VQikXSgjD-FLEoQu2ljUGVPMPx-8DxQWq0dtUWJDDnmMl6LPioGlEBYuz45Mc7sE3XKZu2OGS6YB5M47OSROGado0aNgp6c/s1600/Kitchen+closeup.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UwrmveOg_OrfgO8J6kG70XU8hblaMC3x-00qM3CmKS7-VQikXSgjD-FLEoQu2ljUGVPMPx-8DxQWq0dtUWJDDnmMl6LPioGlEBYuz45Mc7sE3XKZu2OGS6YB5M47OSROGado0aNgp6c/s640/Kitchen+closeup.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagBS7YHMLo24gj9Ixcbyjrz0Jq67KZwZfTq7rfjGtoYDOcqXMO3Yr9i5qWl9KSmvjsmgg7kc3j8hlSVSdfeLK_argGeIaUvL01LM9UavokWaCdvzuKqzifZz4aeBj6laHDREl6fVtZCQ/s1600/Bathroom+toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagBS7YHMLo24gj9Ixcbyjrz0Jq67KZwZfTq7rfjGtoYDOcqXMO3Yr9i5qWl9KSmvjsmgg7kc3j8hlSVSdfeLK_argGeIaUvL01LM9UavokWaCdvzuKqzifZz4aeBj6laHDREl6fVtZCQ/s640/Bathroom+toilet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5YR4SnKcUgBVXRG99QEI2S2c-oSnayoH5T7dUVY4B8D8v3TDtMOy1B1qWFCpiR2cl_2EJzkGTxLvBdsUSIeWf8HwWDYL9F0K-K28vgLCzSG8vFLyNq8JxxdBpTWI14E2_2sZkgIt-lY/s1600/Bedroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC5YR4SnKcUgBVXRG99QEI2S2c-oSnayoH5T7dUVY4B8D8v3TDtMOy1B1qWFCpiR2cl_2EJzkGTxLvBdsUSIeWf8HwWDYL9F0K-K28vgLCzSG8vFLyNq8JxxdBpTWI14E2_2sZkgIt-lY/s640/Bedroom.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtpFoN_pGLcMjxW62suW0QvbtyZ1Drm778ZxDP3MyJ6Yz8-9qh54FQcFq-_4_S00omTPc5uY5o4w_tKJvV7nVS7YO1FbKtwl2sHQwZjhz_mUTUKmyxmA4drWuE4tA_r2UbnbjK0G1irOo/s1600/Living+Area+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UwrmveOg_OrfgO8J6kG70XU8hblaMC3x-00qM3CmKS7-VQikXSgjD-FLEoQu2ljUGVPMPx-8DxQWq0dtUWJDDnmMl6LPioGlEBYuz45Mc7sE3XKZu2OGS6YB5M47OSROGado0aNgp6c/s1600/Kitchen+closeup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div> Below is a construction process shot of the three closets: left has stacked washer/dryer, middle and right are clothes and storage. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIT-6I0G2ROXItPGQF0L3TW30whyKuIWpohVSqqwo8Z-TsjUg1FS3uX-FH04YFm0fCMVUvEDAOMvMaghdz6flR03kx6Wo3Mf8i_SK9s5XqjOJMT546Fcjvo2gm_evF_peKFgH8UiBFh4/s1600/May+24+bedroom+paint+color.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIT-6I0G2ROXItPGQF0L3TW30whyKuIWpohVSqqwo8Z-TsjUg1FS3uX-FH04YFm0fCMVUvEDAOMvMaghdz6flR03kx6Wo3Mf8i_SK9s5XqjOJMT546Fcjvo2gm_evF_peKFgH8UiBFh4/s640/May+24+bedroom+paint+color.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />It's a tiny space, but it's not lacking in amenities and I think feels very comfortable and livable in the end. This house is currently available for rent, <a href="http://www.rentcharleston.com/property/47c-queen-st/" target="_blank">read more here</a>.  <br /><br /><br />If you would like my help on your design or renovation project, I would love to chat with you!

Space planning in a tiny home

Last winter, I did a small bit of work on the floor plan layout for a back yard garden house renovation in Charleston, SC. Unlike the usual ...

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Newburyport Kitchen Tour 2013

<br />(So, I had started writing up this post, then managed to lose all the text and I just don't have time to re-create it. Oy. )<br /><br />So, here are photo montages of my trip up to the Newburyport Kitchen tour on Saturday, with proceeds benefiting the Newburyport Elementary schools. Of all the house tours I've been on over the years, the one's in N-port are always the best and never disappoint. The town offers such a wide variety of architectural styles and environments - from woodsy camp like locations along the Merrimack River to in-town city dwellings nestled cheek by jowl. I am biased because I lived there for a few years, but it's really the best city in New England as far as I'm concerned.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9387320769/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="920" id="blogsy-1375112362787.7744" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2851/9387320769_292f3f5f97_c.jpg" width="690" /></a></div>This is the first house we visited and it was truly my favorite. The gorgeous river setting in an out of the way location was calm and tranquil and the color palette and furnishings were that and more. The current owners purchased the abandoned bungalow house in 2004 and renovated in 2012. Design and Construction by True Company (whose house is also on the tour) with cabinets by R. J. Kitchens. Note to the homeowners - take your clothes, leave everything else behind and I'll be happy!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9387324079/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="901" id="blogsy-1375112362814.2065" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5515/9387324079_126e8c798a_c.jpg" width="676" /></a></div><br />This next house is a new construction Federal style reproduction on High Street. I lived in a Federal era house on High Street just a few blocks away and was dying to get a closer look here. The builder was Mark DiPiero. Above is the exterior detail, below the interiors. How cute is the carriage house style garage out back? The interiors featured period appropriate architectural detailing with a light and bright kitchen. The counters are all carrera marble, the backsplash glass tile and the island features a curved seating counter with a contrasting black base. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9390100698/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="943" id="blogsy-1375112362840.6453" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7354/9390100698_6d24a8ca29_c.jpg" width="707" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9387329507/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="967" id="blogsy-1375112362837.0317" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3670/9387329507_521a2656c4_c.jpg" width="726" /></a></div>The next house is one half of a mirror side-by-side two-family that was originally a carriage house, built in 1890, to a long-gone mansion. The house is pretty small, but Joppa Designs, Inc. did a wonderful job of maximizing the space. It was pretty crowded when I was there, so I couldn't get really good photos of the kitchen, other than some detail shots. The counters are Persia Avorio, the breakfast bar countertop is a custom cherry, the sink is Blanco Silgranit. The best feature is the coffered ceiling with the coffer painted a lovely mid-toned pearlescent blue in Ben Moore's Brushed Radiance paint. A glamorous detail that also added a spacious feel to the small space. The mudroom leading out to the deck was painted in BM Hale Navy with white accents. <br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9394568036/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="949" id="blogsy-1375112362850.554" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3687/9394568036_c98141b074_c.jpg" width="711" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This next house features several innovative green technologies such as geothermal heat, air and hot water. The roof is solar panel ready and is integrated with Powerhouse shingle technology. The original portion of this charming house dates to 1756 and has had several additions. The old section of the house maintains many original elements such as gorgeous original pine floors. The main feature of the new kitchen is the enormous - and I do mean enormous - center island that is 5-1/2' wide by maybe 10' long. It took 5 very strong men to wheel it in and place it on the cabinetry below. My last two kitchens were smaller than that island! The granite, from Gerrity Stone in Woburn, is Colonial Cream. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9391800895/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="955" id="blogsy-1375112362792.0352" src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3688/9391800895_3e8cdf8db5_c.jpg" width="716" /></a></div>This next house dates to the 1790's and was the servants quarters for another local house. The owners, Adam and Lauren True,  are the design build firm The True Company who did the first house I visited at the top of this post. The first floor of the house is the home based office on the left and a family room/kitchen on the right, with a back hall connecting the two spaces in addition to the front hall. Thibaut's Trellis wallpaper is in the front hall and looks fantastic from the walkway enterting the house. The kitchen counter is Supreme White Quartzite and the green pendants are from Ballard Designs. There is a cute little eating nook on the far side of kitchen, the pendant is West Elm.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9394574890/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="977" id="blogsy-1375112362847.0603" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/9394574890_8745d86aaf_c.jpg" width="733" /></a></div>The next home is known as the Toppans Dodge House. The original saltbox dates to 1670 was a basic two up/two down structure. The carriage house and barn, which were separate are now joined and are the family room and garage, respectively. The house was expanded out the back to accomodate a larger kitchen and dining area. The exterior of the house is fantastic, but like any home that grew and evolved over centuries, the interiors are a bit more jumbled as rooms grow and change to accommodate modern living. However, there is a lot of original detailing that is fabulous such as the barn doors on the rustic family room which was once a carriage house. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/chameleon-interiors/9391812037/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter" height="997" id="blogsy-1375112362817.061" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7394/9391812037_0be5be8248_c.jpg" width="748" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The final property I saw was this gorgeous restoration of a Georgian house built in 1777. The front hall and stairs is truly amazing. The faux marble painted floor in a tumbling block pattern is to die for. The historically accurate wallpaper befits the grandness of the entry. The front to back staircase meets under an arch and continues up to the second floor. The side front parlors have matching custom rugs and wallpaper, which are historically accurate. Behind the rear facing stairs to the right is the original kitchen complete with walk-in fireplace, baking oven and a built-in cupboard. Behind the original kitchen was an added summer kitchen that is now the new kitchen, complete with chef quality appliances and cabinetry finished to match the original built-in cupboard in the old kitchen. Beyond the new kitchen is a tv room with views of a spacious back yard. <br /><br />Here are some additional details around this house. I can't really explain why, but I love how close this house is to it's neighbor, and the beautiful brick facades with original period details. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYZEuR9coOj-Pv0G2SW8cbqN1ZVH4SLuoCREz3URcK-tnijmD5hVZ9xn3U2xDeVGTdL4gKai06By6kbxze8cWliYJXry2FMfxVTJRz5FpGBnXUBx7RzXP6Y6Mx_m5sng4anIkscnGE6A/s1600/IMG_3760.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqYZEuR9coOj-Pv0G2SW8cbqN1ZVH4SLuoCREz3URcK-tnijmD5hVZ9xn3U2xDeVGTdL4gKai06By6kbxze8cWliYJXry2FMfxVTJRz5FpGBnXUBx7RzXP6Y6Mx_m5sng4anIkscnGE6A/s640/IMG_3760.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRkJVQRpt9r7sXsuUw3gx_f8EcntWHv-ussVMj-QDJy-8lj4dZm_MSeYjuR2JDNxpLzIM0GfLq1Y3aif8G7fgDt110jnJDuBR3PrGRuE7PDekqpBVWMwjHKztWcLWHd3L6RP8DQ9O2dg/s1600/IMG_3761.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRkJVQRpt9r7sXsuUw3gx_f8EcntWHv-ussVMj-QDJy-8lj4dZm_MSeYjuR2JDNxpLzIM0GfLq1Y3aif8G7fgDt110jnJDuBR3PrGRuE7PDekqpBVWMwjHKztWcLWHd3L6RP8DQ9O2dg/s640/IMG_3761.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhgoguxoUnEIA9Rej6YY3l5saCe32E8CRAUJ2lHCxTff-Wca95QCN9ghpK7zOFPq-ecmGDORiUDlULE-g2dWRbnyxL6aPpjxF1VGKdV3aWfVkAFA3RpcYVZjkElibCNrXzz7Zu15O-v8/s1600/IMG_3762.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzhgoguxoUnEIA9Rej6YY3l5saCe32E8CRAUJ2lHCxTff-Wca95QCN9ghpK7zOFPq-ecmGDORiUDlULE-g2dWRbnyxL6aPpjxF1VGKdV3aWfVkAFA3RpcYVZjkElibCNrXzz7Zu15O-v8/s640/IMG_3762.jpg" width="478" /></a></div> Swoon...<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIAI1UMhJpL_0zHGECCnXSZIqdTUnNvavMgrt8CHYqLkGA3txhDkJDvbZUiXmeqq8athoAvDErCb9wwbJVaG5K8x7Zd83JwGXbV7MIQA1Z8h2Kr7OQkykbh9pZhyYCfg8n6W8ygEHQbA/s1600/IMG_3763.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIAI1UMhJpL_0zHGECCnXSZIqdTUnNvavMgrt8CHYqLkGA3txhDkJDvbZUiXmeqq8athoAvDErCb9wwbJVaG5K8x7Zd83JwGXbV7MIQA1Z8h2Kr7OQkykbh9pZhyYCfg8n6W8ygEHQbA/s640/IMG_3763.jpg" width="478" /></a></div><br /><br />Here are some additional photos by photographer <a href="http://laurenpoussard.zenfolio.com/nportkitchentour#h6dbd5d3e" target="_blank">Lauren Poussard</a>.<br /><br />I hope you enjoyed the tour!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjk6j8pHtUOTqRVAc-xqWddcuKzs1CuDEkDoiR_rBNAAuyyUYMbYGjxJ3WaIu3PsrQrpikmltbF8yncNuGv7o4FMYxT5e47zd01PHwu_GTuVuOLkXPApCKIUXlKxWpNYvETyGYfTrhgI/s1600/Linda+Sig.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEjk6j8pHtUOTqRVAc-xqWddcuKzs1CuDEkDoiR_rBNAAuyyUYMbYGjxJ3WaIu3PsrQrpikmltbF8yncNuGv7o4FMYxT5e47zd01PHwu_GTuVuOLkXPApCKIUXlKxWpNYvETyGYfTrhgI/s1600/Linda+Sig.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br />If you would like help designing your dream house, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Newburyport Kitchen Tour 2013

(So, I had started writing up this post, then managed to lose all the text and I just don't have time to re-create it. Oy. ) So, here ar...

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