Rosemary and Pine, the casual restaurant from the group behind hits like Dumpling Time and the Michelin-starred Niku Steakhouse, is on the move. But fans don't have to worry about the restaurant leaving the neighborhood. The restaurant's new home will be at 55 Division Street, in the spot where Dumpling Time Express used to be – and in case you're unfamiliar, it's right around the corner, less than a five-minute walk from the original one Location located at 1725 Alameda Street.

The last day of service in the previous space was Sunday, March 24th, and the new Rosemary and Pine will launch tomorrow, Thursday, May 16th.

The move also shifts the restaurant's focus: Rosemary and Pine will no longer serve dinner. Instead, the restaurant will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends. The breakfast and lunch menus will showcase some of the dishes guests have come to know and love since Rosemary and Pine's debut in 2022. For example, the eggs Benedict with Benton's country ham and shiso hollandaise will be moving to the new location, as will the buttermilk biscuit with sausage gravy.

But there will also be a lot of new additions. Look for a selection of soups, salads and sandwiches, including stracciatella toast with balsamic and honey-roasted grapes and a fried chicken sandwich with furikake ranch slaw and gochujang aioli. Coffee service will be quick and friendly, a press release promises, and for those who want breakfast on the go, Rosemary and Pine will offer milk bread donuts until 11 a.m. daily

The new Rosemary and Pine represents a downsizing of the restaurant, which now has 48 seats, including 12 on the outdoor patio. The restaurant's name is inspired by Chef Dustin Falcon, who added dishes that reflected his childhood in Florida and New Jersey to the original menu.

Rosemary and Pine will reopen Thursday, May 16, at 55 Division Street.

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Three San Francisco Design Firm Execs Charged in Bribery Scheme | Engineering News-Record

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People have a lot going on. Stressful jobs, busy schedules, family commitments…the list is long. Anytime anyone can find a bit of calm from the chaos, it is a welcome break. 

Oftentimes those ‘breathers’ occur in primary bathrooms, where a long soak in a sculptural tub or a rejuvenating shower under a cascade of ‘rain’ can melt away the stresses of a day. But these days, it isn’t only the bathroom where that transformation can happen. Instead, the entire primary ensuite serves as a refuge designed to make life not only easier, but more restful as well. 

This month, KBDN asked designers to share primary ensuites with amenities that are meant to soothe the soul.

Supersizing the shower was one of the key improvements for this bath. Kirby Foster Hurd also moved it to a more discreet location. Additional storage is provided by a custom, furniture-style linen hutch.

Focus on function first

Kirby Foster Hurd has found that homes, in general, have become more focused on health, wellness and relaxation. That perception is especially prevalent in today’s primary ensuites.

“It’s probably another product of COVID and having to be at home,” says the owner/principal designer for Kirby Home Designs in Edmond, OK. “People feel the need to create unique spaces that bring a sense of calm when the world can feel a bit chaotic.”

Typically, the primary ensuites she designs include a bedroom and bathroom and, when space allows, a large closet. She has also seen people include sitting areas, workout spaces and laundry solutions. Even flexible work spaces can be incorporated.

Regardless of what’s included, Hurd stresses the importance of focusing on the spatial design first, before making any of the typically more enjoyable material selections.

“Sometimes people get ahead of themselves,” she explains. “But it’s of the utmost importance to think about the layout, which, when done right, can enhance lives and make them easier.”

That concept was particularly illustrative in a recent renovation where the designer, in collaboration with Acklin Construction, completely reconfigured a primary bathroom and adjacent his/her closets. The previous bathroom, although spacious, was not well thought out or functional. A small shower was one of the first things people noticed when they entered the room, and two odd-shaped peninsulas served as the vanities, which meant there were no functional mirrors. Additionally, the toilet room was located at the far end of the bathroom, making nighttime treks inconvenient. 

Since the previous bathroom was so large, Hurd was able to allocate about 4′ of it to the newly reconfigured closet, which is now one shared space that includes an island, open and closed cabinetry, adjustable shelves and low- and tall-hanging rods.

One of the key improvements included supersizing the shower. Hurd also moved it to a more discreet location and included a variety of showerheads, a bench and a niche. Cladding it with blue/gray ceramic tile gives it a calm, spa-like feel and sets off the gold-toned plumbing fixtures.

A double vanity, positioned to take advantage of natural light from the skylight and an adjacent oversized window, streamlines the floorplan. Additional storage is provided by a custom, furniture-style linen hutch.

“Maximizing storage is another big client request,” Hurd says. “I always look at the space and consider how I can elevate it with better storage. Maybe there’s an opportunity for a linen cabinet or floating shelves or open shelves with baskets. And with vanities, it’s always important to make sure there’s enough storage for individualized needs.”

Since the previous bathroom was so large, Hurd was able to allocate about four feet of it to the newly reconfigured closet, which is now one shared space rather than separate his/her spaces. The designer also moved the toilet room into a portion of the space that was previously his closet, making it more accessible to the bedroom.

“I’m a big fan of having the water closet close to the primary bedroom,” she says. “If you have to get up in the middle of the night, it shouldn’t be too far away.”

The new closet includes an island, open and closed cabinetry, adjustable shelves and low- and tall-hanging rods.

“I encourage clients to consider cabinetry in their closets,” she relates. “Part of the beauty of today’s ensuites is that people can get ready in their closets. In older homes, the closet was inside the bedroom, therefore people changed in the bedroom. But now you can store all of your clothes in the closet and get ready in the closet.

“That also frees up space in the bedroom,” Hurd continues. “Now you can bring in a furniture piece to store items like pillows and blankets that relate more to the bedroom itself.”

Custom vanities are a way for Berwick to elevate a primary vanity. This custom oak vanity has fluted doors and drawers and a stain color that gives it added richness and warmth to anchor the otherwise monochromatic space.
Photos: Mike Chajecki
Michelle Berwick’s clients often ask for large showers. In this case, she was able to accommodate by creating a shared wall between the shower and freestanding tub, thereby saving some space that allowed for a private toilet area.

Opening up

As Michelle Berwick’s clients consider renovations to make their homes better suited to the way they live, thoughts about primary ensuites are opening up, literally.

“A fairly common and relatively new request we’ve been seeing in the last year or two is that people are wanting more open spaces in their principal suites,” says principal/founder with Michelle Berwick Design in Newmarket, ON, Canada. “They don’t necessarily mind if the closet is open to the bathroom, or if the bathroom is open to the bedroom, etc., as long as there is a door to close off the whole suite.”

As such, she has found that people are putting a lot more attention and detail into their closets.

“They are no longer just a rod inside a door,” she relates. “Instead, closets have beautiful millwork pieces that are meant to be shown.”

Take, for example, a full-home gut renovation where Berwick worked with architect Mark Weston and builder Alair Homes Newmarket to transform three levels, plus build an addition above the garage that serves as a flex space.

In the primary suite, custom his-and-her closets are tucked between the bedroom and bathroom. For her, open shelves, rods and drawers keep items tidy and accessible. For him, shelves dominate the space. Some include doors with gold grates that provide a bit of concealment while also offering circulation.

In this primary suite, custom his-and-her closets are tucked between the bedroom and bathroom. For her, open shelves, rods and drawers keep items tidy and accessible. For him, shelves dominate the space. Some include doors with gold grates that provide a bit of concealment while also offering circulation.

“He has a lot of folded items, like sweaters and jerseys, so shelves are appropriate for him,” she says, “but he also has a lot of ballcaps…which she didn’t necessarily want to see!”

A custom mirror with an arched top lends a touch of contemporary design to the otherwise traditionally designed space.

“Their design style leans towards traditional with classic lines, but they still wanted it to feel fresh, so we approached the design through that lens,” she relates.

The same concept carries into the bathroom, where seemingly traditional elements are given an updated twist. For example, the custom oak vanity by Wheelers Studio has fluted doors and drawers and a stain color that gives it added richness and warmth to anchor the otherwise monochromatic space.

“Custom vanities are a big ask for us,” Berwick relates. “They are a great way to personalize storage and to elevate the look of a space to make it feel more luxurious.”

Another frequent request is for large showers. In this case, the designer was able to accommodate by creating a shared wall between the shower and freestanding tub, thereby saving some space that allowed for a private toilet area.

Cladding the shower in two different tiles, including a low-maintenance marble-look porcelain that mimics the real marble countertops and window sills, adds interest.

“A lot of clients are looking for low-maintenance spaces,” Berwick adds. “There is a certain beauty that comes with marble, but there is also a lot of great porcelain that mimics the natural stone and requires zero maintenance.”

Not to be forgotten, the designer also designed the primary bedroom as a cozy sanctuary with an upholstered bed, wood nightstands and an upholstered bench…“so the dog has a place to sleep!” she says.

“The bedroom isn’t a huge room, but we’re finding that, more and more, even with new builds where space isn’t necessarily an issue, that people don’t want large bedrooms with sitting spaces,” she continues. “It’s nice to have a place to perch, but you don’t need a full sectional. Instead, people would rather dedicate that space for clothes storage or a bigger bathroom.”

For this renovated bathroom, Lexie Saine removed the built-in tub to make way for a large shower, which includes niches and multiple showerheads. A vaulted ceiling accentuates the room’s height and highlights the architecture.
Photos: Thibault Cartier Photography

No more obligations

Lexie Saine is thankful that rigid rules have seemed to relax as far as what people think they need in their primary bathrooms.

“People don’t feel obligated to have a set of required checklist items,” says the principal designer of Lexie Saine Design in San Francisco, CA. “Instead, they are more focused on prioritizing what is most important to them.”

The designer finds that transformation to be freeing, giving her the ability to be more creative.

“Maybe someone wants a decadent makeup area,” she explains, “or maybe an enormous shower with dual zones.”

Saine also finds that some clients are asking for closet elements to be included in the bathroom, which can be especially beneficial if one partner wakes up earlier than the other. Secondary washers and dryers can also eliminate the need to lug laundry from one space to another.

For one recent renovation, completed in collaboration with Adrian Smith Construction, clients requested that a dry sauna be part of their primary bath.

Saine’s clients requested that a dry sauna be part of their primary bath to serve as a sanctuary from their busy lives.

“They are both doctors and they wanted a sanctuary from their busy lives,” she says. “The dry sauna is a way for them to relax. There can also be health benefits related to using a dry sauna, and I have more and more clients asking to include health-related elements in their bathrooms.”

These clients also wanted a larger shower, which Saine included by removing the built-in tub positioned beneath the window.

“It was massive and took up so much real estate,” she says. “They already had a jetted tub, so they didn’t need a tub. Instead, they wanted a really big shower.”

The designer added amenities including two niches and multiple showerheads with the controls located on the opposite side.

“They don’t have to dodge water when they turn on the shower or as they wait for the water to come to temperature,” she explains. “It’s a feature I often include in big, and small, showers.”

A vaulted ceiling accentuates the room’s height and highlights the architecture while turning the shower into a focal-point feature.

“When you walk in, there’s a big beautiful moment with the window, shower and ceiling,” she relates.

Elongated subway tiles, laid in a herringbone pattern, clad the shower walls. Saine extended the tile behind the double floating vanity to add texture and give the room a spa-like feel. The rift-cut white oak vanity features a light smoke stain to prevent it from trending towards yellow. Plenty of drawers, including u-shaped ones beneath the sinks, offer organized storage. Quartz countertops eliminate stains and watermarks and wall-mount matte black faucets make clean up easy.

“I love using wall-mount faucets,” Saine says. “There is less clutter on the vanity and you don’t get any build-up around the faucets. I really encourage my clients to use them in high-use bathrooms.”

While the primary bedroom wasn’t renovated at the same time as the bathroom, the designer later gave it some updates that coordinate with the bathroom, including a new coat of paint in warm white and an accent wall in a shade of black to coordinate with the black features in the bathroom.

Laura Irion sees clients willing to spend more money on custom cabinetry and interior components. Both were also a main focus in the renovation of her own primary bathroom. 
The mural wallpaper in the vanity and tub section of the primary ensuite serves as a luxurious visual showstopper.
Photos: Michael A. Kaskel

Hold rather than hoard

High function and luxurious comfort continue to be drivers of bath design for many of Laura Irion’s clients. The former is often related to storage and organizational capabilities that help people hold, rather than hoard, their stuff.

“We’ve all been overwhelmed by our stuff in the last several decades,” says the principal designer for Laura Design Company in Wayne, IL. “People have become more aware of it and they are more interested in editing it down to what’s really needed. Then they want a place to store what’s left.

“But you can’t just throw a vanity into the room,” she continues. “It’s important to be very thoughtful about drawer and door configurations, and to know what is going inside the vanity before you finalize the design.”

As such, the designer sees clients willing to spend more money on custom cabinetry and interior components. Both were also a main focus in the renovation of Irion’s own primary bathroom, which she completed with the help of general contractor Detailed Builders and Knapp Kitchens, which created a custom vanity. For instance, acrylic drawer organizers corral small items like nail care supplies and cosmetic brushes, even index cards and a pen so she can jot down creative thoughts as she puts on her makeup. As well, in-cabinet outlets, which she highly recommends to her clients, mean that electric toothbrushes, razors and even her Alexa can be stored, and charged, out of sight.

“Drawer organizers are great for little items so they don’t slide around and mesh together,” she explains. “And with outlets in the cabinets, we have places to hide things so nothing needs to be out on the beautiful countertop.”

Luxurious comforts were considerations as well, so Irion included heated floors, which almost didn’t make it into the final plans.

“Everything adds up,” she says. “As I considered our budget, I almost cut them. But I’m glad we didn’t. With the weather turning colder, my feet are toasty warm.”

In the shower, pencil moulding mimics old millwork that dresses it up and gives it historic character. 

“Our wonderful general contractor patiently inlaid all of the trim,” she relates. “It really elevates the tile work so much.”

The mural wallpaper in the vanity and tub section of the primary ensuite serves as a luxurious visual showstopper, which is combined with a complementary wallpaper in the water closet area.

“It’s so very special and it gives the room all of its life and personality,” Irion indicates. “I jokingly refer to my ensuite as the ‘Treehouse for Girls.’ I used to volunteer at a girls’ summer camp with that name. We would forage in the woods and go frog hunting in the ponds, but we also made beautiful crafts with flowers, branches and shells. It was such a sweet, happy time, surrounded by nature and beauty. I didn’t set out to intentionally design around that theme, but as everything came together, it reminded me of it!”

Crystal in the sconce backplates and a fluted handshower serve as luxurious ‘surprises.’

“For me, unexpected details are the most exciting part of really thoughtful design,” she adds. “When you go into a room, you immediately take in the ‘wow’ factors. But once you start looking around and interacting with the space, those moments of surprise and beauty in the smaller details are a sweet spot for me.”

Up next is Irion’s primary bedroom, where the wallpaper will be the jumping off point that informs the space.

“We always create an inspiration board to use as a road map that guides the design,” she explains. “We typically renovate all the ensuite spaces at once, but if not, like in my own home, we’ll take a phased approach using the original board to refer back to for style, colors and overall feel. It ensures the home remains cohesive over time.”

When the footprint allows, Ellie Mroz’s clients often ask for vanities with a dedicated place for applying make-up, such as in this primary bathroom where it is an extension of the double vanity.
Photos: Laura Moss Photography

The rise of the ‘spathroom’

There’s no denying that the advent of technology has changed the way people live, leaving many of them constantly ‘on call’ amidst an increasingly hectic and stressful life.

“In response, primary bathroom ensuites have become more of a refuge, with a rise in the concept of the ‘spathroom,’” says Ellie Mroz, creative director/owner of Ellie Mroz Design in Westfield, NJ. “Higher-end primary bathrooms are no longer simply about functionality. Instead, they are also about indulgence and self-care.”

Design and selection choices really play into this trend, she indicates, noting that her clients often request that his-and-her walk-in closets be part of their ensuite. And when the footprint allows, they also frequently ask for vanities with a dedicated place for applying make-up.

Both ‘extras’ were included in a recent renovation where Ellie Mroz and Mike Mroz, owner of Michael Robert Construction, raised the roof, literally, of a ranch home where the new second floor includes the primary ensuite with custom walk-in closets and a make-up vanity. Her clients’ wish list for the primary bathroom also included a wet room and curbless shower. 

“They wanted an efficiently designed space,” she says, “so having the freestanding bathtub, which is the star of the show, in the shower saves space while capturing the spa-like essence. It is the ultimate place for our busy clients to restore themselves!”

Mroz’s clients also wanted a modern, serene aesthetic, which the designer obliged via selections such as the custom vanity by Russell Heard, porcelain tile floor and shower walls, lighting and marble vanity top.

“All work together to juxtapose organic elements on a modern palette,” she relates. 

These homeowners wanted an efficiently designed space, so Mroz included the freestanding bathtub with the shower to save space while capturing the spa-like essence.

Mroz encourages clients to consider custom cabinetry because it provides complete control over the design.

“In this case, the custom-made oak vanity, combined with the Carrara marble countertop with a mitered edge and apron finish, adds a quiet luxury to the space,” she relates.

“Well-chosen tile always leaves its mark, too, whether it’s a special pattern, material or both,” she continues. “We love the classic beauty and eventual patina of marble, but the large-
format porcelain floor and wall tile in this bathroom add to the natural-meets-modern luxe vibe.”

Carefully curated and placed lighting fixtures also elevate a space, as do plumbing and hardware style and finish selections.

“Whether it’s plumbing or pulls, knobs and hooks, the tricky part is making sure all of these elements play well together,” she adds. “It’s important that all of the spaces have a cohesive aesthetic.

“We also make sure that color schemes of all the spaces within a primary ensuite are either similar or complementary,” she continues, adding that, in this renovation, the bedroom and bathroom both include an organic and modern aesthetic that is reflected in the finishes, trim, lighting and overall design. “The goal is to create a self-contained private sanctuary where all of the spaces have a practical flow and cohesive aesthetic.”

The post Soothing the Soul – Kitchen & Tub Design Information appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Power Design, Inc. to use Kojo’s all-in-one materials management platform to increase operational efficiency

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Kojo, the construction industry’s leading materials and inventory management platform, today announced that design build multi-trade contractor  Power Design, Inc. has selected Kojo as its procure-to-pay platform. Active across 23 states, Power Design is one of the nation’s largest design build multi-trade contractors and has completed more than 1,700 projects.

Procurement efficiency ties directly to contractors’ bottom lines. Kojo is purpose built to streamline all stages of the procurement process for both field and office teams. It provides detailed analytics to enable better real-time decisions, as well as incremental improvements with each future project. The Kojo platform is trusted by more than 15,000 construction professionals to help them manage projects across 47 states. To date, Kojo has powered over 25,000 projects, saving customers more than $30 million on materials orders.

Power Design is a pioneer in leveraging the latest technologies to streamline processes, reduce waste in material and labor, and improve reliability and consistency. Power Design began implementing Kojo in September 2023, and expects to have all projects fully up and running on the platform by January 2024, helping to improve efficiency across its operations. 

“We’ve been searching for a procure-to-pay system that can be easily adopted by our field teams while giving us accurate purchasing data,” said Joe Dydek, Power Design’s Director of Procurement. “We looked at all the big and small players out there, and Kojo really stood out for us. It is specifically built for the construction industry and its product philosophy centers around driving innovation through data; not to mention that the Kojo team is agile, flexible, and able to adapt to Power Design’s needs. In the past, digging for historic purchasing data took many hours of manual work. With Kojo, we’ll be able to pull that data in real time and have access immediately. Knowing exactly what we are purchasing could easily provide a large savings opportunity through better planning and strategic negotiations. Kojo is also set to help us dramatically reduce purchase order processing time, bring order and control to our purchasing operations, and help us to move faster as a company. We are excited for how Kojo can help us raise the bar and make a difference for us and our projects.”

“We love how forward thinking Power Design is,” said Maria Davidson, founder and CEO of Kojo. “They understand the outsized opportunities that the right technology can bring, they are excited about innovation, and they’re truly committed to bringing excellence to everything they do. We’re excited to help Power Design get to the next level as a business and to continue to work together in growing our product offering for enterprise-level contractors.”

Power Design has been challenging the status quo in the construction industry for 34 years by focusing on the future instead of the past. The award-winning contractor has grown from a small startup in 1989 to more than 2,500 employees located in 23 states today. Power Design currently has more than 400 active projects throughout the country, including the Pendry Tampa in Tampa, Florida, Waller Creek in Austin, Texas, CoStar Richmond Campus in Richmond, Virginia, and Tasman East Apartments and Atria in Santa Clara, California. From pre-construction engineering and virtual design to prefabrication installation and construction, Power Design offers an array of services and practices to be a one-stop shop for partners and projects.

“Power Design is a new breed of forward-thinking, efficiency-obsessed, and community-driven construction business that’s a leader and pioneer in all they do, and we are proud to have them in our chapter,” added Jenny Boone, Vice President of Business Development for IEC Chesapeake, the mid-Atlantic region’s leading electrical and renewable energy contractor association. “Kojo is a well-known and well-loved software to our members, and we are excited to see Power Design and Kojo working together and setting a new standard for what smart application of technology can do for the construction industry.”

About Kojo
Kojo is the construction industry’s leading materials and inventory management platform. Kojo enables trade and self-perform general contractors to streamline every step in the procurement and inventory management process from takeoff to closeout. By connecting field, office, warehouse, accounting, and vendors teams on one software platform, Kojo gives contractors visibility into real-time materials spending and usage, helps them source the best prices and availability across vendors, reduces material waste, and increases labor productivity. To learn more, visit www.usekojo.com.

About Power Design Inc.
Power Design is a national design build contractor, focused on innovative construction across multiple trades: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and systems technologies. Since 1989, Power Design has disrupted the industry by putting next-generation ideas to powerful, practical use because they care. Power Design designs breakthrough solutions that push the limits of what’s possible by harnessing the collaborative power of their teams to elevate experiences and empower the communities where they live and work. In an industry that tends to look back, Power Design builds better by staying grounded in their values, dedicated to their unique culture, and supportive of work-life balance – making Power Design built to last. By investing in their people and doing things differently, Power Design is designing what’s next. To learn more, visit powerdesigninc.us.

SOURCE Kojo

The post Kojo Provides Energy Design, Inc. As Key New Enterprise Accomplice appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Sometimes, what’s beautiful about Sonoma can be found outside of Sonoma. Consider, for example, all the local bottles that grace dining tables and wine cellars around the world.

An elegant and modern Colorado home, designed by Sonoma-based architect Brit Epperson, is another example of a locally designed gem found outside of this region.

Epperson, along with the team at her design firm Studio Plow, created the dwelling at the foot of the Rocky Mountains for a very special client: her parents. She says that her design firm’s ethos is to”tell our client’s story, not our own.” To design her parents’ home, she spent several holidays perusing architectural plans together with her family. 

Epperson also attempts to the tell the story of the place through each design project. The “place” in this case was the base of a 14,000-foot mountain range. The 3000-square foot home sits on a forested ridge and has views of snow-capped peaks, ancient red rock formations and Colorado Springs’ skyline.

The home has exceptional design details, like this organically shaped wood doorknob. (Nicole Franzen)
A bathroom stunningly rich in shapes and textures. (Nicole Franzen)

“The rolling hills and dramatic sunsets of Sonoma Wine Country play differently than the pines and granite, quartz, and mica of Colorado,” Epperson says, adding, “We actually had the client gather rock from the site and mail them to us in San Francisco.” 

The interior color palette takes inspiration from the hues of the natural setting. Epperson lists the “soft greens of the native junipers and sagebrush; the fall colors of the aspen trees; and the soft pinks, browns and ivory of the native limestone and sandstone.” 

The result is an impressive property that is a study in contrasts. The warm-white exterior, clad in slate-colored vertical siding, is both soft and angular. The interior offers additional contrast; it is at once serene and plush. It is nature-focused and authentic, yet in spots it is saturated in colors and patterns. 

Light-filtering linen curtains create a diffused glow from the floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow the views to be the star of the home, while the rich design also catches the eye, including low-hanging lamps, skillfully placed plants, organically shaped design elements and heavily patterned wallpaper. 

Click through the above gallery for a peek inside the home.

Interiors and architecture by Studio Plow, studioplow.com 

The post Sonoma Design Agency Creates Gorgeous Household Residence in Colorado appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

In 2003, Heide Hendricks and Rafe Churchill, principals of the architecture and design firm Hendricks Churchill who are also married to one another, first set eyes on what would become Ellsworth, their family home in Litchfield County, Connecticut.

It would take another 15 years of driving past the 1871 farmhouse and “dreaming of the possibilities but never imagining it might one day be theirs,” as described in the introduction to their new book Our Way Home: Reimagining An American Farmhouse, out September 5, for the couple to buy it.

Our Way Home: Reimagining an American Farmhouse

Our Way Home: Reimagining an American Farmhouse

During that time, Hendricks and Churchill had also added to their family, renovated three other homes, and built a successful design business upon the foundation of their authentic, warm, and subtly playful style and collaborative, unpretentious approach. That period of growth perfectly primed them to create their dream home at Ellsworth, which they have documented in beautiful and remarkably personal detail in their new book.

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Heide Hendricks and Rafe Churchill

Chris Mottalini

Today, the house presents itself as a sanctuary of self-expression, yielding at appropriate moments to history and setting. Many of the rooms, furnished with an intentionally timeless mix of antiques and contemporary pieces, are cloaked in wallpapers that echo the environment and framed by painted millwork that accentuates rather than obscures existing eccentricities. There’s an undercurrent of excitement about the potential for discovery to the spaces, the style of which is certainly not for everyone.

Which may be precisely the point.

A tree-of-life pattern from Claremont dresses the walls and doors in den, which is where Hendricks and Churchill watch movies.Chris Mottalini

Hendricks’s and Churchill’s story of Ellsworth is compelling not just for its beauty, but also for its deeply personal reflection on making a house a family home. It’s a story over twenty years in the making and highly specific to their needs, desires and dreams. And while a 19th-century house in rural Connecticut with quirky trim may not appeal to all, the yearning for crafting our own havens, our own sanctuaries of self-expression, surely does—especially if we allow ourselves time and space to reflect on what we really want.

In the algorithm-driven world in which we live, self-discovery of any kind has become harder and harder. Our own voices are perilously drowned out as we are inundated by streams of sameness, particularly on social media but increasingly on other platforms as well.

Specific to residential design, the so-called “modern farmhouse” style is perhaps the most egregious offender, with its white siding, black windows and sea of subway tile and Shaker cabinetry popping up everywhere, from Pinterest to the Presidio (could there be anywhere less agrarian than San Francisco?).

As real estate reporter Ronda Kaysen wrote in her thoughtful article in The New York Times, “The modern farmhouse is the millennial answer to the baby boomer McMansion….dominating renovations, new construction and subdivisions in communities with no connection to farming.”

Algorithms and the ensuing influencer-dominated echo chambers in which we now exist have not only given rise to design ubiquity but also stoked the instant gratification fire of American consumerism. When we’re honest with ourselves, all of us can acknowledge having experienced the following internal dialogue: “So-and-so is everywhere, and I simply must have it—NOW.”

Churchill, Hendricks, and their two children on the porch

Christ Mottalini

Of course, nothing about creating a home is instant—or needs to look the same for me as it does for my neighbors. Homes are repositories of memories and moments that comfort us with so much more than shelter, and they take decades, sometimes lifetimes, to cultivate. Further, what makes American neighborhoods, towns, cities, and even rural communities rich with culture and interest is the idiosyncrasies among us—and our opportunity to share them with each other.

Perhaps it’s fitting, then, to look to a pair of artists with “a shared appreciation for Yankee ingenuity, the value of artisan craft, and for freedom from convention,” as described in the introduction to Our Way Home, for a remedy to the ills of design homogeneity sweeping across America. Here, five ideas from the story of Hendricks’s and Churchill’s home for curing the modern farmhouse epidemic.

Start a reno by making a list of what you don’t want to change.

Call it the “first, do no harm” approach to renovation. Henricks and Churchill mapped out their plans for Ellsworth by considering what they didn’t want to amend about the 19th-century house, which needed quite a bit of work to bring it to current living standards. “We definitely considered how our family would live in this house, but first we outlined for ourselves what not to do,” Churchill says.

For example, they decided upfront they would not enlarge the 2,900-square-foot house, and even lopped off a small shed from the side of the house that had been used as an outhouse. “The history is important to us, but most significant is how the house and immediate landscape influence each other, resulting in a beautifully respectful partnership,” he adds.

Inside, the design duo navigated a delicate balance of updating the house for 21st century family life while “making occasional sacrifices in honor of the bones of the house,” says Churchill. “Our most successful projects are those that keep the egos in check while learning how to live with an old house.”

Hendricks and Churchill widened the opening from the center hall to the living room and added bookcases on either side.

Christ Mottalini

Keep the character, skip the extra bathroom.

Among the bones of the house that Hendricks and Churchill decided to honor is a narrow, steep back staircase that drops from the second story bedrooms into the kitchen—the kind of thing that is “usually removed in favor of adding more storage space or an additional bathroom,” the book states. “We kept this quirky detail because it really adds character to the kitchen. It’s what makes an old house an old house,” says Hendricks.

Leaving the stairs in place meant they had to forgo adding a third full bath, which “would have would have been nice, but keeping up with two and a half is really enough,” Churchill says. “We figured that if you’re staying with us, you must be a good friend and will accept that sharing a bathroom with our kids is just part of the experience.”

The couple also left in place a few imperfect millwork details that had had been added over the years, such as scrollwork applied on the front hall’s exposed stair stringer. “You can’t help but think about the person who made it and what was going through their head at the time,” says Hendricks. “These kinds of details let the imagination run wild — whether the stories we come up with about them are true or not.”

After cladding the living room walls in a pine wallpaper by Fayce Textiles, Hendricks recently came back and added the wallwovering to the ceiling to create a cozy envelope.Chris Mottalini

Choose room colors that make you feel good.

Another element Hendricks and Churchill did not scrap was the house’s existing floor plan, preserving its center hall orientation with rooms assigned distinct functions rather than bringing down walls to create an open plan. Despite many discovering with the perils of open plan living during the pandemic, the layout persists in modern farmhouses, which often feature “great rooms” designed for cooking, eating, living, working, and even exercise and are typically colorless. Whatever convenience or togetherness is gained from such a design comes at a cost: Lost is the opportunity to experience change in light and variety in color and view, all of which affects mood.

When designing the interiors at Ellsworth, Hendricks spent a lot of time thinking through when rooms would be used, during what seasons, and how light changed each to inform her color selections long before she made any decisions about furniture. For example, because the living room has the only fireplace in the house, Hendricks knew her family would use it most often during winter and thus chose a darker, moodier palette of greens, reds, and aubergine for coziness, and because they would look “even better by firelight.”

Hendricks also chose a darker scheme for the mudroom—in this case a purple-gray. “Using dark colors in an entry is a great strategy to adjust your eye from the outside. When you enter the mudroom on a bright day, your eyes immediately begin adjusting to the interior space. It sets a tone, and the next room you walk into automatically feels bigger and brighter,” she says. “Conversely, the [nearby] laundry room is a bright yellow. It’s a happy yellow for a dreary task.”

Allow your home to evolve alongside with you.

Soulful homes, like their owners, are works in progress—not altars of instant gratification. Some of the most beautiful moments at Ellsworth are the result of tinkering and tweaking over time. Take the color scheme in the kitchen and its adjacent pantry—a pastiche of light, medium, and indigo blues—which is the result of a disagreement between Hendricks and Churchill that took years to resolve.

Hendricks chose Farrow & Ball’s De Nimes blue for the cabinets and beadboard, even knowing that blue is said to be an appetite suppressant, and a lighter Farrow & Ball shade, Borrowed Light, for the pantry. A few years in, Hendricks felt the kitchen to be too utilitarian in feel and Churchill complained the pantry color felt cold. To soften the kitchen, Henricks added a floral block print wallpaper (Soane’s Dianthus Chintz) on the small wall spaces not covered in beadboard.

The pantry solution took a little more negotiation, creativity, and time. “Rafe wanted me to consider changing the color, but I still really liked it. So we came up with the idea to take the darker blue from the kitchen and ‘spill’ it in the pantry as if it came in from a flood and left behind a waterline. That was Rafe’s analogy when he was trying to sell me on the idea. And he did. It was a good collaborative moment.” Now, the room stands as a testament to the art of compromise and the beauty that comes from waiting for the best idea to bloom.

Where windows or doors had to be replaced, the couple replicated existing millwork—even those that felt too “big or even clumsy but…really give the house its character,” says Churchill.

Chris Mottalini

Fill your home with things that bring you joy.

Designed with color, pattern, furniture, and artwork meaningful to Hendricks and Churchill, Ellsworth is an original reflection of its owners. It’s clear that while they were thoughtful and studious in their approach, the couple was never consumed by trends, resale, or even “correctness.” Instead, they made design decisions that reflect what they love and value. The rooms in turn invite guests and friends to learn their story and get to know them even better.

It was deeply important to the couple, for example, to pay homage to the surrounding landscape inside, so Hendricks chose wallpapers that relate to the property. Mark Hearld’s Harvest Hare wallpaper in the dining room echoes the hares in the surrounding fields, while Marthe Armitage’s Chestnut wallpaper in the powder room is a nod to a Japanese chestnut tree in the front yard. A pine wallpaper by Fayce Textiles in the living room honors some white pines that had to come down to protect the house.

Hendricks furnished the house with a lively mix of antiques and vintage pieces, old hand-knotted rugs, and contemporary elements like lighting fixtures and art—which together engage in a friendly banter-like dialogue, never too serious.

“Whether it’s a bespoke piece crafted by some artisanal studio or a mass-produced object, it has to convey a message, preferably a humorous one, or provoke an emotion,” says Hendricks about selecting pieces for her home. “I like to imagine when I’m designing and furnishing these spaces that I’m making my mark in time — even after we’re gone, those pieces will tell the story of our time in the home.”

Editor in Chief, VERANDA

Steele Marcoux is the Editor in Chief at VERANDA, covering design trends, architecture, and travel for the brand.

The post This New Design Guide Gives a Remedy for the Fashionable Farmhouse Epidemic appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

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Lizzie Soufleris

Coffee tables ready! A new batch of design books awaits.

Designer monographs, stylish “how-to” volumes, and odes to maximalist style all make the cut

August 4, 2023 12:42 PM

What better way to spend the dog days of summer than with a stack of transportive, impeccably photographed design books? From Colin King’s gorgeously styled Arranging Things to Jacques Garcia’s expansive portrait of Villa Elena to DLN executive director Michael Diaz-Griffith’s tribute to a new generation of antique lovers, here are the best of the best decor and design books that have crossed the desks of AD editors lately. For interiors enthusiasts of all stripes, we recommend adding a few of these volumes to your collection—and settling in for an air-conditioned afternoon of visual delight.

Arranging Things (Rizzoli)

Stylist Colin King kicks off Arranging Things with the declaration that “any object can be a thing of beauty.” He uses the rest of the book, written with Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest’s global features director (the foreword is from Robin Standefer of Roman and Williams), to prove that theory true. Throughout the pages of gorgeous photography, King, who has invigorated spaces from Malibu to New York with arrangements of unruly branches and dappled light alike, encourages readers to break out of their comfort zone by challenging them to amplify space constraints, embrace empty space, and unconventionally juxtapose objects to bring new meaning to their everyday environments. —Alia Akkam

Arranging Things (Rizzoli)

At The Artisan’s Table (Vendome)

Loretta Pettway Bennett belongs to a legendary group of makers in Boykin (a.k.a. Gee’s Bend), Alabama, where locals have assembled fabric scraps into improvisational quilts for generations. But on a not too distant evening, her work laid the foundation for community some 800 miles north. At Detroit’s Dabls Mbad African Bead Museum, a space dedicated to African culture, seven of her quilts were draped across outdoor tables, their geometric patterns perfect complements to the mosaic façades of the campus’s N’kisi House. Cinder blocks hand-painted by museum founder Olayami Dabls doubled as vases, mixing with 18th-century silver platters from Bolivia and Peru as well as everyday lawn chairs and drinks coolers. That banquet is one of 18 superlative scenes created for At the Artisan’s Table, a visually transporting tome by Jane Schulak, the founder of Culture Lab Detroit, and party maestro David Stark that explores the intersection of art, craft, and entertaining. Featured artisans range from Roberto Lugo—he made plate portraits specifically for the book—to Max Lamb, whose basalt crockery can also be found at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. “What we make defines who we are,” says Schulak. “Material culture is a celebration of civilization at that time. Each chapter tells those stories.” —Sam Cochran

At The Artisan’s Table (Vendome)

Bold: The Interiors of Drake/Anderson (Rizzoli)

The accomplished AD100 designers Jamie Drake and Caleb Anderson are New York’s dream team. Bold explores the duo’s design pedagogy as they take on spectacular projects around the world. With deep roots in New York City, the book explores how Anderson and Drake merge their unique approaches into authentic and cohesive environments. This book allows the reader to visually explore how the pair adjust to their client’s unique tastes and spaces. From city lofts highlighting impressive views to projects that fold into nature, the team masterfully plays with tactile elements, color, and design. Each chapter captures their eccentric nature and expert ability to create moody interiors. —Andrea Lewis

Bold: The Interiors of Drake/Anderson (Rizzoli)

Charm School: The Schumacher Guide to Traditional Decorating for Today (Monacelli)

Innovation may fuel the design industry, but Charm School is a comforting reminder that timeless interiors will endure. Emma Bazilian and Stephanie Diaz, the content director and art director, respectively, at Frederic magazine and FSCO Media, delve into such old-school design traditions as toile, chintz, bed hangings, slipcovers, and rattan, illustrating how these elements continue to hold contemporary appeal. The chapters are gloriously heavy on visuals, magnifying the likes of Matilda Goad’s denim-swathed breakfast nook and Rita Konig’s former fuchsia-drenched New York bedroom. Archival images also put the spotlight on nostalgic maximalism, including Parish-Hadley’s deft pairing of lucite with a wild strawberry motif. —A.A.

Charm School: The Schumacher Guide to Traditional Decorating for Today (Monacelli)

An Entertaining Life: Designing Town and Country (Vendome)

Designers Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen, partners in life and business, flit between their London apartment in Belgravia and their pastoral Sussex farmhouse. An Entertaining Life, with a foreword courtesy of Bunny Williams, encapsulates that domestic duality through breezy anecdotes. Almost reading like a diary, the book revolves around Moschino and Vergeylen’s weekly rituals—the relaxing Bloody Mary–propelled Sunday lunches in the countryside and late nights in London before retiring to a tranquil primary bedroom done up in white and tan among them—and touches upon some of their projects, spanning Sicily and the Dominican Republic. A smattering of recipes, one of which is for the late fashion designer Bill Blass’s meatloaf, add a quaint touch. —A.A.

An Entertaining Life: Designing Town and Country (Vendome)

Creative Interior Solutions (Rizzoli)

Vicente Wolf, the Cuban-born, veteran New York designer, melds sophistication and simplicity with ease, and Creative Interior Solutions offers a peek into that harmonious world. Written with AD’s own former editor in chief Margaret Russell and featuring a foreword from friend and client Marianne Williamson, the book breaks down 15 of Wolf’s projects organized by five sections—Design Evolutions, Design Challenges, Design Integrations, Design Reinventions, and Design Freedom—including the refresh of a New York apartment on Fifth Avenue that called for repurposing furniture, and dancer Shelley Washington and yoga master David Swenson’s Austin cottage that required a new layout. Wolf closes the chapters with Design Lessons, empowering readers to consider additions like folding screens that play with light and built-in banquettes that free up floor space. —A.A.

Creative Interior Solutions (Rizzoli)

The Elegant Life: Rooms That Welcome and Inspire (Rizzoli)

In this book written by AD100 decorator Alex Papachristidis with AD contributing editor Mitchell Owens, readers will find clues on how to live excellently. Leafing through the pages feels like being swaddled in sumptuousness, but for Papachristidis, elegance is less about overt lavishness and more about thoughtful refinement. In a chapter about a house in the Hamptons, he shares his belief that clients should not necessarily part with their existing furnishings. “Objects that you have lived with and loved forever add a layer of familiarity,” he explains. Elsewhere, Papachristidis deftly juxtaposes classic silhouettes and traditional floor plans with energetic art and youthful splashes of color. The key to living an elegant life, it seems, is ensuring your surroundings are not only beautiful, but also deeply personal. This ethos carries through to the near-final chapter, in which the designer shares his tips for hosting—a practice of using your home as a means to forge deeper connections and intimacy. —Allie Weiss

The Elegant Life: Rooms That Welcome and Inspire (Rizzoli)

Extraordinary Interiors (Monacelli)

Around the office of San Francisco–based firm Tucker & Marks, design principal Suzanne Tucker has earned the nickname of “the client whisperer” for her ability to play archaeologist, anthropologist, and psychologist in her consultations. (On occasion, “mediator” makes the list too.) In her new tome Extraordinary Interiors, readers are treated to the richly layered results of her latest findings: 11 authentically designed and geographically diverse residences, each embedded with personal touches and requests that surfaced during client meetings—or the “excavation process,” as Tucker dubs it. Rife with photography and essays that teach lessons on how to translate client desires into cohesive, compelling settings, the book offers plenty to treasure. —Mel Studach

Extraordinary Interiors (Monacelli)

Haute Bohemians: Greece (Vendome)

Argentine photographer and writer Miguel Flores-Vianna, whose work has made frequent appearances in AD (he collaborated with global editorial director Amy Astley on 2017’s Haute Bohemians), may live in London, but he relishes every visit he makes to Greece. The country first seduced him as a child, and Haute Bohemians: Greece makes it clear why it left such an impression. Readers are transported to stunning locations like Paros, Patmos, and Corfu, where they are beckoned into 19 mesmerizing settings. “I decided that each of these places, whether old or new, lived-in or a historical destination, should be a true representation of those who had created it, an extension of their inhabitants’ lives and one that clearly spoke of the geography of their experiences,” Flores-Vianna writes. Look out for Jasper Conran and Oisin Byrne’s rustic home in Rhodes, stitched together a century ago from a duo of 500-year-old dwellings, or the François Louis Florimond Boulanger-designed Queen’s Tower, outside of Athens, that Amalia of Oldenburg, Greece’s first queen, established in 1835 as her own neo-Gothic-style playground. —A.A.

Haute Bohemians: Greece (Vendome)

House of Lifetime: A Collector’s Journey in Tangier (Rizzoli)

Italian writer and horticulturist Umberto Pasti and photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo rekindle their professional relationship in The House of a Lifetime, a follow-up to 2019’s Eden Revisited: A Garden in Northern Morocco. This time around, the focus is on Tebarek Allah, the rambling Tangier villa that Pasti and his partner, fashion designer Stephan Janson, bought some three decades ago. There are plenty of museum-quality pieces to ogle in the book, such as 16th-century Mamluk Egyptian carpet fragments and a Tétouan wedding trunk from the 19th century. These treasures are accompanied by Pasti’s insights on local design traditions, from Jbala Berbers’ painted furniture and Fez tiles. In the foreword, landscape architect (and Pasti and Janson’s longtime friend) Madison Cox attests to Tebarek Allah’s magic, which Pasti says boils down to simplicity: “I just put the objects I like in the rooms and when it comes to arranging them I pander to their wishes.” —A.A.

House of Lifetime: A Collector’s Journey in Tangier (Rizzoli)

Inside: At Home With Great Designers (Phaidon)

There may be industries in which, as they say, the shoemaker’s children go barefoot—but interior design does not appear to be one of them. Bearing out the point is this compilation of homes from 60 of the most-loved designers working today, from Jacques Garcia to Joy Moyler. These abodes are true talent showcases, laboratories for experimentation, and repositories for to-die-for collections of furniture and objets amassed over a lifetime. Regular readers of AD will love diving into the lairs of familiar designer power couples like Robin Standefer and Stephen Alesch (the founders of Roman and Williams) and Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent. Paola Navone’s Milan pad gets a juicy six pages—all the better for showing off her mosaic feature wall and a tremendous fish sculpture the designer sourced in Liguria. “I’m not a collector, I’m a compulsive shopper,” she says. Can’t we all relate? —Lila Allen

Inside: At Home With Great Designers (Phaidon)

Jacques Garcia: A Sicilian Dream: Villa Elena (Rizzoli)

To unravel Sicily’s deep-rooted beauty and intricate history, author Alain Stella looks to the residence of revered interior designer Jacques Garcia. This first look at Garcia’s own home—lovingly referred to as Villa Elena—provides a dreamlike tour through Italy’s wondrous landscapes and diverse cultural aesthetic, not to mention treasures galore from Villa Elena’s hallowed halls. Within the pages of A Sicilian Dream, photographer Bruno Ehrs has shared riveting scenes that open our eyes to Garcia’s profound appreciation for historical design and architecture. Running through all of them is a commitment to historical preservation. Baroque, Renaissance, Norman, and Arabian artifacts melt into Italy’s visual landscape, as well as within Garcia’s opulent saloons, furniture, and art collection. —A.L.

Jacques Garcia: A Sicilian Dream: Villa Elena (Rizzoli)

Japanese Interiors (Phaidon)

Executive features editor of Vogue Japan, Mihoko Iida, explores the style and furnishing of her home country in Japanese Interiors. Featuring contributions from Danielle Demetriou, the book covers 28 homes spanning urban apartments to oceanside getaways and is divided into three distinct sections. Aspirational homes make up the first third, offering a look at magazine-worthy residences that often feature monochromatic and minimalistic designs. The next section looks towards homes that incorporate offices, shops, and even a restaurant, emphasizing multipurpose residences as a continuously evolving part of Japanese design. Historic and iconic homes round out the collection, showcasing historically significant or publicly accessible homes around the country. —Katherine McLaughlin

Japanese Interiors (Phaidon)

Jean-Louis Deniot: Destinations (Rizzoli)

With his new monograph Destinations, French interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot showcases his skillful eye in projects across the world, from Bangkok to New Delhi, Moscow to Miami. In the introductory interview, conducted by curator Pamela Golbin, Deniot explains his guiding principle: “First you have to start by doing justice to the piece of real estate. I think that’s what I love the most: saving houses and apartments,” he explains. “I always have the impression that with architectural integrity comes a sense of serenity.” His taut spaces do indeed provide the perfect campus for more demanding embellishments, from custom patterned carpeting to dependably ornate light fixtures. —Rachel Davies

Jean-Louis Deniot: Destinations (Rizzoli)

John Ike: 9 Houses, 9 Stories (Vendome)

Design is a truly collaborative process, and architect John Ike underscores that approach in John Ike: 9 Houses, 9 Stories. Written with Mitchell Owens, American editor at The World of Interiors, the book surveys nine distinct projects that Ike, a partner at Ike Baker Velten in Oakland, California, worked on in various capacities. (Ike Kligerman Barkley, the firm he cofounded in 1989, dissolved in 2022.) Although each one bears his visionary imprint, Ike does not limit these intriguing narratives to his purview, but rather welcomes his colleagues and clients to share their perspectives. Mia Jung, former director of interiors, weighs in on the Jersey Shore’s Seaside Villa, restoration expert Robert A. Baird discusses the rehab of the late 19th-century Oddfellows Hall in Brooklin, Maine, and contractor Frank DeBono recounts the challenges of a New York Craftsman-style residence. —A.A.

John Ike: 9 Houses, 9 Stories (Vendome)

Lee Broom: Fashioning Design (Rizzoli)

British talent Lee Broom found his way to lighting and furniture design through fashion, first as a 17-year-old intern in the studio of Vivienne Westwood (they met when he won a design competition for which she was the judge) and then as a student at Central Saint Martins. It was a casual proposal to redesign a local bar, during his studies, that shifted Broom onto the design track. Now, 15 years after launching his label of lighting, furniture, and accessories, he is still mining the fashion world for inspiration, as one can see in his first book, Fashioning Design written by journalist Becky Sunshine with texts from fashion-world luminaries: Stephen Jones, Christian Louboutin, Kelly Wearstler, and a note from Westwood herself. The tome examines Broom’s prolific output, perfectionist process (including his own charming doodles and diagrams), and wide-ranging sources of inspiration, proving, as Jones explains, that “what Lee designs is not just a lamp or just a chair, but an object created with a unique character of its own.” —Hannah Martin

Lee Broom: Fashioning Design (Rizzoli)

Making a House a Home: Designing Your Interiors from the Floor Up (Rizzoli)

Initiating a design project, whether it’s a renovation or a brand-new home, is a daunting process—one that prolific lifestyle and design author Susanna Salk simplifies in Making a House a Home. All the key components, from walls and floors to windows and plants, receive attention, helping readers create beautiful, functional rooms through the advice of design experts. Each chapter is peppered with handy tips, like AD100 designer Gil Schafer’s recommendation to elevate bathrooms with furniture. Examples of smart design, including Nina Campbell’s house numbers displayed in sconces and Bunny Williams’s multifunctional bedroom nightstand always dressed with fresh florals, provide further motivation. —A.A.

Making a House a Home: Designing Your Interiors from the Floor Up (Rizzoli)

Messana O’Rorke: Building Blocks (Rizzoli)

An addition to a Colonial-style home in New Jersey; a new Jackson, Wyoming, abode boxed in by community design guidelines; a Nolita storefront for skin care brand Malin + Goetz: Each of these present “obvious” fixes or takes, but in them, Messana O’Rorke opted for only the most creative solutions. Their thoughtfully subdued projects speak for themselves, but the pages of their new monograph are enlivened with the addition of a foreword by Thomas Phifer and an introduction by Mayer Rus, AD’s own West Coast editor. More than two dozen projects appear in the volume, including retail spaces, a spa, many homes, and perhaps most interesting: a New York City rooftop water tank reimagined as a space for relaxation. —R.D.

Messana O’Rorke: Building Blocks (Rizzoli)

Mexican: A Journey Through Design (Vendome)

What is Mexican style? is the question that drives author Newell Turner through this evocative, deliciously visual book. Having held the top-dog role at House Beautiful, along with plum positions at a host of other shelter publications, Turner is something of a legend in the design press. He also happens to be a talented photographer; impressively, he captured more than half of the shots in this volume using his own iPhone (something you’d never guess while poring over their vivid details and ravishing colors). Through these pages, Turner takes readers through different eras of Mexican architecture and art, starting with pre-Columbian artifacts and ending with the present day. After flipping from cover to cover, you’ll have inspiration aplenty—and a newfound urge to travel to Mexico and see its wonders for yourself. —L.A.

Mexican: A Journey Through Design (Vendome)

Montecito Style: Paradise on California’s Gold Coast (Monacelli)

Sitting along California’s central coast, Montecito has long gained a reputation for its rich collection of Mediterranean-style architecture, miles of pristine coastline, and a dense number of high-profile residents—think Oprah Winfrey, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Rob Lowe, and Ariana Grande. In a new book from Monacelli, photographer Firooz Zahedi and writer Lorie Dewhirst Porter, two Montecito locals, take you inside the homes and gardens of this star-studded California enclave. With over 250 images and a foreword by Marc Appleton, the book is a cultivated walk through the history and style of the idyllic seaside community. Featuring everything from Beaux-Arts mansions to sophisticated midcentury-modern homes, there is no one size fits all when it comes to California cool. —K.M.

Montecito Style: Paradise on California’s Gold Coast (Monacelli)

More Is More Is More: Today’s Maximalist Interiors (Rizzoli)

Following his volumes Interior Design Master Class and On Style, marketing whiz and former textile designer Carl Dellatore is making his return with More Is More Is More, an ode to maximal living. Filled with vibrant, exciting interiors from Ken Fulk, Bunny Williams, Corey Damen Jenkins, Redd Kaihoi, and other AD faves, this book offers a portrait of how contemporary designers have made the maximalist style their own. Each chapter contains an essay on a different theme of decorating, from color to surfaces, layering to pattern. Inspiration galore for anyone who believes in going big at home. —L.A.

More Is More Is More: Today’s Maximalist Interiors (Rizzoli)

The New Antiquarians: At Home with Young Collectors (Monacelli)

What is old is wonderfully in vogue again. That’s the feeling that permeates Michael Diaz-Griffith’s The New Antiquarians. Diaz-Griffith, executive director of the Design Leadership Network, invites readers into 17 different homes, from New Orleans to London, whose youthful dwellers represent a new generation of thoughtful collectors imaginatively preserving material culture. This movement is especially active in New York, and Diaz-Griffith illuminates it by stepping into various abodes across the city. Fashion designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla and Aaron Singh Aujla of Green River Project, for example, have a soft spot for senior corduroys in their Chinatown loft, while Adam Charlap Hyman of AD100 firm Charlap Hyman & Herrero effortlessly weaves objects like a 19th-century majolica table into his midtown Manhattan apartment. —A.A.

The New Antiquarians: At Home with Young Collectors (Monacelli)

Nicola L: Life and Art (Apartamento)

For much of her career, Nicola L., the French artist born in Morocco, was overlooked. But her multidisciplinary oeuvre was pioneering, exploring ideas of gender and identity. In the monograph Nicola L: Life and Art, edited by Architectural Digest’s senior design editor Hannah Martin and Apartamento cofounder Omar Sosa, these works, like the White Femme and Gold Femme commodes in lacquered wood and stained birch, respectively, and Planet Heads #5, a melange of oil paint and newspaper clippings on canvas, get their due. Even more interesting is how they are placed alongside Nicola L’s own words, creating a visual memoir. Her intoxicating reminiscences of time spent in a Lebanese jail and staying at the Hotel Chelsea at the height of 1960s counterculture are balanced with observations from those closest to her, including her sons Christophe and David Lanzenberg. —A.A.

Nicola L: Life and Art (Apartamento)

Patina Modern: A Guide to Creating Warm, Timeless Interiors (Artisan)

What’s the formula for achieving a cozy interior that’s a little of this, but not too much of that? Chris Mitchell and Pilar Guzmán, the New York couple whose tastemaking acumen has earned them features in AD and elsewhere, believe it’s all about “mixing modern design with timeworn materials,” as they write in the foreword of their latest book, Patina Modern. This philosophy is one they’ve learned on their own over the course of seven home renovations—and now, they’re sharing their principles and best practices with the rest of us. Covering everything from timeless material palettes to their nine-point treatise on creating a meaningful, homey space, this is a design book for anyone who believes that rooms should be practical as much as they are aspirational. —L.A.

Patina Modern: A Guide to Creating Warm, Timeless Interiors (Artisan)

Per Amore (Rizzoli)

When Giorgio Armani launched his eponymous luxury label in 1975, he forever transformed the notion of Italian style. In Per Amore, an expansion of the fashion designer’s 2015 autobiography (rolled out in tandem with the brand’s 40-year anniversary), there are riveting images, some of them capturing Armani’s early years in black and white. Even more compelling, however, are Armani’s recollections—his musings on his family, his childhood, and the origins of a fabled career that unfolded in a heady 1960s Milan. But Armani doesn’t just revel in the past. His memories are buoyed by present-day inspirations that reveal an unwavering creativity. —A.A.

Per Amore (Rizzoli)

Shingle and Stone: Thomas Kligerman Houses (Monacelli)

This beautifully photographed volume is a step inside the mind of Thomas Kligerman, one of America’s most renowned living architects. Over more than 40 years in the field, Kligerman has taken the historic, familiar shingle style and made it his own, remixing it with elements of  the Southwest’s puebloan genre. But this is not architecture purely for architecture’s sake: Kligerman’s houses seem imminently livable, if aspirational to most of us. This tour through his portfolio will immerse readers in homes from the Blue Ridge Mountains to Martha’s Vineyard and the Pacific Northwest, and offers eloquent accompaniment through the delightful writing of Kligerman and AD alum Mitchell Owens. Prepare to be transported. —L.A.

Shingle and Stone: Thomas Kligerman Houses (Monacelli)

Stephen Sills: A Vision for Design (Rizzoli)

For his third book, AD100 designer Stephen Sills aimed to create what he called a “teaching book,” one that would demystify the process by which impeccably decorated rooms come into existence. More than just a compendium of beautiful pictures, this volume’s essays and captions gather Sills’s thoughts on the arts of decorating and architecture as well as on the spaces—primary, functional, and connective—that comprise a home. It also features in-depth chapters on several recent projects, each starting with a moodboard showing the initial inspiration for the final look. Readers also get to go inside Sills’s own homes: his New York City apartment and Bedford, New York, country retreat, both of which function as canvases on which he experiments with new ideas. With text by fellow AD100 designer—and erudite design writer—David Netto, as well as an introductory essay by longtime client Tina Turner and a chat on gardens with friend and neighbor Martha Stewart, this is indeed a book to learn from and be inspired by. —Shax Riegler

Stephen Sills: A Vision for Design (Rizzoli)

Suzanne Kasler: Edited Style (Rizzoli)

For designer Suzanne Kasler, the word editing isn’t synonymous with elimination. Rather, “When I use the word editing to describe my approach, I mean I am working to put together a house that looks collected, reflects the personality of the owners through the things they choose to live with, and at the same time elevates the overall design,” she shares within her new monograph, Edited Style. While Kasler’s traditional interiors—elegantly composed without an air of fussiness—have their signature elements (think antiques scoured from the Paris Flea Market; soft, serene color palettes; an oh-so-sweet scenic wallpaper from Gracie or de Gournay), the designer’s true mastery is in making each client’s personal collections shine. This and more is seen throughout this book’s 14 featured home tours. A favorite? The revived interiors of Kasler’s own Atlanta home, where she beautifully displays her glistering collection of Eiffel Tower miniatures. —M.S.

Suzanne Kasler: Edited Style (Rizzoli)

Think Like A Decorator: To Create a Comfortable, Original, and Stylish Home (Rizzoli)

Leslie Banker’s mother was the celebrated designer Pamela Banker (they wrote The Pocket Decorator and The Pocket Renovator together), and in 1999, Leslie helped Pamela relaunch her firm, working with her until Pamela’s death in 2013. Later, Leslie started her own eponymous New York practice, and to this day it’s guided by some of her mother’s impactful philosophies. One of those lessons is that all good design is rooted in storytelling—and now that advice, along with how to anchor a room, develop a furniture plan, and avoid pitfalls, is packed in Think Like a Decorator. Q&A interviews with fellow designers like Corey Damen Jenkins, Lilly Bunn, and Alexa Hampton, who also penned the foreword, present even more enlightening takeaways. —A.A.

Think Like A Decorator: To Create a Comfortable, Original, and Stylish Home (Rizzoli)

Tino Zervudachi: Interiors Around the World (Rizzoli)

After training with British decorator David Mlinaric, Tino Zervudachi moved to Paris in 1990, where he soon became renowned for his lavish interiors that fuse a respect for architecture and lifestyle. Tino Zervudachi: Interiors Around the World, his second book with Natasha A. Fraser (they also collaborated on 2012’s Tino Zervudachi: A Portfolio) highlights such dreamy projects as the neglected neo-Renaissance Austrian villa he enlivened with a staircase and marbleized columns, the New Delhi palace filled with custom furniture that evokes Indian tradition, and the early 19th-century Belgravia corner building, once a London office, that he overhauled with dado paneling and antique fireplaces. But these sweeping moves were all grounded in practicality. As British photographer Derry Moore writes of Zervudachi in the foreword, “He has an outstanding gift for making interior spaces work, which in the final analysis is far more important than the decoration of a place, since if the overall design is poor the decoration can only mask the shortcomings, not remedy them.” —A.A.

Tino Zervudachi: Interiors Around the World (Rizzoli)

The Ultimate Bath (Rizzoli)

From Waterworks cofounder Barbara Sallick—and author of the critically acclaimed The Perfect Bath and The Perfect Kitchen—comes The Ultimate Bath, a volume that details the sumptuous style and serenity of the bathroom. Written by design journalist and AD contributor Marc Kristal with a foreword from Waterworks CEO Peter Sallick, the book celebrates the unexpected, with 150 photos sure to inspire its design aficionado readers. Its chapters are dedicated to a distinguished cast of the top architects and interior designers working today, including names like Ray Booth and AD’s October cover star Nate Burkus. From retreats overlooking garden paradises to cozy alcoves lined with bookshelves, the curation brims with timelessness, intrigue, and charm. —Livia Caligor

The Ultimate Bath (Rizzoli)

Under the Sun: Around the World in 21 Houses (Rizzoli)

Roland Beaufre immerses readers in a tropical wonderland in his debut monograph Under the Sun: Around the World in 21 Houses. The internationally renowned interiors photographer—who’s contributed to The World of Interiors, Vogue, and Marie Claire Maison, just to name a few—invites us into the sun-washed abodes of creatives around the globe. Seductive, enchanting, and evocative, the photographs bring us into these exclusive private retreats. From Deborah Turbeville’s fashion editorial backdrop in San Miguel de Allende to Farah Pahlavi’s Iranian-style palace in Taroudan, Morocco, the homes that Beaufre photographs reflect the extraordinary imaginations and histories of their residents. The nuanced and captivating photography is accompanied by forewords penned by Rupert Thomas and the founders of Studio Peregalli. —L.C.

Under the Sun: Around the World in 21 Houses (Rizzoli)

Venice and the Doges: Six Hundred Years of Architecture, Monuments, and Sculpture (Rizzoli)

A scholarly air suffuses Venice and the Doges, by Francesco “Toto” Bergamo Rossi, head of the Venetian Heritage Foundation. Venice is synonymous with art, but usually it’s the Renaissance paintings that first spring to mind. This handbook urges readers to investigate Venetian sculptural masterpieces, some of them dating back to the 13th century, through the lens of the city’s rich doge history. Beginning with Tribuno Menio (or Memmo) in AD 991 and ending with Ludavico Manin, the final doge, in 1789 through 1797, Rossi uncovers monumental sculptures by artists and architects like Baldassare Longhena, Antonio Rizzo, and Jacopo Sansovino that grace the city’s churches. The volume includes an introduction by Count Marino Zorzi, Matteo De Fina’s photographs, and contributions from Diane von Furstenberg and Peter Marino. —A.A.

Venice and the Doges: Six Hundred Years of Architecture, Monuments, and Sculpture (Rizzoli)

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EDMONTON, Alberta and NEW YORK and CHICAGO, June 8, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TSX,NYSE:STN

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has signed an agreement to acquire Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD), a 270-strong engineering firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1967, ESD has built a reputation for excellence and innovation in high-performance design with a list of industry-leading customers. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

The acquisition of ESD significantly increases Stantec’s expertise in mission-critical facilities and data center design. Mission-critical facilities represent a fast-growing segment of dedicated infrastructure that requires higher levels of reliability. These facilities—spanning almost every major industry—are designed to keep building infrastructure, emergency dispatch, data storage, or other critical functions running during inclement weather and utility outages. Data centers like hyperscale facilities require specialized, resilient design considerations developed by uniquely skilled teams that regularly address the changing needs of large organizations.

With the acquisition of ESD, Stantec expands its mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and civil engineering businesses in the United States by 40 percent. These additional resources significantly expand the company’s smart building capabilities, supporting the workplace of the future and the emerging trends of decarbonization, building repositioning and adaptive reuse.

“Bringing talent and ESD together positions Stantec as one of the leading integrated design companies in the US market,” said Leonard Castro, executive vice president and head of Stantec’s Buildings business unit. “Our expanded data center, smart building design, and high-performance building services will provide our customers with the flexible and resilient facilities to meet their operational needs well into the future.”

“Stantec is a world-class company that shares our vision of improving society through the built environment,” said Raj Gupta, ESD CEO. “ESD has increased the depth and breadth of its services in recent years. By joining Stantec, we are expanding our offering globally and creating exceptional career opportunities for our employees.”

Critical Project Experience
ESD provides data center design services to multiple companies Industry-leading technology customers. ESD was recently engaged by a confidential client to provide peer reviewed and hyperscale data center design services and has subsequently been engaged in the construction of multiple hyperscale data centers across the United States on their behalf. Hyperscale campus developments range from a single 500,000 square foot facility (20 to 30 megawatts of power) to multiple multi-million square foot facilities (over 300 megawatts of capacity). Several sites across the country share a common basic concept with local adjustments and are designed for efficient incremental expansion without disrupting ongoing facilities.

Other projects in the ESD portfolio include:

• MEP and mission critical engineering for the United Airlines Network Operations Center in Chicago, an important part of the airline’s day-to-day operations. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used to route new systems through and around existing structures. ESD worked closely with the City of Chicago and provided specialized consulting services in the areas of electrical and fire detection codes to provide a unique furniture wiring design that met all of United’s requirements.
• MEP and fire protection technology for the 1,400,000 square meter expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, one of the largest convention centers in the world. The new West Hall includes 600,000 square meters of flexible exhibition space with numerous infrastructure services, including various voltages and capacities, telecommunications, water and sewage, and natural gas. Additional program and support spaces include a reception hall, meeting rooms, lobbies and a cafe/kitchen area.
• MEP and fire safety engineering and energy modeling for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital in Illinois. The 201-bed hospital has been designed to meet future demand and earn LEED Silver certification. Energy saving measures included optimizing the thermal performance of the façade while balancing solar heat from the glass, external shading methods, LED lighting and more. ESD also reduced the use of plumbing fixtures by 20 percent and household hot water consumption by 26 percent.

Stantec has three existing offices in Chicago and five in Illinois. With a large concentration of employees in Chicago, ESD also has offices in New York City, San Francisco and Phoenix. The acquisition will expand Stantec’s footprint to nearly 600 in Chicago and more than 2,050 in the wider 12-state north-central region.

The acquisition is expected to close on June 30, 2023.

About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or around the world, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and belonging. That’s why we at Stantec always Design with the community in mind.

We are designers, engineers, scientists and project managers innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that improve the quality of life in communities around the world.

Stantec trades on the TSX and NYSE under the symbol STN.

media contact
Danny Craig
Stantec Media Relations
Tel: (949) 923-6085
danny.craig@stantec.com

Contact for investors
Jess Nieukerk
Stantec Investor Relations
Tel: (403) 569-5389
jess.nieukerk@stantec.com

Design with the community in mind

The post Stantec to accumulate Environmental Techniques Design, Inc., a appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Stantec

EDMONTON, Alberta and NEW YORK and CHICAGO, June 8, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TSX,NYSE:STN

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable design and engineering, has signed an agreement to acquire Environmental Systems Design, Inc. (ESD), a 270-strong engineering firm headquartered in Chicago. Founded in 1967, ESD has built a reputation for excellence and innovation in high-performance design with a list of industry-leading customers. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

The acquisition of ESD significantly increases Stantec’s expertise in mission-critical facilities and data center design. Mission-critical facilities represent a fast-growing segment of dedicated infrastructure that requires higher levels of reliability. These facilities—spanning almost every major industry—are designed to keep building infrastructure, emergency dispatch, data storage, or other critical functions running during inclement weather and utility outages. Data centers like hyperscale facilities require specialized, resilient design considerations developed by uniquely skilled teams that regularly address the changing needs of large organizations.

With the acquisition of ESD, Stantec expands its mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and civil engineering businesses in the United States by 40 percent. These additional resources significantly expand the company’s smart building capabilities, supporting the workplace of the future and the emerging trends of decarbonization, building repositioning and adaptive reuse.

“Bringing talent and ESD together positions Stantec as one of the leading integrated design companies in the US market,” said Leonard Castro, executive vice president and head of Stantec’s Buildings business unit. “Our expanded data center, smart building design, and high-performance building services will provide our customers with the flexible and resilient facilities to meet their operational needs well into the future.”

“Stantec is a world-class company that shares our vision of improving society through the built environment,” said Raj Gupta, ESD CEO. “ESD has increased the depth and breadth of its services in recent years. By joining Stantec, we are expanding our offering globally and creating exceptional career opportunities for our employees.”

The story goes on

Critical Project Experience
ESD provides data center design services to multiple companies Industry-leading technology customers. ESD was recently engaged by a confidential client to provide peer reviewed and hyperscale data center design services and has subsequently been engaged in the construction of multiple hyperscale data centers across the United States on their behalf. Hyperscale campus developments range from a single 500,000 square foot facility (20 to 30 megawatts of power) to multiple multi-million square foot facilities (over 300 megawatts of capacity). Several sites across the country share a common basic concept with local adjustments and are designed for efficient incremental expansion without disrupting ongoing facilities.

Other projects in the ESD portfolio include:

• MEP and mission critical engineering for the United Airlines Network Operations Center in Chicago, an important part of the airline’s day-to-day operations. Building Information Modeling (BIM) was used to route new systems through and around existing structures. ESD worked closely with the City of Chicago and provided specialized consulting services in the areas of electrical and fire detection codes to provide a unique furniture wiring design that met all of United’s requirements.

• MEP and fire protection technology for the 1,400,000 square meter expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center, one of the largest convention centers in the world. The new West Hall includes 600,000 square meters of flexible exhibition space with numerous infrastructure services, including various voltages and capacities, telecommunications, water and sewage, and natural gas. Additional program and support spaces include a reception hall, meeting rooms, lobbies and a cafe/kitchen area.

• MEP and fire safety engineering and energy modeling for Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital in Illinois. The 201-bed hospital has been designed to meet future demand and earn LEED Silver certification. Energy saving measures included optimizing the thermal performance of the façade while balancing solar heat from the glass, external shading methods, LED lighting and more. ESD also reduced the use of plumbing fixtures by 20 percent and household hot water consumption by 26 percent.

Stantec has three existing offices in Chicago and five in Illinois. With a large concentration of employees in Chicago, ESD also has offices in New York City, San Francisco and Phoenix. The acquisition will expand Stantec’s footprint to nearly 600 in Chicago and more than 2,050 in the wider 12-state north-central region.

The acquisition is expected to close on June 30, 2023.

About Stantec
Communities are fundamental. Whether around the corner or around the world, they provide a foundation, a sense of place and belonging. That’s why we at Stantec always Design with the community in mind.

We are designers, engineers, scientists and project managers innovating together at the intersection of community, creativity and client relationships. Balancing these priorities results in projects that improve the quality of life in communities around the world.

Stantec trades on the TSX and NYSE under the symbol STN.

media contact
Danny Craig
Stantec Media Relations
Tel: (949) 923-6085
danny.craig@stantec.com

Contact for investors
Jess Nieukerk
Stantec Investor Relations
Tel: (403) 569-5389
jess.nieukerk@stantec.com

Design with the community in mind

The post Stantec to amass Environmental Methods Design, Inc., a number one constructing engineering design agency specializing in mission essential and knowledge middle experience appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

• Alex Cornell, an interface designer, founded a fake design company using AI tools in a weekend.
• Cornell said he used OpenAI’s GPT-4 and AI art tool Midjourney for the project.
• Some Twitter users thought the company was real, despite the fundamental flaws in the images.

Alex Cornell, an interface designer, started a fictional design company in a weekend using generative AI tools.

Design firm Andever Design Partners was so compelling that some Twitter users assumed it was real.

A kitchen in one of Alex Cornell’s AI-generated homes. Alex Cornell / Andever

“Some people thought it was a real deal,” Cornell told Insider. “They asked me how I would get customers and what happens if I have to buy furniture.”

Cornell, who used Midjourney and ChatGPT for the project, said it’s a way to try and understand the tools for future work projects.

“I think some people misunderstood my intention,” he said. “I got really good at it very quickly just because I had such a specific goal that made it really easy for me to learn how to improve.”

He said the entire project took a weekend, which “just shows how easy it is”.

“The prevailing opinion was basically a kind of surprise that these tools are as good as they are. No one was impressed with me, we’re all generally impressed with the tools,” he said.

The design company looked real

Cornell said Midjourney, a generative AI art tool, is so easy to use that no training is required.

“If you go online, you’re going to see a lot of people with video tutorials and tweet threads and all this stuff telling you how to get good at giving prompts,” he said. “It becomes clear very quickly that all these tutorials are useless – it’s so easy to use that you could just write ‘cool bathroom’ and you’d have a usable image.”

A bathroom created with the AI ​​art tool Midjourney. Alex Cornell / Andever

However, Cornell has discovered a few tricks to ensure consistency.

“If it’s about a specific competency, it’s about figuring out how to create consistent residents,” he said, adding that using the same adjectives in prompts helps.

“Minimal was important,” he said. “Concrete was one that I used a lot.”

A bedroom created with AI tools. Alex Cornell / Andever

He said it’s important to have the same prompt for the background so the views out of the windows stay the same.

“For the house on Lake Tahoe, as long as every room has a view of a lake, most people wouldn’t really consider it,” he said.

“I found it very difficult to draw a specific urban city out of the window, for example an apartment in San Francisco is difficult, but if you just give an urban apartment you can’t tell where it is,” he said.

Cornell also created a website for the design firm. He used OpenAI’s GPT-4 to write company history, create employee biographies and suggest some inspiration for midjourney.

AI still has fundamental problems

AI image generators have fundamental flaws.

The tools have great difficulty in simulating human hands and can sometimes produce images with a plastic look.

Cornell said the problems are a little different when creating interiors.

He said: “I’m starting to realize that you probably shouldn’t have lighting or fixtures of any kind like faucets – if you look closely you can see they’re really distorted.”

“Lighting or fixtures of any kind like faucets — they’re really distorted if you look closely,” Cornell said. Alex Cornell / Andever

“Chair legs and table legs, if you look closely, they often kind of merge together, so that the table leg is also the leg of a chair.”

He also said that the bot is much better at creating toilets when prompted with the phrase “toilet”.

Cornell said it was difficult to fix the small imperfections. Alex Cornell / Andever

“Sometimes the toilet was next to the bathtub. The ingredients were all right, but not positioned correctly,” he said.

Cornell said it was frustratingly difficult to correct the small imperfections, even though the overall images are impressive.

“You’re trying to capture the whole picture,” he said, “and you just get a little lost in the details.”

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