The Comox Valley is featured on Design*Sponge today!
I’m over the moon this morning. It’s so fantastic to see our little community get some international love on a website dedicated to all things design.
We do, indeed, live in a very special place!
Thanks to Simone for sending this in to Design*Sponge :)
I NEED visuals when I’m brainstorming. For example, I like to write things down on paper. When I’m experimenting with colours, patterns and textures, I like to do a computer mock-up or lay photos out together to see how the elements play off each other.
When it comes to visualizing ideas for our current renovation, I’m over the moon when I find a photo that represents what I’m considering. YAY for this book!
For my school project (see post below), I’m finding that I need visual inspiration for the interior floor plan. I have ideas of what I’d like, but most of the time photos help me to expand on my own ideas and brings up a creative flow that wasn’t there before.
Here are some of the interiors that are catching my eye today:
Via: www.decoratingguru.com
Photo: Ngoc Minh Ngo/House Beautiful
Timber-frame is something Joe and I are really into – but for this project I’m going to leave it aside so that I can concentrate on learning how to use AutoCad for traditional framing. However, I’m going to incorporate some timber-frame elements into the design. For example, this banister could become a timber-frame inspired jointed piece.
Via: www.willowdecor.blogspot.com
Photo: Southern Accents
Ski chalets often have beds for as many powder lovers as possible. Perhaps doing the two “kids” bedrooms with built-in beds would help to carry that idea into a modern year-round home? Two beds in each room might seem a little extravegant, but the second bed would be wonderful for sleep-overs or reading stuggles.
Oh woodstoves, how I love thee! A REAL woodstove is a must. Fireplaces are lovely too, but there is nothing like the cozy heat of a woodstove. Although this blue is a too overwelming for my taste, I like the combination of the blue and red. Perhaps if the walls were more of a dusty blue/green…
Also, totally in love with the black/glass combo beyond…
Joe and I moved to this valley in 2005. We purchased a good-sized townhouse in Comox and lived there for a couple years. During that time we renovated and dreamed of where we would go next…
In the months of exploring the Comox Valley for our next place, we kept a keen eye on Forbidden Plateau. We looked at a couple places, and even put an offer on one. The offer was rejected – since we offered much lower than what they were asking. (This is another story entirely and has something to do with the fact that the building “inspector” who looked at the house reported it as having a full foundation – which it did not.)
The house that we bid on could be described as a “gingerbread swiss-inspired ski chalet”. It looked a lot like this:
We never did purchase a home on Forbidden Plateau. But the idea hasn’t left our minds…
This week our instructor at the NIC Drafting program introduced us to our next project. We’ll be learning about architectural drafting - while incorporating studies in building design, site orientation, bc building code, interior detailing (millwork etc.), amonst other areas.
After much begging, he allowed us to choose our own house plans out of various old plan magazines. At first I wanted to choose a clasic Craftman home, but I changed my mind when I spied a 1987 plan for a swiss-inspired gingerbread vacation chalet. The gears started turning…
For my project I’m going to take this vintage plan and attempt to modernize it while infusing some classic design to help it become more timeless. I’m one for dreaming, and today I’ve been dreaming about how satisfying it would be to take the history of Forbidden Plateau and incorporate it into a home that pays tribute to the area and looks after the land it sits on.
It’s going to be a major challenge to the the “kitch” out of this type of architecture – but I’m game!
If you want to read a great post about Forbidden Plateau head over to Keira-Anne.com. She wrote about it back in September…
Some Inspirational Photos:
Via: www.vacationrentalpeople.com
Via: www.dgspc.co.uk
Via: www.ofis-a.si
This holiday season we PURGED. Clothing, Garbage, Toys, Furniture… Even on Christmas day were were hauling things in and out of the attic.
Nearing the end of the task Joe and I were both amazed at how large our tiny house seemed all of a sudden. Moving the office from the living room into it’s own room (having a home office finally is a dream come true!) has completely changed the way I feel about the space. Now I want to start entertaining… guests can actually move around the room without tipping piles of paperwork!
The space is cleared - and I’m feeling inspired to do a little re-design.
When writing the last post I reviewed Kari’s post on incorporating purple again. Perhaps purple should join green as a hot colour for 2010?
This is what I’ve come up with.
Sofa:Ikea Ekeskog – Discontinued, sadly. But covers can still be purchased at www.Bemz.com
Fir Cupboard – 40’s Vintage with leaded glass doors. Thrifted at Community Thrift Store on Cumberland Road.
Mission-Style Coffee Table – Stokes Furniture
Green Chair – This one is from Crate and Barrel. My green chair could possibly be found at McConochies Furniture on 5th Street – Great selection at that store!
Rug – No idea. This is actually a piece of fabric I liked… I’ll have to hunt a rug like this down.
Cushions Covers - To Sew*. Fabric resouces: Buschlen Furniture or Fabricland.
Curtains – To Sew*.
*hopefully I find some time to sew this month!
The more I hunt around the more I discover that we have fantastic resources for interior-design in the Comox Valley. Let me know if you spy something!
ps. Anyone else in love with vintage Jadeite? If you’re lucky, you might find some at Red Living…
Get daily updates! Subscribe with RSS. You can also find us on: Facebook, Twitter or Comox Valley Blogs.
Copyright © 2010 Comox Valley Dwellings - unless otherwise noted. | Designed by Bethany Pearce | Login