Monday, December 10, 2012

Holiday Specials

Some marketing efforts are tried and true.  Often putting something in your clients hands is the best way to get them in the door.  Here is a mailer we designed for our favorite massage therapy center:





Saturday, November 24, 2012

Design Tips

We were asked by San Diego Home/Garden to give a few design tips for the magazines' readers.  Here is what has been on our minds regarding the design process:

Design Tips link here


Thursday, November 15, 2012

In the Press

Check out the November issue of San Diego Home/Garden,  there is an article on a kitchen that Traci designed in the Design Studio West days

A classic, and timeless design for a historic home, Fit for a family and just in time for the holidays!  This family was a joy to work with, they were open to ideas and embraced my traditionalist-geekout moment.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Closing in!

So the Bottega Italiana project is closing in on the final stages,  here is a shot of it today.  This place is going to be fantastic!


And just 3 weeks ago, here we were. . .



Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Cold Patina, Please

Have you ever had a finish in mind that you can’t find? Custom solutions are
not always out of reach.


This is cold rolled steel that we hand distressed, painted and weathered for a outdoor BBQ
backslash. It is a fun way to add a bit of color and texture change to a backyard, alcove or interior.


You can see this display at Fixtures Living, San Diego.

Friday, August 17, 2012

An Outdoor Room - Southern California

So with summer officially here we decided to finally tackle our last back yard project.
(except the tree house of course)
Below are the before and after photos of the progression of the back of the house.
The backyard now contains two patios for entertaining an outdoor fireplace (which really made a new room on the house that is used all year round) a cantilevering bench, a vegetable and herb garden, grass to play in and loads of native and low-water plants.
Thank you Cube Architecture for the collaboration making for outstanding and creative solutions to making the most out of a space.

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Designing for the Circus

We are in the process of doing a logo design for a not-for-profit  circus center in town. The client had an existing logo featuring a circus tent but was looking to create a more urban feel.

Friday, August 10, 2012

West Hollywood / Interior Design

We have been working hard to get all the details ready for this 3 bathroom remodel, things are now moving quickly and the space is starting to take shape. Here is a look at a few of the selections, and shots of the before. . .


 

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Aerial Yogi

We were recently approached by Jessica Flores, owner of Aerial Revolution, and asked to produce her personal branding and logo.  An elephant had to be involved. Here is the final product and a couple of options we proposed.


Friday, July 6, 2012

LiTraCon

LiTraCon,  or Light Transmitting Concrete.  This is a pretty amazing idea and execution by Hungarian architect Ron Losonczi.


By embedding optical glass into concrete, a full strength material that allows light transmission is achieved.  It seems that even at structural thickness plenty of light is still allowed through.  This is so clever and innovative, when do we get to spec it?!!!



Friday, June 8, 2012

Good Bones

So this is our current project.  SOOO exciting!  It does not look like much right now but as soon as the cranes, concrete contractors and framers get out of the way it's on!






Thursday, May 31, 2012

For the Kids

Here is a little pro bono project we did for the kids at a local preschool.  We have been trying really hard to find a way to get more involved in the community and bring art and design to the neighborhood. . . legally.

It is a small start but it was really fun to contribute.

Sea Life Mural

the "Circus of the Sea"  The preschool director wanted sea life, and if you know Traci at all you will also know it had to be more fun than just some sea creatures floating about.

the kids dig it!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Just a little inspiration


 

 

This  is a multidisciplinary design firm that architect Pitupong (Jack) Chaowakul established in 2009 in Bangkok.












  The idea for their office was "that inspires, is genuinely fun to come to everyday, and that didn't take itself too seriously."



The agency's move to the Sindhorn Tower, on Wireless Road in Bangkok, was part of parent firm Publicis's goal to gather its affiliated companies in one building for shared resources.





We love Supermachine's happy nods to motion and mobility. The reception desk is on wheels and resembles a big white bus. Bicycles work as the legs of a large glass-top conference table that is fully mobile. The meeting cabins that feel like train compartments. There is also the reoccurring visual theme in the shape of a racetrack, hockey rink or stadium.








Friday, May 11, 2012

The Studio

Anyone who saw a previous post a while back about "Taking Over the Garage" read more here had a little preview to this, and now. . .

The studio is complete!  Fully function and using entirely reclaimed and re-purposed material, the former workshop/storage/mess is reinvented.

Before




 We gathered a dozen shipping pallets and about 30 black milk crates.  With a bit of alteration the pallets hold up to 4 crates each.



1 unit = 2 pallets/6 crates  4 units = 24 crates.  They are mounted with cleats for easy access and removal and hold all our supplies and materials perfectly


A few details for the designer.






Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Good Luck Bottega

Now that Bottega Italiana's  Nado Gelato Cafe is looking great, sights are set on a space in the new UTC Mall buildout.   Here's to great Gelato,  a great locally owned business and big plans.  Go get em guys!!!


Friday, April 20, 2012

The Week is Complete

Here it is.  The IAMBIZ booth at the 2012 American Massage Conference.  Designed, coordinated and installed by Arise Design.

Shelene Taylor getting ready




This was a perfect project, melding Graphics/Banding within an Environment.  From their logo and all printed material to the banners, flooring and even the flowers.  It was really a fun one and the immediate gratification was great.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Trade Show Environment

We are just wrapping up a trade show booth, well, more appropriately tilted "Trade Show Environment"  It is for IAMBIZ at the American Massage Conference this weekend here in San Diego.  We'll help with the install on Friday then the booth goes on to 4 other conferences this year.  Here is a digital preview, we'll be sure to shoot pictures and post the actual space on Friday.




And in the current state it looks like this:


  Bamboo floors, two giant banners, books, postcards, brochures, two tables, signage and on and on.  This is going to be one heck of a event, we created a working/selling/educating/introducing space out of an empty 10" x 10" square that is transportable, easy to use and really stands out.!   Check back on Friday.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Can't Find It, Design It

So there was a narrow space that needed a relatively tall step-stool for the kids to wash up by themselves. The challenges were: stability, space, a door operating properly and  happy shins.  Oh yeah, and above all DESIGN.   So after an extensive search it was clear we just need to to design/build this project.


Two, levels to climb up and down, extra tall for the little ones and build out of durable, surplus materials.


It is not really clear in the photos but on the back side there is a cleat that slips under the toe-kick to make this tall stool even more stable.  Happy hand washing, kiddos!


Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Taking Over the Garage

 
So I gave myself an extra project this week, I MUST take over the garage.  Right now it functions as part art studio, storage of over sized kid toys and lots of TOOLS.  Joe and I are always building and need a space that can house these things but store the toys. Now here's the kicker, I need a space to work, creating fabulous and creative spaces.  Which means I must have a fabulous creative space to be in, It's just the way it works.
This is what I have to work with
 a 10' x 19' room, a ton of pallets and our wonderful clients have a handful of black fruit crates






This is going to be sweet!  Please hold. . .