Been There, DUNN That

Winter doldrums got you down? This Massachusetts design team has the color cure!

Photos courtesy of Michael J. Lee.

Chances are if you live on the East Coast, your world is looking pretty grey right about now. The Grayson “bomb cyclone” that doused Rhode Island in a shower of monochromatic slush has left me feeling, well “ugggh.” If, like me, you’re a bit starved for color, read on, my friend.

The team of Matt Simitis and Courtney Driver of Curl Simitis architecture + design has the cure – an injection of bold, vivid color into our dreary New England winter. Feast your eyes on some truly spectacular images (courtesy of Michael J. Lee) from their recently completed Wellesley, Massachusetts, project. Caution: You will likely be inspired to repaint your dining room the next time you’re stuck inside on a snow day.

Q: Please tell us a bit about Curl Simitis and your work. 


A: At Curl Simitis architecture + design, we believe in the enduring integrity of craft, and we believe in the importance of architecture to be an expression of its time. In an area as rich with history as New England, the balance between the two is where we find the most potential for meaningful design solutions, whether in a renovation or a new house. We’re Modernists at heart, but finding the appropriate expression of our clients’ personalities balanced with context is our favorite part of the process and is what we do best. 


Q: What are some of your favorite ways to incorporate bold, vivid color into your designs?

A: Smaller, well-contained rooms, such as a front entry, dining room, or powder room, are perfect spaces to inject bold colors. We tend to look at these spaces as “jewel boxes” because you can step inside them and be transported. Since they are rooms you tend to pass through infrequently, most homeowners feel more comfortable making a big statement. These rooms also tend to be spaces where guests frequent so they can have a greater impact on a wider audience. 


Alternatively, in large spaces it is usually a good approach to think at multiple scales. The wall color is usually a lighter tone to keep the light, airy feel that people love, but developing a range of colors for furniture, fabrics, and accessories helps to break down the volume of the room. These layered readings of color create a more intimate visual texture that people can get comfortable in. It also helps to create different “rooms” within the space (say, Dining and Living area), where there’s a common palette of colors, but each emphasizes a different tone. 


Q: New England is home to a lot of traditional residences. How can color help take an old home into a modern space? 


A: There are so many unique and interesting ways to use color to bring a home into contemporary times. One way is to use broad strokes where emphasis is placed on whole planes rather than details within that plane. For example, in a dining room that may have paneling, crown molding, and a base, we would suggest painting all trim one deep color. In that instance you retain the detail the room has to offer, but you temper it with a contemporary way of treating interiors. The details are still present and discernable through the varied shadow lines of the differing profiles, but it’s the tone that has more impact. 


We also like to develop our color schemes by starting from paint manufacturers’ historic color collections. We find that the deeper, earthier tones that are present in more traditional paint colors form a good base for the other colors we’ll use to play off them. Ultimately, within most schemes we develop there will be both historic and non-historic colors. The context – both how the color is used as mentioned earlier, and the architecture it’s being used with – really begins to define how the colors are perceived. It can be really surprising to see a color you know to be “historic” suddenly looking crisp and modern!

Q: What do you say to clients who are wary of bold color choices? 


A: Some of our clients express concerns that if they commit to color, they will either tire of that color or that color won’t be flexible for the long term. Our goal in these cases is to help them identify a color family that they love, have always loved, and most likely will love in the future. Most people have a color that they gravitate towards and you can start to identify that by the clothing they wear or other personal items they have. We may start with a “safe” color and then extend their comfort zone by punching up that “safe” color a notch. For example, navy may become cobalt. In some cases, we may just use small doses of this color. 
For those clients who shy away from color completely, but don’t want a sea of neutrals, we try and broaden the definition of color. By playing with tones of wood, metal, and hues of grey, you can achieve a striking interior or exterior.

Q: How does the function of a room help inform your color choices (think bedroom vs. office vs. dining room)? 


A: It all comes down to a client’s personality and how that specific client wants to interact with his or her room, and less about commonly held beliefs about how a particular room should be designed. In our initial meetings we like to ask our clients a lot of questions about how they like to use their room, what time of day they most use it, it is a public or private space, etc. Their answers start to inform how we may choose to add color and texture within the room. While it’s true that there are calmer or more active colors, softer hues or deeper tones can cut into those perceptions. 


It’s much more important for the client to drive the color choice than the activity. In the case of this project, each of the family’s three sons had a favorite color (red, green, and blue) they used to differentiate themselves from one another. We were able to use that as the starting point for conversations about the interiors without letting ourselves be too anchored to primary tones. By doing that we were able to develop a palette that both kids and adults would appreciate. 


Q: Is there a right way and a wrong way to “do” color? 


A: The most important thing to remember when selecting colors for a home is to develop a consistent palette of colors that will be applied throughout. It is tempting to think of each room as independent and that successful finishing of each room will allow them to hang well together, but we’ve all experienced projects where the transition from one room to another is jarring due to abrupt tonal changes. This is especially true when saturated colors are used.

A better approach is to develop a concise set of colors with accents that relate to one another and a more neutral base color that can connect them all. That way, a color that is emphasized in one room can be more in the background of another, and creates many more options for how they can be combined without feeling like a patchwork quilt. 


Q: Who do you admire in the design and/or architecture fields, and what are they doing that you admire?

A: The bold exteriors of Matthias Sauerbruch and Louisa Hutton are amazing. They’re both artistic and exotic, playful and sophisticated. The fine-grained moves they make with color and materials help to break down large surfaces and create a human scale and interest the same way we talk about with large rooms. For interiors we love how bright and fun Emily Henderson’s interiors are. Everything she designs is so playful, full of life, and inviting.

Studio DUNN would like to extend a special thank you to Matt and Courtney for helping us overcome our winter doldrums. Color can be intimidating to the point of inaction, but frankly they make it look so fun, it’s irresistible! We have a few more months of bleak ahead of us, so all the more reason to infuse your interior with color and beat those winter blues…and reds, and greens.

Wishing you all a colorful (and color-filled) 2018!

Asher shares his list of resolutions for a successful 2018. 

Asher is one of those rare people who is an artist as well as a savvy businessman. As the CEO of his own design firm, he's learned a thing or two over the years. Each new year brings new opportunity for growth and development. Start off 2018 with your best foot forward by implementing Asher's 5 strategies for a successful new year.

1. Process Makes Perfect - Commit to photographing your process. Consumers are better informed today than ever before, and clients want to know how you design and create your work before they invest in a piece. Share process images via social media to help attract new clients. An added benefit – you’ll find that you enjoy working with clients who appreciate your process. 

2. Get Organized, Digitally - Every file should have a home. We’ve all wasted valuable time searching for files, but organizing them can be a daunting task. Try building a family tree of folders for each category of your business (for example, Marketing, Sales, Production). And minimize sub folders – no file should be more than four clicks away or it gets buried in the digital abyss.

3. Ambitious But Reachable Goals - If there is one thing I hear repetitively from my team, it's that I'm overly ambitious. It’s great to be ambitious, but goals need to be broken down into manageable tasks in order to be achieved. I start each week by identifying my 1-2 main goals, and then I organize each day with 2-3 tasks related to progressing those main goals.

4. Survey Yourself - There is always something you could be doing better. It's important to send a quick survey or speak with your clients following a project. Ask what you did well and what you could have done better; both are important. Then celebrate the positive with your team and address areas for improvement. 

5. Focus Your Energy - As a business owner, there are a lot of opportunities or ideas that you want to pursue. Remind yourself of your 2-3 main goals, focus on them, and fight off the distractions. Steady and focused progress wins over fast and disorganized decision making. It's easy to add, add, add and can be difficult to simplify – just like in the design process – but staying focused is crucial for success.

Good luck for a profitable 2018!

Asher shares his top-secret, over-the-years-perfected, signature hot toddy recipe.

Designer Annhy Shim-Morel of SHIM PROJECTS is an expert on styling surfaces to balance function and beauty. Learn how she does it.

All of us at Studio DUNN get a thrill when we see our pieces featured in client images. When a designer posts a project that includes our lighting or furniture, there's a rush of pride and humble awe. We love passing a computer around our conference table to "ohh" and "ahh" over the latest Instagram-tagged shot.

When I came across a particularly serene image of our Sorenthia Lights in an interior by SHIM PROJECTS, another feeling surfaced - let's call it an "ah-ha" moment. Ah ha! Here is a modern space that is warm and inviting, livable and approachable, yet free of clutter. I stalked SHIM PROJECT's Instagram page, and more inspiring images surfaced. Somehow, this designer manages to achieve that intangible balance of incorporating personality (also known as "stuff") while retaining a minimalist, functional aesthetic. I was overcome with an insatiable urge to learn her secrets.

So I reached out to talented interior designer Annhy Shim of SHIM PROJECTS, located in Miami, Florida, to glean what I could. Luckily for me (and now, for you), she was more than forthcoming with her tips and tricks for styling surfaces. Read on if you, too, have ever argued with your significant other that yes, although you use the blender every morning, no, it shouldn't live on the kitchen countertop. (Vindication awaits!)

Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

A: I am an Interior Designer/Design Director born in Toronto, Canada, and have been living and working in Miami, Florida, for 15 years. My work is strategy-based. I see design as an essential function of business especially in today’s visually savvy and starved world where first impressions and ‘instagrammable’ moments have the power to drive commerce. 

I like to delve deeply into the purpose of a project to understand as many aspects of it before putting pencil to paper. I love to sketch my thoughts - I went to design school pre-CAD - and I love working with clients who understand that design is a special function and not just the act of matching things and making things "look pretty."

My work is pared down, cohesive and clean, regardless of the style or function and I get very anal retentive about specific details because to me, it’s the little things that count, whether people are conscious of it or not. I like to incorporate natural materials (wood, clay, stone) into all of my designs and keep the details timelessly modernist.

Q: Once the main design elements are in place, how do go about making selections for styling surfaces (countertops, consoles, accent tables, shelving, etc.)?

A: Once I understand the function and purpose of a space or area, I always like to balance "beauty" with "function." For instance, on a kitchen island, I’ll place a stack of utilitarian cutting boards, a grouping of sculptural bowls (both functional elements) and then a vase or vessel for fresh cut flowers or greenery (a beauty element). What these items look like is driven by the overall design of the space - but it really all comes down to having an eye.

Q: So many of us struggle with shelving. What tips do you have for styling bookshelves and built-ins to be functional and interesting, but avoid looking cluttered?

A: Pick your favorite framed memories and select 1-2 frame styles and keep those consistent. Throw away dust jackets from hardcover books. I like the feel of a naked hardcover book (that sounds bad…but I do!). Stack books in odd numbers (3, 5, 7), and keep like sizes together. Always maintain negative space - you don’t have to cram everything onto one shelf. Keep smaller items to the top and larger heavier ones to the bottom of the shelf. And add in some greenery; a plant always softens a bookshelf and gives it a natural, lived-in look.

Q: Keeping the kitchen countertop clear is a constant battle in every household I know. What are the key objects for a counter, and what needs to be tucked away out of sight?

A: The size of one’s kitchen is a driving factor. A good cutting board, knife block, beautiful cook books, a beautiful Espresso maker, bowls of fruit and a vase for flowers or greenery are all allowed. If you live in an apartment/smaller space, small appliances cannot be left on counters. Remember that kitchen counters are for cooking and kitchen functions. It should be clean and ready for cooking! Not for storing things like junk mail or blenders and mixers.

Q: How do you incorporate a client’s favorite photographs, collectables, or objet d’art in your designs?

A: There are many ways I like to do this. Depending on what these items are, they can be framed to become part of a story wall or gallery wall; or they can be placed amongst books on a shelf; or they can be displayed in a tasteful manner in a table shadow box mixed in with a coffee table scape.

Q: Who do you admire today in the architecture and/or design fields, and what are they doing that you admire? 

A: I am constantly inspired by Interior Designers Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu for expanding their aesthetic onto furniture, lighting and accessories; I’m obsessed with architect Patricia Urquiola’s coveted rug collections from CC Tapis and GAN; and the incredible Tadao Ando for having the passion to become one of the most noted self-taught architects of our time.

I admire people who have strong creative vision and passion.

I want to extend a thank you to Annhy for sharing her expert ideas in what has now become my rulebook for styling. Now I must get home to tuck all those kitchen appliances away in the cabinet where they belong. Score one point for me (sorry, hubby!).

In the Shop with Clement, Studio DUNN's Go-To Machinist

Tucked away in hidden corners of Rhode Island, unassuming workshops are humming with activity. Welding, machining, polishing, casting -  our state has a rich history of industrial labor and fabrication that still exists today.

Studio DUNN planted its roots in the Ocean State for this very reason - the scope and quality of the local manufacturers' capabilities can't be beat. But in typical Rhode Island fashion, you have to know about them to know about them, if you know what I mean. As a student at RISD, Studio DUNN's owner and designer, Asher, forged relationships with nearby establishments that he continues to utilize today.  

One such unassuming place is Clement Machine Tool Co., Inc. Located about 2 miles south of Studio DUNN along the Seekonk River, Clement fabricates custom parts for our Sorenthia Collection. Clement doesn't have a website or a Facebook page. Forget about a Pinterest account. It confounds the internet, being categorized online as a hardware store, automotive repairer, and machine shop. In truth, it's all of these things, and more.

The shop's owner, Tom Clement, is a man of few words. During his last run to pick up parts, Asher was able to pry a bit of the company's history and current operations from the reticent machinist. 

Clement Machine Tool Co., Inc. was started by Tom's father, Larry, in 1976. As Tom recalls, he got involved about a year later, around the age of 16. He had always worked with his dad around the workshop, sweeping and cleaning mostly. One day, Larry pointed to an operation on one of the machines and said, "Come here. Do this." And that was that. Tom has been machining ever since.

The company doesn't specialize in any one thing, rather they do a bit of everything - making replacement parts, one-off prototypes, and small to medium production runs. We asked Tom a few questions about his day-to-day operations.

Q: What materials do you work with?
A: Quite a few. We stay away from the exotic metals, like Inconel and Hastelloy, to name a few.

Q: What's your favorite material to work with?
A: Aluminum, because it's clean, fast, and the tools last longer. 

Q: What projects are the most lucrative? 
A: Production runs. I like the one-offs because each piece is different, but it's tough because they are labor intensive and it's hard to charge what they actually cost.

Q: What are the most interesting projects that have come through your doors?  A: Machining replacement parts for really old machinery. We machined parts for some super old elevators. [Envision an expression of fond recollection.] We've also made some unique parts for the research vessel NOAAS Henry B Bigelow out of Newport, which were pretty unique and interesting.

Q: What's your favorite part of what you do? 
A: The problem solving. Each project requires a specific order of operations and fixtures to get it done. Sometimes I'll run parts for a client and the client won't reorder for a while, so the next time I look at the documentation, I surprise and impress myself in the ways I figured out how to make the piece the last time. How the heck did I figure that one out?

Q: Why Rhode Island? 
A: Born and raised here. It's just where we grew up; it's where we're from. There's a wealth of manufacturing from years and years ago. I like the history here and being a part of that. Sometimes I catch an episode of Pickers or Pawn Stars and see how many quality objects came out of Rhode Island. It's "Providence, Rhode Island, this" and "Rhode Island, that." Gives me a thrill.

Perhaps it's the nostalgist in me, but I like knowing that places like Clement Tool and Machine Co., Inc. and people like Tom Clement exist. They're out there, not so far away as you think, solving one small problem at a time, fixing and fabricating, ensuring the little gears and cogs of our world run smoothly. 

Learn How To Get those Magazine-Worthy Pics with Photographer Nick Glimenakis

When my husband and I bought our first home in Providence several years ago, my family back in Chicago was clamoring for photos of the place. I quickly set to work to oblige their requests. Low and behold…the pictures looked awful. Anyone who’s had a similar experience knows photographing an interior is no easy feat. Those glossy shots we “oh” and “ah” over in design magazines are only achieved after much study and practice by a professional. My amateur hour as an interior photographer quickly dispelled any illusions I had. Since then, I have a renewed sense of admiration for those who are able to accurately capture not only the best angles of a room, but something of its essence to boot.

Nick Glimenakis is one such individual. His work combines a technical understanding of photography with an innate sense of proportion and space. I was first introduced to Nick’s work when he was tapped to shoot a residence designed by Jen and Roy Leone in which they had utilized DUNN’s Sorenthia 3-Arm Light. At Studio DUNN, we fell in love with his images of the space and reached out to learn more.

In the following interview, Nick was so kind as to share details about how he got his start, his favorite shoots (I don’t often say OMG, but OMG!), and his insights on capturing interiors through photography.

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Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your work.

A: I grew up in the woods of southwest New Hampshire before setting up camp in New York in 2011. Before photography, I studied outdoor education in Colorado with hopes of becoming a park ranger. My course load looked like something out of a Jon Krakauer novel. Along with all the outdoor orienteering classes, I had a handful of photography electives with a wonderful teacher who taught me the importance of observation and how to see without a camera. As a textbook introvert, I loved this approach and still practice it today. The more I photographed, the less I cared about which river we were running or which couloir we were ascending and as a result, shifted gears in the classroom to be a fine art major. I was fascinated with photojournalism and storytelling, so I packed up my tent, Capilene, and compass, traded them in for 250 square feet, skinny jeans, and a camera and moved to New York to pursue documentary photography.

I kind of stumbled into interiors about four years ago. I got a job as a freelance stylist for a hospitality company in New York that focused on blending luxury hotel experiences with curated homestays. I got weirdly comfortable being in strangers' homes. I'd snap some pictures on my phone to show friends who didn't believe my stories of exorbitant design sightings. Those images became a pretty sad portfolio. But when the company decided to hire an in-house photographer, I told the editor I thought I should do it.

I very quickly gained access to some of the best real estate without having any actual experience shooting interiors. I was exposed to just about every environment imaginable and learned how to work through each one. I saw everything from new penthouse lofts to early townhouse renovations, original Picassos to swimming pools beneath retracting kitchen floors. I joke that little surprises me anymore.

I always like to make interiors feel approachable, even when the kitchen floor retracts. I like my work to showcase the design and architecture of the space in a way that allows viewers to picture themselves physically there. My photography style is derived from the look and feel of film and draws inspiration from nostalgia, mood, and the everyday. My goal has always been to make work that transports an audience.

Q: How do you approach photographing an interior space? What are some of the considerations you need to take into account?

A: I try to imagine every home as my own. That can be fairly difficult when the design choices aren't necessarily my personal taste, but I make an honest attempt to envision myself in the space before shooting. I take my shoes off, sit on all the furniture, and make myself at home.

Interior and architectural photography can be a fairly technical game but my artistic approach has always been the same: to shoot with as little interference as possible. I’ll make a shot list in my head when steering a walkthrough of the home and make little notes in regard to certain points of interest, changing light, or how the space makes me feel.

Q: What were some of your favorite spaces to photograph, and why did they stand out?

A: My favorite spaces to shoot are ones that feel considered yet approachable. It’s easy for homes to feel overly decorated and sterile, so I appreciate spaces that feel collected and have a story. I like when everything looks expensive but I can still touch it all.

One of my more memorable assignments was a 2,000-square-foot modern home designed by Keith Anding in Glen Ellen, CA. I was given two days to photograph, which allowed me to see how light moved in the home throughout the day, a privilege I’m not always afforded. The homeowner wanted to be engaged with nature, so Anding had designed large retracting walls on either side of the sitting room, an outdoor shower, and a bedroom only accessible from the outside. Everything felt so well integrated; I loved the contrast of materials in the build to the surrounding landscape, especially the clean lines of the architecture to the knotted and twisting trees on the property. I’d have to say my favorite aspect, though, was how far removed the home felt from everything.

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Another honorable mention was a standalone home in Brooklyn I photographed a few years back. It was a beautiful day early in the summer, and we had incredible light. The architecture reminded me of the historic mansions of New Orleans. It had been through some renovations, but the bones were still very prominent. The interior furnishings were a blend of mid-century modern and some other weathered pieces, creating a very eclectic feel. The art and decor were a storied showcase of the family's travels and interests, and the whole home felt effortlessly cool. It was one of those assignments where each room looked completely different every hour, making the creative process so engaging. Choosing selects in the post edit was a painstaking effort – I felt physical heartache when specific images were cut from the story. 

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Q: What were your most challenging spaces to photograph? How did you overcome those challenges to get a successful shot?

A: It usually comes down to available light. Obviously, spaces with plenty of ambient light are much easier to work with than those with none. Once you bring in additional lighting or utilize the overheads, not only do you increase your time setting up compositions, you also increase your time sitting at a computer editing afterward. I work only with a camera and a tripod and use the existing light whenever possible, even if that means bumping the ISO or shooting long exposures. I'm not afraid of a little grain – it's actually preferred.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice about photographing an interior, what would it be?

A: Shoot barefoot. I think you make better pictures when you feel like you live in the space and are comfortable enough to walk around without socks and shoes. All the technical verbiage you need to photograph interiors exists in a YouTube video or web forum, but connecting with a space is much more than what lens you should be working on. Don't be afraid to explore and utilize the space as your own: move around; sit on the furniture; observe the light – that's where you'll find the most interesting photographs.

Q: Whom do you admire today in the architecture and/or design fields, and what are they doing that you admire?

A: I don't follow any one particular designer or architectural firm that closely, but I'm constantly looking at design ideas and interior imagery, studying how other photographers see space. Pinterest is a really great tool for this. I take Pinterest very seriously.

That being said, my favorite kind of design aesthetic is something modernized in an older, preserved building. I've photographed a few projects for Jen and Roy Leone, and I think they do an excellent job combining these two elements. Give me a townhouse with beautiful bones and fill it with a curation of modern pieces, and I'm a very happy camper.

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A special thank you to Nick for his delightful, witty, and sincere responses to my questions. I, for one, feel inspired to retackle my own interior photography projects – this time, shoes off.

Asher's Nordic Adventure 

This world can be a topsy-turvy place. Sometimes, I find the need to extricate myself from its dizzying pace and look at things from a different angle, or in this case, an entirely different hemisphere! My husband and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The Nordic view was refreshing and inspiring; the beauty of design is all around us - just stop and look up (or down, as the case may be).

Rosenberg Castle - Surrounded by the Kongens Have (the Kings Gardens), it houses the crown jewels and regalia and was built in 1606 under Christian IV.  Many architectural projects were started under Christian IV, and I enjoyed the symmetry of each place we visited.

Copenhagen canal homes - picturesque because of the brilliant color palettes. 

Christianborg Castle, the now-a-days heart of the Danish Government, housing Danish Parliament, Supreme Court, and Prime Minister's Offices.  The Palace Chapel is a stunning display of neo-classical ornamentalism in architecture.

Chrisitianborg Castle, the Queens Room (reception room for entertaining) is another impressive example of ornamentalism. I was specifically drawn to the carvings on the ceiling.

Christianborg Castle, reception room - ceiling plaster work with gilding, beautiful symmetry.  Can you image working on an expansive ceiling and getting this level of symmetry and detail?

Christianborg Castle, the Queen's Tapestries - were a gift for Queen Margrethe II's 50th birthday. Throughout our trip we found a great appreciation for modern art.  This is one example - these contemporary tapestries are huge, there were several of them in this room, juxtaposed to the historic and ornamental elements of this space. The tapestries by themselves were impressive but the juxtaposition is what really stood out for me.

Frederick's Church at Amalienborg Palace - another nice display of architectural symmetry.  The picture makes this chapel look smaller than it actually is.  It's an enormous structure looming at 8 or 9 stories tall.

Frederiksborg Castle - we visited a lot of castles but this one really blew me away in scale and decor.  Though it's always the details that impress me.  In this case the decor inside of this vault-like armory room mimics the inner works and components that make up a heavy-duty vault mechanism.

Frederiksborg Castle - the Danish were early adopters of science, especially astronomy.  The most notable astronomer being Tycho Brahe, known for his accuracy and comprehensiveness.  This image is a bit dark but I found it interesting to see astronomical and scientific equipment accompanying biblical imagery in this castle.

Frederiksborg Castle - this was one of my favorite examples of science being adopted by the Danish.  This mural sits in the center of the room, and although it contains many mythological characters, it also reflects the mix of science and religion occurring at the time in Denmark.

Our trip was a mix of historical and contemporary adventures.  I think the historical spaces had a bigger impact on me because as an appreciator of Scandinavian design, it was interesting to see how the Nordic countries developed and where their design sensibilities come from.  It was fascinating to visit the historical sites and chart the path from the ultra decorated to the more utilitarian and minimal spaces.  I can't actually remember what this building was, it may have been a parking structure, but among so much history the side of this building really popped.  I don't know if the discs are art or have a purpose like reflecting sound or light but there was something minimal and almost futuristic about it that caught my eye.

We visited Millesgarden in Sweden, once the home of the sculptor Carl Milles.  Although I don't have a personal connection to the man himself I grew up near Cranbrook Academy in Michigan and was influenced by Milles work.  Milles spent several years at Cranbrook as an artist in residence and his work can be found through out the Cranbrook campus and around Detroit.  His sculpting bridges several styles - mixing classical, art deco, and art nouveau to name a few.  This particular sculpture was in a hallway of his home and I thought was a nice example of striping back and simplifying.  The studies of this sculpture show more detail so at some point in his process he decided to make it less detailed, more minimal, just enough to convey detail in the form and muscles but the crevices and surfaces and transitions are all smoothed together. I related to this.  I like to design similarly - sketching or sculpting a form and then stripping away the information that I feel can be given up while retaining the fundamental feel that I'm seeking to get from the forms.

On this street in Stockholm one builded spanned the greater portion of a block and the entire side of this building was spotted with these windows - various shapes, sizes, and some seeming randomly placed.  I have a deep appreciation for organized chaos.  It can be hard to achieve and seem random, but also intentional.  I didn't see a lot of this in Sweden; actually, much of the architecture is built on a grid or symmetry, so this example stood out.

Just a nice image from the Bergen (Norway) fish market.  We ate a ton of fish in Bergen!

Don't forget to look down.  This is in Bergen again, but throughout Norway the manhole covers were pieces of art.  Each town or city had it's own motif, usually with imagery that represented either the founding, growth, or industry of the place.

Oslo manhole cover with a stylized version of the Oslo coat of arms.

Oslo City Hall - for me this was one of the most impressive buildings on our Nordic trip.  A mix of concrete brutalism, art deco masonry work, and art nouveau influences.  The image doesn't do it justice.  The details were really phenomenal and the inside of the building is covered with murals and decor depictions of Oslo's history done in the same three styles as the exterior of the building.

Oslo City Hall, Impressionist portraits of the king and queen - I noted that the three countries we visited all had a fondness for impressionism.  Many of the art galleries had large collections of impressionist work and I thought it interesting that the official royal portraits were not photorealistic portraitures but impressionist, modern, with a darkness to them.

Viking ship museum, Oslo - This museum houses 3 out of 4 viking ships that have been excavated.  The wood had rotted away from the fourth ship and all that was left were the nails and metal ornaments.  Beyond the impressive boats building that the boats were housed in, formally a church, was a minimal and beautiful structure.  Painted completely cream/white inside, with a handful of windows, the lights and darks were dramatic and quite beautiful.

In the summer in lower Norway sunset is quite late.  The sun didn't fully set until about 10 or 11 pm.  This image was taken in Oslo around 9:30 pm.  I thought the symmetry of this building with the dramatic shadows was inspiring and the angle of the light also made the irregular stucco-like surface pop out which was not noticeable to me earlier in the day.

Frogner Park, Oslo - impressive early 1900s sculptures by sculptor Gustav Vigeland.  Throughout the park were iron gates made up of line drawings of figures.  This example has only one figure but many of the larger gates had 3 or 4 figures.  I really like this way of bringing a line drawing to life. 

This is another example of Viegland's work.  Mirrored granite sculptures sitting, roughly 8' across these enormous sculptures took up to a year to carve each, with a team of master carvers to complete the dozens of sculptures throughout the park.  I could see the similarities in Milles and Vigeland's work, the stripping back of details and focusing on the overall forms.

Vigeland Museum, in the old Vigeland Studios - Vigeland's most famous work is the Angry Baby Crying.  It is not a very large sculpture, but the one that has received world fame.  This image shows several process sculptures showing how the piece was carved in plaster and then molds were pulled to make the casting masters for pouring this sculpture in bronze.  I love process and thus really enjoyed seeing these pieces and what materials, tools, and techniques were used in the early 1900s to make these sculptures.

Rhode Island is the place to be in the summer months! The rocky shorelines, beach coves, and dense woods offer sun-filled days of exploration and enjoyment. We love getting back to nature - and bringing it into the studio. Our modern, hardwood furniture captures the outdoorsy magic of a lazy summer afternoon. The beautiful, organic material is as irresistible as summer love.

The Rockport Bench and Chairs are the newest additions to our furniture collection, launched in earlier this spring. The Rockport designs play with conventional lines and proportions. Some call it American Gothic, some Scandinavian-inspired. Whatever the moniker, the contemporary seating is eye-catching, even in the prototypes below.

The Stillwater Club Chair has always been a favorite for it's contemporary/comfy combo. When these pieces are completed, they'll provide a perfect nook for slumbering with a book and iced tea. Our production guru, Tom, pays meticulous attention to his work.

There's something about this Seasoned Black toned finish that we just can't get enough of! The delicate sheen, the way it highlights the grain of the white oak...it's as high-drama as any summer romance.

An Interview with Industrial Designer and Studio Owner Asher Rodriquez-Dunn

Sometimes people ask me what I do for a living and I respond that in the simplest terms, I'm a "words person" who works for a "pictures person." What does this mean? Well, to me it means that I attempt to translate an artist's visual work into a written form. And why do this? Like so many designers, Asher likes to let his work speak for itself, but that only gets you so far. If you want to be a successful designer, you also have to be able to talk about your work; marketing, sales, customer service - all these things are integral to a company's success, and they all depend on good written and verbal communication.

Every once in a while, Asher and I do an exercise where I interview him about his newest pieces. Sometimes it can be like pulling teeth: "The chair is right there," Asher says. "Just look at it, sit in it, and you'll learn everything you need to know." And to an extent, he's right. But in our world of SEO, hashtags, email, press outreach, and Google searches, the words we use to describe our work and how we choose to communicate about them to the world are of utmost value. Asher's on board with this idea; sometimes he just needs a (gentle) shove in the right direction.

This week, I sat down with Asher to talk about his newest work. He's added a chair, bench, and table to the Rockport Collection, as well as a pendant light to the Equinox Collection. These latest pieces, just released last month during New York's design week, have already had their photo shoot, but I was insistent that we needed to talk about them, too. Below, please find some pictures and words about the new pieces, courtesy of Asher and myself.

Q: What inspired you to expand the Rockport Collection to include a new bench, chair, and table?

A: I enjoy designing seating, and as I was developing the first pieces in this collection, which we launched last year, I always envisioned adding seating. The design language combines the angular geometry of the surfaces with the subtle curvature of the legs, and I felt this would lend itself well to seating. I jumped between the Chair and Bench because I wanted them to imitate each other, drawing from a common design language and matching details, but I also wanted them to have their own, unshared, characteristics. This required development on one, then going to the other, and back again to develop a strong balance and tension in each of the pieces.

The Sawhorse was released last year. I call it my oddball piece because it does not have a single prescribed use. Rather, it can be used for many things: a rack for your quilt at the end of the bed, a free standing towel bar next to a bathtub, and, of course, two of them could be used to create a desk or dining table when you add a tabletop. This naturally led to the development of the Sawhorse Table. The tabletop matches the aesthetic of the collection and can be customized to meet the sizing needs of the particular project.

Q: In your mind, what are the defining characteristics of these pieces?

A: For this collection, I enjoyed mixing angles and straight lines with the subtle curves of the turned legs. I like designing with duality in mind - nature and industry, hand made and machine made, and in this case, angles and curvature. DUNN is best known for the flowing curves in our woodwork, and I wanted to bring a new look into our portfolio.

Q: What do you enjoy most about working with wood as a material? What are the challenges, and how do these pieces meet them?

A: Wood is a natural, living material. As a naturally occurring resource, each tree, and thus timber, has unique characteristics in appearance and workability, which is what makes woodworking so interesting. These characteristics demand a high level of consideration and respect. Ignoring them can decrease the attractiveness and strength of a piece, whereas respecting them can create strong, beautiful pieces. For each wood piece, we hand select the boards, seeking particular qualities to ensure we're creating beautiful, long lasting pieces.

Q: Why did you decide to create a Pendant version of the Equinox?

A: Last year we released a full metal sconce to launch this collection. I'd been looking forward to expanding the collection and the idea of creating a pendant drew my attention. It was an interesting challenge to start with a planer form that mounts to the wall and consider what I wanted for the design when it was free standing, off a wall, and could be viewed from all sides. Through a mix of sketching and modeling we tried varying numbers of discs, orientations, bulb types, and bulb quantities. The result is a unique three-dimensional form with a planer bias that looks different depending on the viewer's angle.

Q: Why did you go with glass as a material?

A: The outer most discs are glass. Since they are a detachable component, we have the option of using different types of materials to diffuse the light. For this release, I wanted to display a material that emphasized the inspiration of the piece: the Equinox. This occurs when day and night equalize to be the same length, once in the fall and once in the spring. Due to the lunar inspiration, I wanted something topographical and found it in a hand-rolled glass. The molten glass is poured onto a work surface, kneaded with tools until the glass begins to set, then rolled out into sheets. After the glass has fully cooled, the sheets are cut into the discs used in this fixture. As a material, it provides an opulent diffusor for the bulbs located just behind. We value hand craftsmanship, and this fixture has a lot of it. The glass brought in another element of the handmade and a process that creates unique variations in the texture of each piece.

Q: When you picture the Equinox Pendant in a space, what do you envision?

A: I see these pieces standing alone and in groups. A single pendant can accentuate an entranceway, landing, hallway, or bathroom. A group of pendants can be hung at the same height or staggered heights, creating a centerpiece over a bar, dining table, or in a stairwell. The list goes as far as the imagination can stretch.

We've been inspired by those "Ah ha!" moments in the past when we see how our clients choose to use our pieces. Often they install or adjust them in a way that we never imagined, but absolutely love. Such is the nature of our work when it is customizable to a client's vision for their space. We look forward to seeing and hearing how these newest pieces become part of our clients' businesses, offices, and homes. Send us your pictures...and words!