design autobiography

        The path that has led me to the Univeristy of Kentucky Interior Design program has been one with a lot of twists and turns but being here I can now see a straight path to the future in front of me.

Before attending the University of Kentucky I graduated from Eastern Kentucky University. Here I considered a few different options before finally graduating with a degree in Education. I wasn’t happy with my choice but it was safe. Before I even completed I knew that I never wanted to be an Elementary school teacher but it was too late to turn around. I knew my interests and one of those was design but didn’t know enough about career options at that time to feel safe in pursuing that degree. While living in Richmond a friend of mine bought a house that was auctioned after an elderly lady passed away.

In buying the house he also inherited all the furniture that she had left behind. In browsing through the house I admired all this beautiful furniture that was now his. In terms of history I knew nothing about it but I was fascinated. There was a dining chair that I found particularly attractive. I needed a chair for my desk and he offered one the dining chairs. After getting the chair home I started to research it and discovered it was a chair from the Drexel line designed by John Van Koert. It was this research that sparked my interest in the history of furniture, which has become ever more relevant in ID 162.

Fast forward a few years and I am now living in downtown Lexington at the Artek Lofts. These lofts are a project designed by AU associates. Living in an open space and allowing minimal “stuff” to clutter my view has allowed me to have a clearer mind. Being at home is like a breath of fresh air. I was not content with where I was working and having a clear mind at home allowed to explore other possibilities. Eventually deciding to go back to school.

Living downtown puts me within walking distance of a lot of great places. Often on a Saturday I will walk down to the farmers market in Fifth Third Pavilion and explore along the way. The market is open air but under a wonderful structure made of glass and steel. These walks through downtown inspire me and are pushing me another step closer to my decision.

If my boyfriend and I feel like treating our selves we will make reservations at one of our favorite places to eat- Table Three Ten. The food is wonderful but I more so enjoy the scenery. It is a space that makes you feel like you have stepped off the street and in to something special. What was once a law office has now been adapted in to an impressive space, unlike others in town. In 2011 the space won a Clyde Carpenter Adaptive Re-use award.   Glass windows make up the façade and you can almost feel the history that once was, with some of the interior woodwork. Being here makes me want to design spaces that inspire and interest people just as it has done for me.

This place encompasses two of the materials that tend to be a contributor to the spaces I am inspired by most. In the space is a lot of Antique or original wood and glass that allows abundant natural light and interaction with the exterior.

As I was becoming more and more frustrated with my work position, an acquaintance mentioned that there may be a position opening up with a Kitchen and Bath design firm. I called one of the designers and mentioned that I would be interested. I didn’t even know what the job description was for the position but I knew that this position would be a step back in the direction I should have headed in college. The designer asked me to come in to their showroom and help to merchandise the items on the floor. After doing this I was hired. In the year and a half that I have been with the company my roles have changed and I am much more involved with one side of the design team. Even though I don’t see myself designing kitchens in the future, this position helped me to envision a career doing something that I enjoy and am passionate about.

Scout is an antique store that I love to visit, even when I have no intention of making a purchase. There is always something there I want to take home with me. It has always been a great place to see some of the furniture I read about and looked at online. While working on chair cards for ID 162 this semester I was able to go out to Scout and sit in some of the chairs that I was drawing for class

In the process of contemplating a move of going back to school I bought a book to do some research. It just so happens that “Becoming an Interior Designer” was also a required text in ID 101. Reading this book allowed me to explore different career options and to hear testimonies from practicing designers. Going back to school was a decision that made me nervous. I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decision. Working full time and going to school full time was going be a big commitment and I wanted to make sure I was ready for it. After finishing this book I made started the application process for the design program. My first semester has been incredible and although I am busier than I ever thought possible I do not even slightly regret my decision!

campus reconnaissance

Main building is an administrative building. It is placed on a hill emphasizing its importance and visibility. Individuals who drive by campus would be able to see this structure from Limestone Drive and many probably think about this building when they envision University of Kentucky campus. Main building is constructed using a musical arrangement. A-B-C-B-A Sections A and B mimic each other to the left and right of center. It is also important to note the way the levels are arranged. On the lowest level the horizontal plane of stone does not reach very high. On the top level it is separated so that this level appears taller signifying it’s importance. This notion is symbolic of the users who will be in the space. Important administrative personal will most likely be meeting on the highest level therefor the top level is deemed more important that the shorter basement level which may house maintenance equipment.

making history active - sit on it

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making history active - sit on it

snout house

The Snout House, as it has been named due to it's protruding garage, is common to the suburbs of today. What was once a front porch and functioning entrance has been replaced by a two car  garage. In the image below, the garage spans almost the entire front facade of the home. One can assume the front entrance door is down the path to the left but it is not clearly visible. Most likely the individuals who live in the house do not use the door, they enter through the garage. The way the front the entrance is hidden and un inviting reminds me of previous Frank Lloyd Wright designs. 

snout house

design timeline

Compiling a timeline with the class's contribution of materials, object, space, building and place at first overwhelming. Trying to decide how exactly we wanted to organize the drawings was the most difficult part of the task. We ultimately decided that layout the was organized chronologically and according to category would be the easiest to read visually. I found it interesting to see which time periods contained the most of each category. I wouldn't necessarily say that my sense of design shifted as a result of this project but I would say that my sense history is a little clearer. I am a visual person and having a time line such as the one we created to reference throughout the semester would have been very helpful for me.

explorations

Sometimes in order to explore new possibilities one must first examine the steps that brought them to your current position before they can look forward. After fixing your eyes forward you can then explore more thoroughly what the future will look like.

 The World’s fair of 1893 was held in Chicago, IL to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering North America. Structures were built using classical architecture. “The White City” was constructed in the middle of a city that was changing, growing and exploring building with new materials. It would be the last time a World’s Fair looked to the past for a foundation on which to build. This fair celebrated not only an anniversary but also many cultures coming together. In the city that surrounded the fair were buildings that reached to the sky rather than the past. Architects were searching for a new way to build and in using new steel and curtain wall construction they were able to do just that.

            With city life becoming more congested and fast pace some individuals were lead to explore life outside of its boundaries. American families, many of them young families, were looking for a lifestyle that wasn’t accessible in the city. Known for being simple and efficient, the Bungalow became the style of home preferred by many. The bungalow steered away from the more formal Victorian and offered an interior that was relaxed and catered to a family. Mail order catalogs help to further the popularity of the bungalow, allowing buyers to easily select what home to order.

            As we move forward design starts to explore more deeply what the future looks like. Especially after the First World War, buildings are sleek and streamlined as if they are projecting away from the war itself. Again, the Worlds fair are where most will see these structures for the first time. The New York World’s fair of 1939 was looking forward to tomorrow. Even in a time of depression for the U.S. attendance of the fair was quite high, helping to perpetuate the products and designs being presented. Automobile companies were the most significant of sponsors; thus becoming a central focus of the structures being designed. They focused heavily on movement with the use of circular shapes and their repetition. In other parts of the world houses become less residential and more machine like. The structures were lifted off the land and the interior was designed human movement all throughout. Le Corbusier also considered the automobile and it’s movement when designed the exterior the Villa Savoye.

            The popularity of the television creates a shift, in both the home and in advertising. Televisions become the center of the home; rooms and furniture are arranged around it. Family meals are had in front of the television, while families digest what it is the “All American Family” should look like. Advertising quickly moves to capitalize on all the families huddled around their TV sets. As a result consumerism is booming.

            International style begins to explore the notion of a design that can be the same and be recognizable everywhere. What emerges is a design that doesn’t consider climate as a factor and often doesn’t consider the human in general. This lack of human interest makes way for interior design.  The structure is designed with the intent of being viewed as a work of art. Many architects are exploring thisidea and consider the user of the space less relevant than the design itself.

Villa Savoye