Two rooms – two projects, are there different ways to go about a job?

My two projects are at the heart of this blog – one my future master bedroom, the other - my future living room, as you can see on the plan of my intentions.

Living and dining area – project one

Project 1 started as a course assignment – I have already shared the mood board with you, and here are some brave photos from the existing situation – the mythical “before” stage:

Being so much under the influence of all the beautiful design books, I even went beyond what the BAID course suggested, and first looked into the zoning, as you may see:

The course asked for a suggested floor plan, lighting plan and an elevation, and most importantly a clear marking of the focal point. At this point in time I am only sharing with you the floor plan:

Before I go on with my verdict, may I just once again suggest that all comments on the proposed solution are welcome, and anyway, it is not final!

My personal feelings on project one are mixed, and I still feel it is a nice first try. Nevertheless, I am also so very far from getting it right. Here is why:

• ·       Proper mood/sample board is really necessary. And I regret to admit that some decisions have already been made – I have a door which has to stay as it is – to match the other doors in the hallway. I also just installed a new door to the bathroom the colour of which is in line with my initial amateur’s mood board.  The floor is also super recent – as replaced and aligned with the entrance area… so here we are simply requested to line the dots, and yet it is not so easy.
• ·       Space planning solves problems, but I am not at all sure it is the best, most rational, thoroughly visually pleasing solution. And the sky is the limit – I have so many variations, in so many forms….
•        The room lacks symmetry, and symmetry, as you shall see, makes life soo easy. I have therefore to be real clever in the future
• ·       Lighting – I spare you the details at this point in time, but the obvious intention is to have the zones enhanced by individual, well layered lighting; and if I don’t have the budget to re-work the  ceiling or the wiring, how shall it happen? More of a challenge coming her.
• ·    Elevations – another wonderful course, taught us that it is requested to see an elevation to make a decision - and as vertical storage is crucial for small spaces, not having it decided when designing, just doesn’t help.

And enough of critical thinking here, onto the next project.

Project 2 – Master bedroom

I never had a formal zoning plan, but it was firm in my head – hotel- room-like bedroom – with writing desk and cute seating area.

All of the above described has to be fitted in the following existing situation:

Interestingly, project 2, another BAID assignment, did not request for zoning plan, or for concept board. It only asked for cool – actually cold-coloured scheme, so that a fictional south exposure is properly addressed. This was more than welcome, as the future master bedroom has 2 windows, lavish sunlight, and I found my personal inspiration in the following souvenir from Indonesia: 

So, without formal introduction to concept board making, I decided that this framed piece of Batik shall be my concept board. If I see some criticism in it, it is mostly the fact that there are very few shades of blue – so the future result risks to be more 2D than 3D… we’ll see.

Next, came the sample board, previously presented, and of course the floor plan:

At the sight of the result, I felt deepest satisfaction. If there is fault with what I suggest, on to you to point it out... I mostly like the fact that all requested functions fit in, unlike other small spaces, it is not one bedroom equals one double bed, and so visually pleasing, thanks to the symmetry!

For the last one, check the elevation hereunder:

To me, this room clicks. I do not know if I will carry it out as imagined, but the design result gives me the confidence to proceed! If you have been careful in fact, you may have noticed that the feature wall was ready when I started blogging – just check the earlier posts.

So, I will continue with this one, and as to project one – it needs to be revisited! What makes it difficult is the lack of space, symmetry and to a point a certain doubt in the feasibility – I find it just too extravagant for my budget, for Brussels.

On to you – what are the three (or five?) most important things to modify in project 1?

Now, as it has happened before – I did not deliver the promised topic – so it happens that my daily interior meanderings took me elsewhere… so, next there’s going to be input on my last course (freehand drawing with KLC – and I believe it may be the answer to some of project 1 issues – if only were I able to quickly sketch the outcome of every idea while brainstorming?). Alternatively - my personal style or my love for small spaces… or first attempts to revisit project one? Let me know what is your first choice!

What is possibly wrong with project one?

Creativity? How creativity?

It appears that creativity can be fostered – I got a lot of inspiration from the following video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AeWk9P64n8A

The video is from the KLC school of design – my go-to for short courses and task-based knowledge. If you don’t have the 20 plus minutes to watch it, here it is in a nut-shell: we can condition ourselves to be creative through exercise, reflection, and good habits through our routine.

For my purposes therefore I picked my creative project, and that is the facades of Brussels – the one part of Brussels’ architecture I love so much, and have the chance to be submerged in. Or to be specific – I got hold of a fantastic map with five art-nouveau itineraries, and so many of those gorgeous houses are not far from where I live. Check ARAU for yourselves.

So here is the project: I would love to sketch all those houses – not necessarily in the order of the suggested routes, in fact better not, but in the order which speaks to me.

So it must be work of beauty, inspiration, proportion and ornament study, and brief history of art-(nouveau).

Unfortunately, my first attempt was not as good – again check for yourselves. I started with Arthur Nielsen’s house – which I have admired in life so many times. I did the study, and the sketch and the mark making – and I don’t really like the result. It is very hard when the first attempt is not satisfactory.

Arthur Nelissen's house

Sketching exercise

On the other hand, I only recently worked on my Spicemy space logo, and am more than happy with what I got!

I just let my mind wonder as to what is in each letter – so in the S I got some funky shaped furniture, then in the P – the room plans, A got dedicated to measurement, scale, proportion, C – to the fact that we use 2D medium to expose 3D ideas, and finally E to the fact that each aspect of interior design is compartmentalised, but we must make it work together.

Let me know if this is the impression you get?

Now, here is for the difference between those two experiences: I am a sort of a CAD/software addict. Yes, it is what I have done for living for quite a while and I feel a hundred percent comfortable in front of a screen. Cannot help it.

Free-hand drawing on the other hand is very arbitrary with respect to the result, and because I do not do it as often – well, I don’t like the outcome as much.

Unfortunately my personal private project just got stopped at that one first attempt. But knowing that things mostly take time, or money or both, I booked a freehand drawing course. See if some steady advice will put me on my way to (more) creativity – I think I already consider myself creative.

And, on to you: have you discovered a creative project? Please do share! Do you have a creativity hack, different from the ones in the video?

Stay tuned for the report of how far I got with creativity!