We’re ready! Today marks the official launch of our new cabinet shop. Several months ago BUILD LLC created a partnership with a master woodworker, acquired an industrial shop space and set up “Special Projects Division LLC”. Since then we’ve knocked out a couple of sharp, modern cabinet packages and the website is ready to go public – check it out here. Those of you on our twitter feed got a sneak peak last week.
The cabinets are designed and constructed to be cost-effective – so that normal people can actually afford nice modern cabinets. The packages range from single stand alone cabinets to entire house packages.
There are a couple of supplements on the website you should know about:
We’ve got a section of smokin-hot details that show how the cabinets are outfitted with stainless steel custom pulls, organizer drawer units, countertops, sinks and appliances.
Our materials category includes photos of over 30 different wood species from Alder to Zebrawood. Note to architects & designers: you can download these images for use in your 3-d modeling programs.
The sawn lumber diagram page has straight-forward diagrams of how wood is sawn and how it looks depending on the method of cutting.
We figured, as long as we’ve got a cabinet shop with all the cool tools, we might as well crank out some furniture too. So we’re designing a line of furniture which includes modern benches, coffee tables, chairs, rolling bars, and shoe racks. Stay tuned, as we’ll be revealing the designs very soon.
In the furniture designs you’ll notice our BUILD developed joinery which uses a system of aluminum kerf plates and pegs to join a variety of woods – found only in the SPD furniture line. We’re also developing a line of cabinets from re-used wood products which is even better and more earth-friendly than recycled products.
So go take the tour and let us know how we’re doing. If you or anybody you know needs cabinets or furniture – you know where to go.
Cheers
Thanks to those of you supplying our addiction to modern design and culture, there’s been no lack of great links finding their way to the BUILDblog. Today’s On the Radar, BUILD’s every-couple-of-weeks synopsis of what we’re up to, should keep you busy over the holidays.
BLOGGING
Our new favorite design blog is the oh-so slick Contemporist. Forward thinking and inspiring, we’re not sure how we got by without it.
-thanks to senior field correspondent Josiah
READING
It’s that time of year again. Each December the hard working peeps at the New York Times Magazine send us the “Year in Ideas” issue <cut to visual of team BUILD frothing at the mouth>. You can have the hard copy when we’re done with it – until then, the digital version oughta tide you over.
Currently we’re reading Tribes by Seth Godin, and we highly recommend getting a copy in your hands. As per Wikipedia:
“Godin combines three elements in his writings. First, the end of the ‘TV-Industrial complex’ means that marketers no longer have the power to command the attention of anyone they choose, whenever they choose. Second, in a marketplace in which consumers have more power, marketers must show more respect; this means no spam, no deceit and a bias for keeping promises. Finally, Godin asserts that the only way to spread the word about an idea is for that idea to earn the buzz by being remarkable. “
WATCHING
The short film “My Playground” by Kaspar Astrup Schröder does a phenomenal job of exploring architecture and human interaction. BIG’s recent Mountain Dwelling project provides the backdrop as Team Jiyo bounces around the space like a couple of pin-balls.
-thanks to Kai-Uwe Bergmann
We’re big fans of the TED conference and Sir Ken Robinson’s speech “Do schools kill creativity?” has it all. It’s informative, forward thinking, it challenges the status quo and he’s got that English gentleman sense of humor. Robinson’s theory is that Intelligence is diverse and dynamic and creativity is the process of having original ideas that have value. Cheers to that.
LOOKING
Digital SLR cameras are commonplace, HDR photography is accessible to the masses and cameras are crossing over into the moving image. With visual design blogs becoming the most informative source in our industry (at least for us), photography has never been more important as a tool for communication. With that said, we’re always keeping a pulse on photography blogs and websites. Recently we checked out Vincent Laforet’s uber-slick photography website and his New York Times “Lens” series was just the dose of Manhattan we needed.
-thanks to B.J.
For those of you in the Seattle area, the Henry Art Gallery is currently showing Richard Misrach’s show “On the Beach”, a PHENOMINAL series of large format color photographs. Get your eyeballs over there before January 18th and support one of the better art venues in town.
BRANDING
As part of the new BUILD marketing package (to be released soon) we redesigned our logo and had a ton of fun doing so with Bill Reilly Design.
From Bill’s profile:
“Bill Reilly Design specializes in design solutions that compliment your branding efforts through creative services such as design, art direction, and electronic production. Bill Reilly Design is located in Seattle, Washington and has experience in creating advertising, brochures, logos, packaging, point of purchase displays, booth graphics and other creative ideas.”
If you’re looking at some new, hot branding strategies we recommend you give Bill Reilly a shout. Check out some of his previous work here (600kb PDF).
MATERIALIZING
Parador has released a new material called Laminat TrendTime 2 which emulates the color, texture and weathering of fruit and wine boxes. While the material is marketed as a flooring application it seems like it has wider applications for walls and ceilings.
-thanks to senior field correspondent Josiah
As we’re designing up a cool modern house in Magnolia we’re looking into all the current products that make residential design so much fun. We’ve been specifying Montigo fireplaces lately and have been very happy with the clean unobtrusive look of their steel and glass “fire-boxes”. You can eighty-six the fake wood logs and, instead, install a bed of black shiny stones – hot. If only their website was a clean and well designed as the product.
ARCHITECTING
Here’s your coolio architect fix for the day, straight from the Netherlands (big surprise there I’m sure)
-provided by senior field correspondent Josiah
If you want an empty lot or a new house, building on a steep slope in Seattle is one of the few ways to do so these days. Subsequently architects are getting very good at design applications for steep slopes and northwest hillside architecture is leading to some very handsome projects. Architect Tim Hossner recently completed a residence at 4135 21st Ave SW in West Seattle that got our attention. It’s also on the market and being listed by Bear’s Head LLC.
-thanks to John Nuler at Bear’s Head LLC
For those of you, like us, looking to build cost-effective modern homes the 100k house program will be of interest to you. The blog outlines “an attempt to build a modern and green home in Philly for $100,000 in construction costs”.
-thanks to Chris
…and what would a BUILDblog post be without poking fun at us architects. Recently U.S. News published an article on the most overrated careers, one of which being architecture. “When screenwriters give a hero a career, it’s often architecture”.
SHOPPING
We learned of some good news that one of our favorite shops, Great Stuff, in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood has their website up and running. Check it out here – or better yet, get down there and support a great design business.
Cheers! and we’ll see you in the new year.
We’re currently in the middle of designing a modern, timeless kitchen for a single family residence and it’s an exciting time in the design phase to do a bit of window shopping. Because kitchens are technology and appliance driven, kitchen design seems to evolve more in tune with necessity and function as opposed to fashion. We like that. As we see it, an important part of sustainable design is simply designing in such a way that it’s not going to be replaced in 5 years because it fell out of vogue. So at any rate, we re-familiarized ourselves with some of our favorite kitchen websites and, two or three drinks in, we came up with a list of 10 emerging details in kitchen design. Some of these details have been around for a while – it’s just that they’re becoming more prominent and refined. Some of these details are more timeless, more sensible than others but each seems to be emerging in exciting ways with the designers we admire most.
Kitchen islands for sitting + storage that look good. Typically a kitchen island does one or the other and looks good, rarely both. Lately we’re seeing some hybrid designs that integrate the two functions in clever ways. The Poggenpohl Plusmodo line below uses a symmetrical cantilevered island – the storage underneath makes a change of material to clearly differentiate its function. Overall the addition of storage to this island creates a more dramatic appearance and adds to the function.
Plane change = material change. It just looks better when the two happen together. The Snaidero Kube kitchen below uses a stainless wrap at the range extension and a glossy white laminate at the raised bar seating to differentiate from the planes of wood.
The Snaidero Sintesi kitchen below uses a wrapped granite work surface to enhance the plane change from the laminate cabinets.
Tool walls and movable storage racks. Henrybuilt has done a nice job with their movable storage racks which either mount to a “picture rail”, hang from steel brackets or can simply sit on the counter.
The Boffi Grand Chef kitchen below has a sleek, integrated stainless steel bar for hanging utensils.
The Bulthaup System b3 uses a series of recessed rails (similar to picture rails) to hang hooks and racks from.
Pockets of intentional display. It’s probably best that most of the dishes and coffee mugs stay hidden behind doors. But those Iittala tumblers you just bought deserve some attention. The Henrybuilt island below creates an intentional display area for just such items.
Wall splashes. Like a backsplash but taller. In the Henrybuilt design below, the termination line of the stainless steel tucks under the cantilevered shelf. The backsplash material has a greater prominence within the material palette and the break occurs where there is already a material change.
Integration of hardware. The Boffi K14 series incorporates mitered door and drawer faces for grasping. The finished look is sleek and minimal.
The Bulthaup System b1 series uses a similar method. As it turns out the ultimate minimal cabinet hardware is none at all.
The Henrybuilt unit below includes full length steel pulls that integrate so nicely into the cabinet composition that it wouldn’t look as good without them.
Register grills as textures. In the Bulthaup System b1, below, the heat registers are integrated into the toe kicks – thereby concealing the grills and making for a nice modern texture at the toe-kick.
…and the same for the Boffi Case 5 system which goes the distances by keeping the material consistent between the cabinets and register toe-kicks.
Extended / framed cabinet boxes. Henrbuilt has developed a nice detail which brings the box of the cabinet out slightly proud of the hardware. It creates a clean modern look and keeps the hardware from sticking out too far.
Bending the countertop. The Snaidero Venus system below uses a simple bend in the plane of a countertop/bar for some pleasing drama. We’re not sure how we feel about the practicality and build-ability of this detail – but we’re impressed with the overall visual.
The idea can get a bit out of hand like in the Snaidero Acropolis system below. But face it, any of us modern design fans would love to saddle up for a drink at this bar.
Contrast between highly engineered glossy surfaces and earthy wood grains. The Bulthaup System b1 uses the constrast between the end grain of maple “butcher-block” stock and the clean, glossy white cabinet faces. It’s a clever idea as nature is doing so much of the design work.
The Poggenpohl Integration system creates a sharp look with the horizonatl wood veneer grain surrounding a bank of stainless steel.
The Snaidero Sistema Zeta below pairs warm wood grains with high gloss white veneer – the rough stone also plays well with the composition.
These 10 details are just a quick study of what we see emerging in cabinet design, we must have missed many, many more concepts, details and materials. So don’t be shy with that comments button…
