This just in from a furniture design friend - a peek into his inspiration - the furniture gurus of BDDW. These guys from New York have a way with wood, and also seem like they're having fun following their passion - fine casegoods. I found this image while perusing their site - and I'm loving the modern rusticity of the interior above. Specifically, I'm digging the white painted columns, concrete floor, and exposed pipes. The finished drawer blanks aren't half-bad either.
While we're still sourcing ideas and fixtures for the garage, we have determined the basic elements of the space. The new garage doors are going to be industrial chic and will feature lots of glass and a clear anodized aluminumum finish. By opening these doors on nice days, we'll be able to expand our living quarters to an outdoor patio. Inside these doors on the first level will be a polished concrete floor (finish still undetermined), painted cinder block walls, a mixture of sheet rock and exposed ceiling planes, and exposed conduit + duct work for electrical and HVAC needs. Years ago, Ethiel and I spent several days salvaging an old schoolhouse in Athens, GA, and walked away with heaps of silver faceplates. Three years and 300 miles later, we'll finally be able to use them.
Upstairs we're blessed with an existing wood floor that we'll sand and refinish. The existing casement windows need some love, but they lend so much character to the space that we're hoping they can be retained. On the bathroom floor and into the shower, we'll use leftover slate from another project and skim the walls of the shower with concrete. The shed dormer that we're adding (it's happening now!) will have a 10'-0" long expanse of new casement windows, which will really open up the space and bring in more natural light.
So these are the "knowns." We're still working on that pesky lighting, and I continue to change my mind on paint schemes, door and drawer hardware, and kitchen cabinetry. But we're moving forward, and in a few short months I will vow that I never want to embark on a project like this again - until the next one.
