Tom Kundig

Three weeks or so ago, I saw an article in the Wall Street Journal that caught my eye. The cover of the Personal Journal had the image below. I was instantly captivated. I'm a fan of architecture of all sorts but lately I've noticed that I'm becoming more and more of a modern architecture fan. There is something about the glass and metal that draws me. Perhaps it is the sparseness of the places. But I am particularly a fan of the mixing of modern architecture with the natural world. And this house (The Pierre) designed by architect Tom Kundig does that beautifully.

Kundig works for Olsen Kundig Architect firm in Seattle Washington. This sod-topped private residence is located on San Juan Islands, WA. It is a beautiful setting and the house blends in perfectly. So much of the house is worked into the rocks.

After finding this house I went looking for more of Kundig's work. And I found the room below. This is The Brain, a work studio created for a Seattle-based filmmaker. This is not the house, just the studio. The lights are suspended on pulleys so they can be raised and lowered to a desired light environment. With the glass walls and the bookcases, I am infatuated with this studio. I can't imagine a more perfect place to create.

I really enjoy Kundig's simple lines and use of natural materials. Below is the Delta Shelter, a cabin in Washington that is available for rental. If I had the money, I'd be the next on the list.

 And last there is the Chicken Point Cabin in Northern Idaho. This one is also available for rental. With a wall and a view like that, sign me up.

I Want To Be A Pirate!!!!

I'm sure I've mentioned that when I was six, my life's dream was to be a pirate. Not a terrible rum-swilling, murdering, plundering pirate. Just the type that lived on a ship and sailed the seven seas looking for adventure and excitement. Now of course that I'm older I still want to live on a ship and sail the seven seas looking for adventure. I'm not as sure about the pirate part...or at least I wasn't until I saw this on Beautiful Life.

This is a bedroom. A children's bedroom. A very, very lucky children's bedroom. The room was designed by Minneapolis based design firm Kuhl Design Build for a client. There are two beds in the room, the first which you see in the picture is below, among the stone walls and fish. The second, and here's where it gets good, is above in the pirate ship. You can either walk along the bridge to reach the pirate bed or you can climb the rope in the closet to your perch.

I want this bedroom. I want to go to sleep perched up high near the ceiling. I want to wake up on the deck of a pirate ship and slide down a rope to breakfast. I love the fish and whales painted around the room. I just love the sheer beauty and whimsy of this place. I would gladly become a pirate if I got to sleep in this room. Or maybe I should just hire a design firm.

Trivia Fun

I don't have any time to write up a real post tonight (heading to knitting) so I thought I'd try something fun. Can you guess the actor above? This might be too easy. I found this picture a while ago and think he was just gorgeous when he was younger (he's still attractive IMO). Let me know in the comments who you think it is. I might even have to think up a prize for it. Good luck!

Twice Studios

A couple days ago I mentioned that my boss had an art photography/t-shirt store that he ran in his free time. What I didn’t mention in that post is that I’m going to very quickly go broke buying things from the store. Not because he’s my boss. Because the art photography has to be some of the most unique and beautiful I’ve seen in a while. And the t-shirts are easily the softest (and most interesting) I’ve ever worn. In fact I’m sitting here writing this in the t-shirt I bought from the store last week. I’ve had a couple people comment on it already. Comfort and a conversation starter, I’m in.

The store is Twice Studios; and it’s run by my boss, his sister-in-law (the photographer) and his brother-in-law (the medical illustrator). Now I know what you’re thinking, a photographer and a medical illustrator, what type of store is this? My favorite kind, of course. A bit eccentric, a bit odd, and just the right amount of beautiful. The photography is what originally interested me in checking the store out. My boss had mentioned it as a hobby of his but when I checked out the art images I was instantly infatuated. I’m already thinking of adding the image above (Mermaid) to my walls along with the Tea Party image below. Prints are so reasonable that I’m also thinking of adding this image (Truth) to the walls of my studio.

I walked into one of the local stores that sell Twice’s t-shirts last weekend and picked up this shirt. Heart has quickly become my favorite t-shirt. It’s interesting certainly. I get a lot of people commenting. But what really makes me want to wear it is the softness. This shirt is incredible, one of the softest I’ve ever worn. And you all know how much I like comfort. The other one I would love to purchase is the firefly shirt. There are a couple local places that carry the t-shirts but I’ll be picking up my art prints from the Etsy store. I love the idea of supporting local artists and particularly ones whose work is so interesting.

I’m thinking about buying the t-shirt below for my brother. For those of you not of a medical bent, this is a Sphenoid bone, a beautiful butterfly shaped bone found at the base of the skull. As a doctor I think he’d love it. Heck, knowing him he’d try to wear it to clinic to see patients. As a big fan of comfort, I think he’d wear it all the time.