☼ field trip overview

James J. Hill House

- Owner: James J. Hill. 

He not only lived there with his family, but also servants. His family had 8 children at the time the house was built, and they then had 2 more while living there.

- Architect: Peabody and Stearns

Summit Avenue

- People That Lived There: Unknown, I couldn't find any information on the owners.

- Architects: Clarence Johnston, Edwin Lundie, LeRoy Buffington, and many others.

- Styles: Queen Anne, Italian Renaissance, Georgian, etc.

- Favorites: There was only one I personally liked, which was a Georgian style with a bunch of ivy growing on all the outside surface of it.

- Learned: I had no idea Summit Avenue even existed, so everything they presented was new to me. Especially the fact that there is a law on the houses now that you can't change anything on the outside to preserve the historical accuracy.

St. Paul Cathedral 

- History: Archbishop Ireland officially bought the land for the church in 1904, in 1905  Emmanuel Louis Masquery was hired as the designer, and was pretty much finished in 1941 (however it was not officially "opened" at that point in time.)

- Interior: On the inside I noticed all of the stained glass windows, pipe organs, statues. and little sections off of the main chapel. The ceiling was even designed, and many carvings adorn the walls, pillars, ceiling, etc.

☼ family floor plan

1ST FLOOR

2ND FLOOR

I picked this 2 floor house with 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, and two car garage, staring at around $800. The family I picked this for was the Dasters, containing a mother, a father, a young son, and younger daughter and one more child on the way. This house also has a lot of yard space for the kids which was key to me. Yes, I understand the baby on the way will not have its own room right away, so one of the bedrooms will not be used for that purpose, but it can easily be used as a simple office or storage room if they so desire. There is plenty of room for the kids, as well as a large porch possibly just for mom to relax. In my eyes, this house could last them many many years, and longevity was what I was going for simply because this is a growing family that will most likely want to settle down for a good long time.

☼ kitchen design

I created this kitchen designed to the expectations of an outdoor kitchen, which is the exact reason I was minimalistic in my kitchen. Now, I know what you're thinking; she used the most simple kitchen layout because she was lazy. Not so, because if you had an outdoor kitchen, how decorated would you want it? What if it rained? Would you want to restock your whole kitchen because of waterlogged decor? Of course not. A single-line arrangement was exactly what I wanted to use (also because it's personally my favorite layout.) I made sure it had most things you would need such as a sink, grill, and refrigerator, but where is the dishwasher? Let's be real, who in their right mind is actually going to have a dishwasher outdoors rather that indoors? I tried to think in the most literal terms possible for this assignment, and made my kitchen functional and reasonable.

☼ harmony in a room

Beach Harmony

The whole room I created uses many elements to really pull my beach theme together. The colors are blues and tans to make it have the feel of sand and ocean water, as well as sort of shabby chic decor, which makes it feel as if it's actually been weathered at the beach. I used a circular table to draw attention to the center of the room, then used very strong lined pictures on the wall to make sure there were still clean lines in the room. Altogether I think I created harmony fairly well.

☼ types of rhythm

Today in Interior Design, we learned about the types of rhythm a room can have. There are three main types and down below I will be putting two examples of each, as well as explaining what elements of rhythm are in each.

Repetition

In this picture, you can see the repetition of a certain floral pattern, as well as the colors yellow and grey.

You can see in this example, the repetition is the flooring and overall shape of the squares. Not only that, but the olive and green tones are repeated as well.

Radiation

For this dining area, the rhythm is focused on radiation, and you can see that because of the circular table and the placement of the chairs around it. Because of the shape, it draws your attention immediately to the center of the room.

This other example is even more obvious for the radiation rhythm. The ceiling, floor design, table, and the chair placement all curve around and draw your eyes towards the overall vibe of circles.

Gradation

Gradation usually focuses on the colors of a room, and how they blend together well with the softs and darks. I believe this portion of a kitchen area displays this well with all the different greens.

This children's  room uses gradation with all the pinks around the small space, such as the soft pink walls blending down to the darker hot pink of the bed.

☼ room emphasis

☼ symmetrical & asymmetrical

SYMMETRICAL

ASYMMETRICAL

☼ color scheme rooms

Monochromatic 

For my monochromatic room I chose the color blue to create a sort of relaxation room. By using the color blue, as well as its varying shades and tints, I made a room that gives off a very calm vibe. You could read in this room, or just hang out in it. Maybe on the other side of the room have a TV and just have a chill time bumming it and watching Netflix.

Analogous 

You can see a lot of pink and red here, which are the color variations that I really wanted to to because a lot of bright colors are out of my comfort zone. By using 2 bright (as well as warm) colors, it really gives this room a sense of action and almost screams at you to be awake and to have fun. I not only did that, I also made the room very symmetrical with a stand-out piece on the back wall to round the room together as something that is clean and more modern.

Split-Complementary

As for my split-complementary colors, I picked blue, pink, and yellow. Yellow and pink are brighter, which give the room an energetic feeling, while adding blue in creates a very well-rounded room. There isn't an overpowering sensation of cool colors, nor is there too much of the cool colors. I believe I created a very balanced game, TV, or even party room.

Triadic

Last but not least are the triadic colors I used. Purple, green, and orange were my chosen colors and if I was honest, the only reason I picked these was simply because in my mind, I didn't think they'd look all that great together. When I was putting the room together for some reason I kept putting yellow in instead of orange because my mind was telling me that this color combination wouldn't work. However, I was pleasantly surprised once I got done though, and I did really like my mix of rustic and modern style for this office space. I think the colors combined make a very creative-looking space that is sure to never let you down when trying to come up with new ideas. 

☼ color text questions

Questions on Color

1. Certain colors can trigger possible past experiences in a person, such as the color of a room could be the same as the color of your first car, therefore making you think back to that time when you had said car. Each color is also represented by certain emotions, and that plays into this as well.

2. Red is an aggressive color, green is calm and refreshing, and violet is regal and dignified.

3. Orange, green, and violet are the secondary colors. Equal amounts of red and yellow make orange, same with yellow and blue to make green, and red and blue to make violet.

4. Green-Blue

5. Hue is the actual color itself (like the name), while value is the lightness or darkness of the color, saying it's bright or dark.

6. Tint is a lighter variation of a color, shade is a darker variation, and tone is when you soften a color to make it appear only slightly different.

7. By adding a neutral color to a hue, it bumps down the intensity and makes it a tint or a shade.

8. Red and orange are warm, blue and violet are cool colors.

9. Monochromatic uses only one hue from the standard color wheel, complementary uses two opposite colors, split-complementary uses one hue with two opposite hues, double-complementary uses two hues, and those two hues opposites, analogous uses related hues from the color wheel, triadic uses 3 colors that are equal distance apart on the color wheel, and neutral uses colors like black and white.

10. If you stray from the colors harmonies, the room could look sloppy or mismatched, and also the amount of light you put in a room influences planning.

11. You must follow one of the color harmonies, and also make sure the room is not too bright or dark, depending on what you want the room to be.

13. For the warm color client, I would suggest darker light to make the colors less abrasive, or else the area could be too bright and loud for a room to read in. I would tell the cool color client to have possibly darker cool colors to invoke more calm, and to make reading much better and even feel more relaxing. Depending on the colors, the light in the room could either make the room very loud and bright, or dark and more soothing.

☼ textures

Visual

1. I added bricks in the background in order so give the mostly smooth room some added spice, as I would call it.

2. The sunburst mirror adds an almost hardcore feel because of the spikes.

3. The headboard of the bed is also textured with the small squares of fabric which give the bed more dimension.

4. The whole room (save the bricks) just looks smooth, with the light wooden floor it gives the room a smooth and modern feeling.

Tactile

1. Again, I chose the brick because when you touch it, it is rough and calloused, and can even chip a little bit.

2. I put in the clock on the top of the room because it has a lot of smooth lines, and when you feel it it would be even and very smooth.

3. Another thing would be the blue globe lights on the ceiling because of their glossy look, and would be incredibly smooth and it almost gives the room a tad bit of elegance.

4. The deer decoration on the wall was one of my favorite pieces, simply because it has smooth and jagged places that you could touch it.

Audible

1. The headboard is being used again, because we all know what soft fabric feels like when you run your hand across it, but it also makes a nice sound, so I am also including the covers of the bed itself.

2. The brick, once again, also has an audible quality with the fact it is rock, and you can knock on it or scratch it, and it'll make a sound.

3. I think another audible are all the lights, because they would certainly make noise when turning them on or off, and in the case of the globe lights they might even swing a little bit depending on what you hang them with.

4. The last audible is the geode decoration on the bedside table, because that also sounds like a rock when banged together, scratched, or dropped, but also has that smooth side that has a completely different sound.

I think by putting all these things together, I created a room that has equal parts smooth and rough, with hints of different shapes here and there. In my opinion, the room looks almost like a musicians room, because of the different creative aspects and the tame colors. I also put in a blend of a bit of cool tones (blue and silver) with the warmer tones (red and gold) to make a well-balanced bedroom.

☼ the effects of lines

Horizontal Lines
Most of the horizontal lines you see in this room come from the large picture on the back wall. It gives the whole room a very long feeling, that it seems that the ceiling is low, but the room itself is long and slender. The couch in the back also is long and clean-looking, and by putting a long piece of furniture on the already long-looking wall, it adds even more length.

Vertical Lines
Again, similar to the last room, this one has the lines in the back of the room for the most part. The 3 pictures on the back wall make the room feel very tall and skinny, making it look somewhat airy and open in its own way. Not only does the room have those pictures, it also has the windows on the left side that span the whole length of the wall vertically, making it look that much more tall and open.

Diagonal Lines
It was rather difficult to find a room that had a good instance of diagonal lines, but eventually I found this one. The first thing you should notice is the staircases on either side in the back of the room, and how they're are quite clear;y diagonal. They give the room the feeling that you should move, and be active, while also showing a sort of elegance.

Curved Lines
This room very obviously has quite a pop to it, simply because of all the circles and curved lines. In my opinion, the lines and circles give off a sort of fun feeling, one that makes you happy and sort of energetic. They are not the most formal or elegant lines, but they're great if you choose to be different, or have a room that gives off the more comfortable feeling rather than dignified.

☼ housing styles

This week in Interior Design, we started to learn about house structures and overall exterior features. It's important to know simply for the purpose of if a buyer wants the time period of when the house was built to fit, you need to know the details of what kind of house it is, and how you can stay true to the style. The rest of this post will feature what housing styles we went over, and I will give a brief explanation as to what characteristics they hold. 

Saltbox House

Obviously, these houses would have the slanting Saltbox Roof. The house was made to gain sunlight on the side without the slant, and to block cold winds on the slanted side. They're simple and pretty basic, made for mostly practicality.

Greek Revival

Just how it sounds, this housing style pays tribute to the Greeks and their architecture. These houses are always white, and always feature columns in the front, maybe just some by the door, or even along the whole house. Many buildings besides houses are built in this style as well. They are refined, but don't give off the homiest look.

Italian Villa

These houses are a tribute to (obviously) Italian Villas, and all of them have classical columns and pillars, with arches or pediments over windows and doors. They have neutral colors, and are refined in a somewhat warm way.

Queen Anne House

These houses have large and low arches, and are done in a cottage style to give it a cozy and inviting feeling. They used to be multicolored. but now they've gone to usually one color, but can still be bright.

Prairie House

A well-known architect named Frank Lloyd Wright built the style of these houses. They have a very linear style, sleek and modern looking, even now many years in the future.

Rustic Style House

Now, in my personal opinion, these houses are not at all flattering, but for the sake of an assignment I must be honest about simply the style of it. These houses are ALWAYS made of wood, or made to look like wood, almost as if you had taken all of the materials from the forest. Chimneys are a common thing as well as brick here and there, and can have large decks.

Solar House

Exactly how it sounds, these houses have solar panels built on the roof, and are built in places where the sun shines a lot, because it really wouldn't make sense to have one in a place with minimal sunshine. They must be built small and somewhat compact, because there is only so much power you can get with solar panels.

Duplex House(s)

When thinking of these, think of the root word "duo", because that'll help you remember exactly what this style is. Essentially, it's two houses in one structure, so each house must be somewhat small, and look identical for sake of symmetry.

Georgian House

These houses are also known as colonial, because they were built before the American Revolution. They have classical round arches over the door, and the roofs are pitched, where chimneys always dwell. Some original ones had wooden sides, but most have brick.

Garrison House

These houses are very recognizable in a few ways, one being that the second story overhangs the first story, and a slight extension to the side. They have very minimal decoration, and are very neutral.

Cape Cod Style House

These are rectangular, one story houses that have steeply pitched roofs and have one chimney. They usually have clapboard windows, but not always.

Tudor Style House

This style is very traditional, and the shape can be varied because of modernization. They are usually brown and white, with a lot of details done in wood.

Ranch Style House

These houses are always one story, with a decent sized porch, and a garage. They're very basic and are considered perfect for a starter family.

Alpine/Chalet House

These houses were made for the Swiss mountains, so they're string and sturdy. There are many copies of them around, but all have some similarities such as the woodwork of the deck all around the house.

Earth Sheltered House

To be perfectly honest, these houses remind me of The Hobbit, because these houses are built right into a hill. They are designed to blend well with the nature around it.

Neo-Eclectic House

These houses steal many different qualities from other houses, but these can be identified by the multiple sections of the house, as well as the large size.

Gothic Revival Style

This style I believe is one of the most beautiful, because of the tall pointed roofs, and the intricate detailing. The qualities of these buildings are that they just seem very pointed and almost cramped because they're taller than they are wide.

Stick Style House

These houses aren't the most sturdy in my opinion because of all the slim wooden detail pretty much everywhere on the house. The woodwork is key in this style, and it really sets it apart.

Dutch Style House

The style for these is really grand in the way of structure, but of color not so much. The almost step-looking parts on the top of the house give it a little difference from anything else.

International House

I think these houses are the very definition of what the term "modern" would entitle. These houses are slim, white, and very clean-looking, and are longer than they are taller.

A-Frame House

These houses completely remind of of a Pokemon named Snorunt (look it up if you don't believe me.) They are short, squat, and give off a very cottage vibe. They have a few pops of bright colors on some places, but the roof isn't made of the most sturdy stuff.

Manufactured House

These houses really just seem to fit the cliche house spot, because of the neutral colors, and all of the very simple functional aspect. They are built in factories, and I believe that shows in the way they look.

High Rise Apartments

This housing option means you live in the city and have money, because you'll find these fanciful apartments in cities, usually pretty well-populated. Though the downside is that because it isn't a house, they're rather small.

Federal Style House

Most of these you won't see as houses, but more of official buildings, and they very closely resemble Greek Revival. These houses however, have less decoration, but still have pillars/columns.

Row House(s)

Row Houses are exactly how they sound; many small houses connected and lined up for who knows how long. The ones above are very modern, but a lot of them are older and more classic-looking as well.

Art Nouveau Style

This isn't exactly a housing style, but rather a decorating style for the exterior of the building. You will see this intricate, usually gold details on state capitols, or more official buildings rather than houses.

Spanish Style House

These houses seem to be exactly what Dora's house looked like in my opinion, and rightfully so because this is a Spanish Style house. They usually have red roofs that are kind of wavy, and the rest of the house is white, with the texture of most ceilings (with the bumps all over it, you know what I'm talking about?)

Split Level House

These houses obviously have two levels, and are distinguished by the fact the top level juts out over the first level, and is also usually a separate color.

Dome House

Exactly how it sounds, these houses are literally domes, with a circular build, and usually look fairly rustic and not particularly large.

Mobile Homes

What I know of these houses I got from personal experience, because my cousins house burned down years ago, and the family of 7 had to stay in one of these. They are small, cheap, very plain and resemble Manufactured Houses. They're good for temporary housing, or if you're in a tight financial spot.

Bungalow Style House

This style of house has a sort of small porch that juts out from the rest of the house, and has a few pillars. These houses also have one noticeable chimney, have bricks, and are very neutral colored.