Parkhill Smith and Cooper

PSC Fieldtrip

Up until the past few weeks, I did not know a lot about environmentally friendly and sustainable design.  I have been studying this concept in both of my interior design classes.  Last week I took a fieldtrip to Parkhill Smith and Cooper with my class.  This company owns the first LEED certified building in Lubbock.  This trip led me to have a lot more interest in environmentally friendly design than I ever have before.

One concept that PSC’s green building contains is self sustainability.  They have employed a roof system that basically consists of a layer of earth.  Natural dirt is a great insulator.  The plants on the roof are all watered with the reuse of rain drainage on the property.  This is a great way to use natural materials for environmental benefit when building a large building.  We only saw pictures of the roof.  But, after seeing diagrams and reading information on the roof, I was assured that it is a good way to use less energy.

Another thing that I learned at PSC was that there are many different materials available that are environmentally friendly.  This includes things that are recycled, recyclable, sustainable, and naturally made.  The LEED certified building had things such as fabric air vents, large window systems, sun lights, and grass parking spaces. After doing some research online, I realized just how many companies are working hard to provide these types of building materials.  I now know that it truly is possible to do environmentally friendly design without much more trouble than doing any normal design job.

The most interesting thing that I leaned at PSC, is that environmentally friendly interiors are actually a healthier environment to live and work in.  We were informed that the LEED certified building at PSC has 12% less sick days taken that the non-LEED certified building.  It is also true that hospitals have better recovery rates when the employ environmentally friendly materials and let in natural light. Productivity is also increased in an environmentally friendly work place with sunlight.  Upon first hearing that environmentally friendly design affects the wellness of the inhabitants of a space, I thought it was just a rumor.  After learning more about the harmful effects of harsh chemicals, I can believe this statement.  I also learned that the human connection to nature is a large part of why environmentally friendly living and working can be healthier for many people.

I have become very interested in environmental design within these past couple of weeks.  I would love to do a real interior someday that could employ these kinds of concepts and materials.  It has become obvious that this type of design is becoming important and will stay important all around the world.  As an interior designer, I am glad to have gotten a taste of this type of design.  I know that I will be using it in my future.

Jeff Seal

Jeff Seal Home Tour

            Last week, I had the opportunity, along with my fellow classmates, to get a tour through two of Jeff Seal’s homes here in Lubbock.  Jeff Seal is a very talented and artistic architect.  He works alongside an interior designer who graduated from Texas Tech.  The trip made me start thinking about what it will be like to be an interior designer and gave me inspiration to do unique and custom work.

            The first home we visited had a very Mediterranean feel and was my favorite.  The front entry and living areas were gorgeous.  All of the walls were plastered and left a very neutral color that contrasted the ornate nature of the home.  There was a lot of detail throughout the entire house.  The front windows were in the shape of a Gothic arch.  This matched the custom made Gothic arched wood front door.    All of the floors throughout the house were real hard wood.  When we visited they were still in their original state, but before the house is finished the wood will be scraped and stained to achieve a distressed look. The beautiful entry and immediate areas sets a grand and inviting.

            From the hand painted cabinets to the barrel arched brick ceiling, the entire kitchen had been completely custom made.  Although it was not completely finished, we could all see that the outcome was going to be beautiful.  There was even a brick oven to accompany the double oven below a custom carved vent hood.  A hutch had also been designed to be included in the breakfast area. It was hand painted distressed blues and golds that complimented the colors throughout the house.  Although the kitchen area was very fancy, it was also very inviting.

            All of the bedrooms had a lot of unique features as well.  One of the guest bedrooms had thirteen foot high ceilings because it was in the tower part of the house.  It also had custom cabinetry for bookshelves as well as a custom vanity in the bathroom.  The master bedroom had what was basically an enlarged closet for a personal work area.  This area could be completely shut off from the bedroom to create a feeling of calmness.  The bathroom had a walk-in shower and a place for a free standing tub.  My favorite part of the bathroom was the heated travertine floors.  This would be a master suite anyone could enjoy.

            The house also had a private outdoor patio with a fire place, a beautiful iron banister, a huge laundry room, and many other great features.  The second house we visited displayed many different ideas that were also unique to that home. In the future, I could see myself working with someone like Jeff Seal or doing work similar to his.  I love how he takes the time to create a house that will be different from any other house available.  I am very interested in fantastic work such as this.

Field Trip to Leftwich and Chapman Flooring Store

Leftwich Chapman

                The fieldtrip to the flooring and stone company, Leftwich Chapman, was both interesting and informative.  They had wood, laminate, tile, stone, and carpet.  My class was lucky enough to get a personal tour from the owner.  He presented many unique types of flooring.  He was very informative and was able to give my advice and ideas that will apply to future projects.

                The flooring material that surmised me the most was leather.  I was scared to stand on the sample on the floor thinking that it would be fragile.  The owner of the store assured us that it was durable enough for light commercial use.  As he began to intentionally scratch the sample we all began to cringe.  Surprisingly, the sample wouldn’t scratch.  Apparently, it was made from ground up pieces of recycled leather.  The small pieces are all bonded together to make a very tough flooring material.  This could be applied in residential and commercial settings to achieve a unique look.

                Another interesting material available at the store was bamboo flooring.  It looked very similar to wood, but had a more grainy texture.  Although it is available at the store, the owner told my class that he rarely recommends the particular product here in Lubbock.  This is because the bamboo needs moisture.  If its surroundings are too dry, it will become porous and begin to break down.  After learning this, I now know that bamboo would only be a suitable solution in moist areas.

                After we received information on all of the wood and wood-like flooring, we moved on to the carpet section of the store.  The most interesting carpet we were introduced to was actually made from corn.   Therefore this SmartStrand carpet is environmentally friendly.  It is also one of the softest carpets available.  This would be a perfect material for a client who wants to be environmentally friendly.

                The store also had many beautiful and textured rugs and carpets.  It was a wonderful selection to choose form when doing a commercial or residential design.  There were many tuft heights and thicknesses suitable for many different uses.  The variety in the selection would make this store a great place to go when doing any type of project that would need carpet.

                Vinyl flooring was one of the last sections we visited in the store.  The progress that these vinyl companies have made is outstanding.  They are now creating patterns of wood, brick, and tile that look real.  These would be perfect for use in a travel home that would need flooring with some give to it.  The wood vinyl flooring would be good in places where moisture is present but wood is also wanted.  Although wood would warp due to the moisture, the vinyl flooring would not.

                The collection of glass and mosaic stone tile could provide numerous looks in a kitchen.  This tile is like the pretty jewelry in a great space.  This look is very popular right now, and gives the store an extra edge.  Although the collection could be overwhelming to a client, with some help, almost any look could be achieved.

                After visiting with one of the owners, I know that it is a trustworthy company.  The selection is amazing and the prices are fair.  Places like this one carry quality materials that can be trusted.  Leftwich and Chapman is a store that I would use for clients and myself without thinking twice. 

Collin’s Tile and Stone

            Of the field trips my class has taken this semester, the trip to Collin’s Tile and Stone was my favorite.  Although the company carries many types of tile, their specialty seemed to be their stone and imitation stone for countertops. 

            The granite carried by the company ranged in price.  The lower priced granite was around sixty dollars per square foot and was very nice.  They also carried granite prices up to 150 dollars per square foot.  Although expensive, this granite was absolutely beautiful.  I learned a lot about the different types of granite.  There were many that had consistent patterns.  There were also a lot that had random streaks and multiple colors.  These randomly colored and patterned granites were m favorite.  The selection available seemed to have something for many different tastes.

            Collin’s Tile and Stone also carried different types of marble ranging in different colors.  My favorite is the Carerra Marble, a classic and beautiful material.  Although this marble is white and grey in color, there were also other marble is green and pink colors.  Although the marble is not as stain and scratch resistant as granite, it is still very popular due to its look.

            Another beautiful stone that the company carries is travertine.  This stone is mostly used as tile and ranges in color.  The stone has indentions of fossils throughout the surface.  This is because travertine is a sea bed rock.  Therefore, fossils of shells and small animals can be seen randomly in the stone.  This makes for beautiful and unique flooring.

            One of the neatest materials available was made by Cambria.  Many companies try to imitate granite.  But, usually this effort is a failure.  Cambria has made imitation granite that looks exactly like the real thing.  Due to the popularity of granite and the technology put into this material, the price is almost as expensive as just using actual granite.  It is very interesting to see how far these technologies have come.

            The trip to Collin’s Tile and Stone was both fun and informative.  I learned a lot about the uses and properties of many types of stones.  This will help me in my future career as an interior designer.