A New President for a Leading Firm

Last spring, our Advanced Kitchen & Bath class had the opportunity to travel to the Hansgrohe Aquademie. Hansgrohe is a German-based leading manufacturer of kitchen and bath appliances. During our visit we learned that it is a family based company that rarely hires anyone outside of their lineage for the German location. However, here in the US, Hansgrohe has recently appointed Erik Cristensen as president/GM. Although he is not family, he has two decades of experience in the flooring and building products industries, as well as an impressive record in logistics, operations and the establishment of global distribution. Christensen also holds the company in high respect, as he believes they have shown immense growth that he attributes to a hard-working team committed to producing high quality and sustainable innovative products. Christensen was the former vice president of Armstrong World Industries, where he instigated a high quantity of sales. He plans to produce the same strong performance while overseeing a team of 250 Hansgrohe employees.

“I am really excited about my new role as president of Hansgrohe, North America. Hansgrohe has a very long tradition in the industry and is a leader with consistent performance year after year,” Christensen proudly says. “What truly drew me to the company is its spirit. I have found a passion and dedication that permeates everything the company does. From customer service, operations, sales, and marketing, through the interface with channel customers, that common thread of excellence really stands out.”

Some of this “passion and dedication” that Christensen is referring to can be seen through Hansgrohe’s accomplishment in changing the modern bathroom to be more functional and comfortable. With innovative products such as the adjustable wallbar, multiple-spray handshowers and showerheads, the QuickClean function and AIR and water-saving EcoRight technology, Hansgrohe has obtained the ability to create a sustainable and user-friendly bathroom. With bases in over 130 countries and 3,200 employees across the globe, Hansgrohe has a prominent presence in the kitchen and bath design world.

Article: http://www.interiordesign.net/articles/detail/36017-hansgrohe-names-erik-christensen-president/

Collecting for Cortez

This week at Chango & Co. was especially hectic, but also especially fun. Grace and I were given our first big assignment -- to create furniture layouts for the Cortez family, and also select furniture, paint colors, wallpapers, rugs, lighting, and accessories. We started this project by recreating their drawn up house plans on CAD and putting in new walls and taking down old ones (decisions that Susana made on the rough drawing). From there, we started creating multiple furniture layouts for the living room, the dining room, and the master bedroom. We printed out our suggested layouts and started picking out possible pieces that would fit the space, as well as the design concept. This house is located in Long Island right on the Hudson River, and the whole interior is encased in massive windows with beautiful views of the water, the bridge, and the city of Manhattan. Susana said she wanted to go for a lake house/river house feel, so we should be looking for furniture and colors that compliment that style. After collecting some pieces and fabrics, we laid them all out on the table and Susana went through all of the choices and said what she liked and what she didn't like. We created a color pallet of sea-foam greens and blues and beiges, and decided on some wall coverings for the entire first floor and the master bedroom. Susana came up with an amazing concept of covering the whole first floor with a textured linen wallpaper of pale sea-foam green and surrounding the interior with beautiful sheers on all of the windows. We had a couple more rounds of presenting Susana with more items and fabrics that we chose, and settled on a final scheme and a ton of different options of furniture to present to the client. We will be visiting the Cortez family this week to go over our final picks, and hopefully settle on a scheme! Although we will unfortunatley not be able to attend the installation of the Cortez house because we will be back in Athens, we are so excited that we got to play such a huge role in designing their house.

The fabric, wall paper, and paint swatch scheme that Grace and I put together to present to Susana

NYC Essentials

There are about a million essential things to do while visiting New York City, and on Saturday I participated in a few. Although I looked extremely touristy while doing so, it was so amazing and fun that I didn't even care! My friend Ann and I decided to get up early and hit the city for some shopping, lunch at the Rockefeller Center Summer Garden and Bar, and of course, to act like a total kid in Dylan's Candy Bar. One of our favorite stores, ZARA, was having one of the 3-month-annual blow out sales, so we had to go. We traveled to Fifth Avenue where we passed some gorgeous stores, as well as glamorous people. When we got to ZARA I was very pleasantly overwhelmed by how gigantic the store was. It has two floors fully stocked with trendy clothes. As soon as I started looking on the first rack, I realized this was going to take awhile. About 30 minutes into shopping I had so many garments in my hand that one of the store clerks asked me if I wanted a shopping bag to hold everything. I graciously accepted, which might not have been my best decision because my bag soon became overloaded. This is when another store clerk informed me that I was only aloud 12 items in the dressing room at a time -- I guess I am not the best NYC shopper. I quickly went to get into the fitting room line before anything else could catch my eye. To give you a glimpse into how many people were in the store, I just need to say that I waited in the fitting room line for 45 minutes. This sequence happened one more time as I continued to the downstairs part of the store. Overall we spent 3 hours in ZARA and I got three new trendy items of clothing -- they were totally worth the wait.

After mustering up an appetite with all that shopping, Ann and I ventured towards Rockefeller Center to get some lunch. During the summer, there is a Cafe with a bar, tables, and lounging couches all covered by huge umbrellas. We got a spot on a comfy couch in the sun right in front of the fountain. With the summer breeze, this was so relaxing and I felt a little bit like a celebrity. And I also had the best Margarita I have ever had in my life!

We still had some time in our afternoon left to explore, so Ann and I looked at our Bucket List of things to accomplish during the summer to pick our next destination. We decided to go to Dylan's Candy Bar. After becoming working girls in the city, we thought it would be fun to act like kids for a change...and to get some candy! The store was filled with sweet-toothed kids and adults. After walking around the first two floors of candy, we decided to go up to the ice-cream bar. We also discovered an alcohol bar that sold drinks with different types of candy mixed in them. Ann tried the Jolly Rancher and I had the Strawberry Nerds Mojito. Although it was the most sugar-filled drink I have had, it was fun to try! They were also serving a drink with Pop Rocks Candy in it and every time she mixed it, the Pop Rocks would explode in the glass. Dylan's was so fun and entertaining, and  I am definitely going to make a trip back!

La Nuit En Rose

On Saturday, June 14th, my friends and I attended the first ever La Nuit En Rose, a wine "festival" of sorts dedicated to Rose wine. We boarded a yacht on Pier 40 of the Hudson River to embark on a 2 hour trip around the island of Manhattan, passing the Statue of Liberty, going under the Brooklyn Bridge, and getting a great photo op in front of the awe-inspiring World Trade Center. How it works is you get a glass when you board the ship, and get to go around to about 60 different wine stations with over 100 different wine choices. We were surrounded by real wine connoisseurs who would get there taste of wine, swish it around, smell it, take a small sip, and then either agree to keep drinking it or reject it and pour it out into a bucket next to the station. Because my wine tasting pallet is not developed at all, I had to pretend to know what I was doing. I never actually poured out a wine except for one that tasted exactly like a Jolly Rancher, and I could not handle how sweet it was. There were professional photographers on the ship who took fun pictures the whole time. There was a dress-up booth area that we all took advantage of. As the sun started to set, we headed to the outside deck portion of the yacht to take some pretty breath-taking pictures and enjoy the beautiful view of the city. This event was a great way to get oriented with this unfamiliar city and figure out where everything is. We also got front row seats to monuments such as the Statue of Liberty and the World Trade Center.

Our Casual Trip to Connecticut

This was a truly exciting and inspiring week for Grace an I at Chango & Co. On Monday, we met our official bosses for the first time. As I was getting ready, I was extra thoughtful about my outfit choice as I was so nervous about what Susana and Josh (the head designer and general manager of the company) would think about my personal style. After looking at all of Susana's finished projects and all of the "Behind the Scenes" pictures that Josh takes and posts to the website, I was in awe and admiration for the impeccable style that they both have. Walking up to the front door I was overcome with nerves and thoughts about what my first words and interaction with them should be like. As soon as we walked inside, she greeted us with a big smile and a excited, friendly hello. We immediately got to talking about all of the different projects that we would be working on, and the five different installations we would be a part of. She informed us that it would be an extremely busy summer, but we would have as much responsibility within each project as we were willing to take on. This made Grace and I so excited to begin working, and thankful that we found a firm whose bosses were so willing to trust us in the design decision making process. The very first job she gave us to do was put in a drawn floor plan into CAD and begin space planning for the project. I was surprised, although very pleasantly, that she was so willing to hand this job over to us as our first project. Later in the week we presented our space plans to her, and we all three sat down and chose the best ones for each room. Our next task was then to find furniture pieces and design some built-ins. Again, we were pretty much handed and trusted with another big job. As the week came to an end, we were finishing up some CAD layouts and designs for a big set of built-ins and a fireplace wall in that house. 

The real highlight of our week though, and the best bonding time with our boss that we shared was when we all took a 3-hour road trip to Connecticut to check on the progress of a summer house in Litchfield. This house was not what I was expecting when I pictured a summer home. This house was massive! It looked as if there used to stand a smaller plantation house that had been added onto multiple times since it was originally built. Because it was so old, Susana knocked down some walls and doors and gutted the entire kitchen in order to open it up and get rid of asbestos damage. The house is pretty empty right now as they are finishing up painting the walls before they start the kitchen installation. There are plans to build a big back porch over looking the huge amount of green grass land they have in their back yard. We are going to do the final installation the first week of August, and I cannot wait to see what it looks like. Going on this site visit gave Grace and I an insight of how designers interact and work with contractors, painters, window treatment finishers, plumbers, electricians, etc. She was so knowledgable when she was speaking with them, and knew exactly what she wanted them to accomplish. It made me grateful that we learn all of the information we do about construction and mechanical issues because it will actually come in handy later on in our careers. Here are some pictures of what the house looks like now:

6 Innovative Offices that Promote Company Growth

OFFICE SPACE: 6 WORK SPACES LOOK TO THE FUTURE

Architects around the world are answering the prayers of business workers who have to try to endure a workday of staring at blank walls and being crammed into tiny cubicles. New design layouts and concepts help promote worker productivity and create an interesting, open space to be inspired and thrive. These designs are not only effective in changing the mood and efficiency of workers but they are also sustainable. The following are six innovative buildings whose construction boosts creativity:

1. Firm: OMA

Project: Axel Springer

Location: Berlin, Germany

The media company is building another facility as an extension to their current building nearby. The main highlight of the building is its’ 98-foot atrium with tiered levels that jut out to exterior terraces. The design of the interior was inspired by the diagonal course of the fallen Berlin Wall.

2. Firm: NBBJ

Project: Amazon.com

Location: Seattle, Washington

The new and improved (and incredibly eco-friendly) working facilities of Amazon.com in the city’s Denny Park neighborhood will be enclosed as three biodomes filled with plants and trees that help mimic and inspire growth within the company.

3. Firm: Brick, LLP

Project: 899 West Evelyn

Location: Mountain View, California

The sunlight and outdoor scenery fill this inside of this insulated glass building. Three out of four walls are clear glass and there is a 12,000-square-foot rooftop garden for employees to enjoy. 

4. Firm: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Project: One World Trade Center

New York, New York

As a building that has been an icon and a key part of the NYC skyline, this 104-story building is the fourth tallest skyscraper in the world. 3 million-square-feet of office space is kept sustainable by incorporating recycled materials like gypsum and introducing renewable energy and rainwater collection into its’ design.




5. Firm: Valerio Dewalt Train Associates

Project: Adobe 410 Townsend

Location: San Francisco, California

This four-story sits in the heart of the city, while the heart of the software-manufacturer’s satellite office is the central meeting space called “Hipster,” where many events such as town-hall meetings, art openings, and hack-a-thons take place.

6. Firm: Heneghan Peng

Project: AirBnb

Location: Dublin, Ireland

The office of this home rental website is divided into wood and glass pods that have hinges and wheels that can be rolled apart, creating a flexible and mobile environment. Each workspace is inspired by the array of homes from around the world listed on the site. The reception area is modeled after an Irish pub.

ARTICLE: http://www.interiordesign.net/projects/detail/2363-office-space-6-work-spaces-look-to-the-future/?utm_source=hero_slide_home

Belmont Bound

On Saturday my four roommates and I traveled to the 146th Belmont Stakes in the hopes that we would witness history being made. We took a train from Penn Station to an anxious crowd of 36,000 people. The Belmont Stake horserace is the third and final leg of the triple crown. California Chrome won both the Kentucky Derby and then Preakness Stakes in 2014, and if he would have won the Belmont, it would have been the first time the triple crown was won by a horse in the US since 1978. Sadly California Chrome came in fourth place due to a bad start when first coming out of the gates. The horse next to him stepped on his foot at the start and took out a "chunk of his hoof." Tonalist won the race, followed by Commissioner in second and Medal Count in third. I placed 4 bets in the 11th and final race on Wicked Strong, Commanding Curve, Ride on Curlin, and of course California Chrome. Although I didn't win anything, the experience of being there and placing a bet was a lot of fun. Even though history wasn't made, I will remember that day forever.

On the train to the Belmont Stakes

The sea of 36,000 people waiting to get into the track 

My roommate holding up a poster for California Chrome

There was a 30 minute rest period in between each race

Chango & Co. Week 1

This week Grace and I started our 2 month long internship with Chango & Co., an up and coming interior design firm based out of Brooklyn New York. The team that we joined consists of Susana Simonpietri, the creator and head designer of the company, Josh Kay, the managing director and our internship supervisor, Amy Kay, who is Josh's sister, and a recently hired intern named Charlotte. The company "headquarters" is located in the Williamsburg area of Brooklyn, where Grace and I take the subway every morning. This week we were introduced to all of the current projects and helped look for various furniture and accessory pieces for different clients. We also filled out multiple Purchase Order forms for furniture pieces, light fixtures, fabrics, and paints for the client's records.

The most interesting and most fun thing we got to do was go to the D&D Building which is located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The building houses showrooms for a multitude of designers of fabrics, wallpapers, furniture, artwork, lighting, and other materials related to interior design and decoration. Charlotte, Grace and I perused through the Romo, Schumacher, Lee Jofa, Kravet, and Stark and picked out fabrics and got samples of each one that we liked to be taken back and organized into the Chango & Co. fabric store room. I took pictures of some of my favorite samples that we picked out.

After we had all of the samples that we picked out, we went back to the "office" and reorganized all of the fabrics. We decided to sort them by color so that it would be easy to pull a specific fabric if a client had a certain color or shade in mind. This was a 2-day long process because there were so many fabrics, however, the result looks great and very organized!

Week 1 Interior Design Current Event: A Remarkable Philanthropist

Loreen Arbus is a former cable television executive for Showtime and Lifetime who completed a year-long self-renovation of an truly unique apartment on Central Park West. As you are invited into the home, you get a glimpse of Loreen's psyche--an independent soul who discourages labels of any kind. The renovation consisted of taking out the 1905 pocket doors, fixtures, and finishes and bringing the apartment to life with astonishing colors and eccentric features. Many patterns and fabrics can be seen intermixed with pops of bright colors and graffiti is scattered on the walls. Loreen's love for all things unique started when she was born the daughter of Leonard H. Goldenson, the owner of ABC, a company that gave him and his family $3.5 billion when he sold it in 1895. She confesses, "People always wanted something" and she decided to assume her grandmother's maiden name in the hopes that she would be seen as her own person, and not just the wealthy daughter of a multi-billionaire. Because she is the happiest when meeting people that know nothing about her, she has decided to open her extravagant home up for about 25 gatherings a year in support of an array of philanthropic causes. Some examples are nonprofit groups devoted to disability issues, the betterment of women and children, and animal rights and the arts. These gatherings entail beautiful views of Central Park, food and drinks. She invites an accumulation of her friends, colleagues and acquaintances that she has met in television and publishing and through the multiple nonprofit boards on which she serves and provides them with an opportunity to exchange business cards, but soliciting donations is not allowed. She explains, "This is more friending-up and cultivating than fund-raising. I don't want people to think, 'Oh, here she comes, asking for money again.' This is different. People are resourceful, they'll help later in whatever way they can." From her name, to her decorating style, to her philanthropic ventures, Loreen Arbus is truly remarkable. Her shocking taste and unique networking is something that should truly be acknowledged.

These brightly painted chandeliers with lampshades of various patterns and fabrics hang in the front hallway.

While the outside view from this window is not all that interesting to look at, the gallery of fine glass and eccentric variety of trinkets displayed in it truly is.

Loreen purchased two velvet couches from Vladimir Kagan and installed acrylic indoor/outdoor rugs that are easily cleaned due to the heavy amount of traffic that the apartment encounters. 

Article:http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/05/garden/dont-show-me-the-money.html?_r=0#