It's been a long time since I've forced my fingers to get over to my blog page.  I admit, I use it more to post updates once and a while and park info.  I'd like to do more than that, but I think motivation needs to come as does feedback from potential clients, readers, people who just want to learn some things and even better, interested collaborators :)  

It has been such a strange and tough past decade, then in 2018 I had more unexpected poop sandwiches delivered to me.  Then as I was picking myself up and rebuilding, Covid...and quarantine and the whole world disconnected and got even weirder.  

Now, here we are, Covid is less terrifying, Monkey Pox, war in Ukraine, terrible political / financial / inflation / etc and wow, just wow.

So, what do we do?  What do I do?  I've amassed so much experience, education, a whole other vector of expertise in medicine, etc to add to my IronMan suit, but how to get back into it, how do I get clients again?  How do I start to pay off enormous debts and try and get back to a place where I don't feel like any month, I could be homeless or eating stale ramen (been there, not good).  Getting busy is a start, but not if it isn't profitable.

With the economy looking scary and outlook grim, do I pause "me" and bite the bullet and go work for the devil because it will pay the bills, albeit barely?  

No, I refuse, I have all of these gifts and talents from God, his universe, my own trials and experiences that I have learned from and was given to use to create for others, share the passion and teach to anyone who wants to learn.

So, there, this is where I am.  Whacking sticks at the bushes, looking for work, projects, partners, collaborators to get back into action and inch closer and closer to my bigger dreams and plans....and build a new team to do it all with and share in the sunlight, yes and of course the $poil$.

So, if anyone still follows this old vein of mine, drop a note, ask questions, give your opinions and definitely reach out to me to create something amazing for or with you :) 

Thanks and Happy Wednesday- George

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REQUEST A QUOTE, PLEASE CONTACT ME, GEORGE AT coldrendesign@gmail.com THANKS!

Also, please check out the upadted PORTFOLIO PAGE.

Custom Headboard

We designed and built this headboard. The frame was hot rolled welded steel with rivets for an extra industrial look.  The wood headboard was solid maple stained to finish of my clients choice.  It looks great against the exposed brick wall in this Philadelphia apartment.

The headboard was designed with optional legs so that it can be mounted without a bed frame. It would work great with a platform bed or many other options.

17th St Loft Fireplace and Coffee Tables

We designed and built the furniture and fireplace of this Art Museum loft space.

We designed and built the custom zebrawood coffee tables you see in the living room.

The fireplace is a modern stainless firebox withe a rustic stone wall surround. We set the stone veneer.  The flames of the firebox come out of glass chunks creating a very striking effect.

(Fireplace Mid-Progress)

North 13th St Loft-Before and Afters

In this loft project we wanted to warm up the loft space, increase storage, double the size of the kitchen and create a more functional, zoned living space.

This was a three phase project.  The client wanted to budget it over a one year period of time.  The design was conceived and in the first phase we stripped the beams and exposed the brick walls.  

(BEFORE)

(AFTER)

We renovated the kitchen.  The new space includes custom cabinetry and concrete countertops.

(BEFORE)

(AFTER)

We added the finishing touches to steel wall by designing a back-lit frosted glass wall.  This was a dark corner of the long narrow back so we wanted to create a feel of light on the other side of the wall.  Now it serves as a storage space and feels like a wall of windows. 

Website of the week

www.ultimatehides.com

Here's one of my favorites:

http://www.ultimatehides.com/90-62-UMA_PARO(Bhutan).htm

Tips on understanding Space Planning

It's been a long time, I shouldnt have left you...without a dope beat to step to:) Ok thats an 80's hip hop line I had to throw in there:)

Today I finally decided to not try but do, do get back to design in the middle of finals for medical studies, I find my mind and heart wandering back to my first true love, creation.

I have made lots of things since my last posts and seen even more, experienced serious loss and hopped back on my horse to ride again.

Today, I thought of an analogy while trying to explain to a friend the other evening about spacial planning and feng shui. We were talking about energy, uses and flow of spaces and this morning I thought how similar in many ways, a mechanical engineer thinks in this very same way without seeing the parallels of "feeling" verses measuring, calibrating and relating to other mechanisms nearby.

Space planning is very often the same, seeing what will the space be used for or desired to be used for, what all the elements will be, the best direction for maximum flows without interruptions or conflict from flow patterns of those various elements. An example in restaurant design is to replace the flow pattern 'elements' with cooks, chefs, deliveries, servers, bartenders, barbacks, patrons on way to seating, restroom visitations, host/hostess, etc. These are in many ways very similar to different air flows in a vent system, or plumbing system and even an electrical system. Not only do the pathways overlap and often seem to collide, but other systems that seem completely separate like a power relay or chefs cooking area can create heat, sound, smells and even psychic energy that can be sensed through walls, hallways, floors.

If one can understand this analogy, one can begin to understand space planning as well as mechanical engineering:)

Easy right? Haha, I know it's not, but it's nice to break it down into easier chunks to understand and hopefully this tip will help you with your next project whether it be a bathroom plan or hotel design...or even a waterfall design for a peaceful rooftop retreat on rowhouse downtown.

Cheers! And feel free to add ideas of your own, I am by no means an expert or absolute authority on any of these things, just someone who loves them and is trying to understand why:)

Tiny Green and MEAN!

Ok, I know I haven't posted in some time, but I've been busy:) Recently, I came across this little product...really I was looking for another type of abrasive pad for a job but could not find it. Next to the spot on the shelf at Wal Mart was this little product made by 3M. I read it, thought I'd give it a try and wow, I'm glad I did!

It's made of natural wood fibers attached to a sponge. The old scotch brite pads are so abrasive that they will scratch glass, fiberglass, metal, hard plastics....this natural fiber version does not:) I can't tell you how many times I've seen scratched fiberglass boats from owners who think the other scotch brite pads or soft scrub. Now, there's a product that is slightly greener, made from wood byproducts normally thrown away or used in some types of composite boards.

I tested this in place of the other pads I used to use, abrasive enough to help remove surface oxidation, but nylon woven fiber was soft enough to not scratch the shiny surface...I did a little spot, buffed thhe wax away and found not a scratch, then did a larger spot, still with no damage and surprisingly mean to stains and oxidation, these little pads work! They worked so well that I handed them out to my detailers and let them use. We now have a new product, though more pricy than the older pads I used, these are slightly greener...and definitely MEANER, without being destructive to anything but the bad stuff:)

Stay tuned for more design related projects soon...need good photos first!

New Pics off LOFT404 have been found and added to that posting, scroll down to see them!

I'm organizing things and found more pics of the interior and the people that made LOFT404 so memorable...also found the last flyer for the last event held there. Scroll down to the LOFT404 finally enjoying it section and check out many more pics...I'll keep digging for more! And thanks again for stopping by!

Azul Restaurant

We designed and built Azul Restaurant in Philadelphia.  We did the layout, built all of the furniture, bar, lighting, and color scheme.  

A little piece of Tesla, for only $90k?

Ok, one more green research item before getting back to design pics... I came across this car and company while researching racing electric engines verses gas...

http://www.teslamotors.com/

Ok, now onto next thing...those pics of Azul I finally had taken:) They are still unedited/touched but still great pics of a fun project and great little space

Its the Little things

I found this today on treehugger and was tickled ...green:)



















Check it out...maybe you need a little extra juice ...tell you neighbors...next thing you know, you've just turned your building green without even asking your lousy landlord for help:)

Here's the link:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/easy-install-affordable-solar-panels.php


Also.... if you want to know what to do here in the city of Brotherly Love...check out:

http://www.gophila.com/C/Things_to_Do/211/Top_10_Lists/663/Top_10_Ways_to_Go_Green_in_Philadelphia/392.html

...some of them are very "Duh!" but at least they are trying... I'll dig up some more clean, mean and green info bites soon!

and thanks for stopping by:)

Custom Loft Closet/Wardrobe

Ok, I know I shouldn't show the unfinished version, but I'm really only waiting on the 6" casters for these Room Divider/Waredrobe/Mobile Dressing room/Ambient Light Furniture...designed speecifically...for lofts:)

Stay tuned for the final pics, and shots with real live people to help with scale (yes a pair of shoes probably doesn't do the job;)

These are modular and can be connected sideways, in a straight line, in clusters and are also strong enough to support a platform on top...oops almost gave away next designs;)

Panels are made of extruded, UV blocking, super lightweight, translucent, polycarbonate and to help with moving and custom user configuration, the panels are held on with magnetic strips.

Height without casters is 68" but with casters will be 76". They can be made taller, but there's a method to my madness...stay tuned!

Custom-Multi Purpose Banquette

New projects on the table this month... It's a banquette, it's a stereo system, it's an expandable to queen size guest bed, it's storage and it's custom designed and built for a trinity (notorious Philadelphia style home with tiny floor plates, but 3 stories tall).

These drawers pull out and it turns into a bed.

Not picture- the whole unit lights up!

New News! Rough pics of 2 new furniture pieces:)

Hi Everybody, Finally after a way too long break from updates, I have new pics of 2 new furniture projects. First project is a double coffee table design for a relaxed modern home here in Philadelphia. The clients are actually the same guys from the 428 N 13th loft 'trick out' posted much earlier here.

Working with Toni Leslie on this project, we first tackled a design for the sitting room area where the new home came with a standard gas fireplace, but was seriously lacking in style and 'luv':) Toni loves stone, as do I, so we went with a design for a flagstone hearth and stainless steel fireplace design. To really go with the full range of materials, we went with crushed glass firebed where the flames dance just above the glass giving a 'fire and ice' illusion. At first we thought, nothing green about this project, but after completion and firing it up, we found the highly reflective surface of the stainless material to increase the efficiency of the fireplace at least 3 times that of the original. This turned the only mildly heat efficient fireplace into a center piece, sculptural and yet functional. The picture is rough, we are waiting for more proffesional shots soon. The area above the fireplace will soon have a very large painting, yet to be chosen...but I am partial to the works of a local and international painter Jung Wha Ahn...although there is a chance a sculptural piece might go there instead.


After the fireplace was finished ad installed, we then tackled furnishings for the space. Toni and I decided to go with a custom piece so we designed low Asian influenced modern coffee tables to be made of Zebrawood. This material has amazing colors that work very well with the design palate of the space. After finding the price of real solid Zebra wood to be almost insane, we then contacted Formica and asked for samples of faux finishes. We were delighted to find that they actually had a real zebra wood veneered laminated for a fraction of what the real stuff would cost.

I then sent clients some renderings of what the pieces would roughly look like and after approval, went to work making the tables out of MDF, then after painstakingly smoothing and flattening the surfaces to be excellent glueing surfaces for the laminate, began the careful process of skinning the pieces on an ebony laminate for bases and zebra for tops and sides.


I would mention to anyone going with these materials, that due to the laminate having real veneer, it acts like this and is easily chipped...yes I made a few small whoopses throughout the process but luckily had enough in scrap to redo when needed:) These pictures are also rough and we will have pro shots soon!