Parkhill, Smith, & Cooper Office Buildings

            Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper was almost the first LEED certified building in west Texas. It was only by a few weeks that an Amarillo building beat them to it. Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper is not your average design firm. They have actually completed the very extensive LEED certification process while doing their part for the Lubbock environment.

            There are many impressive elements to their offices, however the one that stuck out the most was their system of organization. If you have ever worked with interior design, or taken on any similar project, you know that the workplace gets messy fast. So instead of having a single workroom space that the mess can be hidden in, these designers work right in their hallways so that they are forced to clean up after themselves. So far, the system has proved itself to work well.

            The office had many other impressive features such as the roof garden and the grass parking spaces. Not only is the inside of the building almost completely sustainable, but the outside is as well. A roof garden provides more oxygen for the city of Lubbock while being maintained with (until this year) only rainwater. The grass parking spaces allow more plant life, while also having a “net” to catch debris from the building before it is able to reach the streets.

            Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper would be a very interesting place to work, especially if you are a designer interested in LEED certification. However, I was surprised to learn that the design world is changing and our focus may be changing toward accommodating obese people. It will be interesting to see what is important to the clients of designers in the future.   

Jeff Seal Home Tour

Jeff Seal is a well-known homebuilder in the Lubbock area. However, his expertise has been called for in many other Texas cities such as Brownwood. These homes are nothing less than breathtaking. He is unique because his homes are far from “cookie cutter.” Each detail of the home is thought through to be a beautiful piece art. Even the functional aspects of his homes (doors, fireplace, ovens, refrigerators, etc.) are usually custom made because of an inspiration he or his designer had from something else. One of the most interesting things he shared was his inspiration from a trip he had taken that turned into a custom outdoor fireplace.

The first home he presented was French styled. There was no question about that. My favorite part of this home was the kitchen. Even though it wasn’t finished yet, I was already overwhelmed by how many beautiful details he was able to add before even putting in a table, chairs, and appliances. This kitchen had custom made wood furniture to display a television, beautiful light fixtures (that I would never imagine went along with the French style), a deep French sink, hidden refrigerator within the cabinets, and a brick herringbone patterned ceiling (my favorite). The beauty didn’t stop at the doors of the kitchen. He designed this house to have no backyard, but instead, a low-maintenance outdoor courtyard. This is the perfect solution for a retired couple that doesn’t want to worry about yard work. Yet the couple still has a cozy fireplace to sit by and enjoy the outdoors. Personally, I would like to see more of this in American homes, especially those with little to no backyards.

The second home he presented was beyond immaculate. Is it possible for a home to be too big? When driving up to the wooden structure, I was sure it was a hotel or some sort of commercial building. It’s not. It is a home built for a doctor and his family. This home was built out from both side of a huge dome entrance with wrap around stairs from a balcony. With the style inspired by a basilica church, it was completed with a prayer room. Yet many modern elements were also added, such as an indoor pool and two master suites.

            Jeff proved himself to be an extremely talented and creative homebuilder. He is an inspiration to those that may be afraid to think outside of the box. It would be an honor to receive the chance to intern or work with him as an interior designer.  

Custom Entry Door

Framed Dome Entrance

Learning Lunch

As mentioned before, Bryan Graham is an incredible designer. I can’t think of a better speaker for the interior design students of Texas Tech University. Lucky for me, I was able to attend the Learning Lunch for Design Day 2011. This was my first time to attend the learning lunch and my first time to hear from such a well-established designer.

Bryan Graham has done work in many areas of interior design, but is currently a furniture designer for Knoll in San Francisco, California. His appearance caught me off guard, but I was especially pleased to meet the designer whose furniture I had been using so much of in my own projects. Dr. Collier’s class had previously been working on an office for a businessman in the oil industry. For this project I found that the Knoll furniture fit this man’s modern taste well, while providing great functionality.

            What I thought was most interesting about Graham’s speech was the power point slides that showed how the function of an office changes as time progresses during the work day. I had never given that any thought and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the first designer to think of these situations with such logic. Now when shopping through Knoll furniture for future projects I keep these ideas in mind. For example: There is a desk that he designed that is able to change from a personal private desk into a conference table for five people within a matter of seconds. I am beyond impressed and hope that I may one day be able to apply such logic to my designs.

The conversation towards the end of the learning lunch between Bryan Graham and the seniors of the interior design program made me anxious to get the years rolling and start my profession. It was especially good to hear that even in this economy, there are still very good interior design jobs out there. Not only that, but it also made me realize how many different fields of interior design jobs there are, and like Bryan Graham, I don’t have to pick just one to be successful. 

Leftwich Chapman Flooring Field Trip

            This field trip showed me how incredibly behind I am in the world of flooring. Who knew that there are so many good options! Before the field trip, my flooring choices consisted of tile or carpet. Little did I know how impressive all the other options are these days. For example: wood, cork, laminate, and porcelain tile. 

The first thing that came as a shock to me was the cork flooring in the wood floor area of the store. All my life I have had major issues with my feet, my knees, and my back. I noticed a difference the second I stepped on to that cork floor in the relief of pressure there was on my body. Then and there I knew that would be a definite purchase for my future home.

The second thing I was amazed by was what they are able to do with tile now. They have come out with an actual tile that could easily be mistaken for wood. This is a perfect solution to the common durability problem with using wood in kitchens and in bathrooms.

The third thing I noticed was the how incredible laminate flooring is getting with all the new technology in cameras. They are actually able to print High Definition images onto these floors. This does wonders for what they are able to do with laminate. No longer to I see laminate as the worst choice possible, because it easily fooled me into thinking I was standing on a real wood floor. This is a giant leap for the world of commercial interior design simply because of the durability these floors provide.

Not a lot is going on in the world of carpet except that it is still beautiful. Technology has taken a small hit at carpet with brands like Stain Master that are able to practically eliminate the possibility of stains. Yet still the softest carpet is the best carpet in my eyes.

This is my favorite field trip that we have been on so far. The owner was awesome and taught me a lot of things that I could use in the future when suggesting materials to my clients, or even just purchases I want to make in my own home. I’m glad to know that such a store exists and I plan to go back in the future.