So this is the second in an on-going installment of things I think are cool. Whenever I find something that stops me down and gets me to say ‘cool’, I stick it in a post. Once I hit enough things that are cool, the post will go out. If you have something that you’ve come across, feel free to send me the links and I’ll check them out. It would be nice to figure out who some of the readers are that read Life of an Architect, even if they do want to stay in the background. You can send me your nominations and links:
bob (at) lifeofanarchitect (dot) com
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Jean Marie Drouet is an artist in France and has a blog title ‘Life Sketcher’ and it is one of the sites I regularly swing by (despite the fact that I don’t speak language…. I just speak the international language…).
The recent paintings of Jean Marie Drouet frequently focus on family life and the beach (Jean Marie is currently the “brand ambassador for a line of outdoor lifestyle inspired clothing line – Hoalen, also worth checking out). They have this great washed and aged look, amazing color intensity, and great composition – very nice balance and I really like that he doesn’t feel the need to fill that canvas. I would love to have one of these in my house – so awesome.
I also really enjoying looking at sketches – these are what originally drew me to his work. The sketches that I am most enthralled with are process sketches that help clarify a direction or formulate an idea. Either way, I really enjoy Jean Marie’s work and think you will too.
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Wood Wool Insulation Boards
A panel made of thin mineralized fir wood-wool bound with white Portland cement. This product is sometimes referred to as spaghetti insulation boards. It’s pretty retro looking but it has excellent acoustical properties and it’s appearance allows it to be left untreated and exposed. Not always easy to find so you’ll have to ask your own local distributors (or call an Acoustician for possible local resources).
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Butterfly Chair = $218 includes choice of canvas colors slip covers. You can choose from the classic canvas fabric or the stand up to the elements ‘Weather Weave”. (replacement covers are $43) or you can pony up and get the really nice vinyl weave covers for $55 (ps – I have the vinyl weave covers in white and they are the coolest).
Arabescato Corchia from Italy
I really enjoy using white marble for counter tops, and since so many of my color schemes use dark wood woods like walnut, the statuary white marbles look fantastic. It also provides a great break between the counter top and the upper cabinets giving me great flexibility in choosing a colorful tile back-splash.
I have to say that choosing marble by name gives me tired head on the highest order – the same marble can go by several different names. For example, Bianco Carrara Brouille can also go by the names: Statuario Extra, Venatino Extra, or simply carrara (to make it even worse, sometimes it is simply called white marble). When it comes time to choose your marble, go directly to supplier you will be using and pick out your slabs – don’t leave it up to the fabricator. It’s worth the extra hour commitment we even meet the fabricator on site with the templates so that we are choosing what portion of the slabs are being used. (bring on the 500 comments from the stone people…)
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CrazErasers Collectible Puzzle Erasers by Iwako USA
Locally available loads of places but I know you can get them at Michaels for $1.00.
I wrote a post on these totally cool Japanese erasers (here) called CrazErasers Collectible Puzzle Erasers and was surprised that as many grownups (like me) thought these things were awesome. Therefore…. they are Cool Things.
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FSB 1076 ST lever (stainless steel with rosette back plate)
According to to FSB, the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens designed several residential buildings in Paris in the 1920’s. It is likely to have been Robert Mallet-Stevens who hit upon the idea of splitting a round tube in two and mitring the ends back together again at right angles. This style is now known as the “Frankfurt model” – there’s a simple reason for this being so: the handle was rediscovered when the Architecture Museum was built and this handle proceed to become wildly popular, taking the market by storm.
I have these in my house (as evidenced in the photo below) and they are by a mile the nicest door hardware I have ever owned. Smooth action, quiet, sturdy, and because I got them in the stainless steel finish, they are completely maintenance free (peanut butter or melted cheese wipes right off).
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Love your collection of cool things. We must think alike (some ;_) ) ….we use butterfly chairs in the woods for relaxing back! Love the marble. I try to get my clients to think dark, light and middle tones when selecting for their kitchen and encourage them to choose the light tone for the countertop – so it doesn't soak up all the light – and those colorful tile for the backsplash! Love the door handle – perfect for universal design – of course, you aren't old enough to worry about that!