From Janet:
I used to pass architect and furniture designer Roy McMakin’s studio in Seattle’s Madrona neighborhood every morning on my way to fetch coffee. I always had to stop to ogle his whimsical designs, which magically blend traditional and modern without being precious. I especially admire his kitchens, which usually feature ample open shelving, stainless steel countertops and fixtures (to recreate the look, consult our piece on Stainless Kitchens), and sparkling white cabinetry, punctuated with a great splash of color. The details—a single painted white drawer on a dark wood cabinet, for instance—add to the viewing pleasure. See more of McMakin’s work at Domestic Architecture.
March 20th, 2008
Related posts:
- Architect Visit: Steven Holl Kitchen
- Kitchen: Mixed Media
- Kitchen: Favorite Rooms
- Architect Visit: Jerome Buttrick Kitchen
- Architect Visit: Annabelle Selldorf
From Julie and Janet:
Wyoming-born, Seattle-based, and San Diego and Portland–educated Roy McMakin takes a decidedly Western approach to furniture design. Despite the fact that he was chosen to design pieces for Richard Meier’s rigorously modernist Getty Center in the 1990s, he remains a traditionalist—with a spin. His pieces are deceptively simple; peer closer, however, and one detects an almost subversive spirit: the pair of slat-back ocher chairs below, for instance, is subtly detailed in gradated stripes. McMakin’s solid and significant furniture pieces are handmade in his studio (and fetch high prices); go to Domestic Furniture to view examples.
Recreate the look with vibrantly colored chairs: either from the sources below or with a DIY version of your own creation.
Below: Maine Cottage Furniture makes heavy and well-proportioned dining chairs that are available in 40 different colors. The Cokie Chair, shown in white and hot lime, is $490.
Below: The Maine Cottage Furniture Boothbay Chair, shown below in mango (L) and bark (R), is $290.
Below: The Maine Cottage Furniture Cokie Counter Stool is $490; copy McMakin and order it in gradated colors.
Below: One of our favorite chairs, part of the Cain Collection by designer Seth Eshelman for Staach, is made of sustainably harvested wood and comes in nine colors. Available in sets of two from Design Public, starting at $380 a pair.
Below: Ikea’s Norvald chair, $69.99, is available in black, white, and red.
Below: The Skew Bar Stool is available in red or white; $129 at CB2
Below: Take the DIY route with Ikea’s Bosse bar stool for $39.99 (L) and Olle Chair in birch (R) for $29.99, also available in black. McMakin favors Fine Paints of Europe’s Hollandlac Dutch Enamel; visit their site for color ideas.
March 20th, 2008
Related posts:
- Furniture: West Elm Chair
- Dressed-Up Dressers
- 10 Easy Pieces: Dining Chairs Under $160
- Furniture: Ercol Originals
- 10 Easy Pieces: Cafe-Style Outdoor Seating
From Sarah:
Great idea for obtaining an instant rustic look. British interior designer Jane Cumberbatch suggests lining wooden strips to the wall to obtain the look; see more of her ideas at Pure Style.
March 20th, 2008
Related posts:
- Windows, Floors & Walls: Ann Sacks Paccha Tiles
- Update: Jasper Morrison Crate Controversy
- Architect Visit: Jerome Buttrick Kitchen
- Magnetic Attraction
- Design Voyeur: Great Bathroom
From Julie:
This Clarion Farmhouse Drainboard Sink is clean-lined and classic; with no “ye olde” flourishes; $1,539 at Vintage Tub and Bath. The same sink in a Wall-Mounted Version is $1,329.
March 20th, 2008
Related posts:
- Kitchen: Utility Sink
- Bath: Back to Black
- Slow Design: Eleek Sink
- Bath: Children’s Sink
- Kitchen: Marble Sink
