What is “Mood Lighting”? Well, imagine the following scenario: You are expecting friends around for an in¬formal dinner, and let’s assume that you will be dining in the kitchen. First you have to prepare the starter and main course and then tidy up and lay the table. During preparation and cooking you will need good, strong, ambient lighting. Tidying up and lay¬ing the table could be performed with softer, ambient lighting. When your friends arrive, it would be cosier to have an aperitif under incidental lighting, perhaps with wall-washes (wall lights pointed at the walls). The meal could be enjoyed perhaps with soft lighting, accented with a couple of candles. Time to prepare the dessert and coffee: well, just light the relevant work surfaces, without upsetting the overall mood. A number of lighting scenes have been created in this example through subtle use of lighting. These scenes (moods) can be changed simply by flicking a light switch or pressing a button on a remote. “Intelligent” lighting systems can be pre-programmed so that you can re¬call a specific scene easily, promoting the exact mood you wish to convey. These lighting systems can be used in any or all rooms in the house. One of the greatest benefits of these systems is that you can create moods, irrespective of the wiring set-up in your home. The following photos uses examples of different settings from our own self build.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Home Design Rules of Thumb
Recently a friend asked me to help him figure out the proper size for a family room addition he was designing for himself. He was looking for a rule of thumb that would guarantee a comfortable, "architecturally-correct" space - a short cut to a good design. He wanted access to the magic formulas that we apply in our practice. "C'mon," he said, "let me in on the secrets."
That got me thinking about how a blank sheet of paper ends up with a house design on it, and how we assure ourselves that what we've drawn turns out as we expect it to when it's built.
That's a scary prospect for a client - how are they ever sure that the representations they see on paper, on the computer screen, and in model form will really end up as their dream home?
Buying a car or an existing home is far less risky - you can test drive a car first and you can walk through an existing home. But it's quite a leap of faith to commit to the design and construction of a new home. You just don't know exactly what you've got until you've got it.
For those reasons I've great respect for the people who walk through our door. They're usually crossing into uncharted territory, are willing to turn over control of their dream to someone they barely know.
But what about those rules of thumb - the ones that we design professionals keep secret from the public? The truth is that although there aren't any hard-and-fast, black-and-white architectural edicts, there are a number of important concepts that help in determining the comfort and utility of most residential projects.
The first of these is research. And this is, perhaps, a bit of a secret. Before any meaningful design work can begin on any kind of architectural project, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of the problem. It starts with documenting the physical context - the site, existing structures on and near the site, the views, the climate, slope of the site, solar orientation, etc., because really good architecture responds to its environment. The project budget and schedule are likewise thrown into the mix.
The other part of the context is less tangible, the context of the client's dreams and desires. And although some clients bring to the table great volumes of information about what they want, most need some nudging to help express and articulate what's been bouncing around in their heads.
So Rule Of Thumb Number One is: Good research leads to good design. Profound? Not really, but certainly essential and often underutilized.
Rule Of Thumb Number Two: Start Slow. This can be an agonizing prospect for the client who's been thinking about their new home for months - planning, dreaming, collecting ideas, visiting other homes and generally gearing up to get started on the design.
But the potential danger is in arriving at a solution too soon. As a design begins appearing on paper, it becomes more "real" and, in the client's eyes, more difficult to change or even discard completely. A slow start means keeping the design "loose" and deferring any irrevocable decisions until a number of different possibilities have been explored.
Rule Of Thumb Number Three: Design From The Inside Out. This is a big one, and perhaps the most often abused. Good design fits the use, not the other way around. This can be something as small as making sure that a bedroom fits a king-size bed, or as large as deciding whether you really need a dining room, living room, and other "formal" spaces in the house. The intended use of space and particular manner in which the occupants will use it should be the primary consideration in the designing the shape and character of any house.
Whether you're working with a design professional, or trying your own hand, keep Rule Of Thumb Number Four in mind: Ask Questions Early and Often. Part of the Architect's job is to be sure that the design drawings adequately communicate the intent of the design to you, but you've got to let him know what you don't understand. There are a lot of design tools available to help make the design more "real" including computer models and physical models, and the more you make use of these, the more you'll understand the design and be able to predict what the "real thing" will be like.
So that's what I told my friend with the inquiring mind. He took a little more time to explore how his family would use the room, even moving his furniture out onto his back lawn to figure out how much space he really needed. The result was a somewhat smaller family room than he'd imagined, but one that was more useful. But still he wasn't sure he'd been allowed a big enough peek behind the curtain. "C'mon," he said, "let me in on the real secrets."
Richard L. Taylor, AIA is a published author and recognized expert in Residential Architecture. He is President of Richard Taylor Architects, a 5-person firm in Historic Dublin, Ohio. Residential Architect | Luxury Home Plans
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Taylor,_AIA
That got me thinking about how a blank sheet of paper ends up with a house design on it, and how we assure ourselves that what we've drawn turns out as we expect it to when it's built.
That's a scary prospect for a client - how are they ever sure that the representations they see on paper, on the computer screen, and in model form will really end up as their dream home?
Buying a car or an existing home is far less risky - you can test drive a car first and you can walk through an existing home. But it's quite a leap of faith to commit to the design and construction of a new home. You just don't know exactly what you've got until you've got it.
For those reasons I've great respect for the people who walk through our door. They're usually crossing into uncharted territory, are willing to turn over control of their dream to someone they barely know.
But what about those rules of thumb - the ones that we design professionals keep secret from the public? The truth is that although there aren't any hard-and-fast, black-and-white architectural edicts, there are a number of important concepts that help in determining the comfort and utility of most residential projects.
The first of these is research. And this is, perhaps, a bit of a secret. Before any meaningful design work can begin on any kind of architectural project, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of the problem. It starts with documenting the physical context - the site, existing structures on and near the site, the views, the climate, slope of the site, solar orientation, etc., because really good architecture responds to its environment. The project budget and schedule are likewise thrown into the mix.
The other part of the context is less tangible, the context of the client's dreams and desires. And although some clients bring to the table great volumes of information about what they want, most need some nudging to help express and articulate what's been bouncing around in their heads.
So Rule Of Thumb Number One is: Good research leads to good design. Profound? Not really, but certainly essential and often underutilized.
Rule Of Thumb Number Two: Start Slow. This can be an agonizing prospect for the client who's been thinking about their new home for months - planning, dreaming, collecting ideas, visiting other homes and generally gearing up to get started on the design.
But the potential danger is in arriving at a solution too soon. As a design begins appearing on paper, it becomes more "real" and, in the client's eyes, more difficult to change or even discard completely. A slow start means keeping the design "loose" and deferring any irrevocable decisions until a number of different possibilities have been explored.
Rule Of Thumb Number Three: Design From The Inside Out. This is a big one, and perhaps the most often abused. Good design fits the use, not the other way around. This can be something as small as making sure that a bedroom fits a king-size bed, or as large as deciding whether you really need a dining room, living room, and other "formal" spaces in the house. The intended use of space and particular manner in which the occupants will use it should be the primary consideration in the designing the shape and character of any house.
Whether you're working with a design professional, or trying your own hand, keep Rule Of Thumb Number Four in mind: Ask Questions Early and Often. Part of the Architect's job is to be sure that the design drawings adequately communicate the intent of the design to you, but you've got to let him know what you don't understand. There are a lot of design tools available to help make the design more "real" including computer models and physical models, and the more you make use of these, the more you'll understand the design and be able to predict what the "real thing" will be like.
So that's what I told my friend with the inquiring mind. He took a little more time to explore how his family would use the room, even moving his furniture out onto his back lawn to figure out how much space he really needed. The result was a somewhat smaller family room than he'd imagined, but one that was more useful. But still he wasn't sure he'd been allowed a big enough peek behind the curtain. "C'mon," he said, "let me in on the real secrets."
Richard L. Taylor, AIA is a published author and recognized expert in Residential Architecture. He is President of Richard Taylor Architects, a 5-person firm in Historic Dublin, Ohio. Residential Architect | Luxury Home Plans
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Taylor,_AIA
Construction Equipment Basics
Cranes, excavators, loaders, and any other large equipment you might find on a construction site are considered construction equipment. While some of you might see construction equipment as hammers, saws, and other smaller items they are in fact construction tools. Are you looking for some construction equipment to help you with your next job? If so you need to know a little bit about the equipment available.
Cranes: You can have many types of canes from the all terrain hydraulic crane, to the boom truck. A boom truck is a piece of construction equipment that has a flat bed with a crane on it rather than a smaller cab for the crane with tracks. This crane system can be used to haul the material as well as move the crane about while hydraulic cranes tend to need a trailer and then roll off to be placed on the ground. These types of cranes tend to rotate 360 degrees.
Excavators: These are consider bobcats, and backhoes of the construction equipment. The size you will need is again dependent upon the job you will have. Most construction companies have a variety for the type of work and land they will have. Bobcats usually work out well when you have a little job, where as backhoes are great for digging larger holes.
Loaders: The are also many types of loaders from a front end loader to a wheel loader. Loaders are often seen used for road construction as well as other construction jobs. These are tractors that have a bucket on the front and use a hydraulic system to raise the bucket and dump the material either in a dump truck or off to the side.
Construction equipment is important whether you work on housing sites or road construction. The equipment you choose will depend on the type of work you do and will also be determined by the terrain you work on.
Phil Nichol writes for a number of construction, remodeling and home improvement websites. For more detailed information on construction equipment such as loaders, excavators and backhoes please click on the links. There you will find articles and resources to help you with any construction project you are planning including a guide to specific construction equipment manufacturers and the pros and cons of buying new versus used construction equipment, as well as specific details of which pieces of heavy equipment you should use for which job. Visit: http://bestconstructionequipment.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Nichol
Cranes: You can have many types of canes from the all terrain hydraulic crane, to the boom truck. A boom truck is a piece of construction equipment that has a flat bed with a crane on it rather than a smaller cab for the crane with tracks. This crane system can be used to haul the material as well as move the crane about while hydraulic cranes tend to need a trailer and then roll off to be placed on the ground. These types of cranes tend to rotate 360 degrees.
Excavators: These are consider bobcats, and backhoes of the construction equipment. The size you will need is again dependent upon the job you will have. Most construction companies have a variety for the type of work and land they will have. Bobcats usually work out well when you have a little job, where as backhoes are great for digging larger holes.
Loaders: The are also many types of loaders from a front end loader to a wheel loader. Loaders are often seen used for road construction as well as other construction jobs. These are tractors that have a bucket on the front and use a hydraulic system to raise the bucket and dump the material either in a dump truck or off to the side.
Construction equipment is important whether you work on housing sites or road construction. The equipment you choose will depend on the type of work you do and will also be determined by the terrain you work on.
Phil Nichol writes for a number of construction, remodeling and home improvement websites. For more detailed information on construction equipment such as loaders, excavators and backhoes please click on the links. There you will find articles and resources to help you with any construction project you are planning including a guide to specific construction equipment manufacturers and the pros and cons of buying new versus used construction equipment, as well as specific details of which pieces of heavy equipment you should use for which job. Visit: http://bestconstructionequipment.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Nichol
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