Last week I was lucky to attend a function that hummed with expectation. Looking around the make-shift lecture hall within the pier facility, I noted the collection of people to be well informed residents, realtors, hospitality business men, museum representatives, shipping union heads, neighboring local government officials, preservationists, environmentalists,  [...]]]>

Existing Plan of Union Pier

Last week I was lucky to attend a function that hummed with expectation. Looking around the make-shift lecture hall within the pier facility, I noted the collection of people to be well informed residents, realtors, hospitality business men, museum representatives, shipping union heads, neighboring local government officials, preservationists, environmentalists,  the Charleston Mayor Joe Riley among others.

The presentation was made by Jack Robertson of Cooper Robertson & Partners.  Peter Rumell is the Developer Advisor.  Rawle Murdy is the Communication Outreach Representative.  Mr. Jack made an informative and exciting urban planning presentation in a North Eastern draw flavored with an Ivy League accent.  He was so passionate about idea that he frequently escaped the radius of the microphone and an A/V aid would have to chase Mr. Jack until he just unhooked the mic and gave it to Mr. Jack to hold.

Things noted that  Mr. Jack said:

This project is about: Traffic, Context, Scale, Valuable Land, A Reconnection to Water, A Historic Front Door, A New Terminal.

A key aspect is that pick-ups and drop-offs will occur withing Port Authority property.

Other important elements this considers are: Residential, Commercial, Hotel and Retail.

This site is surrounded by neighborhoods such as: The French Quarter, Helston Village, Mazyck Waggborough Garden and Ansonbough.

Main Streets and their Function within Charleston: King = Retail, Meeting Street = Hospitality, Market Street = Regional Arts, East Bay = Restaurants, Broad Street = Business & Government.

Streets Washington and Concord Street are being looked at as part of the drop-off and pick-up scenarios and they have more exploration to do to see the best solution.  Washington Street is a more straight forward solution while Concord presents an unique chance to create residential blocks around it.

The Port Authority is still in discussion with BMW, so it is unclear the time frame that this project  may be achieved.  (I am thinking this is a 15-20 plan.)

The Prize Key Element:  A Historic Front Door.  This is to be achieved by tearing down the warehouses along the river, restoring the street view to the river view.  The building most impacted with this restoration will be the Federal Customs House.  It will ultimately need a  dredging of the area in front of the  Customs House.

Unique smatterings of history,  which will most likely result in new books, museums (such as the African-American museum expansion) and tourism,  to be covered in this newly recaptured area are the stories of the private successful business owners and merchants who owned the slips along the river throughout history and the relationship with the African-American Mosquito Fleet who helped the big boats navigate and provide other essential services to those on the Ashley and Cooper River.

So that was my afternoon on February 9th.  It is going to be very exciting to watch this develop.  Hopefully, I can be a part of it.  Reopening vistas to the river and reclaiming the shore land will only enhance and expand residential offerings to the town. I believe it will make the downtown area more hospitable to both native and tourist alike steeped in Charlestonian history as always.

And a final note,  this project is a ONE SHIP PORT for origination and port-calls.  It needs to be able to handle the REAL luxury sized liners for a certain QUALITY of tourist who spends quality time in Charleston. They are the ones who will generate more business to the existing hospitality haunts when the ship needs to be turned around and restocked which allows the cruise ship patrons to explore, dine and overnight in Charleston whether they are waiting to embark or disembark or port-call visit.  I also believe that the City of Charleston and the Port Authority needs to keep the  weekend party boats, who party at a discount, to a minimum.

New Urban Plan of Union Pier in Charleston

Well, here we are, just  a day or two before the Christmas Eve.  And what an easy way to create an elegant centerpiece! A bag or two of cranberries, a dozen of green apples and a half a dozen red roses.  That should take some of the finishing stresses off the shoulders!

My last [...]]]>

Easy Centerpiece

Well, here we are, just  a day or two before the Christmas Eve.  And what an easy way to create an elegant centerpiece! A bag or two of cranberries, a dozen of green apples and a half a dozen red roses.  That should take some of the finishing stresses off the shoulders!

My last minute items included gift shopping/making,  wrapping and making a much abbreviated cookie list.  Favorites for others are raspberry brownies and apricot bars.  Easy appetizers: the family favorite of chili and current sauced meatballs.  New discovery: Scallops sauteed in sesame oil after marinating in a ginger teriaky sauce for two hours with sesame seeds and scallions on top.  Christmas Cards….I never was very good at them.  So I decided all older relatives who are not socially networked will still get theirs.  And important people who made my year always get little handmade gifts, personally delivered.  All others will get on via the web.  Now that is quick and GREEN too!  Only thing left to do which is always stress is to wrap the gifts for the little ones which has to happen when they are asleep.  So I think that should leave enough time to spend with friends and family who celebrate!

ECCE MUNDI GAUDIUM! ECCE SOLUS GENTIUM! VIRGO PARIT FILIUM! SINE VIOLENTIA! AVE, VIRGO, REGINA! DEI PLENA GRATIA!

Color of the Year 2010

Clients insist on quick overall success rather than perfect accomplishment of (small) task; Use technology to support an alternative process selection; Neutrals animated by bright touched of color; Saving the environment, especially water; Light Therapy; Colors that enlarge spaces; Luminosity/clarity/white washed; Shapes with indispensable thickness (volume). Fashion without constraint without [...]]]>

Kate in Ruling Class Blue

Clients insist on quick overall success rather than perfect accomplishment of (small) task; Use technology to support an alternative process selection; Neutrals animated by bright touched of color; Saving the environment, especially water; Light Therapy; Colors that enlarge spaces; Luminosity/clarity/white washed; Shapes with indispensable thickness (volume).
Fashion without constraint without cost: peer-to-peer, have it all right now with a fair price; need to feel involved as equal partners or even consultants of the brand; feels good to save money and create ‘outfits’ from eclectic array of garments; mixing textile and pattern; basic simple shapes that last over time; finishing or accessories must be original; invites consumers to vote for favorite; free samples; brand to express self rather than fool (storefront) for presenting products, audience fascinated by lively presence of images, colors-royal blue/acid green/bronze/grey/black/red, unlimited access to free fashion; maverick-against establishment/ acceptance of complexity/ become an individual, consumers in transit-new form of social ability is forming; new observation shows changing self awareness; new ecology is emerging (relationships/values and attitudes); tailor-made technology is the ultimate luxury item; technology that inspires a more personalized human dialog; invisible technology; getting back down to earth/raw talent/beauty; the real you (inner strength); revival of unsophisticated pleasures pushing limits of ordinary life; mass consumption is disappearing; personalization appearing; consumer wants to run with the crowd but must speak to the consumer as individuals; consumers need to be seen as unique; pampered, conscious consumption-strive for ethical enlightenment to guide buying decisions; desire and choice based on need; taste and conscious not simple extravagance; to be pragmatic and modest; remaining realistic while pursuing goals; consumer values for a better holistic global understanding; choice fatigue-too much endless product options has lead the consumer to choice fatigue; no longer value products that are low-end and short lived; product usage not just a possession but is a re-emerging axiom for the future-alternative trading/recycling/exchanging/bartering/free economy; alternative services-intelligent convenient solution services for niche markets; alternative marketing-non-consumption/no choice/no fairytale, exclusivity/limited editions-twice a year rollouts; one shot products with unique packaging in disruption with the visual codes of the brand-yet still decipherable as belonging to it; stay-cations, organizing-garages, bedrooms, linen closets.
Style-vision

Late May 2009, I had one of those family emergencies that changes daily life… for a very longtime. Since that discovery, I have been helping that elderly relative  regain her home by providing accessible space to assist in her rehabilitation and navigating various caregivers and the professional medical community. Without a doubt [...]]]>

Late May 2009, I had one of those family emergencies that changes daily life… for a very longtime. Since that discovery, I have been helping that elderly relative  regain her home by providing accessible space to assist in her rehabilitation and navigating various caregivers and the professional medical community. Without a doubt I can surmise that caring for an elder in the family is much more stressful than caring for a child.
Things that I learned:

Changing appliances out for new ones causes stress in an elder’s routine.  It might be user friendly but relearning buttons and programs is trouble with a capital T.  Have you ever heard term “Can’t teach and old dog new tricks”.

Bathrooms have to be considered very carefully….even if you design tons of them for a living.  I was so proud at putting in emergency call buttons and grab bars  only to be told by a PT to put in a transfer bench  and elder in question wanted another grab bar I had not considered.  Humbling.

American Medical Alarms Co. barely cover the scenarios in which I needed their help.  Please note  it is a ONE-WAY SYSTEM.  And  if elder presses button and announces it was a false alarm, the company DOES NOT CALL YOU….even if you request it.

And everything you do will change the natural habitat of the elder and will cause anger and frustration…at first…for a while…If  you are caring or designing for an elder who is a pack  rat you will change that space for safety and cause the whole house to NOT FEEL LIKE THEIRS.

Companion Care 24/7 averages about $13,000 a month.  Can I repeat that.  BREATHE TAKING…this  does not include the household maintenance bills.  Organizing for another to live as independently as possible can take from two to six hours a day.  And the days you have nothing going on ….all is well.  And the days you need to concentrate on say…a design project, a meeting, a daughter’s birthday….forget about it.  It is very hindering to a profitable life.

Synopsis: realize that specifications and ergonomics are not the only thing affected…the other factors are immeasurable and should be noted with frequency in all design guides/classes for Aging in Place.

A week before the Spring Holiday, I had an appointment set up to meet the designer who put the St. Helena’s Tour together. Living in Charleston and having parents in Beaufort, I offered to meet her in her town and she suggested this lovely little restaurant called Wren. Little did [...]]]>

Wren in Beaufort South Carolina

A week before the Spring Holiday, I had an appointment set up to meet the designer who put the St. Helena’s Tour together. Living in Charleston and having parents in Beaufort, I offered to meet her in her town and she suggested this lovely little restaurant called Wren. Little did we know that a spat of bad weather, a round of early morning lectures, an impromptu client meeting and a voice mail box that had yet to be set up on a fairly new cell phone (mine) would cause us a bit of confusion and no meeting!

Finding myself without an appointment, I called my parents and they had stopped their day to meet me at Wren to have a quick visit and a great lunch. I had a sandwich and some tea and they had wine and a dessert. (It was 2.20 pm by the time we were seated and they had had lunch already.) The desert ordered was a triple chocolate mousse that was just wonderful! (Mom shares a few bites with me.) If I get to go there again, I am saving room for that choco-treat!

The restaurant was surprisingly busy and bustling even on that dreary day. Many couples in Beaufort out and about enjoying a casual lunch tete-a-tete, in small groups or tucked in having a bar lunch while watching a game or a show with Gullah subtitles.

On the design side I felt that I walked into neutrally schemed, urban and sophisticated West Coast meets South Carolina farm. The drapes are of seagrass, rough hewn benches and mixed in with metal chairs of the forties or fifties sans the paint with drink tables that looked like they might have been in a wood workshop or a potter’s studio. These were set on a shiny floor of terrazzo with exposed brick walls and ceiling with metal trusses and HVAC systems in aluminum and steel. The pillows on the long bench and tall chairs were done in burlap. The lighting had the feel of utility and function accented in steel and glass. The bar seats also had a woven theme. At the entry, the table was wrapped in hemp rope displaying a minimal flower arrangement while the bistro seating, across the way was set up with wooden crossed-backed chairs and crisp white table clothes. The other side was more formal with banquet seating separated by the bar and kitchen from the bistro side holding a deli and a small collection of wine for sale as well as the restrooms. Behind the bistro area was a great big chalk board with the Wren logo drawn in chalk. Dare I ask the designer again and chose the same spot? I would really like to get that triple chocolate mouse all to myself while networking and talking design.

Entrance at Wren

Master Bath by Shannon Hall

The modern bath as we know it has roots in the Victorian Age with the introduction of indoor plumbing in the 1850’s. It was probably an existing room such as a small closet or bedroom adaptively reused with three components: the toilet, the basin and the bathtub. A [...]]]>

Master Bath by Shannon Hall

The modern bath as we know it has roots in the Victorian Age with the introduction of indoor plumbing in the 1850’s. It was probably an existing room such as a small closet or bedroom adaptively reused with three components: the toilet, the basin and the bathtub. A more modern fourth addition to the room is the shower. It was invented in Regency England around 1810.

The components of the twenty-first century bathroom?

This list is pretty breathtaking:

* tubs, sinks, washstands, showers, toilets, washlets urinals, bidets, bath fittings, sink fittings, shower fittings, bidet fittings, hand showers, sprays, shower stems, trims, flushers, cabinets, drains, ceramic, tile, stone, glass, grass, paper, slab work their edges, glasswork, towel warmers, grout colors, saunas, water therapy tubs, non-fog mirrors.
* The not so fun essentials: vents, radiant heat items, hot water heaters, water softening systems, reverse osmosis systems, grey water systems, composting systems, steam units, grouts, adhesives, backer boards, plumbing roughs and tube material, flanges, caulk, micro-finishes such as: Hydrotect, Ever Clean Surface, AlphaSan, SanaGloss, paint.
* Then you have the design factors: natural light, lighting calculations, color, layout, proportion, ergonomic factors of the end user, mounting heights, styles and themes either fantasy, modern or historic.
* And the eye candy feel good stuff: furniture, knobs, pulls, metal finishes, medicine cabinets, mirrors, shelves, towel bars, toilet paper holders, soap holders, toothbrush holders, cup holders, hooks, light fixtures-decorative, recessed, accent. Then there are: bathrobes, towels, bath mats, tub pillows, hampers, baskets, boxes, trays, waste bins, shaving mirrors, tissue holders, soap dispensers, soap dishes, carafes, glasses, jars, swab containers, toothbrushes, soaps gels, scrubbers, and even book stands for the tub…even recommended books for the bath!

Some of my favorite sources of inspiration:

Waterworks, Urban Archaelogy, Anne Sachs and Lefroy Brooks

This past weekend I did a short trip down to Beaufort for The Parish Church of  St. Helena Tour of Homes.  I was warned that it was to be more ‘historic’ rather than ‘decorated to the nines’ by someone involved in the project.   Personally, I was excited [...]]]>

Dr. Melodie Martini as Docent at Tombee Plantation

This past weekend I did a short trip down to Beaufort for The Parish Church of  St. Helena Tour of Homes.  I was warned that it was to be more ‘historic’ rather than ‘decorated to the nines’ by someone involved in the project.   Personally, I was excited about this as one gets to see the root inspiration and I was not disappointed and dove in deep!  The structures represented in this year’s show: Oaks Plantation, Coffin Point Community Praise House, Penn Center, Pine Grove Cottage, Hampton House, Brick Baptist Church, Chapel of Ease Ruins, Marsh Oaks-Summerall Gardens, Frogmore Manor, Fripp Plantation, Tombee Plantation, Fort Fremont, and Lands End Plantation.

We started the day with Penn Center in the Brick Baptist Church.  This was and still is the  most historically significant African-American educational and cultural center in the United States.  It was founded in 1862 by Laura Towne and Ellen Murray, life long partners and Yankee Unitarians.  This was one of the first schools to offer an academic education to the newly freed people.

Charlotte Forten memorial

Interior of Brick Baptist Church

Exterior Brick Baptist Church

Go figure, my favorite structure was the Ruins.   I loved the texture of the tabby and the surprise was the Fripp Tomb (empty) done in an Egyptian style.  I really am going to have to do a bit more research as to how many things Egyptian showed up in this area.  I am guessing it got it’s start at the late 1700’s and ran through the late 1800’s when England invaded and Egypt became a de facto protectorate.

Chapel of Ease Ruins

Fripp Vault at Chapel of Ease

Column at Chapel of Ease

Fence Detail at Chapel of Ease

Detail of tabby...Note: it also attracts the no-see-ums.

The next favorite was the Tombee Plantation.  This home was owned and restored by “Jim” Williams of Savannah- a central character in the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil….sadly, he was the only person in the state of Georgia ever to be tried four times for the same crime – the alleged murder of his assistant, Danny Lewis Hansford, on May 2, 1981, in Williams’s home, Mercer House.  The current owner (there was another owner in between these two) purchased the property in 2003 and did further improvements and redecorated it.  It was lovely!  Most ingenious was the use of washlets (besides being a usual luxury item,  I believe this item was used to cut down on the toilet paper being flushed in the cavatat system.) Another thing I enjoyed was seeing yellow roses dancing in water in a silver bowl.  And a surprisingly modern detail of tempered glass hung like a rolling barn door in one of the showers.  The kitchen was the best on the tour too.  They used a farm table and put it on bed stilts to get it to the proper height….it struck me as odd but overall it was a lovely kitchen.   On the way out one saw the garden with a lovely mermaid fountain….the guest house was charming too.

Tombee Plantation

Tombee Plantation

Tombee Plantation

Tombee Plantation

Tombee Plantation Garden Mermaid

My least favorite was the Lands End Plantation.  It was originally an eight bed hospital  for the garrison at Fort Fremont.  Today it is a private home to a family who has done extensive traveling and lived abroad for long time in England.  While their antiques and Asian rugs were stunning, the space felt odd and nicky-nacky and needed tons of wire management….It did have quite the impressive collection of medieaval helmets, knives and crossbows.  Kitchen needs definite attention too….with 70’s to early 80’s era detailing with a more modern looking back splash made of wallpaper in a cream square .5 cm grid stone pattern that looked like it was hand done…not to good effect.   I also thought the radiators could have had better cases as well.  Most of them were out in the open waging an aesthetic war on the antiques.  The most beautiful thing there was the view and a horse with a white face and a silver body galloping around his pen!  That said, one member in my group thought it as his favorite home….goes to show you that taste is very personal.  We did agree on the crossbow and the horse.

Lands End Plantation

Lands End Stables

Fort Fremont was another shining example of your taxpayer monies at work.  It was built in 1899 during the Spanish-American War.  Monies were authorized by the Harbour Fortification Defense Act of  1898… part of a 50 million dollar program.  This fort was the most useless because its cannons were never fired!

Fort Fremont

Fort Fremont

Fort Fremont

The Fripp Plantation had lovely grounds….and pecan orchards….Spooky looking.    I liked the Living Room’s woodwork and mantle painting by an itinerant painter in the Living Room.  Nice surprise.  Lunch was held here with  the Bedeston Choir and a catered lunch by St. Helena’s Catering and consisted of a seafood gumbo, tomato and cucumber salad, lightly fired shrimp, corn bread and a slice of pound cake with tea!  All was eaten on tables set up for oyster roasts.

Fripp Plantation Grounds

Fripp Plantation

Fripp Plantation

Frogmore Manor  Has an exciting green Dining Room with the most unusual chandelier….looked Italian Murano crystal.  I cringed as one of the “tourist” behind me actually picked up a china cup to look at the make!  It looked like bone china, gold edged with a green dragan motif.  Most unusual to me was a couch in the parlor that was original to the house.  I did a sketch and need to further research it.

Frogmore Manor

Frogmore Manor

A fun break from the homes was Marsh Oaks and was once part of Frogmore Plantation.  It has a wondrous garden  of live oaks, loblolly pines, three speared palmettos, red cedar, palms, hydrangeas, daffodils, day lilies, amaryllis and fruit bearing plants.  The house was a large Sears-Roebuck kit.

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Gardens

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Garden

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Gardens

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Gardens

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Garden

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Garden

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Garden

Marsh Oaks-Summerall Garde

I end this entry with  the tiniest building but had the most vibrant living history of all the places we visited.  It was the Coffin Point Community Praise House.  There are only three of its kind left.  Mary Rivers LeGree gave a wonderful presentation on this part of Gullah lifestyle!  These houses sprung out of necessity because the  slaves were taught religion but not allowed to attend the churches.   This modest house was where the Gullah slaves spent part of their time off.  Besides praying, they spent time  socializing and exchanging news and conversing in the Gullah dialect.  Slaves had one and a half days off per week.  Saturday was when they tended their own gardens, about an acre, to supplement their diet given to them by their owners.  They also had the creeks and the ocean for fish, crab and oysters.  Ms. Mary LeGree and friends sung us a few of the old songs while educating our group in the praise house.  She also explained to us the concept and result of Heirs Property.  If you were a freed slave of St. Helana and at the end of the Civil War, as part of Reconstruction, African Americans in the South either purchased or were deeded land. Much of this land was “bottom land” – too wet to grow anything but rice, too full of mosquitoes and snakes to be of value..  This property, subsequently got divided among the children, grand-children and great-grandchildren ans so on to this day…..free.  As long as you you can prove your decent you have land to call your own always!  So these areas were usually at the entrance or front borders of the plantations; and so today, you have trailers and sometimes small homes and even bigger homes….”if you did really well up north”  welcoming as you.  Very jarring to an outsider.   So if you were ever wondering why it seems a hodgepodge and no planning, now you know.

So, these Praise Houses were typically  occupied by the elder slave of the community.  They are small no more than 15 x 20.  Naively built and lacking any decoration.   We were a group of twenty and in there like sardines and with each added guest, the floor would sag and made you want to hold your breathe in fear for the floor supporting us.  But between the sags and the creeks and Ms. Mary’s passion and belief, one felt the need to donate to her cause of preserving the remaining Praise Houses left on the island.  This particular Praise house is thought to be one where Harriet Tubman of the Underground Railroad met with slaves.

Coffin Point Praise House and Margaret

Later on in the afternoon, we finished the day by going to Port Royal where there is a wonderful little resteraunt called Moon Doggies.  Yep.  They have a garden where your dog can have a run and a lunch too.  The fried pickles with horseradish sauce…One word. Yummy.