Art and Architecture in El Salvador

El Salvador has a beautiful and unique aesthetic stemming from the fusion of indigenous styles with colonial influences.  Colors range from bright and vibrant to earth tones, which definitely express the diverse and beautiful colors of nature in the country.  The natural beauty of the country struck me and almost every view was absolutely beautiful!  It was so much fun to explore the country with my father.  Here are a few of my favorite shots of the sights:

I hope you enjoyed a small taste of El Salvador!  Can’t wait for my next trip.

Have a great day,

Habitat for Humanity Build in El Salvador

            I recently returned from a trip to El Salvador with my father with Habitat Humanity to assist in building a home for a lovely couple.  It was a truly rewarding experience to help make their dream for a new home a reality.  The couple we built a house for were absolutely delightful and we have became fast friends.  I have been so happy to email back and forth with them since my return!

My Father and I getting ready to leave for El Salvador

            It was a very interesting experience using different building materials more readily available in El Salvador.  And boy, did we work hard!  From hauling concrete to stamping down the flooring, I went home exhausted everyday from the job site.  There were a few local boys that came to see us everyday and gave us lots of laughs! I am so thrilled that I was able to be a part of the project and work with a really fun group of volunteers.  Here are a few pictures of our work in progress all the way to our finished project!

The whole team posing in front our finished house

The lovely couple who will be calling our work home!

            During my time in El Salvador I witnessed the resilience of the human spirit and was so impressed by the kindness and warmth my father and I received our entire trip.  We were truly welcomed wherever we went and had such a wonderful time getting to know our fellow volunteers and the locals!  

Have a great day,

Exploring Leather Wall Panels in Residential Design

            Earlier this week I attended a presentation given by Garrett Leather at Karen Saks and learned about some exciting ways to use leather in interiors and boy, are the creative juices flowing!  Garrett produces high-end, exquisite leathers for many different applications, from wall coverings, to decorative pieces, and flooring.  Leather gives such a rich, sophisticated to look to any space and with so many different styles to chose from, there is always one that is just right for any project.  Hair on hide is maintaining its popularity and I absolutely adore the colorations or splash of metallic that we are seeing in these products.  Here are a few of the swatches Garrett displayed:

            To better imagine what leather wall panels can truly bring to a space, here are a few applications of leather in residences that show the sophisticated and exciting versatility of leather wall panels. 

Mary Courville Design

E.B. Mahoney Builders

Quezada Architecture

            Could you see leather panels in your office or a feature wall in your foyer?  I would love to use some of these exciting products in a future project!

Have a great day, 

Remodeling your kitchen? Ideas for creating the focal point

            One of the hottest kitchen design trends in the past few years has to be the popularity of the range hood, which serves as a dramatic focal point in any kitchen.  From elaborate and traditional to fun and contemporary, there are so many choices to make the perfect range hood for your design.  There are also tons of exciting materials to choose from, whether it’s stone, metal, or brick, a range hood brings height to the kitchen and instant drama. 

Kitchen Design by Bunny Williams

Kitchen Design by Mick de Giulio

Kitchen Design by Rebecca Bradley

Kitchen Design by Scott Laslie

Kitchen Design by Victoria Hagan

Kitchen Design by Francois and Company

            I designed this range hood for a client and I am still in love with just how striking it is in the kitchen.  The hood is a custom copper creation that added the right amount of excitement and pizzazz in this space. 

            The range hood seems to be a trend that is here to stay and I am thrilled about that.  Regardless if you’re hosting a dinner party or just having friends over for a casual night, you always end up in the kitchen, so why not have something beautiful and fun to entertain you!
Which one of these range hoods is your favorite?

Have a great day,