A walk on the beach

One of the classes I had last semester was a lighting class.   I certainly learned a lot and in some ways I am now cursed.   I am cursed because now not only do I immediately start evaluating the elements of design used in space I also immediately look at the lighting.  That ole brain of mine never stops working. 

I have always known that lighting can make or break a space and because of that it always intimidated me in terms of planning my room.  But now I am more informed and although I still have more to learn I definitely can figure out how much and what type of light is needed in a room.  I also know the difference between Kelvins and wattage or CRI and lumens ...... strange terms to be sure.    It was all like a foreign language to me but by the end of the semester I could walk into any lighting showroom and at least have an intelligent conversation. 

For the final project in this lighting class we had to develop a lighting plan for an entire house.   It was crazy fun because I really felt like I was actually designing.   The final project was made in a power point presentation to the class as though they were the client and I also presented to them a drafted lighting plan with binder that included all the lights, locations and of course all the specs.  That meant a separate sheet for every single light I had chosen for the house.   I had know idea at the beginning of the assignment how time consuming this was going to be nor did I realize the quantity of lights you need for an entire house.    Needless to say the submitted binder was big and included over 40 different lights I had chosen for the entire residence.   But like I said it was fun, fun, fun!!!

As with any good design it all started with a concept and I love to look to nature for inspiration.  So I looked to nature and chose a concept  "A walk on the beach".   I wanted the lighting in the house to evoke the feeling of a walk on the beach.   I chose to think of the different types of light you would see during the course of a day at the beach and to evoke that mood throughout the house.  

In the power point presentation I only had four slides but each slide presented a clear concept and a few examples of the actual light chosen.  

Wouldn't you like the lighting in your home to evoke the feeling of 

"A walk on the beach"

More color inspiration from Yosemite

Our visit to Yosemite was spectacular.   It was raining when we arrived to the valley and the vista below was breathtaking. 

An hour later the clouds parted as the sun came out and the colors of Yosemite grew ever vibrant.

We took a little hike through this meadow and then decided to partake in the Sunday Buffet at the Ahwahnee Hotel.  

The colors used in the main dining room of the Ahwhanee Hotel are colors inspired by nature.   The use of the pine green on the ceiling juxtaposed next to the hand hewn log trusses provided an atmosphere of natural elegance.

Yosemite and her colors filled my mind with many new potential color schemes. 

Here is the latest one which I think would look amazing on the exterior of a home.

Body

  

 

Shutter or Trim

 

Shutter or Trim

                                                            

Front Door

I think it is important to have a front door that gives an exterior of a home a sense of excitement and wonder.

Bring the sense of excitement and wonder you find in nature to your home.

The colors of Yosemite

Moving to the mountains has afforded me with many opportunities.   One of the luckiest things is all of the beautiful places within a very short distance.  Everyday I feel blessed to live in such an amazing area.  I will be sharing with you a series of places I have visited and the inspirational colors of nature.   I have such an affinity for color and it doesn't matter where I am but I am always intrigued by color and the combinations found in nature.   Nature never gets it wrong.  If you are having trouble picking a color scheme look to nature she can always provide you a direction. 

Yosemite is practically in my backyard.  It is truly a wondrous place that many people come from around the world to see.  There are jaw dropping vistas and above all spectacular color.  

Take a peak.

Benjamin Moore™2116-40 Hazy Lilac

Benjamin Moore™508 Tree Moss

Benjamin Moore™870 Mountainscape

More vistas and more spectacular color coming tomorrow.   If you are looking for ideas for your home don't forget that a color scheme is right outside your window.