"Bless My Mess" - Billy Pope
Project Update | Beauty in Diversity
Upper King Design District | Design Walk Fall '10
From Calhoun to Spring, King Street stores will remain open late for shoppers and strollers with special events and adult refreshments. Most Upper King restaurants will have food and beverage events after 8:00 PM.
The Upper King Design District has quickly become the place to be in downtown Charleston with its unique blend of specialty retail shops, design showrooms and some of the most popular fine dining establishments on the peninsula.
This Fall's Design Walk will celebrate new businesses in the District including:
- ADAM
- Michael Mitchell Gallery
- MyPhoneMD
- Princess of Tides
Project Update {One Year Later} - Isle of Palms New Construction
Congrats Jamie McPherson - 2010 Southern Living Idea House
Photo by Tria Giovan for Southern Living |
Right Time, Right Place...Joel Parker Preview @ Scoop Studios
Artist Joel Parker |
In Town Living...
When you are planning for your future, especially when real estate is involved, long term trends should be a very important consideration. Nobody wants to buy a home in a future ghetto or design a space that is destined to be outdated in a few years. So here are my two cents on a major trend I see for the future of Charleston…PEOPLE ARE MOVING BACK IN TOWN!
As gas prices rise and people become generally more conscious of their carbon footprints and energy consumption, so rises the desire to live nearer the heart of town. No longer do you need a car to shop, or commute, and you won’t even need a treadmill to go for a walk. This has been a national trend for a while, especially since gas prices hit $4.50/gallon two summers ago, but here in Charleston we have more reason to expect this trend to really take off. We have critical mass on our side! FYI – critical mass is that point at which enough people get on board with an idea that the idea takes on a life of its own and begins to spread under its own power.
Let me explain how this works for us here in Charleston. As more people move downtown, or at least closer to it, more downtown business can be sustained. As more people move in and more business continue to open we eventually reach a point at which you can fulfill all your daily needs without being forced to leave the part of town in which you live. As more people bear witness to this type of lifestyle the trend really takes on a life of its own. We have certainly reached this critical mass point here. If you keep your eye open it is evident in almost every part of downtown – just look at the diversity of businesses, reemergence of corner stores, abundance of entertainment and recreation, density of interesting people walking the sidewalks, empty houses being restored, empty lots being developed, etc. etc.
So how does this affect your decisions? Impact your path through life? Well here are a few ideas...
I would consider planning a home in a part of town with higher density, and design your home to accommodate an increase in density in the coming years. If you are building or renovating seek out designers and architects who understand and emphasize efficient use of space, and energy efficiency. Consider lots and home sizes that are slightly smaller than that fantasy mansion you dreamed of as a child {click here to read recent post "The Incredible Shrinking House"}. Perhaps that will give you a better idea of what your real fantasy home might look like. After all the best home for you and your family might not be that same old home concept that has been advertised to us for so many years….
KSKC to Host High Cotton Chef Ramon Taimanglo
Charleston Cooks & Thermador Event!
Design on Tap Summer Clearance Sale!!!
The Incredible Shrinking House...
Charleston Home Sales Highest in 3 Years
KSKC Friends Named Charleston's Most Influential!!!
KSKC + Guerrilla Cuisine + Charleston Ballet Theatre = One Special Night
Hand Made Charleston Glass Tile + Designer Challenge
- Silver Tiles: Charleston Architectural Glass Studio could possibly be best known for their impeccably crafted Antique Mirror (Trust me, you've seen it if you've been out & about in Charleston - you just thought it was 300 years old). They have recently released a beautiful hand silvered 3"x6" beveled edge tile that carries over that talent of beautiful hand made mirror.
- Painted Tiles: Another great option is their custom back-painted beveled glass which can be mixed & matched with some great colors and configurations. In fact, if I recall our conversation correctly, I believe that this product is basically 100% customizable with an almost an almost endless variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.
New Team Members!!!
International "Good Design"
Ink Architecure One-Year Celebration!
Strangely enough I now have an overwhelming desire to design a new house! Anita? What exactly did you put in these cookies & more importantly, when can we start on my new house?!?! Can we start
tonight by any chance? ;-)
The party was great & the cookies really were super yummy!