Thursday, June 24, 2010

Chad Parkinson Envy


This green onyx bathroom is one of the most spectacular rooms I have ever been in. Ivory Bill did the layout and design and Chad Parkinson (Ivory Bill Alumnus) and our talented friend Will made the actual magic. They are meticulous about every intersection and every joint. In the shower (pictures coming soon to the website) they used a slab of onyx to make a seamless bench. The ledge around the lower edge of the shower is also seamlessly cut from a slab as well as all door frames and windows. Ivory Bill made the walnut vanity with subtle relief carving. The clients chose a nice lighter onyx for the top and backsplash for contrast.


A note here too about the contractor Devan Thompson of Harrow Construction (Idaho Falls.) He did a colossal amount of work tearing out the existing bathroom, reconfiguring it, making calculations about the weight, sourcing all of this beautiful stone and making the whole thing come together wonderfully; including doing a lot of the finishing touches. The design dictated that there be a plaster cove above the top shelf where the onyx ended so that the light wouldn't end in a sharp corner, but would instead bend up into the ceiling, creating a smooth transition from wall to ceiling. Devan made that happen too.


When the clients told me that they wanted floor to ceiling stone, I was worried that it would end up a little too over-the-top. Now, having seen the finish, I don't feel that way at all. In spite of the lavish materials it escapes being overdone or gaudy. It is instead an intriguing space with much that is beautiful to look at and from many different angles.

And so I am envious. Chad (& Co.) have made a great contribution to the nearly extinct virtue of excellent craftsmanship and beautiful, timeless design.

Monday, June 21, 2010

at home


The table and chairs are resting contentedly in their new home next to the bench in the breakfast nook. The clients informed me that they are screening guests before inviting them to sit down in case they have too much scratchy bling on their jeans. I am flattered.

mosaic installed

I'll have some higher quality pictures of this on the website, including the whole fireplace, but for now...
Be sure to click on the image and zoom in all the way. You can see how the light hits each facet differently causing little flashes of light to bounce off in several directions at once. It is really exciting to see in person because as you move toward the mosaic the light blinks on and off of the surface at inviting intervals.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Chair + Fine Finish


After a few weeks and lots of anticipation the finisher called to say that the table and chairs were ready! The finish turned out perfectly, the chairs are velvet to the touch. Thank you Michael Ensign. We do a lot of finishing ourselves, but when a piece needs to be superhuman, Michael is our man.

Let me take you on a tour: