Watercolor Chairs

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Kate Snyder

I made a promise to myself this summer to spend more time creating, doing, immersing myself in some of my old, favorite hobbies I loved as a kid. If you remember, this summer I talked a lot about the passions you have as a child and how they never really go away – and they’re a great indicator of what you should do now.

Enter the watercolor thing.

New art, Circa 2015

I started doing these watercolor exercises two years ago in a Rendering class, where we learned how to paint the textures and nuances of furniture. We traced chairs and other pieces from old design magazines, then rendered them in color however we chose.

It was a blast. There was something exciting about how different each rendering can appear based on how the paint dries on the page. And for a non-committal soul like me, there’s something gratifying about placing color on paper, letting it dry into its final form without playing with it too much, watching different shadows and textures take shape.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, how much I enjoyed creating these little studies and thought, why don’t I do this more? Well, I know why. It’s obligations, chores on my to-do list, and the ebb and flow of life in general that can pull one away from something that’s so simple but can be deeply gratifying.

But I just realized I’m not OK with that, and here’s why. I just finished Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, which serendipitously talks about living a more creative life. We’re all creators, she hypothesizes, and we come from a bloodline of people who have made things with their hands for thousands of years. Just because we don’t use those gifts everyday doesn’t mean they’re not there, waiting to be acknowledged and put to use.

The advice struck me, hard. The fact that you can live a more creative life solely because it feels good, is liberating. That you can pursue it not for career change, not for fame or recognition. But for you, the artist’s sake, exploring your curiosity and creativity solely because of the joy it brings you.

My favorite morsel from Gilbert is this: “You might spend your whole life following your curiosity and have absolutely nothing to show for it at the end – except one thing. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you passed your entire existence in devotion to the noble human virtue of inquisitiveness. And that should be more than enough for anyone to say that they lived a rich and splendid live.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

So selfishly, I’m creating these studies for the sheer enjoyment they bring me, posting them here to hold myself accountable. Chairs are fun! But so are landscapes, trees, and hell, maybe vegetables. I hope you enjoy them. But most importantly, I enjoyed creating them. And that’s what matters most.

Residential Design Project

Posted on June 21, 2015 by Kate Snyder

I love a good DIY project. There’s something gratifying about sanding, painting, and just plain getting my hands dirty. But if I ever want to work with “real” people one day to make the most of their spaces, some more hands-on learning needs to happen.

That’s where my classes at NYSID fit in. I just wrapped another semester, where I’ve been chipping away at a degree in interior design. While it’s exciting to create spaces for my own home, or sketch out floor plans for friends, the classes give me structure and training for tackling real-life client demands. And I do love me some structure.

Loft with “Floating” Kitchen

But yes, my day job in digital media is still very much in tact, and I love it. But switching gears at night and tapping another side of my brain is exhilarating. But hard. And humbling. I’ll go from knowing a good deal about media during the day….to rolling up at class at night, feeling like a greenhorn undergrad just getting her sea legs.

But I’m learning. And like any good student, I have my little sketches to prove it. We completed two big projects this semester, envisioning spaces for “faux” clients. The first was a Dumbo loft I designed for a NYC transplant finding her roots in the city after relocating from the south. (Imagination seems to be a definite prerequisite).

Over the course of 5 weeks, I carved out a 30′ x 120′ space into specific rooms, paying homage to my client’s woodsy roots and the surrounding neighborhood. Reclaimed wood mixes with more industrial materials inspired by the neighborhood, like steel and brick. They all come together in my favorite feature, a “floating” kitchen (below) that brings the elements together, with openings to allow light to permeate the space.

Our final project was a full house, two floors of empty space that needed to accommodate two people “aging in place.” I remember moaning to myself imaging a space fit for old folks, complete with shower handlebars and hospital-like touches. But it was a refreshing exercise, and we learned that accessible design can be both functional and beautiful.

Living Room with Water View

My space for two 60+ roomies, situated on the water, and positioned to make the most of the natural light. For inspiration, I pulled from their nautical pasts. Some rooms (like the one above) were designed to evoke the feeling of being on the airy, upper deck of a boat. Others were designed to feel like the cozy inner cabins, maximizing space and providing lots of storage.

Wall of built-ins

The full exercise required we choose inspirational images to dictate our designs, as well as all furnishings, fixtures and fabric palettes to round out each room. A full look at each design board below. Ahoy!

Inspiration Images + Floor Plan, 1st Fl.

Site Plan + Floor Plan, 2nd Fl.

Living Room Drawings + Materials

Bedrooms + Office Materials

Sitting Room, Kitchen Drawings + Materials

Fabric Palette

My parents, my clients

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Kate Snyder

My parents are building a house at The Jersey Shore where they plan to spend their post-retirement years. It’s not so much in Snooki territory, but in a calmer, more peaceful hamlet in South Jersey.

After 9 months: progress! They are getting pretty close to their move-in date, and there are finally walls up and floors down so we can get cracking on the interiors. I’ve been scooting down there on weekends to see how they’re coming along and to lend my two cents (my favorite part!)

The biggest challenge in their case (and in any case where you’re envisioning a space that has yet to be built) was trying to get a sense of how the interior would come together, especially when they had only architectural plans to look at. So this summer, to give them a sense of how the end product could look, I took on the living room as my pet project.

I drafted up a floor plan and suggested furniture layout, and converted it to a perspective (below). I wouldn’t say I was given 100% free reign. My mom had some solid ideas of what she wanted (and excellent taste, I’ll add): a navy color palette punched up by a few accent colors, grounded by natural fabrics and woods. But it was fun to start with a semi-blank canvas. Here’s what I came up with:

Living Room (perspective sketch)

Living Room (watercolor)

My dad wanted a large sofa facing the fireplace, but I drafted up an alternative option: two smaller sofas facing each other, both with good access to the fireplace (OK, OK…TV). I always love this arrangement because it’s more conducive to socializing and doesn’t block off the rest of the room, which flows into an open dining/kitchen area.

We set out to pick a pale neutral gray paint color and chose Agreeable Gray by Sherwin Williams, then ordered the basics: the two medium length Carlisle sofas from Pottery Barn, a customized wide ottoman upholstered in a navy flame stitch ikat fabric, and we’re still all over the place with the carpet (don’t ask). We also chose a Minwax stain equal parts Jacobean and Dark Walnut for the floors.

As of now, here’s how it looks:

The floors will be stained this week, with furniture arriving shortly after. And I’m jonesing to make use of my felt furniture sliders (really important for protecting wood floors) and get the sofas perfectly placed. Once the pieces are in, we’ll think about side chairs, art work, and accessorizing with some “room jewelry” like lamps and sparkly things. Trip to Homegoods, anyone??