Outside pillows are my favorite thing right now for brighting the outdoor environment. Outdoor living has widely progressed over the past decade. We are starting to see more and more products to use when designing a space. This detail is so easily interchangeable to bring color to the outdoors. Remember, always bring the inside interior to the outdoor living environment. This extention of the indoors will complete a harmous transition line for the two spaces. You can choose pattern or solids to achieve any new look. Have fun! Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Outdoor Pillows
Outside pillows are my favorite thing right now for brighting the outdoor environment. Outdoor living has widely progressed over the past decade. We are starting to see more and more products to use when designing a space. This detail is so easily interchangeable to bring color to the outdoors. Remember, always bring the inside interior to the outdoor living environment. This extention of the indoors will complete a harmous transition line for the two spaces. You can choose pattern or solids to achieve any new look. Have fun! 
Monday, October 27, 2008
Creating A Sense Of Place
Living in Florida for over ten years, I totally understand why people gravitate to this area. Places and spaces are viewed so much more in a positive light with all of the sunshine we experience while living in this state. Southwest Florida offers a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors with all the activities being outside has to offer. However, do you really go outside that much? Do you have a space in which to enjoy relaxing, entertaining and or recreating within?
Landscape Architects are known for creating outdoor spaces. Genus Loci translates to sense of place, from the Latin world. We have designed thousands of spaces for people to use outside while enjoying the interior comforts we have all come to expect. Creating a space takes a lot of analysis of the user. We have to understand not just the physical aspects of developing a space but we have to understand the psychological impact of being in a space. A positive experience needs to exist or you may not want to come back to that space and revisit.
I was just in Fort Lauderdale with a group of friends. I gave myself the task of not being to over critical when revisiting the wonderful resort where I have stayed before. Well, I failed. As I walked around the space, enjoyed the outdoor amenities and visited with friends I became even more critical. You know there is no excuse for laziness. There is no excuse for bad taste. Many designers are at every ones finger tips if they want to consult with us. For example, why would you own a resort and not have the pool heated? Why would someone use plants that are good in one place and expect that plant to do that in another place. Plants are choosy just like us. However, I will save that for a future blog entry. Ok, back to creating a sense of place. All of the things I have mentioned above have to be taken into account. It is not just one element but a series of elements that form the whole. Pool, room, spa, plants, parking spots and the list goes on. These things added up to form the whole idea is why people come back to visit you over and over again.
I like to go to places where things change. The concept may be kept the same, but the experience should get better and better. Choosing the right plant to be placed in the correct setting is crucial. Selecting the appropriate colors and using the correct accents can make you balance your mood better. And having a heated pool is crucial if you want guests to come back again.
When creating your next space, please consult with a designer. If your going to do it, then do it. If not, just dream about doing it. There truly is nothing wrong with dreaming.
Landscape Architects are known for creating outdoor spaces. Genus Loci translates to sense of place, from the Latin world. We have designed thousands of spaces for people to use outside while enjoying the interior comforts we have all come to expect. Creating a space takes a lot of analysis of the user. We have to understand not just the physical aspects of developing a space but we have to understand the psychological impact of being in a space. A positive experience needs to exist or you may not want to come back to that space and revisit.
I was just in Fort Lauderdale with a group of friends. I gave myself the task of not being to over critical when revisiting the wonderful resort where I have stayed before. Well, I failed. As I walked around the space, enjoyed the outdoor amenities and visited with friends I became even more critical. You know there is no excuse for laziness. There is no excuse for bad taste. Many designers are at every ones finger tips if they want to consult with us. For example, why would you own a resort and not have the pool heated? Why would someone use plants that are good in one place and expect that plant to do that in another place. Plants are choosy just like us. However, I will save that for a future blog entry. Ok, back to creating a sense of place. All of the things I have mentioned above have to be taken into account. It is not just one element but a series of elements that form the whole. Pool, room, spa, plants, parking spots and the list goes on. These things added up to form the whole idea is why people come back to visit you over and over again.
I like to go to places where things change. The concept may be kept the same, but the experience should get better and better. Choosing the right plant to be placed in the correct setting is crucial. Selecting the appropriate colors and using the correct accents can make you balance your mood better. And having a heated pool is crucial if you want guests to come back again.
When creating your next space, please consult with a designer. If your going to do it, then do it. If not, just dream about doing it. There truly is nothing wrong with dreaming.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Understanding Real Estate Values from a Design Perspective!
Over the past ten years that I have lived in the Naples/Bonita Springs area, real estate has gone from realistic to unrealistic. Some would say that it has reached a realistic point. My thoughts on subject will not be explained in debt with this blog entry as I am livid with this economy and the speculators that brought us to this breaking point in the real estate industry. As many people today need the market to come back, there are those of us who most definitely need the market to return. However, the market will return here to sunny south west Florida at some point.
We at GLS understand this ever changing market. Additionally, we understand what design can do for you in this market. One of my very first blog entries pertained to using paint color. I still to this day believe that it is the cheapest way to transform a space with high return to people shopping in this market for real estate. Whether it would be a residential property or a commercial property design plays an integral role in elevating the value of a property. Design advice not only makes the space more enjoyable for the owner, but offers an indisputable chance for positive sales. If you were placing your house on the market tomorrow, you might need a designer to advise you on where to spend your dollars for the biggest return on your investment. GLS understands these concerns and practices holistic design standards every day on every project. Even when the market was good five years ago, we continued to offer design consultations with regard to resale potential.
Everyone who renovates or builds a property must enjoy the space first. We take every client's concerns seriously and offer the best solutions to help you maximize your profits. For a free one hour consultation call me, 239.390.9544 or email celkins@genuslocistudio.com.
We at GLS understand this ever changing market. Additionally, we understand what design can do for you in this market. One of my very first blog entries pertained to using paint color. I still to this day believe that it is the cheapest way to transform a space with high return to people shopping in this market for real estate. Whether it would be a residential property or a commercial property design plays an integral role in elevating the value of a property. Design advice not only makes the space more enjoyable for the owner, but offers an indisputable chance for positive sales. If you were placing your house on the market tomorrow, you might need a designer to advise you on where to spend your dollars for the biggest return on your investment. GLS understands these concerns and practices holistic design standards every day on every project. Even when the market was good five years ago, we continued to offer design consultations with regard to resale potential.
Everyone who renovates or builds a property must enjoy the space first. We take every client's concerns seriously and offer the best solutions to help you maximize your profits. For a free one hour consultation call me, 239.390.9544 or email celkins@genuslocistudio.com.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Home Show
The Fort Lauderdale Home and Remodeling show was held this month over two weekends ago. We received a call about a year ago asking us to participate in this show. We are the only Landscape Architect in over thirty years to headline this event. We accepted to do the show two months prior to the installation of our exhibition room. There were over 75,000 people that viewed our room and gave us rave reviews. However, I was very unimpressed with the organization of the Home Show.
The experience was wonderful but very grueling. As we unloaded the truck and started to see the room come to life we were very happy. We considered all aspects of this room. Our designers worked with interesting colors, shapes and textures. We also now have a line of outdoor art work that I will address in a future post. A custom gate designed by us will be offered for sale nationwide. As I reflect back on the space it was a great process to learn from. We hope you enjoy it. Contact us at 239.390.9544 for a consultation.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Texture!
Defined by Webster's Dictionary as "the characteristic visual and tactile quality of the surface of a work of art resulting from the way in which the materials are used", presents an interesting point of discussion. Over that past twenty years this term has been part of my design life. We at Genus Loci always design with texture in mind. Whether that be outdoor fabric pieces placed on furniture or plantings adjacent to each other, texture matters. It is important to always consider what texture can bring to a project. When arranging plantings side by side you do not only have to worry about color but also the feel of the plant. Maybe the light bounces off of one plant more than the other. Maybe it is a slim leaf of a Liriope ground cover paired with the jagged edges of Xanadu that will bring interest to your garden. However you think of design when planning for your next garden make sure you consider texture. Contact us to design your next garden.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Creating A Luxurious Lanai
We recently completed a seminar at the Robb & Stucky Outdoor Culinary Living Center. During the presentation you could not really see our slide show due to the lighting. However, as promised I have included an image from that presentation. 
The designers at Genus Loci Studio and I decided that showing before and after pictures would give you a look at what we create. There are a lot of factors to consider when designing a lanai. The word Lanai comes from Hawaii. Outdoor spaces are used all year around in Hawaii. The word makes reference to an outdoor space that is fully furnished and used as a living room. We suggested that when creating a luxurious lanai many design details need to be considered. GLS believes that Color, Furniture and Plantings with accessories make the space.
When using color please refer to one of our previous posts. When choosing furniture make sure that function comes first. What are you using your furniture for? Will this furniture be outside of the elements? Choosing a good outdoor fabric can give you that same luxurious feeling as being indoors. The comfort that you create outdoors will offer the chance that you will want to use your space as much as possible. When choosing accessories, try and find items that work well outside. For instance if you are having a dinner party and want candle lighting, glass may be an option for a temporary purpose. Where as, we would never suggest using glass outside on a permanent basis. Let's face it,
people break things, knock things over and bump into them on accident. So, using a metal lantern made from copper gets you a nice patina plus when knocked over will not shatter into a million pieces. So, when selecting design elements to go on your lanai you have to consider a lot of things. We at Genus Loci Studio offer that well thought through planning. Call us at 239.390.9544, we will be glad to help you create a luxurious lanai.
The designers at Genus Loci Studio and I decided that showing before and after pictures would give you a look at what we create. There are a lot of factors to consider when designing a lanai. The word Lanai comes from Hawaii. Outdoor spaces are used all year around in Hawaii. The word makes reference to an outdoor space that is fully furnished and used as a living room. We suggested that when creating a luxurious lanai many design details need to be considered. GLS believes that Color, Furniture and Plantings with accessories make the space.
When using color please refer to one of our previous posts. When choosing furniture make sure that function comes first. What are you using your furniture for? Will this furniture be outside of the elements? Choosing a good outdoor fabric can give you that same luxurious feeling as being indoors. The comfort that you create outdoors will offer the chance that you will want to use your space as much as possible. When choosing accessories, try and find items that work well outside. For instance if you are having a dinner party and want candle lighting, glass may be an option for a temporary purpose. Where as, we would never suggest using glass outside on a permanent basis. Let's face it,
people break things, knock things over and bump into them on accident. So, using a metal lantern made from copper gets you a nice patina plus when knocked over will not shatter into a million pieces. So, when selecting design elements to go on your lanai you have to consider a lot of things. We at Genus Loci Studio offer that well thought through planning. Call us at 239.390.9544, we will be glad to help you create a luxurious lanai. Friday, April 11, 2008
Designing Spaces For Events
I was invited to attend a friend's 60th birthday party for tonight. This paticular friend is one of my favorite clients. His wife and I came up with some solutions for party decorations that worked well with the space. You may view some of these images on our myspace account.
When planning for an event look for a focal point to create , choose a classic color scheme and give some punch with an accessory. In this case we designed our own candle charger mats and loaded red gravel into glasses that we marked the number 60 on with chalk. We then filled the glasses with the number 60 candles on stained bamboo skewers. We floated a center hurricane with black sand and a traditional candle. We decided to work with the chairs in the room. We matched our candles and graphic mats to the color on the material in the chair. The party was festive with balloons floating throughout the room. If you are planning your next event call on the Designers at Genus Loci Studio. We provide event planning for Birthdays, Holidays, Social Gatherings, Weddings, Church Events and any other occasion.
Using a designer once and building a good relationship with them may help you in ways that you never imagined.
When planning for an event look for a focal point to create , choose a classic color scheme and give some punch with an accessory. In this case we designed our own candle charger mats and loaded red gravel into glasses that we marked the number 60 on with chalk. We then filled the glasses with the number 60 candles on stained bamboo skewers. We floated a center hurricane with black sand and a traditional candle. We decided to work with the chairs in the room. We matched our candles and graphic mats to the color on the material in the chair. The party was festive with balloons floating throughout the room. If you are planning your next event call on the Designers at Genus Loci Studio. We provide event planning for Birthdays, Holidays, Social Gatherings, Weddings, Church Events and any other occasion.
Using a designer once and building a good relationship with them may help you in ways that you never imagined.
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