April

This is a continuation of the "Retro, Almost 80s, Arts and Crafts, Contemporary" themed furniture. The transition from CAD to realised 3D was easy due to the simple nature of this furniture, like the ottoman.

The hard-edged ubilquitous box frame works well with the hall table/sofa table function of this piece of furniture. The feature chrome legs are cut at a 45 degree angle to provide stability and adjustability, while implying a continuation up through the void space in the sides to the top chrome supports. The basic materials used are easy to convert, with the chrome tubing being recycled from other defunct furniture, and the pine wood can be recut or used again for something new.

March

I have now finished the ottoman, with the newly painted black finished wood. However, I am thinking about new upholstery, as this colour no longer is appealing. The current trends for white or pale colours and bold patterns have changed my opinion in regards to colours.

The black frame blends with other interior items, such as my 'new' black metal dining table, that utilise minimal resources to produce a strong and supportive frame.

February

Wharfedale Diamond 9.

I bought a speaker package in February as the first step in the upgrading of my audio equipment. The speakers are multi award winning, with high-quality sound, and finished in Cherry veneer.

Diamond 9.1 (multi award winning)
Diamond 9.5 (a great pair of floor standing speakers)
Diamond 9 CS (great middle range centre speaker)
Diamond 9 SW150 (2 award winning subwoofers for great bass)

The kevlar and silk dome speakers produce a natural sound that recreate all the small sounds in movie sound tracks, while not over emphasising the vocal tracks or bass tones. I now have 2 subwoofers that fill the room with bass that is both natural and loud. I have become addicted to buying more of these speakers, so I now hunt through websites and stores for more great bargan Wharfedale Diamonds.

November

This is a photo of the Ottoman that I completed. The drawing of the object in a CAD programme helped visualise the end result. The joints are mortise and tennon, and I thought that they would be easier to create than the reality of the situation. However I am happy with the level of effort that I put into it, and it is a good quality ottoman that will last a long time.

November

In the past few days I have been learning to use a new computer aided design program that I down loaded from the internet. It is Google Sketchup, and it is a simple, and easy to use tool that can allow me to visually create a design before it becomes 3D.

This is a picture of what I am currently creating, an ottoman made from pine wood, with an orange upholstered top and chrome metal castors. It is a basic design, but it allows me to work on developing my skills with tools. I have utilised mortise and tennon joints for the construction of the base, hopefully making it strong enough for the weight of two people. It is a good project to fill in time now before the end of the year, when I can think about new projects for 2009.

October

This month I have continued renovating the house, with the photo showing the latest area to be completed. The walls have been painted to a high standard, and the windows have been restored to their original condition. The table is the work of another person, but I restored it and repainted it in a white wash finish.

The two chairs are part of a continued restoration of over 30 chairs. These two have rimu seat bases as opposed to the upholstered seats of another 24 chairs. They are not yet finished. The small table is comprised of two chair bases and a recycled rimu top. The rimu came from a dismantled storage unit. The terracotta planters are the result of a minimal effort in reconstructing the broken pieces with masonary silicon, while the abandoned plants have grown substantially since I replanted them. More soon.

August

These patchwork cushions are part of an exploration into a variety of issues. The pattern on the english pure cotton reminds me of an immitation woodgrain finish. It was too large for an upholstery project, so I have broken it down, just like a sheet of veneer. I have collected scraps to assemble together, while foregoing the grain matching that could form an interesting pattern.

The idea of recycling is more prevalent in my design projects now, as I can include many pre-manufactured elements in one form, and not make more items that can be unnecessary. This can also save on costs and time, and it makes me feel better that I am not adding more items to the growing mountain of waste that is growing in New Zealand.

The strong lines that usually appear in my personal designs are represented in these cushions as segmented elements of a series of lines. They could imply the dynamic speed lines that are not visually present in other similar designs, such as the lightweight tables of last year. What I am more concerned with recently is finding a series of connecting elements and ideas, so I can produce a defined aesthetic that forms my signature style.