The View From Here: Spring Cleaning

While moving out is bittersweet this year, I absolutely love going through everything and cleaning out the things I don't need anymore.  For the last few hours I've been going through my closet, drawers, and supplies to de-clutter and cut out items I never use.  I've got the window open, fresh air coming in, some great music from my childhood playing, and stuff everywhere!!! However, I am done and feel 100% better!  The real packing process will begin tomorrow :)

 The basic necessity for any proper Spring cleaning.  Fresh air :)

 All of my design supplies/materials I don't need anymore.  I'll let Jessica shop before throwing them out.  Oh the perks of living with all upperclassmen! :)

The load of trash I was able to get rid of!

What's not seen (because I forgot to take a picture), is the tub of clothes I took downstairs to the donate pile.  I feel much more organized and clutter free now!!   

Study Break aka Procrastination

I should be studying for my final exam that I have to take tomorrow afternoon, but I can't seem to focus.  I presented my Senior Seminar project today and I am SOOOO very excited that I can't get my brain to understand that I still have one more exam to take before college is truly over.

Did I just say over?   Weird.

I felt such a great sense of pride today as I walked out of the presentation room.  That is the last project I'll have to present here at HPU.  Today is the last time I have to walk into Norton Hall to do any type of work.  Today I finished my interior design degree.  Can you say crazy/the most exciting day ever?!?

I honestly didn't think this day would come.  But I made it, and I can officially say I survived design school!   And since I am so eagerly looking for another procrastination method, I'll post some pictures from my senior seminar project for you to enjoy!

This is the building I was asked to design for my Senior Seminar project.  It sits downtown in High Point, NC in the center of the furniture market area.  It is 8 stories high with a basement below.  I was asked to propose a design that would allow this building to become the New School of Art & Design for High Point University.

 This is a view looking into the space that I made into a gallery for the New School of Art & Design (see below).  It had floor to ceiling windows, lots of natural light, but very little display space to begin.

This is a view of one of the floors higher up in the building that was unfinished.

My proposed design for the 2nd floor of this building.  This floor houses security offices, gaming studios, and graphic design studios.  There are also multi-use classrooms as well as a large locker room for students.

 My proposed design for the 3rd floor.  This is where you'll find the student lounge (see below) and photography classrooms.  There is one large darkroom as well as 6 individual darkrooms for students to use independently.

 My proposed design for the 5th floor.  This is where the Interior Design studios will be located, as well as two large critique rooms and two material resource rooms for students.

 Above is a rendering of what I would propose the lobby to look like for the New School of Art & Design.  I designed a custom fountain that sits under a large and beautiful crystal chandelier.  On either side there are large glass doors leading you into the gallery and retail space.

 A rendering of what I would propose the gallery look like.  Those are curved moveable wall systems that will allow for various art displays to be in the space.  They are covered in bold beautiful fabrics by Knoll that I am absolutely in love with!

A rendering of the student lounge.  All of the seating is moveable to allow students to work collaboratively and have a space to come to relax.  There is a large kitchen area in the back equipped with snacks, coffee machines, and a refrigerator for all of the late nights! The furniture is also covered in the same fabrics as seen in my gallery space to add a pop of color.

 Perspective of what the retail store would look like.  I chose to put in a 24-hour access store for students to buy and have access to all of their daily project needs.  No more late night Hobby Lobby runs!

And then lastly, this is an axonometric view (aka looking down into the space) of the first floor.  This allows you to see how the lobby, retail area, and gallery are laid out in the space.

While I am very glad that this project is over, I also really enjoyed getting to work on this type of space.  What you see above is only a small portion of my project, but I think they give the best insight into my design.  I can't believe my last project here at HPU is done.  Hope you enjoyed it!

Stupid Stupid Love

I honestly wish sometimes our brains and hearts weren't hard wired to desire falling in love so badly.  It's one of those things that even at a young age you learn is so important, and you begin dreaming of that special guy, your wedding day, blah blah blah.  Movies, commercials, television shows, music, stories, everything engraves our brains with this picture of the "perfect companion."  The fairy tale dream idea of what love, life, and marriage will look like.  Your prince charming will be tall, dark, handsome, romantic, and perfect in every way. Your marriage will be spotless, and you'll all live happily ever after with two kids in a beautiful home, where everything is just perfect.

Ha. Don't we all wish.

It's really kind of pathetic the way our minds imagine these things.  We all love the sappy romantic stories, the happily ever after endings, and what not, but do those things even exist??  I'm learning the older I get that fairy tales are just that.  Nothing but a made up story of how we wish things could be.

I've watched myself and so many of my friends fall into this lie and fantasy world of what love will be like.  It's one of those things that no matter how hard you try to remind yourself isn't going to happen, the second someone shows you even a glimpse of attention, your heart melts and you begin dreaming again. Why does this happen??  Why do movies and these stories have such a huge impact on the way we think and act.  Why are we teaching our children that perfect people exist, when we all clearly know the only perfect human to ever walk this Earth was Jesus Christ himself.  Why are we taught/teaching that marriages will be this dreamland of paradise, and life will be easy, when we all know that a marriage and life are things you have to work on every. single. day.??

And yet, here I sit still hoping that I'll meet a guy who will sweep me off my feet with his romantic gestures, who will say all the right things and make me feel like I'm the most important woman in the world. I always dream that I'll find that perfect guy, when in reality I know my mental picture of the "perfect" guy probably doesn't exist.  I wish so badly sometimes that I just wouldn't care about falling in love.  But, I can't help it.  I want, more than anything, to find a great guy, fall in love, and live life together.

Then I think back on all of my experiences dating, and I truly begin to question if it'll ever happen.  I'm so sick of being the "girl before."  You know, that girl he dates/talks to before he starts dating THE girl.    The girl that fills time, or leads him to THE girl.  You know what I'm talking about?  That's been me almost every single time, and quite honestly I'm sick of it.  I'm ready to be THE girl, not the one before.

I guess I'll just keep dreaming.  Maybe he does exist, or maybe I'm just stupid enough to believe he does. Either way, as hard as I try, and as frustrated as I get every time a guy disappoints me, my heart still desires and believes that one day it will happen. I think what fuels this belief is that I know of couples that fit into my picture of a perfect couple....so it must be possible. Right?

Stupid love.  Why do you have this power?

Ok I'll stop ranting now.  I just needed to vent.

As Promised...Picture Overload

Earlier this week I showed you the before pictures of the showroom I helped setup this market.  Well, as promised, here are the after pictures.  I can't take credit for the furniture selection, placement, or fabric applications in the showroom, but I did help unwrap, position, accessorize, and light all of the areas.  Take a look:

 First view when you walk into the showroom.

 Around the corner from the main door.

 One of my favorite areas in the showroom. The Gemini sectional with some great new fabrics and bold colors.  Oh, and did I mention how much I LOVE the little round chairs called Le Pouf.  They are so fun and oh so comfortable!

 The first area in the showroom I helped setup.  Funny thing is I was just telling my aunt Missy that I wasn't sure denim was in right now.....clearly I was wrong.  Ha!

Lounge and bar setup in the front of the showroom. I love all of the colors used this market!

The Ava sofa.  My absolute favorite piece this market.  I love the clean lines and shape of this piece.  I've always wanted a beige sofa and I've fallen in love with this one!  There was another sectional in the back that was more plush and comfortable, but I just love the shape of this piece!

Debra did a great job selecting pieces and fabrics for this market.  I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with such a great lady and get some hands-on experience with design.  It challenged and inspired me to push my abilities and not just go for the ordinary.  I love getting these opportunities and truly enjoyed this market more than any before.  I'm a little sad that it's the last market I'll work as a student, but I look forward to coming back hopefully as a buyer next year!

Thanks again to Debra Venti for allowing me to have the opportunity to work with her this market!  You are an incredible designer and woman!  Thanks for all you've done for me these last few markets!

Life Update

It is 6:40pm on April 19,2012.  I am currently in Norton, doing nothing other than waiting for our Steakhouse reservation at 7.  I have completed, PDFed (yes I made that up), and submitted the last phase of my Senior Seminar project.  Aka I'm basically DONE!!!!!!!!!!! Ha!  And it's an entire day early (I think that's a first!)

While this day has been nothing short of chaotic, it has turned out to be a pretty great day.  I got some training in for Market, took a final exam, presented my portfolio, and submitted my project.  I'd call that a successful day!  Not only that but I also realized this morning that this is my last day of class.  Ever. 

Try to wrap your head around that for a moment......I know I can't either! It's absolutely insane! I never in a million years thought this day would come.  I still have a few minor things to do for my portfolio class, I have to present my Senior Seminar project, and take my sociology final exam, but basically I'm done with college.  Insane.

On another note, I have spent the last week working very busily in the Lazar Showroom helping set up for market. As you may know from past posts, I've worked in the Lazar showroom for the past three markets assisting the Florida sales rep with his clients.  This time, I contacted Debra Venti who is in charge of all of the fabric selections, applications, and setup for market, and asked to be a part of the premarket.  It has been an incredibly long week, but I have absolutely loved getting to see this side of market!! This is one of the first times I have actually gotten to have hands-on experience with design.  I was a bit hesitant and unsure of my abilities at first, but once we got into it I got really comfortable with things.  I learned floral arranging is not my strong suit, but I love to accessorize. Design is definitely not a glamorous job, but it is so rewarding! I learned a lot and took a lot of inspiration from Debra and how she set things up.  It's true, only 10% of design is taught in the classroom, the rest you learn in the field!

When we started the showroom basically looked like this, except it was completely empty minus a few tables and lamps:

As we worked and unwrapped all of the furniture that slowly came in, the showroom began to look a little more like this:

With a lot of this:

Sadly, that's only the wrappings from about 20 of the 240 pieces of furniture we unwrapped this week.  I told you, it's not glamorous!

For a while there, Debra was worried the showroom would not get done, but we did the entire space in 5 days! Kind of crazy, but so rewarding to see!  You'll have to wait to see the after pictures until later this week :)!

On a completely other random note, I figured I should update about my graduation challenge....or lack there of.  With the last phase of my project being due today, finals right around the corner, and market starting I have had very little time to workout.  Plus when there was time, I was so tired from running around High Point all day that I was just plain to tired and lazy to go workout. Does helping unwrap and move 200 pieces of furniture count at all?? I know, I know, those are just excuses.  I'm letting myself fall back into my lazy ways, but I'll get back on track after market!  I had hit the 10 pound mark, but unfortunately I'm back to more like 8 pounds lost now.  That's still progress, but not nearly where I wanted to be at this point. I just need to make the time to go workout and not let tiredness be an excuse anymore.  This summer Cassie and I will be workout buddies, so I'm hoping that will keep me motivated.  I can do this, I just have to put in the effort!

Speaking of tired, I think I will head to bed now.  Seeing as how I started this blog post at 6:40 and it is now after 11pm.  My first day of real market begins tomorrow!  Time to bring in the money!!

Goodnight!