Mark Odom Studio is based in Austin, Texas. His studio m(odm) strives to reach that equilibrium between clean line and chaos. His studio and his clients place a value on exploration. The residence pictured above was created for a local artist. A design/build project for m(odm), Rosewood was a Five Star Green rated project completed on a budget.
We were particularly interested in the industrial finishes used in the project. On the floor, what is usually the plywood sub-floor was sanded and finished with a few layers of clear coat. Polygal (twin wall) is used both inside and out to create diffused light with a measure of privacy.
After removing the forms for the poured in place concrete counter top, both he and the owner were facinated with the raw concrete edge. It “…worked with the idea of balancing clean lines vs raw industrial..”. The metal carport entry door was painted red and what looks almost like a framed artwork is actually the blue painter’s tape protecting the door window. The owner/artist liked the look of it and left it in place. The steel pipe handrail is just an off-the-shelf piece attached to the wall with welded L brackets.
The Green Star status was earned by using raw materials as finishes, effcient lighting, a tankless waterheater and appropriately sized HVAC – simple stuff, not expensive, high tech systems. The project was also built on an infill lot near public transportation. Responsible creativity, you gotta love that.
In another project, Odom was charged with converting an industrial warehouse into a combination residence / gallery. He needed to find a way to create an open floor plan that still provided separation between public and private spaces. Another major design challenge was lighting: how to balance natural and artificial lighting.
Because the space receives so much natural light from the existing large windows, Odom elected to go with a darker color palate. He felt the darker palate helped to balance the flood of natural light and gave the interior spaces a greater sense of intimacy. Much of the furniture was from the owner’s own collection.
It is clear that Odom has been able to connect with like-minded clients that want to try something out of the ordinary. Take a look at his other projects at m(odom).
Vazo Methusela by Seattle based Rotoluxe makes a very big statement. At 44″ high and 48″ diameter, this giant lighted pot works indoors or out in public or private spaces. Rotoluxe’s mission is to bring a clean contemporary look in an environmentally friendly package – mission accomplished on both fronts. The products contain recycled post industrial consumer plastics and are, themselves, 100% recyclable. They are powered by a low wattage CFL or battery powered LED source. Available in 13 colors, although I’d have a hard time passing up natural, shown here.
We all have the recycler in us – how many times have you reused a nice giftbag and pretended it was new? Re Wrap Gift Bag puts it all out there by recording your giftbag’s travels for all to see. Nice bag, good story @ www.In2Green.com
Moscardino Sporks, the ultimate picnic utensil, were designed by Giulio Iacchetti and Matteo Ragni who were reportedly inspired by the Mediterranean Octopus. This piece is made from a 100% cornstarch compound and is entirely biodegradable. They were shown recently in Milan in bright white – not sure if this color is commercially available, but the Spork is available in packs of 25 for about $24.
The design is manufactured by Pandora Design, Italy which produces items for the temporary table. The company began by responding to the needs of large scale caterers that were looking for functional yet aesthetically pleasing designs. The company has produced some really interesting designs, take a look!
If this doesn’t scream summer nights, I don’t know what does. The power of the sun is captured in this mason jar and lights up like a firefly when night falls. The Sunjar is the perfect way to create some ambience for your evening picnic. Designed by Suck UK and Tobais Wong. About $42.
I saw these Log Bowls this morning at dwell ON DESIGN in the Kitchen section curated by designboom. While the combination of something so organic with something so manufactured is a little jarring, it definitely grabs you attention and makes you think about whether or not you like it. Designed by Doha Chebib for CABIN, Log Bowls are handmade from locally reclaimed trees – those that have fallen or have already been cut down. The pieces are then hand turned and finished on the inside with brilliant acrylic water based paint with a high gloss finish. I was surprised to see that Target sells at least one of these bowls for $49.99.
Isn’t it nice to know someone hand crafted a piece of furniture? I like the idea that something was made in a woodshop with the sawdust all around. Andrew Moe does just that and a little more feel good stuff. His 2009 Oslo Line is made entirely from reclaimed wood. All of the pieces are made from salvaged wood from dismantled buildings all over the country. Moe has been creating furniture for many years, but the Oslo line is pretty well priced given all the TLC that goes into it. Check it out at Moe.
BBO2 Table and Chairs by Not Neutral were recently featured in TIME Magazine’s Green Design 100 – The People and Ideas Behind Today’s Most Influential Design. This indoor/outdoor table and chair was made by Loll Designs, the Duluth Minnesota based company that manufactures with 100% post consumer HDPE. What is HDPE? Its the stuff used to make plastic milk bottles, liquid detergent bottles, garbage cans and the like. Its the stuff you reluctantly put in your shopping cart week after week. Loll estimates that for each pound of their finished product, 8 recycled milk jugs are being used. In addition to feeling good about recycling, these products are made to last with little or no maintenance – what could be better?
Flexible Love is an accordian style seating unit made from 100% recycled paper and wood products. The concept is simple: the honeycomb structure expands and contracts, depending on the need. Seat from one to sixteen people in several configurations: a straight line, a curve, an outward facing circle… pretty darn clever. The Flexible Love 16 is available for $625, a smaller version for 8 is $425. @Skart, Santa Monica.
Last night we attended the second DinnerTalk hosted by TOUCH Los Angeles. Twelve guests from the design community are invited to the TOUCH showroom to hear a semi-formal presentation from a featured speaker and then gather around the Skinny Table for conversation and great food. Last night’s featured speaker: Ivy Chuang, Founder and Designer of Knoend – a SF based ideas and product development company.Her topic: design and culture in a post-globalization world.
The participants: Ivy Chuang-Knoend, Christopher Wargin-PRoGRESS bureau of design, Jill Blackford-Writer, Lori Sherwood-Unisource Solutions, Beth Manning-Livenation, Evelyn Lee-Inhabitat, Jennifer Robbins-Jennifer Robbins Textiles, Haily Zaki-Secret Agent PR, Susan Reed-Furnitureseen, Zoe Melo-TOUCH, Peter Scherrer-TOUCH and Anita Engs-Furnitureseen (me!).
The dinner conversation was directed – it wasn’t about networking, it was about Ivy’s presentation as a starting point for the exchange of ideas that came from twelve distinct experiences. In that process we learned something real about each person at the table. What I took away: think about the ripple effect of your actions: What if you buy those $7 shoes at Walmart? What if I choose to go to McDonalds while in Germany? What does it all mean, who do I impact? I also learned that I like the Skinny Table, its nice to be nearer to the people you are interacting with – I think closer proximity encourages connections.
Thanks to Zoe and Peter of TOUCH for coming up with the series and executing it so well.
It is clear that Odom has been able to connect with like-minded clients that want to try something out of the ordinary. Take a look at his other projects at m(odom).
