Interior Design and Decorating

A 1973 interior design graduate, Blakeslee actually came to UF with the intention of pursing a degree in architecture, but when he transferred to interior design he soon found that it suited him.

He has always been grateful to UF, and since graduating he has been involved with the college in numerous ways.

Around 1980, he convinced his Chicago employer to donate a truckload of furniture to the architecture school. In the mid ‘80s he moved from the Midwest to Florida and became active with guest lecturing and student critiques, and this transitioned into his involvement with the advisory board in the ‘90s.

“I think I was one of the first chairmen, and was chairman for maybe two or three years and have served on the board ever since,” Blakeslee said.

He’s lectured about once a year, and even helped teach a section of a lighting course when one of the professors was busy with research and writing. He’s been actively involved in fundraising for the school, and in 2000 was named Distinguished Alumnus for the department of interior design.

Meg Portillo, interior design department chair, said that Blakeslee showed passion for UF from the very first time she met him.

“I met Rob for the first time in 2004 and it was clear to me then that he was passionate about the interior design program and very committed to connecting with students and also kept very strong ties with faculty,” Portillo said.

She recalls when Jerry Nielson, longstanding chair of the interior design department, retired, and how Blakeslee helped a group of alumni and friends set up an endowment in Nielson’s name, even flying him in for the awards ceremony.

While he enjoys any involvement with the college, Blakeslee’s favorite time is spent on student critiques.

“It always gives me an opportunity to verbalize the things I only get to think about at work,” Blakeslee said. “Interacting with the younger students and understanding younger cultures helps you to communicate and embrace new ideas.”

Blakeslee is studio director for Baker Barrios Architects, Inc., in Orlando, and this willingness to embrace new ideas recently helped them to receive the National Eagle Award, an award given by the Association of Builders and Contractors to recognize outstanding quality and innovation in construction projects.

The firm competed for and won the commission for the Hensel Phelps Construction Company and was tasked to make it a green project and to achieve a LEED Gold certification from the US Green Building Councel.

This was just one of the challenges of the project.

“It was interesting because these are concrete contractors,” Blakeslee said. “And when it comes to concrete there are people who love it and people like me who struggle to appreciate its use in interiors. And here I had a contractor who does concrete for a living and I really did have to embrace their love of concrete if I was to make the job successful.”

Blakeslee did. And he enjoyed working with the contractors. The centerpiece of the project is a two story sculpted concrete wall made of rough form work and hand polished recesses.

“For most clients, construction is always a challenge because they often don’t understand the process,” Blakeslee said. “But when you’re dealing with a contractor as a client, anything is possible.”

The project was submitted to the Association of Builders and Contractors, and won the Eagle Award for Best Commercial Project in Central Florida. It was automatically submitted to the national competition, where it went up against 90 other projects and won first place once more, as well as winning their first-ever Green Futures Award.

Blakeslee was thrilled – especially since it was the first national award the firm had won – but he has other ways of measuring true success.

“It’s interesting because, in retrospect, the measure of success is getting up every day and applying your trade,” he said.

But Portillo said that Blakeslee is a success in many different ways, and brings his diverse background to the students.

“His professionalism and the life stories he shares are very inspirational to students, and he always has very sage advice,” Portillo said.

Blakeslee’s most important piece of advice, however, is simple.

“If you’re curious and are excited about design and you can keep that part of your life, you’ll be a great success,” Blakeslee said. “I think part of the reason I’ve been successful is that I’m still enthusiastic about it.”

He is still enthusiastic about UF, as well.

“I’ve always felt that UF gave me a pretty unique education and I always felt a real connection there,” he said. “It was the place I learned how to think for myself. My time in Gainesville was well spent.”

View the original article here

IND hosts Spaces to Learn Seminar with Terry Hajduk

October 04, 2010

On Oct. 1, DCP’s interior design program hosted a seminar with nationally known designer Terry Hajduk, called Spaces to Learn. The by-invitation-only seminar focused on learning environments.

Hajduk shared cases of innovative learning spaces he has helped create on campuses across the country, and touched on topics such as the principles of learning (how we respond to physical space where learning occurs), paradigm shift, or constrasting the instructional paradigm with the learning paradigm, the power of space and the dynamics of change. A discussion period followed the presentation.

The event drew nearly 75 students, faculty from across the UF campus, and interiors designers and architects from the community. The seminar was sponsored by Herman Miller, Inc.

View the original article here

Green Remodel - Flooring

See Chapter 15 on Green Flooring in the Green from the Ground Up book for more details.

DurabilityIntended UseDoes the product off-gas toxic chemicals?Is the flooring made from recycled materials?Is the flooring recyclable at the end of its lifetime?Is the flooring made from sustainably-harvested materials?Aesthetics

There is a wide variety of green flooring in the market place today. What makes flooring green:

durabilitynon-toxicityrenewable sourcingtransportation

The challenge is to determine which of these qualities are most important and how they reflect aesthetically. No product has everything so it often amounts to comparing apples to oranges and making what seems like the best choice.

When used as the finish floor, concrete containing high fly-ash content serves several green purposes:

It saves the expense of installing another flooring material, like wood or carpet.Make us of an industrial by-productDoes not harbor allergens, dust and mold, like carpet

The trick is to look for an experienced installer, not necessarily someone who specializes in sidewalks and driveways and is trying to learn something new.

Many people confuse sheet vinyl flooring with "linoleum", as natural mistake. Linoleum makes a better choice than vinyl because it's manufactured with less toxic materials. Because linoleum does not have the same protective surface, it must be polished occasionally resist stains. Be prepared for an odor from the linseed oil that off-gases an aldehyde, which is not toxic for most people and will dissipate.

Vinyl should be avoided as plasticizers called phthalates used to make PVC soft are a health hazard.

Bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource and also a durable flooring choice. It comes in two grain patterns - flat sawn or vertical grain - and typically with either a blond or caramelized finish.

There are a variety of bamboo but only a few are appropriate for flooring. Of those few, some are better than others in dry climates. Go with a company like Plyboo or Timbergrass, a supplier that has been in the business for over a decade and offers high-quality flooring.

Available in solid wood and as engineered, prefinished varieties, FSC-certified flooring is available across the country. Be aware that some certified engineered flooring contains urea-formaldehyde as the internal adhesive with only the wear layer (4 mils to 6 mils thick) actually made of certified materials. Other brands, however, are made with formaldehyde-free adhesives and are definitely preferable. EcoTimber is one company selling these flooring products.

Cork is beautiful and has natural anti-bacterial qualities, is soft underfoot, is made from recycled materials, and comes from a renewable source. It's typically made from the waste cork left over after bottle stoppers are manufactured. The only downside is that cork trees grow only in a limited geographical area in the Mediterranean. So, it is a limited resource for the future.

Carpeting for a green home should be made of natural materials, such as wool or sisal with jute backing. Although, natural wool sounds great from a green standpoint, its desirability depends on where the wool comes from. Domestic wool is fine, but if the wool is imported from Iceland or New Zealand it has probably been fumigated with a USDA-required insecticide that is off the charts in terms of toxicity.

Wall-to-wall carpet is an anathema to good indoor air quality. A great alternative to conventional residential carpets is to use commercial carpets from Interface or Collins and Aikman. They have a lower pile and tighter weave and are designed for long term use.

Tiles make durable and attractive flooring that's easy to install and doesn't come with a learning curve like some green products. Look for local, then regional, and finally domestic sources. The best and greenest way to install tile is in conventional thickset mortar. The floor will last longer, will be less likely to crack, and has the lowest toxicity.

Rubber flooring is attractive for its resilience. Most often found in gyms and health clubs, it's also a good flooring option for commercial kitchens. Rubber off-gasses during most of its life so should be installed in places that usually have good ventilation. It is a much better product for outdoor play areas than for children's playrooms inside.

Reclaimed flooring is available locally and through various sources nationally. Vast quantities of old-growth lumber can be found in old warehouse, building, bridges and other structures. Reclaimed wood provides the benefits of old-growth timber without the environmental costs. Another source of wood products is local lumberyards that reclaim urban forests when trees die or are cut down to build new homes and businesses.

View the original article here

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Small Studio 1.1

Interio

Royale

Mace Three 1.0

Robert Blakeslee: The true measure of success

IND hosts Spaces to Learn Seminar with Terry Hajduk

Green Remodel - Flooring

badges