Leslie Saul and Associates

State of Expert Architects: Massachusetts

2015-09-22T19:30:58Z

As one of the architectural capitals of the US, Massachusetts has established itself as a well-known metropolis for Modernist Architecture. Housing Harvard University’s famous School of Design, many renowned and historical figures of the architect world have made their mark on Massachusetts’ architecture industry, especially in Cambridge.

Modernist Architecture arose with the help of a man named Walter Gropius, a famed architect from Germany who took over Harvard’s Department of Architecture in the late 1930s. Upon his arrival, he sought to bring new ideas and a new means of creativity in order to implement a better society for everyone. Gropius’ specialty in architecture allowed him to form new partnerships and thus, he developed a new process of architectural development through the notion of collaborating. Developing new ideas for buildings with the help of multiple opinions proved successful in their projects, and they went on to work all around the US but heavily in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Since then, modern architecture has been popping up all around the city growing its reputation as a hotspot for eclectic structures and strong talent. A large portion of Harvard University’s campus is known for its complexity, along with MIT’s campus housing the Stata Center, Architect’s corner of 3 buildings designed by different architects, the Carpenter Center designed by Le Corbusier, and The Gutman Library.

As one of the country’s capitals of architecture, it’s no surprise that some of the most talented architects in the country flock to Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT and Harvard, alone, are among the most prestigious universities in the world shaping the competition for architecture. Nowadays, a simple walk down the street can spike an architect’s creativity.

As innovative ideas continue to flourish, it will be amazing to see what beautiful structures Cambridge’s best candidates and continue to create. Hopefully, the creative process will continue to follow Gropius’ lead in partnering up with other great minds to build a better society for people to live in.

Corporate Office Design On Its Way Out?

2015-09-22T19:30:34Z

As millennials make their way into corporate America and faculty statistics between gender and race are growing more widespread, the standardized corporate office buildings are shifting right along with them. Rather than providing spacious rooms filled with rows and rows of cubicles, architects are finding that a lot of businesses are requesting more customization.

Corporate business will still operate the way they have in the past, but it’s becoming more common for job seekers, especially junior professionals, to lean towards an environment that’s creative and trendy. To them, it says personality and liveliness. Walking into a corporate office setting that is simple and structured may give the impression that the work atmosphere is rigid and unsophisticated. Even though the setting of the office can have nothing to do with how a business operates, it’s certainly a consideration for some.

Nowadays, we’re seeing more and more complexity in the architecture of corporate offices. Windows, glass doors, colors, staircases, and artwork are just a few of the design tactics being used in recent plans. Regardless of the job field, studies show that positive work environments and moods trigger one’s ability to be creative and productive. When someone feels comfortable and encouraged by their surroundings, they are much more likely to feel appreciative of their current position. Happy employees go above and beyond what’s expected of them.

Strict and uncomfortable environments add pressure. Still, some people work well under pressure and can find motivation in the urgency. One thing to consider, however, is how much pressure one is willing to take. Corporate America spends a good amount of time at their workplace, and too much pressure can weigh on somebody.
As a new business, or even an older business looking for a makeover, it’s smart to look into what your options are in revamping your office. Skilled architects will work with you to draw out ideas and offer advice on what today’s best design market entails. Finding a trusted architect and making your vision come to life will greatly boost your business and office environment in the future.

A Series of Gatherings: The Office Community

2015-08-21T13:00:36Z

Anyone who has worked in an office knows a community of sorts is formed in the workplace. It may be one that fosters positive relationships and a sense of camaraderie, or it may be the type that makes you want to get in and get out as quickly as possible. Fortunately for those who work in office communities more akin to the former, research shows that a positive work culture improves productivity.

As a result, businesses are increasingly paying attention to office design and company culture in an effort to improve working conditions – and workplace communities. Designing office gathering places is one way to accomplish both goals.

Businesses are increasingly paying attention to office design and company culture in an effort to improve working conditions and workplace communities.

Office Gathering Places Establish a Better Sense Workplace Community

Popular tech industry giants, like Google and Facebook for example, have been highly sensationalized for their over-the-top workplace designs. While we don’t necessarily feel you need to add a scooter track or a video arcade to your office, creating an attractive, comfortable and (perhaps even) entertaining gathering place isn’t such a bad idea.

The article Rethinking the Office Environment, posted on bloomburg.com, highlights research performed by San Francisco-based design firm, Gensler, using online input from more than 2000 office workers. When data was analyzed, a hefty portion of the workers (75 %) said they work better when they have a close relationship with their colleagues, yet only one-third of the respondents felt their offices provided a physical space for co-workers to interact or collaborate.

In a recent study, 75% of workers noted that they perform better when they have a close, positive relationship with their colleagues.

This is a bit depressing, especially when you consider that the bulk of current academic models – the ones training our future workforce – place a higher emphasis on collaborative student work than ever before. Modern students leave academia with one work model and often arrive at workplaces that don’t facilitate the way the new generation of workers were trained to learn, brainstorm or present their ideas. Not surprisingly, collaborative workers require spaces that foster collaboration, and a single, large conference room isn’t enough to cut it.

Gensler’s workplace design research has found that:

Social workplace design should align with a measurable goal (improving morale, foster employee relationships, reduce turnover, increase productivity, foster innovation, etc.).
Good workplace design includes a combination of employee surveys and on-site observation by the design team, so designers can watch how employees actually move, work and interact in their workplace, yielding a design that is as personalized as possible.
Office gathering places don’t have to be big and ornate; simple, comfortable niches and alcoves can work just fine when they’re thoughtfully integrated.

Looking to create the perfect office environment? Contact your team here at Leslie Saul!

There are many ways companies can take an existing workplace and integrate intimate and collaborate work spaces, spaces for quiet or even off-site break, game or lunch rooms for companies who want to maintain a more formal workplace atmosphere.

The good news in all of this? In addition to improving company morale and increasing productivity, your business and brand will become more attractive for the next generation of new hires if it implements a design that fosters positive employee morale. It’s time to get creative!

Contact LS&A Architecture and interiors to begin brainstorming attractive office gathering spaces that make sense for your workplace.

A Series of Gatherings: Faith and Architecture

2015-08-14T13:00:13Z

If you’ve spent a lifetime attending a synagogue, church, temple or other spiritual community, then you know some sacred spaces have better designs than others. The best ones blend reverent spaces with social spaces – comfortable areas where members can sit, relax and socialize before or after services. The problem is, once the event is over, and the building is closed, opportunities for gathering with like-minded and like-faithed individuals often dissipate until the following weekend.

That’s why we were so excited to see an article, posted on archdaily.com, about a temporary public space that was created for the 25th Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków, Poland. The total square footage of the structure is 150 square meters (just over 1610 square feet) and consists of a central, circular pavilion surrounded by several different structures.

The best sacred spaces blend comfortable spaces for people to sit, relax, and socialize with areas designed for worship.

Take Faith Outdoors: Creative Ideas for Creating Temporary Faith-based Gathering Places

We’ve spent some time focusing on how gathering places can be integrated into a variety of architectural styles, from residential and commercial buildings to academic and senior living facilities. Each of these places exists for a specific community. For those of us who have a spiritual community, it can feel like the community begins and ends on a single day of the week. The idea of temporary structures designed for outdoor gathering spaces could change that for the better.

The structure designed for the Jewish Culture Festival contained ramps and stairways to access the elevated platform and surrounding buildings. It has some resident chairs as well as room for people to place their own outdoor chairs. One adjacent structure served as a snack shop and cafe while another was set up as a social library and reading room. A third “house” was used as a classroom where the art of print graphics was taught. The central platform included space for a stage, dance floor and could accommodate a band, actors or speaker. It even had a table tennis zone. The structure was covered by sloped roofs protected by transparent, corrugated plastic plates – which also serve as the walls – so there was plenty of natural light and a distinct indoor-outdoor feel to the entire enterprise.

This structure that’s designed for the Jewish Culture Festival is the perfect example of a place to gather and relax. Source: Jewish Culture Festival Pavilions/BudCud

This type of temporary architecture should serve as an inspiration to faith-based communities world-wide as a means of providing a spiritual center outdoors, at off-site locations or maybe even in an open space on the property of the Mother Temple/Church/Synagogue – creating a more casual way for members to commune, socialize and gather when services aren’t in session. They are also a wonderful way to mingle with the public in a non-threatening way, serving as a gentle introduction to the community’s spiritual beliefs and allowing a space for conversation.

Looking to create the quintessential spiritual center? Contact your team at Leslie Saul!

In an era where religious differences – and differences in general – are causing violent social disturbances, these temporary public / spiritual gathering places could be a means of celebrating our sameness and our innate, unified desire for community.

Contact Leslie Saul & Associates Architecture and Interiors to get to work on a temporary public space for your spiritual center.

A Series of Gatherings: Home and Hearth

2015-08-07T13:00:12Z

Our current topic of interest is The Gathering Place. We’ve written a post about office designs that include social and collaborative spaces and we’ve also written about including social niches in senior living facilities. Now, we’re writing about designing residential spaces that incorporate comfortable areas for families and their guests to gather and socialize. These spaces could be considered the home equivalent of the office watering hole.

People love to congregate with others in their homes, be it to watch the latest game, to have a dinner party, or something similar. Source: Houzz

Design Intentional Gathering Places in Your Home

If you are building a new home, you may have to “observe” the gathering rituals of your current home’s native residents and then design future gathering places accordingly. If you are remodeling, however, you have the luxury of incorporating these niches for relaxing or socializing based on where your family and friends tend to do it now.

Here are some suggestions based on decades of residential design experience.

Create space in the kitchen. No matter how lavish and comfortable your living or family rooms are, the kitchen is like a magnet. People love to hang out while the cook is prepping, as food is coming out of the oven or after they grab something to drink or eat from the fridge. For this reason, we recommend designing a kitchen with plenty of space for both flow and loitering. It keeps the cook happy (no repeated, polite, “excuse me”s as you navigate kitchen duties) and prevents standing and raised-island or peninsula sitters from having to move or stop their flow of conversation.

People love relaxing in a living room with a large fireplace. Source: Houzz

Just add fire. Fires have drawn humans into their circle for much longer than kitchens have. Their warm, mystical, rosy glow is impossible to resist. For this reason, we recommend incorporating a fireplace, even in unexpected places. We’ve written about fireplaces in Florida, hospital waiting rooms and college dormitories because a fireplace always makes people feel more “at home,” so try to have at least one fireplace in your home.

If one is good, two is better, right? If you have room for it, add a fireplace or fire pit to your outdoor space. A well-placed fire pit or outdoor hearth, surrounded by comfortable chairs, provides a year-round gathering place regardless of the temperature and will keep guests socializing long after the sun sets.

An outdoor fire pit is another place that people will love hanging around, especially in the colder winter months. Source: Houzz

An intentional sitting area. While we love the spaciousness and sociability of open floor plans, there is also a need for television-free seating areas where people can practice the art of conversation, card games or a good ol’ heart-to-heart over a steaming mug of tea. For that, we recommend designing an intentional seating area.

Chairs and / or sofas should all be oriented towards one another, a table in the middle can be a resting place for a few, simple accents (nothing so high as to block eye contact) and a window is always a nice touch. This same idea can be carried onto a porch or indoor patio, providing a quiet space to gather.

Where are the preferred gathering places in your home? Leslie Saul & Associates would love to read about them.

Contemporary Beach Decor Shies Away from Common Tropes

2015-07-30T13:00:59Z

Beach houses are synonymous with relaxation, peace and play time. They connote powerful ocean sounds, tantalizing sea bird calls and the delicious smell of briny saltwater. They also conjure images of seahorses, mermaids and dusty shell collections; bright “pops” of turquoise and tangerine and a fish net strung on the wall with dried star fish trapped in the knots. The “traditional” beach cottage has almost become an interior design caricature.

Perhaps it’s time to reset our images of beach house decor and make way for a fresh perspective. Contemporary beach house – here we come!

Here is an assessment of how you can create the quintessential contemporary beach house design for your home. Source: Houzz

Scrap The Tropical Fish Figurines & Make Way for Contemporary Beach House Decor

Here are some ways to enjoy a fresh beach house interior with a contemporary motif.

Play with light. Light is a key player in beach homes. From the muted light at sunrise, to brighter mid-day illumination and, finally, the fiery hues of sunset – ample windows and glass help to captivate this star of the show. You can play with light even further, by consciously selecting window shapes and placement and designing interior features to complement them. This beach house kitchen is a wonderful example; staggered rectangle themes are repeated via windows, cabinet glass inserts and even the careful arrangement of the pendant lights over the island.

You can continue this light play by selecting colorful glass lamp shades, creatively displaying your carefully illuminated glass art or installing stained glass in fixed window panels.

Play around with tropical fish figurines and seashells, natural lighting, a lack of boundries, and a natural color palette. Source: Houzz

Is that abalone, or…? We mentioned the shell collections that are so typically a part of beach house interiors, but how about something a little more chic and modern? A reference or suggestion of shells, and other stunning facets of underwater life, can be a more mature way of implementing certain colors, shapes or essences into your decor.

Look for finishes and fixtures that replicate the things we appreciate about shells and sea life. For example, a beautiful metallic-glazed tile, set in a staggered pattern, can make a bathroom shower appear to be adorned by shimmery abalone shells….ones you’ll never have to dust.

Looking to create a contemporary beach home to call your own? Contact your team at Leslie Saul and we’ll help you create the contemporary beach home of your dreams! Source: Houzz

Dissolve the boundaries. Use efficient, wall-to-wall and ceiling-to-floor windows and sliding glass door panels to blur the boundaries between indoor outdoor life. In our cooler New England climate, this may require the use of a rolling steel door – almost like a garage door – that can be raised on a gorgeous day. Perhaps expansive window space is enough. If you’re building an outdoor room, make it one that can be used year-round with ample shelter from excessive sun, wind, or rain.

Use a natural, neutral color palette. A beach house should always showcase its setting first and foremost. What human-made structure could ever complete with a seascape after all? By using a natural and neutral palette, your contemporary beach house will be tasteful, classic and will always extend a bow to its beautiful surroundings.

Are you ready to design a contemporary beach house, sans kitsch? Work with the design team and Leslie Saul & Associates Architecture and Interiors.

Reinterpreting Classical Architecture Through a Modern Lens

2015-07-27T13:00:25Z

It’s hard to imagine the Boston Red Sox designing a new stadium using Old North Church or Trinity as architectural inspiration. However, that’s exactly what is happening in London.

Football, known as soccer here in the U.S., is the national sport of England. In fact, The Guardian quips it could even be considered the national religion.

Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron have decided to use Westminster Abbey as their inspiration for the design of the new Chelsea FC stadium and village. Source: Pixabay

The Newest London Stadium Design Inspired By Westminster Abby

When you look at it that way, perhaps it’s not all that surprising that Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron have decided to use Westminster Abbey as their inspiration for the design of the new Chelsea FC stadium and village. The completed project is predicted to cost somewhere in the ballpark (or, should we say “pitch”) of £500 pounds (approximately $782 million USD).

The project, commissioned by Chelsea football club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, is still shrouded in a bit of mystery and there aren’t many details available. However, the architects have provided several sepia-toned renderings that look quite a bit like modern-day people, communing and walking in a Medieval village of sorts.

Herzog & de Meuron have decided that, rather than build a free-standing, iconic structure that rises amidst the inner-city industrialscape, they will build a solid, Gothic design that will exist as football club, stadium and village. Architect Jacques Herzog says, “We have tried to make it a place where people will really feel at home.” In order to do this, Herzog & de Meuron plan to build a structure with the feeling of, “a castle, or a medieval walled village … something you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”

This is not the first time the duo have designed a stadium, as they worked on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics and Paralympics. Source: Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron via Facebook

Architectural features include things like:

Heavy stone masonry
Brick columns that zigzag and then fold over to form the roof
Nave-like areas
Spiraling staircases
Flying buttresses

The building site is located in an area once considered part of the Westminster Abbey diocese, one reason for the architects’ Gothic inspiration. However, they also plan to incorporate other aspects of historic London architecture as part of their design such as the vaults beneath London Bridge station, the store- and restaurant-stalled passages of Camden Market and even plans to incorporate features echoing the work of Brutalist architect, Paul Rudolph.

The new London stadium will consist of three separate tiers and a elevated brick bridge will provide stadium-direct, pedestrian access from Fulham Road. It will increase crowd capacity from 42,000 to 60,000, and football fans aren’t the only ones who will benefit. Beneath the Gothic arches and soaring vaults will be a whole ‘nother world of shops, bars and cafes, completing the village-esque atmosphere the architects hope to recreate.

Looking for help on what to do and not to do when it comes to designing a sports arena? Contact your team at Leslie Saul. Source: Tropicana Field via Facebook

As The Guardian article points out, the new London stadium is nothing like two of Herzog & de Meuron’s most recent designs, Allianz Arena for Bayern Munich or the recently completed Bordeaux Stadium in France. Even so, they hope the Chelsea FC’s stadium will be something completely unique, a building that will celebrate “an amazing tradition”.

Could your sports arena use a uniquely amazing renovation? Schedule a consultation with Leslie Saul & Associates Architecture and Interiors.

Beach Home Décor for Any Style or Taste

2015-07-24T13:00:25Z

Typically, when we think of beach house decor, we think of bright colors, white beadboard and cottage furnishings. Some eclectic furniture pieces are often in the mix, as are beautifully displayed shell collections.This type of beach house has youthful energy.

However, not all beach settings are warm, sunny and vibrant. Some have a cooler, grey-toned and wild or rustic energy. The latter beach home may prioritize natural elements and muted color accents to showcase its stunning surroundings. The beach house decor in these homes has an “old soul” essence so to speak.

Consider these two schools of beach home decor: the traditional and the more rustic. Source: Houzz

Comparing Two Different Types of Beach Home Decor

To show you the difference, let’s compare and contrast two different types of beach home decor as depicted by houzz.com.

Overall style. Typically, your traditional beach home decor will be just that – traditional. You’ll see lots of cottagey elements, antique pieces are often in the mix; there is a general sense of comfortable warmth and a “kick off the flip flops” kind of energy. If modern elements are in the mix, they offer a transitional feel. In the other camp, interior design will have a more minimal or modern edge. While comfort is still important, muted colors and a lack of beach-themed knick-knacks will give it a more spacious and contemplative vibe.

Both beach houses tend to utilize natural elements that are reflective of the surrounding natural world outside of it’s walls. Source: Houzz

Natural attractions. Both beach houses will incorporate natural elements into their design, playing on the beautiful naturescapes outdoors. However, a traditional beach cottage will often use lighter and more polished woods, or they may paint the wood white. A northern beach house, one with darker surroundings – perhaps ensconced by trees – might use more rustic wood choices and/or darker wood finishes.

Sans window treatments. In order to magnify the beauty of the surrounding land and waterscape, many beach homes leave off with window treatments altogether, opting to use windows as picture frames to focus on the scene outside. The effects can be very different. While this beach house looks right out on the action and activity of the bustling bay outside, our more rustic beach home looks out on an expanse of mossy forest before a drop of water is visible. These contrasting landscapes – and palette variations – is a large part of why the interior design approaches are so different.

For more information about beach houses, contact your team here at Leslie Saul! Source: Houzz

Color schemes. Color is an important element of any interior design, most especially because color affects the energy and mood of a space. In a classic beach home, we typically see nautical blue and white colors or patterns, accented with vibrant pops of turquoise, tangerine, lime green and so on. In our more mature beach house example, blue and white themes may still be a presence, but the rest of the colors will have a softer, muted appearance.

Natural light. One thing all of these homes have in common is ample access to natural light. In an effort to frame the stunning outdoor scenery, all that additional window space yields healthy, inspiring sunlight.

Which type of beach home decor suits your personal style? Share your comments below.

The Play of Glass and Light: Art and Color

2015-07-22T13:00:24Z

We’ve written in the past about the importance of light – both natural and by design – in residential and business interiors. In these cases, light and glass serve a functional purpose. However, let’s not forget the intricate and artistic play that takes place when you combine light, glass and color.

Optimize the Effect Of Glass Art in Your Home

Long before the average home owner could ever consider installing glass panes in their home, let alone glass for artistic purposes, cathedrals used stained glass to depict biblical stories – using the artistry and magnificence of light and color to make depictions come to life. Now, stained glass is readily available and beautiful glass art abounds. Without light, however, that glass art can sit relatively lifeless.

The following tips will help you optimize stained glass and glass art pieces in your home, business or place of worship.

Stained glass relies on light to breath life into it. Source: Houzz

Building orientation. The same tenets that apply to passive solar design – orienting a building to optimize available sunlight – or diminish it in a hot climate – should be considered when installing stained glass windows or a glass art piece. If natural light is the main source, consider which light would be best – morning light from the east, more flat but consistent light from southern-exposed windows or the warm glow of afternoon and evening light from the west.

Light direction. When it comes to windows, building orientation is important. When it comes to interior installations, the direction of the light is integral to the glass art work’s expression. A glass artist in Portland, Oregon designed these two 220 lb glass panels that flank her fireplace. In order to make their vibrant colors come to life, she designed and installed special wall brackets to hold them in place – leaving a space between the panels and the wall – along with small recessed cans that make the panels glow from within. In this case, the light seems to shine from within.

In a different example, the nature of the artwork – a large, clear glass panel with an imprinted impression – lent itself to being front-lit. By directing light on to the front of the piece – which is also mounted with a gap between the panel and the wall – the impression casts a shadow, adding motion and becomes part of the art itself.

One example of how light vitalizes glass art is in the custom glass panels of this Forest Heights living room with a concrete fireplace. Source: Houzz

Natural light versus manufactured light. In some cases, you may find that natural light is all you need to illuminate glass windows, a vase or to set off a cascade of refracted color from a beautiful work of glass or crystal art. Placing it on the “just right’ table or shelf – one with access to direct sunlight for certain portions of the day – will be enough. You can always install an intentional directional recessed can or adjustable track light to take over after the sun sets.

One example of how light vitalizes glass art is in the custom glass panels of this Forest Heights living room with a concrete fireplace. Source: Houzz

Glass shelves recessed in a wall, or in a wall that is open on two sides, will dramatize the effects of glass, color and light. In most cases, a white backdrop is best.

Start a conversation with Leslie Saul & Associates Architecture and Interiors to begin brainstorming ideas to add beautiful glass art and light to your home, sacred space or office

Minimally Finished Woods Bring Warmth and Rustic Charm to Modern Interiors

2015-07-20T16:00:23Z

Wood accents are a popular way to add warmth and character to modern interiors. In many cases,wood surfaces are heavily finished, lending a glossy surface that is easy to clean and less prone to damage. All too often, however, these wood finishes come with a price.

Use Wood Accents to Bring Warmth and Charm to Your Modern Interiors

As Architectural Record’s Continuing Education points out, “..the average North American spends 90 percent of his or her time indoors,” which makes it more important than ever to design interior live and work spaces that are aesthetically attractive as well as healthy for our bodies. One way to do this is to use minimally-finished woods, finished with low-voc products, that never compromise the health of a building’s occupants.

There are multiple ways you can take advantage of minimally finished wood accents in your residential or commercial design. The following are a handful of examples:

Wood accents help to add warmth and character to your home’s interior. Source: Houzz

Expose the beams. Use attractive structural beams as part of your design. The warm wood tones can be a nice contrast to the larger expanses of walls and windows. Get rid of those space-hogging soffits and consider using a coat of eco-friendly wax that will bring out the warm tones and wood grain accents without adding too much polish and shine.

Make your wood pile an artistic feature. Here is a simple way to use rustic wood in your home decor; this houzz.com picture shows how a recessed wall space and the ends of your firewood can be both practical and artistic.

Exposed wood beams are one option for anyone looking to take advantage of minimally finished wood accents for your home. Source: Houzz

Use reclaimed wood. Why contribute to the demand for new lumber when there is plenty of reclaimed wood to be had? Reclaimed wood often has other interesting accents that add to its appeal, like dramatically weathered grains, old flecks of colorful paint remnants or old fasteners or other metal paraphernalia that has acquired an interesting patina. Reclaimed wood can be used for wall paneling, a fireplace mantel, a kitchen island countertop, or transformed into beautiful flooring.

Mixed-and-Matched. If you’re a fan of wood finishes, consider supporting a wood artist and using beautiful, functional wood accents in your home. We recently featured a piece on master craftsman Joseph Walsh, who builds everything from beds and desks to wall art…and the term “functional art” doesn’t come close to summarizing their dreamy impressions. Use these pieces to mix-and-match wood grains and finishes for a more interesting approach.

For more information about making the most of wood accents in your home’s interior design, contact your team here at Leslie Saul! Source: Houzz

Use rustic wood in your outdoor spaces. You can also use weathered and rustic wood pieces in your outdoor spaces. We love the look of wood fences made with varied sizes of woods or wood types. Smaller versions can be used as dividers to add privacy and to delineate the borders between different backyard zones. These fences, and the less polished look of the wood, create a more seamless transition between Mother Nature and the landscape design.

Would you like to use minimally-finished wood accents in your upcoming residential or commercial project? Schedule a consultation with LS&Associates Architecture and Interiors.

Leslie Saul and Associates

State of Expert Architects: Massachusetts

Related Stories

Corporate Office Design On Its Way Out?

Related Stories

A Series of Gatherings: The Office Community

Related Stories

A Series of Gatherings: Faith and Architecture

Related Stories

A Series of Gatherings: Home and Hearth

Related Stories

Contemporary Beach Decor Shies Away from Common Tropes

Related Stories

Reinterpreting Classical Architecture Through a Modern Lens

Related Stories

Beach Home Décor for Any Style or Taste

Related Stories

The Play of Glass and Light: Art and Color

Related Stories

Minimally Finished Woods Bring Warmth and Rustic Charm to Modern Interiors

Related Stories