8: Five go to the Design Museum

Design & Build Happiness

Player FM - Internet Radio Done Right

Lagt till seven år sedan

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Exile

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Episode 10: From Refugee to Radical 44:09

för 2 years sedan44:09

Spela Senare

Listor

Gilla

Gillad

44:09

When a young Eva Kollisch arrives as a refugee in New York in 1940, she finds a community among socialists who share her values and idealism. She soon discovers ‘the cause’ isn’t as idyllic as it seems. Little does she know this is the beginning of a lifelong commitment to activism and her determination to create radical change in ways that include belonging, love and one's full self. In addition to Eva Kollisch’s memoirs Girl in Movement (2000) and The Ground Under My Feet (2014), LBI’s collections include an oral history interview with Eva conducted in 2014 and the papers of Eva’s mother, poet Margarete Kolllisch, which document Eva’s childhood experience on the Kindertransport. Learn more at www.lbi.org/kollisch . Exile is a production of the Leo Baeck Institute , New York | Berlin and Antica Productions . It’s narrated by Mandy Patinkin. Executive Producers include Katrina Onstad, Stuart Coxe, and Bernie Blum. Senior Producer is Debbie Pacheco. Associate Producers are Hailey Choi and Emily Morantz. Research and translation by Isabella Kempf. Sound design and audio mix by Philip Wilson, with help from Cameron McIver. Theme music by Oliver Wickham. Voice acting by Natalia Bushnik. Special thanks to the Kollisch family for the use of Eva’s two memoirs, “Girl in Movement” and “The Ground Under My Feet”, the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College and their “Voices of Feminism Oral History Project”, and Soundtrack New York.…

för 6 år sedan 48:04

MP3•Episod hem

It was a blustery and busy February – we managed the take a family trip to the Design Museum, and reflect on some of our favourite design concepts like legacy and delight – but we didn’t manage to get this posted… so a little bit late – here is our (slightly belated) February edition.
For full shownotes visit https://www.abigailhall.design/podcast

40 episoder

#Arts #Graphic Design #Gardening #Lifestyle #Tech #Abigail Hall #Design Build Happiness

8: Five go to the Design Museum

Design & Build Happiness

published för 6 år sedan

Dela

MP3•Episod hem

40 episoder

#Arts #Graphic Design #Gardening #Lifestyle #Tech #Abigail Hall #Design Build Happiness

Alla avsnitt

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41: Declutter; how to create happiness and save money! Secrets from The Queen of Construction 26:10

för 2 years sedan26:10

26:10

This month we answer a listener question about home storage and organisation with the help of an author Abi has come to rely on. And it all comes down to decluttering. For the first time in the podcast's history - we are giving advice which is COMPLETELY FREE and comes before you even talk to the Queen of Construction (or your regular contractor). IN FACT - Abi says, if you do this - you might not even need to pay a contractor for bespoke storage or joinery. You may find you have exactly what you needed the whole time and it was your behaviour and mindset which needed to change. Abi talks about her own experience of having to declutter (being someone what of a maximalist in life!) and why this book and the advice that Dana White gives is so incredibly powerful. Here is a link to Dana K Whites book - How to manage your home without loosing your mind For more information on Abigail, the Queen of Construction herself, please follow her on Instagram or see her webpage. Please like and subscribe to this podcast if you would like to find out how to Design and Build your happy dream home.…

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40: Savings and Sustainability: Get a Designer Kitchen for a fraction of the price 23:36

för 2 years sedan23:36

23:36

This month we talk to Looeeze Grossman from The Used Kitchen Company about an industry secret; sourcing and installing used kitchens. We talk practicalities of the process of finding, measuring your new used kitchen, pitfalls to avoid and costs to consider. While also talking about the savings which can be made, both to your pocket and to the environment. If you would like to know more about The Used Kitchen Company and the various items they have for sale right now, see their Instagram: @TheUsedKitchenCompany , Pinterest @TheUsedKitchenCompany and you can Email: info@tukc.co.uk We also mentioned the episode 38 with Luke from Foreman Snags, who is superb with fixing damage in your home, including to used kitchens! - to listen, use this link If you were interested to see images of the caravan kitchen - which is even more special than I could have ever imagined - see it here So if you have an equal love of saving money and sustainability thinking about used kitchen is a must when planning your dream home refurbishment or extension. For more information on Abigail, the Queen of Construction herself, please follow her on Instagram or see her webpage. Please like and subscribe to this podcast if you would like to find out how to Design and Build your happy dream home.…

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39: Art Glass - A designer kitchen secret 29:43

för 2 years sedan29:43

29:43

This month we talk to Sally from Red Dog Glass Design about a bespoke product which is making waves and giving owners goosebumps. Bespoke Art Glass. We hear about what it is, how it's used, and when to install it. And we find out that Abi needs to think more about feelings than function! If you would like to know more about this product then please see Sally's work at Instagram: @reddogglassdesign , their Website: www.reddogglassdesign.com and you can Email: sally@reddogglassdesign.com So if you are a proud homeowner and want to include something highly functional but which expresses your personality, think about doing it through Art Glass. For more information on Abigail, the Queen of Construction herself, please follow her on Instagram or see her webpage. Please like and subscribe to this podcast if you would like to find out how to Design and Build your happy dream home.…

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38: The professional secret: fixing damage to your beautiful home. 35:04

för 2 years sedan35:04

35:04

Fixing damage to your beautiful home. This month we talk about a secret of how to repair internal damage to your home. The scuffs, chips, stains and dents which take the shine off the pride you have for your home refurbishment project. The honest fact is - things get damaged, either during the building process or just in life from living in the house! Most people - including people who work in construction, don’t realise there are magical specialists such as Foreman snags, who can come in and repair those problems, taking away that thing which makes you miserable each time you see it. Luke, The owner of Foreman Snags ( https://foremansnags.com/ ) talks about the kind of repairs he and his team can do, when to use them and how to plan and cost for this work - so you know when to rip out and replace - and when to save time money and the planet... and repair. He talks about a project with a chandelier and, as promised, here is a link to it. So if you are a proud home owner and have damage to interior elements which are getting you down, don't dispart but do do something about it! Please like and subscribe to this podcast if you would like to find out how to Design and Build your happy dream home.…

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37: Why we all want hand painted wallpaper - with Gracie Studios 34:37

för 2 years sedan34:37

34:37

This month we talk to one of the world leaders in hand painted wallpaper; which is one of the most in demand 'I wish I could have in my home' items my clients ask for. We cover the process from planning the design, through to making it fit to the architecture of your home and listen to some wonderful and amusing stories along the way. I know, after listening to this episode, you will be as in love with Gracie Studio as I am! Zach and Mike, & the whole Gracie Studio team are contactable through their website https://www.graciestudio.com/ where you will get a flavour of their work - but as this is a bespoke product, please speak to them about your dream finish. Please like and subscribe to this podcast if you would like to find out how to Design and Build your happy dream home.…

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36: Essential residential design trend forecasts with experts Nelly Rodi 34:27

för 2 years sedan34:27

34:27

This month we talk to Design Forecasters and strategic consultancy to the creative industries; Vincent Grégorie, Consumer Trends & Insight Director from Nelly Rodi. Website: https://nellyrodi.com/en/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nellyrodi/ This episode contains essential information for growing design and fit out firms who will benefit from knowledge about the direction of residential and lifestyle trends. Secrets employed by the largest brands are available to growing design and fit out practices and we talk about the reach and application of this intelligence. Understanding trends isn't about the current colour or pattern, but rather the way society is moving and how, as professionals, we can respond to this in all areas of our businesses. This special episode brought to you by Maison & Objet https://www.maison-objet.com/en/paris and their trend forecasting partners Nelly Rodi. Please like and subscribe to this podcast if you would like to find out how to Design and Build your happy dream home.…

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35: HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR HOMES STYLE with Urban Retreat Interiors 37:38

för 3 years sedan37:38

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This month we talk about the process of developing your home’s style with interior design expert Saphia Sheikh from Urban Retreat Interiors. We talk about Saphia’s interior design service, how to trust yourself and avoid limiting beliefs. She also talks through the most important aspects to consider when engaging an interior designer to extend or renovate your home. For more information on the retreats to Marrakech being run by Saphia and the team at Urban Retreat Interiors, please see her Instagram page. https://www.abigailhall.design https://saphiasheikh.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thequeenofconstruction https://www.instagram.com/urbanretreatinteriors If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners Design their Happiness.…

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34: Home Heating, Ventilation and Cooling Explained (H.V.A.C.) 27:48

för 3 years sedan27:48

27:48

This month I talk about the essential and complex subject of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). I cover topics such as the various sources of heat, how to improve your heating, different types of ventilation and how to achieve pleasing aesthetic and function as well as the ins and outs of air conditioning units. For more information https://www.abigailhall.design If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners Design their Happiness.…

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33: ARCHITECTS - The superheroes of design! Who? Why? How? with Joseph Aniedu From AGA Associates 37:55

för 3 years sedan37:55

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This month we talk about your professional team with Joseph, Technical Director of AGA Associates, an architectural practice in Central London. We discuss the size and roles of your professional team on a refurbishment or extension project and the power and benefit of having a range of individuals around the table. We talk about how to manage complicated projects and multiple design consultants and how to overcome contractual issues and challenges. For more information https://www.abigailhall.design https://www.aga-associates.com https://www.instagram.com/aga_assoicates_ If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners Design their Happiness.…

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32: WEALTH, HEALTH & HAPPINESS all from the way you design and build your home? The art of Feng Shui. 41:37

för 3 years sedan41:37

41:37

This month we are talking to Feng Shui expert, podcast host and published author Patricia Lohen from Powerhouse Feng Shui. We talk about the accent art of Feng Shui - 5000 year old principles applied to our home extension or renovation. Did she manifest me? First things first, it is possible that Patricia manifested me to be on the podcast this month? We connected on a group of experts and when Patricia saw the name of the podcast she said she had to come on the show. Why use Feng Shui? Why use Feng Shui - it help people make and create happy homes. It comes from the Chinese characters of good health and good harvest (which we translate to wealth). Every part of your home is impacting on wealth, happiness and health. What’s the point? Your home has such a powerful influence on what is happening in your life, your bank account, your relationships, your health, your career…. According to the principles of Feng Shui, every part of your house is impacting every part of your life. Patricia is sure; what ever if playing out in your life right now, the energy in your house has something to do with it. ‘Feng Shui makes and creates happy homes!’ Patricia Lohan from Powerhouse Feng Shui What are we trying to avoid? When Patricia first started her practice she joined in with the simple tips and basic beginners course. But what happened was that she wasn’t investing in the main issue and only giving surface solutions. But what they needed was deep and fundamental advice and a quick and simple service wasn’t enough. Making this change made her realise that this is a complicated and in-depth - that it can’t really be watered down. But sometimes it starts with one tiny action. One of Patricias clients had been wondering about getting involved and heard about the importance of creating an attractive entrance. A small act either created or coincided with a new client contacting her. She felt that was auspicious and signed up for the full course. Three take aways.. before you learn more. 1) Avoid having a direct line of sight from your front door to your back door, if you have this is there a way of creating a block through a door or a piece of furniture, to slow down the energy. 2) Avoid being in the house when you are making significant changes. All the upheaval also creates a huge disruption in energy and this can really impact you. If you have to remain, consider getting some metal chimes which will help absorb the energy, which has the double benefit of also leaving you with some lovely chimes to have in your garden. 3) If you are going to do work on the home… let the house know! Do a meditation or check into the house and ask it, is there anything it needs. Is there something which needs to be solved or fixed? What about the wealth bit? Houses have energy and when you extend the house, this energy changes, so Patricia advises consulting to ensure that your positive energy home doesn’t change into a negative energy house which won’t connect to the positive energy you want for your home. Money! Budget is an emotive subject - how much does it cost to engage a professional? Patricia wants to ensure you are getting a personalised service as each home and owner is unique and this needs one to cone consultation. Engaging a professional ranges from £2000+ for a course through to £8000+ for 1:1 services. Other advice for budgeting, It's great to do some self learning and starting on your existing house, before you build you dream house or do your extension. Start today because it may make the energy improve which will help accelerate the achievement of that dream house build! For more information The website - which will showcase the various service which Patricia offers is https:// patricialohan.com/ it includes the contact details for Patricia and her team. If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners Design their Happiness.…

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31: WALL PANELLING - the trend that has gripped the nation. With works class supplier; Orac decor 25:59

för 3 years sedan25:59

25:59

This month we talk to an absolute favourite supplier - Chelcie from Orac decor. You might find their name familiar and that’s because we have before now featured Orac on the podcast with other product ranges (we’ve previously talked about coving). But this month we are talking wall panels and specifically formed panels which can be installed yourself - without the cost of a professional carpenter or decorator. So good, anyone can use. Unlike plaster, timber or MDF where real experience is required to get the instillation right, Orac wall panels are designed to be installed without training. All you need is joint adhesive and you are ready to go. But my walls are uneven or curved? Can I still have panels. Uneven walls are no a barrier to great style! The flex product is designed for rooms which have gentle curves or walls which are either old and uneven or just not done brilliantly. This isn’t overly technical or complicated You don’t need to be an architect or designer to talk to Orac - just tell them the shape of your space and the look you want. - Orac will do the rest. Proper design inspiration in insta I have a chat with Chelcie about the really varied ways that the panels are used. You are limited yourself if you are ONLY thinking walls. Bars, kitchen islands, column… just a few great spaces which are upgraded and turned into a grade a feature using this simple material. ‘ Work in sympathy with your home!’ Chelcie Lachenicht from Oran Decor 3 top tips. Work in sympathy with your building. If you are living in a victorian style home - you might want to match in victorian style or a modern home might work with the modern geometric styles. Get your proportions right. Plan before fitting. Look at your doors, your plug sockets. Consider all these elements and measure and draw them out. If you have a door architrave, this ideally should be deeper than the panels. It just looks better. If you have a door block, again, this should be proud. We will look at your drawings, photos - what ever you have. Following Abi’s advice of measure twice, cut once - Chelcie talks about how they encourage people to measure, sketch, take photos and even put in place samples - all to help confirm that the product they are choosing is right for them. After all, we only want to install this material once and then sit back and enjoy the compliments from our family and friends! Money! Budget is an emotive subject. Orac say - choose our best selling products, such as the Dura Polymer range (PX 103 & PX 120 for example). This will create an excellent effect on a budget. If you have a bit more budget to play with then the Puro Touch range ( P8030 and P8020 for example) These are slightly bigger and more details. They look AMAZING when installed. There are also ready made products which require no cutting, receive and stick (plant) onto the wall. Where to make savings on wall panelling? Products which require cutting in order to install should be done by a professional with the professional tools - if you don’t have these tools or don’t have a budget to buy in a carpenter then consider the full preformed panels. When do I start talking to companies like Orac? The great news is (dependent on stock levels) the delivery time can be as little as 5 days. BUT get in early when thinking about panelling to allow time to get samples, live with it for a while and then purchase the final product. Best idea Orac have been able to fulfil. The 3D wall panels which are used in place of a headboard. The guys from Orac are just overwhelmed by the ideas from designers and enthusiastic home owners. The combination of the way the panels are assembled and then painted - it literally creates unlimited design options. Please please see the Orac instagram account for so much inspiration. ‘ If you have used an Orac product and you are proud - please share it & tag us, because you will automatically have two likes from Chelcie and me!’ Abigail Hall AKA the Queen of Construction and Orac panel super fan Best lessons on wall panelling. The products all come primed, meaning you just need to do your finish (paint). Orac even sell the adhesive to do the install - a literal one stop shop. They are even insect proof! Abi then goes on to tell a very longwinded anecdote about why we think of timber and plaster or heritage look but infact those aren’t always the best materials… and if a period property were doing the install today - they would be looking to use polymer products as it is designed to stand the test of time. For more information The website - which is a super source of advice and inspiration and is found https://www.oracdecor.com/en_gb/ On the Website are all the contact details for Chelcie and her team. Also find them on Instagram under @OracDecor_UK If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners design their happiness.…

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30: EVERYTHING you need to know on choosing and installing brassware, aka bathroom taps, from supplier to European Royalty; Czech & Speake 49:56

för 3 years sedan49:56

49:56

This month we talk to a legend in the design industry. Frank Sawkins from Czech & Speake. You may not realise that many of the iconic ‘looks’ of bathroom brassware, which is the name used for taps, spouts and shower heads, were originally designed and supplied by Franks company. An industry leader, design innovator and expert in how to achieve the 5* luxury function and aesthetic in on of the hardest working rooms in your home. Great Design means something functions as brilliantly well as it is beautiful! Frank shares with us one of the first attempts at creating an innovative function in the bathroom incorporating a push button flush (something which is common place today, but wasn’t heard of then) and how his boss’ brilliant design solution turned out not to be so brilliant - resulting in a flooded house. Reminding us that the function is the most important aspect! Helping reinforce my favourite phrase, function first, aesthetic after. Hotel feature bathrooms - Why are they such a common source of inspiration? Why do we love them Frank reminds us that the bathroom is an important test of the value of a hotel room - if we’ve spent €500 or €800 euro a night we expect for every element to be a very high standard, and the bathroom is one of the most important locations to showcase this. The investment in a hotel bathroom, therefore, is really a way of making you comfortable and feeling like you’ve got value for money from your stay! It’s also why trying to reproduce that look at how exactly like for like can be eye waveringly expensive! Bathrooms are glamorous Bathrooms are a really good way of articulating the epoch of the hotel and whether it’s the classical style of Claridges or the more modern styling of the Rosewood hotel there is a way to inject glamour into the bathrooms. Bathrooms are inspirational & emotional! Staying in a hotel normally means we have the space and time to relax in the way we can’t at home. We will take the time to have a bath on a Monday night, when we would never manage this in our day to day busy lives! So not only are we spending time in these beautiful spaces taking in all the design details - we are also generally in a more positive and relaxed mindset - all of which is conducive to absorbing all those inspirational design details. ‘ Who doesn’t love a glass of Champagne, good music and a beautiful bathroom!’ Frank Sawkins, MD Czech & Speake Sympathetic bathroom design. If you live in a period property - there is a great supply of era specific brassware which you will find to suit the period of your building. Frank goes on to talk beyond taps, into the icon roll top baths and even the use of appropriate wallpapers all too invoke and articulate the design style. The original creator of the heritage tap range I tell off Frank for not self promoting that in the 1970’s and 80’s, Czech & Speake brought out a range called the Edwardian - which has since been imitated and adopted (but never bettered in regards to quality) across the world. If you have used or own a property with a ‘Victoriania’ styled bathroom - there is a very good chance you are seeing the inspiration from Franks design. If you are really lucky - you will actually have Czech and Speake originals! Must haves in a bathroom The first is water pressure: A bathroom should be therapeutic experience - this does mean good supply of hot water at the right pressure, literally, on tap. And if you are thinking about water supply also making sure the drainage is as efficient as the supply. Challenge your designers with your desires: If you want to have three people all having showers or baths at the same time in the house, challenge your designers with how to achieve this. It is possible to operate different systems to create this, but with extra design comes extra cost. If the investment in that solution is too great for you - at least you know that you chose to have to stagger your showering, rather than being disappointed that your home isn’t performing as you wanted. Separate Lavatory: Adverts for bathroom sanitary ware always shows everyone in one room - but the reality is separating out the loo from the rest of the bathroom gets twice the use of the space. 5* hotels are using lavatory cabinets to achieve this - ensuring that the remaining space is pure luxury. Lighting - should not be an after thought. Natural light is the most important light when doing makeup but focused lights is essential for shaving. So all kind of lighting needs to be thought about. Just overhead lights will not work as it’s too harsh for relaxing, casts shadows in the wrong place for anything you need to be close up in the mirror for and will create a false impression of the finish of your makeup. If all of this is too overwhelming to think about - designers have a very good idea of what great lighting is and you can challenge them to ensure you have the full variety of types of lights for your varied needs. Franks personal choice; He loves to have a consistent pallet for wall and floor - be it marble, ceramic or terrazzo. He worked on a property with a great designer which had a number of elements cast in terrazzo and loved the consistency of that pallet. Each to their own. Say no to carpet! There is no excuse for carpet. Full stop. Rather have tiles with underfloor heating. The rest of the technical stuff Both Frank and I agree that a shower with a flush threshold is very important (nothing to trip over) but to get this right there needs to be lots of consideration to get the angle of the shower floor right so the water drains as fast as it is being supplied and that there is sufficient space under the shower for the drain and associated pipework. Something your designers will be able to ensure is possible. Mix and match or same same for bathroom accessories Frank talks about his own design style and how he prefers to have the same style for you taps, towel rails, toilet roll holders etc. Achieving a mix and match style is much harder than you think. When you see a mix and match style done well - it has a very good designer behind it and will follow a very clear and clever aesthetic strategy - often the things that feel effortless, have taken the most effort. And so much more Frank and I basically just love bathrooms and we talk fragrance, Japanese design, cleaning, views… listen to hear more about two people who love a glass of Champagne, good music and a stunning bath. For more information Frank and the Czech and Speake range of products can be found at https://www.czechandspeake.com/bathrooms/ and his range of aromatics are available at https://www.czechandspeake.com/fragrance/ If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners design their happiness.…

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29: How to select and purchase the PERFECT products for your home - With Angel Tan from the ‘The House Directory’ 22:53

för 3 years sedan22:53

22:53

This month we talk to design professional Angel Tan, MD of The House Directory about how to source products for your project; We explore further the ‘Buy it’ stage, where will define every item which goes into furnishing and finishing your home, while making it come within your budget. Angel has a background as an Architect and Interior Designer and so, not only does she have a company which provides direct and qualified products for the residential fit out market, but also knows the personal cost of getting it wrong! Buy Cheap - Buy Twice Angel and Abi talk about how undertaking this project is most likely going to be the second biggest amount you spend in one go - coming in after the purchase of the building you are extending and/or refurbishing. We talked about understanding the temptation to save money here or there.. but how that ends up costing in the long term! 3 most important things to know when you source products 1 - Design Decisions. Make as many design decisions as you can at the start - which will ensure you can create a full and realistic budget 2 - Suppliers for Budget: To create a REALISTIC budget, contact suppliers immediately to get those quotes in for the REAL costs of the items which are in your design decision list. It’s better to know the real cost from the start and if you can’t afford everything, you can make a considered compromise. The larger cost items are the most important to consider. Kitchens, Bathrooms, Window and even window dressings. 3. Remember manufacture and delivery times: Look at lead times and deliveries - things now take a lot longer than before Brexit and Covid for items to arrive and if your builder is going to install / apply it for you - you could be left with a bill if you don’t supply the material inline with the build programme. ‘ Its better to know the real cost from the start. If you can’t afford everything - you can make considered compromises ’ Angel Tan, MD The House Directory Remember access! Don’t fall into the trap of seeing a bargain and snapping it up quickly before you have thought about the practicalities - can you fit that sofa in your sitting room? Can you get the bed up the stairs? Will the headboard fit through the bedroom door? It can be a very expensive mistake to wait weeks and weeks for furnishings only to find out that it doesn’t fit in the building. If you don’t know the cost - have a guess! If you have done your list of all the items you want to purchase but you are going to wait until later to specify the EXACT product - put a guess price in. You can put in £50 a meter for fabric which allows you to create a realistic budget but without specifying the exact pattern and supplier. It is better to be generous with these ‘guesses’ because, in life, items always cost more than we guess - even us experts find this. Don’t forget a contingency 5 - 10% is highly recommended because there is ALWAYS something you have either forgotten or which goes slightly wrong. Abi and Angel lament that we see such long lists for the items they are going to purchase, all fully detailed and defined, but have forgotten the cost for shipping and deliveries. Those £50 here and £9.99 there soon add up! When do I use The House Directory? The moment you have defined your design (using Pinterest or Insta) and you need to start working out the cost, look at The House Directory. You will find both suppliers and experts in the industry to help give you a realistic estimation for that item. You know by using the House Directory you are looking at products, available in the UK and available now - it’s very easy to use just Google for research and when you go back to purchase realise the items were out of stock / out of production or the shipping cost more than the item. The House Directory has been around for 20 years, developed from a seasoned Interior Designer and House magazine editor - there is a vast amount of information on there already, from knowledge through FAQ's to product manufacturers, suppliers and designers. It is a recognised source for Industry professionals and home owner led refurbishment projects alike. For more information The House Directory can be found at www.TheHouseDirectory.com and on Instagram under the @TheHouseDirectory .For more information on this podcast and other episodes please visit https://www.abigailhall.design/podcast and for more essential information on delivering exquisite residences that delight with Iconic form, an Incomparable finish and exceptional function, please see www.AbigailHall.Design and @AbigailHallDesign on Instagram. If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners design their happiness.…

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28: How to snag your project 38:59

för 4 years sedan38:59

38:59

This week we talk to construction professional Siobhon Niles about the final stage of a project; The ‘Test It’ stage where you, your architect or your project manager will snag the work done by your contractor and sub contractors. Siobhon has worked on building sites for over a decade but doesn’t hide the honest truth that if you don’t give the test it and snagging stage sufficient time, you are at a loss. She talked about daylight being the most critical light there is. So you have to plan this in, if you need to wait until Saturday until you have the time to snag during the day, then make sure you plan this in. Siobhon talks about acclimatisation, lots and lots of materials (we talked about vinyl flooring) needs time to settle in the environment it is going to be used. If it is installed straight away there can be folds or creases in the installed product which you will identify during the snagging stage – so you can be creating a defect. As mentioned by our expert Quantity Surveyor in the buy it stage podcast here , the programme is everything, so snagging is built in as the programme goes along and any acclimatisation is planned in too. So snagging is not done ONLY right at the end, it’s part of the build process. ‘The key is continuous snagging throughout the build, to each stage in the programme.’ Siobhon talks about how to use samples – having a physical example of what you are buying so you can test this against the finished installed product. This helps take the emotion out of a snagging discussion as you can hold the sample up to the element which has been installed and it either matches or it doesn’t! Siobhon also talks about the importance of having in place a performance specification (which would be covered in the design it stage where the specification is created) as you might think at the test it stage that an electrical or mechanical item isn’t right- you can go back to the spec to confirm what’s right and wrong. Communication with the builder / contractor is best in a list – with a photo. Siobhon likes spreadsheets as it keeps all the comments in one place, a photo can be associated with the comment and (most importantly) the builder won’t get overwhelmed by 50 different messages over the course of multiple days. Its far better to collate all comments and send them over for each area or product being snagged and then allow the time for those comments to be digested and responded to. That time to capture items, send them and the time to respond should all be planned in the programme. Siobhon recommends taking a steer from your contractor on any specific software or apps for snagging. As there is a learning curve of how to use the software and your contractors time is best used on doing what they do best, your extension or refurb. If you love a piece of particular software please ensure you include this requirement in your specification and design pack when you tender. You can then find a contractor who will accept this from the start. Finally Siobhon recognises how emotional this stage is, when you are tired and just want to move back in or simply get the builder out. She recommends to take your time, not to rush and to remember that your contractor wants to do a good job and for you to be an ambassador for them. For more information on this podcast and other episodes please visit https://www.abigailhall.design/podcast If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners design their happiness.…

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27: How to commission an outdoor sculpture - With celebrity sculptor Paul Vanstone 39:34

för 4 years sedan39:34

39:34

This week we talk to Paul Vanstone about the process of preparing for, planning and commission outdoor art. As a veteran marble sculptor who sells and installs his pieces globally - Paul has lots of advice to dispense. We recorded this podcast at his atelier so thanks for understanding about some of the background noise. Paul gives us great advice about the confidence and trust in the artist to commission a piece. He gives us examples of the process he goes through with clients and encourages the listeners to be involved in the process. The three top tips for putting a sculpture outdoors are: 1) Selection of the space / Location - he uses different size cardboard cut outs (which he calls his Monty Python process) to try the pieces in different locations. the different size pieces help to get the scale correct. 2) Ground work / base preparation - make the supportive ground structure bigger than the base of the piece. When it finally comes in you might find it looks better a couple of feet to the left. The additional footings are minimal in cost to give you that ability to adjust. 3) Plan the sculpture in conjunction with your gardener / landscape architect so the two work together -the sculpture should be put in when the garden is ready, which might be well before the plants go in, or at the point of landscaping because this is the best access moment. Paul talks about how to commission something new - if the exact piece you want isn’t available or you want something bespoke, the timescales for doing this and the communication during this process. And finally we talk about budget - how you think about and talk about the cost of art. This isn’t a comfortable conversation for everyone, but Paul is very honest about how and when you have those conversations and how the artist might be able to help you tweak the piece, it’s size or base material, to help bring the sculpture into your budget. Paul can be contacted via his website https://www.paulvanstone.co.uk or on instagram @Paulvanstonesculptures For more information on this podcast and other episodes please visit https://www.abigailhall.design/podcast If you have enjoyed this episode please rate, review and subscribe as it helps other home owners design their happiness.…

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