Airport Beauties

All the recent travel we've been doing lately has reminded me that set apart from the traffic and congestion and suitcases scurrying about, an airport can really be a wondrous place - particularly when you consider all the planning and design that goes into one. I have this romantic view of air travel anyway- probably because I grew up in an era when there weren't yet thousands of flights happening simultaneously and the ability to travel across the world in a just a few hours was not taken for granted. Admittingly, I forego the sweat pants and still dress for a flight, even if in some small way just to honor the majesty of what it means to experience this luxury. 

I always think of the Arrivals terminal as the grand entrance to a new city and the design and decoration of the building should be more than just efficiency. That's a difficult task when you are presented with the challenge of moving millions of customers through the doors each day. But it really is a traveler's first impression, isn't it?  Walking the terrazzo corridor at Miami International recently, with its brass inlay, I really felt special, like the city had rolled out the red carpet just for me. The thought that the city and its design team took the time to consider presentation in this day and age of "budget travel" really left an impression on me. We never even left the terminal and two weeks later I'm still daydreaming about it - and frankly, what lies just outside the doors. 

This idea lead me to do a little more research into the majesty of airport design. Below are a handful of beauty shots and some background on a few of the most gorgeous welcome mats in the world.

The tensile fabric canopies used in the design at Denver Airport is an iconic interpretation of the famed snowcapped Rocky Mountains in the background. But the design is environmentally responsible as well. The fabric allows 10% of natural light to penetrate the canvas drastically reducing the need for electricity, while reflecting 90% of solar radiation in the high altitude environment.  The airport also has it's own solar farm, generating 3.5 million kilowatts of electricity annually.

____________

Designed by local Denver Architect Curtis Fentress

Image by Ellen Jaskol via Architonic

A Walk on the Beach is a half mile art installation just past security in Terminal 2 of Miami International Airport. Passengers board and depart across an illuminated corridor comprised of two thousand unique cast bronze elements embedded in a dark gray terrazzo matrix with scatterings of mother of pearl - all meant to evoke the plants and sea life of Miami's shallow coastal waters.

____________

Designed by Michelle Oka Donner

Images Via: Miami International Airport

The Terminal 2 departures lounge at Benito Juarez International Airport, Mexico City. The sustainable structure was completed in 2009 and constructed to flood the terminal with natural light without any thermal gain. Water is treated in house and the building is naturally ventilated. The terminal also has it's own data center which regulates water, electricity and media, making it a truly state of the art design.

____________

Designed by Serrano Monjaraz Arquitectos

Images Via: Formness

Menara Airport, Marrakech. In 2008, the airport was extended with a contemporary wing complete with 24 rhombuses and printed glass depicting ancient Islamic motives. One of the primary objectives of this project was to give arriving passengers a view of modern Moroccan architecture while preserving traditions. It's all about the light when it comes to this project. The adjacent outdoor canopy provides filtered shade while indoors, the lighting is meant to reflect a similar atmosphere found in a traditional mosque.  

____________

Designed by E2A Architecture and CR Architecture

Images Via: Virginia Duran and Lower Hotels

The ceiling at Barajas International Airport, Madrid. With 200,000 M2 of gently curved laths, this is the largest bamboo project in the world.

____________

Designed by Richard Rogers

Image Via: Archello

The Arrivals tunnel in Terminal 6 at Los Angeles International Airport. This storied wall tile was lost for decades when the tunnel was closed for airport renovation. To the delight of design enthusiasts everywhere, it re-opened to more efficiently usher arriving passengers to baggage claim in 2011. The tiles are meant to depict a journey across the United States.

____________ 

Commissioned in 1961 and installed at the direction of Interior Designer/Architect Charles D. Kratka, this installation is considered to be his best known Modernist effort.

Images Via: Burning Settlers Cabin

The view above Newark Airport in the intro image was captured by Photographer Jeffrey Milstein and is a part of his series "Flying" which takes a look at airport design from above, shot from low altitudes.

____________

Image Via: Slate

Fresh Ideas // Organic Arrangement

There are a handful of shops and storefronts that I return to again and again for inspiration. It's always a subtle detail or a perspective on a display that grabs my attention, turning on that little lightbulb in my head... what if I did this or that would look cool used just so... 

One of those shops for me is a little collection of treasures down on Second Street in Long Beach, CA called Romance Etc. Every item in the shop might not be something I would bring home, but they always do such a nice job displaying their wares that I always stop and consider something I might not purchase otherwise... true visual merchandising at its best.

DIY // Decorative Brass Objet

My interest in design often leads me to some beautiful finds. There are some things I spot right away and quickly figure out how to assemble a sufficient DIY. Others, I save up for and purchase when the time is right. Then there are those that I covet for longer periods of time while I weigh out the possibilities of a purchase I might someday splurge on. My inspiration for this project was one such piece of brass and marble goodness I had hoped to acquire someday, at some point. But as these things go, I realized someday would not be soon enough, which then forced me to figure out how I might achieve an inspired version of my very own.

Here, I'll show you how I created a brass objet, similar to the one of my affection in just a few simple steps. But first, let me reveal the inspiration:

 

My DIY version below uses materials easily sourced from your local hardware store.  Though it's sculpted from tubular brass rods, a concrete base stands in for the high-brow polished marble in the inspiration version. 

Now, here's the step by step to make your own...

I wanted a slightly more polished look so did take some Brasso cream and a soft rag to my finished design. I took further inspiration from Kristen Nix's styling and paired mine with one of my black and white paintings, some stacked boxes, a hunk of amethyst and some other shapely accessories. I wanted the brass look, but I also think this would be really cool sprayed rose gold or black. 

*All photos above credited to Holtwood Hipster with the exception of the two inspiration images: Kristen Nix's Houston Home featured on Sukio and Turbine Brass Sculpture by Plantation Design

Bahama Mama

This just happened. Literally, I was just standing on this beautiful Bahamian beach just mere hours ago. My luggage still sits in our entryway, sand sure to spill from every crack and crevice when I finally work up the energy to unpack. The end of Summer always stings a little. But returning home from a vacation that I daydreamed my way about over the course of the past several weeks certainly makes it a little more painful as I head off to work this morning.

I hinted at some vacation plans several weeks ago, but sorta kept this one to myself. I think contrary to what my plane ticket said, I wasn't quite sold on the fact that a stay at Atlantis, Paradise Island on Nassau was actually going to happen. But we actually got to cross this one off the bucket list. In all honesty, this trip was  a service gift to The Mister on behalf of his company and this proud wife was just lucky enough to tag along. 

We laid on this nearly secluded stretch of beach for two days. 

There were a few magical evenings, including this private dinner event staged right on the sand in front of the hotel. Every sense was catered to that night and it was definitely a highlight on our trip.

Aside from a trip or two into town to sample some local Bahamian fare (The Fish Fry!), our days were pretty much spent doing absolutely nothing but laying waterside, drink in hand listening to some very good music (which I'm starting to understand might just be how vacations were meant to be spent). 

The resort itself is pretty magical. Complete with slides, two lazy rivers, aquariums and water sports galore, it most certainly caters to families with children. A Vegas style casino, lounges, bathing pools and spa also made it very easy to carve out an adult vacation as well. 

The Bahamian people were lovely. We had a very luxurious stay at the resort, but reflecting back on the last couple of days, I keep coming back to the gracious, smiling, always ready with a joke or recommendation, friendly people we encountered on our stay in their country - both inside and outside the hotel. For me, meeting and talking with the local people is always one of the best parts of the travel experience. We had some taxi rides we'll probably talk about long after our tans have faded and I only wish I could go back and thank the guy who implored us to try the grouper fingers at Twin Brothers down at The Fish Fry - off the charts amazing and something I'd never be able to duplicate in my own kitchen.  

Thinking of taking a trip to the Bahamas? I'd be so happy to share a few tips with you. But I wholeheartedly encourage you to get out and ask for suggestions from the people who live locally. We did on several occasions and not once were we steered wrong. 

So that's it. I'm back from our big Summer vacation and like so many others following the US Labor Day holiday, I'm headed off to work once again. I took a bit of an unexpected blog hiatus over the last couple of weeks, but I'll be back at it with a full posting schedule in the days to come.

Tomorrow... I'm sharing a little brassy DIY that will help zhush up your console table just in time for Fall.  Be sure to check back in for the step by step.