Reception Desk Upgrade

A biotech firm retained us to upgrade their reception desk, ideally utilizing their existing desk and simply re-cladding it.

Existing desk:

Two options re-cladding existing desk, adding a screen, a new paint color, and carpet behind it, and ceiling clouds and lights above it.

A third option proposing a new desk, adding a wall veneer, a new paint color, and carpet behind it, and lights above it.

Low-Cost No-Permit Exterior Upgrade

We were retained to design a low-cost upgrade to this building exterior which would avoid requiring a permit within a strict historic district:

Existing Building: 

Proposed Upgrade:

Quick Storefront Upgrade

We were retained to provide a couple low-cost design options to upgrade this storefront so the building owner could attract tenants.

This was the existing facade:



We presented two photoshop options - one traditional spanish style and one contemporary:

 Traditional

 Contemporary

San Luis Obispo Bank Interior

This bank project was just completed in San Luis Obispo.  The interior was completely gutted and redesigned.

I was the conceptual designer of the overall space as well as the branding wall.  The executive architect was Pultz & Associates, and the Contractor was JW Design & Construction.  I especially enjoyed designing the branding wall behind the curved teller line.

Photography by Marcell Puzsar

Spanish Style Gate

Garcia Architects was re-hired to design this entry gate for a house we designed a few years prior.

How To Enliven an Empty High Rise Lobby

The owner of this high rise in downtown L.A. retained us to enliven their vast empty lobby.  We proposed adding large hanging fabric sculptures which can be seen from the exterior and low floating ceiling elements which added interest from the street while providing a human scale and addressing acoustical concerns.  Adding a bank within the space to bring in customers as well as income was a studied option.

Instant Facelift of an Apartment Building with Bright Colors or a Fun Graphic

We were the architect for this affordable housing apartment building a few years back.  The owner recently came back to us asking if we can spruce it up as they are undergoing a condo conversion.

Before:

Here were the options we proposed:

Many Examples of My Style on Pinterest

For an understanding of my design style, see my Pinterest Home Page:

http://www.pinterest.com/egarcia0552/

A low-budget update of a bank exterior

Our proposed design included sandblasting the brick, removing the existing trellis and replacing it with a stainless steel awning and address numbers, replacing the wood, widening the stairs, replacing the glass storefront, and lowering the planter.

Before:

After:

What Makes a Good Designer?

As Malcolm Gladwell set out to prove in his book, Outliers, people are not born with talent contrary to popular belief.  Gladwell even questioned whether Mozart was truly a child prodigy.  When you do the research, you find that the most brilliant people are brilliant because they put in more hours of work than any of their peers to become the best.  Moreover, lucky timing played a huge role in their success. 

The internet and technology has made it more difficult for many creative types to make a living.   It seems everyone is an amateur writer, photographer, or interior designer now, and many who used to get paid for these professions now suffer too much competition from those that are willing to provide the goods for free.  The iPhone makes it possible to take some really cool photos, and it’s tempting to think that some of your photos are just as good as that of a professional.  The difference is that a professional’s photos are consistently good.  Even when the lighting is bad, the space they’re photographing is the size of a closet, or there is a bad glare bouncing off a mirror, they have the skills needed to address those issues quickly and easily.  But most people simply don’t know what they don’t know, and they don’t understand how complicated something is until they’ve been hired for a job and it’s going sideways fast.

Design websites, blogs, and You Tube have all made a ton of information available.  The playing field has been leveled, and that’s great if you’re a creative who wants to redecorate your house or take some cool photos for friends.  Yet having the tools is not the same thing as knowing what to do with the tools.  I’m a huge fan of the TV show “The Big Bang Theory.”  In one episode, Sheldon “learns” how to swim by watching tutorials on the internet.  You can’t learn how to swim without doing it.  And you can’t become an amazing swimmer without a coach, competitions, and many hours of practice.  Similarly, it takes some form of education and/or an apprenticeship to understand proportion, rhythm, symmetry, asymmetry, color theory, composition, transitions, building codes, constructability - all the things one needs to know to be a good designer.  It takes studying and working under the supervision of experienced mentors for numerous years.  This is why I advise creative young people to work for someone else for at least 5-10 years before working for themselves.  It takes working on hundreds of projects, because there’s something to be learned from every single project.  And it takes making mistakes – the very quickest way to learn a lesson - and knowing when you've made mistakes, so they won't be repeated.

It’s true that good design, like good art whatever that is, is somewhat subjective.  And even the experts don’t make a slam dunk 100% of the time.  But experts will be consistently good and efficient.  

Why do architects charge for their TIME instead of their VALUE?

A client recently requested some quick conceptual design ideas to convert a plain boxy building into a Spanish style building.  I knew my father was the right architect for the task since he has 50 years of experience designing Spanish style buildings.  I, on the other hand, have only designed about 10 Spanish style buildings in my career, and guessed that it would take me about three times longer than it would take him.  My father whipped out a few sketches of each elevation in 15 minutes.  They looked great.  I let him know I’d show it to the client, and asked him how much he’d charge for the concepts (since he’s a subcontractor).  He said, “Well, let’s see, it took me about 15 minutes, so at my hourly rate of $200, that’ll be $50.”  I responded, “Well, that doesn’t seem right.  A surgeon doesn’t charge their patients for the amount of time it takes to complete a surgery.  A surgeon charges based on the type of surgery and his expertise, his years of experience, his know-how, and so should you!”  These sketches would have taken another architect many hours to complete, and they still wouldn’t have been as good.  Another architect would have charged hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for these.  My dad responded, “Well what do you think I should charge then?”  I decided, “Charge $300…..the client is getting an amazing deal and you’ll get 6 times more than you expected!”

Dirt Cheap BIG Wall Art Idea #4

These 32" x 48" "Acurio" lattice panels from Home Depot (there are several designs to choose from) would look especially beautiful if  painted.

At $32 each, they cover a good amount of square footage for the price.  Install 4 of them next to each other to create a 5' x 8' rectangle for $128.  Add two more for a total of 6 to create an 8' x 8' square for $192.  Mount them to the wall at the corners with screws and float them off the wall with washers about 1" to create depth and shadows on the wall.

Dirt Cheap BIG Wall Art Idea #3

10" x 10" Ikea "Malma" mirrors for only $1.99 each!

Spend $200 and install 100 of them side by side to create an appox. 8' x 8' wall feature.  Use mounting tape instead of nails to make installation easy.  There are 4 color options.  Use all one color or use several colors. The mirror portion is very small, so you won't end up with an '80's aesthetic.

Dirt Cheap BIG Wall Art Idea #2

This fun 12" x 12" "Adele" mirror is currently on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond for only $5.

Install 64 of them in a square pattern with 1" in between each for a total dimension of about 9' x 9'.  Just make sure they are installed squarely and evenly.  Use a yard stick as a spacer in between each mirror and have another person assist.

Cost of mirrors = $320 + tax.  Cost of heavy-duty 10 lb. mounting tape = $20.

Dirt Cheap BIG Wall Art Idea #1

Hang four of these 3' Ikea canvases adjacent to each other so they are touching to make a large square approximately 6' x 6'.

Total cost = $160.  High drama for a very low cost!

For only $360, you could do the same with nine of these 3' canvases for a 9' x 9' masterpiece.

DIY interior feature walls or large-scale wall art

Take almost any ordinary object, and turn it into a beautiful feature wall or art.  Anything in MULTIPLES makes a statement.  Paint an object the right color, and transform it.  Have an outdated tacky bronze-colored bust of David sitting in the attic?  Paint it hot pink, and voila, instant chic!  In the picture below, we took $7 Walmart mirrors that had a terribly tacky faux gold finish, and we painted them sloppily in matte white to achieve a rustic finish.  Then we installed 42 of them on a wall for a custom look that looks like it cost thousands of dollars.

The Best Place to Spend a Limited Budget in an Office Space

Many business clients come to me with a limited budget and a list of upgrades they want to make to their office space.  Invariably, the cost of the upgrades will exceed their budget.  At our first meeting, I typically give the client a rough estimate of each of the desired upgrades.  Then I help the client prioritize which upgrades will have the most impact and value depending on what their overall needs and goals are.  Often, the reception area is one of the best places to spend money, because it provides the first impression of the business to both customers and employees.  Many times, clients will tell me they want to change out all of the carpet or the entire acoustical tile ceiling, but those are very expensive upgrades depending on the size of the space.  Assuming those items are just in mediocre condition and not in terrible condition, there are ways to draw attention away from those items and spend the limited budget elsewhere where the impact will be more significant.

The Tenant Improvement Process

   

Entering into a new lease on a commercial space can be simultaneously exciting and intimidating for a business owner doing so for the first time.  Remodeling that commercial space to meet your specific needs is even more so.  Ideally, start looking for space one year before you plan to move in, because if a remodel is necessary, the process takes a minimum of six months, and usually longer.  And while you want to identify and negotiate your lease early, you want to delay the start of rent payments until your move-in date, if possible. Most building owners will want rent payments to begin shortly after the lease execution, so a compromise may be necessary.  It is advisable to retain a real estate broker who can facilitate this negotiation on your behalf.  Nonetheless, retaining an architect that specializes in fast tracking tenant improvements will be in the best interest of all of the players involved.

Once one or more possible spaces have been identified, this is the time to consult with an architect or commercial interior designer.  First, we will develop a program, based on your ideal workflow, brand, and other requirements necessary to maximize functionality and profitability. We can help determine if any of the spaces identified require a remodel, and what level of remodel, as well as examine how to accomplish your goals in the most cost-effective way.  For example, flooring, paint, cabinets or countertops can be changed, and furniture partitions or screens can be added, without requiring a permit.  However, adding any new walls or changes in the electrical or mechanical infrastructure will require a permit.

Once a building permit is obtained, construction can commence.  Construction on a relatively small interior project (approximately 4,000 square feet) may take anywhere from one month to six months, depending on the scope of work.  If there is any exterior work involved, the design must be submitted to the Planning Department and/or Design Review Board for approval before the construction drawings for permit submittal can be started.  This process can take anywhere from a few weeks for a small change, to several months depending on the scope of the project and the city.  If the proposed exterior work is minor and the tenant can live through the construction, we might recommend that the exterior work be permitted separately and completed as a second phase, so that it does not delay occupancy of the interior space.

When permitting a project, the city will require that existing code violations be corrected.  This may add cost, indeed, even double the cost of your project if it’s in an older building.  The architect or designer will be able to estimate construction costs at the beginning of the project before you commit to a lease, another reason why it is important for the architect to be on board before the lease is finalized.  Once the design is partially complete, the architect may ask a general contractor to provide a more accurate cost estimate of the project, which most will do at no cost in the hopes of being hired for the project.  When the construction drawings are complete and submitted to the building department, the drawings are given to one or more general contractors to provide a hard bid, a process we, the architect, facilitate. Additional costs, called change orders, may arise, so it is recommended to add a 10% contingency or cushion to the original bid.

The good news is that you may not have to pay for 100% of the project’s cost.  Building owners often provide a tenant improvement (T.I.) allowance which can be applied to your remodel costs as an incentive to lease their space.  This allowance is actually more like a loan than a gift, as the money fronted is incorporated into the monthly rent.  It is not uncommon for building owners to offer an allowance anywhere from $10 to $25 per square foot for second generation space, or as much as $50 per square foot for shell space in which case much of the allowance will be utilized for mechanical and electrical infrastructure.  An allowance is more common when it is obvious a space requires a remodel, however, if a space is in “move-in” condition, then an allowance may not be offered.  A real estate broker can assist with your allowance negotiations as most interior commercial remodels will exceed an allowance, and minimizing your out-of-pocket cost will undoubtedly be your goal.  In the recent economy, many building owners are offering “turnkey” deals, meaning that they’ll pay for the entire upfront cost of your remodel.

Even if a remodel is not required, it is often worthwhile to make one or two minor improvements to the space, such as the addition of a focal point that will attract customers, or a small change which will make a major impact on productivity.  In summary, it is important to identify spaces early, determine what improvements are desired, and hire qualified professionals to assist you.

The Best Green Option is to Remodel

  

Let’s be honest.  Building a new house is not very green.  A great deal of energy goes into the construction process.  But at least many new homes these days use less energy once they’re built.  “Net-Zero Energy” homes recently built are capable of producing an output of renewable energy that is at least equal to the amount of its consumed/purchased energy from energy utilities.  I find the technology in new green homes, especially prefab homes, very exciting.  But, as a rule, the greenest house is an existing house that is upgraded to be energy efficient.

In recent years, homes have not been easy to sell.  Yet space needs change over time.  Moreover, cutting utility bills is also desired in these economic times.  In cold climates, a $400 winter gas bill might be slashed in half by making a home energy efficient.  Remodeling green also means using products that are healthy for occupants, last a long time, and don’t require a lot of energy and waste to produce.

Below are some green remodel to-do’s.  This list is not comprehensive, and does not represent the only way to build green.  It will undoubtedly change as technology rapidly (hopefully) improves.

1. When possible, use local products that do not need to be transported.
2. Re-insulate the entire house, including the attic and floor system, with a spray-on foam or recycled product insulation.
3. Thoroughly seal the house to minimize air infiltration and leakage.
4. Replace old windows with energy-efficient windows.
5. Replace the HVAC system with a more efficient one.
6. Replace un-insulated or wood exterior doors with insulated doors.
7. Use low or no -VOC paint if re-painting is required.
8. Use recycled-material and green products (for example, 100% recycled glass tile for countertops & backsplashes)
9. Use passive solar and cooling techniques where possible (light shelves, light monitors, high and low operable windows, thermal masses, proper window placement, etc.).
10. Replace faucets, showerheads, and toilets with low-flow fixtures.
11. If cabinets must be replaced, use non-formaldehyde cabinets. If that is not possible, coat surfaces with Safecoat to prevent off-gassing.
12. Re-use as many of the existing building materials as possible, refurbish them if necessary.
13. Use a long-lasting flooring material that will last longer than carpet.
14. Replace water heater with tankless or electric tank water heater.
15. Replace appliances and lighting with energy-efficient products.
16. Add solar tubes for daylighting.
17. Replace roofing material with reflective roofing if appropriate.

Many contractors are not experienced in remodeling in an environmentally-friendly way.  If a house is in bleak condition, they’ll probably even recommend demolishing the house, and starting with a blank slate, even insisting that it will cost less to do so due to the tediousness involved in trying to work with existing conditions, re-use, and refurbish.  But contractors have recently started to rise to this worthwhile challenge.

Healthy Wall and Flooring Finishes

 

Earthen plaster walls & floors

Earthen plasters are probably the perfect green wall finish material around.  They are made of soil, clay, aggregate, and pigment; do not off-gas, have minimal waste material, are easy to repair, are non-flammable, and mold-resistant.  When finished, an earthen plaster finish looks like stucco.  It is incredibly beautiful and durable, can be smooth or rough, straight, or wavy, and any color.

Utilizing earthen plaster is as affordable as traditional plaster construction although the drying time is significantly longer than cement plaster.  The greenest way to make earthen plaster is to use the soil from the building site, however it must be tested for suitability.  It may need to be mixed with clay. Unlike cement plaster, earthen plaster is very permeable and breathable, mitigating condensation and mold problems.  Modern building systems have created very tight structures.  For energy efficiency, tight structures with few air gaps are desirable.  Therefore, breathable wall materials that keep heat in but allow water vapor to pass through become even more important.

A finish coat of lime plaster on the exterior and gypsum plaster on the interior can be applied over the earthen plaster to achieve a specific color and a more finished appearance.  The available options for eco-friendly exterior paints are very limited, so using a color-integrated plaster with a natural pigment eliminates the need for paint.  Exterior paints have a ton of chemicals to battle abuse by the sun, rain, and wind.  Yet, these chemicals are bad for the environment.

When interior paint is necessary, it’s important to use a paint that has no VOC’s (volatile organic compounds).  Nothing spruces up a room like a fresh coat of paint, but VOC’s off-gas toxic fumes for up to 3-1/2 years that are known to cause health problems such as insomnia, learning disorders, anxiety, depression, dizziness, headaches, and lethargy.

Even paints that do not have VOC’s can have other toxic chemicals, so it’s important to consult with a green design expert.  Manufacturers put chemicals in paints mainly to speed up the drying process so that painting can be done quickly, but the added convenience is not worth the downside. You can recognize a paint that is absent of VOC’s because it has no smell.  Yet they cost about the same amount as conventional paint.  The same considerations should be given to selecting stains.  Water and oil-based stains are non-toxic alternatives to conventional stains.

There are a ton of green flooring materials now on the market.  Earthen floors have been used since the beginning of history.  They are the most inexpensive flooring material, because soil from the site can be used.  And unlike popular belief, earthen floors have a hard finish and are not dusty.  But let’s face it, most of us don’t want a dirt floor, even if it is dirt cheap.   Another great option is to use the concrete foundation as the finish floor material.

When staining concrete, there are some healthy choices.  A product called Sinak HLQ-125 can be mixed with a tint that has no solvents or toxins.  Choosing a dark color stain, such as mahogany, is a way to add warmth to the feel of the space.  Even the most affordable flooring material costs about $5 per square foot installed, so using the concrete foundation as the finished floor saves a ton of money.  When carpet is absolutely needed, there are natural options that do not off-gas, although keeping allergens, dust mites, and dirt out of the carpet are still a maintenance issue for good health.  Selecting a natural underlayment is also crucial.  The cost for a green carpet will compare to a mid-range conventional wool carpet.

What is to be done with a second floor’s plywood subfloor?  Utilizing the plywood with an eco sealer as the finished floor is the greenest way to go, but most people want a more refined look.  Therefore, another option, such as a green wood flooring material, is necessary.   Typical wood floor finishes are very toxic and smelly.  New water and oil-based finishes are now available.  Some of these finishes can even be used to seal in out-gassing from toxic surfaces like plywood with formaldehyde. Speaking of plywood, most of us have a lot of it in our homes.  Toxic out-gassing of formaldehyde in particle board causes many health problems including migraines, depression, and sinus and respiratory problems.  A healthier alternative is oriented strand board (OSB) which is made from small fast-growing trees without formaldehyde.

There are literally thousands of factors to consider when selecting products with which to build and furnish a home.  New products professing to be green are introduced to the marketplace every day, and the number of choices can be overwhelming and confusing.  As green products and design become more mainstream, hopefully the unhealthy options will disappear, making the process simpler.

Make a Small Dark Apartment Look Bigger & Brighter With Inexpensive & Repurposed Materials

 

Many row houses in San Francisco are small, narrow, and long, making for dark spaces. How do you make a small, dark space look bigger and brighter? Add mirrors, lights, and texture. However mirrors can look really outdated if not done right. Plus both mirrors and lighting can be expensive. I challenged myself on this low-budget San Francisco project to use repurposed materials found at swap meets, thrift stores, and Ebay, and inexpensive off-the-shelf products instead of going with the typical custom approach. These limitations, as is often the case, actually resulted in more interesting solutions.

The Living Room:
Before:


After:


        
Steampunk Mirror Wall:

Inexpensive $30 Home Depot door mirrors were turned on their side and staggered like huge subway tiles. Because the mirrors were not custom fabricated to fit within the existing niche, this left gaps at each end. Recycled fence wood was placed in the gaps to offset the glitz of the mirrors. Wood posts were cut, stained, and attached to the studs behind the fence wood to create floating shelves. A large rusted letter “Q” found at an antique store was added to complete the piece. Sitting on top of one of the floating shelves is a bicycle spoke found at a thrift store which we painted red, an industrial light bulb found at a swap meet atop a glass cube base, another thrift store find. The materials for the entire wall cost about $450, and installation took about 4 hours.

Fireplace / TV Wall:

A wood stud and drywall fur-out was fabricated to hold an ethanol fireplace purchased for $250 on Ebay. Ethanol fireplaces use canisters filled with alcohol to create a flame and require no vents, gas, or electricity. They are also narrow which was important since we didn’t have the real estate to spare. Cove lighting is a way to bring light into space that feels more natural because the light source is hidden. An inexpensive LED strip was purchased at the local hardware store and installed on top of the wall fur-out above the TV. Electricity was tapped off a nearby power outlet, and a wall switch was added in an indiscreet location. A floating wood shelf was added at the same height as one on the adjacent mirror wall to visually tie the two walls together. The materials and labor for this wall cost about $800, not including the TV. Fabricating this wall was the most labor intensive part of the entire project, took about 4 days and created quite a mess. A ton of wood and drywall was cut, taped, mud, sanded then painted. Although it would have cost about twice as much, fabricating the wall out of millwork offsite would have been preferable if there weren’t budget limitations.

The Kitchen:

The kitchen is partially below grade and flanked by large retaining walls on two sides making for a very dark space. Large LED flood lights were added above the windows to create the illusion of sunlight. Moreover, the white cottage-cheese textured walls were stucco’d with concrete and decorated with pebbles and a few rusty gears found on Ebay. To complete the look, concrete pavers and polished Mexican rocks purchased at Home Depot were added to the patio floor. This patio remodel expanded the space of the kitchen. A shimmery shell backsplash was also added to the stove wall to provide more texture and light play. The backsplash materials cost about $300 and took about 6 hours to install.

Before:

After:


The Bedroom:

Before:

After:


This room is the smaller middle bedroom in the apartment with only two small windows, neither of which provides much daylight. I found 14-inch square gold mirrors on Walmart’s website for $7 each. Forty-two of them were installed onto the wall with heavy duty double-stick tape. So that the room didn’t look like a Las Vegas hotel room from 1975, they were painted a flat white to look like antiqued tin. They immediately expanded the room and gave it a more romantic feel. The total cost of materials was about $300, and installation took about 3 hours. The tract light was also switched out for a more mood-inducing chandelier purchased for $199 from Lamps Plus. The headboard is an old barn door found on Ebay turned on its side, and the artwork on either side incorporates another Ebay find, antique banisters.

As you can see, it’s not necessary to spend a fortune on good design. Combining everyday or “found” objects in new and interesting ways can make up for a small budget depending on the style you want. This repurposed aesthetic happens to be in vogue, especially in San Francisco. Not including design time, this entire remodel cost only a few thousand dollars yet increased the value of this San Francisco flat by about $20,000.