AG design (ing)

Customize your office with little money

2013-09-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

Back to work after a well deserved holiday, customize your home office without spending much money and parts made by you.

Here are some ideas:

Reuse the cans of tomatoes to put pens. With pliers flatten the area where the lid was and if you don´t like the outside of the can paint it with a color or glue a tissue, paper or ribbon to your liking.
Reuse the tuna cans to put the clips and rubber bands. With pliers flatten the area where the lid was and if you don´t like the outside of the can paint it with a color or glue a tissue, paper or ribbon to your liking.

Give new life to your bookshelf with glass doors add a plain or patterned fabric to your taste. After choosing the fabric, cut it to the measure of the door, make a sheath. Glue the fabric to the door with double duct tape, not to damage the door.
Use the glass cabinet as a pinboard. Write notes of encouragement or errands.

Modify your chair, apply a patterned paper or fabric to customize it. See how in the link.

You have a smooth carpet that you dislike, customize it by painting it with a pattern at your liking. Choose a pattern and acrylic paint, if you find the the pattern in stencil will be easier and faster to paint your carpet. See how in the link.

Make your own mouse pad. Use the protections for the drawers and fabric. See how the link.
Create your own magnetic rocks to put the clips. There are magnetic paint you can buy to apply, the rocks are free. See the idea.
Make a magnetic calendar. Use balsa wood or model cardboard to create the base. Create a calendar for the week or month depending on your organization. See the idea.

Enhance your energy with some Feng Shui tips for your office:

Do not forget that the desk should stay in a position to view the entrance door.
Do not put the desk on the line between the entrance door and window to the space, because is where the most harmful energy will be.

And now to improve your posture leave some tips ergonomics for your office:

The screen of your computer should be in front and not the on the side. I extend the same advice to the keyboard.
The mouse should be close to the keyboard so you do not make big moves to work with it.
Sit in your chair with your back straight and shoulders relaxed but upright.
Use a chair that allows you to put your feet on the ground.
The chair should follow the curvature of your spine.
Your elbows should be supported on the table or chair.
Make sure that the natural lighting comes form the side of your work plan.
Have a desk lamp to enable you to have a good lighting in the work plan.

Children's bedroom in the return to school

2013-09-05T12:54:00.003-07:00

With the end of the holidays comes time to start preparing the start of school. Buy books, notebooks, pens, backpack, etc..

Why not also prepare the room of your children for the start of the school year?

Image courtesy of (by photostock) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

An organized room helps to have a successful school year.

We must make room for files, books, papers, without forgetting the leisure time are also needed.

Although the living room depends on the age of the child, the older they get the more space they need for your privacy, study and leisure.

Here are some general tips for organizing your kids' bedroom:

talk to them and try to understand their needs for space and their organization method. Try to involve them in the organization of the room so they feel responsible to keep it clean and organized.

do a cleanup of outdated items. This cleansing allows to make room for things to come and will bring new energy to the space. Donate some items to associations or sell online.

Image courtesy of (by photostock) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

arrange space on the shelf for storing all the books and files to come.

on the south side of the room arrange a special space to display trophies and honors that your child received.

arrange the items from bottom to top, the most used items on the bottom shelves and the least used on the top shelves.

if your child is a todler. use boxes to pack small toys. The more used toys can stay on the shelf.

associate the toys pack up with fun time, arrange labels with pictures and words to help the little ones realize where they can pack up and learn new words.

Image courtesy of (by Phaitoon) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

the desk should be functional and don´t forget the accessories, cups for pens, lamp, etc. If your child has a desktop computer get yourself a cable organizer, will be easier to clean the room.

the desk chair should not be with his back to the entrance of the room.

remember that the little ones need to have their most valuable assets accessible, if they can not reach it they can not pack it. Clothes can be accessible, so they learn to develop their independence.

put a hook behind the door. It's easier for them to come and hang their coats, it´s out of sight and tucked away behind the door.

don´t forget to get a basket for recycling paper and one for trash. This way they seize from little to value the environment.

Image courtesy of (by nuchylee) / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

arrange a corner with a beanbag away from distractions for the recreation area and reading, with good lighting.

the bed shouldn´t be in the line between the window and the door, so that your sleep is not disturbed by fast energy. When lying in bed you should be able to see the entrance door.

with regard to the decoration don´t forget that it´s your child room, it is space in the house, let him put his personality into the space.

One last note, remember that an organized and airy room is a step towards the well being and success of their inhabitants.

Designing small offices

2013-04-19T01:55:00.001-07:00

The office of a company is its their business card. Companies offices do not need to be big to be comfortable what matters is the design and functionality of the space.

Is it possible to put an office in a small space and not look like a cluttered storage? That was the question that the IP Solutions CEO asked me when he seeked my expertise to install one of the company´s office in a 5 square meters area (53 ft2).

The space needs were a desk to work and meeting, cabinets to store files, printer and desktop computer space, it all would have to work in harmony and look good.

A key aspect when designing a small space is to combine all the functions inherent to a work space, work surfaces, storage area and do not forget the areas occupied by the furniture, circulation, and the space of the chair in use.

In this case there was already furniture, so there was a survey to ascertain what furniture and computer equipment would go to the space and their dimensions. This allowed me to make a layout planning of the best space arrangement.

The best and most rational layout is one that allows you to receive the greatest flow of light sideways on the work plan, is more comfortable because it does not create so many shadows.

Another important point for comfort in an office is to see the entrance door to the space, a person feels more secure and can be focused in work because it can maintain control of the space around them. In this case, the layout puts the chairs for guests close to the entrance door, preventing people to walk around the office.

Making use of an existing desk was suggested that it should be installed a smaller desk to make an L shape work plan. The small desk will be occupied by the desktop computer and leaves the rest of the desk space to work and meetings. The L shape desk is positioned so that the first thing the client sees is a clean and organize work plan.

The storage space is achieved by placing bookshelves to support the desk and also high shelves. The bookshelf that supports the desk will have a niche for the printer, allowing it to be within the reach of an arm. On the shelves along the floor are closed boxes, for storing small items and documents.

The color in a small space is very important, small spaces do not carry dark colors. Light colors make the room lighter and larger, dark colors make it small and crammed. Attention to the color of the furniture and walls.

In this case the furniture was white, which lightens space, given its size. The touches of color are given with small notes. The lampshade and small plants in pots confers naturalness and freshness to the space.

To customize and add some color to the space, the company logo was placed on the wall opposite the front door of the cabinet.

A peculiarity in the design space is the creation of a “whiteboard wall” very useful for meetings and work organization or even for placing motivation phrases or pinboard.

Of course all this planning will do nothing if one is not careful with their space. In small spaces you have to be organized and tidy, especially in the workplace where image sells more than words.

Customization of a display cabinet

2013-02-28T07:01:00.001-08:00

New service
Customization of furniture.

Customizing a display cabinet.
This cabinet has modern lines which fits well with the modern furniture that we use in our homes. The mobile is a custom piece full of personality, it brings to the dining room a unique atmosphere.
Inside the cabinet was applied a paper pattern, the exterior of the cabinet was painted.
See the patterns in our online store.

100 Facebook likes

2013-01-17T06:10:00.003-08:00

Thanks to all the fans! 100 Facebook likes!

Click on the image to see the video.

by AG Architecture and Design
music: "ditto, ditto!" by DoKashiteru (feat. ditto ditto, BT)
http://ccmixter.org/files/DoKashiteru/2005
licensed under a Creative Commons License:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/sampling+1.0/

2013 Decoration trends

2012-12-19T02:37:00.001-08:00

We are in the final stretch of the year 2012, find with me the decoration trends for 2013 according to decoration magazines e Lidewij Edelkoort, trend forecaster.

The trend for the interiors will focus on durability and comfort with sober and neutral colors. The tendency will be to buy furniture with good quality both in materials and finishes. The furniture will have straight and conservative lines. The textures and patterns will also be very popular. The decorative items will have the personality of time and history. The pieces will be handmade or reused with a new function. Use a cup or vase cracked like old forks to use a chandelier.

http://www.bostonglobe.com

PATTERNS. A trend that has been increasing are the patterns with white background. Fabrics and wallpapers with white background and floral motifs, or vintage motifs with a touch of white, are trends that have been becoming popular. So do not forget to add a splash of white. There is a tendency to create calm and comfortable spaces connected with the exterior, so the patterns with animals and flowers motifs will be very popular. In the case of animal motifs trend is for the elephant and dog. The floral patterns will be stylized and modern, much like the Nordic style. The stripes will be on the rise in the decoration, as they were in the fashion catwalk. There is a tendency to use in the interiors the patterns of folklore African, Mexican, Bulgarian and other cultures.

TEXTURES. The textures will gain strength in 2013 because they are allied to the senses, visual and touch. The fabrics and finishes involve people in warm textures and create depth in the decorations. The natural textures will tend to emerge more because they are allied with comfort. The beige and neutral colors will set the tone for warm and comfortable spaces. Materials such as wood, iron, natural fibers will be widely used in 2013.

COLORS. The bright and vibrant colors of 2012 will give way to more neutral colors. While in 2012 green was the dominated color, in 2013 blue will be the master. Two shades of blue will emerge, a dark, navy, that can replace the black, and a lighter tone that should arise as a neutral color in space. Green will become an strong Oliva shade. The yellow becomes pale, and can be used in contrast with darker and richer colors.

According to the website Pantone.com the trend for color in 2013 are:

Blue: Dusk Blue (Pantone -16-4120), Monaco Blue (Pantone 19-3964)
Green: Emerald (Pantone 17-5641), Grayed Jade (Pantone 14-6011), Tender Shoots (Pantone 14-0446)
Red / Yellow: Poppy Red (Pantone 17-1664), Nectarine (Pantone 16-1360), Lemon Zest (Pantone 13-0756)
Violet: African Violet (Pantone 16-3520)
Rose: Linen (Pantone 12-1008

www.pantone.com

Shoe rack with reused materials

2012-11-21T03:11:00.002-08:00

I needed a shoe rack in the entrance hall of my house, between the hypotheses to buy a cabinet or build my own, the last idea won.

I had a lot of cardboard boxes, so I reused them to make the shoe rack structure inside an existing cabinet in the entrance hall. This idea allows for the the shoe rack structure not to have much consistency, because the cabinet is the one that will help support. This way I only need to create something to support the shelves. So I created vertical sides of cardboard, leaning against the cabinet and the other against the boxes of electricity that would be supported by the shelves.

Here is a picture of the shoe rack .

How to solve the challenge of supporting the shelves? Because the shoes are not too heavy, I did something simple like create a cut in the vertical sides of the cardboard to make a tab to support the shelf.

How to resolve the situation of the hinges of the existing cabinet not interfering with the vertical sides of the shoe rack? Easy, cut the outline of the hinges and it will fit around it.

Here are pictures of the details I mentioned.

Hope you like this idea, and reused materials.

Your walls are a black board

2012-11-07T00:55:00.002-08:00

What if you could write on the walls of your office?

http://www.ideapaint.com

Now in addition to the Slate paint also exists a solution to turn your walls into a whiteboard.

This paint transforms a normal wall in a large whiteboard where you can write with a special pen and erase.

http://www.ideapaint.com

It is an ideal finish for boardrooms of companies, makes it easier to brainstorm or to present an idea, can also serve as a projection screen for presentations.

Your kids will love the opportunity to write on the bedroom walls. Makes study more fun, now they will be able to put on the wall important notes for exams.

http://www.ideapaint.com

You no longer need a board in your kitchen, you can have an entire wall with reminders, and there is no longer an excuse not to see the messages.

In addition to the white paint also exists a varnish which allows making a wall of any color into a whiteboard. You can write over your favorite color. Imagine playing Pictionary with friends in your living room using all your wall to draw.

The paint can be used in any space, commercial, residential or corporate. In the store, highlight the ideas and testimonies of your clients, paint a wall and invite them to write it. At the restaurant, turn your menu into a star, write it on a wall of the restaurant.

http://www.ideapaint.com

There is also the versatility to use the paint on the doors or furniture in your home or commercial establishment.

Make your spaces into interactive and creative spaces, at home, work or with your clients.

Some websites that sell this product:
http://www.ideapaint.com/
http://www.whiteyboard.com/

Ruggable - easy maintenance rugs

2012-10-22T02:23:00.003-07:00

Ruggable is a company that sells rugs made of 2 pieces.

The rug consists of two parts, a base pad that keeps the rug in place and the top that has several models that match any decor of your home.
These rugs make maintenance much easier, because they can be washed in the washing machine at home.

They are non-allergenic, lightweight and easy to transport, the base has an adherent the floor and carpet, easy to vacuum, easy to maintain, has various designs, materials, colors and dimensions.

Dimensions: 70x92cm (2'x3 ') / 92x153cm (3'x4') / 153x244cm (4'x6 ') / 122x183cm (5'x8') / 243x305cm (8'x10 ')

Visit Ruggable webpage in www.ruggable.com

New Product

2012-07-25T12:20:00.001-07:00

TAILORED LAMP

I design and execute lamps for your living room or your children´s room.
Have a unique decoration article to light up your room. Talk to me.

Handmade Home Accessories.

Model price: €50 (lampshade not included)

Customize your chair at low cost

2012-02-23T18:40:00.000-08:00

Buy a cheap chair and turn it into a piece of custom design. In this case the chair is from Ikea, has a modern design but lacked something else, color and personality.

MATERIALS:
- Glue/varnish;
- Leaves patterned paper;
- Leaf to take the model;
- Brush;
- X-acto knife;
- Pencil;
- Sticky tape.

EXECUTION:

Choose a paper with a pattern that allows several sheets to be join. Rehearse how you want the pattern on the chair.
Use a paper to draw the model of the seat and cut.
Join the different pattern paper sheets, place the template on top and mark with pencil. After cutting the standard sheets preferably with the x-act to make sure that the cutting is perfect.

Put some glue/varnish on top of the chair and place the sheets. Pass over the sheets a bit of glue/varnish, to moisten,use this procedure until the end. Be careful with the air bubbles that arise from lack of glue.
After being dried, correct the borders with a x-acto and then apply glue/varnish again.

Urban Project

2012-01-17T18:40:00.000-08:00

Entrecampos in Lisbon, Portugal

The work published here is the result of a urban study made for the disciplines of Envirommental Physics and Project in the Lusofona University, the study was conducted in 2006/2007.

The area of the intervention is composed of two zones, where it used to be the city Amusement Park and the city Suplly Market. The first zone is located near the business area of the city and includes one of the most busiest railway and subway station of Lisbon. The zone of the Suplly Market is abandoned and obsolete.

The proposed intervention seeks to return this areas to the pedestrians, by implementing urban life and urban continuity.

The block of the Old Amusement Park was creating discontinuity in the urban fabric, disconnecting the Campo Pequeno area with the Entrecampos area. Near the sation the sidewalks were being used as a parking lots for people that came form outside Lisbon, they left their cars there and take the subway and buses to downtown.

There were some constraint from the Conditions Plant of the City of Lisbon that led to some options of the proposed urban design.

Access to the subway line determines the facade of the buildings of the Old Amusement Park facing Avenida da República. This allows the sidewalks to be wider than usual, something that will be positive since this is a drop and taking passengers zone due to being near the station.

The area west of the Old Supply Market has a very sharp slope. This slope was tapped to create aplatform where we can enjoy a magnificent view, a leisure area with trees, dotted with kiosks with cafes and shops that serve the buildings housing commercial and trade services buildings that extend to the lower level of siding.

It was determined that the existing buildings would be preserved, which was a challenge. In the area northeast of the Old Amusement Park exists a building of 11 floors crushing the sidewalk next to the roundabout of Entrecampos. The buildings preserved in the west and east zone of the Old Supply Market serve as a volumetric model and determine the facade line of the buildings to be implemented.

The streets with no way out were connected to the main axes to allow the flow of traffic.

The air corridor that passes over is also a constraint, because it imposes a limit to the height of buildings to be constructed in this area, 25m.

THE OLD AMUSEMENT PARK

The block of the Old Amusement Park was planned in order to maintain the division of blocks of Avenidas Novas, and maintain the function of recreation and leisure space with open spaces and shopping areas.

The buildings were all demolished except for the building that near the monument Guerra Peninsular. The buildings proposed were designed to complement the space with the existing building. This area was thought to be the main square of this block, the main door of entrance to the block. A tunnel in the building gives way to the interior of the block which will link to the station.

The limit of Avenida da República was established by the subway entrance. The limit of Avenida 5 Octubro was the existing wall and the facade of the adjacent buildings. The front of Avenida das Forças Armadas was moved back to create a square to welcome people that came form the station.

The interior of the block has a pedestrian walkway parallel to Avenida 5 Octubro and several perpendicular passages that link Avenida da República to Avenida 5 Octubro, which allows the pedestrians to make a link between the major streets away from the car traffic.

The inner zone of the block is design to appealing to pedestrians and residents, a refuge away from the hustle and bustle of city traffic. A central garden, shaded benches and tables compose the space. The lower floors are occupied by shops, restaurants and services that animate the interior of the block and make the space more welcoming to people.

The connection of the inner zone to the station is performed through a ramp leading to a small square, which sits at the entrance of the station. It is animated by shops that are hidden under a cover garden that leans in the opposite direction of the ramp to the square.

In this area the proposed buildings are commercial + services and commercial + residential.

BLOCK OF THE OLD CITY AMUSEMENT PARK / ELEVATION 1

Creation of pedestrian areas. Traffic prohibited, just loading and unloading. Block interior creation of area for recreation, commercial and services spaces. Visual and physical connection of the station square to Avenida das Forças Armadas.

BLOCK OF THE OLD CITY AMUSEMENT PARK / ELEVATION 2

Connection between the interior of the block and adjacent avenues. Extension of the Rua da Cruz Vermelha to Avenida da República. Creation of a buffer area between the interior of the quarter and the railway station. Creation of a ramp to overcome the difference in height between the station and the interior of the block. Creation of spaces for shops and restaurants in the station square hidden from inside the block by a garden coverage.

THE OLD CITY SUPLLY MARKET

In this zone the existing buildings served as a model for buildings to be built along Avenida das Forças Armadas. The buildings are arranged perpendicularly to the avenue in order to give some privacy and seclusion from the hustle and noise of traffic, and also allows to create recreation areas between buildings.

The uses of buildings are commerce+services, residential+commerce. Buildings are 10 to 8 floors, the ground-floor is occupied by shops, and higher by residential or services.

New streets were planned and existing streets have been redesigned to be concordant to the proposed urban design. The streets have two lanes with opposite directions and parking.

A line of buildings hide the steep slope. The floors accessing the two different heights of the terrain will be commercial and services spaces. To the public that crosses this zone there is a staircase, an escalator and an elevator.

To create a link between both sidewalks of Avenida das Forças Armadas were created catwalks to allow pedestrians to access the university campus and vice versa.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

Origami Holiday Cards

http://en.origami-club.com/xmas/

Another point for the Portuguese Design

2011-09-07T06:40:00.000-07:00


Image reference for the website of the designer Rui Alves

The Portuguese Designers Rui Alves won the Red Dot Design Award: Best of the best 2010 in the Concept Design/Home Furniture category. "Welcome to the Jungle" is the name fo the furniture line with five elements.

The name comes from the moment of inspiration when playing with plastic animals with his child. The designer has created five elements each with a name and a possibility of functions, James the elephant, John the hippopotamus, Jeremy the lion, Jerry the giraffe and Joe the crocodile. The animals are distinguished by their color, size and shape. The lines have been stylized to facilitate the interaction of the elements so that they could function as a modular line. The feet of each can be exchanged for each other to let people discover new features in the set. They can form a shelf together, a bench, a table or a hanger together or alone.

I invite you to visit his website and learn more about the designer and his work, http://www.myownsuperstudio.com/

Tips to decorate your room with little money

2011-07-20T06:01:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, is the time of the year which makes you want to change the decor of the house, but the crisis and the holidays do not allow big spending.

To chance the decor of your spaces you don’t have to make large expenditures.

You can reuse what you have, changing the existing furniture, adding new accessories, wallpaper, decorative items and one other piece of furniture.

Sometimes the details can make a difference. I leave a few tips to change the decor of your bedroom.

The first step is to choose the colors and style you want to put in the space. Flip some magazines and choose the style and colors that suit you best.

Do not forget that the bedroom is where we need calm and quiet so do not choose strong colors, choose a blue or a green that are restful. Use a neutral color as a base for the walls and the big furniture and put color in details such as cushions, carpet, chair, decorative items.

Change the layout of your bedroom. Safeguard you bed, take her away from the line that goes from the door to the window, but so as not to lose sight of the door when you're in bed, see figure. Pay attention to the corners of the furniture they should not be pointing to the bed.

Now that you have chosen the colors and style you can start picking details.
Place wallpaper behind the headboard, or if you prefer, paint the headboard wall a different color from the rest of the room to stand out.

If you're tired of your headboard and if it is made of wood you can make a "hood" lined, thus simulating an upholstered headboard. Make a headboard high to protect it when you are sleeping.

Reuse a quilt that you already have and buy only the cushions. Pick cushions with color to give life to your bedroom.

Your curtains do not fit the decor you choose, buy new curtains in many stores that exist in the market, or buy the fabric and make them.

Make a list of your storage needs, so that you can get an idea of the furniture that stays and the one that can leave.

The furniture that stays can be painted, there accessories can be changed. Change the handles, put a simple or colored glass over, paint floral designs.

Finally the decorating accessories. Put pictures of couples in the area southwest of your room area of the relationship. Make your own art pieces. Enjoy what remains of rolls of toilet paper and make a painting/sculpture, give wings to your imagination. Visit Growing up Creative to have the instructions to make the painting of the image.

Have fun redecorating your bedroom.

I am available to help you make your room a haven of calm and peace.