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Barkitecture 2012 - Photos of the Luxe Doghouse & Garden Competition Entries



above: the Bau Wau Dog House by Ripple Design Studio

Luxe Interiors + Design and Seattle Design Center hosted Barkitecture last week —a luxury dog house construction and garden competition presented by Keller Supply Company and Kohler Co. Take a look at the entries below.

Team Engle:



above: Tyler Engle Architects’ team: a clever two-piece structure on a rail that enabled expansion of the covered space and the opportunity to cool or warm the doghouse from the sun. The interior space could be illuminated with natural daylighting through frosted glass at the far end. Hints of “dogtrot” houses from the SE parts of the US. Team: Tyler Engle Architects, Krekow Jennings – Builder, Dana Hamel – Designer, Ken Philp – Landscape, Decorative Metal Arts, California Closets, Moira Holley - Realtor.

Team Aome:



above: AOME Architects’ team: their entry was a romantic dog castle, complete with a moat and draw bridge. This dog house was well-built and featured a number of clever details. It would require a small dog with such a small entry, but what a grand entry for a miniature poodle! Team: AOME Architects, Charter Construction, Carl Williams – Designer, Nussbaum Group – Landscape, Seattle Stair & Design, Pental Granite & Marble, Dean Clausen - Realtor.

Team DeForest:



above: DeForest Architects’ team: A contemporary box with a host of operable features. As with several other entries, this doghouse was capped with a green vegetative roof. I’m not sure how well the siding would hold up to the weather in the Pacific Northwest, but a colorful, adventuresome, and carefully crafted design. Team: DeForest Architects, Roberts Wygal – Builder, Steven Hensel – Designer, R. David Adams – Landscape, Studio C, Stacy Logan Rugs, Connie Blumenthal - Realtor.

Team Demetriou:



above: Demetriou Architects’ team: A fanciful and sculptural home for a playful dog. There was a quite a bit of utility built-in to this creation, such as an automatic dog feeding and watering system. The interior lighting was nicely done, as was the green roof and rain water harvesting system. Team: Demetriou Architects, Bender Custom Builders, Barbara Hyde Evans – Designer, Dar Webb – Landscape, Savvy Cabinetry, Michael Folks Showroom, Melanie McCarthy - Realtor.

Team Castanes:


above: Castanes Architects’ team: this entry had quite a bit going on, an expansive butterfly roof for rainwater harvesting and shade, colorful and sculptural walls, a massive live-edge wood platform, and large casters for portability. The single steel column support for the roof was nicely done and seemingly under-appreciated by the hundreds in attendance. Team: Castanes Architects, Odyssey Builders, MusaDesign – Designer, CEM Landscape, Robert Allen/Beacon Hill, William & Wayne, Scott Wasner - Realtor.

Team Graham Baba:



above: Graham Baba Architects’ team: The entry was similar to Tyler Engle’s with two moving elements. With GBA’s, the dog house rolled out from under the canopy while the canopy on TEA’s rolled on a track away from the stationary dog house. Graham Baba’s dog house sported a nicely crafted steel frame with a salvaged lumber roof and side walls. The entire side of the dog house hinged open to form a deck. This was one of the most utilitarian of the entries. Team: Graham Baba Architects, Toth Construction, Graciela Rutkowski – Designer, Berger Partnership – Landscape, Cascade Joinery, Metal Solutions, Schumacher, Chris Doucet - Realtor.

Team Ripple:



above: Ripple Design Studio’s team: This entry took a different approach to the meaning of dog house. This was a creative and carefully crafted indoor dog bed. The screen wall is built of Ipe wood shaped like dog bones with bamboo cabinets on each end to store food, water, and leashes for the small urban dog. Team: Ripple Design Studio, Prestige Custom Builders, Gregory Carmichael – Designer, Brooks Kolb – Landscape, Baker Knapp & Tubbs, Lee Jofa Kravet, Sam Cunningham - Realtor.

Team AKJ:



above: AKJ Architects’ team: This was the other traditional entry. As with AOME’s design, there were a number of creative and nicely detailed elements, like the leaded-glass dog bone windows and bone-shaped pillow inside. The lighting was nicely done. Team: AKJ Architects, Peak Builders, Six Walls Interiors – Designer, Ragen & Associates, The Sliding Door Co., Duralee, Melissa Camp - Realtor.

Team Silk:



above: Stuart Silk Architects’ team: Team Silk designed this dog house for two dogs with two levels. The visually-strong butterfly roof was designed to capture rainwater for the wter dish and an entry water feature. This home featured many of the qualities we seek in our own homes these days: an open floor plan, flexible and adaptable to changing conditions, natural daylighting, and strong visual connections between the interior and exterior spaces. They won a few awards for this entry. Team: Stuart Silk Architects, Bellan Construction, Holly McKinley – Designer, Cambium Landscape, Keller Supply Co., Windows, Doors & More, Carrie DeBuys - Realtor.

Team Balance:


above: Balance Associates Architects’ team: As with other entries, Balance produced a design with a green roof and operable side panels. The operable doors to their dog house doubled as weather protection and shade for the interior spaces. The Balance team’s entry had one entire wall constructed as a gabion of tennis balls. Team: Balance Associates Architects, Logan’s Hammer – Builder, Nancy Burfiend – Designer, Scot Eckley Landscape, Yellow Mountain Stoneworks, Chown Hardware, Dennis Paige - Realtor.



descriptions and several of the images courtesy of Nathan Good Architects PC ; other images courtesy of Seattle Design Center and Luxe Source

The Darker Side of Mad Men. Season 5 Parody Dolls by Michael Williams.





As most fans of the TV drama Mad Men know, Mattel came out with a line of Barbie Dolls based on the cast characters a few years ago.


above: Mattel's limited edition Mad Men dolls have long since sold out

Now photographer Michael Williams, who specializes in doll photography, has parodied Season 5 with the following versions- complete with appropriate accessories:







For those custom doll makers and collectors, here are the details of Michael's creations:
For Joan he restyled Dusk to Dawn Silkstone Barbie and she wears a OOAK little black dress from Marirose with a black fur coat from Coquette Cissy, Sindy baby carriage from the UK repainted black (originally blue); 1969 Dramatic New Living Skipper doll wearing Skipper Dreamtime #1909 pajamas with Skipper Me 'N My Doll miniature Barbie; Betty is the Mattel Betty Draper Silkstone wearing Ken Rally Day coat, Barbie & Kelly Children's Doctor scale, Alfred Hitchcock The Birds purse, BFMC New York Yorkie scarf, Fashion Royalty skirt, RE-MENT whip cream and sundaes; Megan is Kate Spade Barbie on a Dynamite Girl body wearing vintage Barbie Lemon Kick minidress Photoshopped (not dyed) black; RE-MENT sherbet and Isha script; Peggy is BFMC Continental Holiday Silkstone Barbie in a Randall Craig cardigan sweater, Something Cool Isha Fashion Royalty convention bodysuit, Tiny Kitty "Perfect Knit" wool skirt, thermos from a Beverly Hillbillies Lunchbox keychain re-covered in custom plaid print; Jason Wu Event III FR Dark Medley Missima Luxury Accessory pack handbag, RE-MENT popcorn, Barbie Generation Girl Lara artist easel, custom-printed story boards.

A huge fan of Mad Men, Michael previously created Mad Men dioramas for Haute Doll magazine using dolls and mini sets based on the show.



See more of Michael's wondeful work at Mylifeinplastic.com and follow him on Twitter (@MyLifeIsPlastic) or visit him on Facebook

Beautiful Traps: A QR Code Art Project by Australian Artist Yiying Lu.



Watch as Australian Artist Yiying Lu hand paints beautiful women as carnivorous plants in which QR codes are artfully embedded, combining fine art with digital technology. By using a QR code reader to read the paintings, the viewer is then directed to watch the process.

Stylish Surfcrafts from Coco Republic. Mini Malibu and Mini Simmons Surfboards.




Two sized surfboards, called surfcrafts, designed by Coco Republic and manufactured by one of Australia's finest retro shapers, perform to the highest surfing standards when in the surf. Both the Mini Malibu and Mini Simmons boards are polyurethane covered in exclusive Sparkk fabrics and fiberglass.




Dimensions of Mini Malibu boards: H2125 x W550mm.
Dimensions of Mini Simmons boards: H1650 x W540mm.

There are lots of lovely patterns available. Check them out here

Old School Wood & Slate Versions of Laptops and Smartphones For Kids.





If your child looks to pursue a career in our multimedia-based world, you should introduce him or her to state-of-the-art technology as early as possible.



i-Wood and i-Woody are old school takes on modern technology, with a smart minimal look. Made of 100% natural wood, the ecological versions of today's tech serve as a blank canvas that encourages imagination and can be wiped clean for endless fun.

i-Wood/ My First Laptop:



Wooden fold-up 'laptop' with chalk screen & keyboard.
Dimensions: 24cm x 35cm x 2.5cm
Not suitable for children under 3 years. Please note: irregularities and colour discrepancy within the wood may occur naturally.
buy it here

i-Woody / My First Smartphone


I-Woody/
My first Smartphone
Design: Donkey Creative Lab
Wood · includes chalk & sponge · ca. 11.5 x 6 x 1 cm
Not suitable for children under the age of 3 years. 
100% Natural Product. Irregularities and colour discrepancy within the material may occur naturally.
Buy it here.


Donkey Products is an international Design Label based in Hamburg that develops and designs original, humorous products. And yes, they do ship worldwide.

Human Hair Necklaces by Kerry Howley



Kerry Howley is a contemporary jeweller and jewellery artist recently graduated with a First Class BA Hons Jewellery and Accessories degree from Middlesex University. She is fascinated by the power materials have to influence our emotional response to jewellery, with a particular interest in how these emotions can be conflicting.

A Stunning Modern Home With Underwater Spa in Cape Town Makes One Helluva Vacation Rental.



Believe it or not, this gorgeous home in Cape Town, South Africa is available to rent for vacation and holiday stays. You may have seen a few shots of this modern luxury home a few months ago on fubiz or Trendland, but didn't know it was available to rent.

Stuffed Livestock Furnishings From Italy's Armin Blasbichler Studio.





Given my posts on tattooed pigs and pigskins received so many controversial reactions, I can only imagine how these tables from Armin Blasbichler Studio, which combine furniture design with taxidermy, are going to go over.

Orson I and Orson II are part of a limited series of tables which feature stuffed livestock incorporated into the design by the Italian multidisciplinary studio.

"ORSON, I'm Home” Orson I, 2010

“ORSON, I'm Home” I is a coffee table which has a stuffed sow as the base on which a laminated glass and cotton cloth tabletop sit:



dimensions: L 250cm, W 120cm, H 74cm, 210kg


"ORSON, I'm Home” Orson II, 2011

“ORSON, I'm Home” II is a console table whose legs are those of a stuffed deer and whose top is multi-layered plywood covered with real deerskin:


dimensions: L 141cm, W 44cm, H 76cm, 25kg

Armin Blasbichler Studio is a multidisciplinary practice based in Brixen/Bressanone, Italy specialised in cross-linking the fields of architecture, design and visual arts. The studio is committed to developing innovative projects that are built on critical research, transgression and the experience of chance both physically and conceptually.

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