Spring Break Inspiration

Usually, Spring Break is a time of fun and relaxation, maybe even chilling on the beach soaking up the sun. But not for me. This year I spent my time sitting in the house by myself bored out of my mind, and working on some schoolwork. Sounds like a blast right?
Well during my time at home I was able to watch a little tv, which never happens while school is in. One of my favorite tv shows is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. This show is very inspirational for me because of two things. One, the designers are very good at what they do, they are extremely talented and creative. Secondly I get inspired by the reason for the show. The team of designers and contractors give up their time to help out a family in need, a family whose home is unfit to live in. Watching their reactions when they realize that they have been chosen to be on the show, and their reaction when they reveal the renovated house is simply amazing.
The fact that one day, I could have that impact on someone really inspires me to do the best I can while I am in school, and even when things get tough and stressful, I know I should keep on going.
So, even though Spring Break wasn't as exciting as some other's, I managed to be inspired.

Proximity Hotel

     Last week, in my Intro to Interior Design class, we took a field trip to tour the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC. We started off the trip by dining at the Print Works Bistro which is connected to the hotel. After a delicious lunch and a dessert, we met our tour guide Stephen, who energetically told us all about the Proximity.
     The tour began looking down at the Social Lobby which is an area directly behind the Reception Lobby where guests check in or out. Stephen then lead us into the Revolution Room where special events are held, such as lunches or dinners. Next we entered into the Weaver Room which is another special events room. This room was one of my favorites because it consisted of many doors that could open up, turning the room into a "breezeway". This room is very suitable for wedding receptions and things like that.
     After that we were taken into some of the suites. These rooms were incredible. The large, wall-sized windows, let in so much natural light that during the day it isn't necessary to turn on any lights in the room. Even though so much natural light is let in, the privacy is not compromised.
    Another interesting place that we were able to visit was the roof. The roof is not a place where guests go, but since we were there for a tour, they allowed us to go. The reason we went up to the roof was to see the 100 solar panels. These solar panels are used to heat 60% of the water for the hotel and the restaurant.
     The thing that makes this hotel so special is that it is the first hotel to earn the LEED Platinum certification. LEED is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. To earn a LEED certification, a building project must meet certain prerequisites and performance credits within each category. They are awarded Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum depending on the number of credits they achieve.

     Overall, I really enjoyed the tour of the Proximity Hotel, it is somewhere I would definitely love to stay if I ever get the chance.

Chest of Drawers in AutoCAD

AuoCAD is a major part of the Interior Design world. This program allows you to execute detailed drawings of buildings, rooms, plans, and just about anything. It is a very difficult and confusing program but I think I am beginning to get the hang of it.
The above picture is of a chest of drawers I made in the AutoCAD program. There were many steps taken to complete the entire thing. The majority of the piece was simple because it mainly consisted of rectangles and offsetting. The top and bottom of the chest were more difficult because there are arcs involved which can get tricky.
The ogee feet located on the bottom of the chest were incredibly hard to do. We completed those in class seperately from the rest of the chest and later combined the two.
AutoCAD is a program that takes patience and practice. It can be very stressful but fun at the same time. The better you get at it, the more fun it will be!