Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
By Ryan Brown
If you’re interested in architecture and green building (if you’re reading this blog then you probably are), here is an event you won’t want to miss:
Architecture at the Umlauf
Alan Barley and Peter Pfeiffer have been inventing and implementing green building techniques for many years. I recommend their presentation because they always offer specific and practical advice for cost-efficient green design.
Check out other events at the Umlauf Sculpture Garden here. See you next Thursday.
Update 3/6/08 – From the hosts:
Wear your scarves and wraps and join us tonight…..
There will be heaters, hot cider and coffee to keep us warm.
1 Comment - Filed under Architecture, Green Building, Tips
Thursday, February 21st, 2008 at 12:13 am
By Ryan Brown
I recently covered a few of the options for Mid-Century Modern furniture in Austin. However, we also have several good sources for 21st Century Modern furniture (I’m sure there is a better term for that, but ‘contemporary’ just doesn’t do it for me…).
IF+D, in the 2nd Street District, is an excellent example of the latter. In fact, not only do they have a great showroom, but they also host a lot of fun events. If you’re looking for a great way to start your weekend tomorrow evening, read on:
A Sketchy Art Show – Friday, Feb. 22 @ 6:30 pm
- Local art “off the canvas”
- Live graffiti art demonstrations
- Silent auction
- DJ & break dancers
Support local artists AND see live breakdancing?! I can’t wait! Read Adrienne’s post at the IF+D Blog for full Sketchy Art Show Details.
See you there!
1 Comment - Filed under Austin, Tips
Tuesday, February 19th, 2008 at 10:21 am
By Ryan Brown
Buying furniture can be a longer term commitment than purchasing a home. Like home shopping, we all want to find a perfect match for our needs and design tastes. Fortunately there are many options when it comes to shopping for Mid-Century Modern furniture.
Editors Note: I hesitate to post this information as it could be very dangerous to my construction budget. Please appreciate the risks I take for my loyal readers 
.
Recently, Christopher Bright of the Dwell blog summarized sources of Mid-century Furniture. Christopher found several great stores across the country, all with photo-filled websites for your browsing pleasure.
Unfortunately, Austin’s MCM furniture vendors were left out. Christopher included only one Texas source: Century Modern in Dallas. To represent Austin’s Mid-Century furniture resources, I would add the following:
Uptown Modern
Last weekend we explored Uptown Modern on Burnet Rd. What a neat source of Mid-Century Modern furniture. I spoke with Jean Heath, the owner of the store, about how she finds so many interesting pieces. Unfortunately she wouldn’t reveal her sources . She did tell us that her inventory changes weekly, so we’ll need to make regular visits.
Austin Modern
Austin Modern on 53rd is another great source of MCM furniture in Austin. Their website not only includes several pages of photos of their selection, but also some great tips on shopping and caring for Mid-Century furniture.
If you’re in the market for Mid-Century furniture I’d highly recommend visiting both of these Austin businesses. They have great selection and are happy to help you find that perfect piece to complete your vision.
Where do you find MCM furniture in Austin? Have you found any treasures at garage or estate sales? Share your tips in the comments.
4 Comments - Filed under Austin, Resource, Tips
Tuesday, February 12th, 2008 at 9:14 pm
By Ryan Brown
Perhaps I’m biased, but it seems that every week our city is honored by one publication or another for being ‘Best for this’ or ‘Top 5 of that’. For example:
Today we add yet another honor to the list: Popular Science released a list of ‘America’s 50 Greenest Cities’. As you might guess, Austin was ranked in the top 10.
This type of data is begging to be mapped, so I went ahead and did it for them. Click on the bubbles for the ranking and a chart of their sub-scores.
View Larger Map
The rankings were based on four subcategories: Electricity, Transportation, Green Living, and Recycling and green perspective. The surveyors used raw data from the US Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society’s Green Guide, making it fairly objective.
The Top 10 include the usual suspects (Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago) and the Top 50 include several surprises, like Joliet (as in Jake), IL and Elizabeth, NJ. Who knew? Four Texas cities made the list – Austin, Fort Worth, Amarillo, and Laredo.
Austin scored well in all categories. I was a bit surprised by the mediocre 3.3 in Green Living, however this is primarily based on the number of buildings certified by the USGBC.
Here is a link to the full article on PopSci.com: Popular Science: America’s 50 Greenest Cities
On a related note, another publication recently ranked American Cities on Greenness, placing Austin at 9th:
Austinist: Practically Verdant: Austin Named in Top 10 Greenest Cities List
What do you think of the rankings? Are there cities that don’t belong? Chime in with a comment!
6 Comments - Filed under Austin, Green Building, News
Monday, February 11th, 2008 at 1:01 am
By Ryan Brown
Developments related to my own modern remodel have cut down on my posting lately. More information to follow, but for now – a nice helping of Speedlinks:
Austin News:
Statesman Condo Propaganda?
Did anyone else notice all of the pro-condo stories in the Statesman this weekend? I don’t disagree with many of the points made, however it was strange to see such a concentration of coverage. I suppose these stories can only help Mayor Wynn’s goal of 25,000 downtown residents by 2015…
Other News:
Have a great week. Don’t forget your Valentine!
1 Comment - Filed under Speedlinks
