Custom railings
western red cedar, corrugated metal, tempered glass
2009
1/13/11
3/26/10
click to view larger image
Check out West Coast Modern Designs in April's issue of Canadian House and Home magazine.
Two of our clients won the Best Small Space in the magazine's 2010 Design Contest for their loft in Vancouver. We designed and built the dining table which was constructed with reclaimed douglas fir beams that were salvaged from a burned down building on Hastings Street, as well as the custom chair legs for their vintage Porsche seats.
2/9/10
9/16/09
9/8/09
9/3/09
Local Gold
Throughout the world today, amidst globalization, there is a growing movement to be more locally conscious. Farmers markets are springing up everywhere, feeding communities with locally grown produce, home baked bread, and even coffee beans that were roasted the day before in the vendor’s kitchen. This local food movement is bringing people fresher and healthier food, teaching people to eat what is in season, raising awareness of where our food comes from and what it goes through in order to get on our plates.
The same principles are true for design and building. It’s no secret that many of the objects we buy could be made anywhere in the world, and shipped across oceans, and over continents to get to their final destination in our homes. Not too long ago in North America, and still in a large part of the world, people built their homes out of what they had, not what they could get. They cut down wood from their own property, using the great forests around them for the materials to provide shelter and heat for their families. Today, many of us don’t have our own land, let alone enough of it to have our very own forests. That does not mean we can’t use the materials around us to build the things we need. People all over the world covet British Columbia’s beautiful red cedar and strong douglas fir. This wood is available to us in any size and quality, is relatively inexpensive and does not need to be shipped the world over just to get to us. It is also readily available, often for free, as salvaged lumber from old buildings that are being demolished. If we utilize our local materials more often, and design in a way that is suitable for our region and climate, we will be more connected to our spaces and the objects within them. The things that we own will be more affordable and will have traveled a fraction of the distance to become a part of our lives.
For these reasons, West Coast Modern Designs strives to be responsible by using local and salvaged materials provided by local suppliers. These practices support the local economy and feed environmental awareness of the products we use.
5/4/09
The 100 Mile Countertop
Being locally minded and using sustainable materials is on the minds of many Canadians these days. It just makes sense to use quality, local materials from sustainable resources that will last for a long time. It helps put money in the local economy, and helps preserve the environment by both cutting down on fuel consumption wasted through unnecessary shipping and by using more natural, sustainable products. Concrete is one of the most environmentally responsible and local options of all the different countertop materials. For example, granite and marble are usually quarried overseas, then shipped off to China where it is cut into slabs and polished, then delivered to a granite shop where it is finally cut to size for a specific kitchen and installed.
In contrast, nearly all of what makes up concrete is mined locally from gravel and sand pits. I use Target concrete which is mined and processed in Abbotsford BC. My countertops are built and installed by myself. The molds are built with reusable materials that are used to create countertops for many kitchens. Most of the materials are from local sources, and most of the money involved stays in the local economy. Once properly built and installed, concrete lasts a lifetime. Even after many years if it's starting to look a little old it can easily be re-polished and made to look brand new again. Good design never goes out of style, so you can enjoy your countertops forever.
3/23/09
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