To Sleep, Perchance to Dream BUILD-N-SHARE #36
From the Build-n-Share Files Client #36 Rich Marriner
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HEN our latest client came in for a consultation, I was a little surprised he needed our design services at all. He came in with a portfolio containing a design for a small house—one large living area, a separate bathroom, and a peaceful outdoor area for meditation and yoga. Richard Marriner (“Call me Rich,” he said. “And please call me Archy,” I responded.) turned out to be the famous ballet dancer of that name. Our favorite client, Doug Curtis, had brought him to the area to discuss dancing the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Willow Creek Arts Center. His ex, Christophe Calment (an architect of some renown), created the original sketch for the house, and although the two were no longer together, Rich still wanted the house. With a budget of §35,000 and a postmodern vibe, Rich’s dream was definitely something we could make come true. There was a small, vacant lot in Newcrest that would be perfect.
After the consultation, I called in my assistant, Rose Waters, to go over the project and to find out more about Rich Marriner. “Well!” she began, “Where should I start? You know already that he is originally from the Caribbean.” “Where specifically?” “A little island in the Leeward group called St. Sciurus. His grandmother is rumored to have been a voodoo priestess.” “Really!?” “Well, when I mentioned it, he said with a twinkle in his eye, ‘So some people say.’ But his grandmother was a very important influence in his upbringing. Did you look at the inventory of personal items for the new house? It includes a colorful table that was his grandmother’s and a spirit doll. There is also an unusual urn, which I asked him about. He said it contained his grandmother’s ashes, but he said it in such a way that I couldn’t tell whether he was kidding or not!” “Anything else I should know?” “Let’s see… He likes to cook. You already know he practices yoga daily. Oh! He is a movie buff and particularly likes horror films. He has some kind of slasher movie poster in the inventory.” “I guess what I really want to know is whether you think he will begin dating again anytime soon?”
Rose stared at me, puzzled. “My guess is no. He seems very focused on the ballet coming up. Why do you ask? Are you going to ask him out?” I laughed. “No! I wondered whether he would prefer a single or a double bed for the house. The budget is a little tight, so I’ll go with a single, but with room for a double when ‘the situation’ changes.” The eclectic items in Rich Marriner’s inventory would fit in perfectly with the overall postmodern theme for the exterior and interior. Since many of the items were red or had red in them, I decided to use that and black as the accent colors with white predominating. Here is what we came up with:
Postmodern Paradise
EXTERIOR
EXTERIOR
▲ EXTERIOR
▼ FRONT DOOR
▲ FOYER
▼ KITCHEN
▲ KITCHEN/STORAGE
▼ DOOR TO PATIO
GRANDMOTHER’S TABLE, SPIRIT DOLL AND URN
SLEEPING AREA
LIVING ROOM/RELAXATION AREA
BATHROOM
UPPER LANDING PATIO/MEDITATION AND YOGA AREA
GROUND LEVEL (GRID ON)
TOP DOWN
GROUND LEVEL (GRID OFF)
In the end, the client seemed very pleased with the results. Not only did he send a nice note after he moved in, but he mentioned RoseTech Design Studio in the article that Newcrest Digest did about him. And I’m happy to report that Doug signed him to dance in the current production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Rose and I both attended the gala opening night reception held at the Simsonian Portrait Gallery in Willow Creek. ❦