Life Changing Design

MusaDesign blog is moving to www.musadesign.net/blog

2010-01-22T17:52:00.000-08:00

MusaDesign blog has moved to http://www.musadesign.net/blog to make it easier to follow everything that is happening at MusaDesign. Please, follow us there!

Polina Zaika and MusaDesign team.

KASTHALL carpet

2009-06-18T12:36:00.002-07:00

http://www.kasthall.com

Rug virtouso since 1889

Kasthall has been in existence almost as long as electricity has been in use. Ludvig Andersson founded the rug factory in Kinna, Sweden back in 1889. The company builds on Swedish traditions of craftsmanship, which we carefully develop and interpret in modern form. Each Kasthall rug that is made is unique and is manufactured to order. A leather label on the back of each rug shows the names of the people who designed and made it.

Business trip to Seoul, South Korea

2009-06-16T12:33:00.002-07:00

MusaDesign had visited Seoul, South Korea and Tokyo, Japan on April 2009 to visit a number of architecture company that use follow design approach similar to what we do here at MusaDesign. A number of sites that we visited there and a number of people that we met were truly inspirational for us.

The very first place that we went to was “Cultural Space” built by UNSANGDONG architectural cooperation (http://www.usdspace.com/). The concept of the building is to establish company’s brand identity (large real estate development company in this case) by constructing a futuristic building with striking exterior that defines brand cues and as both public space for displaying cutting edge design and contemporary art as well as place to show display houses and condos built by the company.

Cultural center for Development Company, this is completely new concept that developers are creating attention by showing in very futuristic designed building that they pronounced as cultural center a cutting age design and contemporary art.

The second level of the building is a combination of a large café, gathering space, and more areas for art exhibits which I am sure looks pretty exiting on the picture but cold and “empty” in reality-everything was evenly spread out in the big space evenly lead with innovative but steel florescent light. Not enough contrast in color, scale or lighting- here we start noticing the common oversight in hospitality business for most of the private and commercial places- lighting.

We can defiantly help with lighting by combining American innovations and appropriate to the particular concept aesthetics with a choice of not only decorative fixtures but up light and downright appearance.

Look again, | By MUSADESIGN | Category: Architecture | Blurb

2009-06-16T11:41:00.003-07:00

MusaDesign has recently published a book called 'Look, again' that shares our design process, philosophy, and gives details on some of our projects. Below are the screenshots, but you can always order your own copy from Blurb: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/621167

Look again, By MUSADESIGN Category: Architecture Blurb

THE DUOFLOOR COLLECTION

2009-06-11T15:58:00.002-07:00

THE DUOFLOOR COLLECTION

The Duofloor Collection is an innovation in hardwood flooring. The concept of the Duofloor is to capture the durability and wear-layer of a solid hardwood floor with the added benefit of the stability and ease of installation of an engineered floor. Because the Duofloor is more stable than solid floors, the Duofloor can cover widths up to 12 inches & lengths of 12 feet. It is also important to acknowledge that the Duofloor construction saves more trees and is therefore more environmentally friendly than solid hardwood flooring. The Duofloor is the best of both worlds and highly recommended for high end commercial & residential applications. DuChateau Duofloors are distressed, hand-scrapped, smoked, and wire-brushed made in the customary Dutch tradition. The Duofloor is ¼ inch (6.2mm) of European Oak, European Ash, or European Larch top-layer and features 7 layers of Birch substrate.

http://www.duchateaufloors.com

White Oiled Natural MusaDesign used Duchateau floors for some of projects. - Far 4 . OLDE DUTCH (natural Oiled) Zaw Pizza. ZIMBABWE (Wire Brushed)

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elements of zaw: a suspended greenhouse

2008-10-27T13:58:00.002-07:00

When a new Health Department rule called for a scrubbable and washable ceiling above the food preparation, our clients worried they would have to build a heavy-looking drywall dropped ceiling. We, instead, suggested a series of light acrylic panels dropped into a standard ceiling grid which met the new code and also filtered the simple fluorescent lighting above while a separate vertical panel would conceal the HVAC unit from the customers’ view.

The grid was set at 15” x 19” so that the resulting combination of acrylic and metal resembled a window pane. The series of “window panes” could open as ductwork needed to pass. The frosted white and metal windows hanging above the fresh ingredients mimic the appearance of a functioning greenhouse.

elements of zaw: finding the right refrigeration

2008-10-24T17:52:00.002-07:00

The refrigerators that would hold the beer, wine, and sodas would be a crucial part of the interior scheme; we sought to design a functional and striking space uniting menu and beverage display.

Finding the right look meant working around the refrigerators, which meant endlessly researching all available commercial refrigerators to find just the right look and feel. We looked at full length refrigerators with doors, half-sized with doors, integrated walk-in refrigerator and retail side glass doors, and open-air curtain units.

Meeting with dozens of product reps, studying as much about storage capacity and energy efficiency, and discussing options and dimensions and suppliers; selecting the units that accomplished all of our demands proved quite difficult. Each change to the refrigerators resulted in changes to the way the additional dry red wine display and to the menu board design, size, and information frontages.

The use of modular cubes at full and half heights stacked on top of each other allow the clients to change the size of the overall display depending on the varying sizes and layout of future store locations and allowed them to reconfigure the displays based on their changing advertising and sales needs.

zaw materials: burned wood

2008-10-19T11:19:00.002-07:00

While the owners of 'zaw were meeting with local vineyards to find the perfect complements to their pizzas, we were looking for the right material to go with our custom tiles and complete the retail counter. Because the pizzas are served uncooked, the black and red tiles suggest the fire of the customers' burning ovens. We found a sublime companion with a wood flooring material that was burnt by hand, continuing the perception of warmth and baking, as well as the theme of the artisan's touch.

DuChateau Floors is a company that plants two trees for every one it uses. All their floors have recycled wood substrates and are finished with natural oils instead of harmful chemicals.

zaw materials: handmade tiles

2008-10-14T11:00:00.002-07:00

Custom handmade oversized tiles were used for the retail countertop. We wanted to use this area as a canvas to show the clients’ commitment to sustainability. After sorting through the obvious options of countertops we invariably eliminated most because they were too polished, too uniform, or coming from too far away. Tile is one of the oldest building materials. It’s made from natural materials, supplied locally, and formed by hand. It’s durable and easy to clean. We were able to create a precise look and size with the help of our friend, local ceramic artist Olga, who painstakingly formed, glazed, and baked each and every tile.

zaw capitol hill: creating strong elements

2008-10-07T13:05:00.002-07:00

At this stage we developed ways to integrate the menu, wine, dessert, and ordering counter, creating dialogue between the shopper and the worker while showcasing the action in the kitchen.

With logo and brand identity established, we could investigate the vital store functions and elements through the eye of the brand. We could begin discussing the appropriateness of materials and how they could continue the brand's story. We created a package of relationships: employees to customers, beverages to menus, visibility to food assembly, materials to the brand's identity.

zaw logo design from Orange

2008-10-07T10:05:00.002-07:00

Graphic designer Susan Lee, creative director of Orange, came up with many different logos in an effort to encapsulate the brand.

The finalized logo, a rough and raw stamp, frames the bold text. The emphasis on “the raw” is a motif that would be carried throughout the interiors and branding elements.

zaw seattle: preliminary store designs

2008-09-27T10:02:00.002-07:00

very early concepts, before logo or location

Without a real location or a finalized logo, we began by designing interactions: What actions will customers see in the kitchen? How will they read the menus? How will the employees greet customers? What should passersby see through the windows?

In both conceptual designs we created an open view for customer into the kitchen, which was the clients' main directive, and suggested ways to engage the customers and create a show. Integration of the menu with beverage display allowed the clients to easily suggest pairings while the increased scale and proportions of beer/wine displays and retail counter pushed the feeling more towards an old deli or bakery.

zaw seattle: initial design concepts

2008-09-17T14:03:00.002-07:00

‘zaw: artisan pizza in the raw is a new place for great fresh pizza, salads, beer, and wine in Seattle. We at MusaDesign have been working with the energetic owners and visionaries to design their stores. Here we will be able to share the design process throughout its progress.

Pizza is a traditional food. It’s a meal to be shared. It has endured an onslaught of terrible modifications and experimentations. Our clients wanted to bring back classic pizzas. To us, that old-world feeling is present in bakeries and bookstores. In the wood and scale and light of those places, we can foresee dough being tossed, pizzas being assembled, and wine being displayed beautifully.

Because a ‘zaw pizza is assembled in store baked at home there’s a unique experience for the customer: shared between staying in and going out, preparing a meal without having to cook. Therefore this brand needs to follow the customer home, and to do so effectively, we feel that it has to feel a little homemade with an artisan touch.

Because fresh, local, organic ingredients would make up the main components of the pizzas and salads, the store needed to look like a place that wasn’t using microwaves to warm up bags of frozen pizza toppings. It needed to feel fresh to the customers, as well as the employees. It had to evoke trust.

We developed the mood board above to show the key elements that we felt should define the ‘zaw brand and the look of its store.

ICFF 2008 NY

2008-05-29T14:48:00.002-07:00

Who needs a balcony in Seattle?

2008-01-09T12:29:00.002-08:00

With all the rain that we get here in the Northwest, we do not get to use our balconies very often, and the balcony space tends to be somewhat of a waste. Over two years ago Dutch architectural company Hofman Dujardin Architecten came up with a clever window design called bloomframe™ that makes windows transform to an open balcony at a push of a button. Back in 2005 MusaDesign wanted to use bloomframe™ inside a loft interior space to provide privacy upstairs while still allowing it to be opened when privacy is not necessary. Unfortunately, bloomframe™ was still just a concept back then and we could not use it. The good news is that bloomframe™ is getting launched as a product in April 2008. We are looking forward to using it in our projects in Seattle. The bloomframe™ balcony will be presented at the GEVELtotaal exhibition at the Ahoy Exhibition Centre in Rotterdam from the 23rd until the 25th of January 2008. http://www.hofmandujardin.nl/pdf/Bloomframe-pressrelease.pdf http://www.hofmandujardin.nl/index2.html

Seattle's Sensational Seven Interior Designers

2008-01-01T10:55:00.002-08:00

Seattle Magazine has named MUSADESIGN one of the “Seattle's Sensational Seven Interior Designers with Northwest Flair”: "MUSADESIGN (2617 Fifth Ave., 206.448.3301; 425.246.8464; http://www.musadesign.net) was founded four and a half years ago by Russian-born sisters Julia Sandetskaya and Polina Zaika. Growing up in a creative environment around their artistic father helped them both realize their love for design after testing different paths in school (Julia earned degrees in classical music, Russian, medicine and design, and Polina has degrees in art history and graphic design). The biggest chunk of their work is residential, taking projects from concept to completion with space planning, custom furniture, storage and lighting design, but their breakthrough work on Café Darclée earned them a Northwest Design Award for Environmentally Responsible Design in 2007. The green element is subtle—they used aluminum scaffolding, coconut plywood and chair seats made of recycled paper. Expert Advice When interviewing prospective designers, Sandetskaya says it’s important to judge them on more than just their style; she recommends posing a design challenge, whether it be a spatial or drafting problem, to test how they think." http://www.seattlemag.com/BestOfHome2008: Interior Designers

MusaDesign receives Northwest Design Award

2007-10-10T16:08:00.002-07:00

The Northwest's top designers were recognized at Seattle Design Center's annual Northwest Design Awards Gala held September 27 2007. The Northwest Design Awards competition recognizes interior design professionals whose work has made a significant contribution to the design industry. Projects are judged on the basis of problem solving, creativity, quality of design and beauty of the space. Awards were presented in fourteen categories: kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom, whole house (more than $200,000), remodel, best of traditional design, best of contemporary design, hospitality, retail, commercial, yacht/jet, outdoor living space, environmentally responsible design and student design. Among those being honored were Polina Zaika and Julia Sandetskaya of MusaDesign Company who won the award for Best of Environmentally Responsible Design. To see images of MusaDesign award winning design, visit the Projects section of www.musadesign.net and choose “Cafe Darclee” project. MusaDesign is an interior design partnership specializing in residential and commercial projects in Seattle and around the world. We work with our clients to express their own ideas in the visual language of design, in an effective and environmentally conscious way. http://www.musadesign.net/northwest_design_awards_winner_2007.htm

Tom Dixon and MusaDesign

2007-07-20T11:45:00.002-07:00

We attended ICFF (International Contemporary Furniture Fair) in New York in May, and we were blown away by all the designers, their concepts and ideas. What an amazing opportunity, to see the life of design unfolding before us in the city of life. Through it all though I found myself always returning to one man's work. His name is Tom Dixon and his lamp designs were so influential that when we were faced with the opportunity to meet him back in Seattle we jumped all over it. He met us at San Francisco based Limn's (http://www.limn.com/) newest showroom in Seattle, located on Western Ave. by the waterfront.

I was impressed with Tom before,but after the meeting my impression rose to a whole new level. Our meeting at Limn progressed to a nearby bar where we spent hours discussing design, his influences (he described to us how a chicken becomes a chair [see his drawing below]), and most importantly life.

If you want more information on Tom Dixon's work, I would recommend stopping by his website at http://www.tomdixon.net/

I would also suggest stopping by the Limn showroom located at 639 Western Ave. in Seattle, they have some really amazing peices. Ask for Eric Fassett, he's a really great guy and will help you with all your needs.

ICFF 2007 New York

2007-07-19T15:40:00.003-07:00

Frank Gehry's latest architectural and engineering marvel - IAC Headquarters - it looks weightless and understated!

No, it is not a James Bond movie poster - it is a new brand of wallpaper designed by SOONSALON company from the Netherlands -very imaginative sometimes surreal photographs are expressed in the wallpaper format! http://www.soonsalon.com/

Jean-Marie Massaud at 100% Design Tokyo

2005-11-04T16:29:00.002-08:00

MusaDesign at the entrance to the "Visiting Human Nature time & style existence" opening by Jean-Marie Massaud at 100% Design Tokyo. interior design seattle musadesign

MusaDesign at 100% Design Tokyo

2005-11-04T16:20:00.002-08:00

MusaDesign at 100% Design Tokyo

MusaDesign lifechangingdesign

You are leaving the digitized road network

2005-08-08T21:53:00.002-07:00

"You are leaving the digitized road network"- paintings, photography, and sculpture of Russian born Seattle artist Natalya Nyrkova opened at MusaDesign (http://www.musadesign.net/) gallery on July 7th 2005. interior design seattle musadesign

Natalya Nyrkova Art Show opening July 7th 2005

2005-08-08T21:52:00.008-07:00

Natalya and Julia

2005-08-08T21:52:00.007-07:00