Jeff Pelletier
Other Tangents
Seattle Home Show and Stone Hot Tubs
Jeff pops down to the Seattle Home Show to take a look at a slew of products all at once, and, of course, crack a few jokes about some of the odder offerings.
Learn more.Ask a Designer, Interior Design
Plywood As an Interior Finish Material
It's always a big debate among designers whether or not plywood looks great as an interior finish material. So what's that debate all about? And, what questions should you ask yourself (and your designer should ask) when you're considering it for your project?
Learn more.Ask a Designer
Why 45-Degree-Angled Walls in Floor Plans Are Bad
Angles in a floor plan are not inherently bad, however, they should be there for a reason, to solve a problem creatively. They should be beautiful, functional, and helpful. I can respect a good angle in the right situation. Here's why the random angle walls you see everywhere in the suburbs are just plain scary.
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Ask a Designer
Appropriate Siding Material for Urban Environments
Just as you need to wear different clothing for different weather or climates, buildings need different exterior siding to suit their environment. (And we don't mean in terms of the building envelope in this case.) We mean, if you're in a city, plan for graffiti.
Learn more.Historic & Traditional
Adaptive Reuse of Churches
Churches are some of the world's most iconic and everlasting forms of architecture. They're also in declining use and in need of a new use in life. Here are some fun examples of churches being adapted to a new use in life.
Learn more.News
Architecture Advice to Non-Architects
Jeff reflects on why he loves writing for non-architects, looks back to a few posts he particularly enjoyed writing over the past year, and looks excitedly to this new year and all that's happening ahead.
Learn more.Would you like to read more from the team?
If you enjoy reading our blog as much as we enjoy writing it, that simply makes our day. You may also enjoy a few of the related posts below.
Use Your Words (Even When You Can’t)
Even in a profession where we quite literally draw pictures to communicate, words are incredibly important, too. Use them carefully, and precisely to get the job done right, and don’t forget that words can communicate very differently if they are said out loud versus written down, and there’s a time and place for both.
Channeling Experience: Storytelling in the Spaces We Design
Although we humans have invented new ways of sharing knowledge beyond the sharing of stories to one other over the firepit, storytelling is a key part of our culture. (Who doesn’t love a good story?) But beyond the stories we tell out loud, there is storytelling in spaces we design, too.
Unlikely Inspiration: The Strange Journeys of the Creative Process
A lot of times, unlikely inspiration solves your problems. To non-designers, it may seem a little crazy, but just as any odd thing can remind you of something else entirely, for designers, that experience often triggers their brains about a project they are working on, taking them on a mental journey towards a design solution.
Finding That “Eureka!” Moment in the Design Process
Parts of the architectural design process can (and must) be very precise, but there is also a messy, organic part of it. It’s the creative part of the game, and it’s often in that time that we find the “Eureka!” moment in the design process. When you’re working on your design, watch for it!
Designing a House into a Home
Emotion and personalization turn a house into a home, and when you're talking about designing your living space, this is incredibly important. Read about how our design process at Board & Vellum helps us make the leap from a great design (that is still just a house) to a home that our clients will love.
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Our team includes LEED-accredited professionals.
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