Design

Those in the design world understand - Design is Design. That said or understood, I accepted a clients charge to move my experience in this realm to the interiors of the house addition currently underway with Elite Concepts. The client had a bad/costly experience with a previous interior designer and wishes not to return. Based on the clients satisfaction with current visual ideas and aspects within my work, the request came about the interiors. I will always defer to the professionals in a given field that I have no experience in, but in this case, its not too far of a stretch for my expertise to move from the exterior (design) to the interior (design). So now Mike Nantz of Elite Concepts, contractor and designer, will move the 6" needed through the threshold of the door, from out to in. The focus of interiors will begin with a trip to Highpoint, NC next month for a visit to Funiture Market combined with a buying jaunt in that same area. The materials may have changed but - Design is Design.

I do want to clarify here. The size and scope of the project, in this case a 2200 sq.ft. addition of a traditional American home, would certainly weigh upon my decision to accept such a charge. If this were a 2200 sq.ft malachite antechamber in a russian palace, I would be way out of my league...

Survived the snow and ice

Looks like the winter is past. The frozen wet stuff at least (I hope!). A few years ago, a freak storm deposited 6 inches of snow in my front yard in early March, don't expect that again for many more years. Work is continuing with the house construction, changes and modifications rule the day. As in most remodel / additions to existing structures, the unforeseen challenges provide opportunities for creative solutions. Its one of my favorite parts of design, thinking on my feet with pencil in hand and client in tow. On every Elite Concepts project, change is inevitable. Just this week I had to rotate an upstairs bathroom 90 degrees due to a vaulted ceiling on the first floor. It projected up higher than estimated, but again, the solution added a unique element along one bathroom wall combined with the rotation... happy client! The swimming pool portion of the project is still in a holding pattern until we complete the brick exterior of the addition. The house is in close proximity to the pool and depositing daily debris into the vessel means its best to plaster later. The framing is almost complete, roofing is underway as is plumbing, electrical and hvac rough's. We are expecting windows soon and shortly after brick will begin going up. The client and I are continuing our daily assault with changes on the subcontractors, we are happy with our new realizations and the sub's, well, they just grit their teeth and keep smiling.

Taking some time away this next week. Work has slowed, all of last years projects are wrapping up, completing punch lists and turning things over to clients. We do have one recent start, a 2000 square foot house addition, the second phase of a phase one swimming pool. I timed it though to be early enough that some progress is being made while I'm away, but nothing too critical that would require my presence for a few weeks. The project is phased somewhat backwards from the norm. Usually the house goes first, followed by the pool. But in this case, the pool is complete just prior to plaster, now the house foundation has begun. We will be connecting the new addition to the existing single story home, adding a two story structure that I designed which includes a new oversized master bedroom and master bath, another bedroom, bath, living room, mud room and laundry. The addition will also require some remodeling of the existing home so as to transition into the new. Both the client and I are jazzed about the project!
All things considered, I'm comfortable in taking a few weeks off and heading to Hawaii for some R&R. I'm so blessed to have the opportunity to do so. Although not all of the time away involves R&R, I'm spending the first week there in a Playtri camp with 35 others, 5 wonderful days of swimming, biking and running - triathlon training! We will be training all day, every day on the Kona Ironman course. Swimming for miles, biking for hundreds of miles and running many, many more miles!! I'll need another week in Hawaii to recover from this self induced torture. Dont get me wrong, I'll be lovin every minute of it!
So, until the end of January, no Elite Concepts Mike Nantz, Mike Nantz Elite Concepts, Michael Nantz Elite Concepts, Elite Concepts Michael Nantz, Elite Concepts by Michael Nantz, Inc., etc., etc..

New Year

Happy New Year!!
I spent the last week of 2010 visiting friends, a few days in LA with David Tisherman. I think the coldest I've ever been in Manhattan Beach. Temps hovered around 55 each day. Its always great to get out and see him though, the projects this guy lands are amazing. He took me to one site in Malibu with a tower crane sitting in the middle of the house! Thats right, a residentional project with a tower crane! Blew me away! Tadao Ando is the architect, a lot of concrete and glass...
One week into the new year and snow hits the Dallas area. I will be spending the first part of the week indoors modeling a few projects in google sketchup. Haven't applied this program too much to the pool projects I'm working on, but I find it indespensible designing outdoor living spaces and house additions. Thats not to say its unnecessary with pools, I'm still exploring the possibilities and options. But with all the verticle elements of house and outdoor living design, interiors and exteriors, its perfect. Still though, very cartoonish, but descriptive.

Pool and Spa Expo

Another show and school in the books. 10+ years of Las Vegas Swimming Pool conventions... a few exceptional restaurants, beyond that, I am bored with Vegas! The Sketch Up class was worth the $$ and effort. There were a few frustrating moments when the program confounded me, but good instruction and diligence won the day ('s). I am uncertain though, how or when I will incorporate this tool into my presentation. Still much to learn, but right now my Sketch Up drawings look cartoonish. For now I think, I will continue with my trusty pencil and color renderings but possibly incorporate some 3d modeling, via sketch up, for specific details within my presentation. I believe drawing skills are still vital to my work and will continue to promote that thought to others I consult with in the industry. However, I also believe design with computers has arrived (in our industry) and is here to stay. That said, the computer and software only ease the physical drawing process, design is still design. Success and credibility in this field require in-depth studies, years of experience and a little talent sprinkled in, among other things. The Genesis 3 program is the resource within the swimmng pool industry that promotes and supports what I've said here. Within the G3 curriculum you will find classes on color theory, art history, elements of design and many other programs relating to design and construction of pools and related features.

Sketch Up

Attempting to catch up with the new millinium and embrace design from the Mac perspective. I started toying with google Sketch Up earlier this year after an Architect friend of mine suggested I give it a try. He said his commercial firm was using the program almost exclusively in their design process. They still have a need for CAD to produce CD's but design was Sketch Up. As mentioned earlier, I am now a Mac guy. What took me so long?? I liken it to my move to all digital photography some 8 years ago. My age doesn't allow change quickly from something I have known and am so comfortable with. As with my digital Nikon, I love my Mac! The Sketch Up program is my new toy, not quite proficient just yet, but its still fun. I leave for Las Vegas Saturday for a Genesis 3 Sketch Up class specific to the pool designer, hopefully I walk away after the three day program with all the skills to begin implementation in the real world of presentation of my work. I hope to replace my perspective hand drawings with Sketch Up, hopefully expediting the process. For a bit of artistry, I'll be adding color via marker and prisma to the computer generated drawing, giving it a soft, sexy look as opposed to the hard cartoonish lines of a computer drawing. Looking forward to working in this new medium.

Been away from blogging for the last 6 months. Hope to update more frequently in the future.

I'm having a blast preparing a pictorial book of my swimming pool work, inclusive of all the beautiful details such as negative or infinity edge pools and spas, glass tile details, waterfalls and water features, architectural elements including kitchens, tellis' or arbors and many, many more fabulous items...