Ashe+Leandro

I have started working for a design firm called Ashe+Leandro here in New York. Im their intern, and pretty much the only employee they have. Reinaldo Leandro is an architect and designer, and Ariel Ashe is an Interior designer. They create beautiful spaces in mainly private residences. Im so honored to be working for them they are great artists in their field. I hope to learn a thing or two from them. I mainly hope to learn how to take risks in my design aesthetic and learn to navigate the business. Who knows, maybe this is something I can do on my own someday.

Check out their website: www.asheleandro.com

If you would like to see what the bathroom renovation looked like mid-process.... here you go....Its pretty scary.



My mom and I did all the demolition our selves. Try it some time, its very therapeutic.


The contractor gave me a little lesson on patching drywall seams. I think I did a pretty good job on it. I could see it made him nervous to watch a novice do something he could do blindfolded.

Bathroom Remodel

For the past few months my mother and I have been working on the bathroom in the new york apartment. It is finally finished! The before and after pictures are startling. We used over-sized subway tile on the walls and shower. We took the tub out, and replaced it with a glass encased shower, put in a new vanity, storage space, and new granite floors. We added new lighting fixtures, and towel rod. There is nothing leftover from the old bathroom. We even ripped out the walls and sub floor. It beautiful!

Before:







After:

The fantastic Mr. and Mrs. Harns

My friend Tina is the most stunning pregnant woman I have ever seen. She also happens to be my best friend. I had the opportunity to try my hand at some photography and take some maternity pictures for her and her husband Chris. I think they turned out pretty decent...I'll let you be the judge of that.
Check out Tina's blog:

http://achaiforme.blogspot.com/

Driving Ms Julia

My husband got a job flying for Express Jet out of Newark New Jersey. He would be in Houson for his training for two months, and my mother came to stay with me and help me get ready for the move. In a moment of panic, anxiety, and frustrations with my job I decided I would take advantage of my mother's presence, and we would rent a U-haul trailer, hook it to the back of her van, and drive cross country to New York City. So, that is what we did. With everything I own, including my dog Zoe, I left all my friends, job, and sense of stability behind me. Luckily for Josh and I, my parents own a small apartment, about 450-500 sq/ft, which they want to fix up, renovate the bathroom, sand down the floors etc, and then sell. With the profit, they plan on buying a multifamily home in Brooklyn. I have been given the task of completing these renovations while living in the apartment rent free, which I'm so thrilled about. Not just the rent free aspect, I love to renovate and design. So, this is going to be my quest for the next year, get this apartment looking clean and beautiful, and get it sold.

I'll post some pictures of the scenery I took from the window of the moving car.

My $10 chair from Route 66

Before


After

I had a little photo shoot with my dog. It was difficult getting her to stay still.

DIY Design

We finished decorating our 750 sqft apartment. I think we did a pretty good job considering we started out with a ten dollar chair and some mismatched borrowed furniture from my husband's family and some random nick-nacks.

Paintings About Russia

I figured that my first post should showcase a little of my artwork, and give you a little sense of who I am, and what I do. These three artworks are a series I did in response to a trip that I took to Russia over a year ago while my parents lived there. My mother was very involved in her community there, and took a special interest in the many orphanages surrounding her town. I played around with symbolism in these paintings using dark colors mixed with vibrant colors seen in Russian architecture and art, and used gold leaf to offset the depressing nature of the artworks. I was mostly inspired by the Karpinsk disabled children Orphanage. This orphanage really tug at my heartstrings, the children were in bad condition and there was an overwhelming sense of hopelessness there. Despite the depressed state of the orphanage, there was light to be seen in the children there.