Parkhill, Smith and Cooper

Parkhill, Smith and Cooper 

Located in the HUB city is a company by the name of Parkhill, Smith and Cooper (PSC). Parkhill, Smith and Cooper are the first company in Lubbock to be a LEED certified. Parkhill, Smith and Cooper are full-service design firm. Not only does the company offer many different services, the company cares about the environment, and the impact that the company makes on the environment.

While visiting Parkhill, Smith and Cooper we learned that the company has a garden on the roof. The garden on the roof acts as an insulator. Soil is a very good insulator because it retains heat very well.  However, it was not just soil that does all of the work. The roof had many different layers to create insulation. By using soil instead of insulation, PSC was cutting back on the use of products that are not good for the planet. The garden on the roof was my favorite part about the field trip. Another thing that Dr. Gaines told us was that PSC had waterless urinals. I was not able to see the urinal, and I was too nervous to ask to see them. However, the use of waterless urinals allows the company to cut back on the amount of water they consume, which in turn lowers their bill.  

Having a building that is LEED certified has many benefits. The benefit that I found the most interesting was the fact that the employees at Parkhill, Smith and Cooper do not take as many sick days. The reason why is because the building does not have any harsh chemicals floating through the air. All of the materials used in the building are eco-friendly. Another benefit to being LEED certified is that people who are staying in hospitals tend to recover faster when they have natural light. At Parkhill, Smith and Cooper had tons of natural light throughout the space. Each office had at least 2 windows, the conference rooms had multiple windows, and in the design space had skylights. The windows are Parkhill, Smith and Cooper may have not been used for a speedy recovery, but they allow workers to be more productive and feel happy in a space.        

 Being a green is very important these days. The impact that it has on people proves this theory true. Parkhill, Smith and Cooper being the first company is Lubbock is proof that we are interested in making a small difference in the environment. If Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper can create a LEED certified building, then more companies should follow suit and become LEED certified. 

Jeff Seal Homes

 

Today when you drive through neighborhoods one sees homes that look the exact same as their next-door neighbor's. The houses are "cookie cutter". All neighborhoods feel like they are a mass planned community with no imagination. A neighborhood in essence is a mass planned community, but does that mean the neighborhood needed to boring. In contrast driving up the street to a house by Jeff Seal is like no other street. All the houses are different in their own way. The homes have architectural detail, and beauty.

Jeff Seal is a homebuilder based out of Lubbock. His homes are full of intricate detail and mimic his inspiration in the purest form. Each home that he builds tells a story, that never make the visitor never want to leave.  Visiting Jeff Seal’s homes makes you wish you were his client. Jeff Seal homes are homes that pay attention to every little detail.  His homes are full of character and beauty

Each home is a masterpiece. The home we visited was inspired by homes that one would see in the south of France. However, all of the homes on the street are little different, but equally as stunning. The home that we visited reminded me of a Little French villa. The house was the perfect size with a stunning presence. As you walk into the house you come face to face with a stunning fireplace on a central axis point.  The fireplace may be missing the mantle, but it does not lack drama. The mantle will be a huge piece of wood, aged and stained the same color as the beams on the ceiling in the living room.

 The entry way may be small in size, but not small in character or detail. The ceiling features a groin vault with a simple but gorgeous chandelier. The groin vault in my opinion makes you feel as if you are in a luxurious cathedral in France.  The vault adds a sense of pizzazz. The doors that can be seen in the entry way were designed by a graduate of the Interior Design program at Tech. Not only were the doors designed by a Texas Tech interior graduate, she also is one of Jeff Seals interior designers. The doors feature beautiful carvings and are also shaped like doors you would see in a Gothic cathedral.

To left of the entryway is a dining room with windows that could be seen in a Gothic cathedral. The windows feature details that draw you to the windows. The windows are tall and grand, which add tons of natural light to the space. Next to the dining room is the kitchen, with loads of detail. The first thing that grabs ones attention is the barrel vaulted bricked ceiling. One would think that it would make the space feel cramped, however the ceiling does quite the opposite. The ceiling makes gives you a cozy feeling. It honestly made me want to cook all day long in that beautiful kitchen. The cabinets were two different colors that were rich and warm, once again creating a nice and cozy space.

As you can see Jeff Seal is amazing at what he does. His homes are full of intricate detail that people seem to forget to include these days. Through the few things that were mentioned on one can get the sense that Jeff Seal is a builder who thinks of his homes as a piece of artwork, a piece of artwork that one must keep as authentic as possible. His homes are truly inspirational. The attention to detail in Jeff Seal’s home are what create such masterpiece.

Leftwhich and Chapman

Leftwhich and Chapman Flooring

Most people use flooring as a way to make a statement in their house. Today there are so many different flooring options. Flooring today ranges from cork, leather, wood, carpet, natural tile, and vinyl. Today one can choose what flooring is best for them. While visiting Leftwhich Chapman Flooring I was exposed to flooring that I have never seen before. I got to see leather floors, cork floors, and carpets that were made from of cornhusks.

My favorite flooring that I saw on the trip was the leather floor. It was so sleek and stylish. The leather floors could be used in many different areas of design. However, I was a little hesitant to the leather floor because I felt that the floor was not long lasting, and wear resistant. However, I was quickly proved wrong when a penny was scraped roughly across the floor and nothing happened. As I stood and watched in amazement I knew I had found my new favorite floor. I was informed that the floor was even good for commercial use. I did not even question that.  Sadly, the floor does not come cheap. The floor is made out left over leather that is cut into small pieces and tuned into flooring.

The next piece of flooring that I feel head over heels for was cork floor. The cork floor is a modern twist on tile in my opinion. The cork flooring is soft and forgiving under your feet unlike tile or wood floors. It would be a good floor for someone with back problems, or who just wants to make a statement in their home. The cork floor does not look like cork caps it is more elegant than that. Most would think that cork floor would be a bad choice of flooring because most people think of cork as too soft. However one could not be more wrong. Cork flooring is very durable and can be used in any installation in ones home. The flooring comes in long panels like wood floor.

What would you think if carpet could be made from something other than nylon or wool? To be honest I did not ever think about carpeting coming from something other than the tradition. However, with the popularity of green design and the remarking of carpet one can now get carpet made from cornhusks. Not only is the carpet made from cornhusk it is much softer than nylon made carpet. The carpet has a silky feeling quality.  Some people might think that the flooring may not be a good choice for longevity, however one could not be more wrong. The flooring is great for wear and tear as well as a good choice for longevity.

Today flooring is about making a statement. Most people tend to only use the traditional ideas as an option for there home. However flooring on the market is more fun. One can make a statement of sophistication with leather flooring, or one could make the state of modernism with cork floor. Today your options are endless with flooring. Visiting Leftwhich and Chapman allowed me the ability to some of the new trends.

           

Collins Tile and Stone

Collins Stone and Tile 

           Off the Clovis highway is a single owner natural stone and man-made store. The store is small and quaint. It is called Collins Tile and stone. It is full of the most popular stone that is demanded by consumers today.  Some of the stone that could be seen in the store was Cambria, marble, limestone, travertine, glass mosaic and many more things.

 The product that I found the most interesting was the product called "Cambria". Cambria is a man-made stone made to look like granite. The only natural stone found in Cambria is quartz. The quartz gives the Cambria the sparkle. However, it is a little more consistent in color. For example when looking at granite you can have a slab with different variations of the color. The Cambria is just as hard wearing as man-made stones. The plus to using Cambria is the consistency of color as I briefly mentioned earlier. The cost of Cambria can be little bit cheaper depending on the granite that one chooses. However, granite pricing ranges from about $45-$150 per square foot. Where as Cambria per square foot starts at about $70.00 dollars, but only reaches at max at Collins Tile and Stone $80.00. The reason I like this product is because of the strong resemblance of granite, for a possibly cheaper price. 

            While visiting Collins Tile and Stone the class was able to see what granite looked liked before it was polished and in its natural form. It was very interesting seeing this; you never get the see granite in it rare form. Not only did we get to see granite in its rare form, I got to see the most rare looking slab of granite I have ever seen. The granite reminded the of Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” painting. The granite had any color you could think of.

            Collins Tile and Stone is a place that any designer in Lubbock should go to. The store has beautiful pieces of stone, granite, and marble choices for many different spaces. The people were friendly and full of knowledge. One will walk away from Collins Tile and Stone happy, and knowledgeable.