inspiration found

inspiration found | asheville’s flatiron hotel

location: asheville, nc // the flatiron hotel

the flatiron. a name that is ubiquitous with an architectural style + depending on where you live, synonymous with a building you yourself have seen. most people growing up on the east coast know the flatiron building in new york city + have most likely seen at least an image of the iconic landmark. situated where broadway makes its diagonal cut thru the heart of manhattan at 5th avenue, this marvel rises up as a soft transition to a less than ideal road instersection.

photo by Jermaine Ee on Unsplash

in our travels we have seen them at these types of intersections as a creative solution to an urban crossroads + we discovered one such building last summer in downtown asheville. its original incarnation was as an office building extending out of the central business district of booming turn-of-the-century asheville. long home to wwnc studios (radio) broadcasting all over the appalachian mountains, but had fallen out of favor + was in need of repair. its most recent life is as a newly envisioned boutique hotel with its past honored, preserved + even highlighted in a way that echoes its past while preserving its future. the once bustling business district of asheville has a different tone these days as it caters to retail shoppers, downtown diners + tourists looking for an urban mountain escape.

the flatiron hotel sits right at the heart of a bustling food scene + walkable shopping in a unique mountain urban environment + is most easily (recommendably) approached on foot. this is the ideal way to take in the architectural scale of how the building rises up from the downtown walkable landscape, as well as the many intricate details seen upon entering: its copper front doors, large-bulb lit canopy, turn of the century brick work + large windows rising above the tree lined street instantly adding a layered depth + rich sense of times past in a moment’s journey.

stepping inside is walking back into to an era of handcrafted details: stonework, metal framed windows with cast iron accentwork + hardware, soft interior lighting + architectural handiwork that isn’t seen often in today’s construction. no detail is left unnoticed as the antique elevator + mail shaft have also been refurbished while the textiles + wall coverings bring in a fresh touch of interest in every nook, all relating back to this building’s timeless location.

as you mosey around throughout your stay at this singular building, you’re sure to experience how it might have felt to come here a hundred years ago to visit your pharmacist, dentist, accountant, florist, take dance lessons….or maybe even to hire a local architect! all these + more previous tennants’ doors are beautifully preserved with timeless frosted glass + painted signage dotted between newly created suites + it gives the feel of being a part of this community, even while just visiting.

architect who designed the s&w cafeteria building around the corner

little glimpses around each corner point to the large exterior + often arched windows that still bring in the daylight that was essential in a time where interior lighting was harder to come by.

not-to-be-missed is a journey up to the rooftop bar + terrace which together provide breathtaking, near 360 views of the smoky mountains + surrounding buildings, making it easy to see why wwnc called this spot home for broadcasting down to the region around it.

these verdigris rooftop details were crafted to be seen both from the street + up close!

there is much more to be said about the history, the thoughtful details, + even the sublime urban setting here. overall, this a place that balances what once was with a newly realized purpose in a building that is ready for its next chapter as well as a downtown that is embracing its core—just, all around fantastic design for an inspiring stay in asheville, north carolina! we look forward to going back soon.

inspiration found

inspiration found | charleston, sc

location: charleston, sc // andrew pinckney inn

this cozy inn is situated where the ansonbourgh neighborhood melts into the market + french quarter areas of the downtown charleston peninsula in an area where commerce industry employees + owners once called home in close proximity to where they worked on the docks or in the business district.

here, shades of early architecture designed in response to the hot + humid conditions well before a time of air conditioning + can be seen in the large windows, carefully laid out alleyways + paths to allow for the breeze to sweep by, thru + around the residences. little courtyards fill the spaces to allow shade to be grown.

the building that houses the inn has an unmistakable charm of a number of buildings melded together over centuries to create its current form. from the street you feel as if you are standing in what was once a courtyard of a single family residence. blended throughout the inn are former courtyards that still echo their original forms + functions while bringing a new use to life.

all of the different components are little gems telegraphing past uses. windows follow thru from the exterior of the building to the current + former interior courtyards. those areas still provide a break for natural light even if with modern air conditioning their secondary use for air flow is no longer used. throughout the meandering stairs + corridors every open area that is stumbled upon reveals a former courtyard that was intended to provide a respite from the heat via air flow + dappled natural light. while not the current use, the ability for it to be re-opened + re-imagined still fits within its soul ready to provide respite from the sweltering lowcoutnry heat, even if only visually…for now.

looking for more images from our trip to charleston? visit the porch!

charleston

inspiration found

inspiration found | back forty beer co.

location: birmingham, alabama
website: backfortybeer.com

work took us to b’ham last week + i had the idea to look for a casual lunch. there are a lot of up + coming breweries in the area + it’s exciting to see an area like this starting to find momentum from small local businesses like these. there were a few that stood out to us, but when mc said this spot was in the “backyard” of a historic iron furnace site, it was decided!

located in an old train warehouse now covered on one side with creeping fig + big block letters, back forty sits beside one of the oldest remaining foundries in the united states. it was pretty surprising to find ourselves sitting next to something that produced the bulk of the iron used in this country since the turn of the century. as designers, we so value visiting a space that has had many lives because there are so many details that stand out + it always gets us talking shop…even on our lunch break.

they had a great selection of beer + good food options too. the kids had a hotdog + hamburger while mc + i shared the farro bowl. there were other families + groups of friends lunching together as well + it was nice to see the space that this business carved out for community among residents + visitors alike.

as we so often do, we sampled a flight of their seasonal offerings to get a feel for their range of brews. the hefeiweisen provided a crisp, refreshing sip so appreciated in the southern summer heat + the others were also smooth, well-crafted beers. there’s a lot of effort that goes into making good, drinkable beer with character + we appreciate seeing that with every micro-brewery we come across in our travels–creativity loves company!

mc also loves to find places to peruse + source vintage decor for our home + we both get design inspiration from these visits as well. while in birmingham, we made a pit stop on the way home to this antique treasure trove just around the corner from lunch. we also stopped for a hike on the way back…take a deeper look at our summer hike that brought our encounter with the iron belt full circle.

from the desk of..., inspiration found

inspiration found | contrast artisan ales

location: chamblee, georgia
website: contrastartisianales.com

this is one that’s caught my eye for quite some time. not sure why it took us so long to get here, but we chose this spot because it was in range of a jeep ride from our weekend hike, + riding in the jeep is always a fam-favorite. contrast is one of the first i’ve seen that made beer brewed with coffee + since those are my two most preferred drinks of choice–craft beer + small-batch coffee– it’s been high on my list to get a taste. obviously with this trip happening in the summer, the dark beers were not in-season, but it was all the more intriguing to see what they were doing + offering with seasonal flavors. this is one of the many things i admire about small breweries; it keeps me curious to come back again.

the location captured my interest as well, as this neatly packaged micro-brewery can be found in the newly revitalized downtown chamblee, tucked behind a bagel shop that is our favorite, maybe in the whole of atlanta–shout out to the bronx bagel buggy! we like “the veggie” on rosemary salt bagel, but their menu is full of delicious freshly-made options–don’t skip the bialy bomb if you’re really hungry.

the first impression at contrast was fantastic + neither the building design nor the beer disappointed. the space is a small to-go counter, behind garage doors akin to a walk up window at an urban eatery, with a few tables + chairs inside + out in the parking lot as well as a bunch of picnic tables under the trees adjacent to the brewery. the set up of the operation includes their brew tanks within view, kegs + cans in coolers + offers ample space for imbibing at the bar or nearby tables, yet it’s compact + efficiently arranged in such a way that underscores the polished brand + beers served here.

the vibe was giving a laid back parking-lot-party type of experience that seamlessly fit with the brand we had seen prior to visiting: a no frills, no nonsense place to grab a really well crafted beer. on this trip we settled on tasting two of their seasonal brews:

mandarina belgian saison + stuck in suspension hazy ipa

both were perfectly refreshing summer beverages that provided just what the humid father’s day afternoon called for. this is a spot we’ll surely add to our rotation as the new-age urban watering hole it is, for a laid back stop by after a long day. we’re already planning a trip back as soon as the coffee-infused brews return to the lineup, if not before!

do you ever find yourself enjoying food/drink at a place + think “i love these glasses”? this is something mc + i do a lot of, because we acknowledge that details that may seem minor or are otherwise overlooked have the power to elevate even the most mundane experiences + this is the sort of thing that stands out to us wherever we go + keeps us on the hunt for what inspires. hopefully we’ve been able to share a peek inside our designer brains here… check back for more again soon!

as a final design note: we love to share a good logo/branding + we found this one equally clean as it is interesting + meaningful. we enjoyed reading more about the brewmaster’s concept behind contrast artisan ales + look forward to our next post-hike cool down here in the near future. we hope you might join us!

cheers!