designers we heart: air force academy, colorado springs

björn had to go to work on sunday morning and due to all of the snow in durango we were force to drive north to colorado springs so that he could catch a flight out.  colorado springs is a beautiful place geographically.  the mountains to the west of the city rise up so quickly and you can see majestic pikes peak from just about anywhere.  colorado springs is also home to the air force academy and the site of this great building designed by famed architect, walter netsch of skidmore, owings and merrill.  this building serves as the cadet chapel and is a beautiful example of a space which can evoke a feeling of spirituality and awe in just about anyone.  completed in 1962 the chapel consists of 17 spires made up of 100 tubular steel tetrahedrons spaced one foot apart.  the void between the tetrahedrons is filled with colored stained glass which glows from within. the 17 spires resemble fighter jets soaring in the sky and the piece is truly a great example of modern architecture.

view of the chapel from a wooded path leading from the visitors center

the interior of the chapel and the protestant worship space

the beautiful spires

the other buildings on campus are pretty interesting as well especially with the
 mountains as a backdrop

i enjoyed my visit to the air force academy chapel and was even fortunate enough to attend a service in the beautiful space.  i think that the mission of the chapel is important to note, the goal is "to inspire men and women to become leaders of character by providing spiritual care and facilitating the exercise of free religion."  

all photos via me for design house love

designers we heart: annie selke

we are working hard and i am sure i will have a lot to update later this week but for now enjoy a designer i really like! 


i am a huge fan of house beautiful magazine and all the stuff they do.  my inspiration folder is filled with pages pulled from this publication and one article that i followed in particular is annie selke's home makeover. she took a 1970's ranch house and transformed it into a space with tons of light and a contemporary feel, and she did a lot of it herself!


for those of you unfamiliar with annie selke she is the owner and designer of pinecone hill which started out as a fabric design and bedding store based in western massachusetts. her company has since grown to design furniture, rugs, fabric, bedding and sleepwear!


you can see the entire makeover at house beautiful's site but here are a few photos to get you started:

The Original 1970's House via House Beautiful

The New Facade via House Beautiful

Before Kitchen via House Beautiful

After Kitchen via House Beautiful

New Open Living Space via House Beautiful

designers we heart : selldorf architects

we definately love annabelle selldorf of selldorf architects.  we first heard of her firm because she designed a home for a family in dunton hot springs, colorado.  björn worked here at dunton a loooong time ago and was very interested when he saw the design of this home for his old friends.

annabelle's firm is based in new york city and she has many impressive projects located there, however, we especially love the projects she has completed outside of the city which draw on their surroundings and implement beautiful materials.

Pika House- Dunton Hot Spring, CO

Pika House in Winter

Pika House Dining Area

Pika House Master Bedroom

Sag Harbour House

Artist's Residence & Studio- Sagaponack, NY

Artist's Residence & Studio

Wainscott House- Long Island, NY

Wainscott House

Wainscott House Interior

Walden House- Edwards, CO

Walden House

designers we heart: hugh newell jacobsen

we love hugh newell jacobsen.  not only does he remind us of my fabulous grandfather, elwood, (who is an architectural renderer and artist), but he is an architect based in washington, dc one of the cities we love. bjorn will probably never let me forgot when i had a chance to accompany a manufacturers rep to the jacobsen office and i turned it down. (oops)


both of us have been inspired by jacobsen architecture for many years now & have followed his career in the pages of architectural digest.  i think we are especially drawn to his use of classic forms paired with contemporary detailing & his excellent use of space & light.  we have looked to his designs while working on our little house & have strived to create spaces that are as bright & engaging as his works are. 


here is what architectural digest has said about mr. jacobsen:

The award-winning residential architecture of Washington, D.C.-based Hugh Newell Jacobsen has the distinction of appealing to both the proponents of tradition and those who prefer progressiveness. Since the 1970s, his compositions have consistently taken the form of a cluster of function-specific, intimately scaled buildings, combining the familiar symmetry and gabled roofs of early American architecture with Modern architecture’s unornamented façades, open-plan interiors and emphasis on indoor-outdoor living.

A House in Nantucket via Architectural Digest

A House in Nantucket via Architectural Digest

Steinglass Residence- Rockport, ME via HNJ

Steinglass Residence via HNJ

Welles Residence via Architectural Digest

Welles Residence via Architectural Digest