I haven't been writing in the journal lately due to all of the commitments in trying to get designs and projects ready this latter half of the summer and fall. I had a couple of disappointments in the earlier part of the summer with projects not moving forward, which have made me work extra hard in getting more designs started and proposals going out to make up for it. It is the proverbial "never put all of your eggs in one basket"-- or in a couple of baskets, for that matter. The fact that a couple of projects didn't move forward, which was after 2 months of very exciting design and a great deal of face-to-face appointments and research, made me have to really sink the hours into the last couple of months worth of prospects as much as possible. In spite of our economy generally picking back up a bit, there are people willing to go to great lengths with you through the process only to retract and not move into the project phase.
At any rate, I have some interesting clients and designs that I have been working with. Here is one that is fresh off the drafting board.
This involves a back yard with a small, unusable deck on a wooded lot. It is unusable due to its size, and also due to its mosquito population. I am inclined to refer them to Mosquito Squad of Minnesota, and then come up with a design that includes a 3-season screen porch that they can retreat into when they are not using the rest of the space.
What I also like is the use of retaining walls and free-standing walls that create a grill surround, bench, and raised herb and vegetable garden in the same area that they have one right now. It makes a lot of things able to happen in one space and creates two rooms within a space. Then, there is the screen room and deck off the one side that gives them their retreat.
I like the design, and I certainly hope that they do, too.
