THE BIG PICTURE
S
hannon recently celebrated her 16-year business anniversary as she
and her crew were finishing a large private home, guesthouse, work
studio, and garage space in Ballard on a little over nine acres.
After sixteen years in business, Shannon notes that “What has
become so clear to me is that the details are what make something
special. I think about every little corner of every little detail, whether
it’s stone or a piece of furniture. I come in while the project is on paper.
Once the architect has done their initial layout, I sit down and spend
time with the client to understand how they’re going to use the space,
whether it’s a home or winery or hotel. What are the requirements?
What is important to them in how the space is going to be used? Then
I lay out furniture, built-in cabinets, et cetera… to see how the space
flows. At that point, it doesn’t matter what it looks like. Form follows
function is the rule of good design no matter what it is, so the first
question is, ‘Does it function?’”
Shannon creates full interior construction documents for every
project: floor plans show all the furniture and cabinets; finish reference
plans display all the flooring with the pattern and which direction
it goes in; reflected ceiling plans detail all lighting and decorative
features; interior elevation plans lay out cabinetry designs, bathrooms or
restrooms, fireplaces, and kitchens, all of which are designed in elevation
form. Then detail sheets are created, pinpointing every measured detail
like countertop thickness, the character of edges and corners, what
material various items are made of, and how it should be built.
Being so thorough, she believes, enables her to get all the
information needed upfront and to give it to the architect who can then
hand it off to sub-contractors to bid on. “The contractors are generally
thrilled beyond belief,” she says, “when we hand them this set.”
EVERY SPACE
HAS A STORY
S
hannon’s construction packages include spreadsheets for each
room detailing paint color, stone, tile, grout selection, plumbing,
and lighting fixtures, and codes for each. She also lists where to buy
every item, along with a photograph of it, and which room it goes in.
ON DESIGN
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