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Clients, Kathy & Dave, had picked out the oak and maple leaf theme before approaching me. The requirement was for two straight railing sections for upstairs balconies and a third section to go on the landing at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor.
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(click here to go to the main railing feature page)
Design Process
This was a project where most of the design decisions were made via email and Kathy was in the driving seat of the decisions about the visual impact the railings would have in their new home.
Kathy emailed me images of leaves that they had found online and these were used as the basis for the leaves in the designs. I provided three options in the sizes of leaves over several designs, with the railing panels being composed of all the same size of leaf.
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The largest leaf size was discarded and they were having difficulty choosing between the mid & small size, we had gone through 8 designs, so I generated design # 9 which combined the two and superimposed it over a picture I had taken of the inside of their new home (left), with a little additional Photoshop magic - Voila! - we had a winner.
We offered options and costings for making the maple leaves in copper or in copper-painted steel and mostly for the appearance, the clients chose the steel and paint option.
Sample
In order for us all to be sure that the leaf sizes and colors were right, we produced a sample section that included medium and small leaf sizes in the oak and maple leaves. This was done for a fee (an estimated 5% of the overall job) that was deducted from the final invoice. In this way the client can more easily visualize the finished railing but is not committed beyond the sample and we are recompensed for some of the time in producing the sample and designs, should the project not progress after this stage.
Finishing the Project
Once Kathy & Dave had seen the sample and committed to the project, I liaised with their building contractor to co-ordinate with the timing of different stages of construction.
The leaf elements were started before we could even take final measurements to begin the main structure of the railing. So as soon as the drywall and trim was finished, I went back to the site to get final measurements and then making the railings was really under way. We had just finished the railing when the painters and flooring quys had finished their job so were able to take the newly completed project straight to the jobsite.
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(Installing the railing on the projecting balcony)
Last word from Kathy:
“I don't think we told YOU how much we like the railings. Everyone who comes in the house just marvels at them and wants to know where we got them. When I tell them Brasstown, they can't believe it!!! They are just beautiful and thank you for your part!”
(click here to go to the main railing feature page)
Lynda Metcalfe, 18 Waldroup Rd, Brasstown, NC 28902
828.835.7313
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