This Wednesday I had the delightful opportunity to have lunch at the quaint Mi Colombia with two of my favorite creative people here in Austin: Loren Jacobs of LJ Interiors and Calvin Chen of Bercy Chen Architecture. 

Bercy Chen Architecture was recently selected to be part of Architectural Record's Design Vanguard 2006, a group of 10 firms from around the globe who are at the forefront of contemporary architecture.  I love their use of glass and light (Decor Jette is known for using glass in our designs as well), and their propensity for doing "green builds".

Loren was recently featured in Austin Home Monthly and was also on HGTV's Designer Finals Series. She is so witty and entertaining.  I call her my "little design nerd" friend because of her uncanny ability to quickly crunch a number while telling you how "gray" is the new "whatever".

Her father is an accountant and she's earned both a bachelors in business from Tulane and interior design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I truly know that she is a design force to be reckoned with. A very brilliant woman. 


Bedroom from Loren Jacob's HGTV Designer Finals
 
While Loren is filled with smart wit and contagious charm that strikes you the minute she walks into the room, Calvin's charm is little more subdued but just as evident. This eclectic mix of a man was Taiwan born, Australia raised, and University of Texas educated. He's more of an observer and listener than a raconteur. When you're in his presence, it feels as though he's soaking everything up that you're saying and doing secret math equations in his mind. He's got that unique mixture of intellect, science, and artistic talent that architects are admired for. I find myself constantly amazed by his observations and imaginative knowledge. It was entertaining to hear about Calvin's meeting with a local Austin blue haired potential client who wanted to incorporate the newest innovation of fiber glass embedded concrete as an inclusion to his up home where he housed his World Cup video collection. Selling parts of this soccer video collection is what this neat man made his living from.
 
This recant left me saying, “Man, I love Austin” It was a treat to hear Loren and Calvin swap knowledge and contacts on how to acquire products for earth friendly green building and where to get the latest in textiles for build outs.  

Picture of Bercy Chen "Annie House" in Central Austin, TX

While sipping guava juice and nibbling on plantain chips and other yummy Colombian delicacies with them, I found myself wishing that I could form my own weekly "Breakfast Club" where we'd meet and pool together all of our design knowledge, observations, innovations and new findings. A self professed book nerd, I am also a "learning nerd" who adores hearing and learning about what others are doing, creating, and reading about. 

This impromptu lunch meeting of the minds left my head swimming with ideas and a strong desire to create the unknown, the unheard of, and the unimagined. And after hearing about green building I have an ever growing hankering to design and coordinate a "green wedding" for my earth friendly clients.  I'm going to do the research on that and write some tips and pointers for having an earth friendly green wedding and event soon.

I’m truly looking forward to the future and what my creative Décor Jetté clients have in store for their brilliant events.