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Exploring the Unseen: A Chat with Shawn Gottschalk on Hidden Design Details and Unexpected Inspiration.



studioMET Architects home interiors are as stunning, and as filled with design details as their exteriors. Thoughtful, defined, and liveable. So GRAY and Modern Architecture + Design Society (MA+DS) were thrilled to see project submissions come through from them to feature on our Houston Interior Design Tour (details here).


black and white portrait of man in hat with beard and mustache
Shawn Gottschalk, AIA

Partners Yoonchul You, AIA, Stephen Andrews, AIA, and Shawn Gottschalk, AIA, lead the Houston-based studio -- a collective of architects, craftsmen, artists, and designers.


We had a chance to catch up with Gottschalk and invited him to be in our 3 Questions for...series for his take on design.




midcentury modern house architecture
Featured on the Houston Interior Design Tour, the graftHAUS is a home designed for a family of four, their pets, and their extended-stay guests.


1. What is your definition of “design”?

Design is everywhere, all around us. Some good, some bad, and some great. From the utensils we eat with to the furniture we relax on and the homes we spend the majority of our lives in. Design should be functional and look cool.



open concept living room kitchen and stairway


2. What is your single favorite design detail about the project/s featured on the tour?

It is the details that folks don't notice until you point them out and then it's like "wow, that is so clever." Too many to outline, but a few to think about... hidden return air for HVAC, electrical outlet placement, roof lines and water management, ventilation behind cabinets, etc. 





3. Have you ever derived design inspiration from an unexpected source (a movie, something from childhood, an unusual encounter)? Tell us about what moved you.

Design inspiration comes from everywhere.  Most of my inspiration comes from when I am not "trying".  I don't design behind a computer.  I study project criteria, budget, site conditions and then I let it simmer.  What follows is hard to explain as it is a matrix of output from many sources.



midcentury modern house exterior backyard swimming pool garden with ferns outdoor patio blonde brick facade


Be sure to check out all the featured projects on the Houston tour on Saturday, April 27. And stop by Western Pacific for a refreshment break. details here.


 


2024 Interior Design Tour schedule

Houston: April 27, 2024. Tickets available here.

Seattle: June 8, 2024. Ticket info posted here when available.

San Francisco: June 29, 2024. Ticket info posted here when available.

Portland: September 21, 2024. Ticket info posted here when available.


Sponsored by



To submit your project for tour consideration, click here.

To inquire about sponsoring the tours, write to us at advertising [at] graymag.com.


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