Andrew Lee Architecure Wins AIA Award for Design

Recently, one of my favorite clients, Andrew Lee Architecture submitted my photos of his design to the AIA east bay for an Exceptional Residential: Bay Area Regional Design Award. His project was awarded the Citation Award. The design was for the kitchen remodel of a historic home originally built by the firm of Joseph Esherick and Peter Dodge. The elegant redesign maintains the original playful aesthetic and warm intentions of the home, while adding contemporary functionality. The story of the project and the photos I produced are featured on the AIA website and in Diablo Magazine. 

Using Lighting to Make a Dimly Lit Kitchen Look Spacious and Bright

This newly remodeled Piedmont kitchen is spacious, it has a functional floor plan that is easy to work in, the colors and accents make it fun. But the lighting didn't do it justice in photography. The less often used end near the back door was brightly lit by a single broad window while the main working area near the stove and countertops was dim by comparison. LED spotlights are effective for working, but appear yellow and saturated in the photos. The window is much too bright in comparison and the daylight is blue; producing a rainbow of different colors on what should be white walls.  I solved these problems of "natural lighting" by using photo strobes. The intention is to utilize some natural light from the back window, while filling the interior space with bright, even, white light, which appears to be natural light coming from a daylight source off-camera to the right. 

Kitchen with photo lighting

Kitchen before lighting