Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Maia & Matt


Life has a funny way of creating paths that intersect at different points throughout our years. Maia & I used to go to All Saints together when we were little. We were good buddies and I remember snippets of our young friendship like it were yesterday! When my family moved to the country in 2nd grade we transferred schools and Maia and I gradually lost touch. I hadn't heard from her in years until fate would have it, her fiance and my husband turned out to be in the same medical school class here at Texas Tech! It's been so great getting to know Maia all over again, this time with deeper roots from our earlier friendship. I admire Maia in so many ways and really appreciate her uniqueness and outlook on life. Matt is a wonderful guy and loves that girl like crazy. They are a great couple with lots to look forward to in their future. I was thrilled to capture some of those lovey-dovey moments that come with the fun of being engaged. Enjoy!












Monday, August 23, 2010

Meet Mr. and Mrs. Jones

A few weeks ago I got a call from one of my good friends from high school, Brittany Smith. She said she had seen my pictures and wanted some fun engagement shots of her and her sweet fiance (now new husband!) Greg Jones. Of course I was ecstatic and jumped at the chance to photograph such a great couple. There is just nothing more exciting than capturing that amazing stage in life. The stage where everything is just peachy and all the little idiosyncrasies are still adorable to one another. It just doesn't get better than having a honeymoon and a lifetime of memories to look forward to. Writing all this makes me reminisce about the amazing images Kristin Bednarz captured of Ryan and I during our engagement. Below are a few of my favorites!


Being engaged is similar to having a great appetizer before an even more amazing meal... It's wonderful, but nothing is as good as the main course. Marriage has been the most amazing part of my life thus far and I can only imagine that having kids would be similar to a piece of chocolate cake with a giant cherry on top!! haha, my one-eyed "dog-child" Emma is after all pretty sweet herself. Laugh all you want, but I love the little comparison's life has to offer.

Back to my main point.... Brittany & Greg! Their wedding was two weekends ago and was absolutely stunning! They got married at a Tuscan Villa in Mansfield. Everything from Brittany's amazing dress to the adorable details (they served Jones Soda in honor of their last name!) were extremely well planned. I know Brittany worked so hard on the event and I was more than flattered to see a lot of the engagement pictures I had taken at the wedding. Thanks Brittany & Greg for letting me share in such a special time! Enjoy.































Thursday, August 19, 2010

doing some drafting

Lately I've been so busy with my new venture in photography that I haven't shared with you all my love for design as well! Since resigning from my job, many of you know that I have started my own business-

Heather Ann Design & Photography


It is a creative design business that mainly entails, but is not limited to, interior design concepts & journalistic photography. Interior Design services offered include, design consultations, custom floor plans, specialty electrical plans, interior kitchen & bathroom mill work, custom furniture design, residential furniture & finish specifications, and personal client shopping at Houston & Dallas markets. Photography services include engagements, bridals, seniors, babies, kids, families, weddings, & various social events. I'm currently in the works of developing a website that will showcase my portfolio and pricing. But don't let me get sidetracked with photography today, because this post is dedicated to some of my beloved design work, particularly a kitchen update I'm currently working on.


The Kitchen that I've been working with is in an older house. The floor plan is very functional, yet some areas are slightly tight on space in regards to the breakfast table. The client wants granite counter tops around the kitchen's perimeter and a custom island centrally located to serve both functionally for storage and aesthetically for a formal kitchen feel.

We started with pictures of inspiration and took note of elements we liked and could evolve our design from.

Above is a schematic floor plan of the existing kitchen. The main importance of this plan is to determine the perimeter cabinet dimensions so we can then verify the final size that our island can be (based on standard kitchen design & spacing regulations).


The first option I drafted is a more formal look with decorative corbels & fluted pilasters that offer a "bookend" look to the island. Two false panels surround an operable storage cabinet that features a decorative monogram stenciled in the center for a custom element.

The options for a custom island are truly limitless and any design could be evolved to no end. However this island is slightly smaller due to the space constraints of the kitchen. Regardless I drafted four options for the sides of the island (which will both be treated with the same design).
Above is the back view of the island. It features the fluted pilasters & decorative corbels, as well as three drawers that will serve as storage for kitchen linens.

The second design option I drafted offers more of a cottage or "farmhouse" feel with the decorative wooden posts serving as the island's knee space support.

Once again, there are limitless options as for the spacial design and functionality of each side of the island. That is where it takes good communication with the client to determine what their main needs for the space will be. Every one has a different cooking style in their kitchen and it's so fun to create a space that is conducive to each user's needs.



Finally, the last design I drafted was the back view for the second style. Depending on the client it could have three drawers for kitchen linens and table accessories or could have one cabinet for large cooking appliances (kitchen aid mixers, pots & pans, blenders, etc).

Also, wine cellars (refrigerators) are all the new rage and custom islands can be made to house those as well. That's the fun part about design, there is never an end to what you can do! I'll keep you guys posted on the rest of my design projects! I have a lot coming up that I'm excited to show and get your feedback on. If only there were 4 more hours in each day :)

Also keep checking back to see more photography, design tips, & what Ryan and I are up to! Sign up to follow us on the right hand side if you like what you see!