African Home Decor: 2012

2012 Recap

2012 has been a great year for Visbeen Architects. We look back at the ups and downs and cannot help but be thankful. Thankful for the opportunities we have had, the people we have met, the clients we have served and the projects we have worked on. We have shared what has been happening along the way in our little corner of the architectural industry, so we thought we would give our own little countdown and recap of just some of our events of 2012 on this, the eve of a new year...

Top Five of 2012

5. MoDiv: Our project with Rockford Construction for a retail incubator downtown opened it's doors in January and finished off the year by winning the Ideation award from the ABC Construction Awards for Innovation. It was a pleasure to be a part of such an innovative retail design in the heart of our hometown.

Read more here:
MoDiv's grand opening - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/01/modiv-grand-opening.html
MoDiv is a hit! - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/01/modiv-is-hit.html
Ideation Award - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/11/modiv-wins-2012-ideation-award-from.html

4. The Parades: This past Spring and Fall Parades proved to be shining moments for our business. We had six stellar projects in the Parades here in the Greater Grand Rapids and in Kalamazoo. Between the six projects, we took home 14 awards of excellence from the HBA! What an honor!

Read more here:
Grand Rapids Spring Parade of Homes -
http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/05/gr-spring-parade-of-homes-domenico.html
http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/05/gr-spring-parade-of-homes-pine-valley.html
http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/05/gr-spring-parade-of-homes-warren.html
Kalamazoo Spring Parade of Homes - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/06/kalamazoo-spring-parade-of-homes.html
Spring Award Winners -
http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/06/spring-parade-of-homes-award-of.html
http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/06/highfield-brings-home-four-awards.html
Fall Parade of Homes - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/10/fall-parade-of-homes.html
Fall Parade Winners - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/10/awards-of-excellence-winners.html

3. AK Rikks: Visbeen Architects had the great pleasure of designing one of the most significant projects of our company history this year - AK Rikks. This retail powerhouse was really a dream job for us and when we were able to see our vision come to life, with it's doors opening in August, it really doesn't get much better than that!

Read more here:
The Project Announced - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/05/big-news-for-grand-rapids.html
Fashion's Night Out - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/09/fashions-night-out.html

2. Happy Anniversary to us!: We celebrated twenty years of business this past June. For twenty years, we have had the pleasure of doing what we love to do, creating beautiful, functional, impactful architecture for the clients that have kept us in business. Thank you again to everyone who has impacted our business!

1. VAI + GMB = VA: The biggest news of 2012 by far has been the merger of our company with GMB Architecture + Engineering. In July, the two became one and Visbeen Associates, Inc. became Visbeen Architects. We could not be happier to become a part of such a great company and look forward to the great things we can do together as an integrated team.

Read more here:
Visbeen and GMBae Join Forces - http://visbeen-associates-architects.blogspot.com/2012/07/visbeen-and-gmbae-join-forces.html

Looking back, 2012 has been a great year and now looking into the new year, we cannot wait to see the exciting things that 2013 will bring.

Happy New Year to you all and we look forward to doing business with you in the year to come!

matthewbrindle

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Luxurious interior apartment design

I'm dreaming of a....warmer location

I hope you all are enjoying lovely celebrations with family and friends during these holidays. Here in West Michigan, our white Christmas came a day late, but we are looking at a snow covered landscape now! Let's be honest, raise your hand if the thought has crossed your mind wishing you were in a tropical location right about now (I know you can't see me, but my hand is up). If you are looking to get away from the ho-hum after the holidays funk, even if it is just in your mind, here are some images of our design of a resort in Costa Rica that might assist you with your day dreaming.

I may be wearing a wool sweater right now, but after looking at these beautiful images, in my mind, I'm lounging in one of those beach chairs sipping a Piña Colada in front of that pool!

For more information about this beautiful resort, please visit DayStar Properties' website.

Merry Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house...

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONDER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!"

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Interior Home Design, Simple bathroom design

Simple interior bathroom design

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Holiday Cheer

Today's blog is just meant to be a little eye candy with holiday decorating inspiration. We are all busy this time of year - finishing up last minute Christmas shopping, getting the house ready for out-of-town guests over the holidays, and businesses are finishing up their 2012 business calendar. It's time for a little relaxation, pictorial tour style.

So sit back and just enjoy these residential gems decked out for the holidays.

Cosmopolitan Home Grand Rapids: Awards of Excellence

The early winter 2012 digital edition of Cosmopolitan Homes Grand Rapids just came out and has a nice feature on our fall parade home on Silver Lake that swept it's price category for HBA's Awards of Excellence and even won People's Choice!

Thanks again to all who voted and visited it during the Parade!

For ease of reading, click here to see the full digital edition of Cosmopolitan Grand Rapids.

Deck the Halls with Ugly Sweaters

Over the weekend, Visbeen Architects and GMB Architecture + Engineering celebrated our first Christmas party as a joint team. We cleaned out our closets, borrowed from family/friends and visited thrift stores to find some of the ugliest Christmas apparel you ever did see for the occasion. The evening was full of food, fun and plenty of merriment, and though the sweaters may have been frightful, the company was delightful.