Melissa sits down again with her sister, Ale, of Ale Life and Design to discuss their collaboration in renovating and restoring The Sisters Bloom’s new studio space in downtown Kalispell. A 1949 cinderblock warehouse last renovated in 1992, the building was in need of some love. The sisters reflect on the process of bringing Melissa’s overall vision for the space to life and how Ale’s unique design expertise supported the studio’s values throughout the renovation.
Melissa + Ale Share:
-Appreciating the historical aspects of the building and the necessity of restoration projects in a city with a high percentage of new developments
-The similarities between general contracting and directing animation productions
-Flathead Valley local Dave Fischlowitz’s referral to Preserve Montana for restoring the steel casement windows
-How re-insulating the building with mineral wool will help increase its energy efficiency
-Snowsound acoustic panels Melissa currently uses as a sound treatment to record the podcast
-The acoustic cork treating the studio’s sound room from Jelinek Cork Group
-How choosing eco-conscious materials for the renovation differed from choosing for the studio’s projects
-The lighting choices they made to make the space bright, natural, and healthy for crew, including non-flicker LEDs from Cree Lighting
-The conscious decision to keep smart devices and wifi to a minimum and the importance of remediating the studio of non-native frequencies (nnEMFs)
-EMF Solutions, the company whose products the sisters trust for remediating the studio
-Earthing’s grounding mats as an alternative and supplement to remediation
-Working with Legendary Finishes to source wooden doors through the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) with an Italian zero-VOC coating by Renner and Karcher hardware
-Handmade ceramic tiles from eco-friendly brand FireClay for the bathrooms
- The concrete sinks for the bathrooms from Concretti
-Choosing a high pile natural wool carpet for the sound room to dampen sound
-Flooring by Välinge engineered hardwood
-How they worked with Northwest Cabinet Works to choose sustainable cabinets from Egger for the kitchen and the mudroom cubbies, designed to keep the studio clean through the Winter months
- The ozone laundry system that kills bacteria and germs so that the studio’s reusable towels stay clean
-Why they chose Live Pristine, the remineralizing under sink RO system, for the studio’s drinking water
-Uncovering the conservationist building practices of the early 1900’s
Follow along to learn more about the renovation:
Ale Life and Design
www.alelifeanddesign.com
@alelanaebloom
The Sisters Bloom
@sistersbloomstudios
Into/Outro music by Ken Belcher
