Austin Outdoor Studio, LLC

Check out our new Website and Blog

2010-01-17T21:13:00.005-06:00

Over the Christmas holidays we have been busy building a new website and creating a new blog. If you follow our blog, our new blog address is http://www.austinoutdoorstudio.com/blog/
Our website is now much easier to navigate and is much easier for me to add photos, so you should be seeing many more updates from here on out.

Planters Planters Planters...and a sign

2009-10-05T07:48:00.002-05:00

Austin Outdoor Studio sure has been busy building planter after planter. We were hired by Yard House Restaurant to build 21 large Corten steel planters troughs for their new Houston location. They used the planters to line the edge of their outdoor patio. I think all in all it was about 10,000 lbs of steel. I can't wait to get some pictures after they have been planted and the steel patinas.
I also added a couple other shots of some jobs we completed this week. The sign was cut on my CNC plasma machine and is for a good friend of mine's new Yoga Studio, "Sacred Streams"

From Drop Box

I've been waiting for this one!!

2009-09-25T19:28:00.002-05:00

Sometimes there are projects that get off to a bad start and are plagued from then on. No matter what you do, no matter how careful you are, things just don't go right. Well this gate has been that way. It started with the first few cuts and drawing that was read wrong. After ordering more steel and building a beautiful gate, we sent it off to get powder coated. On the way back from picking up the gate a strap on the trailer broke and scratched up the paint. So we sandblasted the gate, re-prepped it for paint. Sent if off again, only to have some weird blistering pop up with the paint. I won't get into the rest of the issues but, this gate took way longer than it should have and I have to say "thanks" to the client for his patience. In the end, the gate turned out beautiful. Enjoy the pics!

From Drop Box

Here's a few shots of a little landscaping job we did. The homeowners did a great job of all the stone work and we just added a small touch of steel to tie it all together.

From Drop Box

Hot off the Press

2009-09-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I have actually written on my blog. I have been letting the pictures speak for us. Things have been quite busy for our little shop in South Austin. We have been fortunate for the work and are very grateful for the customers that keep coming back. We are continually amazed at the cool projects our customers let us do in their homes.
With the addition of our cnc plasma cutter, our capabilities have greatly expanded. You'll be seeing a lot of really cool products to be launched real soon.

From Drop Box

Past but not forgotten

2009-08-20T10:37:00.002-05:00

From Custom Work

A ton of new pictures...

2009-08-05T22:41:00.000-05:00

Hot Rolled Steel Fireplace Hearth, Built in place

From 2009 Pics

Hot Rolled Steel Divider Panel, This was built from one sheet of 1/4" steel so the heat patterns of the steel would travel through the panel.

From 2009 Pics

A fresh coat of lacquer

From 2009 Pics

Custom Structural Steel bracket,

From 2009 Pics

Can you believe this backyard is only 9' deep? The transformation was incredible. The poly gal fence conceals the once over bearing AC units.

From 2009 Pics

This railing was built using 1/2" x 2" solid steel bar for the posts and 1/2" round bar for the horizontal runners. It was capped in cedar.

From 2009 Pics

I love the way this corner detail turned out.

From 2009 Pics

We collaborated with Land Interactive on this project. They have fantastic vision. We installed the steel for them.

From 2009 Pics

This is the same project as above. We terraced the courtyard with 1/4" steel. We formed 9' boxes that work their way down the property.

From 2009 Pics

These planters were built for the "Mr Chow" restaurant that is at the new W Hotel in Miami Florida. We used Corten steel and added heavy duty casters so they could be rolled in during the severe weather. This is what 5000 lbs of steel looks like.

From 2009 Pics

We are almost done with this gate. It will be fitted with frosted acrylic panels and our custom stainless lever latch.

From 2009 Pics

This Ipe planter was built reclaimed Ipe. The metal frame was powder coated bronze.

From 2009 Pics

We love this house. If you look at our "landscape" and "Doors" section you'll see the rest of it. The "Coolest Screen Door Ever" resides here. This gate was powdercoated silver and built to last out of 10 ga 2"x3" tubing. The panels are frosted acrylic.

From 2009 Pics

We designed this latch, because frankly there just aren't any cool off the shelf latches out there. This stainless latch automatically latches when shut. It rides on internal bronze bushings and is spring loaded.

From 2009 Pics

We worked with a local Austinite who wanted to transform his lot into an organic farm with 4'x4' square foot garden table. So we built 56 of them. It was a lot of work, but it turned out real cool.

From 2009 Pics

The steel frame was simply painted and the wood is Angel's heart

edit

From 2009 Pics

We built this steel privacy fence to mimic the divide panel on the inside of the house.

From 2009 Pics

This automated driveway gate was a calaboration with the client. She came over and drew the gate on several pieces of steel and we cut it out. We actually welded a bead on the entire edge of the tree to give it depth. The branches were banded with hand hammered steel flat bar. The entire gate was was left natural to patina and the branches were hand painted by the home owner.

From 2009 Pics

AOS has a new toy...A CNC Plasma Cutter

2009-07-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

Austin Outdoor Studio now has added cnc plasma cutting to our list of services. A cnc plasma cutter is kind of like a printer for metal. The machine is computer controlled and can cut sheets of steel 5'x8' up to 1/2" thick. You use a drawing package like Illustrator, Corel, or Autocad, and create the drawing file, then we convert the artwork into a file the machine can read. Load up the machine and watch it run. It's a little more complicated than that, but that's the general idea. A CNC Plasma is great for artwork, Signage(letters & numbers), Brackets and dimensional parts, as well as just about anything you can think of to cut out of steel, stainless, brass, copper, etc....
We are very excited about this new piece of equipment in our shop and can't wait to see what it will do for the items we make. Here's a little tribute to South Austin. This was cut out of scrap 1/4" steel in the shop.

From CNC PLAMSA CUTTER

We would also love to work with other businesses who need plasma cutting services. Please give us a call or email us for information.
Jonathan@austinoutdoorstudio.com
512 577 0988

The First Post This Year, Really???

2009-03-10T21:26:00.000-05:00

With everything going on this year Austin Outdoor Studio has neglected it's poor little blog, well no more. So far this year we have built a ton of 4'x4' Square Gardening Tables, Steel Planters of Course, been to a couple shows like Le Garage Sale and The Austin Home Show, Developed some cool hand crafted house numbers, and have dove right back into the landscaping work. It seams Austin is still alive and kicking in all this doom and gloom of the economy. We have been fortunate for the clients that keep coming back, the new relationships we have formed, and the constant referrals we receive. I once again must say Thank You!
Here are some more pictures of some of our recent projects.

From Feb 2009

Railing and Steel Edging

2008-12-21T09:06:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the finished pictures of the railing I posted earlier.

From Custom Work

Modern Steel Cube Planters 40% Off!!!

2008-12-18T22:15:00.000-06:00

Right now we are offering three of our Metal Cube Planters from our online store at 40% off. We are still offering free shipping too. Now is the time to buy these cool little cubes! We only have a few made, but have the materials on hand to crank them out if need be. Please visit SteelPlanters.com

From New Planters

Austin Outdoor Studio isn't just for the Outdoors

2008-12-18T22:06:00.000-06:00

Lately we have been working on several projects, both indoors and outdoors. Our services aren't just limited to Planters, Landscaping and outdoor furniture. We love working in your home (especially at this time of year:) Some of our projects have included a custom 40"x 96" steel dining room table, custom steel and glass floating shelves, Wrought Iron Handrail, Cabinet Pulls, a conference table, just to name a few. I'll post some pictures later. If you have a project, give us a call, I'd love to hear about it.

From Working Hard

Our planters are now available on Google Sketchup!

2008-12-02T21:12:00.001-06:00

Sketchup is a free program that allows you to create 3d renderings of just about everything. We use it to generate our models and wanted to make our products available there as well. They have a 3d warehouse where you can share and download models so everyone has access to them. We have uploaded all of our planters as a collection.
To access the renderings once you are in the program go to:

File > 3D Warehouse > Get Models
Then just do a search for "Steel Planters" and you
will surely find them.

From Sketchup Files

If you have not tried the program, give it a try
Download here
It might be a little frustrating at first, but go through the video tutorials. They will help.
Have fun!

What keeps you going?

2008-11-15T18:27:00.000-06:00

This business has been a true passion for me and I am loving every minute of it. So far Austin Outdoor Studio has worked with some wonderful people, worked on many incredible homes, and gets to be a part of a wonderful community that truly supports local business. There are many things that keep me constantly moving forward. I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone I have worked with and let you know I truly appreciate your business and your help in making Austin Outdoor Studio what it is. Thank You!!!
Of course I have other motivations that keep me going and you know I can't refuse an opportunity to post pictures of the cutest little man I know, my son Parker. To my loving wife Kristin and the greatest son, Parker.
Thanks again everyone!!

From Custom Work

Steelplanters.com, Our Online Store

2008-11-09T13:56:00.001-06:00

That's right, we are now going nationwide. We decided to create some standard sizes for our planters and various other products and sell them through our online store,
http://www.steelplanters.com or go to the products link at http://www.austinoutdoorstudio.com
The site should be finished up over the next week and we'll be live and ready to accept orders next week. This also means Austin Outdoor Studio will now be accepting Visa and MasterCards. Our site will included dimensioned drawings of our planters as well. Over the next month look for a new modern bench design and also a couple of different firepits.

Moving on Up...To the South Side

2008-10-13T12:44:00.000-05:00

After months of working out of my garage, Austin Outdoor Studio, LLC is moving to its very own location. We are extremely excited about this move and what it means for the business. It means the ability to provide even better service and produce even more products for our customers.

Come and check us out!

From AOS - New Shop Location

4505 Terry O Lane
Suite A106
Austin, TX 78745
512-577-0988

Planting Texas Native Plants

2008-08-19T09:41:00.000-05:00

Many of my customers ask me about what type of plants to put in their planters. I always suggest plants that are native to the area. These plants require less water, thrive in our climate, and are available at all the local nurseries. I would stay away from the big box stores, and go to your local nursery in your neighborhood. You'll get higher quality plants, better customer service and you'll feel a sense of pride by supporting a local business.

The Grow Green Guide
Another great resource is available directly from the City of Austin website.
Grow Green Website

Native Plants = GOOD
This page is full of great resources. They list out all the native plants by type of plant, ie Trees, Shrubs, groundcover, etc.
Plant Guide

Invasive Plants = BAD
There is also plenty of documentation for plants to stay away from.
Invasive Guide

The city also prints all the pdf's in a full color document, The Grow Green Guide.

Happy Planting!!

Just some more pictures

2008-08-01T21:23:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd throw in some pics of some of the jobs I have been working on lately in addition to all the steel planters I am building.

I had to include some pictures my son, Parker.

Free Press is Good Press...

2008-07-25T15:41:00.000-05:00

You got to love free press. If you saw yesterdays(7/23/08) Austin American Stateman's Life and Styles section you might have seen the write up on Sanctuary, and front and center is a picture of my 48" Parker Bench It's too bad I didn't get a plug, but hey pictures speak louder than words. Unfortunately the bench is no longer at Sanctuary, but has been brought back home to IF+D.

New Ipe Planter at Sanctuary Home Bath Garden!

2008-07-07T10:32:00.000-05:00

Just thought I'd post a quick entry about a new planter I made for my friend Hana to go into her new store Sanctuary, in Westlake. She just opened last week and will be carring products of mine soon. So pop in and check out her new home accessories store. She has done a great job putting a wonderful collection together. The store is located next to Breed and Company just off of Bee Caves in Westlake.
Enjoy!

Some Pics of our Custom Work

2008-06-03T22:15:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd show some examples of the custom work I have been doing over the last month or so. The first project is a steel and Ipe door. This is a tremendous home which lacked a formal entrance from the street. The owners wanted something that would give them privacy, continue the theme of the house, but bring some warm tones to the steel and cinder block construction. After a couple renderings and material samples we came up with this design that really finished off the house.

Customer Testimonial
"We just wanted to thank you again for all of your design creativity, superb craftsmanship and professionalism with the creation of our new Ipe/steel exterior door!

To say we are thrilled with the results is an understatement: we came to you with a very vague concept and you returned a masterpiece. We couldn't have envisioned a more perfect complement to our existing entryway. The door is the focal-point of the front exterior and we couldn't be HAPPIER!

Here's to nothing but success with all of your future Outdoor Design endeavors!

We look forward to working with you again soon,
Kim & Eric"

The next project was a result of a terrible situation. A drunk driver veered off the road and ran into their tree on the corner of this house. The driver ended up ok, but destroyed the railroad ties and permanently damaged the tree. Our major design constrain with this project was the 18" tall square of soil and roots left behind. The soil could not be excavated because of the root system. The main goal was to make the raised square in their yard look like it wasn't a raised sqaure in their yard. To do this, I brought in several levels to draw the eye down and created planters at two of the corners to break up the space. The project turned out great and transformed the once mundane corner into a showpiece.

Ipe, What Is It?

2008-05-31T20:52:00.000-05:00

Ipe (EE-pay), is a beautiful Brazillain hardwood that is an excellent choice for outdoor use because of its unique properties. Some of its highlights as follows:

1) Hardness, almost 3 times as hard as Oak

2) Decay Resistant, Rated by the US Forest Products Lab for 25 years plus.

3) Fire Resistant, has a rating of Class A by the NFPA or class 1 by the UBC

I chose this wood for it's beauty, durability and clean consistant grain. This wood is also a great product to be used decks, fencing or planters. This material does cost more than your typical cedar, but its beauty and longevity more than make up for the difference. If you are interested in learning more about this wood and its uses please contact us or one of our local suppliers here in the Austin area. It is available at both Austin Wholesale Decking and Everwood Decking

Spring Sale, Entire Month of April!!

2008-04-06T16:17:00.001-05:00

I am putting three planters on sale this month. These are all small planters and are made with a thinner 14 gauge material steel in order to keep the prices low.
The 12"x12"x24" Tower is made without the trim boarder.

I also made some 12 x12 cubes.

The tapered planter 9.5" at the base and 12.5" at the top and measures 15" tall. The edging is 1"x 1" angle iron.

I have a couple of these in stock, but can easily make more within a couple days. Give me a call with your needs. Enjoy this beautiful time of year.

Here we go...

2008-03-18T17:47:00.000-05:00

Hey guys, I guess it's time I get this blog started.
First a little about me. I've been in Austin since 01' after graduating from Texas A&M with a Mechanical Engineering Technology degree. I've worked in and around town trying to find where I fit. I worked for the large tech companies, ie Applied Material, smaller cooler companies in the in rock concert lighting industry, ie High End Systems and Element Labs, and have labored in the construction industry as a superintendent, as well as a stint in Real Estate. My passion my whole life has always been getting right down to business and getting my hands dirty, whether it's restoring old cars or fixing up old houses.
After getting involved in the home building and selling business, I found another true passion of mine...Architecture. Clean modern lines, simple elegance, classic cues and tasteful uses of materials. I was fortunate enough to have the background to manage and build my home here in Austin. I worked with a local Architect and good friend, Bob Shelton to completely renovate the house I currently call home. You'll see some pics of it used throughout the website. I fell in love with all the wonderful landscaping in this town and decided to try my hand at all the steel work for my house.
I have always been an entrepreneur at heart, and have been trying to figure out the business that would allow me to be creative, get my hands dirty, work with people in a creative way, and most of all just have fun.
Austin Outdoor Studio came about after a series of events. My wife and I were expecting our first child and I was let go from my job along with about 30% of the company a whole 3 weeks before our son was born. I quickly contacted everyone I knew and got to work doing anything and everything I could. I found it very easy to find side work doing remodeling on houses and helping Uptown Modern, (now carrying my products) get some work done to open her second part of her store. With Jean's (owner) support I put together a few products and placed them for sale at her store. This got the wheels turning and I quickly brainstormed several products I want to develop and put together a plan so I can make this all work. I recently formed the company and am eager to get invloved in this incredible community we have here in Austin.
Definitely looking forward to it!
-Jonathan Duke

My wonderful new son, Parker and I