A few weeks ago, the Microsoft Stories team noticed something. With every amazing person we meet, and every epic moment we cover, our family photo album gets a little thicker. In fact, it’s pretty much bursting at the seams. So we’ve created a new place where we can share our favorite photos from the world of Microsoft with you. We’re calling it Snaps, and the photo above is just one of the images you’ll find there. Read below for the story behind it, then take a peek at the site to see more.
Xbox One designer Carl Ledbetter knows a thing or two about building from the ground up. More than a decade ago, he and his wife sat in a vacant lot with a white board and a bottle of wine and designed their dream home.
Ledbetter’s home office is a personal museum of form and function. He collects interestingly-designed household products (blenders, irons, old Electrolux vacuums dating back decades). There’s also a pile of camouflage items – he’s had a growing fascination with it since he researched and designed a popular camo Xbox 360 controller a few years ago.
Outside, he maintains a miniature forest of bonsai trees clustered around a reflecting pool. “I love the aesthetic of creating a miniaturized version of a mature tree,” Ledbetter said. “I also love the fact that it is never done. It’s a living, ongoing thing that is never static. There’s also something in that for all of us – if we stay too static, there’s something wrong.”
