There is a current movement going on in choices of designer clothes where by shouters wear a large designer name or excessive current fashions for all the word to see while whisperers wear subtle fashions of quite designer quality materials and workmanship.

This same principle can, and has for a long time, be seen in how people manifest both the exteriors and interiors of their residences.

“Show the world what you’ve got” is the goal of shouters who choose big and complex facades and interiors, most often based on past period styles, while ignoring the principles of excellent design. “The most and more costly the better.” Marble and gold are the biggest culprits here.

I have often thought that if you really want to show the world what you’ve got, simply put a large easily readable sign of your financial worth in front of your residence.

The whispers considers the sizes, locations, functions, and current times using the principles of design as a goal for their residences and thusly manifest excellent results.

Whisperers are confident and comfortable and composed underneath it all in their residential manifestations where as shouters are not.

When it comes down to the nitty gritty bottom line of excellence for residential design, quality always surpasses quantity.

Where are you in this range of residential expressions for your personal living?

Food for thought.

Recent studies show an increase in brain stress when participants viewed unattractive buildings.

These studies include designing and construction, residential and commercial, behaviorist, brain scientists, artists, et ceter so that all aspects of the situation are considered in the whole.

Results show people have a negative reaction, usually unconsciously so that one is unaware of the situation, to buildings, interior and exterior, that do not manifest pleasure and beauty.

And that this negative reaction affects our outward behavior in an undesirable negative manner.

How does this stress affect the functional success of buildings?

What is the priority level of pleasure and beauty considered for buildings over all other levels?

In a perfect world, all aspects of life would be realized and complete.

Awareness of this stress in our behavior from unattractive and pleasurable buildings is the first step toward rectifying it.

Is it not of merit to make all efforts possible to achieve desirable results at the highest level?

The fast pace and quick results sought in today’s world of cell phones and computers does not erase the fact that underneath it all we are human beings.

Food for thought.

Several rules by certain interior designers and books on the subject have come across my desk recently and also have come from many other people in different walks of life during my life experiences on this planet.

Rules of interior design are usually made by those people and for those people who are ignorant of the subject.

What some people put forward as rules are only their own personal approach to a design situation.

These positions have come up all the way from the construction of buildings to needle point colors.

Grand Ma said there are many ways to cook chicken.

IF you know what you are doing when it comes to the aesthetics of designing there are no valid rules: only principles of aesthetics and laws of physics.

What results do you want to achieve, where do you want to go, and what is the best way to get there aesthetically should pilot your expenditure of resources and not what other people see as their interpretation.

Yet, some people cling religiously and intellectually to their position as cut in stone for evaluating designs.

Life is made up of people from all different backgrounds, educations, social-economic levels, intellects, and experiences which determine and reflect our personality traits.

All wholes are made of different parts at some level but are complete.

Where do you stand in your approach to aesthetics?

Food for thought.

What’s “in and out” and what “interior designers” are doing continually come across my desk.

Who are these sources and who are they trying to reach and for what purpose?

Changes in life styles, of which the pandemic was a big one, and our culture, new products and discoveries, increasing role of smart devices, climate changes, intellectual growth and discovery, et cetera are all factors which should determine affects on our residential interior environment.

Fashion should not be a major factor for residential interior spaces.

The personal space in which we live is different from cosmetics and what we choose to wear during the different seasons of the year.

The highest level of quality design, which manifest the time, place, and function of it’s culture, is always good design.

The over emphasis and use of trends, what’s in and out, and what “interior designers” pontificate are usually for the short term and are at best a temporary expression and easily becomes dated.

Newness, in and of itself, does not determine the level of quality.

Is that which is new of long term or temporary change?

Periodic shows, advertisements, and changes are part and parcel of marketing and businesses into today’s world. Take it all with a grain of salt, a spoonful of sugar, and think quality for the long term. Is it a cry, or need, for attention?

There are those people who choose to follow these options. When evaluating such, always ask why.

Food for thought.

The results of a recent study that came across my desk categorizes the lower forty-eight states of this county into culture areas and analyzed how such affects the entirety of each and how these differences manifest in the whole of this country’s life.

The results come from going back to the origins of how, when, and by whom each cultural area was settled and how the economic, political, and religious factors of that time went through the different phases of history to arrive at where our lives are at the present time.

While the emphasis was on current political topics one can also see how these differences, including the geography and weather aspects, manifest into other areas including architecture, accents, food preferences, religion, sports, travel, education, life styles, et cetera, as well as the relationships between each other and the whole of this country.

When you look at where you live and the interior there of for your choices of life style, what do you see?

What role do cultural differences of where you have lived for your entire life, including different cultural areas, affect how you live now?

What roles do emotions and intellect play here?

Are you aware of the effects of area cultures and how do you react to them?

The highest levels of aesthetic manifestations result when the laws of physics and principles of aesthetics are used congruent with the time and place of their creation.

So, where are you in all of such? Where do want to be? How important is it to you? What do you choose to, or not, do about it.

Food for thought.

Designed and executed 25,000 years ago is the oldest work of art known from my found information.

While it’s age and having survived are important, what does this work of art say about the human race and the evolution of civilization?

It can give us information on the intellectual and cognition development of mankind.

It can also give us historical information as to life styles and other information of that time and space.

This example and the quantity of art since then reflect the time, place, availability, and life conditions of their time.

Art is not just aesthetics.

Authentic art manifest such.

Observing physical manifestations of housing and furnishings today how many are truly works of art and how many are reproductions? Or interpretations?

In these situations how often does emotion over rule intellect?

What do your personal choices of designs say about you and where you are intellectually and emotionally?

Food for thought.

As with many other aspects of our lives, the concepts of residential interior design have advanced by light years for thought and execution.

Once the prevalent aesthetics of residential interiors was called interior decoration and was discussed and dogma from the upper levels of society, particular women of wealth and social status, and revolved much around what was called “good taste” which generally was a reflection of their thoughts and life styles.

Now, light years later, there is at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaestheics.

The physical activities of the human brain’s are being scientifically studied and researched for the knowledge , activities, and reactions to aesthetics.

These results show the positive effects to the human brain when engaging in the aesthetics arts.

These reactions to aesthetics are not just intellectual and emotional but literally cause physical changes to the brain when engaged.

And it’s not just the active physical engagement of aesthetics, such as dancing, but the mental engagements as well.

The engagement in making a work of art, painting, sculpture, etc ceteras, as well as observing aesthetic expression of such affects the physical condition of the brain.

What is the level of aesthetics observed and experienced in your personal living spaces?

Are you aware that it could literally be affecting your brain?

Food for thought.

Recently there came across my desk the results of a survey by Builder in their March 16, 2023 edition of changes for families brought about from the requirements of being stuck at home during the pandemic.

“Home means safety and family.

Embracing e-commerce.

Quality time together.

Kitchen most important room.

One-third continue to work at home.”

The pandemic affected us in ways that are massive for most and individual ways that are unique for many.

Numerous studies have shown that our negative functional, emotional, and psychological reactions caused by the stay at home restrictions of the pandemic can be greatly reduced and a pleasant and fulfilling and productive lifestyle and state of being can be achieved by the use of intelligent and quality aesthetic interior design.

These same results can be experienced and known during all periods of time and phases of our lives.

Now that most of the restrictions of the pandemic have been lifted, is it not of merit for what changes resulted in our life styles from the pandemic to be embraced, enhanced, enjoyed?

What changes occurred in your personal way of living from the pandemic and what are you doing to embrace, enhance, and enjoy them positively both tangibly and intangibly?

Were and are there areas or parts of your life that could be manifest better through a higher quality level of aesthetics that may or may not have been affected by the pandemic?

Food for thought.

What is the value of a house, particularly where one lives, and how is that value determined?

Is it exclusively financial or are there other factors involved?

A place to live protected from the elements is basic but where do you go beyond that?

Beyond that, a house, or other residential manifestation, is for living.

Many people look at their residences primarily as a financial asset and evaluate it as such never including the living there experienced.

What is the long term end value of an unoccupied residence?

Yes, there are money aspects involved in occupying a dwelling place, which for many people is very prominent, but perhaps, more importantly, is the living experience which happens, usually for most people, on a day-to-day bases.

There are many other parts of housing such as investments, buying and selling, building, renting, inheriting, financing, developing, status, age, family, income, work, et ceter.

But at the end of of day, or life, what is more important ?

Accumulation of wealth? Or having experienced a fullbodied existence?

Life is to be lived.

How do you evaluate where you choose to live, what are your goals in doing such, and what level of importance do you give to each one?

A professionally designed residential interior which reflects your personality, life style, and functions can greatly enhance there your living experience.

Food for thought.

How do you feel about where you live?

Going up and above basic shelter reguirements, location, financial involvements, comfort, legal address, et cetera, what do you actually feel about where you live?

What emotions do you experience when being at or thinking about where you live?

Do you look forward with anticipation to being at home or is it just another to do activity?

Is it a gas station for living, a temporary fix for your present life, or just a basic life necessity?

In the aspects of human behavior, according to scientists in that field, emotions over rule the intellectual in personal behavior choices.

At the highest level of human behavior, where you live should be your home.

According to Webster, your home should be a “congenial environment where the heart is”.

It should also be a place of joy and pleasure and beauty.

Home “is where it‘s at”.

Many people go through life not really caring about their residential environment.

They miss a lot of living.

Isn’t that what life is to be about: living?

The quality of your residential interior design is a major factor in the level of quality you experience in personal living.

What level of passion do you experience for where you live?

Food for thought.