2021 trends during the current calendar year by a housing developer that came across my desk last week stirred up my interest.

There were several good points made by how the pandemic has changed the housing market.

Many of these changes relating to combating the spread of the virus and psychological and physical changes relating to being at home more because of it have been presented in this blog and many other sources.

What peaked my interest was the examples given of houses for more indoor-outdoor access.

Many of these and other examples of recently shown designs which are described as farm houses look like a popular development house with some rustic look porches and trim added were great examples of what is tacky design which means that instead of an aesthetically balanced composition certain things are tacked on that are suppose to give the so called design result.

Webster defines a “farm house” as a house on a farm which leaves completely open the aesthetics there of.

A residential structure should reflect the time and space in which it is erected.

Such, with the aid of intelligent and quality aesthetics, presents an opportunity to incorporate the traits and characteristics of unlimited life styles desired by home owners.

Replicating a certain style is usually a low level of aesthetics.

Incorporating the characteristics of those aspects of desired results into a balanced designed composition is excellent design.

What do you see, for what do seek, and what do you choose for the design and manifestation of your residence?

Food for thought.

Enhancing the culture and developing talent are two of the outstanding traits of successful businesses.

Recent articles about how the physical spurs these two aspects have come across my desk.

The purpose of a business is to provide goods and services for a profit.

What is the purpose of our residential interior environments and how does the physical affect the results there of?

Have you ever really thought about and intelligently analyzed, other than basic shelter from the elements, what are the purposes of the interior spaces in which you abide?

What are the integrated custom, social, material, and your unique aspects which make up the care and functions of the home space in which you live?

How well does the inside of your house, or other type of living space, fulfill all of the functions there of?

If the physical can spur good results for a business, what can it do to spur the quality of your life style.

Food for thought.

Perspective, as used here, means what you see when you look.

We live in a three dimensional world in that most physical objects are in a 360 degree state of manifestation.

All 360 degrees contribute to the final appearance of objects.

Most of what we see is from a standing, or walking, and sitting position.

As such, we miss much of the overall composition of the objects we see.

When experiencing the interior aesthetics and the design of the spaces you occupy, look at those spaces in various heights from the floor up to the ceiling and 360 degrees around and notice how what you see changes.

What changes could be made to improve the aesthetic level of what your see?

To achieve the highest level of beauty for the environment in which you live, Initially plan and execute the best 360 degree composition or make the changes that will lead to that position.

We choose to have the food we eat taste the best that we can.

Would it not be intelligent, wise, and rewarding to make our interior environment, which is always present, the best that it can be?

After all, don’t you want all aspects of your life to be the best that it can?

Otherwise, why are you reading this blog?

Food for thought.

I regret to inform you that we will not have a blog today because of circumstances unforeseen. We plan to be back in full force as usual a week from today. Thank you for your interest. George W. Moore, IV

One of the first things realtors evaluate in selling a house is curb appeal which is how the house and yard look from the street and is the first impression potential buyers get of it.

It is a universal truth that attractiveness and beauty enhance physicality.

The question I ask is why wait until you are preparing to put your residence on the market to have a great appeal?

Who approaches the house most often, either by foot or by car, for the length of time that you live there?

You as the owner do.

So, why not make your curb appeal great and enjoy it and appreciate it every day that you live there?

As often written about many times before, many of the newer houses that come across my desk from around the country have a double garage door as the main focus point on the front facade.

While this feature may be the result of making the best use of the spaces involved, such should not mean that it has to manifest bad aesthetics.

There are a few of these newer houses which have intelligently worked out a design so that this double door garage, along with the entire front of the residence, is a completely balanced aesthetic composition which is a delight to view.

Landscaping is also important in curb appeal and should be designed to enhance the curb appeal within the overall composition of the space.

So, go outside and look at your residence from the curb and evaluate intelligently and aesthetically what you see.

Any thing that can improve the aesthetics of your day-to-day existence is of merit.

Food for thought.

Webster defines taste as individual preference in the choices we make and as we are using the word here it refers to what we choose for the interior of our residential spaces.

Every one has taste whether it be what is considered good or bad or anything in between.

Have you ever given any thought from where your taste comes?

The results of the evolution of the human race up to our present time is in all of us and has a role in our choices.

For example: People gravitate toward fireplaces when there is no need of them for heating. People like to have light and a connection with nature and the outside. Et Cetera.

Our individual tastes beyond this area are determined largely by our upbringing especially during the developing years to adulthood.

These tastes experienced thusly stay with us through our life time.

To those people who become educated, travel, and reach higher and different socio-economic levels from these formative years will find these tastes affecting our residential choices, knowingly or unknowingly, even when we try to manifest another environment.

All of which is neither good or bad in and of itself.

What determines the quality of what we choose is determined by how we express it.

For interior residential spaces which are appropriate and functional for their location and time and working intelligently with quality standards using the laws of physics and the principles of design the results will be good regardless of your personal tastes.

Although it is not as prevalent in today’s culture as in past times, the concept of “good taste” generally refers to those standards set by the higher classes in societies which can contain certain elements of snobbery and social status which in and of themselves are not necessarily good design.

Food for thought.

Foot note: For readers who would like a blog on a certain subject, e-mail me at gmooreid@hotmail.com.

Residential home builders have posted some changes that home buyers want now more that before the pandemic.

Different entrances and facilities for family and guests which are convenient and functional with family entrances having spaces for hats, coats, boots, powder room, and laundry facilities.

Kitchens which are better equipped for more and better cooking with the use of quartz and touchless fixtures high on the list plus facilities that perform for all age groups.

More than one space for home offices as well as versatile spaces for storage and other activities.

Family bath rooms that are functional for all ages from childhood through elderly.

More access to out side with doors and windows for all occupants of the house.

Porches are very popular for outside socialization and connection with one’s neighborhood.

I should like to add some thoughts on the aesthetics for these suggested changes.

Be very careful about the use of colors for indoor spaces where you will be spending more time.

Bold and busy patterns and bright and many colors used can become disturbing and uncomfortable after a time.

Think in terms of simpler patterns and softer colors which are usually more comfortable and pleasant for most people over the long term.

In the selection of every thing that goes inside such a residential space be extremely careful and selective so that you only have that which you like and can use for a long time.

“When in doubt, take out.” Virginia Garden Club

Food for thought.

The pandemic has caused changes in life styles around the world.

Such has put the necessity of a functional, comfortable, pleasant, and healthy residential interior environment into greater focus and awareness.

All of which has brought into focus the awareness of design in shaping human experience and as it affects our living and working lives.

Interior design has become more of a necessary strategy.

From indoor air quality to hands free activities to smart homes this pandemic and the growing use of computers have and will continue to make permanent changes in the way we live from day-to-day.

All of which will require adjustments from all of us on what we do and how we do it.

In making these adjustments we need to always keep in mind what makes for successfully designed residential interiors.

Function, life style, and aesthetics are the three parts that make up what results will be achieved.

As you look around and evaluate these three elements in your personal living spaces, what do you see?

Your choices determine your results.

Food for thought.

There are a large variety of residences that come across my desk about the housing industry in this country.

The smallest one was a closet size space for the homeless and was priced accordingly.

The most expensive one which was many stories high above a major metropolitan city and which was basically a small town for the occupants and came in at a little over one billion dollars in that day’s currency rate which, incidentally, is more money than I made all of last year.

The types of houses vary from those designed for mass consumption to those expressly designed for personal life styles to the absurd and ridiculous.

Many use standard materials and many use custom made and expensive and rare materials.

Some are aesthetically pleasing and some are a nightmare come to life.

There is no one particular type where price, function, location, life style, aesthetics, et cetera all come together for a well balanced whole.

So, what is the purpose of a residence and how do we evaluate such?

The primary purpose of a residence is shelter from the elements of nature.

After that goal is accomplished, many personal elements are put into the stew.

What are the functions and life styles of the occupant? What is the location and surrounding environment? What is the level of quality for all of the aspects involved? What is the budget? What is the desired social-economic status to present to the world. What is the intellectual and emotional aspects to be manifest? How much is display and competition for others?

The list goes on and affects of cultures as well as other aspects have to be considered.

When you look at and analyze the residence in which you live, inside and out side, what do you see and how would you evaluate it and what is or is not important to you.

Food for thought.

Most of the residential constructions in this country, and perhaps also around the rest of the world, are based on elements of economics and mass production and consumption.

Getting the most square feet for the available space.

Adding functional elements that can be used to sell more and increase profits

There are similar plans and elements and results that are mass produced and sold and used country wide for houses.

All of which is done to house the population of this country.

There are, however, some constructions happening which are geared more toward their geography and functions.

What happens to the level and quality of aesthetics when the majority of decisions are based on economics?

What happens to the emotional and decorative desires to create a personal interior residential environment as opposed to a mass concept based on economics?

In such situations, choices are limited.

The options are to make the best of what is available through imagination, creativity, et cetera, settle for what results are available, or choose to raise your budget to a higher level to accommodate your wants.

As you look around your current residential environment, what do you see?

Mass produced and consumed mediocrity, creativity, imagination, a high level and quality of aesthetics, or that which is custom made to your requirements?

What do you want to see?

The choice is yours.

Food for thought.