What determines the highest level of quality for the design of a residential interior?

It is not trends, fashion, popularity, or what’s new.

It is not economic, social, royal, or celebrity status.

It is not old money, new money, costs, budget, or brand.

It is not style, fashion, good taste, education, or intelligence.

It is not hand made, manufactured, rarity, or unique.

It is not location, history, owner, or value.

It is not antiques, imported, quality, or classic.

It is not one’s personal taste.

While many of these characteristics may be factors for residential interior design, in and of themselves, they do not necessarily make for a well designed one.

The highest level of aesthetic quality for residential living spaces is determined by the creativity, imagination, the knowledge of the principles of aesthetics, and the laws of physics applied intelligently to manifest a complete and balanced composition which fulfills the purpose for which it done and reflects the personality of it‘s users.

What element factors determine the design of the interior spaces in which you live and move and have your being?

Food for thought.

“Unto thy own self be true.” has worked itself into our language, who knows from where originally, as a wise and healthy approach to one’s life.

To reach the highest and most fulfilling levels for our selves in living as human beings it must be.

So how does this philosophy affect the residential interior environment in which we live and move and have our being?

To be at home and complete where we live at the highest level of the aesthetic experience is the ultimate experience.

So how do we go about making the choices, from the many options available, that determine our manifest residential interior environment?

Finances, time, availability, resources, et cetera are real and necessary factors in the situation.

Above and beyond these factors, what do you choose that is really you?

Trends, popularity, likes, comfort, function, markets, long term results, status, and one’s intellectual and aesthetic level are all factors at this level which can determine the final results of our chosen residential interior environment.

With imagination, creativity, and intelligence what you truly are can be expressed aesthetically.

What are your choices made to be your true self?

Food for thought.

A classic manifest the essence of what it is, time, place, environment, culture, aesthetics, intelligence, and availability of the period in which it is brought into being.

It is balanced, whole, perfect, and complete.

Nothing needs to be added or removed.

It is timeless.

It is permanent.

It does not become dated or lose it’s quality value status.

It is not limited to one time, space, place, or group.

It is what it is and does not compete, copy, or pretend.

Classics are not limited and can be manifest in all areas of creativity.

How many classics do you see in your daily living surroundings environment?

How do you react to seeing classics?

Food for thought.

Perspective, as used here, refers to the view point through which some thing is observed. The light in which it is seen.

A residence, and it’s interior spaces, exists. It is a physical manifestation.

And yet, it is seen in many different lights by different people.

Banks, investors, and lending businesses look at the financial value. What is it worth in today’s market? What is it’s future status? Is it a stable investment?

Those in real estate look at square footage. How many bedrooms? Location. Location. Location.

Builders, and other contractors, look at materials, workmen skills involved, schedules, costs, permits, et cetera.

Residents look at how it is congruent with their life styles, does it reflect their personality, is it what they like, is it home, maintenance, and is it comfortable with their budget?

What is your perspective when you view a house especially where you live?

In this same frame of reference and light how do you see the interior spaces in which you daily live?

Is it home? Do you like it? Do you want to change it? How long will you live there?

Food for thought.

Constantly coming across my desk is information about paint colors.

More that one source has “Colors of the Year“.

There are trends of certain colors for which to be aware.

There are articles on what colors to use, or not to use, where.

There are articles on what colors to use, or not to use, for today’s interiors.

Paint manufacture’s are bringing out new colors and new physical traits.

International residential interior design publications are featuring the use of certain brand’s colors.

How does one make a wise choice with these numerous options?

Wisely choose the best color and physical characteristics paints for the highest level of the aesthetic experience for the project.

Look and experiment, any and every where, until you find the optimum color.

With today’s technology basically any physical color can be matched in paint.

If you know what you are doing you can create your own colors from scratch.

Remember that the surface finish of the paint when dry is going to affect the result you actually see.

Color is determined by the reflection of the light in which it is viewed.

There is no limit on the colors that can be achieved.

Intelligently use your creativity and imagination .

Food for thought.

It is consistently expressed that change is the only constant.

The stock market changes.

Physical existence changes.

Global warming has causes even more changes in the weather.

The pandemic has caused major changes for many aspects of our life styles.

Human being go through continuous changes from conception to death.

These changes affect our living environment, often in subtle ways, of which we may not be aware.

Making adjustments, as needed, to accommodate these various stages of life changes enables us to be more congruent in fulfilling our living environment.

Periodically, seek to be aware of changes, subtle or not, over time and how such affects your way of living and thusly make adjustments to them for living your best life experience.

Have you become aware of, or made an effort to look for, changes that have occurred in your living experience over time and what can, or cannot, be done for improving such.

Food for thought.

One of the delights of my childhood was to awaken on Easter morning and find an Easter basket fill with a delightful selection of goodies of which chocolate was the most important and delicious.

Some people in today’s world take this same approach to the design of their residential interiors as if filling rooms with wonderful goodies results in well designed living spaces.

It’s rare. It’s custom designed. It’s not made anymore. It’s expensive. It’s one of a kind. Et etera.

There is no Easter bunny (sorry) and such an approach does not result in giving one a well designed interior living spaces even if some pieces are outstanding.

Rooms are not empty spaces to be filled.

Rooms are interior spaces consisting of tops, bottoms, sides, openings, and all of the spaces there in with each being a part and their relationship integrated into a complete balanced whole design.

Designed results are manifest by the laws of physics and the principles of aesthetics.

The highest level of aesthetics result when these two approaches are used wisely and intelligently.

When experiencing where you live do you see a filled space or one beautifully balanced?

Food for thought.

Successfully designed residential interiors require a marriage of function and aesthetics.

Many of the sitting furniture used examples from leading interior design publications viewed of residential interiors that come across my desk do not meet this requirement.

What percentage of indoor functional activities involve sitting?

What is the purpose of each individual indoor sitting activity: eating, reading, watching, conversations, resting, working, et cetera?

Furniture selected for sitting inside should be comfortable and practical as well as aesthetic.

Regardless of what is proclaimed in advertisements: “One size does not fit all.”

Ideally, seating furniture should not have to be lifted to be moved in and out for sitting at a table or desk.

How well does the sitting furniture fit in with the surrounding furniture for functional as well as aesthetics?

How comfortable and practical is it to get into and out of sitting furniture and move around the space?

How well does the sitting furniture contribute to the successful completion composition of the spaces in which it is used?

Every successfully designed residential interior must be complete.

How well does the sitting furniture where you live fit with this criteria?

Food for thought.

The climate, in all of it’s far reaching aspects, has been a major factor of physical reality before people inhabited this planet and continues thusly.

Climate was a major factor when humankind began making sheltered interior spaces for protection from the elements and toward a more intelligent and civilized existence life style.

In today’s world, the natural disasters, disturbing events, and costly effects caused by climate change are strongly affecting the current and long term living environments of the world’s occupying animal and vegetable organisms.

Yet, even in very minor ways, most major building construction does not take into consideration sufficient notice of the climate location in it’s design and construction.

Even such simple aspects as the year around pattern of the sun affecting the light, heat, shade, and fading manifestations of the interior and exterior living environment of it’s climate location can make a big difference in results experienced from the structure.

The normal and extreme play of humidity, wind, different seasons, rain fall, storms, native plant and animal species, type and quality of air, et cetera are not fully factored in for a civilization of priorities based on quantity, efficiency, profits, productivity, greed, ignorance, and a lack of integrity when dealing with mother nature.

In where and how you live, in all aspects there of, do you take into consideration every thing physical’s effect on your personal health and that of this planet on which we live and move and have our being?

What role does all of such play in the aesthetics and activities of your personal living environment?

Food for thought.

“There are none so blind as those who will not see.” Mathew Henry

My experience in this field of residential interior design has encountered many people who are congruent with this pearl of wisdom and thusly miss out on much of the joy and beauty thereof.

Some people have been so arrogant in their social economic status that they cannot see, or refuse to accept, that something is broken.

Some people have been so tight with a penny that they will choose cheaply to not spend a few dollars initially and cannot see that such choices lower the quality long term for the project.

Some people will insist upon using friends, relatives, acquaintances, et cetera and there by severely limit the design options and quality of the project.

Some people are so set in their thinking that every thing in life should be done the way they run their business or practice their profession including the design of their living spaces.

Some people choose to be rude, demanding, difficult, not trust any one, etc cetera because that’s how you have to be to survive in life.

Some engage in unethical, under the table, dishonest, hidden behaviors, et cetera because that’s the only way to come out ahead.

These people are the losers because they miss the boat for the joy, beauty, comfort, and positive experience of experiencing their lives in well designed living spaces.

Have you ever encountered persons with such philosophies in your life experience?

Are you one of these people?

Food for thought.