Over the time that I have been in this profession, I am never ceased to be amazed at the lack of knowledge expressed by people from many walks, backgrounds, and social, economic, and educational levels when it comes to what is residential interior design when it is obviously what is the definition of the words.

One executive immediately proclaimed that he was my competition because he worked for a department store chain which sold furniture which implies that residential interior design to him is the buying and selling of furniture.

One socially prominent and wealthy woman, after a tutorial on the subject, proclaimed that you always put the couch on the longest wall as if such was the only factor involved.

One well educated woman felt compelled to laugh at and put down a contemporary interpretation of traditional houses in her neighborhood because it did not fit in with her background and life style.

One socially and status conscious man was disturbed almost to the point of legal action because he did not like the design of a proposed new house in his neighborhood as if his position is the standard which all others are to manifest.

The examples go on.

While in this country we have the freedom to express our opinion, such does not validate our opinions.

Unless you are directly affected, it is wise to look for excellent standards and manifestations of residential designs instead of proclaiming the superiority of what you like unless you are qualified to make such a statement because of education, experience, talent, and proven abilities.

Those who make statements with out validity only proclaim to the world their ignorance and inferiority.

Food for thought.

The sky was blue. The clouds were white. The plants were green. The air was clean.

Such was the air environment when I was growing up.

Times have changed.

Alas. Now the quality of the air environment is a major challenge in countries world wide.

In the content that comes across my desk daily about the housing industry in this country, the quality of the interior air is a major concern for home owners and potential buyers of homes.

There are many factors involved in this change ranging from global warming to the chemical composition of building materials and home furnishings used today.

For what ever reasons of the cause of unhealthy air and what is being or not being done about it, the problem is real, it’s here, and we have to deal with it.

Of all of the current and future methods available to assure clean and healthy air for the interior of our residences, we need to keep in mind the laws of physics and the principles of aesthetics when taking such actions in our homes.

Think of that which is done to provide clean and healthy air for our residential interior environments as one of the elements in the composition there of.

With intelligent thinking, planning, and coordination of all parties involved, the interior spaces of your home can be healthy as well as beautiful with all of the elements manifest into a complete whole.

Where are you and what are you doing or not doing for the quality of air and beauty in you residential environment?

Food for thought.

One of the first people who called themselves an interior designer encountered at my first job after college was always talking about what she sold to whom and the brand there of.

She never talked about what she designed, the challenges of the project, the designing solution, et cetera. Her ultimate goal was to sell as much and as expensive furnishings as she could and she was very successful financially doing such.

The approach for interior design should to make the project the best quality, function, and beauty for the client.

Selling involves the purchases of items with the exchange between customer and seller.

Client is one who seeks and is given advise, counsel, direction, creativity, et cetera in the planning and execution of laws, physics, principles, knowledge, et cetera from a professional if the selected field.

Many people in today’s society still think of interior design as a buying and selling process.

When it comes down to the choices you make in the manifestation of your residential interior space, which do you prefer: Some one who will sell you some thing or some one who will create a functional, beautiful, and quality design personal environment?

Would you prefer to be a customer or a client?

Food for thought.

” Mediocrity : of moderate or low quality ” Webster

In many aspects of their lives, in small and large areas, many people choose to be mediocre.

Why? For reasons, and some times excuses, known, and some times unknown, to them mediocrity is the principle with which they have chosen to live their lives.

How does this chosen principle in relationship to our interior residential environment, which is one of the most important physical parts of our environment, affect our day-to-day living and the quality of our existence?

Our psychological, emotional, behavioral, functional, productivity, and uses of time are affected by our residential environment, both aesthetically and practically, so that it is a great merit priority.

How important is it to you that the food you eat taste the best that it can and that you make the necessary efforts to achieve that goal?

Therefore, would it not worth expending the necessary resources to achieve that same level of quality in your residential interior environment?

Food for thought.

The purpose of life is to live.

The biggest financial asset for many people is the house in which they live.

How do you combine the two into being successful for both of the above statements?

When we die, we leave behind all of our financial assets.

So, if you die financially wealthy, but your life has been miserable, has there been value received for how you used your existence?

This thought principle can also be applied to the choices we make for our residences.

Financial value and markets for residences are constantly changing and are pretty much beyond our control so that we cannot always control the financial value of our living spaces.

We do, however, have control over how we choose to live our at home lives where we live.

The emotional, psychological, convenience, comfort, functions, intellectual, aesthetics, et cetera aspects are values of our domestic lives not necessarily affected by out side forces.

They can manifest in a life well lived.

So, what are the choices you choose to make as to values received for your residence?

Food for thought.

” Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Albert Einstein

In today’s housing market, a well as in many other aspects of our lives, things are in a flux.

Housing prices are going up. Mortgage costs are low. There is a shortage of lumber for building.

Which brings up the old saying that change is the only constant.

What is one to do in this flux for one’s personal and business concerns?

Often times, over the history of the history of civilization, severe changes in the normal way of doing things, shortages, financing, a crisis, et cetera have been the catalyst that brought about new, improved, healthier, financial advantaged, and better ways of doing things.

When things are going well, we don’t always use our thinking in imaginative and creative ways.

When things are in a flux, of which much of life always is, it can be wise to not think of such as a problem, but as a challenge to newer, better, and higher levels of existence.

Food for thought.

The most important aspect of the human experience is light without which our species would cease to exist.

This same aspect of light is the most important for the aesthetics of a residential environment.

The second most important aspect necessary for the aesthetics of a residential interior is proportion.

Proportions for residential interior designs are the sizes of things in relation to other things including all that is the space from the rooms individually and their relationship to each other to every thing in the rooms from the largest to the smallest of things used.

Most of us are capable and very aware of sizes in clothing. It is easy to see when articles of clothing are too big or too small or too short or too long for the person wearing them to which we generally react instantly and correct.

Many people are not as sensitive to this situation when viewing residential interior designs or as quick to correct unless the proportions are greatly exaggerated according to their knowledge, standards, customs, culture, et cetera.

It is a universal truth that the laws of physics and the principles of aesthetics apply to all physical manifestations regardless of period of history, culture, status, finances, politics, or any thing else.

Which, of course, makes it applicable to residential interior environments.

The observation, appreciation, and study of beauty in all of it’s manifestations, natural and man made, is the best way to learn, become aware, and apply sensitivity to proportions in aesthetics.

Food for thought.

“If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” is an expression that has come up various times over the years and, even if it is not mentioned, it is manifest in much of residential designs.

Why would you want to flaunt any thing? Do you need validation from others to be confident in what you have and where you are?

The uses of flaunting run the entire range of social, economic, and prestigious life styles from the lowest to the highest.

There are those who use enormous amounts of expensive materials put out for the world to see what they have to those who use old used faded materials to express how long they’ve had them which supposedly make for more status and prestige.

Deliberately flaunting, regardless for what reasons and by whom, is usually met with various opinions about it’s being done.

The laws of physics and principles of design are not affected by the intangible, which flaunting is, so that you need to keep both of them in minds when you are doing any project for aesthetics.

Food for thought.

Today across my desk came the results of a survey about the styles of houses home owners prefer: traditional, contemporary, modern, transitional, et cetera.

There was no style that won a majority of responses.

What does this study show about the status of residential style in this country today?

In the houses seen most by me in my life time, the traditional style seems to be most seen as it represents a certain comfort, familiarity, status, popularity, et cetera.

To achiever the highest level of art and design in any aesthetic manifestation, it is necessary to express the times in which it is built. Copying the past, regardless of the quality and money involved, is simply a copy.

Generally, people will choose what they like and want for the type of style of the residence in which they live which makes for a good emotional and psychological relationship.

The highest level of beauty in any style of residence can only achieved when the principles of aesthetics and laws of physics are used.

Where are you in what you choose as your residential environment?

Food for thought.

During my time in this profession there have been many people who have lessened the results of their residential interior design environment because of their arrogance.

It is a trait of their personality and many times a result of how they practice their professional lives.

The way your run your business, so to speak, is not necessarily the best way to approach the manifestation of your residential interior design environment.

The quickest, most efficient, least expensive, and most productive approach, which is desirable for business, is not necessarily the best for your home.

The supposed end results should not have the same goals.

Your home should be a physical sanctuary from the outside world and where your emotional and psychological self can be expressed.

The “profits” for your residence should be the satisfaction, comfort, and functions of your personal life and not financial.

Be not quick to make a decision. Look at options. Think in terms of longevity.

Most importantly, accept and practice that being knowledgeable and successful in your line of work does not necessarily mean that such can be applied to all other situations in life.

Have the where with all to accept what you don’t know and seek the best guidance there of.

Food for thought.