Since the time when early man discovered fire, it has been a source of warmth for his comfort.

As civilizations advanced, fireplaces came into being and were the major source of warmth for residences for many hundreds of years using wood  ( and sometimes coal ) as fuel.

The fireplace was often the main design element in many rooms and was often also used for cooking and drying laundry.

In addition to the immediate warmth offered by a fireplace, it attracted and nurtured the senses  with the sight of colorful and flickering flames, the sounds of crackling, and the scents of burning wood.

The fireplace became a social, emotional, and psychological ” hearth ” for it’s users fulfilling needs other than the physical. It became a sort of magnet that appealed to our primordial humanity.

There have been many pleasant hours of my life that have been spent in front of a fireplace.

We now live in the 21st Century where many other systems keep our residences warm. But still today, fireplaces are a desirable feature for many people in their homes. In our current  world, fireplaces are usually more of a design and ambiance element than a sources of major heat.

Gas ” fireplaces ” are very popular today in that they are clean burning, easy to use, install, and maintain, and come in many sizes,shapes, and finishes and are a source of supplemental radiant heat. As such, they are often used in contemporary houses in ways that they end up being decorative flames rather than fireplaces which is all well and good if that is what you want.

The design aspect element to consider in these schemes: Is such being used logically, functionally, realistically, and aesthetically well? Be careful and intelligent in your approach. If not, you could easily up with something that looks out of place, gaudy, ostentatious, and simply stupid.

Food for thought.

“In the beginning God said ‘ Let there be light. ‘ ” ( Smart move. Good choice.) Genesis 1 : 1

Light is the source of all color. Light reflected off of a surface determines color. Without light, there is no color.

More than any of the other senses, light, and then color, is our major sources of the living experience.

There are incomprehensible numbers of colors in sight every where we look and they are changing constantly as the light changes with the daily rotation of this earth on which we live.

How many different colors are there to be seen in a plant, in the colors of the earth, or the reflections and shadows of a city view? Of all the colors we see, how many are natural and how many are man made?

How much brightness, dullness, lightness, and darkness do you see in the colors of every day viewing?

In addition to the reaction of the physical sense of sight upon seeing colors, we, as human beings, also have emotional and intellectual reactions to colors. Colors in and of themselves do not have these traits or characteristics or other intangibles. It is how we react to them that determines how they are described and used.

As in manners and customs, the same colors are given different meanings, significances, uses , and customs during different periods of history and different parts of the world. Let us not judge others by our own self.

To get the most out of life, we should feel free to experience and appreciate all of the colors that we see every day. Such us will help us to be more alive. Get out of your box and old ways of thinking about colors.

Don’t be afraid of colors. They don’t bite. I have never read of, heard of, or seen any information of anyone who had to be taken to the emergency room because of colors.

Live life with colors!

Food for thought.

Beauty is all around us. All physical manifestations have the characteristics of design which are line, form, mass, color, and texture. How these physical manifestations are expressed determines the level of beauty we see in them.

Since the early eras of mankind, he has made special concentrated efforts to produce certain things that focus meaning, significance, beauty, spirituality, history, time, et cetera. Over the millenniums these works became more focused, concentrated, intelligent, sophisticated, and relevant to everyday living. With growth that which we call beauty and art came into being.

Thus, there is a history of art being used in residential spaces for the human being. There is a basic need or desire for such in it’s home space.

Art today can be and is expressed in many different medias and with many different messages and many different levels of quality. What we usually think of as art for residential environments is an intellectual ( hopefully ) expression of beauty and emotion.

I like to think of art as the spices and herbs of residential interior design which give it flavor, ambiance, and personality as well as beauty and good design.

The art we select for our homes is a reflection of our intellect, emotions, tastes, life styles, and character.

Our tastes ( what we choose ) for our interiors designs is like water in that it always finds, settles, and stays at it’s own level.

Works of art today sell for up to about half of a billion dollars. I cannot afford to spend that much money for art in my house, and I am supposing the same is true for most of you who read this blog. However, there is no excuse for anyone to not have works of art in their home environment because of finances.  From pictures in periodical publications to posters to local artists to galleries to international auctions, there is always some thing available for any budget for anyone who seriously wants works of art for their home.

When selecting and purchasing works of art, let the intellectual level and aesthetic level determine it’s artist merit.

Food for thought.

Well, folks, it’s time to get excited again. The most exciting time of the year.

Paint companies and others are coming out with their forecast of colors for 2019. Wow! Furniture manufacturers and fabric distributors are in the process of presenting new selections. And then there will be other groups who will decide what colors will be used for the manufacturing of bed and bath linens, fabrics for clothing, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and other items where color is a choice. There will be much-to-do about the provenance and those who are responsible for these new collections.

New techniques and physical advances and discoveries are being made that result in new colors being available which is good because it gives one more choices for ready mixed and manufactured items. Custom colors are made and mixed individually to fit the design of their compositions.

Furniture, fabric, and most other home furnishings manufacturers will usually present a reworking or interpretations of past designs which again is good in that it provides more choices for their market.  Some of these will be very popular and be used for years. Others will not and will fall by the way side.

What is new is not a statement of quality. It merely means that it is new.

For all of these entities involved, it is a business in the market place to make a profit. Most of these companies are geared to a mass market of consumers which is the major activity of most companies in our free enterprise system in this country. It has worked for generations and longer.

So how does all of this affect you? There are two questions you may want to ask yourself if any of this information is of interest to you.

First, question and analyze to see if something is actually new or is it a reworking or updating or interpretations of some designs of the past. Or is it something that has not been done in the past and is a completely original design, material, process, result, et cetera? Do the aesthetics and all aspects  point back to the past or go forward into the future?

Secondly, ask your self if you want to be part of these trends and partake in individual consumption of what is geared to a mass market, or do you prefer to be an individual and do and select and purchase that which best fits your choice of life style and aesthetics?

Be diligent and look for true value and do not be adversely affected by advertising and public relations which are designed to get you to buy.

In all things be aware of quality.

Are you excited now?

Food  for thought.

  You’ve made the decision to design your residential interior. You’ve completed the first step.

The next thing to think about is to what extent do you want change. Do you want to remodel walls, floors, ceilings, add space, improve lighting, change the layout of space, open up space, close space, add windows, doors, tear down and start from scratch,  or stay with what you have with no construction?

  The guiding line here is that the room should be designed to best perform the functions for which it is used. What are the functions of the room? What needs to be done to make those functions pleasant and comfortable? What is the highest level of aesthetics that can be achieved in completing those tasks?

When that decision is made, you should ask yourself what is to be the flavor of the aesthetics of the room? What do you like and what ambiance looks like you? Do you want to stick with what you have liked in the past, or do you want to venture into a new directions and expand your horizons? Am you brave enough, secure enough, and mature enough to make and live in a different environment?

Next, how long do you want these changes to last? What level of quality do you want? What are the short and long term goals for redesigning this interior space? How important is your enjoyment of this space and what role does finances play in the project? Is social-economic status to play a role? Will this space become home?

When these decisions are made, put together a financial plan for what it will cost in today’s market and what you can comfortably afford financially. Be realistic. Don’t go back to what things cost in the past. Today is today. Today is not yesterday. You may need to be working with your chosen interior  designer before you can finalize this information, but you know what you can realistically and comfortably afford. Don’t expect more than you can afford or are willing to pay.

Then, you need to choose an interior designer with whom you can work. The most important factor in choosing an interior designer is that it should be someone who knows what they are doing and can produce results. This choice should be strictly business. Now is not the time to choose friends, neighbors, relatives, acquaintances, social status, business associations, trends, et cetera.  It should be strictly who can manifest the best results.

You will work closely with your designer and you should be professionally compatible, but it is not necessary that you like or become friends with the designer. The relationship should be one of professional respect and cooperation to manifest the best results possible and not to socialize.

Last, but not least, you merely have to sign the contract, make the deposit, let them do the job for which you hired them, and launch forward into a new adventure which results in beauty. Never, under any circumstances, deal with anyone in an interior design project who does not sign a contract.

Food for thought.

The first question to ask yourself is: Do I really want a professionally designed interior? Am I shopping around, looking, thinking, exploring, questioning, et cetera? Have I made that firm decision?

If you are not fully and firmly convinced that you want a professionally designed residential interior and proceed accordingly, you are setting yourself up for a disastrous journey. If you are merely thinking of and only want a shopping experience, stop immediately. Go no further. You do not want a professionally designed residential interior.

Do I want to move up from where I am to a higher level of the aesthetic experience in my home space or do I like and am comfortable where I am and want to stay there?

Am I willing to adjust to a new life style?

If you say yes to the change questions, be prepared for the changes that will take place. New colors and patterns, new lighting, new furnishings, new backgrounds, new art, new traffic patterns, et cetera. Get ready for a whole new array of domestic experiences.

Do I have the patience and fortitude and a life in balance to put up with the  construction, workmen, noise, dust and dirt, disruptions, ordering, receiving, selecting, problems that arise, et cetera to carry through to a complete finished end?

If you can meet this condition, you are showing your self in a very healthy psychological and emotional position to proceed. There will be delays, problems, conflicts, changes, et cetera that come up in in building, manufacturing, installation, transportation, and designing projects. It is some what normal for the course. Life does not always go according to our planned schedules. Accept it and proceed accordingly.

What is my financial commitment to this project? What do I expect to receive in return? What are the long term results for this project? Will the results be financial benefits or the pleasure and enjoyment of a beautiful, comfortable, and functional daily use interior environment or both? What is more important to me and how do I expect to use it?

What roles do my intellect and emotions play in the overall scheme of this project, how do they affect decisions, and which is most important?

When you have successfully answered these questions, you are ready to proceed to the next step in your residential interior design journey.

Food for thought.

  Kitchens are of high importance in a residential design. Kitchens are considered one of the biggest factors in determining the price, desirability, and sell ability of a house.

Kitchens are usually the most costly, time consuming, and involved room in the construction of a house involving location, access, lay out, storage, man made and natural light, electrical outlets and wiring, air circulation and venting,  temperature and humidity control, efficiency, cooking, cooling, freezing, food preparation, eating, cleaning, socialization, personalization, conversations, functionality, and aesthetics.

The basic functions of a kitchen are to be a place into which food can be brought, be prepared for storage or cooking, cooking and or cooling, serving, eating, disposing, cleaning, and maintenance.

  The functions begins with how close is the kitchen to where groceries are brought into the house and where do you put the groceries down first and ends when all dishes are cleaned and put away. How comfortable is the floor on which you will be standing for perhaps hours during the day? How well do the cabinets and counters fit the proportions of your body so that you can be comfortable as well as efficient in kitchen activities? How well can you see what you are to do? How well does storage and layout of the room fit the way you like to do things? What is involved in cleaning and maintaining walls, floors, ceilings, exhaust fans, appliances, et cetera?

There are a myriad of  questions to be considered, analyzed, and answered for a well planned and designed kitchen. Contrary to the popular saying: One size does not fit all.

And the there are the aesthetics of a kitchen. What ambiance do you like? What colors do you like? What materials do you like? What style do you like? Do you want a simple, stark, and efficient food laboratory or a warm, cozy,  and homely  feeling or something in between? The options are unlimited. Choose your own way.

All of these factors need to be be taken into consideration and put together into a complete balance for the best kitchen results.

A kitchen is usually the most costly and complex room in the house. Therefore, it is to be used and enjoyed as much as possible for all of the above reason.

Food for thought.

  What is the ultimate purpose of a residence?

Buildings are constructed to enclose space from the elements. After that, the activities by it’s users that will take place inside the building are it’s reason d’etre.

To many, the purpose of a residence is financial as a tax deduction or a growth investment or rental income. To some, it’s like a gas station. It’s where they eat, sleep, and dress. To others, it is a manifestation of their accomplishments and status and lifestyle. And the bigger and more expensive, the better.

The purpose of life is to live. If a residence is not used for the best and most living of it’s space by it’s occupants, it is not being used to it’s highest potential.

It matters not how many square feet, the level of quality, the cost, or the acreage. If it is not being used and lived in by it’s occupants, what is the merit of a residence?

Mankind requires tangible and intangible experiences in life.

A house should not be just a house for the people who live there. It addition to shelter from the elements and a comfortable interior environment, it should be the place of manifestation for one’s personal intellectual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and aesthetic life style.

What is the reason d’etre of your residence?

Food for thought.

Many people are very enthusiastic in telling others what they like. Often, such a statement means that they like that with which they are familiar as opposed to what exists.

When we are born we have certain inborn traits which are a deciding factor in our behavior. At that time we don’t really know what we like in aesthetics. As we experience life and are exposed to many different choices we tend to go in certain directions. The more to which we are exposed, the more we grow and increase our knowledge and broaden our horizons.

At the beginning, every thing is a new experience. We don’t know what we will experience in the future and such is true for the entirety of our lives. After a period of time, many people get set in their ways and limit themselves to what they already know and insist upon staying in that position. Everything else is not on their radar.

Thus, when it comes to aesthetics, it may be wise and enlightening to get out of such a box and let in some fresh air.

Look round. Observe. Try new approaches. Educate yourself. Research. Don’t limit yourself. Be free.

When such is completed, if you still like the same aesthetics, it will be on a higher and more enjoyable and appreciative level. And there is the possibility that you will discover something which you like even better. You may discover some things which you did not know existed before which can be a joyous surprise.

Life is an ever growing and expanding experience. Let your driving direction be forward and not via the rear view mirror. Join in and don’t sit on the side line. Live and not merely exist.

Food for thought.

Ideas! We have ideas for your home. Come see our new display house with ideas for you. I want some ideas. This month’s edition is loaded with a hundred ideas you can use for your home. Now, that’s a good idea.

We can be bombarded with the messages that ideas are the measuring device for good residential interior design.

What is the purpose of an idea? Is it relevant and applicable and functional for your situation? Is it practical? Does said idea reflect your personality and life style? Is it fashionable or long lasting? Does it enhance the aesthetic experience?

As in any intelligent and well planned situation, it is advisable to look at all angles and aspects of a situation. Use knowledge, experience, practicality, finances, appropriateness, function, and long term results as well as emotions and intelligence in making and executing a choice.

Do not be persuaded by fashion, what’s different, trends, what’s popular, what they are doing, or what’s hot now. Interior design decisions should be made for long term lasting results.

As I write in my published book, The Layperson’s Beginning Bible of Interior Design, interior design is not an Easter basket filled with the more ideas the better. Approach an interior design project with the goals of function, aesthetics, and user’s personality. Use all talents and materials and knowledge currently available to carry those goals to the highest level possible in all areas. Raise the bar. Then design it. Then execute the design. Then live in, enjoy, and appreciate it.

Don’t get caught up in and eat the potato chips of just ideas.

Food for thought.

PS: Please feel free to my e-mail address for any thoughts or comments you may have about the content of this blog.