“Trendy is the last thing before tacky.” Karl Largerfeld

Regular readers of this residential interior blog are well aware that this writer is not a fan of trends.

There are different aspects and conditions and considerations between the personal environment in which we choose to live and how we choose to clothe ourselves.

However, for those people seeking the highest levels of the aesthetic experience and personal expression, trends, in and of themselves, are not going to get you there.

The laws of physics and the principles of aesthetics are universal.

Mass production and consumption are the major driving forces in the economy.

Such is a basic fact of finances.

For those few people who are not sheep following the crowd and have the integrity and desire for a better and more fulfilling experience of being themselves, seeking and finding a unique pathway manifest itself in great rewards.

Who are you and where are you in your living spaces and dressing yourself choices?

Food for thought.

I don’t like it.

How many times have you heard someone make that comment?

What are they saying and why are they saying it?

When about residential interior designs, or something else of quality or preference, it could mean that they do not find such congruent with their personal aesthetic preferences or that it does not measure up to their standards of what is good aesthetic design.

There is a difference between the two although both may be combined into the same statement.

Is the comment making person involved in the manifestation of the design or do they have some need to express themselves?

If one is not personally a part of, or responsible for, a residential aesthetic manifestation what is the merit of their expressing an opinion?

And sometimes making such a comment is an expression of ignorance.

Analyze and evaluate such comments when they apply to, or are made by you in, your personal situations.

Could not said principle be applied to other situations encountered in life which refer to quality and personal preferences?

What goes through your mind when you hear or make this comment?

Food for thought.

It seems as if every week or so another source comes out with the colors of the year.

Almost as often there is something on what are the big happenings in residential construction for 1924.

Topics come out about what is forecast as the next big movement for residential interior designs.

There are writings about what certain residential interior designers are tired of seeing.

Articles are published on what some residential interior designers project as trends for the coming year.

Other positions are about the interior design likes and dislikes of the authors.

These sources content ranges from construction of houses to characteristics and traits of accessories.

What does all of this information, often conflicting, matter to one and should one be concerned?

Unless this information is going to affect your personal, or business, life in some significant way, such is of no merit to you and is just chit chat.

If it is going to affect some area your life, or be a factor there of, ask questions.

Are these options truly me, what I like, where I want to go, or practical, efficient, worthy of my projects, or do I really care?

Am I confident enough to select and follow my pathway’s direction or am I more comfortable and at home being a sheep and following the crowd?

What’s your reaction to all of this constant flow of residential information?

Food for thought.

Recent studies have have shown that awareness of, participation in, exploring, and appreciation of any kind of art results in very positive happenings in our bodies many of which we may not be aware.

There are college majors for art therapy.

Scientific studies show that association and involvement with art has a direct positive physical health affect straight to our hearts.

Art, as shown in various studies, can help with loneliness in today’s computerized life styles.

Intelligent and quality aesthetic residential interior design is art.

Residential interior design often is chosen for status, snobbery, making a statement, egoism, tradition, business, or a variety of other reasons.

But, when it comes up does any one recognize it’s health benefits.

To be intelligently cognisant of quality residential interior design manifestations the emotional, psychological, and physical health parts thereof must be evaluated along with the aesthetic aspects with each being a part of the complete whole.

And at their highest level, all works of art must be complete as well as whole.

To state that the general population is vastly unaware of what is residential interior design and what it does would be a massive understatement.

Where are you and what is in your mind when experiencing your personal living spaces?

Food for thought.

It’s the season when the world, personally and commercially, goes full blast on holiday decorations, indoors and outdoors, for fun and emotion and celebration like no other time or season during the year.

As it is the biggest shopping time of the year, many stores, and some individuals, start the process weeks, and some times months, before the actual date so that it takes away from the joy and anticipation of the event.

Studies show that these decorations are out about 20% of the year not including the year around locations that specialize in such.

The principles of design, or the ignorance there of, go out the window and pure emotions take oven in all economic, social, and religious manifestations.

So be it as it brings joy, and some times peace, around the world.

If you choose to do the highest level of aesthetics for your decorations during this season, remember that the principles of beauty, as have come into being during the history of civilizations, still apply and will result in quality and intelligent results.

Which is of more importance to you for what you do, or don’t do, for this season celebrations?

Food for thought.

“Interior design is not an Easter Basket to be filled with the more objects the better.”

Yet, many examples which are put forth as some of the world’s best continue to do such.

Many describe how unique, expensive, designer name, rarity, and blah, blah, blah are these objects.

Residential interior spaces includes all the walls, ceiling, floors, and all of their components into the composition.

Every thing seen in a space has it’s own design characteristics and should be evaluated as to how such contributes to the whole composition.

And interior design is a composition.

What is the ultimate goal of your residential interior design?

Is it to make the spaces as beautiful, functional, and reflecting the personalities of the residents as is possible?

Or is it to show the world your collection of objects therein?

Some of these object filled spaces look more like commercial show rooms instead of spaces where people live.

The most successfully designed, and most beautiful, residential interiors are those in which every thing seen in the spaces contributes to the final overall aesthetic composition of the spaces.

There are many aspects which determine the final results manifest for residential interior design spaces.

How many, and what, determined the results of the spaces in which you live?

Do you have aesthetically pleasing whole compositions or an Easter Basket of objects?

Food for thought.

Taste: “The sense of what is fitting, harmonious, or beautiful.” Webster

Good: “educated, refined, genuine” Webster

There have been comments in some of the international shelter magazines about the relevance of “good taste” in today’s culture.

Etiquette, religions, clothing fashions, et cetera still manifest traits, traditions, and habits from past periods of history.

Good taste supposedly originated when the lower classes began to get home furnishings that were mass produced as opposed to being locally made and the wealthy, partially to retain their status and to snob others, began the guide lines of what was good taste.

Residences and their furnishings are still today a big indication of one’s social-economic status in the world.

There probably will always be people who will unsupportingly critique what is different from what and where they are.

Your culture, education, intelligence, personality, and where you are in life will flavor your position of the subject of good taste.

The general movement of cultures today toward more casual and less formal living is definitely a factor to be considered here.

What role does the concept of good taste play in and of what importance in your life?

Food for thought.

A recently reviewed article from the residential building industry listed the results from polls of regrets owners have after building a new house.

The lists included more practical and useful rooms, more storage spaces, better lighting, and practical aesthetics.

Some of how residents use, view, and react to their living spaces is a result of life experienced during the pandemic.

While these aspects generally are good and desirable and practical, there are others which could be considered.

How does the to be built house fit functionally and aesthetically into the space where it is to be built not just for the now but for the changes that will come about during future decades?

As houses are usually constructed to be permanent buildings, what is the life time for use, maintenance, practicality, and aesthetics of the quality of materials, workmanship, and design used during it”s construction for the current time and future decades?

And what about the financial aspects of building a new house during it”s construction and for the duration of it’s existence?

“Once in his life time every man should build a house.” ancient philosophy

Building a new residence is a many layered and varied experience on many levels for which the expenditure of resources mostly results in a well worth the effort outcome.

Food for thought.

“regulation governing conduct” Webster

From early childhood, schooling, and through out life there are rules, written or not, that we are expected to follow in our lives for orderly functioning.

There should be a logical reason, to be of merit, to enhance, improve, make more efficient, etc cetera for a rule’s existence.

There needs to be a why.

In many situations, we encounter rules which are no longer relevant to their original purpose but are still practiced due to habit, tradition, not examined, et cetera.

In today’s world, some of these rules are being challenged, or ignored, which is a good thing for society and the advancement of civilization.

We need to be aware of history but not choose to irrelevantly live in it.

When you encounter within the scope of creative aesthetics any adhering to “the rule is”, beware.

As grandma said, ” There is more than one way to cook chicken.”

People who use “the rule is’ are are usually limited in their knowledge, experience, or creativity and imagination.

To reach the highest level of beauty, and function, for residential interior designing, intelligence, creativity, imagination, and quality are needed.

Be aware of these situations when observing, evaluating, planning, and manifesting the interior spaces in which you live.

Food for thought.

It has been said that the biggest commodity in the world is opinion.

And it’s usually free and in abundant supply.

Coming in at a close second is free advice of which much is not always sought.

Current media outlets are constantly presenting advice, trends, markets, what’s new , et cetera, of current information regarding the housing industry.

From this great quantity of possible choices how can one select a wise pathway?

From whom does this advice come?

What information, education, qualifications, skills, and experience does the giver of such have to validate their position?

What is the reason behind their giving of such?

Is it to manifest their personality traits, sell you some thing, express current culture, gain viewership, or what?

Is it advice or personal prejudices?

Is this advice relevant to your current life style situation and important there of for the fulfillment of who, what, and where you are?

What are the financial benefits qualities goals of this advice for both the giver and receiver?

Who is paid to give it and who pays to receive it?

It has been said that advice, sought or not, freely given is generally not worth the paper upon which it is written. (You do remember what information written on paper is don’t you?)

What is the aesthetic quality and source of advice that you employed for your current interior living environment and how important is such for you?

Your environment affects your experience there in?

Food for thought.