The results of a recent study that came across my desk categorizes the lower forty-eight states of this county into culture areas and analyzed how such affects the entirety of each and how these differences manifest in the whole of this country’s life.

The results come from going back to the origins of how, when, and by whom each cultural area was settled and how the economic, political, and religious factors of that time went through the different phases of history to arrive at where our lives are at the present time.

While the emphasis was on current political topics one can also see how these differences, including the geography and weather aspects, manifest into other areas including architecture, accents, food preferences, religion, sports, travel, education, life styles, et cetera, as well as the relationships between each other and the whole of this country.

When you look at where you live and the interior there of for your choices of life style, what do you see?

What role do cultural differences of where you have lived for your entire life, including different cultural areas, affect how you live now?

What roles do emotions and intellect play here?

Are you aware of the effects of area cultures and how do you react to them?

The highest levels of aesthetic manifestations result when the laws of physics and principles of aesthetics are used congruent with the time and place of their creation.

So, where are you in all of such? Where do want to be? How important is it to you? What do you choose to, or not, do about it.

Food for thought.

Designed and executed 25,000 years ago is the oldest work of art known from my found information.

While it’s age and having survived are important, what does this work of art say about the human race and the evolution of civilization?

It can give us information on the intellectual and cognition development of mankind.

It can also give us historical information as to life styles and other information of that time and space.

This example and the quantity of art since then reflect the time, place, availability, and life conditions of their time.

Art is not just aesthetics.

Authentic art manifest such.

Observing physical manifestations of housing and furnishings today how many are truly works of art and how many are reproductions? Or interpretations?

In these situations how often does emotion over rule intellect?

What do your personal choices of designs say about you and where you are intellectually and emotionally?

Food for thought.

As with many other aspects of our lives, the concepts of residential interior design have advanced by light years for thought and execution.

Once the prevalent aesthetics of residential interiors was called interior decoration and was discussed and dogma from the upper levels of society, particular women of wealth and social status, and revolved much around what was called “good taste” which generally was a reflection of their thoughts and life styles.

Now, light years later, there is at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine the International Arts + Mind Lab, Center for Applied Neuroaestheics.

The physical activities of the human brain’s are being scientifically studied and researched for the knowledge , activities, and reactions to aesthetics.

These results show the positive effects to the human brain when engaging in the aesthetics arts.

These reactions to aesthetics are not just intellectual and emotional but literally cause physical changes to the brain when engaged.

And it’s not just the active physical engagement of aesthetics, such as dancing, but the mental engagements as well.

The engagement in making a work of art, painting, sculpture, etc ceteras, as well as observing aesthetic expression of such affects the physical condition of the brain.

What is the level of aesthetics observed and experienced in your personal living spaces?

Are you aware that it could literally be affecting your brain?

Food for thought.

Recently there came across my desk the results of a survey by Builder in their March 16, 2023 edition of changes for families brought about from the requirements of being stuck at home during the pandemic.

“Home means safety and family.

Embracing e-commerce.

Quality time together.

Kitchen most important room.

One-third continue to work at home.”

The pandemic affected us in ways that are massive for most and individual ways that are unique for many.

Numerous studies have shown that our negative functional, emotional, and psychological reactions caused by the stay at home restrictions of the pandemic can be greatly reduced and a pleasant and fulfilling and productive lifestyle and state of being can be achieved by the use of intelligent and quality aesthetic interior design.

These same results can be experienced and known during all periods of time and phases of our lives.

Now that most of the restrictions of the pandemic have been lifted, is it not of merit for what changes resulted in our life styles from the pandemic to be embraced, enhanced, enjoyed?

What changes occurred in your personal way of living from the pandemic and what are you doing to embrace, enhance, and enjoy them positively both tangibly and intangibly?

Were and are there areas or parts of your life that could be manifest better through a higher quality level of aesthetics that may or may not have been affected by the pandemic?

Food for thought.

What is the value of a house, particularly where one lives, and how is that value determined?

Is it exclusively financial or are there other factors involved?

A place to live protected from the elements is basic but where do you go beyond that?

Beyond that, a house, or other residential manifestation, is for living.

Many people look at their residences primarily as a financial asset and evaluate it as such never including the living there experienced.

What is the long term end value of an unoccupied residence?

Yes, there are money aspects involved in occupying a dwelling place, which for many people is very prominent, but perhaps, more importantly, is the living experience which happens, usually for most people, on a day-to-day bases.

There are many other parts of housing such as investments, buying and selling, building, renting, inheriting, financing, developing, status, age, family, income, work, et ceter.

But at the end of of day, or life, what is more important ?

Accumulation of wealth? Or having experienced a fullbodied existence?

Life is to be lived.

How do you evaluate where you choose to live, what are your goals in doing such, and what level of importance do you give to each one?

A professionally designed residential interior which reflects your personality, life style, and functions can greatly enhance there your living experience.

Food for thought.

How do you feel about where you live?

Going up and above basic shelter reguirements, location, financial involvements, comfort, legal address, et cetera, what do you actually feel about where you live?

What emotions do you experience when being at or thinking about where you live?

Do you look forward with anticipation to being at home or is it just another to do activity?

Is it a gas station for living, a temporary fix for your present life, or just a basic life necessity?

In the aspects of human behavior, according to scientists in that field, emotions over rule the intellectual in personal behavior choices.

At the highest level of human behavior, where you live should be your home.

According to Webster, your home should be a “congenial environment where the heart is”.

It should also be a place of joy and pleasure and beauty.

Home “is where it‘s at”.

Many people go through life not really caring about their residential environment.

They miss a lot of living.

Isn’t that what life is to be about: living?

The quality of your residential interior design is a major factor in the level of quality you experience in personal living.

What level of passion do you experience for where you live?

Food for thought.

Over the course of civilization history there have been many different manifestations of proper indoor foot wear.

Some cultures went bare foot and some still do even today.

There has been much residential news recently about many of today’s resident’s who request, or require, any one coming into their interior space to remove their foot wear.

Some offer some type of foot covering for indoor use and some don’t.

The reasoning behind this behavior is to prevent germs found on foot wear from coming into their residence.

While I am not a scientist, it is my understanding that germs are every where present and it is of merit to avoid germs as much as possible for our health. But, as is possible in many aspects of life, things can be taken to an undeserving extreme.

While it is true that foot wear picks up germs basically every where we walk, how much does eliminating foot wear indoors really, seriously, and of merit promote indoor health?

If some one requires you to remove your foot wear indoors, does that mean that their floors and their feet are germ free?

If required to walk bare foot on their floors are you not exposed to their germs?

Of course, there may be exceptions to this rule and some people cannot walk comfortably or safely with out some type of foot support.

What are your thoughts and positions of this increasing movement?

Send me an e-mail. let’s know what you think.

Food for thought.

CBS: “unshakable commitment to creativity, beauty, and authenticity”

From recent broadcast featuring author.

“Know thyself.” Plato

“To thy own self be true.” Shakespeare

What do the above quotes have to do with the design of one’s own interior living spaces?

Think about it.

In the marketing and media one encounters in today’s society we are constantly exposed to colors of the year, trends, what’s new, popularity, what “they” are doing, sellable, et cetera.

The economics in today’s world of business for housing, the furnishing there of, and related aspects are geared to a mass market consumption which most of the population follows.

Where are you in this situation?

What if you don’t like or want these ways? What are the options for other choices?

What is your ultimate goal in housing? Is it all to be based purely on economics?

Here is where Plato and Shakespeare come in.

Know who you are, where you are, where you want to go, and proceed in that direction.

Choose to select those options that express you and not mass consumption.

In fulfilling the one life you have to exist on this planet are you going to be your “true” self or just a number in mass consumption?

Of maybe you just don’t care.

The choice is yours.

Food for thought.

Lighting is the single most important gate through which we experience our lives.

What we see, how we see it, and how the design elements are experienced are determined by the light in which we see them.

One can profoundly be aware of the difference light makes when we view in day light as opposed to moon light.

This fact is the single most determining factor in the quality of aesthetics manifest for our residential interior spaces and yet is usually not the top priority when these spaces are designed and/or constructed.

Repeat: If the aesthetics of your residential living spaces are to be taken seriously, lighting layout has to be a priority.

Natural and man made are the two sources of light.

Always make the best, most efficient, and practical use of natural light for residential interior designs which includes the direction from it comes, seasonal changes, and weather effects.

Man made light is any thing used for lighting that does not come from the sun.

In today’s world there are almost unlimited choices for lighting fixtures, types of bulbs, and kinds of light so that lighting is an independent profession and industry in and of itself.

In designing with man made light the dual goals are function and aesthetics.

Function includes specific, task and purpose, and general illumination.

As a very general rule, it is best to have different types of light, different sources of light, and different heights of light in each space.

All hanging fixtures should be evaluated for their over all part in the functional lighting layout as well as aesthetics.

Functional lighting is usually best when it’s source is not seen.

Look at your home inside spaces and evaluate what you see.

Then look at your lighting.

Food for thought.

Many people ask that question when encountering a building or work of art which is not within their current knowledge experience.

Current civilizations, those that go forward instead of backwards, express themselves in the life of their times. They learn from the past but do not copy it.

All art, and other expressions of life, are not to be photographic reproductions of what we see but looking at life and reality from various points and interpretations.

“Established artists are always looking for freshness and a beginners mind.”

Life has many depths and interpretations and view points.

Don’t limit your experience to that which you already know.

Look at things in ways that are different from how you did previously.

Look at something for what it is and not what it “is suppose to be” because it does not represent reality as you have previously viewed it.

Expand and grow and try new ways of looking at objects.

It can be a wonderful new experience for you.

Food for thought.