Monday, January 25, 2010

The Players



I have the furniture selected and purchased from our local Ashley Furniture company. My husband spent the weekend painting the room with the PPG "Stoney Creek" and white trim. He will be working on the hardwood flooring this week because my furniture will be delivered this Saturday. More to come!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Design


I am loving the direction that retail stores such as Pottery Barn and Anthropologie are taking in the way of furniture and furnishings such as this chest of drawers on the Anthropologie website. I am in the process of designing a studio downstairs in my home, a room that was vacated by my youngest daughter when she went to U of L. I will post more ideas in the next few weeks.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

What is your style personality







The International School of Colour and Design offers simple step-by-step techniques to ignite your creativity, and turn a bland space into a stunning interior. They are offering a quiz "what's your interior style?"








Mine is the NEW YORK LOFT:

  • You are a global trendsetter.

  • You believe the built environment is more spectacular than the natural one

  • Architectural details interest you

  • Your style is distinctive and ever-evolving

  • You don't buy off the shelf; you're true to your own style

  • You like a high ceiling and an open plan

You can take the quiz here:

http://iscd.edu.au/personal-style-quiz/


Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Illustrator







I finished my online illustrator class today with edu2go. It was fun learning illustrator and I look forward to learning more. The exam however was a killer, but I managed to pull out a 97 on it. Here is an example of cherry I created using meshes.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Phylogenetic Design


Yesterday was interesting. I attended a CEU workshop on Phylogenetic Design. Phlognentic design is "Interior environments designed to evoke the essential features and qualities of preferred natural settings will enhance the creative and cognitive performance of the people who work in them." The more I heard about this topic, the more I became excited about the possiblities of designing positive work environments.

Many names have been used to describe the current era: the Information Age, the Age of Creativity and Knowledge, the Innovation Age, etc. Whatever you wish to call it, this era is undeniably fueled by the ability to apply knowledge in creative ways. (Hase, Heerwagen)

The "space planning" approach to designing work environments was appropriate during the last decades of the 20th century. The focus was on function and efficiency. Tasks were identified, and the space standards developed were appropriate to each worker performing a particular task. Workspaces were clustered together and placed in rows throughout the environment. The environmental legacy left from the Industrial Age was often a windowless, colorless sea of boxed-in workspaces with artificial lighting. Here workers could focus on the "task," performed in sensory deprivation. It is clear that if organizations are now focusing on creativity and innovation, a new approach to workplace design must be applied. (Hase, Heerwagen)

Nature and the natural habitats that our hunter/ gatherer ancestors sought out, the habitats in which our species evolved, hold the key to a new model for workplace design. Nature can reduce mental fatigue, restore us, and promote our well-being. Natural habitats surround us with a rich and complex visual language that continuously stimulates our senses. (Hase, Heerwagen)

Our relationship to nature is profoundly rooted in our instinctual need to be both protected and have sustaining opportunities. Aesthetic experience appears to be tied to our evolutionary development and preference for natural environments that aided survival and well-being. Our hunter/gatherer ancestors searched for the perfect geography. Pioneers crossed America to locate a perfect place to homestead. Today we seek housing in particular areas that suit our particular needs as well as our desire to be protected and have sustaining opportunities. (Hase, Heerwagen)

The challenge becomes to interpret the features in natural habitats that nurture us emotionally, inspire us intellectually, and help us think creatively. (Hase, Heerwagen)

A few phylogenetic design ideas
In a natural habitat, refuge may be found in small, secluded spots with overhead tree canopies instilling a sense of protection. This can be achieved in a workplace by providing a number of small rooms where one can go to read, reflect, and perform solo work without distractions. These areas can be small hideaways tucked in various places out of the main flow of work traffic. Providing individual workspaces with adjustable enclosures and overhead fabric canopies can also provide a sense of refuge. Architecturally dropping ceilings or soff its in some areas can create a sense of coziness and protection.

Distant and expanded vistas and pathways are some of the prospect features found in natural habitats. Open areas that allow a visual perspective around entrances and exits, coffee bars, libraries, business support centers, and other common areas will provide a sense of prospect. Visual interest is aided by non-linear patterns within the workplace that direct work traffic around shared resources. Workers need to easily meander through the environment to access technology, people, and other resources. Dark hallways and corridors can be alarming. Proper lighting will help create a feeling of safe passage from one place to another. Natural lighting through window walls or skylights is always desirable.
Phylogenetic Design is a term coined by Herman Miller. If you ever find yourself in Holland Michigan, drop by their greenhouse for a tour.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Gotta have passion!

Until you discover your “fire within” you will remain condemned to a life only endured, not lived; to delicacies only tasted, not devoured; to joys only imagined, not experienced. And in old age you will lament the days of your youth, when fears about money and security kept you from taking the leaps of faith and courage in the direction of your dreams.

That is what interior design is for me, an artistic passion that can change people's lives.

"A well put together a room may be, is meant to be used. If a room isn’t comfortable and inviting for those inside it, it’s a design failure, no matter how stylish it may be."

Monday, January 5, 2009

I'm a Bette


You Are a Bette!


You are a Bette -- "I must be strong"

Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective.



How to Get Along with Me
* Stand up for yourself... and me.
* Be confident, strong, and direct.
* Don't gossip about me or betray my trust.
* Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side.
* Give me space to be alone.
* Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me.
* I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack.
* When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am.




What I Like About Being a Bette
* being independent and self-reliant
* being able to take charge and meet challenges head on
* being courageous, straightforward, and honest
* getting all the enjoyment I can out of life
* supporting, empowering, and protecting those close to me
* upholding just causes




What's Hard About Being a Bette
* overwhelming people with my bluntness; scaring them away when I don't intend to
* being restless and impatient with others' incompetence
* sticking my neck out for people and receiving no appreciation for it
* never forgetting injuries or injustices
* putting too much pressure on myself
* getting high blood pressure when people don't obey the rules or when things don't go right




Bettes as Children Often
* are independent; have an inner strength and a fighting spirit
* are sometimes loners
* seize control so they won't be controlled
* figure out others' weaknesses
* attack verbally or physically when provoked
* take charge in the family because they perceive themselves as the strongest, or grow up in difficult or abusive surroundings




Bettes as Parents
* are often loyal, caring, involved, and devoted
* are sometimes overprotective
* can be demanding, controlling, and rigid