The CREATIVE PROCESS of Interior Design

At the outset of a design project, certain first steps are common. It is after those initial steps that things can take two very different directions. First you have the desire or need to make some changes/improvements. You decide with whom you want to work to design and implement.

If you take the time to plan every aspect of a project, make all the selections, get all the details down on paper—well notated and drawn so as to convey every intent, you may begin and proceed without hesitation. The project can be scheduled and run accordingly. Easy peasy—with that prior proper planning.

Whoa—is that real life? Well it works for many. It works for those too busy to delve into the many possibilities, to be open to the evolution of the process, to enjoy the adventure of creativity. I’m talking about the projects not requiring permits – fabrics, finishes and furniture. New cabinets in a kitchen, switch out the counter-tops, get new updated back-splash…rearrange, replace, recover furniture…paint walls, hang art, mostly cosmetic enhancements in this case.  Clearly some just want it done—and have no interest in the creative process.  However, do you ever have a second thought? Does one decision affect the next? As you experience the design and implementation process, might you change you mind…have another idea? It happens all the time. It is more realistic, fun and feels like a true artistic endeavor.

But is your intent to create an art piece? Is it to experience an artistic endeavor? Or do you just want some new pieces, finishes, an update? These are two very different situations that require different processes.

True design is centered around the unique requirements and desires of the client. It is responsive and reactive. It is also proactive and filled with anticipation. The design process is one of balance and equation. If…then…

This process is intuitive and educated. It is based upon expectation and perception. Like tipping back in a chair…back…back…until you might fall and then—you catch yourself and all is right with the world—exciting but measured.

Why do you hire an interior designer? With all the information available at your fingertips, why do you need to pay someone to do what you like? If you know what you like, you have the time and you have gathered a folder of ideas, why do you need a designer? Might it be to sort through options? Or to decide between choices of fabrics, groupings, arrangement, scale, style? Merely to hold your hand while you make those decisions? Do you have 5 photos of sofas? Do you have a million pictures of materials? Have you picked up or ordered clippings of fabrics? How do you decide among these many options? How do you know you are making the right/best decision given your options? What is timeless? What is trendy? What will last? What is practical? Which direction should it go? What goes with what? Ha—its funny if you start looking at your options and asking those questions…and there are a gazillion more during the process.

The idea behind hiring the right professional, is that they will help make the best decisions that will narrow your search and selections resulting in a distilled version of the gazillion ideas your have pinned, clipped, saved, collected and visualized. Not to mention they might and should bring other new ideas to the mix. The end result of responsible design consultation should provide a design you would not have had, that you like better than your efforts alone and eliminate costly mistakes saving both time and money.

The most difficult part is to recognize that not everyone receives information and processes it the same. One person’s mental image of a design concept might not be the same as another’s. Conveying ideas is an abstraction that can only be somewhat helped with illustrations and models. From quick sketches to well rendered illustrations, dimensional drawings to actual models, nothing will ever exactly convey what will be the finished product.

A sketch like this TV cabinet suggests a possible solution to an a/v issue…

Finished similarly to this piece of finely crafted knotty alder.

And this tired, yet fabulous contemporary sofa – can you visualize it in an elegant, classic navy stripe with new wooden feet? Watch for this transformation in a coming blog!!

It’s all conceptual. It’s not real—until its real. How’s that for a profound observation? Both designers and clients need to be very clear on this prior to committing to a design process. Visualization can be tricky. It effects expectations.

Communication is key. Choosing good, descriptive words…tangible samples of materials… illustrations…models…not all projects warrant the latter examples. The cost of the communication tools must be weighed against the value to the project.

 

So the creative process is fun and adventurous. The permutations are endless. So many choices, so little time. But if you make one decision, you narrow your steps. With each decision you build toward the finished product. And the beauty of giving yourself permission to “create” means that you can change your mind at any time, massaging the process as you proceed.

It takes patience and resilience. Art is creativity—opening the mind to possibilities.

Creativity is defined as the tendency to generate or recognize ideas, alternatives, or possibilities that may be useful in solving problems, communicating with others, and entertaining ourselves and others. (page 396) What is creativity? – California State University, Northridge https://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/creativity/define.htm

The entertainment factor (above) is an interesting point—because it relates to the previously mentioned—fun! This creative process can be and should be FUN!!!

Being prepared to make alterations, fine-tune, add details and work toward that place that determines completion. Like a painter in front of a canvas…knowing when to stop. It can be over-worked. It can be compromised by going too far beyond that which is good. This does not merely refer to clutter or busy design…each is applicable and depending upon the definition and eye of the beholder (again perception) it can all constitute good design. One man’s clutter is another man’s complex design. But who makes those decisions? The critics for one—if the work is out there to be critiqued by the professionals, but the bottom line is the end user. If it solves the issues, serves the purpose, satisfies the desires—that is success. YOU (the end user) determine the success or failure of your design project.

But that determination of success or failure is a shared responsibility. It is a team effort of communication, contribution and patience with the process. The creative process has few limitations. Budget for one is important and physical restrictions—but other than those—designing is as though a living organism’s path. Designing is the abstract – to tangible way of navigating the fluidity, growth and development of the creative process.

So be free to explore and enjoy the possibilities. They are endless. Seeing the design materialize with the additions, and deletions, changes and modifications is part of the exhilaration of it all. It wants to be exciting and feed that thrill of anticipation and fulfillment of desire.

Create—and enjoy—it is good for your life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Refresh Renew Replace – Custom Design Details

We LOVE custom challenges. When you have the right team, with the right talent – anything is possible. Part is luck the other is cultivation, but in my case – most was luck!!! They/we didn’t need cultivation – it was a perfect fit from the start! Thank you!

Your team is your strength – whatever your profession. Think about it. From aerobatics to orchestra conductor – those who count on others to make them look good – with or despite their efforts – the end result is what counts. – right?

I, and most people, LOVE before and after photos – it’s fun, it’s instantly comparative, it satisfies our desire to achieve that which we can’t have…except in a facsimile thereof.  It’s proof and validation that we can have it – a version of “it.”

We often miss opportunities of taking the before shot – rearranging a room is a prime example – because it happens on the spur of the moment and happens within minutes – the results are startling and instantly proving of “better” design.

We often replace existing with new.  New something…whether re-upholstery or new cabinets, no job too small – the results change lives. Of course, entire remodels are the bomb!

Respect any existing thing. Evaluate it for its merits. Consider its history and construction. Fragile or invincible – the history is of value. AND its replacement cost.

Then go about making it a better versions of its original self. Paint it, refinish it, cut it, re-cover it…NOTE – anything with genuine historic value must NOT be changed – must not be modified in any way in order to preserve its original condition and relative value. Here, we are talking about tired pieces that do not have any other historic value. Just time to refresh. Know the difference.

Photos to follow are from one project that is currently underway. Re-upholstery – who said you have to do it all with the same fabric? From blah to brilliant, the before versus after is awesome!

Other times it is about replacing for a better piece. Better for changing aesthetics, better or different function. Here we had existing dressers that served their purpose for several years. They did not go with the other furniture that the owners had collected over the years and the style of the home in a broader sense. It was time to replace them, and finding the right pieces was a challenge. Size and style were the two specific features and therefore a custom design/build was in order. The plain espresso stained veneer pieces were replaced with hand-crafted pieces using hardwood solids and fine veneers of character-filled knotty alder, custom trim details and hand rubbed glazing over many layers of stain and finish resulted in two exquisite pieces to complement their interior. Handsome, heavy solid pulls added to the rich, warm and  substantial feel of these exceptional pieces. Note – this was built by one person in a small one-room shop. It is not a multi-employee assembly-line woodworking company. Thank you Enrique, for once again making my dreams come true!!

This was delivery day – media and wire management are still underway – but this was the instant removal of one and replacement with  the new! I love the “happy dancer knot!” Like other designs in nature, granite geology, wood…so much beauty in the hidden details – wonderful! Take notice!

As designers, we solve problems, make improvements and assist with the ideas and the means by which to accomplish the mission. Custom fabrication is a unique way to create your signature design. The permutations are endless and an effective designer will make recommendations exclusively for you.

 

Aging in Place Isn’t for Sissies – Finding/Providing Dignity and Comfort for All

Aside from tedious wills and other legal asset planning and consultation, the design decisions for aging in place are more than challenging.  With the best laid plans available at the time, we look into the far distance to a time when we might not be getting around so well. It is with these faint thoughts sneaking into our reality that jars us a bit. Thoughts for the future about downsizing, getting rid of “things,” making modifications for accessibility and ease of maneuvering. This might mean re-redesigning a bathroom, moving to a lower level, selling a multi-story and settling into a single level. Yet, not everybody has the luxury of aging in place.

I’ve studied it through initial interior design courses, continuing education, and on to incorporating applicable features for clients and even family in homes and offices. It’s amazing how abstract anything can be until it touches you personally. In one class for example, we were asked to get into a wheelchair and ascend and descend a ramp – one of adequate slope and one not-to-standards which proved much more challenging. We were asked to access a restroom and navigate the space including making a side transfer to a toilet from the chair.  We noticed heights of things difficult to reach from a seated position, angles of mirrors, and the strength required to do many basic actions. And shy having this actual challenge in real life, these exercises were sobering and valuable when it came to considering facilitating maneuverability and accessibility in life/design planning.

Whether an aging scenario, a progressive disease, a vital young  person being impaired by an inconvenient injury, or worse a permanently debilitating catastrophe, the reality of those situations is enormous. Some injuries are temporary while others are life-changing, but all require consideration while they and related limitations exist.

Anticipation. We can maybe imagine and anticipate such scenarios, but it is easy to dismiss and put aside for another day. That day came a couple of weeks ago for me. My mother was hospitalized which, in hindsight, was over-kill that nearly killed her. The life-changing things that followed were remarkable and came on so quickly. No time to carefully plan – just figure out  how to fix things, how to make due, how to work-around the issues.  We had always intended for her to “age in place.”  Her home was designed, by her, for her and took into consideration many things based on speculation 20+ years ahead.

Once this change of events unfolded, all of my senses were heightened. I saw everything differently. I was keenly aware of my surroundings even more than I am as a normal course of responding to my design instincts. I became critical and incensed.  I wanted to assign criminal fault to such things as color choice and lighting.

I learned that not all situations are the same level of good or bad. They are dependent upon the eyes  thoughts and reactions of the individual. Beauty, as we know, is in the eyes of the beholder. But many things I encountered transcend that very true phrase. Sensitivities are so very important. Aging in place is tough. It is not for sissies. But it exponentially worse with dementia. Being moved to an aging facility other than your own home is another story completely.

With all the professionals with whom I have spoken whether neurologists, gerontologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, or home health nurses, each have common denominators on the subject that crosses between disciplines. But I can also see how individual’s design sensitivities, or seeming lack thereof, play a significant roll in their ability to thrive and even survive. I am not over-stating this imperative.

Dementia has triggers and although some may be similar among individuals, like “sundowners” (an anxious reaction to fatigue and end of the day dimming of light), or other confusing or anxious moments brought on by physical discomfort, change of environment or sleep deprivation – there are endless other triggers that are unique to that individual. Understanding what those unique triggers (and pleasures) are is key to affecting the quality of life that results from effective or ineffective design decisions.

In the past two weeks, I have seen hospital interiors that were so busy and confused of materials that it seemed impossible that they were selected in the first place and more so that they were approved, purchased and implemented as well as assisted living facilities that ran the gambit from dated and irresponsibly neglected to posh and resort-like.

A hospital is supposed to take the curse off of the fears and trepidation that often accompany a visit while instilling confidence and comfort.  Without identifying the facility I ask you: In the mainstream of our society, does this combination of materials evoke confidence and comfort? What words correlate to confidence and comfort…at the least, order and cleanliness. Those would begin to establish confidence and comfort.  This scene at the lobby of a prominent local “Women’s” hospital is confused and harsh. Large black backdrop to the logo/signage (not shown) is heavy and reads more like a high-tech or machinery or mining facility –  contrary to an uplifting, soothing, comforting, welcoming environment of healing finishes and colors. Sadly, other areas had similarly jarring effects.

More interesting, by means of comparison, was the research that took me to a wide variety of well-regarded “upscale” assisted living facilities in the area. These were the facilities that were highly rated and referenced when asking around the community for recommendations.

This first one is managed by one of the world’s leading management companies. I will be contacting them regarding what we found when touring last week. The horror of this discovery was in being greeted by the point-of-arrival – newly remodeled to suggest upscale appointments, lovely living spaces, patio, dining room and even an attractive and believable bar area for cocktails and gatherings. Quite sophisticated and then…we were slapped in the face with the brutal reality that we soon discovered. The corridors of the rehab/healthcare and assisted living areas were dark and poorly lit. Colors were warm earth tones that further contributed to the drab, somber aura of depression. Not relaxing, uplifting or soothing – just plain dull, depressing and dark. Many more disturbing details were observed that are not applicable here.

By dramatic contrast was a light, sunny interior which benefitted from much natural light and even in the corridors which were reliant upon artificial lighting they read with a soft welcoming glow. The creamy walls and white trim paired with the soft light was easy, soft and comfortable. The over-all “read” was residential with enough hospitality to add interest but not to diminish the at-home feeling of the building and grounds. The interior and exterior spaces for both assisted living and memory care were clean, and pleasingly comfortable. The exterior spaces and were grand and  inviting with lots of beautifully maintained grassy areas, planting beds and trees for shade. Exterior spaces mean a lot when you are retired to this limited world view.

A fairly new facility caught our attention with pleasing new finishes and color, light and spacious, residential, but also with a bit of hospitality flair – however, with all the very practical hard surfaces, in much of the living spaces, it lacked comfort. Crooked lampshades and missing outlet covers suggested that attention to details was being replaced with smoke and mirrors of the overall effect. We were initially thrilled and then a bit suspect of this facility after our tour.

If one wanted fresh and stimulating, a brand new gorgeous property sets the stage for a would-be modern resort. Bright bold colors and contemporary furnishings, wonderful spaces, stunning modern light fixtures and great finishes belie the true identity of this assisted living and memory care facility.  Exterior spaces here also green and nourishing with juvenile plantings due to its new construction. It appears that the mature plan will be quite pleasing. A frail 90+ year old might feel too diminutive in this facility but the family would feel excited and uplifted. The questions is for whom is it designed? The upcoming generation of retirees perhaps – if not for sure – fabulous – or the current elders that come from a different age and era for whom it might likely be overwhelming with the modern approach, scale and finishes. Plan for the future though – it will be here before we know it!

A frightening comparison occurred when we visited a well-regarded faith-based retirement community of many facets and facilities. While a new structure of independent living apartments sports fine finishes, comfortable dining venue and an exceptional indoor pool, the assisted living wings were absolutely irresponsible in this observer’s opinion. Although these areas were decades old, poor color choices of spicy, yet muddy hues, drastically discolored plexi lenses over surface-mounted fluorescent lamps of many colors made for a freakish, scary interior that felt  both institutional and garishly executed and neglected by those who should care to say the least – an insult to most peoples’ sensitivities. We could not fathom how this had for so long been unaddressed – paint alone would have gone a long way to improve the existing conditions.  In no way could this interior be considered conducive to wellness or stimulating betterment. Even if you take personal opinion out of it, the lighting and colors did not feel fresh and clean. In the two previous examples, the first being quite traditional and the next being very contemporary, both had a freshness and quality of light and pleasing colors and finishes that were completely lacking in this last example. This interior to us was beyond our first  accusation of the drab interior being criminal in its negligence of good design practices given the management and money to do MUCH better. This facility headed toward intentionally and dangerously derelict in its duty to provide an environment that promoted improved health and wellness.

Of the first and the last examples, it seems that they are just providing pockets of space, claustrophobic and dreary – if not down-right depressing – yes, true, the latter littered with disorganized debris on the walls, both with odors of tired food and other unpleasing combinations.  We knew that if we had any fraction of sensitivity to light or colors or an awareness of order in our minds, that these two interiors would lead swiftly to our demise. While by stark contrast, the other examples were convincing enough to us that a fate being placed in either would be quite satisfactory even pleasingly uplifting.  And all of this comes back to knowing the individual and their sensitivities, history, interests and likes and dislikes – and some human sensitivities that transcend all. Yet some facilities deny anything to those with even limited capacity and lower the bar to treat all – including staff – like it doesn’t matter – it doesn’t make a difference. That is NOT an environment in which I want to spend any of my precious, allotted time or assign that of a friend or loved one.

I went back with the intention of photographing all of these examples…but with residents parked in every applicable shot – I felt invasive and obviously not cut-out for this kind of investigative reporting…

Like the 3 bears…one was awful, one was over the top and the one in the middle was just right. A new facility just opened and presented this third, middle offering. A stereotypical palette of oranges, neutrals and browns, and faux stone was acceptably common. It was new and fresh, had white subway tile with dark charcoal grout in the bathrooms, and “friendly” faux stone detailing around the residentially inspired exhibition kitchen. The footprint of the facility was small and would be considered intimate and easy to navigate – but we thought, for our purposes, too small and the white subway tile with dark charcoal grout in the bathroom would not have been an asset – nor would the pedestal sinks – providing no surface in your private bathroom. So just when we thought it was just right – those interior disappointments along with the exterior living spaces of gravel and concrete pavement – it didn’t fit the bill.

Some facilities presented photos of the residents in their prime, back in the day – familiar nostalgia that was tastefully utilized. While others attempted a similar but disappointing effect with cluttered and disorganized paraphernalia of times gone by… Too much use of “cutes and quaints” craft store furnishings and decorative accessories looks like a cheap rendition of formality and refinement – missing the mark by miles. Theme areas invited some and completely turned off others making the percentage of the enjoyable spaces fragmented and limiting. Knowing this, it is apparent that designing for an individual’s personal environment is easier than designing to appease or please a group. Obvious differences are males versus females, age, lifestyle, interests, and over-all likes and dislikes. Due to the price tag on these units, the residents are well-heeled, have had decades of lifetime experiences circling the globe and collecting treasures either passed down or acquired over the years. A simple, tasteful balance between opulence and casual elegance, luxury and down-to-earth comfort would appeal to most in this bracket.

The recipe is pretty easy and loaded with common sense. Grand entries and intimate interior spaces, plenty of natural light, spacious common areas and visual and accessible connections to well landscaped exterior areas furnished for visiting and entertaining. Clean durable surfaces easy to maintain and being well maintained, soft neutral colors punctuated with fresh accents, excellent variety of artificial light, planned placement of postings, art and decorative accessories – policed for order and consistency.

For those with sharp minds and bright intellects it is more challenging to provide the convincing interiors that will satisfy their discriminating requirements. While dementia residents have hidden pockets of memory, clouded remembrances of comfortable familiar things and yet no less of a need to find a safe, pleasing place to call home.

I apologize for not having more photographs of the examples I reference, but I hope that my purpose and observations aid in the work to be done to place disabled individuals in environments that most satisfy their sensitivities and as a result promote the BEST quality of life. We are their advocates in many cases and must strive to view the world through their glasses.

Go on your own, in advance of the need – I encourage you. Know that interior designers and others involved with the interaction in or improvement of interior spaces will have epiphanies about what lies ahead for their clients, their own families or themselves – this is an important dialogue.

I might, with encouragement, provide more up close and personal critiques of specific areas of these facilities in an effort to offer further assistance and insight in emphasizing the positive and calling out the negative for improvement. Many of these residents are trapped to a certain extent – not having made this decision for themselves. It seems imperative that we raise the bar to insure safe, clean, sensitive, environments of dignity and comfort for all.