• Design your space, but don't over-design it. Let important elements make an impact without visual clutter detracting from them.

• Important elements take on greater significance in an uncluttered space. Allow for walls with no pictures and empty floor space.

• Let's analyze how you really use your space before we decide how it should look. Function First.

• Architectural integrity gives your home beauty even when it is empty. Focus on the structure, then address the "things" you will put in it.

• Making the most of what you have sometimes means putting away lots of the things you have.

• If budget is an issue, exhaust all possibilities for ready-made products that will work for you before considering custom. Economies of scale and manufacturing efficiencies  keep costs down.

• Give your space a fresh, new look with a few signature pieces of really cool furniture. A little style goes a long way!

• Make wise decisions during the design process to reduce energy usage, conserve resources - saving money and the planet all at once.

• No matter how spectacular a space looks, if it doesn't allow you to function comfortably and naturally in it - it's still poorly designed.

• Interior Design includes the human aspect. Your well-designed home will include precious items given to you by loved ones that perhaps don't quite belong - from a design stand point. But they certainly do belong anyway.

• Interior Design choices should be sustainable and socially-conscious. Ask the tough questions about the products you buy.

• Design principles are the same for architecture, interiors, landscape and graphics - balance, rhythm, unity, scale/proportion and emphasis/focal point.

• Beautiful Interior Design does not require great sums of money - just an eye towards the elements that will give your space harmony and a sense of style.

• Adding art to your space brings it to LIFE.

• Expand your living space by creating outdoor living areas as well.

• Interior Design for small spaces requires a most careful selection of elements to create harmony. Be very particular with your finishes and furniture.

• Sustainable Interior Design Tip: Buy the best quality you can afford for your finishes and furniture. Low quality, disposable items end up in the landfill far too quickly.

• Draw a furniture plan for your space before making any purchases. You may be surprised by how little - or how much - room you actually have.

• When your furniture budget is low, shop at consignment stores and furniture auctions for great deals on QUALITY furniture. It's much better than purchasing new, lower quality items. Happy Shopping!

• Design your space to be uniquely your own. Choose individual pieces that truly reflect your tastes and speak to who you really are.

• Designing your home is an on-going process. As you grow and change so will your tastes in architecture and design, including the furniture and art you wish to surround yourself with.

• Renovating or remodeling your space requires great thought and analysis. How will the changes affect the natural day-lighting and flow of your space? Think carefully before you put up or remove walls.

• Interior Design is greater than the sum of its parts. Each properly chosen element combined with all the other elements makes the sum total truly great!

• Interior Design involves an understanding of the space, the architecture, the site and yourself.

Pantone's Color of the Year - Not so much My Color of the Year!

Well, here it is Pantone's Color of the Year - #18-2120 Honeysuckle.

Hmmm...I have to say I was a little disappointed that the hot new color is...pink. I am so NOT a 'pink person'. Not that I have anything against pink, mind you. And in fact in the early 80's, I was the proud owner of a pink and blue flamestitch patterned sofa. (That is hard for me to admit. But at the time, it was fashionable - I think.) Bottom line...I rarely use pink in my interior design color schemes.

So what does all this color forecasting mean? I do believe it means that the furnishings, textile and fashion industries will start to use this color (among others that are selected as the 'colors of the year') in their new product offerings. And as with other colors that have been selected in the past, some selections will get picked up by the design industry to incorporate into their interiors - and some will not.

I'm thinking, that for myself, '#18-2120 Honeysuckle' will probably not show up very much (if at all) in the interiors that I design. Unless of course, my client is a 'pink person'. In which case, I can 'do pink' all day long. Because it really is ALL ABOUT the client and what their style and taste demand.

Here's to a Design-Filled 2011!

Well, I have to say 2010 turned out to be a most extraordinary year. I worked on some great design projects (the photo above being part of one of them), met some awesome new people, forged great new working relationships and strengthed others. I have no doubt that 2011 will prove to be an even better year. 

What do I attribute this success to? I would say that it's definitely all about ATTITUDE. I wake up each day expecting great things to happen, and then I go out into the world and MAKE those things happen. Good things do not simply fall out of the sky and land in your lap; you must be creative in your thinking, assertive in your actions and confident in your abilities.

Of course the trick too is to recognize something good when you see it. Sometimes an opportunity is disguised as a problem, an obstacle or even a failure. How you handle yourself in these times and how you proceed makes all the difference in the ultimate outcome. I, for one, look to this New Year with promise and hope of great things!

"I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul." - William Ernest Henley

Happy New Year, dear friends!

Coverings 2010 - What's New in Tile?

Tile, Tile, Everywhere!
Thank you to Master Tile for sponsoring our trip to Orlando for Coverings 2010. What a great show and what wonderful
hosts you are!

I saw a ton of new tile ideas and thought I would share them with you!. All the usual suspects were there of course: awesome mosaics, stone, glass, metal, porcelains and ceramics from across the globe - Spain, Portugal, China, Italy... Well, you get the picture.

One of the most innovative products at the show was the slim tile that can be laid right on top of existing tile. It's like tile that's been on a diet, using about 70% less raw material than traditional tile, yet it's just as strong and durable. Very Cool!

Design Competition - What a Great Experience!

Recently I entered into a design competition for a sustainable hotel suite. What a great experience! I found the competition details just one week before the entries were due and decided, "Yes, this is do-able". Well, that's the way I am - a little crazy. At any rate, I roped in two architects, another designer and a design student to help pull it all together. And, WOW, I am so proud of the team! Is it perfect? No, but it looks amazing! And more importantly, perhaps, we all learned alot. About sustainable design. About working on a really tight schedule. About working together with people you've never worked with (or even knew) before. Perhaps we will win the competition, perhaps not. Either way, I can't wait to do it again!

Florence - You've Gotta Love It!

Well, I'm at it again. Looking at all the European vacation photos and wishing I was in Florence this summer. If you have never been, let me tell you that it is just one of the nicest cities you can imagine. That is, if you love architecture and history and Spaghetti Bolognese.

In these photos you can discern all the amazing details - details that you find on practically every single structure in this ancient city. What you can't capture in any image- photographic or painted (even by the Masters) - is the feeling you have when you are there. There is a sense of place, a sense of history, something special that is impossible to put into words.

Go, Go to Florence. At least once in your short life on this planet, go to Florence and feel the MAGIC.

Design is in the Details

Well, here it is the start of summer vacation - for the kids, that is. And I am reminded of last year's summer vacation when I took my children to Spain. Pamplona for the running of the bulls, Barcelona - (WOW! What an awesome city), Seville, and Madrid. Of course, my very favorite part of European vacations is (as you might well imagine) soaking up all of the architecture. Everywhere you look, there is something incredible to feast your eyes upon.

In this photo (as with the ones in the sidebar), we are looking at Casa Batllo, a most amazing architectural feat in Barcelona by Architect Antoni Gaudi. Talk about DESIGN! Gaudi's imagination certainly ran wild coming up with this one.

They (whoever the heck "they" are) say that "Design is in the details". Well then, Casa Bastllo must be the absolute epitome of design because it's nothing but details.