Keep on Sketching

Like Taylor Swift says,
"Eyes Wide Open." Look for the inspiration all around you. Whatever it is that you do, make sure you stay passionate about it. If you lose steam, get inspired! I hope I never lose the ability to sketch, paint, create. 
Anyone can draw with a computer, insert coordinates, make toolbar choices. Not everyone can sketch. Thank you God for my talent. I will use it, not waste it. 

Impulsive Sketching

Sometimes before I meet with a client, I have an inspirational moment which requires a quick sketch . You can say alot with a sketch- like this one- in spite of the fact that I've pasted the image backwards, it conveys a casual room arrangement. If the client imagines another possibility, I can quickly sketch it. This is the collaboration I enjoy the most. You talk, I sketch. Together we revise and get to the best solution for your lifestyle. I'm not sure how I could get through an entire week without sketching. It's relaxing, and it's useful. Sometimes I see a potential problem that I didn't consider in the floorplan. Think in 3D- it's how we experience the world around us! 

Windows - Make it Elegant!

I recently presented my clients with sketch ideas for 3 rooms in their home. I did this after visiting their home, interviewing them and taking some cues from their existing design style and personal taste.
Wow! They are wordly, open minded and they LOVE non-representational art- aka- contemporary, free form, strong. We decided together that their tastes in art and furnishings should carry over to their windows in all 3 rooms- Dining, Den and Family.
Back at my drawing board, I always begin with an inspirational sketch and then fine tune it. I let the concept come freely without overthinking the design. My pen and I are simply the vehicles for the creative energy which fuels the design.

I'm posting the "messy" first sketch as well as the final sketch. As I've always said, just be yourself and the room will follow.

COLOR!

I'm asked all the time 'What color should this room be?' The answer to this question can be found in your closet. Yes I said closet!! We all tend to wear colors that we are comfortable surrounding ourselves in. If you are like me, I wear a lot of black, and we all know an entire room cannot be painted black unless you want to live in a cave. Taking a closer look, I actually can find solid, textures with a pizzaz of color in my accessories. See how this transfers to Interior Design:

A Work in Progress

Every home is a work in progress. Our tastes may change, and our travels may take us places which influence our perspective.

This room I have designed for my client and friend Anne is almost complete. A window treatment and additional lighting will make this space feel like home for her and her family.

To reach this level of completion, I "interviewed" Anne to find out how she and her family use this space and how they wanted to feel as well as look. They "tried on" the furniture to ensure a comfortable fit, and Anne asked that we use coastal palette as the inspiration for the theme, without being overly "beachy". If I could transform Ann into a home space, this room would be her- young, sophisticated, dressy casual. I know that this family is very happy with this room and my inspiration came directly from them. It's important for me to know that this space reflects them and their tastes!

Now You See It!

I created this quick sketch for my new friend Susan so she can picture how her favorite room will look when I add window treatments, and a few pieces of furniture. She just moved to Cincinnati and lives in a fairly empty house. My job is to make this house feel like home for her.

Sketches convey what I see in my head when I look at a space. I also drew a floor plan, but Susan is not a bird or a spider so she cannot appreciate the "big picture" by looking down at the room from overhead. I sketch because I can and now she and I are on the same page!

WHY Accept Professional Advice?- Part II

A good designer can use some intuition and the powers of observation about your own style. He or she can help you streamline what enters your front and back door. It's ok to like everything, but it doesn't mean you should purchase it. If you love design, then you most likely love fashion, the arts and music. If you are serious about it, you follow the Style Sections of the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal because unlike some of the HGTV programs, they don't have to appeal to the lowest common denominator. In most cases, the writing is intelligent and thoughtful. Check out these recent fashion photos from the Journal. The idea behind the article is just how the thread of design and style is floating through the current trends of popular culture- apparel, movies and books. I would add one more area- Interiors! Does art follow life? I think so. Does life follow art? Definitely. I've paired wearable fashions with Lifestyle interiors- what do you think? The rooms, just like the outfits can be "tweaked" with small accents to keep it fresh, but the idea is that the interior designer should help you distill your personality or vibe so the overall look in your home or office is consistent IF WHAT YOU WANT is an interior that's consistent and well designed. Art history teaches us the provenance of certain design styles- how they were influenced, what was going on at that point in time which influenced popular culture- who was wearing what and creating design trends. Nothing is really new, just reimagined in new materials and new combinations. If you LOVE design, then you get it.