Good Design

Contemporary Condo Redo

2011-12-30T11:52:00.001-05:00

The project began in mid July with a consultation and was recently finished and unveiled for a feature article in the Baltimore Sun: “Dream Home: Perry Hall Condo is a lofty perch” Sunday, January 1st Dream Home column. My client, Wendy, is planning retirement in a few years and wanted to make her space an amazing place to come home to and feel finished - retirement ready. She has a great appreciation for contemporary lines and simplicity. She wanted to use her existing space better, increase her living room floor plan for a larger entertaining and social area, we also needed to incorporate a larger wall mounted TV into the design, and overall give everything a facelift! As we talked I saw the potential for an amazing tiled focal wall, playing off the third floor condominium's vaulted ceiling. I drew a simple sketch with the wall idea and also showed a floor plan sketch which expanded the living room by pulling chairs off the existing (imaginary) room dividing line. With the idea’s planted we started making plans for the exciting renovation!

Before photos:

The plan was a go! We selected 12” x 24” Travertine Tiles to be placed vertically with a glass accent tile also running vertically two thirds in. With the contractor on board, (Leonardo Guevara of Bantam Contracting, LLC (410) 258-3013 MHIC: 102680) we were ready to roll! Everything went like clockwork!

Furniture was ordered: Sofa, 2 rolling ottomans, accent chair, pillows and side table from Room and Board, Swivel Chairs from Nouveau, Travertine Cocktail table from Crate and Barrel. A sleek dark wood entertainment unit was ordered to perfectly fit the tile wall, and new light fixtures to accent and illuminate the wall! A custom rug was added after furniture was placed.

My design focus was to incorporate a rich variety of textures both tactile and visual and adding warmth and comfort to the space. Pulling in contrasting elements of stone, wood, metal, glass, and textiles with rough, smooth and soft textural attributes. Using contrasting lines by adding a few curves to the rectilinear and angular nature of the interior, while repeating colors to carry your eye throughout the space. Colors were selected for the wall at the new tile/ TV focal: Benjamin Moore: Lenape Trail #1222 which worked perfectly with the exiting house’s soft yellow wall color to add contrast but keep it warm and interesting – accent walls in the right place and color enhance a space.

The wall color was such a hit we didn’t stop there! Adding a dining room accent wall color which continues through the shared dividing wall into the hall was a shade lighter than the living room color Benjamin Moore: Potters Clay #1221. With these color transformations existing light fixtures were looking a little shabby, so we added a new hall light lantern style pendant, dimmer switches on everything we could, and added a beautiful zebra-wood drum pendent in the Dining room! Spectacular!

The Loft was repainted and the original living room furniture replace the older loft furniture. The loft will get a little more attention next year!

In the Master Bedroom we added Benjamin Moore: Richmond Gold HC-41 to the bed wall which warmed the wall, we brought the color into the Master bathroom as well with an accent wall.

Even the Guest bathroom got a makeover – new porcelain tile to replace the vinyl, new toilet, new wall color, new towels, new shower curtain – wow!

An amazing project! Wendy loves coming home and can’t wait for retirement and even the timid housecat, Cinder, approves!

all before and after photos taken by: Laura C Kimball, LCK Interiors

Gothic Revival Styled Christmas Tree

2011-12-29T11:30:00.001-05:00

I enjoyed a trip to Newport, Rhode Island early December to tour the Beaux Art Mansions decked in holiday splendor! I was enamored with the Marble House’s Gothic Room’s Christmas Tree – the room itself is an absolute masterpiece in gothic revival style and its tree display was the only interior area allowed to be photographed in the house – show and tell! Yes, the tree was in every shot – I attempted every angle possible to get much of the room in too!

There is something fairytale and even magical about gothic design. Rich, royal, intricate details with a rustic, simplistic quality. Religious undertones are in each arch pointing heavenward. Stained glass adds diffused colored light with the added hush of candle light in the heavily darkened room. An ethereal tracery ceiling lifts your spirit upward beyond the room. I especially enjoyed the Christmas interpretation. The tree was magnificent, I loved the careful attention to gothic details in the ornaments, a quiet, elegant medieval flare to the Christmas Decorations. Gilt Moravian stars, Madonna and Child framed art, the Holy Family and Saint depictions in gold and brass, Gothic arches, trefoils, quatrefoils, baubles wrapped in velvets and adorned with gold trimmings, ornate golden crosses, heavy crackle glass balls and drops, and even little gothic steeples.

Merry Christmas

Organic Architecture

2011-11-06T21:49:00.001-05:00

Traveling from Pittsburg, PA Saturday, October 22 from an IDEC Regional conference, I prearranged to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water as it was somewhat on the way home and a must see for all Designers and Architects (it is probably FLW’s best known design) and I hadn’t been there yet! A beautiful, picturesque day, autumnal brilliance. Driving over hill and mountain with amazing vistas it was an ideal drive and a wonderful destination!

Built right into the hillside’s rocks – even incorporating the rock formations right into the interior spaces - the cantilever design jets out above the bear run waterfall. Vertical and horizontal elements appear to grow out of the earth, nestled into place, with a strong sense of belonging.

Interesting to note this modern style was built in 1935, with amazing modern amenities and features, it clearly influenced the post modern styles of the 50’s, 60’, and 70’s. I saw the links to Japanese design and shibui ideas in the spiritual relationship of man to nature. I also found an incredibly strong sense of the southwest influence, almost pueblo like in style, with materials, colors, and compartmental levels with stairs leading in and out. Considering FLW was working on projects in Arizona – I can understand his inspiration being brought to the east with modern flair.

Interiors were physiologically and psychologically fascinating, lower ceilings, full wall windows, outdoor space on every level, cozy and intimate yet the public areas were vast, wide, open planned. playing with light to draw one in and out of a space. Signature small desk which was enlarged for real use at the request of the client required a cut out for window to open – similar solution found in the hollyhock house in LA. As a Designer/ Architect he designed and informed the client – by design how the space is to be used. I also appreciated in amusement that he gifted a few Japanese block prints – reminding me that if you want to have the proper art hung in the proper places it ought to come with the house.

Read the story of the Architect/ Designer and the Client’s experiences with the process of designing and building Falling Water: http://fallingwater.org/explore?to=0

Enjoy the detail shots below:

A stop in Ohiopyle, PA for dinner and then on the road again – beautiful day for a scenic drive!

Yacht Design: Lifestyle on a Boat

2011-09-01T17:06:00.001-04:00

Renovation Project of the Munds’ Boat Home “Spiorad”.

The 20+ year old boat was in need of an interior update and redesign. The project will be featured in the October 2011 issue of Baltimore Magazine.

Unique to this project: typically boats are designed for recreational use, this boat is the primary residence of a family of four, two adults, one teenager and a preteen. Life on a boat is about simplified living. After being approached to take on this project, I found the primary design goal to increase storage for the function of daily living, also key to the design plan was to make the boat feel more like a home, this was achieved by adding variety and personality in color and style, while maintaining the need for function and stability during boat and water movement.

The overall design inspiration came from artwork, when first entering the boat immediately my eye came to a vibrant, colorful, yet serene art piece on the dinette wall. It stood in contrast to the existing beige and white washed wood surrounding it. A gift Phil gave to Amy, years ago, the painting spoke to her, she described it as a place she wanted to be whisked away to. This art piece served as the color and style inspiration for the main living areas of the boat. Leading to the feel of a Spanish Mediterranean get away.

Enjoy viewing the before photos, proposal drawings and after photos for the main living areas and master bedroom.

Galley/ Kitchen:

Project details: Kept existing counter and cabinetry, Paint lower cabinets: Java, Paint upper cabinets: Devine White, Resurface Counter top with resurfacing counter top finish paint, Add backsplash in antiqued copper faux tin style tile, Add wood trim to finish edges, New vinyl floor, Increase storage: add interior shelves to upper cabinetry, Replace door and drawer handles/ pulls, Remove sliding door storage to open up additional counter space, Remove icemaker to increase pantry/ appliance storage shelving, Add decorative curtain to conceal pantry and appliance storage, Added decorative accessories; Storage containers, towels, etc.

Before Photos:

Proposal Drawing:

After Photos:

Dining Room:

Project details: Added Storage: built in shelving, Painted Java, New Vinyl seat cushions in Teal Blue, Six Custom Pillows, New Lighting above table, New wall covering, New vinyl flooring, New cornice board fabric at windows, Storage Baskets and decorative accessories/ book storage, Hang artwork

Before Photos:

Proposal Drawing:

After Photos:

Salon/ Family Room:

Project details: Paint Cabinetry and wood trim in Java, Replace doors on open cabinet and door and drawer handles/ pulls, Increase storage: remove central vacuum, add shelving in interior cabinets, New wall coverings, New carpet and pad – salon, hallway/ bedrooms, Replace brass rail with wrought iron rail, Flat Screen TV, Two buffet lamps, Greenery, New cellular shades, Window cornice boards wrapped in a terra cotta fabric, Storage ottomans, Add Seven Pillows at Sofa – (three custom, four readymade), Decorative Throw at sofa, Existing Sofa Cleaned, Floor Lamp.

Before Photos:

Proposal Drawing:

After Photos:

Master Bedroom:

Project details:Keep existing bed comforter – pull colors from comforter design, keep existing cabinetry, paint cabinetry and wood work: Dover White, replace door and drawer handles, new wall covering, new carpeting, remove existing drapery and replace with sheers, remove small TV set, Add upholstered headboard, add two king size pillows in white, add two decorative pillows and one throw, move and increase lighting: add two sconces, one light at wall, New mirror at wall, new clothes hamper, new vanity mirror, paper behind vanity mirror.

Before Photos:

Proposal Drawing:

After Photos:

Project Credits:

Jim Farrell owner of Baltimore Pro Source http://www.prosourcefloors.com/baltimore.aspx & Mercer Carpet One http://www.mercercarpetone.com donated all of the carpet, pad, vinyl & supplies.
Ben Sharar of B-Floored by Bentley, www.bflooredbybentley.com donated the flooring installation labor and supplies.
Sherwin Williams www.sherwin-williams.com donated paint for the trim work and cabinets.
Plymouth Wallcovering donated new vinyl wall covering for main areas and master bedroom.
Mike Sikora, of Mike Sikora Services donated wood for built-in and shelving
Ray Zeleny of Windy Hill Forge www.thecasthouse.com donated a new wrought iron railing
Donna Davis: fabrication of custom pillows and throw
Laura C. Kimball, ASID, CID/ LCK Interiors donated the interior design plan, coordination, and project instruction and execution, furnishings, and fabrication. www.lckinteriors.com
Amy and Phil (now DIY experts) for their countless hours learning new skills and honing old ones, and willing to take design chances and their Family & Friends who sewed, donated time and talent, made early advances on birthday and Christmas presents, and offered much encouragement!

How I became an Interior Designer…

2011-06-28T15:24:00.001-04:00

No. 11: When did I begin loving interior design? When did I know I wanted to become an interior designer?

My Story… When I was young, I never said “when I grow up I want to be an interior designer” I didn’t know it was an occupational option… on all of my career path documents from elementary school to high school, I listed that I wanted to be first a homemaker and second a teacher (later narrowing to an elementary school teacher – I had some great elementary teachers). Looking back even as a young child, I loved art, doll houses, historical design, old and new buildings, construction projects – I loved the smell of the home improvement stores, and I’ve always had grand ideas. One of my first sentences as a toddler was “make money, build a house”, when our house was built I got to help pick my carpet and wall paint – as a five/ six year old I was emphatic what shade of pink it was to be – my budding expertise didn’t win the color battle – carpet was a grayed pink and walls were painted a pale, almost white, pink – called cotton candy. I wanted boldness in color, my mother wanted safety and longevity in color – it was her house.

One of my elementary school memories includes a field trip to the Carroll Mansion in Baltimore City, Maryland. I remember being impressed by the architecture, design, and finishing details. As a young child, the house and its story made an impression on me, one I never forgot. I loved the dining room, the rich colors appointed to the walls and windows, the federal style dark stained dining table and hand carved chairs, silver and china on display, I couldn’t begin to take it all in. I can still see the molding details, elegant curved stair case rail, mantles, and drapery in my mind’s eye; moreover, I remember how I felt - awestruck. My souvenir while the other children were purchasing pencils, toys, and key chains – a simple post card of the dining room, which I treasured and still have. I loved visiting the cloisters, it was one of my very favorite places. I loved the Hampton Mansion, the Walter’s Art Gallery with it’s impressive marble columns, and the miniature rooms on display at the BMA.

I always doodled (I listen better when I doodle), I learned that if I changed the angle of a line my drawing would go from flat to having depth – I would draw houses with porches and dormers. I loved art, although I didn’t much care for the art projects in my elementary school art class – in fact, my art teacher even told me I would never have a future in art (an absolutely horrible thing to say to an elementary school student – of which she was clearly wrong in her assumption) that didn’t stop me, I would paint and do arts and craft projects, I was always driven by making something both functional and beautiful. I loved home economics and shop class in middle school, I found the drafting unit in 7th grade just exciting.

I continued art courses into high school, taking as many studio classes as I could, was a part of the national art honor society. To describe my interests in high school: Art, History, French, Science, Student Government… all of which serve me well in my profession today. I applied to two colleges Towson State University and Brigham Young University, both as declared elementary educations majors, I was accepted to both, I accepted both – Towson for one semester in the Fall (I had a great scholarship), and BYU to begin in January (a chance to leave – my fist airplane ride). At Towson, while sitting in orientation for elementary. education. majors I looked around at my fellow class mates (they were wearing lots of denim with embroidered Disney characters peeking our of pockets, I felt it – I knew it - these were not my people) we toured the campus elementary education. facilities – albeit impressive, I was quickly realizing this was not the department for me. Come registration (which was a physical meet with someone to sign up for classes ordeal – online is so much easier these days) I mentioned I didn’t want to start the elementary education track but just take generals – so what was open… English, History, French 201, and Human Geography – I was a freshman, yikes – I made it through – didn’t care for my teachers, nor was any of it particularly interesting – I didn’t have a major, I didn’t have much purpose. What was I doing?

I went to BYU starting in January, more general education requirements: English, Biology, Economics, Religion, and a class for fun Introduction to Interior Deign – which changed my life. I had the class after lunch at 1pm we would sit in a dark room reviewing slides and listen to lecture, (admittedly I would fall asleep in class occasionally – dark room, after lunch – inevitable) we had a few small projects I loved it, it opened an amazing world of recessed lighting and chair designs, I learned the names of styles and periods, I learned the technical aspects of the industry – codes – ADA – human scale. I was excited! I fell in love, and better yet, I felt like I found a place with my kind of people (artsy – but not too much, passionate, with a side of business and technical) – I had a major!

I looked into the program, it was part of the College of Fine Arts and Communications – majoring was by selection: an application, practicum and portfolio, applications were only received in February – It was spring, I had missed it. Only 20 students were accepted in each department per year(12 departments). Over the summer, I pulled together my high school portfolio and worked on my application, I continued to take general education. courses in the fall. I applied in winter, six weeks later I was sent a magical letter – I was in. I could now take the art core classes! Although I was accepted with the idea that I would pursue interior design that initial acceptance was to get into the college of fine arts visual arts dept. We would be juried yet again at the end of that first year and then be selected to enter our specific department. As I had already taken 2 full years of general education. requirements, I was just about finished – I filled my schedule with the core courses and any non- prerequisite required interior design courses and built my portfolio accordingly. At the end of that first core year I felt confident in pursuing interior design and was very pleased to have the next letter of acceptance, that was the end of my first junior year (there was no possible way to complete a four to five year design program in two years so I like to think that I had two junior years and I did the program in three).

I crammed as many interior design courses as possible into a semester, each year we were re-juried with a portfolio review in order to maintain our major – only the best – if our grades and skill level didn’t cut it, we could graduate with a BA in design, not the BFA in interior design. Every year it was always a bit nerve racking, but we became very skilled at portfolio display and presentation. Even up to our final BFA reviews we could be dropped to a BA. As difficult and competitive as it was – I loved it. It was a perfect fit. I thrived, I became active in the Interior Design Club, ASID and IIDA – becoming student president of each. I was a Teacher’s Assistant for Introduction to Interior Design for the Professor I took that first class from (she allowed me to teach a few lectures and I helped with grading), and a TA for Textiles and Historic Textiles – I learned from some of the best teachers in the industry – they wrote the books that many colleges and universities use (I had no idea how well known they were – until I began teaching myself and doing textbook research). I loved it, all of it – even the parts I didn’t like, I loved. My classmates were friends and co-workers. We worked tireless – pulling many over nighters in the design lab, we had fun. I interned in the Baltimore area, knowing I wanted to come home to the East to work. I graduated the following year and felt well prepared to take on the real world.

I still love interior design, it is apart of me. I have added teaching interior design to my list of loves – I guess that elementary school career path wasn’t too far off – I wanted to be a homemaker and a teacher – ultimately I am both not in the pre-prescribed idea – however, through design, I have helped hundreds of my residential clients make their home a better place to live and now as a college instructor I teach and inspire my students to love interior design as much and even more than I do.

Ooh là là… Rococo Design

2011-06-24T15:55:00.001-04:00

No. 10 Favorite Design Styles

Like Roman compared to Greek – there is a sense of whimsy and an over decorative art for art’s sake quality to Rococo design. Rococo is best associated with Louis XV where which it flourished (1730 – 1760) .

Rococo is light, feminine, soft, asymmetrical, curvaceous, and playful—a pendulum-swing reaction to the heavy-handed masculinity of the Baroque/Louis XIV period before it. Painting and sculpture is elaborate ornate, highly pictorial. Though the Rococo style eventually spread to England, Germany, Russia, Italy and the Netherlands, there is something about it that remains whimsically and quintessentially French.The style is based on ornate natural forms – like shells, the name Rococo comes from Rocaille French for Shell.

Rococo fashion and its amazingly detailed and complicated decorative and flamboyant excesses for me and women alike. A frivolity that was put to end with the French Revolution “off with their heads”.

The period of French Rococo is marked by a departure of the orderliness of classical design by using free form and asymmetrical movements, C and S scrolls, cabriole legs, and motifs of plants, shells and flowers. Known for it’s frivolity, playfulness, lightheartedness and asymmetrical design.

Rococo Influence: I love to use a few French rococo lines in design, although rarely do I incorporate more than a textile, pattern or accessory. In 2009, I participated in the Family Tree Organization’s Great Chef’s Dinner the theme was “Paris in Paradise” with the idea based from the guest chef’s restaurant in Bermuda and he being French. I immediately thought of a French Rococo inspired Eifel Tower Sand Castle. It measured over four feet off the table, made of carefully cut – mostly to scale cardboard pieces covered in burlap and plaster for texture with additional plaster “c” and “s” curves, painted sandy tan and highlighted with gold metallic paint. Clusters of seashells adorned the structure. Brown sugar made my sand filled base and bright turquoise buckets with silver shovels dug into find more shell treasures. It was a fun interpretation of Rococo.

Why Hire an Interior Designer?

2011-06-24T14:38:00.001-04:00

Why Hire an Interior Designer? Avoid costly mistakes; an Interior Designer can help you make the right decision the first time, saving you both time and money. Through understanding your needs, desires, and concerns an Interior Designer will create a functional plan that will make the best use of your space at the moment and for years to come. With a developed plan an Interior Designer can help you realize professional results in space planning, color selection and usage, material selection, furnishings, and window treatments, tailored to your needs and style. An Interior Designer will determine the best use of existing furnishings and accessories in order to make the greatest use of your assets.

When should I get an Interior Designer Involved ? It is best to bring an interior designer in at the beginning of a project or even at the anticipation of a project. An Interior Designer will help you know where to start, be excited about the potential of your project and help visualize the end result. This will also give you an idea of cost, time, and the realties of the project. If you have already begun a project and are stuck not knowing where to go next or feeling overwhelmed by the prospects,it is time to step back and allow a professional to evaluate the process and the needs of your existing project. This will make the finishing aspects go smoother and perhaps look into areas for design improvement. If you have a mostly finished project, but it is not really feeling finished an Interior Designer can help with the “tweaking" making the space truly finished. Solving problems that make even a challenging project end well.

The Future of Interior Design

2011-06-24T14:21:00.001-04:00

No. 9 Interior Design: Professional Hopes and Dreams

“Interior design is a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment. These solutions are functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants and are aesthetically attractive. Designs are created in response to and coordinated with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements, and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology, including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process, whereby the needs and resources of the client are satisfied to produce an interior space that fulfills the project goals.” http://www.ncidq.org/AboutUs/AboutInteriorDesign/DefinitionofInteriorDesign.aspx

I carry many job titles. As interior designers we are a professionals, many are business owners and operators, we are problem solvers, therapists, sales people, experts in many products and systems - our clients assume we know about everything from technology and innovation to technical details and codes – and many times we do – it pays us to know these things, we are market and trend watchers, we are artists, artisans, craftsmen, we are idea smiths, creative, innovative, we are driven by functional creativity, we are coordinators, we focus on the human scale – humanizing defined space – making it ergonomic and user friendly, we are marketers and publicity hounds, we are sensitive to our clients needs and wants, we are relationship developers – we become a apart of our clients lives and businesses, we are interpreters, we are educated and continue to further our education, we are teachers and informants, we are detectives and even on occasion mind readers, we are visionary. To the contrary as a profession, we are underpaid (after all we probably should - but we don’t - bill like lawyers), under recognized (architects are remembered for their structures – sometimes we are acknowledged for our contributions in a project too – but I challenge you to name the interior designer or firm on a particular remarkable project – when it comes to design we usually just remember the remarkable project), we are over worked with expectations to time ration (we work magic but it takes time – TV has deceived us with design projects finishing in under an hour with commercials – unlimited resources and budgets).

I work in a perplexing industry. Somewhat regulated, but not really understood by the public or politicians as to why we have titles like CID (certified interior designer), we suffer continued ego battles between similar professions – some, but not all, architects and contractors call us names like inferior desecrators, roll their eyes during meetings, put up a fight during the whole process, ignore or discount our input – they rarely get what we really do, certainly many don’t see the value of our profession or how much we benefit a project, they see trouble (we can own some of those stereotypical judgments – we have our own ego/ diva moments too, and unfortunately often times one bad experience taints the rest) – but those who fought the most always enjoy the credit for a well finished space (although they were certainly a part and also deserve due credit, their work was not alone and is greatly enhanced by our professional capabilities making it more human, comfortable and esthetically pleasing as a result)

Education is important. Interior designers are educated and continue to learn about our ever evolving industry resources. We also educate our clients, we are their resources, and act as a primary tool to represent our profession to the public. We must represent well and promote our industry. We must show case our abilities, achievements and qualifications and help the public discern the differences in professionalism.

There are many talented decorators who have a knack, an eye, and even carefully developed specialized skills, some perhaps could argue they are even more talented than someone with a degree; however, there is a right of passage and professional accolades that mark an interior designer who has passed (even suffered) through course work and development. (I encourage these skilled individuals to enhance their natural talent with additional training and a degree to solidify their abilities – there are many local two year and part time associate degree programs). There is a foundation of skills from drafting, space planning, computer systems, codes, history, and textile fibers to working as a team, critiques, and developing professional ties that one cannot gain with out proper training. I will acknowledge that in business there is room enough for all, however as a profession we need to determine what sets us a part and while not tearing down another’s business promote what makes us great as a professional – and distinctions in the industry.

“Differences between Interior Design and Decorating: Many people use the terms "interior design" and "interior decorating" interchangeably, but these professions differ in critical ways. Interior design is the art and science of understanding people's behavior to create functional spaces within a building. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design. Interior designers apply creative and technical solutions within a structure that are functional, attractive and beneficial to the occupants' quality of life and culture. Designs respond to and coordinate with the building shell and acknowledge the physical location and social context of the project. Designs must adhere to code and regulatory requirements and encourage the principles of environmental sustainability. The interior design process follows a systematic and coordinated methodology—including research, analysis and integration of knowledge into the creative process—to satisfy the needs and resources of the client. Many U.S. states and Canadian provinces have passed laws requiring interior designers to be licensed or registered—documenting their formal education and training—and many of them specifically require that all practicing interior designers earn the NCIDQ Certificate to demonstrate their experience and qualifications. By contrast, interior decorators require no formal training or licensure.” http://www.ncidq.org/AboutUs/AboutInteriorDesign/DifferencesBetweenInteriorDesignDecorating.aspx

My own hopes and dreams for my future in this industry is to continue the educational track, I have enjoyed teaching, advising and mentoring future interior designers. I bring real experience and opportunities to the class room. I was well taught and have used my own education to benefit my clients and community, I hope to inspire many future interior design professionals.

How do we want to be known in the future? Our industry must decree professionalism. We must take an active role and make it known that our expertise is a necessary part of any project. We rely on our professional organizations to help promote this image, ultimately no project, commercial or residential, should allow for the interior environment to be considered as an after thought. Our professional involvement in a project early on will make for much better final results, fewer construction change orders or project redo’s happen when the right decisions are made prior to construction or during the process, budgeting is more thorough and the details that are often not allotted for which really make a project shine are part of the whole package. As president of the Maryland Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers I developed an ad (shown at right) which ran in the 2010 BSO Show house book and the Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 Maryland Home and Garden Show, showcasing what sets an ASID designer apart from the rest.

Touch & Feel

2011-06-24T11:18:00.001-04:00

No. 8 Texture

Interior Design is a very tactile industry, designers like to touch and feel – we have pay special attention to texture and carefully balance them, there is thought and purpose to our composition.

Everything has a visual and physical texture. We touch first with our eyes then with our hands. Our ability to articulate texture is important, we need to know how to utilize and describe textures.

How do we describe a visual and tactile element through words? Choosing our words carefully, we can convey varied connotations which can promote or dismiss options. Looks can be deceiving… and offer some playful serendipitous results!

Texture words: abrasive, aged, biting, boiling, bubbly, bumpy, burning, bushy, chapped, chiseled, cheap, clammy, coarse, cold, cool, corduroy, corrugated, cottony, creamy, curdled, cushioned, danger, damp, dank, dirty, downy, dry, dusty, embedded, engraved, fiery, fine, fluffy, fluted, foamy, freezing, furry, fuzzy, glassy, glossy, grainy, greasy, grimy, gripped, gritty, grooved, hairy, hard, harsh, hot, icy, inlaid, itching, lacy, loose, matte, matted, metallic, moist, nubbed, patina, pebbly, pierced, pocked, polished, plush, pressed, prickly, pulpy, raw, rich, rocking, rusty, rutted, sandy, scalding, scaled, scarred, scorching, scratchy, sculptured, searing, shaggy, sharp, sheen, sheer, shiny, silky, sleek, slick, slimy, slippery, smooth, soft, sopping, spiky, splintered, steely, sterile, stinging, slubbed, stubbly, tangled, tickling, tight, tweedy, velvety, warm, waxy, wet, woolly

How would you describe these textures:

Stone

Wool

Wood

There is just something about Spanish Colonial Design…

2011-06-22T15:08:00.001-04:00

No. 7 Favorite Design Styles

Understanding design periods begin with understanding geography and socio-economic and political history… Spanish colonial design has many facets including time line and geographical trends it takes a great deal of influence from the medieval and renaissance periods and Moorish Spain. Mixing these with styles with a colonizing the new world in somewhat creating the old world fashion we get the very beautiful and versatile Spanish Colonial Style.

The Style: With influence of Persian, Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Spanish, Mediterranean, Moroccan, and more… this style is commonly seen with wrought iron details, arabesques, colorful geometric patterned tiles, warm terra cottas, rich dark woods, plaster walls, beamed ceilings, heavy furniture. This style leads into the

Mexican Hacienda Style, it influences the southwest style, is indicative of the California Mission style, and is reawakened with an updated during the Mission style revival 1890 – 1915 and Spanish Colonial Revival 1915- 1931. There is a richness and a romance that embodies this design. See below for more history.

I just want to sit back and listen to Classical Spanish Guitar (click on the video to enjoy) scroll through the Art de Mexico Furnishings and Lighting Catalog - and dream of the designing a rich luxurious Spanish Colonial Estate.

Great examples and descriptions: http://decortoadore.blogspot.com/2008/09/spanish-colonial-interiors.html (two photos immediately below are from that blog)

History Lesson: What is Moorish, who were the Moors? Moors were Muslims who invaded Spain in the 8th century and established a civilization in Andalusia that lasted until the late 15th century also known as a Muslim people of mixed Berber and Arab descent, now living chiefly in northwest Africa. When something is called Moresque it is characteristic of Moorish art or architecture, an ornament or decoration in Moorish style.

Mudéjar: Mudéjar is the name given to the Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity. It also denotes a style of Iberian architecture and decoration, particularly of Aragon and Castile, of the 12th to 16th centuries, strongly influenced by Moorish taste and workmanship. The word Mudéjar is a Medieval Spanish corruption of the Arabic word Mudajjan مدجن, meaning "domesticated", in a reference to the Muslims who have submitted to the rule of the Christian kings. After the fall of Granada in January of 1492, Mudéjars kept their status for some time. However, they were forced to convert to Christianity in the mid 16th century, and were known as Moriscos from that time until those who refused to convert to Christianity were expelled in 1610. Their distinctive style is still evident in architecture as well as the music, art, and crafts of the region. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud%C3%A9jar

In 1492, Spain drove out the last Moorish king of Granada. After their victory, the Spanish monarchs negotiated with Christopher Columbus, a Genoese sailor attempting to reach Cipangu by sailing west. Castile was already engaged in a race of exploration with Portugal to reach the Far East by sea when Columbus made his bold proposal to Isabella. Columbus instead "inadvertently" discovered the Americas, inaugurating the Spanish colonization of the continent. The Spanish Empire (1402- 1899 ) was one of the largest empires in world history, and one of the first global empires. It included territories and colonies ruled by Spain in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania between the 15th and late 19th centuries. It was said “the sun never sets on the Spanish Empire” The 16th and 17th centuries are sometimes called "the Golden Age of Spain”

Spain took this hint of Persian, Medieval - Renaissance, Mediterranean style and introduced it to it’s conquests – creating colonies that reflect this flavor, yet used many local products and craftsmen – giving it a flair all of its own. An example Diego Columbus’ Home (Son of Christopher Columbus and First Governor of the New World, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – see photos below) was constructed from dead coral which was a readily available product, durable and carve-able like the building stones in Europe. This stone also was used in the first Cathedral of the new world.

My Portfolio

2011-06-13T11:27:00.001-04:00

No. 6: Discuss the direction of your portfolio.

This course will end with a portfolio presentation, my students are to be working on their portfolios throughout the semester, we have had a few discussions about the “what” of a portfolio, but I want to give my students the freedom to create their own portfolio package, after all it represents them – not me. These things are for their use, I act as a guide for them with their portfolios, and give them the tools to develop themselves further.

During this course I have been considering the state of my own portfolio. I have decided that I need to enhance my portfolio to be my professional work with an emphasis showcasing my educator’s portfolio. I have started by doing some research – what is an educator’s portfolio? How can I blend my interior design portfolio with an educator’s portfolio? Good questions to start out with and develop further.

The Amazing Power of Color

2011-06-10T12:02:00.001-04:00

(No. 5)

I love color, all color. I am fascinated by color, it’s ability to communicate emotion without words, offer connotations and encourages a psychological response. I am amazed at the process we see color, the mechanics of the human eye is quite amazing.

I am most fascinated with color connotations, our personal response to color. Generally we can all agree on some of these connotations: pink is sweet, red is flashy, white is pure, and so on. We each have a personal experience as well, perhaps you grew up with an avocado fridge and that color had never sat right with you ever since, or grandma’s house was a big pink flower explosion, that either you detested or perhaps now long for a hint of those memories. I have researched color and studied many books by Faber Biren as a student, a professional and especially now as an as interior design instructor. His work is still very viable, although our world has certainly changed since then. Color is everywhere especially a great consideration in Design and Marketing. One of my favorite color experiments to share is from an early study of color marketing for laundry detergent, specifically washing machine dry laundry powder (done in the 50’s). A study to see how products perform.

Product A was in an orange box – results: it brightened well – almost too well and was thought a little harsh, extremely clean
Product B in a blue box – Results: fabric softener, great on color – color fast, but didn’t clean as well as the first, but also not as harsh on the color.
Product C in a blue and orange box – Results: Just right, color fast and cleans, not to harsh.

This study showed the power of color perception - the boxes all had the same detergent, amazingly different results for the same laundry detergent product. Although there are variations in detergent from brand to brand, color still has a great deal of influence, look at our laundry detergent logos and packaging today, many follow these results. Think color and think about what each product wants to be known for (see the label on the all blue cheer box “color guard”).

Our changing times and increase in technology has given rise to new symbolism for colors. While green is the color term used to represent the movement of all things sustainable and earth friendly. Blue has become our technological hot shot! The color of innovation and forward developments. “The right shade of blue can be worth $80 million – at least that’s what they say about Bing’s blue link color. Microsoft’s research team found that blue engaged people the most and they tested various shades of blue in user groups. First, they determined that their previous shade of blue (a paler hue) lacked confidence. Finally, they wound up with a shade of blue quite similar to the one used by Google. Based on user feedback, the team estimated the best blue color could generate $80 million to $90 million in ad sales.” http://colormatters.blogspot.com/2010/03/color-thats-worth-80000000.html Think about product names that encourage this blue movement: Bluetooth, Blu-ray beat out the HDDVD, Jet Blue, The “Blue Man Group” showcase an innovative multimedia presentation, and even hybrid car technology is getting in on the action… although “green” in nature – the technology is what they are really selling – check out the new hybrid logos – they are blue!

Learn more about the basics in Color from this great website: http://www.colormatters.com/colortheory.html

Design Philosophy & Good Design

2011-06-09T14:03:00.001-04:00

Blog assignment #4: Design philosophy, what do I believe good design is?

every designer should have a design philosophy. From my website:

“Good design is functional as well as beautiful, designed with integrity and timeless in character. From classic to contemporary, good design can be achieved in every style; this is attainable at every budget, small or grand scale. Each space is tailored to the client's wants and needs, with careful attention to the purpose and end use of the space.” - Laura C. Kimball, CID, ASID

Scale, Proportion, Emphasis

2011-06-09T13:47:00.001-04:00

Blog assignment #3: Discuss three of the elements & principles of design and how they relate to interior design.

The elements and principles of design are the building blocks to good design. Every designer should know and understand these, and while we may not always be conscious of why we make our design decisions often the reasons fall back to these design basics. to help understand these, I am referencing excellent definitions from “Art, Design, and Visual Thinking” An Interactive Textbook By Charlotte Jirousek, Cornell University http://char.txa.cornell.edu/ are in block quote and italicized.

Principle of Design: Balance

What is Balance? We know when something is off balance – it looks and feels funny to us, it doesn’t set right. Humans like balance, we like to feel secure, and comfortable, balance has to do with our ability to feel and relate to a space or composition. In interior design balance is vital for the comfort and physical and mental wellbeing of the end user.

“Balance is the concept of visual equilibrium, and relates to our physical sense of balance. It is a reconciliation of opposing forces in a composition that results in visual stability. Most successful compositions achieve balance in one of two ways: symmetrically or asymmetrically. Balance in a three dimensional object is easy to understand; if balance isn't achieved, the object tips over. To understand balance in a two dimensional composition, we must use our imaginations to carry this three dimensional analogy forward to the flat surface.”

“Symmetrical balance can be described as having equal "weight" on equal sides of a centrally placed fulcrum. It may also be referred to as formal balance. When the elements are arranged equally on either side of a central axis, the result is Bilateral symmetry. This axis may be horizontal or vertical. It is also possible to build formal balance by arranging elements equally around a central point , resulting in radial symmetry.”

“Asymmetrical balance, also called informal balance, is more complex and difficult to envisage. It involves placement of objects in a way that will allow objects of varying visual weight to balance one another around a fulcrum point. This can be best imagined by envisioning a literal balance scale that can represent the visual "weights" that can be imagined in a two dimensional composition. For example, it is possible to balance a heavy weight with a cluster of lighter weights on equal sides of a fulcrum; in a picture, this might be a cluster of small objects balanced by a large object. It is also possible to imagine objects of equal weight but different mass (such as a large mass of feathers versus a small mass of stones) on equal sides of a fulcrum. Unequal weights can even be balanced by shifting the fulcrum point on our imaginary scale.”

“Whether the solution is simple or complex, some form of balance can be identified in most successful compositions. For a further discussion of balance in design see these sites: Symmetrical balance Asymmetrical balance”

Principle of Design: Proportion

Just like goldilocks, in the story of the Three Bears Home, we all like to feel just right. I fix proportion problems in my client’s homes often. Big vs. little and high vs. low continues to be an ongoing battle – especially with large screen TV’s and hanging anything on the wall. Proportion addresses the need for parts of a whole to relate to one another. We design in terms of human scale. Scale can send strong messages it can be welcoming, inviting, it can create a sense of awe and wonder. Using Egyptian temples as an example, the human relation to the structure was designed to have an ominous presence, show strength and stature, wealth, power and endurance. The over sized statues make the person entering feel small and realize their place in that society.

“Proportion refers to the relative size and scale of the various elements in a design. The issue is the relationship between objects, or parts, of a whole. This means that it is necessary to discuss proportion in terms of the context or standard used to determine proportions.”

“Our most universal standard of measurement is the human body; that is, our experience of living in our own bodies. We judge the appropriateness of size of objects by that measure. For example, a sofa in the form of a hand is startling because of the distortion of expected proportion, and becomes the center of attention in the room. Architectural spaces intended to impress are usually scaled to a size that dwarfs the human viewer. This is a device often used in public spaces, such as churches or centers of government. The same principle is often applied to corporate spaces through which the enterprise wishes to impress customers with its power and invincibility. In contrast, the proportions of a private home are usually more in scale with human measure, and as a result it appears more friendly, comfortable, less intimidating. Use of appropriate scale in surface design is also important. For example, an overly large textile design can overwhelm the form of a garment or a piece of furniture.”

Principle of Design: Emphasis

Visually, and perhaps physically, what is the most important part of a space? What is the natural focal point? What is the intended focal point? Perhaps it is the view, an object d’art, a functional aspect or combination.

“Emphasis is also referred to as point of focus, or interruption. It marks the locations in a composition which most strongly draw the viewers attention. Usually there is a primary, or main, point of emphasis, with perhaps secondary emphases in other parts of the composition. The emphasis is usually an interruption in the fundamental pattern or movement of the viewers eye through the composition, or a break in the rhythm.”

“The artist or designer uses emphasis to call attention to something, or to vary the composition in order to hold the viewers interest by providing visual "surprises." Emphasis can be achieved in a number of ways. Repetition creates emphasis by calling attention to the repeated element through sheer force of numbers. If a color is repeated across a map, the places where certain colors cluster will attract your attention, in this instance graphing varying rates of mortality from cardiovascular disease. Contrast achieves emphasis by setting the point of emphasis apart from the rest of its background. Various kinds of contrasts are possible. The use of a neutral background isolates the point of emphasis. Contrast of color, texture, or shape will call attention to a specific point. Contrast of size or scale will as well. Placement in a strategic position will call attention to a particular element of a design.”

Prolonged visual involvement through intricacy (contrast of detail) is a more unusual form of emphasis, not as commonly used in Euro-American design, though it is common in many other cultures. In this case, many points of emphasis are created that are to be discovered through close attention to the intricacies of the design.”

Portfolio

2011-06-09T13:33:00.001-04:00

Blog assignment #2 Portfolios: what are they, what is their purpose, about your portfolio: who is your audience, thoughts, direction, ideas, composition, style…

My thoughts and ideas from our class discussion on portfolios:

A portfolio has a few parts and pieces, it is a package. It is generally thought of a a singular grouping of samples of your work and skills, however that is only one part. A Portfolio includes:

Cover letter (on personal letterhead – it’s about you, your branding/ logo – your name is probably your logo, Understand how to introduce yourself on paper, appeal to your prospective employer)
Resume (continuation of your personal letterhead, your branding/ logo – you are the most important thing on the page, everything is about you)
Samples of your body of work (clean, neat, well organized and consistent with your branding/ logo): digital or physical – your preference – although I recommend having both.
Marketing piece you can send with your resume – a teaser piece – to set you a part from the other resumes – Wow them, even be for you meet them! One page or a booklet, this includes samples of your body of work in a clean, neat, well organized and consistent with your branding/ logo.

What is the purpose of a portfolio?
- Communicate, offer interview conversation points
- Showcase skills, talent, abilities, qualifications.
- To wow and impress potential employers/ clients
- Attracting a particular audience

What does it show & tell?
- It’s all about you: your designs, talent, personality, skills, projects, accomplishments, applied knowledge, presentation abilities
- Organizational skills and clarity
- Perception of self, how you want to be perceived
- What you like, what attracts you, tastes

Other important questions: What do you want your portfolio to say about you? Who are you? What are you all about?

My portfolio is basically the body of work found on my website, it is tailored for my clients and publicity/ advertising. If I were to begin a job search I would need to create a physical portfolio and marketing piece to accompany my resume, I ought to be more prepared, especially when I consider I want to teach college full time in the next few years – I need to create my professional with an emphasis on education/ instruction portfolio.

Who am I as a Designer?

2011-06-08T09:31:00.001-04:00

Class blog assignment #1

My bio on my website tells about me – the stuff, credentials, & qualifications:

I own/ operate an interior design firm (10 years this year!)
I work in residential, commercial, and historic design
I am a Licensed and Certified Interior Designer
I am a member of a number of professional and community organizations, and serve actively in those organizations
I value education and continued learning

But who am I as a designer? At the core what do I believe about my version of interior design?

I believe what I offer is a luxury service, however that service can be attainable at any budget.
I believe that kindness and sincerity counts for a who lot in business “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar”
I believe that integrity is an essential to establish relationships of trust, my clients have to trust me and my vision for their project
I believe that I am paid to give my honest professional opinion, not to pander, but honesty must be offered it in a tactful manner.
I believe that professionalism is important, I am stern when needed, flexible when needed, but I always strive for professionalism.
I believe we pull our designs from our experiences, we build on those experiences to create original thoughts. I am always seeking for inspiration from everything around me.

Being an Interior Design Instructor

2011-06-07T17:35:00.001-04:00

I recently began another semester instructing at AACC. My fifth course at AACC. I love teaching, I love my profession, I love watching my students become interior designers. I will be the first to admit, this is not an easy profession and certainly not an easy education either. You’ve got to love it, and love all of it. There are many variables, a lot of skills are required and practical experience is essential.

This summer semester (8 weeks) I am instructing ACH 207: Portfolio and Visual Presentation for Interior Designers. Interesting course and very valuable for future design professionals. We will tackle presentation drawings including: color rendering, one and two point perspectives, axonometric & isometrics, elevations, etc…We will also discuss portfolios and create the beginnings of personal working portfolios. It has been a good refresher for me to remember the how and what of these drawings, I have become accustom to just doing them - and doing them quickly, after all time is money!, but in haste I miss some of the techniques, logic and geometry that make these drawings amazing.

As part of the course I have posed the assignment to my students to start a blog. This project serves as an opportunity to communicate their design concepts, articulate thoughts into written words, understand their personal concept statement and philosophy. I am also blogging (given I started this blog over a year ago with great intentions and have shown little results) it will give me good reason to write with purpose.

Light bulbs!

2010-01-04T11:15:00.003-05:00

I am happy to share my rants on Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL’s) – I almost always recommend to remove them from your homes and stock pile incandescent (hold out until LED’s produce a broader, warmer, and softer light!)

I realize you think you are saving the planet, greening your home, benefiting society; however, have you considered all the other environmental and human consequences of this product? Probably not. Read on.

Incandescent bulbs - Easier on the Eyes: Soft-white and frosted incandescent light bulbs have proven to provide superior quality lighting. By comparison, reports have shown that even when they are new, CFLs produce the worst quality of any major light source. And a CFL bulb can lose nearly 25% of its lumens as it ages. One of the major problems with the spiral design of a CFL is that too much of the light is focused inward. By comparison, incandescent bulbs will radiate light outward from the center. and they have the advantage of being designed for specific fixtures to maximize the usable light output . And incandescent bulbs do not take 3 to 15 min. to 'warm up'.

Humanely Aesthetic – with incndecent the glow is warm, soft, calming, a yellowish tinting, which makes our skin looks healthier, we see color truer than with fluorescents. Fluorescent light has a cooler glow, harsher, with a green/ blue/ grey cast - despite all the warmer versions on the market – there is still a distinct difference between the two, skin tones appear pale and natural discoloring is highlighted. Ladies beware of applying your make up in fluorescent lighting, you'll apply more than nessesary. Painting? Your wall color will also need adjusting for both color perception and cooler light reflectance fyi - go with deeper, richer and warmer colors. – LCK

It's all in your head... Teri Robert tells about lighting and migrains in the about.com artile "Headaches? – Check the Lighting" "If you find that you have more headaches and migraines while at work, it may be the office lighting. Traditional office lighting generally presents three potential headache and migraine triggers: Glare on computer screens from any overhead lighting, Glare from overhead incandescent lighting, Flicker from fluorescent lighting." "Although generally imperceptible to the human eye, fluorescent lighting has a flicker. It's the flicker itself that's actually a migraine trigger. Thus, it doesn't matter what kind of fixture houses the tubes. People who are sensitive to that flicker will have a problem with it. The best solution is to remove it from your immediate work area." "I asked ophthalmologist Scott Strickler, M.D. to "shed some light" on this subject from the angle of eye strain also. He explained that incandescent lighting is actually better work lighting. Fluorescent lighting is good to wash a large area in light, but provides very poor task lighting. He suggested that workers in offices with fluorescent lighting also need desktop task lighting for working with papers, books, etc. As for problematic fluorescent lighting? "Turn them off or disable the tubes," he told me. "It's so simple that I can't imagine an employer objecting." http://headaches.about.com/od/triggers/a/office_lighting.htm Miserable lighting at work? Is that how you want to feel at home – the newer high quality CFL’s supposedly refresh themselves with cycles too fast for the human eye/ brain to detect. You be the judge: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=flickering-fallacy-cfl-bulb-headaches

Fluorescent lights will fade textiles and art: Sunlight, fluorescent, even the traditional incandescent — all fade artwork and textiles. It’s basically a matter of degree. Sunlight, for example, is intense and from a part of the light spectrum that causes quick fading and damage. Be aware that fluorescent light also contains high levels of UV radiation. Ultraviolet exposure to art may manifest itself as brittleness, darkening, bleaching, yellowing, general fading or the change of only certain colors. - Keep artwork away from direct light, whether sunlight or artificial sources. Energy Efficient Compact Fluorescent Lights May Emit High Levels of UV Radiation

Incandescent bulbs can outlast CFLs. Really, it's true, there is a light bulb from 1901 still burning http://www.snopes.com/science/lightbulb.asp

Dimmers: Incandescents are better with a dimmer switch. Some of the best applications for incandescent light bulbs are in accent lamps, buffet lamps, reading lamps, desk lamps, floor lamps, hurricane lamps, display lighting, bath/vanity lighting, wall sconces, swing arm lights, chandeliers, close-to-ceiling mounts, directional lights, flush mounts, kitchen island lighting, pendants, landscape lighting, path lights, post lanterns, spot/flood lights, garage door openers, and ceiling fans. All of these applications can be used with a dimmer switch. By comparison CFL bulbs in all reality are not designed for normal household use. Not only does a CFL take at least 3 minute to warm up, but each time you turn it off and on again, you shorten its life. Installation in an enclosed fixture or base down position will further shorten the life of CFLs by a substantial amount. Using a dimmer switch will nullify the warranty of a typical CFL bulb. By installing a dimmer switch, you will not only save power (you are using less power when dimmed, unlike CFL's using the full power) but it can also extend the lifetime of the incandescent bulb up to ten years or more. The clever display by eco-dim that is show above was found at a local big box store. Customers can slide the dimmer switch to see how much energy can be saved and how much longer each setting can make a light bulb last.

So many to choose from – there are more styles of incandescent bulbs –Many more choices are available for incandescent bulbs such as Long Life, Clear, Soft white bulbs, and Frosted bulbs. Incandescent bulbs are manufactured for specific applications. These include Reflector bulbs, Bent tip bulbs, Appliance bulbs, Tube, Globe, Blunt tip and 3-way bulbs. Incandescent bulbs also are available in a variety of bases including: Candelabra Bases, European Bases, Medium skirted bases, Mogul bases and more. Many fixtures can only accept incandescent bulbs. My personal favorite is the Fan light (smaller bulb – designed for ceiling fan lights – they are designed to handle the fan vibrations – I use them most often in bedside lamps and especially hard to reach/ replace lighting fixtures – most last 3-5 years (I have a bedside light bulb on it’s 6^th year – it is turned on and off a few times every morning and night!) - LCK

Lower your energy bill with Incandescent bulbs ? Yes, Save energy this winter. Incandescent bulbs can help LOWER your total energy costs. At least in the cooler climates it's true. Let the heat byproduct of incandescent bulbs work in your favor. The warmth of an incandescent bulb next to your work area or reading chair will allow you to turn down the thermostat a few degrees for the entire house and save on your heating bill. Is this idea too simple to mention? Also, since the CFLs need a few minutes to warm up they will tend to be left on when they should be turned off. This can result in them being left on for up to 20 times or more longer than an incandescent bulb. These are the kind of 'facts' that are left out of most equations when the light bulbs are compared.

Mercury: Take a look at the mercury content of one of the CFL bulbs. Even when you factor in the so called "low mercury bulbs", they average about 4mg per bulb. It costs 10-50,000 dollars to properly remove mercury contamination from your home.

China's war on the Global environment: Chinese diplomats not only have declared that "It's their turn to pollute the environment." they are going about it on an almost unimaginable scale. So what does this got to do with my light bulbs? Since almost all of the CFL bulbs are produced in China, jobs in the U.S, related to the lighting industry are being eliminated almost daily along with any chance to limit the environmental impact of their manufacture. Let's take a look at the pollution from Chinese factories and the amount of energy required to produce CFLs, keeping in mind that there are over one hundred factories in China manufacturing these bulbs. Read this quote from the Wall St. Journal "On a recent hazy morning in eastern China, the Wuhu Shaoda power company revved up its production of electricity, burning a ton and a half of coal per minute to satisfy more than half the demand of Wuhu, an industrial city of two million people." This is high sulfur content coal that is being burned with virtually no pollution controls. These power plants are being built and put online in China at a staggering rate of one per week. Now consider that it takes over 600% more energy to produce a CFL than an incandescent bulb. With the power plants in China spewing out nearly 400% more mercury than the average American power plant, that's 2400% more mercury being put into the atmosphere when you compare a Chinese made CFL to an American made incandescent bulb. Now add the 4mg of mercury that's actually in the bulb itself. By comparison, since the introduction of 'scrubbers', coal-fired power plants in the United States contribute less than 1 percent of the total global mercury emissions. You can check the data at the U.S Dept of energy website at: fossil.energy.gov/powersystems/pollutioncontrols

The pollution continues all the way to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Some of the massive container ships sailing from China have over 100,000 horsepower engines weighing over 2,300 tons. These engines are using low-grade ship bunker fuel containing up to 2,000 times the sulfur content of diesel fuel used in American automobiles.(27,000ppm vs. 15ppm) Marine heavy fuel oil is the residue of the world's oil refineries and is so thick that when cold it can be walked on. Research has shown that just one of these massive container ships can emit almost the same amount of cancer and asthma-causing chemicals as over 50 million cars. Although the EPA has begun regulating emissions from American ships, these regulations do not govern foreign-flagged vessels that account for over 90% of the ships that call on U.S. ports. Examine the EPA's own data at: http://www.epa.gov/oms/oceanvessels.htm

CFL Contradictions from the EPA? CFL’s have gotten a free pass from the EPA– but then there are statements like this on the EPA website: "When lamps are broken, whether during storage, transport, disposal, or crushing, a substantial portion of the mercury contained in the lamp is released as mercury vapor. If the mercury vapor is not controlled or contained, it could be readily inhaled by anyone in the area and be hazardous to the health of those exposed individuals. Additionally, mercury released from broken lamps is persistent in the environment, where it can be chemically transformed to methyl mercury, which is more toxic than elemental mercury and which bioaccumulates up the food chain.
When lamps are disposed of in a landfill, rather than recycled, a substantial percentage of the lamps are broken and virtually all of the mercury contained in the lamps is released into the environment. In addition, lamps may be broken during collection, shipping, or handling." Is this the same EPA that just classified carbon, a fundamental for life as we know it, as a hazard to human health? Life is much simpler with incandescent light bulbs. All you have to do is throw them in the trash when they burn out. From the EPA: mercury vapors which are harmful to human and ecological health. Mercury-Containing Light Bulb (Lamp) Frequent Questions & Mercury Releases and Spills

A Package deal. Another environmental issue for those interested in green living: The environmental impact of the CFL bulbs does not end with the mercury and pollution issues. Take a look at the amount of plastic that is used to package a CFL bulb. It's way too much for a consumable product and will end up clogging our already crowded landfills. The simple biodegradable corrugated cardboard box that comes around a standard incandescent bulb gives it the most environmentally friendly packaging. Recycle those bulbs... save our landfills from mercury... but when they do happen to end up in the trash what about those large ballasts/ housing units made of thick long lasting plastic (non biodegrading) and thicker glass tubes (gotta keep those chemicals in!)taking up precious landfill space.

Take a peek at 'Off Peak usage'. For those of you concerned about CO2 emissions, replacing your incandescent bulbs with CFLs might not have near the impact as you hoped. It all has to do with when the bulbs are being used. Examine the data from the electric power companies and you will see that off peak electric generation hours are normally sometime after 9:00 pm. This just happens to be when it gets dark outside and is when most residential lighting is used. The source of off-peak electrical power is more likely to be of what is considered to be 'green power', such as: Hydroelectric// Some of these plants can produce more power than they can sell during off peak hours.Wind turbines and nuclear power plants// It seems strange to classify the nuclear plants as 'green', but at least as far as CO2 emissions they are. These run without reduction 24 hours a day. Power companies will only increase the output of coal fired plants during peak demand hours.

Government involvement: Anytime we have to be convinced a product is so good, and we have to use it by force – we should be wary. In 2007 Federal Legislators passed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 -Under the law, incandescent bulbs - roughly, light bulbs currently less than 40 watts or more than 150 watts are effectively phased out between 2012 and 2014. (Bulbs outside this range are exempt from the ban. Also exempt are several classes of specialty lights, including appliance lamps, "rough service" bulbs, 3-way, colored lamps, and plant lights.)

The Bottom Line: CFL or Incandescent ? The cost for a CFL is still around 10 times the cost of an incandescent.

Think you should have the right to use the electricity you are paying for on the light bulb of your choice? so do these people: http://www.lightbulbchoice.com/

Most of the info above comes from http://www.squidoo.com/Incandescent?utm_campaign=lensmaster-discovery&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_source=bkobus unless otherwise tagged and/ or linked.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5635546_avoid-fluorescent-light.html?ref=fuel&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=ssp&utm_campaign=yssp_art

New Year Resolutions!

2010-01-01T00:24:00.001-05:00

With the New year upon us – often resolutions overwhelm our thoughts. So this year I resolve (and encourage you to do the same) to make a resolution to finish something I started – It is easy to become distracted and leave projects undone - I find more and more I am called in to finish a space – the question posed is “It just doesn’t feel finished... What do I do?... How do I finish?” often time a space just needs tweaking – a few simple changes you can do on your own or we can do together! Here are areas that are usually left till the end & can make all the difference:

De-cluttering (we all collect more than we need, use, and want) – do what ever you want to do: sell on eBay, craigslist, a yard sale, give it away, or toss it out- just get rid of the excess clutter!
Hang it up – picture hanging 101 will have to be a future post – certainly there is an art to hanging and selecting art, but in the mean time – get that framed master piece off the closet floor and hang it on that bare wall! (remember typically the center of the art should hang at eye level which is about 5”-0” to 5’-6”
Lighting and Paint/ Wall Covering instantly change the room – even if everything else stays – this might be the solution – but call me so we get it just right!
Treating the windows are unfortunately usually left for last– whether you prefer elaborate or simple drapery, custom or ready made, blinds (2” wood are always a winner!), or other forms of window dressings –it is important to consider privacy, natural light, heat loss, style,pattern, texture, shape, sound absorption
It’s in the details – Accessorizing can be tricky – the right blend of sentimental, color and style, shape and size, and placement – can finish the space – remember book shelves should tell a story – mixing book bindings and objects! Leave the densely packed books for the library of congress!