Designing Maine

Designing Maine: Key to Successful Small Spaces

2012-01-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

Designing Maine: Key to Successful Small Spaces: In today’s trends of living green homes and apartments are becoming more and more compact. Rooms are serving as multifunctional spaces. Un...

Key to Successful Small Spaces

2012-01-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

In today’s trends of living green homes and apartments are becoming more and more compact. Rooms are serving as multifunctional spaces. Unfortunately are desires for stuff doesn’t go hand and hand with our desires to help save the plant. This creates a mental drain on our lives daily as we sort through this stuff to find what we need.

So how do we resolve this dilemma? Our first challenge is to determine which stuff is adding value to our life and which is being a drain on our life making our living space feel much more like our utility or gear shed. Whether you’re an avid outdoorsman or a book collector you need to first organize your stuff into three categories. First is the stuff you use in your daily life. Second is the stuff you use at least once a month or seasonally, and finally the stuff if lucky you use once a year. This can be done by taking an inventory room by room create a list with 4 column the first column is the item the other three are your three categories. If you find broken items don’t add them to your list put them into a recycling pile and get rid of them immediately. Create your list and categorize everything you own.

Now you’ve gone through every room of your house including the garage and any storage outside the house you may have the hard part is done. It’s time to go back through room by room and remove anything that is on your rarely used list. If you only use it once a year then there is a really good chance you won’t miss. Give it to a friend or donate it where it can be used. You’ll feel a lot better about getting rid of it this way and it keeps it out of the local land fill.

Now it’s time to evaluate what you have and how to store it. Make sure if the item on your frequently used list is store close to the area it is being used. Other items can be remotely stored in a spare room, basement or garage. If you do not have room to store these items where they are used, look at you space and how is it used? It is important to keep thing as accessible as possible. Can you add horizontal storage by adding shelves? Create a space for everything you own that will allow easy access to it. If you have a lot of small items that can go into a basket on a shelf, that gives you a convenient and attractive storage for little of no cost if you own the basket.

Small space can be very livable if you eliminate the unnecessary clutter and organize what you need. If rooms like kitchens are poorly designed you may need to seek professional help, but with stores like Ikea you will find a wealth of storage solutions that will make your closets and rooms more organized and enjoyable. Small spaces are all about storage and organization!

Designing Maine: 3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning

2011-10-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: 3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning: 3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning Today in a world of supersize we often think bigger is better. When it come to kitchens bigger is n...

Designing Maine: 3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning

2011-10-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: 3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning: 3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning Today in a world of supersize we often think bigger is better. When it come to kitchens bigger is n...

3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning

2011-10-10T19:55:00.001-07:00

3 Key Steps to Kitchen Space Planning

Today in a world of supersize we often think bigger is better. When it come to kitchens bigger is not always better. Unless you’re a chef and you have a staff of cooks helping you prepare a meal, a more modest size kitchen will work best when designing a working kitchen.

Key 1: Know how many chefs’ there are in the family. A good rule of thumb if you designing a new kitchen for a family is design it for two people to be in it at any one time. Allow for enough space without being on top of each other, but not too much extra to spear.

Key 2: When designing a kitchen it is very important to create a functioning working triangle. The triangle is from the refrigerator to the stove to the sink and back to the refrigerator. The few steps you are require to take between these appliances the more functional the kitchen will be.

Key 3: Each working area on the points of your working triangle will need layout space for working without taking more than one step to get two it. The sink needs spaces for cleaning fresh fruits and vegetables as well as storing dirty dishes. Counter next to the refrigerator to place thing on so you can open the refrigerator door, and space need to the stove for preparing foods.

If you follow these three key step you will find you kitchen design to be far more successful!

Kitchen Design

2011-10-05T15:25:00.000-07:00

Today kitchen are almost single handedly the most expensive rooms in the house. We buy the best appliances, the best cabinets and the best fixtures. The problem is we are so concerned with the best we forget the most important part of good design is function. It’s like baking a cake if you leave out an ingredient, it doesn’t matter how good it looks nobody will like it. Too often kitchens are design by individuals who are only trained how to make the cabinets fit into the space with very little consideration to how and whom it will be used by. It’s like their building a puzzle with a piece missing. So when it comes to your kitchen make sure you have all your ingredients and or pieces including functionality in your formula as well as form. This way you’ll enjoy the use as much as the beauty!

Designing Maine: Canstruction 2011

2011-09-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: Canstruction 2011: No the title of this blog is not one of my typical spelling errors! Canstruction is a nonprofit group who hold an annual completion’s to rai...

Canstruction 2011

2011-09-27T11:53:00.000-07:00

No the title of this blog is not one of my typical spelling errors! Canstruction is a nonprofit group who hold an annual completion’s to raise awareness of the plight of our communities food banks. It’s mission:” To engage, amaze and inspire the community to work together raising canned food to feed hundreds of thousands of hungry people.” This group has reach out to our design communities to submit entries from around the world. The object is to create a sculpture made from cans of food. After the competition the all the cans are donated to a local food bank. For additional information and photo's of the the international awards and a design treat go to: http://www.canstruction.org/photo-gallery/international-competition-winners. All I can say is don’t underestimate the mind of a creative thinker!

Maine’s upcoming Canstruction will be help in Biddeford on October 22 through November 4. The sculptures can be seen throughout the downtown area, with awards being given on October 28. For more information on Maine’s competition check out http://www.feedtheengine.org.

Canstruction is the type of activities that makes helping others a true pleasure!

Designing Maine: Dress your windows for winter!

2011-09-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: Dress your windows for winter!: Summer months are when we strip everything from our windows so we can enjoy our views and the warm summer sun streaming in. But with the col...

Dress your windows for winter!

2011-09-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

Summer months are when we strip everything from our windows so we can enjoy our views and the warm summer sun streaming in. But with the cold temperatures creeping back in, it is time to cover up our windows and conserve energy for the winter. I really like cellular blinds they are one of the best for energy savings. Combined them with draperies and you will see a decrease gallons of fuel you burn for the season. Presently cellular blinds still qualify for energy tax rebate making them an even sweeter deal for your pocket book. That being said I like them because they are easily adjustable, which means on those nice sunny winter days you can easily pull them up out of your way and enjoy a little solar gain for the day and easily drop them for the even to conserve energy.

Cellular blinds in my opinion are a win win addition to your home or business. They look great and save energy, so consider dressing your windows for winter.

Designing Maine: To Much of a Good Thing!

2011-09-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: To Much of a Good Thing!: There are very few people today that don’t collect something. We all think if we hold on to our things long enough they will become valuable...

To Much of a Good Thing!

2011-09-13T05:27:00.000-07:00

There are very few people today that don’t collect something. We all think if we hold on to our things long enough they will become valuable. And the fact is it just might. So we collect, and we collect, till the collection takes over our spaces and there is no room left for living. If you’re not one of these collectors, I’m willing to bet you know someone who is.

Collections can be a great asset to any space provided it doesn’t take over the space. Having too much clutter no matter what its perceived value is not a good thing. It creates very uncomfortable living environment. Have you ever enjoyed that afternoon stroll through a museum? How relaxing it can be. These are building design to store collections, yet in any good museum the collectables are arranged so each piece can be admired. The space almost seems sparse. The museum curator only displays a small amount of their collections at any one time. This allows you to enjoy the beauty or interest of each piece in a calm and pleasurable manner. The concept we need to bring to our own environments is the same as the museum. To display too much at once takes away from each piece and our brains become very over stimulated to the point they appear to have shut down on us. To fashion spaces at home or work we need to pick and choice what we what to display so we can enjoy these item as well as the space that occupies them.

Our home is our sanctuary the place we go to unwind from a long day at work. If you’ve had a bad day at work you don’t want to come home to an over stimulating environment where you can’t relax, unwind and enjoy the company of your family. Remember to much of a good thing is no longer a good thing.

Designing Maine: What’s behind the Home trends for 2011?

2011-09-08T06:13:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: What’s behind the Home trends for 2011?: The Joy of Small Houses_ Businessweek This year’s home trends have been for smaller, greener, and more urban homes. Why, might you ...

What’s behind the Home trends for 2011?

2011-09-08T06:11:00.000-07:00

The Joy of Small Houses_ Businessweek

This year’s home trends have been for smaller, greener, and more urban homes. Why, might you ask? Smaller home are more efficient and take up less natural and manmade resources. This is good for the environment today and into the future as they continue to use fewer resources, such as fossil fuel to heat and cool the house. But there are other small impacts we don’t often hear about with a smaller homes, they take less chemical to clean it, less paint, and maintenance to maintain it and so forth. These small changes add up in a big way over time, so little thing when done by the masses can have a big impact.

Green trends continue to grow and will continue beyond 2011 as the world continues to learn that working with the environment is better for both the environment and all living creatures within it. The study of Biometrics has taught us what nature has already figured out. While in life we need checks and balances for sustainability. The green trend will continue to grow as we learn through these studies of natural how to better create sustainability.

Much like most ancient societies we are rediscovering the benefits of urban centers. The close proximity of living spaces brings down the cost of transportation, reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. It improves our psychical health as the most convenient mode of transportation becomes walking. And most importantly it leaves our country side for farming and wildlife, but which is critical for our existence in life. So once again our trends are good for both our health and our environment.

Time will tell if we can continue this positive trend into the future, but if we each take steps forward to educate ourselves and learn how the benefits out weight the inconveniences of changing old habits, we will be rewarded with a healthier life and environment.

Designing Maine: Planning for Mother Nature

2011-08-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: Planning for Mother Nature: When planning your next design project take a close look around and remember that it is sometimes wise to do a little pre planning. Someti...

Planning for Mother Nature

2011-08-30T20:11:00.000-07:00

When planning your next design project take a close look around and remember that it is sometimes wise to do a little pre planning. Sometime we can prevent a lot of hardships when we work with Mother Nature. This photo shows that Mother Nature is in control. This cabinet has only flooded once before, the last flood was less than 20 years ago. It was a 100 year flood, so why is it here again 80 years early. Fortunately during the last renovation the cabinet was jacked up. This time the floor inside stayed dry. The new plan is to raise it a bit higher just in case Mother Nature gets any funny ideas in the future. Planning for the unexpected is difficult, but can help reduce future stress!

Designing Maine: 3 Key steps in Space Planning 101

2011-08-22T05:56:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: 3 Key steps in Space Planning 101: 3 key steps for good space planning before you start your next renovation project. Space Planning is not a difficult process, but can be cha...

3 Key steps in Space Planning 101

2011-08-22T05:55:00.000-07:00

3 key steps for good space planning before you start your next renovation project. Space Planning is not a difficult process, but can be challenging for those who are not intuitively visual, so here are 3 key steps to help you stay on track of achieving your design goals.

Step #1-Organization: Take a good look and inventory your belongings. Ask yourself the following questions about each item on your inventory list.

What do you use? How often do you use it?
Where do you use? Store it in the house and what room or in the garage?
What don’t you use? Can I get rid of it?
Clutter is one of the biggest sabotages of a good home renovation project. Your home needs to work with you and your life style so you should design it around that life style.

Step #2-Mastering Planning: You should be using your list from step #1. This is when you need to figure out if the room your needs. You should evaluate the whole house even if your plan is only to renovate one room.

Proximity is a key element to the master planning step of a renovation project so think about the adjacencies of rooms. Is it convenient to have these spaces next to each other or is this a good time to make improvements. It could be the coat close is not located near your primary entrance; this typically results in outer wear being tossed on the first horizontal surface you come to. It does matter how beautiful your house is if it’s buried under a pile of debris. I think you get my point. If you look at how the whole house functions before you start you renovation you can save thousands of dollars in unnecessary redo work when you go to do you next renovation.
Sizing up your space. Does the room have too much or too little space for its intended function? Working though your planning process does mean you need a major renovation it could mean just changing or swapping how you use a space or even just replacing a piece of furniture to one that is better suited to your need. Make sure you can easily move around your furniture.
Keep it simple. Always look for the simple solutions first, they you can get more drastic if need be. With the green design trends larger homes are not in fashion and making your home large does not mean it will be worth more money when go to sell it. A small more functional home is a much better investment.

Step # 3- Implementation: Now you’ve have your master plan sit down prioritize the work in a manner that is most logical and will minimize rework on future project. If you’re not doing the construction I strongly suggest you talk to your contractor(s) on which room you should attack first. You may have personal desires of what you’d like to get done first so make sure those desirer are weighed to the scheduling process before the implementation begins.

This process may change everything you planned, but rest assured that you will save money and have a much nicer end result with a home that supports you and your family’s life style. Making a house look good is easy, but creating a supportive living environment is what quality design is all about.

Understanding Color

2011-08-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

Color is an import part of interior design so it is import to know and understand color. In Feng Shui the color peach is symbolic of long life, making it a great color to have sprinkled around your home. The pedals of peaches are thought to cast romantic spells on men making it a good color to add to a bedroom, if you’re single and trying to attract romance. Yet once in a committed relationship peach is considered to be the color of infidelity. It may over stimulate your partner so it presence should be minimized in the master bed room. As you can see colors can be a double edge sword when you only partially understand its meaning so when chosing colors for your home do a little research first. Keep in mind that meanings can change from culture to culture.

Withstanding the test of time

2011-08-08T05:25:00.000-07:00

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of America’s most famous architects, but his legacy isn’t standing up to the test of time. The maintenance on a Frank Lloyd Wright estate is such that if it didn’t have his name attached to it, we’d tear it down in a heartbeat due to the expenses. What he did give us is an appreciation of how to make our homes and buildings embrace nature, which has become so important in this era of green design. If you’re planning a new home design and going for that organic look and feel, make sure you ask your designer some tough questions about how he will design it for the test of time. Too often our great designers are more interested in the impact statement of today and forget about the future, which is what true green design is about!

5 Quick Tips for Your Spring Décor

2011-05-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

1. Spring out of winter hibernation with a lighter touch. Slipcover any chairs or sofa with dark heavy fabrics with fresh colorful and light weight fabrics. It will energize your home and your spirits.

2. Cover or replace your throw pillows for accent colors to give your room a nice accent. A great way to spice up your life!

3. Roll up those dark heavy rugs for the summer and replace them with cotton or jute rugs for the spring and summer.

4. Take down your heavy drapes and let the view in. If the sun is too much hang solar shade or blinds. That let the light in without it overheating your space.

5. Lastly pick fresh flowers to bring in the aromas of spring.

I love Maine because we have 4 distinct seasons, which give up 4 chances throughout the year to make low cost modifications to our home which breeds new life into our spaces as we prepare for each season. Change is part of life which we need to learn to embrace; it helps us deal with stress which creates a healthier living environment.

Designing Maine: Earth Day movement for better health!

2011-04-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Designing Maine: Earth Day movement for better health!: "Earth day is about improving the health of our environment and our shelves. Those of us who are a bit older remember the disaster of “Love C..."

Earth Day movement for better health!

2011-04-22T07:41:00.000-07:00

Earth day is about improving the health of our environment and our shelves. Those of us who are a bit older remember the disaster of “Love Canal”. Where and how we dump chemicals into the environment can have major adverse health effects on our lives as we saw in New York State, when chemicals from a nearby factory leached into the water system.

It took years before the abnormally high concentrations of people who were diagnosed with cancer was linked to neighboring factory who had no regard to what they had done to the environment. It took years to stop, people who didn’t lose their lives lost their homes because no one in their right mind wanted to live in the neighborhood. So let us be reminded of “Love Canal” and each of us takes a small step by buying greener products for our homes and businesses. If we change what we use to built with or even just to clean with, and slowly start purchasing items that are produced in a greener manner, we as individuals can make a big statement. The large corporations will learn that we value our health and our environment. If we, our families and friends stop purchasing these harmful materials, they will be forced to change and make products that meet our needs. But until we are willing to make the change, they will continue to supply hazardous materials our demands. For Earth Day take the time to look at what you buy for products and see if there might be a healthier alternative that is better for your family’s health as well as the environment. The power of the people can be a commanding movement once it is on a roll, let's move it in the right direction.

To learn more about "Love Canal"

2011-03-17T08:47:00.001-07:00

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Spring is for rejuvenating you and your home!

2011-03-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Well spring is in the air and the warm weather is slowly creeping back into our lives up here in Maine. This time of year always make me feel rejuvenated after a long winter. This year more than ever with all the winter storms, none were especially large but it seemed like they were one right after and other and the roads stayed a rutted mess all season long. But that is all behind us now, flowers are beginning to pop through the remnants of snow and nature once again is rejuvenating itself, which puts us in the prefect mood to do a little rejuvenating of our owe around the home. With the economy being on the upraise we all feel a bit more confident to dig into new home projects, but let’s not forget were we been and be smarter about our renovation project. So let talk a about how we can be wiser with our investment into our dwelling.

A wise old man, my Dad, once told me a job well planned is a job half done. Carefully planning your renovation or addition can easily save you any money you may accrue, if you need to hire a professional to help you with the planning. Planning out what your project is, whether it is a large addition, or as simple as a facelift will organize; what your space will look like, what your material needs are, what your cost will be, and how long it should take you to do the project. Now you have this information you can take a hard look at your project to see if your investment is worth the cost of what you are doing. Take a good look to see if you are investing more into the house than the value of the house. This is a good red flag that you may want to reconsider your plans. Check with a local real agent to get a better feel for what the project will do to the value of your home. Other factors to consider our, is this project a long over do maintenance project? Or are you making your home assessable for an aging family member? Maintenance projects and accessibility project are a necessity in life and required for our homes livability.

So before you jump into your next project to rejuvenate your home, do your homework. Determine what your needs are, what the house needs are and what your budget is. If your budget is small, look at option on how to maximize your use of space for minimal cost. Also remember if your project is larger than your budget you can than look at how to break down the project into affordable stages without having to rework what you’ve already completed and your sure it will add to the value of the home without over spending. Once again the value of a well planned project.

If you do not have a back ground in planning consider hiring a professional for the planning process. For major large projects with complicated structural detail consider an architect. For most renovation project a good house designer or certified interior designer will be a more cost effective choice. Remember to check out property they have designed. Make sure their type of designer who digs a bit into your personal life, this often overlooked. It is important when designing a home to consider the family, what activities and hobbies they are into. This information is the bases for the house design. Little things like if you like to cook or not will determine the kitchen layout. If the kids are into sports it’s information on storage needs for the equipment. I think you get my point with this. Check the designer’s knowledge of green technology and energy efficiencies to insure you get the most for your design investment. Not to mention the money you can recoup form your investments of your renovation project. So as you can see a good plan will not only revitalize your home it will rejuvenate your confidence that you can achieve your project goals. This planning process will reduce the stress of your project, reduce costly error and when completed you will find life to be a bit more comfortable and enjoyable in a home that meets your family’s need.

Love your home, keep it warm!

2011-02-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

As the cold temps are upon us here in Maine it’s a good day to check your home for air infiltration. Cold air leaking into your home or business is one your biggest sources of heat loss. Make a list of these areas and fix them. If you place your hand need the walls your will feel where the coldest spots are that need fixing. Common area’s to find leaks are as you know are around windows and doors. Area’s we don’t often think about leaking are along floor and ceiling lines on outside walls. Electrical switches and outlets on exterior walls are another great spot to check for heat loss. So take a few minutes to walk around the interior perimeter to find these money sucking areas of your place. Remember just because the building is relatively new doesn’t mean it’s not leaky!

So what to do about these areas? If you’re a do it you’re self-er than take a trip to your local hardware store get a cocking gun, some cocking, door sweeps, and switch and outlet insulators. You may need to remove the trim carefully to get at these areas around the windows and door to do the job right. Your efforts will be rewarded with lower fuel bills in the future. If you have an older home with older window treatments such as cellular blinds will help with the heat loss. This is a good option even if your windows are newer; the “R” value which determines the insulting quality of your window is much less than that of your wall. Your fuel bill will be less if you cover your windows up for the winter or at least for the evenings when it is typically the coldest. If the windows are really bad consider replacing them. So show your home you love it by keeping it warm this winter and keep the cold air out.

Not handy, consider hiring a handyman to do it for you. If your house is really leaky it won’t take long for you to get the pay back on your investment. Also helping to keep others employed is good for the economy. Not to mention the improvements in the comfort of these spaces when they stay a bit warmer.

So take advantage of these single digit days to easily find the leaks and plug them up from the inside so you can pocket that fuels savings for more important things in life! Remember good interior design is about more than just looking good it’s about functionality and comfort, looking good is just a sweet bonus!

If you have questions or comment please let me know, I'd love to hear form you! Or if you know someone who can use these tips feel free to forward them a link to this site!

Home renovation that give you’re the best return on your investment

2011-01-31T06:04:00.000-08:00

If you’ve made a new year’s resolution to be wiser with your money for your home here’s a few things to consider for the best return on your dollar.

• Universal Design - One of the best investments you can make to your home today is Universal Design. So what is universal design? It is a design principle that makes a home or business functional for all people including, all handicaps and the elderly. With baby boomers grower older homes designed to accommodate the handicap and aging population are in a higher and higher in demand. When the front steps need to be replace change them out to a nicely designed ramp. Make open spaces for easier wheelchair access. These renovations are easy to do little by little over time. If you don’t plan on moving when you retire your house will be useable if you should be come unable to handle stairs which allows you to stay in your home longer depending on your health.

• Kitchens-Kitchen updates are an important to maintain top dollar for your home. How we cook and prepare food has changed drastically, along with the tools we use to prepare them. New technology in the kitchen often can save us in both time and energy cost. Not to mention making our everyday life more convenient. Remember when remodeling a kitchen it is good to make universal changes for your future use. Sinks can be plumbed for accessibility with removable cabinet front for a more stand look till you may need it. This is a very minimal cost that will allow you to be independent at home for a much longer period of time.

• Bathrooms- Bathrooms are much like kitchens have changed drastically upgrade are both good to save on energy cost and conservation efforts. Similar accessibility items can be added for your bathroom for universal design. Planning for future grab bars when renovating will make save lots of money in the future for a modest amount of money.

• Changing non bearing walls- This is a great way to make a home feel more spacious without a large investment. If a house is small, but you can’t remove walls add window openings so you can see through parts of the wall to make the space feel larger.

• Exterior Space- Creating rooms to enjoy outside is a great way to expand your living space and can be created for almost no money.

Talk to your designer and contractor for your specific on the cost to insure you don’t over invest in your home. Make your home into your dream home not a nightmare. Know your home’s value before you start so you don’t over invest.

Educating business owner on the benefits of good interior design practices.

2011-01-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

I am writing you today to let you know with this New Year I’m making some changes in my business. The first as many of you already know is I am now working under my own name, LaRochelle Interior Design so it’s out with InEx Interior Design.

Another change is I hope to educate as many business’s as possible on how good design can save you money.

• Did you know your business’s interior reflects your brand and shows your clientele what is important to you? If brand marketing is important to your business so is your interior.

• Maybe your inefficient use of space is requiring you to lease more or less space than you need for optimal efficiency and cost per square foot?

• Or the color of your facility is under stimulating your employees or worse over stimulating them creating an adverse work environment.

• Did you know color can affect your appetite; does your business serve food?

Stay tune for more details and blogs to come on this subject and much more. If you know a business that could use a bit of educating please forward this information to them as well! And as always if you have design questions feel free to post them in your comments and I’ll be sure to answer them.

Out with the Old and In with the New

2011-01-03T13:58:00.000-08:00

InEx Interior Design has a new Name, LaRochelle Interior Design. Every business needs the occasional shake up. This year I plan on shaking up something new each month. The economy is on a path to improvement and now it's time for the rest of us to add some improvements to our lives. May be it will be making our home or office a bit healthier place to live or just a colorful face lift. What every it might be I will be here to help you solve your design issues all year long. If you have an interior design issue you'd like to ask about, post your question here in the comments and I will be sure to give you my recommendation. If you have a problem there is bound to be others with the same questions answered. So let's shake up this new year and get the ball rolling on this year new years resolution to improve our home and work environments! I'm looking forward to hearing from you all soon!

Happy New Year!
Lori

A Dressing Room Closet Built For Two

2010-11-04T05:46:00.000-07:00

With master bedroom closets being all the rage. I thought I would share this article with you by Lori Glider.

Planning the perfect closet is never an easy task particularly when you have to share with your spouse. Often one partner has more "inventory" shall we say than the other and rarely are they willing to give up an inch of linear space.

In one of my projects the layout of the master bedroom - simply said just doesn't make sense. Currently the original dark, dingy and window-less walk-in closet is located on an exterior wall, which faces the beautiful lush back yard. The single windowed master bath looks directly onto the neighbor's house. From a planning perspective it only makes sense to flip the master bath/closet layout in order to maximize the lovely view to the lush yard from a new master bath - and plan for the new closet/dressing room where the old bath was located.

Gutting and shifting the walls to create a bright and spacious master bath and his-and-her closet and dressing area will take this master suite from the ordinary to the extraordinary. It's about creating a perfect blend of practicality and luxury in the master bedroom suite.

Keep these ideas in mind when planning the perfect closet for two:

Don't feel you need to use up every inch of wall space by sacrificing natural light. Adding windows or skylights will display your wardrobe clearly.
Strategically position full-length mirrors to reflect some of that natural light - and to catch a good glimpse of yourself.
Keep as much inventory as possible in plain sight. Make sure it's well organized, color coded and easily accessible.
Separate the his from hers - and provide enough space to meander through the shelves and racks.
If space allows provide an island for plenty of extra storage. It's also a terrific surface area for changing out your handbags and organizing accessories.
Provide a make-up vanity area preferably near a window for natural lighting.
Don't forget good general lighting coupled with recessed lighting to highlight your hanging wardrobe. Using dimmers will add that extra touch of ambiance as well.

Whether you're planning a closet/dressing room that takes your breath away or a highly practical well-organized closet for two - use these principles to help guide you through the planning process.

Lori Gilder, is an Award winning Interior Designer specializing in high-end residential renovations and additions. Lori is the CEO and Founder of Interior Makeovers Inc. and LoriGilder.com. She is dedicated to providing accessible design expertise and guidance, tailored to fit each individual homeowners lifestyle. Sign Up Now to receive your FREE copy of "15 Money Saving Strategies When Planning Your Home Renovation" LoriGilder.com

Designing Maine: I found this photo of a cute bathroom. I am a tru...

2010-08-19T15:03:00.001-07:00

Designing Maine: I found this photo of a cute bathroom. I am a tru...: "I found this photo of a cute bathroom on HGTV. I am a true lover of the use of wood and all things natural they bring warmth warmth to any ..."

I found this photo of a cute bathroom. I am a true lover of the use of wood and the natural warmth it bring to any room. But when it comes to bath rooms it’s a no go for me. Life today is crazy enough; we don’t need to be introducing material in a room that adds to our workload. Teak is one of a few woods that can handle the moisture, but to keeping it looking like it does in this picture will take a lot of work. One of my many goals when working with my clients to design their space to be low maintenance so they can enjoy it after a hard day at work, not come to see more work! So when choosing materials for a project make sure that they enhance the space without add to you stress pool!

2010-08-19T15:03:00.000-07:00

I found this photo of a cute bathroom on HGTV. I am a true lover of the use of wood and all things natural they bring warmth warmth to any room. But when it comes to bathrooms it’s a no go for me. Life today is crazy enough; we don’t need to be introducing material in a room that adds to our workload. Teak is one of a few woods that can handle the moisture, but to keeping it looking like it does in this picture will take a lot of work and each year as the finish wears it will take more time. One of my many goals when working with a client is to design their space to be low maintenance so they can enjoy it after a hard day at work, not come to see more work!

So when choosing materials for a project make sure that they enhance the space without add to you stress pool!

2010-08-18T15:51:00.000-07:00

Hello All,
It seems like every week someone ask me what an interior design does or assumes it's just a decorator. Yes I'm a decorator and much more this is a nice over view of what I do for a living written in the Princeton Review. I hope you enjoy it. Feel to let me know if you have any questions or pass this along.
Lori

A Day in the life of a Interior Designer
An interior designer is responsible for the interior design, decoration, and functionality of a client’s space, whether the space is commercial, industrial, or residential. Interior designers work closely with architects and clients to determine the structure of a space, the needs of the occupants, and the style that best suits both. The position is a combination of engineer and artist, and it takes a unique type of mind to handle both of those concepts well. Interior designers have to be good with more than color, fabric, and furniture; interior designers must know materials, have budgeting skills, communicate well, and oversee the ordering, installation, and maintenance of all objects that define a space. They also have to know about electrical capacity, safety, and construction. This broader range of required knowledge distinguishes them from interior decorators. Interior designers have to be able to work with contractors and clients alike, planning and implementing all aesthetic and functional decisions, from faucet handles to miles of carpeting —and all this usually must be done within a fixed budget. Interior designers are hired for their expertise in a variety of styles and approaches, not merely their own personal vision. Therefore, they have to be able to balance their own tastes and their clients’ tastes—and be willing to put their clients’ tastes first. This requirement can be frustrating at first for many who enter the profession. Interior designers are often asked to begin their planning before construction of a space is finished; this means that they must be good at scheduling and comfortable reading blueprints. This element of the job comes as a surprise to many new interior designers, who expect to have less of an administrative and technical role and more of a role in influencing the overall feel and appearance of a space. Those who thrive in the industry say this ability to balance the practical with the aesthetic is crucial to being a successful interior designer. Interior design is hard work, but those who do it well find the work very satisfying.
Paying Your Dues
The academic and professional requirements for most areas of design are fairly general, with the emphasis on portfolio development and professional experience. Interior design, however, has nationally–standardized requirements. Interior designers must have a bachelor’s degree. Employers look favorably on those who have studied engineering, design, and art. Those who want more specific study complete interior design programs. Across the United States and Canada, there are 105 colleges and universities accredited by the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research. Interior designers must also be familiar with federal, state, and local interior design codes (involving such issues as capacity, flammability, and stress levels). To be federally licensed, prospective interior designers must pass the qualification exam given by the National Council for Interior Design. Professional organizations are significant in this field, and many interior designers find it helpful to join one or more of them. To become eligible for membership, one must have completed two to three years of graduate work, worked in the field for two to three years, and passed the federal licensing exam.

Original Post by the Princeton Review
http://www.princetonreview.com/Careers.aspx?cid=82

So You Hate your Beautiful House!

2010-07-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

So you have a beautiful house, all your friends comment on how lovely it looks, so why do you secretly hate your home? It’s simple and it happens more often than you think, your home is all glamor and no functionality.

So how do we prevent this from happening? We are all unique so the first step is; understanding ourselves and our habits. This may sound simpler than it is when you add in the family dynamics, but this analysis is critical to the design process. It should be considered before planning a new home, or renovating a home. Have you ever heard the expression “a job well planned is a job half done” This couldn’t be more accurate when it comes to your residence. The planning stage starts with research about you and your family, not with a space plan.

Maybe you are one of those many people whose charming dwelling is sending your stress levels through the roof. How do you determine this is the cause of all your stress? Take a look around your home is it cluttered? This is one of the most common symptoms. Do you often have headache shortly after arriving home each evening. A dysfunctional home could be the cause. No matter what the issues are, there are often fixes that are not budget breakers, and to figure out these fixes, you just need to step back, analyze your lifestyle to determine how to best modify the home to meet your individual needs.

It is important in our crazy hectic lives that our homes are our safe haven. It is the place to go when retreating from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. We constantly hear how stress is one of the biggest silent killers we face in our lives. Don’t you owe it to yourself to take the initiative to remedy the situation? Good design functionality needs to conform to your distinctive lifestyle; it does not have to be sacrificed for form and splendor.

So does your home serve you and your way of life? Any room that performs well can be made exquisite, but not every dazzling room will work for your daily routine. The bottom line is, you can secretly hate your glamorous home, but the good news is it is fixable.

Eco Friendly Wedding

2010-06-09T07:27:00.000-07:00

I found this article in a newsletter from eart911.com. This is a great website to learn about eco friendly products. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they did a piece on Eco Friendly Weddings. What a great way to help educate others on how easy this process can be. Being eco friendly is almost always better for our personal health so if you don’t care about the environment you should at least do it for your own health. It just feels good to do the right thing and can often save you money.

Here are the hightlight from the article.

1. Put your research hat on, browse the internet, read “The Green Bride Guide” and talk to your vendors for suggestion.

2. Invitations that leave no trace.

a. 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper.

3. Location, Location, Location

a. When choosing a site look for a place that requires the fewest number of people to travel long distances. If the guest list is primary local than stay local.

b. You can also consider eco-friendly lodges or an organic restaurant.

c. You may not find all of these in one local, review which one will make the biggest impact on the environment and go with that as your priority.

d. Where ever you choose embrace the local fair with organic food. Although this may cause you to reconsider the time of year you plan your wedding in the north to get the best options on local produce.

4. The Dress

a. Consider a consignment shop or if Mom still has her dress hidden in a trunk dig it out and try it on, vintage themes can be a big hit at any wedding. If you’re not going with a formal wedding theme and going casual wearing something you already own is just fine.

b. There are also many eco-friendly designers who make wedding and bridesmaid dresses including Conscious Elegance, Conscious Clothing, Gwendolyn Gleason, and Chrissy Wai-ching.

c. Choose a color for your brides maids and let them pick a dress that looks great on them that they can where after your big day.

5. The Flowers & Center Pieces

a. Most Florists will assist you in creating arrangements form local plants and flowers.

b. Also consider plants for table center pieces that your guest can take home as favors.

c. Soy candles are another great option and great to set the mood for a night of love. If your hall restrict candles than consider LED string lights for decoration which use almost no energy and can be reused after the wedding for parties and holiday décor.

6. Gifts Registry

a. Consider “The Green Bride Guide,” it’s an eco-friendly place, but do register for gifts so you’re getting only items you can use.

7. The Honeymoon

a. Check with your travel agent for eco friendly packages,

b. Or plan a trip on your bike with a small back pack traveling across Europe or the US going from inn to inn and seeing the local sites. Or maybe a hiking and some camping. This is good for both you and the environment.

For the complete article go to: http://earth911.com/news/2010/05/31/green-wedding-101/

Rain , rain go away!

2010-03-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Well maybe not, as a former white water paddler rain make for a great spring for paddling. A great opportunity to get a little exercise and enjoy what Mother Nature has given us. Isn’t funny how much we all complain about the rain? I will agree it would be nice if we could control when it come and in what quantities it comes in, and yet if it does not come we are still complaining how we need the rain. So I’m making a new resolution to enjoy each day for what it brings. To be thankful for the wells that are being replenished with the rain, the fact I do not have to go out and water my gardens and most of all to be grateful to have clean water to drink. I am also happy to see many paddling friends enjoying a little fun out on the rivers.

This time of year the rain brings spring flowers, and if your gardens aren’t pushing peddles and budding up it will be soon. Of course that’s assuming you have a garden. Now is the time to look at what you’ve got and plan what you need to make next year’s spring garden all it can be. I recommend creating a garden journal it's a great tool to use for good garden designing. Buy a note book with graph paper pages. This allows you to easily sketch up your gardens to scale and locate what you have in your gardens. Label what you have for plants your plans and list it on the side of you sketch what the plants are. Look at where you could use additional color and texture. Do this in the spring, again in the summer and one last time in the fall. Creating a gardening journal will help with the planning process to creating a beautiful garden? Best of all if you’re not into white water paddling garden designing is an enjoyable project for a rainy day.

ABC Reports on Chemicals found in everyday products!

2010-03-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

Check out this news report on the dangers of everyday product we use at home and work, and even worse that we let our kids play with! After years of research on how detrimental these chemicals are for our health the government with a little help from some of the more responsible chemical manufactures are looking to make some changes.

This is a quote from the report from ABC News story, "Chemicals In Toys, Furniture May Face Tighter Standards"

'"Products on American store shelves now contain a whopping 89,000 chemicals, with a core group of 3,000 making up about 95 percent of the chemicals in use. Some of these chemicals have been proven in studies to increase the risk of cancer, neurological disorders or reproductive defects. Mercury, for example, used to make button-sized batteries, can damage neurological development in fetuses and children. Asbestos, used in home insulation and brakes, among others, can cause cancer.

Yet the Environmental Protection Agency, which has primary responsibility in this area, is virtually powerless to regulate these chemicals."

Hopeful this will be the beginning of regulations that will protect from product which can be harmful to our health.

Read the full report at:

http://abcnews.go.com/Business/chemicals-toys-furniture-face-tighter-testing/story?id=9875081

Also make sure your Senators are planning to support a bill to restrict the use of many of these chemicals.

http://www.ewg.org/kid-safe-chemicals-act-blog/2010/02/senate-investigates-chemicals-in-people/

21 Ways to make life better for all!

2009-11-11T16:34:00.000-08:00

ONE: Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO: Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
THREE: Don’t believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.
FOUR: When you say, 'I love you,' mean it.
FIVE: When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.
SIX: Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
SEVEN: Believe in love at first sight.
EIGHT: Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
NINE: Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it’s the only way to live life completely.
TEN: In disagreements, fight fairly.. No name calling.
ELEVEN: Don’t judge people by their relatives.
TWELVE: Talk slowly but think quickly.
THIRTEEN: When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'
FOURTEEN: Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
FIFTEEN: Say ‘bless you' when you hear someone sneeze.
SIXTEEN: When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
SEVENTEEN: Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
EIGHTEEN: Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
NINETEEN: When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
TWENTY: Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice
TWENTY- ONE: Spend some time alone.

Maine Recyling at it's Best

2009-11-03T15:07:00.000-08:00

As an Interior Designer I prefer to use green products that are not detrimental to the environment or those of us living in these environments. Recently while reading my newsletter from New England Home magazine I came across an article on Downeast Doormats which I want to share with you. These mats are great, they are beautiful, colorful, practical, durable, and best of all they are made of 100% recycled materials.

I am sure many of you have heard about the relatively new law which requires all of Maine's Lobestermen to replace all of their floating lines used to tether their traps with sinking line. The law is in response to a problem with whales getting entangled in these lines, the new sinking line which is being mandated is to protect the whale from entanglement. The state of Maine in conjunction with the Maine Float Rope Company is collecting this rope in an effort to diverting thousands of tons from heading to the Maine landfills and use it to create these great mats.

This is the type of product we all need to support, diverting waste from our landfills is one of the easiest things we can do to help the environment. Purchasing these mats make great holiday gift for anyone. They will help keep dirt out of our homes and offices which will increase the longevity of our existing floor, which will than help prevent them from landing in our landfill so quickly. This will save you money over time so you can see this is a win-win situation for all. I understand this is a major inconvenience for our Lobestermen, so I want to thank them for their efforts in saving the whales. It is great to learn that this law was not implemented without any thought, and I think in the long run we will all be better off for it.

For more information or to purchase a mat check out Maine Float Rope. If you have any great success stories on recycling or a green product please feel free to share so we can motivate other to live a greener life!

How Would You Fix the Economy!

2009-09-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

This is from an article in the St. Petersburg Times Newspaper on Sunday.. The Business Section asked readers for ideas on "How Would You Fix the Economy?" I think this guy nailed it!

Dear Mr. President,
Please find below my suggestion for fixing America's economy. Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the> money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan. You can call it the Patriotic Retirement Plan:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force. Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed..

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR. Forty million cars ordered - Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage - Housing Crisis fixed. It can't get any easier than that!

P.S. If more money is needed, have all members in Congress and their constituents pay their taxes...

Beging a strong believer in the KISS method(keep it simple stupid) I have to admit when I recieved this idea in an email I really enjoyed it. This doesn't have much to do with design, but if it worked we'd all have alot more money to spend to create healthier spaces to live in!

Enjoy!

Correction of the ”Gutta Serti Method”

2009-07-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

In last week’s House and Garden Tour blog I spoke a bit about House #2 on the tour, home of David & Sue Atwater, and her beautifully painted silk. I need to correct an error in that blog. The art of painting silk is an ancient process, but the method used by this artist Sue Atwater is called “gutta serti method”. It was revived in France in the 1960s, originally developed by Russian immigrants of the Tsars family who dispersed throughout Europe during the Bolshevik Revolution. Many of the family members were known to have landed in Paris, France in the 1920s. They brought with them their secrets of silk painting and a substance called Gutta. Gutta is a form of clear rubber used on the silk to create crisp images. It was the French’s love for this stunning hand painted silk which caused them to revolutionize the process by the 1960’s.
Gutta Serti Method of hand painting may have revolutionized the process, but the beauty comes from the artist’s natural talents and design ability.

The first step after the artist has created their design is to start the process with the gutta resist. The resist is painstakenly applied to the fabric to ensure the dies do not bleed into each other. Next, using the most delicate brushes the artist design is carefully painted onto the silk with the background being applied last. Once the artist starts the painting process it needs to be completed or hard unwanted lines will be created where the dyes dry between paintings. Did I mention that all these dyes are carefully hand mixed ahead of time to create just the right colors for each design? The painting is complete and the dyes have dried, the silk is wrapped between two pieces of clean newsprint. The silk and paper are rolled onto a wooden dowel, sealed with parchment and steamed over boiling water for 4 hours. Finally the silk is unwrapped and aged anywhere from overnight to a week; this sets the dye colors into the silk. Once the setting of the dye is complete the silk is framed into art or sewn into articles of apparel, or beautiful pillows. Although the process may be tedious the end result is some of the most beautiful silks you can image.

Artist Sue Atwater’s patience, eye and creativity for good design and her enormous talent as a painter makes her a true master of the “gutta serti method”. We are so truly fortunate to have this caliber artist live amongst us here in rural Maine.

Miles Memorial Hospital House Garden Tour Designer Critic

2009-07-12T18:15:00.000-07:00

On Thursday July 9th, was the Annual House and garden tour, I had paid my $25.00 donation so I could see these beautiful homes and garden. Getting a late start due to needing to finalize some work before I could allow myself an afternoon off, around 2:00 I finally loaded myself into the car with ticket in hand and literally raced around town, so I could see all nine houses before the tour closed at 4:30. I started in the order that the homes were layout out in the brochure, which also seconded as a ticket.
It was a beautiful sunny day as I arrived at the first home, which was an 11 acre parcels loaded with color and great sculptures. I was greeted at the top of the driveway by the hostess waiting to mark my ticket and the owner of the home. I introduced myself an immediately asked the owner who did the great sculptures? It wasn’t something you’d except to see at a small rural home in Nobleboro. Come to find out the artist was the owner himself. I assumed he was a professional artist, but it turns out he was nothing more than a hobbyist with a lot of talent. Who knows maybe I just uncovered one of Maine’s next hidden secret talents. How exciting would that be?
Now already running late I choice not to go to house two as I know the owner and had seen their home several time before. Plus I was hoping to sneak it in at the end of the tour; most so I could look at the owner hand died silk designs created into wall hangings and scarves. She uses an ancient Japanese process which name escapes me at the moment. Pieces of art not like anything you’d see locally hear in Maine.
The new old home, this is a great example of what you can do with recycling. This home was about twenty five years old with the charm of a mid 1800’s farm house. Built with rescued beams, raised paneling these folk reproduces an old farm house from bits and pieces. This also include some beautiful gardens.
On to the next a late 1800’s farm nicely preserved with the owner displaying a beautiful collections of antique hooked rugs. The gardens where a group of boarder gardens with many of the plant in keeping with the date of the home, with a few extra for color, all in all quite charming. But no time to dilly dally off to the next.
This cute, yet surprisingly not so little ranch when you got inside became instantly known for its two large walk in close , which were well designed and organized. I mean what women wouldn’t want a 6’x8’ walk in closet just for shoes and purses and this was much small than the clothes closet. It was surely the envy of every woman on the tour. Unfortunately what everyone was missing was the simple elegance and livability this home displayed. So often on these tour you see home fill with art and antique it feel more like a museums than a home.
As I press on the last three homes require a shuttle. It’s now after 3:00 pm and I’m getting nervous I might not get them in. But I park my car load the shuttle and off I go. I was greeted as I was at most of these homes by fellow Rotarian on parking lot duties. I have to give hat off to these Rotarian who volunteer to assist year after year who make this fundraiser a great success for Miles Memorial Hospital. Without their assistance it would be almost impossible to get in and see some of these homes as the traffic would be crazy, not to mention the safety issues due to locations of the home. So Thanks you Damariscotta/Newcastle Rotary for a job well done. But back to Phil who greeted me with a smile and asked if I’d been here before. No I responded and still smiling he said you’re going to like this one. As I walked down the driveway to the house thru a small gate into a small garden before entering the house, thought know Phil is an engineer so this home will be formal and well organized home. Engineer are either very organized or the total opposite in my experience. And after all this house is on a house and garden tour so it couldn’t be the later. I’m once again I’m greeted by the hostess and shuffled off to the right with instruction on how to get around the house. The first thing to grab my attentions is a red glass shoe holding long stemmed whimsical flower and that was just the beginning. As I continued through the house it was like a trip through Alice and Wonderland with bright colored fabrics and whimsical art everywhere. Spiraling through the finished basement out to the back yard and into gardens and up to the decks it was nonstop fun. As I came out from the back of the house and saw Phil I just laughed and told him was right I love the house. I didn’t have the heart to tell him after his comment I expected to see something much more boring. Sorry Phil, I won’t let it happen again! The van shuttled had stopped, but Miles coordinators were continuing the shuttle in their own vehicles for us last few stragglers.
So once again onto the next! What a surprise and delight when right down the street is another house with its own version of whimsy and color. Yet not over done but just plain fun! Life is far too short not to enjoy it and these last two home owners certainly had it mastered. Keep up the good work Ladies I loved your homes. They were fun yet very livable, great for the mental health after a stressful day at work.
Now finally for the last home on the tour, hostess still smiley and the owner still cordial as the last few visitors stroll though there home. A small home with the attached barn nicely converted into living small to double the size of the home with a beautiful sun room off the backside. Looking like a great place to kick back and relax after a long day of smiling and talking to strangers.
I didn’t make it back to house two, but that was ok as I had seen it several times. It was a great way to spend an afternoon. It was a great cause to support and a very well put together fundraiser. Besides what designer wouldn’t enjoy sneak preview of other homes in the neighborhoods! I look forward to doing it again next year!

Slugs, Slugs and More Slugs, All in My Garden.

2009-06-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

Here in Maine it has rained almost every day of the month of June and the slugs are devouring plants in gardens across the state including my own! What do you do? Well that’s easy, what any good Mainer would do, offer them a drink. Like many of us human’s slugs love beer! So how do you serve a slug beer? That’s easy, gather up a few empty tuna cans without the tops on them and put them in the dirt near your plants. Make the top of the rim flush with the ground. It wouldn’t be nice to make it difficult to for our little friends to get their drink would it? Now fill the cans with beer.

Slugs are a bit slow, and maybe a bit shy about drinking in front of strangers so leave them there for the night and check in on them in the morning. You will be surprised to see how many of them were thirsty. More importantly, that fact almost all slugs enjoy a good private Beer Fest. The great thing about this for you and me is slugs cannot hold their liquor, and if their drinking they are not eating our plants. Actually, you will see they are quit sociable amongst themselves and actually drink themselves to death. This is bad for the poor little slug, but very good news for the plants!

So share a little beer with your slugs, PBR or a Bud is fine! No sense in wasting a good Carrabbassett or a Shipyard on these little guys, their taste buds are not that refined! Just think this is one garden party your neighbors won’t complain about you have!

So the moral to this story is being kind to all others it pays off in the long run.

Maine Certified Interior Designer

2009-06-26T14:40:00.000-07:00

New rules passed by the legislature effecting Architects, Landscape Architects and Interior Designers.

3 Jun 2009 ... A certified interior designer shall display the legend “Maine Certified Interior ... certified interior designer for Maine-located projects. This title must be on all business cards, corispondance and promotional materials these three disipline create.

Architects="Maine Licensed Architect"
Landscape Architects = "Maine Licensed Landscape Architect"

New Rule for futher information:
http://www.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/architects/pdf/NewRulesLegend.pdf

Demystifying Feng Shui

2009-05-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

So many Americans have little or no knowledge of Feng Shui. It is the Asian art of placement so energy, or better known as chi, is allowed to comfortably move about. Many American have a difficult time understanding or believing this energy exists, you can’t see it. Lets look at the human body as an example, blood run through our veins within body and is circulated through the heart, but what makes the heart pump. Each and every one of us has a similar energy to chi running though our body. We cannot see it, if we do not eat we can feel the energy slow us down. Chi is an energy that is in the environment all around us. Energy works in the environment very similar to how it works within our body. You cannot see it, but it affects how we feel and how we act at times.

The art of Feng Shui is very complicated it but let’s take a look at it from a very simplified perspective on how it works with our homes. You may not believe as many Feng Shui practitioners do, that there is good energy and bad energy in your home, but lets look at some of the simpler thing you should do to achieve good Feng Shui and why from a westerner view they are good design. First look at where you place a house along a road. It is bad Feng Shui to build a home on an outside corner on a road because it forces bad chi towards your home. I would say this is bad design from my western perspective because if a vehicle is traveling too fast down the road and cannot make the corner there is a good chance it will come through the wall of your house. We all know of a few of these homes in your town. So you can see the bad chi in this situation. Feng Shui like good design practices has a way to fix this bad chi by building some type of protection like a stone wall or a row of tree to prevent the house from being hit or damaged. By building this wall or screening you have diverted the bad chi from coming at your house or diverted the cars energy from hitting the house. Now you can see that Feng Shui is really just good common since design when looking at it in its simplest form.

Let look at another example with in your home know. It is bad Feng Shui to line up the front door with the bad door. The good chi or energy move in one door and straight out the back door. Looking at this from a design perspective you’ve divided your home into two pieces and created a throughway straight through your home or a wind tunnel if both doors are open. Good design would have you meandering through your home to enjoy it not beline through it.

These are just a couple simple example that points out this ancient art of Fung Shui, is really good design practices. that takes into account both the phyical and phycological aspects of design.

Spring Projects: Low cost, Big results

2009-04-14T13:40:00.000-07:00

In this economic down swing when stress is running amuck in everyone’s lives, now is a time to look around your home and office to see what can be changed to reduce stress. One great place to start is with clutter. Living and working in a space full of clutter is enough to make your head spin, not to mention that it’s bad Feng Shui. Clutter has an extremely negative effect on people in general. Removing clutter from a space and organizing it is like lifting a burden off your shoulder. So, start this spring doing a little organizing and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment. Not sure where to put all that junk? Find creative ways to add storage to your space, such as by using an ottoman that doubles as a trunk, or building a bench with drawers that hide kids’ toys.
One you’re organized and can see the walls and floor again, consider giving the room a face lift. It gives things a clean fresh look, but it’s also an opportunity to add to the calming effect you’ve created by removing clutter. Paint is an inexpensive way to change the mood of a room for the better. Light shades of green are great for reducing stress. Other light colors coming from nature can have a similar effect, and neutrals go great with virtually any furnishings. Beware of using bright colors that can over stimulate the brain, such as reds. The goal here is to reduce stress, not add to it.
So what are you waiting for? Go make this year’s spring project one that will improve your quality of life!

The Lady’s Room Consignment Boutique: Chapter Two

2009-04-05T16:58:00.001-07:00

About one year ago I took a business class to assist me in setting up my new interior design consulting firm. During the process I met an amassing group of women all looking to succeed in making dreams come true by starting and maintaining successful businesses. This is where I meet Pam Olson, owner of The Lady’s Room. At that time in early 2008, the store was only a pipe dream. After getting to know Pam, she asked if I could take a look at the space she had leased and give her some ideas. We quickly put some plans together, added some color, and in April 2008 she opened up for business. In late January this year, Pam contacted me and informed me that she was out of space and wanted to move to a bigger location with more pedestrian traffic. So off we went again. Taking part in the process from the start this time around, I had the opportunity do some quick calculations. We made sure she had enough space to display her wares with a little growth space to boot. Having the space we needed allowed us to create a much more inviting atmosphere. My partner always tells me a project half planned is a project half done. On the second go around with The Lady’s Room, this proved to be true. Good design can make or break the success of a new business, especially in the case of retail. I would like to thank Pam for trusting me with the design of her new space and I wish Pam the best of success in her new location!

10 Myths About Sustainability

2009-03-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite website sites for good common cents green design is Low Impact Living. This week is a great article on the 10 Myths About Sustainability. Check out the full article which explains each of the 10 myths at http://www.lowimpactliving.com/blog/2009/03/20/10-myths-about-sustainability/.

10 Myths About Sustainability.

Myth 1: Nobody knows what sustainability really means.
Myth 2: Sustainability is all about the environment
Myth 3: “Sustainable” is a synonym for “green”
Myth 4: It’s all about recycling
Myth 5: Sustainability is too expensive
Myth 6: Sustainability means lowering our standard of living
Myth 7: Consumer choices and grassroots activism, not government intervention, offer the fastest, most efficient routes to sustainability
Myth 8: New technology is always the answer
Myth 9: Sustainability is ultimately a population problem
Myth 10: Once you understand the concept, living sustainably is a breeze to figure out.

IIDA Notes: Why Does the Interior Design Profession Need to be legislated? An Architect's View

2009-03-10T15:16:00.000-07:00

In this day and age many do not understand the need of the licensed interior designer. This editorial I come across in an Interior Sources newsletter is one of the best explanations I’ve read recently!

Here the link so you can judge for yourself:

IIDA Notes: Why Does the Interior Design Profession Need to be legislated? An Architect's View

http://www.interiorsandsources.com/ArticleDetails/tabid/3339/ArticleID/6900/Default.aspx?utm_source=MagnetMail&utm_medium=eNewsletters&utm_term=lwhite.inex@gmail.com&utm_content=DesignFlash%20-%2003.10.09&utm_campaign=ASID%20to%20Address%20Legislative%20Priorities%20for%202009

Five Reasons to go Green in Your Home or Office:

2008-11-06T04:18:00.000-08:00

Reason #1: Going green costing more is only a myth. There are lots of green products that can make your home or office greener with out adding more costs to your project. Replacing old floor or cabinets with a new bamboo product costs the same as other options and is made from a quickly renewable natural resource. You can also shop Craig’s list or antique shops for good used products, refurbish them and make them part of your new design. This is a great idea for those of you who enjoy the eclectic look. Reusing items is great for the environment and can save you money!

Reason #2: Think about your kids and their kids and future generations. If we all continue to want everything we own to be new and never recycle, we will we eventually run out of space in our landfills, contaminating water, soil, and air with the byproducts of what we dispose. Also, none of us want to live near a land fill due to the smell and risk of what it might be doing to our ground water supply. We risk running out of land for recreation such as hiking, camping, and hunting as our land fills continue to grow out of control.

Reason #3: Being more energy efficient actually saves you money. If you use less you spend less. If you buy energy efficient lighting and appliances you will save money on your electric bill. With the money you save, you can add new energy technologies such as solar panels for electricity or hot water, which increases your long term savings. A house is a long term investment; the more you put into the energy efficiencies of the building, the more you save in energy costs and increase the resale value for your property. It is a win-win situation.

Reason #4: Upfront cost versus long term cost: We all want to save money today, but so often when we do it costs us more money in the long run. Some green products do cost slightly more than other products, but if you have allergies, lung or heart disease, the pennies you save on a gallon of paint are less than what you will be paying in co-payments at the doctors office. Products that admit high levels of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) put you at higher risk for illnesses. See Wikipedia for addition information on VOC’s: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound#Environmental_effects

Reason #5: The bottom line is it’s just good for your health! Eliminating VOCs from businesses and homes lowers our risk of becoming ill. There just isn’t anything better in life than good heath. Schools have been slowly going green for years as studies have shown that children learn better, have less absenteeism and reduced lawsuits from parents for cases of sick building syndrome.

Check out the Top 5 Environmentally Friendly Innovations for the Modern Homes by Popular Mechanic’s Magazine. (http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/earth/4212727.html)

Designing for the Aging Population:

2008-09-07T05:44:00.000-07:00

As a designer, I know and have seen just how important it is to design for the aging. What amazes me is how little attention is given to it from the general public. How disconcerting it can become to families who are confronted with an unexpected turn of health with a close family member or friend. This is a result of reactive planning which rarely produces satisfactory results for the individual who is no longer able live on their own. I had a taste of this myself this summer when my father unexpectedly fell ill. I am luckier than most, as my father is on a path to recovery, but that wasn’t expected when he first became ill.

As with our healthcare in general, it is always better to be proactive instead reactive, leaving this job to our children and friends, or even worse, total stranger. When left till the last minute, we have a tendency to look at just the physical needs of an aging body and none of the physiological or social aspects of our lives.

We of the baby bloomer generation should all be taking a hard look at our lives and realizing that we may or may not have our health for many more years. We are at the age when our friends are beginning to leave this world and we read the obituaries to keep track of them. This is the time to look at our social circles, new and old, think about how we want to spend our final years, and prepare for those days both physically and mentally. Growing old isn’t a bad thing, but as with everything else in life it requires good planning.

We should be positioning ourselves in homes that can accommodate our physical needs whether we’re mobile or not. We need to locate ourselves around those we are closest to, be that family or friends. Studies have shown that those of us with a minimum of ten close contacts will have better metal health in their latter years. So take a good look at whom you would like spend your time with. If you don’t have at least ten close contacts, find a group you can join. Volunteer where you can make friends and enjoy your life and share that joy with others so that they too can enjoy life. Act now: don’t wait until you can’t get around anymore.

As a designer, I’ve learned how critical universal design is to our society. When we design today to meet the needs of all, no matter what those needs are, we are designing to meet our own future needs. Planning ahead allows us the freedom to live our lives how we want to live them, rather than how someone else thinks is best for us. So take control of your destiny: you will be glad you made the effort.

Women Power

2008-04-30T18:41:00.001-07:00

Women Power

It’s truly amazing, maybe even a bit scary, what a group of women can do when they put their heads together! The Lady’s Room Consignment Boutique is a great example. Located on the corner of route 27 and River Road in Boothbay, The Lady’s Room is the brainstorm of Pam Olson of Boothbay. Armed with the knowledge that about 80% of all new business fail, Pam set her goals on being in the 20% success group. To ensure that this goal was met, Pam applied and was accepted in to the New Ventures program, which is sponsored by Women, Work, and Community. The course covers all the nuts and bolts of owning and operating your own business. Eola Ball of Newcastle is the instructor and positive energy of the class.

Pam, along with 14 other students of New Venture looking to be successful in their new businesses, began the tedious process of writing their business plans, doing market research, and gaining great networking opportunity. It wasn’t long before Pam and her fellow classmates realized how their different disciplines could be of service to one another. It first started with fellow classmate Lori White of InEx Interior Design volunteering to help create the store atmosphere and working out the spatial planning of the boutique. From there Artist/Muralist Carole MacDonald was asked if she could assist with some faux finishes to give the space a fresh new look. Sarah Szwajkos of Damn Rabbit Studios specializing in interior photography photographed the boutique’s interior. On opening day Alice Merry of Alice’s Sleep Ezzzzz Pillow Covers came armed with coffee and donuts along with pillows for a seating arrangement. This group of New Venture women, along with several close friends of Pam’s from the Boothbay region who assisted with lots of moral support, curtains, flowers, pricing, and tagging of women’s clothing, created an awesome team of “Women Power”.

The shop officially opened on April 24th . The boutique offers new and “gentle used” unique women’s clothing, jewelry, shoes, handbags, and accessories. Pam offers free consultation of wardrobe assembly for anyone wanting assistance and new consignors are welcome. It’s sure to be a great asset to the Boothbay region. A grand opening is planned for Friday May 9th from 4 to 7 pm, featuring “The Art of Dressing” with local women showcasing the unique apparel that makes up the The Lady’s Room. All are invited to experience this collaborative work of local women.

The contact information for the The Lady’s Room and Pam is 207-633-4555, for Interior Designer Lori White is 207-215-7872. Artist/Muralist Carole MacDonald 207-832-7857, Sarah Szwajkos photographer 207-232-8541, Alice Merry 207-882-7733. Additional information on the New Ventures program can be found online at http://www.womenworkandcommunity.org/

Blooming Color!

2008-04-02T04:30:00.001-07:00

The joys of spring are here, the days are longer, the temperature is rising and Mainers are moving out of their winter hibernation. It's time to get out in the yard and do a little work. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a garden slowly peek out of the earths thawing surface. Little by little the snowdrops and crocus appear with a burst of color, signs that more is to come. Soon after the sunny warmth of the daffodil pop their little heads out and the rainbow of color from tulips, phlox and other spring plants splatter our landscapes. All the while the green of summer and fall perennials fill in the vacant gaps with texture, color and dimension to bring a more mature appearance to our gardens. Our gardens will be enjoyed throughout the remainder of our short growing season. But why is it so many of us plant our garden for the neighbor to see and we have minimal views of them for ourselves? Lovely border gardens that surround our homes are so often hidden from our view within the home. Seeing our gardens requires us to leave the security of our air conditioned home to remove those unwanted weed that seem to go on a rampage as we hide from the heat or worst yet the black fly! Some who live for their gardens have figured out that those charming gardens around the foundation may hide the undesirable concrete strip between the ground and the siding, can not enjoy it from with in their home.

Maybe this is the summer to add a new garden where you can enjoy its blooming color in all it’s glory. Or maybe its time to create an outdoor living space that will get you outside enjoying the fresh sweet scent of spring & summer! A screen room addition will bring you out into the fresh air and protect you from the herds of the black flies that many of us are raising in our backyards.

While you’re adding your new garden, keep in mind its winter design. There are many plants that create great shapes and forms to add interest to your back yard during those snowy months of the year, making your newly designed garden a year round treat! I know you don’t want to think about winter so early in the spring, but now’s the time to plan ahead.

For now start by creating a space you can enjoy during our wonderful Maine summer and enjoy your existing garden as the process of spring sets those lovely little gems in motion for burst of color! Happy Gardening!

Winter Garden

Designer vs. Decorator?

2008-03-27T17:01:00.000-07:00

Today these terms are often used interchangeably, but don’t be confused because there are differences. A decorator typically lives in the "Color Me Beautiful World" of paint, wallpaper, furniture and color; many were born with great taste but have not been professionally trained. An Interior Designer knows color, but has learned to digs deeper into the space and apply the concept of form follows function. To determine which is better for you, determine what you want from the professional. Do you just want to freshen up the look of your home or office? If this is the case you can call either one, but get references. I’m a strong believer in references because this is where you find out if the professional is trustworthy. Interview them and ask around town to find out what people are saying about the professional you are planning to hire before you sign a contact. Be comfortable that they can offer you what you need. If you are looking to do a more drastic renovation of space along with you face lift, this is a time to look for an Interior Designer. The reason for this is simple. They having been trained in space planning, they understand state and local codes which could effect your project and they understand the health safety and welfare issues and know how bad design can affect the well being of those using the space. Don’t assume that because a professional calls themself an Interior Designer that they have this more in-depth training. Many decorators like the term designer, but don’t have the training or the background to do these larger projects. The other term you may also run into is "Interior Architect". This is a term created by today’s higher educational system to make a distinction between the terms interior designer and interior decorator. An Interior Architect, after completing college, will typically have the same certification as an interior designer. That being said, check to see if your state certifies Interior Designers. If not check to see if the interior designer you’re planning to hire is a certificate holder of the "National Council of Interior Design Qualification" (NCIDQ). This will be a good indication you’ve found a qualified designer. But don’t stop here. It is still recommended to review portfolio’s and get references. None of us want to create a room for an aging relative and find out the beautiful drapes that were specified don’t meet flammability codes and have gone up in flames when a friend who smokes came to visit! Check out the following websites for more information on designer qualifications.
http://www.ncidq.org/
http://www.asid.org/
www.iida.org/
Check out my website for additional links to the State of Maine and their certification of Interior Designers in the State of Maine.
http://www.inexinteriordesign.com/Website/web-content/Pages/Links.html