Not your ordinary designer

My friend, Walter, asked me to speak on his NPR program in the Catskills .  In his introduction, he described me as "an Interior Design who has designs on your interior."  He had a way with words! You might think that an odd thing to say.  Although I was in New York working on a design job, Walter was more interested in my other work - researching reincarnation and spiritual growth.

Interior Design was and is a great training ground for my favorite avocation because learning to trust my intuition about my clients and my jobs is essential to my success.  That was never more evident than when I worked on a model in Estero, FL.  I was very sensitive to the energy of the property and the building. The designs for the model came together organically.  Every detail moved in to place like pieces of a puzzle, including a portrait of Thomas Jefferson for the Study.  My assistant hated the portrait but something told me to use it anyway.  The model was sold before I finished it and a meeting with the new owners enlightened me as to why the portrait was important. I shared the files of furniture, wallpaper, finishes, window treatments and, of course,  artwork with the client. When I got to the portrait of Jefferson, the client told me that he was born on Jefferson's birthday, April 13.  Even more interesting, that very day was April 13th.  I knew these were more than coincidences.

For me, interior design is more than creating beautiful spaces; it is also about the relationships we create.  People touch our lives for a reason. If we can be "open" to that purpose, the process is magical.  Sometimes, that purpose goes beyond the obvious - like my experience with Peter, who asked me to help him with the Feng Shui energy of his home.  The real purpose of the meeting was to make the connection between Peter and his deceased friend,who we lovingly call "Clarence" because of a promise Peter's friend made to Peter before he died. Clarence wanted to let Peter know that we do not die.

While I do love to create beauty, what I really love is creating spaces where love grows.  I think that's what Walter meant when he called me an Interior Designer who has designs on your interior.

Just as we all have a unique style of decorating, we all have a unique path of spiritual growth.  It's fascinating creating different styles and honoring different paths.

It IS easier to be GREEN!

Two things happened recently that reminded me how much easier it is to be "green."  You know, as in environmentally friendly.

1.  My client, who suffers from Environmental Illness/Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, needed new carpeting for her Family Room.  Not to worry because now most carpet manufacturers use products and production methods that do not "outgas" VOCs (volital organic compounds).  I chose just such a carpet for my client but just to be safe, I had the installer air out the carpet from its plastic wrapper for several days and, then, I also cleaned the carpet with a carpet shampoo* designed for people who are chemically sensitive BEFORE we even installed the carpet.  That's right, I said before the carpet was installed.  This easy two-step process allowed any residue chemicals to evaporate before going in to my clients home.  After the carpet was installed, a Hepa filter air purifier extracted the rest.  End result:  a beautiful new room that my client can enjoy!

Thank you, Rosson & Young, for working with me to create the best possible solution.

2.  I answered an inquiry phone call.  The caller wanted to know what we recommend for upholstery cleaning for a fabric with an "S" code.  (S usually means to clean with a water-free cleaning solvent.) As we talked about possible choices, I discovered that she is also sensitive to chemicals. I suggested the same product above, which can be used on upholstery.



Safe Choice Carpet Shampoo

*SafeChoice Carpet Shampoo by AFM is my choice for carpet & upholstery cleaning.

Little did I know when I became sensitive to chemicals about fifteen years ago that I would be in a position to help others.  Determined to make "lemonade out of lemons," I studied Environmental Design and connected wih some really great people, like HealthyHome.com and NatureNeutral.

Now, it's my turn to pay it forward and say "Thanks" to all the folks who have helped me along the way and share the information with others who want to create a healthy environment.  Yes, Kermet, it is easy to be green!

Goldilocks and the three chairs

Shopping for furniture is no fairy tale but it often reminds me of the one about Goldilocks.  Size is one thing but style is another aspect of finding the right chair.  "This one is too big.  This one is too small.  That one is too formal.  That one is too casual and that one is just too-too."  In addition, there is the "warm and fuzzy" feeling.

Here are a few things I look for when helping a client choose the right chair - or sofa:

1.      Inside seat depth should not be too short or too deep.  It is easy to determine - check where the front edge of the seat meets the back of the knee.  A seat that is too deep and you look like Lily Tomlin's "Edith Ann."  A seat that is too short and you look as if you are ready to jump out of the seat.

2.      Outside seat height should not be too short or too tall.  Do your feet touch the floor?  Do your knees point upward?  Is it the seat height or the seat depth that is causing a problem?

3.      The pitch (angle) of the back of the chair:  Some people like to sit straight up; others like to slouch.  Everyone's comfort level is different.  The older we get the more back support we need.

4.      Arm height is important if you read or do hand work in your chair and, especially if you have difficulty getting out of a chair due to an injury or the aging process.

5.      Back height:  Do you like to rest your head back or do you like to rest your arm on the back cushion?  Are you very tall or very short? 

6.      Exception to the rule-of-thumb:  I also ask my client "How do you really sit in a chair (or sofa)?" knowing that today's culture is very different from what it was years ago.  Sometimes the answer to that question alters the advice given in #s 1-5.

Style is another matter and a very personal one, which I will address next time.  What I will say here is that a personal preference for or against a style is often emotionally or psychologically charged.  That is a good lead in to the "warm and fuzzy" feeling.  When you happen upon the chair that feels good, it makes you smile like Goldilocks and you know "This one is just right!"

Your favorite place to sit is probably the second most important piece of furniture that you will buy. (In case you are wondering, your bed is the most important piece of furniture - more about that later.)  It is worth investing in what works for you.  Cut corners somewhere else but do not short-change yourself when it comes to your chair (or sofa) - your body will thank you in the end (no pun intended).

Move over Barefoot Contessa!

The principles of good design can be applied to any aspect of life - even cooking.  The perfect combination of ingredients - whether furniture & fabrics or flour & flavorings - can create a little magic in your life.

Last December, I discovered the Barefoot Contessa's Blue Cheese and Walnut Crackers and filled my kitchen & goody boxes with wondrous smells & flavors.  I also discovered a recipe for Lavender Cookies which was a disaster until I tweeked it.  Just as I like to mix styles of furniture, I found that by mixing these two recipes, I could create a Kookie recipe that even the Contessa would like.

The basic recipe is very simple:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
 
1 cup Unsalted Butter (I prefer Land of Lakes.) melted
1 cup sugar
1 cup self-rising flour
1 egg

Now, here's where you can creative!  For my Bleu Cheese & Walnut Kookies:

add 4 tablespoons  Bleu Cheese to the batter (more or less - to taste)

Spoon 1 soup spoon full of batter into a buttered muffin tin (I prefer my medium grey muffin tin rather than the dark one.) Smooth the batter out in the muffin tin.

Chop walnuts (I prefer a rough cut) & top the batter with the walnuts

Cook for 15-18 minutes until the edges of the Kookies are golden brown.
Let the Kookies cool for about 10 minutes and then take them out of the muffin tin and place them on a cooling rack or, better yet, right into your mouth.  The Kookies will have a crunchy outer edge and a chewy inside and the buttery taste will melt in your mouth.  Enjoy!

The same basic recipe works well with other flavors.  I made Lavender Kookies, Lemon Kookies, Sesame Kookies and can hardly wait to design a new flavor.  And just like designing a home, you can also create the Kookie that's perfect for you!

Design Tip #1 - Does it fit?

Avoid costly mistakes by space planning.  It only takes a few minutes to do and several furniture manufacturers offer "Room Planners" to help you.  They really are easy to use even if you're not great on the computer.  Manufacturers offer templates for their products but also for "generic" furniture and, of course, architectural and structural details - all of which you can re-size. 

These are also great tools when you are considering buying a new home.  Will your furniture fit in to the rooms?  Don't forget to leave room for pathways around furniture, especially in the Dining Room. 

Here are links to a few that I use:

STICKLEY FURNITURE  http://stickley.com/RoomPlanner.cfm

If you have trouble "visualizing" what something will look like as a finished product in specific fabrics, go to DREXEL HERITAGE'S site and have fun:
http://www.drexelheritage.com/About-Drexel-Heritage/Room-Planner.aspx

HICKORY CHAIR  also offers customization on many of their casegood (wood products)
http://www.hickorychair.com/Design-Resources/Default.aspx?ID=27

"Measure twice cut once" makes a lot of sense.  As always, if you are challenged even with these tools, contact me and save yourself a lot of time, energy, frustration and money.

4 Quick Tips for Spring Cleaning

If you are in the mood to do a little spring cleaning, here are 4 tips to help you:

• AFM Cleaning Products - great for people have asthma, allergies and/or who are chemically sensitive (like me).  NatureNeutral in Charlottesville, VA offers AFM as well as other eco-friendly products.  I use AFM's SafeChoice Safety Clean as an all purpose cleaner.  I buy a gallon and dilute it to the concentration I desire.  A gallon lasts a long time.  I use AFM's Carpet Shampoo to keep the carpeting clean, especially to clean up dander (a major cause for my allergies).
• HEPA air-filter with carbon pre-filter -- I use a portable one and move it from room to room.  I must have if for pet owners and to reduce pollen tracked into the house!

The next two are for cleaning the inside of your body, especially good at springtime when everything is blooming:

• Local honey - also great for allergies.  I found a really local source:  Lavender Fields
• Mrs. Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar helps re-establish a healthy inner ecosystem, in other words, your good bacteria and yeast.

Happy cleaning!!!

What's Zen and what's not?

Zen has caught the attention of the furniture industry but what is it, really?  Is it a new fangeled minimalism or is it something more?

The word "Zen" comes from the Japanese translation of the Chinese word "chan," which means meditation - particularly meditation that leads to enlightenment.

Who or why someone began applying zen to describe interiors is a little like peeling the layers of an onion to find nothing.  While Zen meditation centers may very well appear minimalistic, their sparseness is meant to eliminate distractions in the same way a deprivation chamber blocks out extraneous influences.  In meditations, you become calm and relaxed.  In deep meditation, you become "centered."  Your blood pressure changes as do your brain waves.  Your conscious awareness becomes altered.  It was in such a state of altered awareness that Siddharta Gautama became enlightened, became the Buddha.  Twenty-five hundred years later many  people have followed the path of the Buddha.

Creating a minimalist home is no guarantee for relaxation if the mind has made no effort in the process.  While some environments exude a calm and peaceful feeling, serenity really comes from within.

I discovered meditation to help me heal the effects of chronic fatigue syndrome, but I soon discovered its healing benefits to deal with the stresses of life.  I was fortunate to attend a retreat at Zen Buddhist Master Tich Nhat Hahn's center, Plum Village.  The decor left much to be desired, but the joy of sitting in silence, eating and walking meditatively and being in communion with others is an experience I will never forget.  It makes me wonder if our attraction to Zen decor/design is really about our desire to reduce the distractions in our lives and to create a sacred space.  Maybe, it is a statement about letting go of "things," or at least the attachment to material objects, and discovering our true selves - that vital part of ourselves that transcends the ever changing trends and styles.  Here is what I discovered from meditation:  peace on the inside leads to peace on the outside - no matter what your decor.  For me, Zen is in!