Several months back, a client in Rhode Island asked if he really needed a grab bar in the bathroom. He hated the way they looked and he thought that they would not match his new polished chrome plumbing fixtures with the overhead rain shower.  So I asked him how important safety was in the home.  He said that he intended to have a state-of-the-art, built-in security system installed as the home was being built.   So I began to explain that safety and security goes well beyond an alarm system and that certain features like a curb-less shower and a level threshold at the main entry might help prevent accidents but just as important, would provide the opportunity to return home early from a hospital stay if something were to happen such as breaking a leg or hip. 

He said, "Yes, I can see that might be but it's just the thought of other people seeing a bar in my bathroom and thinking that I am disabled."  So I replied easily, "This is really about providing you with a measure of personal independence and not about what others may think about you."  Then I reassured him that these concepts about aging in place are not a trend not a fad....and would raise the value and quality of life as we mature.  By adding certain features in the design of our homes provides us with the opportunity to maintain our personal independence.... something that none of us would want to give up at any age or ability.

So I offered him creative design solutions including a great looking "grab bar" in a snazzy polished chrome finish   that would provide the aesthetics he was really asking for but also he knew that in his heart, at 86 years young, he would be able to hang on to something in difficult times.   And that something was his independence. 

He passed away not too long ago but not after being in a place of his choosing for as long as he was able. We worked so well together in the design of his home and was excited to be able to move into it.  He used that shower without a curb and even told me how great it was not to have to lift and step over that barrier.  He told me he grabbed onto that grab bar every day because it made sense to hang onto something standing on a wet shower floor.  And the last time we talked, he told me to make sure to tell others and have them see the value of having a home that supports one's independence.  And with this blog post, I have done what he told me to do.  Tell others. 

In 1946 the phrase first appeared in the murder mystery novel Murder in the Glass Room (by Edwin Rolfe and Lester Fuller) as "you can never tell a book by its cover."  And since you only get one opportunity for a first impression, your real estate needs to be at its prime whether you plan to sell or not.  

So here are three ideas about how to make the most of that first impression starting right at the Front Door.

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Design trends come and go and many are interesting to read about.  But so much about “design trends” is centered around manufacturers who are introducing new product designs for work and home environemnts.   Trends in design for those of us in the interiors profession often find bits of inspiration come from industries such as fashion, the design of vacation retreats such as hotels and spas, even emerging technology - especially with flat panel TVs hanging on every wall in the house.  Certainly the trend of “green design” has made an impact with new trendy products being introduced all the time that either reduce the carbon footprint or are made from recycled materials, materials such as plastics, paper and fibers.

But trends do come and do go.  So the question is: “How can an interior be created that avoids the trends and yet stays current over a time period?”  There are three easy components.  

–> Keep it simple.
–> Keep it functional.
–> Keep it authentic.
Design trends of the last five years have showcased interiors that are overdone, overbuilt and feature faux-this and faux-that. But after three decades in the profession to call upon, I can tell you that the best interiors are those that are understated, created carefully over time, assembled with materials that are true to both their function and aesthetic appeal.  In addition, design needs to combine and complement all the elements of the built environment.  

Frank Lloyd Wright never created a project without considering the design and functional aspects of the structure, the interior and the exterior.  Perhaps that is why it is always fascinating to see projects 60 and 80 years old that still seem au courant by today’s standards. He never followed a trend-du jour.  He kept to a model that integrated both form and function into a single design statement.

Our design trends for this year are simple:  Get back to basics of design.  Choose natural fibers for fabric, wall, window and floor coverings like wool, cotton and linen that are not only practical but are ‘green’ by their very nature.  Spend the time to define all the design criteria up front. Make a list of the things that are required of the spaces like storage and what activities are planned for the various rooms.  Re-use and adapt pieces in new ways.  Edit down the number of accessories to only those that have special meaning or have some special value and donate all the rest.  And finally, stop with the faux-painting and the faux-finishing.  Don’t try to make something look like something that its not.