The forever & infinite seduction (of the black line).

Stop what you are doing.  Right where you are, stop all cognitive activity and flood your mind with silence (this is almost impossible, but give it a good try).  Once you have done this, stand up, slowly turn around in a circle, and observe in detail what surrounds you.  Look up, look down, look side to side, look to the horizon line, and to the edge of what surrounds you.  Pay close attention to what captures your eye first, and then identify what it is that draws you in.  Why you, why it, why this with that, why do we associate a loyalty to a favorite chair, what does favorite mean, what does the automatic response to proximity say about experience, why does the light shining through tree branches get over looked?  The world at large is strengthened by its subconscious abilities; we are attracted to positive experiences of coherent idioms.   

A week ago, I attended an ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) hosted event, accompanied by IIDA (International Interior Designers Association) representation.  Its purpose was to gather interior design, contractor, architect, and field supportive professionals to acknowledge regulation of interior design in not only the state of Florida, but in the eyes of the general public.  Among the crowd of professionals stood an eager yet hesitant group of interior design students, and as one of those student’s, let’s just say there is something to be said about the power  and strength behind this group of people.  A line was drawn when Interior Design as a profession was (and still is being) put to question, and it has recently been made apparent that the general public overlooks many of the very elements that interior, textile, industrial, graphic, and urban designers are responsible for while transforming chaos to order, and the way we live our day-to-days.  From the way we turn to get out of bed in the morning, to the reach of our toothbrush, to the flooring beneath our feet, to the voltage of a light bulb, to the thickness of a glass window separating us from the rain outdoors, to the street sign suggesting “Yield,” and I could go on and on, but all of these things require a diverse collective of professionals to accurately design the way of your every day. 

A year ago, I purchased a framed poster from a garage sale, published in 1990 stating, “the internet is a fad,” and I thought it was a perfect example of how a revolution began and a very simple idea to “connect all” transpired.  When I started this blog, I immediately thought of that quote, because DESIGN is a necessary way-finding revolution.  A (design) profession must be willing to connect itself to the community of believers and opposition, because we are all inter-connected.  We are connected by a goal, one goal:  to live, observantly.  It is our nature to consciously and subconsciously observe, or if you will, snoop around to see what’s goin’ on out there.  “The good out there,” on the right side of my blog site is dedicated to other blogs and websites that I have observed and watched for some time now.  The list is very eclectic, including all of the professions listed above, and will continue to grow and serve as the platform for an infectious understanding of design, and the underlying line that connects us all. 

So, stop what you are doing, this blog entry is over.  Go to the scroll bar, scroll up, click on a link, and support the snooping.

Ps, ___________________________________ now, that’s seductive.

Pay it forward.

Today, I woke up, took a vitamin with a shot of V8, did the get-ready routine, shuffled myself into my car, buckled my seat-belt (remember, “click-it, or ticket!”), turned on the air conditioning, turned off the radio, pulled out of my driveway, and then it began.  My mind began scrolling through the daily list of things I needed to accomplish, by order of priority and detail.  First thing on my list, seriously... GET STARTED, ALREADY! 

Other than the normal annoyances of driving from point A to point B, I like driving, it gives me time to be with myself, and dwell on subjects as they come to mind, or just try and figure out what my dinner plans are.  But, this time was different.  I thought about my significant role, as an Interior Design student, and the impact those two words have had on me.  I thought about my journey to get where I am today in my personal life, education, and where I might go with these two words.  My next thought was about what I initially portrayed Interior Design to be (I dare not speak of certain television channels), and what my current opinions are of my profession, efforts, struggles and opportunities.  When asked what Interior Design is, how can I best define the scope of knowledge I practice day in and day out to the average Joe?  First I laughed, because my past responses have typically revolved around a formal response, “to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public…”  But, the average person, to no fault of their own, only selectively sees/hears what the media projects; moreover, word to the wise, those who wish to turn a corner should turn on a blinker beforehand… this deters both accidents and misconceptions. 

A commitment has been made to the education I have received and pride in knowing that what I do has value, and part of that commitment is to correct any misconceptions that may enable opposition.  It is not enough to lay out a resume of skills and software that are required for accreditation to define what Interior Design entails. What the general public should know first and foremost about Interior Design is that it is a profession, not an occupation, not a hobby, and not a popularity contest to make rooms look pretty by painting one wall red, toss up framed art on another and call it a day.  That “job” is for a decorator, only.   An Interior Designer is an expert of research and functionality of interior space for the user, and surrounding environment; this means the space you occupy and the indirect atmospheres you experience through the senses (which accounts for a percentage of how a person will react when entering a new interior space).    With that said, Interior Designers are constantly striving to provide the public with a social understanding of our responsibilities. 

Our responsibilities include:  >research of survey sites  > research of cultural related demands >identifying the client/user needs  >knowledge of building/fire/ADA codes  >spatial diagramming (identifying approach to space, use of circulation and intersecting paths created by public and private areas, size of spaces by usage and orientation to surroundings, and placement of specifications for functional testing)  >conceptual proposal   >specification research (furniture, fixtures, sustainable  textiles, special equipment)  >construction documents of design  >detailed drawings and perspective area drawings  >oversee complete construction of design at the site.  An Interior Designer practices this method to ensure the users a universal ability to occupy any space with comfort and efficiency.

My last thought during my drive today was this:  I depend on this vehicle to get me where I need to be, in a safe and comfortable manner.  I rely on my car to withstand certain weathers and its durability over time.  Just because a vehicle may be a nice color, does not mean it is dependable, and functional; you have to look under the hood to see what is really goin’ on.  Interior Designers are the details.   Please pass it on.