Down the rabbit hole

What makes a Designer? Is it the natural way we make things come together in a seemingly effortless flourish of colors and textures? Or is it our drive to overcome each new challenge with a new answer, a new possibility, a new thought?

Maybe. Maybe, it's all about understanding Science and Psychology.

Let's go down the rabbit hole and explore the inner workings of a Designer.

We should start with Space. Indoor space to be exact. Why not, right? We spend most of our time here. Look at the room you are, more likely than not, sitting in right now. It has dimension.

Point. Line. Plane. This is where we start.

We start with a single point. You place your pen on paper and drag it along to another imaginary point along the way. Now, you have a line! Tah-Dah! We now have One Dimension.

Bear with me. This gets more interesting...or at least, I think so.

Take your line and close it into a flat shape, let's say a square. Now you have Two Dimensions.

Point. Line. Plane.

We will add walls and a ceiling. This will give it height and a 3rd Dimension.

Now comes the fun stuff. So, we have our 3 Dimensional space. If you say it takes 2 minutes to walk through the space are you now in the 4th Dimension?

We are also dealing with gravity. We spend the most time interacting with the floor and the floor is the main mode of transferring from one space to another. Why can't we make this a more pleasurable experience? We can.

What happens if one of our senses has dulled over time or has been absent from the beginning? What about struggling with a disability? This is where understanding how we interact with space and why we interact with it the way we do is so important. Could it be better, more intuitive? Usually, yes! (Don't get me started on door swing direction!)

As designers, we can guide you naturally and comfortably into nodes, points of interest, or importance with ceiling heights or the openness or tightness of space. It is like channeling water gently down a stream. You may not even notice you are gliding effortlessly from node to node. We layer in colors, textures, and lighting to create that "Umami" experience that professional Chefs are always talking about.

Another interesting thing we can do is change the way people behave or even treat each other by the way a space is designed. It's not a lofty idea, it's possible! If you open up a kitchen to the living room, you create the opportunity for openness and gathering. It's informal and inviting. There are many ways to change behavior through design that was just one example I know most people can relate to.

We have consulted on projects that we could tell immediately needed a redesign before building. The space was going to be beautiful, there is no question about that! It was a business space that made more money the more efficient it was. Time = Money. Remember Time = Space. With a few simple changes, we had a more efficient pathway for the different functions of staff to buzz in and out. Time = Space = Money.

So, we really don't just pick paint colors and fun patterns or textures (although, we do love this very much!) We are here to help you live your best life in a beautiful, safe, healthy, and functioning space.

We will be sharing ideas and tips with you, here, on our blog. We look forward to bringing you along on our journey!

Sincerely,

Kristin