Interior Design Today

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 34th episode, Mary talks about the renaissance of Harrisburg.I live in Harrisburg and also in New York. There is quite a bit of difference between the two. Both have very interesting qualities. John O'Hara once said that Harrisburg is the perfect place to do research because nothing ever happens to break your train of thought. In some ways it is a quiet city, but it is also a city that has a lot of opportunities. It is now ready for a major change. My studio is located on the river, with a beautiful view. A wonderful location. Except, when the river starts to come up. Then you really go a bit crazy. There is nothing that you can imagine that is like a flood coming into your living room. Unfortunately, our first floor has had 8 and a half feet of water. That is a lot of water, and obviously it can do a lot of destruction. When you live along a river, this is what you can expect.Fortunately, I have been working with a number of architects and designers who said, wouldn't it bel lovely to live along the river and not have this kind of fear. Not to worry about flooding. We started looking at his location, and the buildings, and because of so many floods, they deteriorate. It is a problem because every time you flood something, it does break down the infrastructure. What do we do so that we can live in this beautiful environment and not think about flooding? Obviously there are ways of doing this. We've worked out a plan to create an environment where people can live in perfectly healthy homes. Buildings that require no energy resources. Don't buy any electric, gas, or oil. You're living with all healthy materials so there are no contaminants in any of the building materials or environment. It is also a building that is so well constructed because much of it is built in a factory. The rooms are really correct in size. In fact, in many cases, this type of construction is off less than 1/32 of an inch. I know, as every other designer or builder will tell you, that there are very few buildings which are that exact. When you are building in a controlled environment, you can do things like this.Harrisburg is in a position where it is ready for a renaissance. It is ready for a big change. It's excellent in its location. Very close to Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia, New York City. I travel back and forth to the city 170 miles, and there is not a red light until I hit the Lincoln Tunnel. That's not bad considering many commutes a lot of other people have which are far worse and more congested. Here we have a great beautiful city. Probably one of the most beautiful rivers in the East. It is really very attractive because it has not been commercialized. It is rock bottom. In fact, there are only 8 like it in the world. This river was formed geologically before the mountains, so it will always stay very much as it is. We have a beautiful river, a lot of conveniences, wonderful health clubs, very nice restaurants and other very good service industries. We have access to a lot of the other things on the East Coast. We live in a reasonably moderate costing environment. Why shouldn't Harrisburg be one of the greenest leading cities int he country? I would like to see this happen. As much as we have heard so much discussion about the financial aspect of Harrisburg, unfortunately the financial people are getting ahold of this. They think they have a system of really bringing Harrisburg out of this. Now, the designers need to take their position and create a city which is livable and safe, and a wonderful environment that we can all enjoy.Any of you who have heard me speak, I often say that when we look at our environment and our problems, don't blame the President, the governor, or the mayor. Blame the designers, the architects, and the engineers. They're the ones that create the environments that are really safe for us to live in, that are healthy for us to live in, that really work for us. The design world can make a tremendous difference in all of our cities. Harrisburg is a great example. I look forward to seeing this happen here so that Harrisburg can be an example that every other city with a river can aspire to.The renaissance of Harrisburg.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 32nd episode, Mary talks about concrete.Concrete has become a major material in our interior spaces. Kitchen counters, desks, wall finishes, floors, so many different ways of using concrete as a functional and an art form.It has been fascinating to see the extensive range of finishes used on concrete, making them polished and finished, not just industrial looking. At one point, we looked at concrete as a material when we wanted informal use. Something casual and functional, but now we're seeing it used in a more refined and finished way. It is wonderful to see the extensiveness of the opportunities for this material and the fact that it can be brought into almost any style of space.Next time you are considering a finished and practical top, look at concrete. It is often a very practical and artistic material.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 33rd episode, Mary talks about technology in design.Technology has really changed the way we design and build. We love all the features, but sometimes they really aren't very beautiful. In other cases, they eliminate a lot of storage. I think of all the audio and recordings that we've had, and now we have just a very simple iPad which can hold all of that information. Things are now so minimal, and the quality is excellent. It really has changed the way we design things.I've been amazed at some of the features we have in televisions. I'm working on one now which is above a fireplace (not my favorite place to put one), but considering the room, the client wants it there. It is definitely the best location. On the other hand, they tell me they never watch television, but they must have a 60" screen. Isn't it sad that our very best wall is taken up by this big, black screen, which is not used. I decided that we've got to do something different with this, so in this case, we're doing a very simple application. We're not hiding it behind doors and lifting screens, these systems were several thousand dollars. Now, all I've done is a beautiful tapestry panel on a track, which simply slides with a baton, so that they can move it aside when they're watching television. Meanwhile, you wouldn't know the TV is there. It is hidden by a beautiful piece of art.It's just, why should we waste the best part of our room with something that we're using occasionally, which isn't very pretty. Here, we can have a beautiful piece of art. A painting, a tapestry, or something else. I have noticed that people are doing televisions which look like a plain white wall, but it's actually a screen. All we do is turn it on, and our wall becomes a great video screen. Not only featuring television, but communications systems. All of the information that comes from their various family members, photos, and almost anything else one can imagine. It can be hidden in this very discrete way, so that it is there when we want it and gone when we don't.I would love to see some of the things that you are doing with your television and other types of tech. Together we can create even more exciting ways, having the advantages of technology, but without losing the artistry of our homes. We want the art, but we also want the convenience of tech, so let's put them together in a creative way. They can compliment each other, but the tech does not have to overtake the beautiful parts of our spaces.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 31st episode, Mary talks about fans.Fans come in many sizes, shapes, and designs. They do some incredible things. In a typical kitchen situation, we either have the ceiling fan or the fan above our stove, or we had the fan that came from under the burners (through the lower part of our room). Suppose we have a room or a building that is on a slab, and we have a cathedral ceiling. We don't really want to see that venting go through our beautiful opening into the cathedral space. We have fans that can be brought in from the sidewall and handled in many different ways.Today, a fan doesn't need to look like a fan, or have a large space taken up in your kitchen. It can be done in so many creative ways.If you're interested in more information, just get in touch with me for resources and details.Just remember, fans can be creative, and a special part of the design. They're practical. They work. They're very attractive, and they can be installed in so many different ways. A fan is not a fan. A fan is a beautiful art object that really fills our needs in so many different ways.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 30th episode, Mary talks about urinals.We've seen incredible styled sinks. It has just been amazing, the marble, the crystal, the beautiful ceramics. Here is one example of a floral design. Now notice the urinals. I've heard so many clients say, "I'd really like to have one as part of my master bath so that my husband has the convenience of this. Also, I would like something attractive." Well, now we have it. Isn't it amazing, the artistry that is used for such functional things? When you're planning your next powder room or your master bathroom, or any particular bathroom where you think it might be convenient to have a urinal, just consider that there are all types of designs.It's been fascinating to visit the many hotels and see the beautiful waterfalls that are also urinals, or the abstract designs that have been featured, or the troughs, on and on. Now, we're looking at floral designs. What next? But how much fun?This is design, and we have so many opportunities to be expressive in so many places and so many ways. Enjoy.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 28th episode, Mary talks about books.Books. Are you still keeping and storing books? What do they mean to you, and how do you present them?It is quite interesting. We look at one group of people that says, "Why should I own a book? I can do everything on my tablet, or I can get my information in many other forms. Why do I want to read?"I'm finding that clients see books as treasures. They want them presented in a way that is easily accessible. It is something that is really part of their lives. We are designing many more ways of storing books. Of course, it depends upon the value of the particular books that you own, whether they are something that are truly investments or whether they are something that is just there for informational resources. I have been very surprised when looking at my own library and noticing certain books in stores, and realizing that I have had the book for several years. I refer to them occasionally, but I don't realize that they had any value. Now I note the value and treat them very differently.We're finding that clients are coming again and again and saying that they really want to take care of their books. In many cases, I want them protected from light and dust. I want them to be here, but I don't necessarily want to see them. I want you to create a way of sliding a wall in front of them or creating shades or doors that cover them. Yet, give me the opportunity to easily access them when I want to use them. Yes, it is not only "Googling" information, but there is information on things like the arts that are available in books that we simply cannot find from other resources.What type of spaces are used for storing books? Many people feel that it is inappropriate to put a lot of books in a room in which we sleep because they do collect dust. Therefore, it is better to have them stored in a way that we can eliminate this particular factor. Many times, we are creating areas in a hallway that becomes a library, and what a wonderful feature? Sometimes, in our family rooms, living rooms, or other spaces. It has been fun to take a dining room which is not used very often, especially when we have apartments or areas with a limitation on space, and turning that into a library. It really makes an attractive and workable environment. A library when wanted, and when needed, an area for serving food. Really, books can be in almost any area. We often want them where we're going to use them, which is why we'll put a certain amount of cooking/preparation books in a kitchen. Only things that are used on a regular basis, or are very special books… Children's books belong in their area. Books that are mine or my husbands, belong in an area which is convenient to them.Like anything else, the system of storage and the ability to find what you want, to retrieve that item or bit of information, is really a key part of the interior design. There is no point in having something if you can't find it.Refer to your books and see, do I really want them? Yes, I've often felt as I've designed many libraries that one of the most important things is weeding the library. I'll often walk into a new project and I'll refer to a certain subject that I know, and I'll go lookup a certain type of book. I can tell very quickly how often that library has been weeded. You'll want to go through yours as well to decide which is appropriate to keep.Then, decide, just how do you want them stored. How can we design a book storage unit for you that really fits the area? How can we have flexibility and security for it? How can we maintain the cleanliness and value of those books? It isn't just piles of books, but it is really a wonderful library resource which is enhancing your life and helping you enjoy your home or your business space.Look at your books and use them as a decorative item, but mainly as a wonderful, workable, usable, resource that really enhances your life.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 29th episode, Mary talks about the 2013 Architectural Digest Show and DIFFA.It was a great show this year, featuring a lot of different artisans and companies from different parts of the world. There was quite an upgrade of quality in many of the things, especially many of the kitchen features. There were many new and "techy" contributions, which are really part of convenience and which also provide space saving and other elements. There are marvelous conveniences and things that we can do with technology that we could never dream of before.In addition to that, they also feature the DIFFA dining by design. This is where different companies and designers working with them feature their design for dining. Some of them were very different than before. There was one by Benjamin Moore which you could definitely tell was a painting company because they showed how you could use color and paint in many ways. It was very rich and very fun, but also, there was no question that their product was paint.The one that the Pratt students did was very interesting in that it featured a map of the world. They did it in a very "techy" way, using an interesting lighting treatment, which I hope you can see from my photographs. It was very interesting and quite well done. We were all amazed at their thought patterns and how they developed it with design.Ralph Lauren, last year, had an outdoor porch; very country. This year, its was much more modern. You will see a number of fun designs throughout the photographs I have taken as best I could with my simple camera.This is a wonderful contribution to the arts that all these designers and companies are making, both in monetary contributions, as well as their artistic display.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 27th episode, Mary talks about entertaining and conversation.We do a lot more entertaining and visiting this time of year than usual. How do our spaces, our living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, contribute to the enjoyment of the visitors that come into that space. It's so interesting. I was listening to someone on Saturday tell me how they so enjoy going out for a meal and having somebody serve me. I think I much more enjoy going into someone's home or inviting people into my home and having the pleasure of discussing a personal subject or something that is just for us and not having everyone around listening to what we're doing, not having to hear others and picking up the noise of the space.We've been taught, that when we want to communicate properly with a person, they should be no more than 6 feet away from us. Which means, as we look at our spaces and plan our seating in any space where we want conversation, we should consider that measurement. After all, you've noticed that if you have a huge table and a person is 12 feet down the row, you don't really get the full impact of their conversation. You pick up parts of it, but not all of it.As we look at the surrounding aspects of the room, what materials absorb sound? How can we eliminate the noise from people moving their feet or glasses on the table or other kinds of things which are often distractions. This is really all part of our joy of conversation. Having the right environment in which to have that talk…Think about the joys that you will be sharing and the time and opportunities you will have in the next few weeks or months of really spending time with people that have meaning to you. Make sure that your environment properly supports it.I had an experience a few years ago when I was helping some students tour a new senior citizen complex. I said to the design students, "If you brought your grandfather into this coffee shop and wanted to talk to him and have a fruitful conversation, where would you have him sit?" It was interesting because really they were not sure what to do. The bottom line is that you would want to be careful that he was sitting against a wall or some form of blockage so that he was not getting background sound. You would also want to be sure that the particular surface absorbed some sound so that you were not getting things reflecting against it and bouncing back.It's really quite interesting as you place people around a table, whether at a restaurant or at your dining room table, that you are concerned about the different physical qualities of that person. If their hearing or sight is limited, how you will light the room to care for that. Older people are not as intrigued by that romantic candle-lit table as young people are because it is quite different when your sight is not as acute. You are very happy for the light contribution of an overhead light or some other source so that you are not totally relying on candle-light. Not just to read a menu, but also to read expression of the faces of others at the table.As we look around, whether we consider using a table cloth or not, whether we want the noise of hearing items moved on the table, or whether we're looking at the lighting or the people hearing our conversation, this is all part of the way we design a space that is designed for good communication. Communication is really the highlight of our human interaction. Let's use all the design elements properly to support the best type of communication. Whether it's your house or a public space, there are great things that design professionals can help you with to make your space enjoyable for good conversation.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 26th episode, Mary talks about powder rooms.Powder rooms are quite different from bathrooms. They can be fun. They're something that we use occasionally and we always have them ready for our guests. We can incorporate some fine art into our "surprise" space. Powder rooms can be in many parts of your building, but one of the things I try to be careful of is that I never want them close to an area we are using for conversation or other purposes. I always like to tuck them around the corner or have them out of the main trafficked areas. We really consider their function a bit more private.When you open the door of that powder room, let's make sure it makes a statement. Let's make it fun. We don't need to worry about the light for shaving or doing cosmetics, and we don't have to worry about showering or bathing issues. This is strictly a space we use for a few minutes. We can make it a surprise so that when your guests return from the powder room, they're smiling because they've seen something artistic, fun, and beautiful.At one point, I had my most valuable painting in my powder room. It was really perfect there, and also it was rather protected, away from a great deal of light. I thought it really could be appreciated in that environment where it was a single object which we could really concentrate when viewing.What does your powder room look like? Is it really convenient? Do we have the little things that make it practical? Is it large? Is it small? Normally they are not terribly large, but very often we can incorporate a nice piece of furniture, a special vanity or chair, where one might put on boots or adjust a garment. More than that, look at the mirror, the lighting, and the artistry. This is a chance to really incorporate something that is exciting. One of the bathrooms we did which was not terribly large, we incorporated a sizable mirror. We didn't want lighting fixtures exposed, so we used fiber optic, and the light spotted through crystals on the mirror. It was very dramatic and very artistic. Yet, it made the space look much larger and very contemporary. I also love to light a powder room in different ways. One that we're working on now has a raised vanity with just a small amount of light peeking from the base of the vanity. This could be left on when you're not using the room to make it easy for guests to find the space.Look at your lighting. What is it doing? Is there flexibility? Is there a way that I can leave a small amount of light on when we're not using it, but yet, let guests see that it's available? If someone chooses to fix a contact or touch up their cosmetics, they can illuminate the room at a brighter intensity and take care of whatever that need might be.Your powder room should fit the spirit of your house and look like it belongs there, but also it is a space that we can do something that is a real surprise. Make your powder room fun, enjoyable, and spirited.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 25th episode, Mary talks about bathrooms.How many bathrooms do you have in your house? At one time, we thought it was wonderful to have one, maybe one and a powder room. Today, it is not unusual to see everyone having their own bathroom plus a few extras. What do these bathrooms look like? Right now I am working on one that is quite small. It is fascinating how the various people who are supplying the components are saying, "this is really tight, this is really small." No wonder because the one we did last week was 15 x 20. Many of them are even larger than that. Some of them are larger than the master bedroom, the living room, or even the dining room.It is amazing what people are putting into their bathrooms today. We did one a while back where the people had a party when they finished their bathroom. They filled the bathtub with ice and served champagne in the bathroom. I guess we can have parties in our bathrooms...We are now learning that bathrooms are something that are really designed to fit us individually. They're designed for our size and our special needs. This person wants 8 or 9 shower heads. Another person, a Japanese soaking tub. What type of materials are we using? Amazing, amazing materials. I'm also concerned about safety every time I work on a bathroom. At one time, we always did a large master bathroom, but now in most cases, when we do a master bedroom, we'll do a his and a her bathroom. Perhaps they have their own sinks and share a shower or tub. In other cases, if one has a strong preference for a shower or a tub, they may have their own bathrooms.People ask about resale. Nobody is worried about that much today. They're worried about what they want. What is convenient for me? What suits me? Am I tall, do I want a higher counter? Am I short, do I want it lower? Do I want a shower that I walk right into so that I don't stub my toe? Good ideas. Of course, we put benches in some showers. We might want a steam shower, this is ever so popular. Every time you add a certain element, it requires other supportive materials. It is amazing to see the types of fans or exhaust systems that are appropriate for bathrooms that have steam showers. After all, if you're producing all that steam, where does it go? We don't want it creating mold or other problems in other parts of the house, so we must be sure that it is properly exhausted.Just in these few minutes, look at all the elements we've talked about. Look at all the variables. Everything from the water type and sources that we're using. In the house that I live in, the water heater's in the basement and the shower is on the third floor. I can tell you that it takes a long time for the water to get warm in the morning. We no longer do that. We often put the water heater close to the shower, saving water and giving instant hot water for the shower. We no longer have to wait 7-10 minutes for the water to get warm.Think of all these little elements that we're dealing with, whether water, lighting, surfaces of our floor, grade and draining, etc... The technicalities that are now part of just a regular residential bathroom... No wonder we have specialists. No wonder we are looking for how we can do this the right way, not just the way a contractor has done the last few. You're different. You have different views, wants, and requirements. We need to consider those.It is so much fun when we do bathrooms for children. What a different type of environment. This can be great fun and be so adaptable to the young children, yet it will grow with them as they mature. Look at your bathroom, is it really giving you the function and the pleasure that you want? Is this one of the rooms that you go to when you want to retreat, relax, or renew? How are you using your bathroom, and what can be done by simple changes or by major ones, to make it more effective for you?We have all types of opportunities in each and every aspect. Sometimes we're incorporating beautiful pieces of furniture. Other times, it's a mastery system of lighting. All the elements that are now part of this beautiful environment. This lovely music that you hear. The sounds that are stimulating and awaken you in the morning or those that quiet you down at night. Make your bathroom that special place that you can hardly wait to enjoy and you enjoy with great pleasure.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 24th episode, Mary talks about the lessons we've learned from Hurricane Sandy.I have noticed that in many instances, contractors have not been quite as honest as they should be with clients. One of my clients had a roof problem, and they were referred to a contractor who was doing other rooves in the area. They asked for a quotation, and they were told $22,000. Another person came to look at the roof from quite a distance, they looked over the situation, didn't take any notes, and the client never heard back from them. The client called me, and I recommended someone we've used before, and they came and quoted them less than $12,000, just about half of the previous quote.The part that is so disturbing is that when we were children, we were taught that things were good or bad, black or white. As we mature, we really realize that everything is pretty grey. When we see this type of situation, this type of a scene, we find that people can be wonderful and they can also be almost evil. Fortunately, as a designer, we get to see and know these contractors. We know who they are, how they work, and what they do. In so many instances, we can be of great assistance to our clients and make sure they get to the right people and that their money is invested appropriately. In my own practice, I do so much of this work. It is quite true, I really didn't get paid for most of those services, but when I think of the invaluable contribution we've made to our clients, it is just amazing.Use your designer to their fullest. Make sure they are giving you the very best and the latest, and use them as a consultant on other building issues because very often they have information that can be very valuable to you in whatever your situation.--I've given you a copy of an article I wrote for the local paper and which has been passed on to a number of publications throughout the country. We need to realize that building codes and standards are really there for a reason. Take a look at the article below and realize that you are in a position to use your voice to encourage better action in your community.View the Patriot News article here.View the Central Penn Business Journal article here or here.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 23rd episode, Mary talks about Hurricane Sandy. What did we learn from Sandy, a natural disaster that has changed many people's lives? Almost everyone in the northeast knows of someone or a situation that has been devastated by this natural disaster.Now, we look at things like building codes, and we say, 'Well, what if things were not designed the way they were? What if the wind load had been stronger on these buildings so that they would not have diminished or disappeared? What if the construction systems that were used were more supportive?"Think of all the problems that could have been eliminated.In Harrisburg, there was a very serious flood in 1972, which caused many of the building codes to be changed. Yes, of course, it was a federal regulation, but not every community adopted those standards. Some of them just pushed it aside saying, "This doesn't happen here. This is not our climate or our problem." I'm wondering whether, now that we've looked at this serious devastation, people will be much more concerned about building construction and the standards and ways we do things.How much of this will affect our business and our industry and the way we buy all types of building processses. After the flood in Harrisburg, we were told that we may not have any electric panels, generators, or any major systems in basements. As a result, you'll walk into a home and see the electrical panel high on the first, second, or third floor, but not in the basement. Not anywhere where it could be in jeopardy of flooding. If this were the situation in some of the New York hospitals, we could have saved a lot of trouble.They tell us that these storms are going to be with us. We've had three, the last three years, and this is more than we've had in 100 years. If this is the case, it really does demand our attention. Whether you are in the design world or whether you are a consumer, consider how the standards should affect whatever you are doing. Be it a small remodel or a revision you're doing to your property or a major new construction.The other thing that I see happening out of this situation is, for example, in Pennsylvania, we have a lot of companies doing factory built construction. For example, I had a client who wanted 76 motel rooms with bathrooms and storage and so on, and they wanted them in less than 90 days. The only way that I knew to accomplish this, especially since their decision was made in January/February and they wanted them occupied by May, was to factory build them. The first thing we had to check out was, could you deliver them? There are many situations where you simply can't make the delivery due to highways or wires or whatever. After we formulated that they could be delivered, we started the design and created marble bathrooms, beautiful quality appointments in every respect. Everything was completed in the factory, and by the way, these rooms were less than 1/32nd of an inch off. Look at your building. See how square it is. I doubt very much that you're living in any spaces which are this accurate in measurement. What they did is they built a model for us, and after we approved it and determined that every light switch, outlet, plumbing detail, etc... were just the way we wanted them, they went on to build the additional 75. They were delivered on-time. The foundations were prepared, and they lifted the rooves and put the singles on, on-site. A very sleek operation.As we look at the capabilities of Pennsylvania's manufacturers today, it is very likely that they could deliver 10,000 or more to New York City within a period of 60 days. There is another wonderful part. With all of these units, there is a state regulation that requires a warranty of 20 years on electrical, plumbing, and all basic components. This means that if you install one of these facilities, you don't have to worry about repairs or maintenance for quite a long time. This of what this could save the city's public housing situation. They're telling us that they need between 30 and 40,000 units. Just imagine the maintenance cost and what it could save the city. It isn't really the cost because very often the cost is less to factory build than to stick build in the field. It is also the issue of what is the long term cost. Even if you are spending 10% more or so, that is nothing compared to your overall costs over a period of 5-10 or more years.Will this situation bring forward many different building opportunities and many different demands? That's a question that I have and I feel it will be answered very soon. I feel that the average person will be looking at, why aren't we doing it? Is it a political issue that's holding us back? If so, we won't tolerate this. We want good building standards. I hope that we do get something positive out of all the suffering and problems that have been caused by this natural disaster. It's unfortunate but yet, in many cases, it is wonderful the things that do result from this type of situation. Let's make something out of it. Let's say that this changed our quality of life and our building standards. We all look forward to these better buildings of the future.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 22nd episode, Mary talks about lighting. When you're lighting a room or a particular feature, there are now so many opportunities. I was looking at some LED lamps which I'm going to use on a desk, and it's amazing because their lifespan is probably 15 years. You really don't need to worry about light bulbs, and the beautiful part is that you can lift the lamp off, head it in different directions, it'll never get warm, it's really just a pleasant type of light to enhance a work area.Do I want this type of lighting everywhere in my room? No, not really. Nor do I want cans, coming from the ceiling, as one of my clients called it, a swiss cheese ceiling. Aren't we tired of these? There are so many other ways to interestingly light a room and give you a much more enhancing and beautiful effect. I was taught that you never use a highlight or a spot on people. Terriffic on a sculpture, plants, or other object, but definitely not on people's heads. I think so often when I look at kitchens and see all of these down lights, with the heat coming off of them. Here you are cooking, with this light coming down on your head, adding to the heat created by cooking. Not the right way to light a kitchen, but how many different ways are there?We're doing a bathroom right now where we've added a small light underneath the vanity. Here, we have the benefit of simply having that on while entertaining guests. As they walk in, they can see where they're going. In that same bathroom, we're making sure that there are variations in lighting. If you happen to come in and don't want a lot of light glaring at you, you can have a soft light. If you happen to be doing makeup or contacts, you can have a lot of light.We also look at our surfaces and reflection of light to determine that type of lamping that we want to use. It isn't just dropping lights into a room. How do they reflect? How do our eyes pickup the details of that space or the functions of that space. What color eyes do you have? What age are the people? What is their height? Are they standing, sitting, or just how do they expect to need light for the subject that goes on there.You see, it's a material which has wonderful opportunities. It can be our friend or it can be a problem. When we walk into a room, the first thing we notice is a light source. Windows or lighting. The second, of course, is color. Since lighting is so primary, look at your lighting. Is it really what you want it to be?Mixing lighting is where we go today. Look at your rooms. Do you have all one kind of lighting? If so, review it. You probably want to add a few others. I like lighting coming from different lights and directions to enhance and show the dimension of the space. Lighting is a tool. Use it with skill an pleasure.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 21st episode, Mary talks about glass. Glass everywhere! It seems that glass has become an important material, but why are we surprised? Don't we realize that the main material of our time is silicon. We went through the brass age, the iron age, and all the other materials, and now we are supposed to be mining glass, or silicon. It's the strongest material we have. It's hard to imagine, but glass is stronger than steel. When we're building with fiberglass and using some of those materials in our automobiles and other items, it really is an item of strength. Now we're seeing it become so fashionable in all types of furniture items and finishes. We are now doing some beautiful tiling in glass. We haven't seen this type of thing done for many years. Now it's not just one type of glass tile, but many many others.We have to look at where is the appropriate place to use it. Perfect for a shower wall, a bathroom wall, or a decorative wall. I saw someone putting it on a kitchen floor; no, it doesn't belong there. On the whole, it's very fragile. It will crack, it will break. I've used it on countertops. One of my favorite countertops for kitchens today is a very nice thick glass with a slightly textured finish so that it shows no marks. It is totally kosher, and it is the cleanest countertop you could have. The beautiful thing is that you have options of underlining it with different colors, textures, or patterns. It is so easy to take care of and work with. The edges and details are all quite important. One makes it practical, the wrong one makes it a problem. Obviously, it depends upon knowing your materials.Installing glass on shower walls or other areas that don't mark or spot. There is no longer a need for a squeegee because now we have glass that doesn't sport or mark. We are also seeing this used in high rises and other places where it won't collect dirt or spots. Isn't it wonderful the innovations that we have today and the opportunities that we have to work it into our designs?As you consider your material, just think of the many opportunities. Of course your glass can be treated if it's being used for windows so that it reduces the heat or light impact, but when it comes to light, it doesn't totally reduce fading. Any type of light will cause textiles to fade, whether it's your lamp or something coming from the exterior. This is something that we do need to consider.Look at glass with a very different light and consider some of the opportunities of where you can use it to enhance your interior in a very practical way. Yes, of course, there are safety issues. I've noticed at the Barnes Foundation museum, the way they did the door design. They had a thin glass panel from the top of the door to the bottom. Of course, taking care of ADA and other safety measures, but adding a very interesting decorative effect. Really wonderful how we can use glass, and it can be very safe and most affective. Not just fiberglass draperies, not necessarily, although there are a few being used. Look at it as a building material, an architectural material, and a decorative material. You'll see more of it, and fortunately, in so many different ways.We're using a laminated glass right now in a project. It is two layers of glass with a pattern infused in the center of it. It's very practical and very beautiful. Think about the way you can use glass in your interior to really enhance some of the details of your space. It's a new material, an old material, but it's out there everywhere. It's different, and it's beautiful. Look at its opportunities, and I'm sure you'll find a spot where you would like to add glass as one of your features.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 20th episode, Mary talks about acoustics. It isn't just what we can see, but what we can hear. One of the most important things that we all appreciate is a good conversation; one in which we truly understand what the other person is saying and what is really meant. This takes in many components. We do need to be able to hear what they are saying, and then, of course, if we are fortunate enough to be in the same room as them, we're interested in their body language and how they respond; their persona. What I find to be a major issue in almost every interior space that I see is that so often we are not considering acoustics. It isn't just in the theatre, to be able to hear the wonderful symphony or theatrical production, but it is also a question of sitting in a restaurant and being able to hear what is being said by the others at your table. It is also frankly about not hearing what is being said by those at another table.I think it is the responsibility of everyone, whether doing a family room or an office, a restaurant, or any space where communication to consider acoustics. Even in our offices, we're looking at what works with this piece of equipment. There are some types of environments which are really destructive to every bit of sound. In our residence, we seriously want to hear 'what we want to hear' and we don't want to hear 'what we don't want to hear.' Often, when families are very young, parents are very sensitive to hearing what is happening in the nursery, so they'll mic it so that they can be sitting in another room and be totally aware of whether the child is in any form of distress. As the children grow older, they tend to make a lot more noise, we then reach the position where we would really prefer not to hear the noise quite as often. Drumming, television programs, etc... are things that we really don't need to hear. As children age, or as we share our spaces with other adults, we all have things which are for us to hear and not for the rest of the group. It is critical that we understand this. After all, this is part of our life. We want to share some things, but other things are really just for our use.This is part of designing interiors. Let's look at the acoustical aspects of design. We have seen wonderful designs of open entrance areas, up into the bedroom area. Families turn on the television in the family room, and children can hear it in their bedrooms just you can in the family room. This is not an appropriate design considering this space may be shared by people of various age. If there are one or two people in the house, it may not be a problem, but it can quickly grow to be a major consideration.I was interested in a conversation today where someone said in a restaurant, 'It's so noisy, I'm really disturbed by this.' They had a bit of a hearing problem. They suggested putting acoustical tile on the ceiling. I said, well, that would help some, but the reality is we need acoustical absorbing material closer to the level where voices are used. When seated, the voice area is somewhere between 3 and 5 feet, not at 10 feet. For the sound to get up there and to come back, it really is reverberating and causing a lot of other issues that we don't necessarily want or need.As you look at what you want to hear and do not want to hear, consider that we know a lot about acoustical control. Whether it's broadcasting or blocking, we know how to encourage the right volume. We have wonderful materials today that don't necessarily look strange, but they're very decorative and appropriate and can be incorporated into any type of space to make it more comfortable. When looking at the design of your space, it isn't just furniture or materials, but it's also: how will the space work for us? Acoustics need to be a consideration from the very beginning.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 19th episode, Mary talks about tabletops. Are you using a tabletop specialist? It was very interesting, but last week, I had a gathering in my apartment in New York. Fortunately, I had a specialist helping me. It was really exciting to see the way I did things and the little touches that Jay could add. He knew how to put some magic into that table. It was really fun to see some of the pieces that I had used in so many different ways being presented with just a touch of artistry which was something that I hadn't thought of. Fortunately, we had some nice pieces to work with, but he also added a few that enhanced the overall presentation.As I think about entertaining today, we all have many things that we can use. We don't want to use them in a boring style, we want something that's just a bit exciting and different. Especially if we are entertaining, often the same people, you feel like you don't want to put out the same food in the same way. Yet, you know that there are certain things that are healthy or well liked, and you obviously want to present them in an attractive way so that they just look a bit special.As you look around your space, whether it is your office where you are working with a few clients, or whether it's your residence or a picnic you're doing, you really want to make it a bit special. After all, you want your friends to feel that they are special and that you've put a bit of effort into it. With my lifestyle, unfortunately I don't have a lot of time to dedicate to these things. I need shortcuts. Fortunately, I've found ways of being able to put together a dinner or small affair within a matter of a half an hour in many cases. Yet, it is appealing. I admit I am not the most creative chef in the community, but I do have a way of finding and preparing a certain amount myself. I try to make sure it is presented in an attractive way. I find that even the simplest food is most appealing and exciting if it is presented properly.Look in your closets. See what you have. How can it be used in a different way? How can you, perhaps, add a piece or two that really makes a difference? The old China that you received as a wedding gift, it can still be presented in a different way. Make it up to date and make sure it's exciting. We aren't eating the types of food that we did so many years ago. So often, we need to change and adjust. Check out your tabletops, make sure they're beautiful. Whether it is for a buffet or a sit-down dinner or even a simple breakfast, design is part of our lifestyle. Use it to its advantage.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 18th episode, Mary talks about storage. Are things where you use them? There's no point in storing things in the basement or the third floor if you're using it in the dining room or the living room. Are your cabinets properly designed for what you're keeping in them? Is it a matter that I have to move everything in and out of the cabinet in order to reach something that I use rather often? Look carefully at your storage. Just remember, the things that were important to you last year or last month may not be the items that you're using today. Things change according to season, but more than that, they change according to our interests and the types of things we're doing and the people that are around us. There are times when games are very important, yet there are other times when we have no guests around and we don't play games for months or years. There are certain things we use as part of our desk, but if we have the same type of containers that we had a few years ago, it doesn't make sense because so much of it is done on our computers. A lot of it is stored there. I see many people who do not have a file cabinet or drawer. I have to admit that this is not completely my style because I still like a certain amount of paper and reference books, and I haven't yet put it all on my iPad or Kindle. Maybe I will at some point. There's something about a book that I really like. If you ever saw the way I live, you would know that books are really important to me. Maybe a little bit too important. I really enjoy reading and having books, but again, I must admit that they require constant weeding and reorganizing because my taste or interests change. Something that is an important topic to me, which I'm working with intensely, perhaps a month from now, I may not touch that item for many months. Still, I want them where I can find them. The same thing is true when looking at our china, our silver, and things we use for our table or kitchen. I used to often laugh, I had someone who helped me in my home. Every Monday morning, she rearranged everything in the kitchen cabinets, and every Friday when she left, I rearranged them back the way I wanted them. This is often the case with many people. Look at your bathroom. Is that hair dryer where you use it? Is it really convenient? Is it also out of the way when you're not using it? Each particular part of our house has its specific needs. One of the things I have found that is so important is accommodating what we use, where we use it. We want to be able to reach for it conveniently. We want to be able to access it without any form of destruction, either to ourselves or in the sense to the item. I often laugh when I look at our showroom. I'm not very tall, and those that have worked here that are quite tall always put things on the top shelf. Of course, that doesn't work for me. Another thing that one should consider is: what is convenient for you? How high should your cabinets be? How should your book cases and other storage units be designed? Consider not only the item but also the people using them. When I walk into a child's room and the parents exclaim, "My child is such a mess; never hangs up their clothing!" The child is 3 feet high and the clothing rod is 5 feet high. When the closets are designed for their convenience, often their behavior patterns change. It's really not a lot different with adults. When something works, we enjoy it. It all fits and it all meshes. When it gets slightly out of order, that's quite another thing.Some of my friends who are organizational specialists, especially Barbara Hemphill, often says that once you reach a certain point where things are so chaotic and out of order, you really can't fix it yourself. You often think of all the items and how special they are. Maybe, in reality, they are not so special.Look at the spaces you're living in. Do they really compliment the behaviors that you want to be happening in those spaces. The question is, "How much does the storage and the organizational process relate to the functions of that room?" I find that it is really key. Before we begin any design, we look at how does it work? What do I need to really perform all the tasks that I want to happen in this space appropriately? Storage needs to be reviewed on a regular basis because what you are using is constantly changing as much as your lifestyle is changing. You're spending a lot for the cost of the space that you occupy, whether you purchased it or are renting it, it is an expensive investment. Let's make sure it works for you, and your storage is a major part of it.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 17th episode, Mary talks about the benefits of having a global team of designers who are able to work together. Mary was recently interviewed for a piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer about this very topic. They asked Mary if this was common, and she said "Definitely!"Our field has become so complex that no one person can know everything. Each of us have particular specialties. When doing a project, we're looking to produce it at the very highest level which often means we won't have all of the required talent on staff. Yes, we do have people on staff who are very good at supporting us, but when we're looking for the real experts, we have to go outside and find people that are truly knowledgeable in that particular discipline. We are so fortunate with today's technology that we can interact with people anywhere in the world. I'm finding that my consultants are often a continent away, not just downstairs or in the next building. Often they are in another country, state, or an entirely different part of the world. I just think this is the most wonderful thing about modern day design. We can now do the very best work and have the very best team to produce a job very efficiently and very economically. When you give someone who is truly knowledgeable a project, they produce it very rapidly with very low cost. If you ask someone who is maybe not an expert, they make the project  a very involved and complex thing. At the end, you often don't have the very best result. Our clients today want something better, something better than they can do themselves. Often clients come to me and say, "I've been doing my own work for many years. I've been very happy with it, but now I want something that is better than I can do." With that type of request, it means that I must give them something that is truly excellent. With their background, they have learned a lot about the field, and they want something that is of great quality.When you're doing a project, who is going to work with you? It will be interesting to see the team that creates your project, and, from where they come. This global policy of working today is most exciting. I'm delighted at what I've learned from these many specialists. Years ago, I was very interested in lighting, and I would do the things that I knew on a project. At that time, Jim Knuckles was one of the world's outstanding lighting specialists. Unfortunately, we have lost him long ago. I would take the project in and sit down with him, because he was in New York, it was easy for me to do that. He would help me with the complex parts of the project and review what I had done in order to spot different areas where there might be some improvement. At the time, this worked logistically because he was only a few hundred miles away. Now, with Skype and other methods, I am able to do this same kind of thing with every type of specialist. We are able to see the finest details from around the world.As you look at your next interest in design, consider the team that your designer will put together to give you that level of excellence. We can have the best today, and it can come from any part of the world. Fortunately, it is easy to make happen and very affordable. Enjoy the opportunities...Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 16th episode, Mary talks about needs analysis.What does this really mean? Often we have a building or a space that has been used for many functions, but those functions change. We run into the dilemma where the space no longer services the changing needs of the organization. We also may be considering moving to a different facility. What should we be looking for? Where should we put our investment? We know that our buildings are a very expensive part of our investment. Since I specialize in proxemics, I realize that interiors are really a tool with which we work and with which we live. They direct human behavior, but let's be sure that it's the correct behavior.A number of the designers that I work with specialize in doing nothing but needs analysis work. They sit down with clients and look at their preferred functions. What should be happening here? If you happen to be working at home, obviously you need a different facility. Maybe you need a certain degree of privacy because there are other activities taking place throughout your home at the same time.  We really don't want the outside public to be aware of exactly how we live. It is so great that we can Skype, we can see and work with other people. I also understand that there are many people who are not appropriately/professionally dressed at all times. Perhaps they don't want that type of visibility, but at other times, they may want to use Skype to share the professionalism of their space with their clients.When it comes to how we live with our family or companions, that is also quite another issue. We want to participate with certain types of activities, yet in other cases, we want to eliminate other people when we're doing certain things. What is really important to you? How should your spaces be worked? Where are you spending most of your time? What are you doing within these spaces? We have a rather complex form that we use, and it's really quite interesting. When a designer asks you the questions, you know the answers, but so often, when you're not reminded of certain things, you may skip over them. They may be the most important parts of what that particular space should be doing or performing.As you look forward into planning your future, consider how your interior spaces should be working for you. Take the time to sit down with someone. If often doesn't take very long. It can be a matter of a few hours. Review what your priorities are, and see if there are ways that you can enhance what you have or if you are considering purchasing something new, exactly what you should be requesting and what you want in those spaces. Let's make sure that the investments we're making in our interior design work are being spent appropriately. You'll find that you get much use and pleasure out of your interior spaces if they really meet your needs.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 15th episode, Mary talks about Window Treatments. What kind should you have or do you want? Today, our windows are being treated in many different ways. They say that we'll have no fading, but it is interesting that many furniture and textiles do fade. Any amount of light that you have, whether it is coming from an electrical fixture or the sun, it causes some degree of fading. If we want to protect our textiles, it is probably best to use a window treatment that will provide us with some type of protection, especially when you're not in the room.We have many different types of treatments today. It isn't just venetian blinds or verticals or traverse draperies, but so many other combinations; treatments that become invisible when you have them open, others that are really a beautiful embellishment which soften and detail a room. Some of our larger spaces really need a wonderful window treatment to finish the room. They add a lot of elegance, and also, soft materials help the acoustics in your room. If you have removed the carpet in the room and have a hard-surfaced floor, and if most of your furniture is hard-surfaced, you'll really want to consider bringing some soft material into the space for balance. Window treatments can be one of those options.Fortunately, today, we have a lot of window treatments which are very easy care. At one time, everyone had two sets of window treatments; one for the summer and one for the winter. A lot of people enjoy that option in spaces where they spend 12 months of the year. Sometimes, we really want a change because of the way the outside is coming into our space. Sometimes the leaves on the trees or the amount of sun exposure can affect this.There are a lot of beautiful options today. As you look through the various magazines and come up with ideas for treatments that you love, the question is: does it fit with your window style? We're fortunate to have a lot of windows which are much easier maintenance. Often they can be tipped and washed from the interior. Sometimes they are opened differently than they were in the past. Window treatments need to work with these styles.Look at your windows. Are they really contributing to the enjoyment, the pleasure, and the use of your room? Is the glare controlled? Is the sunlight and fading controlled? Do you need a touch of embellishment or enhancement. Consider appropriately designing your windows to compliment the rest of your interior.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 14th episode, Mary talks about changing your environment to change your life. It's been so interesting to have clients come in and say: I really want to do something different. I want to be somebody that's different. I really want to change my life. How can I do that?It's quite exciting to see that by changing the way you live, the environment in which you work, your whole persona, everything changes. It really makes a lot of difference. You can add efficiency, you can add pleasure. It can bring you to a completely different type of work or lifestyle. I'm finding that people today are wanting this more than perhaps any other time in my career. They say, I'm really tired of being and doing exactly what I've been doing. I want a chance to explore. I want a chance to do something that is more elevating, more stimulating, more exciting.I'm fascinated by the designers and people doing traditional work, and now they're doing contemporary work. Designers who were designing one type of product who are now doing a completely different one. Creative people need change. We find it is really necessary that as part of our lifestyle, we plan for change so that we can use our creativity at its highest level. After all, everyone is creative. That core of creativity is in all of us, and we want the chance to properly express it.What kind of environment suits you? If you are a person who enjoys being alone with a lot of supportive objects around you, that is one kind of an environment. I find people like that find inspiration in the objects, books, and artwork around them. They find this indulging and stimulating. These objects are like part of their family, and they really contribute to their environment. We have other people who find everything "cluttered." They want it very simple. They need something that really permits them to have the space to bring in new things and create things, even to take the space and turn it into something completely different.Think about it. What kind of an environment suits you and what you want to accomplish with this next portion of your life. Interior design can help you accomplish it.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 13th episode, Mary talks about color. What color should you use? What color works for you? What do colors say, what do they mean? Faber Birren was one of the very famous, noted, professors on color. He was probably the leading person to live in this last century. He was one of the leading professors to study under, and fortunately, I had that privilege earlier in my career. He explained that color has a physical and psychological effect on people. Obviously, it's somewhat different depending on where you live and where you come from. In Santa Fe, you'll find that brighter colors are far more appealing than they are in the Northeast. Of course, we want bright colors in the Northeast, but what they call bright and what we call bright are quite different.I find that people are now looking for more color. They're looking for colors that compliment them. They want us to create environments for them that are appropriate to their personal coloring. For example, if you have dark hair and darker skin, there are colors that are much more appropriate to you than if you were blonde and pale. Obviously, the people that are living and working in the environment, do affect the proper color planning of your space. Also, the age and functions that are being conducted there... I say age because children love bright colors. One of my clients asked me to assist with the coloring of a nursery for their grandchildren. I showed them some bright colors, some different palettes. The minute the color panels were introduced into their room, the babies looked at these color panels. They were quite excited by them. Children of that age are not really interested in soft pastel blue, pink, and yellow as we have been used to seeing for nurseries. They really like bright and impacting colors.As we mature, our color palette tastes change somewhat. When I was doing many spaces for education, starting with nursery school and through to college, I learned and studied that we needed to change the color palette in the different spaces according to the amount of time that people spent on their particular subject, also their age and culture. This is rather fascinating because, as you think about it, the attention span of a child is very short. If you are a college professor or student working on a tedious subject, you must be able to concentrate for a long period of time. As a result, the whole environment around you should be colored accordingly. We are finding that people are very bored with the 'vanilla' types of environments. Everyone felt that beige or neutral colors were very classic and good for everyone. Now we're finding that people are understanding the luxury and pleasure of color.Look at your environment. Does it fit? Do we need to add some color? Let's add it in a very artistic and balanced way so that it really enhances your room and you gain much pleasure from this beautiful new color palette. Interiors have a wonderful way of creating an environment that gives you great pleasure, and color is one of the components.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 12th episode, Mary talks about the benefits of interior design for clients who are renting or leasing their home. This is an issue which has become, perhaps, more prevalent today than it has been in the past. More and more people are leasing or renting. The reason may be that their jobs are very transient, they may be transferred tomorrow, and they don't want the responsibility of dealing with a house, apartment, or condo. As a result, they've selected to simply lease or rent, but they still want it to be their home. After all, this is important to them. They want to bring their friends and business associates in, and they want to have a space which is really individual and is really very important and special to them. What I recommend is to find a designer who will help you collect a selection of furniture that is really right for you. Many pieces will be purely functional, but otherwise, you must have a few things that are really special to you. Yes, your apartment may be the same as the other 20 or 30 in the building, but yours has some very unique touches. Those things, you might want to carry with you. Designers understand the flexibility of furniture. They can help you select pieces that can move and work well in many different kinds of environments. They can show you just what to do that will give you long-lasting investment.Looking at the different finishes, it is interesting to see how many hardwood floors there are. Not everyone wants that. In that case, there are some fascinating materials being used today. One of them, a Chilewich product, I saw used in the dining room at the Proxemity Hotel in Greensboro. It is a lead, platinum hotel. This is a very practical material, it can be bought in squares or by the yard, and you can put it down over a floor that you don't really love. It gives you a very different finish. It comes in many different colors, with a slightly rubberized/cushioned backing. It is also very practical; it is not something you have to worry about marking or maintaining. It is also a very green product.Some other ideas include accent rugs, wall tapestries, screens, or simple wall units that allow for flexibility. For example, we currently may be able to accommodate a 15 foot unit, but in the next location, we may only be able to accommodate 9 feet. We could take the other two pieces and use them to accent a doorway or in another position. There are a lot of flexible and practical pieces which can also be used for storage.Many rentals are very neutral in color palette. You will want to select a few pieces which are your favorite color tones, blending with their neutral tones. You can really come up with a very interesting environment.The point is, interior design is not only for the homeowner. It is also for the person who is transient or renting. You want your space to be just as practical and just as accommodating, and just as beautiful, as anyone who is purchasing. Look at your lighting systems, your accessory pieces, and your accents. Select pieces that are practical to move. Help coming from a designer can be so valuable to you at this time. Don't hesitate to call an interior designer and present them with your issue and let them know that you are still interested in quality design. Interior design is for everyone, at every age and every position. There is something that we can add to your lifestyle that makes it more practical and pleasurable.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 11th episode, Mary talks about the texture and feeling of the items in your home. What is the texture of the wood, the feel of the carpet, the temperature of your counter top? All of these little tactile issues are part of the pleasures we enjoy in our interior spaces. As we move from different parts of the country, we often want different materials. A great example of this is the stone and tile floors that are very comfortable in Florida or the warmer climates. As we move north, we're not quite as please by those because in the winter time, they are really, really frigid. Today, the wonderful part is, we can often take a stone floor and simply add some heat to it so that when we walk across our bathroom floor, it is really enjoyable to be in our bare feet. All of these tiny considerations are part of how we enjoy, and the comfort of, our interior spaces.It's so interesting to see how much the tactile aspects of a fabric add to the enjoyment of sitting on a piece of furniture. Do you like leather? If you like leather, it isn't just the older, stiff leathers, that we used to have, but there are now leathers as soft as marshmallows. Look at your space. What are the different tactile experiences that you have? What is warm? What is cold? What is very textured? In visiting Market last week, I noticed a chair that had a very textured fabric on it. It almost looked like a miniature porcupine. Now, understand it did not have points. It was more interesting when you touched it, fascinating even. I'm not sure what you'd look like after sitting on this chair for a while, however...Again, texture is very, very critical. Whether it is the sheets on our bed or the towel in our bathroom, it is very important. Even something in our sink, in the kitchen. What type of texture do we want? Do we want a sink that is slate, with a rough texture? In a powder room it may be fine, but I'm not sure I want it in my kitchen, where I want to be sure I can have a sanitary base for all of the items I am preparing. Does the surface absorb bacteria? If it's a kitchen, we are noting now that many of the stone textures do absorb bacteria and are not quite as sanitary as we expected. Fortunately, we have new tops such as corian and glass which are totally sanitary and are easy to clean. Look at your surfaces? Do you want something soft and indulging, or do you want something that is clean and easy to keep purified at all times?Look at your surfaces with a critical eye. Are they meeting your needs? If not, we have many choices today, and we have great opportunities of bringing them to you at very moderate cost and moderate effort. Tactile issues, the touch of something, is very much a part of design, and a part of the pleasures that you gain from your interior space. Review them and make sure they are what you want, where you have them placed.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.In our 10th episode, Mary talks about organization. Would you like to make some changes in the way you live? Very simply, change your environment! It's amazing to see what little changes can do to really change the way we work and live. I have seen people from children to senior citizens, make wonderful constructive changes by really just making a few small changes in their environments.I always laugh when a parent brings me into a child's room and says, "My child never hangs up his clothing. This room is a mess!" I start looking at the closet, and I see a rod for the hanging clothing that's 5 feet high. The poor child couldn't possibly reach it. When you change things and make it convenient and neat and easy for the child, it's surprising how they alter their behavior.So many of us, when we change the things and activities that we participate in, we don't make the appropriate changes in our work spaces or our living spaces. So often, we take on new projects. Well, each new project requires a certain type of storage and coordination. Have you really allowed for this? There are activities which you are no longer participating in, quite as strongly as you did. The question is, have you made the adjustment to eliminate those or put those aside and prepare for your new interests?Are things convenient for you? Check it out. Open your drawers. Are they in order? Do they really look the way you want them to look? Can you find things, or are you wasting time looking for things? If you waste more than a few minutes a day, an interior designer can help you better position those objects so that they are conducive and easy for you to find and use. Make your interior pleasurable, enjoy it. It's really one of the greater pleasures in life; one that we can enjoy every day.Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.