What does AI have to say about resilience? What does resilience mean to you? Resilience is the ability to adapt and bounce back from adversity, stress, trauma, or significant challenges, rather than being overwhelmed by them, involving mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility to recover and even grow stronger…
We live in a time of social and political fragmentation; it’s easy to see the divisions everywhere. There are so many important issues to grapple with, including climate change, the economy, access to health care and now, a war. I do not support the current administration’s policies on addressing these issues and many more.
We all need supportive home environments more than ever that provide us comfort, safety and a respite from the stresses of the outside world.
KDZ Designs Photo
As an interior designer, when I consult with clients, we work together to create a home environment that emphasizes their lifestyle, goals and provides comfort and safety. Can the design of your home help you to be more resilient? Yes, according to designer, Bobby Berk, the way your home makes you feel, matters. In his book, Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind: An Interior Design Book, he reviews how to achieve your well-being in your home.
What are five questions that I ask clients, when we examine what would create their best home space? Whether it’s making upgrades to one room or your entire home…start by examining yourself, as you think about resilience. What does resilience mean to you?
ONE: What do you already love about your home? Take note of your daily routine and as you move through your day, what areas do you gravitate toward in your home? Is there a spot where you bring the outside in? Do you have a spot where you love to be with family? Do you have a favorite chair?
TWO: What do you dislike about your home? Are there surface changes you want to make? Or do you need to do more significant renovation? Do you need help in figuring out how to move forward, based on your budget and other considerations?
KDZ Designs Photo
Amy Crosby Photo
THREE: Are there things that you don’t do, because you haven’t made updates in your home? For example, do you not invite friends in because you feel that they wouldn’t be comfortable? If you made some small changes, would those make you more likely to invite people in?Or do you need to change your thinking about other’s expectations and your own?!
A small change, from old upholstery…
…to new!
FOUR: Conversely, it’s easy to get caught in the mindset of “this is good enough.” Look critically at what would make you feel better in your home and determine why you have not made those changes.Are those changes something that you could start planning today? What are the impediments to making even small changes? Do you need help making those changes?
FIVE: Do you see changes that you are planning, continuing to have a positive impact in a year, five years, or more? If you make changes to your kitchen, for example, do you expect that you will cook more, spend more time with your family, and be able to save money from not going out to eat more, which are all things that didn’t feel possible in your old kitchen?
Only you can determine what works best for you, and what resilience means to you. For further questions to ask yourself, go to this blog post, about living your best life, from last year.
The popular phrase,”living your best life” often points to personal fulfillment, reaching one’s potential, helping others and other similar ideas that lead to a more meaningful and enlightened life. Navigating all the challenges that life sends our way (external and internal) is difficult.
What does this have to do with interior design? Our interior environments contribute significantly to our well-being, and can play a huge role in supporting how we create our best lives.
There are any number of books, podcasts, postings and more on how to figure out what living your best life means to you. Before starting to make changes in your home, identify what your goals are, for making your life more meaningful.
It could be that you want more space for pursuing what’s most important to you, and that could entail a renovation, updating or up-cycling of furnishings or other changes.
Amy Crosby Photography
When I work with clients, I collaborate with them; the most crucial feature of any design project is making sure my clients feel that we are meeting their goals for their project.This involves our mutual understanding of what is most important and it is my job to provide my expertise and guidance to achieve client goals.
Amy Crosby Photography
When you start to understand what your best life might look like, how can you evaluate if your space supports that?Get into the details! Here are two main questions to get you started!
Let’s start with reviewing your daily routine; If you have identified what goals you want to achieve, that will move you to living your best life, how do they translate into your daily routine?
Then, once you map out that daily routine – will your current space support that routine?Review each area/room in your home to understand how well each space will work with your routine.
For example, if you want to meditate every morning, do you have a quiet space to do that?Do you need a dedicated space, or could you carve out an area in an existing room that can be transformed as you need it?
https://sawatta.com/
Another example: with the pandemic, many of us started working from home, at least temporarily. If creating a home office/workspace is something that will move you closer to your life goals, evaluate if you can repurpose one of your existing rooms, or if you need to carve out new space. Are there other spaces that you might want to re-purpose?
A third example: If cooking together as a family most nights is something you don’t currently do, but you want to add to your routine, do you have the space in your kitchen for multiple prep areas? Do you need more storage (in the fridge and in cupboards or on shelves) than you currently have for fresh foods and staples? Do you have ample seating for everyone to share a meal near the kitchen, for informal meals, or do you only have a formal dining space, that you don’t use often?
Having a understanding of how your current space supports you and what you would like to change will help you evaluate what changes are most important and how significant they need to be (minor updates all the way up to a complete renovation).Budget, time-frame and other considerations need to be factored in as well, and if you need help, be sure to call on building professionals, like me!
Have you been following the US tariffs that have been applied by the Trump administration, to goods from the many countries that trade with the US? What are tariffs?
Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods, paid by the importing business to its government.
My head has been spinning!
Depending on the country, tariffs may have been imposed, then reduced or delayed and then reimposed, but perhaps at a different rate. Not to mention reciprocal tariffs….
https://www.mapsofworld.com
China’s tariff rates for goods coming into the US have been particularly volatile. As of early June, the Peterson Institute for International Economics reported that the average rate is percentage is 51.1% (covering all imports), down from a high of 145%.
reuters.com
To briefly geek-out, in a New York Times article from March and just updated on June 4th, A Timeline of Trump’s On-Again, Off-Again Tariffs, the first tariffs began shortly after President Trump’s inauguration.
Just look at Canada and Mexico as examples:
On February 1, 25% tariffs were imposed on most goods coming into the US from Canada and Mexico.
On February 3, those tariffs were suspended for 30 days.
On March 4, the tariffs were reimposed.
On March 5, cars were exempted from the tariffs from Canada and Mexico.
On March 6, most of the tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products were suspended, but steel and aluminum would receive tariffs on March 12.
On April 2, a 10 percent tariff was applied to all nations importing goods to the United States — unless a tariff had already been announced on a product or industry.
And the ups and downs of tariffs have continued.
As of early June, Canadian and Mexican goods are subject to 25% when entering the US, unless they are exempted under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Lumber is currently subject to a 14.54% tariff rate, not the 25%, but there are not guarantees that the rate will not increase.
What does this mean for any of us buying home products and planning interior design projects?
www.designerstoday.com
To be blunt, prices have gone up, and are likely to continue to go up.
We had already seen prices rise during the pandemic, in part due to inflation as well as supply chain disruption. Currently, US manufacturers and importers, facing the tariffs and other increasing costs have had to raise their prices. From a Designers Today article:
For retailers, according to an April survey reported in Designers Today’s sister publication Furniture Today, few home furnishings retailers anticipate that they will avoid the impact of tariffs, and 69% of the 420 respondents view the tariffs as a long-term situation lasting six months or more. The remaining 31% voiced hope for a speedy resolution.
Other results of the tariffs could be fewer offerings as finished products from other countries become more expensive in the US, so fewer companies distribute them as their customers don’t buy them.
With raw materials from other countries also affected by tariffs, US-made products that rely on international components will become more expensive as well, and face lower sales.
How can you plan for a design renovation or for some updated furnishings in your home? Ask a lot of questions…
Amy Crosby Photography
Have an open conversation with your building professionals about their costs – how are they responding to price changes?
Where do they source products and how do you reimburse them? Review their contracts carefully with them so you understand if you would purchase any products directly, for example, or if all purchases go through them.
Even if working with an American company, their products may be sourced from components from other countries, as noted above, so those products would still be subject to increased costs; ask how those companies handle product delays, as well as price increases.
Do not rush into any buying decisions, just to avoid price increases. Design decisions should be made carefully, as you are likely to live with them for a number of years! Check in with any retailers you buy from to see how they are handling tariffs.
If you are able to buy vintage items or those made by local craftspeople, you may find those more affordable and not subject to tariffs (unless the raw materials are subject to tariffs).
The National Kitchen and Bath Association produces a trends report every year for kitchen and bath design; the 2025 bath trends include (click here for additional details):
Wellness Focus
Spa-like Features
Optimizing Lighting
Natural Colors
Easy Upkeep
Personalizing Design with Technology
Increasing the Footprint
If you look on-line, you will likely see some of these trends as you explore bath design.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that you need to explore what YOUR specific needs and priorities are in any design work that you are planning.
How do you figure out what will work best for you? Ask yourself questions – and this will help you to work with any design professionals.
I encouraged readers of my last bathroom design blog post to use self-reflection in figuring out what was best for their overall lifestyle and space. I suggested answering 4 questions.
The answers will help you chart your bathroom use and goals and to frame your new or updated bathroom design.
Let’s add 4 more questions today!
What is your current storage and how do you want to change it? For example, do you want to have towel storage, as well as toiletries and cleaning supplies in the bathroom? How do you hang towels and what do you want on your counters and what do you want to be kept out of sight? Does a medicine cabinet make sense for more storage, or is a mirror more your style?
Photo By Corey Fitzgerald Photography
KDZ Designs Photo
KDZ Designs Photo
2. What kind of lighting do you have now, and is it enough? Try putting on make-up or shaving, thinking about the lighting to see if it provides enough illumination. Typically, even in smaller baths, ceiling lighting over the tub/shower, a ceiling fixture in the center of the room, and sconces framing the vanity mirror are ideal. Additional lighting may be needed….
Corey Fitzgerald Photography- KDZ Designs
3. What are the colors (cabinets, walls, flooring, etc.) in your bath and what is its overall style? Do the colors and style work with the rest of your home and if not, what changes do you want to make? What about the color and style of fixtures (toilets, sinks, faucets, vanity and door hardware, etc.)? Mixing an older style with new technology can be tricky!!
KDZ Designs Photo
KDZ Designs Photo
KDZ Designs Photo
4. Just as in kitchens, new technology has influenced bathroom design, creating lower water flow needs, finishes that stand up better to daily use, and more; look at plumbing and bath fixture websites to become familiar with new options, including lighting, fixtures, smart toilets and their controls. How much “new” technology do you want in your bathroom??
Kohler.com
Kohler.com
Are you thinking differently about your bathroom and the changes you want to make??
And, if you are looking for the most budget friendly options and are planning on updating a few things about your bath, you might choose to:
Change the wall and cabinet colors
Add new cabinet hardware
Update decorative light fixtures
Replace the mirror over the vanity. Removing and replacing tile is more involved and more costly, but if you maintain the room’s footprint, you will save money.
The National Kitchen and Bath Association produces a trends report every year for kitchen and bath design; the 2025 bath trends include (click here for additional details):
Wellness Focus
Spa-like Features
Optimizing Lighting
Natural Colors
Easy Upkeep
Personalizing Design with Technology
Increasing the Footprint
If you look on-line, you will likely see some of these trends as you explore bath design.
At the same time, it’s important to remember that you need to explore what YOUR specific needs and priorities are in any design work that you are planning.
How do you figure out what will work best for you? Ask yourself questions – and this will help you to work with any design professionals.
Last month, I encouraged readers of my January blog post to use self-reflection in figuring out what was best for their overall lifestyle and space. Take a look at that…
And I have specific questions that only YOU can answer. The answers will help you chart your bathroom use and goals and to frame your new or updated bathroom design.
Let’s start with 4 questions today, with more to come in my next blog post.
Define your bath: Is this your main bath or a secondary bath? Who uses it and how often is it used? What is the bath’s daily routine!?
Welcome to 2025!With the new year, are you thinking about updating your home? The hub of many homes is the kitchen, and according to a 2024 Houzz & Home Study, 27% of homeowners in the US remodeled their kitchens, making it the most commonly renovated room in the home.
If you are a regular reader of on-line design articles, follow interior design influencers, etc. you may feel like you can’t hope to achieve the “looks” that you see. And you don’t even know where to start. How do you know what’s right for you?
https://www.npr.org/sections/
What if you start with asking yourself a bunch of questions?! Before you think about any selections, or your budget…what if knowing who you are helps you figure out how to create the best space for you?!
Start with how you live now, and figure out more about yourself (and anyone else who lives in your space, including a partner, children and/or pets)!
What motivates you and do you want to make changes in your life?
When you walk into your home, do you feel comfortable, calm and supported by it?
Or do you feel agitated, wish you could be somewhere else, and see everything’s that wrong with it?
Now let’s focus on the kitchen, and ask and answer even more questions!! These are all things that when I work with clients, I want to know…
How much do you cook in your kitchen? Daily, a few times a week, rarely? Do you cook meals in advance? Or, do you bring home take-out a lot, eat out more, or heat up leftovers?
If your kitchen is used often, who’s the main cook in your home and do other family members help in the kitchen? If so, what do they do?
www.ikea.com/
Do you clean and straighten your kitchen daily? Are you okay with some things on the counters, or do you prefer to have the counters as clear of items as possible? Do you have help in cleaning your kitchen?
How much counter-space do you have now? Does it provide enough prep area? Do you have appliances on your counter?
Do you eat in your kitchen? Is there an island or a kitchen table? Is there a separate dining room, and do you use it, and how often do you use it (rarely, only on holidays, often during the week, every night)?
Photo by Corey Fitzgerald, KDZ Designs Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Update
What kind of storage do you have in the kitchen and near-by (pantry, only kitchen cabinets, etc.)?
Do you buy a lot of fresh foods that need refrigeration? Do you have a large family and buy in bulk and need a lot of storage?
Photo by Corey Fitzgerald, KDZ Designs Mid-Century Modern Kitchen Update
Do you have adequate lighting in your kitchen – for example, can you see well when doing prep work and if you eat in your kitchen, is the surface where you eat well-lit? Can you see to clean the kitchen, including the floor?
www.lampsplus.com
What are the colors (cabinets, walls, flooring, etc.) in your kitchen and what is its overall style? Do the colors and style work with the rest of your home?
If you have pets, do they eat in the kitchen and do they have a designated area for their food and water?
Corey Fitzgerald Photo – Cosmo, the greyhound
A better sense of direction…
Based on your answers to the above questions, you will get a sense of how much use your kitchen gets, who uses it, and what you might be missing and that translates to identifying the best materials to use, storage solutions, color and style selections, etc. You can do on-line searches that call out pros and cons of materials, style selections, etc.
For example, If you are someone who cooks daily, and you are planning a kitchen renovation, you would select countertops that are the most resilient, like quartz, for example. Doing an on-line search you can also evaluate if quartz countertops are in your budget. And you could repeat this kind of search for the best lighting for prep areas, storage options for cooking supplies, etc. If you are looking for the most budget friendly options and are planning on updating a few things about your kitchen, you might choose to change the wall and cabinet colors, adding new cabinet hardware, and updating decorative light fixtures.
