10 Reasons Interior Designers Matter

In celebration of the fact that I recently found out that I passed all three sections of the NCIDQ exam, making me now an Official Interior Designer (certified interior designer once I apply to the state licensing board), I thought I would share this recent post from IIDA.


10 Reasons Interior Designers Matter

1. You are a combination of engineer and artist. Not only do you take into account safety and economy when designing a space, but you also create an aesthetic that can comfort and inspire.

2. Your work improves the lives of others. You design for the homebody and the workerbee, in addition to the aged, handicapped, and infirm. Whether you add light to a dark interior or design a beautiful and healthy working space, you make a difference in the lives of others.

3. You are continually learning and seeking answers. You take CEUs, discuss problems with your peers and research materials. You know that the profession is evolving, and you’re evolving with it.

4. You don’t settle for the tried and true. You push boundaries and discover new and better ways of doing things.

5. You provide a service. You work with clients who typically have little to no experience in design, and you find a way to turn their ideas into a tangible reality.

6. You pay attention to details. Whether you’re picking which carpet to use in a hotel hallway or what color to paint a hospital wall, you make each seemingly small decision count for the client’s health and happiness.

7. You explore what sustainable design can mean in the home and workplace. You’re debunking myths and testing new products, and you’re saving clients money along the way.

8. You’re a problem solver. Each project you work on is a new puzzle with a new set of challenges. As the designer, you’re in charge of making it work.

9. You’re collaborators. You’ve learned the value and benefits of teamwork, and how to process and connect disparate ideas into a working whole. Even if you work alone, you’re never really working alone. You have a network of peers that you turn to for advice and support along the way.

10. You work to change the public perception of Interior Designer vs. Interior Decorator. You refrain from sighing when your colleague’s friend learns you are an Interior Designer and asks you to suggest paint colors for her son’s room, and instead patiently explain qualifications, certifications and scope of experience. You are more than just a reality TV design star.

The Incredible's Incredible Home

As an interior designer, one of the most exciting things I will ever get to do (you know, other than marrying my best friend and eventually having babies) is design my own home.

In 5 or so years, our plan is to add an addition onto our home that will most likely double, if not triple our square footage. The addition will contain a new kitchen, dining, living room, finished basement, bedrooms, bathrooms- basically it will be an entire home.

Obviously one of the first steps to take towards the addition is determining what style we will create. The style will effect more than just the furniture and decor- it will also present itself in the space plan and architecture of the house!

I have always been drawn toward modern design, but my true love is mid century modern (with a bit of Danish modern thrown in there). Our house will be a fusion of all three, but without being too "out there" since my husband is a very straight forward mechanical engineer- the house can't be too "weird."

(via Freshome)

(eek! I can't remember where I saved this from!)

If I had to give an example of a movie home that describes my style, it would be the home of the Incredibles, Bob and Helen Parr in Disney/Pixar's movie. The home is colorful and modern with the perfect touches of mid century styling and Danish modern furniture.

Check out the awesome Danish modern furniture!

The image on the left shows awesome frameless corner glass windows.

An initial rendering of the home's exterior.

If you had to pick a "movie" home to describe your style or dream house, which would it be?

Friday Favorites

-Max & Cleo Dress from Overstock.com

-Frank Gehry Morph Bracelet from Tiffany & Co.
(I love how graceful the links are!)

-Galvanized Planters from CB2
(These would work great with spikey greenery or a shock of colorful flowers!)

-Loudon Wenge Oak Veneer Adjustable Coffee Table from Overstock.com
(Your furniture becomes a sculpture.)

-Spa-like bathroom via Furniture Fashion Blog
(My absolute favorite is the stone wall that continues to the outside through the glass- talk about bringing the exterior in or vice versa.)

Lisa's Family Room

Lisa recently moved into a new construction home. She wasn't sure where to start in the family room and turned to s-humphreys interiors.

The family room already had awesome stonework around the fireplace as well as an orange accent wall. In this open floor plan home, the family room opens up to the kitchen which is painted a great blue. The orange and blue colors are seen throughout the home, so they were for sure to be highlighted in this family room upgrade.

The before photos:



And a peak into Lisa's design solution: A Design Master Plan. (Feel free to click on the images to enlarge the design solutions!)



In addition to two hard copies of her boards, Lisa also received a narrative describing the design and intentions, as well as a source and price list organized by store, and a detailed view of each item specified.

Lisa, thank you so much for trusting me with your home design and I am so glad that you liked what you received. I can't wait to see photos!