You may have heard of “feng shui,” which is the school of thought that blends spirituality and art. It is believed that color, pattern, space and lighting all have a great impact on our emotions, our productivity and our spiritual nature. By rearranging furniture and redesigning a room, we can feel awakened, enlightened, rejuvenated and at peace. While this was revolutionary design news in its time, the newest trend builds on the principles of “feng shui,” arguing one step further that the human psyche demands a “return to nature” in modern designs.
Green building materials, furniture and interior design services are making design headlines all around the world, but particularly in America, in places like Seattle, Portland, New York and Austin. Last year, green building technology found a friend in the money-conscious consumer who was looking to save on his or her energy costs. Traditionally, sustainable design had been seen as “pricey” and “hardly worth it,” but now prices have dropped and consumers are beginning to see where pennies can be pinched. The LEED standard became the predominant licensing agency and Energy Star appliances became mandatory for government buildings in many states. More than 14% of all US cities have some kind of “green real estate” program in place and insurers agree to protect sustainable houses. These breakthroughs are clearing the way for a more responsible and environmentally-friendly society.
Barack Obama made interior design news in January when he chose Michael S. Smith, professional interior designer of the stars, as his White House decorator. Smith has provided interior design services for the likes of Cindy Crawford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Murdoch and Steven Spielberg, among others. Additionally, he was Elle Décor’s designer of the year in 2003 and one of Architectural Digest’s top 100 designers in 2002 and 2004. Smith’s style reflects a mastery of “the mix,” says Kansas City interior designer Caroline McCallister. She says Smith weaves traditional and modern, casual and formal, multiple cultural influences, expensive and affordable. He also has a deep understanding of 18th and 19th century decorative arts and modern designs. Currently, he is updating Sasha and Malia’s rooms, choosing from mainstream brand names, as well as a catalogue of stored White House relics and antiques from the past 200 years.
The iPhone is making headlines in design news for 2009. M.O.C. Interior Design recently launched the “Mark On Call” application, which allows iPhone and iTouch users to create and share floor plans. The program lets users create sizes and dimensions based on their actual homes, add and arrange furniture, change fabrics, lay down flooring and select rugs. The program comes with a measuring tool, shopping lists, a note pad and is priced at $5-$10/week. The more buzz that occurs regarding interior design services, the better it will be. With all the $500+ interior design software out there, “Mark On Call” is a reasonably priced way to re-envision home space.
