A wise person once told me that editing is the most important exercise of design.

Sometimes, not editing can result in a finished work that “reads” like a woman who has on too much make-up or a man who has on too much jewelry – in both cases, neither the women nor the man fully understand their natural beauty.  I guess they feel the extra’s somehow make them enough.

I believe the same is true for architecture and interior design.

Recently my husband and I spent a weekend at a boutique hotel in a city outside of Albany, GA for our baby moon (short vacation before the arrival of our 2nd baby).  In its attempts to be hip, cool and fresh, every square foot in the lobby of this hotel was "designed" - which, to me, resulted in a visually noisy and jarring atmosphere.  A catalogue of materials – carpet, stone, concrete, metal, glass, silk, boucle, plywood, bamboo, velvet, resided in this lobby hotel (see below). The issue here is not to focus on the name or location of this highly styled hotel, but rather the question the hotel caused me to ask myself - when is design in general just too much?

“We are facing an enormous problem in our lives today.  It’s so big we can hardly see it, and it’s right in our face all day, every day.  We’re living too big lives, crammed from top to toe with activities, urgencies, and obligations that seem absolute. ...

Quick note: This is a reblog from a few months ago and have decided to repost to let my new followers (yea! thank you) know what my specific interests in the realm of design.  Let me know your thoughts – if you like the post or the blog, please visit my Facebook page at: Seamless Thank...

Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) was not only known internationally for his architecture, but also for his seemingly simple and elegant furniture pieces.  In designing buildings, he believed that each building should be treated like “a complete work of art &ndash...

In the Spring of 2007, an article in Architect magazine reported that of the 91,000 licensed architects in the United States, only 196 of these licensed architects are African-American women.  Really?!  Only 196??  Personally, I know of 7 licensed African-American architects...

"The level of detail and craft is something that's inscribed within the original design concept.  And so when I begin to draw, I know what kind of detailing I want the building to have"  - Tadao Ando . I am certain that I had seen many details in my life before my introduction to...

"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”  ― Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities   In Jane Jacobs' iconic book, she discusses the viability of a city street by having...

One of the most rewarding moments in being a designer is revealing the finished project to an owner and seeing the pleasure on their face over what you’ve done.  Another rewarding moment is to extend your talents to those who do not have the means to pay you… Room Service...

     “Architecture is a gray-haired profession” – Roderick L. Knox, Architect When I was in grade school, my sketchbook was an 8 1/2″ x 11″ spiral bound notebook.  In this notebook I would draw diagrammatic floorplans – one after another...

In literature, there are three main themes that help to categorize a narrative beyond its essential plot: man against man, man against nature and man against himself.  Having one of these themes firmly categorized forms the structure of the story and aids in making the plot more cohesive and...

Great design is like a great movie, each time you see it, you experience something new.   While DIY home design movement is quite popular at the moment due its democracy and budget friendliness, I would like to make a case for the pure talent and skill that is required to conceptualize...

I did not grow up in Chicago, New York or Los Angeles. I grew up in Albany, Georgia. While I still consider Albany my home, it wasn’t exactly a thriving metropolis.  Our city “center” wasn’t obvious, we had no skyscrapers and no sidewalks.  There were no favorite...

Even with a computer in front of me, a cell phone to my right and an i-pad to my left, I still choose to sketch.  Manually.   For me, to sketch is to think. My love for sketching began with... (read more at http://www.dawntrimble.wordpress.com)

Comprehensive design at its best can be quite a sensual experience – calling attention to sight, sound and touch.  Even our sense of smell and taste is heightened when the spaces that envelope us are considered.  Our five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch) are how we...

I have always been fascinated with the idea of intimate space. The definition of "intimate" is an adjective that suggests "friendly" and "devoted".  As it relates to three-dimensional space, we can extrapolate that intimate space is a space that is familiar and close to us, dear to us. ...