Layering Light

May 18, 2023 in studio notes

Let's talk lighting. Every room should have three types of lighting — layering lighting has a huge impact on the overall mood and ambience of a space.

💡 Ambient lighting is overhead lighting that illuminates an entire room.

🛋️ Task lighting illuminates a particular area of a room for a task (like a light over a sink).

🕯️ Accent lighting — often the most overlooked — draws attention to a certain feature of a room (think lamps, scones and picture lights) and helps add dimension.

CONTEXT

September 06, 2022 in studio notes

Context

Context

Lately we’ve been talking a lot about context at the studio. It makes all the difference for how you evaluate what goes into a space.

When considering an item for a space, clients can get overly focused on one item. They begin to consider it absent from the items around it. Not considering an item in its context is always a mistake. A table, light fixture, sofa or rug all need to fill a specific role in the overall design.

Here is an example drawn from the film industry. In a movie there are roles that each actor will play in telling the story. It does not work if everyone is a lead actor. You need a supporting cast. By extension, if every item in a space is competing for the lead role, it will very quickly become difficult to follow the plot. The eye does not know where to land. Understanding this is essential to putting together a space that works and allocating your budget wisely.

Much of design is leading the eye and focusing the gaze where you want to place it. You would make a different selection of backsplash tiles in a space where there is a stunning view out the window versus a place where the backsplash is the view.

If you are ever struggling to narrow down design directions for a project, take a step back and consider the context. How does this item you are selecting fit in the overall design? Where are you trying to direct the eye? It will answer everything you need to know.

SUPPLY CHAIN BLUES

February 10, 2022 in studio notes

SUPPLY CHAIN BLUES

Navigating the COVID supply chain

A few years ago, the rug from our Springbank project (pictured above) was delayed. Very delayed.

The angst surrounding the delays in receiving this custom rug seem quaint now in the face of the supply chain issues the home design and renovation business is facing. Clients are waiting and waiting (and w.a.i.t.i.n.g…) for items to arrive.

At the time this custom, hand-knotted rug was delayed, there was a strike in Jaipur, India and the weavers had walked off the job. No goods were being completed. No orders were moving through the system and it created a backlog and long delays. That piece of information was slow to percolate through the vendor leaving us with no information about why the expected production and delivery schedule had been abandoned and no timeline could be given.

What is happening right now in the home goods industry is system-wide disruption meeting massive demand meeting raw material shortages. It makes it very difficult to plan and deliver a project. The things you’ve always been able to count on: suppliers who can predict their lead times with confidence, availability of raw materials to make the goods, and trained artisans to shape the products. None of these are available on any kind of reliable or timely schedule.

Add to this a tripling in the costs to secure container space for transportation and the near daily notices of cost increases.

At this point, it is unclear how long it will take to get the systems sorted and working reliably again and so planning well in advance and expecting delays is prudent for any new interior design projects on the horizon.

All of these challenges are magnified by the reality that many of the steps for constructing fine furniture and custom items are linear in nature. You can’t move on to step two until step one is done and if there is a delay in the chain, well, the whole thing bogs down.

The good news is that we have been challenged with thinking outside the box and changing the way we think about projects. We have all learned to change our perspective and stress a little less about the things we can’t control. It also means being actively in control of everything that you can.

We use a proven project management approach to keep the details of a project advancing and visible well into the future. And, as for that custom rug? We laugh at how cute we were thinking it was an issue.

BEST LAID PLANS

October 13, 2021 in studio notes

BEST LAID PLANS

Interior design solutions by Form Interiors

BEST LAID PLANS

You know what they say about the best-laid plans? You can consider every detail, cover every angle and still. Curveball.

I had a claim to resolve with a vendor from a recent install. The furniture piece they sent had a cracked drawer box. It’s unfortunate, but it happens and this vendor is excellent at resolving these issues, when they occasionally come up, which is why I love working with them.

Our team made the arrangements among the client, warehouse, delivery company, and our office to have the replacement piece delivered. Even though it’s a very straightforward swap, I always insist that I, or someone from my team, be there to supervise deliveries.

The delivery company agreed to call a half-hour before their planned arrival so I could pop over to meet them.

They didn’t.

About an hour before the expected delivery window the client called to say the delivery company was there. They were going to swap the piece and use the existing drawer as they didn’t like the new one. Was that okay…?

I raced over, discovered they had replaced a perfectly good piece, left the broken part there, and departed with the new replacement drawer. To be fair, they were trying to be conscientious and the intent was to do a great delivery.

We managed to call them back. They replaced the drawer with the new one, which was perfect, and the claim was resolved.

Best laid plans. Right?

FIRST REEL

September 15, 2021 in studio notes

First Reel

Form published its first reel earlier this week. You can see it here if you like.

The content is a bit of a celebration of completing a project — because completing a project is feeling hard these days. It’s little things that seem to gum up the works. The global supply chain is out of sync, manufacturing is struggling beneath the triple whammy of shutdowns, re-inventing operations to allow for distancing and record orders. Vendors are tired. Trades are tired. In this environment getting one across the finish line is a win to be celebrated and enjoyed.

I’m looking forward to sharing the results here in near future, so stay tuned. Huge thanks to Catalyst Builders, who were excellent partners in the work.

I feel incredibly lucky to have patient, thoughtful clients who are focused on the long game and who appreciate that things are not normal right now. Still, I’d be lying if I didn’t say the delays and uncertainty aren’t fraying me a bit. I like to have answers and sometimes they are hard to pin down.

Your feedback on the reel would be great. It’s a new form of content and ideas from the readers are always welcome.

Here’s to wrapping up many more projects and the celebrations to come!

Blog Intentions

August 21, 2021 in studio notes

Blog Intentions

Blog Intentions

I’ve set an intention for myself to do more blogging.

More than once over this past week I’ve commented to people on what a terrible “Instagrammer” I am. I overthink the shots. Analyze the composition. End up making weird, or hard to follow posts.

Will this client feel too exposed if I share this image? Will the viewer understand this is progress, which is often messy, and reach judgement without enough information? Am I happy with this angle? Lighting? Does this shot really tell the story? You see the issue…

However, I do think it’s important to share. I just honestly believe people don’t need to be reminded on a daily or multiple times daily basis that I exist and am working away. It feels narcissistic.

Except, people ask. Then I wonder if not sharing more gives the wrong impression as well. Tough call.

So, I will assume if people ask, it means they truly are interested and I need to work a little harder at opening the doors a bit wider. Hence this goal to post here on the blog more frequently.

Context

Context

Lately we’ve been talking a lot about context at the studio. It makes all the difference for how you evaluate what goes into a space.

When considering an item for a space, clients can get overly focused on one item. They begin to consider it absent from the items around it. Not considering an item in its context is always a mistake. A table, light fixture, sofa or rug all need to fill a specific role in the overall design.

Much of design is leading the eye and focusing the gaze where you want to place it. You would make a different selection of backsplash tiles in a space where there is a stunning view out the window versus a place where the backsplash is the view.

If you are ever struggling to narrow down design directions for a project, take a step back and consider the context. How does this item you are selecting fit in the overall design? Where are you trying to direct the eye? It will answer everything you need to know.

SUPPLY CHAIN BLUES

Navigating the COVID supply chain

A few years ago, the rug from our Springbank project (pictured above) was delayed. Very delayed.

The angst surrounding the delays in receiving this custom rug seem quaint now in the face of the supply chain issues the home design and renovation business is facing. Clients are waiting and waiting (and w.a.i.t.i.n.g…) for items to arrive.

Add to this a tripling in the costs to secure container space for transportation and the near daily notices of cost increases.

At this point, it is unclear how long it will take to get the systems sorted and working reliably again and so planning well in advance and expecting delays is prudent for any new interior design projects on the horizon.

All of these challenges are magnified by the reality that many of the steps for constructing fine furniture and custom items are linear in nature. You can’t move on to step two until step one is done and if there is a delay in the chain, well, the whole thing bogs down.

The good news is that we have been challenged with thinking outside the box and changing the way we think about projects. We have all learned to change our perspective and stress a little less about the things we can’t control. It also means being actively in control of everything that you can.

We use a proven project management approach to keep the details of a project advancing and visible well into the future. And, as for that custom rug? We laugh at how cute we were thinking it was an issue.

BEST LAID PLANS

BEST LAID PLANS

You know what they say about the best-laid plans? You can consider every detail, cover every angle and still. Curveball.

I had a claim to resolve with a vendor from a recent install. The furniture piece they sent had a cracked drawer box. It’s unfortunate, but it happens and this vendor is excellent at resolving these issues, when they occasionally come up, which is why I love working with them.

Our team made the arrangements among the client, warehouse, delivery company, and our office to have the replacement piece delivered. Even though it’s a very straightforward swap, I always insist that I, or someone from my team, be there to supervise deliveries.

The delivery company agreed to call a half-hour before their planned arrival so I could pop over to meet them.

They didn’t.

About an hour before the expected delivery window the client called to say the delivery company was there. They were going to swap the piece and use the existing drawer as they didn’t like the new one. Was that okay…?

I raced over, discovered they had replaced a perfectly good piece, left the broken part there, and departed with the new replacement drawer. To be fair, they were trying to be conscientious and the intent was to do a great delivery.

We managed to call them back. They replaced the drawer with the new one, which was perfect, and the claim was resolved.

Best laid plans. Right?

First Reel

Form published its first reel earlier this week. You can see it here if you like.

I’m looking forward to sharing the results here in near future, so stay tuned. Huge thanks to Catalyst Builders, who were excellent partners in the work.

Your feedback on the reel would be great. It’s a new form of content and ideas from the readers are always welcome.

Here’s to wrapping up many more projects and the celebrations to come!

Blog Intentions

Blog Intentions

I’ve set an intention for myself to do more blogging.

More than once over this past week I’ve commented to people on what a terrible “Instagrammer” I am. I overthink the shots. Analyze the composition. End up making weird, or hard to follow posts.

Will this client feel too exposed if I share this image? Will the viewer understand this is progress, which is often messy, and reach judgement without enough information? Am I happy with this angle? Lighting? Does this shot really tell the story? You see the issue…

However, I do think it’s important to share. I just honestly believe people don’t need to be reminded on a daily or multiple times daily basis that I exist and am working away. It feels narcissistic.

Except, people ask. Then I wonder if not sharing more gives the wrong impression as well. Tough call.

So, I will assume if people ask, it means they truly are interested and I need to work a little harder at opening the doors a bit wider. Hence this goal to post here on the blog more frequently.

Who knows, some of these might even make it onto my Instagram.