​Remember that funny song from years ago?  ... the Head bone’s connected to the Neck bone, Neck bone’s connected to the Shoulder bone, etc., all the way to the Toe bone!  It was a kind of humorous tribute to what connects to what, and the importance of an underlying support system.
 
That simple reality is just as vital to commercial and residential structures as it is to the human body; everything’s connected to something else – or else!   It was never a mystery what held up barns, lodges rustic cabins and other more utilitarian structures; their “bones” and all their “connections” were right out there, bold and visible.  You could even say their visibility was additional reassurance that all was well built and ready to meet any test of whim or weather.
 
However, in more “other” buildings – private homes, formal businesses or professional offices, the discipline was to hide all that beam-and-pipe stuff!   Get all that plumbing, air conditioning, support beams, electrical and heating paraphernalia out of sight!  Along with that goal, as more sophisticated systems were developed (such as large ventilation and AC ducts) ceilings were lowered a bit more -- to accommodate the “hiding” process!

The “bones” were not to be seen!   Well, except for shellfish, Armadillos and one or two other creatures, skeletons are pretty much “interior” networks!  And housing?  Beavers and birds would be the exceptions.   The structural aspects of modern human habitats and workplaces were basically built to be unseen.

​There are very high function Interior areas, and less critical function Interior areas in all Interior environments – business or residential.   Contemporary Interior Design has radically transformed the ugly ducklings of “ho-hum” treatment in high function areas such as bathrooms and kitchens!
 
I recall with humor some of the tiny toilet closets found in older Victorian era homes that required courage and ingenuity should one choose to use one!   Both kitchens and bathrooms historically favored function over beauty, plain and simple.  Fortunately, that phenomenon has been addressed and challenged by contemporary Interior designers!
 
And, why not?   There is no denying that quite a large amount of time in anyone’s life is spent in bathrooms and kitchens!  Acknowledging the importance of efficient and practical function, but insisting such be produced and delivered beautifully, is a changed (and welcome) paradigm.

​In several past articles I have discussed the important connections between the decisions and results of your commercial Interior design project and other aspects of your business enterprise.   From human factors to effective marketing, synergy needs to happen!
 
The space planning strategies, the traffic patterns that your employees, clients or customers must follow, the emotional and visual impacts of color --  and your choices concerning furnishing and equipment -- are all part of what your business projects to its consumers!
 
As time and innovation move on, many, many changes occur in the fields of health, furniture design, efficiency paradigms and performance technologies!  Those changes have large consequences!

​Just as we all have individual personalities, preferences, wishes, dreams and idiosyncrasies –kitchens are special, individualistic Interior space!  (...or they should be!)
 
The outfitting of a kitchen should agree with the importance of a kitchen to the individual most likely to use it.  Your professional Interior design team knows that getting it right with your kitchen design is a top priority for a functional, balanced home.   Matching a kitchen design to its projected use and user is just good old common sense!
 
Home kitchens have evolved amazingly in recent decades.   The very early paradigm of kitchen as the family gathering place (often the only heated room in the house) has evolved and transitioned with many, many variations.   All reflect the residents’ lifestyle.

​Transform:  to change completely or essentially in composition or structure; to change the outward form or appearance of;  (Webster/Chambers/Oxford).
 
Professional Interior Design is a professional service that an expert drives and a client navigates.  The success or shortfall depends almost entirely on communication!   The “where to begin” and the “arrival at desired outcome” depend heavily on one component – client – imprinting another component – Interior designer or team – with the desired vision.  Easy?  Well, not always!
 
In “transformative” Interior design, the challenge antes-up considerably, and the journey is quite different when compared with Interior design that springs from existing patterns and tastes, refreshment Interior design that maintains and corrects, or remodeling Interior design that grows an environment with upgrades but preserves the known and obvious preferences.

​Contemporary Interior Design has grown bolder and more creative in the use of humor and fun when designing Interior clinical space for the very young.   Dental and Medical Interior environments must be sensitive to the anxieties of youngsters – as well as to their wonderful abilities for imagination, whimsy and comedy!
 
Today, when confronted with the very enjoyable challenge of designing Interior medical or dental environments with kids in mind, Interior design teams are less confined by the somber, traditional approaches to clinical Interior space of past decades.  That severe, stark, no-nonsense approach was often self-defeating when it came to management of apprehensive or frightened children anticipating medical or dental discomfort.  The necessary instrumentation alone, presented on trays within their sight, could be enough to make young patient management difficult – or even impossible.

 We all know that prevention and preparation is the better route, but we also know that the temptation is there to opt for trends, fads and other versions of the popular style of the moment!  Unfortunately, those impulses may be fun and exciting at first, but often they up the risks concerning durability, good and doable maintenance and repeated costs.
 
In order to indulge both concerns – getting an exciting look and feel for our Interior environments and taking the “oops!” factor into consideration, it is very important that you and your Interior Design team thoroughly and realistically investigate your Interior environments’ end use.

Close relatives (but with distinct differences) the styles that you choose from, with which to develop your Interior Design vision, say a lot about your past, present and future!
 
Whether you are considering a business Interior space or residential Interior space project, your Interior design team wants to know about all three aspects of your personal taste:  previous surroundings, your present interior space and the future Interior you envision!  The ways and elements with which we surround ourselves, in our business or personal space, critically defines parts of who we are and what we offer to those we invite into our Interiors.
 
A decision to change our surroundings is a very real indicator that something has changed within us!   That decision may relate to a change in the message we want to project outward to our marketplace or to our personal inner circle.   But, just as importantly, it may relate to significant changes in our own preferences.

 What drives those changes may also include the strong influences of seasonal fluctuation, obvious trends within our business venue or attractive – even quirky – fads!   Perhaps, we realize that we are being drawn to more classical forms and messages that offer different satisfactions within our Interior design project vision.