Have you ever "Googled" yourself just to see what other people might see when they "Google" you?
Well, I did this morning and I found this article from 2009 that I had completely forgotten about! It was for a special insert in our local paper last spring. An intern reporter came out to our studio to ask some questions. I gave her an interview, and then promptly forgot all about it -- until this morning.
The article was about applying the "shabby chic" aesthetic to a space, and how the "shabby" look has evolved over time.
I wasn't the only designer interviewed for the article, and what struck me, after reading the article, was that the other designer and I both stressed the importance of design principles.
I think sometimes people get so caught up in the "decorating" aspect of a project that they can forget about the design of their project-- and then don't quite understand why their space doesn't feel "right". Simply applying design principles, such as balance and rhythm and variation, to the elements we use within a space is the trick to making a space feel "right".
It's not any particular color, or finish, or style, or brand that makes a space visually "work". You can decorate a space to within an inch of its life, and still not have a space that works. It is simply how well the designer uses design principles when pulling the elements of a space together that determines if the space has "good design," or if it was simply "decorated."