Posts
How Lovely Are Your Branches? Tips For Decorating The Tree
December 2, 2022
The center of attention and activity, the Christmas tree embodies the unique combination of nostalgia, good will and hope associated with the holidays. Many of the same ideas that apply to decorating your home are also important to keep in mind for a beautiful tree that expresses your style while fostering holiday spirit for everyone who sees it.
RESIMERCIAL INTERIORS: Workspaces That Feel Like Home
August 30, 2019
As the lines have blurred between work and home, interior designers have helped employers create more varied, flexible settings that feel less like a formal institution and more like a comfortable home-away-from-home. Resimercial design, creating workspaces that feel more homelike than corporate, is a fairly recent trend that has grown in popularity. According to Wayfair, the style became a “legitimate design movement,” at the 2017 NeoCon conference, a major annual event for the commercial design industry. To explore this new style, we’ve asked a few of our interior designers to share their thoughts about the resimercial design trend.
INTERIOR DESIGN PIONEERS: A Look Back at a Few of the Earliest Innovators
October 28, 2018
Many designers will tell you that great ideas are built upon the concepts and creators that came before them. This month we are highlighting a few of the earliest innovators who paved the way for today’s interior design professionals. Although there were certainly others who came before these few we’ve highlighted here (in fact, some sources trace interior design all the way back to ancient India), the following individuals have been heralded as some of the earliest American influencers for what has evolved into the contemporary interior design profession.
DESIGN GRATITUDE: Thanksgiving for Interior Design Professionals
November 22, 2017
Although the origins of Thanksgiving are disputed by various historians, we do know that it was President Abraham Lincoln who made it an official holiday in 1863. Since that time, Thanksgiving has evolved into the celebratory feast that most of us enjoy with family and friends. Regardless of its history, we appreciate the opportunity to pause and reflect about the many things for which we are thankful. We’ve asked a few members of our interior design team to share something they are thankful for that relates to their profession, whether a current trend or timeless design element.
From Hospital to Hospitality: Interior Design for Senior Living
July 24, 2017Interior design for senior living has changed significantly in the last several decades. While many people associate senior living with the sterile environments of the mid-century nursing home, the reality is that today’s senior living facilities are more closely linked with hospitality design than with hospital design.
FROM HOSPITAL TO HOSPITALITY: Interior Design for Senior Living
June 6, 2017
Interior design for senior living has changed significantly in the last several decades. While many people associate senior living with the sterile environments of the mid-century nursing home, the reality is that today’s senior living facilities are more closely linked with hospitality design than with hospital design.
RLPS INTERIORS: Celebrating 30 Years!
March 16, 2017
In 1987, Ronald Reagan was our president, Margaret Thatcher was elected Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Alan Greenspan took over as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. American Motors was acquired by the Chrysler Corporation, Microsoft released Windows 2.0 and Fox Broadcasting made its prime-time television debut. We listened to some of the top hits that year by Whitney Houston, Madonna and U2, and flocked to the box office to see Lethal Weapon, The Princess Bride and Dirty Dancing.
And in 1987, the first interior designer was brought on board at RLPS! The goal to provide a full range of integrated architectural and interior design services remains our mission today. A few of our interior designers shared photos of themselves in 1987 for the header photo above.
WELCOMING GESTURES: Hospitality Design Trends
July 1, 2016
The word hospitality traces its origin back to the Latin words hostis, which means stranger or enemy, and the more positive hospitem, which means guest or host. The English terms hospital, host, hostel, hotel and hospitality all come from these same roots. Interestingly the first hospitality venues were hospitals, which in their initial inception provided lodging and entertainment for pilgrims traveling to religious shrines. This eventually led to our current concept of hospitality which encompasses friendly reception and generous treatment of guests or strangers.
We take many of our design cues for a wide range of senior living, healthcare, educational and other commercial spaces from today’s hospitality venues, the best of which set the standards for brand identity, style and guest comfort and enjoyment. The following hospitality trends are examples of contemporary interior design techniques and finishes that will add visual interest, subtle sophistication and personality to a wide range of settings.
SERENITY NOW! Exploring Minimalist Design
January 6, 2016
Most Seinfeld fans can remember George Costanza’s father randomly shouting “serenity now” in an effort to achieve calm in the chaotic world of the Costanza family. However, he may have been able to achieve the same effect by simply eliminating some of the clutter in his home.
Drawing from Japanese design principles, minimalism exemplifies the concept of “less is more.” Simplicity, openness, and often symmetry are some of this disciplined style’s guiding principles. And while the removal of non-essential elements is key, the end goal is not to create stark or sterile spaces. Instead, a minimalist approach to design helps draws attention to outside views, architectural features, key furnishings or striking artwork. The following are a few minimalist design tips to help create peaceful, appealing spaces by reducing visual distractions and interior clutter.