December 17th, 2009 | Design Philosophy, Lecture Series
On Monday we had the good fortune to begin our lecture series at the The Krempels Brain Injury Foundation located in Portsmouth, NH. It's a non-profit organization founded by David Krempel, a survivor of a severe traumatic brain injury. David describes his “two years of hell” and why he and other supporters established the foundation. Each day, the foundation works to improve the lives of those living with brain injury. Mr. Krempels’ message is one of hope and inspiration; and resonates deeply with our company mission: Design for Life.
The foundation offers two programs including Family Support and Stepping Stones which is a community based day program working in post-rehabilitation “that increases independence, community reintegration, and overall quality of life.”
Upon arrival we were swept up in the rituals of the morning meeting. Mic in hand, each attendee (including our team) welcomed the group and shared a laugh or informational antidote. Camaraderie, support and empowerment were the take–aways for the morning. Attendees were given program options for the day with our lecture; Inexpensive Home Modifications, to be included.
About a dozen or so members packed into a small conference room and we presented our most meaningful project to date; a home renovation located on the North Shore of Boston. The project was quite literally created under 'do or die' circumstances. The client, an elderly women suffering memory loss from Alzheimer's had grown dangerously depressed in the nursing home where she had just recently been admitted. Her family felt that if her house, a 1950's sea-side cottage could be renovated to accomodate her needs; that she could again thrive. Every detail of the home was carefully considered, and created so their mother, could live healthfully and independently in her own home. (The project was also featured on NECN's Dream House if you are interested in seeing more).
It was exciting and heart warming to see the group members actively participating with questions and comments. Though the presentation was only 50 minutes, we were able to glean from their questions, their own daily challenges and struggles. Upon leaving, our team had agreed that our mission to create environments that lend to living healthy and fully in a home whose singular purpose is our clients’ well-being is more important than ever.
October 8th, 2009 | Design Philosophy
Interview conducted by Jenny Bagan of Sabrina, Inc.
Where do you draw your design inspirations from?
I work hard to block images right away. I need to hear about a client’s lifestyle, what do they need now and what in the coming years? It depends on each client – 100%. I do try to educate them on current trends – maybe new technologies that will help them. Technology is the greatest advance. How can technology help them? It might also be keeping it as simple as possible for some people. I find out what they need and what they can easily adapt to, so each project is different.
What are your favorite brands, products and design sources?
I love Sub-Zero/Wolf. They not only have great products but I love the way they treat their clients. They really work to support clients after the purchase. It’s not just about the product, but how they treat the end-user after they buy.
Some other products and lines I absolutely love:
- Ann Sacks - manufacturer and vendor of beautiful tile
- New Ravenna - manufacturer of breathtaking tile and mosaics
- Blanco - manufacturer of kitchen sinks
- Danze - manufacturer of hands-free kitchen faucets
- Hans Grohe - manufacturer of hands-free bath faucets and ADA compliant hand shower systems. It's an adjustable system and the hand shower can easily replace a fixed shower head where most shower heads are very lacking.
- Kohler - manufacturer of very sleek plumbing fixtures and many are ADA compliant. They are a huge proponent of the Aging-in-Place philosophy.
- Boyd Lighting - manufacturer of beautiful lighting
Some vendors I love:
- Urban Archaeology
- Waterworks
- Tile Showcase
What are you currently working on?
Work is busy, which is great! Some of my current projects are:
- I'm working on a brownstone renovation in Boston's Backbay. It's for a single woman who wants to give it a fresh style update and make it more functional for long-term living.
- I’m working on a property in the financial district in San Francisco. It’s for a professional couple in their mid-20s, their first property and it’s one-floor living. They have a low design budget so we're refinishing existing furniture and working with bold paint colors (great visual impact for low investment). They’re also thinking of having children within the next couple of years so we’re addressing that – thinking about the future.
- I also have a young family moving into a new home – they have a timeless but fun aesthetic with functionality being key.
- We’re working on a transgenerational design where a retired urban professional is moving into a new home with his parents. We’re addressing both sets of needs.
- I also have an aging-in-place couple in their late 70s moving into a small, one-level cottage. So we’re making that work for them.
Thanks so much, Andie!
September 15th, 2009 | Design Philosophy | 1 Comment
Interview conducted by Jenny Bagan of Sabrina, Inc.
Your slogan is Design for Life ™ … what does this mean?
It’s all one full circle – everything feeds into the next step. From young families to the middle-aged caught in between raising their own kids while caring for their parents to the elderly parents themselves. Stress on families is tremendous. We need to design with a purpose by creating a home that will nurture and nourish a family. With all of the stresses and responsibilities we have today, the home should alleviate some of those pressures.
We also have to retrain the eye and how we view what is beautiful. We’re used to seeing glamorous homes in magazines with lots of “stuff.” Adaptable Design/Design for Life forces us to eliminate a lot of that stuff-for safety purposes and for ease of accesibilty. There is a lot more breathing room, wider spaces, and clean lines. We’d love for the public to start thinking that this type of design can also be glamorous. Functionality doesn’t have to be unattractive and institutional – it can also be sophisticated and pretty. It can lend itself to a modern, clean design or a more traditional look, or even country– whatever the client wants. When you live in a functioning home that eliminates the stress in your life, it leaves more time to enjoy family and hobbies – it gives you peace of mind. It’s exciting to take this to a new level.
Why should people focus on this type of design? Why is it so important?
By the time all of the Baby Boomers have aged they will make up 34% of the population – it will be a tsunami! This influx will not only tax the nursing home and health care industries but will add an enormous burden to the families who must decide on the best way to care for them. If homes were designed in this way then many of these people can safely stay put rather than be uprooted and sent to an institutionalized nursing home. The Design for Life philosophy can reduce accidents, reduce waste and increase energy efficiency. Trip hazards and falls are the #1 cause of injury and death in the home (as well as the leading cause for 'boomerang' ER visits) … and most are preventable. By removing thresholds, adding multilevel lighting and creating wider spaces, for example, the number of falls will be greatly reduced. It is also about sustainable design – reducing waste. If homes are built with this concept in mind then there will be a great reduction in waste for remodeling and retrofitting. Also, our energy use will be drastically reduced. A hands-free faucet saves approximately 1,000 gallons of water per year. Induction cook tops are extremely energy efficient as are glass-front refrigerators since you can actually see what’s in there with the door closed. There are no specific models – the functionality serves everybody in every stage of life.
What do you want your audience to learn from you? What is your message?
I want our society to remove the stigma of universal design. It can be glamorous. It can be whatever you’d like. We are eliminating the institutional look. Many of us have focused on gathering “things” rather than focusing on purposeful components of our lives. Adaptable Design contributes greatly to the new philosophy we’re coming into. History shows there is a cycle where we go from excess to minimalism. Now we’re heading into minimalism. We’re focusing on family, friends and what’s really important - rather than “things”.
Continued in Part 3 ...
August 12th, 2009 | Adaptable Design Philosophy, Design Philosophy
Interview conducted by Jenny Bagan of Sabrina, Inc.
Andie Day is not your typical designer. She wants to create beautiful spaces that her clients will love, but her true passion lies in designing with a purpose. Andie is on the forefront of the design philosophy called Adaptable Design (AD), which can perhaps be best described as the softer, more accessible, and aesthetically pleasing movement that encompasses both Universal Design and Aging In Place. AD is functional, environmentally responsible, and will be self-sustaining with little need for extensive remodeling and retrofitting to accommodate the different stages of life. All this and she wants to be sure that we all know that Adaptable Design can also be beautiful and sophisticated! I had the pleasure to interview Andie to find out about her philosophy and why her message is so important - especially now.
Thanks so much for speaking with me today, Andie. Let’s start off with how you got interested in design in the first place.
Back in 2000, my husband and I decided to build home. We had a blended family with five kids – all with specific needs. We needed a balance of public and private areas since we wanted to make sure everyone had their own space. It was challenging to find that balance and to create a home that was functional for everyone. We worked with a fabulous architect out of Ipswich - David Mehlin, AIA. He was relaxed, patient and he guided us through the process in a fun and interesting way. Through this experience it became apparent that I had the skill set to work in design. I had started taking design courses 20 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter but family life took over and it was put on the back burner. Working to design my own home re-ignited my passion.
You are really trying to take design to a whole new level by focusing on “Adaptable Design.” Could you explain what this means?
Yes, I believe it’s critical that we focus on Adaptable Design and adopt its philosophy as our new standard when building, remodeling and designing. Adaptable Design has a basis in functionality – so creating a home that can easily change with you as your needs change. Whether you are a young family with small children, a person with varying degrees of ability or a middle-aged couple trying to juggle kids in college while also caring for aging parents – your home should alleviate some of your burdens not add to them. It also encompasses the “Aging-in-Place” philosophy where the elderly can safely stay in their homes, rather than go to a nursing home or assisted living facility. Adaptable Design follows the circle of life by creating a space that is functional, beautiful and nurturing.
What led you to focus on Adaptable Design? Did you have an “aha” moment?
Yes, I did actually. Back when I worked at an interior design firm in the Greater Boston area, tragedy struck a colleague of mine. A gorgeous 57 year old and former model, my friend was extremely vibrant and outgoing. Sadly her life changed dramatically in one five minute span. While walking outside of our office, she was hit by a car driven by an elderly man. Although the man thought he was braking, his foot was actually on the accelerator. The momentum of the vehicle drove my friend through the exterior concrete wall. Had it not been for her height, it is doubtful she could have survived such an impact. My friend was rushed to the hospital where she remained for many months and lost her leg above her knee.
When my friend returned home the remaining devastation of the accident revealed itself; navigating through her beautiful two-story home proved to be very challenging. Fitted with a new prosthesis, my friend found her stairway too steep, her hallways too narrow and the appliances almost inaccessible. What she had once considered a haven from the outside world became a significant source of stress and anxiety. On my first visit with my friend, I witnessed her struggles firsthand. I saw the difficulty she had with daily tasks due to the home’s layout and I desperately wished to help her. This feeling became the basis for my philosophy of “design for life”.
Then, on the other hand, we have the elderly man who hit her. He should not have been on the road as he had a number of previous accidents while at the wheel. He accidentally over-medicated resulting in his extreme disorientation. Had the proper equipment been installed in his home; such as an automated medication dispenser, perhaps the horrific accident could have been avoided. This served as my second "aha" moment to my design philosophy. It is important to incorporate adaptable design concepts that will enable us to be more independent as we age.
We have no idea what we will encounter in the future. We plan for the best but we must also plan for the events that alter our life’s journey.
What do you see as the future for Adaptable Design?
I see it moving in this direction. I hope that new construction will eventually be mandated to be designed accessibly – so we’re not wasteful and don’t have to keep remodeling and retrofitting. However, in the near future it will all be retrofitting.
Continued in Part 2 ...
