Step aboard a cruise ship and you're stepping aboard a floating city. Like any city, these cities need to function independently at a high level and look good while doing it. We recently sat down with interior designer My Nguyen, who specializes in designing for cruise ships, to learn what it's like and what trends she sees in her industry. Based in Seattle, My is the Director of Interior Design and has been designing for Holland America and Seabourn...
Are you an interior designer? We want to hear from you! We're planning some updates to the Design Pool website to make it even easier for you to customize projects and start accessing the world of on-demand manufacturing. But before we do that, we want your opinion. If you have a few minutes to spare, please take our survey. It should take you no longer than three minutes to complete. As our way of thanking you for your time,...
Researchers, architects, and interior designers consider a wide range of design challenges when designing healthcare facilities. They also need to adapt quickly to changing situations. Today's most significant challenges are an aging population and the strain on the industry from the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, healthcare facilities continue to advance in many ways with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. Healthcare design typically focuses on durability and cleanliness. Yet, it also needs to create a comfortable environment for patients,...
In this month’s trend letter, we’re talking all about layered, chunky textures. After years of grey, sleek minimalism, maximalism is making a comeback, and it feels cozy. People spent a lot of time at home during the pandemic, and those homes needed to offer a sense of safety and security, as well as comfort. Many types of spaces had to adapt during the pandemic, such as colleges and restaurants. Just as some of those changes became long-term solutions, the...
In 2020, the pandemic through a massive wrench into the hospitality industry. Many restaurants had to pivot quickly just to keep their doors open and their staff employed. Restauranteurs adapted to the demands of outdoor dining, social distancing, and increased take-out. For many, the changes they made as a way to survive have become permanent and popular features. As a result, interior designers who specialize in restaurant design are designing with these trends in mind. Restauranteurs know a space's...
When discussing the hottest trends in outdoor living, Japandi kept popping up. Japandi isn't brand new. It's a trend that has been gaining popularity inside for the last couple of years. Recently, it's starting to migrate outside into our outdoor spaces. So, what exactly is it? Japandi is a cross between Scandinavian and Japanese design. Japandi is a blend between the Scandinavian concept of hygge and the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi. Hygge is a Danish word that describes a...
Aga Artka is an interior designer who believes every business has a story to tell. Her passion for branding mixes with her work as an interior designer in her projects. The result is interiors that fully tell her client’s story. Recently, she completed a large-scale project designing Badger State Lofts in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Their goal was to turn the site into an apartment community, balancing history with a modern feel. This historical preservation site was previously a tannery campus...
I recently attended a reunion for graduates of Cranbrook Academy of Arts who studied under Gerhardt Knodel in the fiber program. I graduated in the class of 1993 and attended the reunion with one of my classmates and good friend, Paula Stebbins Becker. Paula and I decided to use the reunion as an excuse to have a road trip and drove to Detroit together from New England. We enjoyed seeing a bit of the country from the road while...
Last month we exhibited at the HCD Expo + Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. This event was a great opportunity to meet with lots of people working in the healthcare design market. We were excited to introduce them to Design Pool and our new R&R Collection. While exhibiting, we also spent time walking the Expo Hall to spot trends in healthcare design. In addition, we also attended conference sessions to learn about the industry from experts in the field....
Designers Today is a digital and print magazine that promotes itself as the link between interior designers and the home furnishings industry. As part of their goal in pushing the envelope to make the interior design profession stronger and more transparent, they are hosting a yearlong webinar series that interviews experts on their business practices. I urge everyone to check out their upcoming editions. I was lucky to come across their April 21st webinar entitled “Soft Focus: How to Create...
