Earning the title "Professional"

Colleague Kelly Berg of Arte Styling just posted a great piece pondering the merits of how long it takes to make someone an experienced professional.  Makes you think, doesn't it?

How Many Years Does it Take to Make a Good Designer?

Here's my daughter Nina, being a professional hand-gnawer. She's got that down pat, and with only a few weeks of experience!

Wall of shame houses

Without further ado, I give you, (IMO) the hideously-painted house I referenced in an article on private versus community decisions on color.

 

Those poor, poor neighbors.

Essays on color

I love compilations, collaborations, group efforts. When you put your heads together, it's always amazing how many different view points emerge, and still come together to create something cohesive, and so much bigger than the individual parts. Maybe that's one of the reasons I have so loved podcasting with my fellow color colleagues...
Anyways, I thought this was cool:

Check out this great collection of essays on color and form.

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Bland Beige- perfect for politics?

Each President of the United States has put his own touch on the Oval Office in which he works. Changing out drapes, maybe a new carpet

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a different arrangement of the sofas...Obama is no exception. ;-)

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The NYT has a little piece on the renovation in the "Audacity of Taupe".

Want to know more about Michael S. Smith, designer behind this understated update?  Here's a 2009 interview with him from our dearly departed Domino magazine.

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His site defines his design style as "a delicate blend of 'European tradition and American modernism'.” There's even a quote or two from color consultant Amy Wax, a fellow IACC member (and current Pres of the organization).

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Care to trace the evolution of the office? Here ya go.

Speaking of pleasing constituents... I've had a doozy of a time fitting in blog writing with new baby and all. My apologies for the sparsity of posts lately.