​After two and a half decades of attending industry trade shows, I've become somewhat of a connoisseur of the highs and lows these events bring. As someone who identifies strongly as an introvert—albeit a social and confident one—I've had to navigate the energizing yet draining rollercoaster of these gatherings. My journey has taught me not just to survive but to thrive, both during and after these intense experiences.


Let's talk recovery first. It's an art form in itself, beginning the moment I touch back down at home. Here's my distilled wisdom for bouncing back:

  1. Sleep is Sacred: It's the foundation of my recovery.
2. Stay Hydrated: Water is my elixir.
3. Gentle Movement: Whether it's a soothing spin class, yoga, or a leisurely walk, movement rejuvenates me.
4. Embrace Silence: Meditation and quiet moments allow my mind to reset.
5. Detoxify: Through sauna visits, mindful nutrition, and the right supplements, I cleanse my system.
6. Connect with Nature: It's a balm for my soul.
7. Reconnect Socially: A phone call to a friend can do wonders.
8. Set Boundaries: My "Out of Office" stays on until I'm truly ready to return.

During the event, maintaining some semblance of self-care amidst the whirlwind of activities is crucial. Here's how I manage:

1. Embrace Realism: Accepting I can't do everything frees me to focus on what truly matters.
2. Plan and Prepare: Preparing in advance helps me navigate overwhelming moments.
3. Conserve Energy: Knowing when to step back is key to staying engaged without burning out.
4. Stick to Supplements: Maintaining my usual health regime keeps me grounded.
5. Mindful Nutrition: Packing healthy snacks and staying true to my dietary needs fuels me through the day.
6. Prioritize Hydration: Avoiding dehydration is non-negotiable, regardless of the climate.
7. Mental Wellness: Fresh air and micro-breaks, even if it's just stepping outside or finding solace in a quiet corner, keep me sane.
8. Physical Care: Regular stretching, hot showers, and avoiding triggers that could inflame my system help me stay physically well.
9. Plan for Recovery: Trusting in my post-event recovery plan allows me to enjoy the present.
10. Have Fun and Connect: Embracing the temporary nature of the event, connecting deeply with others, and finding joy in the moment make all the difference.

These strategies have been my lifeline, transforming potentially overwhelming experiences into opportunities for growth, connection, and renewal. Whether you're an introvert or extrovert, we all can navigate these dynamic events with a little foresight and a lot of self-care.

Take care of yourselves!
Paula

​                                    Happy 2024! 
As we start a new year I'm thinking about my own health and well-being and how I can THRIVE this year.
I've heard from medical experts that have gone as far as saying that the Interior Design industry is the front line in preventative care!  This research supports my mission of creating spaces that support quality lives.

1. Psychological Impact: The design and aesthetics of our living space significantly influence our mood and mental health. Colors, lighting, and spatial layout can affect our stress levels, productivity, and overall happiness. For instance, natural light and certain color schemes are known to boost mood and energy levels.​
2. Physical Health: Interior design also plays a role in physical health. Ergonomic furniture can prevent chronic pain and improve posture, while air quality and temperature control contribute to a healthier environment. The choice of materials can also impact health, such as using non-toxic paints or materials that don't emit harmful chemicals.
3. Functionality and Comfort: Good interior design optimizes the functionality and comfort of a space. It ensures that the living environment is convenient and suited to daily activities, which can reduce daily stressors and contribute to overall well-being.
4. Personal Expression and Comfort: Our living space is a reflection of our personality and can provide a sense of belonging and comfort. Being surrounded by items and designs that reflect personal tastes and memories can be emotionally satisfying and comforting.
5. Social Well-Being: A well-designed home can facilitate social interactions and relationships. Spaces designed for hosting and comfort can improve social bonds and the quality of interactions with family and friends.
6. Rest and Recovery: Bedrooms and other rest areas that are well-designed can significantly improve sleep quality and overall relaxation, which are crucial for good health and well-being.

Cheers for a healthy 2024!

I used to use the steam room all the time at the gym, pre pandemic.  I missed it terribly during the pandemic. I don’t have to convince you of the health benefits of Steam Therapy, I hope, but that could be another article.
I work with a lot of clients who are overwhelmed at the idea, the costs and added installation details it takes, but really if you’re working with great professionals, it’s not that hard. On average, buying and installing a steam shower only costs 20% to 35% more than buying and installing a regular shower. Considering that a steam shower can raise the resale price of a home by up to 30.7%, steam showers are worth the added investment.



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Here are some things you need to know to create a steam shower in your home:

• Space and Ventilation: You need to have enough space for a steam generator. The space should also be well-ventilated to prevent moisture build-up and mold growth.
• Steam Generator: A steam generator is the heart of the steam shower. It's important to choose a high-quality steam generator that is appropriate for the size of your steam room.
• Waterproofing: The steam room must be completely waterproof to prevent water damage to your home. This includes walls, ceilings, and floors. Specifying natural marble or travertine can have a big impact on the effectiveness of the generator compared to a porcelain surface.
• Sloped Ceiling: The ceiling of the steam room should be sloped to prevent water from dripping on you while you're using the steam shower. There’s nothing worse than the drip!
• Seating: A steam shower should have seating so that you can relax and enjoy the steam.
• Temperature Control: You should be able to control the temperature of the steam shower.
• Lighting: You should install waterproof lighting fixtures that can provide adequate lighting without being too bright or too dim.
• Door: The door of the steam room should be airtight to prevent steam from escaping. It's also important to choose a door that is waterproof and easy to clean. A transom at the top of the door should be planned to help ventilate the space after your steam.

​It definitely takes careful planning and attention to detail. The health benefits and return on your investment make this an easy decision to make.

​I've recently been introduced to Mr. Steam and their products are fantastic!

​Remember, Pantone is not focused on home interiors.  We don't always have to take the color of the year so literally. Have fun with it, make it your own, maybe more intense, or more muted, lighter or darker.  You are free to interpret it in a way that works for you and your space. Work with a professional who can help you expertly implement this element in your space.

​Happy Thoughts!   -Paula
Certified Architectural Color Consultant

2022 was quite the rollercoaster year!  Earlier this year I was still scrambling to keep up with the enormous rush of business from 2021.  I was admittedly overcommitted earlier this year, but loved every minute of working with clients, teaching and industry outreach.  Then everything seemed to come to a halt this summer.  As a self-employed professional slowdowns in our industry always make me nervous, but this year I embraced the time to slow down, take care of myself, recover from a bit of burnout and reconnect with myself and others.

This was a big year of stretching in my business, preparing for what’s next.  I will celebrate 25 years in 2023 and am gearing up for a few shifts, or rather expansions, in my business.  I’ll be opening to support more cabinet orders within the industry and begin offering consulting services to interior designers.

At the end of the year I often journal about all the amazing experiences and accomplishments from the year that I am grateful for and proud of myself for.  Starting in 2023 I’m going to start a new practice of filling an empty jar weekly of those things and then on New Year's Eve pull them out to read all the wonderful things that 2023 brought. 

Thank you to all my clients this year and many many industry friends.
Cheers!  Welcome 2023
Paula

November 2022
The Seattle Design Center is a touch stone for our industry in the Pacific Northwest.  For the Trade it’s a place of community and connection.  For our clients it’s a place for quality furnishings, fabrics, finishes, most of which you can’t purchase retail or get anywhere else, and above all concierge service.
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For years the SDC has hosted Student Career Days.  I’ve participated with these events from very early on in my career. From the day I graduated I had a heart for mentoring and encouraging the next generation of designer.  I’m an Adjunct Professor these days as well at a couple local colleges so it is a natural connection for me as a volunteer opportunity.

As a student at the Seattle Art Institute 25 years ago, my first time at this impressive facility was so daunting and intimidating. I didn’t feel like I belonged.  My hope today is to help other students get past this feeling and to help them feel welcome.  This is their resource just as much as it is to a designer with many years of experience.

This year our theme was “Hitting the Ground Running”.  It was our goal to help empower them with skills as they graduate and enter the design industry.  It was an honor to moderate an incredible panel of professionals.  What a beautiful experience when so many with a heart for the next generation come together with a common purpose to give to others in such a selfless way. 
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Paula
#designteacher
#designmentor 

I just finished a live recording of one of my newest seminars about identifying and defining design styles.  Most of my clients can’t articulate their style, or even that their style has evolved and no longer suits them, but they don’t know how to execute that in their homes.  Like most of you, my own style has evolved.  From French Country to Transitional.  Did you know that there are 3 main macro styles . . . Contemporary, Transitional and Traditional?
 
What is Transitional Design Style?
It is the most misunderstood, illusive, middle child!
 
Transitional design has one foot planted in traditional design and the other in contemporary. I like to put it simply; You take Traditional design elements, and you simplify them, a little less fussy, then we take Contemporary design, and we warm it up and soften it, with, color, lines and textures.
 
It’s really a blending of traditional and modern elements, combing classic and contemporary architecture . . . the best of both worlds!  This image perfectly portrays what I’m talking about.
 
There are many micro-styles that fall under this middle category, and it’s a very broad category, and the lines between each are a little blurry.  If you ask 10 designers, you might get 10 different answers.  My goal in researching this and teaching it to designers and students (and homeowners) is to help lesson that disparity and get more of us on the same page and to give you the language to help identify your own style.  I love the faces that light up when a client realizes their style has a name!
 
How do we execute this in kitchen and bath design?  Here is a grouping of cabinet door styles.  From left to right, contemporary, transitional and traditional. 

I hope this helps you in your quest to define your style. Transitional has surpassed Contemporary design this year.  Everyone is drawn towards “A little of this and a little of that.”, we CAN have the best of both worlds. And best part is that when expertly executed, your new space will be a long-lasting aesthetic, truly TIMELESS.

Cheers! Paula
#transitionaldesign
#timelessdesign

​I spent the first part of my life not being an outdoorsy girl, it wasn’t until I started focusing on my health and wellbeing that I started to become aware of my desire and joy of the outdoors. There was a specific moment when I was trail running that I broke down crying in the middle of the forest, overwhelmed with a grief that it took me till I was 50 to find the immense joy of being physically active in the middle of nature! I felt truly alive for the first time.
Biophilia makes us happier and healthier by increasing our connection with the natural world.  We’re all talking more about Wellness Design in the built environment and Biophilia is an important part of that. There are MANY health benefits!

• Decreased stress, enhanced creativity, and accelerated recovery from illness, increase memory, lowered blood pressure, lowered heart rate, airflow stimulation has been found to keep people awake, naturally improving focus and performance. Decreased inflammation, increased immune system

​Biophilia is a desire or innate craving to connect to nature and the world of living things.  The study and implementation of Biophilia is NOT new! For many years the design and home industry has embraced the trend of outdoor living spaces and we’ve long talked about “bringing the outdoors in”.  Now we have the appropriate language and resources to truly implement this sense of connection with nature within our homes.  I have come to utilize the Chinese Earth elements, modified for our purposes, which resonated with me.
​Air Water Earth Metal Wood Fire, and I added Rhythm and Organic Shapes

1. Windows with views, operable windows, and skylights for fresh air

1. Water/Spa Therapy, Epsom floats, Steam showers, sauna, hot/cold water therapy, fountains
2. Plants that purify the air and increase oxygen in our homes, wood that grounds and stabilizes our heart rates, living metal finishes that connect us to nature, stone and other elements of the earth that texturally or visually remind us of nature
3. Thermal comfort, candle and fire light, Hygge/coziness, light, circadian rhythm, Chroma therapy, filtered diffused lighting, light shining through elements casting shadows
4. Rhythm meaning cycles of the day and changes in the seasons. Balances our circadian rhythms.  Lighting that randomly passes through the room at different times of the day and seasons.
5. Organic shapes mimicking imperfections in nature, random patterns, soft edges.

TIP:
NASA’s Clean Air Study states the Snake Plant is so effective in producing oxygen that if you were locked in a sealed room with no airflow, you could survive with only 6-8 plants in it!
I’ll post more in the coming weeks with specific examples of spaces and products that will allow you to bring that health and well-being inside your own homes.
Happy Fall!  Paula

Why is this chair special?  Why am I naming my blog “Posts from the Chair”?

As a practicing Interior Designer our own homes can often be the last thing we invest in as we’re usually investing back in our businesses.  Recently I moved into my own place, which makes me so happy.  I’d had my eye on this beautiful chair for literally years.  My friends Wayne and Will who own this showroom in the Seattle Design Center always joked with me when I would come in and sit in it, every time, we all said this chair had my name written all over it. I am a believer in putting out to the Universe what we would like to receive, but never in a million years did I entertain the idea that it could become a reality.

​​When I made the decision to purchase it from their showroom, I arranged a vehicle to pick it up. I thought I could just unscrew the legs so it would easily fit.  The joke was on me!  The legs are literally part of the frame!  And I thought . . . we’re not in Wayfair world anymore folks!  When you ask me what the difference is between online furniture and luxury items from the Design Center, now I know first-hand! Quality!

I was telling a design friend of mine that I won’t let my boyfriend sit in it, it’s silk!  Then she intuitively asked me how often I sit in it.  You know that story about using our China for our own family diners instead of saving it for something or someone special?  She reminded me that I am that someone special, I worked hard to have something nice like this, I deserved to enjoy it.  She was the one who had the brilliant idea of the blog name “Posts from the chair”.  All of us sitting at the table got goosebumps with an instinctive knowing that truth had just been spoken!

We all know that we get what we pay for.  We all deserve quality items in our homes that bring a smile to our lips, feels good to sit in or to the touch, looks good, and works well.

Thank you to Charlene Mathew, Maria Stapperfenne and William & Wayne showroom at the Seattle Design Center. As I gear up to celebrate 25 years as an Interior Designer next year, here begins a new chapter to my career, and here’s to many more thoughtful Posts from the Chair!

Cheers! 
​P.S. I'm also known for wholeheartedly loving the color pink!  It's my happy color! And don't worry, I protect the silk from the sun.