Did you see the Wall Street Journal article about Opulent Closets? If you haven’t read you should check it out.

I learned that closet spending is up and they aren’t called closets any more. They are “dressing rooms.” I think the article is encouraging news. While I suspect the average designer is not going to land $50,000 remodeling projects for a single dressing room, knowing that there is interest in this new trophy room can increase sales.

So if a potential client walks into your showroom or calls you on the phone asking for a new Master Closet do you have product to show them?

—Do you have jewelry accessories or know anything about watch winders?

—Do you have examples of LED lighting or lighted clothes rods that illuminate the garments hanging below?

—Can you discuss UV protection on widows to keep clothes from fading or how to integrate the A/V components and Security system?

Winona Solutions + Light

October Company

—Ann Porter

We love Design. Our work is about visualizing the next best space. It isn’t about racking up as much volume as possible. That’s very obvious when you look at the sum of our never realized projects from the past few years.

Love of Design is why we persevere when specifications are incorrect, materials come in damaged or warped, the completion date gets pushed and clients declare bankruptcy. When we are passionate about our clients and our work, we take the nuggets of information we learn from designing the custom wine room that was scrapped or the efficiencies gained when aiming to meet the modest budget of a dreamer.

So we keep designing and hope that our work resonates with our client’s passions and we are thankful when it aligns with budgets, lead times and personalities.

When the destination we create with our Design path is successful, we like to humbly point to it with Pride, but of more importance, it fills our sails and helps us navigate trouble times.




May your Season be bright with Success and your New Year be warm with Joy!


—Ann Porter

Last May I read about Ford Motor Company’s push to turn the car into a mobile communications environment. Alliances forged with Medtronic, nMealth pioneer WellDoc and SDI Health allow Ford to develop its initial Health and Wellness connectivity portfolio designed to empower people with self-help information while they drive.

Via Bluetooth and access cloud-based Internet services, Ford can offer in-car glucose monitoring devices, diabetes management services, asthma management tools and web-based allergen alert solutions.

“The car has rapidly evolved into a mobile office and entertainment center for many Americans. Our goal is to further innovate the automotive space by incorporating health and wellness services into the car, thereby making them convenient and easily accessible to our customers.”

Drivers of Ford SYNC Applink-equipped cars can utilize the first app now and have access to the Allergy Alert app from Pollen.com.

This got me thinking about what apps may soon appear in the home.

Am I crazy to think that manufacturers will move beyond the entertainment apps (do we really need another appliance that will play music?) and start to integrate useful tools such as an app that will help my washing machine figure out the best way to clean a stain?

Stain + fabric + how long it sat = pretreatment + wash cycle & detergent type

Can a refrigerator link to a portable monitoring device via Bluetooth and help aid patients and their caregivers control glucose levels?

Is a diabetic more likely to grab a healthy snack from the refrigerator if their glucose level flashes on a monitor in front of them? I would think the answer would be yes.

I will admit that I am not very familiar with which foods are included in a Diabetic Diet, so in a scenario where I am visiting someone who is sick in bed and I want to help out and make lunch for her, an app that told me which foods would cause a spike in glucose levels could be helpful. I might want to know which would be better: a grilled chicken sandwich or a spinach and salmon salad.

Caregiver/Patient + full refrigerator = healthy lunch or snack

—Ann Porter

I just took a look (online) at the new Make it Right duplex from famed architect Frank Gehry in New Orleans. The Make It Right Foundation was founded in 2007 by actor Brad Pitt to help rebuild the hardest hit region of New Orleans, the Lower 9th ward.

The fusion of ecologically friendly designs of top architects and green construction materials, the Make It Right homes have been honored with the title of “the largest, greenest neighborhood of single family homes in America” by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Just like all the Make It Right Homes, this one is built to LEED-Platinum certification standards. Gehry Partners

It is clear that privacy, daylight and maximization of space were considered by the architects. Unfortunately, the kitchens were designed for “construction efficiency.”

The description of the Gehry duplex indicates the kitchen initially was supposed to have an island to separate it from the living space. This would have greatly improved the kitchen’s functionality.
I could pick apart what I don’t like about this space and say that the old stereotype is true: Architects can’t design kitchens. Instead, I’ll just leave you with my overall sentiment:
These kitchens are so sad and out of character for such a wonderful neighborhood.

—Ann Porter

(Credit: Chad Chenier Photography/Make It Right)