By: Kris Kleinknight, RID, NCIDQ Recently I’ve noticed the LEGO house popping up on some of my go-to sites and in so many trade magazines, that I just had to dive deeper.  Bjarke Ingels of BIG; a Copenhagen, New York, and London based group of architects, designers, urbanists, etc., have created a new Lego experience in Billund, Denmark, at the… Read More

By Gary K. Pino FMP, SFP and Cindy Herr-Pino During a beautiful day in mid-October, my Interior Designer wife, Cindy Herr-Pino, and I took a nice one (1) hour relaxing drive to Columbus, IN to go tour the Miller House & Garden.  In case you didn’t know already, Columbus, IN has been nicknamed, “The most diverse city in Indiana”, and… Read More

By: Catie Sterling One essential part of design is making sure a new space can be maintained over time. This is especially true in common areas, such as a break room. Once users start to move into a space, it can become messy if not designed well. A couple break room renovation projects have inspired me to write my blog… Read More

By: Laken Taylor Keeping up with the trends has always been a fun past time for me and color seems to be at the top of the innovative design trends in the past few years. Color can often make so much of a difference that Zillow’s 2017 Paint Colors Analysis study discovered that homes with blue bathrooms generally sold for $5,400 more… Read More

Detroit: the Birthplace of Modern American Design By Janet H. Thomas, RID Detroit is known as the motor capital of the world and epicenter for development of the US auto industry. What is less well known is the powerful influence on Modern American Design that grew out of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan a community northwest of the Detroit metro area. George… Read More

By: Jill Mendoza Getting the work done verses the experience of doing the work. When you consider building your ship or planning your workplace environments by introducing open office plans it may be for various reasons; to gain space efficiencies, increase the feeling of connectedness, or to make employees more productive. Whatever the driver is for your business, there is growing… Read More

By: Jill Mendoza For several years, IDO Associates have volunteered as mentors who help inspire high school students to pursue careers in design and construction. The ACE Mentor Program is a not-for-profit organization, formed under Section 501(c)3 of the District of Columbia in 2002.  A history of the organization can be viewed here.  Thanks to the dedication of ACE’s mentors… Read More

By:  Donna Metallic , RID During a recent conversation with a higher education client we started to discuss the ecosystem of a learning environment.  It reminded me of a trip to Steelcase University in Grand Rapids Michigan, where I had the opportunity to discuss the active learning ecosystem and experience firsthand the learning lab products. How can design influence our educational… Read More

By: Victoria Numbers Authenticity. By definition, authentic means not false or copied; genuine; real. In an era of mass production, technology, and ultra-connectedness, there is a tangible craving for experiences and goods that have a sense of truth to them. A product that is unique and embodies the creative energy of the maker starts to generate a richer connection. Fortunately,… Read More

By: Janet Thomas, RID 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the De Stijl art movement in Amsterdam, Holland. Piet Mondrian (http://www.pietmondrian.com/ ) and Theo van Doesburg (http://www.designishistory.com/1920/theo-van-doesberg/) founded the movement to provide a new voice for modern art after the chaos of World War I. Mondrian referred to this highly structured art form Neo-Plasticism or “New Art”…. Read More