Hello Orange!  Tangerine Tango has been chosen the color of the year by Pantone.  What a fresh start to 2012!  Orange can be a very tricky color, people usually love it or hate it.  Well, let’s take a closer look at its merits and I bet you’ll start to warm up! Orange has the energy [...]

Every school has a different way of teaching their students, some take an approach focused on theory, some do it on practical experience, and some try to take a balanced approach. Each of these have their advantages and disadvantages, but I’m not looking to discuss the curriculum. I’d like to discuss some of the things [...]

As I get ready to do something I’ve never done before (to “blog”), I’ve been pondering what exactly I will be talking about. Let’s face it, blogging is just editorializing, talking about stuff that could be anything from pure opinion to well researched short topics. It’s conversational, topical, ideally informative, and preferably entertaining. One topic [...]

Every year, between November and January, there are many aesthetics that come to mind. For some, it is the colors red and green, for others a well decorated tree, but probably the most powerful thing is the presence of light. A certain romantic atmosphere of twinkling lights that appeal more to our hearts rather than [...]

We had a blast kicking off this holiday season with good friends and reflecting on a successful year!  It was such a fun event and we have a lot of people to thank!  First off B Works, a wonderful non-profit organization, graciously allowed a bunch of curious design professionals to drink and wander around their [...]

Welcome to the most important part of the design process and woe to those that try and cut this corner altogether, or fail to go through it properly. Believe me, there are those that try, and all regret it without exception. So pay attention and listen up! Ready? Here it is… Programming. Sounds technical, and [...]

I know we keep discussing the bad economy but in reality, it is a shifted economy that we now live in.  As with the weather patterns, the rules of business have changed and will change again in the future.  The one thing that remains constant is the need to “sell” yourself to potential employers, clients, [...]

Most of us love, or at least appreciate, architectural moldings and finishing touches in our homes.  However, not everyone’s home is “born” with these elements.  I am often asked how to decorate a room that looks like a white box.  Bare walls, no moulding, basically a square.  While seemingly uninspired to some, for designers this [...]

November was another great month for DesignSpeak, as we launched a new discussion series for design professionals, LeaderSpeak!  We plan to hold these every other month with rotating speakers and topics. Our first topic on Marketing & Branding was a great success!  We were very fortunate to have such talented people for our first panelist [...]

October was a thrilling month in St. Louis to say the least!  We were fortunate that the World Series was rained out for one night to allow a few more people to attend our “speakeasy” at Rhine Haus.  Great venue, yummy snacks and inspired conversations as always!  Thank you to Rhine Haus & Jeff Day, [...]