Communicable

My household was hit hard by the flu season this year, despite flu shots and appropriate precautions to prevent exposure. It’s awful…please take care out there.

Growing up in a home with four siblings and a nurse mother, I have developed a rather strange appreciation for the smell of bleach and most any other household disinfectants. I have been using it liberally to disinfect my own house after many days spent sequestered with the flu. I could compare the smell to what I imagine a TB ward would have smelled like (it does). Instead, I first think of my mom’s strenuous efforts at home to prevent us from catching anything that would have landed on her throughout a day spent at work in pediatrics helping all manner of sick kids. Smells like home to me, oddly enough!

Quality of construction and durability are things we shouldn’t take for granted when purchasing furniture, rugs, carpet and other items we use everyday. What I describe above is just one particularly gross case in point for why we need to take those things into account. Of course, quality of construction is important when it comes to staying comfortable while you’re passed out on the sofa for days on end; so is durability of your fabrics. What happens when it comes time to clean? Or do you do it? Please tell me you do…will your fabrics stain when exposed to that can of spray disinfectant or will the seams pull apart when you have to vacuum or scrub off some of your abuse?

Some people have a perception that money spent on designer products is primarily for the purpose of obtaining status as someone who can afford those products. In the presence of less expensive copies of popular designer looks, it’s easy to see why someone might think that is the case. In rare cases, that may be correct. However I find that in the vast majority of cases the consumer correctly assumes they are prioritizing quality of construction and durability when they invest in designer products. When products are associated with a name or brand, there is considerably more pressure to present consumers with something that will perform over time, lest that name or brand sacrifice future buyers who have already chosen to invest in their product over less-expensive options. Savvy consumers know compromising performance presents a gamble most established brands cannot take. I have seen some legacy brands fold however for having learned that lesson too late.

Another misconception that exists involves the belief that designer products are categorically more delicate and high-maintenance compared to other products. Actually, the opposite is most likely true. If it’s not true; it’s often obvious that a product is being prized for a separate reason (for example, no one really expects a gorgeous embroidered silk to be exceptionally durable though it’s expected be quite expensive for being extremely labor intensive and also rare). Materials and construction drive the overall cost of products. Detailed application of knowledge in those areas will extend the life of the product and consistently command higher prices for a good reason.

We have come to appreciate those details that drive cost such as durable fibers, solid wood, expert joinery and attentive seaming. We have learned to appreciate those details precisely because they have maintained our furnishings and kept them beautiful for generations. These are past generations that had to survive far more deadly epidemics; often caring for their sick at home. Their furnishings couldn’t disintegrate as many would today; de-laminating or featuring faux wood paper that would bubble off when the basin set was placed upon them. They didn’t have the privilege (or wasteful tendency) of tossing and replacing items that wouldn’t hold up to the demands of a typical household.

On the commercial side of things, it’s even easier to see why quality of construction and durability are of paramount importance. Healthcare is a prime example; we can multiply our household concerns hundreds of times over when considering those environments. Those considerations and the performance of commercial products often drives the cost of those products beyond the reach of individual consumers; it’s easy to see why when you consider the demands of those environments.

So, while my illness is thankfully no longer communicable, I hope my strategy as a designer remains highly communicable throughout the years. As your designer, I will invite discussion about how to manage multiple priorities within your design including budget. I will continue to advocate for the best possible investment of resources into your design but you will always define the parameters of your design. My goal will simply be to consistently and honestly communicate the implications of those decisions that are required of you in achieving the best possible design within those parameters. The result will be an enduring tribute to what I hope will be your long, happy and healthy life.