i+D - January/February 2019 - 26

Contributors
5.

1. Diana Mosher, Connecting with Kids
In researching and writing "Connecting with Kids"
(p. 36), Diana remembers the influence of interior
design on her early years. She explains: "Interior design
did make an impression on me. We toured many
museums with decorative objects and furniture
and also historic houses in the United States and
abroad and stayed in all kinds of hotels, too. We
had a running commentary on what we liked and
what did not work visually. Also, I think my mother
and father both have a great sense of style, which
translates to interiors. As a child I watched many
redesigns of our apartment homes, because we
moved several times for my dad's advertising career.
Even when we lived in furnished housing in Mexico
City, my mother transformed an average/nice
apartment into a beautiful space with simple white
custom slipcovers and curated accessories." It's
no wonder then that Diana was particularly
pleased when working on her article in this issue
by Cooper Hewitt's program that brings together
every age group for design education.
2. Robert Nieminen, Designing Solutions
According to Robert, his family hails from Finland,
so "Scandinavian design definitely had an influence
on me as a child. To this day, I have a strong affinity
for simple, clean forms and natural materials
characteristic of Alvar Aalto's work. Additionally,
my father owned and operated a custom cabinet
shop where I spent many summers learning the craft
and going out on installations as his apprentice. It's
little wonder my writing career has centered around
the design industry." While researching his "Business
of Design" article on pro bono work (p. 20), Robert
indicates he was somewhat taken aback when Garrett
Jacobs, executive director of Open Architecture
Collaborative, said he didn't believe in pro bono

work in the traditional sense. However, "what I came
to understand during our conversation (and one with
Public Architecture's John Peterson as well) is that
pro bono work is a means to an end, but is not an
end unto itself. Rather, designers who want to make
an impact in their communities need to be more
fully engaged in building relationships, identifying
systemic needs, and coming up with thoughtful
solutions to address their root causes, as well as ways
to creatively fund the design services they provide.
In other words, pro bono work-noble as it may
be-is part of an equation, not its sum."
3. Ambrose Clancy,
ICONic Profile: Fenwick Bonnell & David Powell
Ambrose continues to bring his interviewing style-
relaxed, nonintrusive, but always revealing-to this
installment of the "ICONic Profile" series on the two
principals of Powell & Bonnell (p. 42). Once again,
he found their views and personalities fascinating.
"I was struck by David's sense of duty to design for
people with disabilities, to make additions to a plan
that makes life easier for them, but doing his best
to camouflage the support systems," he says. "Also,
Fenwick's wit was spontaneous-and a strange mix
of sharp and gentle." Ambrose's musing of his past
perception of interior design is enlightening. "I grew
up in a small town in southern Illinois and thought
interior design was all one way-practical, cookiecutter, and dull. Which is to say I didn't notice it at
all. But, then, I went to the house of the local doctor
and his wife-she was French-and saw something
subtle, colorful, sophisticated, and pleasing. It was
an eye-opener."

i+D - January/February 2019

4. Michele Keith, Combatting the SoHo Effect
Having lived in New York City most of her life,
Michele could really identify with the "SoHo
Effect"-the focus of her article (p. 44)-"and the
damage done these many years. So, I was truly happy
to learn of the numerous organizations and dedicated
people fighting this, and succeeding on so many
levels, in such creative ways. I do feel more hopeful
now!" In contrast to her present home base, Michele
grew up in a tiny town in Iowa and, according to
her description, "lived in what can only be called
a miniature castle, complete with billiard room.
Luckily, my parents had great style and did it up
in simple, yet rather (for the location) glam fashion,
with white rugs and upholstery, and clean-lined
furnishings, a few pops of color appearing where
needed. Despite all this, there were no 'off-limits'
areas for my sisters and me or even the dog. Living
there was fun, friends loved visiting, and I'm sure
the combination of beauty, comfort, and restraint
helped to shape my design preferences today."
5. Brian J. Barth, Of Thought & Process
The theory and practice of design thinking are very
topical conversations among today's interior designers;
however, Brian, author of the subject matter in
"Of Thought & Process" (p. 30), was surprised
to learn that everyone he spoke to had a different
interpretation of what design thinking meant to them.
"But," he adds, "empathy for the user was central
to each person's approach-an inspiring conclusion
that gives me hope for the future." Although a more
familiar term, "interior design," doesn't appear to
have been in his childhood vernacular. Brian recalls,
"I certainly had no concept of interior design as a
child, though I was always drawn to any space that
was different. I grew up in somewhat of a cookie-cutter
ranch home in the suburbs, so whenever I was exposed
to something unique-whether historic or ultramodern-I found myself absorbed in the space."

Image 1: Rashidah De Vore/Image 2: Robert Nieminen/Image 3: Kirk Condyles/Image 4: Andrew French/Image 5: Christine Nobel

A child's curiosity and discovery are wonderful traits-especially when they uncover
an affinity for, and appreciation of, interior design, as reflected in "Connecting
with Kids" (p. 36). Our authors in this issue of i+D share their youthful memories
about the impact of design in the past, as well as more-adult assessments on their
experiences in writing their January/February articles in present day.

i+D - January/February 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i+D - January/February 2019