Design In Depth: Resolutions for Designers

By Stacy Kunstel

Everyone makes resolutions for the new year, but few seem to stick. I’m a horrible repeat offender. I neither exercised more nor ate better in 2011. What if we made resolutions not about ourselves, but how we live in our world of design? Here are five tongue-in-cheek resolutions to consider.

1) In 2012, I will make it a point to be more engaged in design. I will visit local show houses, go on kitchen tours and seek interiors inspiration in the world around me. To help me I will bookmark the New England Home calendar or adapt it as a screensaver.

A room from a show house in Stamford, Conn., designed by Patricia LaPierre. Photo by Michael Partenio

2) As a part of being more engaged in design, in 2012,  I will spend more time at museums and do all I can to support their endeavors by becoming a member.

A scene from the courtyard at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston

3)  In an effort to improve my own design environment, in 2012, I will frequent and make purchases from local design studios and stores.

Boston design store Hudson

4)  I will religiously read design magazines, bookmarking pages with Post-it notes for future reference and filing torn pages in a design ideas book. In 2012, I will update all subscriptions, especially to New England Home.

5)  I will call upon design professionals, in 2012, to help me tackle longstanding problems in my personal spaces. I will recognize their talent and training and dutifully heed their advice. I will lavish appreciation on them for their creativity and patience with me. I will submit the results to New England Home in hopes they will be considered for its pages!