There is a huge work advantage to you too if you invest in reverse engineering the 'awe effect'. When we are in awe, marvelling at how the light falls on our wall hanging or large abstract art canvas, dopamine is released. Dopamine is the action motivating one and it sparks life giving energy into our creative flow. We feel like we want to create, our ideas flow more easily, new possibilities and positive thoughts occur to us. The more you feel in awe of beauty the more creative you are. And the more creative you are the less acedia in the world. We all need this.

I have always had the Barcelona Pavilion in my mind as a designer. It is always on my mental aesthetic inspiration mood board. When I was designing for the Royal family in Abu Dhabi, one of my clients was a modernist at heart too, and I was able to finally use the luxurious materials in a simple way for him in his homes. (Ask me about this if you want to hear more).

You see the Barcelona Pavilion, (it’s correct name is The German National Pavilion for the Barcelona International Exhibition, 1929) was built with an unrestricted budget and did not need to function as anything but itself. How glorious.

Why have I always thought this aesthetic expression so strikingly beautiful? It is only in recent years that I have formulated a theory.

I believe it is because it speaks to us at a deep human existence level.

There are layers of fundamental meanings that find a high expression in their manifestation here.

Asymmetry is not the absence of symmetry. In interior design it is very intentional and the weight of one side is carefully looked at to get a composition right.

Symmetry is used to suggest power, certainty and permanence because pairing reads as static and therefore at rest. Squares and cubes are inherently static shapes. This may make your space or building feel restful but perhaps a bit dull, if that isn't desired.

To give a space more life, suggesting activity, movement and flow then use the principle of asymmetry. Making a dynamic composition encourages the eye to explore. Why would this be desirable?Asymmetry requires a higher order of thinking,

…the feeling of safety that children felt in that loft bedroom above the living space, hearing the adults gathered below.

There is something to be said for smaller and more cosy homes if one is looking to be soothed, felt cared for and connected.

Oxytocin is released when we feel the following. As you read them imagine the interior aesthetics that would allow us to feel; social support. trust. belonging. secure attachment. feeling loved. being cared for. safety in numbers. relaxation.

how to quickly work out the Golden Ratio (also known as the Golden Mean ᵠ) of a wall, or anything that you are looking to divide in the most aesthetically pleasing way, then here is how to do it;on your scientific calculator (iPhone calculator turned sideways) type the dimension (this is a+b)

1.618 (phi ᵠ to just three places is fine for interior design)

And that’s it! a beautifully proportioned division along that wall for paint, art placement etc.

Of course it can be used vertically and horizontally in all applications.

So where did dark academia come from? Of course the vibe has been around as long as Trinity College, Dublin and the Oxbridge schools, at least. Humans who love to study, read and have libraries at home have been choosing this style since books have been around. I certainly am drawn to this aesthetic mood. Below are photos I took in 2005. I was walking around Paris one evening and saw this scene through a shop window. The vibe was so enticing to me. The shop was closed and I’m not sure what work went on there, but the book binding and scenes of reverence for working with old things was drawing me in.

The essentials of the vast study of feng shui - just for home owners, renters. Here are the main things you need to know. What year was your building constructed? (TIME). What compass direction does it face? (SPACE) After that it is a numeric calculation, interpretation and how you personally decide to work with the forces at play. Remember sunlight is a force. When people ask me if feng shui works, I always say that that is like asking if weather works.

Minimalism in interior architecture sits within the minimalism architectural genre. Not all interior design styles are like this. For example you could decorate eclectically inside a Georgian era home. True Minimalism in interiors goes hand in glove with building a structure in that style intentionally. But a minimalistic aesthetic is possible in decor terms too within any home’s building design. Look out for;

⁣CLEAN LINES

NO SKIRTING, ARCHITRAVES, PATTERN OR EXTRA DECORATION

PLANES OF CONTINUOUS MATERIALITY

CONCEALED STORAGE

SIMPLE PALETTE OF NEUTRALS; WHITES, GREYS, TAUPES

I hope you enjoy this feng shui analysis of Billie Eilish’s childhood home. The home features prominently in RJ Cutler’s documentary ‘The World’s A Little Blurry’. People have their destinies. Feng Shui is one fifth of the influence on your life, so the ancient teachings say. Overarching that, there is the tripartite of Cosmic, Earth and Human manifestations known as Tian Di Ren. Billie Eilish and Finneas (together with their parents Maggie & Patrick O’Connell) clearly have their destinies but what part did that one fifth play? Read on.