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Is hotel luxury dead?
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesWhat’s in a name? A luxury hotel by any other name is still luxurious, right? No longer, it seems, in today’s hospitality industry. When hotel discount brokers offer "luxury" accommodations at $49 a night, as occurred during the recent Independence Day holiday, does the word "luxury" have any useful meaning? Those in the industry who want to appeal to the wealthy and sophisticated traveler are upping their game and moving beyond traditional standards of luxury.
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Millennials do more renovating, but boomers hire more pros
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesMore than half of current homeowners plan to undertake one or more renovation, remodeling or repair projects this year. Most of those say they will spend as much or more than they did last year on home improvements. Those are among the top findings of two recent homeowner surveys, which indicate that remodeling activity will remain strong throughout the remainder of the year.
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Understanding your design process, one step at a time
Susan Mulholland Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesThere are novice interior designers — ones who are just starting out in the field — and then there are novice clients — ones who have never worked with a professional interior designer until now. As with novice interior designers, novice interior design clients don’t usually understand how the design process works. These types of clients are not just limited to residential design. Commercial design has its share of novice clients as well. So, what are you supposed to do with these newbies? Educate them.
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3 signs you might be an entrepreneur
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementThanks to Silicon Valley, we all have an idea of what an entrepreneur looks like: supersmart geeks who write code. But that image of entrepreneurs is narrow, uninspiring and unrelatable for most of us. From scrappy go-getters to natural networkers, the entrepreneurs among us are as diverse as the businesses they have started. Suspend the belief that all entrepreneurs are in tech and check for these the signs you might be one yourself.
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Cathedrals to consumption: The mall as public space
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsMalls have been around for centuries, from Trajan’s Market in ancient Rome through to Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar. But the mall in its massive, "out-of-town" reincarnation came into its own in the late 20th century, as cars allowed more of us the mobility to make the weekend pilgrimage to these new temples of the capitalist age. The U.S., with more mall space per person than any other country in the world, has been at the epicenter of this love affair.
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Designing lighting for biology
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesDecisions about how best to light an interior space tend to be based on the types of activities for which the space is being designed. While that may aid occupants as they go about their tasks, depending on the space that lighting may be inappropriate to maintain the body’s internal clock. That, in turn, can lead to a number of health problems. Some recent studies suggest that it is possible to better balance lighting to benefit occupants’ tasks and biological needs.
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A seller’s market with few sellers
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsHistorically, the second quarter is one of the busiest times of the year for home sales. Currently, however, high demand and prices have created a seller’s market, but few sellers. That has been a boon for builders, but it also means many would-be buyers are shut out of the market at present. Construction of new homes (in units) rose 5 percent in May, compared to April, the industry’s biggest increase since January, and is up more than 20 percent for the year.
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Selling design when product is king
Lloyd Princeton Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesDesign today is all about product. Whether the topic is aesthetic, trends, lifestyles, sustainability, wellness, or smart homes, the message coming through the design media and their advertisers is clear: the solution is to purchase the right or best products. That perception is driving investment in making products of all kinds even more easily accessible to the consumer, especially through online and mobile platforms, thus eliminating the designer from the purchasing process.
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Shelter or asset class? The financialization of housing
Lucy Wallwork Construction & Building MaterialsSeveral years ago, a picture was taken at night of the One Hyde Park development in London. The building is home to some of the world’s most expensive real estate, reaping in up to $180 million for a single apartment. In the photo, there was not a single light on in the gleaming tower. Because no one lives there. As real estate prices continue to steadily rise, seemingly endlessly, we have seen the concept of a "home" become divorced from its original purpose as shelter, and becoming instead a financial asset class in built form.
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What is lighting-as-a-service, and why does it matter?
Scott E. Rupp Facilities & GroundsLighting-as-a-service (LaaS) is a service delivery model that allows lighting services to be charged on a subscription basis rather than via a one-time payment or the traditional manner of a facility or organization manually keeping up with equipment and paying the monthly bill. The business model has become more common in commercial installations of LED lights, with the primary aim of reducing installation costs.
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