2011 - A Year in Review at KSA Interiors

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

- Winston Churchill

At KSA we have lived by these principles for the last twenty nine years. As we aproach our thirtieth year of business we hope to reflect on the last year and the many ways we have been influenced by our community.

Leadership –

Defending the right to practice.

As 2011 has come to a close, the interior design industry in Virginia has been roiled by the proposal by Governor Robert F. McDonnell to deregulate “Certified Interior Designers”. KSA is a firm supporter of the interior designer’s right to practice and has taken the lead in the effort to educate the Virginia legislature on the importance of Certification in Virginia. Working with the Council for Certified Virginia Interior Designers (CCVID), as well as the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), and the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), KSA has actively promoted the benefits to Certification in Virginia while dispelling common myths and stereotypes.

Deregulation creates barriers to business by selectively eliminating competition between design disciplines and establishes potential barriers to state and federal projects, as well as the permitting process. Interior designers face additional restrictions and discrimination in regards to scope of work, board membership within professional corporations, and interstate commerce.

Most importantly however, deregulation removes protections for the public. Interior designers play a key role in protecting the health, welfare, and safety of the inhabitants of interior space. Interior designers are the sole professional body focused on the relationship between human beings and interior spaces. People spend in excess of 90% of our time inside buildings. Interior designers are the ones charged with space planning, materials selection, and furniture, fixtures and equipment selection for commercial buildings. These choices directly impact people's abilities to function effectively, and to remain safe in the case of emergency. Wuite simply, interior designers have the greatest impact on the safety of building occupants in regards to interior content.

2012 will prove to be a very important year for KSA and the interior design industry as a whole. If you are interested in learning more about this issue, or are interested in how you can help, please contact KSA or your state representatives.

You can learn more about the facts of Interior Design regulation by following this link:

http://ksainteriors.blogspot.com/2011/12/leave-virginias-protection-for.html

Qualified Professionals

A number of KSA team members expanded upon their qualifications in 2011. Heather Croy and Erin Riggan passed the NCIDQ exam and joined Ruth Deibler in becoming CID's (Certified Interior Designers) in Virginia. KSA is proud of Erin, Heather, Ruth, and our many other Certified professionals.

Reinventing the design process – and how we serve our clients.

KSA spent much of 2011 reinventing how we deliver inspired design solutions to our clients. The first half of the year was devoted to building on the previous year’s corporate retreat where we investigated ways to place service to our clients at the core of our business. The end result was a mindset we like to refer to as “Best in the World”. Built around five keys to service, “Best in the World” is rooted in one primary insight – what is best for each of our clients is an entirely relative thing. Learn more about “Best in the World” by reading our e-book here:

Best in the World

http://www.slideshare.net/cgooddesign/best-in-the-world-e-book

The second half of 2012 was devoted to ways that we could improve our design process based on the lessons we have learned in developing the “Best in the World” mindset as well as in learning from the best practices of the design industry. The result was the KSA Way – a design methodology developed through the investigation of processes developed by KSA as well as design leaders such as IDEO, Apple, HOK, and others. Combining aspects of Design Psychology, Evidence Based Design and Design Thinking, KSA created a design methodology tailored to its needs and the practices of its clients. Learn more about the KSA Way design process by viewing a short presentation here:

The KSA Way

http://www.slideshare.net/cgooddesign/the-ksa-wayprocess-story

Wellness –

For the last several years KSA team members have had the great fortune of receiving yoga lessons taught by Sonja Stoeckli. Each Thursday afternoon Sonja visits KSA’s Richmond office to host classes for our team members. What began as an opportunity to release stress and promote fitness has become a movement within KSA. Our wellness initiative has expanded and grown to include not only yoga, but also a company-wide weekly wellness dialogue and the encouragement for a number of KSA staff members to become pre-dawn running partners, join their local gym, or even sign up for the 140.6 mile Ironman Triathlon.

Beyond KSA’s desire to promote wellness within our firm we were thrilled when Richmond was awarded the 2015 World Road Cycling Championships, and with the recent plans by the city to make cycling an integral part of our city’s framework. Cycling, like running, swimming, and many other wellness activities around the city not only promote individual wellness but they also engage and bond the community.

KSA looks forward to 2012 as we are excited by the opportunities that lie before us and our city in regards to promoting wellness across our hometown. If you are interested in how wellness can improve our local community, we recommend you visit our friends at Richmond Cycling Corps. A non-profit organization that provides leadership and personal development to Richmond’s urban youth through the sport of cycling.

http://www.richmondcyclingcorps.org/about/

http://www.spiritualflowyoga.com/default.aspx?PageId=8

Community –

Real World Design Week.

Over the course of two days in November, KSA played host to over a dozen aspiring interior designers currently enrolled at universities and colleges across the state. RealWorld DesignWeek represented an opportunity to share our passion for the design industry with the next generation of up and coming professionals. Students shadowed our design staff, attended CEU presentations, met with the firms leadership, business development and marketing staff, and asked lots and lots of questions. At KSA we have the highest level of respect for interior design education and are passionate about sharing our knowledge and insight with young designers.

Engaging Peers, Clients, and Friends.

KSA has continued its commitment to the design community by sponsoring events, hosting CEU’s and taking a leadership role in organizations such as ASID. KSA’s Mary Katherine Crouch joins a long line of KSA team members who have either served on the board of the Virginia Chapter of ASID, or who like Mary Katherine, have taken the helm as Chapter President.

White Elephants and Habitat for Humanity.

KSA’s design staff donated hundreds of hours of volunteer work to the Virginia Chapter ASID White Elephant Sale, raising over $30,000 for Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity. Over 300 people attended the event which featured modern furnishings, art, jewelry and other fine items. The newly renovated Hippodrome Theater played host to the event and set an appropriate tone for all those who support the mission of Habitat and the revitalization of Richmond communities.

Photo Credit: Chris Anderson Photography

Photo Credit: Chris Anderson Photography

Giving –

Ft. Lee Holiday Helper.

For the last several years KSA has participated in the Ft. Lee Holiday Helper program, a wonderful way to thank and give back to our troops. The soldiers are able to browse and select gifts for their children from a wide variety of donations from the community: plush toys, electronics, jewelry, games, clothing, books, and a wide variety of other items. "Elf" volunteers help the soldiers navigate through the gifts and answer any questions they may have about items. Volunteers can also offer their services as a holiday "wrapper". All the gifts may be gift-wrapped and tagged, so they can go directly under the tree! It is a very fulfilling way to serve those who serve us.

Toys for Tots.

In keeping with tradition KSA combines its annual corporate holiday party with a drive to collect toys for the Marine Toys for Tots program. Selecting gifts to represent our team members is a fun way to say thanks and share interesting personal stories. Even better it provides us a great opportunity to donate to a great cause. If you are interested in getting your team more involved with the marine Toys for Tots Foundation, visit the website today!

http://www.toysfortots.org/

http://www.richmondhabitat.org/

KSA awarded two Interior Design Excellence Awards

Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2011

KSA is proud to have competed against a record 96 entries in this year's Interior Design Excellence Awards, hosted by the Virginia chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and Virginia/West Virginia chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).

KSA received recognition for two projects from the Residential Multi-Family Housing, and Contract Corporate over 35,000 SF categories.












1st Place - Residential Multi-Family
Branchlands Retirement Community in Charlottesville, VA.

KSA renovated the Manor House and public areas of the apartment buildings for this age restricted community. The manor House, the gem of the community, was built in the mid 1800's and provides gathering, activities and dining spaces for the residents. The judges commented on the open plan allowing for ease of movement through the rooms.

 










Honorable Mention - Contract Corporate over 35,000 SF
Dominion VA Power - Lincoln Park II in Herndon, VA

KSA collaborated with Dominion VA Power and Wiley|Wilson on the build-out of new corporate offices. The office spaces provided a 24/7 flexible work environment to meet the needs of the client. The project goal was to increase efficiencies and create a more collaborative work environment. The judges commented on successfully meeting the client's objectives and the use of space planning to achieve functional goals.


You can learn more about Branchlands by checking out our Project Spotlight and stay tuned for more on Lincoln Park II coming soon.

LightFair International | The Latest in Lighting

Looking Back on LightFair International in 2010

2010 was my first trip in several years to LightFair International and I was surprised to see how LED’s had taken over the lighting world. The trade show floor was all about LED’s - from new lamps to retrofit lamps, LED lamps made to look like incandescent and fluorescent lamps, and fixtures made especially for them. This year I am looking forward to seeing what new innovations the manufacturers have to offer, not only with LED’s, but with other types of lighting as well. Incandescent light bulbs are expected to be phased out starting in 2012, so it is important to find logical alternatives for designers and homeowners to rely on in their stead.

Before looking ahead to the 2011 LightFair, let's take a look at some of the information, ideas, and inspiration I returned with from last year's show:

LED’s Everywhere!

The trade show at LightFair International 2010 in Las Vegas was confirmation of the thought that LED’s are taking over the lighting industry. It was LED EVERYTHING, from pin lights to gargantuan flood lights to tubes.

Say goodbye to Edison’s A lamp which has been the mainstay of lighting our homes for the past decade and hello to LED’s placed in glass envelopes made to look like the incandescent lamps our fixtures were made for.

Even fluorescent lamps, the standard for most commercial buildings, and compact fluorescent retrofits for table lamps and downlights, were hard to find. But will the fact that lamp manufacturers are spending tons of money to promote the new technology translate to us buying them for our homes and businesses?

I say, not so fast. Yes, LED’s save power, and for those building owners who are looking for a long term investment, LED’s may be a good idea considering that 40% of energy consumed in the US is by commercial lighting systems. However, the cost of LED lamps and fixtures are still high in comparison to the traditional fluorescent variety and will probably take several years for most of us to see a return. And even though LED’s have been around for a while, the quality isn’t quite there to make them a great investment.

Most of the fixtures and lamps I saw, I would hesitate to invest in. But large, well-known manufacturers like GE and Philips seem to have solved the color and consistency issues that have plagued LED manufacturing for a long time. Other lamp manufacturers that I was impressed with were Westinghouse, ISHIO, Toshiba and Xicato. For those of us specifying LED fixtures, it is worthwhile to obtain samples before deciding on a particular one. It is also important to ask whose LED’s are used in the fixture and to carefully evaluate alternates when it comes to value engineering. I would recommend asking for several samples and closely compare the color and light output with the fixtures specified.

Exceptional Results

An exhibit at the Amerlux booth reminded us not to forget about Ceramic Metal Halide when it comes to efficient, cost effective display accent lighting. The three models dressed identically show the difference in color rendition and clarity between MR16, Ceramic Metal Halide and LED lamps. The 37W MR16 model on the left seems dull on the blue and gray fabric because MR16’s lean more toward the warm color scale. The 12W LED on the right shows better color rendering because its color temperature goes more to the cool colors, but is less bright than the center model. The Sylvania 15W Ceramic Metal Halide lamp in the center is bright, has true color rendition and for the wattage, is a much better choice.

Amerlux also has an awesome LED linear wall grazer that lights a wall from ceiling to floor with minimal fade. A frosted overlay on the lens controls the beam spread to allow grazing down the entire wall.

Other Highlights

Decorative fixtures were few and far between, but here are some out of the ordinary luminaries worth mentioning:

Patinas is a manufacturer of handmade historic replica light fixtures, including Colonial, Victorian, Art Deco, and Arts and Crafts styles. They’re all brass and the glass is absolutely beautiful. Custom fixtures are their specialty and they offer 60 different lamp (bulb) types. Check them out at http://www.lighting-decorative.co.uk/home/

Barry Entner is a glass artist who creates unique sculptural fixtures and works with clients to design one-of-a-kind works of art. His museum quality pieces are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Find him at .barryentner.com

For those of us faced with small budgets, a solution to retrofitting downlights with decorative ceiling fixtures was presented by Recesso Lights. A locking ring is installed around the downlight and the fixture, with shade, is attached. Matching sconces are available for some styles. See http://www.recessolights.com/

My favorite, OCL Architectural Lighting, has a new collection of contemporary pendants made in the US, with glass hand-blown by the masters in Germany. Their frosted orbs come ribbed, faceted and smooth and are beautiful even when not illuminated. Ask for their new catalog as these fixtures haven’t been added to their website. Go to http://www.ocl.com/

LightFair International – What’s New for 2011?

One of my favorite things about LightFair International is that it provides a diverse collection of seminars and symposiums that teach us everything from how LED’s work to how to use daylight “inside”; technical information that lighting designers need to know and all designers should be aware of. What I am truly looking forward to this year, however, are the sessions about how light affects us and how we perceive our interior environment. Classes, such as recognizing the lighting needs of the aging eye, biomimicry in design, and healing light therapy, are topics that fuel my passion to create functional, comfortable spaces that contribute to the well-being of my clients.

A BIG highlight of this year’s show is keynote speaker Ingo Maurer, lighting designer, artist, and all around Lighting Rock Star. Maurer is well known for his light fixture creations that look more like pieces of art than lamps. His light sculptures are displayed throughout the world and are recognizable by the fun, quirky elements he includes in each one. You can find a small portion of his work at his web site: Ingo-Maurer.com .

LightFair International 2011 will be held on May 17-19 in Philadelphia, PA. It is the world’s largest lighting trade show and conference. In fact, I recently read that only in Times Square can you find more lights than at LightFair’s trade show floor! I am looking forward to seeing more lights than ever this year, and to discovering new, innovative products to share with my colleagues and clients for inspirational projects ahead.