Karim Rashid home recommendations

Karim Rashid 30 home recommendations

1. Create large white spaces with accents of strong positive colors.
2. Knock down walls that are not structural and open up spaces as much as possible.
3. No visible books, magazines, CDs, or clutter. No bookshelves.
4. Have less but better furniture. Try to substitute two or three pieces with one.
5. Flat surfaces accumulate things, so have a small side table near the entrance for keys, mp3 players, mobile phones, etc.
6. Put all your chargers in one place – with one surge protector – and always make sure everything is fully charged.
7. Try to consolidate all your technology so that your computer, TV and stereo are all of a piece.
8. Have a plasma screen or watch a projection TV.
9. Use warm, soft but high­ performance materials.
10. Embrace ( don’t fear ) technology.
11. All kitchen products should be hidden. The kitchen should be bare and beautiful. Only the most sensual and artistic designs should be on display. All other gadgets need to be hidden.
12. Improve order. Line everything up perfectly: vases, objects, books, stereo equipment. Order inspires. Order is Zen. Order is relaxing.
13. Don’t be a pack rat: recycle newspaper and magazines as soon as you’re done reading them. Better yet, read them online.
14. Avoid curtains. They are dirt and dust collectors and make spaces look smaller with added bulk and weight. Use seamless mesh blinds instead.
15. Use materials that are easy to clean and that age well. Plastic floors ( laminates, vinyl sheeting, or artificial rubber ) are lightweight and inexpensive materials that wear well and are more resistant to scratches and staining.
16. Colored glass looks great in bathrooms; it plays with the changing light.
17. Use dimmer switches throughout the house and incandescent light over fluorescent. Halogen bulbs are also nice. Put everything on timers and sensors.
18. Use color to express yourself. Don’t be afraid of that bright orange chair. Paint your wall lime green. Be brave when it comes to carpets, countertops and tables. Color is beautiful and it’s all about self-expression. Be yourself.
19. Do not buy useless, kitschy souvenirs. Do you really need a sombrero from ? If you bring something into your home, make sure it has meaning.
20. Wallpaper is wonderful. It lasts longer than paint and is easy to clean and replace.
21. Wall-to-wall carpeting is warm, easy to maintain, pleasurable, soft and friendly.
22. Use biodegradable and natural cleaning products.
23. Anytime you buy something for your home, get rid of something else. Seek balance. People tend to accumulate far more than they need. Buy a vase; get rid of a vase.
24. If you’re moving to a new place, look for lots of light. Daylight is essential to positive thinking and your well-being. If you’re not moving, look for ways to maximize the light you have: skylights, enlarged windows and so on.
25. Make do with less. And make sure you really want what you’re buying. I’m not anti-consumption per se but I think it’s essential to consume with awareness. Buy only what you need.
26. Avoid sharp edges. Let your space flow.
27. Addition by subtraction. This is one of my pet theories and it’s really very simple. You get rid of things you don’t want and your life becomes fuller. Less becomes more; the things you do keep become more valuable.
28. Make your space reconfigurable.
29. You don’t need storage space. If something is stashed away, you’re not using it. Get rid of it.
30. Be sure the next thing you buy has more than one use.

Source:
Design your self
Karim Rashid
Page 52 – 55
Regan
ISBN: 0060839023