I’m happy to say that the third edition of Residential Interior Design: a Guide to Planning Spaces will be published late this spring (’16) by Wiley. I am currently at work on page proofs and the index (my least favorite task). The image above is a sneak preview of the cover design.
This edition includes updated code information (IRC 2015), statistical updates, and some improved graphics as well as expanded information on remodeling,
Okay, this may seem like a ridiculous thing to sit down and write about but it is important.
As a person that is not exactly organized by nature, its clear to me that a good planner is a very useful tool. I’ve tried all types and had mixed results but have finally found one that I like and can use consistently.
What I am saying is: my only hope for staying on top of things is to keep a planner going and to sort of enjoy the process.
A good planner can help with organization but for some people planners go well beyond that to become a hobby or creative outlet; they use the planner for all types of organization, record keeping and sort of embellish it. Artists and designers create journals that are sometimes combined with planners but I cannot quite make that work.
For me, the planner should be simple and have a good monthly overview page as well as larger spaces for each day. This way I can use the larger, daily spaces for ideas, as a sort of journal and for refer to the monthly view page for appointments. I like a neutral cover and simple page design. And, my planner must be small enough to fit in a bag or purse (say 5 by 9/10 inches) so I can bring it everywhere.
My current planner does all of the above and for a reasonable cost ($20). It is made by Shinola, a company I am happy to support. (sadly it appears they no longer have the 2016 version available –its called a Runwell Planner). Last year I tried to make my own planner by using an online calendar and scaling it down to fit in a moleskin. This years Shinola version shares the what I like about moleskin notebooks (elastic band and page marker) with great calendar and monthly note pages.
My daughter likes a bigger planner that is more like a notebook and she uses it to keep on top of everything; she also does some major embellishing. Her current planner is by Erin Condren (Life Planner).
Some of the students I work with have created their own planners by hacking calendar pages found online and combining them with blank or lined pages for notes. One student has come up with a pretty spectacular version using this process this semester.
Maureen Mitton 