We’re celebrating a milestone achievement this year. Susanne Desbrow Interior Design (SDID) has been in business for five years! Being a business owner has its challenges, and they make the victories even sweeter. Come with us to learn the story of SDID. It’s one where creativity meets functionality, and spaces tell stories. We’ll introduce some little-known facts about our founder and offer insight into what it takes to run a thriving interior design company. Let’s dive in. The Roots: British Education and a Canadian Adventure Before the inception of SDID, Susanne embarked on a journey that ..read more

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a UN day celebrated every year on 3 December. The UN first recognized this back in 1992; the intent is to promote the welfare and dignity of people with disabilities around the world. Over 1 Billion people globally experience disability (one in 7). Unfortunately, 80% of these people affected live in developing countries, where half of the people with disabilities can not afford health care. People with disabilities compared to people without any disability are: 2x more likely to find healthcare providers' skills and facilities inadequat ..read more

What do interior designers do? Can you explain the interior design process? How much do you charge? I get asked these three questions frequently. The answers to these questions are connected. Firstly, I am an Interior designer, with a background in Architectural design. I graduated in 2002 with a BA (hons) degree in Interior Design. The university I went to shortly after I graduated renamed their course to Interior Architecture. My degree was also the equivalent of a part 1 architecture degree (undergraduate degree) as per the Royal Institute of British Architects. Some of my class mates went ..read more

"Experts see the world differently. They notice things nonexperts don't see. They home in on the information that matters most and have an almost automatic sense of what to do with it. And most important, experts process the enormous amounts of information flowing through their senses in more sophisticated ways" - Joshua Foer. The above quote is taken from a recent book I read called, "Moonwalking with Einstein" and it got me to thinking about what it means to be an interior design expert. If you get a chance, I encourage you to read it. Its about the power of the brain and the author's year l ..read more

www.wellcertified.com We’re not designing places to live. We’re designing how we live. This and many other reasons are why I became WELL certified. Below I'll outline the benefits of the Well Building Standard. The International Well Building Institute, developed the Well Building standard. This took them over 10 years and was backed by the latest scientific research, WELL sets out pathways for accomplishing health-first factors that help every one of us to do our best work and be our best selves by supporting our physical and mental health. When we design our buildings, we define how we slee ..read more

The last 2 months has unfortunately affected all of us. Most of us are at home most of the time, only venturing out for groceries and to walk the dog. We all miss seeing families and friends. For us parents we now are juggling work and home schooling. Some of us are thriving, whereas others are struggling. Whatever our situation, I am sure we are all looking forward to more freedom and wanting to return to some sort of normality. Alberta is one of the hardest hit provinces in Canada. Prior to Covid19 Calgary's overall vacancy rate Downtown sat at 24.2 per cent, according to Avison Young's mar ..read more

Gestalt Psychology was founded by Max Wertheimer, early in the 20th century. He believed that humans innately perceive things as whole. The following are some of his principles, that explain how most people see forms in their environments. Gestalt Psychology Ideas Groups We group objects by the following methods Proximity: objects closet together Similarity: same shape, size or colour Direction Objects to be perceived to be moving in the same direction Context Object grouped on context or past experience Closure The tenancy to perceive incomplete forms as complete. Continuity To see a line or ..read more

We have all been there and worked in buildings, where co workers fight over the thermostat. There are often other common complaints in the workplace; such as having an uncomfortable office chair or having the afternoon glare on your computer screen. According to "well Building standard" there are 7 concepts which factor in the office wellness of a commercial buildings occupants. All building's old and new can be constructed or renovated to maximize occupants wellness. Here are some examples of issues from each concept, to consider. The 7 Office Wellness Concepts for Commercial Building Occupa ..read more

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is a UN day celebrated every year on 3 December. The UN first recognized this back in 1992; the intent is to promote the welfare and dignity of people with disabilities around the world. Over 1 Billion people globally experience disability (one in 7). Unfortunately, 80% of these people affected live in developing countries, where half of the people with disabilities can not afford health care. People with disabilities compared to people without any disability are: 2x more likely to find healthcare providers' skills and facilities inadequat ..read more

Evidence based research is a process of basing decisions about the built environment on credible research to achieve the best possible outcome. Stress in the built environment Research has shown that stress, can dramatically effect the healing process of patients in medical facilities. Austrian Physician and scientist Hans Seyle published his research in 1956. This demonstrated that hormones released during stress participate in the development of many degenerative diseases including brain hemorrhage, hardening of the arteries, coronary thrombosis, certain types of high blood pressure, kidney ..read more