It goes without saying that all of us here at down2earth Interior Design are inspired by interiors every day. And when we kick up our feet to enjoy some screen time and relaxation, it’s no different. To that end, we’ve put together a collection of some of our favorite “screen gems” for their aesthetic qualities. We hope we can inspire you too! AMY CUKER, Founder and Design Director Damn Yankees If you know only two things about me, it’s likely that those two facts are that I love purple and musical theater. So how could I resist nominating Lola’s apartment from Damn Yankees as a favorite inter ..read more

Visionary architect Frank Lloyd Wright is known for his organic approach to design. From the sun-drenched deserts of Arizona to the lush landscapes of Pennsylvania, Wright’s masterpieces like Taliesin West, Falling Water, and Beth Sholom stand as testaments to his belief in harmonizing architecture with nature. Read on as we explore some of Wright’s tenants of organic architecture and compare his work in these contrasting environments, both of which happen to be office locations for down2earth interior design. Unifying Shapes in Nature for Design Wright first came to Arizona in 1928 to work o ..read more

If you were lucky enough to score Taylor Swift tickets for her Eras tour, or watched the movie version of the concert (or both!), you were no doubt amazed by the numerous costume changes, with each one more spectacular than the last. Here at D2E we love color and pattern and things with movement, and so does Taylor. Follow us on a journey of the eras and how the elements of her outfits can translate to captivating interiors! Lover L: Photo by Kevin Mazur (Getty) R: Photo by Rebecca McAlpin Nothing says you’re the boss like a silver blazer or a stainless fume hood. Note the red at the bottom ..read more

Biophilic design goes beyond aesthetics can enhance sustainability, a diner’s sense of well-being, and the overall dining ambiance of a restaurant. Read on to learn more about its meaning, origin, and how biophilic principles can be applied to the design of restaurants, cafes, or coffee houses. What is biophilia and what does it mean for sustainable restaurant design? The term ‘biophilic design’ has become more mainstream over the last few years, especially post pandemic, as we continue to see the importance of reconnecting with nature. However, the concept of biophilia actually dates back to ..read more

We have some exciting breaking news here at down2earth interior design! D2E Founder and Design Director Amy Cuker and D2E design consultant Jillian Moskovitz have been named to the Governor’s Residence Preservation Committee in Pennsylvania. To say that this is an honor is an understatement, and we could not be more thrilled to contribute to this meaningful endeavor. Iron gates welcome visitors to the residence. Governor Josh Shapiro and First Lady of Pennsylvania Lori Shapiro believe the Governor’s Residence should be a vehicle to showcase not just the history of the state, but also the vit ..read more

At Down2Earth Interior Design, we love homes — all homes — but there’s something about older homes that make our hearts all aflutter. We love their charm and uniqueness and embrace the challenges they present. This home was built in 1909 and while it’s a private residence today, it was originally built as a store selling dry goods and trimmings. The homeowners called us because their foursquare home had a lot of small rooms but lacked a kitchen area large enough for their family of five. There was also no space in the home convenient for entertaining friends and family. They wanted a functiona ..read more

I am a big theater person, and therefore I’m used to talking about the fourth wall. So when Terri Akman contacted me because she was writing a piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer about the “fifth wall”, I did a double take. What, exactly, did she mean by fifth wall? Well, it turns out, folks are now referring to the ceiling of a space as the fifth wall. And of course, as interior designers, we have been thinking about this all-important plane for years. Adding color and texture to the ceiling is one way to increase the richness of a room’s décor. You can see examples of homeowners turning thei ..read more

Who doesn’t love seeing a dramatic before and after reveal? Well now’s your moment, interior design lovers, as we show you this transformation from a cramped hodge-podge of a kitchen to a classic, unified, thoughtfully designed kitchen in Glenside, PA. Sometimes we all have to do haphazard things to make our kitchen work for us temporarily when an immediate renovation is not in the cards. This was one such kitchen, with some cabinets that were green, some that were blue and some that were wood. Some were built-in and some were freestanding but none of them were unified. Some counters were whit ..read more

Do you have a corner of your house that is underused but you don’t know how to begin, in making it more functional? Use this home office as a case study! This row house was converted from a multi-family set-up back to single family use. The space that we turned into an office and reading alcove was previously a kitchenette. The homeowners, a young family, with three daughters under the age of 6, enlisted down2earth Interior Design to help them figure out how to reconfigure the space so it would provide a place to work, read together, and hang out. After photo by Kyle Born. The alcove is open ..read more

If you’ve followed along with our blog throughout the years, you know that our design consultant Stephanie Ebner loves the great outdoors and adventure! To that end, she recently made the decision to move to Phoenix, Arizona, after falling in love with the area years ago. Here, Stephanie shares what brought her to this decision: In 2013, I participated in a cross-country cycling trip to raise funds and awareness for affordable housing with an organization called Bike & Build. We started in Providence, RI and biked all the way to Half Moon Bay, CA. Along the way we volunteered with organiza ..read more