Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.


In our 34th episode, Mary talks about the renaissance of Harrisburg.

I live in Harrisburg and also in New York. There is quite a bit of difference between the two. Both have very interesting qualities. John O'Hara once said that Harrisburg is the perfect place to do research because nothing ever happens to break your train of thought. In some ways it is a quiet city, but it is also a city that has a lot of opportunities. It is now ready for a major change. My studio is located on the river, with a beautiful view. A wonderful location. Except, when the river starts to come up. Then you really go a bit crazy. There is nothing that you can imagine that is like a flood coming into your living room. Unfortunately, our first floor has had 8 and a half feet of water. That is a lot of water, and obviously it can do a lot of destruction. When you live along a river, this is what you can expect.

Fortunately, I have been working with a number of architects and designers who said, wouldn't it bel lovely to live along the river and not have this kind of fear. Not to worry about flooding. We started looking at his location, and the buildings, and because of so many floods, they deteriorate. It is a problem because every time you flood something, it does break down the infrastructure. What do we do so that we can live in this beautiful environment and not think about flooding? Obviously there are ways of doing this. We've worked out a plan to create an environment where people can live in perfectly healthy homes. Buildings that require no energy resources. Don't buy any electric, gas, or oil. You're living with all healthy materials so there are no contaminants in any of the building materials or environment. It is also a building that is so well constructed because much of it is built in a factory. The rooms are really correct in size. In fact, in many cases, this type of construction is off less than 1/32 of an inch. I know, as every other designer or builder will tell you, that there are very few buildings which are that exact. When you are building in a controlled environment, you can do things like this.

Harrisburg is in a position where it is ready for a renaissance. It is ready for a big change. It's excellent in its location. Very close to Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia, New York City. I travel back and forth to the city 170 miles, and there is not a red light until I hit the Lincoln Tunnel. That's not bad considering many commutes a lot of other people have which are far worse and more congested. Here we have a great beautiful city. Probably one of the most beautiful rivers in the East. It is really very attractive because it has not been commercialized. It is rock bottom. In fact, there are only 8 like it in the world. This river was formed geologically before the mountains, so it will always stay very much as it is. We have a beautiful river, a lot of conveniences, wonderful health clubs, very nice restaurants and other very good service industries. We have access to a lot of the other things on the East Coast. We live in a reasonably moderate costing environment. Why shouldn't Harrisburg be one of the greenest leading cities int he country? I would like to see this happen. As much as we have heard so much discussion about the financial aspect of Harrisburg, unfortunately the financial people are getting ahold of this. They think they have a system of really bringing Harrisburg out of this. Now, the designers need to take their position and create a city which is livable and safe, and a wonderful environment that we can all enjoy.

Any of you who have heard me speak, I often say that when we look at our environment and our problems, don't blame the President, the governor, or the mayor. Blame the designers, the architects, and the engineers. They're the ones that create the environments that are really safe for us to live in, that are healthy for us to live in, that really work for us. The design world can make a tremendous difference in all of our cities. Harrisburg is a great example. I look forward to seeing this happen here so that Harrisburg can be an example that every other city with a river can aspire to.

The renaissance of Harrisburg.


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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.


In our 33rd episode, Mary talks about technology in design.

Technology has really changed the way we design and build. We love all the features, but sometimes they really aren't very beautiful. In other cases, they eliminate a lot of storage. I think of all the audio and recordings that we've had, and now we have just a very simple iPad which can hold all of that information. Things are now so minimal, and the quality is excellent. It really has changed the way we design things.

I've been amazed at some of the features we have in televisions. I'm working on one now which is above a fireplace (not my favorite place to put one), but considering the room, the client wants it there. It is definitely the best location. On the other hand, they tell me they never watch television, but they must have a 60" screen. Isn't it sad that our very best wall is taken up by this big, black screen, which is not used. I decided that we've got to do something different with this, so in this case, we're doing a very simple application. We're not hiding it behind doors and lifting screens, these systems were several thousand dollars. Now, all I've done is a beautiful tapestry panel on a track, which simply slides with a baton, so that they can move it aside when they're watching television. Meanwhile, you wouldn't know the TV is there. It is hidden by a beautiful piece of art.

It's just, why should we waste the best part of our room with something that we're using occasionally, which isn't very pretty. Here, we can have a beautiful piece of art. A painting, a tapestry, or something else. I have noticed that people are doing televisions which look like a plain white wall, but it's actually a screen. All we do is turn it on, and our wall becomes a great video screen. Not only featuring television, but communications systems. All of the information that comes from their various family members, photos, and almost anything else one can imagine. It can be hidden in this very discrete way, so that it is there when we want it and gone when we don't.

I would love to see some of the things that you are doing with your television and other types of tech. Together we can create even more exciting ways, having the advantages of technology, but without losing the artistry of our homes. We want the art, but we also want the convenience of tech, so let's put them together in a creative way. They can compliment each other, but the tech does not have to overtake the beautiful parts of our spaces.

Please subscribe to the video or audio version of the radio show via iTunes or listen to it at http://interiordesigntodaypodcast.blogger.com via the following MP3 Link.

Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.


In our 32nd episode, Mary talks about concrete.

Concrete has become a major material in our interior spaces. Kitchen counters, desks, wall finishes, floors, so many different ways of using concrete as a functional and an art form.

It has been fascinating to see the extensive range of finishes used on concrete, making them polished and finished, not just industrial looking. At one point, we looked at concrete as a material when we wanted informal use. Something casual and functional, but now we're seeing it used in a more refined and finished way. It is wonderful to see the extensiveness of the opportunities for this material and the fact that it can be brought into almost any style of space.

Next time you are considering a finished and practical top, look at concrete. It is often a very practical and artistic material.


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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.


In our 31st episode, Mary talks about fans.

Fans come in many sizes, shapes, and designs. They do some incredible things. In a typical kitchen situation, we either have the ceiling fan or the fan above our stove, or we had the fan that came from under the burners (through the lower part of our room). Suppose we have a room or a building that is on a slab, and we have a cathedral ceiling. We don't really want to see that venting go through our beautiful opening into the cathedral space. We have fans that can be brought in from the sidewall and handled in many different ways.

Today, a fan doesn't need to look like a fan, or have a large space taken up in your kitchen. It can be done in so many creative ways.

If you're interested in more information, just get in touch with me for resources and details.
Just remember, fans can be creative, and a special part of the design. They're practical. They work. They're very attractive, and they can be installed in so many different ways. A fan is not a fan. A fan is a beautiful art object that really fills our needs in so many different ways.


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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.


In our 30th episode, Mary talks about urinals.

We've seen incredible styled sinks. It has just been amazing, the marble, the crystal, the beautiful ceramics. Here is one example of a floral design. Now notice the urinals. I've heard so many clients say, "I'd really like to have one as part of my master bath so that my husband has the convenience of this. Also, I would like something attractive." Well, now we have it. Isn't it amazing, the artistry that is used for such functional things? When you're planning your next powder room or your master bathroom, or any particular bathroom where you think it might be convenient to have a urinal, just consider that there are all types of designs.

It's been fascinating to visit the many hotels and see the beautiful waterfalls that are also urinals, or the abstract designs that have been featured, or the troughs, on and on. Now, we're looking at floral designs. What next? But how much fun?

This is design, and we have so many opportunities to be expressive in so many places and so many ways. Enjoy.



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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.

In our 29th episode, Mary talks about the 2013 Architectural Digest Show and DIFFA.


It was a great show this year, featuring a lot of different artisans and companies from different parts of the world. There was quite an upgrade of quality in many of the things, especially many of the kitchen features. There were many new and "techy" contributions, which are really part of convenience and which also provide space saving and other elements. There are marvelous conveniences and things that we can do with technology that we could never dream of before.

In addition to that, they also feature the DIFFA dining by design. This is where different companies and designers working with them feature their design for dining. Some of them were very different than before. There was one by Benjamin Moore which you could definitely tell was a painting company because they showed how you could use color and paint in many ways. It was very rich and very fun, but also, there was no question that their product was paint.

The one that the Pratt students did was very interesting in that it featured a map of the world. They did it in a very "techy" way, using an interesting lighting treatment, which I hope you can see from my photographs. It was very interesting and quite well done. We were all amazed at their thought patterns and how they developed it with design.

Ralph Lauren, last year, had an outdoor porch; very country. This year, its was much more modern. You will see a number of fun designs throughout the photographs I have taken as best I could with my simple camera.

This is a wonderful contribution to the arts that all these designers and companies are making, both in monetary contributions, as well as their artistic display.




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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.

In our 28th episode, Mary talks about books.

Books. Are you still keeping and storing books? What do they mean to you, and how do you present them?

It is quite interesting. We look at one group of people that says, "Why should I own a book? I can do everything on my tablet, or I can get my information in many other forms. Why do I want to read?"

I'm finding that clients see books as treasures. They want them presented in a way that is easily accessible. It is something that is really part of their lives. We are designing many more ways of storing books. Of course, it depends upon the value of the particular books that you own, whether they are something that are truly investments or whether they are something that is just there for informational resources. I have been very surprised when looking at my own library and noticing certain books in stores, and realizing that I have had the book for several years. I refer to them occasionally, but I don't realize that they had any value. Now I note the value and treat them very differently.

We're finding that clients are coming again and again and saying that they really want to take care of their books. In many cases, I want them protected from light and dust. I want them to be here, but I don't necessarily want to see them. I want you to create a way of sliding a wall in front of them or creating shades or doors that cover them. Yet, give me the opportunity to easily access them when I want to use them. Yes, it is not only "Googling" information, but there is information on things like the arts that are available in books that we simply cannot find from other resources.

What type of spaces are used for storing books? Many people feel that it is inappropriate to put a lot of books in a room in which we sleep because they do collect dust. Therefore, it is better to have them stored in a way that we can eliminate this particular factor. Many times, we are creating areas in a hallway that becomes a library, and what a wonderful feature? Sometimes, in our family rooms, living rooms, or other spaces. It has been fun to take a dining room which is not used very often, especially when we have apartments or areas with a limitation on space, and turning that into a library. It really makes an attractive and workable environment. A library when wanted, and when needed, an area for serving food. Really, books can be in almost any area. We often want them where we're going to use them, which is why we'll put a certain amount of cooking/preparation books in a kitchen. Only things that are used on a regular basis, or are very special books… Children's books belong in their area. Books that are mine or my husbands, belong in an area which is convenient to them.

Like anything else, the system of storage and the ability to find what you want, to retrieve that item or bit of information, is really a key part of the interior design. There is no point in having something if you can't find it.

Refer to your books and see, do I really want them? Yes, I've often felt as I've designed many libraries that one of the most important things is weeding the library. I'll often walk into a new project and I'll refer to a certain subject that I know, and I'll go lookup a certain type of book. I can tell very quickly how often that library has been weeded. You'll want to go through yours as well to decide which is appropriate to keep.

Then, decide, just how do you want them stored. How can we design a book storage unit for you that really fits the area? How can we have flexibility and security for it? How can we maintain the cleanliness and value of those books? It isn't just piles of books, but it is really a wonderful library resource which is enhancing your life and helping you enjoy your home or your business space.

Look at your books and use them as a decorative item, but mainly as a wonderful, workable, usable, resource that really enhances your life.

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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.

In our 27th episode, Mary talks about entertaining and conversation.

We do a lot more entertaining and visiting this time of year than usual. How do our spaces, our living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, contribute to the enjoyment of the visitors that come into that space. It's so interesting. I was listening to someone on Saturday tell me how they so enjoy going out for a meal and having somebody serve me. I think I much more enjoy going into someone's home or inviting people into my home and having the pleasure of discussing a personal subject or something that is just for us and not having everyone around listening to what we're doing, not having to hear others and picking up the noise of the space.

We've been taught, that when we want to communicate properly with a person, they should be no more than 6 feet away from us. Which means, as we look at our spaces and plan our seating in any space where we want conversation, we should consider that measurement. After all, you've noticed that if you have a huge table and a person is 12 feet down the row, you don't really get the full impact of their conversation. You pick up parts of it, but not all of it.

As we look at the surrounding aspects of the room, what materials absorb sound? How can we eliminate the noise from people moving their feet or glasses on the table or other kinds of things which are often distractions. This is really all part of our joy of conversation. Having the right environment in which to have that talk…

Think about the joys that you will be sharing and the time and opportunities you will have in the next few weeks or months of really spending time with people that have meaning to you. Make sure that your environment properly supports it.

I had an experience a few years ago when I was helping some students tour a new senior citizen complex. I said to the design students, "If you brought your grandfather into this coffee shop and wanted to talk to him and have a fruitful conversation, where would you have him sit?" It was interesting because really they were not sure what to do. The bottom line is that you would want to be careful that he was sitting against a wall or some form of blockage so that he was not getting background sound. You would also want to be sure that the particular surface absorbed some sound so that you were not getting things reflecting against it and bouncing back.

It's really quite interesting as you place people around a table, whether at a restaurant or at your dining room table, that you are concerned about the different physical qualities of that person. If their hearing or sight is limited, how you will light the room to care for that. Older people are not as intrigued by that romantic candle-lit table as young people are because it is quite different when your sight is not as acute. You are very happy for the light contribution of an overhead light or some other source so that you are not totally relying on candle-light. Not just to read a menu, but also to read expression of the faces of others at the table.

As we look around, whether we consider using a table cloth or not, whether we want the noise of hearing items moved on the table, or whether we're looking at the lighting or the people hearing our conversation, this is all part of the way we design a space that is designed for good communication. Communication is really the highlight of our human interaction. Let's use all the design elements properly to support the best type of communication. Whether it's your house or a public space, there are great things that design professionals can help you with to make your space enjoyable for good conversation.


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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.

In our 26th episode, Mary talks about powder rooms.

Powder rooms are quite different from bathrooms. They can be fun. They're something that we use occasionally and we always have them ready for our guests. We can incorporate some fine art into our "surprise" space. Powder rooms can be in many parts of your building, but one of the things I try to be careful of is that I never want them close to an area we are using for conversation or other purposes. I always like to tuck them around the corner or have them out of the main trafficked areas. We really consider their function a bit more private.

When you open the door of that powder room, let's make sure it makes a statement. Let's make it fun. We don't need to worry about the light for shaving or doing cosmetics, and we don't have to worry about showering or bathing issues. This is strictly a space we use for a few minutes. We can make it a surprise so that when your guests return from the powder room, they're smiling because they've seen something artistic, fun, and beautiful.

At one point, I had my most valuable painting in my powder room. It was really perfect there, and also it was rather protected, away from a great deal of light. I thought it really could be appreciated in that environment where it was a single object which we could really concentrate when viewing.

What does your powder room look like? Is it really convenient? Do we have the little things that make it practical? Is it large? Is it small? Normally they are not terribly large, but very often we can incorporate a nice piece of furniture, a special vanity or chair, where one might put on boots or adjust a garment. More than that, look at the mirror, the lighting, and the artistry. This is a chance to really incorporate something that is exciting. One of the bathrooms we did which was not terribly large, we incorporated a sizable mirror. We didn't want lighting fixtures exposed, so we used fiber optic, and the light spotted through crystals on the mirror. It was very dramatic and very artistic. Yet, it made the space look much larger and very contemporary. I also love to light a powder room in different ways. One that we're working on now has a raised vanity with just a small amount of light peeking from the base of the vanity. This could be left on when you're not using the room to make it easy for guests to find the space.

Look at your lighting. What is it doing? Is there flexibility? Is there a way that I can leave a small amount of light on when we're not using it, but yet, let guests see that it's available? If someone chooses to fix a contact or touch up their cosmetics, they can illuminate the room at a brighter intensity and take care of whatever that need might be.

Your powder room should fit the spirit of your house and look like it belongs there, but also it is a space that we can do something that is a real surprise. Make your powder room fun, enjoyable, and spirited.


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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.

In our 25th episode, Mary talks about bathrooms.

How many bathrooms do you have in your house? At one time, we thought it was wonderful to have one, maybe one and a powder room. Today, it is not unusual to see everyone having their own bathroom plus a few extras. What do these bathrooms look like? Right now I am working on one that is quite small. It is fascinating how the various people who are supplying the components are saying, "this is really tight, this is really small." No wonder because the one we did last week was 15 x 20. Many of them are even larger than that. Some of them are larger than the master bedroom, the living room, or even the dining room.

It is amazing what people are putting into their bathrooms today. We did one a while back where the people had a party when they finished their bathroom. They filled the bathtub with ice and served champagne in the bathroom. I guess we can have parties in our bathrooms...

We are now learning that bathrooms are something that are really designed to fit us individually. They're designed for our size and our special needs. This person wants 8 or 9 shower heads. Another person, a Japanese soaking tub. What type of materials are we using? Amazing, amazing materials. I'm also concerned about safety every time I work on a bathroom. At one time, we always did a large master bathroom, but now in most cases, when we do a master bedroom, we'll do a his and a her bathroom. Perhaps they have their own sinks and share a shower or tub. In other cases, if one has a strong preference for a shower or a tub, they may have their own bathrooms.

People ask about resale. Nobody is worried about that much today. They're worried about what they want. What is convenient for me? What suits me? Am I tall, do I want a higher counter? Am I short, do I want it lower? Do I want a shower that I walk right into so that I don't stub my toe? Good ideas. Of course, we put benches in some showers. We might want a steam shower, this is ever so popular. Every time you add a certain element, it requires other supportive materials. It is amazing to see the types of fans or exhaust systems that are appropriate for bathrooms that have steam showers. After all, if you're producing all that steam, where does it go? We don't want it creating mold or other problems in other parts of the house, so we must be sure that it is properly exhausted.

Just in these few minutes, look at all the elements we've talked about. Look at all the variables. Everything from the water type and sources that we're using. In the house that I live in, the water heater's in the basement and the shower is on the third floor. I can tell you that it takes a long time for the water to get warm in the morning. We no longer do that. We often put the water heater close to the shower, saving water and giving instant hot water for the shower. We no longer have to wait 7-10 minutes for the water to get warm.

Think of all these little elements that we're dealing with, whether water, lighting, surfaces of our floor, grade and draining, etc... The technicalities that are now part of just a regular residential bathroom... No wonder we have specialists. No wonder we are looking for how we can do this the right way, not just the way a contractor has done the last few. You're different. You have different views, wants, and requirements. We need to consider those.

It is so much fun when we do bathrooms for children. What a different type of environment. This can be great fun and be so adaptable to the young children, yet it will grow with them as they mature. Look at your bathroom, is it really giving you the function and the pleasure that you want? Is this one of the rooms that you go to when you want to retreat, relax, or renew? How are you using your bathroom, and what can be done by simple changes or by major ones, to make it more effective for you?

We have all types of opportunities in each and every aspect. Sometimes we're incorporating beautiful pieces of furniture. Other times, it's a mastery system of lighting. All the elements that are now part of this beautiful environment. This lovely music that you hear. The sounds that are stimulating and awaken you in the morning or those that quiet you down at night. Make your bathroom that special place that you can hardly wait to enjoy and you enjoy with great pleasure.


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Welcome to the Interior Design Today radio show with Mary Knackstedt.


In our 24th episode, Mary talks about the lessons we've learned from Hurricane Sandy.

I have noticed that in many instances, contractors have not been quite as honest as they should be with clients. One of my clients had a roof problem, and they were referred to a contractor who was doing other rooves in the area. They asked for a quotation, and they were told $22,000. Another person came to look at the roof from quite a distance, they looked over the situation, didn't take any notes, and the client never heard back from them. The client called me, and I recommended someone we've used before, and they came and quoted them less than $12,000, just about half of the previous quote.

The part that is so disturbing is that when we were children, we were taught that things were good or bad, black or white. As we mature, we really realize that everything is pretty grey. When we see this type of situation, this type of a scene, we find that people can be wonderful and they can also be almost evil. Fortunately, as a designer, we get to see and know these contractors. We know who they are, how they work, and what they do. In so many instances, we can be of great assistance to our clients and make sure they get to the right people and that their money is invested appropriately. In my own practice, I do so much of this work. It is quite true, I really didn't get paid for most of those services, but when I think of the invaluable contribution we've made to our clients, it is just amazing.

Use your designer to their fullest. Make sure they are giving you the very best and the latest, and use them as a consultant on other building issues because very often they have information that can be very valuable to you in whatever your situation.

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I've given you a copy of an article I wrote for the local paper and which has been passed on to a number of publications throughout the country. We need to realize that building codes and standards are really there for a reason. Take a look at the article below and realize that you are in a position to use your voice to encourage better action in your community.


View the Patriot News article here.
View the Central Penn Business Journal article here or here.

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