The following is an interview I conducted on tour with Tile of Spain’s Reign in Spain design competition. This FCNews blog post is a first-hand look at what is important to today’s designers and architects.
A self-proclaimed social media newbie, Andie Day, licensed designer, Andie Day LLC, learned about the design competition through a Twitter group called Blogger 19, which she described as “a great group of intelligent, fashion-forward people to connect with.”
She describes social media as a great place to learn about new products and ideas to help in her particular area of design: the aging-in-place market for the elderly. To accomplish this, she uses things like induction cook tops with magnetic pans, motion sensor faucets and thresholds flush with flooring to eliminate the possibility of tripping. “It’s not only for the elderly. Think of teaching little ones to cook. They’re very hands on and can be around the rest of the surface without getting burned.”
She said it’s not just function: it’s also about being fashion forward. “It’s how I work with a client to address the current phase of her life and consider future needs, with an emphasis on safety blended with beautiful materials and style.
“I wanted to get to this trade show [Cevisama] to see what trends I could bring to clients. I want to know the latest and greatest ways to improve their environment. I want to educate them because they aren’t always worried about that kind of thing. My clients want to know, is their dollar helping a community? Is it going to serve the ecological balance? They are asking more questions in just the last month, taking more time and being more thoughtful about where their money is going. It’s enlightening to learn what Tile of Spain is doing, to know that parts of this country are going through an economic slump and buying those products will help that community.
“Raising five kids, I also can’t ignore lifestyle. If I can, I want to give an extra 19 minutes for a healthier life, to exercise, to cook better meals. Even the right tile could play into that.”
-Emily