Colorado Series: Design for Reading

During our trip to Colorado Springs, we had the pleasure of actually staying in the house that we were hired to redesign.  After the first day and a half of preparing for and taking interior photographs, we then got a chance to slow down and relax.  After slipping on my Uggs and pulling out my latest Baldacci book, I was sitting in the living room and realized something.  Before this moment, I couldn’t figure out why this classic modern home with a true wood ceiling, heavy timber beams, concrete columns, eight foot tall glass windows and real concrete tile felt like such a warm, inviting space.  And then it hit me.  The space made you want to read a book.  All of those components; the oversized fireplace, the classic modern furniture, the wonderful scenery seen through the expanse of clear glass, were simply designed to encourage one to read.  And I realized that using the act of reading as a benchmark for design, forces us as architects and interior designers to create spaces that are proportioned, appropriately sized and finished in a way that provides comfort and satisfaction.