This past week I travelled to Brooklyn to put the finishing touches on a historic townhome renovation in Crown Heights.

I know the feeling well of beginning with a new space. Exciting but also intimidating. So many things you could do, directions you could go. Where do you begin?

I deviated from my normal walks this week and bought a used bike. November is usually really nice and good friend of mine moved back to town and is really into cycling so hope to get some use out of it.

One of the most frequent questions I get is what to do with a small space. Usually it's complicated because you need to fit a lot of activity into one area.

I made a video yesterday about "Aesthetic Gyms" It's on a tear across video platforms right now.

I showed examples of different gyms from decades or centuries past that were very attractive and contrast them with clinical minimalist rooms of today.

I have been in the position many times where you've renovated a space, you're starting to get your furniture in, and you realize there are still a bunch of holes to fill in.

These "holes" might be things like window treatments, or rugs, or art on the walls, or items on a shelf or coffee table.

I am obsessed with courtyards. It's always something I'll return to. I'm continually surprised by how rare they are.

The first time I viscerally experienced the magic of a courtyard was on a trip to New Orleans for Jazz Fest in 2010.

It's still hot, but we are fast approaching some seasonal change. Here are three things I am seeing more of in design that also scream Fall.

Last night, I travelled to Pittsburgh for an old friends wedding. It's where I went to college and was an extremely formative place for me.

I'm still in San Clemente CA, and have been enjoying working by the ocean.

The neighborhood we're in is walking distance to the beach. Real estate in this pocket is at a premium.

Life is messy. It's not straight forward. It's iterative.

My experience as a creative has been anything but a linear process.

Yesterday was my birthday and had a little time to reflect.

So many things are great about my life but I realize I don't often take the time to smell the flowers.

The Japanese concept of "ma" is the intentional use of negative space to create balance and harmony.

You can totally change the way your house or job or life looks. You can start today.

It is remarkable what can happen in a relatively short period of time (maybe a year) if you put concerted effort towards it.

Small & unique objects, placed in a relatively simple and plain space, can do quite a bit to elevate it and make it more visually interesting. Just imagine beautiful colored glassware on a white shelf.

You know that feeling when you walked into a hotel when you were a kid?

"what's to see here?" "what am I going to find?" "where is the drinking fountain?" "do they even have a drinking fountain?"

The best spaces do that.

Last week we discussed Lines of Sight & Focal points. Every room needs a focal point. It becomes the central part of your theme in each space.

But after specifying a focal point, what do you do?

It's everywhere you look. Another one of those subconscious principles that seems hardwired into people.

It originally comes from the Greek mathematics and was later expanded upon by Pythagoras and & Leonardo da Vinci.

Good designers take chances and try to do the most interesting thing. Something you don't see every day. Often not the safest mainstream choice.

It's been hardcoded since our cave dwelling days, but even if you never lived in a cave, you were still once in womb.