Blog

It’s important to plan for Aging in Place in your lifetime home

16 Jun 2018
Aging in Place
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Italian-inspired master bath by Finn Design has features that are beautiful as well as practical.


I was writing in my journal this morning on the quiet beach, accompanied only by the waves crashing on the shore and a lonely dolphin circling sluggishly next to the bridge-like reflection the sun created on the water. I reflected back to the past few months, filled with many interesting and diverse projects, from creative designing and planning, weekend job site visits, meetings, installations and a challenging but gratifying faux finish project, to studying, taking classes and becoming a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) in the midst of it all.

I find it surprising that CAPS and Aging-in-Place are not widely recognized by many people I have met at different events, even though it’s an inevitable and important issue. There’s nothing more evident than change in all levels of our lives, all around us. There’s no stopping of time moving on. We are all part of this cycle, admit it or not. AIP, or aging-in-place, affects all of us, regardless of age.

Many of us dream of owning a home or a house at one point of our lives. It is usually the biggest monetary investment of a lifetime. First it may be a smaller starter home. Then perhaps a bigger one for growing a family and raising children. After children have grown and moved out, it may be time to downsize.

There are people who decide that the home they are in will be their forever home, but staying in one place for a lifetime requires planning. Some people may develop a chronic or progressive condition that may require modifications to their environment. An accident or traumatic experience may require altering a home or a space. As a Florida-licensed interior designer and Aging-in-Place Specialist, I aim to make sure the home and surroundings are safe, secure, accessible, easy to use and comfortable without sacrificing its beauty, regardless of the individual’s needs.

A Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) can be an invaluable asset when planning for your future needs. The ideal time to design for the future is when building a new home or addition or when planning for a renovation. Adaptable planning will allow space modifications later without major work or cost. However, older homes may require more structural changes to achieve the desired results. The cost of modifications to allow a person to stay in their home in familiar surroundings is likely way more reasonable than relocating to another establishment.

You want your home to grow with you, and I want to help. Contact us to learn more.

— Riitta Ylonen, Finn Design

Good Feng Shui takes a turn in February

02 Feb 2018
Feng Shui
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I haven’t been very active in writing the blog for a while. However, as a Feng Shui practitioner, I feel that it is important to address at least some issues relevant to the changes occurring starting February 4, 2018, the end of Yin and start of Yang season in the solar calendar.

A good, thorough spring cleaning and clutter elimination should be completed by now. (I scrubbed my floors already in December of last year.)

One of the most important Feng Shui locations is the entrance to a home or a business. That is where the Chi, energy or life force enters the premises. The front door needs to be in a good repair and operate smoothly. The entrance, inside and out, needs to be clean, easily accessible and clutter-free to allow and welcome the new energies and opportunities to arrive.

In my example, the front entrance is facing North. Starting on February 4, 2017, it was fine to activate and energize the North section (associated with water, career and opportunities) with moving water such as a fountain, images of water, fish, sea beans, shells, dark colored accessories and other items associated with and supporting the water element as shown in the first picture. I had added soft light and Chinese coins for further protection and activation, as well as bells on the door handle.

The scenery for this year starting on February 4, 2018, is quite different for the same North direction (and other areas as well, as each compass direction has meaning). This time, the North side of a building is to be kept quiet and not energized. The bubbly fountain, and other water-associated décor items and energizing lights, as well as the bells from the door, are moved to more appropriate locations for the upcoming 12 months. This time, it is important to add metal to dissipate the effects of the challenging star 5, which is located in North this year (2018). It is actually advisable to enter and exit at another location in a building if possible. It could be a back door or side garage door if that is available. There are additional Feng Shui cures that are beneficial in diminishing the possible negative effects of the star 5.

For this year, the entrance in the second picture is furnished with a metal etagere with a display of all-metal accessories.

To find out how to use Feng Shui to improve your life, read more about our consultations.

Feng Shui gives spring cleaning new meaning

13 Jan 2017
Feng Shui
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Are you ready for a new beginning in your space and your life? Finn Design’s Feng Shui expert Riitta Ylonen says it’s not too early to prepare for the clean start of spring.

BedroomSoon we’ll see the end of the Winter Yin season and the start of the Spring Yang season. As we are heading to the end of the exhausted winter (yin) energy cycle and approaching the new spring (yang) cycle, which is February 3 this year, it’s very important to clear, clean and remove old energies, Ylonen says. Then you’ll be able to welcome new energy for the start of the Chinese calendar’s Year of the Fire Rooster.

A good spring cleaning is a must in all our spaces and offices. Part of the cleaning should include eliminating items that are broken and can’t be fixed or that you haven’t gotten fixed. Also, it’s time to let go of anything unused or not liked, or things that no longer serve you, including relationships that cannot be mended. Stagnant and/or negative energy, as well as vibrant and positive energy, have an effect on how our lives are going.

Each of us has a personal element(s) and life situations that can be affected, elevated or balanced with the help of Feng Shui. Through consultation, Riitta Ylonen can help you use Feng Shui to enhance your environment and surroundings in your home, office or any space to support your intentions, goals and success for the rest of the year.

For more information or to schedule an analysis and/or consultation (remote or on-site, locally), visit Finn Design’s Feng Shui page or contact us.

A bathroom transformation solves issues with practical, beautiful results

05 Aug 2016
Design
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Before and after

Here at Melbourne’s Finn Design, we seem to be doing bathroom renovations and updates quite often. In this example, the “before” picture shows the original 16-year-old master bathroom vanity with inadequate and ineffectively located lighting, above overly sized cabinets without functionality, and with a cultured marble vanity top. Another challenge posed by the original layout was that the back mirror wall was angled on the right, and the right sink was too close to the wall. There wasn’t enough elbow room, and the person facing the mirror in that location had a distorted view, because the mirror was cut in 45 degrees to follow the back wall.

Aug2016pulloutOriginally, our repeat client requested only an update to the cabinets, vanity top and plumbing fixtures. However, as often happens when creativity takes over, we came up with three different options, from a modest change to the most functional. Our client chose the third option, with side wall cabinets balancing the back wall angle. These cabinets – with storage, adjustable shelves and electrical outlets inside – now provide functionality for both users. For the left side, we integrated the space and power source for the attached, adjustable magnifying makeup/grooming mirror.

Lighting now is provided from above and from the sides, with the option to control them separately or together.

The vanity itself has a pull-out mechanism on the left, with containers for neatly organized toiletries and supplies. The rest of the cabinets have adjustable shelves and a wide bank of drawers.

The wood is cherry with a light stain to coordinate with the existing tile and color scheme, which we didn’t want to change. The chosen zodiac quartz vanity top also complements the existing surroundings, with ease of maintenance. We also installed a towel warmer, along with designer grab bars for support and safety in the walk-in shower and water closet.

This transformation shows that a practical re-design also can be beautiful.

Design for accessibility: Beautiful spaces at any age

27 Jun 2016
Design
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Italian-inspired master bath by Finn Design

An Italian-inspired master bath by Finn Design has beautiful features designed for long-term accessibility.

Did you know that licensed interior designers have studied and are tested on codes for safety, health and well-being of the occupants of buildings, as well as requirements for accessibility in ADA (the Americans for Disability Act)?

As people age or something happens in their life that changes the requirements for their environment, they may need to renovate and/or move or downsize from their current residence. For example, each time Melbourne’s Finn Design creates a bathroom design, whether new construction, redesign or renovation, licensed interior designer Riitta Ylonen takes into account all the ways the company can make the space more accessible, safer and user-friendly — in addition to satisfying the aesthetic requirements of the clients for years to come.

    Some design elements we recommend for each shower are:

  • A built-in or folding seat
  • Nice grab bars for safety and support
  • Eliminating the shower curb if possible as in universal design
  • Non-slippery shower floor materials such as smaller tile or mosaic
  • At least one hand-held shower on a slide
  • Integrated niche or niches for shampoos, etc.
  • Adequate lighting and ventilation

Those practical features are in addition to pleasing color schemes, accessories and tile designs. Glass shower enclosures can be ordered with an optional shield to make them easier to keep clean.

Finn Design does full-service interior design, space planning, redesign, custom cabinetry, furniture design and creation, custom upholstery, and transformation of any space.

Riitta Ylonen takes projects from planning to execution with a meticulous attention to detail. She designs custom cabinetry that is beautifully hand-built by her husband, Juha, for residential and commercial spaces.

See more of Finn Design’s award-winning work, or call 321-956-2011.

Beach color, modern styles trending

27 Jun 2016
Design
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Beachy colors have a soothing effect in this room by Finn Design.

Beachy colors have a soothing effect in this room by Finn Design.

Beachy colors and modern style are hot in interior design in 2016, according to Finn Design’s Riitta Ylonen.

Soft pink and light serene blue are trendy hues for 2016, says Riitta, a state licensed interior designer and certified Feng Shui consultant with the Melbourne firm. Deeper blues and beachy turquoises are also popping in color schemes this year. Rich beach tones and happy red work well with the still popular neutrals, such as gray and taupe browns. Sunny yellow and vibrant fresh green also play a role.

Riitta recommends that people use colors that make them comfortable. Trendy colors make great accents if they aren’t used as principal colors.

When it comes to style, chrome and metallics remain strong, now mixed with gold and clear lucite in accent pieces and furniture. Transitional, modern classic style in furnishings and overall design themes is still prevalent.

Retro furniture pieces continue to gain in popularity, Riitta says. These are often combined with fresh, bright contemporary fabrics and prints.

Finn Design offers a number of services that may be helpful to you and your customers, including full-service interior design, space planning, redesign, custom cabinetry, furniture design and creation, custom upholstery, and transformation of your space.

Riitta Ylonen can take your project from planning to execution with a meticulous attention to detail. She designs custom cabinetry that is beautifully hand-built by her husband, Juha, for residential and commercial spaces. See more of Finn Design’s award-winning work, or call 321-956-2011.

It’s never too late to start spring cleaning

27 Jun 2016
Design
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110714finnweb23It’s time to start spring cleaning if you haven’t started it already. Finn Design’s Riitta Ylonen is a state licensed interior designer and certified Feng Shui consultant, and she has tips to help you make the most of your space and give yourself a fresh start this season.

In Feng Shui, it’s important to eliminate clutter to give room for new energy to enter. It’s good to start by removing items that no longer serve you. If there is no meaning or use for them, get rid of them. Also, Riitta says, broken items should be fixed or eliminated.

Start from one closet or a cabinet. Clean, reorganize and remove items that gather and hold stagnant energy. From there, it’s good to do a thorough cleaning in the whole room or space. By doing so, the old energy is cleared out, and the new fresh energy has room to step in to invigorate the space to be livelier and more energetic. This kind of thorough spring cleaning will have a direct effect on your well-being.

Finn Design offers a number of services that may be helpful to you and your customers, including full-service interior design, space planning, redesign, renovation, and custom cabinetry.

Riitta Ylonen can take your project from planning to execution with a meticulous attention to detail. Her husband, Juha, designs and builds beautiful custom cabinetry for residential and commercial spaces. Their multiple-award-winning company can make your property look spectacular before or after a sale or for long-term enjoyment.