While working in restaurant Fortissimo interior design concept, I proposed two material installations to be part of its spatial branding. One of them was a double "SS" (from the restaurant's name) made out of cutlery to appear on two of the entrance walls.
While my client Paula Rosales is very open to creating an emotional design experience for our customers, I have heard a few times during our meetings - both with her team and our client - "yes it's nice, but what is that for? It's just decoration."
Our client didn't want to do it. "Just decoration" didn't speak to them. And, honestly, it seldom speaks to architects either.
Why not? Why are we so reluctant to incorporate visual bliss? Isn't that enough "function"?
Don't we put flowers on our table? Wear a necklace or ring? We don't really say we are "just decorating" our bodies. Because those things helps us express our personality, colorfulness (or lack of it) and a sense of being. Beyond what our body needs to "function".
I choose to decorate. Decoration is just. It's just to have soulful information. Just to own identity. Just to experience visual and tactile information that my intelligence - physical and mental - justly needs to survive.
Do you also get the chills thinking about "just" decoration? What kind of reactions does it arise for you? O perhaps have you been in a situation like mine, being yourself "just decoration" promoter - or antagonist?