Is Your Comfortable Sofa Killing You?

Comfort! When you ask a designer, furniture buyer, magazine editor, advertising agency, customer what do we want when it comes to our homes the first answer is always comfort. I'm it's biggest ambassador, comfy sofa, comfy chair, comfy bed, comfy bath, comfy pillows, comfy shoes, comfy trousers. Some say to live in casual comfort is the Holy Grail. BUT is comfort - the thing we strive so hard to achieve -  our downfall for a healthy life? 

If you are plonked on a sofa, bed, or chair right now American scientists claim you probably have "sitting disease". Apparently we are not moving our bodies enough. Australia is ranked fifth among advanced nations in terms of obesity after the United States, Mexico, New Zealand and Chile, according to the OECD. The Wellness Index, compiled by polling firm Roy Morgan Research and an initiative of health company Alere, have found over the last five years 736,000 more adults are now obese in Australia. 

 Is having a super comfy sofa with slubby cushions and chunky throws causing us to prolong, morning-to-bedtime sitting? Doctors call it sedentary living and research claims it to play a significant role in many of the most troublesome health issues of our time, from obesity and heart disease to diabetes to depression. I shudder the amount of hours I have wasted lying on my sofa watching crappy TV. 

Until recently, experts considered the antidote to sitting disease to be formal exercise sessions. But new research is turning that thinking on its head. As it turns out, just being up and about throughout the day can be healthier for you than doing a rigorous workout, then sitting the rest of the time. This then raises the serious question would we be more likely to get up and move around our home if we didn't strive for our cosseted home to be so damn comfortable?

Last year I met a young successful Sydney architect Kelvin Ho, for Sunday Life Magazine, who refused to have a sofa in his home. When he watched the tellie he sat on an uncomfortable wooden stool. He believed by not owning a sofa he would watch what he wanted  and wasn't enticed to keep watching. Not having anywhere to really chill out except for the bed he was forced to go outside to surf,  cycle, catch up with friends and entertain around his dining table. Kelvin did however give into a designer linen sofa eventually when a serious girlfriend (now his wife) came on the seen.

Perhaps there is something in the idea of minimalist design favoured by the Japanese and British architects  John Pawson and David Adjaye. The fewer pieces of furniture we have in our home the more likely we will move around than plonking ourselves in one spot. 

New York architects Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins who founded  Reversible Destiny Foundation dedicated their life work in aiming to create homes that reduce the aging process and prevent death. "People, particularly old people, shouldn't relax and sit back to help them decline," he insists. "They should be in an environment that stimulates their senses and invigorates their lives." Arakawa died at age 73 in 2010 flawing his philosophy of transhumanism, or reversible destiny. The thing is I still think there is something in their radical ideas.

 The Tokyo Reversible Destiny Loft In Memory of Helen Keller is the eccentric but thought provoking work by Arakawa + Gins. The space isn't designed for furniture. Using natural landscapes as inspiration seating areas are incorporated into the floor. Residents have included hammocks and swings into their homes.

 Arakawa + Gins believe to achieve everlasting life our homes should be inconvenient, uncomfortable and stimulate the senses far beyond what we are used to in our daily lives, keeping us nimble. Their work has steeply sloped floors that threaten to send visitors hurtling into its kitchen; more than three dozen paint colors; level changes meant to induce the sensation of being in two places at once; windows that seem too high or too low; oddly angled light switches and outlets; and an absence of doors that would permit occupants even a modicum of privacy.

In Tokyo one of the tenants in their famous Reversible Destiny lofts says he feels a little younger living in the building. Nobutaka Yamaoka, who moved in with his wife and two children about two years ago, says he has lost more than 20 pounds and no longer suffers from hay fever, though he isn't sure whether it was cured by the loft.

Lets face it though their work is ugly and I personally wouldn't like to live in a house like this. However just like a couture runway show we can learn from and introduce the ideas into our designs in a much more aesthetic and realistic way.

I know this all might seem a little crazy but the fact there is an alarming amount of people in the western world overweight we need to look at solutions in getting us to move around more. And you know what they say when you want to fix something up - always start at home first.

Don't Worry Now Be Happy

 I'm letting you into a secret. I'm trying to get my second book deal. This is a risk in sharing this secret but I may as well start the words here... a place that has brought me a lot of joy... a place that led me onto the path for my first book deal. The book is called HAPPY. I'm on a quest to search and walk on the path again asking myself do I need to RETHINK what this word, HAPPY, means to me and those around the world? I'm asking how can the definition be translated into our homes so we can create personal and public environments that can positively shift our moods and wellbeing?  OK no puking allowed and please don't feel like you need to punch me because I'm trying to be all positive like. Stick with me. 

I had a mega light bulb moment when I finished my book 'RETHINK: The Way You Live' - after meeting all the amazing and inspiring people I interviewed in the book I realised we may take different paths but it is for one purpose ---- so we can find happiness --- so we can be happy.

Source via here

The current times have been serious and many of us have done and are doing it tough. Design over the last few years, has been modest, paired back, sustainable and the rediscovery of the artisan. My book ‘RETHINK: The Way You Live’ is filled with what I’m describing. (have you pr-ordered a copy yet? :-)))

We are tired in seeing and hearing about doom and gloom. We are looking for positive ideas to lift our spirits. 

 Photo by Sayaka Minemura

My job is to always look ahead and dig deeper and follow the mind set of how we are doing and keeping an eye on what we want. My aim is to keep us developing spaces and product that are relevant  to us. 

‘Macarena Social – CyberCentre’ by Spanish architects MedioMundo

The design world is famous for being serious but we the humble consumer are exhausted with the hard times. We are looking for people, places, objects, more than ever, to make us smile and laugh.

Photo by Carina Hsu

Research proves laughter can cure depression and illness. It is also proven those of us who smile are more likely to live longer than those who don’t.

Source via Here

You get it when you win a race and lose it when you get laid off. Governments put it in their policies, preachers in their sermons, writers at the end of their stories. Scientists say they’ve found it on the left side of the brain. Pursuing it, Americans spend US$20 billion a year on self-help and

antidepressants. But wealth isn’t working: people in the West are twice as rich as they were sixty years ago, depression will be the biggest health burden in the world. Joy, euphoria,

satisfaction, tranquillity, triumph. It comes in many forms.

 So for now my fellow SnOOper's keep coming back to visit and follow my findings on HAPPY.   Perhaps, just perhaps architects and designer when approaching their next project will ask the same questions I will be exploring and produce holistic buildings that will bring those who occupy it with joy. 

Glanthel Park, Glasgow by Lisa McCartney

"When you worry you make it double... Don't worry - Be Happy Now!" - Brian McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy.

Happy pillow by Lala Ladcani

"When you worry your face will frown and that will bring everyone down"-  Brian McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy.

Storm Watching By Dell Stewart

So what do you reckon?  Do you like the idea for my new book? If yes let me know and help support me for book number 2. :-)

Who else is sharing tips on happiness this week?

Letter To Our World -  New online sensation where people are sharing their definition of happiness
Apartment Therapy - Very basic, not too deep -  10 simple things to make you happier at home
Mia Freedman - A happy place can be revealing but one's happy place is another person's hell
Red magazine - 'My Daily Dose of Happiness' The May issue shared from some famous UK ladies how it is the little things that count.

Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan's Happy Chic

When I got to meet Jonathan Adler and interview him about his new Palm Beach residence my heart raced one thousand miles per hour. Why? His mantra is everything I believe in how to help achieve a happy home. Plus I know we would be BFF if I got to hang out with him. I love colour he loves colour, I love animal ornaments he makes animal ornaments, he is funny and I love to laugh. Sure sometimes his interior design is a bit too polished for us European's but you can't deny when you walk through one of his creations you get caught up in his quirky take on glam. It's obivous there is a lot of fans out there. His hotel renavation of The Parker in Palm Springs in 2004 has been splashed across the press with great acclaim and faithful fans have pilgrimaged to the welcoming and ecelectic hotel full of charm and character.

Jonathan shares his Seventies Palm Beach apartment in Florida with English-born Simon Doonan, the creative director of Barneys New York, and their beloved Norwich terrier, Liberace. And though Simon is no stranger to taste with a capital T, Jonathan admits he had free reign when it came to designing their beachside getaway. 'Simon lets me play. He's always amused by what I bring into our home,' says Jonathan.

His signature style of modern shapes, vibrant colours, organic patterns and wry sense of humour works perfectly in this dreamy and airy holiday home in eccentric Palm Beach. 'We love it here - it's glamorous, posh and comical. It's worth being here just to see the women with their lacquered hairstyles and the to-die-for vintage furniture stores,' he says.

Jonathan has filled their home with quirky finds, all surrounded by a backdrop of white. The result is a unique, witty and liveable home that's the ideal escape from the harsh winters in New York. 'Happy chic is my design philosophy,' explains Jonathan. 'I wanted this house to represent sun, sea, fun and happiness.'

I asked Jonathan his tips for modern glamour...

ON WHY SIZE MATTERS
'To stop a home feeling depressing and bland, it's good to have a sense of eccentricty. Opt for oversized objects and pieces that make you smile to add a sense of the fantastical to a room'.
ON DISPLAY
'I love to exhibit everything from pottery to furniture and textiles. Aim for choreographed disarray: I don't think anything should look too perfect.'ON COLOUR
'The key to our home is my love of colour. As far as I'm concerened, if the colours are strong then they don't clash'.

ON CREATING A NEUTRAL CANVAS
'The first thing I did was paint the whole house white and then set the tone with the luxurious limestone floors. A neutral backdrop makes the layers of bright colour instantly more vibrant and alive.'
ON FLOORS
'Using a large graphic rug is the perfect way to anchor furniture in an open space.'
ON ETHNIC TOUCHES
'I try to use a lot of ethnic craftsmanship. I work with Peruvian artisians who hand-loom a lot of my woven textiles'.
ON COLLECTING
'I'm always drawn to quirky and idiosyncratic bits; I'm an eclectic rooted in Modernism. I suggest being true to yourself and buying stuff you love. You must have confidence in what you purchase because to make a visually strong display you need to have a lot of it'.

ON KEEPING THINGS FRESH
'I bring new pieces home all the time so I'm constantly moving things around. The house functions as a lab for me to try out different ideas.'

ON CONFIDENCE
'You should never be scared of colour. Add vibrant hues to a neutral backdrop to give a room playful punctuation.'


ON THE FEEL-GOOD FACTOR
'Your house should be fantastic and fun. Sometimes the road to happiness is simply a great pad'.


Super talented New York based photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo flew down to Palm Beach, Florida to photograph this story for me.

Will Mimimalism Make Us Happier Than Ornaments?

While I write these very words I’m currently surrounded by boxes and no storage. I have just downsized apartments. Adjusting has been hard because my partner and I love to collect and curate our finds around the home. My obsessions are magazines and animal ornaments and his is urban toys and records. Falling, tripping, swiveling around and disguising our much loved objects that have no home in our new flat is driving me crazy. I keep sourcing online clever storage solutions but I rent which limits my options. It's time to consider to let go of the clutter!

I can’t help in times like this to think about a home I visited last year that is polar to mine. I was lucky enough to visit a New York family who were what I like to call ‘Shiny Happy People’ Their metallic finishes and space-age design are proof that you can make a minimal home into a cool energetic environment.

When I spent the day with them I felt this empty space inspiring, stimulating and I just couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.  For Lisa and Jonny they have created a simple scheme to create good vibes, love and a relaxed home for the whole family – kids included.  Yep they have three who feel as free as their parents in this space. 

What they wanted was a home that ‘brings out the child within’. I couldn't help to let my guard down while I hanged out in this uplifting space. I felt full of optimism and creativity. 'Creativity is central to our lives and we wanted our living space to reflect this', explains Lisa. ‘We want the vibration to feel very high here. What I mean by vibration is a feeling, a sense of joy. My kids are free here to develop their passions'. 

It's not just the lack of stuff that makes this space feel a source of spiritual illumination producing all things bright and happy. It's the clever and well thought-out choice of surfaces, textures and colours. With Jonny’s talents as a painter, sculptor and industrial designer, and Lisa’s former experience as a textile colourist, the couple joined creative forces to put together a crisp white palette of glitzy tints and luxurious clean looks. ‘The white surfaces and soft metallic tones are light but also energising’, says Lisa.

What I loved most about this family is they arrived to their new apartment in a cab and a couple of suitcases. No removalist, boxes or stress. Could you do this? Could you get rid of all your memories bar a few clothes and start fresh? I found when talking to them it to be liberating, brave and refreshing. But doing it myself is crazy, not rational, such a waste... Or is it?

Richard Powers photographed the space for me and has brilliantly captured the flow of this minimalist and very happy home. Check out the whole story in Australian Inside Out magazine.