Sue Ridgeway

Feature Articles, Blogs, and Newsletters

A small sampling of blogs, feature articles, and newsletters written on a variety of topics.

Strata Information Group (SIG) •

SIGnals - SIG's Quarterly Newsletter

It may seem too early to start planning for new year financial aid setup, but with all the changes afoot, the earlier preparation, the better. Read our two-part series on Financial Aid – New Year Setup Considerations to learn more. What’s new in Salesforce’s Summer ’23 release? A lot. To help digest all the changes, we’ve boiled it down to the top 13 enhancements: a baker’s dozen of Salesforce goodies. Learn more.
Lita Dirks & Co. | Award-winning interior design and merchandising firm •

Blog: How the Economy Impacts Design Trends

It’s been said that design follows fashion. In other words, the trends that we see from the world of fashion heavily influence the trends we see in the world of interior design. The same can be said for the impact of the economy. Evidence of the economic influences on interior design trends can be seen in a variety of ways; from materials used to overall design themes.
Lita Dirks & Co. | Award-winning interior design and merchandising firm •

Biophilic Design

Biophilia, or the idea that we as humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature, was first coined by social psychologist Eric Fromm in his 1964 work, The Heart of Man. It’s meaning was later expanded and made popular by American biologist Edward O. Wilson in the 1980s. Wilson observed that urbanization was leading us, as a society, to the disconnection with the natural world. He realized this disconnection was causing a host of health and wellness issues throughout the world.
Lita Dirks & Co. | Award-winning interior design and merchandising firm •

Interview: Lessons from Emerging Legends: Mollie Elkman

In March 1987 Congress passed a law designating March as Women’s History Month. The intention was to “celebrate the contributions women have made in the United States and recognize the specific achievements women have made over the course of American history in a variety of fields.” It’s only fitting then, that our lead story for the March newsletter is an interview with a woman who has made tremendous contributions in this industry and this country: Mollie Elkman.
Lita Dirks & Co. | Award-winning interior design and merchandising firm •

Blog: Defining Design Styles

Rustic farmhouse, French country, coastal, industrial…with so many different design styles, it can be difficult to determine what is best for your model home and prospective buyer. While not every buyer is going to want the same style within your market, understanding the design style that will appeal to most of your prospective buyers, and how to effectively communicate that style, will be key.
Lita Dirks & Co. | Award-winning interior design and merchandising firm •

Interview: Wellness Within Your Walls: Jillian Pritchard Cooke

A few weeks ago, one of our design directors, Teresa Karpala, attended the Wellness Within Your Walls (WWYW) training. We talked to her afterward and got the dish that was shared here. After hearing about Teresa’s enlightening and empowering experience, we wanted to know more about the WWYW program. And what better way to learn more than by going straight to the source?
Lita Dirks & Co. | Award-winning interior design and merchandising firm •

Blog: How the Model Home Helps Sell the Community

How the Model Home Helps Sell the Community A community is not just a group of houses built together in a specific geographic area – it is so much more than that. It starts with construction and ends with… well, if done correctly and you’ve truly created a sense of community, it doesn’t end. And what ties it all together? The model home. Your model home can be the thing that ties the construction/building aspect of a neighborhood to the human element needed to make a neighborhood a community.
Diet-to-Go •

Blog: Health Benefits of Gardening

There’s something to be said for “playing in the dirt.” Gardening – the adult version of dirt playing – can be incredibly gratifying. Seeing that first bit of growth start to pop out of the ground after all your prepping, planting and pampering can be quite satisfying. However, did you realize that besides making you feel good about your agriculture aptitude, there are significant health benefits of gardening? It’s true.
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