Art and design have always been my love but when it came to a career my practical Midwestern parents objected.  So I became a psychologist and enjoyed a long career in higher education, the last five years of which were spent renovating my house.  During that process when I served as designer, general contractor, and project manager I realized my love for design had a practical application.  For my kitchen I enlisted the help of a well-known designer who joked that when I retired we could work together.  Now I’m still helping people but in a slightly different way…the aesthetics of your home strongly influences your mood and overall health.