Abstract
Creative thinking is only possible when the right premises are provided for it. Unless every single element of the environment is in its place, the creative thinking process will not be fruitful. Because of the recent relocation and the disharmony between my own idea of comfort and harmony and the one that the previous tenant has, my ability to think creatively has been challenged. In order to solve the problem, I will have to redesign the room by using the minimum of financial resources.
A change of the room’s color cast and some elements of decoration, as well as the use of some artworks as elements of the background, will help me retain my creative thinking abilities. Instead of using the money from my budget to buy new pieces of furniture, I hope to incorporate the old ones with the new stylistic choices that I am going to make and implement by applying a different color scheme to the already existing form.
Introduction
The creative thinking process must be one of the most mysterious and complex ones that a human mind can undergo. Originally, it was decided that to enhance my critical thinking process, I will have to change the environment in which I live by reconsidering its color and elements of decorations.
Thesis Statement
Despite the fact that the solution involving the redecoration of a part of my room by using the existing furniture seems a rather legitimate step to take, given the relatively small amount of money at my disposal, buying some elements of new furniture will be crucial so that the room could lose its teenage appeal and attain a more mature look.
Critical Examination of the Best Solution: Not a Last-Minute Rapid Change of Plans
It would be wrong to assume that I am going to reinvent the previous design solution completely. On the contrary, I am going to refine it. By spotting its weakest aspects and working on them, I will be able to reach my final goal and encourage my creative thinking within the new environment. As Ruggiero warns, it is important “not to settle for the first improvement that occurs to you” (Ruggiero, 2009, p. 201).
Evaluation of the argument: color cast and the possible combinations
I am going to use the theme that has been pre-defined by my predecessor in order to create a unique environment, which will spur my creative thinking and help me explore my capacities as a designer. The previous tenant was clearly aiming at adding a spirit of late-night partying to their room. Seeing how I am not a party animal, I believe that I will take out the bright and flashy elements, leaving the details that pertain tonight, which are the peace and quiet, as well as the bluish and grayish palette. The bright colors will be removed, while the blue and grey elements will have a much stronger emphasis on them. To avoid creating a gloomy atmosphere, I will use some white elements, for instance, white curtains or white bookshelves.
Revised argument: how far the budget can stretch
Creativity does not have a price tag, and the furniture that was provided by the previous owner can definitely be used in order to render the concepts that I would like to see implemented in my room design. However, it goes without saying that some pieces of furniture chosen by the previous tenant are beyond any critique – they are truly appalling, like the horrendous table looking like a bunch of squiggly shapes. Therefore, it will be crucial to not only learn to make compromises between the design choices made by the previous owner and my own ones but also to find the courage to get rid of the elements that do not fit my zone of comfort in any possible way (Reynolds & Reason, 2012, p. 188).
Naturally, the budget will not allow for replacing every single detail of the interior with its more mature looking alternative; hence, at the end of the refurbishing process, an impressive amount of empty space is bound to appear. As it has been stressed, some elements simply beg to be replaced with more appropriate pieces of furniture, which will be in chord with the overall environment. Therefore, it can be assumed that at least 15% of the budget can be spent on buying such pieces of furniture like a new table and a chair.
Refined argument: adding the finishing touches
Since it has been decided that starting the refurbishment process from scratch is not an option, it will be necessary to choose the colors that will help marry the two styles, which seem absolutely incompatible at present. Seeing how most of the elements of the room are angular and, therefore, make every edge look very sharp, it will be required to either get rid of them, leaving only the ones that are essential or balance them out with rounded and more pleasantly shaped objects (Owens, 2011, p. 75).
Speaking of the color cast, it will be necessary to eliminate the current acid colors. The prevalence of acid green looks especially disturbing to my taste and, therefore, needs to be replaced with a more appealing pastel shade of green.
However, speaking of the background color of the room, particularly about the wallpaper, light and pastel blue seems an appropriate choice. Thus, I will be able to factor in the rest of the objects, which I will have to leave as a part of the new design; to be more exact, the background will serve as the indicator of which parts of the current environment need to be removed and which can be considered its integral part and, therefore, will affect my creativity in a positive way (Knapp, Hall & Horgan, 2013, p. 109).
As it has been stressed in the previous work of mine, the future loom of my room, which is bound to inspire me and spur my creative thinking, will also comprise several artworks. Though there are some in the room now, they still seem quite immature and, therefore, have to be removed, except for the picture of the Golden Gate Bridge made of pieces of a puzzle; weirdly enough, it contributes to the environment that I am trying to create, both stylish and reserved. The fact that its previous owner hung it at an angle adds a specific charm to it.
Final Solution: Living in a Comfortable and Visually Pleasing Environment
Since I am going to create an environment in which my creativity could be explored in-depth and evolve to its maximum, changing the color scheme of the apartment is not going to be enough; unless at least some elements of the furniture are switched to their more mature looking alternatives, a new color cast will work only as a temporary solution to the major problem.
While the colors of the room are doubtlessly a crucial factor influencing the tenant’s creative potential, the objects themselves, as well as such properties of theirs as shapes and outlines, contribute to creating a particular mood as well. Hence, by using certain methods of changing the objects’ shapes, e.g., draping them, or replacing them with the ones that are more pleasing to my eyes, seems a perfect addition to the solution that was defined previously.
Reference List
Knapp, M., Hall, J., & Horgan, T. (2013). Nonverbal communication in human interaction. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
Owens, D. A. (2011). Creative people must be stopped: 6 ways we kill innovation. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Reynolds, D. & Reason, M. (2012). Kinesthetic empathy in creative and cultural practices. Chicago, IL: Intellect Books.
Ruggiero, V. R. (2009). The art of thinking: A guide to critical and creative thought (9th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Longman.