Inspiration point
Design elements have the power to influence and shape a home in meaningful ways.
[Photo courtesy Koontz Furniture and Design]
Picture a lush green hillside overlooking a still, majestic lake, framed by sprawling granddaddy oaks and other indigenous foliage. This is where it begins — not with blueprints, but with a conversation.
Standing together in that quiet setting, the future homeowner shares a simple desire: to preserve and enjoy the sweeping lake view for years to come. From that moment, an idea takes hold. A large picture window becomes the focal point — not just a feature, but a framing of nature itself. Its placement defines the home’s orientation, shapes the interior experience and ultimately becomes the catalyst for the entire design.
What started as a walk in nature evolves into a vision — one that captures the essence of the property and translates it into a space for daily inspiration.
Design inspiration can come from anywhere. A person, a place, a memory. A trip to Italy. A mother’s love of cooking. A cherished work of art. Each has the power to influence and shape a home in meaningful ways. The key is taking the time to understand not just the aesthetic, but the mood, the function and the rhythm of the client’s life.
Design, at its core, is about understanding — and that process is anything but rigid. In fact, it often begins with simple, genuine conversation. For me, this is the most enjoyable part. My love of people invites a natural curiosity: Who are they? How do they live? What brings them comfort and joy?
Somewhere between the image of a cat nuzzling under its owner’s chin each morning and the quiet ritual of putting the last horse into the stable at night, a vision begins to form. These small, personal details inform not only the beauty of a space, but its purpose.
Function is just as important as form. A well-designed space doesn’t just look beautiful; it supports the way people truly live.
I’ve also been fortunate to draw inspiration from those around me, particularly someone I’ve worked closely with for years. That person is Michael P. Koontz. Leading a company that has thrived for over a century leaves little time for formal mentorship, but I employed something even more valuable: “There is more caught than taught.”
By observing, listening and engaging in meaningful conversations about his projects and business, I’ve gained insight that continues to shape my approach. In a recent conversation, I asked him how his design perspective first began. His answer was refreshingly simple:
“It was natural — it was the family business. My parents gave me the freedom to choose my path, and I chose design.”
When asked about his sources of inspiration, he said, “I read about other designers” and when it came to understanding clients’ preferences, his advice was both practical and intuitive: “I’ve looked in a woman’s closet — you can learn a lot about the colors a person loves by what they wear.”
Michael is now semi-retired but someone like him — who has creativity at his core — never stops creating. Thus, I think I already know the answer to a question I am about to ask him.
In what ways have you continued to express the creator at heart?
He answered without hesitation, “Writing!”
What inspires the creative writer in you, I ask.
“I like words. I enjoy putting them together. Arranging and rearranging them the way you arrange and rearrange furniture and accessories,” he replied.
Design is, and always will be, a deep well — one filled with understanding, individuality and creativity. Whether inspired by a place, a person or a fleeting moment, the journey of design leads to something greater: a personal sanctuary, an environment that reflects life itself.
Ocala native Kay Rains is a skilled designer with degrees in architecture and interior design.
SPONSORED CONTENT
Koontz Furniture and Design
3111 S. Pine Ave., Ocala, FL 34471
(352) 622-3241
Local authors book signing event
On June 6, from 4 to 6 p.m., several local authors, including Michael P, Koontz, J.E. Leak, Dave Schlenker, Cynthia Van Heyde and Carlton Reese, will offer their latest works and talk with guests at Koontz Furniture and Design.
Koontz recently released his book, “Pieces of Judith,” which details the life of a neglected child living in the unspoiled beauty of north central Florida in the early 1940s, who has a dissociative identity disorder. In a story that spans decades, Judith navigates life in the South, a career as a magazine columnist and standing with her loved ones through sickness and heartbreak. She later, with the help of a therapist, unearths the pieces of her life she has buried. In the process, she must confront the secrets that family and friends have kept from each other — and the ones she has kept from herself.
To learn more about the event, call (352) 622-3241.
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