About Me

Law taught me to see patterns. Academic research showed me how to dig deeper. But design taught me to dream.

Design has always been my refuge. In a world which can feel chaotic and where architectural trends become increasingly uninspiring, I find solace in the curves of a well-crafted chair, the interplay of light and shadow in a perfectly designed space, and the quiet poetry of thoughtful urban planning. But more than that, design has always felt like a puzzle waiting to be solved, a perfect blend of problem-solving, creativity, and beauty.

Throughout my life, I’ve gravitated toward roles that require uncovering and solving complex problems. In law, academic research, strategy and scenario planning, I learned to see problems as challenges, as opportunities to craft thoughtful, effective solutions. Design, for me, is an extension of that, but with the added joy of creativity and the power to inspire. It’s about planning, precision, and beauty, whether transforming a space, staging a home, or simply imagining what could be.

For a long time, I dismissed design as a luxury and a “hobby,” but I’ve come to understand its profound impact on how we feel, connect, and thrive. Because design isn’t just aesthetics, it is art and science.

Foundations & Facades is where I explore that connection. It’s part design reflection, part satire, part civic therapy. I write about the spaces we inhabit, the ones we dream of, and the ones we tolerate with gritted teeth. Some posts are poetic. Some are provoking. Some are both. Because good design, like life, rarely fits into a single tone.

Drawing from my work in strategy, I use this space as a personal endeavor, to reflect, to ask better questions, and to write my way through the messy beauty of the built world - one detail at a time.

If you’re here for glossy finishes and dopamine décor tips, you might be disappointed.

But if you believe that design is art and science , and occasionally, an act of rebellion, then welcome. You’re in the right place.

Contact 

Helen Krauss at

hi@foundationsandfacades.com

.