I like coffee to be coffee, non of that vanilla hazelnut with pumpkin pie twist, tea should be the strong black kind. Food needs to have a clean fresh taste, not overwhelmed with spices. I'm what people would describe as a "purist", I like things to be what they are, no smoke and mirrors.
"Keep It Simple Stupid" or Kiss-it, as I like to say, might sound like an easy thing to maintain, but the design material options out there make it hard thing to follow. Design is a very intricate process, which has many layers and facades to it. If you have ever lied in your life (we all have), you know how hard it is to stick to the made up facts. Design, the great mimicker of life, is like that. If you "lie" with your design, it will eventually catch up to you.
What does it mean to "lie" with your design choices? In my view it means using materials that imitate "real" things in the wrong way, best example I can think of is the use of formica (laminate) countertops to look like granite. The disappointment displayed by people, when they touch that fuax countertop that feels warm, plastic, and light weight , verses the cool, slick, heavy feel of real granite - is telling.
But what if we take that concept and twist it around? We need a countertop, and our budget is tight. Rather than trying to pass ourselves as something we can't afford to be, I'd suggest trying to a least pass off as thoughtful and creative. In recent years laminates have become one of my favorite materials to use, it's easy to clean, has a consistent look, and the variety of options seems endless. I've learned to embrace the 'faults' of laminate (such as obvious seam lines) and incorporate it in the design itself. Showing the world loud and proud - yes this is LAMINATE!
It's what I call remaining authentic to ones self (or material). Authentic design t's not about using "real" materials like wood, granite, marble - most of us can't afford these in our homes, let alone offices. It's about remaining true to the limits of your project (budget, structure, etc.), it's using materials the way they are intended to be used and not passing off mutton as lamb.
When you understand the qualities a certain material possess you will invoke honest and authentic design. People will be able to read the space as authentic and honest, which in return will make them more open to trust.