Hello there! I hope the first weekend of November was a good one for you. I spent the weekend doing some shopping, working on projects and getting lots of housework done. There’s nothing like sitting down on a Sunday evening with house cleaning checked off the to-do list.
Over the last few weeks as I’ve been working on different design projects and thinking about different pieces of my life, I realized that many of the design principles I use in my work are also very pertinent to life. I’ve never really thought about it before but designing a room is much like designing a life….
1. Styles Change and So Should You—I know that not everyone is like me and has their décor in a constant state of change, but I do believe that as people change the décor they surround themselves with should change as well. This doesn’t mean changing out every piece you own, only changing the things that no longer fit your lifestyle or your taste. Surround yourself with only those things that bring you joy. Life Lesson: This goes for the people you surround yourself with too!
2. If you Love it, Buy it–If I had a penny for every time I’ve said those words to a client. One of the things that I’ve learned over the years is that even if you don’t see it in the moment, you will find a place in your home for something you truly love. Often times bringing in something new shines a light on something you should let go of. Life Lesson: You never regret anything you do out of love!
3. Trust your Gut–Design is as much about looking good and it is about feeling good. If something doesn’t feel right about your décor, take the time to study it and figure out what it is that bothers you. Your home should make you feel comfortable and at ease! Life Lesson: Pay attention to the feeling in your gut when you are around people and situations that don’t make you feel good. Instinct and intuition are all-powerful. Learn to trust them.
4. Design Should be a Marathon, not a Sprint–I do it and I know many of you do it as well….rush the design process. We want immediate gratification instead of holding out for the right thing. Decorating your home should be a process, with time given to understanding the look you want, the way you live in the space and the way you want your home to feel. Taking time to create the living space you dream of will result in a home that you’ll love for years to come. Life Lesson: Whenever you want to make a change in your life, you should work at it each day and make it a habit and not expect it to all happen over night.
5. Design for the Space you Live in, Not the Space you Dream Of–I’ve worked with several clients who buy things with the idea of it working in the home they “hope” to live in one day and not the home they actually live in now. While it is always a good idea to buy pieces that can function in many of different ways, don’t get caught up in buying furniture that is not ideally suited for your current living environment. Make the most of what you have, with where you are! Life Lesson: Find and appreciate every moment and every thing that exist in your life today. Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone and neither is that water front mansion that may be your dream home.
6. Too Much of a Good Thing can be Bad–Good design is about lots of little things coming together to create a beautiful space. Too much of the same thing whether it be color, a pattern or an item can turn tasteful décor into décor gone bad. Life Lesson: All things in moderation.
7. Sometimes You Have to Challenge Yourself–Getting in a rut with your design style is easy to do. We all become comfortable with what we have and the idea of implementing a change can sometimes be overwhelming. I’m here to tell you that as with life you also need to challenge your design style from time to time. Try incorporating a new color into your décor or rearranging your furniture to create a different point of view for a room. Change your thought pattern from “I’ve always done it like this” to “What if I did it like this?”. Life Lesson: To grow and be the best that you can be in life you have to challenge yourself to do things that move you forward and expose you to new ways of thinking and doing.
8. You Have to Look Up as Well as Ahead–Ceiling are an important part of décor and often times they get neglected which can cast a negative view on a space. Consider your ceiling as the 5th wall of a room and paint it or treat it in a way to enhances your décor. If paint is not your thing think about a ceiling medallion for the chandelier or enhance your crown molding. Life Lesson: Creating a vision for your life and your career is one of the surest ways to make it happen. Whether you believe it or not, your thoughts do become things and what you think you become!
9. Interior Design is Not About the Stuff, It’s About What you Do with That Stuff–Taking the time to create a living environment that allows you to live your best life and to nourish your spirit are the things that matter most in design. Create furniture arrangements that allow you family to connect, hang photos that tell the story of your family and decorate with items that give you a sense of comfort and joy . Life Lessons: Who you are defines what you do, What you do defines who you are! Life is 10% of what happens to you, and 90% of how you react to it.
10 The More you Love Your Decisions, the Less You Need Others to Love Them. Life Lesson: This is something we should all strive for!
What design or life lessons do you live by? I’d love to know.
This is an awesome post! Sharing on pinterest, twitter and FB! Have a great day!
I love all of your rules…except for me, looking up. The apartment I recently moved into has popcorn ceilings! I haven’t seen them in what feels like forever but they are such an eye sore to me!
Oh My gosh…those were all so good! And True! Thanks for sharing. This one I will print and save.
Love your blog…especially today’s post