Home is How You Love It.

As we've been renovating our new home, I have to keep reminding myself: This is not going to be instantanious. This is a project that will evolve for the next decades. It got me thinking about how nice it would be to have all the money to do everything we want to do right away, but then again... maybe not?

Sure it would be great to have everything completed, but is it ever really completed anyways? Style evolves and changes. If I still had the style of my childhood, I'd be surrounded by beaded doors, lava lamps and inflatable furniture. But at that time in my life, I was surrounded by things I thought were cool. I loved my space. Right now, I doubt I'd be very excited to be sprawling out on a inflatable couch, out of fear of landing on the floor right after either a big bang or a slow deflation. Either way, turning blue to reinflate my living room is not at the top of my to-do list.

I like to think style is a very personal evolution, where sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't; but I think it is really important to be surrounded by pieces you love. Maybe it is the placement of the pieces that doesn't work, or that there is simply too much going on with no clear direction of style. Sometimes pieces you used to love, just aren't doing it for you. That's when it might be time to part ways. Maybe that's where you need the help.

I've been noticing lately, thanks to social media, that people can be very opinionated, especially when it is over someone else's personal style. But that's the beauty of it be exactly that- personal style. I find it harsh to see written, "That is hidious- must go" or "Better off burning it down and starting from scratch" when people are asking for constructive feedback on their design issues. I appreciate the concept that one person's junk is another person's treasure. To me, it's the thrill of using what you have, and making it work better.

I think that your home should be how you love it, and as long as it works for you, then you should be happy and proud of the space you are in. Maybe as designers, we should be not so quick to desire that empty slate, but to embrace the things we love being surrounded by. We are constantly in a state of redesign ourselves, that wouldn't our homes be the same? I think that is why a lot of people are not comfortable in their own homes. Their styles have evolved over the years, and they are still surrounded by eras of past selves. That becomes cluttered and a little direction-less. If you need help, take a moment to think what are the pieces that you love? And what would you love to be surrounded by? Chances are, a lot of those things are in your house, and maybe it's time to use those pieces to realize the direction of your style. Maybe it's just a simple update that you need to refresh your home, like moving the furniture around or replacing the pillow covers. If you need advice, please let me know. I'd be happy to give you my constructive comments. No need for a house fire to start over. A storage box could do just fine.