Some Thoughts On Home
Part 1 - Creating a Soulful Home
“There is nothing like staying home for real comfort” Jane Austen
I’m not sure what compels us to certain things, but home has always been my thing. I was the kid who asked for a blue gingham comforter set for Christmas.
I didn’t come to interior design because of exposure. I didn’t travel to exotic places and observe exquisite architecture. I barely even knew the interior design industry existed. Growing up, we had hand me down couches and out of date light fixtures, but our house felt safe and warm and beautiful because of the people who were home to me and although our home wouldn’t have been photographed for a magazine, it had it’s own sense of beauty.
So, I am sort of a contradiction. I think the idea of home transcends all of the adornments of place, furniture, wallpaper, etc. That might be a weird thing to say when what you do is based on selling those things, but to approach it any different feels dishonest to me. I can’t talk about home or feel good advising people about spending money on their house without the understanding that home is so much more than the sum of its architecture and furniture, and the most aesthetically beautiful houses can feel just superficial if they don’t have a sense of soul.
I think we often either decide to define our home completely outside of the aesthetic value - maybe you don’t have the budget you wish or no budget at all, so you decide to do nothing. Or the opposite side of the coin, we make it all about the way things look. Like most everything in life there’s a better place in the middle of these two and it doesn’t have to be one or the other. And although not the most important, a physical sense of place is important. Art, upholstery, curtains, all the elements in a home make up the background of our lives and this background colors so much meaning into how we live on a daily basis.
The simplest but certainly not comprehensive way to define a soulful home is a space that feels like a well put together reflection of the people who live there. Knowing what you like and why is an important part of decorating your home. I hate trends. Trends are usually about identifying with something or some movement, and too often we are swept into doing the same thing everyone else does subconsciously. If you don’t have a sense of person, it’s hard to have a sense of place. It’s sort of all connected.
A soulful home is the opposite of a buy it all at one time living room set at a big box furniture store. HGTV has done a lot of good things. It’s helped create accessibility and inspiration for many, but the magic ability of TV to put together a whole home in an hour has set unrealistic expectations for what it takes to create a home in real life. Creating a home takes time and investment.
So, I guess what I’m really trying to say is…. your home is worth some thought and investment. This is the first installment in a new series I’m calling, “Creating a Soulful Home”. I plan on riffing this subject throughout the month of February.
The beginning of the year is a good time to reevaluate your space and see what you’d like to accomplish. Maybe set a goal for certain spaces this year, and entertain the thought of hiring help. A designer can help you pull out and create coherence in your style. They should encourage you to use pieces that you already have but will also help you fill in the gaps. Maybe you just need help hanging pictures or adding layers and interest. A soulful home won’t happen in a week, but now is always a good time to get started.
Amy
