I admit with no shame what-so-ever that I will pick up my Style at Home magazine each month and just swoon over the curated spaces that flood the glossy pages. It takes everything in me not to tear pages out, pin them up and go crazy trying to duplicate the looks. I am making a huge assumption here but I am guessing I am not alone…
It can be so tempting to want to follow the newest trends or create our spaces based on ones we see on Pinterest or Instagram. I am guilty of this to the worst degree. But I am realizing that sometimes, instead of giving me the inspiration I need to fuel my own creativity, I just get busy re-creating someone else’s idea of creative. This outside inspiration can definitely be helpful, and you know I love my fellow designer’s, however, the best tool we can use to navigate creating spaces that we thrive in, is our heart.
Each person will require something different out of their space and this will be unique for all of us. So as much as we can use other people’s creativity and design ideas, it’s also important to drop down inside and check in with ourselves. The design may look great on paper, but how does it translate when you are standing/living/being in it. Does it still give you all the feels?
Paying attention to how we feel in the spaces we are creating is essential to designing a place that we will thrive in. Usually when people want to design or re-sign a space, it’s because something about it is no longer serving those within it. How do we know that? Because we feel it.
So, whether you are involved in a full renovation, designing an office, buying a new home, or updating your current one, asking the below 5 questions will help align you with the space you are creating to ensure you get the most out of it not only on the outside, but on the inside as well.
5 questions to ask to design a space you align with
- How do I feel in the space? Do I feel happy? Sad? Uncomfortable? Safe? The immediate emotions that arise when we enter the space will give us all the information we need. Our heart doesn’t lie so pay attention to those first feelings, they will tell us everything we need to know. If the space doesn’t exist yet, get clear on how you want to feel in the space and then compare that to the design vision. Does it align?
- Can I envision myself thriving in this space? It will be hard to answer this question concretely but when you ask yourself the question, pay attention again to the feelings that arise. Do you get excited about what could happen, or fearful? Do you imagine a better quality of life or worse? Even though we cannot know for sure in this moment, imagining how life might be like in the space, will evoke strong feelings of emotion that translates into information we want to pay attention to.
- Does this space enhance my quality of life? Here, it’s important to define quality of life for yourself as it will be different for each person. An increased quality of life could mean a smaller rent or mortgage allowing for more financial freedom in other areas of life, or it could mean reaching a large life goal such as buying a home. For others, it may be access to parks or outside recreation that provides the opportunity for healthier living. Whatever quality of life means to you, will the space increase that quality of life or take away from it? This is another great opportunity to get conscious about what’s important to you in a space and is also question 4!
- What’s important to me in a space? Go to your heart for the real answers here. We are looking for the meaningful ones that fuel your heart and soul. Things like marble counters and modern furnishings are great but they don’t drive us at our core. Connection, growth, love, family ~ these are cultivated within our individual spaces and pouring into these is what’s most important. Get clear on the must-haves for your space and ensure that the ones most important to your heart, can be fulfilled within the space.
- How can this space serve others? This will also look different for everyone, yet there will be commonalities amongst the answers. Whether hosting family in a guest room, or serving a meal to a stranger, our spaces serve not only ourselves but also our communities. Home businesses, day homes, church groups, student housing ~ our spaces are constantly giving back to others. When we nurture and care for them in a conscious way, our spaces can have a large impact on how we as individuals, serve the world. Asking how the space will serve others can really help keep the design aligned with our true heart-driven desires.
How we prefer our spaces is such a unique and individual choice and that is not by accident. We make choices driven by our emotions and when designing a space, it’s no different. Go for the designs that feed your soul, align with your heart and serve yourself, your family and your community. What we end up choosing may not be found in Style at Home, but I can promise you that it will bring fulfillment that far outlasts the newest design trends.
Live well,
Cher
